The sustainability
revolution on the Palouse, in the Valley and on the Prairie
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Crisis in Nigeria How a Moscow business used lessons learned in Idaho to save lives half a world a way Lewiston Tribune | Moscow-Pullman Daily News || May 2011
INSIDE GREEN BUSINESS DIRECTORY
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10 USES FOR NWGOINGGREEN ONCE YOU’VE FINISHED READING IT 1. Wrap it: Use NWgoinggreen as gift wrap. 2. Pack it: Use NWgoinggreen as packing material. 3. Clear views: Use NWgoinggreen instead of paper towels to clean dirty windows. 4. Got spills: NWgoinggreen will absorb as well as the average paper towel. 5. Smelly fridge? Line a shelf with NWgoinggreen. It will absorb odors. Put it in your vegetable drawer to keep produce dry. 6. Having a party? Use NWgoinggreen for your piñata. 7. Got weeds? Place wet copies of NWgoinggreen around your plants. 8. Donate it: Check with your local pet shelter. They may need NWgoinggreen to line the beds of their homeless animals. 9. Entertain the kids: Use NWgoinggreen to make a paper boat, or pirate hat. 10. Give it to friend: NWgoinggreen travels well. Share it.
NWgoinggreen is published regularly by the Lewiston Tribune and Moscow-Pullman Daily News and printed at the Tribune Publishing Co. Inc.’s printing facility at 505 Capital St. in Lewiston.
Your Renewable Energy Source 509-397-6944 * 888-445-9421
To advertise in NWgoinggreen, contact the Lewiston Tribune advertising department at 208.848.2216 or Advertising Director Bob Reitz at breitz@lmtribune.com, or the Moscow-Pullman Daily News advertising department at 208.882.5561 or Advertising Manager Craig Staszkow at cstaszkow@dnews.com. ON THE COVER Nigerian children smile for the camera in one of several villages hit hard by a lead poisoning. Photo courtesy Casey Bartrem
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A housing compound is excavated to remove contaminated soils in Zamfara State, in northwestern Nigeria. Casey Bartrem photo
C Crisis in Nigeria Employees from Moscow environmental engineering firm share knowledge, sweat equity to help save lives By Craig Staszkow | for NWgoinggreen
asey Bartrem planned to be in Africa for about a week. Simba Tirima had similar plans. The Moscow co-workers ended up staying months, helping to save many lives. Bartrem and Tirima were two of about 20 employees of Moscow-based TerraGraphics Environmental Engineering who recently spent up to nine months in Zamfara State, a remote area of northwestern Nigeria, helping assess and alleviate an epidemic of lead poisoning that was devastating a series of villages.
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The lead poisoning was a result of small-scale gold mining and ore-processing within family housing compounds. Crushed rock from a nearby mine was being delivered to small villages where families — often women with small children — would pound the ore to extract gold. The ore also contained high levels of lead, which contaminated the soils and then poisoned the villagers. It is believed the poisonings — initially thought caused by cholera or malaria — were responsible for the deaths of an estimated 400-500 children in the six months prior to their arrival. The TerraGraphics team of Bartrem and co-founder and CEO Ian von Lindern was initially supposed to be on the ground for about a week to help assess and characterize the epidemic. They, along with Tirima and many others from TerraGraphics, chose to go, stay and help with the cleanup. “There were kids, helplessly dying,” Tirima said. “You don’t see that, then just go home,” Bartrem said. For its work in Nigeria, TerraGraphics was honored with a humanitarian award from the United Nations. The prestigious Green Star Award recognizes those who have made “remarkable efforts to prevent, prepare for and respond to environmental emergencies” around the world. TerraGraphics was one of just six winners in 2011. The awards are presented every two years by the U.N. “We’re honored by this award, but we should recognize that the actual cleanup was performed by state and local governments and the village residents, who humbled us with their graciousness, hospitality and hard work,” von Lindern said in a statement.
“(TerraGraphics CEO and co-founder) Ian von Lindern is an authority in he world with respect to lead in the environment and risk assessment. To see the jump from Bunker Hill to something like Zamfara is genious.” Simba Tirima TerraGraphics
Moscow Glass & Awning
Clearing the Zamfara villages of contaminated soils was onerous. The excavations were done using locally available equipment and modeled after farming practices in the region. Casey Bartrem photo How does a small environmental engineering firm from Moscow end up playing a major role in helping save lives and limit an environmental and humanitarian disaster halfway around the world? That answer lies with von Lindern and his almost 30 years of experience at TerraGraphics. It was von Lindern and TerraGraphics that developed the model for cleanup at the Bunker Hill Superfund contamination site in Kellogg, Idaho. And it was vonLindern who got the call when word came of the growing disaster in Nigeria.
