Western Treasure Valley Magazine - Resolutions 2019

Western January & February

TREASURE VALLEY

Resolutions | 2019

MAGAZINE $

3.00

A journey of running Hobby turns into ďŹ tness routine

Carbon footprint How to measure and what to cut

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Have dry skin?

How to fight back against dry climate

Remodel, refresh Overhaul your kitchen or garage

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Help those muscles Chase away aches and pains with a rice sock

FOOD 8

Boost antioxidants Use ginger to fend off colds and flu

ART

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Versatile metal Everything from farm implements to decor

IN EVERY ISSUE

HEALTH & FITNESS 14 4

Winter skin care How to fight aging in our dry climate

29 Calendar

30 Why I Love the Western Treasure Valley

WTV MAGAZINE Holiday 2015

AT HOME 20 4

31 Out and About

Home renovation Kitchen remodels are popular these days

Wester n

WTV MAGAZINE Holiday 2015

January

ON THE COVER Leslie Thompson photo Our writer shares his personal challenges on his journey to take up running, page 14.

Letter from the Editor

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& Febru

ary

TREAS UR VALLE E Y

Resolu tions | 2019

MAGA

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A jour of runnni ey ng Hobby tu fitness rns into routin e

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Carbo n fo How to otprint m easu hat to re cut

and w

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Have dr

How to y skin? agains fight back t dry c limate

Remo del, re fresh Overh a ul yo n or g ur arage

kitche

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Western

TREASURE VALLEY

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carbonfootprint.com epa.gov Hunter Marrow Larry Meyer Rob Ruth nature.org Nik Streng Leslie Thompson

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Letter from the

EDITOR

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sore muscles, and how to increase antioxidants to fight off head colds.

Winter is also a great time for taking on home-improvement projects such as cleaning the garage or remodeling the kitchen, and we’ve included some tips that will help you get the job done.

Wherever you found our Resolutions Edition of the Western Treasure Valley Magazine, we’re glad you picked it up and hope you enjoy it!

Leslie Thompson, editor lesliet@argusobserver.com (541) 823-4818

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breath of fresh air.

A new lease on life.

A clean slate.

There are many idioms that can be used to describe new beginnings, and even more ways to put that change into action. That’s what I love about the new year. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the past year and decide what needs to be done to better the current year. It’s a chance to take a serious look back and set aside things that haven’t been working. It’s a time for goal-setting and growth. It’s your move.

In our Resolutions Edition, we take a look at tangible goals, and what can be done to start on a small scale potentially avoiding feelings of anxiety that often come alongside new ventures. In this issue, we look at overall health — from physical to environment.

One of our writers recently took up running, and after several requests from his inspired co-workers has written a first-person account of how he got into it, what works for him, and how taking small steps have helped.

It’s a captivating story about someone who had never walked or run before in an event in his entire life, and how he’s come so far on his journey, his next goal is a half-marathon.

And in this issue, we take a look at how to take steps to minimize your carbon footprint. Do you know what your carbon number is? Greenhouse gasses have reached a tipping point and carbon budgeting is now at a critical need. In fact, it’s likely that eco-conscious corporations will pave the way to videoconferencing versus flying, as one two-hour flight can add an entire month to your annual carbon budget for driving.

Inside this magazine, we also offer some quick tricks to improve your overall health, including how to fight anti-aging in our dry climate (this is a year-round battle not just a winter necessity), how to take care of

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Microwavable rice sock an easy fix for many winter aches

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Step-by-step:

Carefully pour the rice into the sock until you feel that it is full enough. There’s no real guideline for this as any amount of rice will heat up the same way. Remember to leave some space at the end to tie the sock.

Tie the end of the sock. A tight single knot should do, but be sure that it is tightly secured.

Pop the whole thing in the microwave and warm it up (heating times will vary based on your microwave, but The Argus Observer’s microwave heated up a 2-pound rice sock in two minutes).

Tip from the writer:

If you’re looking for a fun gift idea, you can get a nice comfy sock and fill it with rice that’s been treated with essential oils. To add essential oils to the rice, first pour your rice into a gallon ziplock bag. Then add a couple drops of your favorite essential oils (lavender is great for relaxation; eucalyptus and lemon would also work great) and shake the bag up to mix. Then add the rice to the sock as normal.

| WTVM |

Story and photos by Nik Streng

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t this time of year, a heating pad can go a long way. Maybe you’re trying to fight the freezing temperatures outside and just need a little extra warmth. Maybe you’re sore from running because your new year’s resolution was to exercise more and you need to loosen a tight muscle.

A rice sock can be a big help in your house and can be made in just minutes.

It’s a versatile tool, and can be heated in the microwave (include a 1/4 cup of water to prevent burning or cooking of rice).

You can make a rice sock with any type of sock. Did the washing machine just eat one of your socks and now you have one lonely sock? You can also make it with fuzzy comfy socks that will feel nice on your skin.

The only rule for what socks to use is that they can’t have holes in them. Other than that it’s all up to you!

All you need for a rice sock is … rice and a sock.

Pouring can be difficult if you’re using a tight sock that’s never been worn.

A funnel can help cut out the mess.

Things you’ll need:

• A sock (perhaps a new one, but that’s not mandatory) • Rice (for an average tube sock, 1 pound of rice works fine) Optional: A funnel will make pouring the rice a lot easier.

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Ginger tea a imple home emedy

By Nik Streng

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round the winter months, it seems like everyone gets a little extra sniffly with a chorus of coughs and throat-clearing filling up offices and classrooms everywhere.

Something simple that will go a long way to help fend off colds is ginger tea.

Ginger tea is full of antioxidants which will help you fight illnesses that tend to come with the winter months.

Ginger has long been known for its medicinal properties, especially when it comes to promoting healthy digestion.

It also helps clear the sinuses and fresh ginger will burn the nose, not unlike eating wasabi.

Lemon is packed full of vitamin C and honey is good at soothing sore throats.

