Earth Week Celebrations at Seattle Central College

Seattle Central Sustainability Council is hosting Earth Day activities April 16-20 at the main campus. The theme “Food Justice and Resilience” will be weaved through all of the events. We hope many of you can join one or several of the events to learn more about what is going on in the Seattle area and how you can get more involved. More details on each event is below.

Attend an Earth Week event to be entered into a free raffle!!!

 

Tuesday April 17

1. Waste Audit

Come help sort through Seattle Central’s waste- it’s a lot of fun- you would be surprised! The Sustainability Council and friends will be sorting recycling and garbage to gather information to advance waste diversion initiatives at Seattle Central. Gloves and other safety materials will be provided, so swing by to dig in!

Location: BE South plaza
When: 10am-2pm
Questions? Contact jeff.keever@seattlecolleges.edu

 

2. Film Screening, “Seed: The Untold Story – Defending the Future of Food”

  • Run time: 96 minutes
  • Features: Andrew Kimbell, Vandana Shiva, Winona LaDuke

The Learning Communities Committee of Seattle Central hosts a film related to their theme, ‘Bridging Social Problems.’ “The film follows passionate seed-keepers protecting our 12,000 year-old food legacy. These farmers, scientists, lawyers, and indigenous people are fighting a David and Goliath battle to defend the future of our food. In a harrowing and heartening story, these heroes rekindle a lost connection to our most treasured resource and revive a culture connected to seeds.”

Location: BE 4106
When: starts at 6pm
Questions? Contact Sharon.Spence-Wilcox@seattlecolleges.edu

 

Wednesday April 18

1. Women in Food and Agriculture

Leah Litvak, Manager of Capitol Hill Farmers Market

 

Karen Jurgensen, chef instructor for Seattle Culinary Academy

Speakers will be given 5-10 minutes each to discuss how local farms/bounty are addressing food justice in Seattle and the PNW. A moderator will then ask the speakers questions, followed by questions from the audience. In terms of food justice, farmers markets provide important food access to Seattle’s low income populations. Farmers markets also provide local farmers with an important opportunity to remain in farming and keep our precious rural landscapes in place for future generations.

Climate friendly snacks will be provided!

Location: BE 1110
When: noon-1pm
Questions? Contact adam.maurer@seattlecolleges.edu

 

Leah Litwak works for the Neighborhood Farmers Markets Alliance (NFMA) as the Capitol Hill Farmers Market Manager. The NFMA is dedicated to supporting and sustaining local farms by creating viable farmers markets and educating the public about local agriculture. Leah previously manage SnoValley Tilth’s Carnation Farmers Market and spent four seasons learning about organic agriculture and direct-market sales with Tonnemaker Family Orchard as a market vendor in many of the Seattle Farmers Markets. Leah graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Environmental Studies with focus on food studies and nutrition.

Karen Jurgensen is a Chef Instructor at Seattle Culinary Academy, where she founded the sustainability curriculum for culinary students, the first of its kind in the nation. Karen spends summers at Quillisascut Farm School teaching professional chefs, culinary students, and agricultural professionals farm-to-table immersion courses and philosophy. She is the co-author of “Rethinking the Kitchen, the sustainable kitchen handbook” and “Chefs on the Farm” cookbook. Karen was the founding president of FORKS, the Seattle chapter of Chefs Collaborative and was honored with the Chefs Collaborative National “Sustainer 2012” Award. This award recognizes her as a chef and mentor; creating awareness of sustainable food issues and making delicious food. Alice Water’s Edible Schoolyard named her an “edible education hero” in October 2012.

 

2. “Good Food, Healthy People”

Seattle Culinary Academy presents,

 

Arran Stark, Dietary Director and Executive Chef  of Healthcare Hospital in Jefferson County

 

 Laurie McKenzie, Northwest Research and Education Associate of Organic Seed Alliance (OSA).

Join Seattle Culinary Academy in welcoming Arran Stark, Dietary Director and Executive Chef of Healthcare Hospital in Jefferson County & Laurie McKenzie from Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). They will each share their independent work on supporting local farmers from seed to plate. Climate friendly snacks will be provided!

Each speaker will have a 20-25 minute presentation followed by a Q&A period.

NOTE: We recommend arriving 10 minutes early to grab a few morsels and find a seat, so we can begin the program on time

Location: SCA’s one world restaurant
When: 3:30-4:30pm
Questions? Contact katherine.kehrli@seattlecolleges.edu

 

Arran Stark is Dietary Director and Executive Chef of Healthcare Hospital in Jefferson County. Arran Stark, considered by many in Port Townsend as a “rock star” chef, has flipped food preparation at the farmers market and has his own catering business. He recently took over the hospital’s food service and is incorporating locally produced meat and organic vegetables into the hospital’s fare. He is a pioneer in the movement many hospitals are now joining “Healthy Food in Health Care” and under his leadership he converted the supply chain for the hospital’s patient meals and the cafe to be 90% locally sourced. Fresh, local, more nutritious, and supporting farmers right in his community. Stark’s ideas go far beyond a nice bowl of stew. Third-shift workers have access to a stocked, healthy grab-and-go cooler. The hospital cooks meals for senior citizens through a partnership with a local agency. Stark teams up with a local professor to offer educational programs that explore historic ingredients. In the future, he would like to train young adults in food preparation, hospitality, and service.

Two interesting articles about Arran Stark’s work:

  1. Edible Seattle, “Eat Well, Be Well.” January 7, 2016
  2. To Your Health. “Meet Jefferson Healthcare’s Executive Chef Arran Stark.” Spring 2013. 

Laurie McKenzie is a Research and Education Associate with the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA), based in Chimacum, WA. OSA advances ethical seed solutions to meet food and farming needs in a changing world. Their vision, organic seed systems that are democratic and just, support human and environmental healthy, and deliver genetically diverse and regionally adapted seed to farmers everywhere. Through their work they confront seed consolidation, assist farmers with crop extension, and teach farmers the lost art of selecting and saving seed. Laurie has authored and co-authored several publications and taught dozens of classes and workshops on seed production and plant breeding. She received her M.S. in Horticulture and Plant Breeding from Oregon State University in 2012 and has over a decade of farming and seed production experience. Laurie focuses on breeding for organic production systems using participatory strategies. She is currently working on several collaborative breeding projects focused on cabbage, kale, carrots, Swiss Chard, and purple sprouting broccoli. In her spare time Laurie enjoys creating her budding homestead, playing with her farm animals, and growing flowers in the garden.

 

Thursday April 19

1. Earth Day Fair

Come check out various companies, non-profits, and groups that are bringing more sustainable food to Seattle and the PNW. Organizations include;

 

Swag, prizes, food, and awesome opportunities will be provided!

 

Location: be atrium
When: 10am-2pm
Questions? Contact adam.maurer@seattlecolleges.edu

 

2. COSI Talk, “Urban Agriculture and Social Justice”

Ron Harris-White, co-founder of Black Farmers Collective

 

Ray Williams, president of Seattle Farm Co-op
Location: Library Room A
When: noon-1pm
Questions? Contact Kimberly Tate-Malone@seattleColleges.edu

Ron Harris-White is Director of Urban Environmental Leadership and Diversity Services at Antioch University Seattle. His responsibilities include the promotion of environmental, educational, and cultural programming and activities for students, while at the same time, increasing cross-cultural understanding for the total University and surrounding communities.

Please click to find out more about the Seattle Central Sustainability Council

Please click to find out more about Seattle Colleges’ sustainability initiatives