September/October 2012 by Greenability magazine

September/October 2012

ELECTRIFY YOUR RIDE

TOUR

solar homes

Help harvest the

SWEET POTATO PROJECT

Greenability

S a v e e n e r g y. S a v e m o n e y. S a v e n o w.

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Publisher’s Letter

We moved to a LEED Platinum building

here are just a handful of LEED Platinum manufacturing plants in the country. Naturally, we are thrilled to share office space with the only one in the Midwest, at Posty Cards, 1600 Olive St. We can’t take credit for any of the sustainable features in our new office, but it is exciting to work in a building that has achieved the highest ranking in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Through the vision of owners Erick and Lance Jessee, an expansion completed last year at Posty Cards includes 198 solar panels, recycled and sustainable materials, a rainwater capture system, 100-percent solar-heated water and two acres of beautiful native-plant gardens. From our new digs, it was easy to get the cover photo for our special section on Electrify your Ride. The charging station is right out back in the Posty Cards parking lot, and is one of 39 we found around town. With the help of Al Pugsley, a new Nissan Leaf owner, we got a great cover shot. But it’s the inside pages that tell the local plug-in and hybrid story – from the infrastructure planning by Electrify Heartland to the possibilities of powering electric vehicles (EVs) with solar energy. If you’ve been thinking about getting an EV, this section will give you pricing, mileage and smog-score comparisons, information on tax incentives, charging station locations and an encouraging story about teenagers who built an EV and drove it across the country. Also in this issue, you’ll meet the inspiration behind the Sweet Potato Project. Steve Mann of Squash Blossom Food Cooperative has enlisted the help of residential gardeners and big-time public spaces to plant enough sweet potato slips to harvest 20,000

pounds this fall. His goal was three-fold – to get people to replace part of their lawns with an edible garden, ask them to donate half of their harvest to Harvesters, and engage the public in the effort. Go check out the sweet potato garden in front of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art or at Ilus Davis Park in front of City Hall. Or better yet, volunteer to help harvest this record haul. Be sure to mark your calendar for the annual Energy Solutions Home Tour October 6, sponsored by the Heartland Renewable Energy Society. There are seven tour houses and businesses that showcase photovoltaic solar energy, geothermal systems, energy-efficiency solutions, LEED certification and “net zero” energy use. Most homeowners will let you take photos and will be on hand to answer your questions, making it a great opportunity to see these energy-saving ideas in private homes. Finally, we extend a special thanks to Dr. Steven Amstrup, the chief scientist for Polar Bears International, for sharing his compelling conclusions from decades of research on climate change. To stay connected to the latest updates on local green events and issues, sign up to receive our free weekly Greenability E-News at www.greenabilitymagazine.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll keep you informed about sustainable living in the metro.

Julie Koppen Publisher

julie@greenabilitymagazine.com

greenabilitymagazine.com

Volume 6, Number 5 September/October 2012

julie@greenabilitymagazine.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN Kim Tappan/Tappan Design Connie Saum

OPERATIONS & CIRCULATION MANAGER Jared Cole

PHOTOGRAPHY Jared Cole Valerie Kutchko Craig Wolfe

jared@greenabilitymagazine.com

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Al Pugsley’s Leaf/ McCarthy Olathe Nissan Valerie Kutchko

PUBLISHER Julie Koppen

COPY EDITOR Kim Broers WRITERS Steven Amstrup Jared Cole Christopher Khan Valerie Kutchko Molly Mahon Bill Patterson ASSISTANTS James Gottsch Johannah Waldo

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ADVERTISING Julie Koppen julie@greenabilitymagazine.com

GREENABILITY September/October 2012 (ISSN 1938-5749) is published bi-monthly (6 times per year) for $24 per year by The Koppen Group, Inc., 1600 Olive St., Kansas City, MO 64127. Periodicals postage paid (USPS 2020) at Kansas City, MO and at additional mailing offices.

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Contents September/October 2012

Features

11 36

7 Solar homes to tour Get trained for a green job

Departments

4 From the Publisher 35 Commentary:

How the polar bear’s plight affects us

Electrify your ride

17 Electrify Heartland

plans for plug-in cars

Renewable energy could 21 fuel electric vehicles 23 Electric vehicles have arrived in KC 27 Minddrive builds more than an electric car 30 Get $7,500 in federal tax EV credit 31 Find an EV station and charge up 33 EV market will create new green jobs

HEARTLAND

37 Greenability Directory

Sweet Potato Project to harvest 10 tons

KANSAS CITY’S MOST EXPERIENCED SOLAR ENERGY COMPANY AS A MATTER OF FACT,

WE DID THEIR

SOLAR INSTALLATION.

CLEAN ENERGY. CLEAR CHOICE.

.com

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Sweet Potato Project

Volunteers will harvest 10 tons By Steve Mann

This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sweet Potato Project was a three-generation family effort for organizer Steve Mann, his daughter Melissa Saubers and granddaughter Morgan Saubers.

eautiful bright green vines are cascading over pots, planters, landscape beds, community gardens, parks and even the green spaces at Kansas Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s City Hall. Come late fall, volunteers will be digging these plants up for the biggest

harvest of sweet potatoes these urban areas have ever produced. All across Kansas City, volunteers planted in 58 gardens and five Kansas City Parks and parkway beds to help the Sweet Potato Project meet its goal of 20,000 pounds of this delicious and nutritious crop. The project, now in its fifth year, has asked each garden to donate half of its crop to Harvesters, so people who depend on food assistance will receive fresh food.

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Greenability Challenge

Sweet potatoes have been getting much well-deserved attention lately from landscapers, gardeners, farmers, nutritionists and environmental activists. They were first cultivated by the Incas in Peru and brought to Europe by the Spanish. They are sometimes called yams, which is actually a different plant that originated in Africa. The sweet potato’s leaves, ﬂowers and vine growth habit are similar to that of the morning glory, which is in the same plant family. In the tropics, sweet potatoes are a perennial, but in our region they are a warm-season crop planted from the end of May through the end of June. Members of Kansas City’s Food Not Lawns Collaborative took on a project in 2008 to increase the cultivation of sweet potatoes and to use them to replace resource-intensive and environmentally destructive lawns and landscaping. Sweet potatoes are not only beautiful, they are also one of the most nutritious vegetables, a super food. If properly cured, they will store for more than a year without refrigeration. Five years ago, the project’s initial aim was to make organic sweet potato “slips,” or transplants, available to gardeners to grow in public spaces. We worked out a plan with the Kansas City, MO, Parks and Recreation Department and were permitted to plant a bed in the Hillcrest Community Center. On a warm spring day in June, eight smiley-faced activists tried out the no-till gardening techniques. We pulled up to the plot with tools, mulch, sweet potato plants and muscles, and got to work. We used no-till sheetmulching techniques, which we had learned from Heather Flores’ book Food Not Lawns and Bill Mollison’s Permaculture Designers Manual.

Help with the harvest Volunteers are needed to help dig sweet potatoes throughout the city in September and October. Check these resources for specific sites and harvest dates or to learn more about planting an edible garden next season.

Food Not Lawns Class

Four sessions, Oct. 3, 10, 17, 24, 7 – 9 p.m. UMKC School of Medicine, Theatre C 2411 Charlotte St. Kansas City, MO Register: www.umkc.edu/commu or 816-235-1407 www.foodnotlawanskc.org Not just another gardening class, “Food Not Lawns” helps homeowners turn their lawns into a garden to help increase local food security, improve diets, beautify surroundings and reduce pollution and energy use. Topics include whole-system design, garden preparation, permaculture, water-wise gardening, planting and free resources.

Society of St. Andrew West

Kansas City, MO 819-921-0856 www.EndHunger.org/sosawest This non-profit, charitable group organizes volunteers to glean fresh produce from American farms that might otherwise be left to rot after a field has been harvested. It is delivered to agencies that serve the poor.

Squash Blossom Food Cooperative

www.squashblossomcoop.org The Squash Blossom Food Cooperative works to develop a strong, local, sustainable food system to strengthen the regional community and economy and provide families with food grown sustainably and close to home.

Sweet Potato Project

www.facebook.com/KCSweetPotatoProject www.foodnotlawnskc.org Steve Mann steve@foodnotlawnskc.org Volunteer to help harvest, learn more about the project or follow its progress through the harvest season.

Troost Village Community Association

816-200-0731 www.troostvillage.org The Troost Village Community Garden is a cooperatively-run community garden located at the southwestern corner of Linwood Boulevard and Troost Avenue in Kansas City, MO. From left: Anthony Taylor, Rafael Pizano, Police Ofﬁcer Shawnie Nix, Deyanira Cruz, Steve Mann, Police Ofﬁcer Kelly Stamm, Carmen Cruz and Sgt. Brad Deichler of the Kansas City Police Athletic Association Kids Program plant sweet potato slips. greenabilitymagazine.com greenabilitymagazine.com

Greenability Challenge

Top: Kansas State University students planted sweet potato vines into a green wall at Reconciliation Services, 3101 Troost Ave. Bottom: The majority of the sweet potato vines used as planting slips in the Kansas City Sweet Potato Project were grown by Kansas State University at the John C. Pair Horticulture Research Center in Haysville, KS.

