2010 Green Guide

guide to

This year's Green Guide is all about how the green movement has been embraced in Arkansas ... from driving to cleaning, from conserving to pampering, and from building to planting. Green is a Natural State of mind.

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2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

contributors

It’s great to live in a natural state.

Did you know Arkansas has about as many acres in our national forests as we do citizens?

There are nine national wildlife refuges that span more than 360,000 acres. We have 52 state parks and more than 120 stateowned wildlife management and natural areas, many of which have conserved some of the most scenic and ecologically important spots in Arkansas. We’re home to the first national river — the Buffalo River — and a great number of private landowners and several organizations, like The Nature Conservancy, have added thousands of more acres to the state’s natural spaces.

Not only do these conserved lands and waters provide habitat for wildlife, they provide places for people to enjoy the outdoors … places where our children can learn about nature outside of a classroom or television. Our forests help clean our rivers and the groundwater that provides the water we drink, and they clean the air we all breathe. They conserve beautiful areas that are part of the state’s natural heritage, and because people visit these places, they help fuel our economy.

These places are investments that make our state a better place in which to live.

While all of this is good news, we must be diligent if we’re to ensure our children and future generations inherit a healthy and sustainable natural world. While conservation on a large scale is important, so too are the steps we take in our daily lives to conserve energy, recycle what we can and reduce waste. The decisions we make as consumers are equally important. Making purchases that take into consideration the health of our natural world help as well.

Working together, we can keep Arkansas the Natural State.

Scott Simon, director The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas

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Eliza Borné is the assistant Web editor at BookPage and has written for the Boston Globe Magazine, Every Day with Rachael Ray, and the Arkansas Times. Her favorite natural spots in Arkansas are Blanchard Springs Caverns and the White River.

Tobi Fairley is the owner of Tobi Fairley Interior Design and Tobi Fairley Gallery, a full-service luxury residential interior design firm and fine art gallery in Little Rock. She was selected by Traditional Home magazine as one of the “Top 20 Young Designers in America” in 2009, and her work has been featured in media and periodicals nationwide including Traditional Home, Dream Bedrooms

by Better Homes and Gardens, MSNBC.com and Design and was recently featured on the cover of House Beautiful.

Jay Harrod, who once served as communications manager for Arkansas Parks and Tourism, has written travel features for AY in the past. Over the last four years, Harrod, a native to the Natural State, has worked as a spokesperson for the Nature Conservancy, where he’s gained a deep insight into conservation challenges and opportunities. Outside of AY, Harrod has written for and been published in the Dallas Morning News, the Daily Oklahoman, Insight Travel Guides, Odyssey Magazine, National Parks Magazine and others.

Mark Jackson, a photographer of 18 years, recently came off two years of sailing through the eastern Caribbean and Bahamas with his wife and three kids without any substantive trauma. He returned to northwest Arkansas where he shoots advertising and editorial work from his Fayetteville studio. Despite his preoccupation with leisure, he loves his photographic work and the creative process.

Little Rock native, P. Allen Smith is an award-winning garden designer and host of the public television program, “P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home” and the syndicated “P. Allen Smith Gardens.” Smith is the garden design editor for national magazines, such as Woman’s Day, and the author of the Garden Home series, which includes his latest Bringing the Garden Indoors.

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2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

Arkansas The Nature Conservancy in

by Jay Harrod / photography by Ethan Inlander

With chapters in all 50 states and in more than 30 other countries, The Nature Conservancy is among the leaders in national and global conservation. Since its inception in 1982, the Arkansas chapter of the Conservancy has worked with a variety of partners to conserve more than 265,000 acres in the Natural State. While the Conservancy has transferred much of this land to public agencies, like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or the Arkansas Game and Fish and Natural Heritage commissions, the Conservancy owns 41 preserves that are found in each of the state’s eco-regions and encompass more than 24,000 acres.

A few of The Nature Conservancy’s key priorities are listed below. To learn more about the Conservancy, view photos and watch videos, or to join the millionplus members who support the organization, visit nature.org/arkansas or call (501) 663-6699.

Rivers in the Ouachita Mountains and Ozark Highlands — Many people are surprised to learn the No. 1 threat to many of the state’s upland streams is excessive sediment, which, in addition to destroying the aesthetics of a stream, can fill in gravel beds, choke out small organisms at the bottom of the food chain and affect those at the top, like smallmouth bass. The Conservancy focuses much of its efforts on reducing sediment. Protecting forested corridors or riparian zones is important. Sometimes, however, banks are collapsing or areas have been cleared to the river’s edge. In these instances, the Conservancy works with partners to restore eroding stream banks and reforest riparian zones. The Conservancy has also mapped eroding features on hundreds of miles of unpaved roads in key watersheds and works with landowners and county maintenance crews to fix troublesome spots and implement practices that save money by keeping sediment on roads and out of rivers.

Big Woods — Delta forests once covered 24 million acres.

Today, less than 5 million remain in scattered patches. Fortunately, east Arkansas is home to one of the largest remaining blocks: the 550,000-acre Big Woods, which provides habitat for 265 bird 30 . march 2010

species and the largest population of wintering mallards in the world. A slew of conservation actions and partners have protected most of the remaining forested areas here. The Conservancy and partners are now at work to connect these forested areas by reforesting marginal croplands.

Private landowners, who’ve reforested and conserved thousands of acres, play a critical role in this endeavor.

Fire Restoration — The pine-oak forests of Arkansas are adapted to fire; it is as essential in maintaining healthy forests as is rain and sunshine. Without it, our forests become too dense, and when too many trees compete for the same amount of moisture and nutrients, the trees become weak and susceptible to disease, drought and uncontrollable wildfires. In Arkansas, the Conservancy’s partners in restoring fire to fire-dependent landscapes include: the U.S. Forest Service; U.S. National Parks Service; the U.S. Army; private landowners and companies; Arkansas State Parks; and the Arkansas Game and Fish, Natural Heritage and Forestry commissions.

In addition to restoring fire to as many as 14,000 acres each year on its preserves and projects, the Conservancy and its partners also host classes each year to train land managers in effective conservation planning and the safe application of prescribed fire.

Conservation Forestry — The Conservancy works with forest landowners in South Arkansas to demonstrate conservation forestry … the merging of good economic returns and a healthy ecosystem. For example, the Conservancy purchased its first conservation forestry site, the 820-acre Kingsland Prairie Preserve, in 2002. Just six years later, proceeds from sustainable timber harvests had offset 84 percent of the land’s purchase price. In 2006, the Conservancy teamed with several agency partners to purchase a 16,000-acre conservation easement on Potlatch Corporation property where sustainable timber harvesting continues to provide local jobs and forest products. The site is now open for hunting and other recreation as the Moro Big Pine Wildlife Management and Natural Area. •

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2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

by Jay Harrod / photography by Ethan Inlander

down to earth

The Ozark karst ecosystem is an underground wilderness of caves, springs and aquifers that over the millennia have formed in the carbonate bedrock of the Ozark Highlands.

Sherfield Cave (entrance shown above) harbors the largest wintering population of Indiana bats, an endangered species, in Arkansas. With its partners, the Conservancy’s karst program continues to monitor rare species and water quality at more than 200 sites throughout the Ozarks.  Conservancy researcher Mike Slay prepares to enter a cave.

32 . april 2010

Stretching from northern Arkansas and southern Missouri and into eastern Oklahoma, an amazing underground landscape harbors bats, salamanders, fish, crustaceans and other invertebrates, including at least 60 species found nowhere else on Earth. Because they have such limited home ranges, most Ozark karst species are considered globally imperiled, though only seven are listed for protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. This landscape is also a precious groundwater source; safeguarding the subterranean ecosystem means safeguarding drinking water for humans and keeping the water that feeds beautiful Ozark streams clear and clean.

The porous and fractured nature of karst terrain makes it very susceptible to pollution. After rains, runoff from streams and the ground can enter aquifers quickly, transporting unfiltered contaminants that pollute groundwater and threaten aquatic karst animals. This ecosystem’s sensitivity is complicated by the fact that northwest Arkansas is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. Residential and industrial developments have been built or are planned in the watersheds — or even directly on top — of fragile underground ecosystems. Incompatible agricultural activities as well as careless fertilizer, gas and oil, and household chemical uses or disposals can pose threats. The animals that live in the caves are also threatened by incompatible (oftentimes illegal) entries and vandalism.

