Going Green - 4/22/12

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12

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Sunday, April 22, 2012 • The Lima News • Section G

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12


G o i n g G r e e nG2 Sunday, April 22, 2012 The Lima News

About this

sectionThe “green” trend is not new — nor

is it a passing fad. Folks who may haveshrugged their shoulders at energy con-servation measures in the past are nowmuch more apt to learn about options. Ittakes but one fuel fill-up or one electricbill at today’s prices to make even themost stubborn have a change of heart.

The green movement has grown up, simply stated. It makes economic sense these

days to think green, both in your homeand in businesses. Show a consumer realsavings — in addition to a greener method— and you may have a new convert. Showa business a way it can help its bottomline while helping the environment, andchange will come.

Today’s Going Green section featuresstories about area companies that havemade moves for a greener business. Busi-nesses have made changes ranging fromswitching lighting, to drastically improveefficiency, to offering options for thoselooking for more natural burial methods.

In addition to manufacturing, the sec-tion includes educational informationand consumer topics to help everyonemake greener purchases. Inside, learnhow to glean important growing informa-tion from produce stickers, find tips onsaving gas and even see about what kindof environmental impact your morningcoffee can have.

And when you’re done reading, don’tforget to toss this in your recycling bin.

ADVERTISERINDEX

Allen County Pallet..............................G6 Allen County Recyclers.....................G10 Allied Environmental.........................G19Delpha Chevrolet-Buick....................G17Husky Energy Inc...............................G24Northentral Ohio Solid Waste..........G13Omni Source........................................G19Poet Biorefining, Leipsic.....................G3Superior Energy Solutions..................G7

Cover design: Travis SiboldInside design: Johanna Morrow Copy editing: Adrienne McGee

Hands-on learning Students in four Allen County school

districts have earned a grant from the OhioEPA to study wetlands /G3

Green burialsFor the environmentally conscious, even

death can be green. Tips on going greeneven after you’re gone /G4

Local green businessCridersville man starts ozone business

after health problem lead to change inphilosophy /G5

Green lighting Starting in July, the U.S.

Department of Energyhas new regulationsto upgrade old, inef-ficient, mercury-ladenflorescent light bulbs.

Ways to cut costs andsave energy with green

lighting /G5

Coffee goes greenDon’t you just love the smell of freshly

brewed coffee in the morning? If you enjoyyour first-thing java, you’ll surely want to gogreen with your morning coffee ritual /G6

Wind power Wind power is a growing trend in the

area, and local businesses are looking tofill the niche for residential, commercialproperties /G8

Commentary Some people see Walmart as a giant

corporation that only cares about profitsregardless of whether that means destroy-ing the environment. As a result, Walmartwanted to do something about it and tochange public perception /G8

Pinpointing produce stickersSupermarkets now supply a greater

variety than ever of organic foods, andit’s very important that you read the pro-

duce stickers to know notonly where foods weregrown, but how theywere grown. That littlesticker reveals the truehealth factors of foodsyou’re buying to have ahealthier diet /G9

Recycling locally

Recycling is a trans-action with four-waybenefits. A look at fourlocal recycling centers

and how they work /G10

Go green at homeHomeowners can’t escape to-do lists. A

growing number of homeowners are add-ing “make my home greener” to thoseto-do lists. Tips on how to make your homegreener, save money and improve yourhealth /G11

Elida High School goes greenTouchstone, a provider of green building

services, got its big push into doing greenprojects when the Ohio School FacilitiesCommission adopted its green buildingprogram a few years ago /G14

Small business

and sustainability There’s no hotter trend these days than

being “green.” Companies are starting to jump on the bandwagon, too. But for smallbusinesses that can’t hire a sustainabilityexpert, there can be a hesitation to makeany big changes /G16

Recycling: Wise or worrisome?Most American communities promote

programs to recycle, and though they havethe support of many, there are also naysay-ers /G16

Ethanol on the riseEthanol advocates say the increase in

ethanol is good news for the country andthe planet as well /G17

Accubilt Inc. has beengreen for years

Going green is nothing new to AccubuiltInc. The company has been slowly improv-ing the reduction of its carbon footprint onthe environment for several years /G19

Chemical companiesmonitor their flares

At the refining and chemical complex,Potash Corp.’s PCS Nitrogen and Ineosare also managing the flares for their busi-nesses /G20

Stay green while traveling Planning a vacation? Consider staying

at an eco-friendly hotel, resort or bed-and-breakfast. Today’s eco-savvy hotels utilize awide range of impressive green practices. /G21

Vegan accessoriesThe “vegan” classification also applies

to fashion, with trendy outfits and acces-sories made of animal-free materialsand, importantly, using fair-trade methods /G21

Avoiding dirty goldYou’ve heard

of the term“blood dia-monds.” Thespotliight is

now on the met-als from which jewelry is made.A big spotlightis fixed on the dangers and environmentaltravesties of metal mining /G22

Recycle at homeLike charity, going green can start at

home. But where to begin? The best way isto start small /G23

Green driving tips

With the price of gas rising and environ-mental awareness en vogue, it is time tostart driving more efficiently and effectively. /G23

INDEX

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G o i n g G r e e n The Lima News Sunday, April 22, 2012 G3

biorefining

Creating a cleaner environment.

Study after study shows using ethanol-enriched fuel is better for the environment thanusing straight gasoline. POET Biorefining – Leipsic is promoting breathable air in ourcommunity by creating ethanol. Ethanol delivers all the power with fewer pollutants.

Together with you, POET Biorefining – Leipsic is ready to go even further to meet theever-increasing energy needs of America. poet.com/leipsic

Students earn grant to study wetlandsBy KIM KINCAID

[email protected]

419-993-2059

LIMA — A world of learning has openedup for students in four Allen Countyschools since those districts introduced awetlands into their lesson plans.

The schools — Lima Central Catholic,Lima schools, Allen East and Spencerville— share a $50,000 grant from the OhioEnvironmental Protection Agency in con- junction with the Ottawa River Coalition.Through that, they have established a wet-land as an outdoor class area.

A wetland is a land area saturated withwater, either permanently or seasonally,that takes on distinctive characteristics of an ecosystem.

At LCC, Dean Brinkman, dean of academics, said a variety of studentsbenefit from the 13 acres of wetlandthe school owns behind Tuttle Con-struction.

“Our science and biology students testthe waters there for a variety of experi-ments. Our art students use it to practicelandscape drawing, our theology students

have used the area for meditation. Thegrant stated that 75 percent of our stu-dents have to utilize this land, so it’s not just for science, it’s across the curricul-umn,” Brinkman said.

Likewise, students at Allen East flockto their L-shaped wetlands for hands-onlearning.

“I think all classes are involved there.The little kids go on nature walks, biologystudents can find specimens and samplesthere, it’s really an outdoor learning cen-ter,” said Clay Casey, the chemistry and physics teacher who uses the area regu-larly.

“What I like about this for students isthat it’s more applied learning than readingfrom a book. It’s like an on-site laboratory,”he said. “The kids are doing real science,exactly like a scientist does in the field.”

Brinkman said LCC students are alsoembracing the concept of the outdoorclassroom.

“When I was in high school we satand listened while the teacher lectured.Research shows that different kidslearn in different ways, and this offers ahands-on learning that’s very effective.

They retain the information they get,”he said.

Both schools also have a weather stationon site, with students able to monitor theoutdoors from in the classroom.

“Our science kids can track theweather for the year. It’s also linked toour website, and because it sits next toour baseball field, even our team canuse it to determine the weather there.You know, it might be raining at yourhome, but you look on the weather siteand its clear on the LCC baseball field,”Brinkman said.

Bottom line for the schools — how doesthis new concept affect test scores?

“This is early in the project for us. Ournew school is only five years old, andthe wetlands is about the same. We’veonly been doing this for a short time, sowe’re getting this up and running rightnow, it’s an on-going project,” Caseysaid.

Brinkman agreed, adding, “there’s alot there for students to gain. Our scoreslast year in science were the best they’veever been, so this definitely is a goodthing.”

JAY SOWERS • The Lima News

Vincent Schrek (from left), CapreeShannon and Sydney Zerante, who

are in a freshmen biology class atLCC, participate in field work at thewetlands.

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Going green — even after you’re goneBy LIZ YOUNG

[email protected]

CRIDERSVILLE — Making an impacton the world doesn’t have to end when you leave it. For the environmentallyconscious, even death can be green.

Pegged as a more natural alternative toconventional burial practices, these so-called green burials use no embalmingchemicals and remains are laid to restin either cloth shrouds or biodegradablecaskets made of wood, wicker or card-

board. Although it might sound a little New

Age, the concept is actually pretty old.We humans have been using green burialmethods since ... well, since we humanshave been around. Except we just calledit burial, no environmental adjective wasnecessary. Ashes to ashes, dust to dustand all that. It was simple and natural.

And that is what Joe Sehee, executivedirector of the non-profit Green BurialCouncil, said is the idea behind greenburials. It is connecting death to life and

allowing us to return to the earth in thatsimple and natural way, and impactingthe environment as little as possible.

In fact, modern embalming practicesonly date back to the Civil War, whichin the grand scheme of humanity isn’tthat long ago. Developed as a wayto preserve the bodies of soldiers sothey could be shipped home to griev-ing families, it is not a requirementfor modern funerals. According to thecouncil website, www.greenburialoun-cil.org, preservation methods using dry

ice, refrigeration and eco-embalmingwith non-toxic substances are suitablealternatives.

