Going Green Memphis 9-05-10

8/8/2019 Going Green Memphis 9-05-10

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

Change is coming

All around the city of Memphisactivists are seeing a shift inattitudes toward sustainability.

Bang for the buck

A little goes a long wayfor a greener household

The green path

One writers foray intothe world of recycling

Taking the temperature

Arkansas documentary filmmakerstry to gauge states view on climate

First solar housing

project for Miss.

Main street to

green street

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

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

Community Editor: Emily Adams Keplinger, [email protected]

Whats in this issue ...

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10 13

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On the cover: Illustration by Shane McDermott/The Commercial Appeal

U.S. falling behindin clean tech biz?

Recipe for ameatless Monday

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


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The Commercial Appeal S u n d ay , September 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 3

The Green Page

Go Green InitiativeAssociated Press

The term go green seems

commonplace today, but the genesis of itsmainstream appeal began when Jill Buck,mother of three, started the Go GreenInitiative in 2002, according to a May 28article by researcher Rebekah Richards ofA n s w e r ba g .co m .

Back in 2002, the term go green wasresearched exhaustively before I namedmy nonprofit organization, says Buck.Believe it or not, you could Google gogreen, and nothing came up. I looked inevery corner of marketing, advertising,academic and nonprofit sectors to ensurewe had an original concept ... and we did.

Since then, the Go Green Initiative hasbecome one of the top green sites inthe world, with over 9.6 million hits in20 09.

Participants in the program come from36 countries around the globe, andnetwork with one another on numeroussocial media platforms offered by the GoGreen Initiative. My motto has alwaysbeen that it is not good enough to prepareour children for the future; we mustprepare the future for our children, s ay sBuck. Fortunately, there are millions ofpeople worldwide who share this view,and are getting involved with the GoGreen Initiative.

About the Go Green Initiative

The Go Green Initiative is the worldsfastest-growing fully comprehensiveenvironmental action plan for schools,businesses, organizations and homes. Bypromoting environmental stewardship oncampuses from preschools throughuniversities, the initiative works to involvefamilies, businesses and local

governments in the common goal ofprotecting human health throughenvironmental stewardship.

Since its inception in July 2002, the GoGreen Initiative has been endorsed by theNational School Boards Association,National Recycling Coalition, adopted bynine state PTA boards, implemented in all

50 U.S. states, 36 countries and on fiveco n tin en t s.

The Go Green Initiative reports that ithas kept more than 10 million pounds ofrecyclables out of the worlds landfills,conserved 25.7 million gallons of water;reduced greenhouse gas emissions bymore than 3,800 metric tons; conserved34,500 barrels of oil; and saved over 67billion BTUs of energy.

These accomplishments were achieved

voluntarily, with no mandates orlegislation.

There are currently over 2.2 millionstudents and teachers in registered GoGreen schools.

For more information, visitGoG reenInitiative.org.
http://answerbag.com/http://gogreeninitiative.org/http://gogreeninitiative.org/http://gogreeninitiative.org/http://answerbag.com/


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Roadmap in place for a

sustainable Memphis but

policy is still missing piece

By Barbara Bradleybradley@commercialappeal .com

MEMPHIS has taken hits

this year. Its been called

m i s e ra b l e , by Forbes; ranked

near the bottom for quality oflife by portfolio.com, and

dubbed one of the worst cities

for cycling by Bicycling

Magazine. This is in addition to

perpetual low marks for having

Brandon Dill/The Commercial Appeal files

Marco Granados swings into position a suspended section of bridge which willbecome part of the new Memphis Greenline over Cypress Creek.

green line

Walking a fine
mailto:[email protected]://portfolio.com/http://portfolio.com/mailto:[email protected]


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obese citizens.Environmental activists agree we

deserve many of these criticisms, yet theysee new attitudes and progress toward ahealthier, more sustainable Memphis.

W h at s missing is city, county and

regional policy, said Sarah Newstok,program manager for Livable Memphis.We have a roadmap. Its SustainableShelby, she said, a collection of wide-ranging green strategies initiated by AC Wharton with a lot of citizen inputwhen he was county mayor. Bu tnothing has come out of it yet, s aidNewstok. If someone were hired toimplement those policies, then wed be

getting somewhere.We re way behind compared to our

peer cities in things like parks andg re e nways , said Keith Kirkland, formerdirector of the Wolf River Conservancy.St. Louis, for example, has 77 miles ofbike lanes and is working on a 600-mileregional web of parks and greenways.Memphis has about two miles of bikelanes and about six miles of greenwaytrails, he said.

Yet change is afoot. Constructionbegan this year on what has been calledMemphis most ambitious green project:the $28 million Wolf River Greenway, a22-mile nature corridor that will oneday allow Memphians to walk, jog, bikeand skate on a 10-foot pathway all theway from the eastern border of

Memphis to Downtown.Kirkland predicts well have it in 10years. T h e re s too much excitementabout it and too much at stake if weregoing to be a successful city.

When segments go down expect aclamor from nearby neighborhoods tobe connected, said Kirkland. Then wellhave green corridors branching

everywhere, quality of life will improve,diverse neighborhoods will be linked,

property values will rise and the imageof Memphis will move up with it.Memphis will get a taste of what a

greenway can do soon when the $2.4million Shelby Farms Greenlineofficially opens with fanfare October 9offering 6 1/2 miles of mostly paved trailfrom Tillman to Shelby Farms along theold CSX railroad.

Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal

Sarah Newstok, program director for

Livable Memphis, advocates forchange that supports the idea to livewhere you live, which means to live,shop and play in your ownneighborhood and not let itdeteriorate to go build something new.


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I think among the public there is agrowing consciousness for greenissues, said Newstok, and it includesrecycling, pollution and litter. But it alsoincludes peoples willingness to stay

committed to where they live theopposite of urban sprawl. To l i vewhere you live, a local slogan ofLivable Memphis, means to live, shopand play in your own neighborhood andnot let it deteriorate to go buildsomething new, she said.

