GLAZ Aug 2012

August 2012

Your conscious life

M a g a z i n e Your conscious life

M a g a z i n e

Jamie Oliver MINISTer OF FOOD

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August 2012 Live Green

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Jamie Oliver: The Minister of Food

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package – where do you think kids learn bad habits? More importantly, how did we all get so busy that we can’t find the time to make a turkey sandwich?

G

A+

rab your lunchbox and get on that bus – it’s back to school! I’m guessing that parents are thanking the calendar that school is here, and college students are excited for another semester and moving towards graduation. Yes, August, welcome back – where did the summer go?

I am beyond thrilled to feature Jamie Oliver this month. I had the pleasure talking with him about my favorite subject – food. Better known as the “Naked Chef”, thanks to his TV show on The Food Network, Jamie has spent over 10 years encouraging people to get back into the kitchen and cook simple, good food. With the growing public health threat of childhood obesity here and across the pond, Jamie’s focus is to bring about awareness and take action against this health problem by teaching our kids and families how to cook. He describes kids knowing how to cook as a lost art.

Think about it. The average adult consumer is all about the quick-and-easy, the convenience, the drive-through window, or the microwavable

4 greenliving | August 2012

Jamie’s Foundation was formed to raise awareness about food culture around the world and “keep cooking skills alive.” The Foundation has five initiatives that directly impact youths’ ability to cook with a farm-to-table influence, and to choose healthier food. In the feature article “The Minister of Food”, read about how Jamie has declared war on childhood obesity, how he’s helping troubled youths get a second chance, and about his new cookbook “Jamie Oliver’s Great Britain”, in which he returns to the heart and soul of British cooking.

I would also like to congratulate Arizona’s own Chris Bianco for the opening of his new restaurant in England, with Jamie – Union Jacks – which features a menu that will take you through the familiar flavors of Britain and excite you with their flatbreads and wood-fired cooking methods – a Bianco specialty. The Bianco brothers have other restaurants in town filled with their famous breads and Italian flair (Pizzeria Bianco, Pane Bianco, Italian Restaurant, and Crescent Ballroom). Support local economy by taking in some of their delicious ZA! Admittedly, it takes effort to make those lunches every day. I get just as tired as the next parent, but in the long run I know that it’ll pay off for their health and mine. Get your kids back in the kitchen and don’t give up on good food!

All the best,

Tishin Donkersley, M.A., Editor-in-Chief

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M a g a z i n e Your conscious life

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Your conscious life Publisher

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Feature

Jamie Oliver

Photography by David Loftus

THE MINISTER OF FOOD

BY TISHIN DONKERSLEY, M.A.

O

nions will peel and potatoes will strip their skin for this chef. Better known as “The Naked Chef”, Jamie Oliver is about drilling food down to the “bare essentials” and is making some significant noise about getting you, and your children, back into the kitchen. His passion for restoring good, healthy food in the hands of children and offering healthy food in the school systems has fueled his efforts to take his message about cooking worldwide.

Jamie Oliver began his fascination for food working in the kitchen of his parents’ pub/restaurant, The Cricketers, in England.

While developing his culinary craft, Jamie fell into an opportunity at the acclaimed River Café working alongside of Rose Gray (who passed away in 2010) and Ruth Rogers, two renowned British chefs who changed the outlook of Italian cooking throughout Britain and taught him to make fresh and simple food. It was in that kitchen, in 1997, that he was discovered during the filming of a

8 greenliving | August 2012

documentary about the River Café. Soon after, Jamie was offered his own BBC television show – “The Naked Chef”.

His platform was to get back to basics with ingredients, entertain viewers with a casual approach to cooking, and reenergize families to get them back into the kitchen. The show launched in 1999 and won many awards. That same year, the tie-in book “The Naked Chef” became an instant best-seller in the United Kingdom (UK), and Jamie was invited by former Prime Minister Tony Blair to prepare lunch at 10 Downing Street. Jamie Oliver was suddenly a household name in Britain, and gaining popularity in the United States.

In 2001, Jamie launched another cooking show, “Happy Days With the Naked Chef”, and took his show on tour to Australia and New Zealand, selling out at each venue. Upon his return to England, he felt inspired to “give something back” to his community and the hospitality industry, and to “keep cooking skills alive.” With enthusiasm Comment on this article at greenlivingaz.com

and purpose, Jamie opened a nonprofit training restaurant, the Fifteen, to provide culinary training for disadvantaged youth who were unemployed and facing many life challenges, and train them for careers in the restaurant industry. The objective was to provide a positive path for them and reconnect people with healthy food. Jamie’s belief is that there is a lost generation of youth who do not know how to cook or prepare a meal, and someone needs to teach them. With so much of our food today being prepackaged, in a microwaveable container, or from a fast-food drive-through, many of our youth yield to the convenient instead of preparing a healthy meal.

Throughout the next 11 years, Jamie received international recognition. He was given the Member of the Order of the British Empire, as well as a plethora of community and chef awards; churned out best-selling cookbooks and award-winning documentaries; was invited to cook for many celebrities, including Oprah, and President Obama at the G20 meeting in greenlivingaz.com

Feature

Union Jacks

When Jamie and Chris met, it was as if Jamie had found a “kindred spirit and fellow food ‘geek.’” With a love of produce and “vibrant food culture,” these two were meant to work together. Their friendship grew, and together they opened Union Jacks, a British-inspired menu filled with wood-fired flatbreads – a specialty appreciated by Chris and Jamie.

“Chris is absolutely brilliant, and working with him to create flatbreads from ALL British ingredients has been incredible. We’ve sourced wheat that only grows in Britain and created some amazing things,” Jamie said.

Unionjacksrestaurants.com jamieoliver.com

“My philosophy to food and healthy eating has always been about enjoying everything in a balanced and sane way.” ~ Jamie Oliver London; was the winner of TED Talks prize in 2010; opened three restaurants, including Union Jacks with Arizona local Chris Bianco; and he now runs a cooking school and catering business – and all the while, Jamie Oliver’s philosophy and mission hasn’t changed.

Jamie has used his success to build the Jamie Oliver Foundation “to inspire people to reconnect with food,” and has officially declared war on the growing public health threat of childhood obesity.

“It’s all about raising awareness and individual responsibility…and, ultimately, keeping cooking skills alive,” Jamie says about his Foundation.

In the UK, a 2010 report from the NHS Information Center for Health and Social Care reports “around three in ten boys and girls (aged 2 to 15) were classed as overweight or obese,” which reflects very little change since the year prior.

Additional data revealed “around one in ten students aged 4 to 5 years and onefifth of students aged 10 to 11 years were classed as obese.”

More recently, The Guardian reported that one in three children are overweight or obese and “one-third of students – 33.4 percent – are either overweight or obese by the time they reach fifth grade.”

These alarming statistics regarding healthy eating and childhood obesity caused such a concern to Anne Milton, the UK public health minister, that in 2012 she launched the nationwide greenlivingaz.com

“Change4Life” campaign, which provided cookbooks and recipes in support of its goal – to help families learn about a balanced diet.

Across the pond, our childhood obesity stats from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [see side bar Childhood Obesity Stats-US] aren’t much better, as the “Super Size” society carries on and is grossly affecting our youth.

While Parliament moves forward to help families and reduce the public health concern, Jamie’s “Big Vision” for his Foundation is to improve lives through the appreciation, education, and understanding of good food, to learn the origin of food, and to develop good cooking habits that can be passed down from generation to generation.

“We’ve worked with kids as young as 4 through 80 [years old]. We want to give everyone the tools, skills, and knowledge to make a lasting, positive impact on their lives,” Jamie said.

Jamie’s Foundation in the UK currently houses four projects: the Fifteen Apprentice Program, Kitchen Garden Project, Jamie’s School Dinners and the Ministry of Food. Jamie’s Food Foundation in the U.S. consists of a growing number of programs to support and fuel the global project – the Food Revolution.

Fifteen Apprentice Program The Fifteen Apprentice program was started to “radically transform lives”

by helping unemployed and troubled young people between the ages of 18 and 24 to gain meaningful employment, improve long-term health, reduce risk of homelessness, improve budgeting skills, and build professional and personal relationships. The program creates a highly supportive and familial environment for the apprentices and helps them get a fresh start.

In a report completed by the program, for every £1 invested, £9.50 of social value is generated. Fifteen is a 12-month program that combines on-thejob training with college-based work and personal development, and trains them in a number of culinary sections (pasta, meat and grill, fish and mains, etc.) to ultimately become professional chefs.

Jamie considers his training program to take on a common sense approach to cooking, “[When] they buy the freshest foods available and do as little to them as possible to make delicious food – if ingredients are good, you don’t need to do much to make them really sing.”

For Jamie, the best part of this program is watching his students graduate. “It’s one of the proudest moments in my career. I have students who are running restaurants now who I’m quite sure would be in jail, or even worse, if it wasn’t for Fifteen. From our London restaurant alone, nearly 80 percent of graduates are still working in the food business, and after ten years of Fifteen, for me that’s incredible,” Jamie said with a smile.

Kitchen Garden Project The love of gardening is a part of Jamie and his family life. On his website, Jamie writes a blog about his own garden back in Essex and provides tips on gardening.

This personal craft and joy of gardening has manifested into The Kitchen Garden Project – an extension of Jamie’s original Feed Me Better campaign aimed to provide healthy lunches to British school children.

His goal is to resurrect the lost art of cooking among our children and the ability to engage in practical cooking.

Schools no longer have the facilities to teach these “Home Ec” skills, and basic cooking instruction has been replaced with computer classes. With obesity on the rise, Jamie’s solution is to work with school systems, local government, and August 2012 | greenliving 9

Feature companies to develop specialist kitchens within the school to teach our kids to cook from scratch.

Jamie’s project integrates cooking into the curriculum, and has kids attending cooking class alongside math, science and physical education. Children will have the chance to test their boundaries with new foods and challenge their taste buds with new textures, flavors, and creations. Over the long term, children exposed to this project will choose healthier foods and feel empowered to make their own meals with healthy choices in mind.

Jamie’s School Dinners At Greenwich elementary schools, authorized absences decreased by 15 percent, test scores and in-class behavior improved, and concentration abilities increased – these are astonishing discoveries found by researchers from Oxford and Essex Universities after studying the effects of the implementation of Jamie’s School Dinners program, which is also an extension of his Feed Me Better program geared to shift the nutritionbased standards of school lunches by limiting the foods high in fat, salt, and sugar. What was the difference? Junk food was out, and good food was in! A drastic shift occurred with these school children by simply supplying a healthier school lunch.

The Guardian reported that before the program, an average lunch entree choice consisted of burgers and chips, sausage rolls, fish fingers or chicken nuggets.

After implementation of Jamie’s Dinner program, lunch choices looked more like roast beef, mushroom and lentil bake, Mexican bean wrap, lamb and vegetable pie, or creamy coconut fish. Delish!

Imagine if we implemented this at our local schools!

Ministry of Food Jamie’s direction is clear – “to inspire as many people as possible to love and enjoy good food” – and it is a common thread throughout his Foundation.

The Ministry is based on a “British initiative from the Second World War, when the government set up a national network of food advisors and teachers to educate the public about food and nutrition,” and is by far the most important of the campaigns to Jamie. This

10 greenliving | August 2012

initiative is filled with vigor and venom to attack diet-related diseases around the world. With the support of the British government and international to local sponsors, the Ministry has opened Centres throughout the UK and Australia (AU) to help families learn to cook by providing free kitchen facilities, teachers, and classes on cooking and nutrition.

The Good Foundation in AU, a charitable arm of The Good Guys who run a Ministry Centre, proudly states that “the Centre is a place where everyone, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity, can learn basic cookery skills in a friendly, supportive and fun environment.”

Food Revolution Rise up and make some noise, America!

Fighting childhood obesity takes shape on the front line – your kitchen. After Jamie worked in the United States, he was exceedingly motivated to help shape the way America eats.

His initial attempt was to introduce his program to the unhealthiest city – Huntington, West Virginia, according to a 2006 CDC report – and improve the health of school children. While he was met with criticism from school officials, cooks and the community in his attempt to take away their French fries and chocolate milk from the cafeteria and replace them with salad and fresh food, Jamie didn’t give up on his goal to help this community.

“The Food Revolution is about saving lives,” Jamie states.

One of his biggest critics, DJ Rod Willis, “The Dawg,” said, “One person can not change 50,000 people in the city of Huntington, West Virginia…and we’ve got better things to do than learn a few recipes,” and continued to slam Jamie’s program on his show. Rod was wrong – from steel workers to teenagers, Jamie spread his message of good health, taught over 1,000 people to cook, and campaigned for funds to continue the Revolution in the community. It was down to the last few weeks to obtain funding and determine whether the Revolution would sustain – and then Cabell Huntington Hospital donated $50,000 to help teach school cooks and the community how to prepare healthy food. Their Food Revolution – now called the Huntington Revolution – won. Rod

and Jamie are now good friends. Reruns of the Food Revolution show are found on BBC America.

Jamie continues his Revolution through his Big Rig Mobile Kitchen, home cooking courses, schools and communities, and activists programs throughout the US. Jamie is bringing millions of people together to fight obesity with good, healthy food. May 19 is the official Food Revolution Day; in 2012, 664 cities, 62 countries, 460 public events and 541 dinner parties participated in this celebration. Jamie encourages people around the world to sign the Food Revolution petition (goal of 1 million people) and support the mission to keep cooking skills alive, and encourage schools to offer healthier lunches. Visit JamieOliver.com to sign up.