In addition to spreading the wordabout green burials, the council has cre-ated a certification process for funeralhomes, burial grounds, products andcremation programs. A list of certifiedcompanies in the United States and Can-ada meeting the council’s standards forgreen burial requirements can be foundon its website.

One of these funeral homes is Bayliff &

Son, in Cridersville. Valery Bayliff Fultz,funeral director, said they wanted toleave the world a better place and offera selection of environmentally friendlychoices.

“Many of us are concerned about theeffects the products we use have on theenvironment and have made changes inwhat we buy,” she said.

Funeral planning is no different. Bayliff & Son offers the environmentally soundcaskets, with exteriors having no metal parts and fully biodegradable interiors.For those wanting cremation, there arechoices of biodegradable urns and services that allow cremated remains to bemade part of artificial reefs or compoststo aid in soil replenishment.

Local cemeteries do require a burial vault — most of which are concreteand not considered green, Bayliff Fultzsaid. However, there are nature preservecemeteries dedicated to green burials,

the nearest one being in northeast Ohio.Foxfield Preserve has native prairie

grasses, wildflowers, trees and windingtrails. It does not, according to its web-site www.foxfieldpreserve.org, resemblea traditional cemetery. There are strictregulations governing burial sites, gravemarkers and the types of caskets used.Cremated remains can also be scatteredor buried in special areas as well.

It sounds nice, this green way of returning to the land, of celebrating lifeand death, but let’s talk about another

kind of green. As in cash. Can a greenburial be affordable?

Yes, according to Sehee. Going greenmeans there’s not the expense of embalming or fancy caskets, and while“some areas might cost more, otherareas (like embalming) make up for it,”he said.

And families have all the same optionsas traditional burials, like viewings andreligious services. It’s all about choice,he said.

This is what Bayliff Fultz calls the

“shades of green.” Whether it’s due tocost or personal preference, how green you go, when you go, is up to you. Shedoes agree with Sehee that many of thealternatives in green burials can be lessexpensive.

But in the end, she said, it’s usuallyconscious, not cost, that’s the drivingforce behind choosing a green burial.

“Many people are concerned with theeffects we have on the environment andhave made changes in how they live andwhat products they buy,” she said. “We

believe the commitment to green initia-tives should not end at the end of ourlives. The philosophy of green burialsresonates with individuals and familieswho believe that just as our life on earthmatters, so does how we leave it.”

For details on local green burialoptions, call Bayliff & Son at 419-645-4501.

CRAIG J. OROSZ

• The Lima News

TOP: Valery Bayliff,of Bayliff & SonFuneral Home inCridersville, displaysa Sea Grass Eco-Friendly casket.BOTTOM LEFT: Bay-liff holds an ascend-ing dove scatteringtube urn. BOTTOM

RIGHT: Bayliff holdsa small replica of the “Eternal Reef.”

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Ozone business grew out of

man’s change in philosophy By GREG SOWINSKI

[email protected]

CRIDERSVILLE — Just over a decadeago, Jerry Dicus found out he was a dia-betic after having shoulder surgery.

He blames the diabetes on steroid shotsto treat his injured shoulder.

“The diabetes made me start thinking

about healthy eating,” he said.Since that time, he’s gone green in every

facet of his life. Even his business, EarthSafe Ozone, is green. It’s also his passion.

“It’s all about what you eat, what youdrink and what you breathe, period,”Dicus said.

Earth Safe Ozone is a business thatcaters to anyone needing water, air andmold remediation, as well as air qualitytesting, he said.

“Seventy percent of our business last year was repossessed houses,” he said.

Dicus started his business which heoperates out of his home on Buckland-Holden Road in 1998 and today has threefull-time employees.

“A friend of mine told me about thisozone equipment that would do away witha lot of chemicals,” he said. “I was juststarting into the environmental stuff, andthe ozone seemed to fit. As we got intothat, it just led into everything else and just

started going and going.”He began studying everything he could

find on the exposure people have to chem-icals. While products are sold at safe lev-els, what Dicus is concerned about is people who come in contact with manydifferent types of chemicals on a dailybasis. He said it all adds up creating toohigh of an exposure level he said leads todiseases such as cancer.

Ozone destroys bacteria, fungus andmolds, he said.

Dicus applies ozone to all his foodsusing the ozone machine and a water bath.

Ozone uses no chemicals, so there is noexposure, he said.

Dicus also teaches classes on healthyeating. His general rule of thumb is if whatever someone is planning to eatcontains ingredients that cannot be pro-nounced or there’s too many ingredi-ents for a simple food, he recommendsagainst eating it.

He also gives other tips such as usingaluminum foil in the clothing dryer tocatch the static electricity instead of dryersheets that contain chemicals. He makeshis own laundry detergent out of naturalingredients.

“You put on your clothes and your lymphsystem is closest to the skin,” he said.

You can comment on this story at www.limaohio.com.

LINDSAY BROWN • The Lima News

Green lighting: Ways to

cut costs and save energy By TAWNY MAYA MCCRAY Creators.com

Starting in July, the U.S. Department of Energy has new regulations to upgradeold, inefficient, mercury-laden florescentlight bulbs. About 500 million of thelights, called T12, need to be replaced. Amove that will save $10 billion per year inenergy costs nationwide.

There are at least two kinds of lamps

that are more energy efficient than the80-year-old T12 tubes — T8, developed inthe 1980s and T5, which were producedin the mid 1990s. According to KatrinMehler, president of Miami-based company LUXADD, a leading lighting solu-tion provider, upgrading to the T5 lightis the best — though not necessarily theeasiest — choice.

“The T5 has the best lumen mainte-nance, and it has an extremely low mer-cury content. It doesn’t evaporate likein the old tubes,” Mehler said. “But it isshorter in size, and that’s a big problem

because it requires a different fixture andchanging a fixture is very expensive.”

Mehler said one alternative to havingto rip out a fixture and put in a new oneis a new T5 fluorescent lighting adapter,recently introduced by LUXADD. Thecompany’s Express T5 Retrofit Kit Seriesis designed to retrofit old T12 light fix-tures to the T5 fixtures without the signif-icant costs of parts and labor to replacethe entire fixture. The T5 saves up to73 percent on lighting energy costs andreduces a company’s carbon footprint

by up to 60 percent. And because the T5tubes don’t produce the same amount of heat as the old T12 bulbs, businesses willalso save about 15 percent on air condi-tioning costs, Mehler said.

LUXADD is the only U.S. manufacturerof the new Express T5 Retrofit Kit Series.The company has started doing com-mercial retrofits in a couple of hotels andoffice buildings in Miami, replacing T12with T5 tubes.

“Most of the time (the buildings) havebeen over lit to begin with, so we can gofrom four T12 to two T5 and nobody’sgoing to know,” she said. “It’s a little lesslumen, but it’s still enough light.”

She said one client, from a CPA company, also noticed a noted difference intemperature after changing to the T5lamps.

“He could never close the door of hisoffice because the T12s were getting sohot and the air conditioning couldn’t goagainst it, and ever since he’s had T5s, hecan close the door,” she said.

Mehler pointed out that some people areopting to switch to the T8 light because itdoesn’t require a new fixture, as it has thesame pins and length as the T12.

“But it’s still 30-year-old technology; it’s

not a new technology at all,” she said.“What you really want to do if you retrofitand spend (big) money, you want to goall the way. You don’t want to get stuckhalfway and go only to T8. You want togo to T5.”

Mehler said with the savings in lightingand cooling costs, the Express T5 Ret-rofit Kit Series pays for itself within one year. Companies can add to their savingsby installing things such as occupancysensors, which detect motion in a roomand turn on and off accordingly as wellas dimmers, which vary the brightnessof a light.

“There are a lot of possibilities forconsumers and companies to save onenergy,” she said.

Jerry Dicus, owner of Earth Safe Ozone, shows some plants he is growing at his Crid-ersville home on April 11.

• Creators.com/

LUXADD

LUXADD ExpressT5 Retrofit Kit.

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8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



A Brighter Future,

A Greener Tomorrow...

Think Superior

www.senergys.com Dan Klear [email protected]

(419) 890-80671011 N. Defance St.Ottawa, OH 45875

Your Access to Going Green

• Wind Turbines • Commercial Lighting• Solar • Home Energy Audits

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Local companies look to fill wind power nicheBy BOB BLAKE

[email protected]

419-993-2077

PANDORA — Chuck Niese has alwaysbeen interested in lowering his energy bill.When he ran into a representative of a localgreen energy company at a farm and homeshow four years ago, Niese got his first lookat the potential for wind energy locally.

After contemplating and researching the possibility, Niese went ahead with installinga small wind turbine on his farm just out-side Pandora. Superior Energy Solutions,of Ottawa, installed the project betweenChristmas and the first of the year.

“It just made sense to do it. We figured the payback would be in so many years,” Niesesaid. “Initially it’s a fair amount of moneyto put out on the line but our energy billsare going to be lower. Who knows what the price of electric is going to do. If electricgoes up, the payback’s going to be quicker.”

Dan Klear, co-owner of Superior EnergySolutions, said more and more residentialand commercial landowners are looking towind energy as an option to offset some of their energy costs.

