City's 'All Green' Stormwater Plan Raises Eyebrows at EPA

By TARYN LUNTZ of Greenwire
Published: December 24, 2009

....The New York City, for example, which averages an overflow a week, a rainy day means 500 million gallons of filthy discharges pouring into waterways, according to nonprofit watchdog group Riverkeeper. That foul brew contaminates drinking water, forces beach closures and pollutes shellfish beds.

Most cities are working with U.S. EPA to curb overflows as part of a mandate to cleanse waters to federal standards.

But the traditional options are expensive. Philadelphia, for one, found it would need to build a $10 billion sewage tunnel under the Delaware River to solve its overflow problem the standard way -- with so-called "gray" infrastructure.

So the city is proposing an alternate solution: Invest $1.6 billion to turn a third of the city green in the next 20 years. The plan involves replacing streets, parking lots and sidewalks with water-absorbing porous pavement, street-edge gardens and trees.
>> Read the rest

Nearly Half U.S. Lakes in Fair to Poor Condition

WASHINGTON, DC, December 18, 2009 (ENS) - The condition of 56 percent of the lakes in the United States is rated as good and the remaining 44 percent are in fair or poor condition, according to a draft study released by today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
>> See more

EPA's Proposed Effluent Limitation Guidelines Are Here

EPA announced last week the long-awaited proposed effluent guidelines for construction sites and released a pre-publication version (you can see it here). Once the guidelines are published in the Federal Register, comments are due to EPA within 90 days. For all of us who work in the erosion and sediment control field and whose work might be affected, it’s worth taking a look at the full document. But here, in a nutshell, are some of the highlights. The full title of the proposed rule is “Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards for the Construction and Development Point Source Category,” and its intent is to tighten controls on discharges from construction sites by establishing technology-based effluent limits and performance standards. First, the rule calls for non-numeric limitations that require all dischargers to provide erosion and sediment control BMPs, which are specified in the rule. Additionally, sites of 10 acres or more would need to have a sediment basin, or something that controls sediment to the same extent. For certain sites, though—“large sites located in areas of high rainfall energy and with soils with significant clay content”—EPA proposes a numeric turbidity limit of 13 NTUs. Because this level is hard to achieve with fine silty and clay soils by settling alone, EPA says such sites will probably need to use active treatment systems, such as the addition of chitosan or other polymers to promote flocculation, followed by some type of filtration. It also mentions electrocoagulation as a technology capable of reducing turbidity levels. The sites subject to this 13-NTU limit would include those of 30 acres or more with an average soil clay content of more than 10% and a rainfall erosivity factor (the “R” factor from the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation) of 50 or greater. (If you view the complete document, see Option 2 for more details on which sites would be subject to the numeric limit and what other possibilities EPA considered.) In areas for which the R factor hasn’t been calculated, total annual rainfall will be used as a criterion. (Discharge from rainfall exceeding the local 2-year, 24-hour storm, however, would be exempt from the limit.The proposal addresses the concern that polymers might be overused at some sites, and that discharges from those sites would be toxic. It judges the likelihood of this problem occurring to be low, however, citing the widespread use of polymers in wastewater treatment facilities. EPA is also asking for comment on setting a turbidity limit in the range of 50 to 150 NTUs, based on passive treatment. See the document for a discussion of this option. EPA says the rule will cost about $1.9 billion per year, and the document includes a detailed discussion of how it arrived at this figure.http://www.epa.gov/waterscience/guide/construction/

Managing Wet Weather with Green Infrastructure Action Strategy 2008

This Green Infrastructure Action Strategy is the product of collaboration among many agencies, organizations and individuals. The following organizations are primarily responsible for coordinating the development of this first iteration of the action strategy:

• American Rivers
• Association of State and Interstate Water Pollution Control Administrators
• National Association of Clean Water Agencies
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• The Low Impact Development Center
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

For more information on green infrastructure planning and implementation, and partnerships, visit the green infrastructure website at: www.epa.gov/npdes/greeninfrastructure
>>See Strategy
http://www.stormwaterpa.org/assets/media/benefits/gi_action_strategy.pdf

EPA Releases Final Specification for WaterSense New Homes

This will help homeowners increase water efficiency and save on their utility bills

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its final WaterSense single-family new homes specification today, creating the first national, voluntary, water-efficiency specification for an entire new home.

“Home builders can now partner with EPA and earn the WaterSense label for their newly built homes, helping to create livable communities and quality homes that are easy to maintain,” said Peter S. Silva, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. “These homes will save homeowners as much as $200 a year on utility bills compared to their current homes.” See WaterSense

Silva Cell Tech Makes for Safer Sidewalks and Healthier Trees

Silva Cell Tech Makes for Safer Sidewalks and Healthier Trees

Printable Batteries Made From Paper

Scientists have made batteries and supercapacitors with little more than ordinary office paper and some carbon and silver nanomaterials. The research, published online December 7 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, brings scientists closer to lightweight printable batteries that may one day be molded into computers, cell phones or solar panels. >>Read More

Shred, BOPAE and Medicine Recycle (not Attorneys at law)

------
November 21st is Shred Day! (yeah)

Keep Williamson County Beautiful will hold another Shred Day: grab all of your documents that are too personal to recycle and bring them to KWB Shred Day, yeah! Come to 420 Century Court 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. Bring documents that have identification numbers such as canceled checks, credit card statements, pay check stubs, insurance documents, IRS forms, marriage license (or not). If they’re not personal with ID numbers we won’t take them (don’t bother with newspapers, magazines or photos). Staples and clips are okay but no binders or clamps. Not bound and 1 inch thick or slimmer. Go to www.keepwilliamsonbeautiful.org for more details. (yeah!)



