Going Green Memphis 5-09-10

8/8/2019 Going Green Memphis 5-09-10

1/17


2/17

2 GOING GREEN | S u n d ay , May 9, 2010 co m m er c ia l a p pea l.co m

How to grill green

Grillmeister Jim Hamilton says solarsno good, but there are ways to burnless carbon when you barbecue

Future workplace

Greener design practicescould mean very different

job experiences

Paper or pixels?

E-waste, energy usecan be an argument

against going digital

Grow a healthy child

Dominique Pryor-Anderson turned what shelearned into a way to help other parents

Jenn Savedges three Big Fives for

turning on the green in your teen

On the cover

Illustration by Shane McDermott/The Commercial Appeal

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Going Green is a special online publication ofThe Commercial Appeal. We welcome your commentsand suggestions. Follow Going Green on Twitter atw w w .t w i t t e r .co m /G o G r e e n M e m p h i s.

Ed i t o r : Roland Klose, 529-5893goi n gg r e e n@co m m e rci a la pp ea l .com

Whats in this issue ...

4

6 9

10

12
http://www.twitter.com/GoGreenMemphismailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.twitter.com/GoGreenMemphis


3/17

The Commercial Appeal S u n d ay , May 9, 2010 | GOING GREEN 3

The Green Page

Ev e n t sTake a walk along the river with the Sierra Club

from 6-8:30 p.m. Saturday, May 22. Contact SueWilliams at 274-0524 or go to

tennessee.sierraclub.org/chickasaw for up-to-dateinformation. No pets.

See the bald eagles at Shiloh National MilitaryPark. This Sierra Club-sponsored activity will be held at12:30 p.m. Sunday, May 23. Park entrance fees are $3per person or $5 per family. To reserve a spot or formore information, contact Keith Hoover [email protected] or (901) 363-8299.

GroupsClean Memphis: Organizes community

cleanups. cleanmemphis.org.Coalition for Livable Communities:

The organization advocates healthy,vibrant and economically sustainablecommunities. livablememphis.org or (901)72 5 - 8 3 9 0.

Friends for Our Riverfront: Formed in2003, the group advocates improvement

of the public space along the Mississippi,as well as a clean and vibrant harbor.friendsforourriverfront.org or (901) 496-073 6.

Greater Memphis Greenline: Pr o m o t esthe development of the Greenline andother unused railway rights-of-way andeasements into hiking and biking trails.g r eat erm em p h i sg r ee nl i ne.o rg .

Shelby Farms Park Conservancy:Nonprofit organization responsible forplanning and day-to-day operations ofShelby Farms Park. shelbyfarmspark.org or(901) 767-PARK.

Wolf River Conservancy: The nonprofitland trust is dedicated to preserving theWolf River corridor and watershed.wolfriver.org or (901) 452-6500.

To submit items, e-mailgoinggreen@commercialappeal .com.

Sierra Club/Chickasaw Group
http://sierraclub.org/chickasawmailto:[email protected]://cleanmemphis.org/http://livablememphis.org/http://livablememphis.org/http://friendsforourriverfront.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://shelbyfarmspark.org/http://shelbyfarmspark.org/http://wolfriver.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://wolfriver.org/http://shelbyfarmspark.org/http://greatermemphisgreenline.org/http://friendsforourriverfront.org/http://livablememphis.org/http://cleanmemphis.org/http://sierraclub.org/chickasawmailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


4/17


5/17


of laughable.It might work

somewhere like Phoenix,where the sun is outconst antly, he conceded.

Hamiltons is a fixture

in Memphis grilling since1974, and the storereceives lots of productsfor testing, Hamilton said.

When it comes to eco-friendly grilling, gas isout, and the hottest itemHamilton said hes eversold in his years inbusiness is a grill called

the Green Egg.It rates so high on the

list, its over the top,Hamilton said.

This grill is the mostenvironmentally friendly,he said, because of itsefficient use of heat, whichcuts charcoal consumptionby about 50 percent.

It burns the leastamount of charcoal wehave ever seen, Hamiltonsaid. He suggests using anelectric starter, which hasthe coals on a Green Eggready to cook on in aboutfive minutes.