And, of course, water will hydrate you, which is crucial in staying healthy.

There is no added caffeine in ginger tea, so it’s safe for any time of day and will aid in hydration.

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Ingredients:

• Strainer • Vegetable peeler • Grater (use one with fine holes or a microplane). If you don’t have one, just cutting the ginger into small pieces with a knife will work just as fine.

As with most teas, the best way to make ginger tea is to suit your taste.

If you don’t like the kick of ginger (and there will be kick), then add less ginger.

If you like more lemon (which will make the tea sour), then add more lemon. If you don’t like sweet tea, then add less honey.

It’s all to suit your taste.

1. Fill your pot with water and set the heat to high. As you wait for the water to boil you can prepare the other ingredients.

2. Gather ingredients and prepare the ginger by breaking up the root into its smaller components and removing the skin with a vegetable peeler or knife. Shave the ginger with your grater.

3. Halve the lemon.

4. When the water starts boiling, add the ginger and switch the heat to low.

Cover and let simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes.

• Water • Ginger root • Lemon • Honey

Utensils you’ll need: • A pot • Knife • Cutting board

Step-by-step:

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5. With the ginger steeped, add your lemon and honey.

6. Strain the tea into your mug and enjoy.

Tip from the writer:

1. If your nose is really plugged up because you’re sick, you can stick your head over the pot as the ginger-laden steam rises. It’s great for clearing up the sinuses. But be careful not to get too close to the pot it’s hot.

2. If you’re really sick, and extra adventurous, throw in a couple cloves of garlic into your tea.

Like ginger, garlic is full of antioxidants. Warning: You will smell like garlic for the rest of the day.

| WTVM |

Lunch & Dinner Located in Downtown Ontario

23 SE 1st Ave., Ontario 541-889-3700 WTV MAGAZINE Resolutions 2019

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Wood brothers work From metal ag implements to artwork Story and photos by Larry Meyer

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etal work is an artform, whether it is something that is made for a piece of machinery to be used out in the field or as a decorative piece out to be shown in the home or the yard.

Nyssa-based Owyhee Metal Works does both, which keeps them a lot of business, according to owner Wyatt Wood.

The shop was opened in 2016 to serve the needs of local agriculture producers needing implements and spare parts. It spread out from there at the shop, located at 325 S. First St., where First Street meets King Avenue.

One of the most visible examples of the work done at the business is now on display at the Four Rivers Cultural Center as part of the fundraising capital campaign in which 12

donors are honored with their names, not on bricks which is often the case, but burned into metal plaques shaped like fish that are mounted together on a frame to replicate a school of fish.

The display was designed to beautify the space, as well as recognize those people and businesses who have donated, said Summer Tilley, communication director at the Cultural Center.

More than 400 fish have been completed or reserved, and about another 200 are expected.

Wood said the fish and letters are cut with a plasma cutter, which uses an electrical current and compressed air. This is all controlled by a computer into which patterns or letters have been programmed.

The table can accommodate up to a 5-foot by 10-foot sheet of metal, he said.

“We can cut up to an inch thick [piece]. We use the table a lot,” Wood said.

Once the cuts are made the pieces are put through an acid wash and then are torched to add color.

Wyatt and, his brother Wade, who works with him, do custom designing and work with people who bring in their own ideas and designs.

There are two other people working at the shop.

They do a lot business signs — “We did our own” — and address signs that people put outside their homes as yard decorations. Another popular item is a “Welcome” sign people put at the entrances of their homes.

They also make gates, mail boxes and decorative panels and Wyatt said he has also made a hummingbird feeder.

“We do quite a few monograms,” said Wade, who also said he learned metal working while taking ag classes in high school.

Because they do a lot of different things their shop, from making parts for machinery to marking yard ornaments and home decor, Wyatt said they are always busy.

“There is never a slow time.”

| WTVM |

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DRY CLIMATE ‘terrible for fighting anti-aging’

Professional offers tips to keep skin, hair healthy during winter

“T

By Leslie Thompson

he drier we are, the quicker we age.”

Jennifer Crofts, an independent esthetician had this to say about dry winter weather as well as the arid climate as a whole in the Western Treasure Valley.

“Even during the summer, we live in such a dry climate,” she said. “It’s terrible for fighting anti-aging.”

However, there is hope for the constant battle — the body’s response to compensate for being over-dry, Crofts said.

“Something that’s crazy important and that I constantly preach, is that a good basis of skin care will make a difference in how makeup fits and in fighting aging,” she said.

She suggested brands that don’t include “a ton of preservatives that I get concerned about putting on skin or hair.” These include Pixi, available at places such as Target, or Tu’el, a professional brand available online or from estheticians.

In addition to few preservatives, Crofts touts the scientific nature of these products.

“Both of these lines look at the science behind how product is penetrated under the skin,” she said.

Heavy creams and hair masks often have molecules that are too large to penetrate the skin when fighting dry weather, Crofts said. Rather, her suggested go-to’s have a molecule size small enough to penetrate the bottom of the epidermis and work its way out. This provides even skin tone as well as the highly sought-after “glowy” look, and also builds strong elastin and collagen (keys to antiaging), Crofts said.

If you can’t find those specific products, she recommends reaching for skin care products with glycolic acid or hyaluronic acid, which often come in a clear gel form, allowing the product to penetrate deep into the skin.

And individuals reaching for product to help with oily skin, might want to pause: Overproduction of oil in the skin is the body’s response to compensate for being over-dry, Crofts said.

Quick tip for baggy eyes

Crofts recommends energizing the skin cells with the following home remedy. Brew some green or black tea bags (with caffeine). After they’ve been brewed, let them chill briefly in the freezer (placing in plastic bag to prevent tearing). Once chilled, remove from bag and place directly onto closed eyelids. For 10 to 15 minutes.

Another tip is to use a moisturizer underneath eyeshadow primer or makeup, especially matte blends, which tend to be drying to the skin.

