Going Green Memphis 11-06-11

2 GOING GREEN | S u n d ay , November 6, 2011 co m m e r c i a l a p p ea l .co m

Camping spots nearand not so farThe cooler weather of fallisthe perfect time to pitch thattent, stoke up a fire andenjoy the great outdoors.

Who needselectricity to makea good meal whenpeople have beencooking with dutchovens for centuries

What’s in this issue ...

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On the cover: Photo by istockphoto.com

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The University Placedevelopment a test inpublic ‘green’ housing.PAGE 19

Clarion Securitymakes sustainablepractices work forthem. PAGE 21

One sermon inspirescongregration to thinkabout God’s creation.PAGE 26

What can you dowith some lint, oldcandles and eggcartons? Make afire, of course.

ALSO INSIDE

LO CA L BUS I N ESS FA I T H

The Commercial Appeal S u n d ay , November 6, 2011 | GOING GREEN 3

Ev e n t sDixon Arboretum CelebrationNovember 5 at at Dixon Gallery and Gardens, 10a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Dixon will be re-certified by the state ofTennessee as an arboretum, a botanical gardendevoted to trees. To celebrate, guests arewelcome to attend a 'Toast to the Dixon's trees'at 5 p.m. as well as tours, informative lecturesand a tree climing demonstration. For moreinformation, call the Dixon at (901) 761-5250

McKellar Lake Cllean Up

November 12 at President's Island on the cornerof Jack Carley Causeway and West TriggAvenue, 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Volunteers are calling for more volunteers tohelp reclaim recyclables and pick up trashdeposited from Memphis storm drains in andaround McKellar Lake. Helpers are asked tobring gloves and older children that can assist inthe clean up are welcome. For more information,

Facebook 'Clean-up at McKellarL a ke. '

Phoebe Cook LectureChanticleer: A PleasureGarden in the Making byWilliam ThomasNovember 17 at Dixon Gallery& Gardens, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Phoebe Cook LectureSeries, co-sponsored by theMemphis Garden Club, and theDixon Gallery and Gardens, willprovide expert presentationsand lectures from speakers inhorticulture, conservation andfloriculture to Memphis. Formore detailed information on thelecture series, please contactthe Dixon at (901) 761-5250.

Indie Style Market ChristmasBa z a a rNovember 25 at Klein Fitness,338 South Main, 6 to 9 p.m.

Get your holiday shoppingdone early with the independent,handmade craft makers of theMemphis Melange Etsy Team, agroup of over 100 Memphianswho sell locally-created,homemade gifts. Admission isfree and open to all ages. Formore information, visitI n d i e S t y l e M a r ke t . n e t .

Going Green Memphis is nowon Facebook. Simply “LIKE” thepage to receive regular newsbriefs and updates about greenevents and programs takingplace in and around the GreaterMemphis area.

The Green Page...

The DixonGallery and

Gardens willbe re-

certified asan

arboretum, abotanical

gardendevoted to

t r e es .

The CommercialAppeal files


At first glance large, wooden bourbon barrels welded with iron may seemun-recycable. To Jeff Irish and Liz Davis, the creators of the Kentucky-based Bourbon Barrel Rehab, there are many uses for the alcoholcontainers after their empty. Barrels that would have been thrown into alandfill, are skillfully adapted into functional works of art. Some arecommon to the South (planters and rain barrels for collecting rainwaterfrom houses), while others are more innovative (wine racks and guitarstands). Each reimagined barrel is capable of being customized. For a fulllist of available bourbon barrel designs and prices, go toB o u r b o n B a r r e l Re h a b.co m .

Micro Greens...

Rehab for old bourbon barrels


Green Snap...

Dave Darnell/ The Commercial Appeal

Tiger Blue and Green

Interested in sharing your green experiences: a bike ride on the Greenline, asuccessful recycling project or a neighborhood cleanup? Send your green

snapshots to [email protected] with "Green Snaps" in thesubject line. E-mail photos as JPEGs that are 1-2 MB in size and include

complete caption information, including the full names of everyone featured inthe photo. Be sure to include a contact phone number in case we have questions.

University of Memphis senior Jordan Kinsley checks out thecharging ports on a Nissan Leaf SL as the University ofMemphis held its Tiger Blue Goes Green Day event. The

Leaf was one of several hybrid and electric automobiles thatwere showcased. Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell spokeat the event, which featured approximately 45 exhibitors of

environmentally-friendly products and concepts.


ORGANIC MEATS are pricey. Ican’t bring myself to spend thatkind of money every day. Can you?

But I have been persuadedrecently that hormone-free,

artificial-preservative -freeanimal products areimportant for myfamily’s health. So I’vegone on a hunt lookingfor sources that fit in mybudget .

Milk: Aldi’s FriendlyFarms brand milk ishormone-free andreasonably priced atabout $2.30 a gallon. Ibuy it.

True organic milk also ensuresno pesticide residue or antibiotics,but for our family, that doesn’ tjustify the higher price. And when Itreat us to some fancy-pants milk,I’d much rather get the straight-from-the-farm milk available atfarmers markets.

Poultry and pork: According toDr. Andrew Weil’s (author of “8Weeks to Optimum Health“)

website, drweil.com, only beef andlamb are treated with hormones inour country. Poultry and pork arenot. That is why when you see the“hormone -free” label on yourPerdue frozen chicken breasts atCostco, it’s immediately followedby some statement about nohormones being allowed on poultryanyway. So as long as I stick withun-processed forms of these meats,I should be in the clear onhormones.

