your guide to local eco-friendly resources
CFCC Takes State Competition—
See Sustainable Design Inside
Airlie Opens Butterfly House
Abbey Nature Preserve
Community Supported Agriculture:
Share in the Harvest
Fall is here! What a wonderful time to be outdoors. Much of our news this issue touches upon ways you can enjoy getting out in nature.
”Take a Child Outside Week,” spearheaded by the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh, is an opportunity to encourage kids to, well, get outside. We are just beginning to correlate the amount of time our kids spend indoors with the rise in attention-and stress-related health problems. What better gift to a child than a healthful connection with nature that can last a lifetime!
We are fortunate to have a growing variety of nature activities in the Cape Fear area. Airlie Gardens just opened its new butterfly house. I confess, until I started researching butterflies for this issue, I had no idea how intrigued I would become. All it took was learning to recognize one or two kinds of butterfly and a couple of celery plants from The Transplanted Garden, and I was hooked. My family has patiently tolerated my endless slide shows of caterpillar behavior…and when I happened upon a caterpillar just starting to transform itself, I felt a profound connection with nature in my own back yard.
From the new rain garden at Williston Middle School to the dedication of the Abbey Nature Preserve by the Foy family, there is something for everyone. And Cape Fear River Watch has resumed its monthly education seminars. Coming up this month: Airlie Gardens’ Annual Green Day and the first annual Cypress Festival at Greenfield Lake.
On the technology front, an enthusiastic team of Architectural Technologies students from Cape Fear Community College won the 7th annual North Carolina Sustainable Building Design Competition. And by the end of 2008 some of our electricity will come from a Wilmington photovoltaic facility.
Titan Cement Company continues its public information sessions about the cement industry they plan to bring to Castle Hayne. On page 18 we list Web sites where you can research the pros and cons of bringing such a large cement plant to the area.
Our feature story this issue is about Community Sustained Agriculture. CSAs allow the food-buying public to create a relationship with a farm. They have grown from an estimated 50 to over 2000 in the US today! As more consumers grow to value locally produced, wholesome food, our established CSAs will be unable to meet popular demand. Now won’t that be a good problem to have?
Valerie L. Robertson3 Community Sustained Agriculture
6 Your Ecological House When “Garden” Is Spelled “V-I-C-T-O-R-Y”
7 Thinking About a Natural Landscape?
8 Solar + Green Building Tour & Expo
9 2008 North Carolina Sustainable Building Design Competition
11 Take a Child Outside Week
12 Monarch Butterflies
14 Temporary Butterfly House Opens at Airlie Gardens
15 New Rain Garden at Williston Middle School
16 UNCW Environmental Concerns Organization
17 Solar Project Planned for Plant Site
17 Rolling Sunlight Tour to Visit UNCW
18 Business News
19 Recycling
20 Business Briefs
22 EnviroScape Volunteer Training
23 Calendar
24 Abbey Foy-Moore Nature Preserve
Cape Fear’s Going Green is a bimonthly publication promoting eco-friendly resources and lifestyles in the Lower Cape Fear River Basin.
Publisher & Editor in Chief: Valerie Robertson
Sister City: Eugene, Oregon (Voted “Greenest City” 2006 by The Green Guide)
Eugene Contributing Editor: Mary Robertson
Advisors & Editorial Contributors: Liz Baird, Kemp Burdette, Matt Collogan, Evan Folds, Gwenyfar, Alyssa Halle, the Kuuskoski family, Bill Murray, Scott Ogden, Page Paterson, David Pinsky, Adeline Robertson, Clay Savely, James Taylor, Jeanne Walker, and Philip S. Wenz.
Cape Fear’s Going Green
Going Green Publications
P. O. Box 3164 Wilmington, NC 28406 (910) 547-4390
www.goinggreenpublications.com
Cape Fear’s Going Green is available by subscription or on our Web site. Print copies are available at more than sixty area eco-friendly businesses and locations, including:
B + O Design Studio, Coastal Glass Tinting, The Napping Cat, Old Growth Riverwood, Old Books on Front Street, Pomegranate Books, Progressive Gardens, Sambuca, Sapona Green Building Center, Tidal Creek Co-op, UNCW, WHQR, and the Shelton Herb Farm booth at area farmers’ markets.
Editorial: If you have story ideas or calendar items to suggest, email us at editor@goinggreenpublications.com, or call (910) 547-4390.
Advertising information: Email ads@goinggreenpublications.com.
Cape Fear’s Going Green is distributed free through Brunswick, New Hanover, and Pender counties. If you have a business and would like to receive multiple copies for the public to pick up, please contact us.
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.
Margaret MeadFront Cover: Green and white Mother Hubbard squash and white Lumina pumpkins rest on Ironside pumpkins at Pendercrest Gardens & Gifts in Wilmington. Photo by Valerie Robertson
The people who grow our food have a variety of ways to bring their food to the people. Some feed primarily their own family, friends and neighbors. Some sell wholesale to restaurants, food co-ops, or produce distributors; some bring their produce to seasonal farmers markets.
Farmers face numerous challenges: unpredictable weather, damaging insects, foraging wildlife. Not the least is just knowing how much to grow each year. Planting crops requires a significant investment in time and money, for seed, labor, tools and most of the investment is up front. This can be daunting, especially for a small-scale farmer.
To offset this financial risk, increasing numbers of food producers are turning to Community Supported Agriculture sometimes called Community Sustained Agriculture as a way to stabilize and sustain their ability to produce food. In this innovative and resourceful strategy, people make a financial commitment to a farm: by becoming members or subscribers they are then assured of quality, locally-produced fresh produce. The farmer, the consumer, and the land all benefit from this mutual commitment.
This model started over thirty years ago when a group of Japanese women, concerned about increasing food imports, joined with the community to bring food to the table. It spread over Europe and
to the U.S. Industry estimates around 2000 CSAs in the country to date. CSAs vary considerably by size and what they produce ranging from organic produce and herbs to wool and meat.
With skyrocketing energy costs and increased awareness about the inefficiency of our world-wide food distribution, people are finding that “eating locally” is a sound investment in their and their community’s health.
The benefits are many local jobs, less waste, fresh wholesome food, and a connection to its source. Many CSAs offer apprenticeships to new farmers; some require their members to put in a couple of hours a month on the farm. If that doesn’t get you closer to an understanding of where your food comes from, what will?
Stefan Hartmann lives and works on his 16-acre certified organic farm, where he grows a selection of traditional and heirloom vegetables. He uses a variety of distribution methods, traveling to regional farmers markets, and selling wholesale to restaurants and organic produce distributors. Black River Farm offers the largest CSA operation within easy range of Wilmington.
A $275 investment in January buys 16 weeks of fresh certified organic vegetables, delivered weekly to Wilmington (Tidal Creek Co-op) or Burgaw for you to retrieve. The 2009 season runs from April 8 through July 22. Each box contains plenty of food for a family of two to four people.
Stefan demonstrates to a spring-time tour group how he uses his grandfather’s old tobacco planter to plant hundreds of seedlings at a routine depth. It’s his tool of choice for planting long rows of produce like the one pictured at left. Note: The next farm tour organized by Tidal Creek Co-op will be this fall at Jones Family Farm in Burgaw. (See article on page 20.)
Stefan’s subscriptions sell out early, and he is currently pre-selling subscriptions for the 2009 season for repeat customers only. Subscriptions will be cut off after 75 are sold. Any subscriptions remaining as of January 15, 2009 will be made available to the general public.
To learn more about his organic offerings, or to find recipes for the fresh produce that arrived in your box, see www.blackriverorganicfarm.com.
Robb Prichard had no intention of starting a CSA she merely wanted a safe place to keep her horses. She wound up creating a long compost row of horse
manure along one edge of her property, and then started using it as a rolling compost pile; she adds to one end and takes finished compost from the other. Her part-of-an-acre plot was soon producing enough that Robb started offering CSA
subscriptions last year.
The first year she had four families, offering produce for a 12-week season through the winter months. She chose to focus on the cool season, knowing she was not equipped to keep delicate crops
like lettuce from wilting on the way to market during hot summer months.
She already has five subscriptions committed for this fall, the maximum she is prepared to accept. “I am offering 12 weeks of weekly deliveries for $200. The normal cool weather vegetables include lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, beets, onions, and spinach.” She planted beans, cucumbers, squash and other crops she hoped would transition from warmer weather, but has lost much due to visits from a hungry deer with her triplet fawns. “My pear tree was bountiful, but then we had that tropical storm and a lot of them were lost. It is always something.”