In August, the city and countyapproved the first major overhaul of

zoning regulations in more than twodecades. The new Unified DevelopmentCode aims to encourage walkableneighborhoods and reduce hallmarks ofurban sprawl; encourage the building of

more dense neighborhoods, whichplanners say are more sustainable; makeit easier to establish farmers markets;allow more widespread neighborhoodgardening; improve conditions forcyclists and more.

There are other reasons for optimism.In July Wharton announced that 55miles of bike lanes would be added

Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal files

To address the demand for bike lanes around the city of Memphis, Mayor A C

Wharton pledged that 55 miles of bike lanes would be added over the next twoyears. In addition, the city hired a bikeway/pedestrian coordinator, a newposition intended to encourage alternative transportation.


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during the next 24 months,and the city has recently hireda b i keway / p e d e s t r i a nc o o rd i n at o r, a new positionintended to encouragealternative transportation.

Also in July it wasannounced that MemphisBioworks Foundation wo u l dmake Southwest TennesseeCommunity College itsprincipal partner in a programto train students for green

jobs including in alternativeenergy such as solar and windpower. The program will be

funded with $1.4 million of a$2.9 million grant thatBioworks received under theAmerican Recovery andReinvestment Act.

Less showy but just asimportant are the number ofgrassroots groups that havesprouted like mushrooms in thelast two or three years. Theyinclude Clean Memphis, whichorganizes community clean-ups; Green Hope Foundation,which provides entertainmentevents for sick children in aclean environment; ProjectGreen Fork, which encouragesgreen practices by restaurants;and GrowMemphis,

administered by the Mid-SouthPeace and Justice Center,which has helped create urbancommunity gardens all overMemphis.

Change is coming. In themeantime, citizens can takeheart that at least oneMemphis institution has

Brad Luttrell/The Commercial Appeal files

Memphis Grizzly O.J. Mayo (left) grabs a bag ofleaves and hoists it onto a truck at a vacant loton Vance Avenue as a part of Clean Memphis'sAnnual Downtown Cleanup. Clean Memphisaims to clean the city one section at at time.

Brandon Dill/The Commercial Appeal files

Susan Pratcher helps her daughter Sarah, 4,plant tomato seeds at the Midtown Northcommunity garden on Heard Ave. GrowMemphis promotes hands-on education aboutsustainable, organic farming and the positiveimpact it can have on the local community.


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received green accolades this year. InApril, The University of Memphis wasacknowledged as one of the countrysmost environmentally responsibleuniversities by The Princeton Review,which included the U of M in itsGuide to 286 Green Colleges.Among its achievements is the newLiving Learning Complex, a studentresidence complex that opened August26 . It is, according to the university,the most sustainable public building inTe n n e s s e e .

Barbara Bradley, 529-2370.

Matthew Craig/The Commercial Appeal files

A decal is posted in the window ofTsunami restaurant in Cooper Youngto show it has been certified byProject Green Fork, a nonprofitcommunity initiative that assists

Memphis restaurants in reducingwaste, lowering overhead anddecreasing their impact.

Associated Press

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif.

When it comes to their approaches togreen living, the youngest and oldestconsumers are advocacy-oriented,while Gen X and Gen Y moms aremore likely to take action and adoptgreen habits for their households, ac-cording to analysis compiled from J.D.Power Tribe Intelligence(SM) Reports.

The report focuses on consumers infive demographic groups: teens, early

careerists, Gen Y moms, Gen X momsand boomers.

According to their findings, teens,early careerists and boomers primarilytake an advocacy approach to livinggreen lifestyles through educatingthemselves about environmental issuesand legislation and supporting causes.However, they often stop short ofadopting green habits, but display fer-vor in advocating for green policies.

While these groups have this ad-vocacy approach in common, their mo-tivations for taking the stance differ.Teens and early careerists embrace thegreen cause as a method of estab-lishing their identities. Amongboomers, supporting green causes pro-

Ta l k i n boutmy generationConsumers at opposite ends of agespectrum are strong advocates of greenliving, moms in the middle are practical


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vides an opportunity to share theirpoint of view and their experiences forcreating change.

Boomers, early careerists and teensare less focused on the everyday appli-cation of green living due to their con-

cerns about convenience, cost and func-t i o n a l i t y, said Emily Cushman, managerof consumer insights and strategy for theWeb Intelligence Division at J.D. Powerand Associates. However, identifyingwith and supporting green causes is vi-tally important to their personal image.In targeting these segments, brands needto be mindful of how their product canhelp bolster these advocate consumers.

In contrast, Gen X and Gen Y Momstake a functional approach to green liv-ing by applying green behaviors withintheir households. For Gen X Moms,being green is motivated by a desire tobe less wasteful and more frugal. Inapplying green behaviors such as gar-dening, composting and recycling, theyhave found that living a green lifestylebrings the benefit of saving money.

While buying products that are per-ceived as green is not a primary goal forGen X Moms, they are willing to do soas long as the products fit within theirbudgets. Much of the sentiment ex-pressed by Gen X Moms concerns thebalancing act they face:

Its hard to live this g re e n l i f e s t yl esometimes when you dont have a lot of

money coming in, but at the same timeif Im smart and look for coupons, itsnot so hard.

Gen Y Moms take a do-it-yourself ap-proach to applying green behaviors by de-veloping their own cleaning products andbaby food in an effort to provide pure,quality products for themselves and theirfamilies. They actively avoid potentially

toxic cleaning products and supportbrands that provide greener alternatives.For many Gen Y Moms, being thrifty canbe an added bonus to going green:

After every dinner, Id stick the left-overs in my food processor, blend themup and spoon them into ice cube trays. Ihad homemade baby food ready to go!Its a totally rad way to avoid all thepreservatives added to most jar baby food

and use up leftovers at the same time.Green topics that are discussed onlinemost frequently by these demographicsegments follow similar divisions. Forboomers, early careerists and teens, cli-mate change is the most commonly dis-cussed topic. For Gen X Moms and GenY Moms, recycling is the most frequentlydiscussed green topic of conversation.

