Going Green Memphis 8-15-10

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2 GOING GREEN | S u n d ay , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er ci a l a pp ea l.com

Betting on a comeback

Local company benefits from rebirthof glass bottles as concern over thesafety of plastic continues to grow

The debate is on

One mom lays out thepractical points of cloth

vs. disposable diapers

What’s fresh?

Tips and recipes formaking the most of

seasonal fare

‘Crop mobs’ thrive on farmland

Urban grassroots movement sprouting upon U.S. farms, offering free manual labor

Ec o - d e t e r g e n t sthat really work

Solar coming toa town near you

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 at

w 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 : Kim Coleman, 529-5243,go i ng g re en @ com m er c i al a p pea l.co m

Community Editor: Emily Adams Keplinger,ke p l i n ge r @ com m er c i al ap pea l.co m

What’s in this issue ...

4

8 10

14

20 23

On the cover: Photo by Justin Shaw/Special to Going Green

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http://www.twitter.com/GoGreenMemphis





The Commercial Appeal Sun d ay, August 1 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 3

The Green Page

News 2 UseProper use of chemicals helps protect area waterways

Proper use of lawn and garden chemicals such asherbicides, pesticides and insecticides plays an importantrole in protecting our area rivers, lakes and streams,according to the city of Memphis Storm Water Program.

“Chemicals have a role to play in establishing andmaintaining healthy lawns and gardens,” said SharonGordon of the Storm Water Program. “But when usedimproperly or in excess, these chemicals can enter thestorm water system, posing a threat to fish and otheraquatic life. Storm drains carry runoff, including lawnchemicals, into the Mississippi, Loosahatchie and Wolfrivers, Nonconnah Creek and McKellar Lake.”

To prevent these chemicals from entering the stormdrain system it is important to:

Follow label instructions and apply chemicalssparingly. Using extra product does not provide extrabenefit and may damage your lawn or garden.

Allow time for chemicals to properly dry before

watering your lawn, and never use lawn chemicals whenrain is expected.

Use caution on slopes and lawn edges to keep thechemicals out of the storm drain system.

Sweep up and properly dispose of any drychemicals on sidewalks and driveways.

For more information on the city’s Storm Water Program, call 576-4349.

U p d a t es

South MemphisFarmers Market

expands hoursOrganizers of the South

Memphis Farmers Marketlocated at the corner ofMississippi Boulevard andSouth Parkway East haveexpanded the market’shours.

The market will beopen every Thursday

from noon to 6 p.m. tobetter accommodate thelarge numbers ofcustomers who havebeen shopping.

Currently, nine areafarmers, along with onecommunity garden, offera wide range of freshvegetables, fruits, herbs,jellies and jams to

customers.The city’s newest

produce market opened onJuly 15 at the site of theformer Carter’s Fish Store.

The market is currentlyfeatured on the WhiteHouse’s Faith-BasedInitiatives website,w h i t e h o u s e. go v / b l o g /

2010 / 07/ 19/ju s t- o pe ne d -sou t h - me mph i s -farm er s -m a r ke t .

For more information about the South Memphis Farmers Market call 946-9675. For a list of ar ea farmers markets, goto commercialappeal.com

Gardenchemicalsshould be

used withcare tominimize

impact ono urs e l ves,

wildlife andthe

environment.

http://commercialappeal.com/





4 GOING GREEN | S u nd ay , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er cia l a pp ea l.co m

Clear advantages Local company bets on a comeback

for glass as alternative to plastic

By Jim Coleman / Special to Going Green

For the first half of the 20th century glassbottles were a reliable vessel for carrying liquids.All that changed with the advent of plasticsduring the war years of the 1940’s.

By the 1960’s plastic production had come sofar that it was seen as a desirable replacement forthe more cumbersome and breakable glass bottles.

Photos courtesy of Guion Benkin

Re-Hy Bottle Company sells post-consumer glass bottles, reclaimed fromrestaurants, at the Memphis Farmers Market.

Customers can have theirbottles engraved with photos,monagrams or graphicdesigns for a custom finish.



The Commercial Appeal S u n d ay , August 1 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 5

Since that time glass bottles havegone from everyday use to novelty.Glass bottles have disappeared fromconvenience store coolers and vending machines, only to be replaced by theirmore lightweight counterparts.

If Guion Benkin has her way, glassbottles may make a comeback.

Benkin, along with her husband,Jeremy, is the owner of Re-Hy BottleCompany. They sell reusable glassbottles for a variety of uses — f ro mdrinking and storing liquids topersonalized custom engraved bottles.

“I started the business about two years

a go . ” said Benkin, who runs a booth atthe Memphis Farmers Market where herbottles can been seen firsthand.

“We were going through severalplastic water bottles a week. Myhusband has always been sustainable-minded and he suggested we should dosomething about the bottles. So Istarted using an old Pellegrino bottleand I started to like it. They are pretty

green bottles and they are much morepleasant than a plastic water bottle.”

After a while a simple idea to maketheir household greener germinated intoa home-based business for the stay-at-home mother.

Benkin has since partnered with arearestaurants that are taking part inProject Greenfork — an initiative started

by local dining establishments to becomemore sustainable and to reduce waste.“I take the bottles that would

normally go to the landfill.” says Benkin.From there the bottles go through a

sanitation process to render them safefor drinking. Ounce measurements arethen engraved on the side of the bottleand a permanent top is put on the bottle.