Robb plans to have a Fall and a Spring CSA, each of about 12 weeks duration, and offer crops that can be harvested
Demand for CSA subscriptions outstrips supply each year, and the CSA concept is becoming increasingly popular. You don’t need to have large acreage just a willingness to sign up for hard work. Ask around you may know someone with a plot they’d let you farm! CSA Web sites
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
http://www.biodynamics.com/csa.html
http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/csa.html lots of basics here, good http://www.sustainabletable. org/shop/csa/
http://www.wilson.edu/wilson/asp/content.asp?id=804 http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/xml/Member_growers.xml http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/news/index.html
Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen’s Guide to Community Supported Agriculture. Written by Elizabeth Henderson with Robyn Van En.
Wednesday, October 15 is the deadline for student entries in the second annual Farm City Week Essay Contest, and this year’s theme is “Why Buy Local Food?”
The Farm City Week Essay Scholarship provides academic scholarships to North Carolina seeking educational opportunities beyond high school. Students must be
seniors attending school in Brunswick, New Hanover or Pender County, and must be accepted into an accredited two- or four-year college or university. (Pursuit of a degree in an agricultural field of study is not required.) Area Farm Bureaus will award a total of $4,500 in scholarships. For more information visit: http:// newhanover.ces.ncsu.edu/
from early October through May. She is still fine-tuning when her crops will be ready, always a challenge due to changing weather. “My membership has been very understanding of last-minute changes in schedule.”
“One exciting thing I have a new member this year who is currently working on a very large CSA in Maryland, and is game to try to help me expand. So I hope that my Spring CSA will be larger, and better.” She is considering adding a sixth subscriber. “As long as the garden doesn’t exceed the capacity of my compost pile, I’ll be fine.”
Veggies by the Sea is a small family farm in Supply, started by Sybil Mitchell Simmons while she home schooled her sons, Bryan and Justin, now teenagers.
Sybil embraces sustainable farming practices, including using no pesticides, and is transitioning to full organic production. “We believe in building the soil to feed our bodies and souls. Our goal is to provide wholesome and pure foods to our valued customers.” Supply’s mild climate allows her to grow almost year round.
When she realized she was not yet able to provide enough food for a traditional CSA, Sybil changed course and instead started a year-round food-buying
club based on the CSA model. She offers 10-week seasons for a subscription price of $500. She collects subscriber checks until she has enough to start a new season, then finds the best food she can local when available for the subscriber baskets.
Although Sybil uses local food when possible, including eggs from her neighbor, buying in bulk allows her the best deals on high-quality produce from around the country. She includes recipes with her food baskets to keep things exciting. Her baskets hold enough for a family of six, with 10-12 different items a week. Sybil is working with “T” Heirs to sponsor a collards cook-off on October 11, a chance to try out some of her ideas.
In addition to the buying club, Sybil and her sons distribute some homegrown produce at local farmer’s markets in Shallotte and Southport. A teacher by profession, she likes to ask, “why is this better than going to the grocery store and buying organic food?’ What does this offer the buyer beyond that experience?”
She continues to plan for a future CSA, once she’s able to produce enough of her own food to make it work. The lesson learned this year? Plant the collards FAR away from the lambs, which are adept at escaping their pen when collards are nearby.
And what do Justin and Bryan think? “They want to be farmers when they grow up,” says Sybil.
Downtown Riverfront Farmers Market Weekly market at Market & Water Streets, downtown Wilmington. 8:00a.m.–12:30p.m. Saturdays Apr. 19–Dec. 20. (910)341-0079 or see www.wilmingtonfarmers.com.
Poplar Grove Farmers Market
Poplar Grove Plantation, Hwy 17 North. Wednesdays Apr. 16-Dec. 17, 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Plant clinic 3rd Wed. each month by Pender County Master Gardeners. www.poplargrove. com/farmers_market.htm or (910)686-9518.
Shallotte Farmers Market
New location: Intersection of N.C. 130 (Whiteville Road) and Main Street, Shallotte (behind BEMC Time/Temperature sign and Chamber of Commerce, next to Shallotte Plaza shopping center). Saturdays 8 a.m.–noon, July 19 - Oct. 4, 2008 and Dec. 6, 2008.
Southport Waterfront Market
Lawn of historic Garrison house, 111 South Davis Street, Wednesdays, 8:00 a.m.–1 p.m. May 28 - November 26, 2008 (910)279-4616.
It’s no longer news that an ebbing economic tide could beach most boats. What is news is that traditional economic woes such as runaway inflation and bank failures could be compounded and amplified by severe resource shortages.
If that happens, we might name the resulting ordeal the “ECO Crisis,” as in ECOnomic/ECOlogical Crisis. As necessities such as fuel, water and food become scarcer, and therefore more expensive, many observers believe that our recent era of prosperity some would say opulence will come to a close.
Is that a bad thing? It depends on how we as individuals and as a nation adjust to the new realities what we do to stock our larders and raise our spirits. Fortunately, people’s responses to earlier tough times can help guide us through what lies ahead.
During the Second World War, which began while America was still recovering from the Great Depression, both money and the things that money could buy were scarce. Necessities such as food and fuel for heating and transportation were rationed at home in order to supply our soldiers abroad.
The American people and their government responded to the shortages by launching an ambitious “Victory Garden” program that encouraged citizens to grow vegetables. Almost overnight, millions of gardens were cultivated in private yards, schoolyards and parks across the nation.
The government and civilian groups such as the Red Cross and the Scouts organized committees to coordinate gardening efforts and allocate seeds, fertilizer and other resources. Gardening classes and lit-
Electronically formatted WWI & WWII Victory Garden manuals and wealth of related information are found at: www.earthlypursuits.com/defaultold.htm
San Francisco’s contemporary Victory Garden movement: www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/ a/2007/03/10/HOGC7N6LB31.DTL
Charming Victory Garden film from around 1943 but beware those toxic sprays! www.archive.org/details/victory_garden
erature were made available to the public. Because food production was critical, the literature emphasized getting the highest yield from each garden and the most nutrition from the crops by raising plants that are rich in proteins, vitamins and minerals.
The results were spectacular. Victory Gardens yielded up to 40 percent of the country’s non-military produce. But the gardens did more than feed the civilian population. They gave people a chance to participate actively in the war effort and brought them together as a community with a common goal. People from all walks of life and every ethnicity and age group mingled in the many committees and the thousands of community gardens.
The effort of the Victory Gardeners was directed toward the defeat of an easily identified enemy the Axis powers. Our “enemy” the ECO Crisis looming on our horizon is more elusive and complex and is potentially a greater adversary. Yet we could begin today to meet that challenge with our predecessors’ response a national Victory Garden campaign.
Starting a gardening movement, as opposed to growing a garden here or there, could address the entire spectrum of ECOCrisis problems. Millions of small gardens would provide more and better food for our families and our communities where excess produce is welcome at homeless shelters and similar institutions.
Growing our own food would save money and cut inflation by reducing the demand for commercial food. Increasing and decentralizing our stockpiles of preserved foods could provide a safety net against supply-system breakdowns that could leave whole communities vulnerable to shortages. And consuming local food would reduce the massive environmental impact of our fossil fuel-dependent food production and transportation systems.
Decentralized gardens tend to have diversified crops that are adapted to local
growing conditions and suit people’s varied interests. If just a portion of the new Victory Gardeners were dedicated to preserving seeds and heirloom species, the growing diversity could counteract agribusiness’s tendency to monopolize seed production and its promotion of genetically modified organisms and cash-crop monoculture.
Gardening helps people put down roots (literally!) and create a better sense of place by beautifying their environment. Monotonous, fertilizer and water-gobbling lawns can be replaced by colorful, interesting plants that educate children and adults and satisfy the palate and the soul.
Most home gardeners today follow organic practices that protect the environment and build soil rather than depleting it they garden sustainably. But sadly, unlike our predecessors with their obvious wartime emergency, we are unlikely to see our government and civil institutions quickly rally around a new Victory Garden movement anytime soon. However, if you want to start the movement with your own exemplary garden, our victory can begin at your ecological house.
