New FALL 2011 Bike Tour Workshops

• Aquaponics: Students assemble a floating-raft aquaponics system and learn about nutrient cycling, fisheries, and sustainable food production. Aquaponics combines hydroponics (growing plants in water without soil) with aquaculture (fish farming). The system contains a fish tank with tilapia, and a floating grow-bed for plants like lettuce. The fish waste feeds the plants and the plants filter the water.
• Urban Homesteading: Students work on a variety of hands-on, do-it-yourself projects, from making their own chapstick, deodorant, or toothpaste to sprouting alfalfa and using a biodigester.
• Bike Maintenance and Biodiesel: Students work in small groups to master the basics of bicycle maintenance, from replacing tubes, lubing chains, to brake and gear inspections. Students experiment with biodiesel emissions and observe a biodiesel-production demonstration. This workshop also highlights public transportation, as students test out online tools to map out bus, train, and bike routes.
• Sustainable Gardening: Whether working in an existing garden space or breaking ground on a new project, our educators come equipped to teach students how to implement principles of permaculture, while building garden beds, sowing seeds, transplanting, and enjoying the fruits of their labor.
• Composting (material purchases required): We work with students, faculty, and staff to build a three-tiered hotbox compost system. Students practice rotating compost duties and master the science of composting. Faculty learn how other schools manage the workload of composting.
• Ecological Service Program (may require transportation to nearby field site): Partner with a regional conservation institution to restore a local ecosystem or conduct a field-based research project.