aymag.com . 27

guide to

This year's Green Guide is all about how the green movement has been embraced in Arkansas ... from driving to cleaning, from conserving to pampering, and from building to planting. Green is a Natural State of mind.

28 . april 2010

Little Rock native, P. Allen Smith is an award-winning garden designer and host of the public television program, “P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home” and the syndicated “P. Allen Smith

Gardens.” Smith is the garden design editor for national magazines, such as Woman’s Day, and the author of the Garden Home series, which includes his latest Bringing the Garden Indoors.

Eliza Borné is the assistant Web editor at BookPage and has written for the Boston Globe Magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and the Arkansas Times. Her favorite natural spots in Arkansas are Blanchard

Springs Caverns and the White River.

Jay Harrod, who once served as communications manager for Arkansas Parks and Tourism, has written travel features for AY in the past. Over the last four years, Harrod, a native to the Natural

State, has worked as a spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy, where he’s gained a deep insight into conservation challenges and opportunities. Outside of AY, Harrod has written for and been published in the Dallas Morning News, the Daily Oklahoman, Insight Travel Guides, Odyssey Magazine, National Parks Magazine and others.

Mark Jackson, a photographer of 18 years, recently came off two years of sailing through the eastern Caribbean and Bahamas with his wife and three kids with-out any substantive trauma. He

returned to northwest Arkansas where he shoots advertising and editorial work from his Fayetteville studio. Despite his preoccupation with leisure, he loves his photographic work and the creative process.

Tobi Fairley is the owner of Tobi Fairley Interior Design and Tobi Fairley Gallery, a full-service luxury residential interior de-sign firm and fine art gallery in Little Rock. She was selected by

Traditional Home magazine as one of the “Top 20 Young Designers in America” in 2009, and her work has been featured in media and periodicals nation-wide including Traditional Home, Dream Bedrooms by Better Homes and Gardens, MSNBC.com and Design and was recently featured on the cover of House Beautiful.

It’s great to live in a natural state.

Did you know Arkansas has

about as many acres in our na-

tional forests as we do citizens?

There are nine national wildlife

refuges that span more than

360,000 acres. We have 52 state

parks and more than 120 state-

owned wildlife management and

natural areas, many of which have

conserved some of the most scenic and ecologically important

spots in Arkansas. We’re home to the first national river — the

Buffalo River — and a great number of private landowners and

several organizations, like The Nature Conservancy, have added

thousands of more acres to the state’s natural spaces.

Not only do these conserved lands and waters provide habitat

for wildlife, they provide places for people to enjoy the outdoors

… places where our children can learn about nature outside of a

classroom or television. Our forests help clean our rivers and the

groundwater that provides the water we drink, and they clean the

air we all breathe. They conserve beautiful areas that are part of

the state’s natural heritage, and because people visit these places,

they help fuel our economy.

These places are investments that make our state a better

place in which to live.

While all of this is good news, we must be diligent if we’re to

ensure our children and future generations inherit a healthy and

sustainable natural world. While conservation on a large scale

is important, so too are the steps we take in our daily lives to

conserve energy, recycle what we can and reduce waste. The

decisions we make as consumers are equally important. Making

purchases that take into consideration the health of our natural

world help as well.

Working together, we can keep Arkansas the Natural State.

Scott Simon, directorThe Nature Conservancy in Arkansas

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

contributors

aymag.com . 29

With chapters in all 50 states and in more

than 30 other countries, The Nature Conservancy

is among the leaders in national and global

conservation. Since its inception in 1982, the

Arkansas chapter of the Conservancy has worked

with a variety of partners to conserve more than

265,000 acres in the Natural State. While the

Conservancy has transferred much of this land

to public agencies, like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service or the Arkansas Game and Fish and

Natural Heritage commissions, the Conservancy

owns 41 preserves that are found in each of the

state’s eco-regions and encompass more than

24,000 acres.

A few of The Nature Conservancy’s key

priorities are listed below. To learn more about the

Conservancy, view photos and watch videos, or to join the million-

plus members who support the organization, visit nature.org/arkansas

or call (501) 663-6699.

RiveRs in the Ouachita MOuntains and OzaRk

highlands — Many people are surprised to learn the No. 1 threat

to many of the state’s upland streams is excessive sediment, which,

in addition to destroying the aesthetics of a stream, can fill in gravel

beds, choke out small organisms at the bottom of the food chain

and affect those at the top, like smallmouth bass. The Conservancy

focuses much of its efforts on reducing sediment. Protecting forested

corridors or riparian zones is important. Sometimes, however, banks

are collapsing or areas have been cleared to the river’s edge. In these

instances, the Conservancy works with partners to restore eroding

stream banks and reforest riparian zones. The Conservancy has also

mapped eroding features on hundreds of miles of unpaved roads in

key watersheds and works with landowners and county maintenance

crews to fix troublesome spots and implement practices that save

money by keeping sediment on roads and out of rivers.

Big WOOds — Delta forests once covered 24 million acres.

Today, less than 5 million remain in scattered patches. Fortunately,

east Arkansas is home to one of the largest remaining blocks: the

550,000-acre Big Woods, which provides habitat for 265 bird

species and the largest population of wintering

mallards in the world. A slew of conservation

actions and partners have protected most of the

remaining forested areas here. The Conservancy

and partners are now at work to connect these

forested areas by reforesting marginal croplands.

Private landowners, who’ve reforested and

conserved thousands of acres, play a critical role

in this endeavor.

FiRe RestORatiOn — The pine-oak

forests of Arkansas are adapted to fire; it is as

essential in maintaining healthy forests as is rain

and sunshine. Without it, our forests become too

dense, and when too many trees compete for

the same amount of moisture and nutrients, the

trees become weak and susceptible to disease,

drought and uncontrollable wildfires. In Arkansas, the Conservancy’s

partners in restoring fire to fire-dependent landscapes include: the

U.S. Forest Service; U.S. National Parks Service; the U.S. Army;

private landowners and companies; Arkansas State Parks; and the

Arkansas Game and Fish, Natural Heritage and Forestry commissions.

In addition to restoring fire to as many as 14,000 acres each year on

its preserves and projects, the Conservancy and its partners also host

classes each year to train land managers in effective conservation

planning and the safe application of prescribed fire.

cOnseRvatiOn FORestRy — The Conservancy works with

forest landowners in South Arkansas to demonstrate conservation

forestry … the merging of good economic returns and a healthy

ecosystem. For example, the Conservancy purchased its first

conservation forestry site, the 820-acre Kingsland Prairie Preserve,

in 2002. Just six years later, proceeds from sustainable timber

harvests had offset 84 percent of the land’s purchase price. In 2006,

the Conservancy teamed with several agency partners to purchase

a 16,000-acre conservation easement on Potlatch Corporation

property where sustainable timber harvesting continues to provide

local jobs and forest products. The site is now open for hunting

and other recreation as the Moro Big Pine Wildlife Management and

Natural Area. •

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

ArkAnsAsThe Nature Conservancy in

by Jay harrod / photography by ethan inlander

30 . march 2010

aymag.com . 31

32 . april 2010

by Jay harrod / photography by ethan inlander

Stretching from northern Arkansas and southern Missouri

and into eastern Oklahoma, an amazing underground

landscape harbors bats, salamanders, fish, crustaceans

and other invertebrates, including at least 60 species found nowhere else on Earth. Because they have such limited

home ranges, most Ozark karst species are considered globally imperiled, though only seven are listed for protec-

tion under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This landscape is also a precious groundwater source; safeguarding

the subterranean ecosystem means safeguarding drinking water for humans and keeping the water that feeds

beautiful Ozark streams clear and clean.

The porous and fractured nature of karst terrain makes it very susceptible to pollution. After rains, runoff from

streams and the ground can enter aquifers quickly, transporting unfiltered contaminants that pollute groundwater

and threaten aquatic karst animals. This ecosystem’s sensitivity is complicated by the fact that northwest Arkansas

is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. Residential and industrial developments have

been built or are planned in the watersheds — or even directly on top — of fragile underground ecosystems. In-

compatible agricultural activities as well as careless fertilizer, gas and oil, and household chemical uses or disposals

can pose threats. The animals that live in the caves are also threatened by incompatible (oftentimes illegal) entries

and vandalism.

Since 1978 The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas has worked with many private landowners and partner agen-

cies to acquire 20 caves, install or repair two dozen cave gates, and remove 230 tons of garbage near caves or

sinkholes.