“We have 3 different types of topsthat go on the bottles. We have a top fordrinking, one for pouring, and anotherfor pumping. The pour top is good forcooking and for pouring syrups andoils. A lot of people use the pump topbottles for hand soaps.”

Re-Hy also does custom engraving jobs on bottles that can add a personaltouch as a gift or curio.

“We do a lot of names. We juststarted doing houses and buildings.Pretty soon we will start doing faces,”said Benkin, who also mentioned theengravings are dishwasher safe.

Benkin also said her business hasgrown as word has gotten out.

“It has grown considerably. Each

Working from home co-owner of Re-HyBottle Company Guion Benkin r e c y c l esPellegrino bottles and turns them intoeco-chic, customizable water bottlesavailable in a variety of sizes.



6 GOING GREEN | Su n d ay , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

month we get moreexposure – business hasbeen great. We do a lot of business aroundChristmas,” said Benkin,whose bottles are also forsale at local retailers like

Trolley Stop Market,Miss Cordelia’s and TheWo m a n ’s Exchange.

While Re-Hy’s glass

Bert Smyth, owner of McEwens handing me a caseof bottles he and the staff have saved for Re-Hy.

bottles may be moreappealing to the eye andbetter for theenvironment than plasticbottles, they might alsobe better for your health.

As a result of herbusiness Benkin has donea lot of speaking engagements where againand again people’s

concerns about thepossible negative healtheffects of drinking fromplastic bottles crop up.

“A lot of the questionsare about BPA. It’s a

subject that is on people’sminds,” says Benkin.

BPA is a organiccompound that is used inthe production of polycarbonate plastics.Polycarbonate plastic isclear and nearlyshatterproof, making it

ideal for use in plasticbottles. Unfortunately, inrecent years the use of polycarbonate plastic hascome under question,prompting some retailersto remove BPA-containing products, like babybottles, from their shelves.

BPA is a endocrine

disruptor, which canmimic hormones. Thecompound has comeunder suspicion as apossible cause in theearly development infemale’s mammary glandsas well as its effects onthe prostate gland inyoung males. It has alsobeen linked to abnormalbrain development andbehavioral problems.

Benkin also said thatshe was also surprised byhow uninformed somepeople are about thepotential hazards of




plastic bottles.“On the flipside, a lot of people are

not aware. It’s not a good idea to stickthat plastic water bottle in the freezeror to leave it your car. This can lead totoxins potentially being leached intoyour water.”

Even though the science is still out onthe effects of BPA and studies into itspotential hazards are still being conducted, Benkin had one claim that ishard to refute.

“Water tastes so much better out of glass.”

Debate on plastic bottles vs. glass bottles

While the Food and Drug Administrationhas approved plastic bottles for consumeruse, there are lingering questions aboutplastic bottles versus glass bottles and whichare the safest to use. After weighing the prosand cons, it is up to the individual to decidewhich type of bottle is best for them.

Plastic bottle safety: In 2009, an FDAreport was released that states while plasticbottles did have small amounts of thechemical bisphenol A, otherwise known asBPA, they were still safe for consumers.However, research by an FDA ScienceBoard Subcommittee suggests that the BPA

found in bottles, especially when heated,can lead to serious health problems.Glass bottle safety: Glass bottles do

not have a presence of BPA, which makesthem safe. However, there are some safetyr i s ks . They could break and shatter moreeasily than their plastic counterparts,which could be a problem around smallchildren with curious hands.

Plastic bottle convenience: De p e n din gon usage, plastic bottles are sometimes

more convenient to take on the go. Theyalso make it easy for you to go places thatdon't usually allow glass containers.

Glass Bottle Convenience: While glassbottles may be the healthier choice, theymay not be the most convenient. H o w ev e r ,some prefer a glass bottle because it tendsto hold its temperature better than aplastic bottle.

The Bottom Line: Depending on whatyou're using your bottle for, you can choosefrom either plastic or glass. If you do chooseplastic, look for ones marked "BPA free," orlook for a number 7 marked on the bottomof the bottle; these are the safest kind.Glass bottles are ideal for formula feedingand for usage around the home. Using bothtypes of bottles can yield you the greatestamount of safety and convenience.

Source: ehow.com

Re - H y ’s bottles can be customizedwith graphic designs or photos.

http://ehow.com/

http://ehow.com/



8 GOING GREEN | S u n day, August 1 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

FARM TO TABLE

Pick them up while you canBy Melissa Petersen

Special to Going Green

Focusing on food is one of the easiestways to go “g re e n . ” We may not all drivegas-guzzlers, but we all eat. Theproduction, distribution, processing andpackaging of food has a huge impact onour environment. Shopping for locally

grown fruits and vegetables (along withmeats and artisan products) reduces thecarbon footprint of our food, strengthensour economy and promotes biodiversity.A few of our delicious local items are just about done for the season. If youcome across blueberries or sweet corn inthe next week, be sure to snap them up. They’re easy to freeze and enjoy overthe next few months.

Freezing blueberriesWash whole berries and dry

thoroughly. Place them in a single layeron a parchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Freeze. Store in zip-top bags inthe freezer until ready to use.

Freezing corn

Husk corn. Drop whole cobs intoboiling water for 2 minutes. Removecobs from boiling water and submergein ice water. Drain. You can freeze thewhole cobs; or cut kernels from the cob,place them in a single layer on aparchment-lined, rimmed baking sheet,freeze and repackage in zip-top bags.

