Going Green Memphis 02-27-11

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GOING GREEN | March 2011

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FROM THE EDITOR

The great (milk?) debateFor about a year now, the topic of this magazine has become a big part of my life at work and at home. And as the art of going green moves into the mainstream, one thing doesnt seem to change. Theres always an issue to debate. Climate change. Renewable energy. Organics. An escalating point of contention in the local food movement is the issue of raw milk non-pasteurized, nonhomogenized milk. The raw milk debate has been going on since pasteurization was instituted in the 1920s to combat tuberculosis and other diseases. Raw-milk advocates view it as natures perfect food. Pasteurization, they say, destroys beneficial micro-organisms. They burn the good with the bad, said Walter Haybert, who is owner of Evergreen Farm in Middleton. But opponents argue that the benefits dont justify the risk involved. As with so many of these issues, you have to decide.

Raise your profileElevate your companys profile within the Green Community. Send us a short article or a project outline for consideration in Going Green, explaining what you are doing to green up your lifestyle? Include your preferred contact phone number.

Send in your e-mail addressWell share information and resources to help readers of Going Green swap money-saving tips and information related to green issues and events. Send to [email protected]. You can also follow Going Green on Facebook and at twitter.com/GoGreenMemphis .

Editor: Kim Coleman, 529-5243, [email protected] Community Editor: Emily Adams Keplinger, [email protected]

The Commercial Appeal

March 2011 | GOING GREEN

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Whats in this issue ...LOCAL NEWS

20 24 12The raw storyThe dairy case is stocked with every kind of milk. Whole. Reduced-fat. Buttermilk. Even soy. What you wont see is raw or real milk.TRANSPORTATION

Animal rescue groups turn rags to riches by practicing the 3Rs Rhodes College adds two new environmental science majors Got junk? One mans trash is anothers success story

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BUSINESS

HOME

Melissa Bridgmans pottery business inspired by simplicity, natural world with a vintage flair. PAGE 34On the cover: Artwork by Jorge Arrieta

Terry McAuliffe, CEO of Greentech Automotive, believes renewable energy autos are the future. PAGE 40

Couples classic dcor evokes memories, makes unique personal statement. PAGE 52

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Micro Greens...

The art of UPCYCLINGPrivate First Class Rupert Valero is currently stationed in Khandahar, Afghanistan and has connected with the locals through toys. These are not just any homemade toys, however. Valero uses recycled materials such as water bottle caps and plastic forks to make robot-like action figures during his downtime. Each toy is distinctly different, imaginative and whimsy in it's own special way. A handful of these unique toys are being sold for $15 and $20 at Valero's Etsy store and more pictures of his work can be found on Flickr at rupert_valero.- Courtsey of treehugger.com

Eco kid crafts

Created by a teacher of 20 years who said non-toxic school and art supplies are not good enough for my little ones, Clementine Art wants to bring art and all-natural materials together as one. Flour, water, caramel and lemon extract are some of the ingredients that make up crafts like crayons, glue, paint, markers, dough and more. If a parent needs to know what else is in these, they can look up all the ingredients on ClementineArt.com. These safe and kid-friendly art supplies are available at Whole Foods Market on Poplar.



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Green Snap...

Setting the courseVolunteers are needed to help draft maps that detail city routes that are best for walking and cycling. With the help of bicycle enthusiasts, Walk Bike Memphis hopes to get constructive feedback on which streets have signs that need to be replaced or which stretches of road are too narrow for bicycling, for example. Descriptive information from bikers and walkers in the know can be directed via email to Tina Sullivan at [email protected] using the new Shelby Farms Greenline cross Highland avenue as cars stop for them at the cross walk. Photo by Mike Brown of The Commercial Appeal. Interested in sharing your green experiences: a bike ride on the Greenline, a successful recycling project or a neighborhood cleanup? Send your photos to [email protected] with "Green Snaps" in the subject line.

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Green Page...Family Farm Fest March 19 at 14281 State Line Road in Olive Branch. 1-5 p.m. Our Family Farm LLCwill host a Family Farm Fest from to celebrate National Ag Day. The theme is American Agriculture: Your Food. Your Farmer. Admission is free. There will be a petting zoo, farming demonstrations, and livestock exhibits. For more information, call Carolyn Neergaard at (662) 893-7888 or visit ourfamilyfarmtours.com

EventsPreservation SeriesMarch 7 at 2282 Madison in Midtown. March 7April 2. Five-part series.

Nature walk March 20 at the Memphis Botanic Garden. 1 p.m. The Memphis Botanic Garden will host a Signs of Spring Walk. Participants should meet at the MBG Visitors Center for a tour of the grounds of the Botanic Garden with Master Gardener Judith Hammond. The program is free with garden admission. No registration necessary. For more information, call 636-4128.

Memphis Heritage will host its annual Preservation Series beginning March 7. The series will explore Mid-Century Modernism in Memphis architecture from the twentieth century. These structures are disappearing from the built environment as most have not been designated eligible for the National Register. The series will be led by renowned members of The American Institute of Architects, as well as noted modernist professionals, and concludes April 2 with a guided tour of Memphis College of Art. Tickets for the five-part series are $50 for members and $60 for non-members, available online at memphisheritage.org. Individual session tickets will not be available for purchase. Questions? Call 272-2727.



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ProgramsGreen grants The EPA Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) grant period is now open and EPA is accepting applications until March 22. EPA is making approximately $2 million available in 2011 to reduce pollution at the local level through the CARE program. To learn more about these grants, visit epa.gov/care/ On the right-hand side of the web page, a click on learn more to go to the RFP and upcoming informational webcasts. Conservation TV show The Nature of Conservation is presented by Sierra Club Chickasaw Group as a Cable TV Show on WYPLTV 18 (Comcast). Days and times vary see memphislibrary.org/tlc18/schedule/ (or the Comcast on-screen guide) for the latest schedule. Topic changes every month. Got an idea for a future program? Contact Judith Rutschman at [email protected] or call 767-5916. Spring hours The trails at the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center reopened for the season on March 1. The center had been closed during the winter to manage their deer population, keeping the herd and ecosystem healthy. For more information, call (662) 252-1155 or visit strawberryplains.audubon.org Going Green Memphis is now on Facebook. Simply LIKE the page to receive regular news briefs and updates about green events and programs taking place in and around the Greater Memphis area.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

We asked...What are some clean ways you deal with mold in your house? How do you get rid of it without using harsh chemicals or bleach?

You said...Jana Gilbertson: Ive used the allpurpose standby, vinegar. Im no expert, but in my experience, if you wipe all the mold off with a damp cloth, spray the area with vinegar and scrub it really well, then dry the whole area out with fans, dehumidifiers, etc...that should get rid of everything you see. Figure out how to keep the moisture out and mold shouldnt return. Again, this is just whats worked for me. Carol Ripa Roy: Half and half of hydrogen peroxide and white vinager in spray bottle. ? Melissa McGuire Bridgman: Straight hydrogen peroxide in a nonsee-through spray bottle. Cathleen Zinkus: I highly recommend the Shark hand held steamer for dealing with mold in the bathroom. It has about 15 different attachments. It also works well for general cleaning and is a must for wallpaper removal.

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Beware of toxic mercury inside home's compact fluorescent bulbsIN MY LAST COLUMN, I talked about the benefits of compact fluorescent light bulbs over incandescent and how to avoid some of their problems. But, I held out one so I could dedicate a whole column to it: Mercury. Mercury is a toxic element, and is currently an unavoidable part of CFLs. Each CFL contains about 5 mg of mercury, equivalent to the tip of a ballpoint pen. For comparison, those DEANNA old mercury CASWELL thermometers we all used as kids had 0.5 to 3 Practically grams of mercury in Green them. And like the thermometers, the mercury in CFLs is released only if the glass is broken. Broken bulbs release mercury vapor and a mercurycontaining phosphor powder.

3. Sweep up the shards (no vacuum) 4. Wipe the floor with a damp disposable towel. 5. Put all of that in a plastic bag.

Environmental exposureFirst, its important to know that coalburning energy plants put off mercury, too. And that over the life of an incandescent bulb, the coal-fired power plant will put off about 13.3 mg of mercury, compared with 3.3 mg for the CFL. A larger problem is spent bulbs tossed into the trash. Once in the landfill, the bulbs will almost surely break. And we dont want mercury in the soil and ground water. In fact, a new Tennessee law (Public Chapter 840) was passed last year that prevents businesses employing more than 10 people or occupying buildings more than 3,000 square feet from tossing their CFLs in the trash. Many states have laws that dont allow homeowners to do it, either.