A prime example of the Conservancy’s karst work is at Smith Creek, which flows over one of the largest caves

in Arkansas and is a tributary to the Buffalo National River. In 2006, the Conservancy purchased 1,226 acres

above the cave, which is home to the state’s largest hibernating colony of endangered Indiana bats, to create

Smith Creek Preserve. A protection agreement on adjacent property that harbors the cave’s main entrance limits

Sherfield Cave (entrance shown above) harbors the

largest wintering population of Indiana bats, an endangered

species, in Arkansas. With its partners, the Conservancy’s karst program continues to

monitor rare species and water quality at more than 200

sites throughout the Ozarks. Conservancy researcher Mike Slay prepares to enter a cave.

The Ozark karst ecosystem is an underground wilderness of caves, springs and aquifers that over the millennia have

formed in the carbonate bedrock of the Ozark Highlands.

down to earth

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

aymag.com . 33aymag.com . 33

Gay White, former first lady of Arkansas, is an avid outdoorsman. She loves to

snorkel, kayak, canoe, hike, camp …

but that wasn’t always the case.

The California native moved here

in 1971. “I chose to move here, to

be closer to my sister. LA is so big

and fast. Arkansas is very personal

and warm. When my cat and I moved

here, I owned my car, my clothes and

a chest of drawers,” White said. “I’ve

never, ever looked back.”

Several years later, White married

the late Frank White, Arkansas’ gover-

nor from 1981 to 1983. “Frank loved the outdoors … camping, canoeing …

he took me on outings, and it’s because of his patience that I learned to love

it too. We were married 28 years. It was 28 years of joy, doing all the stuff

we loved to do.

White said living in Arkansas and being outdoors allows one to “enjoy

the journey” of life. “I love the Buffalo National River and the Big Piney River;

they’re just treasures. I love to hike the Sylamore Creek in the Ozark National

Forest. Do you know I’ve met people who have not floated the Buffalo, hiked

or even visited our state parks? They don’t know what they are missing."

When a friend suggested White become a member of The Nature Con-

servancy (TNC) Board, she met with Scott Simon, director of the organiza-

tion. “I was amazed, just floored by the work they do. They are some of the

busiest, most dedicated individuals … it’s scientists, biologists, botanists …

all working to preserve our state’s beauty,” White said. That was in 2004,

and she’s worked to promote the organization’s mission ever since. Her

favorite TNC projects involve Arkansas Rivers; she’s particularly proud of the

work they’ve done to preserve the integrity of the Saline River and the work

they do through prescribed fires.

“I really was ignorant of the whole process of prescribed burns and how

they benefit forests. I’ve since learned about it and come to appreciate the

science,” she said.

White also put her money where her heart is — into the TNC’s Legacy

Club. “It’s very simple. Everyone should have a will. I simply designated The

Nature Conservancy as a recipient of my estate.” White said incidents like

global warming and mass construction are all the more reason to become

involved in the move to preserve nature. “We must continue to step up and

speak out about protecting what we have. I encourage everyone to get out

in nature. Nature sells itself. When you spend time outdoors, you’ll become

drawn to it, and you’ll want to protect it.”

She also encourages people to become members of the TNC. “Inves-

tigate what they do. Once you find out, you’ll be excited and want to be a

part of this work.”

For more information about TNC, log onto nature.org; for the Arkansas

branch, click on the dropdown map “Find a Conservancy program near you”

and click on “Arkansas,” or call the Little Rock office at (501) 663-6699.

— by angela e. thomas / photography by cindy dyer

potentially fatal disruptions to the bats during hi-

bernation. Smith Creek also connects the Ozark

National Forest and the Buffalo National River Wil-

derness Area, protecting a forested corridor for

gray bats, black bears and elk, as well as critical

foraging and roosting sites for the Indiana bats.

To give city planners and developers the means to

avoid sensitive karst areas or plan developments

in ways that won’t harm groundwater or karst spe-

cies, the Conservancy used data gathered from

years of research to create a map depicting North-

west Arkansas in terms of most sensitive to least

sensitive to groundwater pollution. Having specific

information about karst areas prompted three de-

velopers to donate to the Arkansas Natural Heri-

tage Commission 80 acres located directly above

Cave Springs Cave, which harbors gray bats and

the largest known population of the extremely rare

Ozark cavefish. While the land was quite valuable

from a development perspective, the donors re-

ceived tax incentives, and the value of the sur-

rounding lots increased, particularly those adja-

cent to the green spaces. •

34 . april 2010

aymag.com . 35

recipeMother Nature's

Why add harsh chemicals and preservatives to beauty products when everything we need to look our best can be found in nature? A few leading brands have come forward with wonderful collections of all-natural products that are preferred by many.

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

Eradicate break-outs naturally with new Boscia Makeup-Break-up Cool Cleansing Oil designed to cleanse skin with a blend of botanical oils that dissolve makeup and impurities and brighten skin; $26; Sephora, JCPenney, (501) 224-0347.

Kiehl’s ACAI Damage-Minimizing Cleanser is a gently foaming, antioxidant-rich cleanser that rids skin of impuri-ties and promotes a healthy, vibrant look and even tone; $25; Bella Boutique, (501) 603-5373.

Restore youth and vibrancy to overworked, dry hands with the rich and fragrant Burt’s Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Crème; $9; wholefoods.com.

Replenish skin’s moisture just in time to bare it all in spring attire with Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk and Shea Butter Body Wash; $8; wholefoods.com.

Soften, shine and detangle hair with C is for Hair Care Hair and Scalp Moisturizing Mud Mask by Yes to Carrots. It contains extracts of carrot, pumpkin and orange, and is rich with beta-carotene, vitamin E and other enzymes. $6; walgreens.com.

Carry this fresh Evian Mineral Water Facial Spray in your beach, pool or gym bag to rinse away salt, chlorine or sweat, or use it daily for a quick pick-me-up, to set makeup and revitalize the skin; $15; Barbara/Jean Ltd, (501) 227-0054.

Touch ups on-the-go are so much easier with bareMinerals Matte Foundation with Mini Refillable Buffing Brush. This retractable brush is pre-filled with foundation specially formulated to absorb oil, eliminate shine and prevent dry skin. $29; sephora.com.

Enhance your look with Korres Mango Butter Lipstick SPF 10. This vibrant shade offers sheer color for the lips as well as protection from sun damage; $18; Sephora, JCPenney, (501) 224-0347.

photography by Janet Warlick

36 . april 2010

aymag.com . 37

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

If you drive a hybrid, there’s a good chance you drive a Prius; according to Forbes, the Toyota

Prius accounts for 48 percent of hybrid sales. It’s not hard to see why the Prius is so popular. In

the city, the car, which is now in its fourth generation, gets a whopping 51 miles per gallon, and

pricing starts at $22,800.

“It’s the most economical car out there. The Prius employs a propulsion system that com-

bines the best of the technolgy of an electric motor and gas engine to give the most fuel ef-

ficient means of transportation,”said Scott Young, sales manager, Landers Toyota, Little Rock,

Arkansas. In February, Toyota Motor Sales announced a voluntary safety recall on Prius vehicles

(2010 model) in order to update the cars’ anti-lock brake systems, and recently, reports of brake

failure have flooded the news.

“If you were to research, you’d find there are 44 recalls on vehicles at this time — only three

of those involve Toyotas. We sell transportation solutions. We are standing by our products, and

we will take care of the customer first,” Young said. In fact, he reports that sales for the Prius,

“Toyota’s crowing jewel,” and other models remain strong.

If you’d like to shop around for other hybrids, consider the following offerings from other

manufacturers. The rankings used in this report are from the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide. The

annual fuel cost is based on the assumption that the car will be driven 15,000 miles a year, with

the price of a gallon of fuel determined by the Department of Energy. Price points for the cars are

straight from the individual manufacturers’ Web sites.

The Honda Insight is a hybrid with an air pollution score of eight out of 10 and a greenhouse

gas score of 10 out of 10. The car creates 2.81 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year and

emits 3.62 tons of greenhouse gases. In the city, the vehicle should get approximately 40 miles

to the gallon; 43, on the highway. An added feature of the Insight is its Eco Assist™ system,

an interface that provides instantaneous feedback on the efficiency of braking and acceleration,

factors that effect fuel economy. The annual fuel cost for an Insight driver is estimated to be

$970, and the car’s pricing starts at $19,800.

The Ford Escape hybrid (available in two-wheel and four-wheel drive) is marketed as “the

most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet.” The two-wheel drive model has a better green ranking,

with an air pollution score of eight out of 10, and a greenhouse gas score of nine out of 10. The

car creates 2.81 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year and emits 4.62 tons of greenhouse

gases. In the city, the vehicle should get approximately 34 miles per gallon; 31, on the highway.

The annual fuel cost for a Ford Escape hybrid is estimated to be $1,242, and pricing starts at

$29,860.