Finally, at night Crofts urges using a nighttime eye cream, recommending one with few preservatives.

Hot showers and humidifiers

When it’s cold outside, individuals are often tempted to warm up with a quick, hot shower. This can also cause dryness for our skin, Crofts pointed out.

The reason is because temperature of high intensity dries out cells.

“This is because, when the temperature rises, our cells get stressed out,” Crofts said. “All that hydration from inside the body is coming out too fast and too much.”

Biologically, perspiring is a protective measure brought on to cool the overheated body.

“The biggest organ on our body is our skin,” she said, adding that it can take double the time to replenish cells that have overproduced oil.

To help offset the drier air during the wintertime, Crofts recommends a cool-air humidifier, pointing out that it can help skin, hair and sinuses.

She suggests putting one in a centralized area of the home or in the bedroom while sleeping — and keeping filters clean.

“It’s so important, and you will notice a huge reduction in dryness in skin and hair,” Crofts said.

For an added benefit, she urges adding some essential oils into the humidifier to help alleviate stress, or for aromatherapy to breathe better.

Anybody over the age of 25 needs to start looking at anti-aging skin care, she said, adding that it was a common misconception to wait till the 30s. | WTVM | WTV MAGAZINE Resolutions 2019

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RESOLVIN G TO R U N Start small and slow, and work your way up

Photos by Leslie Thompson | Story By Hunter Marrow

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W

hen it comes to running, I’m no expert, nor do I claim to be.

I don’t have thousands of miles on my feet nor do I have decades of running experience from which to draw.

This isn’t a definitive guide into taking up running; you can find those on the internet from longtime runners with far more experience than me.

This is a personal account of my running journey, the personal challenges I’ve faced, the experience I have gained, and the lessons I’ve learned.

I’m hopeful that by me sharing what I do know, and the feelings of joy and satisfaction I feel when I’m running, wherever and whenever that may be, I may be able to encourage a few people to take up the sport I’ve grown fond of over the past few months.

Why do you run?

This is a question I get asked at

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least a couple of times a week by skeptical people who don’t understand the draw that running can have.

I’m passionate about the sport — I don’t deny that — but it didn’t start that way.

It was August of 2018 when a friend told me about an upcoming 5K (five kilometer run, which measures out to about 3.1 miles) that was designed to raise funds and awareness for the future construction of Treasure Valley Community College’s planned track and field complex.

Initially, I was uninterested.

For one reason, I wasn’t even completely aware just how long a distance 5K really was when you tried to run it.

Another reason was that I was grossly out of shape, hadn’t consistently worked out in several months, and had never run or walked in an event before in my entire life.

But I was thrown some rope with such an event on the horizon: it provided a concrete goal for a potential WTV MAGAZINE Resolutions 2019

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Advice I found when perusing the Internet for first-time runners was consistent: Start small and slow, and work your way up. There have been many an injury for first-time runners who tried to run too far, run too fast, or both.

I started with a conservative distance I thought I was able to achieve, and that worked for me. But everyone is different; some may need to try a walk for a quarter of a mile, some may like a-half mile jog. If there is anything I learned when starting out it was this: Be realistic about your fitness, don’t sugarcoat it, and take things a step at a time.

I would work my way up from a mile throughout that first week, running only a couple of times a week, to a mile and a-half the next, then two miles, then two and a-half, etc., until I was able to run about three miles.

And right on time, too, as the event was only a few days away.

When the morning of the event came, I was nervous.

Had I prepared enough? Would I poop out in the middle of the event?

What if everyone passed me during the run? What if they laughed at me because they thought I had a funny gait?

Many of these questions were swimming around my mind when the 5K commenced, but once I relaxed, focused on the music playing in my ear, the feel of my feet hitting the pavement, the road in front of me, those doubts flitted away.

My lungs were burning by the time I sighted the finish line, which sat adjacent to the TVCC gymnasium, but when I crossed that threshold — far faster than I ever thought I could run — I felt a sense of satisfaction I hadn’t felt

since my high school days of playing varsity tennis.

Achievement. Accomplishment.

Those words rang in my head as I caught my breath and I couldn’t help the smile that reached my lips. I had trained for this after all, put in the effort, and it had paid dividends.

This feeling. I could get used to this, I thought to myself.

And the seed of passion was planted.

After that first 5K, I would run in several more anywhere I could, along with a couple of 10K (approximately 6.2 miles) events. I’m now training to participate in my first ever half marathon (13.1 miles).

Tools of the trade

Wow, that was inspiring! I’m going to run right now!

You may be telling yourself that, but while it might be tempting to just grab the closest pair of athletic shoes and take off running, I would personally recommend against it. That’s what I did, and I nearly hurt myself before my training could really even begin.

A runner, at the very least, needs a solid pair of running shoes if they are opting for road running (the same with trail running, though that won’t be covered here, and barefoot running is another matter entirely). But it’s important to realize (I had no idea at the time), just how different one person’s foot shape is from another. One pair of shoes at a particular size works for one runner while it might give shin splints to another.

I’m no expert, as I mentioned at the beginning, but there are dedicated running shoe stores that do have experts that will measure your foot out with 3D

fitness routine.

I’m a goal-directed person. I set a goal for myself and try my darndest to achieve that goal by taking things a step at a time.

I had been feeling a profound sense of guilt last August that I had not returned to the gym when I said I would (a New Years Resolution, I told myself), and this 5K event provided the spark I needed to get motivated.

And so, starting on Aug. 15, 2018, a month out from the Sept. 15 Race to the Future 5K at Treasure Valley Community College, I tried running a mile, to “test the waters,” so to speak.

It didn’t feel too bad, to be honest, though I was far more winded than I anticipated and sure slept well that night.

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General training tips from my experience

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The biggest piece of advice I would offer to any potential runners is this: don’t overtrain.

I still struggle with this, and have struggled with this since the very beginning, but recovery days, I would argue, are more important than your workout days.