Gen Y Moms take a do-it-yourselfapproach to being green: making theirown cleaning products and baby food;avoiding potentially toxic products;and supporting greener brands.


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DOWN THE GREEN PATH

One person can make difference

By Suzanne Thompson

Special to Going Green

When I first started writing for GoingGreen, I must confess, I wasnt much ofa recycler.

I had always given clothes to Good-will, and my daughter, Sarah, and I had ahistory as thrift shop junkies, but I didntreally think that counted as recycling.

I also reused plastic bags from the gro-

cery store, but lets face it, when reusedas lining in a bathroom trash can the endresult is the same the bag still windsup in a landfill.

Since I began researching my articlesfor Going Green, I have learned somuch, not just about global recycling ef-forts, but also about what a differenceone person can make just by implement-

Photos by Suzanne Thompson/Special to Going Green

Alex Thompson helps dispose of a weeks worth of recyclables at the recyclingcenter in Bartlett at 5890 Stage Road. The center is open 24 hours a day.Assistance is available Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.


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stowed away in a corner, and I wrote thearticle not thinking much about actuallyusing the bags.

After quoting so many differentsources about how much difference onechange can make, like say, not buying

bottled water, but using an aluminumcontainer instead, which keeps the watermuch colder, I couldnt with good con-scious continue to spout facts about sav-ing the planet when I wasnt doing any-thing beyond buying some gently wornclothes, cleaning out my closets, andreusing plastic grocery bags.

So, I set up a modest recycling centerin one corner of our apartment, where I

separate cans and plastics, glass bottlesand paper and cardboard the threethings accepted by the nearby recyclingcenter in Bartlett.

I put Alex to work loading up ourweekly run to the recycling center, and Iwas happily surprised that when we gotthere, it was staffed with the people whohad everything out of the car in a matterof minutes.

After doing this for a couple ofmonths, and with my plastic bag,drawer stuffed to the brim, I decided totry out the reusable tote bags. During arecent trip to Target, I put my reusablebags in the cart and started shopping.

The bags, which are bright red, have theword Please recycle, in huge lettersalong the side of the bag.

I was practically a walking ad for re-cycling, I thought, mentally patting my-self on the back.

When I got to the check out, as thecashier started to bag my items, I said,Oh, thats OK, I can do it, Ill usethese, removing the bags from the cart.

This led to a brief discussion with thecashier about recycling, him sharing that

few people brought their own bags.I wish all my customers were like

yo u , he said.I beamed with pride.I managed to fit almost everything I

had purchased $75 worth of groceries

and other items into the bags andwalked out with only one plastic bag.I was surprised at how much the bags

held and how sturdy there were.Since the 17-year-old has an uncanny

ability to disappear before I get homefrom the store, I found an added bonusof using the bags was that they held somuch I managed to carry everythinginside in only one trip.

I wont lie and say I take the bagseverywhere I go, but I find that leavingthem in the car reminds me to take themin the store.

Or, when I dont want them in the car,adding Take bags, to the grocery listhelps me remember.

I realized, and Im sure the same istrue of many of you, that its not that I

dont want to use these nifty bags, butIm just not trained to do it. I grew up inthe 70s, before the first recycling bin hit

Te n n e s s e e .So unlike people of younger genera-

tions, who are growing up learning theimportance of recycling, we neophyteshave to re-train ourselves to take ourbags with us and to to ask for paperbags, even though many times they dont

ask anymore which you prefer.Naturally, I only purchase Coke prod-

ucts, though Ive been trying to curtailmy Diet Coke habit and drink more wa-ter, which I keep stored in a glass milk

jug in the fridge.

Suzanne Thompson is a freelance writer,public relations consultant and working mom.She is a regular contributor to Going Green.


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Measure your impact to get

biggest green bang for buckNot all green behaviors are createde q u a l l y. Some make a huge difference inyour environmental impact, and othersdo very little. Some cost a bajilliondollars; others are nearly free. So how

does a going gre e n e r decide what to do?

I usel ow i m p a c t l i v i n g. c o m .

The website ranks greenbehaviors on a 100-pointscale. One hundred pointsis an average household,and 70 is a low-impacthousehold. So, theaverage household thatwants to be green is tryingto knock 30 points off its

s c o re .Now, unless you are going to stop

driving completely (20 points off),match your yearly usages in green powerand carbon offsets (20 points off), orbuy enough solar panels to support yourenergy usage 100 percent (14 pointsoff), here are the top three behaviors to

knock a bunch of points off your score:10-15 points: Maximize your recycling.If you recycle sometimes, its 5 points off.If you recycle most of the time, its 10points. And if you recycle everything youcould possibly recycle, it could beupwards of 15 points off. Cost: zero.

10-13 points: Retrofit your toiletswith a piston-powered dual-flushing

system. One flush for liquid, another forweightier matters. A dual-flusher cansave 68 percent more water than aconventional low-flow toilet. Cost: $35

per toilet.7-9 points: Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators. Sink aerators($3-$4) are easily found at any homeimprovement store. Good low-flowshower heads are a bit more difficult tofind. Oxygenics is one Ive seen. Cost:$30 per shower head.

Just to give you perspective, here are a

DEANNA

CASW E L L

Pra c t i ca l l y

G reen
http://lowimpactliving.com/http://lowimpactliving.com/


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few really expensive choices that makeonly a 1- to 1.5-point difference:

Replacing a conventional car with ahybrid (if you drive 15,000 miles perye a r ) .

Replacing your dishwasher (if you

do five loads per week) and refrigeratorwith Energy Star appliances.Replacing clothes washer and dryer

(seven loads per week) with Energy Starm o d el s .

Installing an Energy Star air-conditioning system.

Installing an Energy Star heater.Not that Im discouraging hybrids and

Energy Star appliances, but for thosewho cant afford those changes, there aremuch less expensive ways to rack upsome 1- to 1.5-point differences:

Drive 1,000 fewer miles in your car.Do two fewer loads a week in the

clothes washer.Compost your vegetable waste.Change all indoor bulbs in 1,000

square feet of your house to CFL bulbs.

