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Institute on Creating Sustainable Environments 2011-Learning How to Naturalize Outdoor Spaces Sustainably

The 2011 Tour for the Institute on Creating Sustainable Environments will take place on June 8, 2011 from 10 AM to 4PM. The Institute will be visiting an urban nature center that follows sustainable practices, a green building supply store and Project Living Proof. Project Living Proof in Kansas City’s urban core is now a one-of-a-kind, state-of-the art sustainable living demonstration home recently featured in Greenability Magazine.

Project Living Proof is a functioning house with a live in host that has been made as energy-efficient and renewable as a newly built green home. The home showcases both low- and high-tech options for reducing our contribution to climate change, while slashing our energy bills. Although the home is not certified as a green home, many healthy and sustainable products are featured throughout the home.

The outdoor environment has been designed using aspects of sustainable landscaping from five categories: hydrology, soils, vegetation, materials and human health and well-being. Along with rain gardens and edible landscaping, plants used in the landscaping have other uses as well. Specific plants were chosen to attract wildlife and pollinators. The front yard also demonstrates “permaculture”- a practice that encourages biodiversity, soil health and more companion planting with root plants and native shrubs/trees.

To learn more about the Institute and to find out how you can learn how to create healthier environments both indoors and outdoors for children, check out our web site at www.whitehutchinson.com/children/sustainableinstitute.shtml. Be the change you want to see!!!

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