What good does it do for your body to constantly be pushing it to its limits, day in and day out? I would argue you’re not only harming your body, but also your training.

You also know your body better than anyone else, so if something is really hurting, don’t push it. I’ve made the mistake of ignoring niggling pain in my legs only to injure myself.

My next piece of advice is something debated over by runners: stretching before and after your runs.

I’ve read literature that supports no stretching before a run, while other research indicates that you should, yes, stretch.

Based on my own experience, performing a series of dynamic stretches before a run to get the heart rate going, and then a series of static stretches immediately after a run is a good bet. It’s worked for me ever since I began including it in my routine, and (fingers crossed) it continues to do so.

Everything mentioned above are more of the minutia for runners. What about a fifty thousand view, the overall advice?

And that is to always have a purpose to your running, a plan, an objective. Why are you running? What are you aiming for? Are you aiming to run in a specific distance event that’s in the future? Are you hoping to run a 10-mile run one day? Are you looking to qualify for the Boston Marathon? Looking to earn an Olympic Trials Qualifying time? This is so important for any runner to always keep in the back of their mind as their training progresses.

Otherwise, you’re mindlessly running, and while that’s good for your general fitness, if you’re looking to improve upon that, you need a concrete goal to shape your fitness plan.

For me personally, it not only shapes how I go about the training I go through, but it also serves as motivation.

Right now, for instance, I’m shooting for that 13-mile mark for a half marathon, so slowly, but surely, I’m building up my mileage base week by week to achieve that.

What’s your running plan going to be?

| WTVM |

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imaging machines and will allow you to more thoroughly test out shoes available for sale.

I traveled to Fleet Feet Meridian to have my foot scanned and would you know it, I’ve been wearing a half size too small for the last several years. I was also told it’s a good idea (not in all cases, mind you, depending on model and brand), to wear a half size larger in your running shoes because of the movement you will no doubt feel while you’re pounding the pavement.

With good quality, good-fitting shoes on, everything else is just supplementary.

Fitness watches, running headlamps, moisture-wicking running shorts, pants, shirts, jackets, and beanies are optional, but I would recommend many of them to prevent chafing around your chest area, or to stay warm during cold runs, or to see the ground in front of you at night, or to keep track of your pace and the time of day.

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TREASURE VALLEY MAGAZINE

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K

itchen remodels are among the most popular home renovation projects, whether they consist of swapping out cabinet hardware or doing major demolition.

Due to the sheer amount of time families spend in the kitchen, not to mention the number of tasks performed in this space, it is easy to see why Remodeling magazine consistently ranks kitchen renovations as projects that will enable homeowners to recoup a high percentage of their investments. In the magazine’s 2018 “Cost vs. Value” report, midrange major kitchen remodels costing an average of $63,829 recouped 59 percent of that investment.

When investing in a kitchen project, it is important to incorporate items that are coveted.

Deep, double sinks

Having a double sink enables you to soak dishes in one side and then wash on the other. It also makes it easy to wash and prep produce for meals.

Kitchen island and bar stools

Even though many meals are enjoyed around the table, there’s something to be said for the convenience of a kitchen island and some well-placed bar stools for quick breakfasts or snacks.

Smart kitchen storage

Work with a contractor to include storage solutions built into cabinetry and the pantry. Slide-out shelving, nooks for a paper towel roll and custom-designed areas to store stand mixers and other necessities can make kitchens more functional.

Outdoor access

If possible, design a kitchen so it is easy to access the backyard via sliding doors. This can make outdoor entertaining or even coffee on the deck much easier.

Under-cabinet lighting

Must-haves for an amazing kitchen remodel

Fixtures installed under cabinets provide both ambient lighting and task lighting. Such lighting makes it easier to see what you’re working on as well, as even well-placed overhead lighting can fail to illuminate dark corners and spots on the counters.

Convenient warming drawer

This appliance provides backup to the oven. It’s a slide-out drawer that can keep prepared foods out of the way and warm until they are ready to be served.

This is particularly handy for holidays and other entertaining.

Beverage station

Metro Creative Connection

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Designate one area of the kitchen to beverages, such as coffee and tea. Or make the area an informal bar. This can limit traffic in the kitchen to a single area.

Kitchen remodels are exciting to envision, and several choices can make these high-traffic spaces even more coveted.

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OPTIONS

FOR

FUNDING YOUR NEXT HOME IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Metro Creative Connection

B

efore starting a home improvement project, either on one’s own or with the assistance of a professional contractor, homeowners must first consider the costs involved.

According to the home improvement resource HomeAdvisor, more than one-third of homeowners do not understand what hiring a professional will cost, and then cannot successfully budget and secure financing once they have set their sights on a renovation project.

HomeAdvisor says that some of the more popular projects, such as remodeling a kitchen or bathroom or building a deck, can cost, on average, $19,920, $9,274 and $6,919, respectively.

Homeowners may find that the more expensive renovations require them to secure some type of financing. Those who have never before sought such financing may want to consider the following options.

1. Cash-out refinancing: With cash-out refinancing, a person will begin the mortgage process anew with the intention of paying off the current mortgage balance, and then taking out additional funds for other purposes.

Cash-out refinancing is a way to tap into a home’s existing equity for use on improvements or other expenses, such as college tuition.

2. Home equity line of credit: The financial experts at Bankrate indicate that a HELOC works like a credit card, with the house as collateral. There is a credit limit, and borrowers can spend up to that limit. The interest rate may or may not be fixed. However, the interest may be tax-deductible if the financing is used to improve, buy or build a home.

3. Home equity loan: Individuals also can borrow against equity in their homes with a fixed interest rate through a home equity loan. Most lenders will calculate 80 percent of the home value and subtract a homeown-

er’s mortgage balance to figure out how much can be borrowed, according to the financial advisory site The Simple Dollar.

4. Personal loan: Homeowners can shop around at various financial institutions for competitive personal loans to be used for home improvement purposes. Funds may be approved within one business day, which can be ideal for those who want to begin their improvements soon.