“It’s just starting to come around to where

it’s going to be more and more economicalfor people to install it. The systems fromthe manufacturers are becoming more effi-cient,” Klear said. “For the dollar that youspend you get more energy production. It’sbecome more common for people to seethem and they’ve become more accustomed

to the thought that they could see this attheir house.”

Mike Beerline, co-owner of Beerline TV

& Satellite in Lima, said the trend now isn’tto go off the grid with alternate energy.“To be totally off the grid in America

right now, the only people that are lookingat doing that are people that live in remoteareas. That’s not an issue in northwestOhio,” Beerline said. “Most of our cus-

tomers are trying to offset some of their power bill or control their future energycosts. Buying an alternate energy product

today is basically like buying a piece of your energy at today’s prices for the nextseveral years.”

The systems aren’t cheap. Klear saidtypical systems can run between $20,000to $70,000. A federal tax credit and otherrebates and grants are available to help

offset the cost. Combined with realizedenergy savings and the long life of the

units — averaging between 20 to 50 years— more and more people are consideringwind as an option, he said.

“These are long-term investments from acost standpoint as well as a facility standpoint,” Klear said. “We expect them to bestanding and operating 30 years from now.”

Beerline said there’s no one technology— wind, solar or traditional power — thatwill be the answer for everyone.

“I think you’re going to start seeing a lot of business and residential applications where people use a couple smaller turbines to off-

set their power costs. I think that’s direction America needs to go,” Beerline said. “Rightnow with the economy, people are notgoing to spend $40,000 for a wind turbineat their house. The manufacturers havealready responded and tried to do higherefficiency models that cost less. As long asthey keep the quality, then it makes sense.”

For farmers and homeowners like Niesewho have made the investment, time will tellhow quickly the investment pays for itself.The initial estimate at Niese’s home outsidePandora is 11 years.

“As long as we still have wind or we

have even more wind, it’s going to paybacksooner. The best day we generated 209 kilo-watt hours,” Niese said. “I’d say that’s a goodtwo to three days worth of power. We’vebeen generating about 50 kilowatt hoursa day. We’re putting out plenty of power, Ithink.”


Chuck Niese talks recently about the wind turbine he had built late last year on hisfarm in Pandora.

Walmart, shampoo and cavemen: Saving greenbacks by going greenBy JACK NEWCOMBE

Creators.com

To some people, Walmart has a badreputation.

Strip clubs, tattoo parlors and even barsshould be used to having a smattering of protesters when a new location opens.Lap dances, body art and binge drinkingare not always considered family-friendly.

But Walmart is a discount depart-ment store. Yet new stores can causethe same negative visceral response asthe above-mentioned “vice”-promotingestablishments.

Walmart is the embodiment of the Amer-ican dream. Founded by Sam Walton in1962, the family business has grown intoone of the most profitable companies in America. But that’s not what makes some people upset.

Some people see Walmart as a giantcorporation that only cares about profitsregardless of whether that means destroy-ing the environment. One of the main

causes of the public’s

negative perception of Walmart is that it wasthought that Walmartdid not care about anything “green” otherthan the dollar. For whatever reason, thatsentiment stuck to Walmart.

As a result, Walmart wanted to do some-thing about it and to change public percep-tion. The company tried to get its staff onboard with various techniques, but nothingreally worked until management started promoting the money that they could saveby becoming a greener company. Theycould save money on fuel consumption,

paper and waste disposal — all good forthe environment and all good for Walmart’sbottom line. It is a win-win.

Saving money is a common positiveresult of cutting back on consumption. Itworks for Walmart and should work forindividuals, as well, when it comes to per-sonal hygiene.

Comedian Adam Carolla discussed this very topic on his podcast recently. He said

we as a society do

not need all thissoap we are beingtold to use and that

“all the products, the billion-dollar indus-try, the infomercials — ‘we take your poresand open them, then close them, then yougrow new pores’ — it’s all nonsense.”

Carolla then proceeded to say he doesnot wash his face and that while gettinga facial, he was complimented about howgreat his skin is. His response was that henever uses soap, moisturizer or cleanser.

Carolla admits most people respond with“yuck, you’re gross.” However, Carolla thinks

“your face was not meant to be scrubbedwith this much of something that comesfrom a factory in the middle of the country.”

Shampoo is supposed to strip your hairof dirt, but it takes with it much of thenatural oil that your scalp produces inorder to help you. Conditioner is supposedto moisturize and essentially add backeverything that you just stripped out with your shampoo, but if you don’t strip it

away in the first place, you don’t need to

add it back.You’re spending money on shampoo; you’re spending money on conditioner;and now you’ve dumped two chemicalsof some sort into the drain. But you canavoid all of this by doing less: Stop wash-ing your hair.

Try it. Go two days and then three daysand then a week and then a few weeks,and see the difference.

We understand this concept when itcomes to food. Fad diets that embrace amore simplistic way of eating are wildly popular. “Rawism” involves eating only

raw, unprocessed foods. The “Paleolithic(or caveman) diet” is a trendy diet inwhich one eats what a caveman wouldeat; unfortunately, Swedish Fish are notincluded.

We get it. We get that chemicals, pre-servatives and additives are bad when itcomes to what we put in our body. Thenwhy shouldn’t we apply that same logic towhat we put on our body?

COMMENTARY

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Reading produce stickersBy SHARON NAYLOR

Creators.com

As Americans strive to eat healthier andfeed their children natural and organicfoods, fruits and vegetables are findingtheir way onto more grocery shopping

lists. According to the American Dietetic Association, 49 percent of Americanssay they’re “doing ‘all they can’ toachieve a balanced diet,” and 38 per-cent know they should make a greatereffort. With so many well-intentioned produce-shoppers picking up organicbananas, apples, grapes, papayas andiron-rich leafy greens, nutrition expertstrumpet a great warning: Are thosefruits and vegetables truly organic? Arethey genetically modified?

Supermarkets now supply a greater

variety than ever of organic foods ,and it’s very important that you readthe produce stickers to know not onlywhere foods were grown, but howthey were grown. The Food and Drug Administration certif ies “organic” inseveral different ways, and some foodslabeled as organic haven’t necessarilybeen grown without pesticides andfertilizers. They may be grown using pesticides and fertilizers on a govern-ment-approved list.

That little sticker on those apples,

grapes and other produce is called aPLU code, or “price lookup number,”and it reveals the true health factors of foods you’re buying to have a healthierdiet. PLU codes are assigned by the Pro-duce Marketing Association through theProduce Electronic Identification Board,making produce origins and growingconditions clear.

According to private catering and per-sonal chef company YaDa Chef, whichcooks only with organic ingredients,“those little tags will tell (you) howthe item is grown, be it conventionally,organically or through horrible geneticmodification.”

YaDa Chef’s website explains how toread the stickers:

• “Items which are conventionally grown(without organic methods) have 4-digitPLU codes that begin with the number 3or 4.”

• “Items which are organically grown

have codes which are 5 digits long andbegin with the number 9.”

• “Genetically modified items areidentified with 5 digit codes too, butbegin with the number 8.” So, accordingto YaDa Chef, a banana with the follow-

ing code, 84011, has been geneticallymodified.

Looking more deeply at these formulas,a four-digit number on produce revealsthat it has been grown using government-approved toxic chemicals sprayed on tokill insects. It isn’t organic, even if the packaging says it is.

A five-digit number beginning with

8 reveals that the produce has beengenetically engineered to make thattomato, banana or other item groweven in adverse field conditions andlook fresh on store shelves for a longer period of time.

Genetic modification actuallychanges the produce item’s naturalripening process so that the storecan stock an older piece of fruit, forinstance, that may look fresh but isactually quite old, with less flavor andless nutritional value. When you eatthese items, you ingest the result of genetic modification.

Produce marked with a five-digit num-ber beginning with 9 is free of geneticmodification and agrichemicals, grownto an organic standard approved by theFDA, which has put increasing focuson educating consumers to understandthat agricultural chemicals do seep into produce items’ skin, with the chemicalsthen present in the flesh of the fruit.These chemicals can settle in humanfat tissue, building over time to damagehealth. Some agrichemicals are knowncarcinogens, posing a risk of cancer andother diseases.

With that danger brought to mind, youlikely feel more inclined to pay slightlymore for produce marked on the pack-age and on the sticker as approvedorganic.

“I use the phrase ‘9 is fine’ to help meremember the code of organically grown,

non-genetically modified foods whileshopping in the grocery,” says homemaker Jill Evanetti. “And I’ve taught my kids touse the phrase ‘8 is not great’ when they’rehelping me food-shop.”

Some healthy eaters have chosento buy or supplement their organic produce purchases by joining certi -fied organic produce co-ops in theirneighborhoods, or frequenting organicfarms, farm stands and farmers marketdisplays. Find farmers markets near you at http://www.LocalHarvest.org, a

resource that will also connect you toorganic farms’ websites, which explaintheir organic growing practices andshare what’s in season, what’s on saleand also how to join their produce co-ops.

Healthy eaters are also establishingtheir own home vegetable, herb andfruit gardens, where they plant organicseeds and plants, nurture them withcertified all-natural products, and enjoythe satisfying crunch and delectabletaste of tomatoes, bell peppers, kaleand other produce they’ve grown them-

selves.Knowing the produce label formulas

will help you make informed decisionswhen you are shopping at a grocerystore. And if scary labels encourage you to explore local organic farms, youalso help local farm families thrive andsurvive in these challenging financialtimes.

