EARTH
DAY 2015
A Special Publication of
2 – Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Earth Day 45
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very year, Earth Day brings together kindred spirits to celebrate all there is to love about the environment. This year’s edition — the 45th — is focused on combining that reverence with swift action. Earth Day 45: It’s Our Turn to Lead is the theme of the 2015 iteration. Coordinators are hoping it becomes the most exciting year in environmental history. At the forefront of the focus is the potential for a binding climate change treaty that activists are pushing to be passed and signed into law. When and What Is Earth Day? Earth Day is celebrated around the world on April 22, although many events are routinely organized
the weekends before or after. Some communities even observe Earth Week or Earth Month, coordinating a lengthy series of environmentfocused events throughout April. Earth Day at its core is a way for environmental activists, political leaders and the public to join forces to build the base of support for meaningful programs. It is the largest civic event in the world, celebrated simultaneously around the globe; more than a billion people participate in the Earth Day Network’s offering of events. Getting Involved If you’re looking for a way to get involved in environmental stewardship, attending an Earth Day event is a great way to start.
You can choose to participate as a visitor or even offer your services for a day of volunteering. There are also numerous ways to become kinder to your surroundings by making thoughtful changes to your daily routine. Installing solar panels on your roof, altering a few habits or committing to educating youth on Earth-friendly actions are all great ways to make a positive impact on the environment. If’ you’re planning to host your own Earth Day event, be sure to register it at www.earthyday. org/2015. Doing so will increase visibility for your activities and help alert those searching for a way to get involved.
Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015 – 3
Celebrating Earth Day Year Round
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arth Day is the largest civic event in the world, celebrated simultaneously around the globe for our environment. Earth Day broadens support for environmental programs and builds community activism focused on environmental protection. A local example of practicing environmental sustainability year round is a recent off the grid project. Energetechs had the opportunity to collaborate with Mast & Co builders on this project. They exclusively build welldesigned, thoughtful energy efficient buildings. The Fish Creek residence is an off the grid home. Going off-grid is becoming a more popular choice for people looking to reduce their carbon footprint and preserve our environment. “The Grid” is a shortened term for the power grid, the system that delivers electricity to the outlets we plug our electronics into. A typical house is connected to electricity, natural gas, water and usually telephone lines. Going off the grid simply means not using the utility grid and instead creating your own electricity. Some homes are partially off the grid by using solar panels or wind to supply their own electricity and still use public water and sewage. The Fish Creek residence will supply its own electricity through solar panels, get its water from its own well and handle sewage with its own septic system. The owner’s also opted to build thick, highly insulated walls with cellulose. The windows are energy efficient wood aluminum clad windows from Glo Windows. This super insulated wall system and high performance
windows will retain more heat in the winter, and keep more heat out in the summer. Cellulose insulation is low-thermalconductivity material used to reduce building heat loss and building heat gain. It also reduces noise transmission. It is made from 85% recycled paper content and treated with fire retardants to meet all federal, state and local fire safety requirements. It also helps divert almost a million tons of waste paper from landfills annually. The Glo Windows are wood aluminum clad and have twice the energy performance of standard building code windows. The new doors and windows from Glo will help the Fish Creek Residence use less energy by keeping the building at a comfortable temperature without the furnace needing to work as hard in the winter. The result is lower energy usage for the solar powered home. Glo European Windows is a new division of Energetechs. Energetechs, a Missoula company, is an experienced green building contractor, specializing in high
performance, energy efficient construction. Energetechs created Glo Windows out of a desire to offer highly energy efficient windows with superb customer service. “Our goal is to offer our clients the best efficiency, hardware and customer experience in the United States” says Vice President Mark Wells. Energetechs has been constructing high performance, energy efficient building envelopes for years. “Our new division Glo Windows gives us an opportunity to have a greater lasting impact on our built environment” says CEO Russ Hellem. “I want to leave the world a better place for my children and their children.” The Fish Creek residence should reach completion this summer. “This is a special building and we feel fortunate to be able to collaborate with Mast & Co to create better buildings” says Energetechs Project Manager Mike Dunn.