Home exposureIf you break a bulb, dont freak out. According to energystar.gov, the biggest danger of breaking a CFL in your home is getting cut on the glass. Now, if you break 65 bulbs at once leave the house. But one bulb: 1. Open a window, if possible 2. Leave the room for a few minutes to let the vapor dissipate.

Proper CFL disposalAny Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware and IKEA store will recycle them for you. Energy Star bulbs have a two-year warranty, if one of those goes out early, you can take it back to the retailer. The Shelby County Hazardous Waste



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Facility (6305 Haley Road) will also properly dispose of your used CFLs. If none of these facilities are an option for you, there are mail-back programs available like lamprecycling.com. Ive also seen some recommendations to place your bulbs in a crush-proof container before tossing in the bin. But if these options are not available, just make sure your sanitation folks dont use an incinerator. That is bad news for mercury. So, overall, even if you have to toss them in the trash, the total mercury exposure to the environment is less than incandescent bulbs. But lets not be lazy.

Lowes (left) and Home Depot have CFL recycling programs that are available at area stores. Simply take your CFL to the store, and drop it into their recycle-disposal bin free of charge. The stores ensure the compact fluorescent bulb is properly disposed of, so the mercury in the the bulb does not harm our environment. It may soon be illegal to throw them in the landfill. Get used to hauling them to the home improvement stores. Before writing this article I had no idea I was doing it wrong. Dang, now I need ANOTHER box in the garage.Deanna Caswell is a local writer who blogs at littlehouseinthesuburbs.com. Her first book, First Ballet, was released this year by Hyperion. Caswell and her husband, Jeff, live in Collierville. She practices eco-friendly living while raising their three children, along with pygmy goats and chickens.

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Regional sourcing is as close as you can get for orangesBy Melissa PetersenSpecial to The Commercial Appeal

You dont see many orange trees here in Memphis. There are a few protected in courtyards. Dwarf varieties can be grown in pots and moved indoors for the winter, but youll need to look further south to find orange groves. While we frequently tout the benefits of local food, when it comes to certain varieties of produce, sourcing regionally is the way to MELISSA go. PETERSEN An orange from Florida packs on fewer Eating Local, Eating Green miles than one trucked in from California. Choosing to spend your food dollars on locally grown doesnt mean you shouldnt treat yourself to regional specialties. Oranges and other citrus are a bit of sunshine in winter, and we all deserve that. The orange is thought to have originated in southwest China and northwest India. As oranges grow best in tropical and subtropical environments, commercial cultivation is now concentrated in the Americas. We are all probably most familiar with

sweet oranges Valencia and navel are the most common varieties. However, bitter oranges, such as Seville, are used to flavor maramalade as well as Curaao and Grand Marnier liqueurs, and the essential oil from the Bergamot orange is what gives Earl Grey tea its distinctive flavor. The fruit ripens on the tree and is characterized by its tight rind (the orange-colored skin, also called zest); the thick white, bitter pith; and segmented fruit. Select fruits that feel heavy for their size, store in the refrigerator, and wash the skins well before using the zest (commercial sources wax the rind). A medium orange yields 2 to 3 tablespoons of zest, which is loaded with orange flavor, so dont let it go to waste. Zest can be removed from an orange using a special tool, such as a microplane zester, but a fine-hole grater or vegetable peeler works just fine, too. Chop the zest finely before adding to dressings, marinades, sauces, or baked goods, or freeze for future use. Sweet oranges are at their peak from December through April, giving us a great fruit option for those who like to eat seasonally. Use fresh orange juice as a substitute for lemon juice in dressings and marinades. Add orange segments to



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Three Kings Salad2 large beets, cooked, peeled, chilled and sliced (can substitute canned beets) 23 oranges, peeled and cut into segments red onion, sliced thin 1 tbsp. honey 1 tbsp. stone ground or Dijon mustard 1 /8 cup champagne or rice wine vinegar 1 /3 cup olive oil salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, mustard and vinegar. Slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Skip lettuce, unless you want to make the plate look pretty, and gently toss beets, oranges and onion. Drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Candied Orange Peel2 cups water, divided cup granulated sugar 2-3 oranges, washed Additional granulated sugarRon Chapple

Oranges from Florida bring a little taste of sunshine during wintertime, so treat yourself. lettuce or grain salads. Use the zest in baked goods. A fresh squeeze of orange juice is a nice twist for fish, vegetables, beef, chicken and pork. Candy the peel to use as garnish on baked goods and salads.Melissa Petersen is the editor of Edible Memphis, a magazine that celebrates the abundance of local food, season by season. It is available at various locations around town. Contact her at ediblememphis.com . Her column will run every other week in Going Green.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove peel from oranges. Cut the peel into 1/8-inch thick strips. In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Blanch orange peel in the boiling water for 1 minute. Drain. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup of water. Over medium-high heat, stir liquid until sugar is dissolved. Bring liquid to a simmer and add blanched orange peel. Simmer until peel is translucent, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool. Toss, peel in granulated sugar until coated. Store peel uncovered with a little extra sugar in a container. Use candied peel in cookies, to garnish cakes or cupcakes, or event atop salads. Note: You can candy almost any citrus peel (lemon, lime and grapefruit are also delicious), but be warned that homemade candied peel is addictive.

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rawadvocates claim that the unpasteurized stuff tastes better, and even that raw milk is a sort of superfood, chock-full of nutrients and enzymesSTORY BY JIM COLEMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL MCMULLAN

From coast to coast, the issue of raw milk is quickly emerging from obscurity to one of the most contentious of the local food movement. Nothing illustrates this better than the raid on Rawesome Foods in the seaside community of Venice (CA) last summer. Without warning, investigators entered the health food store with a search warrant and ordered workers to stop what they were doing. Four uniformed officers with guns drawn fanned out across the store in search of their contraband raw milk and its related products. "I still can't believe they took our yogurt. There's a medical marijuana shop a couple miles away, and they're raiding us because we're selling raw dairy products," one astonished employee told an L.A. Times reporter. Fortunately, reaction to Tennessees growing raw milk industry hasnt been quite as hyperbolic. Currently the states raw milk dairies are operating under the herd-share program.

pasteurizedon the other side public health advocates dispute the health benefits, and say that raw milk is inherently risky

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raw storyThe most natural milk to drink is raw or unprocessed whole milk. It retains all the vitamins, minerals, good bacteria and enzymes. The next best thing to unprocessed milk is Low Temperature Pasteurization. In this, the milk is heated in a vat up to the minimum temperature required by law. The next method, used by industrial scale operations, is the HighTemperature-ShortTime (HTST) method. The third method used is the Ultra High Temperature (UHT) method. It kills any and all bacteria and enzymes. By heating to the minimum required temperature, many of the nutrients can be preserved while still meeting safety guidelines. Check out realmilk.com for more in-depth information on the pros and cons of the pasteurization process. Source: utterlyfresh.com

Similar to that of many states, the program allows a customer to buy a portion of the herd in order to legally gain access to the raw milk and its related products from the animal. Tennessee also allows milk providers to sell its product as pet quality. This basically allows the dairy to put its product on the market. What the buyer does with it at that point is their business. As long as you have an annual feed license, you can sell raw milk as feed, said Walter Haybert, owner of Evergreen Farms in Middleton, which is the only raw milk provider in West Tennessee. Haybert credits Rep. Frank Nicely (R-Knoxville) for his work in clearing up any ambiguity in the state laws concerning raw milk. Previously the law wasnt specific enough, said Haybert. We spoke with Rep. Nicely and he introduced a bill based on the conversations. We believe that their will be further amendments to avoid any confusion. Proponents of raw milk argue that the process of pasteurization robs the milk of many of its most essential nutrients. It is also common for regular drinkers of raw milk to credit it with ameliorating digestive ailments and strengthening the immune system to name a few. One such advocate is Sally Fallon Morell. As co-founder and president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, based in Washington D.C., she and her non-profit are currently highlighting the issue with a Campaign for Real Milk



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which stresses the benefits of unpasteurized milk. Raw milk is easier to digest than pasteurized milk so you absorb all the nutrients in the milk. The enzymes actually strengthen the intestinal wall and strengthen the immune system to protect against things like asthma and allergies. With pasteurization all the enzymes are destroyed. They burn the good with the bad, Haybert agreed. You have prior to pasteurization good and bad bacteria in milk. All that nutrition is no longer there after commercial pasteurization, he said. Haybert also points out that his milk has no hormones or antibiotics present, unlike most pasteurized milk obtained from large-scale dairies. Proponents point out that living conditions for the cows on raw milk dairies are often healthier. Their herds are kept in free-stall barns huge facilities and the cow lives, eats, goes to the bathroom and sleeps in the same stall. The only time they walk them is to the milking parlors. They milk several hundred in a couple of hours, Haybert said. We clean them up before we milk them and then we

herd shares & pet qualityWhat does pet quality mean and how does it apply to milk? In Tennessee, it is illegal to drink raw milk. You may, legally, purchase unpasteurized milk as pet food. Farms have to buy a license to sell animal feed, then put a label on the milk that says Pet Quality Not for human consumption. While the law recognizes and allows fresh milk to be sold as Pet Quality, the butter, kefir, cream, half & half, buttermilk and any cheeses offered do require that you buy a herd share. In May of 2009 the Tennessee legislature changed the law by adding the word partial so the law now reads an owner or partial owner of a hoofed animal may legally consume the products from that animal. So now you can buy a share of a herd and legally put fresh cream in your coffee.Source: utterlyfresh.com

Justin Shaw/The Commercial Appeal files

Walt & Jan Haybert of Evergreen Farm take part in the herd share program for raw milk: unpasterized, unhomoginized milk.

