Going Green Memphis 01-02-11

8/8/2019 Going Green Memphis 01-02-11

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2 GOING GREEN| S u n d ay , January 2, 2011 co mm er ci a l a pp ea l.com

Leading the wayin solar innovationThe Tennessee SolarInstitute awards funds forstatewide energy projects

Needle andthreadSewing SchoolBook teaches howto Sew Green

A new year,a greenerChattanooga

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!Going Green is a special online publication ofThe Commercial Appeal. We welcome your comments and suggestions. Follow GoingGreen on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GoGreenMemphis.

Ed i t o r : Kim Coleman, 529-5243, [email protected]

Community Editor: Emily Adams Keplinger, [email protected]

Whats in this issue ...

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On the cover: Electrician Everett Carpenter works on the installation for a solar panel array on the roof of theGreat Neck Saw Manufacturing facility. Photo by Brandon Dill, Special to The Commercial Appeal.

Po i n s e t t i a sgood for allseasons

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Christmastrees: edibleand delicious

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Institutions partner with Oak Ridgelaboratory on research, outreach. PAGE 8

J a co b s Ladder works on pilot solarpanel as part of its mission . PAGE 11


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The Commercial Appeal Su n d ay, January 2, 2011 | GOING GREEN 3

The Green Page

Consignment storesCleaning out yourclosets? Thinking about

making your life greenerby recycling your gentlyused items? Here is a listof some of the areasresale and consignments tores :

MemphisCele r y

728 E. Brookhaven Circle685-2386

Consign Pointe1626 Union276 - 20 0 1

Flashback, Inc.2304 Central272 - 2 3 0 4

Goodwill3830 Austin Peay,3 8 0 -3 2 3 5 ;574 S. Highland4 5 8 - 6 6 10 ;6063 Park76 1- 6 8 47;7040 Shelby Drive;75 4 - 8 5 0 0

Junior League Repeat3586 Summer3 27- 47 7 7

Nice As New23 S. November 6th St.5 2 6 -3 27 7

Platos Closet454 Perkins Ext.76 1-16 16

Right Click USA5126 Old Summer Road682-6833

Simply Divine Plus Size699 S. Mendenhall

6 8 4 -102 3Sugar Plum

Co nsig n m en t s6100 Primacy Pkwy.Suite 1084 8 1- 9 9 8 8

Summer Kids5004 Summer818-6880

Ba r t l e t tCo nsig n p o i nt e

6762 Stage384-9555

Creative Consignment5826 Stage384-6099

Goodwill6899 Stage5 07-3 2 8 4

ColliervilleGoodwill

783 W. Poplar8 5 4 - 2 274

CloudcutterCo nsig n m en t s1016 W. PoplarSuite 106-20547 1-3 2 1 1

CordovaFashion Exchange

694 N GermantownP kw y .75 3 - 8 8 8 8

Kids Exchange & More694 N. GermantownPkwy, Ste. 5575 3 - 8 8 8 8

Odds N Ends1105 N. Houston LeveeRo a d , Suite 109757-74 20

Once Upon A Child2200 N. GermantownP kw y . , Suite 123 8 2 -3 3 3 2

Platos Closet2200 N. GermantownP kw y . , Suite 173 8 6 - 03 4 0

GermantownDesign by Consign

9030 Poplar Pike75 1-1 570

MillingtonGoodwill

8510 Wilkinsville872 - 02 8 0

DeSoto CountyBargain Barn

480 E. CommerceHernando

(662) 429-4447Goodwill

6396 Highway 51 N.Horn Lake(662) 280-4337and925 StatelineSo u t hav e n(662) 342-7097

The Green Boutique9086 Pigeon Roost RoadOlive Branch(662) 890-8797

Jack & Jill418 W. MainSe n a t o b i a(662) 562-6888


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A leader in solar New institute helps fund installation, innovation

By Suzanne Thompson

Special to Going Green

What started out as a discussion be-tween leaders at the Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory and the state of Tennesseehas now grown into the Tennessee So-lar Institute (TSI).

In a speech, Gov. Phil Bredesen s aidhe wanted Tennessee to be a leader inall things solar, and mentioned a visionfor creating the TSI.

The idea was to bring together stateexperts, scientists and engineers mostly from the Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory with policy makers and

Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Tristate Armature electricians Allen Martin (left) and Everett Carpenter (c e n t e r )install brackets on the roof of the Great Neck Saw Manufacturing facility for asolar panel array that will be in place by March.