Since 1978 The Nature Conservancy in Arkansas has worked with many private landowners and partner agencies to acquire 20 caves, install or repair two dozen cave gates, and remove 230 tons of garbage near caves or sinkholes.

A prime example of the Conservancy’s karst work is at Smith Creek, which flows over one of the largest caves in Arkansas and is a tributary to the Buffalo National River. In 2006, the Conservancy purchased 1,226 acres above the cave, which is home to the state’s largest hibernating colony of endangered Indiana bats, to create Smith Creek Preserve. A protection agreement on adjacent property that harbors the cave’s main entrance limits

Gay White, former first lady of Arkansas, is an avid outdoorsman. She loves to

potentially fatal disruptions to the bats during hibernation. Smith Creek also connects the Ozark National Forest and the Buffalo National River Wilderness Area, protecting a forested corridor for gray bats, black bears and elk, as well as critical foraging and roosting sites for the Indiana bats.

To give city planners and developers the means to avoid sensitive karst areas or plan developments in ways that won’t harm groundwater or karst species, the Conservancy used data gathered from years of research to create a map depicting Northwest Arkansas in terms of most sensitive to least sensitive to groundwater pollution. Having specific information about karst areas prompted three developers to donate to the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission 80 acres located directly above Cave Springs Cave, which harbors gray bats and the largest known population of the extremely rare Ozark cavefish. While the land was quite valuable from a development perspective, the donors received tax incentives, and the value of the surrounding lots increased, particularly those adjacent to the green spaces. •

snorkel, kayak, canoe, hike, camp … but that wasn’t always the case.

The California native moved here in 1971. “I chose to move here, to be closer to my sister. LA is so big and fast. Arkansas is very personal and warm. When my cat and I moved here, I owned my car, my clothes and a chest of drawers,” White said. “I’ve never, ever looked back.”

Several years later, White married the late Frank White, Arkansas’ governor from 1981 to 1983. “Frank loved the outdoors … camping, canoeing … he took me on outings, and it’s because of his patience that I learned to love it too. We were married 28 years. It was 28 years of joy, doing all the stuff we loved to do.

White said living in Arkansas and being outdoors allows one to “enjoy the journey” of life. “I love the Buffalo National River and the Big Piney River; they’re just treasures. I love to hike the Sylamore Creek in the Ozark National Forest. Do you know I’ve met people who have not floated the Buffalo, hiked or even visited our state parks? They don’t know what they are missing."

When a friend suggested White become a member of The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Board, she met with Scott Simon, director of the organization. “I was amazed, just floored by the work they do. They are some of the busiest, most dedicated individuals … it’s scientists, biologists, botanists … all working to preserve our state’s beauty,” White said. That was in 2004, and she’s worked to promote the organization’s mission ever since. Her favorite TNC projects involve Arkansas Rivers; she’s particularly proud of the work they’ve done to preserve the integrity of the Saline River and the work they do through prescribed fires.

“I really was ignorant of the whole process of prescribed burns and how they benefit forests. I’ve since learned about it and come to appreciate the science,” she said.

White also put her money where her heart is — into the TNC’s Legacy Club. “It’s very simple. Everyone should have a will. I simply designated The Nature Conservancy as a recipient of my estate.” White said incidents like global warming and mass construction are all the more reason to become involved in the move to preserve nature. “We must continue to step up and speak out about protecting what we have. I encourage everyone to get out in nature. Nature sells itself. When you spend time outdoors, you’ll become drawn to it, and you’ll want to protect it.”

She also encourages people to become members of the TNC. “Investigate what they do. Once you find out, you’ll be excited and want to be a part of this work.”

For more information about TNC, log onto nature.org; for the Arkansas branch, click on the dropdown map “Find a Conservancy program near you” and click on “Arkansas,” or call the Little Rock office at (501) 663-6699.

— by Angela E. Thomas / photography by Cindy Dyer

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2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

recipe Mother Nature's

Why add harsh chemicals and preservatives to beauty products when everything we need to look our best can be found in nature? A few leading brands have come forward with wonderful collections of all-natural products that are preferred by many.

photography by Janet Warlick

Kiehl’s ACAI DamageMinimizing Cleanser is a gently foaming, antioxidant-rich cleanser that rids skin of impurities and promotes a healthy, vibrant look and even tone; $25; Bella Boutique, (501) 6035373.

Restore youth and vibrancy to overworked, dry hands with the rich and fragrant Burt’s Bees Almond Milk Beeswax Hand Crème; $9; wholefoods.com.

Replenish skin’s moisture just in time to bare it all in spring attire with Burt’s Bees Naturally Nourishing Milk and Shea Butter Body Wash; $8; wholefoods.com.

Soften, shine and detangle hair with C is for Hair Care Hair and Scalp Moisturizing Mud Mask by Yes to Carrots. It contains extracts of carrot, pumpkin and orange, and is rich with betacarotene, vitamin E and other enzymes. $6; walgreens.com.

Carry this fresh Evian Mineral Water Facial Spray in your beach, pool or gym bag to rinse away salt, chlorine or sweat, or use it daily for a quick pick-me-up, to set makeup and revitalize the skin; $15; Barbara/Jean Ltd, (501) 227-0054.

Eradicate break-outs naturally with new Boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil designed to cleanse skin with a blend of botanical oils that dissolve makeup and impurities and brighten skin; $26; Sephora, JCPenney, (501) 224-0347.

Touch ups on-the-go are so much easier with bareMinerals Matte Foundation with Mini Refillable Buffing Brush. This retractable brush is pre-filled with foundation specially formulated to absorb oil, eliminate shine and prevent dry skin. $29; sephora.com.

Enhance your look with Korres Mango Butter Lipstick SPF 10. This vibrant shade offers sheer color for the lips as well as protection from sun damage; $18; Sephora, JCPenney, (501) 224-0347.

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2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

hybrids

by Eliza Borne

shopping for

(From top) Mercedes S400 Hybrid, Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid

The Prius may be the most popular hybrid, but it’s not the only one.

If you drive a hybrid, there’s a good chance you drive a Prius; according to Forbes, the Toyota Prius accounts for 48 percent of hybrid sales. It’s not hard to see why the Prius is so popular. In the city, the car, which is now in its fourth generation, gets a whopping 51 miles per gallon, and pricing starts at $22,800.

“It’s the most economical car out there. The Prius employs a propulsion system that combines the best of the technolgy of an electric motor and gas engine to give the most fuel efficient means of transportation,”said Scott Young, sales manager, Landers Toyota, Little Rock, Arkansas. In February, Toyota Motor Sales announced a voluntary safety recall on Prius vehicles (2010 model) in order to update the cars’ anti-lock brake systems, and recently, reports of brake failure have flooded the news.

“If you were to research, you’d find there are 44 recalls on vehicles at this time — only three of those involve Toyotas. We sell transportation solutions. We are standing by our products, and we will take care of the customer first,” Young said. In fact, he reports that sales for the Prius, “Toyota’s crowing jewel,” and other models remain strong.

If you’d like to shop around for other hybrids, consider the following offerings from other manufacturers. The rankings used in this report are from the EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide. The annual fuel cost is based on the assumption that the car will be driven 15,000 miles a year, with the price of a gallon of fuel determined by the Department of Energy. Price points for the cars are straight from the individual manufacturers’ Web sites.

The Honda Insight is a hybrid with an air pollution score of eight out of 10 and a greenhouse gas score of 10 out of 10. The car creates 2.81 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year and emits 3.62 tons of greenhouse gases. In the city, the vehicle should get approximately 40 miles to the gallon; 43, on the highway. An added feature of the Insight is its Eco Assist™ system, an interface that provides instantaneous feedback on the efficiency of braking and acceleration, factors that effect fuel economy. The annual fuel cost for an Insight driver is estimated to be $970, and the car’s pricing starts at $19,800.

The Ford Escape hybrid (available in two-wheel and four-wheel drive) is marketed as “the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet.” The two-wheel drive model has a better green ranking, with an air pollution score of eight out of 10, and a greenhouse gas score of nine out of 10. The car creates 2.81 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year and emits 4.62 tons of greenhouse gases. In the city, the vehicle should get approximately 34 miles per gallon; 31, on the highway.

The annual fuel cost for a Ford Escape hybrid is estimated to be $1,242, and pricing starts at $29,860.

The Cadillac Escalade hybrid has an air pollution and greenhouse gas score of six out of 10.