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take them back out (to pasture). Our process is a little more personalized in regards to the cow. While Haybert, Morrell, and employees of Rawsome see raw milk as a super food rich with nutrients and other good stuff its the potential for the other, not so healthy, things to make there way into the milk that concerns many. Generally, these concerns center around fecalborn bacteria like Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria three of the main contaminants that can make their way into milk. Pasteurization, which heats the milk to high temperatures, effectively kills any bacteria present. From 1998 to 2008, 85 outbreaks of human infections resulting from consumption of raw milk were reported to CDC. These outbreaks included a total of 1,614 reported illnesses, 187 hospitalizations and 2 deaths, said Siobhan Delancey, Food and Drug Administration. Dawn Jackson Blatner, a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, shares many of the same concerns as Delancey. However, she said that if you are going to drink raw milk you should know your farmer to make sure that they run a sanitary operation. Blatner also points out that, while raw milk may be nutrient rich, it may be lacking some nutrients that pasteurized milk has. An important fact to remember is that raw milk is not fortified with vitamin D, a nutrient we fall short on, and is difficult for most people to get without eating fortified foods. While the back and forth over the safety and nutritional value of raw milk rages on, one thing is for certain it wont end soon. According to Morell, the raw milk movement is growing, giving a nationwide ballpark figure of 700-800 dairies. We have seen a five to six fold increase (in raw milk providers) in the last few year.

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esh achOur cows are grass fed, Jersey & Guernsey cows & can live to be twenty years old..plans. With his land idle, it took his wifes, Jan, penchant for culinary experimentation for a new use for his land to take root. She took a cheese making class while she was in Vermont. he said. Shortly after the class Walter and Jan found himself at a cow auction in Houston. We went with the intention of buying two cows, said Walter. We bought seven. With the purchase came what was the beginning of Evergreen Farm dairy.

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Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal

Walt Haybert and his wife, Jan, own Evergreen Farm in Middleton and provide raw milk to the Memphis market. Waltdelivers to the Cooper-Young winter farmers market every Saturday. Now, instead of surrounding a herd of rollicking walking horses, the Kentucky-style black fencing surrounds 90 cows for his raw milk dairy start-up. The horse barn has been converted into a state-of-the-art dairy. We have mostly Jerseys and Guernseys, said Haybert. Most commercial dairies use Holsteins which put out a lot of volume. Ours have a better quality. The taste is sweeter. When you enter the milking room of the dairy the first thing you notice is how clean it is. The room dripped wet from a hosedown following a milking as Haybert explained how he runs his operation. The freshly bathed cows, which are primarily grass-fed, are coaxed into the milking station with a little bit of grain and then milked. Making sure that the cow is clean is one of the most important aspects of the operation. Most cases of



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contaminated milk outbreaks are generally due to exposure to fecal born bacteria like Listeria and salmonella. From there the milk goes directly to a refrigerated holding tank where it is immediately cooled. It comes out of the cow at about 90 degrees. This refrigerator cools the milk to 37, said Haybert. Cooling the milk immediately helps it remain fresh. From there the milk either goes to a raw milk holding tank off the bottling room or to a room where the milk is pasteurized, which Evergreen also sells. We slow pasteurize the milk at a temperature of 150 degrees. We end up pasteurizing it for a longer period of time. This type of pasteurization kills the illness-causing bacteria but keeps most of the nutrients and enzymes alive in the milk. In a weeks time Haybert says his little dairy manages about 200 to 250 bottles. From there they go to the markets downtown and to the botanic center, said Haybert, whose milk is also available at the Trolley Stop and the Tsunami Winter Market in Midtown. Recently, the Hayberts have put a new spin on old-time milk delivery. On Wednesdays the family truck delivers to several locations in the area. We would like to get a herd of 30 to 40 milking on a daily basis if we can distribute to groceries and restaurants on a daily basis, Haybert said, with an eye on the future.

Return of the milkmanEvergreen Farm has a milk route every Wednesday that begins in Bolivar at 8 a.m. and ends in East Memphis six hours later. Haybert drives his green trunk through Somerville and Hickory Withe before hitting local stops at the Harley Davidson stores on Whitten Road (9:45 a.m.) and Byhalia Road (11:30 a.m.), Memphis OB-GYN in front of St. Francis (10:05 a.m.), Panera Bread in Cordova (10:30 a.m.), Las Tortugas in Germantown (10:15 a.m.), Whole Foods Market (1 p.m.), and Memphis Botanic Gardens (1:30 p.m.). Check the dairys website for a more detailed listing of the route. Each stop is a short one about 10 to 20 minutes. Walt usually carries raw milk (whole or skim), butter, cream, half and half, and eggs. Its a good idea to message ahead of delivery so the truck is stocked with your order. You can also find Evergreens dairy products in town at Trolley Stop Market at 704 Madison open 7 days a week and and Tsunami Winter Market at 928 S Cooper on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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LOCAL NEWS

Recycling to the rescueReusing donated items help groups care for homeless pets

Save1pet.org cofounder Denise Novak (center) speaks with Ken Robinson during a pet adoption and recycled material drive in front of PetSmart on Winchester Road.Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

By Suzanne ThompsonSpecial to Going Green

Animal rescue groups turn rags to riches by reusing donated items to help care for homeless pets. They use recyclable items ranging from cans to baby bottles and old towels to keep their operations running. In 2008, the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County started a can recycling program and has taken in tons of cans with the proceeds used to purchase food.



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We try to make it real to people because 33 cans will feed a medium-size dog for four days, said Kerry Sneed, adoption counselor. When the trailer that sits out in front of the Humane Society facility on Farm Road becomes full, it is taken to an aluminum recycling center. A trailer full of cans usually provides about $700, depending on the price of aluminum. During the first year the Humane Society began its can recycling program, it collected 30,000 pounds of cans. In 2009 and 2010, 45,000 pounds of aluminum were recycled through the program, which continues to grow. The Humane Society also accepts newspapers, which are used to line the animals cages. And if an individual loses a pet, the society will gladly accept donations of unused medication, food, heartworm preventative and other items. Denise Novak, founder of Save1Pet, a grass-roots rescue operation in Olive Branch, said she is always grateful for such donations. Thats another way of recycling and not letting those things go to waste. Just before Christmas, Novak said she learned of a woman who was about to surrender her dog. She approached the woman and of-

Donation drop-off locationsFRIENDS OF THE MEMPHIS ANIMAL SHELTER

Hollywood Feed: 4864 Poplar and Erin in East Memphis 1001 N. Germantown Pkwy. in Cordova 7685 Farmington Blvd. in Germantown Pittman Glass Co.: 3742 Summer Ave. Kohn Painting & Decorating: 6699 Fletcher Creek Cove, Suite 102MEMPHIS ANIMAL SHELTER

Behind volunteer desk

fered to provide food for the dog. I can handle the food, but I cant afford heartworm preventative and vaccinations, the woman told her. Novak was able to provide the woman with six months worth of heartworm medication that was donated by an owner whose pet had died, so the womans dog could stay in her home. It was so rewarding to me even though its just one dog. I was thrilled, she said. Save1Pet, like most rescue operations, is always in need of bedding and

It was so rewarding to me even though its just one dog. I was thrilled.DENISE NOVAK, FOUNDER OF SAVE1PET, ABOUT HELPING A PET OWNER WITH DONATED SUPPLIES

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Alan Spearman/The Commercial Appeal

