Environmental lecture series at Carnegie Mellon features urban farming

Starting next Thursday, January 18th, there will be a series of talks at Carnegie Mellon University on topics related to urban farming (permaculture, local economies, youth development, and technologies), endocrine disruption, and environmental justice. There is no charge for these lectures, and all the details are below, including how to get there, for those not familiar with the CMU campus.

Urban Farming talks are all from 5:30 -7PM in Rangos 1 & 2, in the University Center

Urban Farming: Reconnecting Our Farms, Food, and Community
A Partnership with the Urban Farming Initiative of Pittsburgh

Thursday January 18, 2007
Pittsburgh: Urban Food Forest of the Future?
David Jacke, Author and Ecological Designer
Dynamics Ecological Design, Greenfield, MA
http://www.edibleforestgardens.com

Healthy forests are self-maintaining, self-fertilizing, and self-renewing. Edible forest gardens mimic such natural forests, but can grow food and other products, provide meaningful jobs, and improve people?s health and the quality of urban life. Since cities are ecosystems like any other, food forests can also teach us how to redesign urban communities for greater abundance, health, and integration. The lessons are simple and practical, yet profound, the possible results astonishing.

Getting to the CMU environmental talks:

Free parking is available on campus after hours (very simply, in the lot at Forbes & Morewood, and with gates and card-machines in the parking garage a bit closer to the University Center -- but the open lot is not far, either, just drive in off Forbes on the west side of the intersection and go left through the open gates). Many city buses stop at that intersection, as well; check out Bus Schedules.

To find the U.C., look at the tall sculpture accurately named "Walking To the Sky" from Forbes avenue, and the U.C. will be on your left. Inside the building, look up and you'll likely see signs above the corridors; the Rangos rooms are on the second floor.

Here's a Google map, as well.

Click on "hybrid" in the upper right-hand corner of the map to see the campus up close and personal (yes, you can even see people. The current image appears to predate Walking To the Sky, though.).

Baker Hall, where the non-farming talks will be held, is on Frew Street near the Hunt Library.