Sustainable Family Links

Sustainable Living, a phrase while in danger of becoming a cliche, is a concept that appeals to each of us for a collection of different reasons.  The one common theme for Blair, Ethan and Holly is an all around concern about the food supply; not only its health, but its quantity particularly in an age of declining resources.  The  links below provide further information about these ideas and perhaps learning more about sustainability will interest you in incorporating aspects of it into your life.

As with all of the information this site, we invite you to provide feedback about these links by contacting us at info@littlehousefarm.com.

What is sustainability already?

Sustainability

• Sustainable Table--What is sustainability anyway?
• Sustainable Table Blog

All of the Sustainable Living links below are compelling.  The ones that really stand out are a) the Permatopia graphic which maps relocalization; b) Global Circle; and c) Ecological Footprint of Nations.

Sustainable Living

• Sustainable Table--What is sustainability anyway?
• Sustainable Table Blog
• Permatopia
• National Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture
• The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment
• Global Circle
• Ecological Footprint of Nations 2004 -- see pg. 14 for a comparison
• Ecological Footprint Quiz --it's fun and interesting, take it!
• Sustainable Measures
• Organic Consumers Association
• Council on the Environment of New York City
• Bioneers--Revolution From the Heart of Nature
• New Urbanism
• Congress for the New Urbanism
• Project for Public Spaces
• Food Not Lawns
• Chelsea Green

The links below are a great start for families. 

Sustainable Homes

• Pride of New York--Buy Local
• Eat Well Guide
• Organic Gardening
• Parents Action for Children
• Seasonal Produce
• KidsGardening
• What's in Season?  (NYS)
• foodroutes
• Kitchen Gardeners International
• Amberwaves
• Kids Gardening Store  --learn how to grow food with your children
• Ideal Bite

The blogs below are for foodies and locavores alike.

FOODIE BLOGS

• The Saxelby Almanac
• The Feed
• Eater
• Off the Broiler
• Slow Food
• Midtown Lunch
• David Lebovitz
• Eating Liberally
• Thoughts on the Table
• Spooning

The links below are near and dear to my heart..they are my passion.  Food policy and food security are also becoming more and more important as large agribusinesses control our food and government interferes with our food security.  

FOOD POLICY & SECURITY

• Baum Forum
• Food Systems Network NYC
• Environmental Defense
• NY Farms!
• Community Food Security Coalition  --includes an opportunity to subscribe to a listserv
• Just Food
• Slow Food NYC
• FamilyCook Productions
• FoodChange
• Farm Bill I
• Farm Bill 2
• Farm Aid
• Rodale Institute

The solar links below are culled from the site and include some contractors.

SOLAR ENERGY

• US Department of Energy--Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
• U.S. Green Building Council
• Healthy Building Network
• New York State Energy Plan & Final Environmental Impact Statement
• NYSERDA
• Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy or DSIRE
• Xantrex
• Rinnai
• Buderus
• Sunda
• Hudson Valley Clean Energy
• Common Fire

Farm to School will address the groundbreaking School Wellness Policy by sharing links to a wealth of information about the policy.  The Policy or 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, was established by Congress as requirement that all  federally-funded school meals programs develop & implement wellness policies that address nutrition & physical activity by the beginning of the 2006-2007 school year. One of the best ways to change the way we live is to start with our children!

FARM TO SCHOOL

• Model School Wellness Policies
• Center for Ecoliteracy--Rethinking School Lunch
• NY Coalition for Healthy School Lunches-- Better Health * Better Grades * Better Behavior
• Food Studies Institute--Healthy Habits Begin in the Classroom
• Chef Ann--Renegade Lunch Lady
• Center for Science in the Public Interest--A Guide to Improving School Foods & Beverages
• Agriculture in the Classroom--USDA Run Site
• AIWF Days of Taste--Discovery Based Program to Learn About Food & How It Gets From Farm to Table
• California Project Lean--Leaders Encouraging Nutrition & Activity

The Articles of Interest below present declining resources each with a slightly different slant. 

Articles of Interest

• Agraria--A Low-energy use, Small, Sustainable Community
• Japanese Putting All Their Energy Into Saving Fuel
• Student Project on Trying to Eat Locally

An area of particular interest.  Community building and relocalization are keys to surviving a world's declining natural resources.

Community

• Edens Lost & Found
• Just Food
• The Community Solution

The Hatchery links below are a place to start for those wanting to explore the wonderful world of eggs.

Owning Chickens

• Araucana History
• Murray McMurray Hatchery
• Eggcartons.com

Several really good movies have been made related to sustainability for families and adults.  Their titles and sites follow.

Sustainable Movies

• The Meatrix (available online gratis and geared towards children)
• The Power of Community (available to purchase online)
• Biomimicry--Learning from Nature (a sample is available online and can be rented or purchased)
• The End of Suburbia

The links below are really good, but just don't fit into any other category so we made one up.

OTHER

• Gas Buddy
• Organic Industry Structure
• 101 Reasons Why I Am A vegetarian
• A Really Interesting List of Community, Food & Agriculture Books & Films