The car creates 5.29 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year and emits 6.71 tons of greenhouse gases. In the city, the vehicle should get approximately 21 miles to the gallon; 22, on the highway. The annual fuel cost for an Escalade hybrid is an estimated $1,807, and pricing starts at $73,425.

The Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid has an air pollution score of seven out of 10 and a greenhouse gas score of five out of 10. The car creates 3.64 pounds of smog-forming pollution a year and emits 7.03 tons of greenhouse gases. In the city, the vehicle should get approximately 19 miles per gallon; 26, on the highway. The annual fuel cost for a Mercedes-Benz S400 hybrid is estimated to be $1,893, and pricing starts at $87,950.

To determine the efficiency of your vehicle, visit the EPA’s green vehicle Web site and enter the year, make, and model of your car. •

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2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

modern Magnificently

The northwest Arkansas home of Ralph and Marketa Burns offers the semiretired couple all the conveniences of state-of-the-art energy-efficiency methods with a classic, chic and modern style. by Amy Bowers / photography by Mark Jackson

38 . april 2010

j

The exterior of the Burns' home is covered in long-lasting, energy-efficient Galvalume metal.

Balconies at each end of the home offer the couple a comfortable place to enjoy the scenery.

Just on the eastern edge of Fayetteville, Ark., nestled in the woods of the Ozarks, you can find a modern marvel — the home of Ralph and Marketa Burns. This couple sought the help of Tim deNoble and Tim Maddox, partners at deMx Architecture, to help them make their modern dream a reality. After living in Harrison, Ark., for nearly 30 years, where they owned a pharmacy, the couple was looking for a way to downsize their lives without sacrificing style.

“Most of the other houses in the area kind of resembled the ‘cookie cutter’ style,” Marketa said. “We wanted something different and very modern, I was put in touch with Tim Maddox; he sent me a design and it was exactly what we wanted. We loved it.”

Maddox and deNoble came up with a sustainable design that allows the couple to live in the home with minimal impact on the environment as well as minimal impact on their monthly budget. The home takes advantage of natural light with abundant windows; uses locally-quarried natural stone; features a Galvalume metal roof and siding, which is the most energy-efficient metal to use for roofing; and a water-collecting system on the roof, should the homeowners ever decide to recycle rainwater. The home has a unique “bowtie” shape — it is referred to by the architects as “The Bowtie Home ” — that not only creates a striking and memorable form, with covered balconies at each end, but aids with the water collecting systems as well.

One of the most interesting energy-saving aspects of the home is the geothermal heat pump system, which uses the earth’s constant temperature to heat or cool the air in the home, cutting the Burns’ energy bills up to 80 percent. It works on a system of underground pipes that in the summer provides a source of cooling and in the winter, a source of heat. For instance, in the winter, water circulating in the underground pipes absorbs heat from the earth and carries it to the heat pump and into the home, where it arrives as warm, comfortable air.

The Burns confirm that they have noticed a drastic reduction in their utilities. “Our gas bill is almost nothing,” Marketa said. On extremely cold nights, they use the fireplace in the living room, but most of the time, they said, they don’t have to.

While the modern design of the home is Marketa’s pet project, the outdoors is Ralph’s territory. “I was fine with anything — I just wanted to have a tractor,” Ralph said. According to aymag.com . 39

“WITH THIS HOME, WE WANTED TO MAKE A MODERN DESIGN WITH OPEN SPACE AND LOTS OF NATURAL LIGHT AND ALSO USE AS MANY SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS AS POSSIBLE." Marketa, he spends most of his time riding it around their 10 acres, hauling rocks, removing debris from the woods and moving items for projects on the grandchildren’s tree house, which is a model of the couple’s home.

The 2,700 square-foot home is made even larger by the wall of windows along the rear and throughout. Every room is flooded with vast amounts of natural light; however, the surrounding woods offer privacy and a sense of seclusion for the couple. The interior is stunningly modern — the most striking feature is the abundance of maple wood. It can be found in the floors, built-in cabinets, trim and doors.

“With this home, we wanted to make a modern design with open space and lots of natural light and also use as many sustainable materials as possible,” Maddox said.

The floor plan is very open, but the architects designed spatial dividers, such as a beautiful maple and cherry pocket door, to close off rooms.

40 . APRIL 2010

Marketa furnished the home primarily through nationally-known retailers specializing in modern design, such as Crate and Barrel, CB2 and Fayetteville furniture store, Lacuna Modern Interiors. The style is sleek and minimalist with streamline chairs, a sectional sofa and a hide-away, built-in entertainment center in the living room. A simplistic solid wood dining table with unobtrusive red leather and metal dining chairs sits below a beaded chandelier in the dining room.

The kitchen is unassuming and thoughtfully laid out with flourishes of granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. The open floorplan and many windows allow dinner to be prepared in the kitchen with the kids’ treehouse in plain sight.

The Burns have lived in their modern marvel for three years and still love it. “The Bowtie Home” fits their lifestyle perfectly. It requires minimal upkeep, low monthly utility costs, comfort, style and a small carbon footprint.•

Mercedes-Benz of Little Rock congratulates

Lisenne Rockefeller for her work with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation #8 Colonel Glenn Plaza Drive Little Rock, AR 72210 501.666.9457 littlerockmercedes.com

(opposite page, from top left) Built-in cabinetry in the master bedroom offers ample storage. The grandchildren's treehouse design echoes that of the Bowtie House. The dining room exhibits sleek, modern design. A fireplace in the center of the lower level offers added heat on extremely cold nights.

Love this? Learn more at aymag.com/go/pallensmith AYMAG.COM . 41

THE HOUSE THAT

GREEN BUILT The Home Builders Association of Greater Little Rock (HBAGLR) is constructing its first ever GREEN BUILT model home. The house is located in west Little Rock’s Woodland’s Edge, the 2009 Green Development of the Year. The project is a sustainable construction set to ANSIapproved National Green Building Standards.

The standards state: “a builder, remodeler or developer must incorporate a minimum number of features in the following areas: energy, water and resource efficiency, lot and site development, indoor environment quality and homeowner education.”

Last month’s spring-like weather afforded the builders of the GREEN BUILT home a muchneeded break. The home is in frame and at press time, much of the electrical, plumbing and heating/air conditioning hookups were in roughin. Keith Wingfield, co-project coordinator and president of the HBAGLR, said insulation and drywall should be installed soon.

Wingfield gave AY a tour of the site. The home will have about 2,600 square feet of living space, including a master bedroom with a large window oriented to take advantage of natural light, three additional bedrooms, three full baths, pull-down stair access to the attic and a tornado shelter by Tornado Shelter Systems. The rear will feature a covered deck.

The GREEN BUILT home has a crawl-space foundation with piers and beams that run beneath the home. Cinderblocks wrap the foundation’s sides and rear, and a tour of the large storage area allows a view of the home’s support system, which includes engineered I joists.

“These I Joists are actually made of OSB, oriented strand board, which is actually a fairly green product,” Wingfield said “The boards are made of chips that are randomly-oriented and com-

42 . APRIL 2010

pressed with adhesive. The chips come from small trees versus plywood, which is made of large trees.”

OSB, according to the Engineered Wood Association, is “manufactured from waterproof, heat-cured adhesives and rectangularlyshaped wood strands.” The chips, or strands, are obtained from smaller, fast-growing tree species making the OSB a more environmentally-friendly product. The material has the strength of plywood and that can be used, in many instances, instead of plywood.

Subflooring has been laid, and according to Wingfield, builders often apply a chemical to the wood to prevent damage due to rain and moisture. “We use a KleenWrap to protect the flooring; this eliminates the use of chemicals, which could run off and damage the surrounding ground,” Wingfield said.

To minimize financial and material waste, the amount of wood and the number of cuts to be made during the framing process has been taken into account. “Often crews use the most convenient piece of wood, so a 10-foot piece may be cut out of a 14-foot or 16-foot piece.

We plan our cuts, so a 10-foot piece will be cut from a 12-piece of wood,” Wingfield said.

Leftover wood will be given to an environmental company to make mulch.

Concrete and brick is also being accounted for — to eliminate excess waste — and leftover materials will be recycled as well. Bracing and scaffold used during the construction process will later be used in the attic.

For more information about the GREEN BUILT house, log onto hbaglr.com. •

Royal FAMILY

OF COMPANIES

Check AY each month, as we’ll feature monthly updates through the completion of the GREEN BUILT home in May or June.

Making your house a home.