Insulate your hot water heater andpipes.

Reduce the hot water temperaturein your house.

Install a programmable thermostat.Install a below-ground composter

for pet and food waste.Dig a rain garden, a low-lying

flower bed near the downspout or

driveway that keeps runoff out of thesewer system.Fly 20 fewer hours this year.

Deanna Caswell is a local writer who blogsatlittlehouseinthesuburbs.com. Her first book,First Ballet, was released in October byHyperion. Caswell and husband, Jeff, live inCollierville. She practices eco-friendly livingand raises their three children, along withpygmy goats and chickens.

Filmmakers tryto gauge Ark.s

view on climateBy Jordan Grummer

Southwest Times Record

FORT SMITH, Ark. Three doc-umentary filmmakers from Little Rockare determined to find out how people

in the state feel about climate change.The three environmentalists workwith a nonprofit environmentalgroup that is based in Little Rock,Earth Cause Organization, and theysaid they are trying to tell the truestory of how Arkansans feel aboutthe environment.

Part of our motivation comes fromseeing polling numbers that show

many people dont believe in climatechange in Arkansas, said Rob Fisherwhile working from Creekmore Parkin Fort Smith. I think its really in-accurate and a little bit jaded.

The project is only in the begin-ning phase they say they plan towork for more than a year butthey believe theyve discovered a

consensus: People in Arkansas haveexperienced changes in the climate.H.L. Moody said he has been sur-

prised with the older generations.I kind of expect younger people

to get it, but the older folks are themain ones that, if you can pull thepolitics away, and get them to talkabout what it was like when they
http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/


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The Commercial Appeal S u n day , September 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 15

were a kid and what its like now, theyget it. They understand, Moody said.

Separating the politics from the issuesis one of the groups goals, and its themain way they get people to open up.

If you ask somebody a couple of ques-tions about climate change or globalwarming, they recoil, Moody said. Ifyou ask them a couple of questions aboutthe environment and lead with open-ended questions, they immediately starttalking. Thats what were looking for. Itgoes back to relating personal stories.

We try to stay away from the politicsand polarizing the issue because its notabout politics, and, unfortunately, somepeople think it is, Fisher said.

Claire LaFrance, 26, echoed thosesentiments.When we tell them we want to talk

about the environment, people think itssomething they need to know a lot about.

They think they need to be scientists,which isnt the case at all, LaFrance said.

The most interesting experience forFisher so far has been the related ex-

periences of different generations.There really is no distinction about

what peoples experience and knowl-edge are, Fisher said. We ve inter-viewed 12-year-olds that have an inter-esting story to tell, and weve

interviewed 95-year-olds that saytheyve never seen anything like this.LaFrance said the project is impor-

tant to her because its a story thathasnt been told.

The story about the changing en-vironment around us is something thatmaybe has been touched on at a global-level, but not on a micro-level like cer-tain communities in Arkansas,

LaFrance said. Its when we get downto that one-on-one storytelling level thatwe can actually relate to each other.

Moody said he is also dispelling cer-tain beliefs about climate change.

The most frustrating part aboutglobal warming and climate change ispeople think its going to be like a KurtRussell movie where it all happens inone afternoon, Moody said.

At its heart, this is an educationalwork, Moody said. Its not at all po-litical, and, really, we just want to showthat people really do get it here.

Its also about the story, and notwhether people agree or disagree withglobal warming, Fisher said.

At some point in history, its going tobe an interesting story to tell that

Arkansans actually feel this way, Fi s h e rsaid. I think what were wanting to do isreally get a true perspective on howArkansans feel. The point is getting an ac-curate assessment of what peoples knowl-edge is, and their opinion on this issue.

The group plans to travel the fourcorners of the state, but they are hittingnorthwest Arkansas first.


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Mississippi plans first sustainable

housing project in Jackson

Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. The city of Jack-son and the Jackson Housing Authoritybroke ground on a multiphase project toprovide healthy housing opportunitiesand contribute to neighborhood revi-talization in May. The event marked thebeginning of Phase 1 of a developmentplanned as part of the North Midtown

Neighborhood Master Plan. The MasterPlan was completed last year by theneighborhood residents, the North Mid-town Community Development Corpo-ration and the Jackson Housing Author-i t y.

The $3.49 million project is com-prised of 16 new sustainable housingunits (eight duplexes), and includes ad-ditional site and infrastructure improve-

Photo courtesy of Duvall Decker Architects P.A.

Sustainable housing units plus site and infrastructure improvements markPhase 1 of the new Jackson, Miss., North Midtown Neighborhood development.


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The Commercial Appeal S und ay, September 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 17

ments. Funds for the projectwere made availablethrough the U.S. Depart-ment of Housing and UrbanDevelopment and the Amer-ican Recovery and Reinvest-

ment Act of 2009. The new1,600-square-foot, one- andtwo-story housing units be-ing built in Phase 1 are sus-tainable, liveable, secureand economical.

The project planning, byDuvall Decker ArchitectsP.A. with the Jackson Hous-ing Authority, sought to in-

clude sustainability, energyefficiency, durability and liv-ability improvements whileremaining economical.

The project is expected tocreate approximately 110

jobs during the 12 monthsof construction.

We re very excited about

this new housing develop-ment and its contribution toJackson. In addition to pro-viding needed durable, sus-tainable, affordable housing,we re pleased that the pro-

ject will also provide newjobs in Jackson, s aidSheila Jackson, executive di-rector of the Housing Au-

thority. We re also proud tobe building the first solar-powered housing develop-ment in the state.

For more information

w w w .d u v a l l d e c ke r .co m.w w w . j a c ks o n h o u s i n g .o r g.

Ne i g h b o r h o o d

not new to greenBy Kate Ramsayer

The Bulletin

BEND, Ore. On a cliff above Northwest

Shasta Place, overlooking the Deschutes River,Tom Elliott and Barbara Scott are planning tobuild a super-efficient green home. Their 3,000-square-foot home is designed to use only watercollected on-site, get all its power from solarpanels and wind turbines, and be built only withenvironmentally friendly materials.