Keys to understanding fresh fruit and vegetable codes

• Creators.com/Happily Holistic

Stickers provide the real story about produce.

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12


By TOM [email protected]

419-993-2137

LIMA — Recycling is a transaction withfour-way benefits.

• It helps the waste producer by lower-ing the disposal bill; in some instances, the producer gets paid.

• It helps the environment by channelingreusable materials out of landfills.

• It helps manufacturers in search of rawmaterials culled from the waste stream.

• It provides jobs in the recycling indus-try.

All four benefits inject a healthy profitmotive into the recycling business, says Jim Harrod, manager of sales develop-ment and corporate accounts at AllenCounty Recyclers, 541 S. Central Ave.,Lima.

“A lot of companies come up with differ-ent (waste) products,” Harrod said. “We’lltry and find homes for those products,to keep their waste bill down. We’re con-stantly dealing with different items thatcorporations generate. That’s one of ourstrengths: finding homes for corporate products.”

Allen County Refuse serves the resi-dential customer as well, offering a drive-through where they can drop off seg-regated aluminum cans, metal products,newspapers, glass containers, corrugatedcardboard and all grades (1 through 7) of plastics. The company pays going ratesfor cans, scrap metal and newsprint; other products are accepted at no charge. Hoursof operation are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. week-days and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays.

ACR also maintains a set of drop-off bins at the Shawnee Township municipal

complex on Fort Amanda Road.In business since 1983, ACR is a familyoperation owned by Roger Wright. JeremyWright is operations manager, JenniferWright is the business manager. The company’s 23 employees process, among otherthings, about 120 tons of plastic and 192tons of aluminum cans every year.

“We can single-stream all of your recy-cling needs,” Harrod said.

There are other options for recycling inthe Lima Area.

Waste Management, 1550 E. Fourth St.,Lima, provides recycling for its municipal

and residential customers but does notmaintain a recycling center at its Limaoffice.

Beth Schmucker, Waste Management’s public relations director for Ohio andMichigan, said its customers’ recyclablesare baled at the Lima location and takento the company’s regional recycling centerin Dayton for processing.

OmniSource Corp., one of the nation’slargest scrap metals recyclers, maintainsa dropoff at 1610 E. Fourth St. Businesshours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdaysand 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays. OmniSource pays for all kinds of scrap metal includingaluminum cans, scrap aluminum, steel,copper and automobiles.

Founded in Fort Wayne, Ind., more than65 years ago, OmniSource shipped 5.2million gross tons of recycled steel and961 million pounds of nonferrous scrap in2010, according to the company’s website.

To the south of Allen County, the Aug-laize County Solid Waste District main-tains recycling drop-offs and programsin a variety of locations. The Solid WasteDistrict is headquartered at 15202 St.Marys River Road, St. Marys. Phone 419-394-1270 for details about locations andhours.

Auglaize drop-off centers accept card-board, mixed paper, aluminum cans, steeland tin cans, glass containers, computerand electronic equipment (no TVs), holi-day light strings, shoes, batteries, No. 1and No. 2 plastics and clean aluminum foil.Drop-offs at Cridersville, Wapakoneta andthe St. Marys water distribution buildingalso accept used motor oil.

Auglaize County has scheduled a haz-ardous waste collection day for 9 a.m. to1 p.m. May 12 at the Wapakoneta PublicWorks building on Harrison Street.



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Carl Sheridan moves cardboard to be compacted in bales at Allen County Recyclingon South Central Avenue in Lima.

Doug Conaway recycles aluminum cansat Allen County Recycling on South Cen-tral Avenue in Lima.

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



Going greenin your homeBy ERIC CHRISTENSEN

Creators.com

Homeowners can’t escape to-do lists — weekendchores, long-term DIY projects, or even plans anddesigns for building a dream home from the groundup. A growing number of homeowners are adding“make my home greener” to those to-do lists, andthey can pick from a variety of projects that fit anybudget, goal and home-improvement ability.

After buying a home, architect Robin Green-berg made her house greener because shewanted “to save money in the long term” and

have a “healthier personal environment.” Sheinstalled digital thermostats for precise controlof her home’s temperature, low-flow shower-heads, fan exhausts in the bathroom, and EnergyStar appliances. She also added insulation to thewalls and roof, and she used low volatile organiccompound, or VOC, paint. Because of thesechanges, she was able to get a small tax refund,lower energy bills and a more comfortable home.

She suggests homeowners check the age of their appliances as a first step to making theirhome greener. “Old machines are far less efficientthan new ones,” and “upgrading to newer appli-

ances could lead to lower operating costs andlong-term savings.” Before replacing your win-dows, Greenberg instead suggests you look forleaks and drafts. “Look around windows, doorsand holes in basements. Windows aren’t as draftyas people think, and a good curtain can help withcomfort.” Greenberg says plugging those leaks ismore cost-effective and is very efficient for con-trolling your airflow and comfort.

Homeowners interested in green buildingsmay be familiar with the Leadership in Energyand Environment Design certification programfor energy efficiency, but the U.S. Green Build-ing Council also runs a LEED for Homes pro-

gram. Nate Kredich, vice president of residentialmarket development for the USGBC, suggestshomeowners look at the USGBC’s Green HomeGuide and REGREEN website. The Green HomeGuide outlines a variety of energy efficiencyoptions, and it offers advice from professionals.The REGREEN program “allows homeownersand their contractors to zero in on green strate-gies based upon project type and priorities. Thesite offers case studies, in-depth technical strate-

gies and other resources to facilitate projects.”If you are interested in designing and building

a green dream home, many options are available.Welshman Simon Dale built a green home into ahillside that resembles something from the book“The Hobbit.” Brad Pitt’s Make It Right initiative hasbuilt starkly modern homes in New Orleans’ Lower9th Ward that have received the highest LEEDcertification. The latest green homes are “net-zero”homes that generate as much (or more) renewableenergy than they consume, but such homes requirelots of direct sunlight (they depend heavily on solar power) and have difficulty maintaining a cool inte-rior in hot and humid environments.

For homeowners designing their green dreamhome, Kredich suggests outlining “your plans and priorities during design” because LEED certificationcan be more difficult and expensive if the processbegins post-construction. Kredich therefore also rec-ommends having your builder, contractor, architectand planners meet regularly to build consensus.

Kredich estimates that a green home will costan additional 1 to 5 percent to build, but an expe-rienced builder can sometimes eliminate addedcosts. Kredich also says, “Many localities have(financial) incentives for building to LEED (or)

expedited permitting. It’s worthwhile for hom-eowners to check and see if their state or localityhas any incentives.”

In order to receive LEED certification, a homemust be 15 percent more energy-efficient thantypical homes built to code, but Kredich says “mostLEED homes achieve 30 percent or more,” produc-ing “significant savings to the homeowner, thoughthe timeline is dependent on local utility costs.”

Kredich also says green homes experiencedecreased moisture problems, decreased car-bon monoxide and radon risks, and fewer air pollutants, creating a healthier environment for

homeowners. Lastly, Kredich points to studiesin Atlanta, Portland and Seattle that found greenhomes sell more quickly and at higher prices.

There are many ways to make your homegreener, from the simple and inexpensive tothe complex and costly. But each project is astep closer to a healthier and more comfortablehome that is cheaper to operate and better forthe environment. Maybe it is time to update yourto-do list.

How to make your home greener,save money and improve your health

TIPS FOR GREEN LIVING

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



One of the most energy-efcient furnaces on this green earth.

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RESTORE550 West Elm Street (Metcalf & Elm)

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Open Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pmSaturday 10am-3pm

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!• Displays and marketing• Preparing and pricing

items or sale• Small appliance repair

• Cashiers• Computer input,

administrative tasks

Donate to ReStore• Get a tax deduction

• Keep items out o landflls• Repurpose useul materials

• Raise money to buildaordable homes in your

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We need your donations of appliances, cabinetry,furniture, windows, and MORE!!

Donations accepted during open hours!ReStore sales support the Habitat for Humanity home building

program providing affordable homes for the community.

Contact: JOE PASION7680 US Route 127 North | Van Wert, OH 45891 | 419-232-2034

We Buy: Steel • Aluminum • Copper and more

Mon-Fri 8:00-4:30pm, Sat 8:00-noon

Recycling For Our Future

Earth DayApril 22

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



Automotive Products

Lubricants – Solvents

Cleaners – Gasoline

Antifreeze – Waste Oil(Less than 5 gallons per container)

BatteriesLead Acid Batteries

(Vehicle)

Dry Cell Batteries

(Household)

Rechargeable Batteries

Hobby ProductsPhotographic Chemicals

Chemistry Kits

Pool Chemicals

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE DISPOSALFor Residents of Allen and Hardin Counties

A $1.00 Per Pound Fee will be Charged for all HHW Items.HHW Disposal Available from Mid-April to Mid-October at 2 Locations

Call to Schedule Your Appointment at One of the Following Locations

Household Hazardous Waste may be dropped off by APPOINTMENT ONLY.

Anyone leaving items at the sites other than at their appointed time will be prosecuted for illegal dumping.

NCO Solid Waste

District

Allen 419-228-8278

Hardin 1-800-553-6763

You will be required to ll out a participation survey and sign a form stating that the items you havebrought are from a residential household in Allen and Hardin Counties.

The following is a list of Household Hazardous Waste items accepted at our collection sites.