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The Commercial Appeal S u n d ay , January 2, 2011 | GOING GREEN 5

business leaders all across the state, saidStacey Patterson, director of ResearchPartnerships for the University of Ten-nessee s ys t e m .

The UT system is the umbrella or-ganization that manages all of the Uni-versity of Tennessee campuses and in-stitutes.

TSI received its initial funding inSeptember 2009, and since then it hasgarnered millions in grant money to p ro -mote the installation of solar panels andother aspects of the solar energy chain.

The start-up money for TSI came froma grant from the Department of Energy

as part of the states energy program andthe American Investment and RecoveryAct of 2009.

The grant was made to the TennesseeDepartment of Economic and Commu-nity Development. The UT system hasbeen contracted to oversee, manage andimplement specific programs that wereoutlined in the grant.

Currently, within the TSI, two majorgrant programs are funding solar projectsthroughout Tennessee.

The two most common that everyonetalks about are through the $23.5 millionGrant of Solar Opportunity Fund, and itsbroken up into two grant programs the first being the Solar InstallationGrant and the other a Solar InnovationFu n d , Patterson said.

The Solar Installation Grant consists of $9 million to be used as a kind of costshare to Tennessee businesses that installsolar panels.

They are reimbursements based oninstall capacity, Patterson said. The lev-els of funding are for the first 1 to 30kilowatts where the reimbursement is $2per watt; 30 to 60 is $1.50 per watt; and

Programs throughthe Solar Innovation FundTechnical assistance: A p p l i ca n tswill obtain tools and resourcesneeded to implement sustainable

clean energy programs in their placeof operation.Work force development: App li cantswill participate in work forcedevelopment projects that includeeducation and training programsrelated to the manufacturing, sale,installation and maintenance of solarsystems and equipment.Renewable energy productsintegration: Applicants willincorporate renewable energyproducts in their place of operationwith the intent of reducinggreenhouse gases and energyconsumption. These improvementsalso demonstrate commerciallyavailable renewable energytechnologies to potential customers.

Process improvements: A p p l i can t swill integrate manufacturing processimprovements that increase overallefficiency and productivity.Technology improvements:Applicants will incorporate changesin manufacturing operations byadding new technologies andmethods that speed the deployment

of products and create opportunitiesfor entry into new markets.Facilities and equipmentimprovements: Applicants willreduce energy consumption throughtraditional energy efficiency retrofitsby upgrading facilities and installingenergy-efficient equipment.


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from 60 to 200 kilowatts is $1 perwatt .

The funds available through the SolarInstallation Grant have been fully com-mitted to 109 projects across the state,

in all nine congressional districts.Of the 109 projects, 97 Notices toProceed have been issued.

About 30 percent of those have ac-tually started installation, and wevehad three installations completed, Pat -terson said.

The Great Neck Saw distribution cen-ter on East Raines Road is one of fourMemphis companies that received a So-lar Installation Grant.

On Aug. 24, Great Neck Saw receiveda letter of approval for $980,000 ingrant funds, according to Ron Dunlevy,vice president of distribution.

We have already started the prepwork for installation to put solar panelson top of our roof, he said.

The companys 235,000-square-foot

center is broken into four separatesuites, and the solar panels fundedthrough this grant will be installed onone of the suites.

Renewable energy is important toGreat Neck Saw, and installing solarpanels at its Memphis distribution cen-ter where the weather is so warm seemed a natural.

Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Allen Martin (left) and EverettCarpenter discuss what to do next whileinstalling brackets on the roof of theGreat Neck Saw Manufacturing facility.

Our location in Memphis makes itmore attractive for us to be able to dothat , Dunlevy said. Its a win-win dealfor everyone, and I think its a great deal.

The second program of the Grant of Solar Opportunity Funds, the Solar In-novation Grant Program, is a $14.5 mil-lion fund to provide grant opportunitiesto Tennessee companies that are part of the solar value chain.

Six areas were identified that needhelp to improve the solar value chain technical assistance, work force devel-

Wo r k s h o pThe Tennessee Solar Institute will hold aGrant Workshop from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.Jan. 5 in Nashville at the UT Center forIndustrial Services, 193 Polk Ave. Theworkshop is designed to walk applicantsthrough the Solar Innovation Fundapplication process.


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opment, renewable energy products in-tegration, process improvements, tech-nology improvements and facilities andequipment improvements.

The state released its request for pro-posals (RFP) for money in the SolarInnovation Fund in August, and accept-ed applications until Sept. 24.