“Ian is an authority in the world with respect to lead in the environment and risk assessment,” Tirima said. “To see the jump from Bunker Hill to something like Zamfara is genious.” Given the scope of the the crisis, the method of cleanup was surprising simple once funding for the project — about $2 million dollars — was approved by the Zamfara government. By hand, and often with simple tools such as hoes, shovels, sacks and wheelbarrows, the top 5 centimeters of soil from the entire villages needed to be collected See Nigeria, Page 5
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Second edition of green directory in works Project designed to help consumers ‘vote with wallet’ By Andy Boyd | Moscow Recycling
S
ustainability. It’s an umbrella term that covers many ideas on how to live more responsibly regarding our earth and it’s inhabitants. Every action we take has some impact upon our planet. But
Nigeria from Page 4 and removed, then replaced with new, clean soil. “We were moving dirt,” Tirima said. “But in many ways it was a logistical nightmare. The government of Zamfara had never done something like this.” The cleanup effort initially took place in two villages from June to July of 2010. That effort was followed in the fall and winter with a second phase of cleanup in five other villages. The cleanup efforts worked There was relief from continuing contamination and because villagers now lived in safe homes, the children could be effectively treated by Doctors without Borders staff in the area. Both Tirima and Bartrem cite the leadership of von Lindern for both the
by acting without much concern for these impacts increases the likelihood of deleterious, long-term consequences. Although our governmental systems are set up to promote the general well-being of its people, it seems that the well-being of most concern to those that represent us are those of corporations. It may be some time before those who represent us in Washington will make the required changes to slow the devastation that we as a species are inflicting upon ourselves. In spite of these challenges, it is up to each of us to take the necessary steps to act success of the project in Nigeria, and for other TerraGraphic efforts in recent years. In collaboration with other organizations, TerraGraphics has undertaken five other major environmental cleanup projects in developing countries. The Nigeria effort was done in partnetship with Blacksmith Institute of New York, the Word Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, as well as state and local governments in Zamfara. “Ian’s commitment to the work and the children has greatly inspired me,” Tirima said. “He has greatly changed the trajectory of my like. From being someone who sits in an office ... to a thirst for other projects like this. It’s given me a very different plan in life.” n For more on the Green Star Awards,
visit www.unep.org/greenstar/ n For more on TerraGraphics, visit www. terragraphics.com/
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more responsibly towards our fellow humans and the environment. This is not as difficult as you may think. The real trick is becoming a wise consumer of the limited natural resources our planet has provided us with. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by ‘voting with your wallet.’ When you become a wise consumer you may find yourself voting in the following ways: n Not purchasing items made by children. When we purchase items made by children we are saying we think child labor is OK. n Not purchasing items made by companies with poor environmental and social practices. If you think companies acting this way is OK, then support them. n Not purchasing items that are labeled single-use or disposable. Purchasing durable items saves resources and energy, plus reduces waste. n Not purchasing items containing household hazardous waste (i.e. many house-
hold cleaners). Purchasing alternatives to these products means you won’t be polluting your living space and its inhabitants. These are just a few examples of the changes that can be made through your purchasing habits. Coming in August 2011, the second edition of Living Green on the Palouse will be available for residents of the Palouse. This directory will offer a plethora of ways to act in a more sustainable manner locally. The directory will provide a listing of businesses and services that offer sustainable products and services. It will also have informative articles regarding the wide range of opportunities on becoming a “think globally, act locally” citizen. Please look for and use the directory in the coming months. It’s produced through a partnership between A Greener Palouse and the Moscow-Pullman Daily News.
Advertisers in NWgoinggreen were invited to submit copy for the publication. This is one of those submissions.
Want to make your next event green? We can supply you with containers for collection! Its that time of year, when outdoor festivals, picnics, and 4th of July events and sports gathering create a lot of waste especially water bottles. Whitman County Recycling offers recycling collection containers and bags just for these events. You supply the labor. So set up for success! Encourage event participants and the public to recycle. Show your green! Have any questions? For more information contact: Judi Dunn-Gray Recycling & Waste Reduction judi.gray@co.whitman.wa.us (509) 397-5213 These containers are loaned out on a first come first serve basis.