Reminder: There is a Fee of $1.00 Per Pound

10:00-2:00 – April 25, May 9, May 23, June 6, June 20, July 18, August 1,August 15, August 29, September 12, September 26, October 10, October 24

1:00-5:00 – April 26, May 10, May 24, June 7, June 21, July 5, July 19, August 2,

August 16, August 30, September 13, September 27, October 11, October 25

Call For APPOINTMENT – No Items will be accepted without an appointment!

www.ncowaste.org

Garden ProductsFertilizers – Pesticides

Herbicides – Poisons

Other Garden Chemicals

(No Farm Chemicals)

Fluorescent Light BlubsFluorescent Tubes

UTubes – Circular Tubes

CFLs (Compact

Fluorescent Lights)

Other Kerosene

Cleaning Products

Household CleanersOven Cleaners

Degreasers

Drain CleanersBleach – Ammonia

Wood/Metal Polishes

Moth Balls – Shoe Polish

Aerosol Cans

Personal CareNail Polishes & Remover

Hair Treatments

After Shaves – Perfumes

Pet ProductsFlea Powders

Materials must be in their original containersand clearly marked or easy identifcation.

Please Note: This program is for Household Hazardous Waste ONLY.

By law we CANNOT accept Commercial, Industrial, Government, Church, School or Farm/Agricultural Waste.

PaintsHome Maintenance

Paint (latex & oil)

Paint Strippers/Thinners

Lacquers – VarnishSealants – Turpentine

Linseed Oil – Mineral Spirits

Wood Preservatives

Stains – Glue – Adhesive

Caulk – Roof Coating

Asphalt & Cement Sealers

Free Disposal of Mercury

Thermometers and old Ammunition

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



Touchstone leading green building effortsBy BETH L. JOKINEN

[email protected]

LIMA — Many of the walls are Bulldogorange, but a closer look at the new ElidaHigh School oozes with “green.”

A chilled-beam system reduces the needfor large air handlers. A rain water reten-tion system offsets new water usage. Acontrolled lighting system saves energy,and concrete parking lots reduce the envi-ronmental heat load.

“Energy usage at Elida was a big focus,”said Bruce Perry, director of business devel-opment at Touchstone CPM. “Elida saw the value in it. They saw the return on it and the positive things it was for the building.”

Elida’s building, which opened last August, is on its way to earning LEED(Leadership in Energy and EnvironmentalDesign) Gold certification, one of the firstin the state. It is one of 23 Touchstonebuildings that have completed certifica-tion or are in process.

Included is a massive project with Daytonschools, an ongoing project with Findlayschools and a middle school project in

Fremont that is working to become a LEEDPlatinum project. It would be a first forTouchstone and one of just a few in Ohio.

“We are finding it is important to a lot of the owners. It is important to a lot of the younger generation, so we think it is justnatural to try to help the community andthe environment,” Perry said. “The marketwe are in has given us this opportunity tobe on the front of it and we are willing tocontinue the efforts.”

Touchstone, a subsidiary of Tuttle Ser- vices, got its big push into doing green projects when the Ohio School Facilities

Commission adopted its green building program a few years ago. School projects, partly funded by the state, must be built toLEED Silver standards.

Six staff members have been educatedand have taken exams to be LEED certi-fied. Tuttle’s office building, rebuilt aftera fire in 2008, is also LEED certified. Thebuilding reduced energy usage by 140,579kilowatt-hours. It reduced carbon dioxideemissions by 120.3 tons.

Tuttle recently received recognition from American Electric Power for being an energy

efficient leader in the business industry.For a project to become LEED certi-fied, it must go through a lengthy check-list, where points are awarded for certaingreen efforts. Those efforts cover a widerange of things, including building on a sitethat already had a building on it.

“You are saving green land becauseof reutilizing an existing building site,”Perry said, adding that it is not always an

achievable point.

Companies like Touchstone have to provide information to prove the project isgreen. There are also air quality, lighting andother tests done after a building is occupied.It is a long process. Elida expects to get itsresults in the next six months.

Some points, he said, are geared towardconnectivity to the community. A buildinglocated near a grocery store or pharmacymight encourage people to walk or drive,cutting down on the emissions of fuel. Thebulk of points, Perry said, involves energyuse and water consumption. Automatedsink fixtures and waterless urinals areexamples.

“It pushes the design team and construc-tion team to build the building to use theleast amount of electricity, gas and water,”he said.

With any new construction project, thereis waste material, including the demolitionof an old building and scrap materialsfrom the building process. The LEED goalis to divert 75 percent of that material froma landfill into a recycling center. Now,Dumpsters are set up for various materi-als, Perry saying the recycling process has

become just a natural part of the construc-tion process.Building a sustainable facility is a focus

of a lot of owners, especially if there is anoperational pay back, Perry said. While itmight mean a small investment up front,schools and others usually save money inthe long run. Elida schools is counting on it.

“The long-term benefit is we knowenergy prices are going to continue to goup, but with what we put into this building,we should be able to stay on the low sideof operating the building,” SuperintendentDon Diglia said.

Perry adds that research shows studentsin classrooms with things such as goodquality day lighting and good air ventila-tion are more attentive and do betteracademically.

The green movement continues to evolve.Perry thinks products construction compa-nies use will continue to evolve as manu-facturers try to adapt to what people want.There is also a thrust, he said, toward moreenvironmentally-friendly cleaning supplies.

Building green is a conscious thing,Perry said. While it is extra work, it is notexceptional or out of the ordinary. In fact,it is becoming easier.

“Once the processes are in place, it justhappens,” Perry said. “It is more of a naturalfocus. ... It is more of a process you set in place at the beginning and then it just car-ries through. A lot of people are getting veryaccustomed to it in the construction field.”


“It is more of a process you set in place at the beginning

and then it just carries through. A lot of people are getting

very accustomed to it in the construction field.”— Bruce Perry, Touchstone

• Submitted photos

The new Elida High School building, which opened in August, is on its way toearning LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certifica-tion. It is one of 23 Touchstone buildings that have completed certification orare in process.

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



Real

AmericanStrength

Earth Day As we celebrate Earth Day we look at what is being done to movetowards a greener enviroment in our community.

We also celebrate who we are...

We are more than a city, more than a country; we are a place that’s more

than the simple sum of all its people and places. Here, our strength comes

from our Midwestern work ethic and values. Our productivity, culture and way

of life are sacred gifts passed down to us from those who came before.

They’re the kinds of things all Americans want

- but few actually possess.

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



How to make your small business sustainableBy ANICA WONG

Creators.com

There’s no hotter trend these days than being“green.” If you’re not buying compact fluo-rescent light bulbs for your house, then yourfriends might say you hate the environment.Compost piles and recycling bins are the newaccessories for any sustainable household.

Companies are starting to jump on thebandwagon, too. But for small businessesthat can’t hire a sustainability expert, therecan be a hesitation to make any big changes.That shouldn’t be the mentality that smallcompanies use, said K.J. McCorry, a formermember of the Connected Organizationsfor a Responsible Economy board.

“Employees want to work with companiesthat are ‘doing the right thing’ and being proactive with corporate environmental andsocial programs,” she said. A 2007 survey by Adecco, an international human resourcescompany, found 52 percent of employedadults feel their companies should do moreabout the environment.

Start by focusing on the low-hanging fruitwhen auditing for ways to become moreenvironmentally friendly. The most com-mon thing is lighting, which can comprise

up to 60 percent of an electric bill for a

small company.“Things become obsolete quickly. With

incandescent light bulbs being phased out,businesses still have a lot of outdated lighting,”says Nicole Stika, the director of energy pro-grams at the Council of Smaller Enterprises.

There are a few different options, sheadvises. Companies can go with the compactfluorescent light bulbs, which are an inexpen-sive option, or they can opt for light-emittingdiodes.Although LED lighting can cost moreat the beginning, Stika said they produce10 times greater savings than CFLs. If yourcompany is going to stay in the building for anextended amount of time, it probably wouldbe worth it to spring for the LEDs and reap

the benefits in the long run.Stika also suggested areas that don’t need

to be lit all the time be put on light sensors.This will eliminate unused rooms from suck-ing energy and adding to the electric bill.

While recycling has become an easy wayto help planet Earth, upcycling might not beas common. Upcycling, which Stika definesas being able to repurpose a material, isespecially important for companies thathave a lot of waste material left over fromcreating, packaging and shipping products.

She pointed to an example from The Taylor

Companies, one of the oldest chair manufac-

turing companies in the United States. Accord-ing to Stika, it was able to cut down to zero

percent in waste each year. It sold the sawdustcreated during the manufacturing process to alocal horse farmer, and a company in Canadarepurposes any scrap leather into wallets.

Along with doing small things in theactual office building, Stika suggests thatsmall businesses check to see if they areeligible to receive rebates or tax benefits tobecome environmentally friendly or afterthey have made changes to their opera-tions. Businesses can also check out GreenPlus, an institute that provides nationalaccreditation for small businesses and rec-ognizes them for their sustainability efforts.

By becoming accredited as a Green Pluscertified business, small-company ownersbecome connected with local, regional andnational contacts and businesses that feel thesame way about sustainability as they do.

Improving brand awareness with othergreen corporations and then expanding todifferent circles can help a company’s bot-tom line. According to a National Market-ing Institute survey, consumers are willingto spend up to 20 percent more on envi-ronmentally sound products and services.Increasing green and going green — it’s

not a bad way for a company to thrive.

