Without community and collaborative effort no part of our daily life is possible. What does a healthy, sustainable, and thriving community look like?

We will be exploring how we can we utilize Permaculture philosophy in our work, schools, and community centers to design systems that create spirals of abundance and prosperity. You will learn concrete examples of community-care principles and leave with tips for making real changes.

Permaculture is a creative design process based on whole-systems thinking, biomimicry, and pattern language. Its aim is to create systems that are economically, environmentally, and energetically sound.

Throughout this series we will establish a deeper understand of Permaculture ethics, principles, and design to cultivate a more resilient culture. Bridget O’Brien is a Certified Permaculture Designer and Educator, and the Marketing Coordinator for The People’s Food Co-op of Ann Arbor, co-sponsor of this program.

Discover how you can naturally detoxify your whole body. Learn the safest and most effective way to "clean house" and start feeling lighter and better.

Ellen Livingston is a certified yoga teacher, and has benefited from a raw vegan diet since 2002. Ellen offers yoga and raw food classes in the community and from her home on 5 acres in Ann Arbor.

This event is co-sponsored by the People's Food Co-Op.

Learn why the most misunderstood nutrient on the planet is so important to your health and how it can improve your life, energy, and vitality.

Learn the differences in bottled water, water purification processes, and the mystique of alkaline water.

Ron Shook has over 40 years of experience in the water filtration and purification industry and over 30 years nutrition, personal training, and coaching experience. This event is co-sponsored by the People's Food Co-Op.

Let’s look at the epicenter of our Permaculture Zones Method and into our day to day needs, desires, and choices.

As we start this New Year with renewed ambition for living our authentic selves we will be formulating systems that create spirals of abundance and prosperity. You will learn concrete examples of self-care principles and leave with tips for making real changes. Permaculture is a creative design process based on whole-systems thinking, biomimicry, and pattern language. Its aim is to create systems that are economically, environmentally, and energetically sound.

Learn a deeper understanding of Permaculture ethics, principles, and the design process to cultivate a more resilient culture. The presenter, Bridget O’Brien is a Certified Permaculture Designer and Educator, and the Marketing Coordinator for The People’s Food Co-op of Ann Arbor.

What is a Co-op? Why buy in? We will be exploring the history, culture, and principles of the Cooperative model to understand the reasons they exist and how we can better utilize them in our daily lives. We will look at housing and business cooperatives in the area and what they have to offer us.

Learn how to shop at your Cooperative grocery stores for big savings!

David M. Hall is the Outreach and Education Coordinator for the People’s Food Co-op and longtime resident of cooperative housing and Bridget O’Brien is the Marketing Coordinator for The People’s Food Co-op of Ann Arbor and longtime Cooperative Member-Owner. This event is co-sponsored by the People's Food Co-Op.

Make a mini-environment for a super small plant.

Discover the really good news about fruit, and why it is our real superfood. Find out why your sweet tooth is actually a very good thing to have, and how you can best indulge it healthfully and say goodbye to unhealthy cravings.

This event is presented by Ellen Livingston, a certified yoga teacher, who has benefited from a raw vegan diet since 2002.

Ellen offers yoga and raw food classes in the community and from her home on 5 acres in Ann Arbor. This event is co-sponsored by the People's Food Co-Op.

Learn how to crochet a coral reef. The Downtown Youth Department has a brilliant, and hands-on crocheted coral reef for little children to play with that was created by local crafter, Beth Battey. Beth will teach the technique of hyperbolic crochet originally developed by Dr Daina Taimina, a mathematician at Cornell. In 1997 Dr Taimina discovered how to make models of the geometry known as "hyperbolic space" using the art of crochet. It turns out that many marine organisms embody hyperbolic geometry in their anatomies - among them kelps, corals, sponges, sea slugs and nudibranchs. Thus the Crochet Reef not only looks like a coral reef, it draws on the same underlying geometry in the oceanic realm. This class is recommended for those with intermediate crochet ability.

Join Trevor Eller, Miriam Dowd, & Bridget O'Brien, of the People's Food Co-op, for a discussion and world cafe (facilitated talk). A conversation and process (world cafe) on applying and connecting the principles of each philosophy in a time of global transition and transformation. This collective meeting of minds is to challenge habituated norms, guiding us to a more resilient, sustainable abundant life through Yoga and Permaculture Philosophys and Principles aiming for deeper embodiment. The instructors are: Trevor Eller, Certified Yoga Instructor, Kirtan Leader and Yoga Teacher Trainer, Bridget O'Brien, Certified Permaculture Designer and Teacher and Miriam Dowd – Art of Hosting Facilitator.

Planting a rain garden is a fun way for people to make a difference in the quality of the water in our rivers, lakes, and streams, starting in our own backyards. You don’t need any special equipment – just some space, a spade, compost, and a few plants.

We’ll talk about the benefits of Rain Gardens and how to build and plant one. Bring your questions and photos of your yard, if you like, for individual advice. Take the information home and start your own!

Susan Bryan is the Rain Garden Coordinator for the Washtenaw County Water Resources Commissioner’s Office, working with plants and people to protect the water quality in the Huron River. She has designed many residential gardens, rain gardens, and bio-infiltration areas. She is a past president of Wild Ones, has a master’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Michigan, and is an Advanced Master Gardener in Washtenaw County.

Roger Moon is a Master Rain Gardener, trained in the Washtenaw County program, and a Traverwood neighborhood resident with four rain gardens on his property. He has given numerous talks on rain gardens, media appearances, and designed six rain gardens himself. Roger has adopted rain gardens in Huron Hills and Gallup parks, and takes care of them throughout the year. Roger received the Washtenaw County Rain Garden Leadership Award in Education in 2015.