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Boosters see Northwest future in aviation biofuel Associated Press SEATTLE — Boosters of aviation biofuel say the Northwest could lead the way in developing the industry that would produce it. Officials from Boeing Co., Alaska Airlines, the Port of Seattle and Washington State University, said a feasibility study released Wednesday shows the Northwest has the diverse feedstocks, fuel delivery infrastructure and the political will to create a biofuels industry that would reduce greenhouse gases and meet future aviation fuel demands. The 10-month study was conducted by Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest, which includes Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Washington State University and the SeaTac, Spokane and Portland airports. A University of Washington professor who does research and teaches classes in the same subject area said enthusiasm for biofuels is wonderful but there are big challenges. Those challenges include finding a
Associated Press From left, Billy Glover, a Boeing vice president, Bill Ayer, Alaska Airlines CEO, Bill Bryant, Port of Seattle Commission president, and John Gardner, a WSU vice president, smile as they begin a news conference to call attention to a biofuels feasibility study. cheap, consistently available feedstock for the fuel and an economical way to grow, extract and process it in a commercial, large-scale way, said Renata Bura, an as-
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sistant professor in UW’s College of the Environment. “Everybody can claim we have the process and we can do,” she said. But when you
ask to see the proof, it’s not there yet. Bura said algae is considered the future of biofuel but no one she is aware of has developed an economical way to grow it, harvest it and process it. Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest is hoping to push this development process along and find good solutions to the biofuel puzzle. “It is critical to the future of aviation that we develop a sustainable supply of aviation biofuels,” said Jim Albaugh, president of Boeing’s commercial airplanes division. “Airlines are particularly vulnerable to oil price volatility, and the aviation community must address this issue to maintain economic growth and further mitigate the environmental impacts of our industry.” So far, biofuel has not offered price stability because the industry cannot control its supply chain. Bura mentioned as an example the impact of the price of corn on the cost of biodiesel made from corn. Jay Manning, chief of staff for Gov. Chris Gregoire, welcomed the idea of a biofuel industry in Washington. Doing so would create jobs, be good for the environment and help grow Washington’s aerospace industry, The Herald newspaper reported. Alaska Airlines has done what it can in terms of fuel efficiency by operating fuel-efficient jets and using satellite-based technology to reduce fuel burn, said Bill Ayer, chief executive of the Seattle-based airline. “We realize that efficiency can only take us so far,” Ayer said at a news conference with other officials from Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest at Sea-Tac Airport. Billy Glover, vice president of environment and aviation policy for Boeing, listed the fuel sources the group has identified, including algae, solid waste, forest residues and oil seeds like camelina. Glover said it’s important not to focus on just one fuel source. Additionally, the group wanted to make sure the sources they identified are sustainable, and he believes the price of producing biofuel will drop over the years. “We expect a long runway of improvement over the years,” Glover said. He believes a new biofuels industry in the region will mean lots of new, good jobs.
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Pacific Steel & Recyling 604 12th Street N, Lewiston (208) 743-2181 || (888) 455-3598 www.pacific-recycling.com
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Latah Sanitation / Moscow Recycling 401 N. Jackson St., Moscow (208) 882-0590 www.moscowrecycling.com
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SENIOR 10 – 4 FAIR AM
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JUNE 7 • PALOUSE MALL • MOSCOW
WORKSHOPS! • VENDORS DOOR PRIZES! • BINGO!
2011 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE at the Ross entrance to Mall
10 a.m. Stay Active, Independent & Safe Rory Fletcher, Moscow Mountain Sport and Physical therapy
10:30 a.m. SAIL: Stay Active & Independent for Life Troy Vanucci, Proformance Physical Therapy
11:15 a.m. Fit and Fall Proof Odette Engan, Gritman Medical Center
Noon Cooking with Grains & Greens Tessa Graham, Sprout Wellbeing & Moscow Food Co-op
1 p.m. Beware of Medicare’s Hidden Enemy: Prescription for Fraud Tonya Steele, Idaho Department of Insurance
2 p.m. Vaccines: Not Just for Kids Anymore Will Edwards, pharmacist
3 p.m. How to Get Started in Social Networking Jodi Walker, Gritman Medical Center