Tribute Paying

to Family, Friends & Patients

who have had breast cancer

with much love,

Liz Clouse aymag.com . 43

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

by Tobi Fairley

ECO

With a little thought you can create a room that looks great and saves the planet all at the same time.

fabulous

Chair by Lee Industries, fabrics by Rubie Green, a botanical print taken from an old book and zeroVOC paints by Sherwin Williams help create a look like one inspired by the room shown above.

44 . april 2010

It seems Kermit the Frog was wrong … it’s not that hard to be green after all. There are so many eco-friendly products popping up on the market these days that just about any inspirational photo can be translated into a green design for your home.

This look is already off to a great start with the sofa and chair by Lee Industries. They come standard with the “Natural Lee” construction, which uses soy-based cushions paired with recycled and natural materials to create a gorgeous product that is kind to the earth. For every piece sold, Lee Industries donates one tree to American Forests.

The artwork shown here by Soicher Marin is available with frames made of sustainable materials. To add a punch of color to your space, try brightly-colored organic cotton from companies like Rubie Green. Keep in mind that natural fibers, like wool, are great for rugs, and don’t forget to create a great backdrop for your look by using zero-VOC paint like Sherwin Williams’ Harmony line. This certified green product doesn’t sacrifice performance and comes in all the great Sherwin Williams colors, such as “Baguette” shown here.

For more of Tobi’s Tips and style, log onto her Web site tobifairley.com. •

Shop For A Cause May 1st, 2010

1:30 pm until you can’t shop anymore!

Get ready for a fun filled day full of discounts, giveaways, and activities for the whole family!

Horse drawn carriage rides, trackless trains, kids crafts and sidewalk chalk 25% off everything at RK Collections! 15% off select brands at Kay Jewelers 300 Free goodie bags at Just Dogs! Gourmet PLUS 15% off everything 15 Free cards & 1 calendar for all booked appointments at Portrait Innovations 800 Free movie tickets for entries to win the Promenade Shopping Spree!

Don’t forget to stop by Ya Ya’s patio party for a free live concert and samples!

MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON! Purchase a $10 passport to be eligible for a chance to win a $500 gift card!

Proceeds Benefit AY Magazine’s Runway for a Cause Visit chenalshopping.com for more information

Congratulations Tobi!

Tobi’s innovative and clean design was featured on the cover and in the pages of March’s House Beautiful. The “Spring Color Issue” was “All About Blue.” The 10-page article featuring a design Tobi created for a Fayetteville, Ark., homeowner was titled “Blue As An Opal.”

The living room of a northwest

Arkansas home Tobi designed is featured as the center spread.

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2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

by P. Allen Smith / photography by Jane Colclasure, Kelly Quinn and Hortus Ltd.

green A Green Look at P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home Retreat that will make you

with envy

46 . april 2010

The word green at the Garden Home Retreat has many meanings and applications.

The organic gardens are the first to come to mind for those who visit us. In a relatively short time, six years, we have planted acres of flower gardens, orchards and vegetable gardens — even the pastures for our sheep and free-range poultry are organic. But it is the house that surprises visitors.

At first glance it looks as though it has been sited overlooking the river valley below for 175 years, actually it has only been two years since construction was completed. The style of the house is Greek Revival, and

(left) The Garden Home Retreat's Daffodil Hill hosts more than 175,000 bulbs in more than 65 varieties. (below) Ward Lile, creative director, and Allen discuss green options for the Garden Home.

its proportions, details and materials were all chosen to reflect the age of the farm, circa 1840. Since that time, the site has been farmed and the large Post Oak (Quercus stellata) centered in front of the house stands as a testament to the age of the farmstead. One of the greatest compliments we receive is when first-time guests, thinking it is a recently-refurbished, 19th century house, ask how long the house was under restoration.

There are lots of words and phrases thrown about these days that suggest “green,” such as sustainable, environmentally-friendly, reduced carbon footprint, zero-energy, etc; our focus was to make the house as green as possible and apply aspects of all of this. In short, the house

serves as a bridge from a conventional (traditional) approach to a greener one.

For my TV show, “Garden Home,” we wanted to illustrate that being greener is, in part, about making better choices. We can make choices that impact the planet in a more positive way. The methods of construction and materials were considered during each phase of the design process.

Some of these approaches apply to new construction and others can be employed when renovating or retrofitting an existing home or structure.

Our goal was not to make the project platinum LEED-certified and zeroenergy, but to show the public that there are more green choices than one might think.

For instance, we used Benjamin Moore’s Aura series of no-VOC paints. No-VOC simply means these paints do not put chemicals into the air when applied. Here, there is no shortage of designer colors; we chose “Nantucket Whisper” green for the main rooms, and many who visit remark on the color’s soothing effect.

The foundation of the home was made from interlocking Styrofoam blocks (Amvic) filled with concrete. This allowed us to create a well-insulated, waterproof basement level and a solid foundation for the house. Once the walls went up and the brick (Boral, 17th Century blend, regionally-proaymag.com . 47

The terrace gardens, pictured above, are full of color from April until early November. (bottom, from left) Beneficial insects are used in the vegetable garden to keep the “bad bugs” at bay.

Allen and Bill Poleatewich, from Dawn Solar, on the roof of the Garden Home discussing the radiant heat system. Heat collected from the roof is transferred into the basement floor of the house. The radiant heat system preheats the water resulting in less energy usage.

duced and fired with the heat of peanut hulls used as fuel) was applied, soy-based insulation was sprayed between the framing and joists of the ceilings, walls, and floors. This made the “R” value (used to measure the insulations ability to resist heat flow) of the house much more appealing from the standpoint of long-term energy efficiency, comfort and surprisingly, sound reduction. Like many of these features, we had to weigh the initial cost — investment — with the long-term pay-off. As an example, the radiant heat system installed under the standing seam Follensbee roof.

The system (Dawn Solar) takes the radiant heat from sunlight warming the metal roof and transfers it through a series of undulating PEC tubing from the roof into the basement. The same tubing system is set in the floor 48 . april 2010

and covered with brick pavers. The heat from the roof heats the floors; as we know, heat rises and therefore helps keep the house cozy even on the coldest, sunny days. This system also “pre-heats” the water for the house, which is a huge boost when warming water for a comfortably hot shower.

As you can see, the roof is one of the most important aspects of our green initiatives. The Follensbee standing seam system is based on a time-honored method of roof design. In fact, Thomas Jefferson used a standing seam metal roof on Monticello. Our country is full of examples of these roofs that have endured the perils of time and weather for more than a century and a half — so, we will not have to replace the roof for another

100 years (unless some disaster occurs, of course, heaven forbid!) This innovative design cuts down on the use of materials to replace conventional shingle roofs (with an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years) and reduces waste as traditional roofing materials go into landfills.

This roof also has a direct relationship to the gardens as it serves an integral part of our rainwater harvesting system. With extreme weather conditions and water scarcity, we wanted to create a system that would collect and store rainwater to irrigate the gardens rather than draw from the five wells on the farm. Currently, we are able to store 6,000 gallons. The tank/reservoir is under the lawn between the two out buildings. The gutter system (Follensbee) is made of a terne-coated metal that is inert — meaning no heavy metals will be deposited into our collection reservoir and find their way into the organic flower and vegetable gardens and orchard. We also collect run off water in six ponds (soon to be nine) as another way of collecting water.

From the beginning, the land that surrounds the house and garden has been as important to me as the previously mentioned aspects of the property. We have spent the last several years working on soil conservation — maintaining the old organic pastures and creating new ones.

We have our annual bluebird program with a dozen nest boxes placed around the property. This year, we hope to re-establish our Bob White Quail population with the help of regional experts. I have learned throughout this project that the idea of living a greener life has many applications and each day more opportunities open up to all of us. The key, it seems to me, is to think about the choices you have and make the greenest one possible.

Our entire design team, lead by Ward Lile, has been conscious from the start of finding ways to make the house, garden and farm greener and more energy efficient. We have had the good fortune to design in the beginning with the end in mind. It has been a source of pride for all of us to use this project in my national media and to show green living from the great state of Arkansas. •

P. Allen Smith is an ardent vegetable gardener; professional garden designer; host of two national TV programs; a regular guest on the “Today Show,” and author of P. Allen Smith’s Bringing the Garden Indoors and other books in the Garden Home series. For more video tips and ideas, sign up for his free weekly newsletter at pallensmith.com.