We raked the bed and applied a small amount of organic fertilizer to the soil to feed the micro-organisms while they broke down the sheet mulch. We planted the slips three to four inches deep in an offset grid pattern about one foot apart. Next, we covered the soil in the bed with six to eight layers of newspaper, being careful to overlap sheets. The paper blocks the light and suppresses the growth of weeds. Worms love it, and it has the added benefit of cooling and retaining moisture in the soil. We covered the newspaper with three inches of well-aged mulch from the Kansas City, MO, brush drop-off site. The sheet mulch kept the weeds out, and we harvested 30 pounds of Beauregard sweet potatoes, which we donated to a food pantry in the neighborhood. Since the initial Sweet Potato Project, we have continued to make slips available each spring for growers and have workshops on no-till growing and harvesting for those new to sweet potato culture. This year we stepped it up a bit. Our goal is to grow, tend, harvest and cure for storage 20,000 pounds of sweet potatoes in public places, parks, schools, church yards, businesses, vacant lots and homeownerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lawns. We planted 900 slips at Ilus Davis Park in front of City Hall, and 1,200 square feet of sweet potatoes at Powell Gardens. My favorite sweet potato bed is the one I personally adopted on Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard east of Oak Street, smack dab in front of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art with its shuttlecocks and expanse of lawn. My dream is to one day see that lawn made over into a designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s showcase of edible landscaping. We were helped in our massive planting by a great group of youths with whom Sgt. Brad Deichler of the Kansas City Missouri Police Department works at the Police Athletic Association Center, 1810 White Ave. With the aid of about 25 energetic young people, we planted eight 4-foot by 10-foot beds with sweet potatoes, and another 26-foot-square bed in their

To the delight of Sweet Potato Project organizer Steve Mann, part of the lawn south of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art is planted with sweet potatoes this summer.

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community garden in less than an hour, including a talk about sweet potato planting, nutrition and rake safety. At the end of June, Missouri farmers Bill McBrayer and Thomas Euley offered us vines of heirloom sweet potatoes for the project. Euley is an eighth-generation Missouri farmer who has collected 54 varieties of heirloom sweet potatoes over the last 40 years. We are growing them and will save the tubers for next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s project. Many of these varieties could have interesting foliage patterns and colors and be ideal for edible landscaping. They will provide us with a bank of genetic diversity needed to select varieties that can thrive in our hotter and dryer future. This year, I have been blessed with help and support from my daughter Melissa Saubers and granddaughter Morgan Saubers. Morgan and two other Cadette Girl Scouts are volunteering at St. Elizabeth Parish Community Garden at 74th and Main Street and St. Jamesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Catholic Church Community Gardens at 39th and Harrison Street. They started their own sweet potato project to plant and sell slips at their churches and several farmers markets and events. I was so proud when Morgan spoke at the Kansas City, MO City Council meeting at which the council declared June as Sweet Potato Planting Month in support of the Kansas City Sweet Potato Project. There are still many opportunities to volunteer with one of the organizations sponsoring the 2012 Kansas City Sweet Potato Project. The project is a collaborative partnership of Food Not Lawns Kansas City, the Society of St. Andrew West, Troost Village Community Association and Squash Blossom Food Cooperative. Steve Mann is founder of the Sweet Potato Project and works as a site developer for Cultivate Kansas City. He can be contacted at 816-352-9213 or steve@foodnotlawnskc.org.

I EAT

COMPOST

FOR BREAKFAST Every day, tons of grass clippings, tree limbs, leaves, and food waste from area residents, businesses, and the Shawnee Mission School District are hauled to our 27-acre compost facility located within the Johnson County Landfill. This waste is ground, placed in windrows, and turned regularly with the Scarab machine (above) to break down the material. 60 days later, the waste has finished the transformation into rich black compost and is ready for use in your garden. Deffenbaugh is proud to eat compost for breakfast and turn tons of waste into nutrientrich treasure in the process. See the composting process in action: www.youtube.com/DeffenbaughInc Find out more! www.DeffenbaughInc.com/Green Connect

Volunteer youths helped plant sweet potatoes at the Kansas City Police Athletic Association Community Center at 1810 White Ave. greenabilitymagazine.com

Renewable Energy

homes and businesses on

Energy Solutions Tour By Molly Mahon

Solar and Wind KC installed a 75kW solar canopy on this 10,000-square-foot downtown office building to bring it to “net zero” energy use.

he 13th annual Energy Solutions Tour is heating up just as the weather should be cooling down. The Heartland Renewable Energy Society (HRES) will host tours at seven uniquely green homes and businesses from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 6. “This year’s tour has great examples of how to transform an existing home to an energyefficient home using easy as well as more difficult retrofit techniques,” said Craig Wolfe, HRES president. “We also showcase some dramatic high-tech features that result in net-zero energy homes.” A tour guide is available at each home and will provide a map, home photos, addresses and directions. Tickets are $10 and children under 12 are free. One ticket is good for all homes. The tour is self-guided, so attendees can start at any home and select which homes they want to see. Visit www.KCsolar.org for tour instructions and ticket information. At press time, the following homes and businesses were scheduled, with the possibility of a few more being added before the tour date.

Greenability

1 Solar canopy makes historic building “net-zero”

The installation of a 75kW solar canopy on a 10,000-square-foot downtown office building is expected to take its energy use to net zero. The building, owned by Travois Holdings, has 330 solar panels that cover 6,000 square feet of the roof space. The 85-year-old building has a roof that is not capable of supporting traditional ballasted solar racking. So, Solar and Wind KC, owned by Andrew Homoly of Homoly Construction, designed a solar canopy with canopy columns that line up with the interior columns of the building. The columns will also support new construction of a rooftop deck for an outdoor living space. As the last solar panel was being installed, one of the solar installers proposed to his girlfriend on the roof, which has a spectacular view of downtown Kansas City. The solar canopy is expected to create about 90,000kW hours of electricity per year, completely offsetting Travois’ annual energy needs. It is projected to save the annual equivalent in carbon emissions of an average car driving nearly 235,000 miles. Location: 310 W. 19th Terr., Kansas City, MO

2 Overland Park home gets energy retrofit

The home of Barry Dicker and Amy Goldstein scored a “2” out of “10” on the Home Energy Yardstick prior to purchase. Energy efficiency measures in the home include dense-packed exterior-wall insulation, knee-wall air sealing and insulation, rim-joist air sealing and insulation, duct sealing, insulation and redesign and framedoor insulation. The split-level, built in 1965, is undergoing several transformations. Deep energy efficiency retrofitting, indoor air quality, water efficiency and solar installation measures are just a few of the ongoing projects. The solar installations will provide a PV with battery backup, solar hot water and solar air heating. The homeowners expect that their residence will score a “10” out of “10” on the yardstick when they complete another energy audit. They need to wait one year after the project completion to get an accurate look at utility usage. Location: 6325 W. 101st Terrace, Overland Park, KS

3 Parkville home headed for top green honors

The new home of Andrew Homoly, owner of Homoly Construction, is on track to earn the highest national rankings for green homes. As the project nears completion, it will be submitted for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) at the Platinum level, National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) at the Emerald level and Energy-Star certifications. A 25kW groundmounted solar array is projected to take the home beyond net-zero energy use, meaning it will produce more electricity than it needs. Energy features include a wind turbine, microhydroelectric generator from pond to lower creek, solar-powered pump from creek to upper pond, geothermal HVAC system, separate humidification and air filtration systems, energy recovery ventilation system, LED lights and Energy-Star appliances. The residence also has an energy monitoring system that tracks all electricity used and all energy produced in real time on a circuitby-circuit basis for website monitoring. Water-saving additions include xeriscaping and buffalo grass for landscaping to minimize or eliminate mowing and minimize water use, lowflow plumbing fixtures and a 1,500-gallon cistern to capture rainwater to use for flushing toilets. Recycled and reclaimed products were used throughout the house, including 3,500 square feet of reclaimed hardwood floor from a 90-year-old Amish barn in Bolivar, MO. Location: 6401 NW Monticello Dr., Parkville, MO

At the new Homoly family home in Parkville, a 25kW ground-mounted solar array in back of the house (pictured on right) will help the house produce more electricity than it needs.

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4 YouthBuild Project

tackles historic home

YouthBuild, a construction-training program for students, is working on a historic home to make it energy efficient.

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A three-story home listed on the National Historic Registry is getting an energy rehab by students from the YouthBuild Project. Along with standard construction repairs, YouthBuild students are sealing air leaks, adding insulation in the walls and attic, making improvements in HVAC ductwork and equipment, and installing energy-efficient plumbing and electrical features. YouthBuild is a construction-training program operated by the Housing Authority of the City of Kansas City, MO through a grant from the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The YouthBuild program helps 40 “at-risk” students gain construction skills while studying for their GED certification, preparing for college and working to obtain three nationally recognized construction certifications, leadership training and financial literacy. YouthBuild plans to have the project completed by December 2012. Tour attendees can get a view of work in progress. Location: 3228 Lockridge Ave., Kansas City, MO

Every timber has a story Old barns, abandoned warehouses and fallen oak trees all have their own stories. By reusing antique wood, we preserve the past, protect our environment and allow historic timbers and lumber to share their heritage with future generations. If you’re considering the beauty and appeal of reclaimed wood for your next home, retail or office project, look to Beaver Timber as your resource.

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Loft goes solar 5 Liberty Brightergy’s residential loft project is a stellar example of the power of solar. Tour-goers can see the solar array firsthand by climbing a staircase. A close-up view of the panels and the downtown Kansas City skyline can be seen from the rooftop deck. The solar array is a 25kW system consisting of 108 Suniva panels mounted without the use of roof penetrations. It will produce approximately 31,500 kW hours per year and power the communal areas in the building. Location: 360 W. Pershing, Kansas City, MO

25-percent reduction in energy costs and a $3,200 Independence Power & Light (IPL) rebate. Free Energy then installed a ground-source heat pump and geothermal HVAC equipment. With the improved energy efficiency, the building required less powerful HVAC equipment, which resulted in an energy and cost savings. Once the project was completed, Free Energy installed a 5.52kW solar array on the roof to offset approximately 85 percent of the remaining electrical consumption. Roberson received a federal grant of $26,747 and an IPL utility rebate of $15,633 for the solar project. Location: 3220 S. 291 Hwy, Independence, MO

6 Family Dentistry gains energy independence

A federal grant and utility rebate helped make energy conservation and solar installation possible for Dr. Scott Roberson, DDS, at his Family Dentistry building in Independence. The project began with Free Energy performing an energy audit of the facility. The existing duct system was repaired and sealed to optimize the performance for the area. The installation of insulation and energy-efficient light fixtures produced a near

The offices of Family Dentistry in Independence used energy-efficiency techniques, geothermal HVAC and a 5.52kW solar system to gain energy independence.