Hot dogs, bacon, sausage andlunch meat: To avoid hormones, I

Karen Pulfer Focht/The Commercial Appeal files

Locally produced organic meatsfill the freezer at the MidtownFarmers Market.

A guide towell-pr iceda l l - n a t u ra lmeat, dairy

DEANNACASW E L L

Pra c t i ca l l yG reen


can stick to the poultry and porkversions; however, we want to avoidartificial nitrites. So we need to getuncured or naturally cured versions.Oscar Mayer has a line of hot dogswithout artificial preservatives (OscarMayer Selects), so I don’t have to resortto pricey hot dogs.

Hormel has a line of naturally curedlunch meats (Hormel 100 PercentNatural Deli Meats) that are good. Butfor bacon and sausage, we’re orderingpastured, uncured sausage, bacon andham in bulk from Top of the World

Farm in Middle Tennessee(topoftheworldfarm.com), which comesto my local farmers market.

Beef: Unfortunately, finding hormone-free beef at reasonable prices is difficult.The most cost-effective solution I’vefound is buying a quarter-cow from alocal farmer, M4D in Cordova (m4d-ra n c h . c o m ) .

The bulk price and mix of meatsreally work out pretty reasonably.

Additionally, the beef is grass-fed,which means better nutrient densityand flavor. I recently put down mydeposit at M4D .

There are at least two other localfarms that I know sell in bulk : WestWind Farms (grassorganic.com) andTop of the World Farm( t o p o f t h ewo rl d f a r m . c o m ) .

I fully support buying local andorganic, but for our family, we just can’tdo that for everything. So until we winthe lottery, we won’t be buying the“g re e n e s t ” version, except when itcomes to beef and sausage.

Deanna Caswell is a local writer who blogsat littlehouseinthesuburbs.com. She and herhusband, Jeff, live in Collierville, practicingeco-friendly living while raising their fourchildren, along with pygmy goats andchi ck e n s .

True organic milkmean no pesticideresidue orantibiotics, but is itworth the high price.Aldi’s Friendly Farmsis hormone-free andreasonably priced atabout $2.30 agallon.

The most cost-effective option tohormone-free beef is buying in bulkfrom a local farmer, like M4D inCordova.


I DON’T CARVE PUMPKINSas Halloween decorations. Iwas the unlucky child who hadto convey the left-too-long-on-the-porch jack-o’-lantern to thetrash, only tohave my handssink rightthrough themoldy orb.

Decadeslater, I have toshake myOctober heebie-jeebies before Iremember thatpumpkins are,first andforemost, food.With Halloween just a few daysaway, it’s time to focus on themany culinary uses of pumpkin.

Pumpkins are lumpedtogether with winter squashes,having tough skins and hardseeds. Harvested in fall andable to be stored over thewinter, the pumpkin’s uses runthe gamut from animal fodderto pie and bread to state-fairb eh e m o t h .

The pumpkin is native toNorth America , and whileorange is the predominant skincolor, even locally, we can findgreen, gray and white. Theflesh color varies, too — f ro mbright orange to pale yellow.The majority of the Tennesseepumpkin crop is grown to beornamental (for looks, nottaste) but some of our prettiestpumpkins are delicious, too.

B eyondde c o ra t i o nPumpkin is versatile,flavorful food option

M E L I SSAP E T E RS E N

Eating Local,Eating Green


Early American settlers cookedpumpkins whole, directly in the hotcoals of a fire. The pumpkin pie hasorigins in this preparation — toppedand scraped out, filled with fall fruits,sugar, milk and spices. Baked wholewith the top back on, this certainlysounds more interesting than thecanned purée and evaporated milkconcoction we see today.

I don’t mind pumpkin pie, but asimple roasted pumpkin, drizzledwith a little honey and some freshthyme, gives the large squash its due.

Pumpkin tastes good. Whilesweet, the flavor is rather delicateand can easily be overpowered byheavy spices or too much sugar.

But the sweet side prevails:Westside Cakes in West Memphisand Muddy’s Bakeshop in Memphishave pumpkin cupcakes. Pick uppumpkin ravioli at Valenza Pasta inMidtown. And I’m hoping the special-event pumpkin bread puddingbecomes a regular offering at Boscos.

While you can steam it or boil it,roasting pumpkin in large chunksuntil fork-tender is the easiest wayto cook it. The skin will simply pulloff. Season with fall herbs likerosemary and thyme. Bake withapples or pears as a side dish. Orslice and simmer in a curry. Don’tforget the seeds. Roast and salt themfor a snack or as a garnish on yourpumpkin soup. As an edible, there isvery little waste to a pumpkin.

Melissa Petersen is the editor of EdibleMemphis, a magazine that celebrates theabundance of local food, season byseason. It is available at variouslocations around town. Contact her atediblememphis.com .

Pumpkin Creamy Polentawith Herbed Brown ButterPo l e n t a :3/4 cup finely chopped onion (1 medium)3 tbsp. unsalted butter11/2 cups cooked pumpkin purée* (or sweet potatopuree, or cooked squash)21/2 cups water2 cups whole milk11/4 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. black pepper3/4 cup polenta1/4 cup heavy cream1 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano ( 1/2 cup)Aalt and pepper, to tasteFor herbed brown butter:1 stick of unsalted butter3 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves or fresh sage, chopped

To make herbed brown butter: In asaute pan over high heat add 1 stick ofsoft butter. Cook until the butter beginsto foam and turn brown. Add herbs.Cook for an additional minute, stirringfrequently. Remove from heat and seta s i d e.