The 116 RFPs that were receivedwere evaluated by TSI and sent on to athird party for final approval.

On Dec. 8, TSI announced the com-panies that were approved for funding.

The number of RFPs isnt representa-tive of the number of companies that ap-plied, because companies were allowed

to apply for grants in each one of the sixdifferent categories, Patterson said.

Mid-South Sustainable Energy Solu-tions Inc., and Sharp Manufacturing Co.of North America are the Shelby Countybusinesses that will receive funds fromthe first round of grant approvals.

TSI officials announced Dec. 8 that ithas begun accepting applications for thesecond round of Solar Innovation FundGrant money.

Applications for companies wanting to vie for funding must be received byJan. 20. Detailed information and ap-plications are available on the TSI web-site, s o l a r.t e n n e s s e e . e d u .

Electrician Everett Carpenter (left) shows Great Neck Saw manufacturing vicepresident Ron Dunlevy one of the tools used to install the rails for a solar panela r r ay . The company received nearly $1 million in grant money with help from

the Tennessee Solar Institute.


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Education for the futureBy Suzanne Thompson


The Tennessee Solar Institute is assembling a group of

professors from different public and private universitiesaround the state and researchers from Oak Ridge NationalLaboratory to participate in the Tennessee Solar Conversionand Outreach through Research and Education (TN-SC O R E ) .

The program is being funded by a $20 million com-petitive grant the TSI was awarded from the NationalScience Foundation.

The $20 million will be disbursed over a 5-year period.

A $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation is being used to builda statewide research and education program for solar energy.

Institutions partner with

Oak Ridgelaboratory on research,

outreach efforts


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The idea is to promote energy-related research and educationthroughout the state.

Oak Ridge has people and facil-ities and equipment and technologythat is just nowhere else in the coun-

try, so we will partner with them onthe research part of that, said StaceyPatterson, Director of Research Part-nerships for the UT system.

Dr. Yongmei Wang, a professor of chemistry at the University of Mem-phis, is a member of one of theresearch groups.

Researchers for the U of M grouphave been allocated $1.2 million of the $20 million. It will be shared bythe five faculty members participat-ing in the research during the 5-yearspan of the project.

W h at s exciting about this is thatit doesnt just include UT, Patt e rs o nsaid. The University of Memphis isplaying a key role in this project.

The opportunity to have a groupof researchers from several institutesallows the UT Institute for PublicS ervice to conduct research in sev-eral different areas.

Basically, there are four differentinvestigators around the state thatform clusters of centers which try toalign assets from campuses and fac-ulties around the state along thelines of energy conversion and stor-

a ge , Wang said.They have three different areas of research, but it is partly flexible, sowhatever our research kind of match-es with the goal, thats what we willwork on, and thats how it works,Wang explained.

The three areas are: advanced so-lar conversion and innovation; com-

Training opportunitiesThe Tennessee Solar Institute, in

conjunction with the UT Center for IndustrialServices, which is an agency of the UT Instituteof Public Services, is bringing training classesfor installation of solar panels to Memphis.

The classes provide training approved bythe North American Board of Certified EnergyPractitioners (NABCEP).

The training is scheduled for Jan. 24-29 inMemphis.

A test is given at the end of the classes togain NABCEP certification.

Stacey Patterson, director of ResearchPartnerships for the UT System, said previousclasses have been well-received.

They have been wildly successful. Of thethree classes we have held, 53 people haveattended, she said.

The first class had a 100, percent pass rate.The Memphis training classes will be at the

Fogelman Center on the University ofMemphis campus.

There is no cost to attend the class, andlunch is provided.

A prescreening exam is required for allregistrants.

For more information or questions, contact

Earl Pomeroy, (615) 532-8657.Re g i s t r a t i o nTo register for this solar PV course, contact:Tennessee Career Center-Memphis444 N. Main, 2nd FloorMemphis, TN 38105.Jackie Ervin(901) 545-2846Solar photovoltaic (PV) technology entry-level

training Includes:North American Board of Certified EnergyPractitioners entry-level Certificate ofKnowledge exam

Photovoltaic history and marketd ev e l o p m e n t s

Solar concepts and terminologyOnsite Photovoltaic system configurations

and componentsPhotovoltaic safety


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ponents and devices for energystorage and conversion; andnanostructures for enhancing en-ergy efficiency.

The program is so new, that Pat-terson just recently had the firstface-to-face meeting with partici-pating faculty members at the U of M, so organizers are in the processof ironing out the exact details.

