OppGreen Insights

The Ecology Center of San Juan Capistrano: Green Resources in the OC

Posted on 04. Sep, 2009 by Joo Lee Smith in Design & Culture

The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano is a dream come true for someone like me, and probably, for someone like you too! Situated at the historical Congdon House on Orange County’s one and only remaining organic farm, the center provides solutions for sustainability at the consumer and community levels by modeling proven practices and new technologies at the home and farm, while providing a plethora of resources and programs aimed at every age group and consumer.

What does that mean specifically? Right now, it means:

• The Community Design Studio – local designers and professionals rotating weekend office hours to inspire and advise ordinary consumers with ideas and concrete solutions for green living and sustainable design
• Basic Needs Speaker Series – enlightening consumers on making decisions in our consumption of basic needs (food, water, shelter, clothing) that have positive ecological impacts
• Gardens For Life – where students from local hospitals and Boys and Girls Clubs visit the Center for hands-on lessons in gardening, farming, nutrition
• Youth Design Ecological – 8 day summer workshops for teens to collaborate with professional designers, architects, and artist in designing solutions that optimize the future health of our community and environment

It goes further than that though! A visit and tour with the founder, Evan Marks, revealed that The Center is already demonstrating these practices in its own design, employing drought-tolerant landscaping watered with drip irrigation, crop rotation, composting and recycling, grey water filtration, rain water collection, and the exclusive use of ecological materials in both building and decoration. The Center also offers a self-guided tour that fully details the benefits of each practice and design element.

The founder himself is a model of ecological living. He has devoted his life to ecological design, specializing in permaculture in developing community. His passion for preserving our natural environment through responsible consumption and conscious development is a fantastic model in and of itself!

Further community support for the Center holds even greater promise – with the launch of the Measuring Up! app with iPhone – a self-guided ecological household audit with the Congdon House as a demo, expansion of educational resources to include a focus on our watershed, and a Farm To Life Lab, educating our youth on the origins of our food through and our adults on seasonal eating through culinary workshops with local gourmet chefs.

I am excited for the positive impact The Ecology Center will have on the local community in Orange County! Check it out what’s going here or in your area and GET INVOLVED!