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4 – Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Building with Insulated Concrete Forms
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arth Day is a great time to celebrate and discuss the environmental benefits of building with Insulated Concrete Forms or ICFs. The process can be simplified as having walls that are poured, with steel reinforced, castin-place concrete that is sandwiched in between two panels of Styrofoam. The forms have an attachment system to which all exterior and interior finishes directly adhere. The benefits are numerous and far surpass the simplicity of the conceptual design. On Earth Day it’s important to recognize how the ICF industry naturally does its part to help minimize a lot of the impacts and concerns that are associated with the building and construction of a growing world. We need to save energy. We hear this every day. ICF construction overwhelmingly exceeds today’s demanding energy codes. The savings are ongoing and will prove to be even more important tomorrow than they are today. The plastic and the Styrofoam are 100% recyclable. Zero waste has to go to the landfill. Even the cardboard packaging is recycled. There are no CFCs or HCFCs involved in the manufacturing and there is no off gassing. ICF construction makes financial sense as well. The time and money that that you will save on the foundation alone is a significant consideration. ICFs eliminate the furring and insulating associated with basements. Framing and insulation are vulnerable to water, mold, rot and the R-Value is absent if wet. In comparison, ICF construction is impervious to water. No rot or mold is possible. Solid wall surface = no cavities.
They stack the forms, brace them for straightness and pour them with concrete. They are now ready for electrical and finish. No vapor barriers or moisture barrier required. No removal of formwork, no form oils, diesel fuel, or release agents. There have been numerous companies and different blocks come and go over the years. With traditional construction still struggling, “Green” or LEED certified construction is projecting exponential growth in the decades to come. LEED is an acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a green building rating system created by the US Green Building Council (USGBC).
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here are many categories and different points to score in a LEED certified project. Earth and Atmosphere are the highest scored area with ICF construction. Reduced heating and cooling equates to lower utility bills. There is a minimum requirement of a 10% increase in the performance of the energy efficient design over today’s latest building and model energy code as a prerequisite for a LEED certified project. National comparative averages show Insulated Concrete Form building envelopes offer 46% savings in energy consumption vs. light frame construction built to code standards. Here in Western Montana we are capable of having large temperature swings on a daily basis. Thermal mass reflects the principle that exterior walls made of heavy materials maintain more even interior temperatures and consume less heating and cooling energy than walls made of light materials and insulated to the same R-value.
Architects, Builders & Designers Industrial Strength Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF)
CELEBRATING 20 YEARS AS WESTERN MONTANA’S LEADING ICF SUPPLIER MISSOULA • POLSON • KALISPELL
All FOX ICF forms are reversible
WE’RE NOT GREEN AT BEING GREEN Advanced Building Supply Inc. 7890 Thornton Dr., Missoula
(at the Wye across from Axmen) Todd Parge • 406-880-7224 • absinc@montana.com foxblocks.com
Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015 – 5
Building with Insulated Concrete Forms (cont.) Applications for building with ICFs can be as simple as a crawl space addition to a multi-story residential or commercial building. The assembly technique can be likened to that of building with Legos®. It is a very straightforward construction method that has unparalleled design flexibility. The ICF form wall ties double as an attachment system. They can vary in width and length from one system to another. The wider the better for attachment purposes and full length is preferred as it will eliminate any compression or shrinkage of the wall during a tall wall pour. Premium attachment at the corner is a must for interior and exterior finishing. This will differ from one manufacturer to another as well. ICF product awareness and acceptance has grown considerably since its inception. The success and popularity of ICF construction in both the residential and commercial industries can be attributed to the numerous inherent characteristics that are achieved when you combine EPS foam, concrete and steel. Another big reason is that architects have recognized the unparalleled flexibility and ease of design. Their customers are demanding the best, from indoor air quality to strength and safety. ICFs are a Green and LEED certified building system. An ICF home typically uses 50% less trees and zero old growth timber. Engineers have long credited the ability to build bigger and stronger with concrete and steel versus wood
construction. ICF structures dominate all comparisons to any conventional building method when concerns involve extreme weather, earthquakes and fires. Many jurisdictions’ building codes include ICF safe rooms.
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s stated earlier, the energy efficiency is also playing a larger design role than ever. ICF construction is the strongest, quietest, safest and most energy efficient method of construction available. Builders and homeowners have always struggled to find a happy medium between quality and price. There used to be a misconception that ICF construction cost more than conventional methods. Given today’s revised energy codes there is no argument that building with ICFs does not necessarily cost any more, often times it costs less to build with ICFs than it does using the conventional methods. When you are considering all the factors, from budgets to longevity, remember that the Styrofoam doesn’t deteriorate. The Concrete keeps getting stronger, and the Energy prices are going to keep going up. All that being said, ICF construction is not only here to stay but you can expect the popularity of this building method to increase in leaps and bounds!
6 – Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Green Living Tips: Recycling While Cleaning Do your homework A simple Internet search will help you learn which items are recyclable. For example, Call2Recycle accepts cellphones and rechargeable batteries (weighing up to 11 pounds), including those you find in cordless power tools, laptop computers, digital cameras, twoway radios, MP3 players or iPods, tablets and cordless phones. The general rule with batteries is if it is rechargeable, it is recyclable.