Our research might haveslightly different goals and we aredoing a lot of research here. Forthat specific project, we dontknow what specific thing we aresupposed to work on, she said.

Wang speculates that most of the research conducted by thegroup she is in will center around

solar storage.But the project is not purelyabout research, Wang pointed out.

It is also about outreach andeducation. So we will also pro-mote research among the studentsand collaborate for the good of eve r yo n e , she said.

Pa r t i c i p a n t sFaculty from 11 institutions arecommitted to participate in thenodes. The institutions include:

East Tennessee State University

Fisk UniversityKing CollegeMiddle Tennessee State

UniversityOak Ridge National LaboratoryTennessee State UniversityTennessee Technological

UniversityUniversity of MemphisUniversity of Tennessee,

KnoxvilleUniversity of Tennessee Space

InstituteVanderbilt University

Pr o j e c t sSpecifically, the grant will fund:

Awards to new faculty atnonresearch-extensive institutions.Scholarships/stipends for

graduate students participating inacademic bridge programs betweenFisk University, Tennessee StateUniversity, Vanderbilt Universityand other research universities.

Summer research experience for

u n d e r g r a du at es .Summer mini-sabbaticals forhigh school, community college andfour-year college faculty.

Outreach to K-12 classrooms.Summer internships and a

yearlong undergraduate trainingprogram.

It is also about outreachand education. So we will

also promote researchamong the students andcollaborate for the good

of everyone.

DR. YONGMEI WANG

Professor of chemistry atthe University of Memphis


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The Commercial Appeal Sun d ay, January 2, 2011 | GOING GREEN 11

Solar collector projects in the can

By Suzanne Thompson


The economically depressed Belt-line community behind the LibertyBowl, south of the railroad tracks onSouthern Avenue, is a part of townthat has been virtually forgotten, ac-cording to Rev. Marise Tuttle, di-rector of Jacobs Ladder Community

Development Corp.A high crime area, the Beltline

does have a safe haven for childrenand adolescents thanks to two com-munity centers operated by JacobsL a d d e r.

But Bill Marler, executive directorof Jacobs Ladder, said he thinkst h at s just not enough, not by a long way. So, the organization is thinking

Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal

Christian Lopes (left) and Bill Marler, executive director of JacobsLadder, display the Angel Fire solar collector. It is made from aluminumcans, cut in half lengthwise, and placed between panes of tempered glass.


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b i g.With the help of Dr. Ed Perry, a

professor at the University of Memphis,Ja c o b s Ladder has designed a solarenergy device called an Angel Fire solarc o l l e c t o r.

Made from aluminum cans, cut in half lengthwise, and placed between panesof tempered glass, the device uses theenergy from the sun and converts it topower in the winter, Marler said.

The prototype of the device, whichwas built by Christian Lopes as hisEagle Scout project, is about the size of a queen-size mattress.

Having Lopes construct the devicewas in a sense part of the research forthe project, to see if someone with verylittle training would be able to suc-cessfully build one.

Marler is seeking grant funding to gointo production with the panels as partof a three-pronged approach to help theBeltline community.

For us it really

has three benefits,Marler said. The first is to pro-

vide heat for homesin the low-incomea re a .

The second is toteach business skillsto young people inthe community andto provide a manu-facturing facility to encourage an ad-ditional skill set.

Memphis has made a radical shiftover the past 30 years from being amanufacturing base to being a servicebase. Wed like to go back and see if theBeltline could become a manufacturing

base by building solar collectors, Mar-ler said.

Finally, the solar panels could helpdevelop a workforce in the Beltline.

We re trying to educate children andto give them opportunities to do some-thing for themselves, he said.

Marler submitted an $800,000 grantproposal earlier in the year, but did notreceive the funding.

The Rotary Club of Memphis Centralis providing money for the productionof another solar collection panel, whichwill be tweaked a bit for the secondprototype before it is installed on one of the Jacobs Ladder community centers.

Its going through some modifica-tions right now, sort of like the Wrightbrothers with their first plane, M a rl e rs aid.

The eventual goal is to put one of thedevices on every home in the Beltline.For a typical home in the area, a solarcollection panel about the size of a full

mattress would be

re q u i re d .Marler has no il-lusions about thescope of such a goal,and is re-writing thegrant proposal inhopes of gaining themuch-needed fund-i n g.

To do this on alarge scale, were go-

ing to need a big chunk of money, hes aid.

Fortunately, the nonprofit organiza-tion has neighboring companies thathave committed to pitch in to get theproject going.