The Cadillac Escalade hybrid has an air pollution and greenhouse gas score of six out of 10.

The car creates 5.29 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year and emits 6.71 tons of green-

house gases. In the city, the vehicle should get approximately 21 miles to the gallon; 22, on the

highway. The annual fuel cost for an Escalade hybrid is an estimated $1,807, and pricing starts

at $73,425.

The Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid has an air pollution score of seven out of 10 and a green-

house gas score of five out of 10. The car creates 3.64 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year

and emits 7.03 tons of greenhouse gases. In the city, the vehicle should get approximately 19

miles per gallon; 26, on the highway. The annual fuel cost for a Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid is

estimated to be $1,893, and pricing starts at $87,950.

To determine the efficiency of your vehicle, visit the EPA’s green vehicle Web site and enter

the year, make, and model of your car. •

hybridsshopping for

The Prius may be the most popular hybrid, but it’s not the only one.

by

eliz

a B

orn

e

(From top) Mercedes S400 Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, Cadillac

Escalade Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid

38 . april 2010

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

modernThe northwest Arkansas home of Ralph and Marketa Burns offers the semi-retired couple all the conveniences of state-of-the-art energy-efficiency methods with a classic, chic and modern style.

Magnificently

by amy Bowers / photography by Mark Jackson

aymag.com . 39

jJust on the eastern edge of Fayetteville, Ark., nestled in the woods of the Ozarks, you can

find a modern marvel — the home of Ralph and Marketa Burns. This couple sought the help of

Tim deNoble and Tim Maddox, partners at deMx Architecture, to help them make their modern

dream a reality. After living in Harrison, Ark., for nearly 30 years, where they owned a pharmacy,

the couple was looking for a way to downsize their lives without sacrificing style.

“Most of the other houses in the area kind of resembled the ‘cookie cutter’ style,” Marketa

said. “We wanted something different and very modern, I was put in touch with Tim Maddox; he

sent me a design and it was exactly what we wanted. We loved it.”

Maddox and deNoble came up with a sustainable design that allows the cou-

ple to live in the home with minimal impact on the environment as well as minimal im-

pact on their monthly budget. The home takes advantage of natural light with abun-

dant windows; uses locally-quarried natural stone; features a Galvalume metal roof and

siding, which is the most energy-efficient metal to use for roofing; and a water-collecting system

on the roof, should the homeowners ever decide to recycle rainwater. The home has a unique

“bowtie” shape — it is referred to by the architects as “The Bowtie Home ” — that not only cre-

ates a striking and memorable form, with covered balconies at each end, but aids with the water

collecting systems as well.

One of the most interesting energy-saving aspects of the home is the geothermal heat pump

system, which uses the earth’s constant temperature to heat or cool the air in the home, cutting

the Burns’ energy bills up to 80 percent. It works on a system of underground pipes that in the

summer provides a source of cooling and in the winter, a source of heat. For instance, in the

winter, water circulating in the underground pipes absorbs heat from the earth and carries it to

the heat pump and into the home, where it arrives as warm, comfortable air.

The Burns confirm that they have noticed a drastic reduction in their utilities. “Our gas bill

is almost nothing,” Marketa said. On extremely cold nights, they use the fireplace in the living

room, but most of the time, they said, they don’t have to.

While the modern design of the home is Marketa’s pet project, the outdoors is Ralph’s

territory. “I was fine with anything — I just wanted to have a tractor,” Ralph said. According to

The exterior of the Burns' home is covered in long-lasting, energy-efficient Galvalume metal. Balconies at each end of the home offer the couple a comfortable place to enjoy the scenery.

40 . APRIL 2010

Marketa, he spends most of his time riding it around their 10 acres, haul-

ing rocks, removing debris from the woods and moving items for projects

on the grandchildren’s tree house, which is a model of the couple’s home.

The 2,700 square-foot home is made even larger by the wall of win-

dows along the rear and throughout. Every room is flooded with vast

amounts of natural light; however, the surrounding woods offer privacy

and a sense of seclusion for the couple. The interior is stunningly modern

— the most striking feature is the abundance of maple wood. It can be

found in the floors, built-in cabinets, trim and doors.

“With this home, we wanted to make a modern design with open

space and lots of natural light and also use as many sustainable materials

as possible,” Maddox said.

The floor plan is very open, but the architects designed spatial divid-

ers, such as a beautiful maple and cherry pocket door, to close off rooms.

Marketa furnished the home primarily through nationally-known retail-

ers specializing in modern design, such as Crate and Barrel, CB2 and

Fayetteville furniture store, Lacuna Modern Interiors. The style is sleek and

minimalist with streamline chairs, a sectional sofa and a hide-away, built-in

entertainment center in the living room. A simplistic solid wood dining table

with unobtrusive red leather and metal dining chairs sits below a beaded

chandelier in the dining room.

The kitchen is unassuming and thoughtfully laid out with flourishes of

granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The open floorplan and

many windows allow dinner to be prepared in the kitchen with the kids’

treehouse in plain sight.

The Burns have lived in their modern marvel for three years and still love

it. “The Bowtie Home” fits their lifestyle perfectly. It requires minimal upkeep,

low monthly utility costs, comfort, style and a small carbon footprint.•

“WITH THIS HOME, WE WANTED TO MAKE A MODERN DESIGN WITH OPEN SPACE AND LOTS OF NATURAL LIGHT AND ALSO USE AS MANY SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AS POSSIBLE."

AYMAG.COM . 41

Love this? Learn more at aymag.com/go/pallensmith

(opposite page, from top left) Built-in cabinetry in the master bedroom offers ample storage. The grandchildren's treehouse design echoes that of the Bowtie House. The dining room exhibits sleek, modern design. A fireplace in the center of the lower level offers added heat on extremely cold nights.

Mercedes-Benz of Little Rock congratulates

Lisenne Rockefeller

#8 Colonel Glenn Plaza Drive Little Rock, AR 72210

501.666.9457 littlerockmercedes.com

for her work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

42 . APRIL 2010

The Home Builders Association of Greater

Little Rock (HBAGLR) is constructing its first

ever GREEN BUILT model home. The house is

located in west Little Rock’s Woodland’s Edge,

the 2009 Green Development of the Year. The

project is a sustainable construction set to ANSI-

approved National Green Building Standards.

The standards state: “a builder, remodeler or de-

veloper must incorporate a minimum number of

features in the following areas: energy, water and

resource efficiency, lot and site development, in-

door environment quality and homeowner edu-

cation.”

Last month’s spring-like weather afforded

the builders of the GREEN BUILT home a much-

needed break. The home is in frame and at

press time, much of the electrical, plumbing and

heating/air conditioning hookups were in rough-

in. Keith Wingfield, co-project coordinator and

president of the HBAGLR, said insulation and

drywall should be installed soon.

Wingfield gave AY a tour of the site. The

home will have about 2,600 square feet of living

space, including a master bedroom with a large

window oriented to take advantage of natural

light, three additional bedrooms, three full baths,

pull-down stair access to the attic and a tornado

shelter by Tornado Shelter Systems. The rear will

feature a covered deck.

The GREEN BUILT home has a crawl-space

foundation with piers and beams that run be-

neath the home. Cinderblocks wrap the foun-

dation’s sides and rear, and a tour of the large

storage area allows a view of the home’s sup-

port system, which includes engineered I joists.

“These I Joists are actually made of OSB, orient-

ed strand board, which is actually a fairly green

product,” Wingfield said “The boards are made

of chips that are randomly-oriented and com-

GREEN BUILTTHE HOUSE THAT

aymag.com . 43

pressed with adhesive. The chips come from

small trees versus plywood, which is made of

large trees.”

OSB, according to the Engineered Wood

Association, is “manufactured from water-

proof, heat-cured adhesives and rectangularly-

shaped wood strands.” The chips, or strands,

are obtained from smaller, fast-growing tree

species making the OSB a more environ-

mentally-friendly product. The material has the

strength of plywood and that can be used, in

many instances, instead of plywood.

Subflooring has been laid, and according

to Wingfield, builders often apply a chemical to

the wood to prevent damage due to rain and

moisture. “We use a KleenWrap to protect the

flooring; this eliminates the use of chemicals,

which could run off and damage the surround-

ing ground,” Wingfield said.

To minimize financial and material waste,

the amount of wood and the number of cuts to

be made during the framing process has been

taken into account. “Often crews use the most

convenient piece of wood, so a 10-foot piece

may be cut out of a 14-foot or 16-foot piece.

We plan our cuts, so a 10-foot piece will be

cut from a 12-piece of wood,” Wingfield said.

Leftover wood will be given to an environmental

company to make mulch.