But living green is not a new thing on ShastaPlace.

The street just south of downtown Bend has

drawn residents involved in the local conser-vation community and those who like to livesimply in the bungalows on small lots originallybuilt for millworkers.

While several homeowners said they are in-trigued by and supportive of what Elliott andScott are planning for their double lot at the topof the street, many have found different ways toshrink their environmental footprint for years.

Its an interesting little neighborhood, thats fors u re , said resident Brad Chalfant, executive di-rector of the Deschutes Land Trust, which worksto preserve natural areas in Central Oregon. O ve rtime, its kind of attracted an eclectic group of folksthat value those sort of old-style neighborhoods.

Chalfant remembers going to a presentationbefore NorthWest Crossing was developed, wherethe speaker expounded on planned communities,

Shasta Place, an enclave of eco-mindedresidents, plans the ultra-green house
http://www.duvalldecker.com/http://www.jacksonhousing.org/http://www.jacksonhousing.org/http://www.duvalldecker.com/


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small lots and walkable neighborhoods.I remember walking back home and

thinking, gee, thats my neighborhood,but its kind of an older, funkier ver-sion, he said.

Chalfant is able to walk or ride his biketo work, but what drew him and his wife,Brenda Johnson, to the neighborhood isthe chance to live simply, he said. Thatway, he can do work that he finds mean-ingful at the Deschutes Land Trust.

Its not just about saving the Earth,its about a simpler lifestyle and havingthe options to do things you want to

do, Chalfant said.The couple are doing some renovationwork, he said, and they are trying to usethe greenest materials and upgrade toefficient appliances. But sometimes, thegreen options are just too expensive.

You can spend an obscene amount ofmoney doing that sort of thing, andt h at s great if youre trying to make a

statement , he said. But thats notwhat were trying to do.

Simplicity is the goal of his neighborsas well.

Maureen Sweeney and Peter Geiser,who helped found the Environmental

The Bulletin files

Barbara Scott hugs a ponderosa pine on the site of her new home in Bend, Ore.To make way for the construction, the tree may have to be removed but the woodwould be milled from the tree into lumber that could be used for the new house.

Dean Guernsey /The Bulletin

Forest Ortiz, 18, of Madras, and JamalHernandez, 16, of Redmond, right,remove nails from lumber that will bereused for a new home.


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Main street to green streetBy Renee Loth

The Boston Globe

The words u rb a n and fo re s t would hardly seem to belong in thesame sentence, but urban forestry is a

growing field that recognizes the valueof trees to the physical and social life ofcities. Boston Mayor Tom Menino re-cently dedicated a strip of reclaimedparking lot in Allston, Mass., that hasbeen transformed into green space,helping the environment and thoughhe might not phrase it just this way contributing to a new urban aesthetic.

This tiny bit of unpaved paradise like the Joni Mitchell song in reverse is on Everett Street in North Allston, aresidential neighborhood hemmed in onall sides by industrial or institutionale n c ro a c h m e n t s . At only 2,500 square

feet, the lush little park will hardly re-verse global warming. But with sevennew trees, a rain garden of native plants,new water-permeable pavestones, andseveral interpretative signs, it is an idealdemonstration project for the benefits ofgreenscaping in a heavily urban area.

The park is the fruit of a two-yearcollaboration between environmentalists

In Allston, Mass., a formerly paved area was converted to a walkway linking therest of the densely urban community to a park. Permeable paving stonesreplace asphalt and help prevent runoff.


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especially those concerned with thehealth of the nearby Charles River and community development activistsconcerned about the livability of neigh-b o rh o o d s .

The neighborhood is severed in a

couple of places, said Gustavo Quirogaof the Allston-Brighton Community De-velopment Corporation. We wanted tocreate a green corridor to connect res-idents to the largest open space in ourcommunity, which is the Charles River.

The rain garden and permeable pave-ment arent just attrac-tive, however: they pro-vide a crucial filter for

storm water runoff, pre-venting it from flushinginto the Charles. Thinkof it as traffic calmingfor the rain. The runoffcontains phosphorus,which comes from fertil-izers and car exhaust. Itcollects on asphalt sur-faces, washes off andchokes the river with al-gae, starving it of oxy-gen and killing fish. Thegreen space allows the water to filterslowly and safely into the ground.

The project also positions the city toaddress proposed new EPA regulationsthat would eventually require phospho-rus reductions near the Charles. Under

the proposed regulations, businesseswith more than 2 acres of impermeablesurface would have five years to reducetheir phosphorus pollution by 65 per-cent. Towns would also have to comeup with phosphorus reduction plans onmunicipal land.

Last week at a public hearing, localofficials and business owners blasted

the proposal, saying that the EPA itselfshould fund the project.

The Allston experiment shows thatgreenscaping not only reduces pollutionbut enhances the community by cre-ating cool, peaceful, pedestrian-friendly

b u f f e rs .Curt Spalding, the EPAs regional ad-ministrator, emphasizes that the agencyisnt requiring every business to installa costly wastewater treatment plant.We are talking about restoring the nat-ural environmental function of the

land, he said. Greeningthe so-called hardscapealso replenishes natural

groundwater and guardsagainst flooding, a grow-ing problem in manycommunities.

Cost estimates to meetthe proposed require-ments vary wildly, butRobert Zimmerman, di-rector of the Charles Riv-er Watershed Associa-tion, said the Allstonexperience suggests thatlarger projects will yield

to economies of scale. Im sure we couldget it down to $5,000 an acre, he said.

The Allston project did benefit from sev-eral grants.

Urban forestry is about more thanjust managing trees. The Allston ini-

tiative involved several communitymeetings and opinion surveys to ed-ucate the public and gather suggestions.

Kate Bowditch, a hydrologist with thewatershed association, says the greenstreets effort also connects into broaderenvironmental issues. It ties into peo-ples interest in climate change adap-t ation, she said.