Medicine Collection: What do you do with medicine that you don’t use? Look in your medicine cabinet and when you see 2003 on the label, you know it’s too late to use that antibiotic. Do not flush them down the drain they will end up in our streams and rivers and might come full circle to our drinking water…water treatment plants may not have any effect on them. Keep expired medication from children and pets. Dispose of them before they reach the landfill or water supply. The Sheriff’s Office of Williamson County, in conjunction with the 21st Judicial Drug Task Force will participate in the City of Franklin’s Solid Waste Division disposal event on November 21st.

Citizens can just drive up and drop out your medications where they will be properly disposed of in accordance with local drug enforcement and environmental laws.

The event will be held November 21 from 8 a.m.—2 p.m. at the City of Franklin Solid Waste Division located at 417 Century Court, Franklin, Tennessee.

For more information, contact Hugh Tharpe, Williamson County Sheriff’s Office, at (615) 790-5554 or HughT@williamson-tn.org.


BOPAE is not a city in India: Come to 417 Century Court Nov. 23rd from 6:30 am-2 pm, City of Franklin’s Municipal Service Center. But what is BOPAE: it stands for Batteries, Oil, Paint, Anti-freeze and Electronics the ‘stuff’ you might have in your garage, cabinets, outbuildings, doghouse, outhouse, etc. that you walk by every day, not really knowing what to do with. You know you’re NOT supposed throw them in the landfill and you used to take to Williamson County Household Hazardous Waste Collection day (but because of budget considerations by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, collection days are down to one day a fiscal year: (it will be again next Springs 2010).

Items will be accepted from Williamson County Residents only and no commercial items can be accepted.

Please visit http://www.keepwilliamsonbeautiful.org/ for details about these collections.

Stormwater fees bring flood of objections

Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009
By: Cliff Hightower & Dave Flessner

Chattanoogans will have to pay more than $100 million in extra fees over the next five years to fix decades-old problems with clogged ditches, broken pipes and polluted runoff.

But many of those who will pay the bill for upgrading the city’s stormwater system say the price tag is too high — and was adopted too quickly.
>>More

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2009/nov/08/stormwater-fees-bring-flood-objections/?local

GREEN ON GREEN: Brentwood Home Page

by Don Green
Today's 3 Rs: Reduce, reuse and recycle
Most of us learned the 3 Rs as reading writing and arithmetic but lately they have been replaced with reduce, reuse and recycle.
Lewis Bumpus, director of Williamson County Solid Waste, says recycling should be the “last thing on your mind” (there is a country song in there somewhere). The first and most important thing we should think about is reducing what we buy, followed by reusing things.
Here are some suggestions to help you reuse, reduce and recycle thin:
>>More
GREEN ON GREEN: Brentwood Home Page

Visit BrentwoodHomePage for all your B.wood, TN news

Recovery Through Retrofit program offers numerous homeowner benefits

October 20, "Phoenix Green Business Examiner" by Brian Coppa.

On Monday, Vice President Biden released a new report entitled “Recovery Through Retrofit,” which expands upon related green building programs in the Recovery Act to increase job opportunities and offers numerous homeowner benefits such as dramatically enhanced energy savings nationwide by improving the energy efficiency of residences. The Department of Energy (DOE) also announced $454 million under the Recovery Act will be available through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program to support this endeavor.
>>More

Energy Conservation Grants

Nashville Business Journal - by Jeannie Naujeck Staff Writer

Small- to medium-sized cities in Tennessee can now apply for more than $9 million in federal stimulus funds to assist in conserving energy and reducing fossil fuel emissions.

The funds were made available Wednesday by Gov. Phil Bredesen and the Department of Economic and Community Development through the state’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The program offers $9.3 million in competitive grants to local governments, with a maximum grant amount of $100,000.
>>More

THE THIRD ANNUAL SUMMIT FOR A SUSTAINABLE TN

Forging new partnerships and solutions to key conservation issues will be the focus of the Third Annual Summit for a Sustainable TN, Nov. 13-14, 2009, at Ward Agricultural Center, Lebanon.
NOVEMBER 13-14, 2009 ~ WARD AGRICULTURAL CENTER ~ LEBANON, TN
>> More

Hamilton County: Health Department To Get "Green Roof" Through Federal Grant

October 15, 2009
Hamilton County has received a $616,500 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy of $616,500 to develop and implement projects to improve energy efficiency, including a new "green roof" at the Health Department.

The grant is also aimed at reducing energy use and fossil fuel emissions.

Initial projects approved by DOE also include an energy audit for county buildings; light bulb replacement in county parks; and a “Go Green” educational campaign for county employees and in elementary schools.
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_161037.asp

Household Hazardous Waste

Williamson County will not hold a fall Household Hazardous Waste Collection this year. The event is funded through the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and the budget allows for only one collection event this fiscal year. The next HHW event will be held in the spring.
Visit www.keepwilliamsonbeautiful.org for a listing of year round proper disposal of many items often brought to Household Hazardous Waste Collection one day events. The spring 2010 event and updated information related to environmental issues will be posted on the website.
Tennessee residents may attend any county's mobile collection provided by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Collection Schedule:
http://www.state.tn.us/environment/swm/pdf/hazcoll.pdf

States to be held more accountable for nutrient pollution

The shape of things to come:

By Karl Blankenship

States could be halted from issuing new discharge permits, while farmers, local governments-and even lawn owners-could be affected under a new federal plan to crack down on Bay pollution.....An EPA report says that two decades of voluntary cost-share and regulatory efforts had been insufficient to restore the Chesapeake's heath and were "not likely to be sufficient to ensure restoration of the Bay in a reasonable period of time."
The plan is a two-pronged approach. It would hold states accountable for nutrient reduction progress and would expand regulatory authority to force greater reductions from specific sources of pollution, such as stormwater and animal feedlots.
If states fall short, the EPA does not have direct authority to regulate nonpoint sources. Instead, the report suggests that the agency would crack down on activities that require permits to make up any shortfall in reductions from farms, septic systems and other largely unregulated sources of pollution. The agency believes the threat of further restrictions on regulated dischargers-which have already achieved the greatest reductions of any sector-would spur states to put adequate nonpoint source programs in place.