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7 Inependence couple enjoys “net-zero” energy home

Lee and Soon Clevenger had a home energy audit and then embarked on an energy conservation project to upgrade and install energy improvements that have taken them to virtual “net zero” energy from utilities. Lee did the air sealing and insulating of the attic space and exterior doors and windows. He purchased a wood boiler system that Free Energy integrated into his existing HVAC system, resulting in a dramatic reduction of electric energy use in the winter and allowing the solar array to meet the electrical offset. Free Energy installed the 5kW ground-mount solar array, which was designed to offset approximately 95 percent of the home’s electrical consumption. The couple received a Kansas City Power & Light Co. utility rebate of approximately $10,000 and the 30 percent federal tax incentive for solar photovoltaic installations. Now that the project is complete, powering the entire house has cost the Clevengers as little as 12 cents in monthly electric utility bills.

A 5kW ground-mount solar array was designed to offset nearly 95 percent of the electrical consumption at the Independence home of Lee and Soon Clevenger.

Heartland Renewable Energy Society Energy Solutions Homes Tour October 6 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tickets $10; 12 and under free www.kcsolar.org

Location: 26904 E. Argo Road, Independence, MO

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Your Ride

The Chevy Volt is one of three electric vehicles, including the Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi i, that are now available in Kansas City.

HEARTLAND plans for plug-in cars

By Bill Patterson

n 1912, Willis Haviland Carrier introduced the first modern-

the utility grid â&#x20AC;&#x201D; has created challenges Willis Carrier never

day air-conditioning system, unwittingly setting off a chain

could have imagined.

of events with serious environmental consequences. Originally designed to lure summertime customers to

Fast forward 100 years and one can understand why electric-vehicle planning projects such as Electrify Heartland

movie theatres, air conditioning soon became a staple at

are so important.

department stores and other businesses.

Electric vehicles are here

By the mid-1950s, owners of new and existing homes began installing central air-conditioning systems, and more

Rising fuel costs, technological improvements and greater

than any other single invention, air conditioning helped drive

interest in zero-emission vehicles are expected to drive

economic development in the American South.

demand for new-era cars such as the Chevy Volt, Nissan

Today, 82 percent of all American homes are air-

Leaf and Mitsubishi i. By the 2013 model year, manufacturers

conditioned, and air conditioning accounts for 11 percent of

including Ford, Toyota, BMW and Audi are expected to offer

the total energy used in all buildings in the U.S. each year.

at least one model of plug-in hybrid or battery-electric car.

Unfortunately, while modern technology makes the indoor

Electric cars are here to stay, and planning for the future

environment tolerable during Kansas Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot, humid

will go a long way toward ensuring the viability of these

summers, the impact on the outdoor environment â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and on

machines, as well as supporting Kansas City area companies

Greenability

including Smith Electric Vehicles, Dow Kokam, Exergonix

It will recommend “best practices” for communities, and

and Milbank Manufacturing. These firms are developing new

will help business, industry and consumers save time and

electric vehicles and related technologies and providing well-

money and reduce headaches as they embrace the move to

paying jobs for area workers.

electric vehicles.

Kansas City has been working toward a comprehensive

No one could have foreseen the impact the widespread

environmental approach, including electric vehicles, since

adoption of air conditioning would have on the electrical

the 1998 creation of the Kansas City Regional Clean Cities

grid, and right now the “threat” of electric vehicles on the

Coalition, which is one of 90 Clean Cities programs in

grid is minimal.

the country.

As of May 2012 in the City of Kansas City, there were a

In Kansas City alone, Clean Cities has replaced 174 aging

small number of registered electric cars on the roads. Even

municipal vehicles with new, cleaner alternative-fuel vehicles

if the nation reaches President Obama’s ambitious goal of

including hybrid-electric and all-electric trucks.

one million electric vehicles on the roads by the year 2015, electric vehicles will only account for 0.4 percent of all cars in

KC tapped to study EV infrastructure In 2010, the Greater Kansas City Plug-In Readiness Initiative, comprised of 115 local officials representing diverse stakeholders, was formed to address issues affecting the burgeoning electric-vehicle industry, and to identify areas of concern and focus for the region. In October 2011, the U.S. Department of Energy selected Kansas City’s Metropolitan Energy Center (MEC) as one of 16 grant recipients to develop comprehensive plans for electric vehicles and related technologies.

the United States. To explore the long-term impact of electric vehicles on utility transformers and the grid as a whole, teams of engineers are working with the five major utilities in the Electrify Heartland planning area to conduct data modeling studies and determine potential threats to the grid, down to the neighborhood level.

Finding ways to charge up Although the average daily commute is less than 30 miles round-trip, well within the range of most electric vehicles, and

This grant supports MEC’s “Electrify Heartland” project,

while most electric vehicle owners charge at home overnight

which this September will release a replicable plan for an

using a typical 110-volt electrical outlet, range anxiety is still

area encompassing 14 counties in Missouri and Kansas and a

the greatest concern affecting adoption of electric vehicles.

population of 2.7 million people. The Electrify Heartland plan will address eight strategic areas:

• Utility grid capacity • Charging infrastructure planning • Government policy • Vehicle availability • Fleet demand • Public education • Technical training • Travel corridor planning

Charging infrastructure, known as electric-vehicle supply equipment or EVSE, is a vital element in providing consumers the peace of mind that comes from knowing charging stations are abundant and readily accessible. Currently, there are 39 publicly accessible charging stations within 50 miles of downtown Kansas City. Many more are planned in the Electrify Heartland region that will bring customers to retail areas and help commercial building owners reach the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) status. greenabilitymagazine.com

Some electric car owners may install more powerful

is limited, many manufacturers are limiting the number of

charging stations, known as Level 2, in their homes.

new electric vehicles available in the heart of the country, in

Equipment at 240 volts cuts charging time in half, adding 10

favor of larger coastal markets, which could slow widespread

to 20 miles of range in 30 minutes. But the charging units will

adoption among consumers in our region.

need to be installed by qualified electricians to ensure safety

Demand for all-electric fleet vehicles has largely been driven by government programs that are designed to help

according to municipal codes. Some commercial property owners are considering

businesses more rapidly recoup the higher cost of these

installing direct current (DC) Level 3 charging stations, which

vehicles. Fleet owners immediately reap the benefits of not

are capable of fully charging an electric-vehicle battery in

having to purchase fuel for these gas guzzlers, and also save

as little as 30 minutes. These stations, however, are quite

significantly on maintenance costs, since electric vehicles

expensive to install and not all vehicle battery systems are

have no transmission and require no oil changes or tune-ups. Kansas City is home to one of five electric-vehicle

capable of handling such an intense charge.

Making it work in the metro

infrastructure training programs (EVITPs), an advanced curriculum that ensures the highest national standards for the

Permitting, inspecting and regulating electric vehicles

residential, commercial and public EVSE installations that will

and charging stations creates a new area of oversight for

support the sound, safe and successful growth of the electric-

municipalities, as well as continuity issues for electricians and

vehicle industry. Currently, the Kansas City Joint Apprenticeship & Training

electrical contractors. Different cities uses different versions of the National

Center, run by IBEW Local 124, offers an EVITP training course

standards

on its Kansas City campus, and area community colleges

appropriate for an installation in one city may be unsuitable

and technical schools also are developing programs to help

for another.

auto technicians develop the skills necessary to service and

Electrical

Code

(NEC),

meaning

that

the

Additionally, many cities have automated their permitting

maintain the specialized needs of hybrid- and plug-in electric

and inspection processes using Internet-based applications

vehicles. This fall, Kansas City Kansas Community College is

and fee-processing systems that do not lend themselves to

offering a program specifically tailored to electric vehicles.

the specialized needs of EVSE. In these times of government

Although electric cars themselves contain relatively

cost-cutting, taxing government employees with additional

few moving parts, there are many moving parts that must

duties can lead to backlogs and costly delays for business

be in place to ensure these vehicles maximize their role in

owners and contractors alike.

improving our environment. The Electrify Heartland planning

Electrify Heartland is working with groups such as Electrify Independence and the City of Lawrence/Douglas County, KS

project is working to get all these parts moving in the right direction.

to identify strategies that streamline processes and develop a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Readiness Indexâ&#x20AC;? for cities to follow when developing their own electric-vehicle and EVSE programs. Sales of first-year production plug-in hybrid and batteryelectric vehicles have outpaced those of hybrid vehicles since they were first introduced in the 1990s. Because production

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Bill Patterson is a member of the Electrify Heartland Steering Committee and owner of Nation Ranch, a marketing communications firm in Kansas City.

Electrify Heartland resources 1. Electrify Heartland www.electrifyheartland.org 2. Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coalition www.kcenergy.org 3. Kansas electriCity www.kansaselectricity.com 4. Metropolitan Energy Center www.kcenergy.org 5. Mid-America Electric Auto Association www.maeaa.org 6. Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association www.moseia.org 7. Plug In America www.pluginamerica.org

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Your Ride

ctric e l e l e u f d l u o c y g r e n e Renewable By Bill Patterson

opposition

Industries Association, which recently held a professional

to electric vehicles is well-known and well-

conference in Kansas City to study the link between electric

documented,

vehicles and solar energy technology.

hile

the

petroleum many

industry’s

environmentalists

also

express concern about electric vehicles due to the use of

Schoen cites an increasing number of solar-powered

coal-fired power plants in delivering the electricity used to

electric-vehicle charging stations as evidence that green

power these machines.

technologies increasingly are being linked together to ensure

Although a high percentage of electricity in the region now comes from coal, the fact remains that electric vehicles are the only vehicles on the road that become “greener” the longer they are on the roads. Unlike their fossil-fuel-burning counterparts, electric cars (even those powered by coal-

a cleaner utility grid and reduce emissions from carbonbased fuels from vehicles and power plants alike. In addition to the solar-powered EVSE at IBEW Local 124 headquarters, solar-related projects in the area include:

•

At the University of Kansas, the KU EcoHawks have built

burning power plants) release 35 to 60 percent less CO2 , and

a solar-energy filling station on campus consisting of six 180W

nearly half of an electric car’s environmental impact occurs in

solar panels that enable electric-vehicle charging. Kansas

the manufacturing process.

