Community learning takes on an earthy feel this fall, with new general-interest workshop series from Parkland College.
Choose from dozens of new classes for personal enrichment or career training: everything from home efficiency to helpful herbs; organic wines to origami; and renewable energies to research of cemetery records. A few of the more "earthy" series are listed below. To learn more, check out Parkland's noncredit publication,
505, set to reach area mailboxes in early August, or visit
www.parkland.edu/communityed for an online copy.
- "Green Building" – Tips to improve your home's efficiency; steps in designing/building a green home
- "Wind and Solar: Renewable Energy" – How to harness wind/rays for your home; wind farms; more
- "The Smart Grid: What it is. What it isn't." – Our century-old power grid is transitioning; will the change save you money?
- "Gas or Atoms?" – Pros/cons of nuclear power or natural gas energy; fracking; more
- "What About Coal?" – Future of coal; coal plants; new technologies; regulations
VINE: New series from Wines at the Pines (21 and up)- "Organic, Biodynamic, and Natural Wines Explained" – Taste some rare wines
- "Food and Wine Pairing" – Discover your inner sommelier
- "Home Grown: The Best of American Wines" – Taste from best winemakers in lesser-known U.S regions
TREE: New series on paper-folding art- "Origami for Beginners" –Make basic projects using this ancient Japanese craft
- "Iris Folding" –Holland-based paper-folding technique produces pleasing patterned product
- "Tea Bag Folding" – Practice miniature kaleidoscope origami that originally used tea bags
- "Holiday Boxes and Bags" – Fun, creative, inexpensive ideas for packaging holiday gifts
HERB: New classes for alternative therapies- "Holistic Approach: Health and Wellness Therapies" –Add complementary, alternative therapies to your massage therapy practice
- "Aroma Facials and Skin Care with Essential Oils" – Discover how to prepare and give all-natural aroma facials to your clients
- "Introduction to Herbalism for Healthcare" – Gain a basic understanding of when and how to use medicinal herbs on simple health issues
- "The Science of Touch" – Discover how touch affects health and wellness
- "PNMT for Legs and Feet" – Explore soft-tissue therapy for knee pain, plantar fasciitis, and other lower-extremity conditions
ROOTS: New genealogy classes- "Naturalization Records" – Find ancestors' naturalization records; see what types of records are available
- "Researching Cemetery Records" – See how cemetery research can reveal the most interesting details of family connections