Jan/Feb 2011 - Indiana Living Green

p u b l i s h e rLynn Jenkins

[email protected](317) 769-3456

e D i T O rBetsy Sheldon

[email protected]

C O N T r i b u T O r s Megan Fernandez Jesse Kharbanda L. Mark Finch Ryan M. Puckett Wendell Fowler Maria Smietana Judy Kenninger Jerry Williams

s A l e s [email protected]

(317) 769-3456

g r A p h i C D e s i g N Paul Wilson, Wilson Design, LLC

e - N e w s l e T T e r e D i T O rApril Perkins

w e b D e s i g NMargaret Hsu Stout

Greenway Consulting, LLC

A D v i s O r y b O A r D

Hugh Baker John Hazlett Bill Brown Grant Jenkins Jeff Echols Jesse Kharbanda Liz Ellis Glenn Livers Deb Ellman Greg Martz Bert Gilbert Ellen Michel Carey Hamilton

p r i N T i N g The Papers – Milford, Indiana

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C O m m u N i T y• All-around Green: Carmel leads the way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

e N e r g y• The heat is on: comparing home heating systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

F A m i l y / h O m e• Extending the life of small appliances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6• Green trends in Indiana real estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

F O O D• Six clues for detecting a restaurant’s green factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

g A r D e N • Get a jump-start on seed starting this winter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

F e A T u r e s

• Eat Right Now with Wendell Fowler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

• Footprints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

• Green, Greener, Greenest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

• Green Greetings from the Publisher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

• Green Marketplace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

• Hoosier Environment with Jesse Kharbanda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

• The Last Row . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

• News Briefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

• Rants & Raves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

C O N T e N T s

January/February 2011 3

ON THE COVER: Jeff Evard and Art Sherwood’s home-grown business in Bloomington, Nature’s Crossroads, promotes the use of organic seeds, fertilizers, and supplies that make sense for gardeners in the Midwest. © Photo by Nature’s Crossroads

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Home safe home: clearing

the air of toxins

Growing trends in school gardens

Commuter logic: biking to work

mArCh

April

In Our Next Issue

GREEN

Greenest!

Indiana Living Green offers ways for you to make a difference.

greeN 1. Join a CSA (community supported agriculture) to support the local food

economy and to provide your family with fresh seasonal vegetables throughout

the growing season. See the Local Food Guide in this issue and visit the ILG

website for more listings.2. Consider repair rather than replacement for a broken appliance. A simple fix might

keep it going for many more years.3. Conserve energy. Dial down the thermo- stat and add long johns or a sweater.

greeNer 1. Plan a garden for spring and purchase

seedlings from local growers rather than big box stores. Many farmers’ markets

have a vendor with seedlings available.2. Purchase quality appliances that will last

longer than cheap imports.3. Don’t complain about winter’s darkness,

but take the opportunity to quiet the mind and reflect. greeNesT 1. Start your own seeds indoors this winter for a great lesson in self-sufficiency. 2. Take usable unwanted appliances to Habitat for Humanity ReStore or Goodwill,

or take to a recycling operation rather than tossing in the landfill.3. Enjoy “Earth’s beguiling grandeur” as suggested by Wendell Fowler, with outdoor activities such as walking, sledding,

or cross-country skiing.

greeNer

4

ItwouldbeoptimistictosaytheNewYearbringspromiseofareturntoprosperityasweleavearough2010behind.TheGreatRecessionbroughtaslow-downtomanygreenprojects.Butitalsobroughtamoregeneralawarenessoftherealitythatloomsaheadforus. Lifeaswehaveknownitcannotcontinue.Financialexperts,sociologists,andclimatologistsareraisingthealarm.Wemustchange.Theprospectofabandoninglifeasweknowithashap-penedoftenthroughouthistory:theIndustrialRevolutionand

aftertheCivilWar,tonamejusttwoepochsofchange.Futuregenerationsmaystudythiscurrentperiodandassesshowweasanationandasaglobalpeopleadapted. Thoseofyoureadingthisaremostlikelypartofthegroupreferredtoas“earlyadopters,”atermusedtodescribethosewhoareamongthefirsttoacceptinnovativeideasandembracethemostcutting-edgetrendsineverythingfromarttofashiontotechnology.Foryou,changeseemsnotonlynecessary,butalsoreasonableanddoable.Youtendtoseeitasaconcepttoachieve,notavoid. Moreandmore,individuals,businesses,communities,andgovernmentsareacceptingthisnecessarychangeasapositiveforceforadaptationandimprovement. WehopeIndiana Living Green continuestobeasupportthatwillhelpyoumeetyourgoals;weencourageyoutotelluswhatstories,ideas,andresourcesyouneedfromus;andwewishyoustrengthandwellnessforyourchallengetochangein2011.n

5

g r e e n g r e e t i n g s F R O M P U B L I S H E R l y N N J e N K i N s

NEwYEaR,NEwHOPEforChange

Dear ILG, After reading about a local family’s successful attempt at solar cooking, my husband and I purchased a book on building a solar cooker that included specific instructions and recipes. Our 9-year-old grand-daughter helped with the project. Throughout the summer she and I cooked our lunch in it on Tuesdays, our day together. Many a deli-cious toasted cheese sandwich was produced in that solar cooker! A great learning tool.

Bobbie Mattasits, Carmel

SUBMISSIONS:[email protected]:(317)251-8545Indiana Living Green1730S.950E.,Zionsville,IN46077

Comments from our readers

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6 www.indianalivinggreen.com

OnTV’sSesame Street, LuisandMaria’sFix-ItShophasbeenreplacedbyashippingstore.Inreallife,theartofrepairisalsobecomingsomethingkidslearnaboutfromtelevisionreruns.“Thesmallappliancerepairmanusedtohave25competitorsinIndianapolis,”saysDaveRoberts,owneroftheMisterFixItshopat1827N.MeridianSt.“Now,we’redowntomaybethree,andoneofthoseisclosingsoon.” Robertsblamesinexpensiveimportedgoods.“Youcan’tgetparts,andwhenpeoplebuyanewcoffeemakerfor$6,whowantstopaytofixanoldone?”hesays.However,buyingqualityitemsandfixingthemcanactuallysavemoney.Ifaqualityappliancethatcosts$140lasts10years,you’llsave$210overbuyingalessexpensivemodelfor$70thatmustbereplacedeverytwoyears.Evenbetter,buyingproductsthatlastkeepswasteoutoflandfills. Herearesomeideasforadoptingalong-termapproachtohouseholdelectricappliances.

Forcountertopappliances,checkthemanufacturer’swebsiteforpartsandrepairinformation.KitchenAidfeatureshow-tovideosforcommonissuessuchasadjustingthebeatersonstandmixers.Cuisinarthasdownloadableproductmanuals.Aresourceforalltypesofpartsiswww.smallappliance.com.Anothersite,www.howstuffworks.com,offersgenericinstructionsforrepairstosmallappliancessuchascoffeemakersandtoasters. Forlargeappliances,suchaswashingmachinesandrefrigerators,partssitesoftenincludeinstructionsfordoingrepairs.RepairClinic.comhasstep-by-stepvideosofcommonrepairssoyoucanseeexactlyhowit’sdone. Locally,BellPartsSupplyat3822GeorgetownRd.stocksawiderangeofpartsforlargeappliances.Andiftheydon’tcarryit,they’llorderthepartforpickup. Ifyoustillcan’tfindthepart,tryanonlinesearch.PartsforpopularappliancesareavailableoneBay(andifyoucan’tfixyourappliance,youcansellattachmentssuchasmixerbladestheretorecoupsomeofyourloss).