"Generally speaking, it will be very expensive to further reduce loadings from municipal and industrial wastewater dischargers" below limits already established, the report said. But it added that if states don't control other sources of pollution "such further reductions from municipal and industrial dischargers may be necessary."

Ordering further reductions for those facilities, the report said, could cost municipal treatment plants across the watershed $6.8 billion, and industries $246 million. >>See More

http://www.bayjournal.com/article.cfm?article=3672

Tennessee to Hold Series of Hearings on Prospective New Energy Code

After the passage of legislation in June updating the state's energy codes, the Tennessee Fire Marshal's office will be holding public hearings (schedule below) throughout the state on the prospective regulations. Among the proposed changes:

1. The state Fire Marshal's office will adopt the new state commercial and residential energy codes, which will be based on a combination of the IECC and either the IBC (commercial) or IRC (residential). This combination will be chosen from either the 2006 or 2009 code series.
2. In local jurisdictions that have already adopted codes equivalent to or exceeding the 2006 IECC, the new state codes are not required to be adopted.
3. The state will enforce the IECC for residential and commercial buildings in jurisdictions that do not have inspection programs, but only in those that do not choose to opt out of the state code with a two-thirds vote of the local governing body.
4. Jurisdictions that do have their own inspection program may adopt any edition of the IRC within 7 years of the latest published edition of the IRC. They can enforce any edition of the IECC that is within 7 years of the latest published edition or enforce Chapter 11 (energy efficiency) of an edition of the IRC that is within 7 years of the latest published edition of the IRC.
5. The provisions of the new state code will sunset in 2014.

PUBLIC HEARING SCHEDULE:

Knoxville: October 8 at 1:00pm ET
University of TN Conference Center, 4th Floor dining Room
600 Henley Street

Chattanooga: October 9 at 9:00am ET
Chattanooga Marriott at the Convention Center Ballroom H/I/J
Two Carter Plaza

Jackson: October 13 at 1:00pm CT
West Tennessee Ag Research and Education Center, Room 150
605 Airways Boulevard

Nashville: October 15 at 1:00pm CT
Davy Crockett Tower, Room 160
500 James Robertson Parkway

Philly plan uses green tech to reduce storm runoff

The Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - The city of Philadelphia is proposing a $1.6 billion effort over the next two decades to use porous pavement, rain gardens, green roofs and thousands of new trees to absorb or at least delay billions of gallons of rainwater that overwhelms the urban sewer system each year. >> Read More

Tennessee solar farm project awaits federal approval

The State Building Commission will meet Thursday to decide whether to spend $40 million to buy land for a 1,700-acre industrial park in West Tennessee, an area that would be a cornerstone of Gov. Phil Bredesen's plan to transform Tennessee into a center of the solar energy industry.
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But as of late last week, a related proposal — to build a 20-acre solar farm that would draw attention to the site — still had not been cleared by federal officials, nearly four months since it was announced.
>>More

Plastics: Part One

Don’t Recycle
You might think that is a drastic statement, but recycling should be the last thing on your mind especially when you say the nasty work “Plastic”, which if you remember Dustin Hoffman and “koo koo ka choo, Mrs. Robinson”, you know that was the key word for his future ”Plastics”, along with TV dinners, saucer shaped houses and flying cars (by the way, I’ve been waiting a long time for my flying car, but that’s another column). Now plastics have made our lives easier, but have also become a bane of our existence. Plastics have changed our lives big time, saved money on shipping, manufacturing, some are pretty durable for shipping, a big part of our cars, etc. But when our culture has long been buried like “Planet of the Apes” (another movie reference for the baby boomers, eh?), what will our legacy be other than “Plastics”, Good, Bad, or Ugly.

Petroleum
To create plastics requires petroleum, 70% from natural gas, a non-renewable natural resource (it’s like ‘land’; they don’t make any more it). We’ve been trying to wean our society from using petroleum, gasoline, like trying to wean those wily squirrels in our yard from eating the pears from our pear tree (another column?). You might say, “Well, we have made a concerted effort to try and recycle the plastic we use”:
“Wrong!”
Then why do I find myself digging into trash cans at all kinds of events to rescue bottles from the landfill (along with aluminum cans, uck!) Believe me, there is still a considerable amount of plastic filling up our landfills: Did you know nationally, less than 6 percent of all plastic gets recycled, compared to recycling rates of 50 percent for paper, 37 percent for metals and 22 percent for glass, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency? Only about 37 percent of soft drink bottles and 28 percent of milk and water bottles are recycled the rest ends up as trash; and that’s the crux of this column, and you say “Finally”!

Plastics in our Environment
Toxic chemicals leach from the ubiquitous plastic (see BPA below) we throw away and can end up in our streams and rivers. These plastic bottles and plastic sacks are “photodegradable” which means the sun “slowly’ breaks down the plastic to smaller and smaller pieces which becomes food and ‘poison’ for for all sorts of critters such as turtles, fish, frogs, birds, etc. So all these plastic sacks in the trees and bottles in the ditches do more than just trash our lives!
They poison our lives.

There is a large floating island of trash in the Pacific Ocean, called a ‘gyre’ (about the twice the size of Texas) made of 90% plastic flotsam and the plastic is slowly breaking down and slowing poisoning any animals there. http://greatgreengadgets.com/gadgets/2009/02/16/the-widening-gyre-of-plastic-pollution-in-the-ocean/

Water Bottles
Plastic water bottles have become a common place item in this world of ‘Exercise. Stay fit. Stay hydrated. Stay hydrated…Seems, now a days, we all need to have water close to us and it seems everyone is selling bottled water, but the water in the bottles has less over-sight and/or guarantee of safety than the water that comes out of your water tap (some of the water in these bottles actually come from Your tap water: read the label!). Yes, we all need to stay hydrated, but say no to the plastic bottles.

