Sustainability
"Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes large things decay." ~Sallust
AWAKE transforms urban environments into healthy, self-sustaining organic gardens with a small footprint. We follow the blue-print nature provides and nurture beautiful ecosystems that give more than they take.
AWAKE is greening one neighborhood at a time, in partnership with the city council of Los Angeles. With simple steps like growing a small vegetable garden, reducing plastic waste and eliminating pesticides, taking next-steps like composting, xeriscpaing, solar panels and rainwater collection become logical. Our Brentwood Urban Farm and Bee The Change Homestead are living templates.
AWAKE grows organic vegetable gardens in homes, communities and schools in Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura. AWAKE also uses greenhouses, hot-houses and grow-lights powered by solar energy to grow starts from seeds we’ve saved. Little is wasted as we grow the majority of the food we eat and compost the scraps. In San Diego, AWAKE operates a small organic nursery where seedlings are donated to school and community gardens.
This year, Californians are especially aware of water usage and the need to conserve. The AWAKE team has been harvesting rainwater since 2007 and we continually find new ways to maximize water efficiency. Organic plants love rainwater! Even simple steps like washing dishes in a dish-bin save a lot of water. AWAKE teams with graywater and rainbarrel experts to help you maximize your water efficiency.
Backyard chickens and bees are important to an urban farm. Hens weed, control insect populations, provide garden fertilizer, and produce amazing eggs! Our ladies lead beautiful lives in an organic environment. Bees are essential to pollinization and AWAKE is saving bee populations while also harvesting our own honey and wax. Exploring the birds and the bees is fun!
Preserving Your Harvest
Canning, drying, and storing the bounties of the harvest is one of the most rewarding aspects of urban homesteading. Our apple, citrus, avocado, pecan, persimmon, loquat, nectarine, fig and peach trees provide bountiful supply that we transform into delicious edibles and store in our root cellar for winter months.
Saving organic seeds from your harvest is an important way to preserve seed varieties. Seeds saved over multiple years are generally hearty adapters to your specific environment and become responsive to your climate and soil types. (Don’t save patented seeds or risk being sued by Monsanto!). The AWAKE team has been saving seeds for years and have learned ways to harvest and save seeds while keeping them away from disease or mold.
Alternative Energy
AWAKE Community has partnered with the National Biodiesel Board Conference since 2004. We work with Sungevity to help folks get solar panels on their home. Sungevity leases your roof and they pay for the actual panels, becoming your new utility company so you don't have any large up-front costs. We utilize hybrids and electric vehicles, but our most used means of transportation is the most green of all – walking and riding bicycles.
Want to help? Please donate. And, add your home and neighborhood to the CommuniGreen program!