Call in the experts Tobesure,manyofusquakeattheideaofopeningupthemotorofanappliance—andweprobablyshould.Abotchedrepaircouldvoidtheproduct’swarrantyorevencauseafire.Unlessit’sasimplerepairoryouknowyourwayaroundawiringdiagram,relyingonprofessionalsmaycostlessintheend.Forproductsstillunderwarranty,beginwiththemanufacturer.Thenumberforcustomerserviceshouldbeintheprod-uctmanualoronthemanufacturer’swebsite.Ifyouusedacreditcardtobuytheproduct,checktoseeifthere’sanextendedwarranty.AmericanExpress,forexample,doublesthemanufacturer’swarrantyuptooneadditionalyear. Newerappliancesshouldlast10yearsormore,Sublettsays.Theenergysavingsfromreplacingappliancesareusuallyminor,withtheexceptionsofrefrigeratorsandtop-loadwashers. Countertopappliancessuchasblend-ersandtoastersareanotherstory.Somesmallappliancescanberepairedbythemanufacturer,butthecostofmailing

ByJudyKenninger

TheFixIsIn

Ask a repairman Beforebuyinganything,getbrand-nameadvicefromsomeonewhorepairstheitem,advisesChrisSublett,ownerofVogelApplianceServices.“Weseewhichbrandslastthelongest,”Sublettsays.Robertsagrees,sayingthatmagazinessuchasConsumer Reportsoftendon’tseehowappliancesfunctionovertheyearsinhomes. Theotherreasontogetpurchaseadvicefromarepairman?Theyknowwhichbrandshavepartsavailable.Forvacuumcleaners,RobertssuggestslookingtoRoyal,FilterQueen,Kirby,Simplicity,andRiccar.Forcoffeemakers,lookforBunn,Regal,andWestBend,whichhealsorecommendsforanyothercountertopappliance.Anotherbrandthat’shighlyratedbyRobertsisKitch-enAid,especiallythecompany’sstandmixers.

DIY repairs Whenappliancesbreakdown,somerepairscanbetackledonyourown.

How to extend the life of your kitchen appliances©

iSto

ck.c

om

Mostofusworkinbuildingsthatare,unfor-tunately,“energyhogs.”Suchofficespacesusefarmoreenergythannecessarytoprovideuswithlight-ing,heat,andpoweredelectronicsand,therefore,makeusunwittingcontributorstoairpollution,overlyexpensivepowerplants,andgreenhousegasemissions.Fortunately,theopportunitytocutenergyuseisimmense: A2009studybyoneofthebiggestutilitiesinthecountryconcludedthatautomatedsystemsfordimmingandturningofflightsincommercialbuild-ingscouldslicelightingenergyusebymorethan50percent! Inthelastfewyears,therehasbeenasurgeoffederalincentivestogetbusinessestobuymoreenergy-efficientheaters,windows,andlighting.And,in2011,Indianautilitieswillberequiredtodramati-callyexpandinvestmentinefficiencyincentives,aswell.FormanyHoosiersmallbusinesses,however,theseincentivesmaynotbeenoughtogetthemtobuymoney-andenergy-savingequipment.Recently,though,anewideahasemergedthatrequireslittletonogovernmentdollars,andprovidestheentiretyof

fundsthatbusinessessorelyneedtomakemajorinvestmentsinenergyefficiency.It’scalledPACE,PropertyAssessedCleanEnergyBonds. PACEworkslikethis:YourcityissuesspecialPACEbonds,whoseproceedsareusedexclusivelytoprovidelow-interestloanstobusinessesforthepurchaseofsuperenergy-efficientmaterialsandequipment.Businessownerspaytheirloansbackaslineitemsontheirbiannualpropertytaxbills,withtheloanspaidover20years.Theimmediateenergysavingsgenerallyexceedtheincrementalcostoftheloanpayments,andsobusinessesimmediatelywinfinancially,andintermsofreducedenergyuse.Anadditionalfeatureisthattheloanstayswiththebusiness,ratherthanwiththeownerofthebusiness;thatsolvesanothermajorbarriertoinvestmentinenergyefficiency. TomakePACEarealityinIndiana,though,thefirststepisfortheIndianalegislaturetoadoptPACE-authorizinglanguage.Indianawouldnotbeenteringnewterritory—22stateshaveadoptedsuchlanguage,includingourneighborsIllinoisandOhio.PACElegislation—embracingsuchapple-pieissuesascostsavings,energysavings,andanimprovedenvironment—garnersstrongbiparti-sansupportwhereveritisproposed. Let’smakePACEarealityinIndiana,too,andreducetheenergyhogsthataboundinourstate.Tolearnmore,gotowww.hecweb.org,[email protected],subjectmatterPACE.n

Jesse KharbandaistheexecutivedirectoroftheHoosierEnvironmentalCouncil.Learnmoreaboutrenewablestandardsandtheorganization’sworkatwww.hecweb.org


theapplianceandtherepaircanexceedtheitem’scost.Therearefewresourcesforrepairslocally.“Theproblemis,youcan’tgetparts,”saysMr.Fix-It’sRoberts.Creditinghisownscavengingabilities,Robertshasalargeinventoryofreplacementparts,includingsomeforvintageappliances.“Igetcallsfromcoasttocoast,”hesays.LuckilyforIndyresidents,hisshopisonMeridianStreetjustnorthofdowntownandherepairsmostcountertopappliances,includingmicrowaves. Somebig-boxstoressuchashhgreggandBestBuydorepairappliancessuchasvacuumsandmicrowaveovens.Youcanbringyourappliancetothestoreclosesttoyou,andthey’llreturnittothatstoreforpickup.And,iftheycan’tfixit,BestBuyrecyclesmanyappliances,stillkeepingthemoutofthelandfill.n

Judy Kenninger is a Brownsburg, Indiana-based

freelance writer.

RESOuRCES

LocaL f Ix- It shopsMr. Fix-It, 1827 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis, 317.897.0744. Repairs countertop appliances and microwaves, including vintage small appliances.

Vogel Appliance Services, Indianapolis, 317.357.1186, vogelappliance.wordpress.com.Repairs large appliances including microwave ovens. Serves Greater Indianapolis. Call for appointment.

Bell Parts Supply, 3822 Georgetown Rd., Indianapolis, 317.298.9200, www.bellparts.com.

Morrison’s TV & Appliances, 900 West Kirkwood Ave., Bloomington, 812.332.7694. Repairs large appliances and microwaves; carries parts for large and small appliances.

Kappatronix LLC, 2452 S. Walnut St., Bloomington, 812.961.8460. Specializes in computers and entertainment electronics; will repair small appliances and charges a $35 diagnostic fee. on the Web• www.appliancepartspros.com • www.repairclinic.com • www.kitchenaid.custhelp.com • www.howstuffworks.com

hoosier environment by Jesse KhArbANDA

ProposedLegislationHelpsSmallBusinessKeepPaCE

To make such

small-business loans

a reality in Indiana,

the first step is for

the Indiana legislature

to adopt PACE-

authorizing language.


ByL.MarkFinch

Green House EffectIndiana homebuyers may be behind the curve, but awareness

of sustainability benefits is increasing

IfsomeoneinIndianasaysthey’relookingforagreenhouse,chancesarethey’replanningtobuysomeplants,notahome. “Indianabuyersarebehindthecurveinlookingforgreenhomes,buttheawarenessisrising,”saysJoeBottorff,principalbrokeratDOCRealEstateinGreenwood.Manyhomebuyersareconcernedabouttheefficiencyofappli-ancesandheatingandcoolingsystems,hesays,butconstructionmaterials“arenothighinpeople’smindsyet.” Whetherahouseisconsideredgreenisusuallyontheperipheryofthehome-buyingequation,agreesJoeShoemaker,principalbrokeratMacDuffRealtyinIndianapolis.“IfyouweretomakeaVenndiagramwithcirclesrepresentingtheagent,buyer,seller,inspector,bank,andeveryoneelseinvolvedinthetransaction,“green”wouldn’tbeintheareawherethecirclesintersect,”Shoemakersays.

Butthefactisthatthepartiesusuallyareinterestedincertainaspectsthathappentobegreen,withenergyefficiencyatthetopofthelist.“Whetherahouseisgreenislessimportanttobuyersthandurability,qualityoflife,andenergybills,”saysShoemaker.Sincetheadjustmentintherealestatemarket,peoplearelookingathomesmoreaslong-termcommitmentsthanshort-terminvestments,hesays,andtheyarewillingtosavelongerandspendmoreforhigher-qualitymaterials.