Concrete and brick is also being accounted

for — to eliminate excess waste — and leftover

materials will be recycled as well. Bracing and

scaffold used during the construction process

will later be used in the attic.

For more information about the GREEN

BUILT house, log onto hbaglr.com. •

Check AY each month, as we’ll feature monthly updates through the completion of the

GREEN BUILT home in May or June.

RoyalFAMILY OF COMPANIES

Making your house a home.

Paying

Tributeto Family, Friends & Patients

who have had breast cancerwith much love,

Liz Clouse

44 . april 2010

It seems Kermit the Frog was wrong … it’s

not that hard to be green after all. There are

so many eco-friendly products popping up on

the market these days that just about any in-

spirational photo can be translated into a green

design for your home.

This look is already off to a great start with

the sofa and chair by Lee Industries. They

come standard with the “Natural Lee” construc-

tion, which uses soy-based cushions paired

with recycled and natural materials to create a

gorgeous product that is kind to the earth. For

every piece sold, Lee Industries donates one

tree to American Forests.

fabulouseCo

2010 guide to green liVing

The artwork shown here by Soicher Marin

is available with frames made of sustainable

materials. To add a punch of color to your

space, try brightly-colored organic cotton from

companies like Rubie Green. Keep in mind that

natural fibers, like wool, are great for rugs, and

don’t forget to create a great backdrop for your

look by using zero-VOC paint like Sherwin Wil-

liams’ Harmony line. This certified green prod-

uct doesn’t sacrifice performance and comes

in all the great Sherwin Williams colors, such as

“Baguette” shown here.

For more of Tobi’s Tips and style, log onto

her Web site tobifairley.com. •

With a little thought you can create a room that looks great and saves the planet all at the same time.

by Tobi Fairley

Chair by Lee Industries, fabrics by Rubie Green, a botanical print taken from an old book and zero-

VOC paints by Sherwin Williams help create a look like one inspired by the room shown above.

aymag.com . 45

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Visit chenalshopping.com for more information

Tobi’s innovative and clean design was

featured on the cover and in the pages

of March’s House Beautiful. The “Spring

Color Issue” was “All About Blue.” The

10-page article featuring a design Tobi

created for a Fayetteville, Ark., homeowner

was titled “Blue As An Opal.”

Congratulations Tobi!

The living room of a northwest Arkansas home Tobi designed is featured as the center spread.

46 . april 2010

green with envy

The word green at the Garden Home Retreat has many meanings and

applications.

The organic gardens are the first to come to mind for those who visit

us. In a relatively short time, six years, we have planted acres of flower

gardens, orchards and vegetable gardens — even the pastures for our

sheep and free-range poultry are organic. But it is the house that surprises

visitors.

At first glance it looks as though it has been sited overlooking the

river valley below for 175 years, actually it has only been two years since

construction was completed. The style of the house is Greek Revival, and

a green look at p. allen smith’s garden home retreat that will make you

by P. Allen Smith / photography by Jane Colclasure, Kelly Quinn and Hortus Ltd.

2010 guide to green liVing

aymag.com . 47

its proportions, details and materials were all chosen to reflect the age of

the farm, circa 1840. Since that time, the site has been farmed and the

large Post Oak (Quercus stellata) centered in front of the house stands as

a testament to the age of the farmstead. One of the greatest compliments

we receive is when first-time guests, thinking it is a recently-refurbished,

19th century house, ask how long the house was under restoration.

There are lots of words and phrases thrown about these days that

suggest “green,” such as sustainable, environmentally-friendly, reduced

carbon footprint, zero-energy, etc; our focus was to make the house as

green as possible and apply aspects of all of this. In short, the house

serves as a bridge from a conventional (traditional) approach to a greener

one.

For my TV show, “Garden Home,” we wanted to illustrate that being

greener is, in part, about making better choices. We can make choices

that impact the planet in a more positive way. The methods of construction

and materials were considered during each phase of the design process.

Some of these approaches apply to new construction and others can be

employed when renovating or retrofitting an existing home or structure.

Our goal was not to make the project platinum LEED-certified and zero-

energy, but to show the public that there are more green choices than

one might think.

For instance, we used Benjamin Moore’s Aura series of no-VOC

paints. No-VOC simply means these paints do not put chemicals into

the air when applied. Here, there is no shortage of designer colors; we

chose “Nantucket Whisper” green for the main rooms, and many who visit

remark on the color’s soothing effect.

The foundation of the home was made from interlocking Styrofoam

blocks (Amvic) filled with concrete. This allowed us to create a well-insulat-

ed, waterproof basement level and a solid foundation for the house. Once

the walls went up and the brick (Boral, 17th Century blend, regionally-pro-

(left) The Garden Home Retreat's Daffodil Hill hosts more than 175,000 bulbs in more than 65 varieties. (below) Ward Lile, creative director, and Allen discuss green options for the Garden Home.

48 . april 2010

The terrace gardens, pictured above, are full of color from April until early November. (bottom, from left) Beneficial insects are used in the vegetable garden to keep the “bad bugs” at bay. Allen and Bill Poleatewich, from Dawn Solar, on the roof of the Garden Home discussing the radiant heat system. Heat collected from the roof is transferred into the basement floor of the house. The radiant heat system preheats the water resulting in less energy usage.

duced and fired with the heat of peanut hulls used as fuel) was applied,

soy-based insulation was sprayed between the framing and joists of the

ceilings, walls, and floors. This made the “R” value (used to measure the

insulations ability to resist heat flow) of the house much more appealing

from the standpoint of long-term energy efficiency, comfort and surpris-

ingly, sound reduction. Like many of these features, we had to weigh the

initial cost — investment — with the long-term pay-off. As an example, the

radiant heat system installed under the standing seam Follensbee roof.

The system (Dawn Solar) takes the radiant heat from sunlight warming the

metal roof and transfers it through a series of undulating PEC tubing from

the roof into the basement. The same tubing system is set in the floor

and covered with brick pavers. The heat from the roof heats the floors;

as we know, heat rises and therefore helps keep the house cozy even on

the coldest, sunny days. This system also “pre-heats” the water for the

house, which is a huge boost when warming water for a comfortably hot

shower.

As you can see, the roof is one of the most important aspects of our

green initiatives. The Follensbee standing seam system is based on a

time-honored method of roof design. In fact, Thomas Jefferson used a

standing seam metal roof on Monticello. Our country is full of examples of

these roofs that have endured the perils of time and weather for more than

a century and a half — so, we will not have to replace the roof for another

aymag.com . 49

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P. Allen Smith is an ardent vegetable gardener; profes-sional garden designer; host of two national TV programs; a regular guest on the “Today Show,” and author of P. Allen Smith’s Bringing the Garden Indoors and other books in the Garden Home series. For more video tips and ideas, sign up for his free weekly newsletter at pallensmith.com.

100 years (unless some disaster occurs, of

course, heaven forbid!) This innovative design

cuts down on the use of materials to replace

conventional shingle roofs (with an average

lifespan of 12 to 15 years) and reduces waste

as traditional roofing materials go into landfills.

This roof also has a direct relationship to the

gardens as it serves an integral part of our rain-

water harvesting system. With extreme weather

conditions and water scarcity, we wanted to

create a system that would collect and store

rainwater to irrigate the gardens rather than draw

from the five wells on the farm. Currently, we are

able to store 6,000 gallons. The tank/reservoir

is under the lawn between the two out build-

ings. The gutter system (Follensbee) is made of

a terne-coated metal that is inert — meaning no

heavy metals will be deposited into our collec-

tion reservoir and find their way into the organic

flower and vegetable gardens and orchard. We

also collect run off water in six ponds (soon to

be nine) as another way of collecting water.

From the beginning, the land that surrounds

the house and garden has been as important to

me as the previously mentioned aspects of the

property. We have spent the last several years

working on soil conservation — maintaining the

old organic pastures and creating new ones.

We have our annual bluebird program with

a dozen nest boxes placed around the prop-

erty. This year, we hope to re-establish our Bob

White Quail population with the help of regional

experts. I have learned throughout this project

that the idea of living a greener life has many

applications and each day more opportunities

open up to all of us. The key, it seems to me, is

to think about the choices you have and make

the greenest one possible.

Our entire design team, lead by Ward Lile,

has been conscious from the start of finding

ways to make the house, garden and farm

greener and more energy efficient. We have

had the good fortune to design in the beginning

with the end in mind. It has been a source of

pride for all of us to use this project in my na-

tional media and to show green living from the

great state of Arkansas. •

50 . april 2010

An innovative program, made possible

through the American Recovery and

Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, will not only

make The Natural State a bit more green, it’ll

address the need to put an at-risk population

to work.