Known as the Beltline Energy Con-

We re trying to educatechildren and to give them

opportunities to dosomething for themselves.

BILL MARLER

Executive director of Jacobs Ladder


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sortium, Coca-Cola, along with Bin-swanger Glass and Shelby Millworks,are doing what they can to help Marlerand the community.

Officials at the nearby Coca-Cola bot-tling facility have agreed to donate re-cycled cans for the prototypes.

Leaders at Binswanger donated theglass for the first prototype, and havecommitted to sell the glass to JacobsLadder at below market prices, once theprojects is under way.

One pane of the glass, which is tem-pered and suitable for use on a patio door,is about $95, according to Les Davis, as-

sistant branch manager at the Bin-swanger location on South Hollywood.Davis said he is happy that Bin-

swanger can help with a project thatwill improve the community.

Its a proactive way of trying togreen up the neighborhood, and ourneighborhood needs it anything wecan do to help spruce up the neigh-b o rh o o d , he said.

Preliminary testing on the solar panelshas been very promising, Marler said.

In research conducted by Perry, whoteaches mechanical engineering, the An-gel Fire solar collector heated from 68degrees Fahrenheit to 125 Fahrenheitunder late afternoon sun exposure.

The solar collection panels are part of a bigger plan.

I think that the greatest thing thatwe are facing today is how are we going to take care of our planet so we canhand it off to our children and to theirc h i l d re n , Marler said.

Marler said he believes the solar col-lectors have the potential to turn thingsaround for the Beltline.

It could be a game changer.

Book teachesto Sew GreenBy Marci Woodmansee


Grace-St. Lukes Episcopal Schoolsenior kindergarten teacher AmiePlumley recently published her firstbook, Sewing School. Co -writtenwith long-time friend and MemphisBrooks Museum of Art publicrelations manager Andria Lisle,Sewing School is a how-to-sewbook for ages 5 and up. It features 21step-by-step projects to inspire young needle -smiths to create useful,

modern objects with minimal adultsupervision. Many of the projectswere tested by students at Grace-St.Lu ke s School during sewing enrichment courses and summercamps taught by Plumley and Lisleover the past few years.

Full-size patterns are included inthe back of the book so kids can get


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right to work on projects, and Plumleyand Lisle are proud that it fits theirgreen philosophy.

Its a great way to encourage recycling and reuse,explains Lisle. Children canlearn how to make projects from scrapsand outgrown T-shirts, and mend clothesand stuffed animals rather than throwing them away.

By sharing basic sewing skills earlywith children, we can teach themconfidence, improve fine motor skills,encourage creativity and provide theexperience of pride through crafting,says Plumley.

This is a kid-tested curriculum that wedeveloped over years of teaching sewing workshops for kids ages 5 to 10. It is

wonderful to have this project come tofruition, and we are getting greatfeedback from everyone who has seen it.

Each project is accompanied byphotos of child-created examples andstep-by-step instructions writtenspecifically for kids. The books full-color photos of the authors actualworkshops are by Justin Fox Burks, a

photographer for Memphis magazine.Plumley has taught kindergarten forsix years at Grace-St. Lukes EpiscopalSchool in Midtown Memphis. Plumleyand Lisle have also launched a s ew i n g blog: SewingSchool.blogspot.com.

Marci Woodmansee is a communications associate for Grace-St. Lukes Episcopal S chool .

At Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Grace-St. Lukes fifth-grader Zen Auguiste enjoyedviewing items on a display table set up for Amie Plumleys book Sewing School.


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By Rene RedzepiThe New York Times

C O P EN H AG EN In

Denmark, as in the UnitedStates, the Christmas tree is aprimary icon of the season,along with the falling snow andFather Christmas. On Juleaften,or Christmas Eve, around 9 or10 p.m., most Danish families

join hands, dance in a circlearound the tree and sing carols a communal yetintimate celebration of Christmas.

Then we exchange

presents and everyoneexclaims over hishomemade cookies,marzipan and othersweets, along with driedfruits and nuts.

EV E R G R E E N,

EVER DELICIOUS A new way to recycle your Christmas tree: eat it


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Despite all the sentiment weattach to our Christmas trees, westill get rid of them quickly oncethe holiday ends. Three or fourdays after Christmas, abandoned

trees are discarded in the streetsas if they were garbage.Isnt that a shame? Nature takes

enormous time and effort toproduce something that we useonly briefly. Why dont we makegreater use of this living tree, aswe make use of so many other

kinds of plants on earth, by eating it?