For polenta: In a 4-quart saucepan,cook onion in 3 tablespoons butter overmedium heat, stirring, until soft, about 8minutes. Add water, milk, salt andpepper and bring to a boil. Add polentain a thin stream, whisking. Cook polentaat a bare simmer, stirring with along-handled whisk. Turn down heat asneeded to prevent spattering. Stir inpumpkin puree and cook, stirring, 3minutes. Remove from heat, stir incheese and heavy cream. Drizzle withherbed brown butter. Serve immediately.

* To make pumpkin purée, drizzle largechunks of pumpkin (skin on) with a littleolive oil. Wrap in foil and bake at 350until very soft. Remove and discard skin.Mash pumpkin with a potato masher orpuree in a food processor until smooth.

Recipe by Melissa Petersen


Now that there is a pleasant crispness in the air, it’s theperfect time to pack up and hit the road for a campingtrip. At this time of year, parks are teeming with campersready to enjoy the cool fresh air and admire the red,yellow and gold kaleidoscope of changing leaves.

Story Suzanne Thompson, Special to Going Green


Fall a big draw to great outdoors

all and early winter arevery busy times,” s aidRandy Smalley, We s tTennessee regional

manager for the Division of StateParks at the Tennessee Departmentof Environment and Conservation.

The biggest decision forMemphians may be where to pitchcamp.

A couple of Mississippi stateparks are within an hour’s drive ofMemphis and at least five Arkansasstate parks are also an easy drivefrom the city. The state ofTennessee operates a dozen parksin West Tennessee, some of whichare just minutes from Memphis.

“T h e re ’s a state park prettymuch in a hour’s driving time fromanywhere in the state,” S malleys aid.

West Tennessee state parks offercampers many amenities, such asfishing, hiking and biking trails andother activities.

Although the word “camping”may evoke images of pitching atent and rolling out the sleepingbags, the truth is that most peopleprefer a few more creaturecomforts and opt for pop-upcampers or recreational vehicles.

“Over the years, tent campinghas become less popular,” S malley

s aid.In fact, Smalley estimated that

only about 20 percent of campersin Tennessee state parks opt forground camping.

Whichever method of campingpeople choose, Smalley said, hisdepartment asks campers who buywood to build campfires topurchase it locally. Local meanswood purchased within a 50-mileradius of the campground.

Buying wood is not necessarilythe only way to get enough of it tostart a fire, Smalley said.

“Everything in the parks that ison the ground may be used,” hes aid.

S malley’s office also asks thatcampers burn all the wood theybring into the park, not just discardit .

T h at ’s because pests such as theEmerald Ash Borer can be carriedinto the park and if left there, couldinfect other trees.

Andy King, 32, said he’s beencamping all his life. As a child, heand his family often camped atPickwick Landing on theTennessee River.

King, who always camps on theground with a tent, said Meeman-Shelby Forest near Millington hascamp sites near the lake and also

“F


has a Frisbee Disk Golf Course.Some of the places near

Memphis where he likes to campare in Arkansas.

Blanchard Springs RecreationalArea in Arkansas is King’s favoritenearby spot to pitch camp. Itappeals to him because it offers alot of activities, such as canoeing,kayaking and fishing. He alsoenjoys visiting Blanchard SpringsC ave r n s .

Operating hours for the cavernsare from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

from Labor Day to Memorial Day.They are closed on Mondays andTuesdays from November throughM a rc h .

Whether you pick a campsitethat is minutes or hours away, itwill provide something difficult tofind at a hotel or resort — a specialway to escape the hustle and bustleof everyday life and rememberw h at ’s really important.

“It’s a lot happier to be lookingat a campfire than watching TV,”Smalley said.

Courtesy Tennessee State Parks

Activities at Meeman-Shelby Forest include traditional outdoors activities likecamping, fishing and canoeing, but campers can also play a round at theFrisbee Disk Golf Course.


Tennessee StatePa r k sBig Cypress TreeGreenfield, TN73 1- 2 3 5 - 270 0Big Hill PondPocahontas, TN73 1- 6 4 5 -79 67C h i c ka s awHenderson, TN73 1- 9 89 - 5 14 1Fort PillowHenning , TN73 1-73 8 - 5 5 8 1M e e m a n -S h e l byMillington, TN9 0 1- 876 - 5 2 1 5N. B. ForrestEva, TN73 1- 5 8 4 - 6 3 5 6Natchez TraceWildersville, TN73 1- 9 6 8 -374 2Paris LandingBuchanan, TN73 1- 6 4 1- 4 4 6 5Pickwick LandingPickwick Dam, TN73 1- 6 89 -3 1 2 9Pinson MoundsPinson, TN73 1- 9 8 8 - 5 6 14Reelfoot LakeTiptonville, TN73 1- 2 5 3 - 8 0 03T.O. FullerMemphis, TN9 0 1- 5 4 3 -75 8 1

Arkansas State ParksLake Poinsett5752 State Park LaneHarrisburg, AR 72432Email: [email protected] River2677 Ark. 44Marianna, AR 72360Email: [email protected] Creek201 County Road 754Wynne, AR 72396Email: [email protected] 0uachita5451 Mountain Pine RoadMountain Pine, AR 71956Email: [email protected] PurchaseArk. Hwy 362Brinkley, AR 72049Email: [email protected]

Mississippi State ParksWall Doxey State Park3946 Highway 7 SouthHolly Springs, MS 38635662-252-4231John W. Kyle State Park4235 State Park RoadSardis, MS 386666 6 2 - 4 87-13 4 5


By Suzanne ThompsonSpecial to Going Green

If the power goes out,Doug Thornton and WalterPerson know their familieswill still be enjoying hotmeals.