Arkansas received nearly $4.9 million to

create three energy centers of excellence

“that will develop and deploy materials and

programs” to 22 two-year colleges and seven

apprenticeship programs. The program will

include 2,800 participants — high-school

dropouts, unemployed workers and other

hard-to-serve individuals — who will gain green

skills. Partners in the program include: Arkansas

Economic Development Commission, Arkansas

Apprenticeship Coalition, Winrock International,

Arkansas Department of Career Education and

several Workforce Investment Boards.

Arkansas also received more than $2.5

million in grants and will create centers to

provide training for green jobs at Pulaski

Technical College and Northwest Arkansas

Community College. The two-year colleges

will offer classes for energy auditors and raters,

weatherization workers and heating and cooling

jobs. The grants were granted by the ARRA

and are being administered by the Arkansas

Energy Office.

Green GrAnTS

If your home is in need

of a major repair or a major

appliance needs replacing,

your investment may just

qualify you for a federal tax

credit. Credits of 30 per-

cent of purchase costs, up

to $1,500, are available for

existing, primary residences

for: air source heat pumps;

central air conditioning units; energy-efficient

natural gas, propane or oil furnaces; insulation

as well as weather stripping, spray foam, caulk

and house wraps; energy-efficient natural gas,

propane or oil water heaters; and energy-effi-

cient windows, doors and skylights.

Geothermal heat pumps, small wind tur-

bines for residential use and solar energy sys-

tems may qualify for a tax credit of 30 percent

of purchase costs with no limit if installed in new

or existing homes, used as primary or second-

ary homes.

For more information, log onto energystar.gov.

reCyCLinG rebATeS

AYMAG.COM . 51

With resistance to black spot, these roses do not have to be sprayed to keep the foliage healthy and the blooms coming, making them a low-maintenance plant. Traditionally available in a pastel pink or bright hot pink, newer selections offer yellow and a yellow and pink “rainbow.” Add Knock Out roses to your landscape, and you will not be disappointed.

Knock-Out Roses

APRIL GARDENING TIPSJust beginning to bloom, Knock Out roses are beautiful shrub roses that

flower spring through fall.

Plant of the Month

• By mid-April, tomatoes, squash, beans, melons, cucumbers and basil should be planted in the garden to ensure a tasty harvest.

• Mowing season begins. Raise the height of your mower. Don’t collect your grass clippings – recycle those nutrients.

• Keep the garden green; control insects with environmentally-friendly alternatives, such as insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and Bt products.

• Get the hummingbird feeder cleaned, filled and out. Keeping the nectar fresh and cleaning the feeder every few days as temperatures climb will keep hummers healthy.

• Garden centers and nurseries are exploding with color. In your shopping frenzy, remember to choose annuals and perennials that will be bloom through the summer.

52 . APRIL 2010

CERTIFIED GREEN PROFESSIONALS IN ARKANSAS

The National Association of Home Builders

(NAHB) is a professional organization dating

back to 1942. The organization serves members

in several capacities, including continuing

education for its members, one being the NAHB

Certified Green Professional (CGP) program,

which allows building professionals to marry

their extensive skills set and knowledge with the

principles of conservation and sustainability.

CGPs work with homeowners to build houses

that “meet and exceed green building energy-

efficiency requirements”; to implement water

and energy conservation practices; “to achieve

indoor air quality”; to “create safe, comfortable

and sustainable buildings”; and much more.

Further, CGPs work with homeowners who

are remodeling or adding onto their homes,

whether the structure is a single-family dwelling,

townhome, duplex, tri- or quad-plex, or a pre-

1980 home, to earn Emerald, Bronze, Silver or

Gold certification levels.

To learn more about the NAHB Green Certification

program or to find a CGP, log onto hbaglr.com and click

on GREEN BUILT Arkansas.

HERB EVANS

T: 501-733-2636F: 501-679-2164W: greenbriercustomhomes.com

Greenbrier Custom Homes, Inc specializes in building energy efficient homes in Faulkner County and Central Arkansas.

Owner Herb Evans is a member of The Green Built Arkansas Council. He serves as Builder Member to the Board of Directors of the Faulkner County Home Builders Association as well as State Director to the Arkansas Home Builders Association. Greenbrier Custom Homes, Inc. is dedicated to building quality homes with an eye towards efficiency.

Greenbrier Custom Homes, Inc.

KEITH WINGFIELD

T: 501-225-4134C: 501-416-8986W: riverrockbuilders.net

Keith Wingfield, River Rock Builders LLC, became the first Certified Green Professional in Arkansas in 2008 and has also earned the designation of LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Accredited Professional).

River Rock Builders prides itself as the only 100% ENERGY STAR builder in Central Arkansas.

Save energy, be green, save green!

AYMAG.COM . 53

T: 501-868-8900 W: www.curtiscustomhomes.com

FRANK CURTIS

Frank Curtis, Owner of Curtis Contracting, started building and remodeling homes in the northeast in the early 80s. He was employed by a custom builder who built large custom homes and additions from the ground up. A few years later, he began working for a kitchen and bath design center designing and coordinating remodeling projects. Four years later, Frank started Curtis Contracting, Inc., where he now specializes in all types of remodels and new home construction.

T: 501-225-2729 F: 501-225-8094W: bosleyconstructioninc.com

G.L. “BILL” BOSLEY

Bosley Construction Inc. has been developing subdivisions and building residential housing in Central Arkansas for 36 years. Bill Bosley also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. The research center developed the Green Building Standards over the last 6 years. Bosley Construction Inc. utilizes green products in all homes in order to promote efficiency and enviromental benefits.

T: 501-680-1238F: 501-868-4486W: bretfranks.com

Bret Franks Construction, Inc. has been building homes in Central Arkansas for more than 11 years and is honored to be a member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program - which invites only the top builders in the South. With backgrounds as Certified Public Accountants working for Fortune 500 companies, Bret and Jen Franks bring professionalism, attention to detail, and sound financial sense to your project.

BRET FRANKS

BRANDON TEDDER

T: 501-753-5006C: 501-351-3822W: renaissancehomesonline.com

Renaissance Homes, Inc. was founded in 2002 by Owner Brandon Tedder and has since grown into one of Arkansas’ premier home building firms. With 39 years combined construction experience, we are committed to helping customers create new homes and renovation projects that reflect their personality and style, with a unique approach to navigating “GREEN”. Renaissance provides free estimates, consultations & site visits.

54 . APRIL 2010

ROOM BY ROOMThe kitchen and laundry rooms are two

areas in the home where energy saving is

most important. The largest, most energy-

using appliances are located in these rooms;

according to Energy Efficiency Arkansas,

“electrical appliances, lighting and refrigeration

can account for 43 percent or more of your

household energy consumption. For the

average Arkansas household, this could add

up to $820 a year.”

In the long run, it may be best to replace

old appliances with new ENERGY STAR-rated

appliances to reduce your monthly utility bills.

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded

$2.74 million to the Arkansas Energy Office to

launch an ENERGY STAR® Appliance Rebate

Program in March. This program encourages

consumers to replace inefficient appliances

with new, ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances.

saving energy

The program aims to save consumers’ money,

protect the environment, stimulate the economy

and create jobs.

Rules stipulate that consumers must

purchase an ENERGY STAR appliance from

a participating retailer and replace their old

appliance with the new model in order to qualify

for the rebate. Check the Arkansas Energy

Office Web site — arkansasenergyoffice.org

— for more information. Appliances that qualify

include refrigerators, clothes washers and hot

water heaters. If purchasing new appliances is

not an option for you, here are a few tips on

how to reduce energy consumption in your

kitchen and laundry rooms, courtesy of The

Arkansas Economic Development Commission

Arkansas Energy Office:

REFRIGERATORS

s Clean your refrigerator’s condenser coils,

located either behind or under the unit, every

other month. Don’t place your refrigerator

or freezer in direct sunlight or near any heat

source, such as an oven or furnace register.

s Make sure the refrigerator door is closed

and well sealed. Periodically check the door

seals by closing several pieces of paper around

the door’s gasket. If the paper pulls out easily,

the gasket (rubber seal) needs to be cleaned,

adjusted or replaced.

s Keep the refrigerator and freezer at the right

temperatures: refrigerator at 38 to 42 degrees,

and the freezer between 0 and 5 degrees.

s When checking out a new refrigerator,

select a model with the freezer on top instead

of a side-by-side unit. This will save about 20

percent. Also, icemakers, especially in the

door, increase energy consumption.

RANGES/OVENS

s Keep the oven and cooktop clean. Baked-

on spills can inhibit the heating of the elements

and shorten their lifespan.

s Keep the oven door closed during baking.