Reuse
Make sacrifices: buy a reusable metal bottle--aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s--or hard plastic made in the good old USA, BPA free (‘Bisphenol A’ has been linked to health problems) and fill it up with tap water....let it set for a while to get rid of the chlorine taste or put some lemon in it……and when it’s gone, refill it again.
Sacrifice! Or get a good water filter; you’ll save money in the long run.

Tune in next week folks for Plastics Part Two: Reducing and Recycling in Brentwood
Keep those cards and letters.
(See this also at www.BrentwoodHomepage.com)

Rain Garden Man!

Skip Heibert, Landscape Architect Sublime, made a presentation concerning rain gardens to the Hillview Estates Homeowner’s Association to an enthusiastic crowd last Monday, August 24th. It was entitled “A Homeowner’s Introduction to Rain Gardens”.
Here are Skip's six steps to installing a rain garden:

1. Understanding how a rain garden works.
2. Choosing a location.
3. Testing the soil.
4. Sizing the rain garden.
5. Choosing plants.
6. Constructing the rain garden.

His goal was to get at least one homeowner excited enough to install a rain garden this fall. After a round of questions, he believes there will be at least 3 rain gardens in Hillview Estates next spring.

Skip would be happy to make the presentation to other interested organizations.

Contact information:
Skip Heibert, ASLA, LEED AP
Heibert & Associates, LLC
Suite 400
1894 General George Patton Drive
Franklin, TN 37067-4665
615.376.2421
sheibert@heibertla.com
(See Skip modeling solar panels downtown Franklin: http://environmentgreen.blogspot.com/2009/07/redux-solar.html)

Duke Energy to Build Ninth U.S. Wind Farm

Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) continues to add to its renewable power portfolio with the announcement that it will build and operate a 200-megawatt wind energy project near Casper, Wyo. The Top of the World...
Windpower Project will be the company's ninth U.S. wind farm and its fourth in Wyoming.

Duke Energy will construct the Top of the World project on approximately 17,000 acres of private and public land it holds under long-term lease in Converse County. The project - expected to reach commercial operation by the end of 2010 - will generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of 50,000 to 60,000 homes on an annual basis. >>More

KWB Living Green Expo: August 29, 2009

Be a part of Keep Williamson Beautiful’s Living Green Expo, August 29, 2009.
This event is KWB’s endeavor to educate the people of Williamson County as to how companies can contribute to making their lives cleaner and greener.
The event will be held at the Factory at Franklin where hundreds of people shop daily. On Saturday mornings there is a Farmers Market on the grounds of the Factory where environmentally aware shoppers gather for fresh vegetables and more. These same people will be an audience green companies will want to attract. In addition this will be KWB’s Environmental Leader class graduation and our annual volunteer appreciation event. Judge Larry Potter, presiding judge of the Memphis/Shelby County Environmental Court will be the speaker and we expect a large crowd to hear this 2006 Keep America Beautiful Iron Eyes Cody Award recipient.

California to Mandate Recycling for Businesses, Apartments

The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that if half of the 5.5 million tons of recyclable material dumped by large businesses, apartment complexes and mobile home parks were reused, the state could save space in landfills and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by the equivalent of taking almost 1 million cars off the road.
(see more)

Nissan to launch electric car in Tennessee

By Mike Pare for the Chattanooga Times Free Press
A top Nissan official in the U.S. said Monday that Tennessee is one of the first locations where it will sell its new all-electric car after it arrives in late 2010.
The company would like to make the car and its batteries in Smyrna. The Chattanooga area is in line for electric refueling infrastructure for the new vehicle, said Mark Perry, director of product planning and strategy for Nissan North America.

Home Depot: Partner in Sustainable Housing

A partnership/pilot project between Home Depot Foundation and Habitat for Humantity started last year resulted in 260 sustainable houses. Some of the houses were LEED Platinum. Preliminary results shows a 15 to 30 % energy savings. The partnership started in 30 affiliates and now is looking to go national in the coming months. Read More

Washington State Decision Makes LID Mandatory

By Henrietta H. P. Locklear; she is with AMEC Earth and Environmental Inc. in Raleigh, NC.
LID, low impact development, are techniques used to reduce the impact of stormwater runoff by using green practices, such as wetlands, rain gardens, vegetative roofs, etc. In Washington state, LID poised to being implemented on a more-widespread basis. A decision in a Washington state lawsuit over National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit language, issued in August 2008, concludes that the Washington “Phase I Permit must be modified to require the use of LID where feasible, as it is necessary to meet the MEP [maximum extent practicable] and AKART [all known and reasonable technology] standards of federal and state law, respectively” (Pollution Control Hearings Board, PCHB, 2008). Because of the ruling, Phase I permittees in Washington will now require new developments to implement these green infrastructure practices, LID, where feasible. The Phase I ruling is the first decision that directly requires LID to be implemented through means of an NPDES permit. The Washington decision itself notes that the EPA has not required LID, but is increasingly supporting it through publications, fact sheets, and its Web site (PCHB 2008). >>See more http://www.stormh2o.com/july-august-2009/washington-state-decision-1.aspx or see more about LID, sustainablity or other environmental issues at my web site:http://www.dongreenenvironmental.com/index.html

In-Home Energy Evaluation

Nashville Electric Service, NES, in partnership with TVA, offers the In-Home Energy Evaluation. Reduce your power usage and receive cash incentives for installing energy-efficiency improvements.

Participants pay an up-front fee of $150 for the evaluation. If any recommended improvements are made over $150, the fee will be reimbursed. Plus, you will be reimbursed 50% of the installation cost up to $500. >>More
http://www.nespower.com/home_evaluation.aspx

Going GREEN Better for the Environment and your Health

With increasing technology and public initiatives, many cities and states are moving towards a green paradigm, insuring that environmental sustainability is on the minds of officials and citizens. Living in a world where environmental sustainability is a vital concern to the future of mankind, it is important to take note of the consequences of improper building materials and environmental degradation.