LEED awareness is blooming Asfarasnewhomesgo,theU.S.GreenBuildingCouncil’sLEEDcertifica-tionisjuststartingtoinfluenceIndianahomebuyers.LEED(theacronymforLeadershipinEnergyandEnvironmentalDesign)isaninternationallyrecognizedgreenbuildingcertificationsystemthatmeasuresperformanceineightareas:

indoorenvironmentalquality,energyefficiency,waterefficiency,siteselection,sitedevelopment,materialsselection,residents’awareness,andinnovation.ShoemakerbelievesthatasthegeneralpublicbecomesmoreawareofLEED,itwillhavemoreinfluenceonbuyers.HenotesthatsomelargehomebuildersarestartingtoapplyLEEDprinciplesintheirprojects. LEEDguidelinescanalsobeusedwhenremodelingexistinghomes.REGREEN,ajointprogramoftheUSGBCandtheAmericanSocietyofInteriorDesigners,provideseducationforhomeownersandcontractorswhowanttoremodelratherthanbuildnew.TheREGREENwebsitemakesthepointthatremodelinganexistinghomeisinherentlygreenerthanbuildinganewone,althoughitdoescomewithadifferentsetofchallenges. Improvementsmustbemadewithaneyetowardhowtheywillaffectthe

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buildingasawhole,andoftenrepairstothebasicstructuremustcomefirst.AstheREGREENsitepointsout,there’snopointinbuyingthebestboileronthemarketifitwillbeunderwaterthenexttimeitrainsbecauseofaleakybasementorfoundationproblems.Existinghomesoftenhavetheadvantageoflocation;LEEDencourageshomesthatareclosetoschools,shopping,work,andotheramenitiesthatcontributetoqualityoflifeandreducethenecessityofcartravel.

Refuting misconceptions BottorffandShoemakerbothsaythatabigpartoftheirjobsisconsumeredu-cation.“Buyersdon’tunderstandwhatagreenhomeis,”Bottorffsays,“soIworkontheireducationandhelpthemasktherightquestions.”Buyersdon’toftenbringuporientationorlandscaping,hesays,buthegetsthemtothinkaboutsuchthings.Forexample,astandofmaturedeciduoustreescanhelpreducecoolingrequirementsinthesummerbyprovidingshade,andallowsolargaininthewinteraftertheyhaveshedtheirleaves. Often,commonmisconceptionsaboutwhatmakesahomegreenmayputoffhomebuyers:Theymayassumethatitentailsradicalheatingandcoolingsystemsthatcostmoreandworklessefficiently.Theymaybelievethatthere’snoplumbing.Ortheymayexpecttoseeplantsgrowingontheroof.LinhPres-ton,whohasoptedfornewconstructionforhisnewhome,hadtoreassuretheownerofthehousenexttohislotthat

buildinggreendidn’tmeanhewasputtingupayurtorsimilar“hippie-looking”structure.

Choosing a green real estate agent Forprospectivehomebuyerswhowanttogogreen,it’simportanttochoosearealestateagentwhoisknowl-edgeableaboutwhatmakesahomegreen.TheNationalAssociationofRealtorsoffersitsmemberstrainingin

greenbuildingandsustainablebusi-nesspracticessotheycanearnaGreendesignation. AsimilardesignationisEcobroker,whichisawardedbytheAssociationofEnergyandEnvironmentalRealEstateProfessionals.(Atthiswriting,therearefourEcobrokersand15agentswithGreendesignationsinIndiana.)Agentswhodon’thaveaprofessionaldesig-nationmayhaverelevantreal-worldexperienceinstead;itmaybenecessarytointerviewmorethanonebeforeyoufindsomeoneyou’recomfortablework-ingwith.

Hunting for green Howcanyouevaluatehowgreenapropertyis?TryapplyingLEEDcriteria:

• Howistheindoorairquality?Indoorairisoftenmuchworsethanoutdoorair.DoestheHVACsystembringfreshairin?

“Whether a house is green is less important to buyers than durability, quality of life, and energy bills.” —Joe Shoemaker, principal broker at MacDuff Realty in Indianapolis

— Continued on page 10


• Isthehomeenergy-efficient?Savingenergymeanssavingmoney,sothisisabottom-lineconsiderationaswellasagreenone.

• Howefficientlydoesitusewater?Doesituseanycreativesystemstouti-lizerainwater,runoff,orgraywater?

• Theoldadageof“location,location,location!”stillapplies.Isitneartheplacesyouwanttogo,orwillyouneedtodriveeverywhere?

• Arethematerialsusedinthehousedurableandlong-lasting,orwilltheyneedtobereplacedinarelativelyshortamountoftime?

• Isthelandscapingdesignedtomini-mizetheimpactthehomehasontheenvironmentintermsoferosion,stormwaterrunoff,andinterfer-encewithnaturalhabitats?Isthereseasonalvegetationthatwillaidinpassivecoolingandheating?

Thosewhoarebuildingnewwanttomakesuretooptforenvironmentallyfriendlyadhesives,paints,andsealantsoverthosethatcontainvolatileorganiccompounds(commonlyreferredtoasVOCs)orcarcinogens.Anotherconcerniswhetherthebuildingmaterialscomefromlocalsources.Sometimesjudgmentcallswillneedtobemade—youmayfindasourceforrecycledbrick,forexample,

butthefartheritneedstobeshipped,thelessgreenitbecomes. Althoughhome-shoppersinIndianareportedlyhaven’tbeensearchingspecifi-callyforgreenhomes,thefactthattheymakeeconomicsensecombinedwithanincreasedawarenessaregraduallymakinganimpactontherealestatemarket.Andthere’sanotherencouragingsign:DavidGulyas,agreeninteriorde-signerandeducatorbasedinBlooming-ton,reportsthathisIndianaUniversityclassforprospectiveLEEDinspectorsisfull.n

RESOuRCES

• U.S. Green Building Council: http://www.usgbc.org/

• REGREEN: http://www.regreenprogram.org/

• USGBC Green Home Guide: http://greenhomeguide.com/

• Ecobroker finder: http://www.ecobroker.com/search/findeb.aspx

• Green Realtor® finder: www.greenresourcecouncil.org/find_an_nar_

green designee.cfm

• NAHB Green Building Program: http://www.nahbgreen.org/

L. Mark Finch writes frequently for Indiana Living

Green, on topics from nature to renewable energy.

— Continued from page 9

January/February 2011 1 1

“The earth itself has slept, as it were its first, not its last sleep, save when some

street-sign or wood-house door has faintly creaked upon its hinge, cheering forlorn

nature at her midnight work, the only sound awake twixt Venus and Mars, advertis-

ing us of a remote inward warmth, a divine cheer and fellowship, where gods are

met together, but where it is very bleak for men to stand.”

—From “A Winter Walk,”byHenryDavidThoreau

Undilutedsoulularpeaceandblisscanbeacquiredbyleavingboisterouscitystreetsandticky-tackneighborhoodsbehind,evokingLewisandClarkmakingvirginsnowtracksalonghushed,crystallinepathsthattraverseidlepastures,rollinghills,stick-figurethickets,anddensewoods,com-minglingwithEarth’sbeguilinggrandeur.Witheachcrisp,billowybreath,earsring,deafenedbywinter’sshatteringstillness. Inwintertime’sheart,asfarasonecansurvey,snowfall,thegreatleveler,arbitrarilygarnishesleaflessflora,eavesandfences,streets,quiescentgardensbedeckedbysnow.Evengarbagedumpsandbelchingindustrialcomplexrooftopsbecomeeasyontheeye.OurtreasuredHoosierlandscapeappearsclean,fresh,unmarredbyabuse.Whoevercallsitmonotonoushasneverwatcheditsvaryingcomplexions.Likeacoatoffreshpaint,snowconcealsman’sinsensitive,egotisticalenvironmentaltransgressions. Thoreauemployswintertodescribethepeacefulnesseveryoneexperiencesoncetheygivethemselvespermissiontoquietthemind,relax,andreflect.Thoreauwovedeepmeaning,usingitasameansofdescribinghowitfeelstoquietthesensesandtothinkclearly.Inmanyseatsofthought,“inwinter’swarmth”isaboutThoreau’smostprizedvirtue:socialandenvironmentalautonomy.Thoreaudoesn’tnecessarilymeanaseason,butaretreatfromthecallousnessandfalseimportanceofdailylife.Bywarmth,hedoesn’tmeantothetouch,butthewarmthreflectedbyoursouls. Greenyourhibernaldayswithactivitieslikesnowshoeing,sledding,andcross-countryskiing.Dialingdownthethermostatjustafewdegreescanmakeahugedifferenceinyourenergyconsumption.Donmorelayerswhilehibernatinginsidetokeeptheheatdown,prepareamugoforganicgreenteainfusedwithfreshginger,popsomelocalpopcornfromyourcommunityfarmersmarket,thensnugglewithalovedoneorwillingpet. Takeadvantageofgiftedsweaters,cozyslippers,longjohns,belly-warmingpotages,oryourgrandma’sheirloomquilttostaywarm.Winter,indeed,makesithardertothinkofglobalwarming.YetourgenerousproviderMotherEarth,thetruespringofallthingspureandhonest,willtenderlyexpresshergratitudeforem-bracingandupholdingsustainable,greeneatingandlifestylebehaviors.Thiswinter,wrapyourgreenintentionsandactionsinthearmsofsurrender.n

