Farming and Local Food
Within the Saskatchewan RCE, food production has always been central to Saskatchewan livelihoods. Saskatchewan was historically called the “breadbasket of the world” based on its wheat exports. However, agricultural livelihoods face the many challenges of low prices, high input costs, a high dependence on increasingly scarce fossil fuels, and ecological challenges associated with crop monocultures and soil degradation. These challenges also present opportunities to move from highly mechanized agriculture to more sustainable forms that focus on local food production and farm self-sufficiency. Similarly, opportunities exist to reduce vulnerability and risk by reorienting ranching and other forms of livestock production away from intensive industrial processes to structures that are more profitable for individuals and family farms. ESD can help consumers understand where their food is coming from with greater transparency between farmers and consumers. Consumers want to know more about food safety, nutrition, treatment of animals, environmental impacts, and working conditions including wage levels. ESD can enable more healthy food consumption where the true costs of food are reflected in fair prices for local producers mediated through new regional relationships. Local food production can also enable individuals and communities to promote their own food security and self-sufficiency by acting in an integrated way as producers, consumers, and managers of wastes. Consumers can be empowered with the knowledge needed to discern food quality along with the skills needed for nutritious food preparation of basic foodstuffs.
With the centrality of market institutions in the modern global economy, building wise consumers and business practices that simultaneously meet economic, social, and ecological bottom lines is central to achieving sustainability. The full life-cycle costs of products and services need to be understood by all if market prices are to reflect their true costs rather than offloading externalities on other organizations, communities, and future generations. At the same time, many livelihood opportunities are available at a local level to meet needs outside of the market (for example, through voluntary activity or individual production aimed at meeting one's own needs). A focus on wise production, consumption, and waste minimization enables important linkages to be made between rural and urban communities and is facilitated by a regional approach to ESD.
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Education for Sustainable Development Recognition Program: Nominations Now Open
Do you know of a project that deserves recognition for building capacity in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)? Are you leading or participating in such a project? The Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development Saskatchewan (RCE Saskatchewan) Recognition Program provides recognition to innovative projects, research, and other activities promoting Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in the prairie region. Nominations are now open for submission for the fourth annual ESD Recognition Event. RCE Saskatchewan invites nominations to be submitted by May 1, 2012. The event will be tentatively held on June 7, 2012 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Project leaders will receive a certificate of recognition, promotion of their project at the event and on the RCE Saskatchewan website, and an opportunity to network with other project recognition recipients and RCE Saskatchewan members. Media will also be alerted to the event.
Some important areas of sustainable development include:
1. Building sustainable communities
2. Climate change
3. Farming and local food production
4. Health and healthy lifestyles
5. Reconnecting to natural prairie ecosystems
6. Sustainable infrastructure including water and energy
7. Bridging and sustaining cultures
Nominations may be submitted by the individual or organization, or by someone else, who believe(s) the project is worthy of recognition. "Education for sustainable development aims at promoting reflection and discernment in our region that helps us identify and pursue paths to sustainability. Such paths lead to ongoing improvements in quality of life while sustaining healthy ecosystems. They promote active environmental stewardship, social justice, and intergenerational equity" (RCE Saskatchewan website). Projects should address education for sustainable development, including the three pillars of environmental stewardship, social justice, and economic development such that the project strengthens one or more pillars while not damaging any of the other pillars.
Projects must:
- Build capacity for ESD in Saskatchewan;
- Educate others (either formally, informally, or non-formally) about the importance of becoming more sustainable;
- Take place, at least in part, in Saskatchewan;
- Have achieved significant milestones at the time of application;
- Not have been recognized at prior RCE Recognition Events or, if previously recognized, have had further innovations and significant accomplishments since the earlier recognition event.
You are also welcome to submit photos along with your application.
The nomination form can be found at the RCE Saskatchewan website: http://www.saskrce.ca under the 'Events' heading. More details about the event can be found there, including a list of recipients from last year.
Please pass this information on to others who might know of projects to be nominated.
Yours in healthy living,
Adrienne Billings
RCE Saskatchewan Event Coordinator
Ph: (306) 535-1588
Email: bourquea@uregina.ca
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Education for Sustainability Newsletter Jan 2012 (vol 3, no. 1) Now Available
Education for Sustainable Development Newsletter
Volume 3, Number 1, January 2012
Inside this issue...
· Innovative Curriculum: Grade 12 Global Issues: Citizenship and Sustainability
· Greening the Technical Vocational Initiative in Manitoba
· Education for Sustainable Development: Parkland Elementary School Garden Project
· GREEN High Schools Program Introduces Students to Careers in the Environment
· Professional Development Day on Sustainable Happiness
· Using the Earth Charter to Develop a Teaching for Sustainability Course at the University of Winnipeg
· UNESCO Identifies Brock Corydon School for its "Good Practice" in ESD and Culture
· Manitoba Takes Top Honours at the 2011 Canon Envirothon
· Woodlands Students Reduce Lunch Waste
· Professional Learning and Conferences
· Online Resources
· Digital We, It Starts with Me!
· Funding
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"Straw Light Clay Building Workshop", Craik, July 6-8, 2012
Please see the attached PDF below on this exciting, participatory workshop being held in Craik examining straw light clay building contruction.--Roger
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