Hamilton never uses

lighter fluid.I hate it. It takes moretime to burn off thechemicals and it gives thefood a funny taste. I justdont think its healthyand I like natural things.

The same goes for theselection of charcoal itself.

They make all thosebriquettes with petroleumproducts and crushlimestone into it; all thatstuff pollutes the air.

T h at s not true of all

briquettes, according toPert Whitehead, owner ofThe Charcoal Store. Hesells mainly wholesale toarea restaurants andbarbecue cooking teams.

Some briquettes containpure ground hardwood andthe only additive iscornstarch, used as a

binding agent. This will beclearly stated on the bag,Whitehead said.

The blended briquettes,are the ones to watch outfor, he said.

Theyre made up of 30to 35 percent wood. Thebalance is anthracite,which is coal dust, limeand sodium nitrate, usedto make it light up faster,Whitehead said.

The cleanest burning islump charcoal, which ismade 100 percent fromhardwood and resembleschunks of burned wood.

T h at s the way to go, as

far as Hamilton isconcerned.No matter what, you

always want to use realhardwood charcoal. Thereal thing. If you use realcharcoal, you get a goodflavor and you dont haveall those additives that are

going up into theat m o s p h e re , he said.

A 20-pound bag of thehardwood charcoal sellsfor $18.99 at Hamiltons.

There are other types of

wood chips that can beadded for extra flavor, suchas cedar, apple or birch.

Because of its design,the Green Egg cooks moreefficiently and uses lessc h a rc o a l .

It is so airtight thatwhen you are finishedcooking, it smothers the

fire, so the charcoals arestill good to cook with thenext time youre ready tolight up the grill.

Green Egg salescomprise about half of allthe grills sold atHamiltons, and manypeople put them in thelayaway. The Green Egg,which comes in fivedifferent sizes, isntcheap. Models range inprice from $750 to$1,500, with the largestsize built into a table.

Mike Edmundson, asalesman for Ken RashsInc., agrees that the

Green Egg has taken thegrilling world by storm.They comprise about 60to 70 percent of all totalgrill sales, he said.

People always comeback to me and say itsthe best thing theyveever bought.


6/17

6 GOING GREEN | S u n day , May 9, 2010 com m er c ia l a p peal.co m

By Toby Sells

sells@commercialappeal .com

Digital Age options have us makingmodern choices:

Do I pay bills with a check in the mail, or

do I bank online? Do I buy the newspaper,or do I read its Website? Do I curl upwith a book, orwith an e-reader?

C o nve n i e n c ehas typicallydictated thedecision. But as

green becomes thenew black, theenvironment iscoming into its own asa decision maker ordecision breaker.

The modern (ifunofficial) zeitgeist clearlyputs pixels over paper.

Electronics are

rechargeable and reusable,and no trees were harmed in theirm a k i n g. Forests are chopped down toprint bills, books and newspapers, whichare typically used only once and tossedaside.

But the paper industry is firing back.It counters that electronics are

environmentally costly to make (withlead, mercury, arsenic, gold and silver),suck coal-fire-powered electricity to runand create a multi-ton and toxic wastestream after short lives.

Consumers are bombarded with

messages from the bank to thephone company, urging them to

stop communicating using paper,telling you its not

environment allyf r i e n d l y, said TeriS hanahan,I n t e r n at i o n a lPa p e r s vice

president ofc o m m e rc i a lprinting. Itsounds like whattheyre really tryingto do is save money,and if they werehonest, thats whattheyd tell you.

IPs new website,

down2earthonline.com, is theMemphis companys newest tool to fightpublic perception about the paperindustry. It covers everything from theindustrys carbon footprint, to recycledpaper and forest management.

The site based on industry andgovernment data, Shanahan said

Paper or pixels?Energy use and e-waste show digital alternativesarent necessarily eco-friendly
mailto:[email protected]://down2earthonline.com/http://down2earthonline.com/http://down2earthonline.com/mailto:[email protected]


7/17


claims 20 percent lesscarbon dioxide is producedby a person reading aprinted, daily newspaperversus reading the paperonline for 30 minutes.

