OCSL

hi guys! this is already so much fun. i wanted to kick things off for myself by sharing a little information about a resource i grew up around.

I grew up across the lake from a sort of hippie institute known as omega. In 2006, Omega decided to build an environmental education center and a natural water reclamation facility. In my presentation, i mentioned that i grew up around a lot of meditation based in nature; my first group guided meditation experience was a women’s circle that took place in the OCSL.

Skip Backus, chief executive officer at Omega, sums the goal of the OCSL as such: “The OCSL is a dynamic, living and breathing demonstration of how interconnected we all are with the world around us. Our goal is to help people reexamine how they relate to the world by showing them what’s possible in terms of environmental sustainability, green energy, and regenerative design. At the OCSL, we wanted the public to be able to learn about the process of natural water reclamation, witness the latest developments in green building, and take courses that highlight their connection to the natural world and inspire greater sustainability in their own lives and communities.”

The idea to build it came about in 2005 when Omega realized that they needed to replace their aging wastewater septic system. They wanted to build a different kind of water treatment system, one that recognized and respected water as a precious natural resource. They identified three major criteria that they wanted this project to be founded on: 1) water reclamation using zero chemicals, 2) water reclamation using low energy, 3) educational opportunities for individuals and groups. The motto of Omega is “Service is compassion in action” and this structure is such a strong example for me of the necessity of education and community tied into respecting and preserving nature

When they began building the ocsl they discovered an endangered species, the northern cricket frogs. In order to preserve the frog’s habitat before moving on to the creation of the building, they built a three foot “frog proof” fence around the building site and trained crew members to monitor the area. Another threatened species, blandings turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), were found on the land and safely re-routed. These creatures served as a reminder for omega as to their “responsibility as stewards of our natural resources.”  how important it is to consider all beings when planning and building a new enviroment!