Many older homes may still harvest obsolete and corrosive building materials which can create health concerns. Used throughout the 20^th century, asbestos became one of most sought after building applications in the world. Asbestos is the name given for a group of fibrous minerals that were mined for their qualities as fire resistant, insulation and high durability. Commonly used to insulate boilers and pipes, most homes built after 1980 could harvest asbestos or other environmental defected insulation techniques. If any asbestos is suspected, the best advice is to leave it un-disturbed. Touching or breaking it off may cause it to become damaged and release its fibers into the air.

If any asbestos is suspected, the best advice is to leave it un-disturbed. Touching or breaking it off may cause it to become damaged and release its fibers into the air. Deteriorated or disturbed asbestos can cause a slew of health problems, such as malignant mesothelioma. With a latency period that lasts 20 to 50 years, it isn’t until the later stages of progression when physicians usually are able to accurately diagnose this disease. Due to the fact many symptoms are similar to less serious ailments, mesothelioma diagnosis is one of the more difficult tasks physicians encounter.

A catalyst for homes, schools, industries, universities and businesses, the diversity of enterprises is driven by a common bound to move to a greener, more sustainable form of living. With growing education and technology in green sustainable energy and building resources, many locations in the U.S. are swiftly changing their construction practices to suit the environment and the health of human beings. Most people are unaware to the fact that eco-friendly products can cut energy costs by 25 % per year. Due to these recycled materials, waste is decreasing in crowded landfills. On February 17, 2009, congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act into law. Included in this act were extensions of the Energy Efficiency Tax Incentives first enacted in 2005 as well as some new tax credits for people building or remodeling their homes using eco-friendly or “green” materials. Green alternatives to asbestos include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose. Cotton fiber is becoming a favorite insulation method. Made from recycled batted material, it is then treated to be fireproof. These green options have the same beneficial qualities as asbestos, minus the health deteriorating and toxic components. These options allow for a safe, environmentally sustainable home, free of any health corroding materials.
Paul James,
Mesothelioma Cancer Center

Chemicals That Eased One Woe Worsen Another

Hydroflurocarbons (HFC) have been widely used as substitute for chlorofluorocarbons, CFCs, (chemicals used in air conditioners, refrigerators, etc.) and other chemicals that have been targeted as depleting the ozone layer (the layer that protects the earth from UV radiation - cancer causing sun rays). HFCs are a much more powerful greenhouse gas contributor than CO2 and are now potentially creating a problem.
According to the recent paper, there will soon be many more of HFCs used, as developing countries become more prosperous and their people buy vehicles and air conditioners.
From David A. Fahrenthold
Washington Post Staff Writer Monday, July 20, 2009

Green Infrastructure Webcast on Green Streets and Operation & Maintenance

Green Infrastructure Webcast on Green Streets and Operation &
Maintenance: Tuesday, July 28, 2009, 1:00 - 3:00 pm Eastern

Green Highways and Green Streets are increasingly becoming critical elements of community strategies to create a sustainable infrastructure for the 21st Century. The integration of green technologies into street right-of-ways is allowing communities to develop innovative approaches
for stormwater retrofits of urban areas that incorporate many of the benefits of Green Infrastructure, including urban heat island reduction, job creation, and energy savings.
This webcast will also include numerous lessons learned from Seattle's experience, and examples of O&M manuals developed for specific projects.

This EPA webcast will be held June 28, 2009 from 1:00 to 3:00 Eastern time. To sign up for this free webcast, go to www.epa.gov/npdes/training

Nancy Arazan
ORISE Fellow
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Water Permits Division
Washington, DC
202.564.1045
www.epa.gov/greeninfrastructure
http://picasaweb.google.com/buildgreeninfrastructure/

Wal Mart Moves to Grade Suppliers on Sustainability

Wal-Mart is set to announce a new sustainability index that will grade various suppliers and products by a range of environmental and sustainable factors. It will lead manufacturers to label their products in such a way that lets consumers easily discern the sustainability of one product over the other. Walmart has developed a a consortium which will be led by the University of Arkansas and Arizona State University. Additionally, faculty at Duke, Harvard, the University of Michigan, the University of California at Berkeley and Stanford have also been involved in planning the index. They have also invited Costco, Target and Kroger to join the sustainability consortium that will have a hand in crafting the index. Unless you look at the entire life cycle of the product, you just can’t measure the environmental impact.
This is a big step for them.
From Marc Gunther "The Big Money"

Solar Redux

I attended "Flip The Switch" at 438 Main Street in Franklin today. Karen Noel Cochran, a member of the Franklin Sustainability Task Force, flipped the switch on her 64 SunPower 230 watt 4.7kW photovoltaic solar electric system atop her Five Points building.
Skip Heibert on top of the building
This system, designed and installed by LightWave Solar Electric, LLC is the second largest in the Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Coop. district (MTEMC). At peak it produces @ 14.7 kW per day; this will offset the energy costs of her Five Points Franklin properties at least $3,850 a year. The project was granted a TN Clean Energy Technology, TN-CET, grant (a Federal Energy Investment Tax Credit) that will pay for 40 percent of the system, a 30 percent tax credit, and a federal five-year accelerated depreciation benefit (MACRS): altogether it will cover approximately 85% of the cost of the system. These programs, TN Small Business Energy Loan and Tennessee Clean Energy Technology Grant Program are reimbursement programs and the system has to be built and certified, by TVA or MTEMC, prior to being eligible for the loan or grant.
TVA gives credit of 22 cents above the normal general power rate for all the power generated by the solar system; this means Mrs.Cochran can sell back the power not used at 22 cents above the current going rate.

The solar panel's performance is monitored and managed in real-time via the SunPower online monitoring system, which can be viewed inside the Starbucks at Five points or on the Internet, when it is up and running. You can also see the power being produced by the photovoltaic system installed at Bells Bend Nature Center/Metro Parks.