FigsFresh figs started ripening in the Mid-

South a few weeks ago. Enjoy them as asnack or sliced on salads.

This is an abundant year for Celesteand Brown Turkey fig trees in the area. These fresh figs are sweet, but nothing like the sticky sweet that we allassociate with Fig Newton cookies.

Ripe figs should be slightly soft whensqueezed and they continue to ripenafter they’re picked, so set any unripefruit on the kitchen counter.

The season won’t last long, but figsare easy to freeze (just wash, dry andfreeze), dry or preserve to enjoy in thewinter months.

Melissa Petersen is editor and publisher of Edible Memphis, a quarterly magazine that celebrates the abundance of local foods in the Mid-South. Check it out at e di b l e co m m u n i t i e s . co m /m e m p hi s .

Melissa Petersen/Special to Going Green

Freeze blueberries to use in smoothiesand other recipes all year long.

http://ediblecommunities.com/memphis








Blueberry Glazefor Beef or Lamb

Most of my blueberriesget frozen for morningsmoothies, but I love

finding extra in the freezerto make into a glaze forgrilled meats during thesummer (or roastedmeats in the winter).There’s no reason youcannot use this onchicken or pork, but it’s aflavorful glaze that holdsits own better with morestrongly flavored meatslike beef and lamb.

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

1 shallot, minced

2 cups fresh or frozenb lue be rries

2 to 3 tbsp. granulated sugar1/2 cup port wine or balsamicv i n e ga r

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large saucepan,over medium-high heat,melt butter and sautéshallot until soft, stirringfrequently. Addblueberries, sugar andport (or balsamicvinegar). Bring to a boil

and lower heat tomedium. Cook untilberries are soft andsyrupy, 30-40 minutes.Season with salt andpepper. Cool andr ef r i ge r a t e. Warm toserve on grilled or roastedbeef or lamb.

Fresh Corn Polenta

Occasionally I’ve gotenough corn around tomake one of my favoriteside dishes which

showcases itss w e e t n ess . Feel free tosubstitute olive oil for thebutter, or skim milk orbroth for the whole milkfor a lighter version.

6 ears sweet corn, all husksand silk removed

3 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 shallot, minced1/2 cup whole milk

salt and pepper

Grated parmesan cheese(o p t i o n a l )

Fresh herbs, chopped (basil,thyme, oregano, parsley or am i x t u r e)

Cut corn from the cob.Purée half of the corn in

a food processor tomake a slurry.

In a mediumsaucepan, over mediumheat, melt butter. Sautéshallot, stirringfrequently, until justsoft. Add milk and corn.Bring to a boil and thensimmer gently until itthickens, about 10minutes. Stir inparmesan cheese.Season to taste with saltand pepper. Garnish withfresh herbs. Serve hot asa side dish.

Fresh Fig, Tomatoand Peach Salad

Many things that are ripeat the same time pair welltogether. I’ve made this

with just figs and peachesand just peaches andtomatoes. It’s simple, butallows the flavors of thefruit to shine.

1 cup cherry tomatoes, cutinto halves (use multicoloredtomatoes for a gorgeoussalad)

1 cup fresh figs, stemsremoved, cut into halves orquarters

2 large peaches, peeled,stone-removed and choppedinto 1-inch pieces

1 small onion, thinly sliced

2 tbsp. champagne or ricewine vinegar

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

5 tbsp. olive oil1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cutinto ribbons

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl,combine tomatoes, figs,peaches and onions. In asmall bowl, whisktogether vinegar, honeyand mustard. Slowlywhisk in olive oil untilmixture is emulsified.Season with salt andpepper. Toss tomatomixture with dressingand basil leaves. Serveimmediately.

Recipes by Melissa Petersen



10 GOING GREEN | S u n d ay , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er cia l a pp ea l.co m

Di s p o s a b l e or reusable?

Depends on ick factor This is a hot-button

topic for the “g re e n ”segment of society.

Cloth-diaper mommiesface off against thedisposable - diapermommies. People gethostile, and say things tofriends and relatives theymay later regret.

But there need not besuch anguish. TheExcessively Greensegment of society ruled on it ages ago.Reusable won. I’m sorry. No do-overs.

Now, before we all get too excitedhere, we need to remember that justbecause reusable is greener it doesn’tmean we have to do it.

Disposables make our world seem lessnasty. Puppy tinkles are wiped up andimmediately consigned to the binoutside. Flushed items disappear intothe great beyond. Baby and feminine

matters are tightly wrapped and sent tothe landfill, never to be seen by humaneyes again.

Unfortunately, going green withreusables brings all of this convenientlyhidden yuckiness back to the forefront.We all want to be green, but when itcomes to reusables, your place on thegreen spectrum will be largely

determined by your own personal ickfactor. Can you confidently clean yourcounter of raw chicken juice and throwthat cloth in the wash to next week wipeyour baby’s face? I can. Maybe you can’t.

T h at ’s OK. We all have our limits.

I refuse to buy facial tissues, but I’mnot fond of hankies. I’d just rathersnatch a piece of toilet paper … whichalso tells you about my next limit. TP.

The greenest among us use washablecloth hiney wipes — kid you not. But, Ican’t do it. Don’t care how green it is.

Being green is important, but youre a c h your limit.