© Philip S. Wenz, 2008
Philip S. (Skip) Wenz is a freelance writer specializing in ecological design issues. He was a general contractor, residential designer, teacher and writer in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the early 1990s he founded, and for ten years directed, the Ecological Design Program at the San Francisco Institute of Architecture. He also teaches “Creating Your Ecological House,” at Berkeley’s Building Education Center and wrote the book, Adding to a House (Taunton Press, 1995). Skip now lives with his wife, Pam, in Corvallis, Oregon and divides his time between various writing projects and retrofitting his older home to be more environmentally friendly. He may be reached by email through his Web site at www.your-ecological-house.com
Anyone with a lawn has put energy into making it look good, even if it’s just a dream of its being green. Have you ever wondered why you keep addressing the same issues year after year? Have you considered why you spend an inordinate amount of time and money on making your landscape presentable, while the forest or the prairie needs no human input whatsoever? How does the redwood get so big without the 20-20-20?
Your yard is an ecosystem. An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of plants, animals and microorganisms functioning together as a cooperative unit. We are all familiar with this concept in any number of ways, such as the bacteria in our guts that help us in digesting our food or the bee’s unconsciously pollinating plants and producing honey. This symbiosis demands balance in order to operate efficiently and in a manner of health. If this can be accepted as truth, why do we use products
and processes in our landscapes designed to disrupt this balance? Could it be that natural protocols do not work, or could it be that we have simply sold our ability to think rationally to the Department of Immediate Gratification? Could it be that simply changing our minds about how to examine and consider our landscapes is enough to ensure our success? It’s that easy.
In order to come to an understanding of how and why to take a natural approach in your landscape one must fully articulate the difference between “artificial” and “natural.” Artificial materials are damaging; they appear productive on the surface, but are in the end destructive. Like shipping food 2,000 miles to get to your plate. Made in a lab or manufactured by industry, these materials are transformed into “plant food” or “weed-be-gone” and promoted in the market as Miracles and the likes of battle with the weeds between the cracks in the driveway. It’s a sham. Artificial inputs
do nothing to nurture or feed the environment, they exist simply as a band-aid to a larger issue of imbalance. They are attempting to grow the plant directly at the expense of the living soil, and to maintain the situation as sterile so nothing but the plant can grow.
terials in a lab or sequester a by-product from industry to replace the nourishing abilities of the microorganisms in a living solution or the water retentive properties of humus from compost. One teaspoon of compost contains a football field’s worth of surface area and up to 1 million bacteria, 900 feet of fungal hyphae, 50,000 protozoa, and 300 nematodes. These organisms are so small that up to 500,000 bacteria can fit in the period in the exclamation point at the end of this sentence! But they are vital to regulating living environments. In case you needed another statistic, there are as many bacteria cells as human cells in and on the average human body not taking anti-biotics and, contrary to popular belief, we need them more than they need us. Kind of creepy, but true.
So what does this mean for our landscapes? It’s easy to think that the right thing to do is complicated, but it is truly very simple. As long as you concentrate on using materials that are a food source for the life in your soil, or “natural” materials, you are moving in the right direction. Sure there are ways to speed up the process but, like plankton to a blue whale, our microscopic friends are the platform that ensures our success in taking a natural approach to our lawn or garden. Taken to the rational extreme, microorganisms are responsible for having produced everything, from the soil that grows the food on our plates to the computer being used to create this article you’re reading. Literally everything.
Use of a microscope reveals what our biological teammates are doing on a microscopic level in a naturally maintained landscape or garden. In this photo a beneficial fungi has attracted a lesionous nematode with its pheromones and is capturing and killing it. This is a perfect example of the symbiosis we try to encourage in our landscapes. People have the idea that all nematodes are bad but we take for granted the 99% of nematodes that are in fact beneficial. By trying to kill the 1% of nematodes that are bad, we also kill not only the 99% of good nematodes the ones that balance grubs, flea larvae, etc. but also the other beneficials that keep the bad ones in check.
Natural materials, on the other hand, are a food source for the living ecosystem. They feed the soil instead of the plant and they encourage balance as opposed to eradication. If you kill anything, you kill everything. Man cannot make ma-
So it turns out that the most potent weapon against traditional landscape problems is not a specific product, but our mindstyle. A couple of examples are in order. We have trained ourselves to treat weeds as the enemy. This anthropocentric mentality has created an entire industry of lawn products called herbicides that we have manufactured to kill certain plants and not others. Read that sentence again and ask yourself if it makes sense? Killing what we don’t want to see may be an effective strategy for a video game, but for our lawns and gardens? Rather than focus
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The Cape Fear Green Building Alliance, a non-profit organization committed to furthering the awareness and education of green building in the Cape Fear Region, has announced details of its Annual Solar & Green Building Tour and Expo, to be held on Saturday, October 4, 2008.
This year’s Solar & Green Building Tour will feature eight sites that are outstanding examples of the solar and green building strategies and techniques actively being incorporated into our area residences, commercial buildings, and landscapes. The tour will be open from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. and locations include examples of daylighting, solar water heating, rain gardens, green roof construction, whole house water filters, solar panels to generate electricity, and use of recycled and reclaimed materials.
Tickets for the tour are available online at www.cfgba.org or at the CFGBA Green Expo location on the day of the event. ($5 CFGBA & NCSEA members, students and teachers and $10 non-members. A special $15 rate will be available for carpools.)
The tour is part of a statewide series of self-guided tours sponsored by the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA.) In addition to Wilmington, eleven other communities will host tour events during the period of October 4–11. Tickets for tours elsewhere in North Carolina are available at www.ncsustainableenergy.org.
The American Solar Energy Society Web site has a tour-finder page to locate tours taking place nation-wide: visit their site at www.ases.org and check the listings under ASES National Solar Tour.
a natural garden
continued from page 7
on eliminating the weed, consider the reasons for it being there in the first place. Weeds play deliberate roles in natural environments and should be used for their information. Many, such as dandelion or stinging nettle, are used medicinally, for the same reasons they occur in our landscapes; they fix high amounts of specific nutritive elements from the air in order to return them to the soil. Others are adept at decontaminating toxified areas, which is why they seem to come back stronger every year when one tries to simply kill them. Crabgrass serves to break up compacted soil, and strong tubers are sent down deep into the soil zone to regenerate the lack of fertility in the topsoil. A simple way to make the connection is to examine the side of a road or beaten path and notice the “weeds” growing in the disturbed environment. The modern artificially maintained landscape is no more than a disturbed environment.
Fear Gr een Building Alliance presents
The
the four th annual Cape Fear S o l ar and G r een
Bu il d i ng Tou r
in conjunction with the statewide tour of the NC Sustainable Energy Association
T he tour gives you a unique oppor tunity to see examples of g reen building in our area. Visit CFGBA.or g for tour locations and ticket infor mation.
T he CF G B A G r een E xp o
all 3 events: Satur day October 4
At Baile y Par k on Front Street from 10am until 4pm. Come see and discuss sustainable products and ser vices of fered by local businesses. Expo is FREE and open to the public.
T he CF G B A Tour S oc i a l
Enjoy drinks and hor s d’oeuvres after the Expo at Baile y Par k from 7pm ‘til 9pm.
Social Ticket Prices:
$10 CFGBA Member s, $20 Non-Member s
Similarly, common plant pests, such as aphids or whiteflies, are actually attracted to unhealthy plants. Plants not allowed a proper diet vibrate at infrared frequencies of formaldehyde and ammonia, or, they transmit a signal of degradation and decomposition. The bugs are merely carrying out nature’s work trying to recycle the unhealthy situation into health. Can you see the irony in how we go about trying to eradicate them? The artificial process we are using is creating a greater need for the artificial process, i.e. the vicious cycle. It may sound too simple to be true, but the best defense against weeds, “dis-ease” or pest infestations is a healthy plant. Consider that artificial inputs are the equivalent of fast food and plant dis-ease is no different than the flu or the common cold!
If we can stay conscious of our soil and our biological teammates, the resulting balance will wean us from the vicious cycle of synthetics. We live in the earth, not on it! For further information about natural lawn care visit Progressive Gardens at 5732-A Oleander Drive (moving November 1 to 6005 Oleander) or call A Natural Approach lawn care at (910)794-5552.
by Alyssa Halle
The North Carolina Sustainable Building Design Competition originated as an initiative challenging college students throughout the state to embrace and apply the techniques of sustainable design and construction. Sustainable design focuses on designing in a manner that fits the needs of today’s society, while creating buildings that will grow and last throughout future generations.
