Ampersand presents our first Sustainable Neighborhood Project! In order to support our local community in sustainable living, we are offering this class at the homestead of Sonya and Mark Benson. This is a chance to learn about the basics of building with earth and also contribute to the building of this off- grid sustainable homestead.  Click on the link below to get more details on this great event located 45 minutes north of Albuquerque off Hwy 14. Sustainable Neighborhood Earth Building Project September 18, Saturday, 2010 Please contact us to register for an event in the fall schedule. You can email us at ampersandproject@yahoo.com Call us at 505 780-0535 If you want to register by sending us a check with your phone and email, our mailing address is: PO Box 773 Cerrillos, NM 87010 Special Volunteer days this summer! Stay involved with our work by volunteering on our community bathroom project.  Get experience with earth building, greywater systems, rain catchment, and passive solar design just with this one project.  Our regular volunteer days are  Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays every week.  The work hours have been generally from 8am to 2pm.  This includes a couple breaks.  The site is shaded till noon.  Volunteers are welcome to camp.  We've been having some fun weekends.  Please contact us to make arrangements.  505 780-0535 Become a fan on our Facebook page!  That's where we post current pictures and stories. Ampersand's Facebook Page

Ampersand Open House Saturday, September 25, 2010 All are invited to tour our site, join in a volunteer porject, and be a part of our community. Come for a couple hours or the whole day. Free!-donations happily accepted 10am to 2:30pm: volunteer project 3pm: Tour of Ampersand's sustainable site 4 to 6 pm: Potluck 505 780-0535

Pathways to Sustainability Sunday, October 3, 2010  1pm to 6pm Instructor:Amanda Bramble $35 to $45 sliding scale Do you want your life to be more sustainable?  Empower yourself with this afternoon workshop for anyone who values sustainability and wants more of it.  No matter whether you rent an apartment or own acres of land, this day will be focused around your journey towards sustainability.  This interactive workshop contains an overview of sustainable systems and practices appropriate for the Southwest, including solar energy and heating, greywater and rainwater systems, natural building methods, high desert gardening, and land restoration.  Amanda will assist you in crafting a specific and personalized vision of sustainability and developing practical and fun strategies for realizing that vision. Focus on your own path while  learning from the sustainable systems at Ampersand. Read reviews of this popular class: "Of all the educational opportunities presented at Ampersand (and there are many), I found I gained the most from the Pathways to Sustainability class.  In it, I discovered an all-inclusive, holistic way of looking at sustainability. Amanda presented the materials in plain English and provided facts in a friendly format enabling my decision to be an active participant in sustainability a simple one."  -Rod Fox "In the spring of last year I went along to a workshop at Ampersand called Pathways to Sustainability. As one who has contemplated sustainability for decades now, I know how difficult it can seem to truly become aligned with this concept. One walk around Ampersand and some coaching from Amanda revived my spirit tremendously.  Ampersand provides me with the practical inspiration about how to design and build. Through my continued relationship with Ampersand I find a much needed source of focus."- Terri Norwood

Native Plant Hike October 17, 2010 3pm to 5pm $10 to $15 suggested donation Spend a couple hours getting to know our local plants and enjoying the land.  We will discuss natural history, medicinal uses, and tips for identifying our plant friends.  Bring your own knowledge of native plants, your curiosity, and a notepad or sketchbook.

The Natural Kitchen: Join a Peaceful Food Revolution for Personal and Planetary Health November 6, 2010 10am to 4pm  $50 to $65 sliding scale Deborah Eden Tull from Creative Green will be presenting this workshop in association with the release of her new book, The Natural Kitchen: Your Guide to the Sustainable Food Revolution . In The Natural Kitchen, we explore the relationship between our health and the planet’s health in the kitchen. We learn what it means to adopt a sustainable eco-friendly relationship with food and revolutionize our perspective on and practices of shopping, cooking, eating, and working in the kitchen. Drawing on years of experience as an organic farmer, monk, cook, and green consultant, Deborah Eden Tull takes us on an educational and introspective journey that enriches our relationship to food, the environment, and daily life. Through lecture, writing exercises, guided imagery, and group discussion, we explore how to heal the planet while improving our own health and well-being. Together we discuss the following topics:    Sustainable agriculture: What’s the real deal?* 5 shopping guidelines    Cooking to conserve energy    Green menu planning    How to cook and store food safely    How to set up a sustainable kitchen    Creating zero waste: lunches to-go, take out, and entertaining    Mindful eating: awareness exercises and meditations    Organic gardening    Radical recycling and composting    Green kitchen tips for parents    Solar Cooking Deborah Eden Tull is a sustainability coach and meditation teacher who has been traveling to, living in, or teaching about sustainable communities internationally for the last 18 years, including seven years as a monk at the Zen Monastery Peace Center. She teaches workshops throughout Los Angeles County, and is certified in Permaculture Design, Bio-Intensive Organic Gardening, and Compost Education. Her approach to sustainable living is a unique combination of peace and environmentalism that emphasizes the interconnection between personal and planetary well-being. She was recently featured on KCRW's Good Food and has also been featured in Yogi Times Magazine, Larchmont Chronicle, Westside Today, Bicycle Fixation, Coffee Break TV Show, LA Talk Radio, Your Daily Thread, and other publications.

About Ampersand

Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center in Cerrillos, New Mexico, is a place to explore sustainable living.   Our off-grid site demonstrates sustainable systems including permaculture, land restoration, organic gardening, passive solar design, and wise water techniques. We build with natural and salvaged materials, cook with solar ovens, and rely on rain catchment. Our whole approach to sustainability is about your relationship with your resources.  We start with  the basics: water, food, shelter, and energy.  We are simply gathering, experimenting with, and demonstrating sustainable solutions for living in harmony with our bioregion.  Ampersand hosts workshops, internships, and volunteer opportunities for everyday folks wanting to respond intelligently to the state of the Earth .  People often come to learn a specific skill, and discover they also build confidence and find inspiration for their next sustainable project at home.  We offer a place where people connect, share resources and meet like-minded folks in order to encourage wise practices to grow roots everywhere.