Solar in Tennessee

FYI
Tennessee has the world largest manufacture of solar (photovoltaic) panels in Memphis: Sharp Solar (albeit they sell @ 75% of them outside the US!). In 2008 that company was joined by Shoals Technologies, Inc. which established headquarters and manufacturing operations for solar panels in Gallatin, TN and Hemlock Semiconductor announced plans to build a $1.2 billion (with a B) facility for manufacture of ultra pure polycrystalline silicon in Clarksville, TN in December 2008 (polycrystalline silicon is used as a semiconductor material in solar panels). A competitor of Hemlock, Wacker Chemi AG of Munich, Germany announced plans to build a $1 Billion dollar (B again) polycrystalline silicon operation in Cleveland, TN in early 2009.
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The word Photovoltaic is a combination of the Greek word for Light and the name of the physicist Allesandro Volta. It identifies the direct conversion of sunlight into energy by means of solar cells.>>more

Solar cells are composed of various semiconducting materials. Semiconductors are materials, which become electrically conductive when supplied with light or heat, but which operate as insulators at low temperatures.
See June 10th Energy Audit click here

State GREENLegislation

Governor signed this bill a little over a week ago!
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Senate Bill 1919 by *Johnson, Overbey, Faulk, Marrero B, Finney L. (House Bill 1468 by *Shepard, Gilmore, Cooper B, Hackworth.)

Planning, Public - As introduced, incorporates the use of green building design, sustainable infrastructure, and energy efficiency technologies into the powers authorities are authorized to exercise for redevelopment projects. - Amends TCA Section 13-20-202.

Bill Summary
Present law authorizes a housing authority to establish a redevelopment project and lists the powers the housing authority has to carry out the project, such as:

(1) Installing, constructing, or reconstructing parks, public open spaces, public playgrounds, pedestrian ways, and parking garages in accordance with a redevelopment plan; and(2) Paying expenses for relocation, administrative costs, planning and engineering costs and legal expenses associated with carrying out a redevelopment plan.

This bill clarifies that the housing authority may install, construct, or reconstruct the structures listed above in (1), "regardless of use." This bill further clarifies that in addition to the expenses listed above in (2), the housing authority may pay any energy efficiency costs associated with carrying out a redevelopment plan. This bill adds the following powers a housing authority has to carry out a redevelopment project:

(1) Pay leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED) costs, commissioning costs, costs of required documentation to meet LEED or other similar programs, and fees associated with commissioning, as well as greening costs and energy modeling costs for LEED certification or similar programs;
(2) Install, construct, add to, improve or reconstruct public infrastructure; and
(3) Take all other necessary actions designed to further the goals and local objectives articulated in a redevelopment plan.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the provision described above in the bill summary in (1) regarding paying costs to specify that the housing authority may pay the design costs, commissioning costs and fees, and costs of required documentation associated with meeting the requirements of LEED, Green Globes or other similar programs as well as greening costs and energy modeling costs for certification by such programs of both new construction, existing buildings and other projects.

The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009

The House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act with an 219 to 212 vote. .

Now is the time to tell your Senator to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act

“The American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009,” is comprehensive energy legislation. The legislation will create millions of new clean energy jobs, save consumers hundreds of billions of dollars in energy costs, enhance America’s energy independence, and cut global warming pollution.
The legislation has four titles:
(1) “Clean energy”: promotes renewable sources of energy and carbon capture and sequestration technologies, low-carbon transportation fuels, clean electric vehicles, and the smart grid and electricity transmission; (2) “Energy efficiency”: increases energy efficiency across all sectors of the economy, including buildings, appliances, transportation, and industry; (3) "Global warming”: places limits on the emissions of heat-trapping pollutants; and (4) "Transitioning”: protects U.S. consumers and industry and promotes green jobs during the transition to a clean energy economy.
Check out a complete summary

From: TRANSIT NOW NASHVILLE

Take Action: Transportation bill moving fast!
Congress is about to pour billions of dollars into transportation. But we can't just throw money at the problem the same way we have been - we need smart investments.

The U.S. hasn't had a vision for transportation policy in decades. We've been trying to build our way out of a congested and inefficient system with no accountability and no actual plan to link our roads, trains, busses, bikeways and pedestrian-friendly streets. But the new transportation bill released this week needs to change all that.

Fill out the form at T4America.org to tell your member of Congress to ensure that our country's transportation investments strengthen our economy, our environment and our health.

3rd Annual Dragon Boat Race and River Festival!

Sign up today for the 3rd Annual Nashville
Dragon Boat Race and River Festival!
On Saturday, August 22nd, the Cumberland River Compact and the Tennessee Scenic Rivers Association are hosting the 3rd Annual Dragon Boat Races and River Festival at Riverfront Park, in Downtown Nashville. The purpose of the event is to promote the health of the Cumberland River and raise awareness of the work of these great organizations.

Organize a team!
Put together a competitive team of friends, coworkers, family members, or colleagues and try your hand at paddling a Dragon Boat for 250 meters down the Cumberland River. Each team is made up of 22 members and receives one practice session in the week before the event. To sign-up a team, click here to contact Brooke or give her a call at 615.430.4900. The cost is the same as the last two years: $1250!

