Sustainable Fairfax

Bringing people together to support a vital environment and thriving community

News

Fairfax Community Seed Exchange Now at the Fairfax Library

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Sustainable Fairfax has partnered with the Marin County Free Library and 2014 Branson Environmental Action Network to create a Community Seed Exchange.

The Community Seed Exchange is a free seed library that supports our community with locally-grown, pesticide-free, non-GMO seeds. This is an important program to preserve and maintain agricultural biodiversity, develop seed stock that is well suited to our climate and inspire our community to share in the magic of growing edibles, flowers, herbs and natives. In the last century, over 94% of our seed varieties have been lost. “Genetic Erosion” refers to the loss of genetic diversity between and within populations of the same species. The Seed Exchange decreases our dependence on agro-business, helps to create viable possibilities for watershed appropriate plants and is an educational resource.
Find the “Reference” section in the Fairfax library and check it out!

Sustainable Fairfax Youth Blog: SO, What is a Biodigester?

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As a senior in Drake High School’s environmental studies academy SEA-DISC, one of my many activities is an internship with the local non-profit organization Sustainable Fairfax. Recently I have been working with Sustainable Fairfax on their water program, conducting interviews with various experts on water use, waste water, and watersheds in Marin County and getting a great perspective on these issues. Along the way I also discovered a few other exciting projects that are leading the way to sustainability in Marin.

At the very end of the industrial yet tranquil Anderson Drive in San Rafael, California, something revolutionary is going on. Central Marin Sanitation Agency (CMSA), a regional public organization that manages waste water from San Rafael, Larkspur, San Anselmo, and surrounding areas, has undertaken a project that harmoniously combines waste management and energy production. Better yet – it’s a huge step towards sustainability for the county.

According to the Marin Sanitary Service, about 30% of material in the landfill is food waste. However, about seven years ago and working in tandem with Marin Sanitary Service, CMSA developed a plan that would significantly cut that number, as well as provide renewable energy for the county and reduce landfill emissions of methane, an even more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

The process of transforming vegetable peels and fruit rinds into clean energy is actually quite simple. Participating restaurants and markets separate their food waste, which is collected by Marin Sanitary Service and ground into small pieces. Mixed with collected fats, oils, and grease, the material is trucked down the road to the CMSA site and stored in large, sealed tanks called biodigesters. The hot, humid microclimate inside the digesters is perfect for fostering microbes, which eat up the mixture of food and oil wastes and release a low quality form of methane called biogas. After being purified, the biogas can be used to generate electricity. All that is left of the solid waste is a rich fertilizer, which can be used to augment soil for growing food.

The process is one big loop; grocery stores throw out their old produce, food waste is turned into energy and fertilizer, farms use fertilizer to grow food, and the cycle continues with no landfill involved. The initiative will be a vital part of achieving Marin County’s goal of reaching zero waste by 2020.

When I spoke with Jason Dow, General Manager of CMSA, about the future of biogas in Marin County, he was animated. “Currently we run about 18 hours a day on energy produced on-site. […] Within about three years we are looking to be completely energy independent, as well as exporting energy to the county.” Dow said.

By Paige Yeakle, Sustainable Fairfax Intern & member of SEA-DISC- Drake High School’s environmental academy

It Was Another Great Craft Faire (And We're All Tired)

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CraftFaire1The 2014 FOCAS and Sustainable Fairfax December 13 Craft Faire was a popular and fun-filled event featuring sustainable crafts and gifts, including recycled sweaters, knit hats, jewelry,   pottery, origami ornaments, aromatherapy, handmade soap, and more.  Particularly popular were the wide assortment of pin-on animal ears and tails, and the “ear stylists” who fitted them to each potential buyer.

 

Music was provided by Ukulele Friends Ohana, Jack Irving and Kyle Alden.

Food included the very popular Good Earth mac & cheese and vegan chili, as well as the bake sale featuring organic and vegan options.  A new addition was chai and other warm beverages offered by Key Tea.

The Bake Sale

The 2014 Craft Faire featured a “new” tradition–a baking contest judged by local luminaries. The judges included Fairfax Mayor Barbara Coler, Fairfax Vice-Mayor Renee Goddard, Taste & Kitchen owner Lorenzo Jones, musician Jack Irving, Lola’s store owner Joelle Levy, and owner of Aphro Cuisine Megan McCulloch.  Two winners won a gift certificate and cooking class at Taste & Kitchen .

CraftFaireCookiesThe winner in the Cookies and Brownies category was a traditionalGerman Christmas cookie, the Zimmt Stern, or Cinnamon Star, made almost entirely of egg whites, almonds, and powdered sugar.

The winner in the Cakes and Cupcakes category was a wonderful Olive Oil Cake, a recipe which has ancient origins in Greek tradition of olive oil and honey cakes (Karithopita) developed prior to the widespread availability of sugar and butter.

Sharing treasured holiday recipes, crafts, and music  help us connect across and within cultures and generations, building new traditions layered with the old.

A special thanks to Camille Esposito of FOCAS who selected and managed the sustainable local vendors that made this event a huge success.

Thank You for Making Our Benefit Party a Success!

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On December 6, 2014 we hosted a benefit at the new Marin Museum of Bicycling in Fairfax. The event brought over eighty people together from the Fairfax community and beyond to enjoy an evening full of conversation, wonderful local food and lively music in the beautiful space at the museum.