Every time you open your oven door during

cooking, you lose 25 to 50 degrees or more.

s Complete combustion of natural gas can be

checked by looking for a blue flame. A yellow

flame indicates improper combustion and

results in wasted energy. If the flame is mostly

yellow, have it checked.

s Consider cooking meals with small

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect

the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

aymag.com . 55

appliances. Microwaves, electric skillets, grills

or toaster/broilers use less energy than the

range.

s When checking out a new range or oven,

evaluate all of the options for heating elements

(e.g. solid, smooth, radiant, halogen, magnetic

-induction) and styles (freestanding, self-

cleaning, convection).

Dishwashers:

s Instead of using the drying cycle, open the

door and allow the dishes to air dry.

s Wash only full loads to save money and

time, and use cold water to rinse your dishes.

s Don’t overload your machine; this prevents

the spray-arms from rotating properly.

s When checking out a new dishwasher,

look for a model with an air-dry setting and a

built-in heater to boost the water temperature.

This allows the temperature in the water heater

to be reduced by 10 degrees, which will cut

water-heating costs up to 6 percent.

Clothes washers/Dryers:

s Most clothes can be washed using a cold-

or warm-wash setting with a cold-water rinse.

These settings can save up to 65 percent of

the energy used for hot-wash, warm-rinse

loads. Also, use the right laundry detergent;

most detergents can clean many lightly-soiled

clothes.

s Wash full loads, but don’t overload the

machine.

s Don’t use your dryer if you don’t have to.

Hang clothes to line dry whenever possible.

s Check your dryer’s exhaust vent periodically;

make sure it’s clean and clear of obstructions.

Keep the exhaust hose clear, and clean the

lint filter after each use. Also, don’t vent the

dryer indoors; it will dump not only a lot of lint

and other pollutants, it will add an undesirable

amount of moisture to the air.

s Dry full loads, but don’t overload the

machine.

s When checking out a dryer, look for a model

with “moisture sensors” that turn the dryer off

automatically when the clothes are dry. This

can cut energy use from 10 to 15 percent.

Try these energy-saving tips throughout the rest

of your home:

in the Bath anD BeD rooms

s Contemplating the purchase of a window

unit air conditioner? Be sure to look for an

ENERGY STAR-qualified unit — they use up to

10 percent less energy than standard models.

56 . april 2010

Better yet, purchase one with a timer. Insulate

the unit from the outside with a tight-fitting air

conditioning cover.

s Use storm windows in the winter. Caulk and

weatherstrip around windows and doorframes.

Unplug any unused battery chargers or power

adapters. Use surge protectors so you just

have one button to push to power items on

and off.

s Use ENERGY STAR-qualified CFLs (compact

fluorescent light bulbs) for overhead, vanity and

lamp lighting. The bulbs use up to 75 percent

less energy, last up to 10 times longer and pay

for themselves in six months.

s Always turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.

s Limit showers to 10 minutes. Showers

use less water than a full bath. Replace your

showerhead with a 2.5 gallon-per-minute

or low-flow showerhead. This could add up

to a savings of more than $100 per year on

electricity.

s Repair or replace leaky faucets; a hot water

leak can waste up to $35 in gas or electricity

and more than 1,600 gallons of water during

a year.

in your living areas

s Use ceiling fans to circulate air and heat.

In the winter, reverse the motor to create an

updraft forcing warm air down. In the summer,

make sure the fan blows downward. Use low-

watt CFLs in the light fixture.

s Keep drapes open during the day to take

advantage of the sun’s warmth; keep them

closed during the day in the summer to keep

the heat of the summer sun out.

s Close your flue damper when your fireplace

is not in use, so cool/warm air doesn’t escape.

s Keep air registers and vents clear so air flows

freely throughout the room.

s Electronics account for a large amount of

energy consumption in a home — up to 15

percent of electricity use — some even when

the power is off. ENERGY STAR-qualified

electronics help save energy while maintaining

clock displays, channel settings and remote-

control functions. •

aymag.com . 57

58 . april 2010

The U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit

organization “committed to a prosperous and sustainable future

for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green

buildings.” The LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental

Design, program is an internationally-recognized green building

certification system that provides builders and building owners

a “concise framework to identify and implement practical and

measurable green building design, construction, operations

and maintenance solutions.”

While smaller, practical steps, such as using less plastic,

recycling when possible and eating locally-produced food,

make a difference, buildings impact our environment immensely.

According to the USGBC, buildings in the United States

are responsible for 39 percent of carbon dioxide emissions,

40 percent of energy consumption and 13 percent of water

consumption. So it stands to reason that building green will

make a huge impact on the environment.

“People think gas guzzling cars are the big culprits, but the

fact is buildings use a lot of energy. We spend 80 to 90 percent

of our lives indoors — unless you’re an ‘outdoors person,’ and

even then it’s hard to find an ‘unbuilt environment.’ We spend

time in our homes, cars, office buildings, schools … so, of

course, the buildings use a lot of energy. The USGBC is about

being proactive, not reactive,” said Steve Kinzler, principal at

Polk Stanley Wilcox. He said LEED came of age in the late ‘90s.

Arkansas realized its own chapter of the USGBC in 2002.

“The Arkansas chapter of the USGBC was one of the

earliest chapters; now there are 70 or more nationwide. Our

members, ranging from architects, commercial contractors,

nonprofit members, and others, number up to 300,” said Linda

K. Smith, executive director of the chapter.

“Members can be anyone. You don’t have to be an

architect to be a member of the USGBC. Anyone who has an

understanding of engineering, waste, and sustainability … we

take a holistic approach to building. In fact, the whole idea is to

be open to the community,” Kinzler said.

Arkansas has nearly 30 LEED-certified buildings. One of the

first structures built to LEED guidelines was a College of Health

building at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (the

building is not officially listed as the college chose not to go

through the certification process); Kinzler’s firm built it.

Other LEED-certified buildings include the Fayetteville

Public Library and BioBased Corporate Headquarters, both

in Fayetteville; Camp Aldersgate Commons Building, Heifer

International Headquarters, and the Pulaski County Prosecutor’s

Office, all in Little Rock; and Caldwell Toyota in Conway.

“By 2030, The American Institute of Architects wants all

facilities in America to be designed to be carbon neutral. While

building carbon neutral may cost more money now — our

culture hasn’t caught on just yet — it costs less in the long run.

A building is like an iceberg. You see the tip; this is comparable

to the costs associated with construction. But the part that’s not

seen, the largest portion, is comparable to the costs associated

with the maintenance and operation of that building; in 10 years

these costs equal that of the construction costs,” Kinzler said.

He said the American culture, in the past, has been to use a

building and when it gets old, “to throw it away.” The USGBC’s

takingthe leeD

2010 guiDe to green living

arkansas often ranks nationally at the bottom of the list for this, that or the other; however, we are at the

forefront for embracing the green building movement.

(From top) Platinum LEED certified in Arkansas are: Stitt Energy Systems Inc., Rogers; Heifer International Center, Little Rock; and The William J. Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock.

by Angela E. Thomas / photography courtesy of arkansas.com and the recipients

aymag.com . 59

goal is to renovate and adapt properties for

reuse after 20, 30 years, to retrofit the building

and get more life out of it.

Danielle Shafer is a sustainability building

consultant with TME, Inc. She worked with

the contractors and subcontractors on

construction of Baldwin & Shell’s gold LEED-

certified building in downtown Little Rock.

“The first thing to consider with LEED

buildings, as with any building, is the owner’s

desire for the building,” Shafer said. Then

marry those functions with LEED guidelines.

“For instance, the owner may want to ensure

responsible sustainable behaviors, so we

use LEED guidelines for waste diversion.

In the case of the Baldwin & Shell building,

we addressed the quality of air. During

construction, materials, such as mechanical

units, lumber and sheeting were covered so

exposure to dust, mold and mildew were

[contained]. We also used low-VOC (Volatile

organic compound) products during the

finishing process.”

Light and energy were also taken into

account. The building was constructed to take

advantage of natural light and task lighting

was introduced. “Occupants have the ability

to close off areas and dim lights, and auto

sensors are used in areas like bathrooms.

The design of the building allows it to use

18 percent less energy than a similar size

building,” Shafer said.

Dual flush toilets and waterless urinals

help reduce water usage. “This is important

because most water used in bathrooms is

actually potable water,” she added.