The mission of the Cumberland River Compact is to enhance the water quality of the Cumberland River and its tributaries through education and by promoting cooperation among citizens, businesses, and agencies in Kentucky and Tennessee.
http://www.nashvilledragonboat.com/home.html

See YouTube from TeamGreen

KWB Living Green Expo: August 29, 2009

Be a part of Keep Williamson Beautiful’s Living Green Expo, August 29, 2009. This event is KWB’s endeavor to educate the people of Williamson County as to how companies can contribute to making their lives cleaner and greener.
The event will be held at the Factory at Franklin where hundreds of people shop daily. On Saturday mornings there is a Farmers Market on the grounds of the Factory where environmentally aware shoppers gather for fresh vegetables and more. These same people will be an audience green companies will want to attract. In addition this will be KWB’s Environmental Leader class graduation and our annual volunteer appreciation event. Judge Larry Potter, presiding judge of the Memphis/Shelby County Environmental Court will be the speaker and we expect a large crowd to hear this 2006 Keep America Beautiful Iron Eyes Cody Award recipient.
Read More and be a vendor!
http://www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=1599

Emerson Quote

"All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen."
— Ralph Waldo Emerson, poet

Residential In-Home Energy Evaluation

Middle Tennessee Electric Corporation, MTEMC, in partnership with TVA, offers the In-Home Energy Evaluation. Reduce your power usage and receive cash incentives or financing assistance for installing energy-efficiency improvements.
Participants pay an up-front fee of $150 for the evaluation. If any recommended improvements are made over $150, the fee will be reimbursed. Plus, you will be reimbursed 50% of the installation cost up to $500 (thanks to Miles for reminding me about this).>>More Info

Nashville Electric Service, NES
Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audit
Just complete a “do-it-yourself” home energy audit and you’ll receive a free Energy Conservation Kit in the mail!(I've done this!) >>More

Don't Throw that used TV in the landfill

Don't Throw that used TV in the landfill: Recycle it!
* 100% of the materials used to manufacture electronics can be recycled and diverted from land fill.

* Analog TVs contains a picture tube (cathode ray tube) which contains between four and eight pounds of lead.
Williamson County Recycles:
http://www.franklin-gov.com/pdf/tv%20and%20computer%20recycling.pdf

House again delays vote on statewide building code

June 9, 2009 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - A vote on Gov. Phil Bredesen's proposal to impose a minimum residential building code around the state has been delayed in the House.
Several lawmakers representing about 60 counties that have no building codes have tried to exempt their districts from the bill.
(see Energy bill needs help below)
>>> More

Go out tonight: Brentwood Environmental Committee Meeting

Tonight's meeting is set aside for public input beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Annex Room at the Brentwood Municipal Center. Everyone should try to be there to listen and give your input.
Survey
Before you go please take a few minutes to answer a survey of your thoughts on Brentwood's environment and sustainablity: Click Here for Survey

Energy bill needs help, Call today!

Today: June 8, 2009: Voting is Tomorrow!!!
The Tennessee Clean Energy Future Act, an initiative of the administration's Energy Task Force, needs our help. Please contact your House members and others who may be appropriate and urge them to vote for the bill without weakening amendments. The bill has passed the Senate comfortably but has run into trouble in the House.
Contact your House member: if you don't know them, go to http://www.capitol.tn.gov/legislators/ and put in your address and it will bring up your house and senate rep. Email and call them. Tell them to vote for the bill and against the amendments that opt out counties for the state building codes.

Some house members oppose the energy code requirements, which call for International Residential Code (IRC) adoption statewide. It will be helpful to stress that a statewide code not only improves energy efficiency, but also sets the minimum level for the Health and Safety of Tennessee homes. I understand that some in the House are reluctant to impose this regulation on counties when in the past, they have always been encouraged to let the counties have a choice in whether or not to participate.
Many of our counties do NOT have any kind of building codes!! This will put minimum codes to all the counties and will protect many home buyers from buying/building houses that could be unsafe and energy 'hogs'! The extra cost of satisfying the codes will be made up quickly by savings on energy bills and if and when they sell, the house will bring considerably more. A no Brainer.

BrentWord Communications LLC

Congratulations on Susan Leathers and Kelly Gilfillan new endeavor: they are now formally "BrentWord Communications LLC" (and I didn't even bring a gift)!

What does sustainability really mean?

In 1987 publication of Our Common Future by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development (also known as the Brundtland commission). The report defined sustainability as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Did you ever think that we could over fish our oceans? During the early period of our nation's history, I don't think anyone thought we could cut down our forests like we have. What we do now with our landscape may not effect us but it will leave problems with our children and grandchildren. Some of the cities/counties' actions, or non-actions, have effected us today: uncontrolled sprawl; counties/cities without building codes, etc. Be informed and make sure you are a part of these decisions by your actions and voting!

Brentwood Journal: Green is the Word!

Brentwood Journal featured a story on the Green Committee (quotes not withstanding):
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090603/COUNTY0903/906030303/0/COUNTY09/Brentwood+seeks+green+ideas

10 Things you can do to Prevent Water Pollution

1) Take a soil sample to UT Ag Extension Office to find out how much fertilizer your lawn needs. Too much will end up fertilizing your neighbor's lawn or will wash into the stormwater system and becomes a pollutant and costs you money!
2) Never dump anything down storm drains or in the streams. Anything you put on your driveway can end up in the streams or rivers.
3) Mow the grass clippings into the yard and compost your yard waste.
4) Read the label on all pesticides and herbicides and follow the directions and learn how to prevent pest problems.
5) Direct downspouts away from paved surfaces; consider a rain garden or rain barrels to capture stormwater.
6) Take your car to the car wash or wash them on your lawn instead of in your driveway.
7) Check your car for leaks and recycle your motor oil.
8) Pick up after your pet.
9) Have your septic tank pumped and system inspected regularly.
10) Keep soil on your site by stabilizing all bare spots. Soil is the state's number one pollutant.

Towne Centre T H E A T R E

You don't have to drive all the way to Nashville or Franklin to see a well done live performance! Go to http://www.townecentretheatre.com/ (turn the volume down when you go there!)
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Environmental Committee reminder: A public input meeting will be held on June 9, 2009 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Annex Room at the Brentwood Municipal Center. Everyone should try to be there to listen and give your input.
Survey
Please take a few minutes to answer a survey of your thoughts on Brentwood's environment and sustainablity: Click Here for Survey

Brentwood Town Center

Apparently Brentwood's Town Center is starting to come alive. Visit it and save gas. Combine trips. As the old saying goes: Think globally and buy locally, or something like that. You can only change things here! As Margaret Mead once said: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Visit Susan Leather's blog to see the "Amazing day in down town Brentwood": http://brentword.blogspot.com/

Program Aimed At Keeping Energy Bills Down

Program Aimed At Keeping Electric Bills Down
Posted: May 27, 2009 05:34 PM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Tennessee Valley Authority, Middle Tennessee Electric and Nashville Electric Service are teaming up to help residents save hundreds of dollars this summer.
A program called ‘In Home Energy Evaluation Program' helps residents save money on bills and cut back on the cost of building a substation supplying energy to homes.