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Green Grants An innovative program, made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, will not only make The Natural State a bit more green, it’ll address the need to put an at-risk population to work.

Arkansas received nearly $4.9 million to create three energy centers of excellence “that will develop and deploy materials and programs” to 22 two-year colleges and seven apprenticeship programs. The program will include 2,800 participants — high-school dropouts, unemployed workers and other hard-to-serve individuals — who will gain green skills. Partners in the program include: Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Arkansas Apprenticeship Coalition, Winrock International, Arkansas Department of Career Education and several Workforce Investment Boards.

Arkansas also received more than $2.5 million in grants and will create centers to provide training for green jobs at Pulaski Technical College and Northwest Arkansas Community College. The two-year colleges will offer classes for energy auditors and raters, weatherization workers and heating and cooling jobs. The grants were granted by the ARRA and are being administered by the Arkansas Energy Office.

Recycling rebates If your home is in need of a major repair or a major appliance needs replacing, your investment may just qualify you for a federal tax credit. Credits of 30 percent of purchase costs, up to $1,500, are available for existing, primary residences for: air source heat pumps; central air conditioning units; energy-efficient natural gas, propane or oil furnaces; insulation as well as weather stripping, spray foam, caulk and house wraps; energy-efficient natural gas, propane or oil water heaters; and energy-efficient windows, doors and skylights.

Geothermal heat pumps, small wind turbines for residential use and solar energy systems may qualify for a tax credit of 30 percent of purchase costs with no limit if installed in new or existing homes, used as primary or secondary homes.

For more information, log onto energystar.gov.

50 . april 2010

Just beginning to bloom, Knock Out roses are beautiful shrub roses that flower spring through fall.

APRIL GARDENING TIPS

• By mid-April, tomatoes, squash, beans, melons, cucumbers and basil should be planted in the garden to ensure a tasty harvest.

• Mowing season begins. Raise the height of your mower. Don’t collect your grass clippings – recycle those nutrients.

Knock-Out Roses Plant of the Month

With resistance to black spot, these roses do not have to be sprayed to keep the foliage healthy and the blooms coming, making them a lowmaintenance plant. Traditionally available in a pastel pink or bright hot pink, newer selections offer yellow and a yellow and pink “rainbow.” Add Knock Out roses to your landscape, and you will not be disappointed.

• Keep the garden green; control insects with environmentally-friendly alternatives, such as insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils and Bt products.

• Get the hummingbird feeder cleaned, filled and out.

Keeping the nectar fresh and cleaning the feeder every few days as temperatures climb will keep hummers healthy.

• Garden centers and nurseries are exploding with color.

In your shopping frenzy, remember to choose annuals and perennials that will be bloom through the summer.

AYMAG.COM . 51

T: 501-225-4134 C: 501-416-8986 W: riverrockbuilders.net CERTIFIED GREEN PROFESSIONALS IN ARKANSAS The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is a professional organization dating back to 1942. The organization serves members in several capacities, including continuing

Keith Wingfield, River Rock Builders LLC, became the first Certified Green Professional in Arkansas in 2008 and has also earned the designation of LEED AP (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, Accredited Professional).

education for its members, one being the NAHB

River Rock Builders prides itself as the only 100% ENERGY STAR builder in Central Arkansas.

Certified Green Professional (CGP) program,

Save energy, be green, save green!

which allows building professionals to marry their extensive skills set and knowledge with the principles of conservation and sustainability.

KEITH WINGFIELD

CGPs work with homeowners to build houses that “meet and exceed green building energyefficiency requirements”; to implement water and energy conservation practices; “to achieve indoor air quality”; to “create safe, comfortable and sustainable buildings”; and much more.

Further, CGPs work with homeowners who are remodeling or adding onto their homes, whether the structure is a single-family dwelling, townhome, duplex, tri- or quad-plex, or a pre1980 home, to earn Emerald, Bronze, Silver or Gold certification levels.

To learn more about the NAHB Green Certification program or to find a CGP, log onto hbaglr.com and click on GREEN BUILT Arkansas.

Greenbrier Custom Homes, Inc. T: 501-733-2636 F: 501-679-2164 W: greenbriercustomhomes.com Greenbrier Custom Homes, Inc specializes in building energy efficient homes in Faulkner County and Central Arkansas.

Owner Herb Evans is a member of The Green Built Arkansas Council. He serves as Builder Member to the Board of Directors of the Faulkner County Home Builders Association as well as State Director to the Arkansas Home Builders Association. Greenbrier Custom Homes, Inc. is dedicated to building quality homes with an eye towards efficiency.

HERB EVANS 52 . APRIL 2010

T: 501-868-8900 W: www.curtiscustomhomes.com Frank Curtis, Owner of Curtis Contracting, started building and remodeling homes in the northeast in the early 80s. He was employed by a custom builder who built large custom homes and additions from the ground up. A few years later, he began working for a kitchen and bath design center designing and coordinating remodeling projects. Four years later, Frank started Curtis Contracting, Inc., where he now specializes in all types of remodels and new home construction.

FRANK CURTIS

T: 501-680-1238 F: 501-868-4486 W: bretfranks.com Bret Franks Construction, Inc. has been building homes in Central Arkansas for more than 11 years and is honored to be a member of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program - which invites only the top builders in the South. With backgrounds as Certified Public Accountants working for Fortune 500 companies, Bret and Jen Franks bring professionalism, attention to detail, and sound financial sense to your project.

BRET FRANKS

T: 501-753-5006 C: 501-351-3822 W: renaissancehomesonline.com Renaissance Homes, Inc. was founded in 2002 by Owner Brandon Tedder and has since grown into one of Arkansas’ premier home building firms. With 39 years combined construction experience, we are committed to helping customers create new homes and renovation projects that reflect their personality and style, with a unique approach to navigating “GREEN”. Renaissance provides free estimates, consultations & site visits.

BRANDON TEDDER

T: 501-225-2729 F: 501-225-8094 W: bosleyconstructioninc.com Bosley Construction Inc. has been developing subdivisions and building residential housing in Central Arkansas for 36 years. Bill Bosley also serves on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Home Builders Research Center.

The research center developed the Green Building Standards over the last 6 years. Bosley Construction Inc. utilizes green products in all homes in order to promote efficiency and enviromental benefits.

G.L. “BILL” BOSLEY AYMAG.COM . 53

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

ROOM BY ROOM saving energy

The kitchen and laundry rooms are two areas in the home where energy saving is most important. The largest, most energyusing appliances are located in these rooms; according to Energy Efficiency Arkansas, “electrical appliances, lighting and refrigeration can account for 43 percent or more of your household energy consumption. For the average Arkansas household, this could add up to $820 a year.”

In the long run, it may be best to replace old appliances with new ENERGY STAR-rated appliances to reduce your monthly utility bills.

The U.S. Department of Energy awarded $2.74 million to the Arkansas Energy Office to launch an ENERGY STAR® Appliance Rebate Program in March. This program encourages consumers to replace inefficient appliances with new, ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances.

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

54 . APRIL 2010

The program aims to save consumers’ money, protect the environment, stimulate the economy and create jobs.

Rules stipulate that consumers must purchase an ENERGY STAR appliance from a participating retailer and replace their old appliance with the new model in order to qualify for the rebate. Check the Arkansas Energy Office Web site — arkansasenergyoffice.org — for more information. Appliances that qualify include refrigerators, clothes washers and hot water heaters. If purchasing new appliances is not an option for you, here are a few tips on how to reduce energy consumption in your kitchen and laundry rooms, courtesy of The Arkansas Economic Development Commission Arkansas Energy Office: REFRIGERATORS s Clean your refrigerator’s condenser coils, located either behind or under the unit, every other month. Don’t place your refrigerator or freezer in direct sunlight or near any heat source, such as an oven or furnace register. s Make sure the refrigerator door is closed and well sealed. Periodically check the door

seals by closing several pieces of paper around the door’s gasket. If the paper pulls out easily, the gasket (rubber seal) needs to be cleaned, adjusted or replaced. s Keep the refrigerator and freezer at the right temperatures: refrigerator at 38 to 42 degrees, and the freezer between 0 and 5 degrees. s When checking out a new refrigerator, select a model with the freezer on top instead of a side-by-side unit. This will save about 20 percent. Also, icemakers, especially in the door, increase energy consumption.

RANGES/OVENS s Keep the oven and cooktop clean. Bakedon spills can inhibit the heating of the elements and shorten their lifespan. s Keep the oven door closed during baking.

