What’s new at UDC CAUSES: Food tasting; Urban ag and sustainability classes; 4-H competition

by Leslie Malone

It’s a new year and I wanted to share some of our upcoming opportunities in the UDC College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES). We’ve got conferences, volunteer events, trainings, workshops and even food tastings. Why don’t we begin with that one?

Food Tasting. CAUSES is hosting a food tasting on Friday, Feb. 13, from noon until 2:00 p.m. on the third floor of Building 39. Please join us as we taste farm-grown produce, and sample jams and pickled delights made by Prof. Clarence Pearson, head of the CAUSES Architectural Research Institute (he’s taught at UDC for more than four decades and still finds the time to make his own delectables). This event is free – please join us if you’re able by emailing your RSVP to [email protected].

Invasive Plant Removal. Help remove invasive plants from Dumbarton Oaks Park on Saturday, Feb. 14 with extension agent Mary Farrah. According to Mary, winter is a great time of year to remove the harmful, invasive vines that threaten to topple our precious trees. These volunteer events bring together stewardship-minded individuals to protect our city’s tree canopy while teaching basic invasive plant identification and management skills. This free event occurs early in the day from 10:00 a.m. until noon, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy any Valentine’s Day plans you may have. And even if you can’t make that event, we have another invasive removal at Rock Creek Park on March 7th. Interested? Register here.

Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Certification Course. Did you know you can be fined $37,000 if you are found in violation of the EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule? The RPP Rule requires that any renovations, repairs or painting in homes, child care facilities and pre-schools built before 1978 must be done by an EPA-certified renovator or firm, to ensure lead-safe work practices are being followed (and yes, we are EPA-approved and certified). Offered by our Department of Urban Architecture and Community Planning, the $200 course will be held Monday, Feb. 23 from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Register here.

Integrating Urban Agriculture and Urban Stormwater Management Workshop. We have fully embraced urban agriculture here in DC; not only to combat food insecurity, but to eat healthier while sourcing local produce (like what we grow at our Beltsville farm). Associated with the rise in popularity of urban agriculture is the need to mitigate impacts of urban stormwater runoff – something you are surely familiar with as a DC resident given the torrential downpours and localized flooding we often experience. The workshop will highlight green infrastructure and low impact development, and will include an evaluation of economics and social impacts. Participants will engage in a design charette for an integrated urban agriculture/urban stormwater project in DC. Register for the workshop which will be held Feb. 24 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. A bargain at $50!

Rethinking Swale and Filter Strip Design Workshop. Swales and filter strips are an important, but often overlooked, part of stormwater management and Low Impact Development. This workshop will review the most innovative designs for swales. Design for urban areas will be emphasized. This course, with a $175 fee, will be offered March 2 by the CAUSES Center for Sustainable Development in conjunction with North Carolina State University on March 2. Register here.

Innovative Rainwater Harvesting Workshop. Rainwater harvesting systems are extremely useful practices for supplementing and replacing potable water resources; however, if designed appropriately, these systems can also be used to meet stormwater management goals. The NCSU Rainwater Harvester Model will be demonstrated and participants will learn how to use the new version of the model to design systems and estimate stormwater management benefits. This course, with a fee of $150, will also be offered in conjunction with North Carolina State University on March 3. Register here.

Certified Professional Food Manager Course. This 16-hour course prepares food handlers for any of the nationally accredited food managers’ examinations. Topics include dangers associated with foodborne illness, characteristics of potentially hazardous foods, employee health and hygiene and Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points (HACCP). If you want to open your own food truck or restaurant and don’t know what that is, you need to take this course! The $147 course fee will covered the 16 hours worth of classes offered multiple dates in February and March. Contact Paul Brown, CAUSES Center for Nutrition, Diet and Health, to register.

World Green Energy Symposium. The World Green Energy Symposium (WGES) is a platform for education and information exchange on new and existing advances in sustainable energy and the economy. The event focuses on renewable and advanced technology and innovations as the vantage point in the new economy creating and maintaining jobs, contract and exporting opportunities, and new policies leading to economic vitality and a healthier planet. WGES attracts world class partners (like CAUSES), participants and exhibitors with the latest and greatest sustainable and innovative products and technologies. $99 to attend the day long event on March 12, at the David A. Clarke School of Law. Register here.

4-H LifeSmarts Competition. The LifeSmarts consumer education for teenagers program creates savvy consumers and develops marketplace skills among teens in a fun and engaging format. Complementing high school curricula, LifeSmarts is run as a game show-style competition for students in grades 9-12. Teams from DC-area high schools are set to compete in the areas of: Personal finance, health and safety, the environment, technology and consumer law. Held March 13 at the David A. Clarke School of Law. We especially need the help of volunteers to support this event! Email Jaime Brown if you’re interested!

4-H Volunteer Leaders Training. Volunteers have been an integral part of the success of 4-H since the 1920s, serving as club and project leaders, camp counselors, and even as trainers and mentors. The 4-H Volunteer Leaders Training prepares adults to assist youth in managing 4-H clubs and activities. Adult volunteers have the unique opportunity to make a significant and positive contribution to youth development by sharing learned skills, making a difference in their lives and leaving a legacy. 10:00 a.m. on March 21. Free, but advanced registration in the form of a completed volunteer application is required. Contact Rebecca Bankhead for more information and for the application.

And finally, CAUSES will again offer the Sustainable Agriculture Certificate Program. CAUSES is uniquely positioned as a world-leader in the urban agriculture movement through our research, academic and outreach programs. Last fall, we launched a non-credit bearing certificate program in sustainable agriculture. Each of the two options – food and business – consists of four classes which will meet 1-2 times per week in the evenings or on the weekend. A certificate of completion will be issued at the successful completion of each option. Participants will pay a one-time fee of $200 per complete program. For more information about class dates, times and locations, please refer to our website and register here!

And this is just the start of what we have in store for 2015. You can stay up to date on all things CAUSES at the Just CAUSES blog!

Leslie Malone is the Marketing and Communications Manager for the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences of the University of the District of Columbia. She can be reached at [email protected].