We wanted to

create a greencorridor to connect

residents to the

largest open space in

our community...

GUSTAVO QUIROGAAllston-Brighton Community

Development Corp.


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

Philly garnersnational award

By Diane Mastrull

The Philadelphia Inquirer

A year ago, Philadelphia launched asustainability plan aimed not only atimproving environmental stewardshipand energy efficiency, but also at con-verting the old industrial city into aclean-technology hub.

The ambitious initiative known asGreenworks Philadelphia picked upwhat city officials are considering a

Michael Bryant/The Philadelphia Inquirer

Katherine Gajewski, director of Philadelphia's Office of Sustainability, on theroof of 1515 Market St., where the reflective white color saves money in energycosts. White roofs and other programs contributed to the city winning theSiemens Sustainable Community Award.

Greenworks initiative deemed asuccess for sustainability efforts


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The Commercial Appeal S u n day , September 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 23

substantial credibility boost.Philadelphia was named winner of the

third annual Siemens Sustainable Com-munity Award in the large-communitycategory. The plan edged out sustain-ability efforts by a more modern city

Dallas in a national contest orga-nized by the U.S. Chamber of Com-merce. The other finalist was Atlanta.

Green initiatives are more commonlythought of as a West Coast passion, saidKatherine Gajewski, director ofP h i l a d el p h i a s Office of Sustainability.

I would really like Philadelphia tostart to redefine this green thing a littlebit , she said. Its not about just mak-

ing new stuff and building stuff; its alsoabout investing in your existing assets.

As winner in the large-communitycategory, Philadelphia becomes host citynext year for the conference, attendedby 300 representatives of some of thelargest U.S. corporations.

Im hoping Mayor Nutter will showpeople how Philadelphia has changed andis embracing change, said Stephen Jor-dan, executive director of the BusinessCivic Leadership Center, the corporatecitizenship affiliate of the U.S. Chamber.

The award is intended to highlightsuccessful public-private partnershipsand showcase national models for sus-tainable development. Jordan saidGreenworks seemed to have been de-signed with award criteria in mind in

that it calls for participation from arange of companies as well as neighbor-hoods, and demonstrates real concernwith balancing the environmental inter-est with economic and social interest.

Gre e nwo rks plan calls for 15 measur-able targets and more than 150 specificsteps identified to reach them by 2015.

It is a program that considers sus-

tainability through five lenses: energy,environment, equity, economy and en-gagement .

Goals include lowering city govern-ment energy consumption 30 percent,diverting 70 percent of solid waste from

landfills and providing park and recre-ation resources within 10 minutes of 75percent of residents.

Gajewski identified a few achieve-ments, including the citys having se-cured $14.1 million in stimulus funds tohelp finance several projects.

Last month, the city also was award-ed a $25 million grant from the U.S.Energy Department to fund residentialand commercial building retrofits.

Now, an economic recovery is neededso that family-supporting green jobs canbe created, Gajewski said.

Can we make Philadelphia the clean-tech hub in the Northeast? she asked.If we work hard enough, we thinkt h e re s a real opportunity.

In the works

Some of the projects Philadelphia willfund with federal energy-efficiencygrants and matching money.

Traffic lights: Provide 85,000signals with LED lights. $6.1 million.

Bicycle parking: Install 2,600 bikeracks. $375,000.Litter baskets: Install 260 solar

compacting baskets, and 115 on-streetrecycling units. $973,000.

Lo a n s : Offer to industrial sites forbuilding retrofits. $9.3 million.

Water treatment: Develop solarpollution control. $1.3 million.

Source: City of Philadelphia


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

Clean energy

By Kristi HeimThe Seattle Times

SHANGHAI Inside Chinas mas-sive, $220 million pavilion at the Shang-hai Expo, exhibits charting that nationspath toward modernization start withthe humble transistor radio and endwith electric cars and homegrown tech-

nology powered by sun, wind and algae.The largest Shanghai Expo in historyhas drawn more than 30 million vis-itors. It showcases the countrys am-bitions to become not just factory to theworld but a global leader in technolo-gies of the future particularly greene n e rg y.

For a visitor from the Pacific North-

China charges ahead, investors concerned U.S. falling behind

AFP/Getty Images

Chinas rush to dominate clean energy is on display at the Shanghai Expo,where one of six sun valleys looms near the red Chinese pavilion, at left. Byday, the giant funnel-shaped canopies direct natural light to the levels below.


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The Commercial Appeal Su n d ay , September 5, 2010 | GOING GREEN 25

Cash pours into green-energy industry

The amount invested in Chinas renewable-energyindustry has skyrocketed in recent years. In 2009,$34.6 billion was invested, compared with $18.6millions in the United States. These figures include notjust government funding, but also private equity,venture capital and other sources.

west, its hard to escapethe parallels with theSeattle Worlds Fair of1962, when Americanambitions pointed sky-ward with the Space Nee-

dle, and Boeing helpedpropel aerospace technol-ogy to new heights.

The Shanghai Expo,like the Seattle gatheringnearly 50 years earlier,seems a watershed event,in this case heralding aleap in Chinas imagina-tion and a shift in global

economic power.A Chinese consortium

is building a commercialjet to rival the Boeing737. Chinese car and bat-tery maker BYD (buildyour dreams) is launch-ing an all-electric car thisye a r.

But nowhere is Chinascompetitive push moreevident than in its rushto dominate clean energy.

Environmental disas-ters and Chinas reputa-tion as a prime polluterhave driven some of thaturgency. The country hasbecome the worlds

largest energy consumerand its biggest carbone m i tt e r.

Now its investing bil-lions of dollars in greener,more efficient energy pro-duction. Recent incen-tives and policies encour-aging alternative energy

have helped Chinese com-panies leapfrog over com-petitors to lead the worldin areas such as solarp owe r.

As a result, much ofthe manufacturing forphotovoltaic cells andpanels has gone to China.