With the world’s focus on London for the 2012 Olympics, it was the perfect time for Jamie to pay homage to the flavors of Britain with the release of his new cookbook “Jamie Oliver’s Great Britain.” From Yorkshire to Essex to the Scottish borders, this book is chock full of traditions and cultures from his homeland. It will truly excite the foodie within.

Recipes include Kate and Will’s Wedding Pie, Glasgow Potato Scones with Scrambled Egg and Smoked Salmon, Empire Roast Chicken with Bombay Roasties, and Indian Gravy and Chocolate Orange Steamed Pudding. There is also an arrangement of quick and easy salads, sandwiches, vegetable sides and many more recipes to excite the palate.

If you are planning to visit Britain, you can download his Jamie Oliver Food Guide app, which will give you over 1,000 places to eat, visit and shop.

Eating healthier starts at home, and with a little time, effort and education, we can get ourselves and our children back into the kitchen to connect with healthy food– and maybe even with each other.

“...no one is born a great cook, one learns by doing.” ~ Julia Child, My Life in France greenlivingaz.com

Feature

BY TISHIN DONKERSLEY, M.A.

“

Living a life that is good for you and the planet” – a simple thought from a global thinker, Jamie Oliver. Healthy eating, fighting childhood obesity and sustaining cooking skills is at the heart of this chef.

Ready to be inspired, I threw on an apron and my apprentice hat–ready to learn more about how to help the community and improve the health of future generations.

Talk to me about your thoughts about the immense public health concern for childhood obesity.

Frankly, I don’t think there is enough public concern. Our governments–yours and mine–have done very little to feed our kids better. They haven’t really taken on the challenge of sorting out school food for good, and when brave politicians do stand up for our kids, like Mayor Bloomberg’s ban on giant fizzy drinks, they are immediately taken on by large industries and no progress really happens.

Share with me your philosophy on healthy eating vs. indulgence.

I’m not against being indulgent–who doesn’t love a bowl of ice cream or a hearty homemade burger? You just have to remember that it’s all about balance; you can’t eat this kind of food every day without feeling the effects. It’s about being

streetwise about food, and if you’re going to have a treat for lunch, for example, then have a salad for dinner.

What is the catalyst we need for significant change in our communities, with regards to our food choices?

Food education. If people are armed with knowledge and skills, they will make better choices.

The love of cooking is one thing, but at your Ministry of Food program, chopping carrots to build a community is another. Tell us the difference.

The food Centres are about teaching people the basic skills they need to feed themselves and their families properly, for life. Food skills have been lost, and schools and families aren’t teaching them, so our Centres are doing that. We’ve been really successful in Australia, and I hope that we can mirror that in the US as well.

How can we build the Ministry of Food efforts in the US? The Food Revolution is essentially the same thing. A grassroots movement to teach people about food and cooking.

How can parents get involved with your programs?

Easy–they can set a good example at home, cook and eat real food from scratch, and teach their children the basic cooking skills.

Is there anyone over in the US that you would consider a thought-leader in food?

There are lots of amazing people working in food in America–Alice Waters of course,

“If

we can get gardens growing, food in the classroom and school dinners improving, we’ve got a really potent, inspirational catalyst for change. This is a great opportunity for us all to come together and do something that really makes a difference.” ~ Jamie Oliver

Childhood Obesity Stats - US •

• •

• •

•

The percentage of children age 6 to 11 years in the United States who were obese increased from 7 to 20 percent within the last 30 years.

In children age 12 to 19 years, obesity increased from 5 to 18 percent during the same time.

Obese children are more likely to have risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Obese adolescents are more likely to have prediabetes.

Children and adolescents who are obese are at greater risk for bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, and social and psychological problems such as poor self-esteem, behavior and learning problems and depression.

Overweight and obesity are associated with increased risk for many types of cancer, osteoarthritis, strokes and Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

greenlivingaz.com

Marion Nestle, Mark Bittman, my mate Morgan Spurlock.

Favorite dish you cook for your kids?

Depends on the day–they are pretty good eaters, and on the weekends we have lots of fun baking bread and making pasta together.

At the end of the day you want people to…

Make better choices about the foods they eat and really try to avoid the processed junk.

What is next for Jamie Oliver?

In the US, I have a new book coming out, Jamie Oliver’s Great Britain. There’s loads of other exciting stuff coming up too, and I’ll keep sticking my oar into stuff as well of course. I’m getting good at that.

Tell us the inspiration and motivation behind your new book “Jamie’s Great Britain” and how this cookbook has embraced the culture of Britain.

After years looking at and embracing the cuisines of other countries, I wanted to share the amazing food that my own country has been doing for the last 20 years.

The cookbook is old school and new school British food, and my take on everything in between. You’ll find everything from fish pie to fairy cakes.

What’s great about Britain is that we’ve embraced so many different cultures and cuisines over the years that we now have this really beautiful eclectic mixture of the most wonderful food.

Copyright (C) Jamie Oliver, 2011, 2012. Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold. All Rights Reserved.

one-on-one with

August 2012 | greenliving 11

Health & Wellness

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Beyond biological disorders such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, the main reason is an active mind – we lie in bed ruminating about something that happened in the past, or worrying about something in the future.

Medical studies show that chronic sleep deprivation contributes to anxiety, depression, premature aging, accidents, and fatigue. Inadequate sleep has also been linked

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to weight gain due to a reduction in leptin, a critical hormone that regulates appetite.

According to the healing science of Ayurveda, sleep is the nursemaid to humanity. During deep, restful sleep, our body recovers from stress and we awaken feeling refreshed, clearminded, and energized.

While sleep medication can provide a temporary altered sleep state, it doesn’t create the level of rejuvenation that comes with normal sleep patterns. Ayurveda suggests that we focus on creating a lifestyle that includes optimal nutrition, exercise, a regular meditation practice, and a daily balancing routine to restore our ability to fall asleep, and stay asleep. Here are a few steps that can help:

Meditate One of the most powerful techniques for quieting the mind is meditation, which allows you to remove the internal noise and generate peace. After your morning meditation session, you will carry this sense of calmness throughout your daily activities, allowing you to stay more centered in the face of life’s inevitable stresses – and when it’s time, drift peacefully off to sleep.

Follow Nature’s Rhythms Committing to a healthy sleep pattern will help you retrain your mind and body. Ayurvedic methods recommend a full eight hours of sleep between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. If you are a night owl, this shift, initially, will be a challenge, but this time frame is ideal, as our biorhythms are programmed to follow nature’s rhythms, and we therefore feel most invigorated by sleeping when it’s dark, and rising with the sun.

Create a Soothing Evening Routine Your sleep can be hampered by the digestive process. I suggest eating your largest meal in the middle of the day, and eating lighter in the evening. Also, try to minimize intense mental activity or emotional interactions, such as balancing your checkbook, arguing with your partner, or watching the news on television right before bedtime. Instead, enjoy some light reading or soft music.

Use Calming Oils and Herbs Essential oils from certain herbs and flowers have traditionally been used in Ayurveda to calm an overactive system. Fragrances that are warm, sweet, and heavy such as sandalwood, lavender, and vanilla are calming essential oils that Comment on this article at greenlivingaz.com

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Let Go of Trying Insomnia is a common problem, and many people try to force themselves to sleep at one time or another. Sleep is a natural process, and “trying” will have no positive effect. In fact, it will probably aggravate the insomnia because the harder you try and less successful you are, the more frustrated you’ll feel.

As you continue to create balance in your lifestyle, and nurture your physical and emotional well-being, your body’s sleep and wake cycles should naturally restore themselves and allow you to enjoy restful, rejuvenating sleep.

For those who are interested, the Chopra Center offers instruction in Primordial Sound Meditation, a powerful practice that’s easy to learn. Another way to get started with meditation is by participating in the Chopra Center 21-Day Meditation Challenge™, which is offered several times a year and is an opportunity to receive free daily audio meditations as you’re guided in a variety of meditation tools and techniques.

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Health & wellness

Chronic Pain, Inflammation and Acidity

BY DR. GARRY GORDON, MD, DO, MD(H)

O

ne hundred million Americans suffer from persistent chronic pain, and a recent health report in “The New York Times” states that most everyone will experience, or be living with, some level of chronic pain by the age of 30!

Chronic pain is described as recurrent pain that lasts longer than three to six months. It is closely associated with chronic, “silent” inflammation, which is recognized today to be a root cause of heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, Type 2 diabetes, and many auto-immune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, Guillan-Barré Syndrome, Lupus, multiple sclerosis, and psoriasis. Chronic inflammation is also underlying many of the debilitating conditions associated with aging, including those experienced during perimenopause/ menopause and other hormonal imbalances.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), e.g. aspirin and ibuprofen, are the most common treatments being used for pain relief by nearly 30 million people every day.

Although initially good at “blocking” pain, their effectiveness in relieving chronic pain diminishes over time, and they end up doing a lot more harm to your body, having numerous side effects and adverse reactions upon the digestive system, nervous

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system, immune system, liver, and kidneys. It is reported that long-term NSAID use causes nearly 103,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths in the U.S. every year.

In the world of chronic pain and illness, it is not uncommon for one to fall into the dangerous trap of becoming overly focused on a single cause for a presenting condition. Unfortunately, chronic illnesses rarely have just one cause, and thus, rarely just one solution–which is why I developed my FIGHT For Your Health Program. FIGHT stands for Food, Focus, Infections, Genetics (epigenetics), Heavy metals, Hormones, and Toxins.

As I teach my patients, by addressing each one of these areas concurrently, we are safely and effectively helping our bodies to heal themselves from the underlying, root conditions of any illness or disease, including chronic pain.

Our bodies, by design, are healthiest with a slightly alkaline 7.34 pH. Diet and lifestyle definitely play a role in inflammation and pain, and medical experts agree that pH balance is a key factor in controlling inflammation. Overly processed foods, chlorine and fluoride in our water, pollution, toxins, little or no exercise, inadequate sleep and mental/emotional stress all contribute to the body becoming overly acidic–directly resulting in most illnesses and disease including cancer. Following my FIGHT program will reverse acidity and help restore healthy pH balance. Cleaning up our diets and supplementing with quality vitamins, herbs and minerals that have anti-inflammatory properties, will reduce systemic inflammation and chronic pain.

Good anti-inflammatory foods to incorporate into your diet include fresh fruits and vegetables, such as apples, avocadoes, blueberries, fresh pineapple, lemons and papaya, bell peppers, Bok Choy, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, onions, garlic, spinach, and sweet potatoes. Seaweeds such as kelp, kombu, bladderwrack, wakami, and nori are also excellent to add to your diet. Many of these foods are also powerful anti-oxidants, containing phytochemicals which help to detoxify the body as well.

Another important dietary modification is limiting the intake of red meats and full-fat dairy products, while increasing your consumption of fish such as cod, halibut, salmon, and sardines. Wild-caught, cold water fishes, are a great source of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which have been proven to reduce inflammation. If you aren’t a fan of fish or have an allergy or intolerance to seafood, there are excellent omega-3 supplements available, and you should look for those that have an EPA/DHA ration of 300/200. I recommend taking at least 1,000 mg of fish oil twice a day.

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Health & Wellness

One of the most powerful herbs proven to aid in the battle against pain and inflammation is turmeric, or curcumin.

Curcumin is the primary ingredient in curry dishes and it is the constituent that gives turmeric its distinctive yelloworange color. Traditionally used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine, curcumin is a safer treatment for pain and inflammation than NSAIDs and other analgesics. Curcumin does not bring with it the risk of cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, or liver damage that is common with conventional NSAID treatments.

An informative, and truly useful resource to have for learning about the safest and most effective alternatives in the treatment of chronic pain, is an exciting new book entitled “Miracle Pain Secrets”, by Tony O’Donnell, N.D. “Dr. Tony” is world renowned for his passion and guidance in preventative medicine, and he is highly sought after for his treatments utilizing natural remedies.

References Andrews, M. Treating Chronic Pain and Managing the Bills. New York Times online, February 4, 2011. nytimes.com Benson, J. ‘Discover the Amazing Ability of Curcumin (turmeric) to Fight Chronic Disease. Natural Health News online. June 13, 2012. naturalnews.com Gordon, G. ‘The Omega 3 Miracle: The Icelandic Longevity Secret’. Freedom Publishing Company, Illinois.

Feb2004. ISBN-10: 1893910342. ISBN-13: 978-1893910348 Simopoulos, A.P. Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Inflammation and Autoimmune Diseases. J Am Coll Nutr December 2002 vol. 21 no. 6 495-505.

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For more information about recommended supplements, and how my FIGHT For Your Health Program can help you to free yourself from chronic pain and inflammation, please visit the Gordon Research Institute website at gordonresearch.com.

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Nutrition

The Monster Metabolizer

high fructose corn syrup

BY Barbi walker

T

he hidden sugar better known as high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), commonly found in the packaged and processed foods we eat, is wreaking havoc on your waistline and your health – it is even affecting your internal organs. When HFCS enters your body, even in small amounts, it puts strain on your liver and begins a pattern of creating too much insulin, driving fat into the liver cells and causing weight gain – just a couple of the many health issues surrounding this sneaky little ingredient.