Promptedbyanear-deathexperience20yearsago,Chef Wendell Fowlerlost100pounds,over-camealcohol,cigarettes,andfastfood,anddedicatedhimselftoteachingothersaboutthehealth-food-environmentconnectionthroughhisTVappearances,speakingengagements,andholistichealthcolumns.Visithiswebsiteatwww.chefwendell.com.

e a t r i g h t n o w by weNDell FOwler

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ByRyanM.Puckett

Asheart-shapedboxesofchocolatesreplacewrappingpaperandstockingstuffersinstoreaisles,Hoosiersstillfaceafewmoreweeksofwinter,withaver-agetemperaturesrangingfrom25°Fto35°F. Foraneco-conscioushomeowner,homeheatingmaybeviewedasaneces-saryevil.However,energy-efficientoptionshavecomealongwaysincePafromLittle House on the Prairiekeptthefiregoingallnight.

Natural gas: the road well-traveled Naturalgasremainsthemostconven-tionalheatingoptioninIndiana.Gas-heatedhomeshaveeitherafurnaceorboilerthatservesasthesystem’sengine.Whileenergypriceshavesoaredovertheyears,therehavefortunatelybeenmanyimprovementsinfurnaceandboilertechnologies.


BrianSchutt,co-ownerofHomesenseHeatingandCooling,saysthebigsellerforhiscompanyisa95-percentenergy-efficientgasfurnace(astandardfurnaceis80-percentefficient).Surprisingly,anenergy-efficientunitmaycostlessthanastandard-efficiencywhenfactoringinavailablerebatesandtaxcredits.Ahighefficiencyfurnace(90percentorhigher)cancostfrom$2,500to$6,000. TheAmericanCouncilforanEnergy-EfficientEconomy(ACEEE)saysifyourfurnaceorboilerisolderthan20years,itwouldbewisetoconsiderreplacingitwithahigh-efficiencymodel.Butsimplyupdatingwhatyouhavewithnewequip-mentisn’ttheonlyoption.

Geothermal: the Earth as a battery Forthosewillingtospendmoreupfront,ageothermalheatingsystemisperhapsthegreenestoption.“Byfarthe

TheHeat is

How do various home heating systems compare when it comes to efficiency and cost?

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mostefficientandthetypethatusestheleastamountofenergyisgeothermal,”saysSchutt. Regardlessoftheclimateorseason,thetemperaturebelowgroundstaysfairlyconsistentallyear.Geothermaltapsintothisnatural,sustainableheatsourcetocreateessentiallyfreeheating(andcooling)throughoutthehome. “ItusestheEarthlikeabigoldbat-tery,”saysDavidKadlec,apartneratCasaVerdeLLC,aresidentialbuilderanddeveloperbasedinIndianapolis.

asmuchas50-percentsavings.More-over,theysaytheirsystemsarequieterandprovideevenandconstantcomfortthroughoutthehome. Ageothermalsystemmaystillrequireanelectricorgassourceasabackupforwhentemperaturesareattheirextremes.

Heat pumps: the middle ground Anair-forcedheatpumpisa“goodmiddleground”forsomeeco-conscioushomeowners,saysSchutt.Heatpumpsarenearlytwiceasefficientasgasfurnaces. Standardheatpumps,whicharelocatedoutsideandofftheground,areoftencomparedtorefrigeratorsbecausethesystemconsistsofacompressorandtwocoppercoiltubes(oneindoorsandoneoutside).Intheheatingmode,heatfromtheoutsidecoilsisextractedandbecomesthesourceofindoorheat.Inthesummer,hotairfrominsidethehomeisextractedandtransferredoutside.


Anextractingloopsystemofsmall-diameter,high-densitypolyethyleneundergroundpipestransfersheattoorfromthehometoprovideyear-roundcomfort.Theequipmentthatresidesinsidethehomelookssimilartoatradi-tionalfurnaceandcanbehookeduptotheexistingductwork. Pricesvary,butallloopsystemsworkthesameandcreatethesameamountofenergy.“Themostefficientloopistheleastexpensiveloopthat’sbestforthatapplication,”saysMarkUnderhillofWaterFurnaceInternational,Inc.,aFortWayne-basedgeothermalequipmentmanufacturer. Ageothermalsystemrequiresapriceyinstallation,at$10,000to$25,000,plusaheatpumpunitat$3,500to$7,500.Theoperatingcosts,however,willbetre-mendouslyless.“Ahouseholdtypicallyuses30to40percentofitsenergyforheatingandcoolingwithgas-poweredheat,”saysSchutt,“butthepercentagedecreasesto10to15percentwithgeo-thermal.” Homeownerswithgeothermalsys-temstypicallyreportlowerheatingbills, — Continued on page 14

For those

willing to spend

more upfront,

a geothermal

heating system

is perhaps the

greenest option.

ahomeenergyauditcanlocatepoorlyinsulatedareaswithinthestructurebydetectingairleakageandtemperature.

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Likegeothermal,air-forcedheatpumpsmaystillrequireanelectricorgassourceasabackupforextremetemperatures.Thistypeofsystemiscalledadualfuelunitandispricedat$2,500to$5,500.Ifnewequipmentforthebackupunitisrequired,thecostsdouble.Additionally,heatpumpsmayrequirehomeownerstoupgradetheirelectricsystemtohandletheincreaseinelectricalusage.

Comparison shopping Whatmakescomparingheatingoptionsconfusingarethedifferentratingsforthevarioussystems.Geother-malheatpumps,forexample,areratedaccordingtotheCoefficientofPerfor-mance(COP)forheating.AnnualFuelUtilizationEfficiency(AFUE)isusedforgasfurnacesandboilers.HeatingSea-sonalPerformanceFactor(HSPF)ratesair-forcedheatpumps.(Thereareotheracronymsandratingsforthecoolingfea-turesoftheseunits.)Anonlinecalcula-tor,suchasthatfoundonBuildingGreen.com,ishelpfulincomparingsystems. Schuttnotesthevalueofconsideringthelifetimecostswhenevaluatingheat-ingsystems.Inevitably,geothermalunitswillhavethelowestlifetimecost,fol-lowedbyheatpumps,thengasfurnaces.Butotherfactorsalsoplayintodecision-making.Ifahomeownerisfacingthereplacementoffurnace,airconditioner,andwaterheater,forexample,theninvestingingeothermaloraheatpumpmaymakemorefiscalsense. Taxcredits,rebates,andotherdis-countshelplevelthecostfactor.Through2016,purchasersofageothermalsystemcanenjoyarobust30-percenttaxcreditwithnoupperlimit.Unfortunately,taxcreditsforenergy-efficientheatpumps,furnaces,andboilersexpiredattheendof2010.

Maximizing your energy dollars Regardlessofthetypeofsystemchosen,it’scriticaltoensurethatyourhomeiswell-insulated.Estimatesvary,butreducingairleakscouldcutasmuchas10percentfromanaveragemonthly

energybill.

Ifyourteethareconstantlychatter-ingorifyouhavetositdownwhenyouopentheheatingbill,ACEEErecom-mendsahomeenergyaudit,whichtypicallyinvolvesablowertest—hookingafantotheheatingunitandcheckingforairleakagefromducts,windows,doors,andevenelectricaloutlets.Anenergyauditshouldidentifychallengesthatcouldmakeeventhemostenergy-efficientsystemunder-perform. “Youdon’twanttoputaPriusengineinaHummer,”warnsKadlec.n

Ryan Puckett is an Indianapolis-based freelance writer

and communications specialist with experiences in

industries related to green construction, sustainability,

natural and organic products, and health care.