Recycling: Is the practice wise or worrisome?By CHELLE CORDERO

Creators.com

Most American communities promote programs to reduce, reuse and recycle,and though they have the support of many,

there are also naysayers. Although most solid waste management

authorities applaud the difference thatrecycling makes in their local landfills,there are some concerns. One of them is pest control. Because plastic, metal andglass food containers often stagnate whilewaiting to be shipped off to respectivecenters to be sanitized and reused, pestsmay be attracted to the remaining foodtraces and some worry this could createhealth risks.

Recycling collection programs usuallyinclude newsprint, glass, plastic bottles,

aluminum and steel cans. With recyclingcontainers parked curbside for pick-up,are we using more fuel and adding exhaustfumes to the environment in order to col-lect them? Are we giving consumers afalse sense of security by leading them tobelieve that recycling is sufficient commit-ment to our environment?

In New York’s Rockland County, residentsreduce their amount of trash by separat-

ing their recyclable materials.Those materials are no longer placed in landfills; they arebundled and sold to manufac-turers as raw material for new products. Revenue from these

sales reduces taxes by helpingto pay for recycling collectionand processing. Additionally,rebates from sales of the recy-clables are returned to partici- pating municipalities based onthe tonnage generated.

Some individuals simply do not recycleor recycle only sporadically. Even whenthe average consumer recycles everything possible, most items still need a fair amountof sorting and preparation. Plastics arenumbered one through seven depending on polymer content; these numbers are most

often visible in recognizable triangles onthe plastic containers and are used to sortthe plastics during the first step towardrecycling. Depending on the community,glass, plastics and metals may be collectedtogether and need to be separated at some point. Aluminum and steel cans also need tobe sifted through.

Paper and cardboard recycling account foran estimated one-third of recycled products.

In order to make paperreusable, it needs to bebleached, which intro-duces harsh chemicalsinto the environment andexposes plant workers to

these toxins. Some cynicsclaim the finished productis not high quality enoughfor purchase. Productsthat are not suitable forbleaching and recyclingmay be sent to incinera-

tors for disposal, and the fumes emitted fromincinerators are harmful to the environment.

There are potential health risks for sani-tation workers. Some disposed productsmay contain traces of hazardous materials,such as mercury from fluorescent bulbs,solvents from cleaning supplies or other

chemicals. Exposure to toxic materialscan be dangerous for sanitation workersand other waste management personnel.Some municipalities may limit what canbe recycled, and some schedule specifichazardous materials collection events.

In a 2007 article, Michael Munger, chair-man of political science at Duke Univer-sity, wrote: “If recycling is more expensivethan using new materials, it can’t pos-

sibly be efficient. There is a simple testfor determining whether something is aresource or just garbage. If someone will pay you for the item, it’s a resource. But if you have to pay someone to take the itemaway, then the item is garbage.”

The Environmental Protection Agencysupports recycling efforts. It turns wasteinto valuable resources and creates finan-cial, environmental and social benefits.Recycling creates jobs, reduces emissionsfrom the manufacturing of raw products,and conserves natural resources. In addi-tion to reducing, reusing and recycling ourown products, purchasing items stamped“recycled” helps to support the ethos andencourages manufacturers to producethose items. The steps to a successfulrecycling program include collection, pro-cessing, manufacturing and purchasing.

The EPA encourages everyone to con-serve natural resources. Reduce packaging,buy bulk or concentrated products when you can, recycle batteries and use batterieswith reduced mercury, select reusable andrecycled products, use durable productsthat will stand the test of time, recycle auto-motive products and learn how to compost.Recycling helps sustain the environmentfor future generations.

• Creators.com/GreenStreet Solutions

Putting the light bulbs in your officeon movement sensors will decreaseyour electric bill and put you one step

closer to becoming “green.”

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



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Ethanol still growing By BART MILLS

[email protected]

LIMA — In almost all cases, businessis a game of percentages. In the case of ethanol, the percent that may be a game-changer is five.

That’s five percent, as in the amount of increase to the ethanol levels in gasolinethe U.S. Environmental Protection Agency isallowing as of April 2. For drivers, that maynot mean much, at least until stations startselling the product, perhaps as early as thissummer. But for the industry, that additional

five percent could mean millions of gallons of demand and fresh security for local refineries.

“Overall, the industry is being treated pretty well. The EPA has approved the 15 percent level for 2000 and newer cars andis evaluating the use in cars older than2000. That’s good news for us,” said LarryWilson, plant manager of the Lima Guard-ian Ethanol Plant.

Ethanol advocates say the increase inethanol is good news for the country andthe planet as well. Ethanol-fueled vehicles produce fewer carbon monoxide and car-bon dioxide emissions, and similar orlower levels of hydrocarbon and oxidesof nitrogen emissions. E85 — what theindustry calls the blend of 85 percent etha-nol and 15 percent gasoline — has fewer volatile components than gasoline, whichmeans fewer emissions from evaporation.

Even at lower levels, such as the currentE10 or coming E15 mix, adding ethanol togasoline can reduce the carbon monoxide

emissions from the gasoline and improves

fuel octane. And because the great major-ity of ethanol used in the United Statesis refined with American corn, it helpsreduce dependence on foreign oil.

“E15 offers American drivers a cleaner,renewable alternative to traditional gasolinewhile positively contributing to our coun-try’s energy security, rural economic devel-opment and environmental improvement,”said Matt Bruns, vice president of corn pro-cessing at Archers Daniels Midland.

The upgrade to E15 comes at a time whenthe nation’s biorefiners are already workingto keep up with demand. The 2008 Energy

Independence and Security Act calls for theuse of 36 billion gallons of ethanol by 2022.Of that, 21 billion is supposed to come fromnon-corn sources, including advanced bio-fuels and cellulosic ethanol created from plant sources. Hitting that mark is going tobe a job, Wilson said.

“Right now, I see the cellulosic andethanol from other forms is a little behindschedule. They’ve got a lot to live up towith their requirements of 21 billion gal-lons,” Wilson said.

Closer to home, the Lima refinery is run-ning strong. With 32 employees, the planthas the capacity to produce 58 million gal-lons of ethanol annually.

“We’re doing good,” Wilson said. “We’vehad a good response and good supportfrom our local farmers, which is great.Local farmers and elevators are support-ing us and that’s important,” Wilson said.“I foresee this being a pretty good year if itcontinues to go as it has.”

TIPS FOR GREEN LIVING

JAY SOWERS • The Lima News file photo

Mark Borer, general manager at the POET Ethanol facility near Leipsic, answers ques-tions about the plant recently.

8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



8/2/2019 Going Green - 4/22/12



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Accubuilt Inc. has long been going greenBy MERRI HANJORA

[email protected]

419-993-2058

LIMA — Going green is nothing new to Accubuilt Inc., the diversified specialty vehi-cle manufacturer. Accubuilt’s professional vehicles are funeral coaches and limou-sines traditionally used by the funeral ser- vice industry. The company has been slowlyimproving the reduction of its carbon footprint on the environment for several years.

More recently Accubilt upgraded thelighting system, switching to energy-effi-cient lighting, with the help of DickmanIndustrial & Electrical Supplies GreenEnergy Solutions team, of Sidney and localcontractor Sparta Electric Inc., of Lima.

“It’s actually something we have beentrying to do for the last four or five years,”said Greg Skinner, Accubuilt productionsupervisor.

The old T12 fluorescent bulbs are beingeliminated by government mandate in July.In an effort to help businesses make thetransition before the bulbs are gone, manyincentives including federal tax deduc-tions, utility rebates and more are avail-able to reduce the cost of energy-efficientupgrade projects.

Accubuilt was successful in receivingan AEP rebate and federal tax deductionscovering nearly three-quarters of the total project cost.

“They worked around us and got it doneso that we could receive the maximumrebates available to us,” Skinner said.“What it boiled down to after the rebateswe received, we paid installation with$9,000 out of pocket.”

Accubuilt replaced 1,290 older style metalhalide and T12 bulb technology light fix-tures with energy-efficient T8 bulb fixturesthroughout the 175,000-square-foot facility.

Saving energy is not the only feature of the T8 bulb. In addition to this, the color

rendering index is better than T12 bulbs.CRI is the technical term for the way abulb makes colors look to the human eye.The higher the CRI, the more subtle varia-tions of the shade of color are seen. T12bulbs were typically in the 60 to 65 range.The T8 bulbs range from 75 all the way to95 — with 100 the highest.

“The lighting improved drasticallythroughout the facility, especially back inthe framing department. It made a hugeimprovement,” Skinner said.

Lighting uses roughly 10 to 20 percentof the energy in commercial buildings.Energy saving, compact fluorescent lightbulbs also usually have a longer-rated life

than less-efficient light bulbs, so main-tenance costs are reduced. Substituting

compact fluorescent energy saving lightbulbs for a standard incandescent bulbswill use approximately 75 percent lessenergy for nearly the same amount of lightoutput, and, the energy efficent light bulbwill last about 10 times longer.

“We look forward to energy savings andlower maintenance costs,” Skinner said.

Installing energy efficient bulbs not onlyimproves the lighting and energy bills butalso helps in reducting harmful emissions.

According to Dickman Industrial andElectrical Supplies, and its Green EnergySolutions team, Accubuilt will avoid annual

greenhouse gas emissions of over 1 million pounds per year, based on EPA estimates.The reduction in harmful emission, whichthe EPA estimates, is comparable to remov-ing a total of 126 cars from the road for a year, or saving a forest of 38,072 trees.

