Live & direct from Mic Check Radio, “Inside “The Green Collar Economy” w/ Author Van Jones

     

       

Van Jones

Bamboo Construction w/ The Natural Builders :: Photos by Betty Bastidas

The Natural Builders are licensed contractors offering design, build and consultation services.

The Natural Builders collaborate with artists, building professionals, and individuals in a range of fields, from the creation of ecological spaces, to the development of new materials, to the understanding and improvement of vernacular building techniques.

The term “natural building” refers to a range of construction methods that use locally sourced or minimally processed materials: straw, earth, bamboo, and sustainably harvested wood.

This, in return, results in architecture reminiscent of older, artisan-ally inspired housing that looks similar to modern day European stucco. I’m not an architecture aficionado by any means, but as many people are in this day and age of design/decor luxury, I do have a knack for aesthetics.

And our aesthetics, or at least the ones we take ownership of, represent a vast array of styles, forms of expression, etc. Aesthetics are also the evolution of consideration; and unfortunately, it is our own communities that have been deprived of this consideration. Simply put, we often perceive  that to be a “home owners,” you need to be one of those “real estate” tycoons who build large sky scapers, give us temporary jobs, and kick us out of the neighborhoods we helped to build.  That leaves us with one conclusion. Yes, the neighborhood looks new, but NEW FOR WHO?

Littered sidewalks and debilitated housings do not represent us; they represent the neglect implemented upon us; and so, it is time to take heed of our design genius and rebuild our communities accordingly.

Still, we establish our acts of inspiration and hope into our aesthetics. The aesthetics of our communities contribute to our own impressions, treatment, and respect for them.

One way to reclaim the hidden beauty of our communities is through architectural and environmental reinvention.  Yes, this is a humongous project. But we’re doing it right now! Hence, Life is Living.

And one way to go about this is by utilizing organizations such as Natural Builders and redirecting them to our neighborhoods in Oakland, New York, D.C. and beyond.

Check out their portofolio!  All that bamboo makes me want to runaway to Cabo!

“Words are just words without action. But I think what we’re seeing here today with these poets is the beginning of action.” – Robert Redford

 Robert Redford has been fighting on behalf of the environment for more than 30 years. From producing documentary films about solar power to lobbying Congress, his work has been both in the field and inside the Beltway.

These days, he has a new venue for environmental activism: slam poetry. Sponsored by Redford’s Sundance Preserve, in collaboration with Youth Speaks, a nonprofit that presents spoken-word performances, the Academy Award-winning actor is getting his message out in rhyme.

Redford spoke with Lauren Whitehead, associate director of Youth Speaks, and Simone Crew, slam poet and participant in “Brave New Voices: Youth Speaks! 11th International Youth Poetry Slam,” on Talk of the Nation about his latest project and getting young people involved in the fight against global warming.

Listen to the interview live here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92584973

Grind For The Green

Here is some quick information about their work.

GRIND FOR THE GREEN (G4G) IS AN ANNUAL SUMMER ECO-MUSIC FESTIVAL PRODUCED BY AND FOR YOUTH IN THE SF BAY AREA. MORE THAN JUST A SHOWCASE FOR LOCAL TALENT, G4G PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK AND APPLIED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WHERE YOUTH FROM THE HIP-HOP GENERATION BUILD BUSINESS ACUMEN AND TECHNICAL SKILLS NECESSARY FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT. HUNDREDS OF PARTICIPANTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE PART IN ALL EVENTS, WHICH INCLUDE ARTIST DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS, JOBS, INTERNSHIPS AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ROOTED IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FRAMEWORK.

See more online at http://www.myspace.com/grindforthegreen

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

http://www.greenforall.org