Politicians and in-vestors are touting clean

tech as the growth op-portunity of the future.But they worry thatAmerican companies arealready falling behind.

Many of these tech-nologies were invented inthe U.S., but they havesince migrated overseas

because there has neverbeen much of a market inthe U.S., said PeterBrehm, vice president ofbusiness developmentand government relationsat Infinia, a solar-powercompany in Kennewick,Wa s h .

Overall clean-technolo-gy investments in China

reached $34 billion lastyear, more than any othercountry and almost doublethe U.S. investment of $18billion, according to thePew Environment Group.

This year, China has at-tracted more clean-tech fi-nancing than Europe and

Sources: The Pew Environment Group, Pew Charitable Trusts


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China has a problem with pollu-tion, said Robert Roche, the chairmanof the American Chamber of Com-merce in Shanghai. Theyre address-ing it from a national view. Our gov-ernment hasnt decided theres a

problem yet.Recent Chinese actions include acap on carbon, aggressive fuel-efficien-cy targets and a plan for $700 billionin investments over the next 10 years,said U.S. Rep. Jay Inslee, D-Wash.,who met with Chinese environmentofficials in July.

Without a bold U.S. strategy, moneywill go elsewhere and domestic en-

terprises will lose out, he said.Its pretty amazing, our lack of per-

formance relative to Chinese aggres-siveness in trying to seize these jobs,he said.

John Evans, an Asia-based businessconsultant, has been watching thegrowth of Chinas clean-technology in-dustry and advising the Washingtonstate Department of Commerce andlocal companies on strategy.

China is going to be both a com-petitor and an opportunity, Eva n ssaid. When the Chinese decidetheyre really going to push forwardwith something, they do it quickly andput a lot of money into it.

That means opportunities for U.S.companies with cutting-edge technol-

ogy, such as software to manage smartelectricity grids, to sell into the Chi-nese market, he said. But they mayeventually be competing with compa-nies in China.

China is putting in place incen-tives, such as tax reductions for in-vestment, to attract companies fromacross the globe, he said.

By Elisabeth Rosenthal

New York Times

LISBON, Portugal Five yearsago, the leaders of this sun-scorched,wind-swept nation made a bet: To re-duce Portugals dependence on im-ported fossil fuels, they embarked onan array of ambitious renewable en-ergy projects primarily harnessingthe countrys wind and hydropowerbut also its sunlight and ocean waves.

Today, Lisbons trendy bars, Portosfactories and the Algarves glamorousresorts are powered substantially byclean energy. Nearly 45 percent of theelectricity in Portugals grid will comefrom renewable sources this year, upfrom 17 percent just five years ago.

Land-based wind power this yeardeemed potentially competitive with

fossil fuels by the International EnergyAgency in Paris has expanded sev-enfold in that time. And Portugal ex-pects in 2011 to become the first coun-try to inaugurate a national network ofcharging stations for electric cars.

Ive seen all the smiles yo uknow: Its a good dream. It cant com-pete. Its too expensive, Prime Min-

Po r t u g a lmakes leapto renewableenergy


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28 GOING GREEN | S und ay , September 5, 2010 co mm er c ia l app ea l.co m

ister Jose Socrates said. The experi-ence of Portugal shows that it ispossible to make these changes in avery short time.

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexicorenewed questions about the risks andunpredictable costs of Americas un-remitting dependence on fossil fuels.President Barack Obama has seized on

the opportunity to promote his goal ofhaving 20 percent to 25 percent ofAmericas electricity produced from re-newable sources by 2025.

While Portugals experience showsthat rapid progress is achievable, it alsohighlights the price of such a transition.Portuguese households have long paidabout twice what Americans pay for

electricity, and prices have risen 15 per-cent in the past five years, probablypartly because of the renewable energyprogram, the IEA says.

Although a 2009 report by the agencycalled Portugals renewable energy tran-sition a remarkable success, it added,It is not fully clear that their costs, bothfinancial and economic, as well as their

impact on final consumer energy prices,are well understood and appreciated.Indeed, complaints about rising elec-

tricity rates are a mainstay of pensionersgossip here. Socrates, who after a land-slide victory in 2005 pushed through themajor elements of the energy makeoverover the objections of the countrys fossilfuel industry, survived only as the leader

The New York Times files

Like some U.S. states, Portugal has for decades generated electricity fromhydropower plants on its raging rivers. But new programs now combine thepower of wind, sun and water.


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of a weak coalition last year.You cannot imagine the pressure we

suffered that first year, said ManuelPinho, Portugals minister of economyand innovation from 2005 until lastyear, who largely masterminded the

transition, adding Politicians must taketough decisions.Still, aggressive national policies to

accelerate renewable energy use are suc-ceeding in Portugal and some othercountries, according to a recent reportby IHS Emerging Energy Research ofCambridge, Mass., a leading energy con-sulting firm. The United States, whichlast year generated less than 5 percent of

its power from newer forms of renew-able energy, will lag behind at 16 per-cent (or just over 20 percent, includinghydroelectric power), according to IHS.

To force Portugals energy transition,S ocrates government restructured andprivatized former state energy utilitiesto create a grid better suited to re-newable power sources. To lure privatecompanies into Portugals new market,the government gave them contractslocking in a stable price for 15 years a subsidy that varied by technology andwas initially high but decreased witheach new contract round.

Compared with the United States, Eu-ropean countries have powerful incen-tives to pursue renewable energy: Many,like Portugal, have little fossil fuel of their

own, and the European Unions emissionstrading system discourages fossil fuel useby requiring industry to essentially payfor excessive carbon dioxide emissions.

Portugal was well poised to be aguinea pig because it has large untappedresources of wind and river power, thetwo most cost-effective renewablesources. Government officials say their

energy transformation required no in-crease in taxes or public debt, preciselybecause the new sources of electricity,which require no fuel and produce noemissions, replaced electricity previous-ly produced by buying and burning im-ported natural gas, coal and oil.