The competition, which originated in 2000, has been sponsored annually by Advanced Energy. Advanced Energy, formerly called Alternative Energy Corporation, was founded in 1980 by the N.C. Utilities Commission to investigate and implement new technologies for energy conservation and efficiency. The organization has made it their commitment to seek a future in which energy needs are met at reasonable costs and with the least negative consequences. They promote
economic, environmental and societal benefits through the incorporation of innovative and market-based approaches to energy issues. For the first time, the 2008 competition is also being held in conjunction with the Triangle Emerging Green Builder Natural Talent Design Competition.
The design criterion for this year’s competition was to create a duplex for two elderly couples in which sustainable and universal design were emphasized. Designing universally creates spaces that are easily accessible, adaptable, and increase ease of use for persons of all ages.
The 2008 competition saw great statewide turnout, both from technical colleges and universities alike. More than twenty-five teams competed in the competition, including returning champions N.C. State University, Duke, Appalachian State, East Carolina, N.C. A&T, and Pitt Community College. Among the participants were local favorites, Architectural
Technology students from Cape Fear Community College (CFCC). CFCC sent two teams to this year’s competition: team Arbor Creative and team Del Sol Concepts. The Architectural Technology students have been participating in the North Carolina Sustainable Building Design Competition since 2003, placing and winning multiple times
Ron Wilson, local architect and lead instructor of CFCC’s Architectural Technology
Program was the “spirit leader” for both teams, providing them with guidance throughout the course of the project. Ron founded the program at CFCC eight years ago and has since worked diligently to establish a rigorous educational curriculum. His students have excelled in both their educational pursuits and job opportunities throughout the community.
While both teams represented CFCC with great pride
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“The best part of the competition for me was the challenge of creating a solution that incorporated everything we wanted to include: sustainable materials and techniques, passive solar design, universal design, and low maintenance.”
— Keith Burke“The experience was great and I am thrilled at the possibilities of designing more green buildings in the future. We had an excellent team and strong support system around us. Much thanks to all of those who helped us, and to my wife for allowing me to spend as much time as I did on this project.”
— Scott Biggs“The thrill of working on a design team for a sustainable project has inspired me to think green for the future. I’ve found there are tons of information on building green. This competition has given me an idea of how real life projects will be just as competitive or more so.”
— J.W. Pegg IIand well-presented, professional projects, team Arbor Creative has had the distinguished privilege of winning the 2008 Sustainable Building Design Competition. Team Arbor Creative is composed of five Architectural Technology students from CFCC. Arbor Creative members are Keith Burke, Scott Biggs, Michael Tyler, Alex Dortschy, and Alyssa Halle.
The goal of the team’s design was to accentuate the individuality and adaptability of the duplex, “villa” design while maximizing solar and sustainable features. One of the distinguishing aspects of the winning design was the choice to stray away from a traditional mirrored duplex floor plan. In their design layout, team Arbor Creative pushed the boundaries of duplex design and decided to drastically offset the two individual villas. This offset allows for optimal solar gain throughout the day in each villa.
On the more technical side, the villa design is based on the culmination of a tight building envelope and highly efficient mechanical systems. The building envelope consists of structurally insulated panels (SIPS), providing a continuous wall insulation value, R-Value, of 27. The villas each have an efficient, 21 SEER, air conditioning system, radiant floor heating, an energy recovery ventilation system, and tankless water heating. Quite importantly, the villas also incorporate thin film photovoltaic and solar water heating panels on
the south facing roofs to offset the energy need for the future residents. Sustainable materials such as recycled metal roofing, sustainably harvested cork flooring, recycled glass countertops, pervious pavers for driveways and walkways, and native landscaping also play a large role promoting sustainability of design for the villas.
Since this year’s competition also placed the utmost attention on universal design and the aging process, considerations for these aspects were incorporated throughout the villas. Features such as 3'-0" doorways, 4'-0" hallways, 5'-0" handicap-accessible turn radius bathrooms, pull-down shelving and cabinetry in bathrooms and kitchen, and lowered countertops all promote ease of use. A main goal of the team was to create a home that would grow and adapt with its occupants.
“This was a wild experience to go through and I’m just glad that I did, because if I hadn’t I wouldn’t have become so aware of how important it is to build green and how much money can be saved. It’s so much better, healthier and safer for our environment. From now on, I will incorporate that in every house and every building that I design. It’s very important and it’s time we change the way we build, and I plan to do just that.”
— Alex DortschyBoth sides of the duplex designed by Team Arbor Creative have plenty of access to the sun, thanks to the innovative layout offseting the two sides of the duplex rather than positioning them side by side.
One of the most exciting aspects of team Arbor Creative’s win of this year’s NC Sustainable Building Design Competition is that their design is to be built in Carolina Meadows, a continuing care retirement community located outside of Chapel Hill, NC. The team will meet with an architect, builder, and Carolina Meadows’ facility manager to ensure that the goals and ideas of the project will be reflected in the construction of the duplex. If all goes accordingly, twenty-seven duplexes will
“I think one of the best parts of the competition is the information learned. It is very informative looking at the projects you learn many different ways to incorporate the information into a building. However, nothing compares to the camaraderie you gain with your teammates.”
— David Bettencourt
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, an agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is proud to spearhead a national initiative called Take A Child Outside week. Now in its second year, this program was inspired by Richard Louv’s book Last Child in the Woods, which identifies the benefits of outdoor experiences for children and addresses some of the problems of what he terms “nature deficit disorder,’” such as increased feelings of stress, trouble paying attention and feelings of being disconnected from the world.
The Museum’s experience with, and commitment to,
getting children outdoors led to the development of Take A Child Outside week. According to the event’s creator Liz Baird, “the Museum hopes to inspire even more parents, teachers and caregivers to take children outdoors and help reacquaint them with nature.” This summer, Gov. Easley officially proclaimed September 24-30 as Take A Child Outside week, noting that “in an era when many children believe that computers are more important than nature, it is vital for parents to introduce their children to the outdoors as an essential part of their education.”
On the Take A Child Outside web site (www.takeachildoutside.org), adults can make a promise to take a child outside during the week. After their outing, they can return and post a description of where
CFCC Design (cont. from page 10)
be built within the Carolina Meadows Community. Construction of the first duplex is to start sometime in 2008.
The team also won $3000 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Greenbuild Boston 2008 in November. Greenbuild Boston is a national competition and expo in which they will get the chance to compete again. Team Arbor Creative is quite excited about their successes, the national competition, and mostly, about the construction of their villa design!
Alyssa Halle, member of the Arbor Creative team, obtained her associates degree in Architectural Technology from CFCC and is now pursuing Environmental Studies at UNCW. Currently the Student Liaison board member of the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance, member of the UNCW Sustainability Committee and Green Building sub-committee, she intends to combine her passions for architecture and environmental conservation in pursuing sustainable environmental policy and planning.
they went and what they did, or read about other people’s adventures. There is a list of possible activities to do outdoors if the adults need inspiration.
Additionally, they can search the nation (and beyond) for partners in this effort.
Baird, who is also the director of school programs for the Museum, says the event’s reach and popularity has been pleasantly surprising. Last year, more than 160 organizations signed on as partners representing 38 states and two foreign countries (Canada and Belize). This year the reach will be even greater, with more than 250 partners, including ones in Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom.
Great Outdoor Provision Company and Dover Foundation of Shelby are sponsors of Take A Child Outside week.
Butterflies and moths go through four dramatic life stages during their transition from egg to adult. The Monarch butterfly lays its eggs one at a time on the underside of milkweed leaves, so that the tiny worm-like larva that emerges a few days later is already in place on the only plant it can eat. Shown larger than life size at upper left, the Monarch egg measures only 1/8 inch in size.
After hatching, the larva, or caterpillar, eats milkweed leaves almost nonstop, growing rapidly and molting (shedding its skin) four times as it grows. When the larva is about 2 inches long, it stops eating and wanders until it locates a protected branch or other sheltered place on which to pupate.
In order to turn into a pupa (chrysalis), the caterpillar spins silk from its spinneret, which it uses along with small hooks in its prolegs to secure itself, hanging head down. It molts one last time (see photo, upper right), and as its new exterior hardens, it becomes a green chrysalis (as in the photo at left).
