The Green House Sustainable Learning Center

I am SO glad that I discovered The Green House Sustainable Learning Center! This is a little house in Pauoa Valley that offers classes in sustainable living practices to children and adults with an emphasis on hands-​on community learning. I’m always on the hunt for activities, places or events that are not mainstream and sot of «off the beaten» path. On top of that, it better be interesting for not only my kids, but for ME as well. TGH is a PERFECT example of all these things. This past weekend I took my 4 year old to a «Flutterbye Butterfly» Keiki Explorer workshop and my daughter has not stopped talking about it, and I was even told by her preschool teacher today that she told her all about it, in so much detail that her teacher felt like she attended the class herself! I think it’s safe to say that the workshop was not only educational, but an experience that my daughter is sure to take with her into her educational years ahead.
I liked that the workshop was a good balance of education and information, as well as lots of hands on activities, and even a take home activity, in this case, our very own caterpillar to feed and watch the miraculous process of it transforming into a butterfly, as well as a plant to create our own butterfly habitat at home. The two instructors were very patient with my overly-​excited and enthusiastic daughter and were very knowledgable about butterflies. I also appreciate that it wasn’t just a class about caterpillars and butterflies, but also about the importance they play in our environment. The kids got to hold a caterpillar, plant flowers in a garden to create a butterfly habitat, taste nectar and see some real crysalis.
The mission of TGH (as taken from their website) is: «…to guide children, adults, families, and communities in the integration of sustainable living practices into daily life, and to nurture the ability of future generations to continue and improve on these practices.» All of their workshops fit into their mission and some examples of other kid workshops are Papermaking with Plants, Making a Solar Model Car, Cooking with a Solar Oven, just to name a few. How cool do these sound right? AND, there are also workshops for adults such as Growing Culinary Herbs, Soapmaking and Natural Cleaning Products, Rain Barrel Catchment Systems, Plant Based Cooking, Permaculture Design Basics, again, just to name a few.
Pre registration is required for many classes, but was quick and simple through their website. No payment was required at the time of registration, we paid on the day of the class.
If sustainable living is in the least bit appealing to you or you child, or even if you are just curious about learning something new, then I really encourage you to check out a workshop or two at The Green House Sustainable Learning Center. For more info on the dates, cost and types of workshops offered, visit their website: