Going Green Memphis 03-27-11

2 GOING GREEN | Sunday, March 27, 2011 commercialappeal.
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1.Live carbon-free with
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Editor: Kim Coleman, 529-5243, 2.Consume responsibly and
goinggreen@commercialappeal.com sustainably
Community Editor: Emily Adams 3.Create green jobs and a global
Keplinger, green education system
keplinger@commercialappeal.com Sounds like a good start.
The Commercial Appeal Sunday, March 27, 2011 | GOING GREEN 3
What’s in this issue ...

LOCAL NEWS
W:159.942pt
H:118.026pt Proper disposal of
18 waste helps keep
storm drains and
waterways clear
of debris
26 As a certified
arborist, Wes
It’s Earth Day
12 every day in April
Hopper climbs
the tallest trees
Memphis Botanic Gardens,

International Paper partner 29 O2E: Learning
and Leading Green
for month-long celebration
BUSINESS FAITH HOME & GARDEN
Local faux finish For Temple Israel, A guide for avid

artist Stephanie Jones protecting the gardeners who want to
enjoys “recycling environment is God’s start their plants from
furniture.” PAGE 34 work too. PAGE 39 seeds. PAGE 45
On the cover:Illustration from istockphotos.com

4 GOING GREEN | Sunday, March 27, 2011 commercialappeal.com
Micro Greens...
Subway cars transform into art space

In London, unwanted subway cars were bought from the city for about
$200 each by a local designer with an innovative idea. After paying
significantly more to relocate these cars, he transformed them into cheap,
solar-powered, rooftop office spaces for artists who can't afford studios.
While the space is small, it is efficient for young professionals and the
subway car recycling effort will be expanded and soon taken to the artistic
communities of Berlin, Libson and Toronto.
Help When disaster strikes, like the dual tragedies of the earthquake and tsunami in
Japan, ShelterBox responds within hours with survival supplies, essential to
with providing families with everything they need while they are temporarily
displaced or homeless. Every box typically contains a large tent, blankets, a
tool kit, a multi-fuel stove and more. The value of one box is $1,000, but
basics donations as small as $25 are accepted and donors can track their box all the
way to its recipient country on the ShelterBox website. ShelterBox is a
of life nonprofit organization with a mission statement that revolves around
providing one of humanity's most basic needs: shelter.
Green Snap...
Melody Gordon/Going Green
Prepping for the season

Aury Kangelos (center), an intern with the University of
Memphis, works on a raised bed while Anelle Hernandez
(left), an Alternative Spring Break volunteer from the
University of Kansas, helps. They are putting the finishing
touches on the Memphis Urban Ministries Community
Garden at the corner of Vance Ave and S. Lauderdale St.
How edible is your garden? If you are itching to try your hand at growing
vegetables and fruit, here's your chance. Going Green is challenging readers
to grow something edible this year. Take photos as you prepare and plant,
work the beds and harvest. Share them with us along the way and later this
season at harvest. Tell us about your experience. We'll post them on
commercialappeal.com/ goinggreen and publish them in the monthly digital
magazine. Here's your chance to show off your green thumb, and have
something great for your table. Questions: 529-2372 or goinggreen@
commercialappeal.com.
The Green Page...

Container plant seminar
April 30 at The Stockyard
Nursery on 10996 Hwy 70,
Arlington, TN., 10 a.m
Learn from professional
gardeners and growers with
Fafard, Inc. on how to make
your container plantings
beautiful. Participants can
bring their own containers
from home or purchase one
from The Stockyard. For
more information, please call
901-867-8733.
Memphis Tour de Cure

for Diabetes
April 30: Check-In and start
location at Mud Island, 8 a.m.
Events Join in the fight against
Tennessee Flea Market grand opening diabetes in this bicycle ride
April 2 at 7060 Winchester, All day designed for all skill levels.
This nation-wide event is
The state's largest indoor flea market, the first Memphis' first Tour de Cure
flea market to operate 52 weekends a year, will ever and will include lengths
open in a building where an old K-Mart once stood of 12 miles, 35 miles and 62
— making it a great and creative reuse of what miles. All Tour de Cure routes
could have been just another vacant building. are safe and supported with
Items sold by vendors will range from food and route marshals, mechanical
clothing to homemade products and local support, rest stops with
services. Parking is free. For more information, water and snacks and more.
please call 901-848-3532. For more information please
contact John Carroll at
Signs of Spring Walk jcarroll@diabetes.org.
April 10 at Memphis Botanic Garden on 750 Going Green Memphis is
Cherry Rd, 1 p.m. now on Facebook. Simply
“LIKE” the page to receive
No registration is needed to take part in this regular news briefs and
casual walk around the Botanic Garden with updates about green events
Master Gardener, Judith Hammond. This event is and programs taking place in
free with garden admission. For more information and around the Greater
please call 901-576-4100. Memphis area.
Tour De Grizz kicks off NBA groups, including the Greater Memphis
Green Week on April 2 Greenline, Livable Memphis, Church Heath
Center and International Paper.
As a kick-off for the NBA’s annual The team will also be celebrating Green
Green Week, the Grizzlies will participate Week, an NBA league event from April 3 to
in its third annual Tour De Grizz on April 2, April 10, at its two other home games on
an event for all ages that encourages April 5 and April 8, by auctioning off
fitness and environmental awareness, basketballs made from recycled material
which begins at the Memphis Zoo. and autographed by players for charity.
The price, $25 for an individual, $45 Players also wear a special, green organic
per family, includes all-day admission to jersey with the NBA logo, when they are
the zoo as well as a ticket to the game at not playing and during pre-game activities,
which the Memphis Grizzlies will face off and a similar shirt will be available for sale.
against the Minnesota Timberwolves. At Energy saving tips will be announced
5:30 p.m., the group will leave on bicycles throughout the games in hopes that fans
to ride to the FedEx Forum. will leave with more knowledge about
Tip-off for the game is at 7 p.m., and living green than when they arrived.
although the ride usually takes about 45
On April 7, the Grizzlies will be working
minutes, officials planned for twice that
on a service project with Memphis City
much time so all riders will make it to the
Beautiful. Staff members and a couple of
game on time. Memphis Police officers will
the players will participate in the project
escort them Downtown.
— a neighborhood clean-up.
Valet bike parking at the zoo as well as at
the FedEx Forum will be provided. The riders For more information, call 205-1460 or
will meet in the Grand Lobby, where they visit grizzlies.com.
will be able to tour a variety of exhibits from Suzanne Thompson,
local companies, agencies and non-profit Special to Going Green
In case you missed it... Breaking ground on eco-friendly

Wolf River Boulevard link
FedEx gets first Green Hard Hat Published on March 23, 2011
Published on March 23, 2011
Officials broke ground on the last two-mile
FedEx initiatives to conduct its operations in link for Wolf River Boulevard in Germantown.
more environmentally sensitive ways has earned The project will connect where Wolf River
the company the first Green Hard Hat Award given Boulevard ends with the western section that
by the Conference on Sustainable Real Estate. picks back up at Farmington.
Conference leaders said they unanimously The project is on target for a “Silver”
chose FedEx because the company: has certification and will be the first state roadway
received LEED certification on a 1.25 million- to be designated as such.
square-foot building leads by example with its “It was challenging because of everything
sustainable and green actions, such as we had to do. The city wanted the road to be
converting its airplanes and trucks to greener different and environmentally sensitive,” said
fleets; andprovides an international example for William Porter, W.H. Porter & Consultants.
conducting business in a more sustainable way.
Lela Garlington, The Commercial Appeal
Full article: commercialappeal.com
/news/2011/mar/23/ coffee-break-fedex-gets- Full article: commercialappeal.com/news
first-green-hard-hat/ /2011/mar/23/cleared-for-takeoff/
Know your produce for pesticides

Poring over those gorgeous seed That suits me fine. We aren’t in the right
catalogs while my goats were ankle deep area for some of those, and I despise all
in snow made me dream of spring. melons.
Now it’s here, and it’s time to get Other need-not-grows are sweet corn
serious about gardens. (don’t have the room anyway),
Since I’m the only gardener in onions, sweet peas (my son is
the family, and I just delivered allergic), eggplant and cabbage
baby No. 4, I suspect that without (which I couldn’t grow right if
the help of some generous friends, my life depended on it).
my garden will be largely However, two “clean” items
imaginary this year. may still make it into the garden.
But maybe not. Fresh asparagus is too delicious,
The Environmental Working DEANNA and I already have a three-year-
CASWELL
Group has listed 49 produce items old patch. And sweet potatoes
in order of likely pesticide residue Practically are just plain fun. They take over
(foodnews.org). The best 15 are Green like ivy, and my kids love digging
nicknamed “The Clean Fifteen,” them up at season’s end.
while the worst 12 are nicknamed “The Now, on to the bad guys. The worst
Dirty Dozen.” These are the produce offender on the Dirty Dozen list is
items that I should buy as organic or celery. It would be a good idea to grow
grow myself. my own, but unfortunately I am
According to The Clean Fifteen, I incapable. Organic celery is readily
don’t need to grow avocados,
pineapples, mangos, kiwi, cantaloupe,
watermelon, grapefruit or honeydew.
available and is not that expensive. first-time-gardener ignorance. Another

Peaches (No. 2), apples (No. 4), year, they fell victim to goats. Goats love
nectarines (No. 6), and cherries (No. fruit trees and shrubs.
10) are all good for growing in our area. Bell peppers (No. 7), spinach (No. 8),
They take a few years to really get going. collard greens/kale (No. 9), and
I don’t recommend full- potatoes (No. 11) are all easy to
size trees, unless you grow in our area.
have a lot of room, but They produce in a
the dwarf varieties matter of months,
are easy to and amazingly, I
find and get have
only about 10 successfully
feet tall, perfect grown all
for Mid-South of these.
yards. I ordered a They will
bunch a few years definitely be
back from in this year.
arborday.com, and That’s four
had I protected them from vegetables to grow and
the goats, I’d be swimming in a whole heck of a lot of
fruit this season. I now have a fruit. If like me, you are
fabulously sturdy goat fence, so really impatient, really
I think I’ll replant those trees cheap, and have doubts
this year, or maybe next. about your success as a
Strawberries (No. 3) take only backyard orchardist, just
a year or two to get going in our start with potatoes,
area and make a great ground spinach, greens, peppers
cover. Last year I had a big and a few strawberry
strawberry patch in the front yard plants.
(no goats up there) and was
overwhelmed with strawberries. I You can still cut a lot of
was handing them out to friends, pesticide residue from your
family, even the piano repairman. family’s diet by sticking to
So they’re definitely in again this fruits on the Clean Fifteen:
year. pineapples, mangos, kiwi,
Continuing with the Dirty Dozen: grapefruit and all of those
Blueberries (No. 5, if domestic) and melons.
grapes (No. 12, if imported) grow Deanna Caswell is a local writer
well in our area, but like all fruit, they who blogs at
take a few years to get going. Not as littlehouseinthesuburbs.com . Caswell
and her husband, Jeff, live in
long as an apple tree, but longer than a Collierville. She practices eco-friendly
strawberry patch. I’ve tried twice to living while raising their four children, along
grow them. One year they fell victim to with pygmy goats and chickens.
Associated Press
Easy-to-grow greens are a much more environmentally friendly way to go - like
this bed of Yugoslavian Red lettuce in the White House Kitchen Garden.
Lettuces a sure sign of spring

NOTHING SAYS "CHANGE are a welcome sight.
OF SEASONS" like the lush Put iceberg out of your mind
green sprouts that carpet the and your refrigerator. There's
landscape, seemingly no need to waste your time
overnight. Local lettuces - on with the tasteless when there
farms and in yards - are the are lots of interesting leaves to
first produce of spring. add to sandwiches and salads.
MELISSA The tenacious can grow Butterhead and leaf lettuces,
PETERSEN lettuce all winter long - in cold such as bibb and oak leaf, are
frames or on a sunny windowsill. pliable with a mild, sweet
Eating Local, But for those of us who look for flavor. Escarole, radicchio and
Eating Green local and less-traveled food, chicories (sometimes known as
those lettuces in the backyard curly endive or frisée) are
bitter. Sorrel is tart. Watercress and arugula taste Sherry

peppery. Colors run the gamut. Some lettuces have Vinaigrette
smooth leaves; some have ruffles. Mix them up, and go 1
/2 cup sherry vinegar
for balance. Each bite should have a little of everything. 1 shallot, minced
For food less traveled, plant your own "salad bowl" (a 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
mixture of greens seeds). In a few weeks, you should be 2 tbsp. honey
1 to 11/4 cups olive oil
able to find preplanted salad bowls at garden centers, Salt and pepper to taste
farmers markets and some groceries - ready to start
harvesting. In a mixing bowl,
Lettuce is highly perishable. You may get only a few whisk together
days from the bags at the grocery, because they've vinegar, shallot,
already spent days on a truck and in storage (think of mustard and honey.
the energy required). Slowly whisk in oil.
Season to taste with
Store lettuces in the crisper drawer of your
salt and freshly
refrigerator, and don't wash until you're ready to use.
ground pepper.
Run some cool water, and submerge the leaves. Give Serve on fresh spring
them a gentle stir. The dirt should sink to the bottom. greens.
Remove the leaves to a colander or salad spinner, and
dry well. Wet greens don't stay crisp, and dressings Cilantro Citrus
don't stick to them very well. Vinaigrette
Tear tender lettuces by hand, but hearty leaves - 1
/4 cup rice wine or
romaine, arugula, radicchio and spinach - hold up to a champagne vinegar
knife just fine. The leaf is just the beginning, the perfect 1 shallot, minced
canvas for the local items that are soon coming our way. 1 to 11/2 cups olive oil
Finally, great dressing is the key to a spectacular 2 tbsp. orange marmalade
or honey
salad. A basic vinaigrette salad dressing is simply one 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
part vinegar mixed with three parts oil and an Juice from 1 lime
emulsifier (such as honey or Dijon mustard). The Juice from 1 lemon
1
emulsifier allows the oil and vinegar to stay mixed /2 cup fresh cilantro
leaves
together temporarily (and adds some flavor). Don't Salt and pepper to taste
forget to season with salt and pepper.
For punchy dressings, use a strong vinegar, such as Place vinegar,
balsamic or sherry vinegar. For mild dressings, use a shallots, marmalade,
citrus juice in place of all or some of the vinegar, or use mustard, lemon juice
a mild vinegar, such as rice wine or champagne vinegar. and lime juice in a
I use olive oil for all of my dressings, but you can use blender. Pulse to
any neutral (vegetable, canola) or flavored (walnut, mix. With blender on,
pecan) vinegar that complements the other ingredients. slowly add olive oil
until an emulsion
You're living green and local; show it off. (thick mixture) is
Melissa Petersen is the editor of Edible Memphis, a magazine created. Add cilantro,
that celebrates the abundance of local food, season by season. It salt and pepper and
is available at various locations around town. Contact her at
ediblememphis.com. pulse to mix in.
EARTH DAY,
Y, EVERY DAY
At Botanic Garden, April is the month to
promote green living practices for families
By Suzanne Thompson / Special to Going Green
FOR MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN AND INTERNATIONAL

PAPER, celebrating the wonders and preservation of the planet on
just one day is not enough. So they have partnered to initiate a
program for the entire month of April, “Earth Day, Every Day.”
“We thought about a traditional conversation.

Earth Day event, but we came “The most interesting and
back and we said, ‘The movement, innovative part of this program is
the way that people are choosing that we sat down with people at
to live and their lifestyles are the Botanic Garden and a lot of
shifting more from a one-time International Paper’s businesses
event a year to our lives every and we realized we are doing all
day,’ ” said Kim Wirth, executive these great things around the
director of the International Paper globe, and tried to identify how
Foundation. we could bring that to the Mid-
Kristin Zemaitis, youth South community,” Wirth said.
education program manager for Once communication began, the
Memphis Botanic Garden, agrees. project took off.
“Earth Day doesn’t just have to “Once we started having a
be a one-day thing. Earth Day can dialogue about things we face
be something that you can every day, like how to recycle and
practice and do every day,” she how to compost materials, and
said. how to plant trees, we had a little
Like some other great ideas, the synergy where we realized that we
project began with a simple have this information and the
Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal files

A month-long Earth Day celebration kicks off in My Big Backyard, the children’s
area at Memphis Botanic Garden, with live music, games and food on April 1.
Participants can check out the many ways MBG reuses “old” things including
these “flower beds” in the whimsical Home Sweet Home section.
Botanic Garden has the knowledge of education, and the Botanic Garden is
how to bring it to people and to bring it the perfect opportunity for us to
to individuals, so it was a great approach families and school-age
partnership in that sense,” Wirth said. children about environmental
While there is something for education messages and how they can
everyone at some time during the promote green living practices in their
month, the focus is on families, daily lives.”
students and educators. While there is a charge for some
“We have such a deep connection special events, many are free with the
because our products are fiber-based,” price of admission to the Botanic
Wirth said. “So, environmental Garden.
education is part of our culture. We Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for
have a lot of great partners around the children older than 2 years. Children
city that help us reach different younger than 2 are admitted free.
audiences about environmental Some events require reservations.
Memphis Botanic Garden’s Earth Month Events

April 1: Backyard Bash in My Big
Backyard
April 2: Backyard Paint Party
April 3: Family Rain Barrel
Workshop
April 4: After School Green Hour in
My Big Backyard
April 5: Horticulture Society
Lecture, “Delicious and Nutritious
Vegetables”
April 5, 6: Caterpillar Club: The
World Around Us
April 7: Going Green Lunch Scene,
Composting 101 with Carl Wayne
Hardeman
April 8: Project Learning Tree
Educator Workshop
April 9: Kids-Only Yard Sale
April 10: Signs of Spring Walk
April 11: After School Green Hour in
My Big Backyard
April 12: Memphis Botanic Garden
Tour
April 13: Brown Bag Lunch Lecture, Brandon Dill/The Commercial Appeal files
“Going Green from the Ground Up”
April 14: Going Green Lunch Scene, The annual Family Egg Hunt will
Organic Gardening 101 with Kay have a hint of “green” this year,
McAdams with all the crafts centered
April 15-17: Spring Plant Sale around a theme of recycling and
April 18: After School Green Hour in conservation.
My Big Backyard
April 19, 20: Caterpillar Club: The
World of Plants April 26: Tuesdays on the Terrace,
April 19, 20: Environmental Picnic Wines
Playhouse April 27: Farmers Market opens
April 21: Going Green Lunch Scene, April 28: Going Green Lunch Scene,
“Recycle Right: Creative Recycling in Growing and Using Herbs for Health
the Garden” with Linda Overton with Evelyn Mosley
Phillips April 29: Wild Food and Herb Walk
April 21: Aquatic Plants with Hyun April 30: Outdoor Classroom
Jung Cho, Ph.D. Symposium at Keystone Elementary
April 22: Earth Day For a full event listing with program
April 23: Family Egg Hunt description, times and cost
April 24: Easter information, go to memphisbotanic
April 25: After School Green Hour in garden.com/
My Big Backyard index.cfm?section=3&page=131.
Brandon Dill/The Commercial Appeal files

The Memphis Botanic Garden has events planned with all ages in mind,
including a Family Rain Barrel Workshop, the annual Spring Plant Sale, opening
of the farmers’ market and displays of artwork made from recycled material.
Earth Day, Every Day includes a wide A Kids-Only Yard Sale will be held on
range of more than 20 activities, April 9, in which children get a booth to
including family workshops, nature hikes sell their toys.
and seminars for teachers about “They are recycling their toys by
recycling and composting. One event, selling them and learning money
the Conservation Challenge Hike, will be management skills,” she said.
ongoing during April. Earth Day, Every Day is a new event
Hikers will have access to the for the Botanic Garden, but not all of the
beautiful setting of the garden, and they activities offered are new.
will be steered by signage through self- “Our Caterpillar Club is ongoing, but
directed hikes. the theme for April will be The World
Each sign will have a conservation Around Us,” Zemaitis said of the pre-
quiz question, with the answer being school program, which like other
provided at the next sign, Zemaitis monthly programs has been tweaked to
explained. have an Earth Day theme.
The Family Egg Hunt on April 23, like

the Spring Plant Sale April 15-17, is a
yearly event, but this year all the crafts
will be centered around a theme of
recycling and conservation.
“The kids are going to get to make an
Easter bonnet made out of old
newspapers, and egg carton flowers,”
she said.
The grand prize will be a big green
egg and a home environmental item, like
a composter or water barrel.
“We’ll also have the After School
Green Hour, a special after-school drop-
in out in the children’s garden and
families will do a take-home craft,
whether it’s a worm bin, or a paper
recycling kit. There’s a different theme
for each of them,” Zemaitis said.
There is no additional charge for the
After School Green Hour, which is
scheduled for 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on
April 4, April 11, April 14 and April 25.
There will also be a Family Rain
Barrel Workshop on April 3. Each family
will receive a 55-gallon rain barrel which
they can paint together and learn about
using.
The fee for the Family Rain Barrel
Workshop is $40, which includes
Botanic Garden admission.
Not every event is for children.
Tuesdays on the Terrace is a monthly
wine tasting event, and in April the
theme will be picnic wines, with a
display of the creative recycling of wine
bottles. The charge for this is $35 for
non-members and $25 for members, but
most events are free with the price of
admission.
“Everybody should be able to find
something they are interested in that we
have offered in April,” Zemaitis said.
LOCAL NEWS
Fishing for trash

River cleanup group docks in Memphis for McKellar Lake project
Photos by Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Standing on his custom flatboat, envioronmentalist Chad Pregracke (left) talks
with Cargill employee and volunteer Kevin Byrd about the lake of garbage
floating on the Mississippi River.
By Tom Charlier Standing in a flat-bottomed boat

charlier@commercialappeal.com on McKellar Lake, Pregracke is
gazing at large mats of floating trash
Chad Pregracke plucked tires — plastic containers, 40-ounce beer
from the Potomac and yanked bottles, paper cups, toys, even
mattresses from the Missouri, but coolers and basketballs — bobbing
none of that prepared him for the in the wake from his vessel.
foul mess now stretching out before “Never seen anything like it, “ he
him in Memphis’ main harbor on says.
the Mississippi River. That’s quite a statement,
considering that Pregracke, founder and after heavy rains.

president of the cleanup group Living “It’s just a function of roadside litter
Lands & Waters, has been called and debris washing through Nonconnah
America’s “rivers garbage man.” Over and flowing into McKellar Lake, “ said
the past 13 years, he’s directed nearly Paul Patterson, administrator of
500 cleanups in 18 states and won environmental engineering for the city.
prestigious honors, including the He said the refuse is a reflection of
Jefferson Award, presented by the how Memphians’ “habits are not what
American Institute for Public Service. they need to be” in terms of making
His latest, and perhaps most sure waste is properly disposed of.
challenging, effort began in late The city has considered various
February as the Living Lands & Waters remedies for the harbor pollution,
flotilla — including a towboat, four including the possible purchase of a trash-
barges and six work boats — cruised skimming boat. But the cost of the vessel
into McKellar Lake, the slack-water proved too high, and officials concluded
harbor south of Downtown. They were that the dense shoreline vegetation likely
in town for a month-long operation that’s would render it ineffective.
removing tons of refuse from the water. Pregracke’s group, which has a small
McKellar’s litter problems are well staff, has been joined in the cleanup effort
known, and they aren’t caused by by scores of volunteers, including college
industries along the harbor, officials say. students from across the Midwest,
Instead, most of the trash is carried into Southeast and Northeast participating in
the harbor by Nonconnah Creek, the an “alternative spring break.”
urban stream that receives the runoff Like troops in an amphibious assault,
from much of Memphis and turns into the workers ride sturdy 30-foot boats
something of a massive storm drain that surge ashore through the trash and
“It’s just
nasty...We
make our living
off the inland
waterway
system. We
want it to be
clean.”
GEORGE LEAVELL, WEPFER
MARINE’S EXECUTIVE VICE
PRESIDENT
Volunteer Dave Manthey shows his disgust as he and fellow volunteers from
Cargill help clean up some of the trashiest parts of the Mississippi River.
willows lining the banks. Stepping off Grainger Industrial Supply, which
the vessels, they’re almost overwhelmed provided a grant, and Wepfer Marine,
by the scale of the debris in some places. which offered docking, repairs and other
“This is awful, “ said volunteer services for the group’s vessels.
Deborah Manthey. George Leavell, Wepfer’s executive
So abundant is the harbor trash that the vice president, said the harbor-service
group has been bagging close to 10,000 company supports Living Lands &
pounds each day. After each outing the Waters because the firm spends large
bag-laden boats return to the group’s sums of money each year cleaning up
barges, where the bags are stacked in an debris around its docks.
immense heap, eventually to be loaded “It’s just nasty..., “ he said. “We make
into trucks and taken to a local landfill. our living off the inland waterway
The 36-year-old Pregracke launched system. We want it to be clean.”
the group in 1998. Given the scale of theproblem,
The group’s annual budget is just Pregracke plans to return to Memphis
over $1 million. It gets plenty of for cleanups for the next three years.
support from firms in the Memphis “I don’t want to be just a flash in the
area, including large companies such as pan, “ he said. “I want to have a lasting
FedEx and Cargils. impact.”
Smaller local firms help, too, including Tom Charlier: 529-2572
CHRIS PECK Inside the Newsroom
Trashy Memphis is embarrassing

What an embarrassing, yet telling photo trash disappears from the front of the house, or
for Memphis. even out the window of your car, it's done with.
The one that showed the floating trash in But it's not gone. It just flows downstream,
McKellar Lake on the cover of the Local News to McKellar Lake, or the overburdened storm
section. sewers, or into some else's yard.
Remember that one? It showed two river This out of sight, out of mind Memphis
cleanup volunteers on their boat looking out mentality isn't limited to trash and garbage.
at McKellar Lake, which is the main Memphis It's evident in community attitudes about
harbor on the Mississippi River. schools, and crime, and poverty, and a lot else.
Harbor. River. You might think of yachts, Yeah, your kids may be doing fine in a
pristine paddling for a canoe, birds and private school with other privileged kids. I
tranquility. know mine did.
But you'd be way wrong. But if you live in Greater Memphis, you
The photo of McKellar Lake looked more don't really get away from the impact of half
like a floating Dumpster. the kids in the region struggling in school,
Plastic bottles. Styrofoam. Grocery bags. struggling with how to become productive
Liquor bottles. Toilet paper. A big soggy mess adults, struggling to get out of their
right on the Mississippi River. impoverished boundaries. Their struggles
Rubbish from Greater Memphis has flowed affect who you can hire, who shops at your
down Nonconnah Creek and into the harbor business, who votes and gets elected in your
from streets in both the poor parts of town congressional district.
and the richer suburbs. And yeah, you can move, build a house
Trashy Memphis isn't something we like to farther away from the blighted
think about. But it's part of the urban neighborhoods. But then you are driving
landscape. A blight, really, in a city old-timers more, burning more gas, paying the often
recall once was considered, back in the 1930s underreported costs of urban sprawl in
and 1940s, as among the cleanest in America. utilities and services.
No more. Take a drive off the main It's tempting to say that you are getting
thoroughfares into the vacant, run-down away, walling off, separating yourself from all
parts of Memphis and you see the mess. kinds of nasty problems.
Blowing fast-food bags, emptied-out But really, we're one world. One
ashtrays, wadded-up disposable diapers. It's community. One place.
everywhere - not just McKellar Lake. McKellar Lake really is a metaphor for the
The question is, why? larger challenge in Memphis of figuring out
Could it be because we've let ourselves get how we can live together, solve problems
all wrapped up in our boundaries, our walls, together, and not flush our troubles
our own worlds? downstream.
It's human nature. We need boundaries, Chris Peck is editor of The Commercial
places where we feel comfortable. Appeal. Contact him at 529-2390 or at
But when we overdo it, when we define our peck@commercialappeal.com. This column
lives only by the boundaries in which we choose ran in the Commercial Appeal print edition
to live, it's pretty easy to assume that once your on Xxxxxxxx.
Storm drains the first point of entry for local debris
Different type of spring cleaning

By Suzanne Thompson
Special to Going Green
The warm weather brings

buds of new growth on trees,
blossoming flowers and, of
course, green grass, which
must be maintained through-
out much of the year.
It’s important that freshly
cut grass is properly disposed
of, not blown off the yard into
the street, where it ends up in
storm drains.
The storm drains are the
first point of entry for the
water and debris that flow in-
to the storm water drainage
system, and ultimately wind
up in rivers.
The city of Memphis storm
water system is separate from
the sanitary system, and is
known as a Municipal Sep-
arate Storm Sewer System
(MS4). That means water,
such as rainfall and runoff, is
conducted through a separate
system from water produced
Ben Fant/Special to the Commercial Appeal
by household and commercial
John Parker of the City of Memphis Public Works discharges.
Drain Maintenance Department clears leaves and The water is managed by
debris from a clogged storm drain in a residential the city of Memphis Storm
neighborhood. Parker's crew is responsible for Water Management (SWM)
ensuring the upkeep of these drains, but they office and Drain Maintenance.
need help from residents in the neighborhoods. “The water that is gener-
ated from storm events does not go to Semi-annual meeting

treatment plants. It goes directly into
drainage ways, which eventually dis- The next public meeting will be held
charge into the Mississippi River,” Bob- at the Dixon Gallery & Gardens on
by Allen, manager of SWM, explained. April 26. It begins at 6 p.m. with a
In 1972, the EPA’s Clean Water Act light box supper provided. Admission
mandated that states take action to pro- is free.
tect their waterways.
The regulatory agency is the Ten-
nessee Department of Environment and “You don’t want muddy waters run-
Conservation, which issues permits giv- ning down streams,” Allen said. “Runoff
ing specific authority to various cities can disturb fish habitat.”
and municipalities. But it’s not just construction sites
Under the city’s permit there are six that cause runoff problems.
major categories: public education, pub- A big concern for SWM is used mo-
lic participation, illicit discharge detec- tor oil being poured into storm drains.
tion and elimination, construction site If someone witnesses a person dis-
runoff control, post-construction runoff posing of oil in this manner, Allen said,
control, and pollution prevention. he or she should call Allen’s office at
The categories are intertwined but 576-4349.
they are addressed in different ways. “We don’t want to put anyone in an
To educate the public and encourage awkward situation. We investigate all
its participation, SWM erects signs on complaints, and we solicit help from the
bus-stop stands and other locations, re- public,” he said.
minding people not to put grass cut- When making a report about improp-
tings and other materials into the storm er oil disposal, be sure to include the
drains. time, date and location. If the disposal
SWM staff members go to community is done by someone using a company
events, speak to local clubs and schools, vehicle, include the license tag.
and hold semi-annual public meetings in Each municipality is in charge of
the spring and fall. managing its storm water, Allen said.
The SWM office also monitors large Municipalities such as Millington,
construction projects, which must sub- Bartlett, Lakeland and Collierville all
mit an erosion control plan, outlining operate under separate permits, as does
how the contractor intends to prevent the unincorporated area of Shelby Coun-
soil erosion. ty.
Allen said his office tries to work Allen’s counterpart in the county is
with contractors to give them a chance Chris Masin, a senior engineer with
to set things up properly. Usually only Shelby County government and storm
the most flagrant violators are fined, but water program coordinator for the coun-
at $50 a day, the fees can add up fast. ty’s unincorporated area.
Runoff can cause problems aesthet- “Our region is all part of the Ten-
ically and environmentally. nessee Storm Water Association, which
Ben Fant/Special to the Commercial Appeal

Cleaning one storm drain can reveal trash, grass, limbs, and leaves. Sometimes
the refuse is not intentionally placed in the drains, but residents failing to
maintain the storm drains in their neighborhoods may inadvertently clog the
entire storm drain system and cause flooding.
was started about two years ago. We visual assessment and physical sam-
have kind of an informal MS4 group pling.”
across the state,” Masin said. “Two The visual assessment not only en-
years ago we formalized it and formed a tails surveying the habitat of wildlife,
nonprofit organization called the Ten- but also looking for tell-tale signs of
nessee Storm Water Association and we contamination, such as frothy patches of
share information about pollution con- water or an oily sheen.
trol and best management practices.” The physical sampling requires that
A key component of the job involves the water be sent to a lab to have tests
periodic sampling and analysis of water run for E. coli and chemical contam-
quality in lakes, streams and rivers. ination.
“We are all now having to develop in- City and county officials also jointly
stream sampling plans,” Masin said. published a Storm Water Management
“There are two kinds of sampling, a manual so they would handle storm wa-
ter issues uniformly. Rain Gardens: Biofiltering

“That manual has become the uni- stormwater has numerous
form practice for both the city and environmental benefits
the unincorporated parts of the coun-
When you hear the term “rain garden,”
ty, despite the differences in per- you might picture someplace tropical and far
mits,” Masin explained. away, but rain gardens are increasingly
Pollution continues to be a prob- being found closer to home.
lem for all areas. They are being installed by homeowners
Years ago, pollution was easier to and landscape architects to minimize runoff,
detect, because it was easy to spot reduce pollution and create beautiful easy-
— most problems arose from dis- care plantings.
charges at factories and other in- A rain garden is a recessed flower bed
built with the express purpose of detaining
dustrial operations. rainwater long enough to remove pollutants
“The biggest source of pollution is and purify the water before it continues on
what we call non-point source pol- into storm drains, creeks and rivers.
lution,” Masin said. Plants good for rain gardens in our area
This includes everything that runs are natives that can take both drought
off parking lots, lawns, construction conditions, like our summers, and wet
sites and myriad other sources. conditions, like our winters.
With more and more impermeable
“That is the biggest pollutant to surfaces surrounding our homes and
rivers and streams and it is a lot neighborhoods, rain water is sweeping
harder to regulate,” Masin. through our yards, driveways and streets,
That’s why it’s so important for collecting pesticides, oil and contaminants
people to be aware of things that and then traveling to our streams and rivers.
might wind up in a storm drain. Rain gardens hold the water in the earth for
a short amount of time, allowing it to
“All the grass and the organic mat- percolate long enough to be cleansed of the
ter get in there and decays and can impurities before traveling on its way.
cause problems with the fish and “When we do have our rains, it’s intended
disturb the natural habitat by causing to catch the runoff from the stormwater in
algae growth,” Allen said. your yard, direct it into a basin (or area) that
Water that enters storm drains can be very small and modest that then
flows into inlets, collection areas cov- detains it. Then it soaks out into the soil and
ered with grates, to filter out large replenishes the ground,” says Mary Wilder, a
master gardener, Vollintine-Evergreen
debris so it doesn’t reach the city’s Community Association volunteer and
pipe system. member of Lickcreek Storm Water Coalition.
“If the pipe stops up, or the inlet
Ava Middleton,
stops up, storm water can back up Special to The Commercial Appeal
into the street and then also back up
into people’s yards. Cleaning and re- This article previously ran in the
Commercial Appeal print edition on March
pairing lines is much more cumber- 25, 2011. To read the full article, go to
some than just avoiding it in the first commercialappeal.com/news/2011/mar/25/
place by not polluting.” rain-gardens/.
Photos byBrandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

Certified arborist Wesley Hopper practices the proper technique for trimming a
limb while secured to an adjacent tree at the Lucius Burch Educational Center.
Leaps &bounds
Certified arborist Wesley
Wesley Hopper
examines a Hopper fulfills
Shagbark Hickory childhood
tree he intends to
climb for a dream to
demonstration. ‘swing through
the trees’ like
Tarzan
By Suzanne Thompson / Special to Going Green
WHEN WESLEY HOPPER WAS A LITTLE BOY, his father asked him
and his brothers what they wanted to be when they grew up.
One of his brothers said he wanted to be a firefighter. The other said
he wanted to be a policeman.
Hopper said, “I want to be Tarzan.”
Decades later, one of his brothers is International Society of Arboriculture

a firefighter, the other a policeman and (ISA) Working Arborist of the Year in
Hopper is as close to being Tarzan as 2005, the 2005 Council Member of the
he can get — he chose a profession Year by the Tennessee Urban Forestry
that requires him to swing through Council and the 2009 ISA Education
trees. Award.
“I set my goal to work in the trees,” He has climbed trees that are 110
he said. feet tall, about the height of an 11-
A certified arborist, Hopper has story building, with as much as a 128-
climbed some of the tallest trees in the feet canopy width, so he climbs not
country and has traveled extensively only up, but out.
through the southeastern United Hopper speaks of trees with a
States working on trees and educating reverence usually reserved for religion.
others about them. “They are living organisms, a gift
But, when he started 29 years ago, from God.”
he was told by his employer, the largest In addition to determining diseases
tree company in the Memphis area, in trees, arborists give advice about
that he wouldn’t make it because he pruning. Hopper said a certified
didn’t know enough about trees. arborist should be involved when
So, he set out to change that. trimming large trees.
“Every day it was a leaf and a book, It’s a state law that dead limbs be
or a bug and a book,” he said. removed from trees because of the
Since then Hopper has earned danger they present during a storm.
numerous honors, including the Trees should be inspected after a bad
“Our goal is to give landowners as many reasons as

possible to keep their land.”
CANDACE DINWIDDIE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TENNESSEE FORESTRY ASSOCIATION
storm, Hopper said, and many

arborists are glad to come and look
them over at no charge.
However, it’s not uncommon for
people who have no formal education
about trees to go door-to-door offering
to trim the limbs for a fee, telling
homeowners that they’re lucky a tree
didn’t crush their houses, he said.
“Don’t fall for scare tactics.”
However, the concern is very real
and he’s seen many crushed roofs and
cars caused by felled trees — accidents
that often could have been prevented
with proper tree trimming.
“Don’t wait until something
happens. Then it’s too late,” he said.
According to Hopper, most large
trees should be trimmed every two or
three years.
Although Hopper has been involved
in almost every aspect of tree care, at
this point in his career, he is focusing
on education, public awareness and After signing a development plan, he
consulting. said he routinely looks at the sites, to
Hopper is an instructor for the ISA ensure that they are adhering to the
Certified Arborist Study Course, a 15- plan.
week course that trains people how to “If my signature is on there, I have
work in trees safely and how to to. Otherwise, it’s pointless,” Hopper
determine what diseases they may said.
have. He has made it his mission to try to
Hopper even conducts tree set and help others adhere to industry
inventories, because municipalities are standards.
required to have a certain amount of Working in the tree care industry is
non-pervious space per acre. not for the weak at heart either.
During a recent drive around the Sometimes being Tarzan has its
city, he remembered thinking, “I must drawbacks, Hopper has learned
have counted every tree in this city.” firsthand. A tree he was working on fell
He sometimes reviews development and landed so near his head that he
plans to ensure that they meet proper stuck out his tongue and touched it to
standards for density. the bark.
It’s a responsibility he takes very “People die in this business every
seriously. day. It’s such a hazardous profession.”
Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal

Stephanie Dennis, program coordinator at BRIDGES, engages the community on
issues of sustainability through the Ordinary to Extraordinary program offered
at BRIDGES. “It’s open to groups of students of any age,” Dennis said.
O2E educates a new generation

By Suzanne Thompson Dennis, program coordinator at
Special to Going Green BRIDGES.
By 2008, Molly Merry Campbell,
BRIDGES, the organization that director of community engagement,
occupies the first green building in decided it was time to give the public a
Memphis , offers a unique program to glimpse of a green building.
educate people of all ages about the Campbell spearheaded a program that
advantages of going green. offers tours of the BRIDGES building to
O2E, which stands for Ordinary to school and community groups.
Extraordinary, is all about learning and “It’s open to groups of students of
leading green, according to Stephanie any age,” Dennis said, though the tours
seem to be most popular with middle

school children.
Some of the building’s features include
a solar water heater, a unique boardroom
that incorporates local materials and a
rooftop garden filled with plants
indigenous to the Memphis area.
For students, the program is a day-
long field trip.
The morning portion is spent on the
tour for the building. Then after a lunch
break, students have an interactive
session in which they are given supplies
and asked to build models of their
schools using techniques and ideas they
learned during the tour.
For the first two hours, students rotate
through 12 different areas of the building.
“At the majority of them there are
Provided by BRIDGES demonstrations for them to touch and
Students from Omni Prep Academy feel and get a real sense of what we are
participate in the O2E learning doing,” she said.
program by taking a tour of the “In the afternoon, we do what
BRIDGES building in February. BRIDGES is known for, which is team
building and leadership and
How to participate development.”
A favorite activity for students is
Students or administrators can building the model of their own school.
register their class, student group “They get an opportunity to build
and/or school for the O2E Student whatever school they attend using what
Experience at bridgesusa.org/ they have learned to build a more green
o2estudentexperienceregistrationform. and eco-friendly building.”
Student fees for the fieldtrip Students are given a diagram for the
experience are $6 per student. basics of the school and they make
Transportation and lunch must be decisions about what features to
provided by the school. include, choosing even the plot of land
Church, corporate, non-profit on which the school will be built.
leaders, moms, dads, and individuals Then staff members talk with
can register at bridgesusa students individually to find out what
.sitewrench.com/ community choices they have made and why.
experienceregistrationfom. A $5 per “It ties in all the concepts they have
donation to BRIDGES is learned,” she said.
recommended. Community tours, which take place in
the evening from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., The O2E Challenge
are abbreviated versions of the school At the end of 2009, BRIDGES set a lofty
program. goal: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
“Overall we found out that from youth (GGE) in Memphis by 11 million pounds by
to adults a lot of them have similar 2011 with its program Ordinary to
questions,” Dennis said. Extraordinary: Learning and Leading Green.
The goal of the tours, ultimately, is After a year of engaging programs and
for participants to put the knowledge more than 1,500 participants, O2E
participants have reduced GGEs in
they gain to work in their own Memphis by 11,249,808 pounds.
organizations or schools. There's still more to due to ensure a
“It also aligns with the BRIDGES greener and more sustainable Memphis.
mission, which is to help develop a The O2E goal for 2012 is 12 million pounds.
community of leaders to advance racial, Do you want to join BRIDGES and the
economic, educational and community to help reduce greenhouse gas
environmental justice,” she said. emissions (GGE) in Memphis?
Go to bridgesusa.sitewrench.com/
Cost for the tour is about $6 per challenge to register and make a pledge to
student, but thanks to a grant from the take any of the following actions:
Junior League and the Tennessee Valley Turn the water off while I brush my
Authority, the fee is waived for 30 groups teeth (reducing greenhouse gas emissions
per school year, according to Dennis. by 5850 pounds per year)
The schools are responsible for Plant one tree (reducing GGE by 23
providing transportation and students pounds per year)
bring sack lunches. Replace one light bulb in my home
with a CFL (reducing GGE by 50 pounds
Omni Prep Academy Northpoint, a per year)
new charter school, sent a group of fifth Change the air filter every three
and sixth graders for the tour in February. months (reducing GGE by 305 pounds per
Mario Hendrix, dean of students of year)
enlightenment and exposure and a Spend $1 a week on local products for
BRIDGES employee, said the students one year (reducing GGE by 2800 pounds
thoroughly enjoyed the program. per year)
Turn off one light bulb while I'm at
“It was an opportunity for the school or sleeping (reducing GGE by 35
students to learn not just to go green, pounds per year)
but to be a leader in being green in our Reduce my shower time by one
society,” Hendrix said. minute each day (reducing GGE by 4700
The enthusiasm the students showed pounds per year)
after they completed the program made Recycle all my plastic bottles
it apparent to Hendrix that it was a hit (reducing GGE by 16.7 pounds per year)
with his group. Subscribe to 1 TVA green power block
for a year (reducing GGE by 3 thousand
“It was inspiring to know that they pounds per year)
were still talking about it even on the Reduce my water heater temperature
bus ride back. For the full 30-minute by 20 degrees (reducing GGE by 1300
ride they were talking about the pounds per year)
experience,” Hendrix said. BRIDGES
THE BIZ PAGE
Dave Darnell/The Commercial Appeal