State University is moving toward a study of solar charging

Additionally, the connection between electric-vehicle charging and clean technologies such as wind and solar power grows stronger every day, as commercial and

of electric vehicles in a micro-grid using innovative power electronics design.

•

Brightergy, a Kansas City-based solar company, installed

residential property owners adopt renewable energy sources

a 169 kilowatt (kW) solar array atop a public parking garage

to power electric-vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), more

in Clayton, MO that will provide the power for the city’s new

commonly known as “charging stations.”

police station and parking garage. While there are currently

In Kansas City, the IBEW Local 124 is installing a solar

no plans to install EVSE at that location, the array is an

canopy at its campus that is connected both to the electric

excellent example of how a parking structure’s large surface

utility grid and to an electric-vehicle charging station. The

area is ideally suited for solar energy solutions.

installation is one of many renewable energy technologies on campus, including a solar array atop the union hall and a vehicles

and

zero-emission

energy

technologies are natural partners, and we are excited to bring

Premier Carports of Kansas City offers pre-engineered

carports that include a solar installation.

•

variety of wind-powered turbines. “Zero-emission

•

Milbank Manufacturing, a Kansas City, MO company that

is active in electrical metering systems, is now manufacturing and marketing EVSE and solar equipment.

stakeholders from all facets of industry together to discuss

Chevron Energy Solutions of Overland Park offers to run

ways to use renewal energy to power electric vehicles,” said

empty conduit underground from AC switchgear to the base of

Heidi Schoen, executive director of the Missouri Solar Energy

carport columns, allowing easier retrofit of EV chargers at a later date.

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vehic les HEARTLAND

A 50kW solar photovoltaic installation powers 15 electric vehicle charging stations at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. The project was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

the

rooftop or canopy-mounted solar panels, making them ideal

photovoltaic carport market, which could be tied to the

power sources for EVSE, including one recently installed in

electric-vehicle charging market. Several organizations

Columbia, MD.

Nationally,

several

companies

are

addressing

already have installed solar-powered EVSE:

•

A partnership between the Tennessee Valley Authority

SunDurance Energy and Solaire Generation offer a solar

and the Electric Power Research Institute that installed six

parking lot canopy for installations such as the 120kW system

“solar-assisted” electric-vehicle charging stations connected

installed at the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission

to battery packs and delivering 3.3kW per hour, enabling an

headquarters in Lyndhurst, N.J.

electric car to recharge at a rate of 10 miles per hour.

•

Western Michigan University’s installation of a 50kW

“Recent innovations demonstrate the future of electric-

Mage Solar photovoltaic system linked to 15 electric-vehicle

vehicle charging as government, business and industry join

charging stations on its Kalamazoo, MI campus.

forces to create greener energy solutions for our country,”

•

Advanced Technology & Research Corporation’s devel-

opment of a GPS-based sun-tracking technology capable

said Schoen. “There is strong evidence that electric cars will indeed become greener the longer they are on the road.”

of producing 30 to 45 percent more power than traditional

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Your Ride Electric vehicles have arrived By Christopher Khan

lectric

vehicles

are

leading

the

charge

for

environmentally conscious transportation this year.

regional air, causing smog and health issues. The greenhouse gas score (GHG) similarly reﬂects how much carbon dioxide

Gas prices are rising, and climate change and

and other greenhouse gases are emitted by the vehicle.

air pollution are pertinent issues to modern consumers.

These EPA ratings range from 1 to 10, with 10 being the

Electric vehicles help mitigate these concerns with better

cleanest, with no tailpipe emissions, and 1 being the dirtiest.

fuel economy than conventional cars, and lower tailpipe

Electric vehicle fuel economy is measured by miles per

emissions, according to the Environmental Protection

gallon equivalents (MPGE). This is defined as the number of

Agency (EPA).

miles a vehicle can travel using an amount of fuel that has the

Currently, there are three major types of electric vehicles

equivalent energy of a gallon of gas.

(EVs): plug-in all-electric vehicles powered only by an electric

Three electric vehicles are available now in Kansas City,

motor, plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles that use both electric

with more models slated to arrive in 2013. Here’s how

and gas for fuel, and hybrid-electric vehicles that use a

they compare:

regenerative electric motor and a conventional internal combustion engine. All EVs have a smaller carbon footprint over their lifecycle than gas-fueled cars, according to the Low Carbon Footprint Partnership.

All-Electric Vehicles All-Electric Vehicles have no tailpipe emissions, and do not contribute to local smog or pollute the atmosphere

Electric vehicles don’t sacrifice features and comforts (like

with greenhouse gases. These cars are solely propelled by

air conditioning), and model choices range from economical

a battery-powered electric motor, making for a quieter drive

to luxury.

and smoother acceleration with no gear shifts.

The air pollution score, also called the smog score, reﬂects

EVs cost around 3 cents a mile to drive, compared to 15

how many pollutants the car releases into the local and

cents a mile for a gas-fueled car. Although the expensive batteries in an EV must be replaced eventually, this cost is offset by the reduced need for pricey maintenance that gaspowered cars require. The electric motor that powers the EV has about five moving parts, compared to hundreds in an internal combustion engine. Depending on the EV model, miles driven, and the cost of gas, the payback period for an EV can be between 5 and 10 years. (Payback period refers to the time frame required to “pay back” in energy and maintenance savings the difference in cost between an EV and its gasfueled equivalent.) Although the EV range is limited by the battery charge, the 60-100 miles should be enough for the

Bruce Montgomery travels 16 miles each way from home in Platte City, MO to work in Fort Leavenworth, KS. Including errands, his daily commute totals about 40 miles. To save money, he replaced his van with a Mitsubishi i from Northtowne Mitsubishi.

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majority of daily in-town commuting. Fully recharging an EV can take more than 12 hours for a garage charger, and from 4 to 12 hours at a commercial charging station.

Chevrolet Volt Starting MSRP: $40,280 All-electric range: 35 miles MPGE: 95 city, 93 hwy (electric mode) MPG: 35 city, 40 hwy Smog score: 10 (electric), 6 (gasoline) GHG score: 10 (electric), 8 (gasoline) Toyota Prius Plug-In Hybrid (Not available in Kansas City) Starting MSRP: $32,000 All-electric range: 15 miles (estimate) MPGE: 95 combined MPG: 51 city, 49 hwy Al Pugsley’s Nissan Leaf from McCarthy Olathe Nissan is his third electric car. After having two internal combustion engine vehicles converted to electric, he is enjoying the Leaf’s much longer range of 100 miles on a charge.

Hybrid-Electric Vehicles A hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) uses both a standard gas-fueled internal combustion engine and an electric motor

Mitsubishi i-MiEV Starting MSRP: $29,125 Range: 62 miles MPGE: 126 city, 99 hwy Smog score: 10 GHG score: 10

Nissan Leaf Starting MSRP: $35,200 Range: 73 miles MPGE: 106 city, 92 hwy Smog score: 10 GHG score: 10

Other EVs not yet available in Kansas City include the Coda Sedan, Ford Focus Electric, GreenTech Automotive MyCar, Honda Fit EV, Tesla Model S, Tesla Roadster, Toyota RAV4 EV, Wheego LiFe and the Smart fortwo EV.

Plug-In Hybrid-Electric Vehicles Plug-in hybrid-electric vehicles (PHEV), like hybrid-electric vehicles, have both an internal combustion engine and a battery-powered electric motor. PHEVs can go longer on an electric charge than HEVs, and don’t have a range limit because they automatically switch to gasoline consumption once the battery is depleted. To take advantage of the electric motor, the batteries must be recharged periodically by a garage power outlet or at an EV charging station. Reaching a full charge takes only a few

to propel the car. No plug-in is required. By far the most common form of electric vehicles on the road today, HEVs tend to have lower tailpipe emissions and better gas mileage than their combustion-engine-only counterparts. The car is usually electric-powered during stop-and-go traffic and low speed driving. When idling, some HEVs will switch to electric mode to conserve gasoline. The battery in the HEV is charged by the energy produced when braking, or by a motor in the combustion engine that turns when the car is running. According to manufacturers, there are two types of HEVs. Full hybrids can run solely on an electric motor at certain speeds for a period of time, and mild hybrids merely give more modest fuel savings by assisting the combustion engine with the electric motor. The electric components only power the electronic accessories when the gasoline engine is off. BMW Active Hybrid 7 and 7L Starting MSRP: $97,000 (7) $101,000 (7L) MPG: 17 city, 24 hwy Smog score: 5 GHG score: 4

hours, which is significantly less time than it takes for an allelectric vehicle. The Chevrolet Volt, the only PHEV currently available in Kansas City, is the most fuel-efficient compact car with a gasoline engine, according to the EPA. The Fisker Karma Sedan is not available.