Thornton is president ofthe Arkansas Dutch OvenS ociety, a group of peoplewho use rustic cookingmethods to make mouth-watering meals.

The g ro u p ’s members usethree-footed cast iron pots,with lids and handles, calledDutch ovens. After thevessels are filled with thenecessary ingredients, theyare placed in a fire pit, andhot coals are put on top ofthe lid.

The key to cooking with aDutch oven is using theright amount of coals toachieve the correctt e m p e rat u re .

“It’s a matter of heatc o n t ro l , ” Thornton said.

Dutch oven cooking goesback at least 300 years,when people cooked over anopen fire, hanging theDutch oven on a hook.

Demarcus Bowser/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Walter Person removes the lid of the dutch ovento reveal steaming hot jalapeno cornbread whichis just one of many recipes that can be madeusing this outdoor cooking method

Harken back to days of oldDutch oven cooking goes back hundreds of years


Southern Reuben1/2 pound thin sliced corned beef1 can sauerkraut drained1 cup swiss cheese shredded1/2 cup Thousand Island Dressing2 cups cornmeal1 egg1 cup buttermilk2 tbsp. vegetable oilHeat oil in dutch oven and add 2 tbsp.cornmeal and brown. Mix cornmeal, egg andbuttermilk until well blended and consistencyof pancake batter. Pour half the mixture intooven, layer slices of corned beef to 1/2 inchfrom edge, top with sauerkraut then thousandisland dressing then cheese. Spoon remainingcornbread mixture over top sealing edge. Bakefor about 20 to 25 minutes.You should check for side release of the poneof cornbread.If the top is not brown enough once it hasreleased take the oven off of the fire and placeit on the ground and cover it withalot of coals piled up and check it aft 5 min. ifit is too brown on one side and not enough onthe other rotate the coverabt 1/4th to 1/2 turn.

Courtesy Johnny Nix,yalleatyet .com/S outhern_Reuben .html

Peach Cobbler9 cups of fresh peaches, cut into wedges1/3 cup lemon juice21/2 cups sugarPre rolled pastry crustVanilla ice cream

Take the fresh peaches and blendwith lemon juice. Add sugar to taste.Bring to a boil.

Preheat the dutch oven. Drape therolled pastry into the dutch oven andfill with the fruit mixture. Fold thepastry over the top of the fruit andplace small pats of butter on the topof the cobbler.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until thecrust is brown. Enjoy with vanilla icec r ea m .

Some still use this method.Memphis resident Walter Person said

he and his wife often enjoy mealscooked in a vessel hung over a fire intheir back yard.

Person agrees with Thornton aboutthe importance of controlling the heatsource. His method of assessing thecooking temperature involves holdinghis hand over the fire and counting theseconds until he has to remove it.

“I tried the other (coal) method and Ididn’t like it. It’s too mathematical,” hesaid with a chuckle.

Historically, Dutch ovens wereconsidered so essential that they haveeven been mentioned in wills, like thatof George Washington’s mother MaryBell Washington. She passed half of heriron cookware to her grandson and theother half to a granddaughter. SeveralDutch ovens were among her collection.

“It’s been around forever,” Thorntonsaid of the cookware.

Although Thornton has been cookingwith Dutch ovens since he was a BoyScout, during the last eight years he hastaken his outdoor cooking to a newlevel. That’s when he began enteringDutch oven cooking competitions.

Thornton has won or placed in everycooking contest he has entered, and histeam is currently the two-time Arkansasstate champions.

Lately, he’s taken a liking to cookingc h e e s e c a ke s .

“Anything you can cook inside, youcan cook in a Dutch oven — 350degrees is 350 degrees whether it’sinside or outside,” Thornton said.

He has made Turtle cheesecakes andButterfinger cheesecakes, and said heenjoys experimenting with new re c i p e s .


“It seems like cheesecake calls myname,” he said.

Thornton has prepared savory food incompetitions, too, and his team isknown for its stuffed pork tenderloin.“Pork is so dang easy to cook in aDutch oven,” he said.

Thornton gets most of his recipesfrom Southern Living or anothermagazine, A Taste of Home.

From brisket to biscuits, Thorntonsaid, anything can be cooked toperfection outdoors with a Dutch oven.

Using what he calls the three up,three down method, he determines justhow many coals need to be placed on orunder the vessels, to achieve the propercooking temperature.

The basic technique calls for the use ofan equal number of coals on the top andbottom of the pot as its size. For example,a 12-inch Dutch oven would start with 12coals on the top and bottom.

To achieve a cooking temperature of350 degrees, Thornton said he subtractsthree coals from the top of the Dutchoven, and adds three to the bottom.After years of experience, though, he canjudge the approximate temperature ofthe pot just by holding his hand over it.