Find a collection service or location near you
(BPT) - When you clean your home, do you end up throwing items in the trash? Getting rid of clutter is a natural part of the cleaning process, but did you know that much of what you throw away can likely be recycled? For example, recycling batteries and cellphones has never been easier. Call2Recycle is North America’s first and largest consumer battery stewardship program - a non-profit that collects and recycles batteries at no cost for municipalities, businesses and consumers. In the United States, it focuses on recycling cellphones and rechargeable batteries (such as nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, lithium ion, small sealed lead acid and nickel zinc). In 20 years Call2Recycle has collected more than 100 million pounds of batteries and cellphones, diverting these materials from landfills. The organization ensures that these items, which contain valuable resources, are responsibly recycled to create new batteries and other products,
preventing potentially hazardous materials from entering the waste stream. Recycling these items is free of charge to consumers. So how do you start recycling and making a difference in your community? Here are some tips to help with recycling while cleaning:
Ask the question: “Can this be recycled?” Seems elementary, but simply asking this question is the most crucial step for getting started. It means you’ve made a conscious decision to engage in a more sustainable, safe and responsible lifestyle. Every single person’s effort makes a difference. The number of cellphones and devices powered by rechargeable batteries is skyrocketing. Cellphones and rechargeable batteries may contain metals that can be harmful to the environment if not disposed of properly. Recycling keeps potentially hazardous material from entering the local landfill and recycles them for other uses.
Now that you’ve committed to recycling your old stuff, you need to know how and where. For rechargeable batteries and cellphones, Call2Recycle has a network of more than 34,000 collection sites located within 10 miles of 89 percent of consumers across North America. This network includes retail stores in your own community that you may visit regularly, including small businesses and municipalities. Visit www.call2recycle.org/locator and use the location finder to locate the nearest collection site. For other items, visit 1800recycling.com or Earth911.com for a great list of recycling options.
Celebrate and share Now that you know how more items around your home can be recycled, share this information with friends and family about how easy it is to recycle. Through recycling you have made your community more sustainable and prevented potentially hazardous materials from entering the waste stream, which is good for people as well as the environment.
Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015 – 7
Green Schools
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e all know that environmental activism knows no geographical boundaries. There are major issues to be dealt with across the world. Likewise, activism also can be practiced by people of all ages. Thanks to local leaders, national legislators and the Earth Day Network, a green schools movement has swept over the United States educational landscape in recent years. First championed for during the 2005-2006 school year, the network’s green schools programing has since recruited an extensive list of schools combining traditional education approaches with energy-focused innovations in building science and economy support. Students within schools that were built to be more environmentally friendly are made more aware of the impact their actions can have on the Earth.
Greener School Buildings “Greening” a school doesn’t have to A True Partnership solely mean adopting environmentallySchools participating in green focused curriculum. A recent study by programming are focused on enhancing the U.S. Green Building Council found student learning and health while that 55 million students spend their days in schools that are too often unhealthy also increasing the quality of their and that restrict their ability to learn. communities. While many green schools are Annually, the Earth Day Network’s popping up throughout the country, green school programs directly reach these high-performance buildings more than 30,000 educators and provide are generally most costly to erect. The expert guidance throughout notable council’s national review of 30 green publications. schools demonstrated that green
schools cost less than 2 percent more than conventional schools (about $3 per square foot) but provide financial benefits that are 20 times as large. Green schools also can provide a range of additional benefits, including reductions in teacher sick days, social inequalities, maintenance costs and uninsured risks, while boosting things such as state competitiveness and educational enrichment, the council’s report states.
A Habitat ReStore sells new and gently-used home improvement goods, furniture, building materials and appliances to the public at a fraction of the retail price. The proceeds are used to fund Habitat for Humanity of Missoula’s affordable home-ownership program, ensure people have access to affordable materials to maintain and improve their homes and to divert usable materials from the landfills.
Volunteer The ReStore is staffed by volunteers and just a few hours a week helps our organization. Volunteers are needed to stock, clean, price and repair donated items. In addition, drives for donation delivery and pickup are always needed. Habitat has additional volunteer opportunities on our build site, committees and office. Please contact volunteer coordinator Frankie Feinstein to start volunteering today!
Shop at the ReStore
Items typically available in the ReStore include: • Windows & Doors • Cabinets • Light fixtures & ceiling fans • Paint • Plumbing supplies • Sinks, tubs, showers & toilets
• Floor coverings • Appliances • Countertops • Furniture • Tools and much more!
In-stock items change frequently so stop by often and browse our selection!