SHOP LOCAL• Indiana is home to several heating system

manufacturing operations.• Carrier Corporation makes furnaces and standard heat pumps in Indianapolis.• Weil-McLain makes boiler systems in Michigan City.• Water Furnace builds geothermal systems in Fort Wayne.

RESOuRCES• Learn more about heating and cooling options at www.energysavers.gov/your_home/ (click on Space Heating & Cooling)• Find rebates and tax incentives: www.dsireusa. org/, www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_ credits.tx_index.• Compare models: www.furnacecompare.com/• Tips for conserving energy: CitizensEnergySav- ers.com, www.incap.org/energyTips.html• Heating fuel cost calculator: www.building- green.com/calc/fuel_cost.cfm


ahomeenergyauditoftenincludesablowertest,hookingafantotheheatingunittotrackdownairleaks.

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Grow your


Get a jump-start on summer gardening—start your seeds now.

Theflowerandvegetableplantsthatyou’lltransplantintoyourgardenthisspringmightalreadybegrowingonafarmorinagreenhouse—asfarawayasCalifornia—waitingtotravellongdistancesinawindowlesstrucktoreachyourneighborhoodgardeningcenter.Ifthosearen’ttheidealrootsforyourgarden,onesustainablealternativeistolaunchyourgardeninFebruaryandMarchbysproutingseedsindoors. Althoughseedstartingusuallyinvolvesasomewhatcomplexset-upandcarefulmonitoringoftemperature,light,andmoisture,yourhomemayprovideagoodenvironmentevenifyoudon’tcrankyourthermostatpast65degrees.Thebiggerquestions:Whybotherstartingseeds,

andhowtoincorporateresource-savingtechniquesandorganic-gardeningprinciples? Avidgardenerswilltellyouthatthere’snothinglikenurturingaseedintoathrivingplant.Andapatchofgreenbabyleavessproutinginacartonatoptherefrigeratorisajoyfulreminderthatwarmweatherisontheway.“Thereisjusttotalmagicinseeds,”saysRosieBishopofHomecroft,apastpresi-dentoftheIndianaOrganicGardenersAssociation. Senseofaccomplishmentandtotalmagicaside,therearepracticalreasonsforundertakingthechoreofseedstart-ing.Thevarietyoftransplantsavailableinthespringpalesincomparisontothe

ByMeganFernandez

Own

Grow yourvarietyofseedsavailablenow—you’llhavevastlymorechoicesofthingstogrowifyouworkfromseeds. Butwhynotwaituntilspringandplanttheseedsoutside?Formanycrops,that’stoolategiventheirgrowingtime.Forexample,tomatoes—Indiana’sfavoritebackyardbounty—mustbestartedinsideifyouwantanyyieldbeforetheendofsummer.Peppersandeggplantsarealsobeststartedinside.Springcrops,includingcabbage,lettuce,carrots,broccoli,andcauliflower,areothergoodcandidatesforseedstarting,butmostoften,theseedscanbestartedoutdoorsasearlyasMarch. Thegreenestthumbstodayareusinglocalseedsandmixingtheirownsoilwithorganicmatter.Bloomington-basedNature’sCrossroadsoffersmorethan200varietiesofcertifiedorganicveg-etableseeds,andaround20percentarecultivatedonthecompany’sfarm.Thelocallygrownvarietiesareavailableonthecompany’swebsiteaswellaslocationsincludingWholeFoods,GoodEarth,andTradersPointCream-eryinIndianapolis,BloomingfoodsinBloomington,andothergardenshopsthroughoutthestate. Nature’sCrossroads’top-sellingoriginalcrop,theTrustyTomato,isanheirloomplantthathasbeengrownincentralIndianaformorethan70years.“WetrytoadaptseedstotheMid-westernclimate,”saysArtSherwood,co-ownerofNature’sCrossroads,whichalsooffersseedsfornativeIndianaflowers.“Theybecomereallyrobustandvigorousplants.” ConnerPrairiehas24varietiesofflower,vegetable,andherbseeds,allharvestedonthegrounds.Seedexchangesareothersourcesforlocallygrownheirloomseeds. Butevendie-hardorganicgarden-ersoftenuseseedsthataren’tcertifiedorganic—duetocostandselection.Sherwoodsayssoilqualitycanaffect


tasteandnutritionalvaluemorethanseedorigin.Certifiedorganic,chemi-cal-freepottingmixesareincreasinglyavailableingardeningcenters,whileadvancedorganicgardenersliketomaketheirownusingvariouscombinationsofvermiculite,perlite,sand,coconutcoir,wormcastings,fishemulsions,andcompost.Sherwoodoffersasimplelesson:“Avoidanythingwiththeword“miracle”init,andmakesurethereisnothingyoucan’tpronounceinyourfertilizer.” Cleanwaterisanotherdifference-maker.Trytousefilteredorcleanlycollectedwater.“Alotofthecitywaterhasbeentreated--forunderstandablereasons—butplantsdon’tlikethatverymuch,”Sherwoodsays.n

Four roots of green seed startingBeat the heat. If your whole home isn’t warm enough for seed starting, find a concen-trated heat source, such as the top of a refrigerator or an area by a register or furnace. Use a thermometer to make sure the soil and surroundings are warm enough. If you need supplemental heat, buy a special heating pad for plants.

Make your pots. Fashion containers from repurposed materials, such as toilet-paper rolls, yogurt cups, margarine tubs, and eggs shells and egg cartons. This also helps you avoid the common starter containers made from peat, a controversially harvested product.

Light right. Once the seeds germinate in a dark place, they need direct light—sometimes supplemental lights are necessary. The most environmentally friendly option is fluorescent lights attached to a timer.

Get good advice. Successful seed starting can be tricky, and you don’t want to waste resources. For tips, call the Purdue Extension’s Master Gardener Answerline, 317-275-9292, or e-mail [email protected]. The Indiana Organic Gardeners Association is a quality source—connect with members at quarterly meetings or on the group’s Facebook page. Own

MORE INDIANA RESOuRCES

• Nature’s Crossroads, 230 W. Church Lane, Bloomington, 812.361.5861 or 812.824.3727, www.naturescrossroads.com

• Worm’s Way, 7850 North State Road 37, Bloomington, 800.598.8158 or 812.876.6425 www.wormsway.com

• Indiana Organic Gardeners Association, www.gardeningnaturally.org

• Purdue Extension Master Gardener Program, www.hort.purdue.edu/mg/

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coMMUnItY actIon

HEC LAYS OuT 2011 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES The Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) has established five issues as top priorities during the 2011 Indiana Legislative session. Jesse Kharbanda, executive director of HEC, says of the agenda, “We’re focused on opportunities that will help improve Indi-ana’s environmental quality while strength-ening its economy.” The following are the organization’s top issues:

1. Advance legislation, along with Indiana Citizens’ Alliance for Transit (ICAT), that would permit counties to raise dedicated funds for improved bus systems and light rail.

2. Seek stronger oversight of industrial livestock operations, requiring the opera-tions to demonstrate financial resources for manure waste cleanup costs, and addressing the heavy use of antibiotics as growth promoters.

3. Back legislation that would reduce the use of phosphorus-containing lawn chemicals in Indiana, which would make a major impact in reducing pollution in our rivers and lakes.

4. Press for the authorization of Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) bonds issued by cities, which would provide homeowners and business owners the upfront funds they need to invest in energy-saving efficiency improvements, solar panels, and small wind turbines.

5. Promote the adoption of a Renewable

Electricity Standard, which would require an increasing percentage of Indiana’s electricity to come from wind, solar, and sustainable biomass.

“To prevail,” Kharbanda adds, “we need the public to speak up—that can be as simple as sending an email to your legislator.” The 2011 legislative session begins on January 5. For more information, go to www.hecweb.org.