While in chrysalis form, the caterpillar undergoes an astonishing metamorphosis. The caterpillar’s body undergoes significant changes; its five pairs of prolegs disappear, the three pairs of legs on its thorax lengthen, and it develops wings. After 10-14 days the chrysalis becomes transparent (photo, lower left), signifying that it is about a day away from emerging as a damp butterfly. The adult pumps liquid into the veins of the wings, and cannot fly until the wings have had time to dry.
Unlike the leaf-eating larva, an adult butterfly can only consume liquids, which it takes in through its proboscis as it lights on flowers. To attract butterflies, it is important to provide plants attractive not only to the caterpillar, but to the butterfly it will become.
The first school group to tour the new butterfly house at Airlie Gardens was a class of enthusiastic second-graders, and Matt Collogan couldn’t be happier. As Environmental Education Coordinator, Matt’s job includes sharing the world of butterflies with visitors to Airlie Gardens. The 2500-square-foot temporary structure that opened this summer provides a complete habitat for the native butterflies it’s his mission to study and promote.
Larval plants are available for the caterpillars: milkweed for the Monarchs, parsley for the Black Swallowtails. Nectar plants in bloom provide nectar for the adult butterflies. Pesticide-free native plants, sunlight, water, and shelter combine to form an oasis for the butterflies inhabiting this space. There’s even a pedestal for offerings of fruit past its prime a butterfly delicacy.
The new structure is light and airy. A special enclosed box maintains even
Hanover County live in the house, all native to the county.
Long-term plans are to replace this structure with a permanent one... perhaps as early as next year. This temporary house is only open through October, so try to visit soon. It’s open the same hours as Airlie Gardens (9 to 5 daily this time of year); admission is included with a ticket to visit the grounds. www. airliegardens.org.
Masses of flowers that are favorites of particular butterflies make it easy to spot and identify individual types of butterflies. Covered in shade cloth, this temporary exhibit space is a perfect testing ground for experimenting with variables in the shelter before final design decisions are made for the permanent 3000-square-foot butterfly house to come.
While butterflies may enjoy nectar from the flowers of a variety of nectar plants, caterpillars are very specific in their nutritional needs. Equipped to hold tightly to slender stalks, a caterpillar moves to the tip of a branch and eats the outer edges of leaves first. It then backs its way down the stalk, eating as it goes.
If you find a caterpillar on your fennel or parsley, your guest is likely a Black Swallowtail like this one. Note how it differs in appearance from the Monarch caterpillar depicted on page 13.
temperature and humidity for the chrysalis inside, allowing visitors to see first-hand the stages of butterfly development. (A chrysalis can be hard to locate in the wild.) Five of the 92 species of butterfly that have been recorded in New
Chuck Carmack, photographer of the butterfly photos in our centerfold on pages 12-13, is expert at capturing birds and butterflies. He has created a butterfly garden in his own back yard to entice butterflies to come within range of his camera.
Some of Chuck’s images were included in the Piedmont Trails Guide, the third volume in the North Carolina Birding Trail series. He taught a workshop on tips of good nature photography at this year’s Bird Fest celebration. When he realized that teachers were eager to use his images in the classroom, he created a doublesided poster showing the entire
life cycle of the Monarch butterfly, from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. Eight of these images appear on page 13; the poster of all 42 images in the series is available for $10 at the Airlie Gardens Gift shop, along with cards and prints. Prints and note cards of his beautiful images are also available at Wild Bird & Garden, in Hanover Center on Oleander Drive., or directly from www.chuckcarmackphotography.com. Chuck lives with his wife, Joyce, in Wilmington.
On a wet Wednesday morning in August, students, staff, and volunteers gathered to install two stormwater BMPs a rain garden and cistern at Williston Middle School on South Tenth Street. Williston was a candidate for help with stormwater runoff, because in heavy rain, water usually coursed over the Williston lawn and into the Gregory Elementary School yard next door.
The Williston project installed a 1,200square-foot rain garden that will absorb and treat stormwater runoff that flows off the school’s roof. A 2,500-gallon cistern was installed and will be used to irrigate the landscaping in the front and courtyards of the school.
A major grant goal was to provide educational information to businesses and homeowners in the Burnt Mill Creek Watershed and involve them in reducing stormwater runoff pollution by installing on-the-ground stormwater BMPs. Previous BMP installations funded by the grant have included a rain garden and cistern at Gregory Elementary School, pervious pavement and rain gardens at the Wilmington Family YMCA, and rain barrels at the Family & Neighborhood Resource Center. The Williston project installation of these BMPs was the final project of the three-year U.S. EPA 319 grant.
For more information, please contact Jason Wright, NCStormwater Management Associate at (919) 961-0158
Best Management Practices, or BMPs, are practical methods designed to protect watersheds by preventing or slowing the movement of sediment, pesticides, nutrients and other pollutants from the land to water. BMPs reduce stormwater pollution as well as the volume of water flowing into local waterways.
For the last three years, a partnership has worked to improve the water quality of Burnt Mill Creek, thanks to funding from a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 319 grant and cost-sharing from numerous grant partners, including NC State University Cooperative Extension, the Bottom Neighborhood Empowerment Association, and schools and residents in the Burnt Mill Creek Watershed.
by Kathy DeBusk and Jason Wright, extension associates with NC State University. Water from three of the school’s downspouts is channeled underground through a flexible pipe that re-emerges in the middle of the garden, surrounded by white stones to keep the mulch from washing away. Rain pools in the garden for no longer than a few days; it gently soaks into the ground in place rather than running downhill to Gregory Elementary School. Native plants were chosen for their ability to take up pollutants that might wash into the garden.
The plants in the middle are drought-resistant natives and require little care.
Volunteer Frank Brown travelled from Raleigh to help; he wanted to learn how to install rain gardens so he could take that knowledge back to his landscaping business. Here he helps lay sod.
Another semester begins at UNCW; however, this year is different. Amid international concerns about global warming and an energy crisis, more young adults are wondering how they can make a difference. A group of UNCW students aims to show us how.
Known as UNCW ECO short for Environmental Concerns Organization their mission is to inform others about environmental issues, and to encourage people to take action.
“A major goal is to raise everyone’s attention about important environmental issues, like global warming, and asking people not to just sit there, but to do something,” says ECO president Sarah Pearce. According to Sarah,
“doing something” can be as easy as switching to energy efficient compact florescent bulbs in your home. Or, writing your elected officials to ask how they are addressing global warming is another simple way of taking action, Sarah explains.
ECO is preparing for an exciting and productive year. With elections fast approaching, their primary campaign, entitled “Project Hot Seat,” calls on Congressman Mike McIntyre (D-North Carolina) to sign the Safe Climate Act, which will reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions. “Given that we live in coastal North Carolina, it is crucial that Representative McIntyre protect our region from climate change, by signing this
important legislation,” says ECO treasurer David Pinsky.
Other ECO projects include developing a student fee to fund environmental sustainability on campus. ECO also plans to meet with Chancellor Rosemary DePaolo to discuss reducing UNCW’s carbon footprint, and to improve recycling on campus.
In the Wilmington community, ECO is working together with stopTitan.org to inform local residents about their concerns about the proposed Titan Cement plant in Castle Hayne.
ECO is always looking for Wilmington environmentalists who want to collaborate on projects.
ECO holds meetings for student members every Monday at 7 p.m. in the UNCW Fisher Student Center. Plans are in the works for bringing in speakers and holding special events to which the public will be invited.
For more information, please visit ECO’s solar-powered Web site, http://www. uncweco.com.
When it wanted to launch its new Web site last May, ECO wanted to use a green Web-hosting company. The group selected Affordable Internet Services Online, Inc. www.AISO. Net a company with a commitment to help fight pollution and preserve our natural resources. Solar panels run AISO’s data center and office, and solar tubes bring in natural light from the outside providing light during the day. AMD Opteron-powered IBM servers use sixty percent less energy & generate fifty percent less heat.
Please remember to thank our advertisers for their support of Going Green!
Progress Energy Chairman, CEO and President Bill Johnson addressed attendees of the One Leader: National Executives Speaker Series on August 22. At the event, sponsored by the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, he used the opportunity to announce a new agreement that will introduce use of solar photovoltaics for commercial generation of electricity to Wilmington
Progress Energy Carolinas (NYSE: PGN) and SunEdison have signed an agreement under which SunEdison will build, own and operate a 1.2-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) plant on the site of the Progress Energy L.V. Sutton Plant near Wilmington and sell the energy produced to the utility for distribution to customers.