It is a shame, becauseevergreens are delicious. At myrestaurant we use their needles as

a spice. You can cook with abranch of spruce or fir as youwould a sprig of rosemary orthyme. Wouldnt it be beautiful if families gathered after Christmas,festively removed the decorationsand then cut off the tasty needlesof the tree to flavor their food?

The needles can be dried and mixed into a powder for an aromatic spice orthrown into cooking butter to add flavor. Branches of spruce or fir can be usedas you would a sprig of rosemary or thyme.


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The Commercial Appeal S u n day , January 2, 2011 | GOING GREEN 17

Spruce Butter7 ounces butter3 1/ 2 tablespoons pinene e dl esSprig of lemon thyme.

1. Mix in ablender for eightminutes until softand green.

2. Pass through achinois sieve.

Spruce Oil3 1/ 2 ounces pinene e dl es3-4 tablespoons finelychopped parsley1 1/ 4 cups neutral oil.

1. Blanch needlesfor four minutes,then dry.

2. Mix allingredients in ablender until it

reaches 160d e g r e es .3. Pass through a

chinois sieve.

Spruce Vinegar3 1/ 2 ounces pinene e dl es3 1/ 2 ounces applev i n e ga r

1. Briefly mix inblender.2. Rest in a

sealed containerovernight.

3. Pass through achinois sieve.

The needles can be dried and mixed intoa powder that makes a light, citrus-y andvery aromatic spice. Sprinkle that powderinto cookie dough, add some to rice as youcook it, or even rub it on chicken beforeroasting. Dried needles can even be usedto smoke meat, and then you can use thet re e s wood for kindling.

Small spruce branches can also be usedto add flavor. The next time you steamspinach or other greens, throw one in atthe very last minute to give a light aromaand a lemony feel to the dish. Or, aftercooking steak in a pan, flavor the cooking butter with a fistful of spruce needles. Ifind that game meats respond especiallywell to these flavors which is notsurprising, when you consider how animalslike to eat the tender, bright-green shootsin spring.

Spruce and fir are useful in many otherdishes as well. Fresh fish, salted for a dayand covered in fresh needles, absorbs theforest aroma and emerald color into its

flesh. Needles work especially well in oilsand vinegars, condiments that my staff andI lavish on fresh sweet peas every spring.

Each year more than 100 million treesare produced for Christmas worldwide.Considering that it takes 8 to 12 years toproduce a decent-sized tree, it seemspointless simply to discard this bountyafter only a few weeks of using it asornamentation. I dont mean to sermonize.I want only to point out that food iseverywhere, that a tree is more than asymbol or a decoration: It is delicious food.

This year, lets all butcher the tree. Rene Redzepi is chef and co-owner of the

restaurant Noma and the author of Noma: Time and Place in Nordic Cuisine.


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Po i n s e t t i a sCo n s i d e r saving yours for summer, and again for nextChristmasany time of the year

By Kathy Van Mullekom

Newport News (Va.) Daily Press

The poinsettia you brought homefrom the garden center or grocerystore could be your first steptoward sustainability.

In other words, consider keeping the plant around for a while insteadof tossing it in the trash once the

Christmas tree is down.A poinsettia planted outdoors

when warm weather stabilizes canturn into the prettiest tropical plantin your yard. Even if it doesntbloom again next Christmas, youcan still enjoy it for many months.

H e re s what you should do foryour poinsettia now and through2011:


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Taking care of it now Avoid exposing the poinsettia to

freezing conditions.Place your poinsettia in a spot with

bright natural light, but do not expose itto direct sunlight.

Do not place your poinsettia in anarea where it will be exposed to drafts,heat from appliances, radiators orventilation ducts.

The color of your poinsettia will lastlonger with temperatures around 65degrees Fahrenheit during the day and60-65 degrees at night.

The soil should be kept moderatelymoist; check every few days and waterwhen the soil feels dry to the touch.Before watering, remove the pot coversor foil wrapping; water to saturate thesoil, and then allow the pot to drain. Donot let the plant sit in standing water.

To rebloom itFrom January through March, continue

to care for your poinsettia as you did whenyou first brought it home. Allow the surfaceof the soil to dry between waterings, andbe sure to apply enough water so that thepot is evenly moist and some drains outthe bottom. Do not let it sit in water.

Keep the plant near a brightly litwindow, in a room where the daytemperatures are between 65 and 75degrees. Night temperatures can becooler, but make sure your poinsettiad o es n t get colder than 55 degrees.