Sustainable Fairfax President Elizabeth Baker, a board member of 10 years, kicked things off with a wonderful history and summary of accomplishments of our organization. Our Executive Director Jennifer Hammond followed with remarks about our exciting upcoming programs and initiatives. And the one and only Renee Goddard, our dynamic Vice President, performed a memorable rap called “Reduce By Two,” promoting our new alternative transportation campaign to inspire a reduction of two car trips per week.

Fairfax local Jack Irving created a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere early in the evening with his lovely guitar, and “The Right Time” band got people dancing in the later hours with their lively funk rock tunes. Some people cozied up next to a warm fire outside, chatted with friends new and old, and sipped on some amazing chai prepared by Key Tea.

Our silent auction raised $2300 and featured over thirty items, many relating to sustainability, such as the Laundry to Landscape Greywater Starter Kit from The Urban Farmer Store, Good Earth Natural Foods certificates, heirloom seeds from the Petaluma Seed Bank, Nutcase bicycle helmets, a 4-seasons permaculture course from the Regenerative Design Institute and honey from Bonnie Bee and Company.

Sustainable Fairfax is grateful for being a part of such an engaged and connected community, and thanks everyone who has supported our mission over recent years. Special thanks to the board of Marin Museum of Bicycling for its support in helping us create such a successful event, and bringing life to a fabulous new venue in Fairfax.

We received tasty food donations from Donna’s Tamales, Grilly’s, Jasmine Market, Miyoko’s Kitchen (incredible vegan cheese!) and Sorella’s, and beer donations from Lagunitas Brewery and Marin Brewing Company.

Also thanks to Marin Sanitary Service, Flynn Riley LLP and North Berkeley Investment Partners for helping with event expenses.

We look forward to continuing with more education, activism and conservation in the years ahead!

Looking Back – Sustainable Fairfax 2014 Accomplishments

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2014 was a great year for our organization. We made progress on a lot of fronts, and could not have done it without our partners, members, volunteers, and sponsors. We are honored by the support and input we have received from our community, which made our accomplishments possible!

Over the last year, Sustainable Fairfax was successful in bringing important programs and events to the community including:

  • Film & Lecture Series – we hosted five film & speaker events, attended by over 250 people
  • Take Back Day – 5 tons of materials were collected and diverted from landfill
  • Fairfax Craft Faire – this zero waste event supports our local economy by featuring goods from local artisans and crafts people
  • Fairfax Festival/EcoFest – we provided zero waste education and coordinated the collection of recycling and compost
  • Streets for People – a rare opportunity for hundreds of community members and local businesses to connect and enjoy our town without cars
  • Free Backyard Composting Workshops – educating over 70 people on backyard composting techniques and turn household scraps into garden gold
  • Backyard Beekeeping Workshops – workshops on sustainable hive management to encourage and support backyard beekeeping
  • Water Stewardship Panel – an educational event on water conservation techniques attended by 50 people (part of our “Go Blue! Take Action on Water” program)
  • Fairfax History Talk – this wonderful talk by local culture expert Rebecca Burgess of Fibershed was attended by 60 people
  • Rainwater catchment Bicycle Tour – a bicycle tour of local homes and businesses to learn about home rainwater catchment techniques including rainwater harvesting and greywater systems (part of our “Go Blue! Take Action on Water” program)
  • Sustainable Garden at the Women’s Club – an educational garden demonstrating the use of natives and low-water plants in the home-scale garden, designed and implemented by Sustainable Fairfax volunteers as a gift to the Town.
  • Community Council events – a new monthly program that provides the time and space for community members to discuss matters relating to sustainability in a quiet and supportive circle led by two experienced facilitators

Thank you for a great 2014. We hope you join us for an awesome year of new initiatives and progress in 2015!

August In Review

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We hosted two lovely events in August that focused on landfill reduction, allowed the community to learn and share knowledge, and brought people together to focus on creating a more sustainable civilization.

8/16 – Backyard Composting Workshop with Joan Irwin, Master Gardener: Did you know that Compostable organics make up 30% of California’s overall waste stream, contributing over 12 million tons annually to our state’s landfills, and producing significant quantities of methane? Workshop participants found out how they, personally, could help to do their part to mitigate greenhouse gas emission through backyard composting. Find out more about the benefits of composting here.

8/23 – Community Council: On a gorgeous summer day in August 8 people came inside to sit in council together to tackle the difficult question of how to create less waste and live more lightly in a single use society. We reflected on how we came to understand the problems of waste and over-consumption and how this knowledge has impacted our lives.

How, we all asked, did we get into this cycle, and how do we extricate ourselves, or at least lessen our impact on the planet we love and free ourselves from the influences of excess? Reconnecting to the natural world, that in our backyards and the remaining wilderness around us, and more intimately, by reconnecting with the nature we carry within us as mortal beings, were suggested as gateways to a deeper consciousness about this issue. We also acknowledged the difficulties of being conscious consumers and attending to the day to day tasks of proper disposal of waste while we lead busy lives.

We look forward to the wisdom and plans for action that will emerge from our monthly councils. Again, many thanks to Teya Valentina Chavez for co-facilitating and sharing her lovely Sol Studios for this event, and to Rachel McKay for facilitation and vision.