Buick LaCrosse Hybrid Starting MSRP: $30,820 MPG: 25 city, 36 hwy Smog score: 6 GHG score: 7

Cadillac Escalade Hybrid Starting MSRP: $74,135 MPG: 20 city, 23 hwy Smog score: 5 GHG score: 4 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Hybrid 2WD/4WD and GMC Sierra 1500 Hybrid 2WD/4WD Starting MSRP: $38,725 MPG: 20 city, 23 hwy Smog score: 5 GHG score: 4 greenabilitymagazine.com

Chevrolet Tahoe 1500 Hybrid 2WD/4WD and GMC Yukon 1500 Hybrid 2WD/4WD Starting MSRP: $58,145 MPG: 20 city, 23 hwy Smog score: 5 GHG score: 4 Ford Escape Hybrid FWD/4WD Starting MSRP: $30,570 MPG: 34 city, 31 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 7 Ford Fusion Hybrid Starting MSRP: $28,600 MPG: 41 city, 36 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 9 The Chevy Volt has a gas backup with the unlimited range needed for Mark Kenneally and family, including wife, Elizabeth Rosin, and two daughters, Julia and (not pictured) Rose Kenneally. With a 5.5-mile round-trip work commute, Kenneallyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volt from Hendrick Chevrolet will run primarily on electric, but have the range for out-of-town trips.

Honda Civic Hybrid Starting MSRP: $24,050 MPG: 44 city, 44 hwy Smog score: 9 GHG score: 9

Getting a new one? We'll take the old. We accept new and used appliances and furniture that are in good, useable condition. For large, pre-approved loads we offer a free collection service. Or drop off your tax-deductible donation at ReStore KC. For a complete list of acceptable items visit www.restorekc.org or call (816) 231-6889.

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Honda CR-Z Starting MSRP: $19,345 MPG: 31 city, 37 hwy Smog score: 8 GHG score: 8 Honda Insight Starting MSRP: $18,200 MPG: 40 city, 43 hwy Smog score: 8 GHG score: 9 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid Starting MSRP: $25,795 MPG: 35 city, 40 hwy Smog score: 8 GHG score: 8 Kia Optima Starting MSRP: $26,500 MPG: 35 city, 40 hwy Smog score: 8 GHG score: 8

InďŹ niti M35h Hybrid Starting MSRP: $53,700 MPG: 27 city, 32 hwy Smog score: 5 GHG score: 7

Lexus RX 450h AWD Starting MSRP: $45,235 MPG: 30 city, 28 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 7

Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid Starting MSRP: $67,700 MPG: 20 city, 24 hwy Smog score: 6 GHG score: 4

Toyota Prius Hybrid Starting MSRP: $23,520 MPG: 51 city, 48 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 10

Lexus CT 200h Starting MSRP: $29,120 MPG: 43 city, 40 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 9

Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Starting MSRP: $34,649 MPG: 41 city, 36 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 9

Toyota Camry Hybrid Starting MSRP: $27,050 MPG: 31 city, 35 hwy Smog score: 9 GHG score: 8

Toyota Prius v Starting MSRP: $26,400 MPG: 44 city, 30 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 9

Lexus HS 250h Starting MSRP: $36,330 MPG: 35 city, 34 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 8

Mercedes-Benz S400 Hybrid Starting MSRP: $91,850 MPG: 19 city, 25 hwy Smog score: 6 GHG score: 4

Toyota Highlander AWD Hybrid Starting MSRP: $38,120 MPG: 28 city, 28 hwy Smog score: 8 GHG score: 7

Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid Starting MSRP: $61,110 MPG: 20 city, 24 hwy Smog score: 6 GHG score: 4

Lexus LS 600h L Starting MSRP: $112,250 MPG: 19 city, 23 hwy Smog score: 7 GHG score: 4

Porsche Panamera S Hybrid Starting MSRP: $95,000 MPG: 22 city, 30 hwy Smog score: 5 GHG score: 6

Your Ride

greenabilitymagazine.com

Your Ride

Minddrive students, teachers and mentors gathered in front of Union Station as part of a post-trip celebration after their electric vehicle’s 2,300-mile cross-country journey. Photo by Valerie Kutchko

Minddrive builds more than an electric car By Jared Cole Photography by Valerie Kutchko and Tom Strongman

ansas City high-school students may hold the keys

school semester. In an automotive studio big enough to

to the future of building electric cars. Each Saturday

hold past and present projects, the headquarters contains a

morning, a group of 20 inner-city students meets with

classroom, an office and a computer lab.

mentors at Minddrive in Kansas City to transform automotive parts into high-performance electric vehicles. “This is where we make magic,” Kelvin Duley said of the

Minddrive offers classes in automotive design and communications, hoping to expand students’ vision of the future and encourage urban workforce development.

Minddrive automotive studio. Duley, a recent high school

A key to each student’s experience is being paired with

graduate of DeLaSalle Education Center, has participated in

an industry professional. Many of the skills the mentors

Minddrive for three years.

impart involve concrete tasks like changing car batteries or

The locally based non-profit organization helps students

installing brakes. Mentors have experience in the automotive

develop critical thinking skills and creativity through hands-

or communication industries and are paired with students

on experience with the production and promotion of electric

based on their interests. They offer encouragement and help

cars. Supported by corporate sponsors including Bridgestone

students get assistance with school courses and homework.

and the Automobile Dealers Association of Greater Kansas

In the studio, mentors foster a sense of exploration.

City, Minddrive is able to work with about 20 students per

Sometimes, the lesson is that mistakes or failure can be

Greenability

learning experiences. One student team led by Ehiner Torrijus-Perez found that, after four weeks spent trying to develop a special fiberglass piece to solve a design challenge for the Lotus, another student group fixed the problem and Torrijus-Perez’s team had to scrap their work. “You can always try something out, but later you might find a better solution,” said Torrijus-Perez, a DeLaSalle senior. The determination of students and mentors to keep improving has driven Minddrive’s achievements. Minddrive students completed their first car in 2010 using the recycled chassis of a 2000 Lola Indy car. They built a new body and adapted the car to support an electrical propulsion system, which was able to reach 300 MPGE (miles per gallon equivalent) at a speed of 40 miles per hour. The next year, students built a singleseat car from the body of a 1998 Reynard Indy car that they improved by applying lessons learned from the 2010 car. Most recently, students built an all-electric, two-passenger vehicle from the body of a Lotus Esprit. This summer, they drove it from San Diego, CA to Jacksonville, FL for a Coast-to-Coast project. They passed through 42 cities on the 2,300-mile journey, making 13 educational presentations and showing their electric car technology to smaller audiences along the way. “For a week, we were famous. They were excited to see us,” said Luis Puentes, a DeLaSalle student. At each stop, students presented to schools, electric-vehicle enthusiasts and local politicians. Two students from Alta Vista Charter School, Victoria Mendez, who worked on the brakes, and Hugi Rodriquez, who did the welding, were selected to talk at the first stop on the trip. When Rodriquez learned that his audience was Spanish-speaking, he gave his 10-minute presentation in Spanish. Communication students used social media like Facebook, Twitter and blog posts to communicate the details of the trip to their families and followers. They made Minddrive bracelets and business cards to direct people they met to their website.

Top: Minddrive students built an all-electric, two-passenger vehicle from the body of a Lotus Esprit and drove it from San Diego, CA to Jacksonville, FL this summer. Center: The design process for the Minddrive students’ all-electric vehicle began in the group’s downtown studio. Photos by Valerie Kutchko Below: Ehiner Torrijus-Perez shared his memories of the trip at the group’s celebration lunch this summer. Photo by Tom Strongman

On the cross-country trip, students learned they needed to stop every 70 to 80 miles for about an hour to charge the car’s 30 3.2-volt lithiumion batteries. They tested the car at the Bridgestone Proving Grounds near Fort Stockton, TX, where they discovered that driving at 60 miles per hour, they could achieve 138.6 MPGE. At 40 miles per hour, they got 218.6 MPGE. The trip was not without its challenges, including a flat tire, a broken chain and high temperatures in Texas. Still, they completed the trip in 10 days. greenabilitymagazine.com

Even with its many achievements, Minddrive strives to

Tom Strongman, Minddrive mentor and board member

build more than just cars. For the students, the program has

who accompanied the students on their national journey,

provided a sense of accomplishment and pride in a project

sees the changes in these teenagers.

well done, inspiration for the future and a community of friends with a purpose. “Not a lot of teenagers get this opportunity,” said Duley, who plans to attend college to study engineering and credits Minddrive mentors with helping him develop that interest and stay focused.

“One of the great things is you get to watch the kids open up and grow,” he said. In their year-end reflections, several students noted that they gained confidence as they worked toward their goals. “I grew up around guys, so everyone always wanted to do things for me. It was nice to be the one holding the power

For Andrew Deckard, who joined Minddrive as a student

tools for once,” said Cheyenne Albright, a recent graduate

in 2008 before it built cars, the program has given him

of University Academy. She’s been in the program since 2011

a chance to be a mentor. After two years as a student, he

and specialized in the sheet-metal fabrication for the Lotus car.

stayed involved and now helps younger students. He also

Several students said they had never before visited a

facilitated a group of students to build six computers, which

beach or an ocean and had never seen mountains or deserts,

are now used in the computer lab at Minddrive headquarters.

all of which they saw on their electric-car trip. Instead of

“At the end of the day, it’s not about a car. It’s about

sleeping in on Saturday mornings, the students of Minddrive

the people you’re around,” said Jelani Harris, a senior at

built an electric car and took it to see America.

University Academy who helped build the Lotus.

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EV owners earn tax credits up to $7,500

f you’re thinking of purchasing a new electric or hybrid vehicle, consider the available rebates and incentives. The Federal Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Tax Credit can save owners up to $7,500 on the purchase of an electric or electric-hybrid vehicle. The federal tax credit is subtracted directly from the purchaser’s federal taxes owed. To qualify, the plug-in EV must have at least five kilowatt hours (kWh) of capacity and use an external source of energy to recharge the battery. The tax credit ranges from $2,500 to $7,500, based on the vehicle’s traction battery capacity and the gross vehicle weight rating. According to Plug In America, 28 states offer additional electric vehicle (EV) plug-in incentives. In Missouri, EVs are exempt from state emissions inspections. (There are no plug-in incentives in Kansas.) California offers a $2,500 rebate for plugin EVs, and utilities throughout the state offer discounted rates for residential vehicle charging during off-peak hours. Colorado offers an income tax credit totaling 75 percent of the cost premium of an electric EV purchase, up to $6,000. In Tennessee,

By Molly Mahon

EV owners can qualify for a $2,500 state tax rebate if they are among the first 1,000 EV purchasers. “I believe that there are people willing to spend extra money due to the cost savings over time and because they believe in the future of electric vehicles and technology,” said Kelly Gilbert, transportation director for the K.C. Regional Clean Cities Coalition. More details on EV rebates, incentives and tax credits are available at www.pluginamerica.org, www.energy.gov and www.afdc.energy.gov.