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MAYOR BALLARD ISSuES uRBAN GARDEN CHALLENGE

On the heels of the city’s 2010 “Food for Thought” Spirit & Place festival in November, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard presented his Urban Garden Challenge, with a goal of establishing 50 urban gardens in Center Township by the end of 2011. As part of the mayor’s mission to make Indianapolis one of the most sustainable cities in the Midwest, Ballard intends the challenge to provide greater access to fresh produce (typically scarce in poor neighbor-hoods) and improve health and wellness, heighten awareness of environmental issues, and create a stronger sense of community among Indy’s urban populations. The collaborative partnership between the Department of Metropolitan Develop-ment, the Indy Land Bank and the Office of Sustainability allows community groups and individuals to use Land Bank properties to create the gardens.

Mayor Ballard also announced the Urban Gardening Mentor program to assist indi-viduals and organizations that need garden-ing guidance. The program is a partnership between the Office of Sustainability and Purdue Extension of Marion County. For more information, visit www.sustain-indy.org.

All-Around greeN


Carmel Leads the Way

By Judy Kenninger

Hisattitudeandactionsdemonstratethatwhenitcomestotheenvironment,Carmel’sgreendevoteeshavenoreasontofightcityhall.TheHoosierEnvironmentalCouncilnamedBrainardits“ElectedOfficialoftheYear”for2010.TheU.S.ConferenceofMayorsawardedits“ClimateProtectionAward”toCarmel.AndtheIndianaDepartmentofEnviron-mentalManagementgaveCarmelUtilities

itsWaterGuardianAwardin2010. Citygovernmenthaswillingpartnersamongschool,business,andcommunitygroups,too.TheCarmelGreenInitia-tive,CarmelClaySchoolsGreenTeam,

theChamberofCommerce,andprivatebusinessesareallworkingtogethertomakethecityastate—andnational—leaderongreenissues.

Starting young: in the schools CarmelClaySchoolsrecentlytotaleduptheresultsofitsenvironmentaleffortsoverthepast15years.Accord-ingtoBobYull,energymanager,theprogramhasavoidedcostsof$10.3bil-lion.“Lastyear,wehadsevenbuildingsreceivetheEnergyStarAward,”hesays.Thedistrict-wideprogramhasreplacedlightbulbswithenergy-savingLEDandinductionlighting,closedbuildingsonedayperweekduringthesummer,andaddedbiodieseltothefuelmixfortheschoolbusfleet. Thekidsaregettingintotheact,too.“Therearealotofneatthingsgo-ingonintheschools,”saysMaryEllenSt.Angelo,chairoftheCarmelClaySchoolsGreenTeam,agroupcomposed

Carmel’snewmixed-usedevelopmentisanticipat-

edtoreceiveSilverLEEDcertification.Themixed-

useproject,afull-square-blockatMainStreetand

theMononTrail,SophiaSquareisbeingbuiltby

KeystoneConstructionCorporation.

MentionthecityofCarmel,andtheroundaboutsmaybethefirstthingthatpopsintothemind.That’snotabadthingtobeknownfor,saysMayorJamesC.Brainard,becausethosecelebratedcir-cularthroughwaysareoneofthecity’smanygreenachievements.“Becausetheyreduceidling,eachroundaboutsavesanaverageof24,000gallonsofgasperyear,”he’squicktopointout.

Photo courtesy Carmel Clay Schools.

January/February 2011 2 1

ofschoolstaffandadministrators,students,andparents.“Thekidsreallywanttodothis.” The“CoolersareCoolerwithCups”programreplacesbottledwaterwithcoolersandreusablecups.StudentsintheCherryTreeElementaryGreenClubdrewupaproposalandreceivedagranttosupplythecoolersandcupstootherschools.SincecafeteriamanagerMarySipesstartedtheprogramlastspring,CherryTreecutthenumberofbottlesusedtolessthanonecasefromthreetofour24-bottlecasesperday. EachschoolhasaGreenTeam,andtheyworktogethertoincorporatesuc-cessfulideaswithintheentireschoolsystem.Thisyear,theyintroducedco-mingledrecyclingonadistrict-wideba-sis.Now,alltheschoolsystem’spaper,cardboard,plasticbottles,andcansarepickedupforrecycling.

Creating a supportive web WhenyouspeakwithanyoneinCar-melaboutgreenefforts,you’lldiscoverthateachgroupissupportedbyothergroups.Forexample,theCarmelClaySchoolsGreenTeamwontheCarmelChamberofCommerce’sGreenAward,andisfosteredbytheCarmelGreenInitiative,acommunitygroupadvocat-inggreenpractices. Thechamber’sawardprogramat-teststothevitalityofthegreenmove-mentinCarmel,saysMoMerhoff,chamberpresident.“Sincewebegantheawardthreeyearsago,thenumberofentrieshasgrown,”shesays,attrib-utingCarmel’sgreenethictoitshigheducationlevelandfamilyfocus.“Asacommunity,wehavesupportedlandforparksandrecreationandsustainingourqualityoflife.” LeslieWebb,presidentandoneofthefoundersofCarmelGreenInitiative,

sayshergroup’sapproachhasbeenin-formative,notconfrontational.“Muchofwhatwedoistoraiseissues,educate,support,encourage,inspire,andbuildconsensustogogreen,”shesays.“Manyoftheseactivitiesmighthavehap-penedeventually,butCGIhelpedmakethemhappensooner,ratherthanlater.It’sreallyuptoourschools,churches,businesses,andthecitytoadoptgreenpractices.We’retheircheerleaders.”

From refuse to recycling ThegroupworkedwiththeschoolstostarttheCCSGreenTeam,andacurrentinitiative,citywidetrashpickupandrecycling,hasthefullsupportofMayorBrainard’steam,includingCarmelUtilities.

— Continued on page 22

Farright,signingexecutiveordersrequiringthatreplacementvehiclesforCarmelmustbefuelefficientandmoreenvironmentallyfriendlyisbutoneofmanyofficialmovesmadebythecity’sMayorJimBrainard.

Lesliewebb,nearrightispresidentandco-founderofCarmelGreenInitiative.


Theprogramhasseveralbenefits.Inadditiontosav-ingresidentsmoney,itwouldreducethenumberofgarbagetrucksdrivingthroughneigh-borhoods,savingfuelandreducingcarbonemissions.Mostimportantly,perhaps,itwouldboostrecyclingbymakingpickupavailabletoeveryone. Atpresstime,anordinancetomakethechangewasexpectedtobeintro-ducedtotheCarmelCityCouncil. AnothergovernmentinitiativeisCar-mel’sClassABiosolidsprogram,whichreducesoperatingcostsbyeliminatingchemicaladditiontothewaste,recover-ingheatfromthesludge,utilizingmeth-anegasproduction,andreducingwastedisposalcosts.Theprocessturnsthebiosolidsintoaneasy-to-handlesoil-likesubstancethatcansafelybeusedasasoilconditioner.NamedCarmelGreen,theproductsavesthecityapproximately$100,000annuallyinlandfilldeliverychargesandfeesalone.CarmelwasthefirstcityintheUnitedStatestoadopttheprocessdevelopedinDenmark.

Businesses on board AsthenumberofentriesintheChamber’sGreenAwardssuggests,thebusinesscommunityisalsoactiveonthegreenscene. DeltaFaucetsCo.hasbeenhead-quarteredinCarmelforthreedecades.

Thisspring,DeltapartneredwithCarmelUtilitiestopromote“FixALeakWeek,”whichissponsoredbytheU.S.EnvironmentalProtectionAgency’sWaterSenseprogram.Homeownerswereaskedtoidentifyandrepairdrippingfaucets,runningtoilets,andleakyshowerheads. Deltaisalsoworkingtodevelop

water-savingtechnologythatmeetsconsumers’needs.“Thefirsttoiletsandotherfixtures,theywerehorrible,”saysPaulPatton,seniorproductdeveloper.“Ournewproductsdeliverwhattheenduserexpects.Youdon’thavetotakeacrummyshower.”Carmelisalsohometooneofthearea’slargestfarmersmarkets.“Wehave40to50vendorsmostSaturdays,”saysToddJameson,ownerofBalancedHarvestFarm&

CSAandpresidentofSlowFoodIndy.“Nextyear,wehaveanewhome,theonlyonebuiltspecificallyforamarketinCentralIndiana.It’srightnexttothePerformingArtsCenter,rightinthecenterofitall.Ithinkthat’sasignoftheprogressivenatureofourcommunity.”