Accubuilt has also taken steps to reduceharmful waste. They have a Dupont rep-resentative onsite to mix paint for thespecialty vehicles they construct.

“The representative mixes just enough paint to paint the vehicle. This has elimi-nated the hazardous paint waste we had inthe past,” Skinner said.


Line worker Jerry Mericlebuffs a front fender on a

Cadillac limousine recently atAccubuilt in Lima. Every lightbulb in the Central Point Park-way building was replacedlate last year. Not only do thenew lights produce brighterlight, they require less energythan the old bulbs.

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Chemical companies monitor their flares

By HEATHER [email protected]

419-993-2094

LIMA — At the refining and chemicalcomplex, Potash Corp.’s PCS Nitrogen andIneos are also managing the flares for theirbusinesses.

Potash will soon complete a three-year

project to minimize what is being sent tothe flares, which are needed for start up andshut down of units, and emergency releases,General Manager Todd Sutton said.

The work helps the environment and thecompany’s bottom line, Sutton said. Thework will mean the plant is no longer burn-ing ammonia through the flares.

“If we don’t burn it, we can recapture it

and sell it,” Sutton said.The company has one piece of equip-

ment to install, a compressor, to completethe project, which has already includedinsulation of tanks and condensers. Theflares that remain are similar to whatHusky will be left with, essentially pilotlights to keep the flares active, requiredfor a constant source of gas in case the

complex needs to light it for an emergencyrelease, shut down or start up, Sutton said.

The company takes its environmentalresponsibilities seriously, from large capi-tal projects to smaller efforts, such as log-ging what waste the plant creates, down toshredded paper and employees’ soda cans.Employees are looking for ways to reduceand recycle everything the plant produces,

Sutton said, in an effort to reduce whatwaste it sends off site.

PotashCorp.’s Lima plant makes ammo-nia, urea, nitrogen solutions and nitricacid. The products are largely used asagriculture fertilizers, and also are used inother industrial products.

Ineos Nitriles, also located in the complex,makes acrylonitrile and acetonitrile, which

are used to make a certain plastic used intoys such as Legos, computer monitors andappliances such as refrigerators. They arealso used to make acrylic fiber for clothingand dolls as well as the carbon fiber used ingolf clubs, race cars and airplanes.

Ineos’ flare is visible from BuckeyeRoad. The flare, required by the company’sclean air permit, is designed to safely burn

vapors that cannot be used by the process,the company said. Ineos has no plansto reduce the size of the flare, which isnormally small by industry standards, thecompany said in a statement. The flare ismonitored by computer and closed circuittelevision.

Most of the time the Ineos flare is burn-ing natural gas only and is on standby,ready to burn chemical vapors in the eventemergency relief from the production pro-cess is needed, the company said.


Potash also working to reduce size “If we don’t burn it, we can

recapture it and sell it.”— Todd Suttongeneral manager

SARAH GORDON• The Lima Newsfile photo

Employees andmembers of the Lima com-munity attenda ribbon-cuttingceremony Oct.28, 2010, thatcelebrated thecompletion of con-struction of thecompany’s new34,117-square-foot materialswarehouse.

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Tips for planning an eco-friendly vacationBy SHARON NAYLOR

Creators.com

Planning a vacation? Consider stayingat an eco-friendly hotel, resort or bed-and-breakfast. Even while providing the finestof luxuries, and while spoiling you with thebeauty of their landscapes and seascapes,today’s eco-savvy hotels utilize a wide rangeof impressive green practices, including:

• Water conservation through energy-efficient showerheads, faucets and toilets.

• Energy efficiency.• Printing brochures and room signs on

recycled papers.• Room keys made of 30 percent post-

consumer recycled plastic.• Energy Star appliances.• Organic bedding and linens.• Linen reuse.• Recycling bins in rooms and resort-

wide recycling.• U.S.-sourced toiletries.• Low-VOC or VOC-free paints.• Organic cleaners.• BPA-free shower curtains.• Organic food and beverages in the

honor bar.• Organic and locally sourced food and

drinks in restaurants.• Infrared occupancy/motion sensors tocontrol guest-room HVAC.

• Energy-efficient fitness equipment.• No individually packaged condiments,

such as ketchup, mustard, cream cheese,butter or preserves.

• Carbon offset program addressinghotel’s energy use and carbon emissions.

• 100 percent organic coffees and teasserved at restaurants.

• Organic spa products and treatments.Eco-friendly hotels and resorts often

partner with environmental charities in 5kruns and in festivals to raise awareness of green initiatives and to support their localcommunities. They aim to be good neigh-bors and lift up small businesses, artisansand other attractions in their areas.

As you search for the perfect greenhotel, bear in mind the importance of any

hotel’s bearing a recognized certificationas a green property. Since any indepen-dent hotel can do some recycling and callitself a “green hotel,” several agencies havestepped in to provide rigorous inspections,checking to be sure any hotel meets theirstandards for a true green hotel. One suchgroup is the Audubon Green Leaf pro-gram, awarding its title to properties thatmeet environmental best standards in anarray of categories, from water quality andconservation to energy efficiency, recy-cling and community involvement.

The Green Key eco-rating system checks

for a wide range of green practices inhotels throughout the world, and you cansearch their listings at GreenKeyGlobal.com to find certified Green Key hotel andresort properties.

Vegan accessories: A guide for animal-free fashionBy SHARON NAYLOR

Creators.com

When you think of the term “vegan,” youmight automatically associate the word witha type of diet, but the classification alsoapplies in fashion, with trendy outfits andaccessories made of animal-free materialsand, importantly, using fair-trade methods.

Jill Spiritus and her sister Tracey Spiritus,founders and owners of the all-vegan acces-sories e-store CompassionCoutureShop.com, explain the philosophy behind veganfashion: “The term ‘eco-friendly’ gets thrownaround carelessly these days, and its mean-ing is not always transparent. To us, it meansbeing conscious that everything we do hasan impact on the environment and takingaction toward benefiting the environmentor toward reducing environmental damage.

“Each label that we sell on our site incor- porates this value into their productionfrom a unique perspective — e.g., usinglow-impact dyes, biodegradable materi-als, using recycled fabrics, making sure

their products are made under fair tradestandards. Our mission is to show shop-

pers that you can have 100 percent cru-elty-free and eco-friendly fashion-forwardhandbags, shoes and accessories withoutsacrificing your sense of style or quality.”

Just what can you find among veganaccessories? Everything. Where can youfind them? Everywhere, from specialtye-stores such as Compassion Couture, Vegan Chic and Alternative Outfitters — just a few of the top vegan accessoriesshops on the market -- to high-end retail-ers such as Nordstrom to popular acces-sory e-retailers such as Zappos.com. Thedemand for vegan accessories has neverbeen higher, as fashionistas wish to looktheir best, but not compromise their ani-mal-friendly and fair trade belief systems.

• Shoes. You’ll find vegan varieties inevery style, from flats to wedges to pumpsto thigh-high boots. At Compassion Couture,the Kailia style of pump features a very fash-ion-forward hidden interior 1-inch platformto add extra height, but the shoe is made

from biodegradable microfiber suede.• Handbags. Vegan handbags run the

gamut from clutches to satchels, shoul-der bags, hobos and totes, with designer-style accents and composed of animal-free materials. One example is the RevealPiuola Clutch at CompassionCoutureShop.com, made from plush, animal-friendlysuede manufactured from post-consumerrecycled plastic bottles, vegan leather,satin made from post-consumer recycledbottles, 100 percent recycled polyestertape and 30 percent recycled metal slider.

• Belts. From skinny belts to stan-dard 1.25-inch belts for women and men, pleather belts offer the same muted orshiny texture as their leather counterparts,in black, brown or colored shades using vegan-standard dyes.

• Other products. As you look through vegan accessory offerings, you’ll find wal-lets, watches, jewelry, hats, scarves, glovesand more fashion accents, all comprised of cruelty-free materials from top to bottom,inside and out.

•Creators.com/Caneel Bay

Eco-friendly hotels often provide just as many luxuries as traditional hotels.

• Creators.com/Evolve Accessories

Be fashion-forward with cruelty-freeaccessories.

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G22 Sunday, April 22, 2012 The Lima News

Start Every Day With

The Lima News Your No. 1 source for

News and Informationwith”green” alternatives

•In Print •Online•Facebook •Twitter

Avoiding dirty gold

By SHARON NAYLOR Creators.com

You’ve heard of the term “blood diamonds,”which refers to the dangerous and deadlydiamond trade in some corners of the globe.Consumers have overwhelmingly chosen toavoid blood diamonds in favor of diamondsand gemstones that have been sourced ethi-

cally, from industry-sanctioned mines. Thesame scrutiny now applies to the metalsfrom which jewelry is made. A big spotlightis fixed on the dangers and environmentaltravesties of metal mining, and within the past several years, a great movement hasoccurred: No Dirty Gold. This movementhas brought so much attention to the hor-rendous global effects of metal mining thatsome of the world’s most elite jewelry companies have signeda pledge to avoid allsources of unethicallymined gold.