Find a local EV dealer Chevrolet Volt www.chevrolet.com/Volt www.chevydealer.com/ KansasCity

Nissan Leaf www.nissanusa.com www.choosenissan.com/ KansasCity

Mitsubishi www.mitsubishicars.com

Electric vehicle events Lawrence Energy Conservation Fair September 22 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lawrence, KS Event location map: www.lawrencerecycles.org Test drive electric vehicles, take the Sustainable Homes Tour, and attend workshops on home energy savings.

National Plug In Day September 23 www.pluginamerica.org Check www.greenabilitymagazine.com for Kansas City Plug In Day events. Clean Transportation Exposition October 23 Bartle Hall, 301 W. 13th St., Kansas City, MO www.kcenergy.org/kccleancities.aspx Trade show features electric and compressed natural gas vehicles; open to the public.

Your Company Name and Color Logo Here

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Your Ride

Find an EV station and power up By Christopher Khan

ublic electric-vehicle (EV) charg-

the same output as a home outlet,

ing stations are popping up all

while Level II and Level III stations

over, making it easier for Kansas

charge significantly faster, reducing by

City electric car owners to power up

hours the time it takes to reach a full

while buzzing around town.

charge.

“Charging up your electric car is

Most charging stations are currently

like charging a cell phone,” said Larry

free to use until 2013 because the

Kinder, CEO of LilyPad EV, the company

owners received federal or utility

that installed 27 of the 39 publicly

funding for installation costs. The

accessible charging stations in a 50-

stations must still be activated with a

mile radius around Kansas City. “Like

radio-frequency identification (RFID)

a cell phone, you charge every night

card, which could be a credit card or a

on your bed stand, you charge your

charge card meant specifically for EV

electric

But

charging stations. For example, an EV

sometimes you have to plug it in and

owner can get a Charge Point card from

charge it during the day as you go about

www.chargepoint.net or call the toll-

town doing your normal business.”

free phone number on the EV charger

car

your

garage.

Usually, with an overnight charge, the driving range of EVs will be enough for

and an operator will remotely unlock the station.

daily commuting and errand running. Some electric car owners also work at

Pricing, if there is any, is typically $1 or $2 for an hour of charging.

offices that have EV chargers in their

Kansas City Power & Light is planning

parking lots. It can take 4 to 12 hours

to add an additional 10 charging

to fully charge the vehicles, depending

stations to the Smart Grid project area

on the model and type of charging

in midtown Kansas City, which includes

station. Level I charging stations have

the Green Impact Zone.

Look for these 39 public EV charging stations in the Kansas City metro area Downtown Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts 1601 Broadway

Boulevard Brewing Company 2501 Southwest Blvd.

University of Missouri – Kansas City 5115 Oak St.

Midtown / Plaza

South Kansas City

Union Station 30 W. Pershing Road

Walgreens 3845 Broadway Blvd.

Walgreens 7500 Wornall Road

Posty Cards 1600 Olive St.

Project Living Proof House 917 Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd.

Commerce Bank 13441 State Line Road

Greenability

North Kansas City Harley Davidson 11401 N. Congress Ave. Northtowne Mitsubishi 101 NE Vivion Road Randy Reed Nissan 3 public stations 9600 NW Prairie View Road

Walgreens 2630 NE Vivion Road Walgreens 358 E. US Highway 69 Claycomo, MO Walgreens 1191 W. Kansas St. Liberty, MO

Eastern Jackson County Lee’s Summit City Hall 220 SE Green St. Lee’s Summit, MO Lee’s Summit Nissan 1025 SE Oldham Parkway Lee’s Summit, MO Walgreens 9300 E. Gregory Blvd. Raytown, MO Walgreens 13000 S. US Highway 71 Grandview, MO

Johnson County Black & Veatch 11401 Lamar Ave. Leawood, KS City of Olathe Parking Garage 136 S. Cherry St. Olathe, KS Johnson County Community College 12345 College Blvd. Overland Park, KS Johnson County Crime Lab 11880 S. Sunset Drive Olathe, KS

Johnson County Youth and Family Services Center 920 W. Spruce St. Olathe, KS McCarthy Olathe Nissan 2 public stations 675 N. Rawhide Drive Olathe, KS Olathe Subaru 505 S. Fir St. Olathe, KS

www.lilypadev.com

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS Full Service. No Guesswork. No Worries.

Park Place 11551 Ash St. Leawood, KS Roeland Park City Hall 4600 W. 51st St. Roeland Park, KS Walgreens 545 E. Santa Fe St. Olathe, KS

Kansas City, KS

Sales Installation Warranty

Walgreens 7739 State Ave.

Residential

Walgreens 9430 Blue Ridge Blvd.

Commercial

Lawrence, KS Briggs Nissan of Lawrence 2300 W. 29th Terrace

As a leading source of electric vehicle charging stations, LilyPad EV has been a most trusted provider since 2009.

Hy-Vee 3504 Clinton Parkway University of Kansas Center for Design Research 2544 Westbrook Circle

Saint Joseph, MO Heartland Regional Medical Center 5351 Faraon St. Rolling Hills Nissan 3801 Sherman Ave.

Learn how LilyPad EV can provide a comprehensive solution for your home or business by contacting us at:

855-383-3895 Toll free 913-747-6956 Local

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Your Ride EV market will create new green jobs By Jared Cole

ith electric vehicles on the move, the support

and in limited quantities. While no electric vehicles are

industry for these cars is gaining a foothold in

manufactured in Kansas City, customers are starting to

Kansas City, along with the potential for growth in

buy them.

related jobs.

According to Jim Cianciolo, training director of the Kansas

Jobs in the fields of design and development, manu-

City Electricians Training Center (KCETC), the market is

facturing, maintenance, infrastructure development and sales

changing and expected to increase dramatically over the

stand to benefit from the expected growth of the electric

next decade. Ford, for example, predicts anywhere from 10

vehicle market.

to 25 percent of its global sales will be some form of electric

According to Nissan, 3,148 Leafs were sold nationally

vehicle by 2020.

through June 2012; Chevrolet sold 8,817 Volts in that

Projections vary on how long it will take before one million

same time frame, according to General Motors. (Similar

electric vehicles hit the road. President Obama set the goal

sales figures were unavailable for the Mitsubishi i, Ford

at 2015, but industry writers suggest it will take several more

Focus Electric and Tesla Roadster.) Currently, 14 auto

years.

manufacturers have all-electric or plug-in hybrid models available for sale, though most are in limited markets

on-the-job training

In the meantime, Cianciolo and others are planning to meet the demand for an electric-vehicle support industry.

skill assessment system

region-wide recruitment

In this economy, it’s important that your employees possess the skills for today’s green collar jobs and provide the maximum productivity for your company and clients. The Full Employment Council/Missouri Career Center 21st Century Workforce Innovations system is tailored to meet your recruitment, hiring and skill development needs. InstaMatch Recruitment System - For your immediate hiring needs, we’ll match your company with qualified candidates from our source of 30,000 skilled job-seekers using Missouri Career Center’s in the Greater Kansas City area. Accelerated Job Training/Just In Time Skills Assessment - Job seekers using the Missouri Careers Centers will be trained and assessed specifically to fit your workforce requirements. On-the-job training can be held at your workplace and fund reimbursement can range from 50% to 100%. Workforce Support - For eligible Full Employment Council/Missouri Career Center referrals, financial support includes: transportation, supplies or work clothing specific to your workforce requirements. Contact the Full Employment Council/Missouri Career Center today at employerinfo@feckc.org or call the Employer Services Line, (816) 691-2281.

The Full Employment Council, Inc., a provider of employment and training services, is an Equal Opportunity and E-Verify employer. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. TDD/TYY: (816) 283-8439

Greenability

Your Workforce Is Our Career™

Maintenance jobs

lockable cabinet dock is built and pre-wired in Concordia, MO.

Cianciolo helped develop the curriculum that the federally

Premier Carports, based in Lee’s Summit and manufac-

funded Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program uses

turing its products in Atherton, MO, specializes in building

to train electricians. In Kansas City, Cianciolo teaches a course

customized structures to cover cars. The firm found that

at KCETC that prepares state-licensed or state-certified

solar companies and clients who are installing solar panels

electricians to install electric-vehicle supply equipment.

are looking for more square footage to capture solar energy.

Twenty-two electricians passed the first course this spring.

Premier Carports began building carports that support both

The KCETC is preparing for more training options and will

solar panels and electric-vehicle charging equipment.

add them as the market demands.

Infrastructure and support jobs Manufacturing jobs

LilyPad EV, founded in Kansas City by Larry Kinder in 2009,

Milbank Manufacturing, with headquarters in Kansas City,

sells, installs and maintains charging docks as part of the

sells charging docks for both electric vehicles (EV) and plug-

national Coulomb ChargePoint Network. Many of Kansas

in hybrid vehicles (PHEV). The company offers either a wall-

City’s 39 public-use charging stations are part of this network

mounted charging dock or a locked-cabinet charging dock,

and were installed by LilyPad EV.

which are sold mostly to private residents, but can be found for

Although the job growth is small now, experts in the field

public use in Lawrence, Topeka and Wichita. Although Milbank

agree that EV-related jobs are headed this way as more cars

does not currently manufacture the charging-dock hardware, its

and their infrastructure roll into town.

