Open Living and Learning Network News:

Open: Living and Learning for Sustainability: November, 2007

The Open Living and Learning Network is a recent initiative which has already given rise to some great new opportunities in Louisville and elsewhere.

To follow the development of this learning initiative, take a look at Living and Learning for Sustainability
To join the listserve and living and learning collaborative in Louisville, go to Sustainability Education Group

Sustainable Clift*n: The November 13, 2007 Clifton Community Council meeting included a briefing on the Gaia Education and LEEDS Neighborhood ideas and invitations to Clifton and other community members to participate in the Open Living and Learning for Sustainability Network neighborhood activities. Clifton Center 7 PM.

You may also be interested in the work of the Sustainable Neighborhood committee of the Limerick Neighborhood's West St. Catherine Street Association. The next meeting will be 5 PM, Sunday, November 11, 2007, to discuss options for greening the neighborhood. Walnut Street Baptist Church, 1100 South 3rd St at St. Catherine Streets Contact: Chair - Sustainable Neighborhoods, Steven Sizemore, Steven.Sizemore@louisvilleky.gov, 502-290-7623
The Open Living and Learning Network idea was originally proposed during the Living Routes visit in early September, 2007, as a next step in the development of the Open Community projects launched in 2004. Click here to see one of the Open living and Learning Network proposals.

The Living Routes meetings connected Louisville to Study Abroad opportunities with ecovillages world wide.

Clifton Neighborhood, which is taking a lead on the Living and Learning approach, began charting a course towards sustainability several years ago. In October, the Clifton Neighborhood Council filed an application as the first Open Louisville Living and Learning Network Gaia Education site. Clifton has joined with Adena Institute, Webster University and regional sustainability practitioners, in going after Global Ecovillage Network and UNITAR curriculum certification along with an education grant from the Gaia Trust.

Clifton has also embarked on learning

about becoming a LEED Neighborhood as part of the Open Living and Learning Network. LEED is the US Green Building Council standard for Energy and Environmental building practices. The LEED Neighborhood standard is now undergoing pilot testing in 234 neighborhoods around the United States. Clifton is applying to be a "corresponding neighborhood"- that is, a neighborhood that wants to learn more about the LEEDs Green Neighborhood process in anticipation of applying for full LEEDs status in the next year or so.

See the article "Neighborhoods Taking The LEED" by Jennifer Oladipo from LEO weekly:

See some of the recent ideas for the Open Louisville Living and Learning Network: Next Steps DRAFT v1-1