Every time you open your oven door during cooking, you lose 25 to 50 degrees or more. s Complete combustion of natural gas can be checked by looking for a blue flame. A yellow flame indicates improper combustion and results in wasted energy. If the flame is mostly yellow, have it checked. s Consider cooking meals with small

appliances. Microwaves, electric skillets, grills or toaster/broilers use less energy than the range. s When checking out a new range or oven, evaluate all of the options for heating elements (e.g. solid, smooth, radiant, halogen, magnetic -induction) and styles (freestanding, selfcleaning, convection).

Dishwashers: s Instead of using the drying cycle, open the door and allow the dishes to air dry. s Wash only full loads to save money and time, and use cold water to rinse your dishes. s Don’t overload your machine; this prevents the spray-arms from rotating properly. s When checking out a new dishwasher, look for a model with an air-dry setting and a built-in heater to boost the water temperature.

This allows the temperature in the water heater to be reduced by 10 degrees, which will cut water-heating costs up to 6 percent.

Clothes Washers/Dryers: s Most clothes can be washed using a coldor warm-wash setting with a cold-water rinse.

These settings can save up to 65 percent of the energy used for hot-wash, warm-rinse loads. Also, use the right laundry detergent; most detergents can clean many lightly-soiled clothes. s Wash full loads, but don’t overload the machine. s Don’t use your dryer if you don’t have to.

Hang clothes to line dry whenever possible. s Check your dryer’s exhaust vent periodically; make sure it’s clean and clear of obstructions.

Keep the exhaust hose clear, and clean the lint filter after each use. Also, don’t vent the dryer indoors; it will dump not only a lot of lint and other pollutants, it will add an undesirable amount of moisture to the air. s Dry full loads, but don’t overload the machine. s When checking out a dryer, look for a model with “moisture sensors” that turn the dryer off automatically when the clothes are dry. This can cut energy use from 10 to 15 percent.

Try these energy-saving tips throughout the rest of your home: In The Bath and Bed Rooms s Contemplating the purchase of a window unit air conditioner? Be sure to look for an ENERGY STAR-qualified unit — they use up to 10 percent less energy than standard models. aymag.com . 55

Better yet, purchase one with a timer. Insulate the unit from the outside with a tight-fitting air conditioning cover. s Use storm windows in the winter. Caulk and weatherstrip around windows and doorframes.

Unplug any unused battery chargers or power adapters. Use surge protectors so you just have one button to push to power items on and off. s Use ENERGY STAR-qualified CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) for overhead, vanity and lamp lighting. The bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy, last up to 10 times longer and pay for themselves in six months. s Always turn off lights in unoccupied rooms. s Limit showers to 10 minutes. Showers use less water than a full bath. Replace your showerhead with a 2.5 gallon-per-minute or low-flow showerhead. This could add up to a savings of more than $100 per year on electricity. s Repair or replace leaky faucets; a hot water leak can waste up to $35 in gas or electricity and more than 1,600 gallons of water during a year.

In Your Living Areas s Use ceiling fans to circulate air and heat.

In the winter, reverse the motor to create an updraft forcing warm air down. In the summer, make sure the fan blows downward. Use lowwatt CFLs in the light fixture. s Keep drapes open during the day to take advantage of the sun’s warmth; keep them closed during the day in the summer to keep the heat of the summer sun out. s Close your flue damper when your fireplace is not in use, so cool/warm air doesn’t escape. s Keep air registers and vents clear so air flows freely throughout the room. s Electronics account for a large amount of energy consumption in a home — up to 15 percent of electricity use — some even when the power is off. ENERGY STAR-qualified electronics help save energy while maintaining clock displays, channel settings and remotecontrol functions. • 56 . april 2010

aymag.com . 57

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

taking the LEED

Arkansas often ranks nationally at the bottom of the list for this, that or the other; however, we are at the forefront for embracing the green building movement.

by Angela E. Thomas / photography courtesy of arkansas.com and the recipients

(From top) Platinum LEED certified in Arkansas are: Stitt Energy Systems Inc., Rogers; Heifer International Center, Little Rock; and The William J. Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock.

58 . april 2010

The U. S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a nonprofit organization “committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.” The LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, program is an internationally-recognized green building certification system that provides builders and building owners a “concise framework to identify and implement practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions.”

While smaller, practical steps, such as using less plastic, recycling when possible and eating locally-produced food, make a difference, buildings impact our environment immensely.

According to the USGBC, buildings in the United States are responsible for 39 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, 40 percent of energy consumption and 13 percent of water consumption. So it stands to reason that building green will make a huge impact on the environment.

“People think gas guzzling cars are the big culprits, but the fact is buildings use a lot of energy. We spend 80 to 90 percent of our lives indoors — unless you’re an ‘outdoors person,’ and even then it’s hard to find an ‘unbuilt environment.’ We spend time in our homes, cars, office buildings, schools … so, of course, the buildings use a lot of energy. The USGBC is about being proactive, not reactive,” said Steve Kinzler, principal at Polk Stanley Wilcox. He said LEED came of age in the late ‘90s.

Arkansas realized its own chapter of the USGBC in 2002.

“The Arkansas chapter of the USGBC was one of the earliest chapters; now there are 70 or more nationwide. Our members, ranging from architects, commercial contractors, nonprofit members, and others, number up to 300,” said Linda K. Smith, executive director of the chapter.

“Members can be anyone. You don’t have to be an architect to be a member of the USGBC. Anyone who has an understanding of engineering, waste, and sustainability … we take a holistic approach to building. In fact, the whole idea is to be open to the community,” Kinzler said.

Arkansas has nearly 30 LEED-certified buildings. One of the first structures built to LEED guidelines was a College of Health building at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (the building is not officially listed as the college chose not to go through the certification process); Kinzler’s firm built it.

Other LEED-certified buildings include the Fayetteville Public Library and BioBased Corporate Headquarters, both in Fayetteville; Camp Aldersgate Commons Building, Heifer International Headquarters, and the Pulaski County Prosecutor’s Office, all in Little Rock; and Caldwell Toyota in Conway.

“By 2030, The American Institute of Architects wants all facilities in America to be designed to be carbon neutral. While building carbon neutral may cost more money now — our culture hasn’t caught on just yet — it costs less in the long run.

A building is like an iceberg. You see the tip; this is comparable to the costs associated with construction. But the part that’s not seen, the largest portion, is comparable to the costs associated with the maintenance and operation of that building; in 10 years these costs equal that of the construction costs,” Kinzler said.

He said the American culture, in the past, has been to use a building and when it gets old, “to throw it away.” The USGBC’s

goal is to renovate and adapt properties for reuse after 20, 30 years, to retrofit the building and get more life out of it.

Danielle Shafer is a sustainability building consultant with TME, Inc. She worked with the contractors and subcontractors on construction of Baldwin & Shell’s gold LEEDcertified building in downtown Little Rock.

“The first thing to consider with LEED buildings, as with any building, is the owner’s desire for the building,” Shafer said. Then marry those functions with LEED guidelines.

“For instance, the owner may want to ensure responsible sustainable behaviors, so we use LEED guidelines for waste diversion.

In the case of the Baldwin & Shell building, we addressed the quality of air. During construction, materials, such as mechanical units, lumber and sheeting were covered so exposure to dust, mold and mildew were [contained]. We also used low-VOC (Volatile organic compound) products during the finishing process.”

Light and energy were also taken into account. The building was constructed to take advantage of natural light and task lighting was introduced. “Occupants have the ability to close off areas and dim lights, and auto sensors are used in areas like bathrooms.

The design of the building allows it to use 18 percent less energy than a similar size building,” Shafer said.

Dual flush toilets and waterless urinals help reduce water usage. “This is important because most water used in bathrooms is actually potable water,” she added.