Thornton owns about 50 pieces ofcast iron cookware and more than halfof them are Dutch ovens.

He’s bought Dutch ovens new atplaces like Lowe’s, but he said some ofhis best finds have been at flea marketsor antique stores.

Their prices vary. Thornton said hehas picked up a Dutch oven from a fleamarket for $15, but has seen them listedon eBay for as much as $200.

One of the Dutch ovens he purchasedwas found by a farmer who was plowing

a field. That one dates back to before1860, and is believed to have been usedduring the Civil War. “I call it myConfederate Dutch Oven,” he said.

Seasoning the cast iron cookware is away of curing the surface for cooking.

After the inside of a pot or skillet isrubbed with a light coating of oil —Thornton uses Crisco — it is placed ina 500-degree oven for an hour. Thisprocess is repeated at least three timesto form a protective coating which acts

Demarcus Bowser/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Walter Person enjoys dutch ovencooking in his backyard. Historically,Dutch ovens were considered soessential they were mentioned in wills.


DIY firestarters make use of‘trash’; better for environment

While warming myself near a friendsbackyard fire pit on a recent cool evening,I’m afraid I ruined the peaceful mood bydroning on and on about the evils ofmanufactured firelogs and the toxins thatthey release into theenvironment.

Manufactured firelogsused to be made bymixing sawdust andparaffin (the sludge leftover at the bottom of apetroleum oil barrel)and extruding them intoa log shape. While itdoes ignite and burnmore efficiently thannatural firewood,paraffin also releasesmany toxins into theenvironment including benzene,naphthalene and methyl ethyl ketone.Many are known carcinogens.

Even so, I needlessly spouted off in thiscase because today’s firelogs are muchmore eco-friendly. They are typically madefrom the waste and bi-products ofmanufacturing such as ground seeds andnutshells, waxed cardboard, agriculturalbiomass (organic material left over fromfarming) and oil from renewable sourcessuch as soybean, palm and pine trees.Even coffee grounds, harvested fromoffices and manufacturing plants, can beused to fashion a “green” firelog. Thesematerials, often still blended with sawdustor recycled wood fibers, burn veryefficiently and are toxin-free.

Not easily pleased, I still have a problemwith firelogs despite their newfound eco-ness. Even though they are made fromrecycled materials and burn completelyclean, what about the non-renewableenergy necessary to manufacture andtransport this product? I don’t feel good

as a nonstick surface that Thorntonsaid is as good as Teflon.

Newer Dutch ovens are usually“pre -seasoned.”

Thornton usually cleans his Dutchovens by wiping them out with apaper towel. But if a pot happens torust, that can easily be cleaned offwith a vinegar and water solution.

The Dutch ovens range indiameter from 5 inches to 20 inches,though the 12-inch size is mostcommonly used.

That size is a little easier tohandle, Thornton said.

“It takes a little muscle to movethose things around,” he said. Anempty 12-inch Dutch oven weighsabout 9 pounds.

Members of the Dutch OvenSociety form teams not only forcompetitions, but also for socialgatherings. The team made up ofThornton and three of his friends isknown as “The Redneck Gourmets.”

Unlike many cookingcompetitions, however, there are nosecrets at a Dutch Oven Societycontest. Thornton keeps copies ofthe recipe for the dish he prepares ateach competition handy, so he cangive them away. And he never makesthe same dish twice in cookingcompetitions.

A big part of Dutch oven cookingis the socializing, Thornton said.The groups often get together forwhat they call DOGs, or Dutch OvenG at h e r i n gs .

“It’s not so much a competition,”he said, as just a bunch of folksgetting together to cook, enjoy eachother’s company, and of course, eat.

L I SAENDERLE

Green StuffI Love


about putting extruded logs on a semiand driving it cross-country to myneighborhood Kroger, belching dieselall the way.

And doesn’t it feel a little likeburning money?

So what is a camper or backyardenvironmentalist to do when theywant to roast weenies (100% naturalnitrate and nitrite free, of course)?The solution that I offered at the timeof my backyard debate was ahomemade firestarter that I recalledcrafting way back when I was adedicated Girl Scout.

For these DIY firestarters you willneed an empty cardboard egg carton,lint collected from your dryer (youcan also put lint out on your lawn andthe birds will thank you for helping tobuild their nest), and leftover candlepieces that you have cut or shavedinto small bits.

Fill each cup of the egg carton 2/3 fullof lint. Melt candle wax (yes, these aremostly made from paraffin) in a doubleboiler until it is a pourable liquid. Do notmelt wax in the microwave or oven.Carefully pour a few tablespoons of waxinto each egg cup and let it harden for afew hours or overnight.

The cups can be cut into individualfirestarters and stored in a cool, dryplace until the next time you get acraving for s’m o r es !

By building a fire which is only asbig as you need, using homemadefirestarters and the more efficientnatural woods such as oak, beech,birch or hickory in the fire pit, onesaves the energy and resources thatare necessary to manufacture andtransport the firelogs that might bepurchased at the grocery or hardwarestore. Find a local source foruntreated firewood, maybe in thepaper or by word of mouth, and youget even greener.

I feel warmer already.

For these homemade firestarters take anempty cardboard egg carton and fill with thelint collected from your dryer. Small leftovercandle pieces are melted on the stovetop.