SunEdison will build the solar PV array on about 10 acres at the existing power plant site, located off Highway 421. Progress Energy will lease the land to SunEdison for 20 years, the term of the power-purchase agreement.
The plant is the second megawattsized solar project announced this summer. In June, software company SAS announced it will build a 1-MW solar PV array at its Cary, NC, campus and sell the output under a long-term contract to Progress Energy Carolinas.
Both announced projects are expected to be producing electricity by late this year. Meanwhile, the company is evaluating additional renewable energy projects, as well as potential opportunities related to plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and other energy technologies.
“Solar power is an important part of our balanced energy strategy for meeting the region’s needs,” said Lloyd Yates, CEO and president of Progress Energy Carolinas. “We are continuing to pursue cost-effective solar and other renewable opportunities aggressively, and we expect to announce additional renewable energy investments soon. Meanwhile, we’re promoting increased energy efficiency and working to ensure that we have state-of-the-art power plants and infrastructure. We will continue to look for new, innovative ways to help meet our
customers’ needs reliably, affordably and in an environmentally sound manner.”
SunEdison proposed the latest solar PV project in response to Progress Energy’s request for renewable energy proposals, issued in November. The open-ended request is part of Progress Energy’s plan to meet the requirements of North Carolina’s energy law, passed in 2007.
The law established a renewable and energy-efficiency portfolio standard, which requires utilities to provide a portion of their energy sales using renewable energy sources and energy efficiency. For Progress Energy, that portion grows from 3 percent of total energy sales in 2012 to12.5 percent in 2021. For solar-generated energy, the requirement begins in 2010. Under the two existing PV contracts,
Progress Energy expects to begin purchasing solar-generated electricity this year.
A PV array is a collection of solar cells, each consisting of two thin layers of semiconducting material (silicon) that generate electricity when exposed to sunlight.
The Sutton Plant is an integral part of Progress Energy’s system for meeting the needs of its customers throughout eastern North Carolina. The solar PV generation will add to Progress Energy’s mix of resources, which includes nuclear plants as well as generation fueled by coal, oil and natural gas, and hydroelectric plants.
For more information about SunEdison and Progress Energy Carolinas, please visit www.sunedison.com and www.progressenergy.com.
On Monday, October 13, the Green Peace “Rolling Sunlight” tour will be coming to Wilmington. The Rolling Sunlight is a biodiesel-powered truck (fitted with solar panels) that is touring the country to help raise public awareness and to urge elected officials to take action on global warming.
The tour started in San Francisco this summer and has been visiting every region in the country. UNCW/ECO is
Elaine and Matt Jack of Sapona Green Building Center are committed to educating the public about options in green building. Jimmy Williams, owner of O’Brien Heating & Air Conditioning, gave a presentation in September on geothermal energy and how it can be used to heat and cool homes in Southeastern North Carolina, using Water Furnace products. The next free seminar in the series will be Thursday, October 23, on sustainable countertops. The presenter will be Jessica McNaughton, LEED AP of CaraGreen.
sponsoring the Wilmington stop. The event is from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at UNCW and will feature the rolling outreach trailer and music by the local band Sci-Fi, starting at 11:30 a.m. (and powered by the Rolling Sunlight solar panels). For information on the event or the large group photo op, contact: David Pinsky at davidjpinsky@ gmail.com or see the ECO Web site: www. uncweco.com.
Sapona Green Building Center is located at Anderson Square, 4113 Oleander Drive, Suite B in Wilmington. For more information on this and other events, visit the Web site: www.saponagreen.com.
Progressive Gardens has once again outgrown its retail space, and plans to move by November 1 a short distance from 5732-A Oleander Drive to 6005 Oleander Drive. This will double the store’s retail space, and allow them to expand their product line. Progressive Gardens provides organic gardening supplies for outdoor and indoor gardening. Learn more at www.progressivegardens.com.
The boat renovation is complete but it still doesn’t have a name. Cape Fear River Watch’s new (to us) electric
tour boat is plying the waters of Greenfield Lake. Tours of the lake aboard the still-unnamed boat are available by reservation for $10/person. Tours feature the lake’s history, environment and wildlife and last one hour. The boat is a big step up from the big red electric canoe: it can hold up to 8 passengers comfortably and is remarkably smooth and stable. Special tours can be arranged for birders, school groups, and camera clubs. (Operators say it makes an ideal photographers’ platform.)
The Name The Boat contest remains open. Send your suggestions for a boat name (with
Titan Cement proposes building a large, state-of-the-art cement facility in Castle Hayne, on the site of the former Ideal Cement Plant. Under the name of Carolinas Cement, they propose a clean, modern facility that some applaud as a source of jobs and revenue. Area environmentalists are concerned about the track record of a historically polluting industry, whose processes by definition release carbon monoxide, mercury, and a host of other toxins.
Four out of five New Hanover County Commissioners voted to offer $4.2 million in tax incentives to attract Titan Cement to build in Castle Hayne, on the site of the old Ideal Cement Plant.
On July 1 the Army Corps of Engineers held a scoping meeting to gather input from the public about questions and concerns the public thinks should be addressed before permits are granted for what would be the fourth largest cement factory in the U.S. The Army Corps of Engineers has now posted on their Web site the list of questions proposed by members of the public at that scoping meeting, as well as abstracts of the questions and concerns submitted to them via mail and email.
Learn what you can about cement production and the implications of encouraging such industry in our area, and decide for yourself whether the trade-off wetlands vs. industry is the choice you think best for our area. Prepare a list of questions, and seek the answers. Information resources include:
Titan Cement
• www.carolinascementproject.com & www.titanamerica.com
Stop Titan grassroots movement
• http://stoptitan.org/
Army Corps of Engineers scoping meeting comments
• http://www.saw.usace.army.mil/wetlands/projects/titan/
Titan Cement is offering a series of three Community Information Workshops to meet with the public one-on-one. The last of the three will be Monday, Oct. 27, 4–8 p.m. at the UNCW Executive Development Center, Wilmington.
an Alligator theme, suitable for Greenfield Lake) to nametheboat@cfrw.us. The winning entry will be announced at the Cypress Festival. Winner gets a free Greenfield Lake Gator Tour aboard the newly christened boat with up to 6 guests.
After a summer hiatus, Cape Fear River Watch resumed its Saturday morning seminar series in September, with a presentation by Kemp Burdette on the Black River.
Thanks to all the volunteers who turned out for the Big Sweep clean-up at Greenfield Lake or any of the other Big Sweep locations at the beach on Saturday, September 27.
October’s scheduled cleanup is one of the most ambitious yet for Cape Fear River Watch. The group will partner with UNCW’s Outdoor Programs Department and its Center for Educational Leadership to take on a couple of the dredge spoil islands in the Cape Fear River near River Road Park. Keg Island and Shark Tooth Island are both on the list.
This clean-up will take place October 25 starting at 9:00 a.m. (high tide is 8:00 a.m., so volunteers will be working on the falling tide.) Meet at River Road Park and take a shuttle across to one of the islands or kayak over and work the peripheries of the islands from the water. Bring your own kayaks or use one of several loaner boats that will be available.
For more information, contact Bill Murray (wmurray@ cfrw.us) or Kemp Burdette (kemp@cfrw.us).
Once a month, Cape Fear Climate Action Network will confer The Cool Coast Award to an individual, organization, business, or government official demonstrating exemplary environmental practices in the Cape Fear region, in one or more of the following areas:
1) School curricula and programs to raise awareness and understanding about climate change and its environmental impact.
2) Legislative action to protect the environment.
3) Municipal policies to protect the environment in our counties, towns, and cities.
4) Green business, building, and maintenance practices.
5) Recycling.
6) Sustainable energy resource development.
7) Conservation of natural resources and drought management.
If you have a program or project that you think is worthy of a Cool Coast Award, or know of someone else you would like to nominate, please email Heidi Kaufman at heidika42@ yahoo.com the names of the candidates you recommend along with a one- to two-paragraph explanation for why you believe they should be given the Cool Coast Award.
Cape Fear CAN is a local citizen network providing support, advocacy, and recognition for climate action initiatives in Wilmington, North Carolina, and the Cape Fear region. More information about the group and its projects can be found at www.capefearcan. com.
New digital televisions are flying off the shelves with the early transition of the Wilmington TV market to the new all digital format. So what to do with old sets that aren’t being connected to converter boxes? Rather than let them collect dust in the attic, take yours to the next electronics recycling event in New Hanover County.