While the majority of the LEED-certified buildings in Arkansas are public spaces and business buildings, the Arkansas USGBC listing includes several buildings under the LEED for Homes rating. They are in the CityGrove Townhome development in the Argenta community, located in the hub of downtown North Little Rock. Residents have access to public transportation and enjoy living in homes that have been built to use less energy and water, capitalize on natural sunlight and are equipped with ENERGY STAR appliances and finished with low-VOC products. •

For more information about the USGBC Arkansas or LEED-certified buildings, log onto usgbc-ar.org; for information about CityGrove Townhomes, log onto citygrovetownhomes.com.

ay

Magazine

Arkansas’ Premier Lifestyle Magazine

aymag.com/go/subscribe aymag.com . 59

Arkansas’ LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certified Projects Platinum William J. Clinton Presidential Center, Little Rock Heifer International Center, Little Rock Stitt Energy Systems Inc., Rogers Gold Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, North Little Rock Baldwin & Shell Office Building, Little Rock Beaver Water District Administrative Building, Lowell Caldwell Toyota, Conway Camp Aldersgate Commons Building, Little Rock Mars Petcare Arkansas Plant, Fort Smith Winrock International, Little Rock Silver American Electric Power’s Rogers Service Center, Rogers Benchmark Group, Rogers Bethel Middle School, Bryant BioBased Corporate Headquarters, Fayetteville Coca-Cola TI, Rogers Composite A-10 Aircraft Hangar, Fort Smith Fayetteville Public Library, Fayetteville Hurricane Creek Elementary School, Benton Wooster Elementary School, Greenbrier Certified Arkansas Support Network, Springdale Hanesbrands, Inc. at Bentonville Plaza, Bentonville Horizon Group USA, Bentonville Innovation Center, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Metro Lot 13A, Rogers Pulaski County Prosecutor’s Office, Little Rock Pulaski County Road and Bridge Department, Little Rock Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, Little Rock Sylamore Ranger District Office, Mountain View

Baldwin Shell

Camp Aldersgate

BudgetBlinds.com/Springdale BudgetBlinds.com/Rogers 479-751-6655

“America’s Leader in Custom Window Treatments” 60 . april 2010

Winrock International

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

spring

by Eliza Borné

cleaning

Shopping for cleaning products doesn’t require much thought, right? Think again, and take a minute to assess the ingredients in your household cleaners.

Do your cleaning products include petroleum-based ingredients, a nonrenewable resource? What about phosphates, a culprit of water pollution? Are your products labeled with words such as danger or poison?

If the answer is yes, it’s time for a cleaning-product overhaul. Lucky for consumers, there are now a wide range of environmentally-friendly cleaners on the market.

Before you go shopping, think about what your grandmother might have used. Making your own cleaning products is easy, affordable and sometimes all you need is a box of baking soda. This may be a no-brainer, but it bears repeating: instead of using air fresheners, come springtime, air out your home the old-fashioned way — open your windows. Clean and deodorize drains, garbage cans and bathroom surfaces with a few shakes of Arm & Hammer. A simple solution of vinegar and water can “take away nasty smells,” said Shelley Green, the owner of the Green Corner Store in Little Rock, Arkansas. For customers who wish to make more complex cleaners, Green has ordered bottles printed with cleaningsolution recipes.

When you do need to buy soaps and scrubs, Green has some advice: “You can feel comfortable using a product that fully discloses all ingredients. We try to use renewable resources, so a product that uses petroleum, when there are alternatives, is not a good choice.”

There are many different products available at the Green Corner Store, such as laundry soap and hypoallergenic all-purpose cleaner manufactured by It’s All Green and More, a company based in North Little Rock, Ark., that uses plant-based ingredients and essential oils to create nontoxic products that are safe for children and pets. Owner Laquita Smith decided to create chemical-free cleaners after she realized that the harsh smell of traditional products gave her headaches. Regular laundry detergent caused her daughter’s eczema to flare up.

“When we started washing her clothes with fragrance-free laundry detergent she got better,” Smith said. “That got me [interested in] nontoxic and chemical-free products.” You can also purchase It’s All Green and

More cleaners online or at Ritzy Kids Consignment in Maumelle, Arkansas.

The top-selling cleaning products at the Green Corner Store are made

by Chartreuse, a national company that cuts down on the environmental impact of shipping by sending concentrated cleaners in small pouches, which customers pour, along with water, into reusable bottles (the bottles are also available for purchase).

For biodegradable soap — good for personal washing, dishwashing, or cleaning countertops — try Robert’s Castile Soap, also sold at the Certified Arkansas Farmers Market. The soap is made from olive and canola oils, lye and distilled water at the Willow Springs Market Garden, a threeacre farm just south of Little Rock.

Felted wool dryer balls created by local jewelry artist Tara FletcherGibbs can replace dryer sheets, which contain harsh chemicals.

“They can be used over and over,” Green said. “They’re anti-static, and they reduce your drying time, since they’re wool and they absorb water.”

If you prefer to shop at chain stores, look for products that specifically list their ingredients; an ambiguous “green” label is not enough. A great company is Seventh Generation, which manufactures everything from baby laundry soap, chlorine-free bleach to tub and tile cleaner — all nontoxic, with fully-disclosed ingredients. Their products are available at Walgreen’s, Kroger or Whole Foods. At Home Depot, you’ll find Martha Stewart Clean, a line of cleaners that carry the Design for the Environment logo, an indication that the products are “effective and protective of health and the environment,” according to the EPA. The line includes plant and mineral-based dishwasher detergent, carpet stain remover, toilet cleaner and more.

Besides the environmental and health benefits of using natural cleaners — and the fact that you won’t have to worry about poisoning your dog the next time you scrub the toilet — an added bonus of green cleaning is a fresher smell. Just imagine: from now on, you’ll be able to clean and breathe through your nose at the same time. • aymag.com . 61

5507 Ranch Drive, Suite 103 • Little Rock, AR • 501.868.9882 • tobifairley.com

62 . april 2010

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

eat your

greens

by Angela E. Thomas

dining out A group of Little Rock restaurateurs founded the Arkansas Green Restaurant Alliance (AGRA) with one goal in mind — to reduce their impact on the environment. They approached this goal in several ways including looking at their maintenance and packaging practices and by serving local foods.

Restaurant owners Scott McGehee, owner of Zaza Fine Salad & Wood-Oven Pizza Co., and former owner of Boulevard Bread Co.; Kathy Webb of Lilly's Dimsum Then Some; and Capi Peck and Brent Peterson, owners of Capi’s Restaurant and Trio’s spearheaded the effort.

“Capi and I are both ‘green hippies …’ our parents were products of the Great Depression, so we were trained to conserve,” Peterson said.

“We began to read more and more about opportunities to [reduce our carbon footprint], and the more we read, well, to be honest, the more guilty we felt. So, we decided we had to do something.” He addressed the hardware and paper goods, Peck addressed the food.

The manufacturing process used to create Styrofoam is the fifth largest creator of hazardous waste. Styrofoam, as well as standard plastic cups and bags, are made with petroleum, a nonrenewable resource, and these products, oftentimes, are not completely recyclable. As an alternative, the AGRA recommends the use of take-out products made of corn or potato products. “These products are made of a renewable source and break down versus Styrofoam that just stays around forever,” Peterson said.

Peterson acknowledges the money factor involved in the use of these products. “Corn- and potato-based products are more expensive. The AGRA’s hope is to poll resources and cut costs by ordering in volume.

Cost is the main reason most restaurants don’t use these products.”

Peck echoed this sentiment. “Most restaurants have really seen a down in business, including us. For many, the profit margin is so small, the owners want to [implement] green practices, but they really cannot afford to.”

When establishing Capi’s Restaurant, the duo addressed other envi-

There’s a food revolution and Arkansas is staging a coup.

Whether you’re eating in or dining out, you can eat green and aid the environment while doing so.

ronmental issues, such as energy consumption. “We use as much CFL lighting as possible; we also installed equipment to prevent power surges.

The ‘boxes’ act as a buffer and prevent the release of emissions. Though not cheap — we spent about $12,000 to install this equipment — we’ve already seen a 7 percent reduction in our energy bills, and this will allow us to extend the life of our refrigeration products,” Peterson said.

They also use hybrid vehicles to make deliveries for their catering jobs; use cloth napkins versus paper whenever possible; and use citrus-based cleaning products.

Peck has always served as much locally-produced food as possible at Trio’s Restaurant and practices the same at Capi’s Restaurant. “We opened Trio’s 24 years ago, and I’ve always used local farmers for our produce. I’ve established relationships with the farmers. I’m there every Saturday,” Peck said. “Often, farmers will ask if I’d like to use certain items at the restaurant, and they’ll plant accordingly.”

From about mid-April to October, Peck visits the markets to purchase in-season foods. “It takes time to go there, pick out items and plan your menu … and it costs a bit more, but the customers appreciate the effort and that makes it worthwhile.”