Carmel was the first city in the United States to adopt the biosolids-to-soil-conditioner process developed in Denmark

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A more walkable community Itallgoesbacktomakingthecityagreatplacetolive,Brainardsays.“Wewanttohaveacitywherepeoplecanwalk,andwhentheyhavetodrive,theirdriveisveryshort,”hesays.TheCityCenterproject,whichcreatedamorewalkabledowntown,representsabigpieceofthateffort. AccordingtoBrainard,thebiggestchallengefacingthecity’sgreeneffortsissprawl.“Weneedtochangehowwedesigncities,”hesays.“InCarmel,wehave450milesofroadsand90,000people.InEngland,therewouldbeabout100milesofroadsforthatpopu-lation.Ifwecontinuethewaywe’regoingnow,theUnitedStateswillbeoutoffarmlandeastoftheMississippiby2050.” Goingforward,Brainard,whohasthreehybridvehiclesathome,vowstokeepupthecity’sgreenpolicies.“Whenyou’reinapositionofleadership,youneedtosetanexample,”hesays.Frombusinesstoschoolstocommunitygroups,it’sclearthatexamplehastakenhold.n

Judy Kenninger, a freelance writer based in Browns-

burg, contributes regularly to Indiana Living Green.

RESOuRCES• Carmel Green Initiative: www.carmelgreen.org• Carmel Farmers’ Market: www.carmelfarmersmarket.com• Carmel Clay Schools Green Team: www.ccsgreenteam.org• Chamber of Commerce: www.carmelchamber.com

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Youmaybewell-wiredintoyourgreenroutine:recycling;shortshowers,eatingseasonally;andeliminatingfromyourlifesuchfolliesaspolystyreneandchemicallyloadedcleaners. Butgooutforameal—whetheratanhautebistroorfastfoodjoint—andyouriskundoingallthatgood.Restaurantscanstompaheftyfootprint,whatwiththemassiveamountsofwastegener-ated,waterused,andenergyconsumedbypurchasing,shipping,storing,andcooking.Eateriesrunonlotsandlotsofoil—andnottheheart-healthykind. Notthattherearen’tplentyofpro-prietorswhodotheirbesttogreentheiroperations.InIndianapolis,award-winningchefandRBistroownerReginaMehallikhaslongbeenknownforentreesfeaturinglocal,seasonalstan-dardssuchaskaleandbutternutsquashinlatefall.MarthaHooveratCaféPatachouandtheSoBroItalianfindNapolese,isanotherdevoteeoflocalflavor,someingredientsoriginatingasclosebyasBroadRipple’scommunitygarden.AndatFARMbloomington,the

Reading the

six simple clues for detecting a restaurant’s green factor

By Betsy Sheldon

locallysourced,organicofferingsaresoseasonal,ablackboardistheonlywaytokeepthemenuup-to-date. SucheffortsmaynotmanifestthemselvesasvisiblyasthesolarpanelsontheBroadRippleBrewPubinIndy,butitispossibletoscoutoutenviron-mentallyresponsibleeateries.Weaskeddedicatedguardiansofsustainabilitywhattheylookforwhenmeasuringarestaurantforitsgreen-ness.Thefollow-ingreflectstheirtips:

1. Check with a reliable source AfewwebsiteslistIndianarestau-

rantsthatcommittosustainablepractices.Althoughnonearecom-prehensive,they’reagreatplacetostart.Visitwww.localharvest.orgforrestaurants,nottomentionfarmersmarkets,coops,andmore.Indianasiteswww.goinglocal-info.comandwww.sustainableindiana2016.orgbothlistafewestablishmentsthatemphasizelocallygrownfoodsontheirmenu.

Also,checkforrestaurant-reviewwebsitessuchasurbanspoon.comorIndy-basednuvo.net,oreventherestaurant’sownwebsite.

When it comes to fast food restaurants, one thing I’ve noticed and appreciate is whether they have washable cups/plates/utensils. In general, wherever I go, I look to see if they’ve switched their light bulbs and have a motion detector/timer in the restroom.

Leslie Webb, co-founder and member of Carmel Green Initiative, Carmel

2. Read the menu Aquickscanofthemenumay suggestarestaurant’seco-sensi-

bility.Ifit’swinterinIndiana,forexample,andyouseelotsofitemsbasedonrootvegetables,squashes,apples,darkgreens,andmeats,that’sagoodsign.Tropicalfruits,freshtomatoes,andChileansea-bass?Notsomuch.

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Morerestaurantsarebeginningtoidentifywheningredientsarelocal.TheCaféPatachoumenunotesthatthechickenandeggsarefromIndianafarmers.Finch’sBrasserieinBloomingtonindicatesthatCapriolecheese(fromsouthernIndiana)isusedontheProvençalepizza.

When we do eat out, our first concern is to try to keep our dollars local. When running into the rare local bistro that appears to be “green,” our first question is always whether there is organically or naturally grown food on the menu. If not, we’re happy if they at least source their ingredients locally, whether organic or not.

Maria Smietana, market master, trader’s point creamery Winter Market, Zionsville

3. Look for toss-away clues. Stainlessutensils,porcelainplates,

glasses,andclothnapkinsareallsignsofwaste-reductionsensibili-ties.Oddly,though,mostrestau-rantsautomaticallyservestrawswithwaterandsoftdrinks.

Atsomepoint,thestrawbecamearestaurantstandard.Manyclaimtheykeepgermsfromgettinginourmouths—butwhy,then,aren’ttheyservedwithcoffee,beer,orwine?Arestaurantthatoffersyoutheoptionofastrawearnsafewextragreenpoints.

Infastfoodrestaurants,reusabletablewareisvirtuallynonexistent.Thebestmeasurehereistoseeiftoss-awaysaremadeofrecycled-contentmaterial,ortherearedesig-natedbinsforrecyclables.

4. Green practices to go. Savingleftoversfornextday’slunch

isagreatexerciseinsustainability.Butcarryingyourmealhomeinpolystyreneisnot.Whileeco-

attunedrestaurantsareswitchingtopaperandcompostiblematerials,manyestablishmentsstilluseto-gocontainersmadeofStyrofoam.

Whenthisisyouronlyoption,ask

foryourleftoverstobewrappedinaluminumfoil.Or—betteryet—bringyourownreusablecontainer.

I look mostly at local restaurants. then I look for local or organic food, and restaurants that support local community by supporting a team or sponsoring an event.

Albert Cheung, I.U. students in free enterprise, bloomington

5. Reuse and recycle Youmaynotseeevidenceofrecy-

cling—unlessyoucheckbehindtherestaurantforanindustrial-sizedbinsuchastheonebehindUnionJackPubinBroadRipple.Itremainsachallengeforrestaurantsandsmallbusinessestorecycleduetovolume,infrastructure,andcostissues.Butmanyarenowabletofindreliablesourcesthatacceptglass,aluminum,andothermaterials.

Sleuthing out sustainably minded restaurants

1. Is the restaurant locally owned?

2. Does the place purchase recycled- material and recyclable products, such as tableware?

3. Does the eatery set the table with reusable tableware?

4. Does the place practice energy efficiency in terms of light fixtures, heating and air conditioning tem- peratures?

5. Does the establishment recycle?

6. Does the restaurant compost or give over-supply of food to local food pantries?

7. Does the business purchase as much of its food from local producers as possible?

8. Does the menu feature dishes based on seasonal ingredients?


Anothermaterialthatrestaurantsgenerateinmassivequantities:foodscraps.Forsimilarreasons—in-cludingpublichealthissues—fewestablishmentscompostasofyet.Somecoffeeshops,however,maketheircoffeeremainsavailabletohomegardenenthusiastshappytocarryawaypoundsofgrounds.

I do look at take-out containers and also the amount of local food on the menu. If they offer locally raised grassfed/pastured meats, that’s a huge plus for me. If they do not have their a/c cranked to freezing in the summer, that’s another plus.