According to a peer-review study prepared for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)1, “the consumption of added sugars, which are sweeteners added to processed and prepared foods, has been associated with measures of cardiovascular disease risk among adolescents, including adverse cholesterol concentrations.”

HFCS AND YOUR BODY

HFCS is made from corn syrup that goes through a process to make some of the glucose from the corn into fructose (both sugars) as a sugar additive. Over the years it has become ubiquitous in

18 greenliving | August 2012

many processed foods and beverages. It is cheaper to use than cane sugar and is often added to breads, cereals, meats, yogurts and more.

The fructose component of sugar and HFCS is primarily metabolized by the liver, whereas glucose comes from sugar and starches that are metabolized by every cell within the body. When fructose and glucose (the two components of HFCS) are combined and consumed, the liver has to go into overtime to process this sugar – more so than if you’d eaten a potato. When you drink products like fruit juice or soda that contain HFCS, the fructose and glucose hit the liver quicker than if you’d eaten an apple or pear. The speed at which the liver has to work to process the sugar will also affect how it metabolizes the fructose and glucose.

High fructose corn syrup has come under attack in the last few years because studies about obesity and diabetes have shown that not all sugars are created equal. Robert Lustig, MD, pediatric endocrinologist professor of pediatrics at the Benioff Children’s Hospital at University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), has referred to HFCS as both a “toxin” and a “poison,” and refers to

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Nutrition

...not all sugars are created equal the processing of these different types of sugars as “isocaloric” and “isometabolic.” In other words, if we eat 100 calories of glucose from a starchy food like rice and 100 calories of HFCS from a soda, each food will be metabolized quite differently and have a different health effect on the body – the same number/amount of calories consumed with entirely different metabolic results. Lustig puts both kinds of sugar on trial – the sweet, powdery, granular ingredient we put in coffee and the maligned HFCS, which he calls “the most demonized additive known to man.” In the HBO documentary, “The Weight of the Nation” Lustig says about 13 percent of school-age children have nonalcoholic fatty livers due to their diets.

avoid it is to eat food that is closer to its natural state, and read labels carefully, especially on any processed, prepackaged product you purchase.

Surprisingly, bread often is the number one culprit of HFCS, followed by cereals and canned items. The next step is to complete a quick Internet search for foods with high fructose corn syrup and see what you normally buy that ends up on the list. From there, it’s just a matter of finding replacements for those items – in no time, you will be HFCS-free!

1. “Consumption of Added Sugar Among U.S. Children and Adolescents 2005-2008”, a peer-review comprised of medical doctors and researchers.

The New York Times journalist Gary Taubes also points out the unique breakdown of high fructose corn syrup, and states that it has “a near 50-50 combination of the two different carbohydrates: glucose and fructose.” He says biochemists have worked for over 50 years to show that some of the fructose is converted into fat which accumulates in the liver and begins the process of insulin resistance, which over time will lead to elevated insulin levels… the beginning stages of type 2 diabetes.

WHERE TO START CUTTING?

SOURCES Newsweek; Why the Campaign to Stop America’s Obesity Crisis Keeps Failing by Gary Taubes thedailybeast.com

Princeton University. princeton.edu

“Is Sugar Toxic?” by Gary Taubes | The New York Times. nytimes.com

National Center for Health Services (NCHS) report 2005-2008. cdc.gov/nchs

“The Weight of the Nation” | HBO Documentary theweightofthenationnation.hbo.com

Washington Post. washingtonpost.com

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cdc.gov/nutrition

HFCS is just one of the main ingredients that Kelly Jackson, MS, RD, educator and lecturer at the University of Arizona, says you should eliminate from your diet. Jackson says the best way to

Mayo Clinic Nutrition and healthy eating. mayoclinic.com

Op-Ed: Councilman Jeff Ritterman explains his support for a Richmond soda tax by Jeff Ritterman, June 26th 2012. richmondconfidential.org

Barbi Walker is a freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. Barbi lives in Phoenix with her husband and young son.

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August 2012 | greenliving 19

Education

Little Bellies, Little Portions Waste Free School Lunches

BY BARBI WALKER

A

s the school year rolls around, parents, grandparents and caregivers scramble to get kids ready for the new school year and figure out, “What will I pack them for lunch?” Parents have to balance feeding their kids a healthy lunch with managing how much of that lunch could be wasted - a complication that has come to the forefront with a growing environmental focus.

The average household still throws out about 400 pounds of food a year, despite the financial challenges of the last few years. With the start of the new school year upon us, many schools, organizations and parents are looking at how school lunches contribute to this excess food waste.

As a parent, kids wasting food may not be breaking news to you, but the amount of wasted food in school cafeterias and how it affects the environment might surprise you.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that about 13.9 percent of total waste in landfills is food - in 2010, an estimated 33 million tons was discarded.

According to LeanPath.com, schools and families generate much of the wasted food that ends up in our landfills, with households contributing about 25 percent of food waste, K-6 schools producing about

20 greenliving | August 2012

45 percent, and middle and high schools at 31 percent.

Recently, The Wall Street Journal reported that people in wealthier countries, including the U.S., overbuy and subsequently end up throwing out food because it goes bad. What and how much we Americans throw out has been documented for years by the late Dr. William Rathje, director of the Garbage Project at the University of Arizona (U of A). He and his team of researchers studied America’s trash habits for more than thirty years, noting that food waste and its consequences mostly go unnoticed because the belief is that “food doesn’t pile up, it just goes away.”

This isn’t the case.

In the last 48 years, tossed-out food scraps have risen from 12,200 tons in 1960 to 31,790 tons in 2008, with schools contributing in large amounts, according to WastedFood.com. Almost 80 percent of school waste could be diverted from landfills, notes Jonathan Bloom, author of “American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Half its Food and What We Can Do About It”. As daunting as this data appears, positive changes are being made.

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Just this last year, eight New York City public schools slashed cafeteria garbage by 85 percent within the final semester of 2012, successfully concluding on the last day of school.

Launched on February 27, 2012, five volunteer moms managed to create a food waste system for the eight schools that separated and composted meat, dairy, kitchen scraps, and sugar cane food service trays.

“This fantastic endeavor succeeded because of the vision, collaboration and dedication of the workers, parents, and school professionals,” said New York City Council Member Gale A. Brewer, at a June 19 awards ceremony honoring NYC Department Of Education (DOE) custodial, office of School Food and teaching staffs who were involved in the pilot, according to a statement from the school district.

Start at home Vegetables seem to be the first casualty when it comes to being thrown away.

Because they are fragile, veggies and fruits have a short shelf life. Now, this may create a conundrum since fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthy diet.

Today’s growing kids need these nutrientrich foods, maybe now more than ever, so the key is in planning, preparing, and knowing what your kids like.

Smaller portions reduce food waste, so keep portions on the small side. The best rule of thumb, or fist, for portion size, is to use your child’s closed fist as a guide.

By example, buy the smaller apples and oranges – saving you money at the checkout. Then, rather than packing a whole apple, slice one up and split it between your kids’ lunches. Kids are more likely to eat small slices than a large piece of fruit.

By divvying it up between kids, or saving half for later, you’ll be able to buy less, which means you’ll also spend and waste less. greenlivingaz.com

Education

Plan, plan, plan One of the easiest ways to save on waste and money is to plan out your meals for the week and find recipes that will do double duty, like roasted chicken – use the leftovers for the next day’s chicken sandwiches or chicken salad. Maybe even chicken soup or tacos…you get the point. Rethinking how we plan meals is a big step in reducing food waste, as well as saving money.

The grocery store is an easy place to make impulsive buys or pick up more than needed, and could mean more perishables will go to waste. Start making a list of what you need for your meals. If needed, enlist the help of some websites or smart phone apps to keep you on track.

Start at the cafeteria Little tummies need little portions. Schools, kitchens, and cafeterias can minimize disposal and food costs by putting into place waste prevention procedures such as the ones below: Offer vs. Serve Give students the option to “take” what

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they want instead of being “served” what is offered. Schools that are implementing this strategy are seeing a reduction in food waste. Some schools have opted to go “trayless” altogether, which means students take only what they can carry. They are allowed to return for seconds, but this system slows down the common practice of over-piling plates with food that won’t be eaten. This type of program also allows schools to meet federal nutritional standards for breakfasts and lunches, while offering students a “choice” of how much to take. This strategy reduces food waste by not making students take food that they don’t like or won’t eat.

Zero-Waste Lunches Waste is avoided by reducing or eliminating any extraneous packaging. At home, you can start by packing up food in reusable wraps, containers and bottles. When careful planning is used, little or no food or garbage will end up in the landfill. This type of program does mean there will be some extra planning and forethought but, overall, the results are tremendous and have a high payout with regards to the

environment and the school’s bottom line.

To begin a zero-waste program at your child’s school, one website, wastefreelunches.org, provides a guideline to help the volunteers and administrators get started. The EPA also provides educational literature and posters for schoolrooms.

Reducing school waste may seem overwhelming and daunting at first, but taking small bites (yes, pun intended) will eventually pay off.

SOURCES “American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Half Its Food and What We Can Do About It” by Jonathan Bloom Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). epa.gov The Lean Path. leanpath.com University of Arizona. web.sbs.arizona.edu/college/ node/875 The Wall Street Journal, online.wsj.com Wastedfood.com

Barbi Walker is a freelance writer and an awardwinning journalist. Barbi lives in Phoenix with her husband and young son.

August 2012 | greenliving 21

Pets

Dinner Is Going To The

D gs

BY TRACY HOUSE

F

rom Haus Murphy’s in Glendale, to Uncle Bear’s Grill & Bar in Queen Creek, to the Cave Creek Coffee & Wine Bar in Cave Creek, dining out is going to the dogs.

The Valley is already dotted with dog-friendly restaurants and, with an ever-expanding list of restaurants catering to man’s best friend, dining out with your four-legged friend just keeps getting easier.

Finding a dog-friendly restaurant Finding the perfect spot for a date with your pooch is as easy as a click of the mouse. The website Pet Friendly Restaurants (petfriendlyrestaurants.com) offers listings of restaurants in Arizona and across the nation that allow pets on the patio.

Some, like Café Fina in Monterey, California, even offer a menu specifically for dogs. Read reviews and find an establishment that offers a friendly atmosphere.

Other ways to find a place is to call the restaurant you plan to patronize and ask their policy or ask friends or your veterinarian to suggest a dog-friendly establishment.

Be prepared If you are planning on bringing your pet to a restaurant, it’s important to know what to expect.

Dogs should always be on a leash, have current immunizations, and wear a collar with license and tags.

Each county has its own set of regulations, and the decision to allow dogs is ultimately up to the restaurant. Regulations specify that dogs, or pets, cannot be in an area where food is prepared.

Most dog-friendly dining establishments allow dogs on the patio,

22 greenliving | August 2012

as long as there is an outside entrance to the patio. (Service dogs are an exception to this rule.) Eateries have their own pet policies and offerings, so make sure you familiarize yourself with what a restaurant allows before your visit.

Below are a few tips from Kama Rueschenberg of Arizona Animal Actors on preparing for Fido’s night out. Before heading to the restaurant: • Call to ensure that the eatery allows dogs or hasn’t changed their policy.

• Check to see there if there are misters and shade for the summer months.

• Bring a blanket or transportable dog bed in case the pavement is too hot for your pooch to lie down.

• Bring a water bowl and food or treats for your dog.

Doggie etiquette Your pooch needs to be prepared too. If you’re thinking about taking your four-footed friend out for dinner, Rueschenberg suggests you make sure your pooch is ready for the experience: • Dogs should have general self-control. Your dog should be able to follow basic sit, down, and stay commands. No jumping up on laps, begging, or licking either.

• Make sure your dog is well-groomed since you will be around other patrons and their food.

• Keep your pet on a leash under the table or away from foot traffic for his own safety, and to keep him clear of other diners and servers. There is a leash law in Arizona.

• Bring treats or food for your dog to eat to keep her occupied, or as a reward for good behavior. Avoid feeding your pooch from the table.

• Your dog should be potty trained, but take a bathroom break if needed –­ away from the restaurant.

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Pets

Rueschenberg also advises taking only one pet per person to a restaurant in order to manage the dog properly. She has four dogs, but only brings one at a time when eating out. “Be respectful of others,” she says.

A SELECT ION OF DOG-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT S Hennessey’s Tavern 714 4th Ave. San Diego, CA 92101 619-239-9994 hennesseystavern.com/san_diego

SOURCES Pet Friendly Restaurants. petfriendlyrestaurants.com Animal Planet. animals.howstuffworks.com

BLD Restaurant 1920 W. Germann Rd. Chandler, AZ 85286 480-779-8646 bldchandler.com Haus Murphy’s 5739 W. Glendale Ave. Glendale, AZ 85301 623-939-2480 hausmurphys.com Cave Creek Coffee and Wine Bar 6033 East Cave Creek Road Cave Creek, AZ 85331 480-488-0603 cavecreekcoffee.com

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Macy’s European Coffeehouse 14 S. Beaver Street Flagstaff, AZ 86001 928-774-2243 macyscoffee.net Pets allowed on patio – water provided Ken’s Creekside Café 251 Rte 179 Sedona, AZ 86336 928-282-1705 kenscreekside.com Pets allowed on patio – dog menu available Ghini’s French Caffe 1803 E Prince Rd Tucson, AZ 85719 520-326-9095 ghiniscafe.com Pets allowed on patio – water and treat provided

August 2012 | greenliving 23

Green Thumb

Plant and Personal Growth as a

BY MIKI JENNINGS

I

Master Gardener

magine your hands planted in the earth, pulling weeds to rescue a neighbor’s overgrown garden, advising a hopeful gardener on the right lighting for their new houseplants, answering phone calls or emails about the best time to plant tomatoes in the southwest, or making a thoughtful gardening presentation to a room full of aspiring green thumbs….