Since March, the New Hanover County Environmental Management Department has diverted over 75 tons of electronics from the landfill thanks to concerned citizens, Keep
The following hazardous wastes will be accepted:
• Auto batteries • Cell phones
• Cleaners/solvents • TVs/computers
• Florescent light tubes • Fuels
• Ink jet cartridges • Mercury
• Motor oils • Antifreeze
• Paints
• Paint thinners
• Herbicides • Pesticides
• Rechargeable household batteries
The following items will not be accepted:
• Ammunition • Asbestos
• Smoke detectors • Furniture
An estimated 25,000 pounds of recycled electronics will fit in the truck arranged for special New Hanover County electronics pickup events. Synergy Recycling was selected as the recycler for these special events, because they offer Certified Data Destruction: the company can destroy and certify complete destruction of proprietary data on hard disks and other storage media. They recycle aluminum and copper, and even grind up plastic from monitors for reuse in future plastic items.
America Beautiful of New Hanover County, and area Wal-Mart stores. New Hanover County will collect obsolete electronics and other household hazardous waste on Saturday, October 25 from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the New Hanover County Government Center, 230 Government Center Drive, between South College Road
and Eastwood Road. Volunteers are also needed for the October 25 collection day. Contact Jennifer O’Keefe, 798-4404 or Lynn Bestul, 798-4410 to volunteer your time and keep hazardous wastes out of our landfill. Learn more at www.nhcgov. com... or watch your new digital TV for details!
Customers no longer hear “paper or plastic” at Tidal Creek Co-op.
Wilmington’s only natural foods cooperative removed plastic bags from their checkout lanes earlier this year. Customers can now choose between paper (100% recycled and recyclable) and a variety of reusable bags. By being the first local grocery to limit plastic the co-op hopes to keep plastic bags out of the landfill.
Staff members are quick to remind customers of the alternatives. In addition to paper, Tidal Creek offers a few options such as a durable compactable bag that folds inside itself, a quality canvas tote, and a purple reusable and recyclable plastic tote with the cheery “Go Co-op!” message printed on the front. “The reusable and recyclable plastic tote has been flying off the shelves, “says Jessica Burtt Ashcraft, Tidal Creek’s Membership Services Manager
“More than 200 in five days.”
Tidal Creek offers shoppers an incentive to bring their own bags and refillable containers by donating 5 cents for each reused item to charity. In the last year, Tidal Creek shoppers kept more than 7,000 pieces of plastic and paper out of the waste stream by bringing their own bags and containers. That’s about 35 bags and containers reused each day.
Tidal Creek Cooperative Food Market is a full-service, award-winning natural foods cooperative grocery store with more than 3,000 owners. It has served the greater Wilmington Area for over 25 years. Anyone can shop at the co-op; paying a modest fee to become an owner results in discounts at the checkout counter. To learn more about Tidal Creek and food cooperatives in general, visit their Web site at www.tidalcreek.coop.
• Industrial materials • Propane gas cylinders
• Tires
• Household trash
• Medications
Electrical devices with a cord will also be accepted on this day, but NOT air conditioners or “white goods” (i.e., refrigerators, stoves, washers or dryers). Are a rule, these special collection days are designed especially to accommodate items that cannot be recycled during normal business weeks. Need more details? See www.nhcgov.com.
As you buy your fall plantings, ask your nursery whether they will take your empty flower pots back once empty. If not, you can take empty pots, of any size, to The Plant Place on 6114 Market Street, Wilmington, or give them to Hobby Greenhouse Club for use in their threetimes-a-year neighborhood plant sale: www.hobbygreenhouseclub.org.
The Cape Fear Climate Action Network (Cape Fear CAN) has moved its monthly meetings to a new night. Starting in October, the new meeting night is the SECOND Wednesday of the month. Visitors are always welcome. Meetings are held at 7 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington, 4313 Lake Avenue, Wilmington. For more information about the group, visit their updated Web site: www.capefearcan.com.
Tidal Creek Coop organizes tours of working area farms at least twice a year. Recent tours have included visits to Nature’s Way goat farm and Black River Organic Farm. This fall’s tour will be at Jones Family Farm in Burgaw. It will be October 25 at 10 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. Jones Family Farm houses free range chickens and other poultry, pigs, and goats. They also grow crops such as peanuts and pumpkins. It is a large
family-run farm. To register, email April Marlow at april@ tidalcreek.coop, or call Tidal Creek at (910)799-2667.
In March, Jessica Burt Ashcraft and April Marlow of Tidal Creek Coop attended “Marketing Matters,” a three-day conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The conference, held by the National Cooperative Grocers Association, drew attendees from around the nation. Workshops and lectures covered ways to support local food production and on using cooperative business models. Marlow presented a lecture on community partnerships, focusing on her “Food to Grow” program. She visits schools in Pender, Brunswick, and New Hanover Counties to teach children about healthful eating habits, organic growing, and fruits and vegetables. For more information, email april@ tidalcreek.coop.
Send your news to: Editor@goinggreenpublications.com or call (910)547-4390
HGTV runs a sweepstakes where they build a home and as a promotion, offer it to a lucky winner. The 2008 HGTV Green Home was on Hilton Head Island, the first of the HGTV homes to be built in the Carolinas, and in a low country style. HGTV will announce the location of the 2009 HGTV Green Home on November 3. In the meantime they will run on-air clues to the location to increase interest in the
giveaway. You can learn more (or enter the sweepstakes!) at www.hgtv.com/hgtv/green_ home. (Sonoma, perhaps?)
North Carolina continues to feel the effects of the drought. Although some mandatory restrictions have been lifted, conserving water is still on everyone’s mind. Wilmington and other municipalities are still requesting that citizens do as much as possible to conserve water usage.
The next time it rains, why not use a rain barrel to capture and store water for your landscape and garden needs? The New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District (NHSWCD) is now holding a monthly barrel sale the second Thursday of every month.
The black 65-gallon barrels are made completely from recycled materials. Barrels are available on a first come, first-served basis. Quantities are limited, so come early. The next sale will be Thursday, October 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the New Hanover County Government Complex in the New Hanover Soil and Water office, located at the front of the building.
Customers are expected to pay at the time they pick up their barrels, cash or local checks only, please.
Rain Water Solutions, Inc. of Raleigh, NC is offering these barrels at an extremely reduced price of $95, or 35% below retail. They feature an optional one- or two-spigot connection, a screen to keep out insects and debris, and a large overflow hose. Instructions are included for easy assembly. For more information about the barrels, visit www.rainwatersolutions.com.
In addition to the monthly rain barrel sale available through New Hanover Soil and Water Conservation District, we found rain barrels available at several local retail outlets and non-profit organizations. Some of these are listed below—call ahead to make sure they are in stock:
Harold’s Hardware, 6756 Market Street, (910)791-6991. View their model online at www. haroldshardware.com (or order from their site if you prefer).
Hampstead Ace Hardware, 15597 US Hwy 17, Hampstead, (910)270-3237.
Farmer’s Supply Co., 2025 Oleander Drive, Wilmington, (910)763-4664.
Lowe’s had two in stock when we called, and can order them. Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse of University City, 354 So. College Rd, Wilmington, (910)395-8433 or at Monkey Junction (910)397-0137.
Progressive Gardens, 5732-A Oleander Dr, Wilmington, NC www.progressivegardens.com (910)395-1156
Cape Fear River Watch now offers barrels for sale as a fundraiser for their programs. Call Joe Abbate at (910)762-5606.
In addition, several local companies such as Solar Weather Works and One World Design can design and install custom rain-gathering systems.
North Carolina manufacturer: Rain Water Solutions, Inc. www.rainwatersolutions.com (919)835-1699
Members of UNCW ECO are circulating a petition that asks UNC and the UNC System to be more responsible with their energy usage. That petition is now in online format. The goal is 1,000 signatures, and any North Carolina resident can sign. The petition is available via the ECO Web site: www. uncweco.com.
source and non-point source water pollution. Non-point source water pollution is pollution that flows into our water with rain water runoff. Non-point source pollutants include gas, oil and exhaust byproducts leaked or deposited on road surfaces, soil carried into water ways by erosion, animal waste both domestic and farm animals, litter, fertilizer and pesticides. Safe food products are used to simulate the different contaminates. Powdered cocoa is used to simulate soil. Red and green Jell-O is used to simulate fertilizer and pesticides.
of water pollution. Students of all ages participate in learning what each of us can do to reduce and eliminate non-point source water pollution. The critical role wetlands play in both reducing the impacts of water pollution and flooding is demonstrated and discussed. Students also have the opportunity to learn about and witness the positive impact of Best Management Practices including riparian buffers, siltation and erosion control measures, and wetland restoration.