5. Personal line of credit: A personal line of credit allows borrowers to borrow only the money needed at the time, and offers a variable interest rate that is generally lower than fixed loan rates. Again, like a credit card, PLOC gives a person a maximum borrow-

ing amount and is ideal for ongoing purchases.

6. Credit cards: In a pinch, credit cards can be used to finance improvements, but they do come with the cost of very high interest rates if the balance is not paid in full by the time the bill comes due. However, for funding smaller projects and maximizing rewards points through home improvement retailers or specific credit card company promotions, credit cards can be a way to earn various perks in addition to the benefit of improving a home.

Homeowners looking to finance their next improvements should speak to a financial advisor and shop around for the best types of funding for them.

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Make garage organization go smoothly Metro Creative Connection

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arages tend to fall victim to disorganization during the winter, when homeowners want to hurry inside and get some respite from the cold. As a result, many homeowners resolve to clean their garages come springtime.

Cleaning a disorganized garage overcome with clutter can be an all-day job, so homeowners would be wise to reserve a springtime Saturday or Sunday to get their garages back in order. Upon designating ample time to clean their garages, homeowners can then utilize a few additional tips to make the project go as smoothly as possible.

Empty the garage The first step when organizing a garage is to empty it completely.

Old machinery and rusted lawn and garden tools have a way of disappearing in garages, and those items may remain there for years if the garage is never emptied. Once you have emptied the garage, you might be surprised to learn just how much or even how little space you have to work with.

Clean the garage top to bottom After you have emptied the garage, give it a thorough cleaning.

Cleaning the garage serves multiple purposes. A clean garage is less likely to be overcome with dirt and/or critters, both of which can contribute to the deterioration of tools and machinery stored in the garage. In addition, you may be less likely to let a clean garage fall back into disorganization, saving you the trouble of reorganizing the garage next spring.

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Look up Many homeowners fail to make adequate use of the vertical space in their garages. But keeping items off the floor can make it easier to clean the garage and will provide more room for your car or other machinery you don’t want to leave in the driveway or a backyard shed. Install shelves so you can more safely store automotive fluids and cleaners, and hang some hooks or hammer a few nails into the garage walls so you can hang tools like rakes and garden shears.

Group tools by season Grouping tools by season can make for a more organized garage and one less likely to be overcome with clutter. Designate one corner of the garage for lawn and gardening tools and another for winter tools like snow shovels or snowblowers. This makes it easier to find tools when you need them.

When grouping tools, you can also group items by who uses them.

For example, parents can designate one area of the garage for their tools, while kids can get their own area for their toys and bicycles.

Resolve to park in the garage One of the best ways to keep a garage organized is to park your vehicle or vehicles inside the garage each night. Parking in a garage protects your vehicle(s) from the elements, and you also won’t be tempted to leave items lying around on the garage floor if you know you will eventually be pulling your vehicle in.

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Comfort Zone keeping you

SAFE and WARM

Your fuel-burning furnace has a number of mechanisms allowing it to run safely and effectively. These features prevent fires and protect indoor air quality. They also work to prevent internal issues from damaging large, more expensive parts on your furnace. Here are items on your furnace to ensure it’s keeping you safe and warm.

Air Filters. Thermocouples. Pressure Switches. Rollout Switches.

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As signage at the Evelyn Stover Recycling Center in Weiser will readily attest, recycling of plastic is currently unavailable. China, formerly the world’s main destination for used plastics, has quit accepting the materials.

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START BUDGETING YOUR CARBON IN 2019

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rive less, buy less, recycle all the materials you can …

There seems to be a disconnect between our booming economy with its boundless selection of consumer goods and travel opportunities, and the behavior that science informs us is critical to immediately embrace, if we are to survive, longterm.

In ways, it’s as if World War II has resumed — on the home front, anyway. You remember World War II, don’t you? Our total war effort required not only enlisting all of the people that our 1940s society regarded as able-bodied, prospective warriors. It also desperately needed resources — hundreds or thousands of tons of steel, aluminum and rubber, along with seemingly countless food commodities and canned food items.

Those of us who weren’t able to serve in uniform were determined to contribute in other ways. Some of us went to work at the shipyards and other war plants that took in the precious non-food resources to churn out material. More numerous, however, were our people who continued to tend the home fires, figuratively if not literally, and here, too, we were very much part of the war effort. We shifted our family menus to conserve on food ingredients that were also needed for our troops. Also, we planted victory gardens, and adjusted our transportation habits as necessary since gasoline was strictly rationed.

All these years later, it’s as if that same sort of effort needs to resume. We are again at war, in this instance endlessly, against emissions of CO2 and the other greenhouse gases which, we have learned, are fueling a now-accelerating warming of our climate.

Enough on that for now. War is war, and here’s our New Year’s resolution, stated a few weeks late, admittedly, but that’s merely consistent with the tardy launch of

By Rob Ruth our home front campaign: We will do whatever we must in order to win this thing.

Reversing a backwards trend

By now most of us have been repeatedly informed that we are blowing our carbon budget — releasing far more CO2 than we can afford to at this late date if we are at all serious about helping our descendants to avoid the worstcase scenarios in global warming.

The United States is currently the world’s second-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, and in January we learned from research firm Rhodium Group that the U.S. went the wrong direction last year, *increasing* its CO2 emissions by 3.4 percent! (Rhodium Group’s reported figure is a preliminary estimate.) This news comes on the heels of this past fall’s discouraging revelation that greenhouse gases increased worldwide in 2017, the latest full year measured, as announced in Emissions Gap Report 2018 from United Nations Environment.

Currently, most of the discussion and concern among emissions monitoring groups and government negotiators focuses not on households but on the much bigger sources, namely, electricity generation and vehicle emissions.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the electricity and transportation sectors of the U.S. economy each accounted for an identical 28 percent of total GHG emissions in 2016, so together they constituted well over half of that year’s GHG load at 56 percent. Meanwhile, the combined GHG emissions from U.S. residential *and* commercial was only 11 percent.