On April 1, cut the poinsettia stemsback to about 8 inches, and dont worryif you dont have many leaves left afteryou cut it back more leaves will sproutalong the stems. Continue watering asbefore, but keep in mind you will mostlikely be watering less since you removed

a lot of foliage.As soon as new growth appears, begin

fertilizing once a week with a well-balanced, all-purpose fertilizer. This is alsoa good time to replant your poinsettia intoa larger pot. If the container is too large,

the soil can hold too much water, causingthe roots of the poinsettia to rot, so itsbest to choose a new container that is nomore than 4 inches larger than theoriginal. You can also move your poinsettiaoutside for the summer months.

Around mid-July, pinch each stemback, leaving three to four leaves oneach stem. This makes your poinsettianicely branched and bushy, and alsocreates lots of blooms. If you movedyour plant outside, bring it back insidearound the middle of August, andcontinue to water and fertilize throughthe rest of summer and early fall.

The tricky partPoinsettias are short-day plants,

meaning they naturally flower when theday length is less than 12 hours. StartingOct. 1, poinsettias need 14 hours ofcomplete darkness daily, 6 p.m. to 8a.m. Cover the plant with a cardboardbox (or some other container that lightca nt get through), or place the plant in acloset or cabinet or even garage. Nolight, not even coming in under a closetdoor, can happen. The dark treatmentmust be done every day from Oct. 1 untilT h a n ks g i v i n g .

At the end of the dark treatment, thebracts (modified leaves that turn theshowy colors we think of as poinsettiaflowers) start to change colors. Stopfertilizing at this time, and continue tocare for your poinsettia the same aswhen you first purchased it.


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By Matt Hickman Mother Nature Network

T h e re s nothing quite as heart-

breakingly awkward as opening anundesirable holiday gift while thegift giver looks on, all smiles andanticipation. You, in turn, feign ex-citement and gratitude, even as theonly thing running through yourmind is how youre going to get ridof it. Well, thanks, Aunt Enid! An-other ceramic frog holding a fishing

pole. Just what I wanted! The typical holiday gift reject

finds its way into a re-gift pile, joining a bounty of clueless, ex-

traneous and straight-out tragicitems. Eventually, you may have thechance to free yourself of the gift inquestion at a white elephant- s t yl egift exchange. From there, it maycontinue to circulate through thetongue-in-cheek gift-exchange cir-cuit, being passed from recipient torecipient until it reaches someone

The responsible regift 4 ways to offload a holiday misfire and make it count

r a m s ey m o h s e n / F l i c k r

Its not hard to find a good use for that tacky sweater, ceramic frog or even thenice food processor that you just don't need.


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who truly wants and needs a pair of squirrel underpants or a Solid Goldworkout video.

And then there are the less inher-ently ludicrous gifts that you simplydont need. Maybe you already havethe item, maybe its the wrong size, orperhaps you just dont have room inyour kitchen for another hand mixer.For these kinds of items, the naturalimpulse is to wrap it back up s av-ing you time and money and elim-inating waste and bestow it to afriend or loved one who you thinkcould truly use it. But this standard

method of re-gifting isnt the only op-tion. There are other ways, both char-itable and crafty, to part with unwant-ed presents.

Here are some of our favorites:1. Toy time: Has your scatterbrained

elderly neighbor given Junior the sameSpongeBob LEGO set for three yearsin a row? Community toy drives arean excellent, feel-good way to partwith new, unused toys your familydoesnt need. The granddaddy of themall, the Marine Toys for Tots Foun-dation, offers nationwide toy drop-off locations ensuring that your un-wrapped re-gift makes its way to a lessfortunate child in your very own com-munity. Or, if you dont have a surplusof new-toy rejects, you can make a

financial contribution to the founda-tion. Another popular option is giving to the Military Childrens Charity.

2. Get thrifty: Lets say you have aslightly used gift on your hands apair of shoes that dont quite fit, or athrow rug that became an eyesore af-ter a weeklong trial run and it cantbe tactfully re-gifted the traditional

way. Donating it to a thrift or charitystore is the easiest and most obviousnext step. Someone is bound to take aliking to your passed-on present andswoop it up, with the proceeds going to a charitable cause.