EnviroScape® Watershed/Nonpoint Source * Patent Number 5,427,530 * JT&A, Inc. © 1990-2008*www.enviroscapes.com.
Cape Fear River Watch is looking for volunteers to learn to use the EnviroScape® Model to teach about nonpoint source water pollution causes, consequences and strategies. Once qualified, volunteers will represent Cape Fear River Watch making EnviroScape presentations in a range of venues to a variety of audiences.
The Enviroscape is a molded plastic model
watershed that includes a representation of natural and man-made features that would make up a typical watershed. These features include streams, a small lake, and agricultural, forested, and developed land. Both pervious (forests, fields, lawns, wetlands) and impervious (housing, roads, parking areas, and commercial structures) surfaces are represented.
The model is used to teach and demonstrate both point
Author Lyle Estill visited WHQR by arrangement of Cape Fear Biofuels. Lyle is the V.P. of Stuff for Piedmont Biofuels in Chatham County, and is the author of Biodiesel Power. He came to sign copies of his new book, Small is Possible Life in a local economy, as a fundraising event for Cape Fear Biofuels.
Instructors use the model to guide an interactive discussion and demonstration of the sources and consequences
Call Bill Murray at (910)2972664 or e-mail him at wmurray@cfrw.us with questions or to reserve a spot in the next training session.
Photo contributed by Northern Virginia SWCD Using the plastic EnviroScape model makes it fun and memorable for children in the classroom to learn about cause and effect of pollutants in the environment.
Send your calendar items and news updates to: Editor@goinggreenpublications.com or call (910)547-4390
It’s not too late to sign up! Join Capt. Carpool and his crewmates Barnacle Billy the Cycler, Transit Me Timbers, Iron Legs Walker, and the irrepressible Breezy Betsy as they recover lost treasure. What have you lost? Money, sanity, time, your girlish figure, the ability to feel good about what you’re doing to the environment. Find out more
about easy online registration, ridematching assistance and boatloads of booty for members of teams and individuals. Employees of GE and UNCW are just two of the groups competing for points on a weekly basis until October 17. Check in at www.capefearbreeze.com and join the fun! Change Your Commute, Get Some Loot.
Shelter Creek Paddle
Join Salt Marsh Kayak Company on Sunday, October 12 for a trip down Shelter Creek, an intimate, tidally influenced blackwater run. Fall is the perfect time to explore this unique inland environment which is home to the prothonotary warbler, long-nosed gar, alligator and black bear. This is a four-hour tour, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Reservations are required, and there is a four-person minimum to run the trip. Price: $85 per person ($5 will go to the NC Coastal Land Trust).
You never know what you might see in the marshlands behind Wrightsville Beach! Blue, green, & tri-colored herons, white & snowy egrets,
pelicans, osprey and a variety of gulls abound in this unique environment. In season, ibis, skimmers, oyster catchers, terns, cormorants and loons can be viewed as well. Come explore the wonders of this bird-rich environment from a kayak with an experienced guide. This is a three-hour tour, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Reservations are required, and there is a two-person minimum to run the trip. Price: $60 per person ($5 will go to the NCCLT).
Both trips start from the Salt Marsh Kayak Company, 222 Causeway Drive, Wrightsville Beach. Call Salt Marsh Kayak Company for details. Phone: (910)509-2989 or sales@saltmarshkayak.com, or visit www.coastallandtrust.org.
Send us your calendar items! Email us at calendar@goinggreenpublications.com, or call (910)547-4390. The online version of the calendar is updated weekly. December items received by October 15 are candidates for our print calendar as well.
October 8
Cape Fear CAN (Climate Action Network) has a NEW MEETING NIGHT: It now meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month, 7 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wilmington, 4313 Lake Ave., Wilmington. www.capefearcan. com.
October 8
Cape Fear Green Building Alliance meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month. The Balcony, 3rd floor of Roudabush building, corner of So. Front & Dock Streets, Wilmington. 7–9 p.m. For details check newsletter on www.cfgba.org.
October 9
Cape Fear Biofuels monthly meeting, in the upstairs community room above Tidal Creek Co-op,
5329 Oleander Drive. Meets 2nd Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. See www.capefearbiofuels.org.
October 14
Hobby Greenhouse Club meeting. 7:30 p.m. at NHC Arboretum Auditorium, 6206 Oleander Drive. www.hobbygreenhouseclub.org.
October 21
Cape Fear Regional Beekeepers Association monthly meeting. New Hanover County Arboretum, 6206 Oleander Drive, Wilmington. 7 p.m. Contact Barry Harris at (910)352-7868 or see www.ncbeekeepers.org/chapters.htm.
October 27
Titan Cement Community Information Workshop, UNCW Executive Development Center, 4-8 p.m. kmcclain@titanamerica. com or (757)858-6517.
November 1
Cape Fear River Watch offers a free educational seminar at 9 a.m. the first Saturday of each month, at their headquarters at 617 Surry Street, downtown Wilmington. Come early for breakfast. Check their Web site for the topic of the month: www.cfrw.us.
November 12
Lower Cape Fear Stewardship Awards Dinner/Reception, UNCW Warwick Center. 5:30–8:00 p.m. For tickets, contact Shawn Ralston at sralston@nhcgov.com or (910) 798-7444.
November 21-23, 2008
Carolina Living Green Expo, Concord, NC. Phone (910)795-0292 or visit www. CarolinaLivingGreenExpo.com.
Downtown Riverfront Farmers Market
Weekly market at Market & Water Streets, downtown Wilmington. Saturdays 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. For information: (910)341-0079 or see www.wilmingtonfarmers.com.
Poplar Grove Farmers Market
Poplar Grove Plantation, Hwy 17 North. Wednesdays 8 a.m.–1 p.m. Plant clinic the 3rd Wed. of the month. www.poplargrove. com/farmers_market.htm.
Life in the Green Lane
Weekly radio environmental show, 8–9 a.m. Saturdays on WAAV 980
Please do business with our advertisers, and tell them you appreciate their support of Cape Fear’s Going Green
Members of the community enjoyed a very special celebration on September 12, when the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and members of the Foy family dedicated Abbey Nature Preserve to the citizens and visitors of Pender County. Dedicated to the memory of Margaret Abbey Foy Moore, the Foy family has placed 67 acres of undeveloped land into the Coastal Land Trust. It will be used for educational school programs, birding and hiking, and is part of the North Carolina Birding Trail.
Located adjacent to historic Poplar Grove Plantation, the Abbey Nature Preserve is a passive nature park. It includes hiking trails, a beautiful boardwalk overlooking the historic millpond, and other tranquil recreation opportunities.
The preserve includes a mix of old-growth forest and fields that were once planted in soybeans, peanuts, and corn, that are now being allowed to return to forest. Scotts Hill Creek runs through the property, and was dammed about 150 years ago. There is a pond of approximately 10 acres; water power from the pond once turned a set of millstones to grind grain. The outflow of the creek flows into Foy Creek on the south side of Scotts Hill Loop Road, and then joins Futch Creek further on.
The Foy family owned Poplar Grove until 1971. Robert L. Foy, Sr. grew up in the manor house, and it was to honor the wishes of his daughter that he and family have arranged for this beautiful, pristine environment to be protected forever by the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust and the North Carolina Clean Water Management Trust Fund.
Abbey Nature Preserve, Poplar Grove Plantation, 10200 US Highway 17 N., Wilmington. Learn more at www.poplargrove.com.
Photo by James Taylor Robert Foy, Sr., cuts the ribbon to open the Abbey Nature Preserve honoring his daughter, Abbey. From left: Bruce Watkins, Robert Foy, Sr., Richard Rogers of the N.C. Clean Water Management Trust, and Robert Foy, Jr.
Photo by Valerie Robertson Wide, well-groomed pathways through the preserve make it easy to enjoy a gentle walking experience through the woods.
Photo by Jeanne Walker, Poplar Grove Plantation Hank Gudrian and his dog, Rudy, make a habit of walking the trails of Abbey Nature Preserve.
Beautiful views of large, old cypress trees edging the historic millpond can be enjoyed from the trail.
Photo by Valerie Robertson