While the majority of the LEED-certified

buildings in Arkansas are public spaces and

business buildings, the Arkansas USGBC

listing includes several buildings under the

LEED for Homes rating. They are in the

CityGrove Townhome development in the

Argenta community, located in the hub of

downtown North Little Rock. Residents have

access to public transportation and enjoy

living in homes that have been built to use

less energy and water, capitalize on natural

sunlight and are equipped with ENERGY

STAR appliances and finished with low-VOC

products. •

For more information about the USGBC Arkansas or LEED-certified buildings, log onto usgbc-ar.org;

for information about CityGrove Townhomes, log onto citygrovetownhomes.com.

Magazinearkansas’ Premier Lifestyle Magazineay

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60 . april 2010

ArkAnsAs’ LEED (LEADErship in EnErgy AnD EnvironmEnTAL DEsign) CErTifiED projECTs

PlatinumWilliam J. Clinton Presidential Center, Little RockHeifer international Center, Little RockStitt Energy Systems inc., Rogers

Goldarkansas department of Environmental Quality,North Little RockBaldwin & Shell office Building, Little RockBeaver Water district administrative Building, LowellCaldwell toyota, ConwayCamp aldersgate Commons Building, Little Rockmars Petcare arkansas Plant, Fort SmithWinrock international, Little Rock

SilvEramerican Electric Power’s rogers Service Center, Rogers Benchmark Group, Rogers Bethel middle School, Bryant BioBased Corporate Headquarters, FayettevilleCoca-Cola ti, RogersComposite a-10 aircraft Hangar, Fort SmithFayetteville Public library, FayettevilleHurricane Creek Elementary School, BentonWooster Elementary School, Greenbrier

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aymag.com . 61

2010 guiDe to green living

Do your cleaning products include petroleum-based ingredients, a

nonrenewable resource? What about phosphates, a culprit of water pol-

lution? Are your products labeled with words such as danger or poison?

If the answer is yes, it’s time for a cleaning-product overhaul. Lucky for

consumers, there are now a wide range of environmentally-friendly clean-

ers on the market.

Before you go shopping, think about what your grandmother might

have used. Making your own cleaning products is easy, affordable and

sometimes all you need is a box of baking soda. This may be a no-brainer,

but it bears repeating: instead of using air fresheners, come springtime,

air out your home the old-fashioned way — open your windows. Clean

and deodorize drains, garbage cans and bathroom surfaces with a few

shakes of Arm & Hammer. A simple solution of vinegar and water can

“take away nasty smells,” said Shelley Green, the owner of the Green

Corner Store in Little Rock, Arkansas. For customers who wish to make

more complex cleaners, Green has ordered bottles printed with cleaning-

solution recipes.

When you do need to buy soaps and scrubs, Green has some ad-

vice: “You can feel comfortable using a product that fully discloses all

ingredients. We try to use renewable resources, so a product that uses

petroleum, when there are alternatives, is not a good choice.”

There are many different products available at the Green Corner Store,

such as laundry soap and hypoallergenic all-purpose cleaner manufac-

tured by It’s All Green and More, a company based in North Little Rock,

Ark., that uses plant-based ingredients and essential oils to create non-

toxic products that are safe for children and pets. Owner Laquita Smith

decided to create chemical-free cleaners after she realized that the harsh

smell of traditional products gave her headaches. Regular laundry deter-

gent caused her daughter’s eczema to flare up.

“When we started washing her clothes with fragrance-free laundry

detergent she got better,” Smith said. “That got me [interested in] nontoxic

and chemical-free products.” You can also purchase It’s All Green and

springcleaningshopping for cleaning products doesn’t require much thought, right? think again, and take a minute to assess the ingredients in your household cleaners.

by Eliza Borné

More cleaners online or at Ritzy Kids Consignment in Maumelle, Arkansas.

The top-selling cleaning products at the Green Corner Store are made

by Chartreuse, a national company that cuts down on the environmental

impact of shipping by sending concentrated cleaners in small pouches,

which customers pour, along with water, into reusable bottles (the bottles

are also available for purchase).

For biodegradable soap — good for personal washing, dishwashing,

or cleaning countertops — try Robert’s Castile Soap, also sold at the Cer-

tified Arkansas Farmers Market. The soap is made from olive and canola

oils, lye and distilled water at the Willow Springs Market Garden, a three-

acre farm just south of Little Rock.

Felted wool dryer balls created by local jewelry artist Tara Fletcher-

Gibbs can replace dryer sheets, which contain harsh chemicals.

“They can be used over and over,” Green said. “They’re anti-static,

and they reduce your drying time, since they’re wool and they absorb

water.”

If you prefer to shop at chain stores, look for products that specifi-

cally list their ingredients; an ambiguous “green” label is not enough. A

great company is Seventh Generation, which manufactures everything

from baby laundry soap, chlorine-free bleach to tub and tile cleaner — all

nontoxic, with fully-disclosed ingredients. Their products are available at

Walgreen’s, Kroger or Whole Foods. At Home Depot, you’ll find Martha

Stewart Clean, a line of cleaners that carry the Design for the Environment

logo, an indication that the products are “effective and protective of health

and the environment,” according to the EPA. The line includes plant and

mineral-based dishwasher detergent, carpet stain remover, toilet cleaner

and more.

Besides the environmental and health benefits of using natural clean-

ers — and the fact that you won’t have to worry about poisoning your dog

the next time you scrub the toilet — an added bonus of green cleaning

is a fresher smell. Just imagine: from now on, you’ll be able to clean and

breathe through your nose at the same time. •

62 . april 2010

5507 Ranch Drive, Suite 103 • Little Rock, AR • 501.868.9882 • tobifairley.com

aymag.com . 63

greens

2010 guiDe to green living

Dining out

A group of Little Rock restaurateurs founded the Arkansas Green Res-

taurant Alliance (AGRA) with one goal in mind — to reduce their impact

on the environment. They approached this goal in several ways including

looking at their maintenance and packaging practices and by serving lo-

cal foods.

Restaurant owners Scott McGehee, owner of Zaza Fine Salad &

Wood-Oven Pizza Co., and former owner of Boulevard Bread Co.; Kathy

Webb of Lilly's Dimsum Then Some; and Capi Peck and Brent Peterson,

owners of Capi’s Restaurant and Trio’s spearheaded the effort.

“Capi and I are both ‘green hippies …’ our parents were products of

the Great Depression, so we were trained to conserve,” Peterson said.

“We began to read more and more about opportunities to [reduce our

carbon footprint], and the more we read, well, to be honest, the more

guilty we felt. So, we decided we had to do something.” He addressed

the hardware and paper goods, Peck addressed the food.

The manufacturing process used to create Styrofoam is the fifth largest

creator of hazardous waste. Styrofoam, as well as standard plastic cups

and bags, are made with petroleum, a nonrenewable resource, and these

products, oftentimes, are not completely recyclable. As an alternative, the

AGRA recommends the use of take-out products made of corn or potato

products. “These products are made of a renewable source and break

down versus Styrofoam that just stays around forever,” Peterson said.

Peterson acknowledges the money factor involved in the use of these

products. “Corn- and potato-based products are more expensive. The

AGRA’s hope is to poll resources and cut costs by ordering in volume.

Cost is the main reason most restaurants don’t use these products.”

Peck echoed this sentiment. “Most restaurants have really seen a

down in business, including us. For many, the profit margin is so small,

the owners want to [implement] green practices, but they really cannot

afford to.”

When establishing Capi’s Restaurant, the duo addressed other envi-

there’s a food revolution and arkansas is staging a coup. whether you’re eating in or dining out, you can eat green and aid the environment while doing so.

by Angela E. Thomas

ronmental issues, such as energy consumption. “We use as much CFL

lighting as possible; we also installed equipment to prevent power surges.

The ‘boxes’ act as a buffer and prevent the release of emissions. Though

not cheap — we spent about $12,000 to install this equipment — we’ve

already seen a 7 percent reduction in our energy bills, and this will allow us

to extend the life of our refrigeration products,” Peterson said.

They also use hybrid vehicles to make deliveries for their catering jobs;

use cloth napkins versus paper whenever possible; and use citrus-based

cleaning products.

Peck has always served as much locally-produced food as possible

at Trio’s Restaurant and practices the same at Capi’s Restaurant. “We

opened Trio’s 24 years ago, and I’ve always used local farmers for our

produce. I’ve established relationships with the farmers. I’m there every

Saturday,” Peck said. “Often, farmers will ask if I’d like to use certain items

at the restaurant, and they’ll plant accordingly.”

From about mid-April to October, Peck visits the markets to purchase

in-season foods. “It takes time to go there, pick out items and plan your

menu … and it costs a bit more, but the customers appreciate the effort

and that makes it worthwhile.”