Teaching. Helping. Inspiring. These are just a few of the volunteer responsibilities Master Gardeners joyfully take on to spread their knowledge of and passion for gardening and horticulture – all the while honing their own skills and learning new ways to become stewards of the environment.

Master Gardeners are essentially individuals who are knowledgeable and passionate about gardening and landscaping, and volunteer their time to share that passion with others.

Extension Master Gardener programs are a big part of that commitment. Offered nationwide to educate the general public and aspiring gardeners on the art of gardening and horticulture, as well as contributing to communities’ wellness outreach efforts through programs for nursing home residents, youth, and physically and mentally challenged community members, Master Gardening programs help people develop a passion for gardening.

To help the less experienced, certified Master Gardeners can offer tips and answer plant questions on topics ranging from fruits and vegetables to wildlife management and plant diseases. Master Gardeners also shape their community and increase gardening awareness, such as putting on gardening tours in the city, and building animal habitats.

At the University of Arizona (UA) Extension campus, potential Master Gardeners pay a $150 fee after getting accepted into the program. From there, they must attend a weekly course in horticulture training for several months. After taking a written exam that consists of writing an essay, certified Master Gardeners are able to work volunteer clinic hours.

A Day in the Life of a Master Gardener

After going through the certification program, Master Gardeners volunteer in their communities, participating in a variety of activities, including:

• Answering plant and gardening questions • Giving presentations to educate the public • Creating public demonstration gardens • Building habitats for animals • Controlling unwanted and invasive plants

In addition to the diverse selection of rewarding volunteer projects and activities, Master Gardeners generally agree that the knowledge and community experiences are an invaluable part of the program.

“For most people, I think it’s just hanging with like-minded people and learning about gardening,” said Jo Schmidt, Master Gardener.

A big part of these programs is learning proper gardening processes with concrete examples and tactile practice.

“The hands-on hours are the biggest difference between what you could read out of a book and the knowledge you get out of these programs,” said Liz Lonetti, Valley Permaculture Alliance (VPA) board member; VPA is a Phoenix-based non-profit that offers workshops, classes, and tours to teach the public about the earth and gardening – it’s a great place to discover and explore your passions. In addition to planting, people can learn about topics such as composting, seed saving, and raising animals.

U of A’s Extension Campus Teaches More Than Gardening

Tucson is the hub of the UA Extension campus, part of the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences – there are multiple extension campuses and programs around

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24 greenliving | August 2012

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Green Thumb Arizona. The Tucson campus is a large farming and gardening space where Master Gardeners spend volunteer hours tending to plants and answering questions.

Schmidt currently volunteers at the UA Extension campus in Tucson. She became certified while living in Washington, but had to restart the program upon moving to Arizona because of the difference in climate and gardening techniques. She appreciates how much of a learning experience gardening can be, she said.

“A person can learn so much from gardening – everything from math to science, to compassion to health and well-being… everything. In math, you need to know how much nitrogen to put in.… It’s just like teaching life, and you’re helping people live [healthier],” said Schmidt.

Being familiar with planting and gardening can also open doors for improved health and closeness for families and communities.

Getting involved in the growing process can help children get more excited about eating healthy.

“I love that I can prepare meals from the garden and teach my son about healthy foods. He gets to experience the way food is meant to taste, ripe and fresh from the plant. He can experience picking and eating food right from the source and he does eat them all with great relish – that is priceless,” said Lonetti.

Becoming a Master Gardener

Before jumping into gardening with both feet, it’s a good idea to explore a variety of options.

“You should spend a fair amount of time assessing what kind

of gardening you’re interested in – vegetables, flowers, perennials, hummingbirds, butterflies, native species, wild birds, pond, children,” says Diann Peart, founding board member of VPA in Phoenix.x Now that you’ve identified your passion in the gardening field, you’re ready to fill out your Master Gardener application and get started in the program.

Becoming a certified Master Gardener requires a classroom training course and completion of a certain amount of volunteer hours (the number varies depending on the program). Certification programs vary by location, so the best way to get started is to call your local gardening organization that offers the training or the check extension websites for more information.

Hel pful links: American Horticultural Society.

AHS.org/master_gardeners Desert Botanical Garden. dbg.org National Extension Master Gardener. extension.org/mastergardener University of Arizona Extension. extension.arizona.edu Valley Permaculture Alliance. valleypermaculturealliance.org

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A GREEN LIVING SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT SECTION

August 2012

Harnessing the Power of the Sun

Green Living magazine’s Solar Energy Savings special advertisement section is dedicated to the education of solar and energy products and services.

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Valley Principal Educated About Home’s Energy Efficiency

By Kathleen Mascareñas and Patty Garcia-Likens

When Kris Johnson bought her home 11 years ago, she fell in love with the high ceilings and open floor plan. It’s a unique home in Arizona because the neighborhood is patterned after a New England village, complete with shake roofs and a community lake.

Like any homeowner, there were things Johnson didn’t like about her 2,900-square-foot abode built in 1974. Many involved the discomfort of living in an older home, such as the original, “piece-mealed” air-conditioning unit and a sweltering upstairs bedroom that was abandoned by her twin sons.

“My boys moved out of their bedroom and into the guestroom because their room was too hot,” Johnson said. “They were sleeping on the floor.”

Johnson knew her home needed improvements, so she had an SRP Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® inspection.

During the three-hour inspection, a participating contractor tested for duct-system leaks, insulation quality, and the performance of the home’s air-conditioning unit. The contractor also made sure gases from the appliances and furnace were flowing out of the house.

When Johnson received her customized “report card,” it showed she could save 34 percent on her utility bill if all the recommended improvements were made.

Valley principal educated about home’s energy efficiency ...... 26 Engineered Solar ............................ 27 Clean energy with SRP ................... 27 GreenID: Energy audits are affordable ............................... 28 Green incentives to remodel sustainably ..................................... 28 All Sun Plumbing & Solar ............... 29 Global Wide Green ......................... 29 26 greenliving | August 2012

“We learned that our window screens were not adequate, and there were better shade screens to keep the heat out,” she said. “We also learned that our rooms were so hot because the air conditioner returns and ducts weren’t done well enough to cool the entire upstairs.”

Weeks after Johnson’s home inspection, the antiquated upstairs air conditioner “crashed and burned.” She said she didn’t panic, because she felt like an educated homeowner.

“When a repair became necessary, we attacked it with knowledge as opposed to being ignorant. Because of the home inspection, we knew what kinds of air conditioners were available and best for us,” Johnson added. “We got bids and ended up going with the company that did the home inspection. They knew exactly what we needed and were honest.”

Johnson, who is the principal at the International Charter School of Arizona, said she now has lasting knowledge about how to make her home energy-efficient.

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“Through this program, homeowners like Kris are being empowered and educated,” said Debbie Kimberly, SRP’s director of customer programs and marketing. “The inspection normally costs $500, but we offer it for only $99 because we feel it’s important for our customers to identify ways to make their homes more comfortable and energy-efficient, sometimes for little or no cost.”

With newly sealed ducts, shade screens on all upstairs windows and two new air conditioners, as well as more returns to allow air to flow throughout the home, Johnson and her family are much more comfortable. They’re also enjoying the perks of participating in the program, such as a free energy-efficiency kit and being eligible for SRP rebates on shade screens, duct repairs, insulation, air sealing and high-efficiency air conditioners.

In addition to energy-efficiency rebates that help customers save on electric bills, SRP also offers ways to invest in clean energy.

Through SRP’s Community Solar program, business or residential customers can “adopt” solar with no upfront costs and receive price certainty on the solar portion of their SRP bills for five years. This program is designed for customers who don’t mind paying a little more to help accelerate the growth of solar energy in our state. It also provides an option for customers who live or work in buildings not suitable for rooftop solar.

Nearly 1,000 SRP Community Solar customers are already tapping into the power of the sun through Copper Crossing Solar Ranch, located in Florence, to offset a portion of their electric needs.

The SRP Residential Solar Electric Program provides incentives to help customers offset the cost of a rooftop solar system.

Final out-of-pocket costs will depend on whether a customer purchases the system outright, obtains a loan or leases the system.

For more information about the SRP Community Solar program, visit srpcommunitysolar.com or srpcommunitysolarbiz.com.

Details about the SRP Residential Solar Electric Program can be found at srpnet.com/solarelectric.

“Because we did the home inspection, we are much more knowledgeable. And now the boys are back in their bedroom, which is a good thing,” Johnson said with a chuckle.

To schedule a home checkup, call (602) 889-2656 or visit savewithsrp.com. To qualify, you must be the homeowner and a current SRP residential electric customer.

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August 2012 | greenliving 27

Green Incentives to Remodel Sustainably

BY WILLIAM JANHONEN, LEED, AP, CPM, NAHB-CGP

T

oday’s market incentive for sustainable building is surging, and the list of incentives providing different types of funding is vast and complex.

Every contractor or architect I meet has clients who ask, “I want to do something green in my new construction/renovation…what should I do?”

The second question asked by owners, both commercial and residential, is, “How do I pay for it?”

The answer depends on whom you ask, but will usually involve dispelling some of the many myths that go along with sustainable building.

The myths: •

•

•

I can apply for an incentive any time I want because the supply of funds is unlimited.

Green improvements cost too much, but the government will pay me to do the work.

Funding sustainable improvements is an entitlement, and should be subsidized because it does some good.

The realities: •

•

•

•

•

Program incentives are not bribes; they do not make you a profit, and they are not unlimited.

Many incentive programs have a total payout, and when they are completely funded, they end; So the rule of thumb is, sooner is better.

Applying for funding doesn’t guarantee you will be accepted; additionally, programs can get cancelled.

The cost of green construction is nearly equal to conventional construction, and the payback is almost always better with efficient improvements.

Financial consultants don’t work for free, so learn how to get your own incentives and funding.

Guide to incentives The list of incentives falls into a few major categories: tax incentives which are listed as Federal, State and City tax credits, waivers, tax deductions, and rebates. Credit enhancements are public or private lowcost loans, loan guarantees or subsidies. Equity includes shared equity loans or private sector investments. Grants are public agency or private foundation grants. Utility incentives are credits or direct cash back to individuals or companies.

An example of a tax deduction credit is 179D for commercial buildings. According to Commercial Cost Control Inc., “The full tax deduction is available to owners of both new and existing commercial buildings in which the installation of an interior lighting system, HVAC system, building envelope, and service hot water systems reduce the total annual building power and energy costs by 50 percent or more compared to ASHRAE 90.1-2001 minimum requirements. The Section 179D tax deduction created is between $0.30 and $1.80 per square foot, depending on the type of systems installed.” It is important to note that this is a tax deduction and not a tax credit. A tax deduction reduces the taxable income for the year while a tax credit is a dollar-for- dollar reduction in taxes owed.

Another example would be the IRS Form 3468, which details methods for receiving tax credits for solar, fuel cells, small wind turbines, geothermal systems, micro turbines, and co-generation systems until the year 2016. To learn more about programs within each state, the big daddy of all websites and information concerning the majority of tax incentives, rebates, grants and loans for every state and federal program is dsireusa. org.

Loan financing Loan financing is one area often overlooked when considering renovation or new construction. There are several programs available for EEM

Energy Audits ARE Affordable David Byrnes is the founder of Green Integrated Design (Green ID), a sustainable consulting firm in Phoenix providing turnkey energy analysis and retrofits for homeowners and businesses. David is a LEED Accredited Professional, Building Analyst Certified through Building Performance Institute (BPI) and Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET), Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) certified, and received his Master of Science from the University of Arizona in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. Green ID has been involved in numerous green building projects including the GreenBuild Legacy Project, and David was a team member during the conceptualization and design of the Green Room Gallery at the Arizona Science Center.

Energy audits have been shown to produce a 35 percent reduction in your energy bills, as well as address comfort issues in your home such as correcting air flow and improve indoor air/environmental quality.

GreenID performs comprehensive energy audits that include an evaluation of your energy and water usage, home construction and lifestyle.

For more information on GreenID, visit www.greenintegrateddesign.com or call 602-684-0462.

You may also email David at: dbyrnes@greenintegrateddesign.com.

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT | Solar Energy Savings 28 greenliving | AugustSECTION 2012

Thanks to federally funded energy savings incentives, energy audits have become affordable to both property owners and renters. For example, APS and SRP customers pay a flat rate of $99 for a home energy audit, and programs such as Energize Phoenix provide energy saving rebates along the Phoenix light rail corridor. GreenID is knowledgeable about all of the various rebates offered to help make your home or building more energy-efficient and comfortable.

David is an active member of the community, an active committee member with the U.S. Green Building Council, Phoenix, Arizona chapter, a proud member of Local First Arizona, and serves as a volunteer for Central Arizona Habitat for Humanity.

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(Energy Efficiency) or EIM (Energy Improvement) mortgages, which help homeowners facilitate payments for sustainable improvements.