Eleanor Gipson (left) and Jeanne Chancellor of Friends of the Memphis Animal Shelter retrieve pet goods that were donated for recycling at a Hollywood Pet Feed store. The two will find uses for all the donated material. toys for the dogs and cats they foster. Towels, washcloths and blankets that are too ragged to donate to Goodwill can make warm bedding for homeless animals. Novak depends entirely on recycled items to provide bedding for the cats and dogs she rescues. We cant afford to buy them, so we dont have an option there, she said. Matt Pepper, administrator of the Memphis Animal Shelter, said it uses a variety of donated, used pet items, but what the shelter recycles most is paper. We reuse newspapers from city government to help with housing of our smaller animals. It helps us with ease of cleaning and disease prevention. The shelter is in itself a different type of recycling center, he said. One of our primary goals is the recycling of lives, Pepper said. We have these animals, just like these products that get discarded by members of the community, and its our job and our responsibility to try to re-home them. Another focus of the shelter is owner retention, and recycled items are often



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used to help owners keep pets they otherwise could not care for. If we have the resources to do so, we will provide them with those resources, Pepper said. An example of something that might be given to an owner is a dog house, particularly in the winter. Used dog houses are always in demand, and a nonprofit group, Friends of the Memphis Animal Shelter, accepts donations in locations all around the city. In January, more than 10 dog houses were distributed to people in an effort to help them keep their pets, she said. We are always in critical need of dog houses, said Jeanne Chancellor, president of the organization. Friends of the Memphis Animal Shelter rarely buys new items, and accepts some used items people might not necessary associate with pets. Larger breed puppies can be fed with used baby bottles, Chancellor said. Used baby receiving blankets, we use those. Other used items, like collars, leashes, litter boxes and wire cages, are reused, and also provided to owners the shelter works with to help them keep their pets at home. Recycled materials and products are always beneficial to us, Pepper said. We do rely on those donations to help and it is beneficial to the community.

5 things to know about catnipEveryone has a weakness. For me, its salted caramel ice cream. For my dog, Lulu, its expensive shoes. For most cats, its catnip. Here are five things every cat lover should know about this mysterious product that drives cats batty. 1. Catnip is an actual plant. A member of the mint family, Nepeta cataria L. (aka catnip) grows throughout the United States. The plant features small, lavender flowers and jagged, heart-shaped leaves that smell faintly of mint. 2. Its easy to grow. Cat lovers who possess a green thumb can grow catnip from seed after the last hard frost of the season. As a perennial, this herbaceous flowering plant will return each year with proper care. Keep in mind that catnip requires plenty of room to grow and flourish, much like most felines. 3. Most cats love it. Catnip leaves and flowers can trigger chemicals in a cats brain that lead to bouts of energetic euphoria or laid-back laziness. For that reason, dried catnip and catnip-laced toys make regular appearances on pet store shelves. Mary Ellen Burgoon of Park Pet Supply in Atlanta advises cat owners to sprinkle dried catnip leaves on scratching posts as a training tool. Pinch the leaves first to release essential oils, and a little goes a long way. 4. Use with care. Once cats get a whiff of catnip, its best to leave them alone until theyve lost that loving feeling. Catnip also can cause excessive drooling, so you may want to retrieve those cat toys after use. Burgoon also suggests storing catnip and catnip-laced toys in an airtight container or a cat-proof area. 5. People like catnip, too. Catnip also can be used for tea. The presence of a chemical called nepetalactone produces sedative-like affects in humans, making it a popular home remedy for headaches as well as insomnia. Morieka Johnson, Mother Nature Network

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California releases first ever state-approved K-12 environmental curriculumWALNUT CREEK, Calif. At Searles Elementary School in Union City, fifthgrade students recently shared what they learned during a pilot run of the nations first state-approved K-12 environmental curriculum. Instead of generic chemistry lectures, students will learn how chlorinecontaining molecules from products such as aerosol cans and refrigerators chew away the protective ozone layer over the Earths poles. They learn how atmospheric carbon dioxide keeps the planet warm through the greenhouse effect. Kindergartners will learn to draw the states five major ecosystems, complete with its largest rivers. In high school economics, students can learn about the fisheries industry and how ecosystem health affects business.. Its grooming the leaders of tomorrow, said Mindy Fox, director of the office of education and the environment at Cal-EPA. By that I mean it strengthens critical thinking and sound decisionmaking. And all of these kids are going to become the consumers of tomorrow. In a show of their knowledge, several Searles Elementary students quickly built a food web using empty milk cartons pasted with images of microbes, insects, plants and animals. They explained how each life form depends upon the others, and how when one declines, the others are threatened. Its a good experience, said Romy Mastel, 10. Im glad we had a chance to learn it. Otherwise, wed be just throwing things away. Suzanne Bohan, McClatchy-Tribune The curriculum is available online for free at www.calepa.ca.gov/education/eei

Rhodes is greening up its majorsBy Dionne ChalmersSpecial to Going Green

Rhodes College has created two new major courses of study, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies and a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences. The programs are designed to approach environmental questions from many perspectives. Students in the new majors will be able to take courses in 12 academic departments, including history, international studies, biology, chemistry, philosophy, anthropology, economics and English. All students in the new majors take a core course Environment and Society, which addresses environmental issues past and present, including overpopulation pressures, climate change, energy consumption and sustainability practices. Students can also take courses on topics such as ecology, global ecopolitics, environmental hydrogeology, nature and war, field study in Namibia and environmental anthropology. Majors must also participate in experiential learning by completing an internship or other off-



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Rhodes College is bringing the great outdoors to the classroom as it creates two new bachelor's degree programs environmental study and environmental science. All students in the new majors will take a core course called, "Environment and Society" which addresses environmental issues past and present. campus project. The addition of two environmentally focused majors is a significant milestone for Rhodes College, says Jeffrey H. Jackson, associate professor of history and director of the environmental studies and sciences program. Rhodes students will be able to investigate some of the worlds most pressing challenges, conduct research, and do community service geared toward environmental questions. These new majors will help to make Rhodes students competitive for jobs and graduate programs in environmental studies and sciences, Jackson notes, and help contribute to our growing understanding of environmental issues. For more information on the majors, visit the Environmental Studies and Sciences website at rhodes.edu/ess.Dionne Chalmers is with the Communications Office of Rhodes College.

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Got Junk?One mans trash is anothers businessBy Suzanne ThompsonSpecial to Going Green

Dave Darnell / The Commercial Appeal

Were both environmentalists. This is not only a business, but a hobby. CHRIS GAMMILL, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? CO-OWNER Matt Botawan, left, and Gammill unload metal recycle materials at River City Metal Recycling at 415 East Brooks Road.

While operating a company that collects garbage may not seem like a way to help the environment, thats exactly what Chris Gammill, co-owner of the local 1-800GOT-JUNK? franchise, believes their mission is. Gammill and his wife bought a franchise in the Canada-based company eight years ago. Currently, 1-800-GOTJUNK? operates in 43 U.S. states and nine Canadian provinces. The corporate philosophy is to donate and recycle as much of what they collect as possible. Gammill said it was their commitment to conservation that drew him and his wife to the company.



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Were both environmentalists, he said. This is not only a business, but a hobby. The hobby part comes into play as they try to see how much they can keep out of landfills. The company does not have a sorting facility, so its up to the drivers to deliver the recyclables to different locations around town. Drivers have instructions to do one of three things with the items they collect: donate them, recycle them or, as a last measure, take them to a landfill. We do a lot of training here and we want people to be thinking about how they can divert things from landfills, Gammill said. This means that 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is very selective about the drivers it hires. Most drivers have at least two years of college. We are always looking for those select few, he said. Currently the company has six fulltime drivers. At the end of their shifts they fill out a report which categorizes how much has been recycled into one of 11 possible categories. They know there is accountability, Gammill said. The report, called a Junk Type Estimation Sheet, lists various categories of items, such as glass, plastics, tires and household items. Drivers must indicate on the sheet how much and what has been recycled for each pickup they make. A licensed garbage collection company, whats different about 1-800GOT-JUNK? is that they provide a labor force to remove items from all parts of a clients property.