Nevertheless, emissions reductions are now critically needed wherever they can be effected, what with the Intergovernmental

Panel on Climate Change October 2018 report warning we now have only 10 years left in which to drop these levels very sharply.

Successful cuts at the household level also hold some promise for spreading citizen awareness of practical features in the climate battle, seeing people easily familiarize themselves with this battlefield’s most basic units of measure (such as pounds or tons of CO2 or CO2e, the latter standing for “carbon dioxide equivalent”), their associated, expected ranges of numbers on the home front, and some of the actions citizens can start taking to permanently reduce their own emissions (and by about how much).

Household carbon budgeting

So, let’s get to that household carbon budgeting! To get started, access one or more of the carbon footprint calculators available online. First, though, you’ll need to gather your pertinent household data, in the form of utility bill payment stubs (which should show the number of energy units used during the given billing period), printouts or on-screen PDFs of checking account ledgers or similar details from other accounts used for normal household expenses, and, optionally, detailed food receipts covering perhaps a couple of months.

You’ll also need to know the approximate number of miles you drive each of your vehicles annually. Average gas mileage is another critical figure, but if you’ve never checked your vehicle’s actual gas mileage, just use the vehicle manufacturer’s estimate for your year, make and model. Charts with these numbers are widely available on the internet.

Some footprint calculators are more detailed than others.

For example, the one offered at WTV MAGAZINE Resolutions 2019

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The Nature Conservancy’s website, nature.org, offers the ability to gauge the carbon footprint impact from food consumption by setting calorie estimates in five different food categories. (Hence the above instruction to gather detailed food receipts.) This calculator is therefore potentially more accurate where the impact of food is concerned. On the other hand, that accuracy depends on the user putting some work into the calorie estimates.

(If you’re not ready to go to this trouble, don’t worry. Food represents such a small portion of the typical Western Treasure Valley household’s total carbon footprint, modest inaccuracy in this area will have negligible effect.)

This chart shows annual CO2 emissions from a fictional Ontario family’s three vehicles.

The calculators

This article essay takes a brief look at three of the online calculators, starting with one from EPA’s website, located at epa.gov. “Household Carbon Footprint Calculator,” which was developed before the current Administration changed the website to scale down the agency’s public information role with regard to global warming, remains itself fully functional despite the partial breakage of a few of its explanatory links. The tool’s introductory paragraph and its following bullet points bear presenting here because the information is so basic and straightforward, and applicable to all the calculators.

“Many of our daily activities cause emissions of greenhouse gases. For example, we produce greenhouse gas emissions from burning gasoline when we drive, burning oil or gas for home heating, or using electricity generated from coal, natural gas, and oil. Greenhouse gas emissions vary among individuals depending on a person’s

location, habits, and personal choices.

For example: • “The quantity of greenhouse gas emissions from your home electricity use depends on the types of fuel your power plant uses to generate the electricity and the amount you use.

• “The quantity of greenhouse gases emitted from your furnace and boiler depends on the efficiency of these items, the size and insulation of your house, and the amount and type of fuel used.

• “The quantity of emissions from your car or truck depends on how much you drive, what your vehicle’s fuel efficiency is, and how you drive (e.g., the amount of time spent idling in traffic).

• “In addition, the more recycling you

do will reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills, as well as the greenhouse gas emissions that result from processing of raw materials.”

EPA’s calculator includes three sections on separate tabs: Energy, Transportation, and Waste. At each tab, a top panel allows you to input your current usage data and related habits to calculate the annual pounds of CO2.

Lower panels provide ready options for implementing reductions. The calculator allows you to backtrack at any time, so an easy way of going through this exercise is to run through all three tabs first without inputting any planned reductions, take note of your household’s total carbon footprint at the end, and then return to the tabs to enter the planned cuts. This way you can set a

For Idaho Power customers, the default electricity conversion factor on the footprint calculator’s House tab at carbonfootprint.com should be replaced with the value 0.291.

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Solar geoengineering: proceed with caution

From the carbon footprint calculator at era.gov, results for a fictional Ontario family — before and after planned reductions are applied.

percentage reduction target before you start making your cuts.

Given that the United States is currently trying to hit a 20-percent GHG reduction target by 2020, let’s assume that the near-term goal is likewise 20 percent for our hypothetical Ontario family of five people in this exercise. Our example family uses natural gas heating (with a monthly bill of $45, averaged over all 12 months), spends an average of $52 a month on electricity, and has three vehicles (see screenshot showing vehicles’ annual miles and gas mileages). With our fictional three drivers logging a combined 26,000 miles annually, the household’s transportation footprint is 18,487 pounds, representing the largest chunk of this family’s overall footprint of 32,440 pounds, before indicating planned cuts.

So, how many pounds of CO2 does this family need to keep corked inside the bottle? Reduced by 20 percent, the footprint would total no more than 25,952 pounds (see screenshot), a drop of 6,488. Let’s see if that’s within easy reach.

Under the EPA calculator’s Home Energy tab, we find a slew of options for making mostly modest reductions, so we take advantage of these. We imagine that our fictional family is perfectly willing to turn up the A/C thermostat by 2 degrees in summer, and in winter turn the nighttime heat down by 3 degrees, will pay $32 for eight Energy Star light bulbs, and won’t feel too put out by switching their washing machine to the cold water setting on three loads per week. (The family chooses not to take it a step further by hanging laundry on a line, however.) The cuts under Home Energy total 860 pounds.

Under the Transportation tab, options for reducing emissions

After calculating a fictional Ontario family’s current footprint of 32,440 pounds at epa.gov, the Mac calculator at right was used to multiply the amount by 0.8, producing a 20-percent reduction target.

include decreasing driving miles for one or more vehicles, and replacing one or more vehicles with cars that get better gas mileage. As matters (fictionally) stand, our family wasn’t interested right now in replacing a car, but they did resolve that their teenager who drives vehicle No. 3 should start getting to school most days by other means — walking, biking, or riding with friends — to help bring about a 2,000-mile reduction on the vehicle, sparing the atmosphere 1,242 pounds of CO2.