Maybe your limit is cloth diapers. If theidea of saving dirty nappies all day in apail and washing those jokers in themachine makes you actually turn green,then it’s probably not for you. You’re

DEANNA

CASW E L L

Pra c t i ca l l yG reen



The Commercial Appeal Sun d ay, August 1 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 11

done. You can wish to begreener, dream of being greener, but it’s not going tohappen, at least not on this.

I have my own personallimit with cloth diapers.We ’re expecting again, andI’m all about cloth diapersfor infancy, but once thattoddler poo arrives? No,thank you. And truth be told,I might not even buy thebiodegradable disposablesthen. Until I have proven tomyself that an eco-friendly

brand can hold in the toxicwaste as well as Huggies, I’mnot making any long-termp ro m i s e s .

So, reusable may begreener, but there’s noneed to feel pressured to gopast your comfort zone. Idon’t. And you aren’trequired to feel inferiorabout it, either.

Just do what you canstand without fainting,then gossip to yoursignificant other in theprivacy of your own homeabout how unsanitary therest of those hippies are. Ipromise not to eavesdrop.

Deanna Caswell is a local writer who blogs at littlehouseinthesuburbs.com. Her first book, “First Ballet, ’’ was released in October by Hyperion. Caswell lives inCollierville, where she practices e co - f r i e n d l y living, raises pygmy goats, chickens andthree children.

Restaurant owners

recognized for gardenBy Peggy Linton

Special to My Life

River City Management Group received theJune Health Champion Recognition by theDeSoto County Community Health Council attheir regular meeting July 26. The meeting was

held in one of the company’s restaurants,Mesquite Chop House in Southaven. They alsooperate Papa Pia’s, Natural Born Grillers andSpindini.

“We are very honored to receive this award andare excited to be providing fresh vegetablesgrown organically to our Desoto Countycustomers every day,” said Preston Lamm, CEOof River City Management Group.

It is not unusual to see fresh, locally grown

squash and tomatoes on the plates of clientele atany of their restaurants. The organic garden islocated in Marshall County and the produce didnot appear without following a strict pattern of weeding and watering. The ground was fertile butwas supplemented with a fish emulsion which isused as a fertilizer. It is completely organic and isbasically fish protein. Once the vegetables were inthe ground, water from a fishing pond was used

to irrigate — all a part of the system. Water fromthe fish pond is not like sterile water from a tapor well and comes with nutrients from the fish,water plants and bugs living in it.

The restaurants use about 2,000 pounds of honey per year, and the farm now produces someof that with their four honeybee hives on theproperty. The bees help pollinate some of theflowering plants in the garden but they are mostly

http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/





12 GOING GREEN | Sun d ay , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l app ea l.co m

there to produce as much honey aspossible. The hives will produce about50 pounds of honey each in their firstyear. Vegetables from the garden willhelp the business save $45,000 to$60,000 in 2010 and maybe more in2011.

“Myself and other members of theDeSoto County Community HealthCouncil had a special treat after awarding Preston Lamm and Jim LoSapio the JuneHealth Champion Award,” said JimRobinson, chairman of the council. “Wewere served several outstanding dishesmade from home-grown vegetables andherbs. River City Management Group’s

decision to grow their own vegetables tobe used at the restaurants has had anamazing impact on the quality of foodthey serve, the great teamwork withmany of the employees working thegarden, and on the owners themselves.”

The DeSoto County Community

Health Council is a component of theCommunity Foundation of NorthwestMississippi’s GET A LIFE! childhoodobesity prevention initiative. To learnmore about GE T A LIFE! go tokidsgetalife.org or call (662) 449-5002.

Peggy Linton is community development director for the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi.

DeSoto County Community Health Council members recognized River CityManagement Group as Health Champion for its work in producing local,organically grown produce for restaurants in DeSoto County and Memphis.Shown are council members Karen Jeltz and Darlene Cunningham; Jim LoSapio,operation and marketing director for River City Management Group; PrestonLamm, CEO of River City Management Group; Maci Flautt; Jim Robinson, councilchairman; and council members Linda Wallace, Joyce Haslip, Katherine Nelson,

Lycia Callahan, Mary Cathey, Dewayne Williams and Andy Brooks.

http://kidsgetalife.org/






Discards become garden delightsBy Kathy Van Mullekom

McClatchy Newspapers

Green in your garden isabout more than flowers, fruitsand foliage.

It’s also about eco-friendlygardening, which includes re-cycling whenever and whateveryou can.

There are simple, everyday

ways to recycle in your yard.For instance, your daily news-

paper makes an excellent weed-deterring material in beds.Most publishers use organic pig-ments that are safe and decom-pose. Place six to eight layers of newsprint over bare soil thatyou first weeded. Wet the news-paper with a hose, and then topdress with attractive woodmulch. Use cardboard from left-over boxes for stubborn spots.

On a grander scale, items likerusted-out wagons, empty bar-rels, abandoned tubs and sinks,cracked jugs, old bikes, worn-out shoes and even damagedcrab pots can be recycled into

flower containers or garden art. To jump-start your imagina-tion, here’s an idea for using an old watering can, ice bucketand frog — items you can eas-ily find at a yard sale or thriftshop. The idea comes fromKen Matthews Garden Centerin Yorktown, Va.

Watering Can Garden

Drill hole in bottom of watering can bigenough for tubing to easily fit through.

Run tubing through bottom of watering can,into spout and to the end of spout.

Position rock on one side of old ice bucketcontainer. Position pump beside rock — the cord

will have to hang over the side of the container.Rest watering can on rock at an angle (youmay need to make an indentation in thebottom of the watering can to get it where youwant it).