&OHDQ 7UDQVSRUWDWLRQ ([SRVLWLRQ October 23, 2012 | Bartle Hall | Kansas City, MO The Midwest’s premier trade show and information source for alternative fuels and clean transportation technologies. Features general sessions by industry leadership to discuss the state of the clean transportation industry, breakout sessions for in-depth technical education and fleet success stories, and a session track dedicated to the needs of school districts. Provides an excellent opportunity to network within the clean transportation industries and with fleet managers and policy makers.

Hosted by

On behalf of our membership and sponsors we invite you to attend. Presented by Kansas City Regional Clean Cities Coalition, a public - private partnership whose mission is to ensure energy security through transportation programming.

Held in conjunction with the Midwest Energy Policy Conference, October 23-25, 2012

Learn more and join the coalition at www.kcenergy.org/kccleancities.aspx greenabilitymagazine.com

Commentary

Global Warming

How the polar bears’ plight affects us By Dr. Steven Amstrup

s a scientist who has devoted my career to studying polar bears, I’m gravely concerned about the meltdown taking place in the Arctic, where vast stretches of open water are replacing summer sea ice and threatening the polar bear’s ability to reach its seal prey. NO SEA ICE, NO POLAR BEARS. IT’S AS SIMPLE AS THAT. The Arctic warming is caused by a buildup of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that traps heat close to the Earth. My research shows that unless action is taken to greatly

about this: We’ve understood the correlation for more than 100 years. But while a warmer world is certain unless we take action, questions remain about the timing of future events — and that’s confusing to some. The important point to remember is that natural fluctuations in the climate system prevent us from confidently predicting, for example, the first year it will be too hot to grow wheat in Kansas or the first summer the Arctic will be ice-free. But crossing both thresholds is assured unless we reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Once we cross those thresholds, it will be bad news not only for polar bears — but countless other species, including humans.

Once we cross those thresholds, it will be bad news not only for the polar bears – but countless other species, including humans. reduce the emissions from burning fossil fuels like coal and oil, two-thirds of the world’s polar bears could disappear by mid-century and all of them could vanish by the end of the century. And with them would go an entire, achingly beautiful ecosystem. But how does this affect me, you say? Global warming is a problem that extends well beyond the Arctic and is already affecting life as we know it on Earth. It brings with it not just warmer temperatures but climate chaos, including an increase in extreme weather events, from floods to droughts to killer tornadoes. In fact, the connection is so well-established that journalists should end every report on a weather disaster with the following words: Events like these will continue to increase in number and severity as the world continues to warm. The established science The laws of planetary physics require that the world will grow warmer and warmer as greenhouse gas concentrations rise. There’s no uncertainty 35

Greenability

What can be done? The good news is that because humans have caused this problem, humans can fix this — and the solution starts at the individual level. First, we all must do everything we can to minimize our individual greenhouse gas footprints. Then we must convince our neighbors and our communities to make the same efforts. Next, we must support merchants and businesses that believe in a sustainable business model. And, finally, we must vote for leaders who believe like we do and want to see a sustainable economy and ecosystem rather than sacrificing our future for shortterm gain. Time remains to save the polar bears — but we must act soon.

Dr. Steven Amstrup is the chief scientist for Polar Bears International and the 2012 recipient of the Indianapolis Prize, the world’s leading award for animal conservation. He led the Polar Bear Project for the U.S. Geological Survey for 30 years.

Get trained for a new green job Want to get trained or certified for a green job, but don’t have time to earn a college degree? These programs offer non-degree training and certifications that can be completed in six weeks to one year.

By Jared Cole

• Sustainable Business Leadership Certificate • Energy Auditing Technician Residential Certificate

Next Chapter Kansas City’s Exploring Green Jobs Course

Metropolitan Community College Institute for Workforce Innovation

Exploring Green Jobs is one of four online courses offered by Next Chapter Kansas City for those interested in researching jobs in a range of employment settings. Students have access to a moderator and are provided with extensive resources.

913-281-8908 www.nextchapterkc.org

Full Employment Council Green KC Careers Training Initiative

816-604-1573 www.mcckc.edu/iwi

816-471-2330, ext. 278 www.feckc.org

Metropolitan Community College Institute offers: • Solar Photovoltaic Training and Certification • Environmental Remediation Course • Deconstruction classes

The Green KC Careers Training Initiative provides green job certifications with work experience, classroom training and internship training in the fields of deconstruction, energy efficiency and water conservation.

Metropolitan Energy Center Training Center

Johnson County Community College

816-830-0294 www.kcenergy.org

913-469-8500 www.jccc.edu

The Metropolitan Energy Center programs include: • Environmental Remediation Course • Environmental Inspector Program • Building Analyst Course and Building Performance Institute Certification • Weatherization Installer Course

Johnson County Community College training programs include: • Solar Technician Certificate • Sustainable Agriculture Entrepreneurship Certificate

U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau Sustainable Career Guide 816-285-7236 www.dol.gov/wb/Green_Jobs_Guide The Department of Labor Women’s Bureau has developed a comprehensive online manual, Why Green is your Color: A Women’s Guide to a Sustainable Career. It is designed to assist women with job training and career development. To find a green job position, go to the Greenability Job Network listings at www.greenabilitymagazine.com or www.greenabilityjobs.com.

Find a green job!

GREENABILITY JOB NETWORK greenabilityjobs.com Anyone can say they are “GREEN” JOB SEEKERS Search for green jobs Post a resume

GREEN COMPANIES Post a job Advertise Search resumes

We have proven it. We are Kansas City’s only audited & certified electronics recycler!

greenabilityjobs.com

Job Network

The Surplus Exchange 518 Santa Fe, Kansas City, MO 64105 (816) 472-0444 • www.surplus exchange.org greenabilitymagazine.com SurpExchange_Nov11.indd 1

11/18/11 8:37 AM

GREENABILITYDIRECTORY Mid-America Regional Council (MARC)

BUILDERS/REMODELERS

600 Broadway, Suite 200 Kansas City, MO 816-474-4240

Bennett Home Improvement & Building 708 NW R.D. Mize Road Blue Springs, MO 816-564-1251 cell 816-229-4711 office

www.marc.org MARC is a non-profit association of city and county governments and the metropolitan planning organization for the bi-state Kansas City region.

www.homeimprovementandbuilding.com

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Bennett Home Improvement installs “green” technologies that will enhance your home’s value while saving you money and protecting our environment.

LilyPad EV 8527 Bluejacket Lenexa, KS 66214 913-747-6956 Toll free: 855-383-3895

SunSource Homes Inc. 7832 Rosewood Lane Prairie Village, KS 816-783-3863

www.lilypadev.com

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING STATIONS

Full Service.of Noelectric Guesswork. No Worries. LilyPad EV is the leading full-service provider vehicle charging stations for residential and commercial applications with sales, installation, warranty, maintenance. Test Drive The New

www.SunSourceHomes.net Sun Source Homes offers net-zero design/build construction services, solar PV system design/installation, net-zero energy design, architectural services and sustainable remodeling.

100% ELECTRIC

McCarthy Olathe Nissan

NISSAN LEAF

Sales

EDUCATION

683 N. Rawhide Road Olathe, KS 913-232-2625

Johnson County Community College

www.mccarthynissan.com

Center for Sustainability 12345 College Blvd. Overland Park, KS 913-469-8500

Find the widest selection of Nissan vehicles, including the all-electric, As a leading source of electric vehicle stations, LilyPad EV has been a plug-in Nissan Leaf, at McCarthy Olathe charging Nissan.

Installation Warranty Residential Commercial

most trusted provider since 2009.

Randy Reed Nissan

www.jccc.edu/sustainability

9600 NW Prairie View Road Kansas City, MO 816-459-4800

Want a new “green” career? Explore JCCC’s sustainability programs and train for a career in the growing “green” industry.

www.randyreednissan.com

B:7.25” (14’ 6”)

Learn how LilyPad EV can provide a comprehensive solution for your home or business by contacting us at:

816-459-4800

9600 NW Prairie View Road, KCM

www.randyreednissan.com

855-383-3895 Toll free 913-747-6956 Local

Randy Reed Nissan offers fast, friendly, simple and fair service and is now featuring the 100-percent electric Nissan Leaf.

T:7.25” (14’ 6”)

S:6.75” (13’ 6”)

Visit us umb.com/rewards | Call us 816.860.4862

Count on More® Rewards Checking.

Greenability

T:3.125” (6’ 3”)

B:3.125” (6’ 3”)

Get rewarded. Just for living your life.

For more information about Bridging The Gap, visit bridgingthegap.org

S:2.625” (5’ 3”)

Nothing feels more rewarding than donating to a good cause. When you open a Count on More® Rewards Checking account, your normal every day purchases will earn points you can use toward donations to select environmental organizations like Bridging The Gap in Kansas City. Donation gifts are available in $50 increments. The feeling is much bigger.

Metropolitan Energy Center

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

3810 Paseo Kansas City, MO 816-531-7283

cfm Distributors, Inc. 1104 Union Ave. Kansas City, MO 816-842-5400

www.kcenergy.org

www.cfmdistributors.com Cfm Distributors is the Midwest’s employee-owned provider of sustainable heating, cooling, and refrigeration solutions for home, office and industry.

Metropolitan

ENERGY CENTER

The mission of the Metropolitan Energy Center is to help create resource efficiency, environmental health and economic vitality in the Kansas City region.

Missouri Gas Energy

www.missourigasenergy.com

EnergyWorks KC

Missouri Gas Energy offers an energy efficiency rebate for customers who purchase a qualifying energy-efficient, tankless natural gas water heating system.

816-531-7283 www.EnergyWorksKC.org www.kcmo.org/EnergyWorksKC EnergyWorks KC provides resources to help you make smart, easy, energy-efficiency improvements to your home or business to save energy and enhance comfort.

Small Step Energy Solutions Shawnee, KS 913-708-8004

www.smallstepenergy.com

The Hayes Company www.thehayesco.com

Small Step Energy Solutions specializes in home energy auditing and green energy building consultations for both new and existing homes.