Phil Coop's passion for environmental preservation is the
foundation of his company, EnSafe.
By James Dowd
Green dowd@commercialappeal.com
From the early years spent on his

family’s farm in Bell Buckle, Tenn.,
pioneer
through studies at The Webb School and
Harvard University, Phil Coop always
loved one subject above all others: science.
That fascination eventually evolved
into a passion for environmental
preservation, which Coop later used as
Coop's EnSafe blazed the foundation for his company, EnSafe .
The Memphis-based consulting firm,
trail on environmental which started as a one-room operation and
today counts some 15 offices across the
safety procedures country, specializes in environmental safety
Phil Coop curve and we felt there was an

opportunity to step in and fill that void,
Age: 62 “ Coop said. “There was a big need for
Occupation: President and CEO of EnSafe companies to adhere to increasing
Company address: 5724 Summer compliance issues and we managed to
Trees Dr. tap into that developing market.”
Phone: 372-7962 And that they did.
Employees: 260 in 15 offices nationally Helping companies address and
resolve environmental issues proved
Online: ensafe.com successful, so much so that by 1994
EnSafe was named by Inc. magazine as
one of the 500 fastest-growing
procedures at sites around the world. companies in the country.
More than three decades after “Phil is truly a remarkable story of
establishing his global operation, the innovation and inspiration, from modest
Memphis businessman’s achievements beginnings to overseeing a company
are being recognized by the Society of with global outreach, “ said Pearson
Entrepreneurs . Coop will be formally Crutcher, executive director of SOE.
inducted into the organization April 9. “He continues to improve our
“In the beginning, we were winging it community and those throughout the
because there was no business model in world, and his emphasis on education
the industry for what we were doing, “ ensures that new generations will focus
Coop said. “It’s wonderful to have on environmental issues.”
succeeded on this level, and being Coop received the 2004 University of
honored for that by the society is Memphis Herff Award for distinguished
humbling.” service to engineering and currently
Arriving in Memphis in 1973 to serves as chairman of The Webb School
attend medical school, Coop soon board of trustees.
realized his interests were elsewhere, so In addition, he has been an integral
he changed his career path to part of advisory boards for the
concentrate in environmental testing. engineering schools at the U of M and
After a few years of working for other at Christian Brothers University, and
firms, Coop branched out on his own in has active roles in a wide-ranging
1980 and founded EnSafe with Wendell spectrum of community organizations.
Knight and James Speakman. “Phil is dedicated to environmental
Because of increasing government improvement and preservation, and he’s
regulations regarding environmental creating opportunities for others to
policies, Coop managed to get in on the continue in that work, “ said Dr. Eric B.
ground floor of what was then a Welch, dean of the school of
relatively nonexistent industry. engineering at CBU . “His impact on
“Public policy was driving stronger our school, our community and our
environmental protection laws, but the environment has been substantial and
scientific community was behind the he’s incredibly deserving of this honor.”
GREEN BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Giving new life to old things

Stephanie Jones
Me & Mrs. Jones, Owner
The details
How is your business
considered a “green
business“? The mission at Me
& Mrs. Jones is about creating a
more lovely living space by re-
making your furniture, cabinets,
walls, and fixtures...in other
words, using existing pieces in a
new way. With very few
exceptions, the products I use to
make those transformations are
non-toxic, water-based, and low-
to zero- voc, and increasingly,
organically made. So, choose
your buzz word: re-purposing,
up-cycling, re-contextualizing...I
think it’s just a practical way to
solve design problems, create a
little beauty and comfort, take
care of your indoor air quality,
and be kind to our sweet earth.
If you do your “shopping” at
your own home and attic, or at
flea markets and antique shops,
it’s all really just one big
fabulous recycling bin!
In the Me & Mrs. Jones
etsy.com shop, when clients
choose a shipping method,
greyhound package express is
very attractively priced. say
Stephanie Jones (the "Mrs. Jones" of Me & Mrs what you will about lack of luxe
Jones company) applies a layer of low-voc paint while traveling the ’hound, they
to a flea market find, giving new life to an old are offering an environmentally
efficient option for shipping
piece of furniture.
large packages...one I My studio is full of re-

encourage. useables...Lean Cuisine trays
And — like many are perfect stenciling
companies, I’m sure — my palettes, sour cream tubs
portfolio and design journal make great brush cleaning
are now online, and I have dishes, flattened-out boxes
started handling proposals are the best drop-cloths for
and invoices electronically. as painting small items and
a result, printing, mailing, and cabinet hardware, tools get
schlepping around in the car corralled into mayonnaise
with samples has been and pickle jars. And yes,
substantially reduced, along those were my children dying
with the carbon-guilt. of embarrassment the other
Why did you choose this day at the yogurt shop when I
career? That part was easy, gathered all their used
and it actually sort of chose spoons into a Ziplock bag in
me. It’s been an incredible my purse...I use several a
way to combine several of my day, mixing paints and glazes.
loves: design, color, hand- In a nutshell: try to give
and brush-work, client things the dignity of being
relationships...while allowing used at least twice.
me (almost) total flexibility to Where are your products
tend to my family as well. available? My products are
Most satisfying career available locally at Market
moment: It’s a tie: that very Central, 2215 Central Ave. in
first free-lance project / Midtown, and also online
paycheck versus a recent through etsy.com, search
compliment / affirmation meandmrsjones under
from a designer who works on “sellers“. Plus check out my
a national level, and sees it all. This sturdy little pine Website,
What do you consider to table (top), found at the mrsjonespaintedfinishes.com.
be the highlights of your fairgrounds flea market, What green trends would
career? When a client is truly, was given new life after you like to see in the future?
thoroughly thrilled with the
results of a project. those
Jones transformed it by The growing awareness and
using low-voc acrylic acceptance of a re-use attitude
“wow” moments never get old.
paint to stencil a is thrilling. I love Amazon.com
What’s the hardest thing and Ikea as much as the next
about finding work in your brocade pattern on the
gal, but also love that more
field (in the Greater top and spruce up the people seem to be embracing
Memphis area)? Luckily, the other surfaces. the idea that not everything
hardest part is narrowing the worth having comes via UPS,
projects down. Memphis is shrink-wrapped inside a big
chockful of lovely design- What one green practice
cardboard box. (Not that you
savvy people who are looking would you recommend? OK,
won’t recycle that box, of
for smart ways to elevate right now, that thing in your
course.)
their domestic spaces. Truly, I hand? Don’t throw it away!
wish there were more hours Look at it...is there any Compiled by Emily Adams
in a day for me to work. possible way to use it again? Keplinger
TRANSPORTATION
ANTHONY SIRACUSA Life Cycles
Working together paying off
Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Cyclists cruise down Cooper under a train overpass near Peabody Park as they
take part in the Bike Lane Buy-In Day. Bike riders were showing their support
for the Madison Ave. businesses that support bike lanes for Memphis residents.
MEMPHIS-AREA BICYCLISTS have riding together in the heart of Memphis.

much to be thankful for. The opening of a new paved trail at
Since July, the number of bike paths the eastern end of the Shelby Farms
and bike lanes in Memphis has grown Greenline linked trail users traveling
tremendously. The opening of the from the Binghamton neighborhood to
Shelby Farms Greenline in October 2010 the center of one of America’s largest
meant more families could enjoy bicycle urban parks, Shelby Farms.
The completion of a new Bike plans won’t sacrifice parking

bicycle and pedestrian bridge One of Madison Avenue’s longtime restaurants
across the Wolf River, a bridge now says it will support dedicated bike lanes as
tied into the recently expanded long as no on-street parking is sacrificed.
Wolf River Greenway, links users “If parking stays, we’re all about it, “ Kelly Johnson,
to the Shady Grove bicycle lanes general manager of Molly’s La Casita said Friday .
on the south and Shelby Farms The city plans to accommodate bikes in some way
on about 1.5 miles of Madison, between Cooper and
Park on the north. A new path Watkins. The effort could be as minimal as erecting
next to Farm Road means riders “Share The Road” signs or as substantial as
can now pedal to Shelby Farms reducing Madison from four lanes to two so there’d
Park without ever actually riding be space for a turn lane and bike lanes on both sides.
on Farm Road. Businesses along Madison are split on whether
The new paved path leading to to support the dedicated bike lanes.
Shelby Farms from the Wolf River Among those not lending their names in support
of designated bike lanes are Huey’s, Mercury Valet,
also connects users to a network Piggly Wiggly and The Bar-B-Q Shop.
of trails around Agricenter Among businesses that bike-lane advocates list
International, the Wolf River as “bike friendly” include Bosco’s, Fino’s, Memphis
Trails in the Lucius Burch Natural Pizza Cafe, and P&H Cafe.
Area and a network of bike lanes None of the bike-facility plans being considered
in Germantown. by the city would sacrifice on-street parking, Kyle
Wagenschutz, the city’s bike/pedestrian
Inside the I-240 loop, the coordinator, said Friday.
creation of bicycle lanes on “In all of the design scenarios the city presented,
Southern Avenue now means including the bike-lane option, removal of on-street
University of Memphis students parking was never an option, “ Wagenschutz said.
can ride in lanes designed Other business people have expressed concerns
specifically for bicycles all the that reducing Madison to two traffic lanes will also
way to Audubon Park on the east reduce traffic, and their sales with it.
Among them is Wight Boggs, an owner of Huey’s
and onward to Cooper-Young in restaurant.
the west. She remains unconvinced that reconfiguring
While widely celebrated, the Madison to two traffic lanes and a turn lane
Shelby Farms Greenline was not wouldn’t reduce traffic.
a part of Memphis’ long-term “Why would we put Huey’s business in jeopardy
transportation plan. It was the and get these people mad at us? “ she said.
result of committed citizens Another goal of putting Madison on a “road diet”
is to calm traffic, making the street safer and more
working together to create appealing for both walkers and bikers.
nonmotorized access to Shelby If Madison could be transformed to a beautiful
Farms. The new bicycle lanes on avenue hopping with street life, “I’d love to see
Southern Avenue, the first of 55 that, “ Boggs said.
miles to be completed by 2014, And the perception that Huey’s is not bike-
were the product of American friendly is far from true, she said.
Recovery and Reinvestment Act “We’d love to work with the city and Kyle on a
plan I think makes a little more sense.”
stimulus dollars committed by
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton Tom Bailey Jr.: 529-2388
Bike lanes may