Once the candleshave melted, add asmall amount toeach egg cup withthe lint and let dry.


LOCAL NEWS

A place for HOPEMemphis project chosen for LEED neighborhood pilot program


Memphis is making progresst owa rd becoming a greener city.Recycling projects are expanding,awareness is rising, and now wehave our first green neighborhood.

The University Placedevelopment in Memphis wa s

chosen as one of 238 Hope VI pilotprojects to build publicly fundedenergy-efficient neighborhoods.

The federal government’s HopeVI program was established in themid-1990s to replace dilapidatedpublic housing with mixed-incomehousing. Increasingly these newcommunities are being built with aneye toward sustainability.

Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal

The lake that is at the front of The University Place is a large retentionpond and maintains the rainwater runoff instead of increasing the loadon the sewer system.


“There is probably more affordabilityhousing that has been built according togood sustainability practices in the U.S.than market-rate housing,” said BillCarson, director of sustainability forMcCormack Baron Salazar, the St.Louis-based development company thatlanded the bid for University Place.

University Place, a collaborative effortbetween the Memphis Housing Authorityand the U.S. Department of Housing andUrban Development, replaced the LamarTerrace public housing complex.

McCormack Baron Salazar is knownnationally for its development ofsustainable communities.

The Memphis project was one of threethat the company entered in the LEEDfor Neighborhood Development pilotprogram, Carson said.

Construction of the 405-unitdevelopment was completed in 2009 andit is almost 100 percent occupied.

“We are co-developers of the site andwe continue to manage and operate thep ro p e r t y, ” Carson said.

Retaining management of theproperty allows the company to ensurethat sustainability is built into the day-to-day operations of University Place.

University Place features energy-efficient appliances, all buildings areLEED (Leadership in Energy andEnvironmental Design) certified, andgreat care was taken with constructionwaste management, Carson said.

Low-volatile organic compound paintswere used for interiors and nativevegetation was used in landscaping forthe complex, which looks more like luxuryapartments than mixed-income housing.

“The majority of the townhouses andgarden apartments individually have

been certified by the LEED for Homesprogram at either the certified or silverlevel, so the structures are exceptional interms of their energy use, their wateruse and they all have very highlysustainable material and recycledconstruction materials,” Carson said.

The lake that is at the front of theproperty is actually a large retentionpond and maintains the rainwaterrunoff.

“It eventually bubbles its way backdown into the ground instead ofincreasing the load on the sewers ys t e m , ” Carson said.

Octavia Johnson-Norman, areamanager for McCormack Baron Salazar,is in charge of operations at bothUniversity Place and Legends Park,which replaced the old Dixie Homeshousing project.

Johnson-Norman has been a propertymanager for 17 years and said theseproperties are very different from anyothers she has managed.

“We ’re so close to the Medical

Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal

The new units at The University Placedevelopment are fitted with newenergy-efficient appliances.


District, we have several residents whowalk to work,” she said.

Both University Place and LegendsPark were designed to be walkableneighborhoods. Although they are builton city streets the communities ares e m i - gat e d .

“Each section has its own entrance,”Johnson-Norman said.

Security officers patrol the grounds soresidents feel safe and happy in whatwas once a crime-riddled neighborhood.

Another big difference Johnson-Norman has noticed at University Placeand Legends Park is the lack of complaintsabout electric bills from residents.

Generally the power bill on a one-bedroom apartment is about $80, theenergy bill for a two-bedroom gardenapartment costs about $100, and for atwo-bedroom townhouse, the bill runsabout $120 a month.

Johnson-Norman said there is lessthan a 5 percent turnover in residentsbecause the management company is sofocused on resident retention.

The complex also has programs forresidents, such as aerobics classes and amonthly “get to know your neighbor”gat h e r i n g.

This has promoted a sense ofcommunity that is present at bothUniversity Place and Legends Park.

There is a long waiting list for thepublic housing units in bothd evel o p m e n t s .

The names of about 1,300 families areon the waiting list at University Placeand 1,600 are on the waiting list forpublic housing at Legends.

There are waiting lists for the market-value and tax-credit units as well, butthey are much shorter.

Clarion Security‘g re e n ’ model awin-win for allBy Suzanne ThompsonSpecial to Going Green

At one of the city’s newest securitycompanies, Clarion Security LLC,there are no guards with clipboardspatrolling in pickup trucks.

Clarion, founded in 2009 by KimHeathcott and her husband Larry,began with an eco-friendly businessmodel in mind.

“We realized we had theopportunity to do things completelyd i f f e re n t l y, ” she said. “It all cametogether when we were puttingtogether our business plan.”

Clarion guards carry Droidphones and cruise their territoriesin hybrid vehicles.

Guards stationed in guardshacksuse iPads to document entrancesand exits to the property and allpatrol reports are done without theuse of paper.

When the company purchased itssmall fleet of vehicles, the ToyotaPrius was the car of choice.

“It just made a whole lot of sense tochoose hybrid vehicles,” said LarryHeathcott , president of the company.

Gas consumption is a big issuefor security firms because one of theservices they provide is patrolling.

By purchasing the hybrid


vehicles, which travel 48 to 52 milesper gallon, Clarion’s fuel costs areabout 75 percent less than theywould have been if the company hadchosen the small trucks most oftheir competitors use.