Peck shops both farmer markets — Little Rock’s and the Certified

Arkansas Farmers’ Market (CAFM) — and often runs specials, like the

Farmer’s Market Splendor, notating where the produce was grown. "It’s

customer demand that can and will cause more restaurants to serve

locally-grown produce and to use more sustainable practices. They will

challenge owners to ‘do the green thing.’”

Bring the Farm home

Don’t let Jody Hardin fool you; he’s a modest fellow. Underneath that

famous hat, he’s storing a wealth of knowledge, and he and several other

Arkansas farmers and progressive thinkers are out to change the way

you eat.

The concept of community-supported agriculture (CSA), according to

eat your

64 . april 2010

the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, dates back to the

1960s in Europe. Hardin said it caught on in the United States in the ‘70s.

“Instead of farmers using money from a bank to purchase equipment and

capital, they get customers to purchase their food goods in advance. This

allows them to fund the supplies needed (seed, tractors, etc.) and even

pay their overhead expenses. It’s a holistic approach to farm planning,”

Hardin said.

Customers receive a return of fresh, locally-gown produce in ex-

change. Farms that participate in CSAs in Arkansas may or may not be

certified organic, a process that Hardin said is quite involved; however,

many use time-honored methods to grow their crops and raise their live-

stock.

Heifer International’s Ranch in Perryville has a CSA program that is

limited to 70 shares. The season’s investment is $350 (about $15/week),

and the produce is all organic-certified and fresh. For more information,

call (501) 889-5124 or e-mail csa@heifer.org or ryan.neal@heifer.org.

Whitton Farms in Whitton, Ark., (about an hour outside of Jonesboro)

is a family-owned farm. Their CSA program is available in half and full

shares; a half-share is $15/week, full is $25/week. Owner Keith Forrester

pointed out the value CSA members get for their investment.

“In July, for instance, a full share may consist of a pound of okra, a

pound of purple hull peas, tomatoes, squash, leafy greens and peaches.

The selection varies from week-to-week; some weeks we’ll offer shitake

mushrooms or watermelon. You simply get more for your dollar when you

shop with your local farmer.” For more information about Whitton Farms,

log onto whittonfarms.com or call (870) 815-9519.

Dripping Springs Garden, in northwest Arkansas, has a 22-week CSA

program that runs from May to mid-October. Subscribers pay $550 and

in exchange receive a variety of the 30 types of vegetables and fruits

the farm grows in $25 boxes delivered weekly. For more information, call

(870) 545-3658 or visit their Web site drippingspringsgarden.com.

Hardin’s CSA program, originating from his farm FoodShed Farm, is

Basket-A-Month (BAM). They serve about 200 investors in Little Rock,

North Little Rock, Conway, Hot Springs Village and Searcy. Subscriptions

run three months at a time and cost $180. The baskets’ contents vary

from month-to-month. For information about the BAM program, log onto

arkansasfood.net.

Hardin is also one of the forces behind CAFM, the Certified Arkansas

Farmers Market. There are about 40 or so members. “Participants have

been inspected to verify that they are the source of the product they are

selling. We deal directly with the source farms, and nothing grown outside

of Arkansas can be sold in our online or outdoor farmer’s markets.” The

outdoor CAFM will open April 17 at Sixth and Main Streets in downtown

North Little Rock. The market, Hardin said, is one of the largest access

points to locally-produced food in the state.

The CAFM has a goal “to create fair trade, to keep money flowing in

the community. Studies show that dollars used in rural communities turn

over as much as five to six times versus only two or three times when

spent in larger corporate stores,” he said. “The goal is not only to create

‘Locavores,’ but ‘Arkovores,’ people who eat food produced by Arkansas

farmers.” One of the more innovative ideas being used at the CAFM is

tokens. Consumers purchase tokens to use in the farmers market with

their credit, debit or EBT cards. An EBT card (Electronic Benefits Trans-

fer) card is the identification card for the Food Stamp Program. “This al-

lows individuals who participate in the Food Stamp Program to purchase

our goods without embarrassment. Everyone is on equal ground here,”

Hardin said. This also allows the CAFM to address the issue of making

produce accessible to lower income consumers. The CAFM is employ-

ing a four-prong approach: farm to home, farm to market, farm to chef

and farm to schools. This past year, they launched a program to deliver

locally-produced goods to restaurants. Ashley’s in the Capital Hotel is

one of their best customers; in fact, they invested money in the CAFM to

promote their services. The last aspect, farm to schools, Hardin said, is

“a biggie.” Heifer International is partnering with the group to help address

this. The CAFM, for which Hardin was recently elected president, will host

a meeting of local and state officials in November to address the goal of

getting locally-grown, healthier food into area schools.

Hardin said, “Eating locally is one of the greenest things a person can

do. It strengthens the economy, is good for the environment — less gas is

used to transport goods — and it’s good for our bodies.” •

(from left) Biodegradable utensils made from potato starch at Boulevard Bread Co. •

A selection of fruit from local growers.

aymag.com . 65

66 . april 2010

Owners Jerrmy Gawthrop and Clayton Suttle decided to take the concept of

eating responsibly, which they have personally practiced for many years, and make

it available to the public. “Fayetteville is a very progressive town in the sense that

there are many local farmers who are growing organically, yet no restaurant served

their products,” said Gawthrop.

The two opened the Greenhouse Grille in its first location in May 2006, and

quickly outgrew the tiny space. “The restaurant was very popular. During peak

hours, we would often have to turn people away due to lack of space.”

Gawthrop had his eye on a larger building in the Mill District on School Street,

and when the building became available, he jumped at the opportunity. The new lo-

cation at 481 S. School St., offers twice the space as well as room for the live music

that Gawthrop had always envisioned. The large dining area, painted in soft earth

tones of brown and yellow,

houses two elevated platforms

that function as extra seating

areas during dining hours and

stages for the jazz, bluegrass

and singer/songwriters the

restaurant hosts weekends.

Though the bar has become an essential part of Fayetteville’s nightlife scene,

the “conscious cuisine” is still the star of the show. Gawthrop, who also acts as

executive chef, picked up on the art of cooking in his younger years as a server and

stand-in cook at local restaurants.

“I would help out in the kitchens when the chefs needed me. One of them

thought I had a knack for cooking asked me to stay in the kitchen to help out.”

Gawthrop earned a degree in public relations and advertising, but decided to go

into the catering business. Through catering, he developed some of the delightful

dishes found on the Greenhouse Grille menu.

The menu offers quite a variety of sandwiches, salads, wraps, gyros and en-

trees. Gawthrop stresses that while most of the items are organic, not every item

is. “Lots of times the word ‘organic’ scares people, which is odd. They are afraid

of free-range chicken, but not afraid of [fast food burgers], which they should be,”

he said, joking.

Free-range chicken simply means the birds are allowed to roam and develop

naturally as opposed to being confined to small cages and injected with unnatural

hormones to promote growth. The concept of grass-fed beef is similar; it ensures

the cows are able to graze on grass instead of the industrial method of feeding

them small amounts of hay enhanced with additives and hormones to promote

faster development. In addition to organic meats, the Greenhouse Grille supports

a variety of local farmers and organically-producing establishments for vegetables,

herbs, teas, sodas, beer, wine, alcohol, bread, coffee and more.

On our visit, we sampled three delicious, organic options. The Caesar salad

was fresh and crisp with a bed of romaine topped with grape tomatoes, carrot

ribbons, sautéed organic shiitake mushrooms, cucumbers, Parmesan cheese and

garlic herb croutons. The spicy Caesar dressing, created by Gawthrop, was the

most creative touch.

The Grilled Free Range Chicken Gyro was a highlight. The flavorful chicken was

grilled to tender perfection and surrounded by homemade hummus, mixed greens

and tomatoes, topped with tiziki sauce and wrapped in fresh grilled pita bread.

The fish tacos, recommended by our waitress, were also worth mention. The

flash-fried tilapia filets had a Latin flair with a layer of black beans and fresh citrus

cumin slaw wrapped in two all-natural corn tortillas.

Other popular choices include: Lemon-infused Grilled Meatloaf, Grilled Buffalo

Burgers and Sweden Creek Farm Organic Shiitake Mushroom Fries.

We suggest you give the Greenhouse Grille a try … there is nothing to be afraid

of, we promise. •

481 S. School St. / Fayetteville, ar 72701(479) 444-8909 / greenhousegrille.com

open tue. through thu., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sun. brunch, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

2010 guiDe to green living

the greenhouse grille in Fayetteville, ark., offers diners a unique option to eat healthy, organic foods, many of which are grown locally. the dishes are not only good for you, but also prepared in a creative and delicious way.foodwith thought

by Amy Bowers / photography by jennifer freeman

Fresh Caesar salad