Hook tubing to the pump. Add pond plantsand frogs. Add water to just below the top ofco n t a ine r .

Plug in pump.

1 old aluminum ice bucket,at least 16 in. in diameter1 old watering can2 ceramic frogs

1 four-inch Graceful Cattail1 water hyacinth1 variegated water clover

1 statuary and fountainpump, rated 75 gallons perhour1/2 inch pond tubing cut to fit

4-7 river rocks or otherinteresting rockswater and electrical outlet

An oldwateringcan isrecycledintofunctionalart for awatergarden.

Courtesy KenMatthews GardenCenter viaNewport NewsDaily Press



14 GOING GREEN | S und ay , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

Crop mobs sprouting

Urban craze

sowed by

local-food

movement,

fertilized by

social

networking

Jim Gehrz/Star Tribune

Crop mob member Mette Nielsen, of Minneapolis, plants tomatoes.

By Kim Palmer

Minneapolis Star Tribune

It was a rainy Saturday —a perfect day for sleeping

l at e . But graduate studentSarah Burridge of Minneapo-lis was in a farm field getting wet and dirty with a bunchof people she didn’t know.

They got a quick demonstra-tion on the stirrup hoe, thengot to work planting toma-toes and mulching paths us-

ing mown alfalfa.Burridge didn’t get paid.

She didn’t even get muchproduce — just a few radish-es. She spent the day as a

farm hand for “fun,” she said,after a Facebook friend toldher about having a great ex-perience volunteering at afarm near Washington, D.C.

All across the country, sim-ilar groups of mostly young urbanites are gathering in“crop mobs” to provide farm-




ers with a few hours of free labor. Whilethe mobbers say they do it because it’sfun, there’s also a mission: to supportsmall-scale local agriculture.

“I’m extremely concerned about howwe grow our food,” said photographer

Mette Nielsen of Minneapolis, who tookpart in a recent crop mob at Corner-copia Farm, an organic teaching farm onthe St. Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. “It’s important to get foodproduced closer to wherewe live.”

The crop-mob phe-nomenon started two

years ago in North Car-olina (according to cropmob.org), and hasspread rapidly across thecountry, fueled by social-networking media.

“It’s just an opportunityfor city mice to get out toa farm and get their handsd i r t y, ” said Barth Anderson, chief blogger

at Fair Food Fight (fairfoodfight.com),who organizes monthly crop mobs via hiswebsite and the Twin Cities Crop MobFacebook page. “We focus on small, sus-tainable organic farms. We want to helpfarmers, and we ask for jobs that don’trequire training and aren’t dangerous. It’sidiot work, and we’re the idiots.”

Riverbend Farm in Delano, Minn., hasbeen hosting crop mobs before the termexisted. Tracy Singleton, owner of Birch-wood Cafe in Minneapolis, said monthlytrips to the farm started a couple yearsago as a way to help the local farmer,build community and educate restaurantstaffers about the origins of the food theywere preparing. This year, her restau-rant, along with Common Roots and Lu-

cia’s restaurants, started inviting its cus-tomers to take part, under the crop-mobmoniker. “It’s a new term people are us-ing, and we adopted it,” she said.

The mobs at Riverbend Farm are “akid-friendly, family-farm experience,”

said coordinator Lee Zukor, founder of alocal-food website (simplegoodandtasty.com). He brings his own children,ages 8 and 5. “They love it!”

But Anderson mobilizes only grown-up mobs. “I want this tobe muscle, from adults,not child care,” he said.“That defeats the pur-

pose.” Small farmersneed all the help they canget, he said. “Fa r m i n g can take 80 hours a week,and the burnout factor isvery high. The odds arestacked against farmers.Anything we can do tolighten the load is good.”

Of course, some city dwellers find farm

work more physically demanding thanthey anticipated. “But people haven’tdone too much complaining,” Zukor said.

Some dismiss crop mobs as urbanitesplaying at farming, a hands-on variation of the popular “Fa r m v i l l e ” Facebook game.Pamela Riney-Kehrberg, a history profes-sor at Iowa State University, likened cropmobs to “agricultural tourism.”

“You go in, spend a nice weekend, getyour fingers a little dirty. It’s nice butnot a significant contribution to agri-c u l t u re , ” she said. “They’re taking noneof the risk. Farming is something youdo 365 days a year. It’s enormouslydifficult. (Attending a crop mob)doesn’t really tell you what it is like tomanage on a daily basis.”

“It’s just an

opportunity for city

mice to get out to afarm and get their

hands dirty.”

BARTH ANDERSON

Chief blogger at Fair Food Fight

http://cropmob.org/

http://cropmob.org/

http://cropmob.org/

http://fairfoodfight.com/

http://simplegoodandtasty.com/


http://cropmob.org/


http://fairfoodfight.com/



16 GOING GREEN | Su n day , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

Dear EarthTalk: I know that local food has health and environmental benefits,but my local grocer only carries a few

items. Is there a push for bigger supermarkets to carry locally produced food?

By eating locally sourced foods, westrengthen the bond between local farm-ers and our communities, stay connect-ed to the seasons in our part of the

world, promote crop diversity and min-imize the energy-intensive, greenhouse-gas-emitting transportation of food fromone part of the world to another. Also,since local crops are usually harvestedat their peak of freshness and typicallydelivered to stores within a day, cus-tomers can be sure they are getting thetastiest and most nutritious forms of the foods they like.

