Sustainability
The Learning Gardens Laboratory (LGLab) is a project of the Portland International Initiative for Leadership in Ecology, Culture, and Learning (PIIECL) at Portland State University. The LGLab was established in 2005 through a partnership between PSU, the Portland Public Schools (PPS), and the City of Portland; its purpose is to meet the diverse learning needs of children and youth, educators, parents and PSU students by offering demonstration, curriculum development, research, consultancy, and participatory exploration in food- and garden-based teaching and learning.
The LGLab is geared to serve multicultural, low-income outer Southeast Portland neighborhoods, children, and parents/families; our primary PPS partner is Lane Middle School, located across the street from our 10 acres. Through the LGLab project, we have developed a model of creating edible gardens, growing food, preparing and eating meals, composting and recycling, and integrating different subject areas to help improve student achievement. Following permaculture and whole systems principles, the LGLab site is uniquely designed such that each element (soil, water, sunlight, biomass, plants, people, and sustainable technologies) is connected to the others.
This partnership revolves around a Senior Capstone course. Students work in teams to produce several deliverables, which were identified as important by PGE. Students organized an educational event at the Saturday Farmer's Market at the Park Block's where they talk to people about renewable energy. Since they underwent the formal sales training with Green Mountain Energy, a trainer of renewable energy sales people, they also sign people up to renewable energy through PGE. Legally power companies must buy the cheapest energy available which is often coal, an idea to limit the use of coal is to have people sign up to pay more for energy from renewable sources, such as wind energy. Students also work to survey and analyze the data to make formal recommendations to PGE. And finally, this will culminate in a White Paper to be presented to the head of PGE's Renewable Energy Program.
This Capstone class brings together PSU students and Sustainable Northwest, a non-profit organization that promotes environmentally sound economic development in regional communities. In the class, students will document sustainable business practices in the Pacific Northwest using oral history methodologies.
The Sustainable Urban Planning and Design Training Program was established in early 2003 through a five-year agreement with China’s Ministry of Construction. Delivered in cooperation with the International Sustainable Development Foundation, Portland, Oregon, the Program focuses on land-use planning and zoning, urban renewal, green buildings, nature in the city, consensus building and citizen participation.
The program has been coordinated by the College of Urban and Public Affairs. This year the program co-directors are Dr. Connie Ozawa, faculty member in the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, and Dr. Marcus Ingle, faculty member in the Department of Public Administration and the Executive Leadership Institute.
Since the inaugural session in March 2004, 60 officials from China’s Ministry of Construction, representing fifteen provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions have participated in this intensive seven-day program in Portland.
In June 2000, the China-U.S. Sustainable Land-use Training Program was initiated through a cooperative agreement between the Chinese Ministry of Land and Resources and Portland State University in cooperation with the International Sustainable Development Foundation, Portland, Oregon.
The training curriculum focuses on sustainable land-use planning and governance practices, protection of agriculturally and ecologically sensitive lands, fair markets for land transaction, and citizen participation in land use decision-making and planning processes.
The program has been coordinated by the College of Urban and Public Affairs. This year the program co-directors are Dr. Connie Ozawa, faculty member in the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, and Dr. Marcus Ingle, faculty member in the Department of Public Administration and the Executive Leadership Institute.
As of 2006, 348 Chinese officials from central, provincial and local agencies, representing 29 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities have participated in this intensive seven-day program in Portland.