The parent who drives vehicle No. 1 will meanwhile cut by 500 miles, worth 382 pounds for a combined cut of 1,624 pounds in Transportation.

Finally, under the Waste tab, we find EPA crediting us with saving 1,150 pounds merely for recycling our aluminum and steel cans, newspapers, and magazines. No fair checkmarking the plastic and glass recycling boxes, though! Recycling markets for those materials dried up at some point after this calculator was created!

How far did the family’s relatively painless cuts take them? Reductions from the three tabs total 3,634 pounds, an 11.2-percent

Worldwide efforts against climate change are largely focused on reducing greenhouse gases while finding ways to adapt to impending temperature rise, but what if we could deliberately tinker with the atmosphere to try to fix things?

The answer, in short, is that we probably can, sort of.

Solar geoengineering, also known as solar radiation management, can involve use of tiny particles or droplets in the atmosphere to deflect sunlight. If deployed high enough, in the stratosphere, the substance can remain aloft for roughly a year, continuing to provide some amount of cooling to a rapidly warming planet.

Currently the substance of likeliest choice is aerosolized sulfate. One side-effect could be to accelerate the ocean’s acidification, but slowing the rate of Earth’s warming would seem to vastly outweigh this known potential drawback.

“There is no reasonable doubt that sulfate aerosols could be used to cut the average rate of global warming in half for the next half century,” writes physicist David Keith, one of the world’s leading experts on solar geoengineering, in “A Case for Climate Engineering,” Keith’s 2013 book published by the MIT Press.

Environmental groups and many in the science community are inclined to blanch at any mention of pursuing sunlight deflection, and Keith himself advocates a go-very-slow approach. In fact, it could be that it shouldn’t be dispensed at all, he concedes. If the international community doesn’t come together soon on testing and other protocols, however, there’s a danger that a desperate nation or some other rogue actor could go it alone in dispensing aerosols, sparking a dangerous freefor-all.

Finally, it should be emphasized that no credible source is advocating use of solar geoengineering as a substitute for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. If used properly, though, the technology just might buy us a little more time for meeting our reduction goals.

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Carbon footprints of foods It’s all well and good that we can pretty accurately measure our carbon footprints in transportation and for the electricity and other energy we consume, but how well do we really know the footprint of our food?

In time there should probably be much more data developed on footprints associated with particular foods, but currently you can get at least some sense of food production’s CO2 impact at co2list.org, the seven-year-old site from statistician Paul Burke.

Among other observations, the site reports that producing one pound of red meat comes at a cost of 22 pounds of CO2.

For a pound of chicken, fish or eggs, it’s 5.9 pounds of CO2; for a pound of cereal of carbohydrate, 2.9 pounds; and for a pound of fruit or vegetables, 1.7 pounds.

cut from the original overall total of 32,440 pounds. Although the family hasn’t reached the 20-percent target for 2020, they are more than halfway there. It’s early yet in 2019, so they can ponder the more ambitious steps they can take around a year from now to meet the goal.

As shown on this air travel reduction panel on the nature.org footprint calculator, someone who flies often can save tons of CO2 by swapping half of their planned flights for video conferencing.

than less detailed calculators, what’s especially nice about the nature.gov tool is the greater number of detailed options it offers for reducing your footprint. For example, vehicle replacement choices are more extensive, allowing you to specify an alternative fuel or electric replacement, if you wish.

The nature.org calculator also accommodates more data on air travel, including more options at the reduction end (see screenshot). As the messages on this reduction’s pledge panel suggest, we’re likely to see increased emphasis on videoconferencing as a means of cutting carbon. In terms of personal CO2, taking one two-hour flight can be like adding a thirteenth month to your driving!

Finally, the carbonfootprint.com calculator is right up there with the nature. org tool when it comes to providing for detailed input over a large number of categories. If you’re a Western Treasure Valley resident, be advised that, on the calculator’s House tab, the default electricity conversion factor of 0.6509 should be changed to 0.291 for

Idaho Power customers. (Our thanks to Idaho Power for providing that.)

What’s markedly different about the carbonfootprint.com calculator is that it doesn’t present emission reduction options for the individual. The focus instead is on “offsets,” which are monetary donations to emission reduction projects around the globe. The calculator has a link to the projects page.

Thus concludes our whirlwind tour of carbon footprint calculators. There are many more out there, of course, also in phone apps, although many of the latter are narrower in scope, not geared to measuring and planning possible cuts for the wider range of household emissions.

It’s 2019, the clock to meet targets for our survival is ticking away, and so many people are only now joining the fray. On the home front, the time for only guessing about our individual impact should be over. A household carbon footprint is measurable, and the logical way to work on shrinking it is to start by knowing what that number is. | WTVM |

Better-detailed tools

Our other example footprint calculators include the previously mentioned calculator at nature.org, and one at carbonfootprint.com. These are similar to the epa.gov calculator, so we’ll keep the discussion here brief, simply touching upon a few important points.

As compared to the epa.gov tool, the calculator at nature.gov provides a more in-depth examination of your household’s carbon footprint. As mentioned earlier, you’ll need to prepare yourself to take full advantage of it, quantifying your household members’ average calories consumed for various food categories, for example.

In addition to its potential for measuring your footprint more accurately

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The Snake River flows past Weiser on its way to Idaho Power’s three-dam Hells River Canyon Complex. As compared to parts of the country that rely more heavily on coal and other fossil fuels to generate electricity, generation of electrical power in Idaho is cleaner.

According to the Idaho Power website, hydro accounts for 49.5 percent of the company’s generated power, while coal accounts for 18.2 percent, and natural gas for 8.3 percent.