FAQs from 1-800-GOT-JUNK?What happens to my junk? A: We recycle as much of the junk we collect as possible. We also donate reusable household or commercial items to local charities. Q: What do you recycle? A: Our junk removal teams are able to recycle many items including: yard waste; household items; construction/demolition debris; ferrous and non-ferrous metals; glass; plastic; paper and paperboard; tires; computer equipment, electronics, fluorescent tubes, batteries and aerosol cans; appliances. Q: Which charitable organizations do you work with? A: Whenever possible, we donate reusable items to local charities. Our franchises work with a number of community-based charities as well as local branches of national charitable organizations, including the Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Habitat for Humanity. Q: How do you track where my junk goes? A: We conduct environmental audits regionally in North America. Our franchises track what they collect locally and where the junk goes, whether its recycled, reclaimed, reused, converted to energy, or goes to the landfill. Q: Why are you concerned with environmental impact? A: We believe that what we do today right now - has a cumulative effect on all of our tomorrows. Our corporate obligations include any aspects of our business that impact society, the environment, and our people - customers, Franchise Partners, and employees. Q: Does 1-800-GOT-JUNK? index its environmental performance data? A: We use Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), environmental performance data covering greenhouse gas emissions and waste production. Source: 1800gotjunk.com

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We take away a lot of couches and household appliances, he said. They will even disassemble an old swing set or play yard and take the pieces away. One item they see a lot of is bikes, Gammill said, which they donate to Revolutions an organization that takes old bicycle parts and teaches people who have no other transportation how to rebuild their own bicycles. The business also partners with Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Since he bought the franchise, Gammill estimates it has experienced a 310 percent growth and is expecting the operation to grow an additional 10 to 20 percent in 2011. Fees for the service depend on the size of the load. We are an on-demand service and we only charge by the space in the truck the load occupies, Gammill said. Gammill has done work for a variety of clientele around the city from individuals to the Greater Memphis Chamber to companies such as Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz. Cathie Hall, assistant to the administrator at the law firm, said it has used Gammills company since 2006 and found the recycling aspect of his company to be very attractive. Baker, Donelson occupies eight stories in the First Tennessee Bank building Downtown and recently completed a renovation of its offices. We had lots of furniture that needed to be donated, so when I checked with Chris, to find out what he does with those items, he told me they donate to different places like Goodwill, Hall said. Gammills company is involved in var-

Source: 1800gotjunk.com

ious activities around the community, such as Youth Villages, where he goes to talk to young people about the benefits of recycling. He also removed the recycling and trash from Youth Villages annual Soup Sunday fundraiser. Gammill is involved with a Cordova group, People Removing Eyesores Everywhere, and takes care of all recycling for that group. In 2010, Gammill estimates that he collected at least one ton of recyclables. We want to be known as the alternate provider when the city will not pick something up, Gammill said.



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Getty Images

Stericycle handles the disposal of medical waste for hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and other health-care facilities. Baptist Memorial Hospital takes part in a biowaste reusable container service offered by the medical waste company.

Hospital sharpens waste programBaptist Memorials switch to reusable container system paysBy Suzanne ThompsonSpecial to Going Green

Most everyone who has ever been to a hospital has seen them. Plastic containers mounted on the wall in every room as a place to put bio-hazardous materials such as used syringes. Known as Sharps containers, for years they were regularly disposed of and replaced with new containers.

During the past few years, hospitals have been able to switch to reusable containers because of a service provided by Stericycle. Demand for the Stericycle Sharps Management Service continues to grow. Its been growing by leaps and bounds every year, said Debra Gillmeister, director of health care services for Stericycle. Average cost savings for hospitals is between 20 and 25 percent, depending on the hospital size. With the use of the bio-systems

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Kyle Kurlick/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Nick Lewis, top, director of safety and assistant director of patient services at Baptist Memorial Health Care Corporation heads up the hospital's biowaste reusable container service offered by Stericycle. Special containers keep pharmaceutical waste until it can be properly disposed. reusable containers, we are able to decrease the regulated medical waste, because, of course, you dont have the containers, Gillmeister said. The service also provides personnel to remove the containers, which hospital administrators agree translates to increased safety for hospital staff. Thats because when containers are purchased new, theres a tendency for hos-

pital staff to try to fill them to capacity, increasing the chance of needle sticks. It was the safety element that first attracted Nick Lewis to the reusable container service. Weve seen a reduction in our needle sticks because of the containers they use, said Lewis, director of safety and assistant director of patient services at Baptist Memorial Health Care Corp. The Illinois-based company was founded in 1989, so Stericycle had provided bio-hazardous waste disposal for Baptist for years, Lewis said. When the company introduced the Sharps Management Service nationally, Baptist started using it. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare began using the Stericycle Sharps Management Service in 2006, according to Trina Jones, director of sustainability. Weve been seeing a three-fold benefit. Number one is the environmental impact being lessened, Jones said. Because each container is reused 600 times, hundreds of thousands of containers are kept out of landfills each year. According to figures from Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare, during the last 12 months, use of the Stericycle system has kept 70 tons of plastic out of landfills. Another way that it helped us was associate safety. We noticed needle sticks were reduced, Jones said. We also saw that we were seeing some savings in terms of what we pay for waste being hauled. To demonstrate the impact on the environment, Stericycles website displays a running total of the number of plastic containers kept out of landfills. At the end of 2010, that number was 8.5 million and counting.



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Frank Johnson has been the on site property manager, security guard and grounds keeper of the Sears Building for eight years. He makes daily rounds checking on the building.

Towering visionBig idea: Remake old Sears behemoth into arts villageA coalition in art and real estate has quietly been laying the groundwork for more than a year to turn the Sears Crosstown building into an arts-centric urban village. The still-fluid plan is to establish an artists residency program, studios, exhibition and performance space in parts of the 1.4 million-squarefoot building at Watkins and North Parkway. The big idea: People gravitate to art and artists, and will fill the rest of the 84-year-old landmark withPHOTOGRAPHY BY ALAN SPEARMAN

STORY BY TOM BAILEY JR.

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Historic styleThe Sears Crosstown building is an iconic, landmark building that stands as a restrained example of the Art Deco style, says architect Keith S. Kays, who recently co-wrote a book surveying Memphis mid-century modern public buildings. The original, 1927, Cleveland/Watkins portion of the building is stunningly monumental with building setbacks reminiscent of the massing employed on the skyscrapers of that time, Kays said. The building is an early example of a mixed-use project, with offices, retail and warehouse. Each function is clearly expressed by the buildings massing, facade treatment and window patterns. Projecting pilasters, each modestly ornamented at the top, provide a verticality to the otherwise wide facade of the warehouse. It is an important work of architecture that merits being preserved, Kays says.

offices, stores, schools, apartments, condos, hotels and nonprofit organizations. The rough estimate to renovate is $200 million. The driving force is Crosstown Arts , the nonprofit group collaborating with the buildings owners. The 10-month-old organization now wants the public to help shape the vision. Crosstown Arts will soon take its ideas to the community with public meetings and even tours of the historic landmark. Crosstown Arts has been open about its mission to create an artists community and residency program, but until now, not

so public about the intended location. However, its leaders have held scores of individual meetings with potential space-users and stakeholders. Their vision is to revive the Art Deco building closed since 1993 and in doing so the distressed Crosstown neighborhood as well. For example, one conceptual site plan for the 16-acre site shows a zeal for making the development porous. A traffic circle, green space, walking/biking trails, and new entrances reach out to neighbors. Local owners going by Crosstown LLC bought the building for $3.5 mil-



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lion in 2007 from out-of-town investors. Andy Cates represents the owners and volunteered the due-diligence work that paved the way for the purchase. While hes not an owner, Cates is something of a change agent, having helped bring the NBA to Memphis and led development of Soulsville USA. Cates describes the owners as civic investors motivated not by profit, but to bring Crosstown back to life. Their first attempt, in 2007, to redevelop Sears Crosstown would have involved a collegiate-level educational institution and businesses. Then the world blew up, Cates said, referring to the recession. Nothing happened until fall 2009, when Cates got a call from a friend, Todd Richardson. Hes a 37-year-old art history professor at the University of Memphis. His focus is Renaissance art. The former Idlewild Presbyterian youth minister had seen other former industrial spaces revived by art and commerce while working on degrees at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., and Universiteit Leiden in The Netherlands. When he returned to Memphis to teach at the U of M, Sears Crosstown still stood empty and still inspired Richardson. Not just the enormity of the building, but its in the middle of the neighborhood, he said. The thought occurred to him in August 2009: What if the Sears building could be transformed, too? At that point, it was pretty naive, Richardson said. Who could wrap their mind around a million square feet? Richardson and another friend, video

artist Christopher Miner, had already been working on a plan to develop an artist residency in the area. We combined our ideas, Richardson said. ... It represented this opportunity to create a lot of synergy. Mayor A C Wharton said he embraces the project. This is not merely some private persons vision and dream, he said. This is something our city would like to see. ... This is a dream of the city. Wharton said he believes the project is do-able even though it requires a stretch of the imagination. The strategy to save the Memphis building uses art in three ways: A residency program will provide free room and meals to artists whod come from across the nation, the world and the city. Exhibition space has great potential because of the vast spaces and 18-foottall ceilings. Shared art-making facilities would be offered to all types of artists. Local artists could join the facility to use it. Cost of some memberships might be sponsored while others might be based on the artists income, he said. Miner stressed that the concepts are still a work in progress, adding, Were in discovery mode. Filling more than 1 million square feet will take a variety of users. A new Crosstown Arts website invites Memphis area residents to learn about and get involved in the Sears project. Go to crosstownmemphis.com.For more on the topic, check out the Commercial Appeals Viewpoint publication (Feb. 27, 2011) for a new series on Memphis abandoned buildings.