come to N. Parkway
The city of Memphis is
considering bike lanes for
North Parkway, possibly
making room by reducing the
six vehicle lanes to four,
bike/pedestrian coordinator
Kyle Wagenschutz confirmed
last month .
Since the road is a state
route, the city would have to
work with the Tennessee
Department of
Transportation.
The window of opportunity
occurs when the state next
resurfaces North Parkway.
It’s not scheduled to be
repaved this year, and it Karen Pulfer Focht/The Commercial Appeal
won’t be known until this fall
whether the route will be
Russell Smith, 32, rides in the temporary bicycle
included on the 2012-13 lanes on Broad Avenue during his commute from
repaving schedule, said Midtown to his job at FedEx World Headquarters
TDOT spokesman Nichole on Hacks Cross Road.
Lawrence said.
The possibility is not a to bicycle lanes in Memphis.
revelation. The Memphis
area’s long-range To ensure that the best facilities continue to be
transportation plan lists North implemented here, the city of Memphis and the
Parkway as a “high priority” Memphis Metropolitan Planning Organization’s
route for bike lanes to help bikeways and pedestrian coordinator, Kyle
give cyclists a way from East Wagenschutz, want to gather citizen input on future
Memphis to Downtown.
“We’re definitely looking at
projects.
it as far as putting a bike lane “We had over 70 people attend last month’s
on it, “ Wagenschutz said. (planning) meeting,” said Wagenschutz, “and we got
North Parkway could help some great feedback and ideas for expanding our
fill the gap in bike lanes region’s greenway and trail network.”
between the new Shelby
Farms Greenline and the river. Wagenschutz says he hopes these meetings will
Planning is already under provide a community forum for citizens from across
way to plug the gap between the Memphis metropolitan region to share their
the west end of the greenline, vision of a Memphis that walks and bikes more often.
at Tillman, and Overton Park.
North Parkway borders the Anthony Siracusa is community service coordinator at
north side of the park. Rhodes College in Memphis and the founder of Revolutions
Community Bicycle Shop. Contact him at 843-3401 or
Tom Bailey Jr.: 529-2388 anthonysiracusa.blogspot.com.
FAITH
Protecting the
environment part
of outreach
Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Allison Delugach, left, and Linda Kaplan, members of Temple Israel's
Eco Taskforce, utilize examples of recycled products (top) through
their educational outreach program called EDEN.
By Suzanne Thompson
GOD’S
Special to Going Green
To members of Temple Israel, protecting the

environment is not just socially correct. It’s a
commandment from God.
WORK
“We are commanded to guard and keep the
earth. God gives us the opportunity to be
here,” said Rabbi Adam Grossman.
To that end, Temple Israel has done a
Buttons are
set out on a
table to
encourage
recycling
during the
third annual
Eco Expo at
Temple
Israel in
January.
Mike Brown
The Commercial
Appeal
number of things through the years not grass and mud to the compost pile. I
only to raise awareness about ecological laugh at myself… but this small daily
issues, but to encourage the ritual pushes away my despair. It gives
congregation to take action. me a sense of hope. I can do something.”
While some members of the temple Did the compost pile change the world?
were already recycling at home, it was in It definitely changed the world at
2006 during a High Holiday sermon Temple Israel and planted a seed that
given by Rabbi Tara Feldman that the got everyone thinking about the
congregation was charged as a whole environment, said Linda Kaplan, who
with becoming more environmentally heads up the Temple Israel
friendly. Environmental Task Force.
In her sermon, “Fill the Earth and Raising awareness was the first step in
Master It,” Feldman spoke of global bringing about change, Kaplan said.
warming and the ever-growing beast of Rabbi Feldman’s sermon led to a
American consumption, and encouraged regular article in the temple’s monthly
the congregation to take baby steps to bulletin, which offered quiz questions
begin changing their behavior. about the environment, like “What wood
She told them about the small is the most eco-friendly, fastest renewable
compost pile she began behind the wood flooring to have installed?”
temple building. The congregation heard the message,
“This compost pile is going to change which spread to “The Hebrew
the world. It’s a tiny, rather messy Watchman,” a publication serving the
gesture on my part and I look pretty entire Jewish community in Memphis,
ridiculous in my high heels, bucket of and the quiz question transformed into a
slop in hand, making my way across the semi-monthly advice column called “Ask
Adam and Eve.” do to preserve our resources and the

One young girl wrote in that her environment — whether that be
mother didn’t want to recycle paper recycling here at Temple or just
because she said it made too much of a conserving electricity by turning off
mess. lights and using energy-saving bulbs. We
The answer given was that if she was currently have a highly energized
old enough to recognize this problem environmental committee that I would
she was old enough to do something like to see continue their innovation in a
about it, followed by practical solutions positive way.”
to begin a tidy paper recycling area. During his two-year term as president,
“The bigger issue encompasses the Orgel did see the program progress.
question, are we conscious of our impact In 2009, the temple began a Sunday
on the world? Are we conscious that morning speaker series, during which
each and every thing we do affects the environmental leaders in the community
world we live in, including the earth?” talked to the adult Sunday school group.
Grossman said. Judge Larry Potter, who presides over
The advice column ran for about a the city’s Environmental Court, spoke to
year, and then officials at the temple them one Sunday.
began to focus attention back to the “They were a great group, and clearly
temple itself. committed to having a positive impact
The eco-efforts of Temple Israel began on the environment,” he said.
formally with the formation of the Potter’s talk also brought new
EDEN committee. awareness to people at the temple.
“I always thought of it as trying to “Nobody knew there was an
bring the earth back to the purity of the environmental court before he spoke,”
Garden of Eden,” Kaplan said. Kaplan said.
The temple began a paper and Temple Israel started an expo of its
recycling program for everything own, the Eco Expo.
generated there. Held in January, this was the third
Then an environmental education year the temple has put on the expo
display was assembled, which which is open to the public, and officials
encouraged recycling efforts by plan to continue with the annual event.
displaying different types of recycled “The Eco Expo has really reshaped the
materials and showed eco-trivia, such as culture of understanding for
“How many trees are used each year environmental issues,” Grossman said.
producing toilet paper?” The charge to change behavior which
When Billy Orgel was installed as will affect the environment is not limited
president of Temple Israel in May 2008, to any particular faith, Grossman said.
his remarks made it clear that he wanted “It’s the ability that we have as Jews,
the congregation to become involved in Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, or
conservation efforts. whoever, to really make an impact in our
“ I feel that Temple as part of a larger world by making simple changes in our
community needs to do all that we can current regimen,” he said.
FOOD
MEGAN MURPHY Recipe for Health
Quinoa is ‘mother of all grains’
As the focus on whole grains continues, Quinoa, one of the oldest

grains, is gaining new attention for being nutritious and tasty.
CHEFS AND REGULAR COOKS are contains all the essential amino acids
always on the lookout for new and the body needs. Essential amino
interesting ways to includewhole acids must be consumed through
grains in our diets. foods, as they are not manufactured
One of the newest to many of us is in our bodies. Most grains are
also one of the oldest. Quinoa’s deficient in a couple of the amino
origins are in the South American acids and are not complete.
Andes, and it has been cultivated In general, whole grains benefit
there for the last 3,000 to 4,000 years. health in many ways. When
The Incas referred to quinoa as the something is referred to as a whole
“mother of all grains,” and it has also grain, this means the food is the entire
been called the “gold of the Incas.” grain with nothing removed. Quinoa
It’s gold because it grows in poorer is a good source of phosphorus and
soils and in adverse conditions, and the trace mineral copper, and a very
also because it is a plant food with good source of iron and magnesium.
complete protein, meaning it Because of its high magnesium
content, quinoa may help prevent Quinoa with Garlic, Pine Nuts
migraines. Some health and Raisins
professionals feel that since 1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
magnesium helps relax blood 1 (14.5 oz) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
vessels, taking in higher amounts ¼ cup pine nuts
might help prevent the 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
constriction of some of the blood 1
/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped
vessels in the head, decreasing ¼ cup raisins
problems with migraines. 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Quinoa also has the Salt and pepper to taste
B-vitamin riboflavin, which some Place the quinoa in a saucepan over
studies have shown to be helpful medium heat and stir often, until the quinoa
in decreasing the frequency of is toasted, about 3 to 5 minutes. The quinoa
migraine attacks. will have a nutty fragrance, and the grains
Magnesium is also good for will be popping a bit in the pan.
helping blood vessels in other When the quinoa is toasted, add the
parts of the body relax, possibly chicken broth and bring the mixture to a
resulting in lower blood pressure. boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and
In the ongoing Harvard simmer, covered, until the liquid is
University Physicians Health absorbed, about 10-15 minutes. Remove
Study, researchers found men who from the heat and let it sit, covered, for
ate nonrefined, whole-grain cereal about 2 more minutes.
(any type, not just quinoa) had Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a skillet
lower risk for heart failure than over medium-high heat, stirring constantly,
their counterparts, who either ate until golden, about
no breakfast or had a breakfast 3 minutes. Be careful not to let the nuts
consisting of refined grains. burn. Transfer toasted pine nuts to a small
In a study reported in the July plate or bowl, set aside.
2005 issue of the American Heart Add the olive oil and garlic to the skillet
Journal, researchers reported that and cook over medium heat, stirring
postmenopausal women eating at frequently until garlic is just turning golden,
least six servings of whole grains 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
per week had decreased plaque Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add the pine
buildup and narrowing of their nuts, garlic and oil, parsley, raisins and
lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper if
desired.
Makes 4 servings.
Per serving (cup): 300 calories, 15 g fat,
2 g saturated fat,
0 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbohydrates, 4 g
fiber, 8 g protein, 255 mg sodium.
— Source: Adapted from Ellie Krieger, for Food
Network Magazine, foodnetwork.com
arteries. JENNIFER BIGGS Small Bites