The site also claims that60 percent of the energyused for the pulp and paperindustry comes fromcarbon-neutral renewableresources. Mostly fossilfuels power the Internet,the site said, with 90percent of the power usedfor the electronics industry

purchased off the grid.However, a 2009 study

of Amazons Kindle readerdevice showed that itscarbon emissions areoffset in the first year of itslife. The book andnewspaper industry, saidthe report from SanFrancisco-based CleantechGroup LLC, harvested 125million trees in 2008 notto mention wastewaterthat was produced or itsmassive carbon footprint.

Apple Inc. is clear anddirect about its 10.2million metric tons ofgreenhouse gas

emissions. More than halfof its emissions comefrom product use, and itnotes that its 2009, 20-inch iMac uses just a hairmore energy per idle hourthan a 60-watt,incandescent light bulb.

How does your

computer stack up? Findout with the ElectronicProduct Environmental

Assessment Tool from thePortland, Ore.-basedGreen Electronic Council.

EPEAT.net evaluatesdesktops, laptops andmonitors on 51environmental criteriadeveloped by industryleaders and the U.S.Environmental Protection

A ge n c y.Websites like these and

new studies are beginningto crop as up Americansare becoming more andmore conscious of theimpact of their electronics.

We re becoming a more

digitized society, and aspeople replace theirgadgets, theyre less likely

to upgrade if its going tohave a negative effect onthe environment, s aidEmma Ritch, seniorresearch analyst withCleantech Group. When anew gadget comes out, theresponse here in SiliconValley is that half thepeople are excited and half

the people worry aboutthe e-waste it creates.

However, 38 percent ofApples harmful emissionscome frommanufacturing, and itclaims that using toxicsubstances like arsenic,

In order tofight the publicperceptionthat digital ismore eco-friendly thanpaper, IP haslaunched awebsite thatcoversev e r y t h i n gfrom theindustryscarbon

footprint tofo r es tmanagement.

Comstock image


8/17

8 GOING GREEN | Sund ay, May 9, 2010 com m er c ia l a p peal.co m

mercury and polyvinylchloride are the greatestenvironmental challengefacing our industry today,according to its website.

These substances are

bad for the environmentand extremely bad for theimpoverished men,women and children whopull parts from re c yc l e d electronics in someforeign countries, saidJohn Shegerian, founderof Fresno, Calif.-basedElectronic Recyclers

International Inc.These kids and adults

dont have the right tools,so they burn off theplastic (computer)carcass, mine copper andgold out of the computerusing acid dips, and theyscar their hands,Shegerian said.

While Americans havetraditions in recyclingaluminum, glass andpaper, some 54 percent ofe-waste ends up in landfillseach year, Shegerian said,but he believes thestatistic will eventually

trend lower. And recyclingmay be the bridge to thepixels and paper debate.

There is a value toKindles and iPads, butthere are still people whoenjoy getting ink on theirf i n ge rs , Shegerian said.

We can live in the best ofboth worlds if we cankeep both above ground.We solve a lot of theenergy and environmentissue and we can stillenjoy the products.

Toby Sells: 529-2742

There is a value to Kindles and iPads, but there are still

people who enjoy getting ink on their fingers. We can live in

the best of both worlds if we can keep both above ground.

JOHN SHEGERIAN

Electronic Recyclers International Inc. founder

Some 54 percent of e-waste ends up in landfillseach year.


9/17


By Maggie Galehouse /Houston Chronicle

ITS ANYONES GUESS how the workplace of

the future will look and feel.

But some guesses aremore informed thano t h e rs .

Leigh Stringer, a

sustainability consultantwith global architecturalfirm HOK, contemplatesgreen office spaces inThe Green Workplace her recent book aboutgreen building strategies.

Stringer says we maybe on the verge of a bigsocioeconomic shift.

Society already hasmoved from farming tofactory production toinformation technology.

The next phase will bringus to the postk n ow l e d ge era, in whichthe best and the brightestwill determine how to

store and filter all thedata were so busyc o l l e c t i n g.

In this new, idea-basedage, more people will beable to work any placethey want, Stringer says.But when face-to-facetime is necessary,

companies may forsakecubicles for spaces moreconducive to brain-storming and

t o ge t h e r n e s s .We still have to be

able to look at the whitesof each others e ye s , Stringer says. Toe m p at h i z e .