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THE BIZ PAGE

Memphis-based Kronos Energy readies to ship its first residential turbines

A mighty windBy Toby Sells / [email protected] JOHN BOGENSBERGER HAS HIS WAY, an ancient device will support Americas energy future. That is a pantanemone and its been around since about 600 B.C., shouted Bogensberger, pointing to a shiny, 4-foot cylinder effortlessly whirling at the business end of a highhumming wind tunnel. Bogensbergers pantanemone, the Eureka, is his companys first product. The company, Memphis-based Kronos Energy Solutions, is preparing to ship its first orders of the residential wind turbine in April.



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The Eureka turbines are to be installed on the roofs of houses and supplement about 25 percent of a homes energy needs. They are not meant to allow users to drop off the energy grid, Bogensberger said, and wont be sold in Memphis. Theres simply not enough wind here, he said. I hate saying that but if we do your wind profile and you dont have an average daily wind of six miles per hour, Ill say thank you for your inquiry and may I put you in touch with someone who supplies solar energy, Bogensberger said. Im not going to sell it to you for the sake of the sale. Altruistic breathing room like that is rare air in business, especially for a start-up. But Bogensbergers stance is backed by the Kronos mission statement to put people over profits. Its also backed by national data that suggests the wind energy industry is about to hit full sail. Wind energy capacity doubled in Tennessee in 2008 and nearly half of all new electric power installations in the state were wind-based, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Bogensberger said the industry is set to grow 40-fold in the next eight years, compared the market to a gold rush. More than 5,000 megawatts of wind-energy capacity were built in the U.S. in 2010, according to the American Wind Energy Association, but that capacity was less than half of what was built in 2009. But more than 5,600 megawatts of wind-

power production are under construction in America right now. The wind associations CEO, Denise Bode, said wind energy remained the fastest-growing manufacturing sector in America last year and that it employed 85,000 through the gut of the recession. When you add new factories and to the supply chain in the U.S., you reduce the cost of wind generation, Bode said. So, we are becoming so cost-competitive as an industry that I think we have a good story to tell. Wind power is now the leading source of alternative energy in Tennessee, according to the Tennessee Valley Authority. From October 2009 to September 2010, wind generated 42,212 megawatts of power. Solar generated 2,117 megawatts and methane gas produced 7,507. Nearly all of Tennessees wind power is generated at the sprawling Buffalo Mountain Wind Park outside of Oak Ridge in East Tennessee. The park has 15 windmills that stand 260 feet tall with blades 135 feet long and were installed in 2004. The original three windmills installed there in 2000 stand 213 feet tall.

The Eureka vertical axis wind turbineWeight: 127 pounds DC unit: $3,850 AC unit: $4,800-$5,200 Online: kronosenergysolutions.com

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Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Kronos Energy Solutions founder John Bogensberger explains the benefits of his company's vertical-axis wind turbines next to a working model inside a custom-built wind tunnel. They are all the major contributors to TVAs Green Power Switch program. For now, the Buffalo Mountain Wind Park is the largest wind project in the state. But others are prospecting yes, just as in the gold rush for more. The Tennessee Energy Policy Office, TVA and Appalachian State University have teamed up for a two-year project called Wind Prospecting in the Tennessee Valley Region, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. The project is now testing possible highaltitude sites in East Tennessee. Any new wind energy they find will directly support TVAs Green Power Switch. But back in Memphis, Bogensberger believes his Eureka connects with something deeper in environmentconscious consumers, the warm fuzzies. (Buying power from big windmill farms) might give you the warm fuzzies, knowing that you dont have this huge carbon footprint associated with your power, he said. But what will really give you the warm fuzzies is seeing (the Eureka) sitting on top of your house and you have a daily reminder that 25 percent of all the power youre using isnt causing any damage to the environment.- Toby Sells: 529-2742



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MY GREEN BIZ

Hueys gets the green fork

By Emily Adams [email protected]

Being green is certifiably becoming mainstream. No longer the domain of woodsy environmentalists and disciplined vegetarians, the green movement is sweeping into the everyday lives of people. Case in point Hueys Midtown. Hueys, a Memphis dining tradition, celebrated its 40th anniversary in April of 2010. And this restaurant has just reached another milestone Hueys, with the slogan Blues, Brews and the Best Burger in

Ashley Boggs Williams, VP of operations for Huey's, discusses Huey's new Project Green Fork initiatives.Alan Spearman The Commercial Appeal

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Hueys MidtownAddress: 1927 Madison Avenue Memphis, TN 38104 Phone: 901-726-4372 Online: hueyburger.com Features: Live music Sunday evenings; open daily from lunch until late; happy hour 4-7 p.m. Town, has just been certified green. Hueys has earned the Project Green Fork designation. Since its founding in 1970, Hueys has been very involved in the community. Its employees donate hundreds of hours to various non-profit organizations, and the company gives support to many worthy area causes. To date, over $45,000 have been donated to The Memphis Zoo from proceeds of the annual frill pick contest. So it comes as no surprise that the folks at Hueys would be taking up the green cause as a means to contribute to the sustainability of the Memphis area. Project Green Fork helps sustainability efforts by reducing the environmental impact of restaurants. When a restaurant receives certification, it means that they have the following: Sustainable products are in place (for Hueys, this meant getting rid of styrofoam; bowls, plates and to go boxes and cups). A recycling program has been established (at Hueys Midtown there are recycling containers next to trash cans for the wait staff). The kitchen is composting (Hueys is composting kitchen prep leftovers fruits, vegetables, but no meats). Toxic cleaners have been replacedAlan Spearman/The Commercial Appeal

Hueys ditched the polystyrene bowls, plates and take away boxes in favor of sustainable products. with non-toxic ones (The dishwashers at Hueys were already being serviced by Auto-Chlor, so the restaurant simply switched to using Auto-Chlors line of Green Kleen products). A complete energy audit has been conducted and the steps have been taken to reduce energy and water consumption (as light bulbs need to be replaced, all bulbs are being switched to LED lighting). The restaurant has taken steps to reduce pollution (Hueys was already a non-smoking restaurant, but continues to offer an outside location away from the diners for those who do smoke). Ashley Williams, co-owner and vice president of operations for Hueys explained their choice to seeking the Project Greek Fork designation saying, We knew going green was the right thing to do. Project Green Fork offered clear guidelines to help us reach that goal. And we knew it was the right thing to do for our customers, our children, and the environment. We also knew our employees in Midtown would readily buy into it.



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MY GREEN JOB

Feat of clay

Midtown potter incorporates sustainable practices into work, life

Melissa BridgmanBridgman Pottery - Owner/Sole Proprietor

The detailsHow is your business considered a green business? Pottery is not an eco business, per se, but I work to make it sustainable in several ways. First, I use a single claybody to facilitate ease in reuse. Second, I limit my glaze colors to about 6, but have two main colors. Third, by recycling clay, glazes, and water through a series of reclaim and waste glaze buckets pieces that crack before firing go into a bucket filled with water to soften and reuse, and I wash my glazing brushes and containers in a 5 gallon bucket, collect the glaze solids and remix to use as a mystery glaze. Right now the mystery glaze is purple! Additionally, I ship with 100% recyclable materials, only run full kiln-loads to save on energy costs, and have both a large kiln and small kiln to help me meet my production goals and save energy. We plan to install solar panels on the southfacing studio roof to offset energy usage from kiln firings in the next 35 years. In addition to my attempts at studio sustainability, pottery is a long-term product. People can use

Dave Darnell / The Commercial Appeal

Midtown potter Melissa Bridgman makes handmade, functional pottery for the home and garden simple pieces inspired by vintage kitchenware and the natural world.