Quinoa is naturally
coated with saponins,
which can make the grain
taste bitter. This is why
Outstanding in the Field
most recipes calling for Tickets have just gone on sale for the Memphis
quinoa direct you to rinse Outstanding in the Field event Oct. 16, and even though
it off for a minute or so in they’re $180 each, they will go fast.
cold water. Because the It all started in 1998 as a series of simple farm dinners
grain is quite small, you around Santa Cruz, Calif., and from that Outstanding in the
will want a small-sieved Field has grown to an international series of dinners that
colander, or line your focus on farm meals prepared by prestigious chefs. Kelly
English, John Currence, Andrew Ticer, Michael Hudman,
strainer with cheesecloth Jonathan Magallanes and Miles McMath, among others, will
or a coffee filter. host our dinner at Whitton Farms in Whitton, Ark. A big
Quinoa can be cooked table will be set up, and 150 people will break bread.
like rice or other grains, These events draw people from all over the country, so
using about twice as I’m not kidding when I say the tickets will sell out. See
much liquid as quinoa. In outstandinginthefield.com, and click on the basket icon.
today’s recipe, the
reduced-sodium chicken Recipe of the week
broth gives a subtle flavor My brother-in-law is staying with us for a few weeks while
to the dish. You could use things calm down in Tokyo, where he’s lived for 22 years.
He’s a vegan, and while we often eat vegetarian meals, we
vegetable broth, or if you don’t even try to take the extra step. Here’s something that
have homemade broth, is sure to please us all, though. You can buy hearts of palm
use that. at the grocery, or at Costco or maybe Sam’s.
I used pine nuts, as the Contact Jennifer Biggs at biggs@commercialappeal.com
recipe directs, but they are or 529-5223. Her blog is whiningdining.com.
quite expensive sonext
time I’ll substitute Hearts of Palm Carnival
chopped, unsalted 1
/2 cup coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
walnuts, which are selling 3 coarsely chopped tomatoes
at a more reasonable price. 3 chopped green onions, whites and greens
1
/2 habanero or 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, minced
Garnish with lemon 1
/4 cup olive oil
wedges. Leftovers can be Salt and pepper to taste
briefly reheated or eaten 18 canned hearts of palm, cut in half vertically
cold, like a salad. Loose-leaf lettuce
Megan Murphy is a In a bowl, mix all ingredients except the hearts of

Tennessee-licensed registered palm and the lettuce. Arrange the lettuce on salad
dietitian and associate plates, place hearts of palm in a fan shape in the
professor of nutrition at center of lettuce. Mound the vegetables at the base
Southwest Tennessee of the fan and serve. Serves 6.
Community College. Call 277-
3062, fax 529-2787, e-mail Source: “The Sugar Mill Caribbean Cookbook,”
Meganmyrd@aol.com Jinx and Jefferson Morgan
HOME & GARDEN
How does your garden
GROW?
By Suzanne Thompson
Health Special to Going Green
awareness and
Giving advice on how to
a resurgence in germinate seeds is like giving
advice on how to feed an animal,
love of gardening it all depends on what kind of
animal it is and how large it is.
are fueling the Similarly, the way seeds are
growing trend to germinated is determined by the
size of the seed and the type, but
grow own also the whether the plant will
grow better in light or dark,
from seed warm or cool soil.
To get a shot at a good outcome,
it’s very important to start off
with the proper materials, according to germination is the depth at which you
Rick Pudwell, director of horticulture for plant the seed.
Memphis Botanic Gardens. “The smaller the seed, the shallower
“The worst thing to do for a seed you plant it,” said Gary Clark,
starting medium is to take soil from your Shadowlawn Greenhouses, Inc. “That
garden, because you’re bringing in all doesn’t mean you’d dig to China to plant
sorts of pathogens and fungus and a watermelon seed. I wouldn’t plant a
everything else,” he said. “You should buy seed deeper than an inch.”
a sterile seed starting medium at a nursery Pudwell said to judge the exact depth,
because then you’re starting clean.” make sure not to plant a seed deeper
Transplanting the seeds outdoors is than twice the size of the seed.
another tricky operation. Put them out Labels on seeds list the growing
too soon and they won’t survive because conditions that each seed requires.
they’re used to windless conditions. Gardening experts agree on the
Put them out for too long in the importance of learning about seeds
sunlight initially and they can burn up before starting to germinate them.
within an hour, Pudwell said. “Research is the key word – you have
Sowing the seeds directly in the to know what you’re doing – you can’t
ground is easier because nature provides just generalize,” Pudwell said.
the light and warmth. Germinating seeds indoors is a labor of
“Unless you’ve got a sunroom or a love. It’s easier to purchase small plants,
greenhouse or florescent lights set up or better still, sow the seeds directly into
specifically for plants, what happens is, the ground at the right time of year.
the seedlings get thin and stretch out “A lot of things can be seeded directly
and then it’s really hard to get them in your garden at the appropriate time,
hardened off to live in the real world which is a whole lot easier to do,”
outside,” Pudwell said. Pudwell said.
When a plant is “hardened off,” it has Vegetables like lettuce, endive, turnip
grown its first set of “true leaves,” not greens are best when sown directly into
the first leaves it produces, but a second the garden. Peppers, eggplant and
set of harder, thicker leaves. tomatoes need to be planted six to eight
Seeds need 16 to 18 hours of light a weeks before they are transferred outside,
day, so if florescent lighting is used, it as they require warmer temperatures and
needs to be turned off overnight and gardening experts consider April 15th to
should be adjustable so it can be bent be the last frost day.
upwards gradually as the plants grow. For those who want to germinate seeds,
“We’re talking inches here, not feet,” the best way to ensure success is to ask
Pudwell said.. someone who specializes in gardening.
Also important is proper humidity, “Before you go out and buy anything,
pots or trays should be covered with talk to experts and let them work with
plastic wrap until the plant breaks you on what plants you like, lighting and
through the soil, to keep the soil moist. soil conditions. Talk to them ahead of
Another important aspect of time,” Clark said.
Sowing seeds 101

Spring means it is time to start planning your garden.
Although, it may be too soon to plant your veggie patch
it is perfect timing to start your own seeds.
For avid gardeners who want to start their between $1 to $2.

plants from seeds, check the seed packet to Green Tip: Always plan to plant a few more
determine how many weeks are need for seeds than you plan to put in the garden.
germination and growth to determine when to There will be usually be some loss and if you
start your seeds. Write the planting date on end up with too many surviving starts you can
the front of your seed packets, and check always share.
them weekly to see what comes up in the
planting rotation. Organize supplies
The quantity of supplies will depend on the
Choosing seeds number of seeds you want to plant.
One of the benefits of growing your own Small containers: You can make your own
starts is that you can choose from a wider grow pots by thoroughly cleaning yogurt cups,
variety of plants. You can plant exactly what egg cartons and small peat pots — all make
types of tomatoes you want without scouring great recycled pots for your seeds.Or play it
every nursery in town. safe and easy with a one time investment in a
Consider buying heirloom seeds to stretch seed tray that includes peat pellets and a
your gardening dollar even further. Heirloom plastic lid. The tray is reusable and the peat
seeds come from plants commonly grown pellets can be directly transferred into a larger
during earlier periods in human history, peat pot and directly planted in the garden
sometimes called heritage or antique seeds. without disturbing the tender roots.
Hybrid seeds are a result Sterilized soilless seed start mix or peat
of artificially cross- pellets.
pollinated plants. The A box or tray to hold your
difference is important if seed starts.
you’re a seed saver. You Seeds
can save & plant heirloom Plastic seed labels.
seeds year after year, but A spray bottle.
this isn’t possible with A small fan.
hybrid seeds. 4 inch peat pots.
Choose more than A clear lid: Seed trays come with a
one variety. If you are a plastic dome lid but if you are making
beginner you will want to your own grow pots you can use the top
experiment. Seed packets cost of a liter soda bottle to provide a small
greenhouse effect.
Planting
Tomatoes should be planted six weeks
before the last frost date. Green peppers need
approximately eight weeks of indoor time.
For those using peat pots, rehydrate the
pellets in the tray per the product directions.
Or fill your prepared containers with the seed
starting mix. Plant your seeds according to
the depth indicated on the package. Make sure
each seed is properly covered with soil.
Mark your seeds pots with their contents.
Find a sunny spot.
Seedlings need sun and lots of it. If you
don’t have a sunny spot you may want to
make an investment in a fluorescent grow
light. But really if you have a draft free area or
window with good southern exposure, you will
find that an ideal spot for your seedlings
Baby your seeds

Seed containers should be kept consistently
moist. So water from the bottom of the tray or
use the spray bottle to keep soil moist. Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal
Overwatering your seeds can cause mold,
bacteria, and even death. Gary Clark of Shadowlawn
Seeds should be covered with a clear plastic Greenhouses demonstrates how to
or glass cover and placed in indirect sunlight properly sow seeds for the garden.
until the first sprouts appear. The “greenhouse
cover” will provide both humidity and warmth.
Growing space
Give them light Once your starts have developed their
second set of real leaves you will want to
Once all of your seeds have sprouted
transfer your starts to a larger container. The
remove the lid and place in direct sunlight or
first set of leaves that appear on your plant are
under grow lights and thin sprouts to one
not true leaves. They are food storage cells.
plant per container. If placing next to a
The next set of leaves are the true leaves.
window, turn your seed trays to prevent the
stems from growing in one direction and Green Tip: To keep your starts from getting
growing weak. Continue to keep plants moist. leggy, keep your plants from getting too warm
after they are a couple of inches tall. You want
You may also want to occasionally point a a bushier plant. Experts suggest taking your
small fan at the soil level to keep your plants starts outside in the sunlight for part of the
from damping off or developing mold. day once the temperature is above 50
Providing adequate ventilation helps keep degrees. Keep in a bright area that is
those growing plants healthy. Remove any protected from the wind. Bring inside at night.
infected or moldy plants from your tray to
prevent spread of disease. UtahAlive.com
Going green with seedlings

It’s time to start your plants for this growing season. Instead of heading to the Kansas City
Home and Garden Center, you can use some items you may have around the house to make
planters. If you didn’t think ahead this year, remember to save ahead for next year. Used yogurt
containers are a great size to start your seedlings. Punch a hole in the bottom of the container
for drainage using a nail and a hammer. Fill with potting soil and place the seed in container.
Dixie cups are also the right size if you have them. Apply the same method for a drainage hole.
Toilet paper rolls Eggshells