And as it turns out, thebest models forcollaborative space areold. Even ancient.

Remember howschools used to beo rga n i z e d , Stringer says,speaking from her officein Washington, D.C. Onebuilding, and everythinggets done in that onespace.

HOK noticed that

many modern classroomsare readopting thecentral, flexible space ofthe one-roomschoolhouse. Informationtechnology firms,Stringer adds, arecreating these sorts ofspaces, too v i r t u a l l y.

Hewlett Packard, forexample, has Halo

ro o m s that hold high-resolution cameras andmassive screens forteleconferences. This letsparticipants in differentplaces share detailedillustrations and designsin an immediate, hands-on way.

Taking the schoolhouse

model one step further,Stringer suspects that themost creative workenvironments of thefuture may resembletheaters similar to thosefound in ancient Greeceand Rome.

The theater aflexible and dynamicspace with unique propsto support collaboration could be the perfectsetting for stimulatingand spawning new ideas,Stringer writes in herbook. Vi r t u a lenvironments, thecomplement to physical

spaces, may requireenhanced socialnetworking andvisualization tools tobecome more engagingand interactive than theyare today.

Virtual theaters willhelp cut costs, too.

The next green phase for workplacesOne-room schoolhouse may be the model


10/17

10 GOING GREEN | S u n d ay, May 9, 2010 co m m er c i a l a p pea l.co m

By Suzanne Thompson

Special to Going Green

What started out as researchDominique Pryor-Anderson didduring her own pregnancy, turnedinto a business, as she learned aboutthe ways in which new and expectant

mothers can make changes towardhaving healthier babies and families.

Green Baby Planning andLifestyle, a start-up company,provides consulting, nurseryplanning, green baby registry andpersonal shopping services.

I sit down with them and find outwhat they are looking for. We go frompaint to furniture, bedding, toys...eve r y t h i n g , Pryor-Anderson said.

T h e re s a furniture company weuse for the cribs, an Amish company,where the furniture is all handmadewith no paint or finishes or stains.

The green baby registry is a servicethat allows mothers to list the eco-friendly items they would like to havefor their new babies. Pryor-Anderson

monitors the lists and even handlessending out the thank-you notes.

Items listed on a green babyregistry could be anything fromorganic baby shampoo or babywipes, to organic disposable diapers,though the best choices,environmentally, are cloth diapers.

Cloth diapers are much different

Photos by Karen Pulfer Focht/The Commercial Appeal

Dominique Pryer-Anderson is raising herdaughter Kiya Anderson, 2, as a greenba by . She wears organic material andsecondhand clothes whenever possible,eats organic food, and the family recyclesanytime they see the opportunity.

Turn your baby greenDominique Pryor-Anderson shares what shes learned


11/17


than they were. Gone are the hugediaper pins with duck-shaped fasteners.

Rene Walker, East Memphis motherof 3-month-old Amore Walker, hiredPryor-Anderson while she was in thefirst trimester of her pregnancy and said

the decision to use cloth diapers wasnta hard one for her.

They are a lot different now, Walkersaid of the modern cloth diapers. Mosthave Velcro fasteners.

She said she uses cloth diapers andwhile they are a bitmore trouble, theyare gentler on the

skin, so her family iswilling to go aboveand beyond toprovide the best forthe baby Amore.

Walker was twomonths pregnantwith Amore whenshe called Pryor-Anderson to help her

plan not only hernursery, but also the way she intendedto raise her child.

This is my first child, and I wantedthe best for my baby, Walker said.

Pryor-Anderson advised her aboutselection of products, quantity andquality, she said, which includedchoosing bed linen and helping herdetermine the quantity of cloth diapersthat would offer her the best value.

Pryor-Anderson accompanied Walkerto Whole Foods, to assist her inchoosing the most nutritious andorganic items for Amore, when she isready to add finger food to her diet, asshe uses less formula.

Walker is examining her options as

she considers selecting toys.This is the beginning of what Walker

plans to be a lifelong process for her child.As she gets older, I will start offering

her more choices, but if she does well withorganic food, I plan to continue with it.