As stated by HUD, “EEMs recognize that reduced utility expenses can permit a homeowner to pay a higher mortgage to cover the cost of the energy improvements, on top of the approved mortgage.” Also, “FHA EEMs provide mortgage insurance for a person to purchase or refinance a principal residence, and incorporate the cost of energy-efficient improvements into the mortgage. The borrower does not have to qualify for the additional money and does not make a down payment on it. The mortgage loan is funded by a lending institution, such as a mortgage company, bank, or savings and loan association, and is insured by HUD, and FHA insures the loans [and] does not provide the loans.” Other popular programs include 203K rehabilitation and 203h for disasteraffected properties.

As sustainable building becomes more standard, tax incentives will decrease. Building energy codes are becoming more stringent, and the requirements for energy efficiency are now considered common sense.

The incentives are available for the finding, but many require inspections by professionals, architectural or engineer submissions, and audits by energy company experts. But they are all worth it in the end.

RESOURCES 203k program: portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/203k/203k--df Energy tax deduction: commercialcostcontrol.com/cost_segregation_study/section_179d_energy_tax_ credit.html HUD: portal.hud.gov IRS tax incentives: irs.gov/pub/irs-prior/i3468--2008.pdf Tax incentives for each state: dsireusa.org

William Janhonen is Principal of WSJ Enterprises, RE/Green Consultant, Licensed NY, NC & CT Broker, LEED AP, CPM, NAHB-CGP and Instructor for NAHB

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goglobalwidegreen.com August 2012 | greenliving 29

Feature

University Research Moves

BY AIMEE WELCH

Green Technology

O

Solar In 2011, the annual growth rate of solar PV installations in the United States more than doubled, according to the U.S. Solar Market Insight Report, and today the solar industry supports jobs and renewable energy sources in every single state. Yet today, solar power accounts for only 0.1% of energy consumed in the U.S. – which leaves room for enormous potential. Despite the common ups and downs of a maturing industry, solar is one of the most important renewable energy sources for future generations. Considering the fact that enough solar energy hits the Earth each hour to power the world

30 greenliving | August 2012

for an entire year, learning how to harness this energy is one of the hottest research initiatives in the world, literally.

According to Dirks, who is also director of LightWorks, an Arizona State University (ASU) initiative that capitalizes on the university’s strengths in solar energy and other light-inspired research, increasing solar efficiency is the next big thing. “It is the next generation of solar materials that are going to be ultra-high efficiency, meaning 35 percent and above, as well as much better integrated power systems and solar modules,” he explains. “Also on the solar front is research looking into how to better control the access of these renewal energies into the grid to ensure grid stability.

This research focuses on modeling and technical management of the grid.”

With more than 300 sunny days a year, Arizona universities are rightly establishing themselves as leaders in the development and advancement of solar industry initiatives.

Arizona State University Recently recognized by the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in its Celebrating Sustainability Series as one of 15 higher education institutions demonstrating cutting-edge work in promoting environmentally friendly and sustainable practices, ASU’s commitment to solar power is most impressive. With 57 solar photovoltaic projects accounting for approximately 30 percent of the university’s peak daytime power needs, and with the combined capacity to generate more than 15 megawatts across all four campuses and the ASU Research Park, ASU is home to the largest single university installation in the country.

ASU Polytechnic students are contributing to the university’s growing reputation as a solar The nearly 500-kilowatt installation atop Wells Fargo Arena on ASU’s Tempe campus contributes to the university’s goal of generating 20 industry leader, working megawatts of solar by 2014, and supports its pledge to reduce its carbon footprint. closely on a “microgrid” project with SRP to determine systems that will make the power grid more dependable, as solar alternative energy products become more widespread. The microgrid will simulate the engineering challenges encountered as more multiple energy sources (solar panels, wind generators, etc.) begin contributing to the real power grid, helping SRP determine the most effective way to distribute loads.

Comment on this article at greenlivingaz.com

Photo by: Tomas Perez | Sky View Helicam | Courtesy: Arizona State University

ver the last few decades, solar panels have been installed on the International Space Station, recycled cooking oils have been successfully used to fuel planes, and buildings around the world have begun sprouting rooftop gardens to reduce energy costs. These high-tech accomplishments are the results of pioneering technological advancements that are changing and improving the world as we know it. Many of these vital scientific discoveries have come out of the world’s higher education institutions, driven by educators, researchers, scientists, students…all committed to one common goal – a sustainable future.

“The reason it is so important for universities to do this [research] is that this kind of basic research is too expensive for business to do. Business lets universities do it because they get a double benefit: first, government and other sources of funding pay for it, and second, young people are trained in the skills that business needs,” says Greg Dirks, a distinguished sustainability scientist with the Global Institute of Sustainability, a strategic research unit of ASU’s Office of Knowledge Enterprise Development.

Through research initiatives and unique curricula, universities have become integral in the progression of many of the world’s “green” innovations, as well as in preparing tomorrow’s leaders to grow, thrive and lead in a era when sustainable practices are a necessity rather than a choice. Today, more than ever, kids are beginning to recognize the importance of sustainability – collegebound students are choosing a college not only for its reputation for academics, but also for its commitment to green practices. As stated in the Princeton Review’s 2011 College Hopes & Worries Study, 65 percent of students indicated an interest in knowing about a college’s commitment to the environment.

With new research initiatives and blue-sky thinking, universities are introducing planet-changing technological advancements – from “vibro-wind” researchers at Cornell University who are turning wind vibrations into electricity, to the University of Arizona’s evaluation of pruning methods to maximize grape production for wine makers and farmers in southern Arizona. When it comes to teaching “green,” the educational community is offering every shade of green. A few “shades” at the top of researchers’ priority lists are solar, wind, and biofuel.

Forward

greenlivingaz.com

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Researchers at MT are developing materials that will make printing photovoltaic cells onto paper or fabric as simple as printing a document. The basic process is essentially the same as the one used to make the silvery lining in your bag of potato chips: a vapordeposition process that can be carried out inexpensively on a vast commercial scale.

The research, supported by the Eni-MIT Alliance Solar Frontiers Center program and the National Science Foundation, supports a process very different than the more commonly used process for creating solar cells, which typically involves liquids and high temperatures. By using vapors and lower temperatures instead of more damaging techniques, researchers were able to print solar cells onto regular paper, plastic, cloth, or PET plastic, which proved functional and stable even after being folded up like a paper airplane thousands of times. While most solar research is currently focusing on commercial-scale solar applications that could feed into the electric grid, “printable” solar cells extend to disposable consumer goods, window shades, wallpaper, and other applications, according to Peter Harrop, chairman of IDTechEx, a company that researches printed electronics.

Harrop told MITnews the potential for this type of research is “at least as large” as the larger-scale solar projects.

“I am very excited by what is being done by the MIT team,” A flexible and foldable array of solar cells printed he says. on a sheet of paper.

University of Arizona The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) SunShot Initiative is a national collaborative effort to make solar power cost-competitive with traditional energy sources by the end of the decade. Price has been one of the biggest drawbacks in the evolution of solar energy, but financial analysts and industry experts anticipate solar power prices will begin falling below retail electricity rates between 2013 and 2018.

“As we continue to push for innovation to drive down the cost of solar, it’s much easier to imagine a day in the near future when we will reach $1 per watt for a fully installed solar energy system. If I’ve learned anything during my term as SunShot Director, it is that the seemingly impossible will one day be possible,” said Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Director of the SunShot Initiative and Solar Energy Technologies Program, in The Huffington Post.

As part of the DOE’s SunShot Initiative, and in pursuit of its plan to regain leadership for the U.S. in the global clean energy race, the DOE recently invested $56 million in 21 research projects “designed to further advance cutting-edge, concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies,” which use mirrors to reflect and concentrate sunlight to produce heat, which is then used to produce electricity.

Unlike other solar technologies, CSP systems have the ability to store energy as heat so that energy needs can be met whether or not the sun is shining. In partnership with private industry and national laboratories, several American universities – including Boston

greenlivingaz.com

University, MIT, San Diego State University, and the University of Arizona (U of A) – will utilize funding to implement key research initiatives.

At U of A, researchers are using mirror-making technology to make ground-breaking, highly concentrating solar mirrors that will help produce solar electricity at nonrenewable energy prices.

“The tracker” is the name given to The “tracker” prototype consists of a steel frame that ultimately will support eight mirrors, together generating enough electricity to power the research team’s four to five homes. house-sized structure made of crisscrossing steel tubes attached to a swiveling post secured with concrete at the bottom of an empty swimming pool behind the university’s Bear Down Gymnasium.

With additional funding from the DOE, UofA’s researchers are improving the “tracker” technology, which produces a smaller carbon footprint than photovoltaic (PV) panel-based plants. The project’s potential is great. Roger Angel, Regents’ Professor of Astronomy and Optical Sciences and director of Steward Observatory Mirror Lab, predicts that an array of sun trackers situated on a 7-mile-by-7-mile area would generate 10 gigawatts of power during sunshine hours.

“You could make the same total amount of electrical energy as the Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant near Phoenix, the biggest nuclear power plant in the country,” he reports in UANews.

“We have laid the foundation for a structure that meets all the criteria you would want to see in an energy technology that is kind on the planet [and] doesn’t emit carbon,” Angel said.

Photo: Blake Coughenour

Photo: Patrick Gillooly

Feature

Biofuel The production of bioenergy and biofuels – transportation fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, which are made from renewable, organic resources like wood and livestock waste, animal fat, soybeans, corn, and other domestic crops – is critical to the United States because, with no toxic chemicals and very little sulfur, the process is better for the environment. Biofuels could also potentially reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil.

The Department of Energy (DOE) reports that many alternative fuels are in the works, but more research is needed to determine the impact, which could range from vehicle modifications to human health to emissions.

Dirks, who is also a former president of BP Asia-Pacific and BP China, and instrumental in the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation, says ASU is actively researching this important field of study. “On the biofuels front, the most important developments are in cellulosic materials to fuels and specifically taking waste cellulose materials, as in corn syrup and wood chips, and breaking the cellulose down into fermentable sugars and then using a variety of different microbiological techniques to convert that into liquid August 2012 | greenliving 31

Feature

fuels. Also, algae and especially cyanobacteria that excrete their product so you don’t have to harvest the biomass,” he explains.

These and other methods of converting organic materials into fuel are keeping university researchers around the nation busy.

The Ohio State University At The Ohio State University, genetically modified bacteria is being used to efficiently convert carbon dioxide directly into butanol, which could be used as a fuel blend or converted into a liquid form resembling gasoline. Researchers developed large tanks (bioreactors) to grow new strains of bacteria, specifically engineered to produce up to 50 percent more butanol than natural bacteria. If successful, this new liquid could fairly compete with gasoline on price, and hold a huge advantage over other biofuels in terms of production efficiency.

Successfully producing cost-competitive Electrofuels would deliver significant economic and environmental benefits for the U.S., as well as increasing the nation’s energy security by reducing dependence on foreign oil.

Wind With approximately 1.2 percent of the U.S.’s energy consumption coming from wind energy, and projections from the DOE predicting that wind energy will supply 20 percent of the nation’s electricity by 2030, research and development efforts for the advancement of this critical renewable resource are expanding rapidly. Achieving these numbers would require 300,000 megawatts of new wind-generating capacity, making technological progress imperative. The DOE Wind Program is developing the rapid expansion of clean, affordable, reliable domestic wind power to promote new job creation, increase rural economic development, and help meet the nation’s energy needs. The program manages the public’s investment in wind technologies to improve the performance and lower the cost of wind power.

In 2011, the DOE allocated $43 million in offshore wind funding, spanning 41 projects around the country. The DOE website says, “The projects represent investments in more than 160 universities, labs and businesses in 20 states, which will

bring offshore wind to market in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and Southeast. The awards also provide manufacturers, developers, academics and researchers opportunities to explore market growth in offshore wind, technology innovation and modeling for the design of next-generation turbines.”

University of Colorado Boulder Wind energy is a valuable renewable energy resource, and assistant professor Julie Lundquist of the University of Colorado Boulder and her team of graduate students have launched a study (Turbine Wake and Inflow Characterization Study, or TWICS) to determine the possible effects of the wakes of invisible ripples created by the turbines on the atmosphere, and their influence on wind turbines downstream. Working with researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Lundquist says their findings will help scientists and wind energy developers to better understand power production and increase the productivity of wind farms.

“Today’s massive wind turbines stretch into a complicated part of the atmosphere. If we can understand how gusts and rapid changes in wind direction affect turbine operations and how turbine wakes behave, we can improve design standards, increase efficiency and reduce the cost of energy.”

Today’s Advancements, Tomorrow’s Leaders The “next big thing” could come from anyone, anywhere, but universities are the perfect place to explore the technology of the future, according to Dr. Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr., president of the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. “The first thing is we have a responsibility to educate the next generation of people who will be using this technology, such as the bioprocess engineers and the chemical engineers. Our research is integrated into our teaching, so we are using it to help prepare the practitioners who are going to be working with solar technology and these other new developments…having the technology on our own campus allows our students to ask the basic question: ‘How does it work?’ It aligns with our plan to have the buildings teach and be part of the instruction.”

“Our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract – sustainable development – and turn it into a reality for all the world’s people.”

-Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations SOURCES arpa-e.energy.gov MIT, web.mit.edu SEIA, U.S. Solar Market Insight Report, A4 2011, & 2011 Year-in-Review Full Report, March. 2012, pp. 29-30.

As of December 31, 2011, 46,919 MW of wind power have been installed across the United States.

SOURCE: Windpoweringmaerica.gov

32 greenliving | August 2012

U.S. Green Building Council,usgbc.org U.S. Department of Energy, eere.energy. gov United Nations, unesdoc.unesco.org University of Colorado, colorado.edu U.S. Department of Energy, energy.gov

Aimee Welch is a freelance writer, marketing consultant, and former advertising executive. She writes advertising copy, magazine and web articles for company, 17,000 Feet; and for herself, she runs, snowboards, travels and hangs with her husband, two kids and four dogs. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from The Ohio State University.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT

S

Current Trends in Sustainable Investing

ocially responsible investing is process of investing in companies that are determined to meet a set of criteria that help determine whether or not the investment qualifies as an investment option. Initially these screens were fairly simple and focused negating companies that produced or were invested in alcohol, tobacco and firearms, pornography, and gambling. More recently these criteria have also focused on issues of human rights, corporate governance, social justice, environmental concerns, and employment equality to name a few. Essentially, the early screening has given way to a set of criteria or principles that seek determine whether or not the investment itself is sustainable. That is, does it provide a benefit now while not taking from the needs of future generations?1

These broader criteria are often referred to as ESG principles and broadly focus on environmental issues, social/ sustainability issues and corporate governance issues. In the environmental area, ESG criteria focuses on resource management, climate change and environmental corporate disclosure. Biodiversity has also become part of this discussion.

These environmental criteria has become even more important as developing countries have competed with industrialized countries for natural resources. The social aspects of ESG criteria and filtering would focus on a company’s work place diversity, labor management relationships. It would also focus on absenteeism and the corporation’s impact on the local community. Corporate governance traditionally focuses on executive compensation, management shareholder relations, and shareholder rights.2 Investing in sustainable companies has to do with finding companies that create policies, and practices that, through ESG filtering, can be determined to be sustainable in the company’s ESG practices. Does the company provide products and services that create a benefit now and in the future for its employees and the communities it works in? This is the broadest question the ESG filtering process tries to answer. To see an example of an Arizona company that is working with these environmental,

social, corporate governance issues you can go to http:// securearizonasfuture.com.

In addition to the development of ESG filters the sustainable investment options (SRI) has continued to grow for the public. Between 2005 and 2010 the number of ESG screened portfolios has grown by 34%. Also, in 2011 that amount of money invested in SRI funds was roughly 3 trillion dollars. In 2010 the number of SRI mutual funds had increased to approximately 250. This is a 45% increase from 2007.

There are 26 ETF’s that incorporate ESG criteria.3

In 2005 the Principles of Responsible Investing were developed by the United Nations and twenty of largest institutional investors in the world. These principles were developed to encourage the investment community to utilize ESG criteria as a screen in the investment selection process.

1. We will incorporate ESG issues into investment analysis and decision-making processes.

2. We will be active owners and incorporate ESG issues into our ownership policies and practices.

3. We will seek appropriate disclosure on ESG issues by the entities in which we invest.

4. We will promote acceptance and implementation of the Principles within the investment industry.

5. We will work together to enhance our effectiveness in implementing the Principles.

6. We will each report on our activities and progress towards implementing the Principles.4

In addition to the Principles the U.N. and the worlds participating investment companies developed PRI Initiative.

This was developed to help move the principles from theory to practice. This initiative allows the participants an opportunity to work together as they explore ways to apply ESG filters to their investment decisions. Interestingly there was a wave of signatories to the principles as a result of the 2008 financial crisis.

As the financial and economic environments changes change and develop SRI will continue to evolve and grow and may be an opportunity to invest in a way that has an impact on our communities.

Ken Edwins, ChFC

Sr. Financial Planner Financial Services Representative

REFERENCES 1. Wikipedia.org 2. Esgmanagers.com 3. Ussif.org 4. UNPRI.org The opinions expressed are those of Ken Edwins and do not represent the opinions of MetLife. MetLife does not provide tax or legal guidance. Please consult with you legal and tax advisors for guidance.

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MLIC), New York, NY 10166. Securities products and investment advisory services offered by MetLife Securities, Inc. (MSI) (member FINRA/SIPC) and a registered investment adviser. MLIC and MSI are MetLife Companies. Sonoran Ridge Wealth Management 20380 N. Tatum Blvd. Ste. 200 Phoenix, AZ 85050 480.222.0064 L0712270419(exp12/12)(AZ)

Architecture

s ’ A t h g i Stra

BY DAVID M. BROWN

W

hen schools open for the fall 2012 semester, this school will be at the top of the class.

On June 15, the Arizona office of Turner Construction Company obtained substantial completion of the $22 million Colonel Smith Middle School in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, about 90 miles southeast of Tucson, for the Fort Huachuca Accommodation School District. A dedication ceremony is being held Aug. 3 at the school.

The 88,700-square-foot project is expected to be the state’s first net zero school and the nation’s twelfth. Approximately 375 sixth- through eighth-grade students will benefit from its sustainable education facilities. Groundbreaking was May 5, 2011.

For net zero certification, a building must annually generate on site as much or more energy than it consumes. This means that if the school’s one-year energy bill shows that more energy has been created than expended, it is considered to have achieved net zero efficiency.

This Arizona school will preach what it practices.

Situated on 26 acres, the Colonel Smith Middle School will also be a living lab delivering a STEM curriculum: Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Sustainable components will be available to students through a dashboard which will monitor 37 energy-consuming points throughout the school. Students will have hand-held devices with an app for the energy dashboard and will be able to monitor the energy use and production in real time.

The innovative dashboard is an instructional component at the school, checking electrical usage, electricity produced through wind and solar, gas consumption, and water collected through rainwater harvesting.

“Each student will have an app on their handheld tablets, which mimic the dashboard, allowing them to monitor energy production and consumption in real time from any part of the campus,” explains Shawn Rosenberger, Turner’s vice president and general manager. He adds that using handhelds for this and other instructional purposes will lead the school toward a paperless space.

“The dashboard provides tremendous resources for projectbased instruction and reinforces the importance of a sustainable environment to our students,” he notes. “In this way, they can see how they’re acting in terms of energy efficiency and how they and others in the building can adjust behaviors: What can I do to improve? And, this process and mindset can lead to healthy competition between classes and grade levels.”

The Colonel Smith Middle School is a significant building in many ways, explains Michael Deane, Turner vice president and chief sustainability officer. Turner has been ranked the #1 general and green contractor in the U.S. by Engineering News Record for the four years ending 2011.

34 greenliving | August 2012

“For one, the school creates a better learning environment by engaging the students and staff in a very active way such as using the building management systems as a learning tool for the students,” he adds. “We hope that it will be an exemplar of how to design a learning environment for the 21st century.”

The sustainable building teaches through a carefully chosen palette, from passive strategies through on-the-cusp technologies.

“The first and most important approach is using good traditional design to maximize the efficiency of the building envelope, be sensitive to site conditions [wind, light, thermal massing, solar orientation and others] before thinking about onsite renewable energy generation,” Deane says. “By reducing demand, you can reduce the cost and technology burden of providing power.”

“In this way, energy-efficient design ensured a high level of sustainability even before groundbreaking,” Rosenberger adds.

“We were involved with the project team on conceptual design long before construction began on site.”

For example, the building is sited to maximize daylighting and minimize artificial lighting requirements. “Most spaces in the building will not require any artificial lighting during normal hours,” he explains.

Varying-height windows, including clerestory banks, will provide a layered introduction of natural light. The tinted low-E glass on the west, east, and south is screened and fitted with metal eyebrows. On the north, clear insulated glass maximizes natural lighting.

In addition, energy-efficient skylights with prismatic lenses should fulfill 100 percent of the lumen requirements for their spaces. Daylighted spaces incorporate occupancy and lighting sensors that will only turn lights on when ambient light is below programmed levels and the area is occupied, and LED light is prevalent indoors and out.

“Throughout the building, we’ve placed a series of graphic eyes that allow lighting scenes to be preset for different times of day and night and varying uses,” Rosenberger explains.

A number of the strategies will be monitored by the students on their hand-helds. These include photovoltaic solar panels that can provide 100 percent of the building’s daytime electrical requirements. The domestic hot water system is heated using additional closed-loop roof-mounted solar collectors. These arrays should supply all domestic hot water requirements of the school – even in the winter, when chilly days are common in the high-elevation area.

Also watched will be the performance of three wind

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Photography courtesy of Turner Construction Company

Arizona’s First Net Zero School Shoots for

Architecture turbines – two horizontal and one vertical-axis – which add to the energy off the grid. “Because the area does not experience steady winds, the turbines are placed for demonstration and will allow students to compare the efficiency of different turbine designs,” Rosenberger says. “At the same time, they do provide an alternative energy source during stormy and night conditions when the solar arrays are not generating power.”

“We showcased them near the entrance to the campus, so you can’t miss them; they’re ‘in your face,’ so the children are reminded every day about even small items that can assist with energy reduction,” he adds.

Similarly, the design and construction team placed other sustainable components at ground level, such as most of the solar panels and HVAC units – unlike traditional rooftop hideaway procedures.

The students will also be able to check the water-harvesting system – two 25,000-gallon lined galvanized steel storage tanks, which collect runoff from the artificial turf football field and the building roofs for irrigation.

“A typical summer monsoon can recharge the tanks with a single storm, so, based on yearly rainfall averages, the tanks should be able to supply normal watering requirements without using any city supplies,” Rosenberger says, noting that Turner also created a channel through the site that controls storm runoff, which recharges the water table.

The construction team also reused materials: A road that traveled through the middle of the site had to be abandoned; the asphalt was removed, ground up and reused as a base for new parking lots. In addition, the school has a recycling program and a research center on the campus that will further instruct about conservation methods.

Other sustainable materials were used whenever possible: low-VOC Sherwin Williams paints; wall coverings made with RECORE Recycled Wall Technology with 30 percent recycled content; Interface recycled carpet tiles; and GREENGUARDcertified furniture.

The most important element, of course, is the overall experience children will encounter every day.

“Students are our most sustainable feature,” Rosenberger says. “By making sustainability not just part of the curriculum but daily life, the combined actual and subliminal lessons become a part of how they will act in school and beyond school.

The idea is to live it – not just learn it.”

Vendors

• Architect of Record – EMC2 Group • Consulting Architect – Fanning Howey Architects • Structural Engineer – Broderick Engineering • Mechanical Engineer – PH Engineering, Eric Hein • Electrical Engineer – Monrad Engineering • Program Manager/Owner’s Representative – 3W Management • Lighting Design – Benya Lighting Design • Landscaping – Ryan & Associates

David M. Brown is a Valley-based writer (david@azwriter.com).

What if there is a financial institution whose entire financial goal is meeting yours? pimafederal.org federally insured by ncua

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August 2012 | greenliving 35

Technology

It’s in the

Cloud

BY JONATHAN REID

W

How to choose a cloud storage company

hile Cloud City is probably still in a galaxy far, far away, science fiction is nearing reality by way of “cloud storage.” Cloud storage refers to online storage space that enables people to store, access, and share data online – instantly.

Gone are the days of lugging around expensive hard drives and manually syncing devices.

“It’s a way of taking the data that we would typically store on our own devices or on our corporate networks and put it out on the web where we can access it from many different places,” said Jan Vandenbos, the chief technology officer of CX, inc., a Phoenix-based cloud storage company.

The bene its of cloud storage Because cloud storage enables you to access data on all your devices without the hassle of having to manually sync, annoyances such as having different calendars and contacts on multiple devices are eliminated. It’s more efficient than a physical hard drive because your content is maintained at a host company’s data center, allowing for easy connectivity between devices and sharing with other people. For example, if you download a song on your computer, you will be able to listen to that song on your iPad or iPhone without having to physically sync your device to a hard drive.

“Let’s say I want to show my parents some pictures I took of my last kayaking trip,” Vandenbos said. “Well, I don’t have to bring the hard drive along…I can just bring the photos up on our CX website.”

Since the cloud storage boom hit earlier this year, many companies have been rolling out or updating their own cloud storage networks for both personal storage and business interaction. Apple’s iCloud is one of the most publicized networks debuting the new capabilities of cloud storage.

Similar to Google Drive and Microsoft’s SkyDrive, iCloud offers cloud storage for data and enhanced connectivity with Apple incentives such as Photo Stream, iTunes music, apps and books that do not take up online storage space.

The ability to back up data online is arguably the most important feature of cloud storage. Losing your phone no longer means all your photos, contacts, and other data is gone forever – it’s secure in the “cloud.”

36 greenliving | August 2012

The price of cloud storage varies depending on how much space and group collaboration you are looking for. Therefore, it is important when choosing a cloud storage company to have an understanding of how you are going to use it. For example, iCloud is great for transferring data between Apple products, and CX cloud storage is effective for small businesses looking to share and edit content between groups of people.

And for the green at heart, cloud storage is at the forefront of sustainability in green computing. Some companies such as CX use third-party data centers to house their servers, cutting utility costs and increasing energy efficiency. Organizations can also use the cloud to cut their use of paper in the workplace because people no longer have to print documents to share information with co-workers.

