Past Work

In early June of 2006, Common Vision worked in South Central Los Angeles to train mechanics, community members, and local youth how to convert diesel engines to run on Straight Vegetable Oil. The program, a ten day training in converting engines, maintaining vehicles, and processing fuel ran from May 29th to June 11th and included the conversion of two vehicles. Working with local non-profit Community Services Unlimited, Common Vision converted a 1971 Gillig school bus to run on straight vegetable oil. The bus serves as the primary vehicle for a South Central based mobile organic farmer's market. Through this project the South Central Community not only gained the knowledge to develop localized alternative fuel systems, but also more access to nutritious food through the mobile farmer's market.

In the Winter and Spring of 2003 and 2004, Common Vision had the opportunity to run an Ecological Design course through Pomona College.   Students from Pomona, Pitzer, and Scripps Colleges came aboard the Common Vision bus for a Permaculture Design Certification Course.  For the remainder of the college semester, the students worked with a San Antonio Continuation High School class 5 days a week to develop a gard en and garden-based learning experience.  The high school students made compost, built and prepared garden beds, brewed biodiesel, constructed a cob bench, and grew vegetables and fruit trees.

Both college and high school students received credit towards graduation.  Many of the college students took the inspiration and experience from this course and have become ecological designers, educators, and practitioners.

In January 2004, Common Vision ran the world’s first veggie-oil-powered mobile permaculture design course PDC.  Eight students from Pomona College, a media team, and two permaculture design teachers lived aboard The Lioness.  For 11 days, students learned the 72-hour Permaculture Design Curriculum at exemplary sites across Southern California.  The course included sites and teachers that could best facilitate projects and demonstrations to illustrate different aspects of the PDC curriculum.

In the Winter and Spring of 2002-03 , Common Vision ran its first PDC, permaculture design course. Twelve students from three colleges around Claremont, CA joined Common Vision for 7 weekend intensives.  Students experienced numerous sites and teachers across Southern CA and Mexico that highlight different aspects of sustainable design.  The PDC was a part of a college course that Common Vision ran through Pomona College.   Students in the course developed and facilitated permaculture- /garden-based cirriculum with a local continuation high school as part of their design projects. 

In 2002, Common Vision traveled across America, teaching community workshops on how to brew Biodiesel from recycled vegetable oil and create local biodiesel Co-ops.  The tour reached 15 major cities including Los Angeles, Pheonix, Detroit, and New York City.  With a volunteer crew of 10 and a mobile Biodiesel refinery, Common Vision brewed over 1500 gallons of Biodiesel fueling the entire 7,000+ mile journey. The 2002 Biodiesel Education Tour taught thousands of people about making biodiesel, the necessity of reducing fossil fuel consumption, and successfully left several local biodiesel Co-ops in its wake.