The fees at Green Baby Planning andLifestyle vary from a $75 flat fee for aone-time assessment, to $75 per hour fornursery planning and design services.

Our mission is to bring a healthylifestyle in the real world without

blowing out theirb u d ge t s , P r yo r-Anderson said.

Pryor-Anderson putsher findings togetherin a report that givesparents suggestions foroffering their childrena greener environment.

From selectingorganic formula to

deciding what type ofpaint and furniture to

use in the nursery,Pryor-Anderson can help with allaspects of the little ones lifestyle.

Growing up in a hippie home, andhaving a good eye for putting thingstogether, both contributed to thecreation of her new business.

There are a variety of things parentscan do to make a change in the waytheir babies connect with their homeenvironment. Changes can be as big asremoving carpeting and substitutinghardwood flooring finished with eco-safe products, or as small as selectingorganic foods to offer the baby, and itall counts, Pryor-Anderson said.

For more information, go togreenbabyplanning.com.

Most of her diet consists oforganic food, including thiscereal she enjoys in the morning.
http://greenbabyplanning.com/http://greenbabyplanning.com/http://greenbabyplanning.com/


12/17

12 GOING GREEN | S u n day , May 9, 2010 co m m er c ia l a p pea l.co m

Teens more thanever need to grab the reins

and run with it, says Savedge, wholives just outside the Shenandoah

National Park in Virginia. She says thekids who impress her the most arentthe ones who simply wave the greenbanner, but those whove thought itthrough and can offer up a solidargument, one that makes adults stopand pay attention.

By Barbara Mahany

Chicago Tribune

So theres this blue-and-green ball we all dwell on. Itscalled Earth.

Its ours to save and protect,this planet.

And you dont need to be oldenough to vote to kick into highplanet-saving gear.

Bring on Jenn Savedge, apassionate environmentalist,former park ranger andauthor of The Green Teen:

The Eco-Friendly TeensGuide to Saving the Planet ( NewSociety Publishers, $14.95).

Her little green book is bursting withdo-it-now ideas and smart charts andlists that make for a compelling gameplan to crank up the green in your lives.

S hes great at boiling big conceptsinto doable bits. Here are her Three BigFives to get you greening.

Ways young people canstake their claim in the

save-the-planet campaign

Gre en

t e en s


13/17

The Commercial Appeal S u nd ay , May 9, 2010 | GOING GREEN 13

knowledge that youre living green.Smoking: Hard to believe, but kids

are still smoking. (The American LungAssociation Web sitereports that 20 percent ofhigh school students saidthey have had a cigarette in

the last 30 days.) Smokingwastes your money,trashes the environment

and ends your life. Period.Multitasking: You dont have to look

too hard to spot a kid texting friends on acell, chatting on a cordless phone,sending Facebook messages, watching TVand playing a video game ... all at thesame time! Its fine to multitask, as long

as youre not plugged in or usingbatteries to do it.

Greenwashing: Labels can bemisleading. Dont buy something(especially if you dont need it) justbecause its labeled as green. Look forcertified green labels (organic, fair-trade,recycled content, etc.) before buying.

Vending machines: Ve n d i n g

machines are usually the antithesis ofgoing green. Filled with pre-packagedsnacks and drinks made from dubiousingredients, these machines are bad foryour wallet, your health and the planet.

Keeping up with Queen Bees:Resist the temptation to keep up with theother kids. Overconsumption wreakshavoc on the planet and your wallet.Don t rush out and buy the latest jeans or

video game just because all the other kidshave it. And take comfort in the

Five green teen jump-starts

Ditch the car: Rideyour bike, walk or takepublic transit wheneverpossible. When you have todrive, carpool with friends.

Buy less stuff: Us ethe 24-hour rule todistinguish between thingsyou really need and thingsthat you just want becausethey look cool in the store.

Eat less meat: Goveggie one or more times

a week; vegetarian dietsuse fewer resources thanmeat-based diets.

Make a waste-freelunch: Steer clear ofdisposables. Pack your

lunch with reusable drinkbottles, napkins andutensils.