No matter which company you choose, it’s still critical to back up your data. Things still happen to the largest cloud storage providers with the most secure networks – so don’t neglect your hard drive once you buy cloud storage, and always keep a physical storage space for all your data. A sobering proverb to live by is “technology will always fail you in the end.

So back it up!” Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

But don’t be deterred by this warning…cloud storage has proven thus far to be an effective and reliable asset both at home and in the office. Vandenbos has found that when customers first start using CX, they use it for personal storage, but soon realize how valuable cloud storage can be for business.

“It’s all consumer or small business,” Vandenbos said of CX’s clientele. “One of the things that is dramatically changing for us is these consumers and small businesses are bringing these tools into the enterprise.”

Although cloud storage can still be useful for people who only have a single platform as a source to back up data, its biggest potential is for sharing data on multiple devices. So edit and share content with your co-workers in the office, and enjoy photos and music with your friends and family – cloud storage is an essential tool in the future of social and business interaction.

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Feature

HONEY

A Super Food with all the BUZ ZZZZZZZZ

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innie the Pooh, we get you. We understand why you are constantly getting stuck with your nose in the honey jar, or running from the swarm of a nearby hive you snagged.

been done in the past few years on the correlation between natural local honey and allergies. So far, no real benefit has been proved; however, these studies are criticized for using small sample sizes and not having long-term data.

You are obviously one health-conscious Pooh Bear.

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38 greenliving | August 2012

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While this theory has been upheld for decades, studies have just

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New studies are determining if a person who consumes honey from the same geographical region in which they live may be able to desensitize himself from allergies. In theory, a person’s allergies are often caused by pollen from flowering plants, possibly the same pollen the bees used to make their honey. By consuming the honey, the immune system is exposed to this pollen, eventually building strength against it.

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Natural honey has not been pasteurized in any way, thus keeping the nutrients intact, and is sold three ways: liquid honey, raw honey, and honeycombs. Liquid honey most resembles what comes from the fun-shaped squeeze bottles as it has been filtered to remove any wax, but has not been pasteurized. Natural honey can be found at most organic food stores, but it’s recommended to go to a nearby farmers’ market to ensure it is locally produced.

Beekeepers and farmers can be very knowledgeable, and asking where the bee farms are located, and the type of fauna in the area, might actually provide even more health benefits.

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The majority of mass-produced honey goes through intensive pasteurization to kill any bacteria present. This process involves heating and filtering the honey, which also removes any particles and most of the beneficial nutrients and antioxidants. The end product is not technically honey, but nectar.

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That is, if you are buying real honey.

Still, there are hundreds of single cases in which a person reported less severe or no allergies after regularly consuming local, natural honey. For mother Chrissy Miller, ditching the store-bought goods and seeking out natural honey was an obvious decision. “I have not always used local honey. I actually started buying it when I was pregnant with my first son,” said Miller, who has a son, Dax, 2, and is expecting another boy in October. “I had a huge sweet tooth and was trying to stay away from candy and sodas. z A friend suggested that I buy honey zz zz z sticks from the farmers market, zzz and I was in love immediately.” zzz z z zz zz The effect that honey had on her zzzzzzzzzzzz allergies, which followed Miller from Florida to Oregon before moving to Phoenix, was just a bonus. “I have noticed [a difference]. I have not had any issues with allergies in the four years that I have been eating local honey.” While more expensive than commercial honey, Miller says it is worth it. She gives a spoonful to her toddler when he is sick, on his cuts and burns, and uses it to bake organic cupcakes.

During pregnancy, when especially conscious of any chemicals she could be exposing herself to, she uses honey for facials and as a moisturizer. The best part? “I don’t have to feel guilty about giving my kids a sweet treat.”

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Don’t let the sugary deliciousness – or Pooh’s belly full of fluff – fool you; honey is one of nature’s super foods. The sappy, sticky stuff we love to put on our toast is packed full of antioxidants that support the immune system and antibacterial properties that are believed to improve digestion. It can work as a natural remedy for cuts and burns, rashes and sore throats. It helps boost energy and eases hangovers. It could help fix one of our nation’s biggest health problems, as using honey while baking or making sugary drinks like lemonade can greatly reduce a family’s intake of refined sugars – one of the leading causes of our country’s obesity epidemic. Recent studies are now showing that honey can even help build a tolerance against allergies.

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BY STEPHANIE LOUGH

A sweet economy Miller learned most of her tricks from the honey stand, Absolutely Delicious, at her local farmers’ market. The familyowned business sells honey from a handful of beekeepers around Arizona. On top of keeping her family healthy, being able to support a local, family-owned business keeps Miller coming back every few weeks.

Bees are a critical part the economy, and not only because of honey and the dozens of other byproducts like beeswax and bee pollen. Bees also pollinate about one-third of U.S. crops as well as the plants given to livestock – industries that are worth more than $10 billion each year.

The scary fact is, though, the honeybee population is on a sharp decline, and has been for the past decade in what is known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), a phenomenon in which colonies seemingly disappear. While there is no single reason, contributing factors include pesticides, disease, and

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Bees are the most important pollinators in the world. they affect 35% of the world’s crops why we have such a diverse variety of foods

are responsible for one out of every three bites we eat they pollinate more than 100 types of crops in the U.S.

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they are especially important to the reproduction of alfalfa, which feed grazing animals

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pollination is worth over $10 billion to U.S. crops

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environmental changes. Some even cite cell phone radiation as a cause of CCD. Without bees, our world’s food structure would be greatly zz z compromised.

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30%

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Natural Arizona Honey zz

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ReZoNation Farm 4526 N. Anway Road Marana, AZ 85653 ReZonationFarm.com

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Crockett Honey Co., Inc. 1040 West Alameda Drive Tempe, AZ 85282 Crocketthoney.com

It takes two million flowers for honey bees to make one pound of honey

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Chick-A-Bee Gardens 17346 E Melody Gilbert, AZ 85234 Chickabeegardens.com

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Honey bees communicate with each other by z “dancing”, they do Absolutely Delightfulz z z a dance which alerts zzzz other bees where nectar z zPhoenix Various farmers marketszin zzzz z z zzz z and pollen is zlocated.

The zz Absolutelydelightfulazhoney.com z z z z z z z z direction z z z z z z z z z z z z z z dance z z z z zexplains and distance. Bees also use pheromones to communicate.

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How can you help Buy organic to support bee friendly forage

Plant bee-friendly fruits and flowers to provide forage for honey bees

Mountain Top Honey Co. 383 Choctaw Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Eliminate the use of pesticides in your garden and lawn at home

The Honey Stand 3691 N Highway 87 Pine, AZ 85544

Shop with companies that have donated funds to support bees, look for a “Share the Buzz” sign in the stores

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Beekeepers theorize that the decline is due to a number of factors including pathogens, loss of crop diversity and increased exposure to systemic pesticides.

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“If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. No more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more men.” – Albert Einstein.

Honey bees don’t sleep.

Technically, they take mini cat naps. During the day they work in the field collecting nectar, pollen, water, etc.

Then at night they work on the hives, building new combs and repairing old ones.

August 2012 | greenliving 39

Environmental

Speaking for the

Trees

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” ~ Dr. Seuss, The Lorax (1971).

BY TRACY HOUSE

he recent release of the movie “The Lorax” (2012), based on Dr. Seuss’ beloved children’s book, brings the issue of deforestation into the public eye. The movie tells the story of the Once-ler, an ambitious young man who goes from rags to riches making “thneeds” out of truffula trees. Warned by the Lorax (the furry and magical caretaker of the forest) that his actions are detrimental to the Truffula Valley and its inhabitants, the Once-ler realizes too late that his greed and destruction have turned the beautiful forest into a lonely, virtual wasteland. As the last truffula tree falls, the forest creatures must leave the harsh environment in search of a more sustainable land.

The book and now the video serve as a voice against the destruction and loss of one of our precious natural resources – forests.

Deforestation The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency defines deforestation as “permanent removal of standing forests.” While worldwide efforts to end deforestation continue, the loss of forests around the globe is still occurring at an alarming rate. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates the net change in forest size each year is 5.2 million hectares – that is an area the size of Costa Rica disappearing annually, mostly in tropical countries where slash-and-burn agriculture forces small farmers to cut forests to use for grazing livestock and planting crops. In developing countries, 80 percent of the people rely on forests for their health and nutritional needs from non-wood forest products. Illegal acts, such as logging companies clear-cutting to build roads in remote areas, add to the devastation of forests and often goes unreported.

Reasons for deforestation vary by region, but the most

common include clear-cutting for agriculture and cattle grazing; logging to provide wood and paper products; converting forest land for urban use; energy sources such as wood-based fuels; and forest fires – 90 percent of which are caused by human carelessness.

Effects of deforestation From loss of habitat to soil erosion, the effects of deforestation are devastating on many levels. According to National Geographic, 70 percent of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests. The degradation of forest land causes permanent loss of plant and animal species as habitats are destroyed.

Trees provide natural canopy cover which maintains ground soil, lessens the impact of wind and water erosion, and helps perpetuate the water cycle through transpiration. As forests continue to vanish, the loss of these natural systems can have devastating effects on weather and the environment.

Additionally, trees store carbon dioxide, the greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. When a tree is burned, it not only emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but it also releases methane gas, adding to the greenhouse effect.

Drought, flooding, poor water quality, and reduced food supplies also add to the problems of deforestation.

What we can do While deforestation continues to be a global concern, only an estimated 13 percent of the world’s forests are legally protected areas – but we need to do more. Consumers can support companies who use post-consumer packaging, engage in zerodeforestation policies and produce products that are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified.

The Lorax

When Ted (Zac Efron) decides to win over his dream girl, Audrey (Taylor Swift), he must leave the synthetic world of Thneedville in pursuit of the one thing he knows will win her heart – a “real” tree. The road to love leads him on a journey outside of the treeless city’s walls, to the mysterious and remorseful Once-ler (Ed Helms) whose greed led to the demise of the truffula trees, which he chopped down to make “thneeds.” As Ted listens to the Once-ler’s story of what was once beautiful Truffula Valley, and his encounter with the Lorax (Danny DeVito), the orange furry creature who “speaks for the trees,” he begins to understand what he must do to make changes and win Audrey’s heart. With the last truffula seed in hand, and pursued by Thneedville’s villainous mayor, Mr. O’Hare (Rob Riggle), Ted risks everything to do what he knows is right. “The Lorax”, based on Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel’s 1971 children’s book, is the wondrous story of environmental stewardship and the next generation’s duty to act in responsible ways to protect our resources.

Coinciding with the video release of Dr. Suess’ “The Lorax”, the Environmental Protection Agency’s team ENERGY STAR has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) to promote energy education and awareness to the four million youths involved in their 4,000 Clubs around America. Young people can join “The Lorax Pledge Drive” and collect pledges from family, friends, and businesses to save energy. Pledge collectors can be eligible to win prizes such as an ENERGY STAR qualified Samsung LED TV or a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood, the award for the top pledge driver. The BGCA has worked with youth for over 100 years to provide a safe and caring environment that promotes character building and positive choices.

40 greenliving | August 2012

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Universal Studios Home Entertainment

T

Look to our website greenlivingaz.com and on Twitter @greenlivingaz for a chance to win a copy of The Lorax!

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Environmental

Forest Facts

Consumers can also take action by using recycled paper products, eliminating junk mail, reducing the amount of unnecessary paper packaging, opting for electronic bill paying, and limiting printing – all are effective steps in conservation.

Further efforts like tree planting can make a positive impact that benefits nature, communities, and the environment.

Planting indigenous trees can help with energy savings, reduce noise pollution, and provide erosion control. Consider planting a tree as a remembrance of a birthday, wedding, or anniversary or as a memorial for a lost loved one. Check with your local municipality to see if they have a tree planting program or contact the U.S. Forest Service (fs.fed.us) for information about donating money towards planting trees in national forests.

greenlivingaz.com

The United States has less than 5 percent of the world’s population yet consumes more than 30 percent of the world’s paper.

Every hour, at least 4,500 acres of forest fall to chain saws, machetes, flames, or bulldozers.

A typical community forest of 10,000 trees will retain approximately 10 million gallons of rainwater per year.

More than 5,000 things are made from trees, including houses, furniture, pencils, utensils, fences, books, newspaper, movie tickets even clothing and toothpaste.

The forests of Central America are home to more than 8,000 different species of plants.

Recreational activities on our lands contribute $14.5 billion annually to the U.S. economy.

Over the course of 50 years, a single tree can generate $31,250 worth of air pollution control, recycle $37,500 worth of water, and control $31,500 worth of soil erosion.

On average, each American uses more than 600 pounds of paper and almost 200 board-feet of timber per year.

Approximately 14 million people worldwide are formally employed in the forest sector.