EARTH TALK

Will Supermarkets carry more local food?

Photo by Donkeycart/Courtesy Flickr

Locally-produced foods are now more widely available than ever. To find localfood near you, visit localharvest.org, which lists organic food sources by zip code

http://localharvest.org/




The Commercial Appeal S u n day , August 1 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 17

Luckily for consumers and the en-vironment, local produce and otherfoods are now more widely availablethan they have been for decades. Thefirst national grocery chain to pri-oritize local producers, perhaps notsurprisingly, was natural foods retail-er Whole Foods, which has boughtfrom local farmers and ranchers sinceit opened its first store in 1980 inAustin, Texas. Today each of the com-pany’s 270-plus stores in 38 U.S.states prioritizes local sourcing — somuch so that its customers take it forgranted. Whole Foods’ rel at i o n s h i p s

and distribution arrangements withlocal producers serve as models forthe leading national grocery chains,many of which are beginning tosource some produce locally when theseason is right.

Some are taking more initiativethan others. Perhaps most notable isWalmart. Back in 2008 the company

committed to sourcing more localfruits and vegetables to keep produceprices down and provide affordable,fresh and healthy choices. Todaymore than 2,800 Walmart Super-centers and Neighborhood Marketsacross the country rely on a diversenetwork of small local growers to pro-vide produce — making Sam Wal-ton’s company the nation’s largest

purchaser of local produce. During summer months, at least one-fifth of the produce available in Walmartstores is grown within the same stateas the given store.

The company’s Heritage Agricul-ture program encourages farms with-in a day’s drive of one of its ware-

houses to grow crops that thecompany would otherwise have tosource from so far away that fresh-ness would be jeopardized and thefuel burned and greenhouse gasesemitted in the process would be sub-stantial. While the program currentlyaccounts for only 4 to 6 percent of the company’s total domestic producesales, the company is aiming for 20percent within the next few years.

Other big grocery chains aren’t farbehind. Safeway, one of the top threegrocery chains in the country, pridesitself on local sourcing, getting nearly

a third of its produce nationwide fromlocal/regional growers. In heavy agri-cultural regions like California, thefigure can be as high as 45 percent. The company also has made a big push into organic products, just likeits biggest competitor, Walmart.

If the chain grocer near you doesn’tdo a good job stocking locally sourced

food, there are alternatives. Commu-nity Supported Agriculture programs,in which consumers “subscribe” tothe produce of a given farm by paying monthly dues that entitles them to abox of fresh produce every week, aremore popular than ever, as are localfarmers markets, food co-ops and in-dependent natural foods markets. Tofind local food near you, visit Local

Harvest (localharvest.org ), whichlists organic food sources by ZIP codeand offers a wealth of resources forthose looking to learn more aboutwhere their food comes from and howit is produced.

Send your environmenta l questions to earthtalk@ emagazine.com .









18 GOING GREEN | S und ay , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

How do I get kids excited about theclothes they already have for school?By Morieka Johnson

Mother Nature Network

Q: How do I get kids excited about the clothes they already have for school?

In a previous column, I offered sometips on finding clothes that your kids andyour wallet could appreciate. My advice

focused on reducing their wardrobe toessential items, creatively mixing piecesto make interesting outfits and recycling old items to buy newer gear.

After accompanying two little ones on aback-to-school shopping trip recently, Ican appreciate your desire to skip step No.3 altogether. My stylish shopping duofound plenty of deals — and plenty of timeto argue over which sister got the largestdressing room. Fueled by that fun flash-back, here are a few ideas to keep yourkids focused on what they already own.

Get organized Take a weekend to sort through all the

kids’ clothes and shoes. Make sure all theschool-appropriate attire gets cleaned,ironed or folded neatly. This will help you

get an idea of what fits and what’s miss-ing. After you audit their wardrobe, holdon to that shopping list until after schoolstarts and the prices begin to drop.

Since pint-size clothes tend to slip off regular-size hangers, consider investing in kids’ versions. I am partial to woodenhangers that also feature metal pantclips so you can create a complete outfit.

Several clutter busters have advisedarranging clothes by color, and I’ve

joined that bandwagon. It’s so mucheasier to grab and go when all the bluepants are separate from the yellow tops,which are separate from the red blouses.

Mindy Schauer/Orange County Register

Take a weekend to sort through yourkids' clothes. After your audit, hold on

to that shopping list until after schoolstarts and the prices begin to drop.



20 GOING GREEN | S u n day, August 1 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

Low-phosphate dishwasher

detergents that work wellYONKERS, N.Y. — Several low-phos-phate dishwasher detergents p e r fo r m e dwell in Consumer Reports’ latest tests,which is good news for the traditionallylow-scoring eco-friendly products.

Consumer Reports tested 24 low- orno-phosphate dish detergents and found

four recommended products.Consumer Reports testers smeared

dishware with a mix of 17 foods (potsgot a mac-and-cheese blend), baked onthe foods and cleaned the items in iden-tical dishwashers to assess how eachdetergent performed.

Finish Quantum (30 cents per load)topped the ratings, followed by CR BestBuy, Finish Powerball Tabs (22 centsper load), which scored excellent fordishes and pots, and bested some de-tergents that cost more.