These are perfect size Another biodegradable
and biodegradable. Cut the planter is the eggshell.
toilet paper roll in half on Farm fresh eggs tend to Plastic bottles
one end make four ½” cuts have a thicker shell and Other items reuse in the
equal distance apart. Push would make a better garden are 2-liter soda
those cut ends down to form planter. Crack the top of bottles and plastic milk jugs.
a bottom and fill with potting the eggshell and remove Cut the bottoms off the
soil. When it is time to plant the egg when cooking. plastic bottles. The soda
the seedlings in the paper Clean the eggshell and fill container can be placed top
rolls, just peel off the bottom with potting soil. The egg down in the soil next to the
and place into the ground. carton makes a perfect plant, be careful not to
Another eco friendly container to hold your damage the roots. Fill the
planter is newspaper. Take planters. The eggshell can container with water to give
a sheet of newspaper and only hold small seedlings. y plants a steady drink of
fold until the paper is These biodegradable water without over-
approximately 6” long. Roll planters help prevent watering. The plastic milk
the paper around a cylinder stress to the root system jug is used to place over the
object. Fold one end of the of the plant when plant in early spring as
cylinder shaped paper to transplanting. These are protection. Once the threat
make a bottom. Place the just a few ideas for planters of frost is gone, use the milk
potting soil in the around your home. Being jug in the same manner as
newspaper and plant your attentive to your recycled the soda bottle for watering
seeds. When it is time to items will help you become plants. By being a creative
plant you seedling in the creative with seedling and environmentally friendly
garden, place the planters. gardener you are helping
newspaper planter into the your plants and the earth.
ground with the plant.
Examiner.com
TECHNOLOGY
Pad technolo
gy:
Greenest in history?
By Sandy Bauers cheaper, more readily adopted
McClatchy-Tribune Newspapers technology that reduces the need
for paper, office space and
Michael Saylor, founder of the commuter travel,” Saylor writes.
business intelligence software “The resulting environmental
firm, MicroStrategy, wrote in a benefits are an order of
Forbes posting that the iPad and magnitude greater than anything
similar technologies beat out else on offer.”
even wind farms and electric He says the tablets will free
cars as the technology most offices from the desktop and
likely to reduce the planet’s workers from their offices — as
carbon footprint. long as their bosses buy into it.
In contrast, a $500 pad is “a His firm also sells corporate
apps, so perhaps his stance isn’t wastewater, consumed waterfalls of fresh

surprising. water and emitted ink-based toxins.
But it reminds me of a study — more Even with precious metals inside, the
science-based than gut-based — about a life cycle of a Kindle is offset by the
year ago by the Cleantech Group LL, a emissions it saves just in the first year of
global company that seeks to accelerate use. At the time, the industry was
the development of clean technologies. predicting that 31.3 million e-reader
Cleantech found that books, devices would be sold by the end of 2012.
magazines and, yes, newspapers CleanTech predicted that if they were
consumed 125 million trees in 2008, used to full capacity, they would prevent
produced 153 billion gallons of 19 days worth of global emissions.
Five ‘green’ iPad accessories Recycle your iPad

Whether you already own a first-generation With the iPad 2 out, and Apple clearing
Apple iPad or are looking to buy an iPad 2, stock and ending retailer reorders of the
there are accessories to help keep your tablet original, what’s going to happen to all of
safe, secure — even powered. those iPads already out in the wild?
Here are five of our green favorites: There are several options available for
1. The Vers Shellcase: Available in eco- those who wish to recycle or sell their iPad.
friendly, hand-crafted bamboo as well as 1. Apple itself. Apple will recycle any old
hardwood options. ($79.99, versaudio.com/ computer, including iPads. If it’s still in good
versipadspec.html) working condition and can be refurbished,
2. The Audrey iPad Purse: It’s made from you’ll get an Apple gift card for the value of
recycled “suede and satin” (both of which are your device. Just go to Apple’s recycling
made from recycled plastic bottles), “vegan website for details.
leather” ( leather substitute) and recycled 2. Best Buy. If you’re not willing to wait
zippers. ($108, http://www.revealshop.com/ for shipping and you just want your old iPad
products/audrey-ipad-purse) or other computer out of the house, Best Buy
3. Eco-Vue iPad Case: The case is made will recycle it, often for free, or let you trade
from RoHS-certified eco-leather, which is it in for a Best Buy gift card.
produced with fewer toxic chemicals than 3. eBay. The online auction site’s new
typical leather tanning processes. ($54.99, “instant sale” option (part of the eBay Green
marware.com/ipad-kindle-cases-and- Team program) lets you get an offer from
covers/ipad-cases/eco-vue-ipad-case) eBay itself on many used electronics. As of
4. A Solio solar charger: Most solar this writing, you can get $391 for a 64 GB
chargers on the market can’t charge an iPad, iPad in good condition.
but a fully powered Solio charger can be used 4. Craigslist. Maybe you just want to sell
like an external battery to run your iPad. your old iPad locally and not worry about
($99.95, solio.com/charger/solio-charger- dealing with companies or waiting for
classic.html) payment.
5. Zagora iPad Sleeve: It’s made from 5. Earth 911. If you’ve been tough on your
canvas made of hemp, which is grown in China old iPad and it doesn’t work anymore, you
with no pesticides. ($35, colcasac.com/ipad- can find all of your local recycling options at
sleeve/zagora-ipad-sleeve) Earth911.com.
John Platt, Mother Nature Network John Platt, Mother Nature Network
A digital science textbook called ‘Life on Earth’ is being

developed by the E. O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation.
One of the goals of the foundation is to promote
interactive learning.
Knoxville school invests in e-learning

By Suzanne Thompson private day school, will require the 850
Special to Going Green students in grades four through 12 to
purchase an iPad for the 2011-2012
Kindle started the electronic book school year.
revolution, and now academic “We think digital textbooks are the
institutions are looking to increase wave of the future,” said Jim Manikas,
student interest by switching to digital director of technology for the Webb
textbooks. School.
A Tennessee school is one of a few in Paperless textbooks caught the
the country that is implementing attention of administrators as soon as
“paperless” textbooks. they became available, he said.
The Webb School of Knoxville, a Letters went out to the parents to
gauge how many families owned iPads, The E. O. Wilson Biodiversity

or planned to purchase them. Foundation, is working on a digital
The school will make iPads available science textbook called “Life on Earth.”
through a lease-purchase program to When complete, the textbook will
students who elect not to purchase them contain 59 chapters.
outright. Foundation officials plan to provide
“Any parent that does not want to or access to the content at no charge for
is not able to buy it outright can pay each chapter as it becomes available.
over time. The whole idea is that we are The first chapter is scheduled to be
trying to make this as easy as we can for released in about two months, according
our community,” Manikas said. to Neil Patterson, chairman and chief
Manikas said the entire Webb School executive officer of the foundation.
would like to eventually achieve One of the goals of the foundation is
paperless learning, but, at this point, it’s to promote interactive learning.
just not possible. “We intend to be one of the leaders in
“As much as we’d like to, we can’t go content that will require students to
paperless,” he said. have an iPad,” said Morgan Ryan,
At this point about 70 percent of the project director for “Life on Earth.”
textbooks the school uses can be
obtained digitally. The cost of compiling the first portion
of the book was about $500,000.
That’s because textbook publishers
don’t have all the material available The foundation is hoping that when
digitally at this time. the world gets a taste of the content, it
The advantages of digital textbooks will gain funding to complete the
are many. In addition to the obvious project.
environmental benefits of digital “Our goal here is to keep the price as
textbooks, their use literally takes a load low as possible. If we could get someone
off the students. to just fund this, and we could give it to
The average weight of a backpack is every student in the world for free, that’s
50 to 60 pounds, compared to the 11/2 what we would do,” Ryan said.
pounds an iPad weighs. The foundation also plans to create
The digital books will be interactive, college-level content, which it would sell
which will make learning more to universities at about a tenth of the
interesting. price of a textbook.
“You might be reading about a topic Manikas said the move toward digital
and be able to go out onto the Web for textbooks is more about giving students
additional information,” Manikas said . at the Webb School a well-rounded
Digital textbooks will also be much education than about saving money on
more up-to-date. books.
Because of the rapid rate at which “We are trying to prepare students for
research advances, science textbooks are life. We want them to be completely
often outdated by the time they roll off comfortable with the digital world,”
the press. Manikas said.

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Going Green Memphis 03-27-11

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2 GOING GREEN | Sunday, March 27, 2011 commercialappeal.

What’s in this issue ...

Memphis Botanic Gardens,

BUSINESS FAITH HOME & GARDEN

Local faux finish For Temple Israel, A guide for avid

On the cover:Illustration from istockphotos.com

Subway cars transform into art space

Melody Gordon/Going Green

Prepping for the season

The Green Page...

Memphis Tour de Cure

In case you missed it... Breaking ground on eco-friendly

Know your produce for pesticides

available and is not that expensive. first-time-gardener ignorance. Another

Lettuces a sure sign of spring

bitter. Sorrel is tart. Watercress and arugula taste Sherry

FOR MEMPHIS BOTANIC GARDEN AND INTERNATIONAL

“We thought about a traditional conversation.

Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal files

Memphis Botanic Garden’s Earth Month Events

Brandon Dill/The Commercial Appeal files

The Family Egg Hunt on April 23, like

Fishing for trash

Photos by Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

By Tom Charlier Standing in a flat-bottomed boat

considering that Pregracke, founder and after heavy rains.

CHRIS PECK Inside the Newsroom

Trashy Memphis is embarrassing

Storm drains the first point of entry for local debris

Different type of spring cleaning

The warm weather brings

ated from storm events does not go to Semi-annual meeting

Ben Fant/Special to the Commercial Appeal

ter issues uniformly. Rain Gardens: Biofiltering

Photos byBrandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal

By Suzanne Thompson / Special to Going Green

Decades later, one of his brothers is International Society of Arboriculture

“Our goal is to give landowners as many reasons as

storm, Hopper said, and many

Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal

O2E educates a new generation

seem to be most popular with middle

THE BIZ PAGE

Dave Darnell/The Commercial Appeal

From the early years spent on his

Phil Coop curve and we felt there was an

GREEN BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Giving new life to old things

large packages...one I My studio is full of re-

ANTHONY SIRACUSA Life Cycles

Working together paying off

Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal

MEMPHIS-AREA BICYCLISTS have riding together in the heart of Memphis.

The completion of a new Bike plans won’t sacrifice parking

Bike lanes may

Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

To members of Temple Israel, protecting the

Adam and Eve.” do to preserve our resources and the

MEGAN MURPHY Recipe for Health

Quinoa is ‘mother of all grains’

As the focus on whole grains continues, Quinoa, one of the oldest

arteries. JENNIFER BIGGS Small Bites

Megan Murphy is a In a bowl, mix all ingredients except the hearts of

HOME & GARDEN