The Hayes Company offers Home Performance services for energy efficiency through energy audits, insulating, duct sealing, weatherization and HVAC balancing.

EVENTS

Kansas City, MO 816-444-6352

Lawrence Energy Conservation Fair & Sustainable Homes Tour

Heartland Utilities for Energy Efficiency (HUEE) www.HUEE.org

HUEE promotes energy efficiency through Atmos Energy, Independence Power & Light, Kansas City Board of Public Utilities, Kansas Gas Energy,Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative and Metropolitan Energy Center.

Lawrence, KS 785-832-3030 Event location map:

www.LawrenceRecycles.org Learn to save energy, money and the environment on Saturday, Sept. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free admission.

Larsen & Associates Reliable geothermal drillers specializing in residential installations

Drill

Trench

Flush & Fill

www.larsenenvironmental.com

Phone: 785.841.8707 Email: jessica@larsenenvironmental.com greenabilitymagazine.com

FINANCIAL SERVICES

HOME IMPROVEMENT

First Affirmative Financial Network

Elements of Green 1919 Wyandotte Kansas City, MO 64108 816-842-0500

913-432-4958

www.firstaffirmative.com First Affirmative Financial Network is an independent, fee-only, fiduciary investment management firm specializing in socially and environmentally responsible investing.

www.elements-of-green.com Kansas City’s source for sustainable building, remodeling and finishing solutions like cabinets, countertops, flooring, tile, paint, solar and cleaning supplies.

UMB Financial Corporation 1010 Grand Boulevard Kansas City, MO 816-860-7000

Habitat ReStore

UMB offers complete banking, asset management, health spending solutions and related financial services to personal, commercial and institutional customers nationwide.

www.restorekc.org

www.umb.com

4701 Deramus, Kansas City, MO 303 W. 79th St., Kansas City, MO 816-231-6889 Habitat ReStore collects quality, new and used building materials and sells them to the public at a discount. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity home building.

GREEN JOBS LAWN & GARDEN

Full Employment Council 1740 Paseo Blvd. 816-471-2330 Kansas City, MO

ALL-N-1 Landscape

www.feclc.org

Your Workforce Is Our Career™

The Full Employment Council, Inc. (FEC) supplies employers with a skilled workforce and job seekers with successful training in greater Kansas City.

GREETING CARDS Posty Cards, Inc.

2350 Franklin Rd. Lawrence, KS 913-814-9200 (KC) 785-856-5296 (Lawrence)

www.ALL-N-1-Landscape.com ALL-N-1 Landscape specializes in designing and creating affordable, low maintenance, beautiful, healthy and sustainable landscapes, customized to your needs and dreams.

Eco Fertilization and Lubrication

1600 Olive Street Kansas City, MO 816-231-2323

Tom Gorby, Aggrand dealer 913-593-5797

www.ecoflkc.com

www.postycards.com ®

Featuring Sustainable Sentiments locally grown, green greeting cards. Build client and employee relationships with environmentally inspired cards for birthdays, holidays and other occasions.

agriculture Natural Liquid Fertilizers Proven performance delivering healthy plants, healthy soil and healthy yields without chemicals

gardens

Aggrand is an all-purpose natural fish/kelp fertilizer available at Green Stem Garden Center in Blue Springs, Rolling Meadows Garden Center in Olathe and Planters Seed in Kansas City.

Air Sealing Insulation Ask Mike about rebates for making your house more comfortable!

Tom Gorby - Aggrand Dealer er Fertiliz 913.593.5797 ggrand A www.ecoflkc.com es ic Seri Organ ! I Listed OMR is now

- Fish & Kelp based - Affordable - Easy to use

Available at these fine locations: Green Stem Garden Center Lee’s Summit, MO Rolling Meadows Garden Center – Olathe, KS Planters Seed Co. – Kansas City, MO

Greenability

FREE ATTIC FAN COVER WITH ATTIC INSULATION

safe lawns athletic fields

Ventilation

Certain restrictions apply

FAMILY OWNED SINCE 1978

816-444-6352

www.thehayesco.com

Missouri Organic

MOVING SERVICES

7700 East 40 Highway Kansas City, MO 816-483-0908

Vic’s Moving and Storage

www.missouriorganic.com Missouri Organic offers a convenient and affordable facility for customers to drop off green waste and purchase quality compost, topsoil and mulch.

LITTER REMOVAL Adopt-A-Highway Litter Removal Service of America, Inc. 800-540-8694

sarah@adoptahighway.net www.adoptahighway.net Sponsor a section of Kansas or Missouri highway and promote your business through Adopt-A-Highway, a litter removal service.

www.goodnatured.net

FRES UY

Good Natured Family Farms

LOCAL & ORGANIC FOOD

Good Natured Family Farms is an alliance UY LOCA of more than 150 family farms that raise animals humanely and care for the Earth in a sustainable way.

113 E 13th St. Kansas City, MO

www.vicsmoving.com Kansas City’s favorite local mover since 1991 now offers a 100-percent “green” move with zero-carbon emissions with bicycles.

RECLAIMED MATERIALS Beaver Timber Inc. 3133 Merriam Lane Kansas City, KS 913-831-2518

www.beaver-timber.com Beaver Timber provides reclaimed, recycled, restored and salvaged wood building materials for architects, builders, contractors, designers and homeowners.

RECYCLING Deffenbaugh Industries 2601 Midwest Drive Kansas City, KS 913-631-3300

www.deffenbaughinc.com Deffenbaugh is Kansas City’s hometown hauler for more than 50 years and the first to launch weekly residential and business recycling.

Hen House Market 13 locations

www.henhouse.com Hen House is locally owned, specializes in Buy Fresh Buy Local food, and offers customers a seasonal Community Supported Agriculture membership.

The Surplus Exchange 518 Santa Fe Kansas City, MO 816-472-0444

www.surplusexchange.org The Surplus Exchange responsibly recycles electronics locally and offers pickup from metro commercial locations. Visit the Tech Shop and furniture showroom.

Sustainable Investment Solutions™ We help socially and environmentally conscious investors manage their money to make a positive impact on their own lives and our whole world. Investment Advisory Representative

• Fee-only services from an Accredited Investment Fiduciary™ • Focused exclusively on SRI financial planning for over 15 years • Customized screening, shareholder activism and community investing

Email or call today for your free one-year subscription to our quarterly newsletter on socially responsible investing, Affirmative Thinking.

Jim Horlacher MBA, AIF® TreeHuggerJim@FirstAffirmative.com | 913.432.4958 | www.firstaffirmative.com First Affirmative Financial Network, LLC is an independent Registered Investment Advisor registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Jim Horlacher is an Investment Advisory Representative of First Affirmative Financial Network.

greenabilitymagazine.com

SunSource Homes Inc.

RENEWABLE ENERGY

7832 Rosewood Lane Prairie Village, KS 816-783-3863

Brightergy Solar 1617 Main Street, 3rd Floor Kansas City, MO 816-866-0555

www.SunSourceHomes.net

www.brightergy.com Brightergy is the region’s most experienced solar design, installation, financing and leasing firm with hundreds of commercial and residential installations across the Midwest.

Sun Source Homes offers net-zero design/build construction services, solar PV system design/installation, net-zero energy design, architectural services and sustainable remodeling.

WORKSHOPS & RETREATS Arborview Stables

FreeEnergy

50 SW 1971st Rd. Kingsville, MO 816-699-5115

816-461-8877

info@FreeEnergyCorp.com www.FreeEnergyCorp.com FreeEnergy is a full-service sustainability company. We design and install solar PV, solar thermal hot water and geothermal GSHP.

www.arborviewstables.com

Arb rv ew

LLC

STABLES

Equine-Assisted Growth & Learning

Promoting individual growth through non-mounted activities with horses and interaction with nature. Offering workshops, counseling, retreats and team-building events.

Larsen & Associates, Inc. 785-841-8707 Contact: Jessica Pryor

www.larsenenvironmental.com Larsen & Associates provides geothermal installation services including loop installation, line purging and charging, pressure grouting, thermal fusion and drilling.

Do you want your green business or service to be seen by environmentally conscious readers? List it in the GREENABILITY DIRECTORY. For information, contact Julie Koppen 816-931-3646 or julie@greenabilitymagazine.com

Your Wholesale Source

for Landscaping Products and Services

Top Soils

• Pulverized Top Soil • Customs SoilMixes • Green Roof Soil Blends • Rain Garden Soil Blends

Compost

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Mulch

• Premium I • Natural Darkwood • Cedar • Hardwood Chips • Erosion Stabilization

Services

• Industrial Tub Grinding • Custom Screening • Contract Consulting • Soil Testing • Soil Consulting

$25 Off

Nature Wise Compost 3-9 yards minimum Hurry! Offer Expires Soon.

kevin@missouriorganic.com www.missouriorganic.com http://blog.missouriorganic.com

Solar Technology Certificate and Degree Program The Solar Technology Assocate’s Degree and Solar Technician Certificate at JCCC prepares students to sit for the NABCEP entry level exam and provide the design and fieldwork experience to qualify to take the installer exam. The program’s foundation is rooted in courses that apply to a wider range of job opportunities in industrial maintenance and electrical work. For information, call Dan Eberle at 913-469-8500, ext. 3388, or visit www.jccc.edu/solar-technology.

Johnson County Community College 7700 E. 40 Hwy., Kansas City, MO 64129

Greenability

816-483-0908

12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS 66210 www.jccc.edu

Hen House is based in Kansas City

Our HOme is YOur HOme Costco

Issaquah, WA

Shopping at local businesses supports your community, your friends and your family!

Target

minneapolis, mN

HyVee

Des moines, IA

H HO eN uS e

Trader Joes Pasadena, CA

Whole Foods

Austin, TX

Walmart

Bentonville, Ar

When you shop local, it has the economic impact as shopping at a national chain.