ReStore and Donation Drop Off: 3655 MT Highway 200 East East Missoula 406-549-8215 Wed - Sat 10am - 4pm www.habitatmsla.org
Donate Shop Volunteer
8 – Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Plastics Recycling
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hampoo and conditioner bottles are essential to our everyday grooming routines. But what about after the bottle runs dry? If you ask an environmental activist, he will likely mention pollution, waste and environmental degradation. Plastics play an important role in almost every aspect of our lives, from beverage containers to furniture. The largest amount of plastics is found in containers and packaging such as shampoo and conditioner bottles. Nondurable goods such as diapers, trash bags and utensils also contain plastic. Measuring the recycling rate of the different types of plastics can be difficult, but the overall rate is only about 9 percent, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA also reports that plastics make up almost 13 percent of the municipal solid waste stream, a dramatic increase from less than 1 percent in the 1960s.
About Recycling According to the American Chemistry Council, about 1,800 United States businesses handle or reclaim postconsumer plastics. Plastics set out for recycling first go a material recovery facility, where they are sorted by type and baled for delivery to a reclaiming facility. Once there, they are sorted again for any trash or dirt before being washed and ground into small flakes. Flakes are then dried, melted, filtered and formed into pellets that are shipped to product manufacturing pants where they are made into new plastic products.
This relatively simple process is waiting to re-purpose your old plastics, but obviously it can’t happen without your help.
By the Numbers Here are some facts about plastics, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. • 32 million tons of plastic waste was generated in 2012, representing 12.7 percent of total municipal solid waste • In 2012, the United States generated almost 14 million tons of plastics as containers and packaging, about 11 million tons as durable goods such as appliances, and almost 7 million tons as nondurable goods, such as plates and cups
• In 2012, the category of plastics which includes bags, sacks and wraps was recycled at about 12 percent.
The Canopy Project
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hrough various programs and initiatives, the Earth Day Network has impacted the environment in many ways. Its most far-reaching effort may be The Canopy Project. The project is aimed at protecting natural lands and preserving the environment by focusing on large-scale forestry. In 2012, the network committed to plant 10 million trees over the next five years in impoverished areas of the world. The Need for Trees With the reality of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and more frequent and violent storms and floods, the tree cover needed to prevent devastating soil erosion has never been more important,
according to the Earth Day Network. Trees also have a positive effect on the earth by filtering the air and helping to stave off the impact of climate change. Workers within The Canopy Project plant trees that help some of the world’s most impoverished communities reverse the impact of land degradation and provide food, energy and income opportunities. Major Achievements Over the past three years, The Canopy Project, has planted over 1.5 million trees in 18 countries. In the United States, projects to restore urban canopies have been completed in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland and Chicago. On a global basis, the Earth Day Network stepped up its efforts in Haiti,
where earthquakes caused landslides on deforested hillsides. The network planted 500,000 trees to curb some of the devastation. Additionally, in three high-poverty districts in central Uganda, the network planted 350,000 trees through The Canopy Project. The trees helped deliver food, fuel, fencing, and soil stability to local farmers, and also provided fuel wood, animal fodder, construction materials and intercropping. In one district, families planted trees for timber and to create living fences to protect their land from being seized by corrupt farmers. Efforts like these are in the works across the world as The Canopy Project looks to leave a plant-filled footprint on the environment.
Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015 – 9
Choose Your Leaders Wisely
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hile you should never underestimate your ability to impart change on a particular issue, it doesn’t hurt to have an elected leader in your corner. Governors, senators, representatives and mayors all have responsibilities to serve on behalf of those who have elected them into positions of prominence. They are at the forefront of addressing the impacts of climate change and other environmental challenges facing their communities while at the same time struggling to balance the daily requirements of their posts. So a simple reminder by you regarding important environmental issues may be welcome by your busy official.
Know the Issues Many issues fall under the Earth Day umbrella. From water conservation and habitat destruction to pesticide use and overfishing, it is important to know why and how these practices can affect your daily life. Policy is being passed on these issues and more, including transportation, green education, energy, recycling and waste reduction, advocacy and biodiversity. You can start by researching the most important issues facing your local community and expanding out from there. Soon you will have an expanse of knowledge on various topics that can help guide your opinions on action that needs to be taken. Research Candidates You can learn a lot about candidates by researching how they have voted on past environmental issues. By remaining current on these matters, you will be able to find out where a political leader’s opinions fall. Support your own research by attending public town hall events or subscribing to your local newspaper. Such mediums allow for current, in-depth information that can help make you a more informed voter and environmental activist. Interact with Officials Many elected officials and local leaders from across the globe participate in Earth Day events, especially if they are advocates for conservation or preservation. Find out where your local event will be taking place and research its itinerary on the web. There you can find out if any of your local officials will be making speeches or setting up informational booths. Interacting personally with your local leaders can do more good than you may realize. If you have an issue that you are passionate about, you may be able to influence future policy by letting your local leaders know your thoughts.