If the United States is to catch up tocountries like Portugal, energy experts

say, it must overcome obstacles like afragmented, outdated energy grid poor-ly suited to renewable energy; a historicreliance on plentiful and cheap suppliesof fossil fuels, especially coal; powerfuloil and coal industries that often opposeincentives for renewable development;and energy policy that is heavily in-fluenced by individual states.

Redesigning the systemA nationwide supply of renewable power

requires a grid that can move electricityfrom windy, sunny places to the cities.

As in many places in the United Statestoday, power companies owned

transmission lines and those companieshad little incentive to welcome newsources of renewable energy. SoPo r t u ga l s first step was the purchase ofall transmission lines.

Those lines were then used to createthe skeleton of what has been aregulated and publicly traded companythat operates the national electricity and

natural gas networks.Next, the government auctioned offcontracts to private companies to buildand operate wind and hydropower plants.

Such a drastic reorganization might beextremely difficult in the United States,where power companies have strongpolitical sway.


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

MEATLESS MONDAY

Break out of the burger routineBy Peter Berley

SimpleS teps.org

Get inspired by the meat-trimmingsteps of SimpleSteps CO2 Smackdown.

Step 1: List how often you eat redmeat and in what dishes. For steaks,stuffed Portobello mushrooms are an op-tion and fish can be another, but because

the carbon footprint of fish is muchhigher than that of poultry yo u ll get abigger CO2 reduction if you dont makefish your main source of protein.

Step 2: Investigate cookbooks and ex-periment with recipes at home. MarkBittman, Deborah Madison, MollieKatzen and the Moosewood Collectivehave all written classic cookbooks withmeatless dishes, but also turn toJacques Pepin, Julia Child, the Joy ofCooking and others for suggestions oncooking poultry to help break awayfrom the shake-and-bake routine.

In this tailgating season, it may behardest for you to forgo grilled steakand beef burgers. Wendy Gordon con-siders alternatives in Local Bar-B-Qand in The New York Times Mark

Bittman provides literally 101 FastRecipes for Grilling with many veg-etable and fruit options.

Draw up your list and go shopping.As with all cooking, if one experimentfalls flat for you or your family, trya n o t h e r.

Step 3: When you eat out, exper-iment in your choices and make se-

lections with an eye towards seeingwhat you might try at home. To be sure,shy away from steakhouses t h e re sno point tempting fate and takewhatever opportunities you can to trynew cuisines and broaden your palate.

Notakeout.com has a list of vegetar-ian menus to try so youll never beuninspired (look under past menusand select veget arian).

Here is a meatless recipe as adaptedfrom Fresh Food Fast by Peter Berley.

For better health and sustainable livingtips, articles and how-tos, visit SimpleSteps atsimplesteps.org

Tempeh can be used as a meatsubstitute in a variety of waysincluding these kebabs with zucchini,

yellow squash and Chermoulamarinade. Chermoula features freshherbs like cilantro and mint, a citrus

tang from lemon juice and zest and anarray of ground spices.
http://simplesteps.org/http://notakeout.com/http://simplesteps.org/http://simplesteps.org/http://simplesteps.org/http://simplesteps.org/http://notakeout.com/


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Chermoula baked tempeh with vegetable couscous

simmer until almost, but not all, of theliquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. If itgets dry, add a little more water.

3. While the tempeh is cooking, makethe couscous. In a medium saucepan overhigh heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil. Addthe onion and saute for 2 minutes. Add

the mushrooms and saute for 6 minutes.4. While the mushrooms are cooking,bring 1-1/4 cups water to a boil. After themushrooms have cooked for 6 minutes,pour the boiling water over them.

5. Stir the asparagus and the peas intothe mushroom mixture and return it to asimmer. Stir in the couscous and 2teaspoons salt. Stir, cover and removefrom the heat. Let sit so the couscous

plumps for 5-6 minutes.6. Check the tempeh to be sure there

is enough liquid in the pan.7. While the couscous is plumping and

the tempeh is cooking, make the carrotsalad. Mince the mint and the cilantroleaves and whisk them into the 2tablespoons lemon juice, along with 1tbsp. olive oil. Add the grated carrotsand the currants and toss well. Taste forseas o n i ng.

8. Check the tempeh. It should be hot,plump and fragrant.

9. Uncover the couscous and fluff itwith a fork. Divide it among 4 plates. Topeach serving with an equal amount oftempeh and serve, with the carrot salad

Pr e p1. Peel and coarsely grate the carrots.

Peel and thinly slice the red onion.2. Trim and thickly slice the mushrooms.3. Trim and cut the asparagus into

1/2-inch lengths.4. Trim and remove the strings from

the sugar snap peas. Coarsely chop them.5. Rinse and pat dry the cilantro. Pluck1/2 cup leaves.

6. Rinse and pat dry the mint. Pluck 1/2cup leaves.

7. Squeeze enough lemons throughyour fingers until you have just under 1/2cup juice.

8. Measure out 1/3 cup juice into asmall bowl. In a separate medium-sized

bowl measure 2 tablespoons lemon juice.9. Cut the tempeh into 1-inch squares.

Grind 2 teaspoons cumin seed and 1 tsp.coriander seed in a spice mill or mortarand pestle. Whisk them into the 1/3 cuplemon juice, along with 2 teaspoonspaprika and 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste)cayenne pepper.

10. Whisk in 1/2 cup olive oil and 1 1/4cups of water.

Start cooking1. Arrange the tempeh squares in a

single layer in a heavy skillet. Pour thespice mixture over the tempeh and setthe skillet over high heat.

2. When the liquid boils reduce the

1 pound carrots1 medium red onion1/2 pound cremini or whitebutton mushrooms1/2 pound asparagus1

/2 pound sugar snap peas

1 bunch cilantro1 bunch mint3 lemonsDried currants1 pound tempeh

Co u s co u sBlack pepper

Cayenne pepperCoriander seedsCumin seedsExtra-virgin olive oilPa p r i ka

Sea salt

Going Green Memphis 9-05-10

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Transcript of Going Green Memphis 9-05-10