3. The repurposed holiday reject:Before you try to get rid of an un-wanted holiday gift altogether, putyourself in a DIY state of mind andthink outside the gift box. Is there away a rejected item can remain in yourhome but serve another purpose? If yo u re handy with a needle and thread,transform that hideous sweater set in-to a comfy blanket for your pooch. Orbreak out the craft supplies and givethe coffee mug your cousin bought atthe Cancun airport a makeover, turn-ing it into a pencil or paintbrush hold-er or a planter.

4. Host a re-gift exchange: A whiteelephant gift exchange is a fun andharmless way to unload questionable

gifts on others while freeing up valu-able real estate in your home andkeeping rejected gifts out of landfills.But if you want to keep things on anon-gag note, plan a re-gift exchangewith friends and co-workers who alsohave amassed unwanted gift stockpilesand want to keep things on the cheap.

These get-togethers can be particularlysuccessful if everyone involved has acommon interest, whether it be fash-ion, cookware or interior decor. Younever know ... you could walk awaywith a pair of designer sunglasses or abottle of your favorite red wine.

Matt Hickman writes about the best waysto go green at home on this blog:

mnn .com/featured-blogs/greenhome.


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22 GOING GREEN| Su n day , January 2, 2011 co mm er cia l a pp ea l.co m

By Cliff Hightower

Chattanooga Times Free Press

David Crockett has a vision of a new

Chatt anooga. The vision includes green, white andsolar roofs atop homes. It has tree-linedstreets with pedestrian and bicyclepaths. There also would be jobs createdthat help make Chattanooga more sus-tainable, he said.

He sees it all beginning in 2011.This was a year of planning, s aid

Crockett, the director of the ChattanoogaOffice of Sustainability. Next year willbe our first year of real harvest.

Mayor Ron Littlefield created the Of-fice of Sustainability last year as a wayto make Chattanooga a greener city andnamed Crockett to lead the department.

One resource he hopes to have by

mid-2011 is a website for the Office of Sustainability that explains sustainablep ra c t i c e s .

Two years ago, Chattanooga adopteda climate action plan that identified 47initiatives to make the city green andhelped create 17 action teams. Crockettsaid he wants to streamline the teamsbecause many of them are doing du-

Chattanoogas Office of Sustainability was created in 2009 as a way to makethe city greener. This was a year of planning, said David Crockett, the directorof the Office of Sustainability. Next year will be our first year of real harvest.

Visions of green

The Office of Sustainability envisions a new Chattanooga


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plicate work. He also wants to put themall under the Office of Sustainability.

Climate action planWith or without the Office of Sustain-

ability, the climate action plan is underway, said Jim Frierson, vice chairman of the Chattanooga Green Committee.

More than 25 Chattanooga buildingsare looking at Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design (LEED) certifi-cation, about 400 electric-car chargersare about to be placed throughout Chat-tanooga by the federal government andthe city was just chosen as one of nine

cities across America as a test case for anew sustainability rating software sys-tem, Frierson said.

How the emerging green movement inthe city has helped curb carbon emissionsand reach other benchmarks within theclimate action plan is unknown, he said.

A city employee who set and mon-itored the benchmarks left about a yearago. Since then, tracking progress hasfaltered, Frierson said.

I would have to say, in a systematicway, its not as strong as it should orcould be, he said.

Other ideasAmong Crocketts goals is finishing a

complete street one that has pavedtraffic lanes, concrete sidewalks and busi-

nesses on either side, but also has greenmedians and green space alongside thesidewalks and perhaps a biking trail.

He wants to conduct a series of work-shops in the Department of Public Worksto teach engineers how to think green.

Steve Leach, administrator for PublicWorks, said his department alreadyknows about green strategies and tries

to incorporate those ideas when the cityhas the money and when the neigh-borhood supports those approaches.

As an example, he pointed to a recentstreetscape along Main Street that usesmany of the green ideas Crockett talksabout .

If we can do sidewalks, were going to do that, he said. If we can do streettrees, well do street trees.

Crockett also talked about partnering with the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce to promote ideas such as sus-tainable roofs and green spaces which canreduce the amount of stormwater runoff.

J. E d . Marston, spokesman for thechamber, said chamber members would

decide whether to support fully a greenstrategy. He said chamber officials havehad some initial talks about whetherthere is enough interest within thechamber to conduct a long-range planon sustainability.

We re in conversations with a num-ber of people to see if theres enoughsupport , he said.

Tim Barber/The Chattanooga Free Times Press

Electrician Paul McAllister, center,positions conduit cut by David Holmesduring a solar panel installation at ahome in North Chattanooga.

Going Green Memphis 01-02-11

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Transcript of Going Green Memphis 01-02-11