“On a typical eight-hour shift,they are in play the whole timeregardless of whether it is someonepatrolling or if it’s a supervisor, thatcar is constantly checking our sites,so that car is moving all night (orday) long,” said Kim Heathcott.

Clarion customers do not receivea fuel surcharge on their bills, whichis standard practice in the securityi n d u s t r y.

The company diverts the moneyit saves in fuel costs toward takingcare of a more important asset —the workforce.

Clarion has a policy of helping itsemployees out with transportationif there is some reason they can’tget to work. Recently, an employeewas picked up at home in Walls,Miss., to come to work.

“T h at ’s when you reallyappreciate having the Prius,” LarryHeathcott s aid.

While Clarion started off with asmall fleet of the hybrid cars, thecompany is adding to its current fleetan even more energy efficient car, the

Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal

Clarion Security CEO Kim Heathcott (left) and president Larry Heathcott standalongside a fleet of hybrid patrol cars outside their East Memphis office.


Nissan Leaf.The company took delivery of the first

one in September, and has three moreon order. Using the Leaf has translatedinto mega-savings for Clarion.

At a cost of 2.3 cents per mile, theelectric car runs for 80 miles on anovernight charge.

A company car travels about 60 miles aday between checking on the guards anddelivering meals to them, which areprovided during each shift, free of charge.

Clarion’s attention to the safety andwell-being of its guards is an aspect of itsbusiness model that clients appreciate.

Rick Raffanti, real estate manager forCB Richard Ellis, said his company hiredClarion in January. The way the securitycompany’s owners treat employees wasone of the things that impressed him most.

“They take care of their employees, sot h e re ’s not a lot of turnover,” he said.

Being able to retain its guardstranslates to customer satisfaction forthe 45 businesses that occupy ThousandOaks Park, which is managed by CBRichard Ellis.

“Clients feel better when they see thesame face at the gate,” Raffanti said.

With 54 full-time and 100 part-timeemployees, Clarion’s workforce is thecore of the company. Because the jobsare low-paying, the owners feel theyhave a commitment to their employees.

“We need them to be able to rely uponus to furnish them with a full shift and notdock their pay. It helps them keep theirlives together,” said Larry Heathcott.

Clarion’s efforts to do the right thinghave saved countless reams of paper, andits clients reap the benefits by receivinga higher level of service at a lower cost.

“The technology with reporting is

incredible and it’s not just theconvenience thing for us,” Raffanti said.

The reporting technology also saveshis company time and money.

With the previous company CBRichard Ellis used, if there was anincident, such as damage to a gate, ithad to be documented on paper. Thenthe guard had to make a call to the on-call customer service representative.

That person would in turn callRaffanti to report the incident, describethe damages and ask for paymentauthorization for the re p a i rs .

If a Clarion guard detects propertydamage, it can be photographed andsent directly to Raffanti.

“Now, it’s instantaneous,” he said.“And, you always have that record online.”

Use of the Droid phone is an incentivefor the guards to perform at a higherlevel because everything is in real time.

The phones are also used for them toclock in and out, by logging on and off.

Guards record video notes of anyirregularities and snap a photo on thephone of anything that seems unusual.

Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal

Clarion Security uses paperlesstechnologies for guards to documentcheckpoints and file reports.


THERE IS ALWAYS CHATTER about conserving energy andenergy efficiency — w h at ’s true and what’s not and where theinformation came from. We have put together a list of commonmyths with a green theme.

GREEN MYTHSBUSTED

Myth: Appliances don’t useelectricity when they are off

According to the U.S. Department ofEnergy, not only do appliances continueto draw electricity while the products areturned off, but in the average homenearly 75 percent of all electricity used topower electronics is consumed byproducts that are turned off.

VCRs, televisions, stereos, computersand kitchen appliances all use energywhile not in use. You may have noticedhow a cellphone recharger can be warmeven when not attached to a phone. Thebest way to prevent unnecessary energyexpenditures is to do a clean sweep ofyour home and unplug everything not inuse while you are gone or when you go tosleep. The process is a bit of a hassle atfirst, but many people find that thehassle quickly turns into a painless habit.

Myth: Bottled water is saferto drink than tap water

Tap water, particularly in the Mid-South, is safer to drink than bottledwater, and doesn’t create the voluminousamount of trash water bottles do. Somebottled waters have even been found tocontain chemicals, unlike the clean,great-tasting water here becauseMemphis rests on one of the largestaquifers in the country. Buy a reusablewater bottle; the water is not only betterfor you, it’s better on your wallet, too.

Myth: Small changes don’treally matter

According to the EPA, small changescan really add up. Its site,e p a . go v /c l i m a t e c h a n ge /w y d c. h o m e,Lists several small changes people can


make that will add up to savings in theenvironment and your budget. Thesuggested changes, like changing five lightbulbs to more energy-efficient ones, doeslower greenhouse gases.

Myth: Computers don’t useenergy in sleep mode

A computer does use energy while it’s notin use, but the power setting you choosemakes a difference.

Here’s a breakdown:“System standby” drops monitor and

computer power use down to 1-3 watts each;wakes up in seconds; saves $25 to $75 perPC annually.

“System hibernates” drops monitor andcomputer power use down to 1-3 watts each;wakes up in 20+ seconds; saves work in theevent of power loss; saves $25 to $75 per PCannually.

“Turn off monitor” drops monitor poweruse down to 1-3 watts each; wakes inseconds or less; saves half as much assystem standby or hibernate: about $10 to$ 4 0.