SOURCES Arbor Day Foundation FAO.org facingthefuture.org Forestry Department Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations greenpeace.org

environment.nationalgeographic.com nature.org fs.fed.us na.fs.fed.us rainforest.org U.S Forest Service United Nations Environment Programme

August 2012 | greenliving 41

Cool Outrageous 1 [Green Apps As seen in Smart Money, TechCrunch, MSN Money and more, GreatApps.com is a one-stop-shop for apps available for mobile phones and tablets. This site highlights 25 new apps a day and gives you the option to search for an app by category just for you. Whether it’s shopping, travel entertainment, health and wellness or fitness – this site has something for everyone. GreatApps.com

5 [ Pretty Pens In an assortment of bright colors as well as black, grey, and white, Eco Pens by ACME cover your color needs while satisfying your conscience. Unlike most pens, their ergonomically designed barrel is made of 100% biodegradable corn starch plastic. When disposed of properly, it will decompose within a year. acmestudio.com or shop locally at Scottsdale Pen. Scottsdalepen.com

<Editor’s Pick> 2 [ Banners to Bags Looking to keep waste out of landfills? The folks at Britten started priorLIFE in an effort to turn used banners into upcycled tote bags, wallets, and laptop sleeves. The company accepts used banners from previous customers to make colorful accessories and bags.

Priorlife.com

3 [ Art on Your Sleeve Bright and artsy and locally made, these colorful coffee cup sleeves help you get a grip on your morning in style. Made of earth-friendly materials, washable, and completely reusable, these eco-friendly sleeves protect your fingers and keep your drink warm.

You can also customize them with your own text and images.

Ablissfullife.net

4 [ For the Artist Within A great gift for the eco-friendly artist in your life is O’Bon’s L’Artiste art pencils, made from recycled newspapers, and offering a wide range of graphites (1H to 8B) in an environmentally friendly package. Myobon.com

6 [ Class with Glass Changing the way we look at bottled water, PURE Glass Bottle is looking to cut down on waste from plastic bottle use. PURE Glass Bottles are coated with SafeShell, which is said to make bottles shatter-resistant and less likely to make a mess or cause injuries if broken. They’re also recyclable, BPA-free and dishwasher-safe. The bottles are available in 17.5- and 25-ounce sizes. Pureglassbottle.com

7 [ Jewelry for the Mind, Body and Soul Nature and soul: these are two of the inspirations Valley jewelry maker Diya accesses to unite your mind, body and soul with her hand-made, wearable art that she arranges, fires and carves herself. JewelrybyRuHH.com

8 [ Fleeting but Fascinating British artist Evewright has been working on “Walking Drawings” project for eight years now. Using tools such as a rotavator, rake, old-fashioned tractor, as well as people and horses, he forms sand drawings that entice and impress, but only until the tide comes in.

Evewrightstudio.com

Send us your cool and outrageous finds to submissions@greenlivingaz.com

42 greenliving | August 2012

greenlivingaz.com

He’s Green She’s Green

She is: Jennifer Burkhart He is: John Burkhart

At the movies or in your living room – popcorn is a delicious treat. This month our green couple put their microwave to the test with these organic popcorn brands. Find out which is worth the butter.

Organics Microwave Popcorn | Butter

He said A very light and crunchy popcorn with more of a salty flavor than a buttery one. I’d sneak this one into a movie theater anytime.

He gave it:

She said If you think our reviews will be filled with corny puns, then...you are absolutely right. It’s just too easy. Organics is a Safeway brand, and it didn’t disappoint. It had a rich, but not overpowering, salty butter flavor. Pair that with the airy, crunchy kernels and you’ve got a snack that’s guaranteed to be “pop”-ular.

She gave it:

USDA Organic 365 Microwave Popcorn | ButterOriginal

He said 365 had the best flavor of this bunch, with butter and salt proportioned just right. It had a nice light crunch, but it was a little on the hull-y side. I’d recommend buying a pack of toothpicks to go with this one.

He gave it:

She said Tasty! I loved the light and crispy texture, and the balanced salty, light butter flavor. I could have easily eaten the whole bag! It was definitely “butter” than the rest.

She gave it:

USDA Organic Newman’s Own Microwave Pop’s Corn | Butter

He said Newman’s was very light on the butter and salt, and it almost had a smoky flavor to it. It had a good solid crunch to it too.

Grab this one if you’d rather watch a campfire than a movie.

She said Newman’s uses only natural butter flavor, but I still wasn’t a fan.

Even though it was perfectly popped, it also had a toasty aroma.

I did like the satisfying “crunch” that’s sure to annoy your movie buddy.

He gave it: She gave it:

USDA Organic Natural Value Popcorn kernels | Yellow

He said If you’re like me and eat your popcorn by the pound, then this is the bag for you. It had a good taste and a nice crunch. A twopound bag will only set you back three dollars. It’s Naturally the best Value.

She said Don’t let the plain, unassuming packaging “corn”-fuse you – this one is sure to please! The big, fluffy kernels were crunchy, and tasted great plain or with butter and salt. Bonus: the company practices fair trade while producing fairly priced organic products.

She gave it:

He gave it:

USDA Organic Eden Organic Popcorn kernels

He said What I really liked about Eden’s popcorn was the attention they paid to quality. Their popcorn is double certified organic and they make every effort to keep Monsanto’s genetically modified nightmare corn out of their popcorn. Plus, it tasted great!

She said Eden had the biggest fluffy kernels of all. Great corn flavor, but a bit chewy. If you are “corn” to be wild, break out the food coloring and sugar because these would likely make great popcorn balls.

She gave it:

He gave it:

USDA Organic greenlivingaz.com

August 2012 | greenliving 43

Grilled Chicken Wings with Summer Vegetable Salsa Servings: 4 as appetizers INGREDIENTS Chicken wings 2 dozen large raw chicken wings Salt and pepper for seasoning Chicken brine 1 cup salt 1/2 cup sugar 2 quarts water 5 sprigs fresh thyme 5 cloves garlic, crushed 2 bay leaves 10 black peppercorns PREPARATION CHICKEN WINGS - 3 hours Heat all brine ingredients until sugar and salt are dissolved in a sauce pot; brine should not come to a boil. Cool brine before adding chicken. Let raw chicken sit in brine for up to 3 hours. On a med-high grill cook the brined wings until cooked through INGREDIENTS Vegetable salsa 1 zucchini, sliced long ways 1 small eggplant, sliced long ways 1 fennel bulb, sliced 2 large tomatoes, sliced 1/2 red onion, sliced 1 1/2 cup V-8 or Bloody Mary mix

PREPARATION VEGETABLE SALSA Heat grill and clean the grill grates. Char the vegetables on both sides and place aside to cool. Once cool, dice vegetables into cubes and toss into bowl. Add the V-8 or Bloody Mary mix to help bind it all together; the consistency should be like a chunky salsa. Season with salt and pepper. Chill until cool or up to one day ahead.

PLATING Place the hot wings on the serving platter or wooden cutting board. Spoon the salsa over each wing until all of the wings are fully coated. Garnish with herbs and/or citrus.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Justin Beckett at Beckettâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Table | beckettstable.com

Stuffed Pork Chops INGREDIENTS 6 pork chops 4 slices bacon, cut into pieces 1 green, yellow or red bell pepper, chopped into tiny pieces 1 onion, chopped into small pieces 1 cup corn bread stuffing 1/2 cup water 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese 1-1/2 teaspoons Rising Hy Devil Dust 1/2 cup Rising Hy Honey Mustard DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice into pork to make pocket for stuffing. Cook chopped bacon in skillet until brown and crisp. Add chopped onions and bell pepper and cook about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cornbread stuffing and water; stir until mixed. Stir in cheese.

Sprinkle both sides of pork with Rising Hy Devil Dust and pepper. Stuff each pork pocket with at least 1/3 cup of mixture. Brown pork over medium heat in skillet used to cook bacon, turning once. Place meat in ungreased 13 x 9 x 2 inch pan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Bake 40 minutes. Remove foil and drizzle Rising Hy Honey Mustard over top of stuffed pork chops. Bake for about 8 minutes.

Recipe provided by Rising Hy | risinghy.com

44 greenliving | August 2012

greenlivingaz.com

Jamie Oliver’s Highland Mussels I tasted my first mussel at the age of eight. I remember looking at the pile of shells and thinking, I’m never going to eat those, but my mum said, “Don’t look at them, darling, just eat them,” so I did. Once I figured out how to use an empty shell as pincers to grab the meat from the other shells, I went through the whole bowl in no time flat.

Mussels are one of the most sustainable types of seafood. They can be cultivated on a large or small scale, they clean the water around them, take literally 4 minutes to cook and are nutritious and wonderful to eat… I can’t think of any negatives! What are you waiting for?

Quickly wash and debeard all the mussels (pull off any bits that look like wire wool), discarding any that won’t close (your fishmonger will do this for you if you ask in advance).

Trim, wash, then finely slice the leek and the stick of celery, reserving any of the delicate yellow leaves for sprinkling over later. Put a really wide, deep pot on a medium heat and add a lug of olive oil and a knob of butter, along with the sliced leek and celery. Cook and stir for 10 minutes, or until the vegetables have softened, then flak in the smoked haddock and pour in the whisky – feel free to light it with a match to burn off the alcohol if you want. I think this adds to the flavor, but don’t set yourself on fire.

Next, add the mussels and cream. Stir and shake the pan, put the lid on and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or literally just until the mussels have all popped open – discard any that haven’t. Use a slotted spoon to move them to a large serving platter or bowl. Leave the pan of cooking liquor on the heat and let it bubble away until it thickens to a consistency you’re happy with. While that’s happening, roughly chop the parsley, then add it to the pot and shake it about. Have a quick

greenlivingaz.com

Photography by David Loftus

SERVES 6 • 4¼ lbs mussels • 1 large leek • 1 stick of celery • olive oil • 8 oz smoked haddock, skin off and pin-boned • 6 shots of whisky (2 scant tbsp. each) • ¾ cup heavy cream • a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley • extra virgin olive oil, to serve • 6 hunks of sourdough bread, to serve

taste of the sauce, correct the seasoning if it needs it, and pour all over the mussels. Scatter over any celery leaves, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve straight away with fresh or toasted hunks of bread for a beautiful hearty lunch or dinner.

Photography: Credit: From JAMIE OLIVER’S GREAT BRITAIN by Jamie Oliver. Copyright (C) Jamie Oliver, 2011, 2012. Photography copyright (C) David Loftus, 2011, 2012. Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold. All Rights Reserved.

Recipe: From JAMIE OLIVER’S GREAT BRITAIN by Jamie Oliver. Copyright (C) Jamie Oliver, 2011, 2012.

Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold. All Rights Reserved.

August 2012 | greenliving 45

G reen Direc to r y

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SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR $29/year at greenlivingaz.com OR reduce your carbon footprint and subscribe to our digital magazine for $12/yr.

46 greenliving | August 2012

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Green Pages

Natural | Biological

Butler Family Dentistry Lisa M. Butler D.M.D.

Eco-friendly furniture, home accessories and décor A Greener Way of Living.

OFFERING: Protected Removal of Silver Mercury Amalgam Fillings Recommended Detoxification Protocols • Root Canal Extractions Ozone & Laser Therapy • Biocompatibility Testing for Dental Materials Fluoride & BPA Free Filling Materials • Metal Free Braces • Homeopathics Natural Home Care Supplies • Holistic Dentistry for Children

4210 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85018

602-956-4807

butlerfamilydentistry.com

HILTON VILLAGE SHOPS

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6137 Scottsdale Road, B103 Scottsdale, AZ 85250 480-488-0010

Rugs Furniture Accessories

www.homeologyaz.com homeologyaz@cox.net

Find trusted green businesses

OrganiCare

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OrganiCare restores & renews your wardrobe for years to come. Our custom dry cleaning & professional wet cleaning systems make sure your garments look and feel great. Isn’t it a great feeling knowing that no matter what designer garment you buy can preserve its OrganiCare integrity. How’s that for piece of mind! Feel free to call or sign up online for complimentary pickup & delivery to your home or office today.

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greenlivingaz.com

August 2012 | greenliving 47

How much do new clothes really cost?

The textile industry is characterized by its high use of water, fuel and a variety of chemicals in the production of clothes.

The textile recycling industry removes annually 2.5billion lbs of post-consumer textiles product waste from the landfill

Rn Pb

CO

NO2 CO

Pb

Pb NO2

Rn

Each pound of goods produced can be the source of approximately 15 gallons of waste from dyeing and rinsing processes alone

99%

60-80% off

NO2

On average, 200 liters of water are required to produce 1 kilogram of textiles

(x) 1,000,000

of clothes and household items can be recycled

Recycling clothes reduces the amount of pollutants, greenhouse gases and volatile organic compounds released into the water and air from the manufacturing processes

CO Rn

The average wastewater generation from a dyeing facility is estimated at between

one and two million gallons per day.

Most production methods waste anywhere from

6-28% of fabric

Name brands priced 60-80 percent off can be found at secondhand stores

Be green and save green when you shop at secondhand stores.

Secondhand Stores

Phoenix

Buffalo Exchange: buffaloexchange.com

My Sister’s Closet: mysisterscloset.com

Twice as Nice: twiceasnicephoenix.com

Plato’sCloset: platosclosetarrowhead.com

Cheap Thrills: shopcheapthrills.com

48 greenliving | August 2012

Tucson

Buffalo Exchange: buffaloexchange.com

Plato’s Closet: platosclosettucson.com

greenlivingaz.com

The power To save is all around you.

Build the solar solution that fits your energy needs, today and into the future with Harmon Solar.

Learn what the power of the sun can do for you. For details on leasing solar with no money down, call 623-879-0010 or visit www.harmonsolar.com.

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Th e f i rst LE E D C e r t i f i e d Vo l k s wa g e n De al e r sh i p i n No r t h A m e r i c a We’ve taken steps to help our environment, now it’s your turn.

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