Peck shops both farmer markets — Little Rock’s and the Certified Arkansas Farmers’ Market (CAFM) — and often runs specials, like the Farmer’s Market Splendor, notating where the produce was grown. "It’s customer demand that can and will cause more restaurants to serve locally-grown produce and to use more sustainable practices. They will challenge owners to ‘do the green thing.’”

Bring the Farm Home Don’t let Jody Hardin fool you; he’s a modest fellow. Underneath that famous hat, he’s storing a wealth of knowledge, and he and several other Arkansas farmers and progressive thinkers are out to change the way you eat.

The concept of community-supported agriculture (CSA), according to aymag.com . 63

(from left) Biodegradable utensils made from potato starch at Boulevard Bread Co. • A selection of fruit from local growers.

the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, dates back to the 1960s in Europe. Hardin said it caught on in the United States in the ‘70s.

“Instead of farmers using money from a bank to purchase equipment and capital, they get customers to purchase their food goods in advance. This allows them to fund the supplies needed (seed, tractors, etc.) and even pay their overhead expenses. It’s a holistic approach to farm planning,” Hardin said.

Customers receive a return of fresh, locally-gown produce in exchange. Farms that participate in CSAs in Arkansas may or may not be certified organic, a process that Hardin said is quite involved; however, many use time-honored methods to grow their crops and raise their livestock.

Heifer International’s Ranch in Perryville has a CSA program that is limited to 70 shares. The season’s investment is $350 (about $15/week), and the produce is all organic-certified and fresh. For more information, call (501) 889-5124 or e-mail csa@heifer.org or ryan.neal@heifer.org.

Whitton Farms in Whitton, Ark., (about an hour outside of Jonesboro) is a family-owned farm. Their CSA program is available in half and full shares; a half-share is $15/week, full is $25/week. Owner Keith Forrester pointed out the value CSA members get for their investment.

“In July, for instance, a full share may consist of a pound of okra, a pound of purple hull peas, tomatoes, squash, leafy greens and peaches.

The selection varies from week-to-week; some weeks we’ll offer shitake mushrooms or watermelon. You simply get more for your dollar when you shop with your local farmer.” For more information about Whitton Farms, log onto whittonfarms.com or call (870) 815-9519.

Dripping Springs Garden, in northwest Arkansas, has a 22-week CSA program that runs from May to mid-October. Subscribers pay $550 and in exchange receive a variety of the 30 types of vegetables and fruits the farm grows in $25 boxes delivered weekly. For more information, call (870) 545-3658 or visit their Web site drippingspringsgarden.com.

Hardin’s CSA program, originating from his farm FoodShed Farm, is Basket-A-Month (BAM). They serve about 200 investors in Little Rock, North Little Rock, Conway, Hot Springs Village and Searcy. Subscriptions run three months at a time and cost $180. The baskets’ contents vary 64 . april 2010

from month-to-month. For information about the BAM program, log onto arkansasfood.net.

Hardin is also one of the forces behind CAFM, the Certified Arkansas Farmers Market. There are about 40 or so members. “Participants have been inspected to verify that they are the source of the product they are selling. We deal directly with the source farms, and nothing grown outside of Arkansas can be sold in our online or outdoor farmer’s markets.” The outdoor CAFM will open April 17 at Sixth and Main Streets in downtown North Little Rock. The market, Hardin said, is one of the largest access points to locally-produced food in the state.

The CAFM has a goal “to create fair trade, to keep money flowing in the community. Studies show that dollars used in rural communities turn over as much as five to six times versus only two or three times when spent in larger corporate stores,” he said. “The goal is not only to create ‘Locavores,’ but ‘Arkovores,’ people who eat food produced by Arkansas farmers.” One of the more innovative ideas being used at the CAFM is tokens. Consumers purchase tokens to use in the farmers market with their credit, debit or EBT cards. An EBT card (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card is the identification card for the Food Stamp Program. “This allows individuals who participate in the Food Stamp Program to purchase our goods without embarrassment. Everyone is on equal ground here,” Hardin said. This also allows the CAFM to address the issue of making produce accessible to lower income consumers. The CAFM is employing a four-prong approach: farm to home, farm to market, farm to chef and farm to schools. This past year, they launched a program to deliver locally-produced goods to restaurants. Ashley’s in the Capital Hotel is one of their best customers; in fact, they invested money in the CAFM to promote their services. The last aspect, farm to schools, Hardin said, is “a biggie.” Heifer International is partnering with the group to help address this. The CAFM, for which Hardin was recently elected president, will host a meeting of local and state officials in November to address the goal of getting locally-grown, healthier food into area schools.

Hardin said, “Eating locally is one of the greenest things a person can do. It strengthens the economy, is good for the environment — less gas is used to transport goods — and it’s good for our bodies.” •

aymag.com . 65

2010 GUIDE TO GREEN LIVING

food with thought

Fresh Caesar salad

by Amy Bowers / photography by Jennifer Freeman

481 S. School St. / Fayetteville, AR 72701 (479) 444-8909 / greenhousegrille.com Open Tue. through Thu., 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fri. and Sat., 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sun. brunch, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

66 . april 2010

Owners Jerrmy Gawthrop and Clayton Suttle decided to take the concept of eating responsibly, which they have personally practiced for many years, and make it available to the public. “Fayetteville is a very progressive town in the sense that there are many local farmers who are growing organically, yet no restaurant served their products,” said Gawthrop.

The two opened the Greenhouse Grille in its first location in May 2006, and quickly outgrew the tiny space. “The restaurant was very popular. During peak hours, we would often have to turn people away due to lack of space.”

Gawthrop had his eye on a larger building in the Mill District on School Street, and when the building became available, he jumped at the opportunity. The new location at 481 S. School St., offers twice the space as well as room for the live music that Gawthrop had always envisioned. The large dining area, painted in soft earth tones of brown and yellow, The Greenhouse Grille in Fayetteville, houses two elevated platforms Ark., offers diners a unique option to eat that function as extra seating healthy, organic foods, many of which areas during dining hours and are grown locally. The dishes are not only good for you, but also prepared in a stages for the jazz, bluegrass and singer/songwriters the creative and delicious way. restaurant hosts weekends.

Though the bar has become an essential part of Fayetteville’s nightlife scene, the “conscious cuisine” is still the star of the show. Gawthrop, who also acts as executive chef, picked up on the art of cooking in his younger years as a server and stand-in cook at local restaurants.

“I would help out in the kitchens when the chefs needed me. One of them thought I had a knack for cooking asked me to stay in the kitchen to help out.”

Gawthrop earned a degree in public relations and advertising, but decided to go into the catering business. Through catering, he developed some of the delightful dishes found on the Greenhouse Grille menu.

The menu offers quite a variety of sandwiches, salads, wraps, gyros and entrees. Gawthrop stresses that while most of the items are organic, not every item is. “Lots of times the word ‘organic’ scares people, which is odd. They are afraid of free-range chicken, but not afraid of [fast food burgers], which they should be,” he said, joking.

Free-range chicken simply means the birds are allowed to roam and develop naturally as opposed to being confined to small cages and injected with unnatural hormones to promote growth. The concept of grass-fed beef is similar; it ensures the cows are able to graze on grass instead of the industrial method of feeding them small amounts of hay enhanced with additives and hormones to promote faster development. In addition to organic meats, the Greenhouse Grille supports a variety of local farmers and organically-producing establishments for vegetables, herbs, teas, sodas, beer, wine, alcohol, bread, coffee and more.

On our visit, we sampled three delicious, organic options. The Caesar salad was fresh and crisp with a bed of romaine topped with grape tomatoes, carrot ribbons, sautéed organic shiitake mushrooms, cucumbers, Parmesan cheese and garlic herb croutons. The spicy Caesar dressing, created by Gawthrop, was the most creative touch.

The Grilled Free Range Chicken Gyro was a highlight. The flavorful chicken was grilled to tender perfection and surrounded by homemade hummus, mixed greens and tomatoes, topped with tiziki sauce and wrapped in fresh grilled pita bread.

The fish tacos, recommended by our waitress, were also worth mention. The flash-fried tilapia filets had a Latin flair with a layer of black beans and fresh citrus cumin slaw wrapped in two all-natural corn tortillas.

Other popular choices include: Lemon-infused Grilled Meatloaf, Grilled Buffalo Burgers and Sweden Creek Farm Organic Shiitake Mushroom Fries.

We suggest you give the Greenhouse Grille a try … there is nothing to be afraid of, we promise. •