10 – Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Plenty to Do
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specially if you live near a major city, there are many ways to celebrate Earth Day. Perform an online search for “Earth Day” and the name of your closest city and you will be directed to community organizations that are busy putting the finishing touches on their celebrations. Get involved by volunteering or just check out the organization’s calendar of events to map out your Earth Day plans. Here are a few of the nation’s most prominent Earth Day celebrations:
Dallas Earth Day Texas (formerly tabbed Earth Day Dallas) is an annual, outdoor, free festival that encourages leaders in the corporate, academic and non-profit worlds to unite and promote green lifestyle choices. The event is generally held in the
heart of Dallas, sprawling across 500,000 square feet of both indoor and outdoor event space. More than 600 exhibitors and 60,000 guests are expected to attend this year’s event. Chicago Chicago’s 25th Annual Earth Day Parks & Preserves Clean-Up was a huge hit last year, inspiring community members to clean and green their local neighborhood areas. Supported by a large list of volunteers and sponsors, the event has grown in popularity. Find a participating park or preserve near you by visiting http:// www.earthdaychicago.com/ volunteer.html. Portland One of the largest in the nation, the Portland Earth Day celebration brings together more than 4,000
CFAC envisions a future where houses, farms, and ranches thrive; people are well-fed and food secure; family farms are sustainable, successful, and supported within a community food system; and farmers and ranchers can access the land they need.
406-880-0543 • www.missoulacfac.org 117 W. Broadway, Missoula - feel free to stop by!
people to a different community in the city every year. It is a communityorganized event that in 2014 featured more than 75 sustainable businesses and organizations. The event is regarded for its focus on youth education and its popular Soapbox Speakers’ Stage, which hosts industry-leading presenters as they speak about environmental issues. New York
Earth Day New York is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2015, with dozens of exhibits, family-friendly activities and live events in bustling Union Square. Earth enthusiasts also can get in on the organization’s first Earth Day New York 5K walk and seed planning event. Funds raised through the event will be earmarked for bolstering the group’s environmental programs.
Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015 – 11
Sustainable Travel
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o you’ve chosen a 2015 Earth Day event to attend. What about the other 364 days of the year? There are likely other aspects of your life that could use some finetuning to help lessen your impact on the environment. Let’s take travel for instance. How many miles are you driving per day? 50? 100? 200? The pollutants released by vehicles can greatly increase air pollution levels and greenhouse gas emissions that have been linked to a variety of health effects, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports, including premature mortality, cardiac symptoms and diminished lung function.
go green In order to curb the damaging impact of our current transportation choices, activists urge you to adopt a more sustainable method of travel. Doing so can help generate income and employment for travel destinations while protecting local ecosystems.
WHAT YOU CAN DO Incorporate some small steps, such as combining trips or using public transit, to make a difference. The CDC recommends the following steps you can take to improve the health of our environment, as well as encourage your friends and family members to take, as well. Try to incorporate a few of these recommendations into your daily life. You’ll be a traveling sustainably in no time.
Commute Alternatives • Walking and bicycling • Public transportation • Carpools • Van pools • Telework and alternate work schedules
Green Travel Tips • Use public transportation in your destination city. • Purchase electronic tickets. • Inquire about hotel van service and forgo renting a car. • Use Internet map services instead of printing maps. • Participate in hotel linen reuse programs. • Settle your accounts via the hotel’s electronic checkout program.
Earth Day in Missoula • UM Earth Week 2015 - Wednesday, April 22 , SustainaGANZA on the UM Oval, 10am-3pm. Greening UM Awards, 12 to 1 pm, UM Oval. ‘We CAN Bike’ Rally with UM CAN, 3 pm. Thursday, April 23 - Clark Fork River Symposium, MontPIRG hosts “What’s Wrong with Green? We Really Want to Know!” a Green Forum, 7 pm, UC 326. Friday, April 24 - Clark Fork River Symposium Volunteer Workday/BBQ, UM FLAT, 11-8pm. • MUD - Missoula Urban Demonstration Project - Sunday, April 26, 11am - 5pm , Caras Park, Free Admission. Music by Drye Spell & Dopdge Mountain Men. MUD Earth Day 5K, Start 11am, End 12pm, $25 race fee.
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12 – Earth Day – Wednesday, April 22, 2015