Cascade Complete All In 1 (28 centsper load) and Cascade with Dawn Ac-tionPacs (23 cents per load) earned ascore of very good in CR’s tests, but allCascades, like all Finish products, aren’tequal. Other Cascade and Finish prod-

ucts were scattered throughout the rat-i n gs .

What’s up with phosphates?On July 1, 16 states limited phos-

phorus in dishwasher detergents to 0.5percent. Previous products could con-tain up to 8.7 percent, which has driven

major manufacturers to reformulatetheir products for the whole U.S.

Phosphorus in the form of phosphateshelp dishwasher detergents clean butalso boost algae growth in fresh water,threatening other plants and fish. Soapsfor washing dishes by hand are phos-phate-free, and phosphates have beenlimited in laundry detergents since1994.

Electrasol’s Finish Quantum low-phosphate dishwasher detergent wastops in Consumer Reports’ ratings.Electrasol also received the CR Best Buychoice with its Finish Powerball Tabs.




Past tests found that somelow-phosphate products per-formed the worst overall, butthe new formulations areworth a try.

Here are the details on Con-

sumer Reports’ other findings:Bleach made little differ-

ence. Most of the top perform-ers have no bleach, and itdidn’t seem to act on baked-onsoils. Bleach might help withst ains.

Enzymes might help. Mostof the tested detergents have

enzymes, which can break upfood for easier removal. Types might not be a

tipoff. Tablets and pacs tendedto score high and gels low, butit’s too soon to say whetherthat trend will continue.

Quantumatic isn’t worththe price. At $10 (44 cents perload) for the dispenser and

first cartridge, Finish Quantu-matic dispenses 12 doses of detergent from a cartridge au-tomatically. It performed well,but takes up space in the dish-washer and is less effectivethan other products that costless.

Consumer Reports alsotested Martha Stewart Cleanliquid detergent which wouldhave been lowest-rated of all,but the company said it hassince changed its formula.More information on phos-phate-free detergents can befound online at C o n s u m e r Re -p o r t s . o rg.

Fall for earth-friendly wicker and bamboo

By Mary Carol Garrity

Scripps Howard News Service

I still remember the glee I felt when Imoved into my very first apartment. Afteryears of decorating and redecorating my child-hood bedroom, I finally had a place of myown to trick up. To stretch my decorating dollars, I liked to hunt for finds at flea mar-

kets and antiques malls. It was in these dustygold mines that I fell hard for furnishings andaccents made of wicker and bamboo.

Today I’m still just as smitten by the or-ganic lines, rustic texture and romantic graceof wicker and bamboo.

Furniture made from sustainable materialslike bamboo, rattan and wicker is hotter thanever right now.

At the High Point furniture market this

year, it was clear that designers and furniture-makers are hearing our cry for home fur-nishings that are stylish and earth-friendly.

They have been flying out the door, going home with customers who are mesmerized bythe affordability and versatility of these beau-tiful pieces.

To d ay ’s wicker furnishings have come along way from that crazy, creaky chair youhad in your college dorm room. Now, wickeris not only sturdy, it’s incredibly chic.

Wicker is so neutral you can pick pillows in just about any style or hue, and it looks great.Pick a mix of fabrics that weave in a varietyof patterns, such as buffalo checks, geometricshapes and images of nature, like palm leaves.

If you’ve confined your wicker furniture toyour back porch or patio up until now, why

http://consumerreports.org/





22 GOING GREEN | Su n day , August 1 5, 2010 co mm er cia l a pp ea l.co m

not invite it in when the weather getscooler? Instead of storing your chaise,

sofa, chairs and ottoman in the garageor basement, work them into your in-terior decor. If the seat cushions are abit weatherworn, freshen them up withnew slipcovers. Or, for a super-easy andinexpensive alternative, slip them into aking-sized pillowcase, tucking the openend underneath the cushion.

If you’d like to experiment with bam-

boo or wicker in your decor, start byadding just a piece or two. Put a bam-boo end table in your living room. Ring your dining-room table with rattanchairs. Spice up your bedroom with awicker chest of drawers. Store your chi-na in a bamboo hutch. Or tuck a wickerbench at the foot of your bed.

You can even put bamboo and wicker

in unusual places. For instance, a cutebamboo vanity for a downstairs powder

ro o m is so neutral that you can putanything with it.

If you’d like to add rich texture to thedisplays in your home, work in someaccents made of natural materials. You’llfind all sorts of interesting items madeof these eco-friendly materials, from rat-tan baskets to willow cake plates. .

Whether they are made from willow,

wicker or bamboo, eco-friendly basketsare wonderful. Stack a few on top of your armoire, bookcase or secretary tocreate an interesting display. Place oneon the floor by a chair, top it with atray, and you have an instant table. Putone by your back door to hold mittens.Or place one on your hearth to collectkindling for winter fires.

Thefurniture

industry isproducing

high-quality,stylish

wicker thatis tasteful

in everyroom of the

h o u s e.Accent the

classicwicker with

pillows thatset off itsorganicbeauty.

SHNS photocourtesy Nell

Hill's




Here comes the sun

By Stacy Downs

McClatchy Newspapers

KANSAS CITY, Mo. —2010 just might go down asthe year solar energy gainedmainstream acceptance.

Stores that sell solar prod-

ucts are seeing major boosts insales compared with last year,some as much as 40 percent.

The sun-powered momen-tum is fueled by less expensiveproducts that are made moreaffordable through federal taxcredits and rebates at a timewhen utility prices are rising.