Nix the vampires:Don t let your gadgets(computers, gameconsoles, cell phones, MP3players, etc.) suck moreenergy than they need.Use power-saving featuresto cut recharge times andunplug cords when not inu s e.

Five traps to avoid

FIVE GREAT WEBSITES FOR TEENS:

Teens Turning Green: teensturninggreen .org.Humane Teen:humaneteen .org.Do Something:d o s o m e t hi n g. o r g.

Green Teens:greenteensusa .org.Mother Nature Network:mnn .com.
http://humaneteen.org/http://humaneteen.org/http://teensturninggreen.org/http://humaneteen.org/http://dosomething.org/http://greenteensusa.org/http://mnn.com/http://mnn.com/http://greenteensusa.org/http://dosomething.org/http://humaneteen.org/http://teensturninggreen.org/http://mnn.com/


14/17

14 GOING GREEN | S u n d ay , May 9, 2010 com m er c ia l a p peal.co m

EARTH TALK

Smart growth puts people over trafficDear Earth Talk: What

is smart growth andhow does it benefit theenvironment? What arethe downsides, if any?

Originating in the early1970s when city plannersbegan renovatingcrumbling inner cities inthe face of widespreadsuburbanization andsprawl, smart growth isnow a top buzzword inboth municipal policy andenvironmental circles.

Urban plannerssubscribing to a smartgrowth philosophy work

to concentrate growth inthe center of existingcities and towns to avoidsprawling development inareas otherwise prizedfor open space.

Part of a smart growtheffort attempts tominimize automobiletraffic and its pollution in

urban centers byincluding stores,residences and schools inneighborhoods, resultingin more walking, bicycleriding and mass transitusage than in a typicalsuburban environment.

Advocates maintain

that smart growthinitiatives create a uniquesense of community andplace, give people moretransport ation,employment and housingchoices, and equitablydistribute the costs andbenefits of developmentwhile preserving andenhancing natural beauty,cultural resources andpublic health.

The U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA)has been a big smartgrowth booster since itformed the Smart Growth

Network in 1996. Partners

include environmentaland historic preservationgroups, professionalorganizations, developers,real estate interests, andlocal and stategovernment entities.

The network serves as aforum for educating thepublic and policymakersabout the benefits of smartg row t h .

Partly thanks to theSmart Growth Network,smart growth initiativesare numerous across theU.S. today. Denver,Minneapolis, Pittsburgh,

Smart growth efforts aim at minimizing automobiletraffic and encouraging walkable neighborhoods.


15/17


Chicago and dozens of othermetropolitan areas have experiencedurban renewal in the last twodecades thanks to planning that hastaken into account livability,sustainability and preservation of

open space.Smart growth is not without itsdetractors. According to ToddLitman of the Canadian-basedVictoria Transport Policy Institute,small government c o n s e r vat i ve sand libertarians criticize smartgrowth for infringing on freedom byinstituting complicated layers ofregulation over development plans,

increasing traffic congestion and airpollution, reducing the affordabilityof urban housing while forcing localsout and creating undesirable levels ofdensity, and requiring wastefultransit subsidies, among other beefs.

Even the environmental communityis somewhat divided. The majorityview some development and expansionas inevitable (especially with humanpopulation always on the upswing) and in that light embrace smart growthas a realistic lesser of possible evils.

But a smaller segment of greensquestions whether any development smart or otherwise is good for agiven regions natural systems. Butwhile such debates may rage on atuniversities and think tanks, smart

growth is already becoming thestandard lens through whichdevelopment projects are judged in themajority of our metropolitan areas.

For more information, go tosmartgrowth .org.

Send environmental questions to EarthTalk, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881or [email protected].

Does your homemake you sick?

By Terri Bennett

McClatchy Newspapers

Its what most of us look forward to atthe end of a busy day: coming home,putting our feet up, and taking a deep

breath of polluted air.Shocking, yes but many times, weare doing just that.

You may be surprised to find out thatthe air we breathe inside our homesevery day can be several times morepolluted than the air outside. It makessense when we take stock of the manychemicals we bring into our homes.

You can reduce indoor air pollution

when you make smarter choices aboutthe furniture, paints and cleaningsupplies you buy.