According to PayalSampat and Scott Car-diff of the internationalmining reform organi-zation Earthworks,“processing the goldin one ring uses morethan 1,400 gallons of water, enough to meetthe daily needs of 100 people. Left behindis a toxic sludge containing heavy met-als, cyanide compounds and arsenic. Eachgold ring produces an average of 20 tons of waste — millions of tons over the life of amine.” Mining companies dump more than180 million tons of hazardous waste into riv-ers, oceans and lakes — which, accordingto Earthworks and Mining Works Canada,equals 1 1/2 times the waste that U.S. citiessend to landfills each year.

Environmental and human rights groupshave exposed many violations taking placein gold mines around the world — includingterrible treatment of miners, child labor in places like Mali, dangerous conditions insidethe mines, local conflict in such locales asthe Congo, wildlife threats and erosion of natural lands — leading consumers to ques-tion the source of jewelry they consider buy-ing. Because the jewelry industry dependson healthy sales, especially in this economy, jewelry companies now find themselves ina position of responsibility: They need to provide the information to consumers, sothey’d better commit to avoiding any and allsources of “dirty gold.”

One way jewelers have educated them-

selves and proved their commitment toavoiding these mining atrocities is by sign-ing the “Golden Rules” list of environmen-tal criteria and human rights standards atwww.NoDirtyGold.org. More than 100,000 people from around the world have signeda pledge asking retailers to go to greatefforts to ensure the gold in their productlines was not produced at the expense

of the environment and workers. Theseconsumers don’t want to buy gold thathas polluted water and air quality, sick-ened workers, stripped land of its naturalresources and created civil unrest. Theywant a guarantee the gold pieces they buyare responsibly sourced.

The “Golden Rules” include the following:• Respect basic human rights outlined in

international conventions and law.• Obtain the free,

prior and informedconsent of affectedcommunities.

• Respect work-ers’ rights and laborstandards, includ-ing safe workingconditions.

• Ensure thatoperations are notlocated in areas of armed or milita-rized conflict.

• Ensure that projects do not force com-munities off their lands.

• Ensure that projects are not locatedin protected areas, fragile ecosystems, or

other areas of high conservation or eco-logical value.

• Refrain from dumping mine waste intothe ocean, rivers, lakes or streams.

• Ensure that projects do not contami-nate water, soil or air with sulfuric aciddrainage or other toxic chemicals.

• Cover all costs of closing down andcleaning up mine sites.

• Fully disclose information about thesocial and environmental effects of projects.

• Allow independent verification of theabove.

A large number of jewelry retailers have

signed the Golden Rules, including BlueNile, Boscov’s, Brilliant Earth, Cartier, For-tunoff, Helzberg Diamonds, QVC, Target,Tiffany and Co., Walmart, Whitehall Jewel-lers and Zales, among many others. Largeretailers who have not signed the pledgehave been targeted in the media and pres-sured by consumers regarding their hesi-tancy to sell ethically mined gold.

G o i n g G r e e n

Know where your jewelry comesfrom and where its waste goes

• Creators.com

G o i n g G r e e nTh Li N S d A il 22 2012 G23

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Green driving tipsBy CATHERINE MCNULTY

Creators.com

Americans love their cars, and formost of us, our lives are designed sothat we can’t give them up cold turkey.But with the price of gas rising andenvironmental awareness en vogue, itis time to start driving more efficientlyand effectively. What does it mean to“green” your car?

Greening has become a catchall termsignifying that something has been mademore environmentally friendly. One of the best ways to green your car is tomake sure it is fuel-efficient. The lessgreenhouse gases from exhaust your car puts into the atmosphere the better forthe environment. It will not only help theenvironment but also end up saving youmoney at the pump.

First, consider your basic car mainte-nance. Are your air filters dirty? Whilemost car owners are good at keeping

up on oil changes, air filters tend tobe ignored. Dirty air filters are one of the leading causes of fuel inefficiencyin automobiles. Imagine trying to runa marathon while eating mashed pota-toes; that’s what it’s like to drive a carwith dirty air filters. Check your own-ers manual or consult your mechanicto see how often you should be chang-ing your filters.

Another easy fix that’s criminallyoverlooked is making sure your tiresare inflated correctly. Both underin-flating and overinflating the tires cancause your vehicle to use more gas andrun inefficiently. Defer to your ownersmanual for the correct level of infla-tion — measured in pounds per squareinch, or psi.

Staying up-to-date on basic mainte-nance will keep your car more environ-mentally friendly and act as a preventivemeasure. If your mechanic is regularlyseeing your car, he’ll be able to catchany potential problems looming on the

horizon.Once you’ve gotten your car’s main-tenance up to code, it’s time to focuson your driving. Driving slowly andsmoothly is the best way to conserve gasand cut your car’s emissions. That meansavoiding fast starts or sudden stops, andobeying the speed limit. If you’re able to,using cruise control for highway driving

helps, as well.Do you use your car’s trunk for stor-

age? Bad idea. Hauling unnecessaryweight just burns more gas. Keep yourcar clean, and don’t treat your trunklike an extra closet.

Start planning your errands so that you can run multiple errands on thesame car trip. It will save you timeand money, and it’s better for the envi-ronment. Be cautious about idling. If

you’re in a long line — for example, at adrive-thru or a tollbooth — it might bebetter to turn your car off and on thanto sit idling. Restarting your car actu-ally produces fewer emissions than anidling engine.

You also can carpool to save gas.Do you have co-workers who livenear you? Think creatively; carpool-ing doesn’t have to be just for work.Do your neighbors shop at the samegrocery? Are your kids on the samesoccer team?

If you want to go even further, youcan upgrade your vehicle. If you havea vehicle that runs on diesel, then your vehicle can be converted to biodiesel,which is cheaper than petroleum fueland better for the environment. Gas-electric hybrids are by far the most fuel-efficient cars on the market, and as theyget more and more commonplace, the prices keep coming down. All-electriccars, such as the Nissan Leaf, are alsobeginning to muscle in on the green vehicle market.

Do you have an RV or a boat? Con-sider installing solar panels. By har-nessing the power of the sun, you willnot need to depend on fossil fuelsto power your electrical system. Thatopens up a whole new world of pos-sibilities as to where you can go andfor how long!

Finally, consider other modes of transportation. Many of us automati-cally default to our cars; it’s habit. Withenvironmental awareness being raised,

many towns and cities are putting moremoney into public transit, bike lanesand walking paths. Have an adventureand experiment with a new way of get-ting around.

Whether you merely adjust your driv-ing or completely upgrade your ride,going green can save you green in thelong run.

Recycle at home: Start smallBy GINNY FRIZZI

Creators.com

Like charity, going green can start athome. But where to begin?

“Overall, I’d say there is almost noth-ing that can’t be repurposed,” says Lynn

Colwell, green lifestyle leader and, withdaughter Corey Colwell-Lipson, co-authorof “Celebrate Green!: Creating eco-savvyholidays, celebrations & traditions for thewhole family.” “The first step is to stopwhen you’re about to toss an item and ask yourself, ‘What could this be used for?’ If you don’t consider yourself creative, do asearch on the Internet for ‘what to do with(name of item)’ or ‘how to recycle (nameof item)’ or ‘how to craft with (name of item).’ You’ll be shocked at how manyideas there are and how easy it is to reuseinstead of tossing.”

According to Colwell, lids often arethrown away — even by those who recy-cle — because most recyclers won’t takethem. “Depending on the size and mate-rial — plastic or metal, with a little paintor even plain — they can be turned intocounting and/or building toys, coasters,wind chimes, yard ornaments and jew-elry.”

Colwell’s other suggestions includeusing glass jars instead of plastic to storeleftovers; donating old hats, purses andother clothing to a children’s organization

for dress-up; swapping books with friendsand neighbors; and laying down newspapers, which eventually will decompose, inthe yard to control weeds.

Cristin Frank, founder of The Eve of Reduction, a resource for employing cre-ativity, shares some of her favorite homerecycling projects.

“I turned an old wire flower box into a

ribbon dispenser and a dismantled dresserinto shelving for a coat closet,” says Frank,who uses a wooden breadbox as a shelf for cookbooks in her kitchen.

Frank’s husband laid old doors on therafter beams in their garage. They usethem to store seasonal items. They also

nailed milk crates on the garage walls asstorage for balls, mitts, Frisbees and othersmall sporting goods.

However, most households reach a pointwhere they really have no more use forrecycling egg cartons or making wateringcans from plastic milk jugs. Can recyclingat home be taken too far?

Yes, according to active recycler MartinBlanco.

“Not only can it be taken too far, but itcan be taken too far to no particular pur- pose. I’ve been a stay-at-home father — inall respects the homemaker — for 12 1/2 years, so I have a good sense of managingthe household, including garbage manage-ment,” he says. “Repurposing is a niceidea, but it does not solve any problemsof managing waste and resources, and itcreates some new ones.”

Blanco gives the example of an acquain-tance who advocates creating with recy-clable goods, such as sculptures madefrom cans and milk cartons and puppetsmade out of boxes, cans and bottles.

“Look, this is great fun and very creative,but it does nothing to solve the fundamen-

tal problem of what we should do withthe excessive amounts of packaging wecreate and how we can reuse the primaryresource. One can’t make puppets andsculptures in perpetuity,” Blanco says.

Blanco does recycle, including using thelarger plastic trays from takeout as a drip pan under flowers and empty yogurt con-tainers for starting seeds.

• Creators.com

This ribbon dispenser was made from a basket.

The many shades of going green

G o i n g G r e e nG24 Sunday April 22 2012 The Lima News

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