Another contributing factorto the rising interest in renew-able energy is the recent BP oilspill in the Gulf of Mexico.

“It’s made the masses realizethe difficulty of getting fossilf u el s , ” says Rita Norton, a re-tired schoolteacher who invest-ed in a solar panel electricalsystem several years ago for

her Cape Cod-style home here.“More people are talking to meabout solar, which is simplyfree energy from the sun.”

The biggest hurdle with so-lar power is the initial cost of equipment and installation.

The 12 panels for Norton’s1,400-square-foot home, which

Solar power within reach of mainstream America

David Eulitt/Kansas City Star

Isabel Reyes (lower center) and Rocky Orozco,(upper center) live with their three children ina new home in Kansas City, Kan., that featuresseveral energy-saving features, such as solar-powered attic fans and room heaters.



24 GOING GREEN | S u n d ay, August 1 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l app ea l.co m

she bought before today’s major incen-tives, were a hefty sum. Still, she findsher investment paying off.

The panels on Norton’s roof convertsunlight into direct current electricity,which travels through a wire-filled con-

duit to batteries in the basement. Hersystem is connected to the city’s electricgrid but also can run independently,with the exception of the clothes dryer(she prefers line drying anyway) and airc o n d i t i o n i n g.

“I’m a wuss when it comes to heat, so Iuse air conditioning,” Norton said. “Lastsummer, my top bill was $85. I suspect I

will always have low bills (between $30and $40) for taxes and service charges.”Although solar panel prices are likely

to continue to decrease, not everyonecan afford them. But other solar optionsare available.

The Argentine Neighborhood Develop-ment Association in Kansas City, Kan.,recently built several affordable energy-efficient homes. Although these aren’t

fully solar-powered homes, they have sev-eral solar features. And they are popular.

“The houses were sold before theywere finished,” said Ann Brandau-Mur-guia, executive director of ANDA and acommissioner of Wyandotte County’sUnified Government. “We liked howthese features make utilities affordablefor residents in the neighborhood. It’simportant because it’s populated bypeople with middle to lower incomes.”

Isabel Reyes, Rocky Orozco and theirthree daughters moved into one of thehouses, a blue two-story with awraparound porch. You have to go tothe backyard to tell the house has solarfeatures. In their case, it’s a framedblack panel, a solar air heater, attached

to the back of the house. The panel canbe mounted on the roof.

“It’s attractive, almost elegant even,”said Reyes, who works in nutritional

services for the Kansas City, Kan.,school district. “It’s like a black mirror.”

The heater worked well, too, Reyessaid. In winter, hot air comes out twocircular vents, similar to dryer vents. Athermostat can be set to blow the warmair into the house. In the summer, thevents are closed, and Reyes and Orozcoconceal them with a tall plant .

Upstairs, they have solar daylighting tubes, which provide natural light sourcesfrom ceilings like small round skylights.“It’s nice because you don’t have to turnany switches on,” Reyes said. “It’s alwaysas bright as it needs to be.”

The house also has a solar attic vent-fan,which cools the attic and lowers the tem-perature in the upstairs living quarters.

Courtesy Solar Star via Kansas City Star

Solar attic vent-fans are eligible fortax credits. The attic vent-fan sitsfairly flat on the roof and can't beseen from the front yard.




Questions and answersHow do I determine what size

photovoltaic system my housewould need?

Review your last 12 months of

electric bills. A home’s squarefootage is not necessarily related toenergy usage.

What types of permits areinvolved to install a solar systemto generate electricity?

All cities and most countiesrequire an electrical permit before asystem is installed. Also, the localutility will require an interconnection

and net metering agreement. Yoursystem will be inspected for localcodes, by the utility’s licensedengineer or electrician, andsometimes by the fire marshal.

What is my payback period fora solar PV system?

It’s dependent upon net metering,costs of electrical energy, incentivesand real estate market forsustainable features. For a 3-kilowattsystem, it’s typically a 12- to 15-yearpayback period but could be closeto 10 years with incentives. Solarhot water and air heating have muchshorter payback periods.

How can I heat my home orwater with solar power?

These panels are different from

those that produce electricity. Solarair and water panels capture heatfrom the sun on their surface andtransfer the heat to a holding tankor vent.

How big a solar hot watersystem do I need?

The size of a system is based onthe size of the household The

average person uses 20 gallons ofhot water per day. So for a home offour, an 80-gallon system is needed.

Source: Energy Savings Store

Pros and cons of solar panels

Free source of electricity afterinitial investment.

No pollution produced. The onlypollution is from theirmanufacturing, transportation andinstallation.

Can harness electricity inremote locations that aren’t linkedto a national grid.

Reduces dependence on theworld’s fossil fuel supplies.

Tax credits and rebates areav a i l a b l e.

Initial cost is high.Can be a bureaucratic hassle.

Although most cities andhomeowners associations have noproblem with them, some do. Some

stipulate using solar shingles forroofs, which are more expensive andless effective.

Weather and pollution levels canaffect efficiency. This comes to playin densely populated urban areas,which tend to have high pollutionl ev e l s .

Source: clean-energy-ideas.com , Energy Savings Store

Federal incentives

Tax credit: 30 percent of costwith no upper limit. Expires Dec. 31,20 16.

I n c l u des: Photovoltaic panels,water heaters, attic fans and airwarmers

http://clean-energy-ideas.com/

http://clean-energy-ideas.com/

Going Green Memphis 8-15-10

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