Local Ecology Action Fremont

LEAF's purpose is to provide environmental education to the Fremont community about sustainable and ecological practices, including local food production and organic gardening, waste reduction, green building, and resource conservation; and to build community among the diverse residents of Fremont, California.

Local Ecology and Agriculture Fremont (LEAF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing environmental education to the Fremont community about sustainable and ecological practices, including local food production and organic gardening, waste reduction, green building, and resource conservation.

LEAF is currently working with other Fremont community organizations to start neighborhood gardens. Over 400 people have already joined and many of them have accumulated some dirt under their fingernails by pitching in with several gardens around town.

LEAF is funded through a combination of private donations and a grant from StopWaste.Org.

LEAF’s primary purpose is public education about ecology and agriculture. One of the best places to reach the public on these issues is at retail nurseries, farmers markets, and other places where people go to purchase plants. In the spring, Fremont residents flock to the local nurseries, hardware stores, and farmers markets to buy plants for their gardens. If LEAF can reach people before they make their purchase to educate them about the value of using locally grown, organic plants and the value of growing ones of food, not only will people be educated about sustainable agriculture, they will likely make more ecologically sustainable choices for their own gardens.

To reach local residents before they buy plants, LEAF operates an outreach program in local nurseries, hardware stores, and farmers markets. LEAF places educational kiosks at these locations explaining the benefits of locally grown organic plants through visual displays and brochures. LEAF volunteers staff the kiosks to answer questions about sustainable gardening practices, conduct cooking demonstrations, and provide other useful information to gardeners. LEAF also sells organic locally grown plant starts at these locations.