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their dishes for years. Ive found that my handmade pottery outlasts commerciallymade, inexpensive pieces. When a special piece breaks, I save the broken pottery for mosaic work in the garden! Why did you choose this career? I met and married my husband in Mississippi, even though we both grew up in Memphis. As a good Mississippi bride, I received a lot of McCarty pottery for our wedding. I loved it and took a class when we returned to Memphis and I was looking for work. Playing in clay led to a teaching artist position with the Center for Arts Education (it was an arm of the Memphis Arts Council), several different teaching gigs with MCA and Germantown Parks and Red, and finally, the Brooks Museum of Art. I stopped teaching in 2009 to focus on pottery full time. What education/ experience did you need for your job? First, you have to learn basic pottery skills. Throwing, hand-building, firing, glazing, kiln maintenance. Patience and persistence help, too. Good record-keeping and basic math skills are necessary to keep the business on track. Marketing skills, including photography and a clear writing voice I cant stress how important those two are to my business, especially when it comes to my online sales. Social media (Flickr, Facebook) have also been important parts of my marketing strategies. Next to my hands and my wheel, my camera (a Nikon d70) is probably my most-used tool. What was your first job? My first job was a girl-Friday type position at a law firm. That was during my junior /senior years in high school. What was your most recent job(s)? My most recent paid position was teaching for the Arts Basic Curriculum at the Brooks. But, Im also a non-paid- mom, cook, CFO of Bridgman Enterprises, LLC just like every other working mom out there!

Most satisfying career moment: My most satisfying career moment happens every time a customer tells me that my mug or cup or bowl was their favorite, and that they are devastated because they broke it, and could I possibly make them a new one? That is the best feeling in the world. What do you consider to be the highlights of your career? This past January my egg cups were featured in Southern Living. That was exciting. I think the thing that was most thrilling, however, was in 2005 when Lee and Pup McCarty (of my wedding pottery) were at the Memphis Farmers Market and told me that I was on my way to something good. Whats the hardest thing about finding work in your field (in the Greater Memphis area)? Perhaps Im lucky, but I havent had a hard time with finding a niche in Memphis. My business is still small and is growing slowly, which is what I intended. I think the thing with my work that I have the hardest time with is being a one-woman operation and being realistic about what I can accomplish. What one green practice would you recommend to others? It may sound funny as someone who depends on selling things to earn her living, but Id recommend shopping less. Buy less lower-quality goods. Spend a bit more on something that you love, that will last, and that is locally-made and/or will support your community. What green trends would you like to see in the future? Id like to see Memphis be more pedestrian/bike friendly. Id like to see more people growing their own food and buying from local farmers. Id like to see more people with backyard chickens! Compiled by Emily Adams Keplinger



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TRANSPORTATION

Terry McAuliffe, chairman of Greentech Automotive, sits in a MyCar deemed a neighborhood electric vehicle - that will be manufactured at a new facility in Tunica.

Sitting on goCurrent climate drives production of small electric vehicles to area

By Suzanne ThompsonSpecial to Going Green

So its a car that looks like a roller skate. But this car the manufacturer of which is owned by GreenTech Automotive is electric. The car is known in the industry as a neighborhood electric vehicle and doesnt go faster than 45 miles an hour, making it unsuitable for highway usage. Dubbed MyCar, it will go 70 miles on a three-hour charge.

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The Greentech Automotive production facility in Tunica will ramp up production of the MyCar starting later this year. Democratic leader Terry McAuliffe, chief executive officer of GTA, believes renewable energy autos are the wave of the future. McAuliffe acquired EuAuto Technology, the company that manufactured the MyCar, in May. McAuliffe said there is a good reason he decided to put his political career in park and concentrate on green energy. The growth we saw with the explosion of the Internet in the 90s is what green technology can be for this decade. MyCar will be driving into the MidSouth as local production of the car is expected to start later this year. We are excited about the positive economic impact, he said. McAuliffe chose Tennessee as a site for the companys global logistics center and a 380,000-square-foot assembly line production facility is currently under construction in nearby Tunica, Miss. Though the exact location of the Tennessee logistics center has not yet been disclosed, says McAuliffe, it will mean big business for the Volunteer State. We plan to establish GTAs new Global Logistics Center in Tennessee and are now simply awaiting final federal approvals. We have the funds and are ready to create hundreds of new Tennessee jobs. As soon as we get the governments sign-off, were ready to go, he said. And because the automotive manufacturing is a multiplier industry, our new jobs will in turn lead to additional jobs for related manufacturing and vendor needs, McAuliffe said. The creation of new jobs through green technology is very important to him. My commitment to creating new



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jobs is also a product of my lifelong pursuits as a business leader. McAuliffe has a long history as an entrepreneur and has started 25 successful companies. When he purchased the company, MyCar was involved in a project in Bornholm, Denmark, the Bright Green Island. Officials of the Danish island are striving to become 100 percent carbon neutral, and are using MyCar as part of their strategy to make that happen, said Lene Grooning, chief executive officer and enterprise ambassador for Business Center Bornholm. Though the cars arent made for highway usage, McAuliffe said there are certain groups for which the use of MyCar is ideal. For young professionals, students, homemakers, delivery drivers, residents of gated communities, MyCar is perfect, he said. The cars will be reasonably priced since McAuliffe has committed to selling the first 100,000 cars for $10,000 apiece. With government tax credits of up to $1,500, that could bring the price down to $8,500 for the first consumers. McAuliffe believes the price of green technology has been a factor in holding back the switch to energy-efficient vehicles. Americans have been resistant to adopting green technology, often due to sticker shock. At GTA, we are absolutely committed to affordable green technology, he said. He sees the GTA MyCar as a step toward making the country less dependent on foreign energy suppliers. Our unfortunate dependence on for-

eign oil is something I have long spoken out about, and green energy is a critical step to reducing that dependence, McAuliffe said. And its not just Americans who want to get away from oil dependency, judging from the response to a car. We already have a waiting list in Europe for once production begins in a few months. Well be building the MyCar in the U.S., but it will be available worldwide. McAuliffe believes GTA has the potential to become a multibillion-dollar company, because he does not plan to stop at the production of just the MyCar. We are currently in development of a portfolio of full-speed electric and hybrid electric automobiles and anticipate some very exciting announcements in the coming months.

MyCar Electric VehicleMyCar is a neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) with styling by Italdesign, the famous Italian design studio founded by Giorgetto Guigiaro. It can travel a distance of 70 miles and can be recharged from any regular household socket. GreenTech Automotives MyCar was named electric vehicle of the year at the 2008 European GreenFleet Awards.

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Memphis to get install electric vehicle plug-insBy Daniel Connolly and Wayne [email protected] [email protected]

A few days ago, Herb Zeman signed up to buy the Nissan Leaf, a battery-powered sedan. On Tuesday, he got a pleasant surprise: A pilot project can cover the cost of purchasing a vehicle charger for his home as well as additional equipment that allows for rapid charging. The total savings is roughly $3,000. Im just blown away. Thats a wonderful opportunity, he said. Zeman was present Tuesday morning at The Peabody for an announcement that Memphis will be included in the EV Project, a federally backed effort to build charging stations for electric vehicles. Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division CEO Jerry Collins Jr. said the new charging stations would be installed by September, and that the utility may have its own

Dave Darnell/ The Commercial Appeal

Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment will provide Level 2 charging (240 volt AC input) for electric cars.



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troubleshooting vehicle to help electric car owners who run out of juice. Were going to make the use of electric vehicles as simple and easy as we can possibly make it, he said. Plans for the EV Project announced last year included Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville, but not Memphis. Stories about the citys omission in The Commercial Appeal prompted local leaders, including Collins and Memphis Mayor A C Wharton, to ask project organizers to add Memphis. Stephanie Cox of ECOtotality, the San Francisco-based contractor managing the EV Project, said the strong push from Memphis persuaded organizers to change their plans. About 40 public chargers initially will be installed in Memphis. MLGW said the number does not include private charging stations at companies or homes. Wharton was among speakers celebrating the program Tuesday. Theres no reason why Memphis cannot lead the way in this effort, he said. Memphis will be the 18th city nationwide to take part in the EV Project, which is meant to gather data in order to help planners build infrastructure for electric vehicles throughout the country. Other cities involved include Dallas, San Diego and Seattle. The Department of Energy has provided $114.8 million in federal

Electric vehicles: How we get thereDuring the State of the Union address, President Barack Obama reiterated a goal that surely set the hearts of electric car makers revving. With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015, he said. Putting that many on the road would reduce dependence on foreign oil and lead to a reduction in oil consumption of about 750 million barrels through 2030, the administration has said. How to reach that goal? The Philadelphia Auto Show had three of the answers: the Chevy Volt, the Nissan Leaf and the Mitsubishi 2012 i. And then a passel of hybrids and other green technology cars to boot. So how do we get there? The day after Obamas address, Vice President Joe Biden went to Greenfield, Ind., where he toured the Ener1, Inc., factory, which produces advanced lithium-ion battery systems for electric vehicles, grid energy storage and industrial electronics. The company was awarded a $118.5 million grant from the Department of Energy to expand its production. Employment at its Indianapolis facilities will go from 336 to more than 1,000 by 2013. Biden also outlined the presidents three-part plan to reach the goal. It would include transforming the existing $7,500 tax credit to a rebate. In his budget, the president proposes dedicating research and development funds for electric drive, batteries and energy storage technologies. Finally, to provide an incentive for communities to invest in EV infrastructure and remove regulatory barriers, the president is proposing to provide grants up to $10 million each to as many as 30 communities that are prioritizing advanced technology vehicle deployment. This could be through regulatory streamlining, infrastructure investments, vehicle fleet conversions, deployment of EV incentives (e.g., parking, HOV access) partnerships with major employers/retailers, and work force training. Sandy Bauers, McClatchy-Tribune Newspapers