“Turn off hard disks” saves very littleenergy.

Myth: It will cost more to coolor heat my house if I turn it upor down when I’m not home

According to Jackie Reed, a representativeof MLGW, if you are going to be away formore than four hours, it is beneficial to turnyour HVAC system off or set the thermostatback. If the system is working properly, it willnot work any harder recooling the home. Werecommend 78 degrees in the summertimeand 68 degrees in the wintertime when thehome is occupied.

Myth: Energy conservation andenergy efficiency are the same

They are not the same. Conserving energyis something you can do by turning off lights

not in use, etc. Energy efficiency requirestechnology, so devices that have built-inenergy-saving features are energy efficient.

Myth: Organic food is alwaysbetter

While there’s no definitive evidence thatorganic food provides more nutrition, it mustbe produced without antibiotics, growthhormones or synthetic pesticides. This doeslower exposure to potentially hazardoustoxic substances. One big considerationabout organic produce and meat is how far itis shipped. That’s why it’s always better toeat local — organic or not — because thereduction in food miles, or distance it takesto transport it from farm to table, savesenergy and helps the environment by cuttingdown on pollutants.

Myth: Hybrid vehicles arealways better

It really depends on which vehicle youchoose. Large SUV-type hybrids still use alot of gas. Another consideration is theenergy it takes to manufacture a new car,which may steer you toward a used car lot.To make a new Toyota Prius, about 113million BTUs are expended, the equivalent ofabout 1,000 gallons of gas.

Myth: Planting trees will fixglobal warming

Believe it or not, the effect tree plantinghas on global warming is directly related tohow close to the equator they are planted.Those trees absorb CO2, by a process calledcarbon sequestering, and that does help theearth. The farther away from the equatortrees are planted, the greater the likelihoodthat heat will be trapped in dense canopieswhen large numbers of trees are planted.Tennessee is one of the most heavilyforested states in the U.S.

Suzanne Thompson, Special to Going Green



Germantown United MethodistChurch has ramped up its effortstoward sustainability under theleadership of its new senior pastor,Rev. Rick Smith, who came to thechurch in late February.

On May 22, Smith preached asermon about the importance ofconservation, and announced a newprogram called Creation Care.

It’s taken a while for everyone to geton board, and Smith said he believesin general the movement towardconservation has been thwarted bydiffering political agendas.

“We have let the politics of the greenmovement affect us in such a way thatfar too many Christians were reticentto remember our call,” Smith said.

Political disagreements havecaused some to lose sight of the factthat conservationism is a calling fromGod, he said. “We may not agree on

Answering the call to conservation

Nikki Boertman / The Commercial Appeal

Germantown United Methodist Church's Rev. Rick Smith introduced a programcalled Creation Care to his congregation to share the importance of conservation.


how to do it, and we may not agree onthe particulars of the state of creationand of the environment, but we canagree that there’s a problem, and we canagree that it’s a spiritual mandate.”

Anne Fritz, who heads the CreationCare committee at Germantown UnitedMethodist Church, said she believesanother stumbling block is the issue somepeople have with being told what to do.

“T h e re ’s a natural reluctance,” she said.The Creation Care program is steeped

in theology.“We believe this is what God calls his

people of the church to do. It’s inherentin who we are in faithfulness to God’scall,” Smith said. “We want to be clearthat our program has a spiritual andtheological base.”

The goal of the program is to educate,encourage and inspire the congregationabout the spiritual nature to preservethe environment.

“If we can educate enough, outside thepolitical perspective, and we canencourage people about some steps theycan take, then we may be planting theseeds to inspire them to a totally — asmuch as possible — environment allyfriendly committed lifestyle,” Smith said.

The Creation Care sermon outlinedsome of those small steps congregantscould take in their daily lives.

Starting off small helps people realizehow easy it is to make slightmodifications that make a difference.

Everyone has different ideas thechanges they can make on a personal level.

“We ’re certainly not going to say, ‘Ifyou don’t achieve X level, or you don’tcome to a particular height to live anenvironmentally friendly lifestyle you aresomehow betraying the intent of

scripture or God’s call.’ But, at leastbegin to make progress,” Smith said.

The church has already begun toimplement several operational changesto conserve energy.

A new waste management contracthas been signed that provides recyclingfor all recyclables the church uses.

The church has switched fromStyrofoam to recyclable plastic cups, andmany people have coffee mugs they useduring Sunday school.

Energy use in the eight buildingsspread over the church’s 14-acreproperty is being examined. Eventuallychurch administrators would like toinstall motion-sensitive lightingthroughout the church. Motion-sensitivelights have already been installed inmost of the restrooms and other high-traffic areas, according to chiefadministrator Don Rhoads.

Rhoads said they are examiningreplacing the computer systems thatgovern the church’s scheduling andtemperature control.

“We don’t have the ability, right now,to drive temperature by our schedules,but we are going to be shooting in thefuture at being able to marry those two.”

This will make a big change in thec h u rc h ’s energy usage, Rhoads said.

The church is currently building anoutdoor worship center, the EdwinSmith Worship Center. The semicirculardesign features simple tiered seating,Rhoads said, and “we are incorporatingall of the trees possible.”

Rhoads said that’s just one componentof the effort to change not only theoperation of the church but the mindsetof its members.

Going Green Memphis 11-06-11

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