Saving Energy by Saving Water!

Energy production in the U.S. requires more water than any other sector. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 48% of water withdrawals in the United States are used for thermoelectric power production. In addition, water is used for growing biofuels or in the extraction of coal, petroleum and natural gas. To illustrate this connection, consider that a hundred-watt light bulb turned on in drought-stricken Atlanta, Georgia for 10 hours results in the consumption of 1.65 gallons of water.

Arlington Cemetery

This is the weekend to remember those that give to make sure we are all still free!

Environmental Expo Aug. 29, 2009

Keep Williamson County Beautiful, KWB, is sponsoring an Environmental Expo at the Factory in Franklin on August 29th and they are looking for vendors to make it a viable event. I think the price is $150 but not sure.
KWB sponsored an Environmental Leaders class in March for individuals to learn about sustainable issues and how to better treat this world or ours and make it a cleaner, greener and better for future generations.
A volunteer recognition celebration will be held at the Expo and a guest speaker, Larry E. Potter, presiding judge of the Memphis/Shelby County Environmental Court, recipient of 2006 Keep America Beautiful's Iron Eyes Cody Award. Potter became the first Environmental Court judge in Tennessee in 1983, to serve as a "bridge over troubled water" for matters relating to the health and quality of life of our citizens. Judge Larry Potter is considered a national authority on environmental law. He has traveled around the country assisting other cities in forming their own environmental courts.

If you are interested in having a table, please contact Jo Ann Jackson 790-5848, JoAnnJ@williamson-tn.org, or if you just have questions.
Keep Williamson Beautiful 420 Century Court,
Franklin, TN 37064

Environmental Quality Coordinating Committee

At the last meeting of the Brentwood's Environmental Quality Coordinating Committee they decided to have a public input session at their next meeting on June 9th, 2009. The meeting is designed to gather input and ideas from Brentwood residents to help the committee develop goals and strategies to recommend to the city.
You can follow the committee meetings at this web site http://www.brentwood-tn.org/index.aspx?page=416 and/or come to the regular scheduled meetings and see it in actions.

The public input meeting will be held on June 9, 2009 beginning at 6:00 p.m. in the Annex Room at the Brentwood Municipal Center. Everyone should try to be there to listen and give your input.

Survey
The committee asks everyone in Brentwood to please take a few minutes to answer a survey of your thoughts on Brentwood's environment and sustainablity: Click Here for Survey

Solar and Wind Systems Tax Credits

Homeowners or businesses that install qualifying solar energy and wind systems are eligible for a federal tax credit that can mean substantial savings on their tax bills. Recent federal legislation removed the cap on the credit amount that was previously applied to photovoltaic (PV) and solar water heating systems.
Businesses are also eligible for renewable energy grants from the U.S. Treasury Department equal to 30 percent of the solar system cost. Businesses may choose either the tax credit or the grant. Residential consumers are not eligible for the grant.

What types of wind systems are eligible?
Qualifying small wind systems must have a capacity of 100 kilowatts or less and may be installed at a home, farm, or business. The credits are available for home systems placed in service from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2016.

Learn more?
For additional information, see these websites:
Tax Incentives Assistance Project: http://www.dsireusa.org
Solar Energy Industries Association: http://www.seia.org
American Wind Energy Association: http://www.awea.org

LEED V3

• Here is Pat Flynn's, LEED AP, with Intheleed.com, attempt to make sense of LEED Version 3 if you are a current LEED AP or thinking about it:
  http://www.intheleed.com/leed-v3-credentials-green-associate-ap-specialty-test-taking-information/

LEED Certification

• Check out this 5.16.09 Memphis Commercial Appeal article by Don Wade about a West Tennessee Independent Bank branch in Germantown that has received the silver level LEED Certification.
  http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2009/may/16/bank-sees-leed-as-smart-investment/

• The Gulch is the first neighborhood in the South to receive "LEED for Neighborhood Development" certification from the United States Green Building Council, USGBC.
  http://www.nashvillegulch.com/whatsnew/index.html
  

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Check out USGBC Middle Tennessee Chapter. We do a lot good stuff here to promote and educate more sustainable ways to treat our world. Join us in this endeavor!
http://chapters.usgbc.org/middletn/

Read our April newsletter:
http://chapters.usgbc.org/middletn/Docs/pdf/Newsletters/Newsletter%20April%202009.pdf

What is LEED?
http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=1988

To Sustain

Sustainability is a word that's been thrown about lately and many cities are making a definite attempt to sustain! Some thinks that this means they will get curb side recycling, hopefully paid for by the city, because it is really hard to pack everything up and take it to the drop off site: they can then go to bed at night with a clear conscience that they have made their attempt to sustain....to address the planet that's in stress. Who would have ever thought that this large planet of ours and these deep oceans could ever be stressed to the point that they can not recover....!
In the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development report of 1987, they define sustainability as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". This is a very good description of it.

Recycling
Lewis Bumpus, County Solid Waste Director, has always said that recycling is the last thing we should consider in the way we 'treat' our 'products'. We should first ask ourselves 'do we need this product?' Can we buy less? Can we buy smarter: (goods with less or no packaging. goods that can be reused; goods that once reached their useful lifespan will not be disposed of in a landfill)? Instead of 'getting rid' of a product can we reuse it? And the last resort is to consider recycling it or disposing of it as trash or Class A waste that is put in a landfill.