Wind, solar, and geothermal are also in the mix.

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lights laws impacting a variety of populations, including Japanese-American, Mexican-American and Chinese.

The Cultural Center is at 676 S.W. Fifth Ave., Ontario.

For more information, call (541) 889-8191 or visit www.4rcc.com.

Feb. 8

y r a u r b e F / y r a u Jan

R A D N E L A C ents of ev

Jan. 27

Classic cars cruise into Cultural Center

Award-winning soprano trio on tap

Community Concerts of Treasure Valley presents Viva Trio at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 8 in the Meyer-McLean Theatre at Four Rivers Cultural Center.

The award-winning soprano group recently released its debut album, “Nothing Else Matters,” which includes nine cover songs, including one by renowned metal band, Metallica, as well as two original hits.

The Cultural Center is at 676 S.W. Fifth Ave., Ontario.

For more information, call (208) 707-3201 or (208) 739-2777 or email communityconcertsstv@gmail.com Feb. 9

Fundraising committee transforms Cultural Center into Paris

Classic cars are on display inside Four Rivers Cultural Center today as the second day of the eighth annual Car Show. Today’s event is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Owners will be on hand throughout the weekend to visit with attendees about the 55-65 expected automobiles brought in by mostly local owners.

Thirty trophies, as well as three top Director’s Pick trophies, will be handed out this year.

The Cultural Center is at 676 S.W. Fifth Ave., Ontario.

For more information, including price of entrance fee, call (541) 889-8191 or visit www.4rcc.com.

To commemorate a quarter century of fundraising for Four Rivers Cultural Center, organizers of the 25th annual Center Ball are stepping into the world of Moulin Rouge. The scenery will visually transport attendees back in time to Paris in the 1900s.

The premier black-tie event is from 8 p.m. to midnight Feb. 8 at the Cultural Center, The Cultural Center is at 676 S.W. Fifth Ave., Ontario.

For more information, including ticket price, call (541) 889-8191 or visit www.4rcc.com.

Jan. 30

Feb. 21

Get crafty

Ontario Community Library will host a children’s craft hour at 4 p.m. Jan. 30 as part of its winter reading program.

The library is at 388 S.W. Second Ave., Ontario.

For more information, call (541) 889-6371.

Feb. 1

A History of Barriers

An exhibit that focuses on racism and discrimination and how it has played a part in Oregon’s history will be on display in the Hikaru Mizu Art Gallery at Four Rivers Cultural Center beginning in February. Refreshments will be served during the free gallery opening with will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. the opening day, Feb. 1.

Oregon: A History of Barriers & Structural Racism high-

Forgotten chapter of history plays out on stage

A dramatic production about Japanese-American internment camps, as well as the draft of some of those young men interned into World War II, will be on display in February at Four Rivers Cultural Center.

The Nisei Paradox is a theatrical presentation about a forgotten chapter in the history of the federal courts in Idaho, will be presented free to the community at 7 p.m. Feb. 21.

Written by a partner in a Boise law firm, the staged reading is performed by The Cultural Center is at 676 S.W. Fifth Ave., Ontario.

For more information, including ticket price, call (541) 889-8191 or visit www.4rcc.com.

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Why I love the Western Treasure Valley ‘Everybody helps everybody’ Story by Larry Meyer | Photo by Leslie Thompson

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aving been raised in small town Oregon – Tillamook, and living in Portland for about 10 years, Norm Poole, long-time Ontario resident and businessman said he wanted to stay in small communities. He learned while living in Pendleton for about two years that he also liked a drier climate.

But those are just two of the reasons that Poole gave of why he loves the Western Treasure Valley, having moved to Weiser and then Ontario with his family in 1961.

He found the area to be good for family, business and lifestyle.

Being in a small town allows kids more opportunities to participate in school activities, particularly in sports, he said.

After graduating from high school, Poole served in the Air Force from 1950 to 1953, marrying his wife, Marolyn, while stationed in Hawaii.

After leaving the Air Force, Poole worked for Shell Oil Company in the Portland area, he decided to leave the larger city. And, wanting to go into business for himself, he took advantage of an opportunity available in Ontario.

“It’s nice knowing everybody in town,” he said.

“Everybody helps everybody.”

That opportunity expanded to a number of communities around the Treasure Valley, from his beginnings with one delivery truck, still working with Shell Oil, providing fuel to local farmers and home heating oil to areas residents.

While he began to expand his delivery business, with more delivery trucks to larger tankers, Poole also began buying properties in Ontario, Nyssa, Payette, Weiser and Vale, and built service stations at those locations,

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sometimes with associates. Some of those properties Poole said he still owns and leases out. Having those properties has been part of his retirement income, he said. For a time he also owned the Truck Corral in Baker City.

When he had just arrived in the Ontario area, Poole joined the Kiwanis Club, for which he is still a member.

He found prominent city business leaders at the time who were more than willing to help him finance the purchase of a home and, later, expand his business.

Besides his being able to start and grow his business, Poole has also has enjoyed the recreational opportunities the region offers, such as hunting and fishing.

“This is a great climate for us,” Poole said.

“The kids and I built a cabin on Lake Owyhee,” he said which, offers them a lot of time for skiiing and boating. “It has been a real plus for us, having it so accessible.”

After a while, Poole said, he found that owning a number of gas stations and having 165 employees was becoming too difficult to manage and the company got out of the retail business and dropped down to 20 employees.

“That was a lot easier,” he said.

Now retired, Poole is seeing his two sons, Ralph and Ken, now running the business and a third generation becoming involved.

It is now Campo & Poole Distributing, having merged with Campo Oil. | WTVM |

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OUT & ABOUT ONTARIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ANNUAL BANQUET | Jan. 11, 2019

Discover all the ways to love the Western Treasure Valley

Riley Hill, Kathy and Joe Collins

Ron Verini and John Kirby

Western

TREASURE VALLEY MAGAZINE

Sandi and Bill Winn

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