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James Ellis of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) discusses charging electric vehicles during a press event at The Peabody.Dave Darnell The Commecial Appeal

stimulus grants for the project, and private investment is expected to bring the total to $230 million. In Tennessee, subsidies and chargers will be available to customers who have expressed interest in buying a Nissan Leaf, which is currently the only purely electric car available in Tennessee. Zeman, who is awaiting delivery of his vehicle, is credited as the inventor of the VeinViewer, a device that uses infrared light to project images of hidden blood vessels onto the skin in real time, helping health care workers perform injections and other tasks. The retired 66-year-old said he is interested in electric vehicles. Its clearly whats going to happen in the future, he said. He plans to hold on to a hybrid gas-electric SUV for longer trips. The range of the Nissan Leaf is only

about 100 miles, and charging the vehicle can take several hours. The price tag is $32,780 to start, though buyers qualify for a $7,500 federal tax incentive. And in Tennessee, theres also an immediate rebate of $2,500 for the first 1,000 buyers. At the moment, only a plant near Tokyo makes the cars, but Nissan is refitting part of its Smyrna, Tenn., plant to build the vehicles and accompanying batteries, and production should start by late 2012, said Tracy Woodard, Nissans director of government affairs. Several of the hundred or so people attending Tuesdays session at The Peabody filled out letters of intent to try to obtain the devices. Daniel Connolly: 529-5296 Wayne Risher: 529-2874



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FAITH

CrossRoads Church member Jairus Durnett examines the walls of the living room on the first work day for the project.

Faith in actionTeam creates a home: Jacob's Ladder draws from mixed faiths for projectBy Cathi Johnson / Special to My Life

From a small, gray shell of a building, with windows and doors boarded up, to a family home thats the story of faith that is created by Jacobs Ladder. Jacobs Ladder is a community development corporation affiliated with the United Methodist Church, located in the Beltline/Orange Mound area of Memphis, directed by Rev. Bill Marler of the Memphis Annual Conference. A mother and her three children (ages 5, 11 and 12) were able to move into a house that had been transformed from derelict to delightful. Gone were the rotted floors and dirty patches of

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plaster, and in their place are new floors and walls that are insulated, drywalled and newly painted. The house now features a new roof and driveway, as well as monkey grass in the front lawn and a garden of greens planted in the back. Every room is furnished, every bed made. Hand-sewn curtains hang over the new energy-efficient windows. Pictures and mirrors adorn the walls. There are toothbrushes in the new bathroom vanity, and both a kitchen pantry and linen closet are fully stocked. Such is the result of an ecumenical project led by Jacobs Ladder. Volunteers from CrossRoads, Emmanuel and Germantown United Methodist churches; students from CBU, Americorp Vista and Murray State; carpenters, an electrical contractor, roofers, concrete layers, cabinet installers and neighbors of several faith backgrounds all came together over a four-month period to transform rather than destroy. It started out to be a one-day service project, said the Rev. Don Park of CrossRoads UMC, the church that played the lead role in this project. But after seeing the house and hearing Bill Marlers dreams of its transformation, the folks of CrossRoads decided to make this a long-term project that would involve every member of the congregation. But the giving went beyond skilled carpenters and painters. Others at CrossRoads volunteered to lead specific projects, while still others gave money and donations of furniture and accessories. An interior decorator from the church measured the house, drew up the plans and organized furniture procurement and placement. Folks dug monkey grass from their yards to re-plant here.

After removing the wall between the kitchen and living room to improve the layout, the sad state of the kitchen became clear.

Rotted wood was replaced in the kitchen before installing a new ceiling, and a breakfast bar was built for the children's study area. Company owners supplied roofers, concrete, kitchen countertops and a bathroom vanity. The UMW provided staples for the food pantry. Folks donated pots and pans, dishes, glassware, cutlery everything a cook will need. Young and old showed up the day the interior was painted and on the final



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Alexandria's smiling face shows delight in the "very pink" room she requested. work day one week before Christmas, when the furniture and everything else was finally put in place. One meaningful opportunity for the volunteers was interaction with the family and neighbors who showed up over a series of Saturday workdays to help where they could. One worker bee in particular, Jeanette, also a Jacobs Ladder home recipient, was a constant presence and hard for most folks to keep up with. Her work ethic was an inspiration. Marler has a housing team of volunteers who regularly meet on Wednesdays. Led by Rev. Ken Burnette, board chairman of Jacobs Ladder, the team rebuilt all the windows and installed new flooring, drywall and an on-demand water heater. Jacobs Ladder has programs in place to help new and prospective homeowners with budgeting and home upkeep. They also operate two after-school educational centers which provide safe sanctuary and learning opportunities for all the neighborhood children. New life has been breathed into a community that has embraced this young family. Neighbors have pledged to look after them. The children are warm and safe, and home. For more information about Jacobs Ladder, visit jacobsladdercdc.org or call 327-3771. Or visit CrossRoads UMC at crossroadsumc.com.Cathi Johnson is the vice president of Advancement for Memphis Theological Seminary, a member of CrossRoads UMC and a volunteer for Jacobs Ladder.

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FOOD

Enjoy flavors, nutrients of winter's bounty

ROOTOF ALL

MOM SAID IT, dietitians say it, heck, you are probably saying it to yourself more these days: "Eat more vegetables!" It's a message that's hard to ignore, and for good reason. Vegetables are naturally high in fiber, low in fat and full of nutrients. In season now are winter squashes and root vegetables. This is a great time to try some if you haven't before. Today's recipe is a hearty combination of these winter vegetables with a little spinach thrown in

GOODNESS



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for color and nutrition. The addition of pasta and a little Parmesan makes it something you could serve in larger portions as a main dish if you like. Sweet potatoes and butternut squash are wonderful sources of beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A. Our bodies convert this compound to vitamin A as we need it. Beta carotene is also used to strengthen our immune systems, as well as to prevent freeradical damage to cells. It is important to note that supplements of beta carotene in pill or liquid form did not have this effect, and in fact, may actually increase death from lung cancer in this MEGAN group. Getting it the MURPHY natural way, from food, is definitely the way to go. Recipe Parsnips are another for Health of those vegetables that we sometimes forget about. They look like white carrots. Like carrots, they can be eaten raw or cooked. Parsnips are a good source of vitamin C and also contain important B vitamins like thiamin and folate. I adapted this recipe from the original by using less pasta, because I like a higher proportion of vegetables to pasta. In the 1-cup serving size , this dish makes a nice side to any meat or fish entre you might be serving. In larger amounts, it's hearty enough to stand on its own. Either way, it's a delicious way to get a bunch of good nutrition.Megan Murphy is a Tennessee-licensed registered dietitian and associate professor of nutrition at Southwest Tennessee Community College. Call 277-3062, fax 5292787, e-mail [email protected].

Ziti with Skillet Roasted Root Vegetables2 tbsp. olive oil 1 large red onion, coarsely chopped 4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, strings and seeds removed, flesh cut into 1/2-inch pieces 11/2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary 11/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (preferably homemade) 1 /2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper 1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and excess moisture squeezed out 2 cups dry ziti or other tubular pasta 2 tbsp. butter 1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add all vegetables except spinach; saut until vegetables begin to soften and brown, stirring often, about 8-9 minutes. Add rosemary; stir 1 minute. Add broth, bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover skillet and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15-18 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain. Return pasta to pot. When vegetables are tender, stir spinach and butter into vegetables, heat briefly to heat through, then add entire mixture to pasta. Stir in about cup Parmesan cheese. If mixture is too dry, add a bit more chicken broth. Season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with remaining Parmesan cheese. Makes about 12 cups.Source: Adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2009

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HOME & GARDEN

Classic dcor evokes memories, makes unique personal statement

Vintage style

The east Memphis home of Anna and Ben Avant is filled with family pieces and antiques they have acquired. The kitchen table is a farm table found in an antique store and the table at the end of

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