Shawndra Miller, co-founder Irvington Green Initiative, Indianapolis

6. Chat up the owner. Whenindoubt,itpaystoaskques-

tions.Youcanquizyourserver,butthisislikelytoelicitconfusionandseveraltripstothekitchen,withnodefinitiveanswer.Asktotalktothechef,themanager,ortheowner(preferablysometimeotherthantherestaurant’sbusiesthours).

Thequestionsinthesidebarabovemayserveasastartingpointfordialogue.Whenyoushareyourquestionsandsuggestionswith

therestaurantmanagement,you putthetopicofsustainabilityon

theirradar.Themoreoftenrestau-rantownersheartheseconcerns,

thesoonerthey’llrealizethatsus-tainablepracticesarenotonlygoodfortheplanet—they’regoodforbusiness.n


GrowingupinNappanee,Indiana,DianeMeyerSimonlearnedmanylessonsfromherAmishneighbors:arespectfornaturalresources,aconnec-tiontocommunity,andanappreciationforthe“cycleoflife.”Butasshewidenedherworld—firstasacampaignworkerforRobertF.Kennedyandlaterasthefounderofanationalorganization—shestayedtruetothosechildhoodvalues. Mostrecently,thephilanthropist-activistwhomaintainsahomeinIndia-napolisaswellasSouthernCaliforniaispoisedtolaunchasustainabilityprograminherhomestate. In1968,asSimontraveledwithKennedyduringhispresidentialcampaign,shefoundherselfinvolvedinmanyoftheissuesoftheday.“Theenvironmentwasoneofthoseissues,”sherecalls.“Weweresayingalotofthingsthenthatwe’resayingtoday.” SimonwentontoworkforUnitedStatesSenatorBirchBayhuntil1981.Afterthat,shestartedandranseveralcompaniesinvolvingenvironmentalcon-sultinganddesign. Butitwasn’tuntil1994thatshemadeperhapshermostfar-reachingcontribu-tiontoenvironmentalchange.SimonrecallsthephonecallfromMoscow:ShewastoldthatMikhailS.Gorbachev,formerpresidentoftheSovietUnion,

f o o t p r i n t s

Diane Meyer SimonGlobal change begins at home

wantedtotalktoherabouttheorgani-zationhefounded,GreenCrossInter-national(GCI).“Youhavethewrongperson,”sherememberssaying.ButsoonafteratriptoMoscow,shelaunchedGlobalGreenUSA,theAmericanarmofGCI. WithheadquartersinSantaMonica,California,andofficesinWashington,D.C.,NewYorkCity,andNewOrleans,GlobalGreenfightsclimatechangethroughadvocacyandeducationandsupportingaffordablegreenhousingandschools.Itseffortshaveattractedstimulusmoneyandafairshareofcelebrities—BradPitt,SalmaHayek,andLeonardoDiCapriotonameafew. Theorganizationhasprojectsineveryareaofenvironmentalconcern,shenotes,fromprovidingsustainablehousinginHaititotherebuildingofNewOrleans.“Whatwe’redoingtherehasbeenamajorsuccess.We’rebuildingbacktheLowerNinthWardwithall-greenhous-ing—we’vebeenworkingsincerightafterKatrina.” Althoughherworkhastakenheraroundtheworld,SimonstaysclosetoIndiana,whichshevisitsseveraltimesayear. “WhatI’vefoundthemostimpres-siveisthatsomeoftheareasthatfacethegreatestunemploymentaregettinginvolvedinalternativeenergiesandmanufacturingearth-friendlymodularhomes.”OneoftheseareasisherhomecountyofElkhart. SimonsensesagrowingreceptivitytochangeinIndiana.“Icanfeeliteverytimewe’rehome.Peoplearesoready.There’sanamazingamountofcapitalinthepeople.” Simonplanstotapintothatcapital.Sheisworkingwithaninfluentialbusinessleadertodevelopaninitiative,tobeannouncedthisyear,promotingenvironmentaleducation. “Ithinkgreenallthetime,”shesays.“ThereisnothingthatItouchordothatIdon’tthinkaboutfortheseventhgeneration.”n

DianeMeyerSimonwithMikhailS.Gorbachev,formerpresidentoftheSovietUnionandfounderofGreenCrossInternational.

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BackaroundNewYear’sDayof2009,IdeclaredthatIwasgivingupresolutionsandinsteadcreatingSAGS.SAGSareSmallActionableGoalsforSustainability.Theyjustsoundedalotmoreachievablethanrealresolu-tions.OneofmySAGSthatyearwastokickmysuds-n-scrubaddictionandgetseriousaboutreducingthequantityofcleaningproductsthatmultipliedeverywhereinourhouse—underthekitchensink,inbathroomcabinets,ontheshelvesofthelaundryroom—every-where.Overtheyears,Ihadturnedintoquitethecleaningproductjunkie,atraitI’dinheritedfrommymother.ButsinceIwasnowanorganicfarmer,itstruckmethatifIwasn’tgoingtoeatorgrowchemical-ladenfoodanymore,Ishouldprobablyfreemyhouseholdfromtheburdensofsyntheticchemistryaswell. SohowhaveIdoneinthelasttwoyears?Well,I’vedonesomerealreduc-tionandsomemeresubstitution,butbecausewe’regoingforagreenerhomehere,thesubstitutionsmightbejustasimportantasthereductions. Itwasn’tevenquitetheheroiceffortIhadhopedtobragabout.Someforward-thinkingentrepreneursresus-citatedmyfavoritelocalearth-friendlycleansercompanyandmadetheirproductsreadilyavailableagainatlocalfarmersmarkets.AllIhadtodowaswalkfrommymarkettabletotheirsandhandoverafewbucks—hardlyahardship.Theirscouringpowderandall-purposecleanerallowedmetoeliminatetub-n-tiledisinfectants,kitchen-surfacedegreasers,andcaustictoilet-bowlcleaners,allinoneshot.Istilllovesparklingglasstoomuchtolivewithoutglasscleaner,soIswappedtheammonia-ladenstuffIusedtobuyforthegentlervinegar-basedsolutiontheyoffered.Icouldalmosthearthenice,

ToaGreenerCleanin2011

hard-workingbacteriainmyseptictankbreathingasighofrelief.EverythingIwasnowpouringdownmydrainswassomethingtheycouldactuallydigest! Soon,Iwasallfullofgreeninspira-tionandreadytodosomeearth-friendlyconcoctingofmyown.Yup,Iwasreadytotrymyhandathomemadelaundrysoap.IpluckedalikelyrecipefromGoogle,boughtafewbarsofunscentedall-naturalvegetable-oilsoapfromacottagesoapmaker,andfoundboraxandwashingsodaatthegrocerystore.Shavingthesoapintoapanofhotwateronthestove,andcookinguntilitslowlydissolvedwasn’tmuchharderthanmakingoatmeal,butitdidseemtotakeforever.Ipouredthecooledliquidinto

a5-gallonbucket,addedthesuggestedamountsofwash-ingsodaandboraxanddilutedwithmorewater.Thethin,cloudy,liquidthatresulteddidnotinspireconfi-dence,however.Itwasn’tanythinglikethethick,smooth,highly-scentedcom-mercialstuffIwasusedto.Thekeytohome-madelaundrysoap,asIsoonfoundout,ispatience,anddi-lutingwithlesswa-terthanmostrecipescallfor.Afterafewdaysofstirringandleavingthemixtureinacoolplace,itgotevencloudier,begantosmellpleasantlysalty,likethesea-

shoreonawindyday,andtookontheconsistencyofjellyfishthathavebeendeadonthebeachtoolong.That’swhenitwasreadytouse,andboy,hasthisstuffgonealongway.Sixmonthslater,I’mstilldippingoutofthesame5-gallonbucket,atapriceofpenniesperlaundryload. Mynextquestontheroadtogreenerclean?Tradinginthechlorinebleachforanenvironmentallyfriendlywhiteningagent.Forthat,Ifear,aSAGSjustmightnotbebigenough.Imayhavetorevertbackto(gasp!)arealresolution.n

Maria Smietana is a refugee from the corporate

world who now writes and grows organic produce on

her mini-farm in Boone County.

30 www.IndianaL iv ingGreen.com

t h e l a s t r o w by mAriA smieTANA

© Illustration courtesy Jerry Williams

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Jan/Feb 2011 - Indiana Living Green