When shopping for furniture, youneed to do more than pick out piecesthat are attractive or comfortable. Itsimportant to also find out how thepieces are made and whether they willslowly emit toxins into your home.

For the times when you needsomething new, there are a few itemsyou should definitely avoid. Pressedwoods like particleboard, plywood andmedium density fiberboard (MDF) areknown to contain urea-formaldehyderesin. Of the three wood materials, MDFreleases the most formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas that can

Smart choices can clear the air
http://smartgrowth.org/http://smartgrowth.org/mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://smartgrowth.org/mailto:[email protected]


16/17

16 GOING GREEN | Sun d ay , May 9, 2010 com m er c ia l a p peal.co m

cause skin rashes and chronic headaches,and is also a suspected carcinogen.

Household paint is another item thatcan continue to emit dangerous gasesinto your homes air, even after the fumesare gone. In fact, paints and finishes are

the leading source of Volatile OrganicCompounds, or VOCs, in our homes.VOCs can cause all kinds of breathingproblems and have been linked to rapidlyincreasing asthma rates in our children.

When youre redecorating a room orrefinishing a piece of furniture, shop forlow- or no-VOC products. Most paintcompanies have these options andtheyre just as durable and cost effective.

And buy only the amount of paint,thinner or finish than your projectneeds. When your project is complete, ifyou do have any products left over,remember, all of these items areconsidered household hazardous wasteand need to be disposed of properly.

And dont forget about all the cleanersyou bring into your home every day.Household cleaners that are chemicalbased can pollute your home as thetoxins evaporate into the air or are leftbehind on cleaned surfaces. As a rule ofthumb, if the product has a warning ordanger label, its likely not good for you

or the environment.

Choosing a plant-based or naturalcleaner like vinegar or baking soda willalso reduce the amount of pollution inyour home.

Get more of Terry Bennetts green living tipsatDoYourPart.com.

Do just one thing

Instead of buying all new clothes whenupdating your wardrobe, consider hiring atailor to update some pieces. A goodseamstress can transform pants, skirts, shirtsand jackets from boxy to a more modern,form-fitting silhouette. Tailoring can be a greatway to rescue expensive clothes, especially ifyouve recently lost weight, too.

S t o c k by t e

Paint can be a source of dangerousgases in the home.

J u p i t e r i m a ges
http://doyourpart.com./http://doyourpart.com./http://doyourpart.com./


17/17


Ten rules for having a great vegetable garden

T h e re s nothing like the taste ofhome-grown fruits and vegetables.

Growing such produce isnt hard,but it does need proper care toensure success in the garden.

Here are 10 rules to follow:

Find the sun: Except for lettuceand radishes,vegetables need atleast six hours ofdirect sunlight each

d ay .Start small :

Big first-timeprojects can quicklybe co meoverwhelming. Asurprising amountof vegetables andfruits can be grown

in a bed just 10 feets q u a r e.Build up your

soil: The foundationof a healthy,productive gardenis rich, crumbly,well-draining soil that contains goodorganic matter such as compost.

Time your crops: So i l

temperature matters as much as airtemperature when plantingvegetables and fruits.

Be ready to supply cover if alate frost hits: No one can predictthe weather in early spring. Beingprepared with plastic can determine

healthy crop growth.Mulch, mulch, mulch: Treat a

garden similar to a flower bed: Keep alayer of organic mulch over roots tohelp conserve moisture and preventweeds.

Anticipate animal pests: Us efencing to keep out pests such as

raccoons, rabbits,groundhogs, deerand otherunwelcome visitors

that will helpthemselves to thefea s t .

Mingle yourplants: Pr ev e n tbugs from flockingto groups of tenderveggie plants bymixing plant types

in the same space.Stay on topof the harvest:Pick produce whenits ready.Removing matureproduce from

stalks and vines encourages growthof new fruit and vegetables.

You dont have to hide your

vegetable garden: Integrateoutdoor living space with gardeningareas. When crops are close athand, its more convenient to pluckaway bad bugs and water thirstyplants.

DIYnetwork .com

Going Green Memphis 5-09-10

Documents

Transcript of Going Green Memphis 5-09-10