Organic Gardening 101

Cabbage, flowers, and broccoli from GreenTown's garden.

Those of you who keep up with our blog know that we at GreenTown have been cultivating a garden full of veggies, herbs, and flowers in our back yard. For those of you who are new to our blog, our garden was planted with the help of hundreds of Kansas Girl Scouts. The Girl Scouts of Kansas Heartland opted to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the organization by coming to Greensburg the last weekend of April. To learn more about the Girl Scouts Go Greensburg event and the planting of our garden check out our previous blog post, Oh Beautiful. The girls were able to participate in many service projects and activities around town, including the planting of our demonstration garden. We tried to use a wide range of planting techniques including using found objects as planters, different types of raised beds, and planting directly in the ground. We have also employed organic practices in the planting and management of our garden.

You may have seen organic certified labels in your local grocery store, or have heard the term thrown around. But you may be wondering, what exactly does it mean to have an organic garden? In simple terms, organic gardeners only use animal or vegetable fertilizers rather than synthetics. It also means natural pest control devoid of industrial insecticides. In other words, it means using natural substances and beneficial insects to ward off pests instead of chemical products, such as Roundup or Raid. Organic gardening stresses increasing the natural health of the soil, choosing appropriate plants that are suited to your area, and working with nature to produce a healthy and productive garden.

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Cooling Tips for Hot Summer Days

image credit: gregzweb.com

Here in the  Midwest, the so-called “dog days” of summer are upon us even earlier than usual. (Ever wonder about the origin of the term “dog days”? It seems that ancient people believed that the heat was the fault of Sirius, the dog star, being in close proximity to the sun.)

We have trolled the internet and our experience to come up with some cool tips for readers, to help you stay more comfortable this summer without breaking the bank!

Air conditioning maintenance

There are things you can do to help your A/C unit run more efficiently, and, therefore, affordably. Here’s a couple of tips from the Greener Ideal website:

One of the easiest ways to make your air conditioning unit operate more efficiently is to ensure it is clear from any excess brush, plants, or garbage that may have accumulated over the winter. If the air flow pathway is kept clear, air has an easier time getting in and the A/C unit doesn’t have to work as hard. This rule goes the same if you’re using a window unit and have clutter inside your house or apartment. Make some extra space around the air intake and your cooling unit will run much smoother.

And when the air conditioner doesn’t have to work as hard, you consume less energy. Think green, and save on the amount of energy required to cool your house.

Keeping the outside of your A/C unit clear is great, but if you don’t keep your air filters clean it won’t do any good. Not only should you take out your air filters and give them a good cleaning every few weeks, but they should also be completely replaced at least once a season.

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USGBC Reaches 20,000 LEED Certified Homes!

The LEED Platinum certified Prairie Pointe Townhomes. Photo courtesy of Greensburg Greentown.

The US Green Building Council (USGBC) announced yesterday that more than 20,000 homes across the U.S. have earned certification through the LEED for Homes program. For those who are unfamiliar, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a third party green building certification process created by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) in 1998. It was designed to provide a framework for architects, engineers, builders, and building owners to identify and implement sustainable practices into the construction and operation of new and renovated buildings. It is based on a system of points that when verified add up to one of four different levels of certification - Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum. The program covers all aspects of a project from site selection to water efficiency and material selection. LEED is made up of nine different rating systems, ranging from schools, healthcare, existing buildings, to homes. LEED for Homes was first introduced as a rating system in 2008.

In their press release, the USGBC stated that since 2008, “more than 20,000 residential units have certified with nearly 79,000 additional units in the pipeline”. According to a 2012 McGraw Hill Construction study, “Green homes are expected to grow to between 29% to 38% of the residential construction market by 2016, equating to $87-$114 billion”. LEED certified homes are made up of a wide variety of buildings, from multi- to single-family and from market rate to affordable housing. In fact, over half of all LEED certified homes can be considered in the affordable housing category.  

The Prairie Pointe Townhomes located on Main Street are currently the only LEED certified homes in Greensburg. The housing development is made up of rental housing units for people in the community who are living on a fixed income. It was the first LEED Platinum new construction affordable housing development in Kansas and the third in the nation. The project was completed in July 2008 and currently houses both families and elderly individuals.

The Big Well is Back in Business

One of the highlights last month in Greensburg was the grand re-opening of the Big Well. This iconic tourist attraction, whose gift shop was destroyed in the tornado, was the town's claim to fame prior to 2007, drawing as many as 40,000 visitors annually. Many people from around the country who come to see the new Greensburg have fond memories of the old well. The visitors center, which has been a long time in the making, is a labor of love and stands as a tribute to the past, present, and future.   

4 Urban Sustainability Projects You've Never Heard Of

In this edition of our Living Green Around the Globe blog series, we have some help from a guest writer. Ashley Halligan is a facility management software analyst, with whom we first became acquainted when she wrote the article Occupant Behavior: Five Keys to Meeting Environmental Performance Goals, which is discussed in our After LEED, Then What? blog article earlier this year. Check out Ashley's new article below on some hidden gems found in sustainable communities around the world.

Cities across the globe, some long known for their sustainability efforts and others far lesser known, are coming up with some innovative strategies to become global leaders in sustainability and high-performance facilities. New cities are being built from the ground up with a design focus on state-of-the-art environmental efficiency, while others are investing in full-fledged makeovers.

Whether addressing a trash crisis or upping the ante on efficient public transit systems, these changes are being led by everyone from government officials to frustrated residents and even guerrilla gardening groups. Here are four cities with unique sustainability efforts–and what these creative efforts entail.

Songdo, South Korea

Literally a brand spankin’ new city, Songdo is an aerotropolis built atop South Korean swampland 40 miles from Seoul and seven miles from Incheon International airport. As part of President Lee Myung-bak’s 38-billion dollar stimulus package encouraging green and low-carbon growth, Songdo is the first city in the world to have all of its facilities meet or exceed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) requirements.

Perhaps more impressive are the city’s contents, which includes the Northeast Asia Trade Tower (the tallest building in the country) and 40-percent open space, encompassing a 100-acre Central Park.

 Photo of Songdo, South Korea courtesy of welix.

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New Sustainable Resources!

Ever wonder what LEED is all about and how it could be beneficial to you?  What about needing a good solid reason to start incorporating sustainable features in your own home?  We have added two new links to our Green Resource page under the headings Green Building Products & Construction Resources and Financial Programs, Grants and Incentives.  The articles bring you some great information on the benefits of LEED construction and a concept called "Green Mortgages" to help you see how sustainability can fit into your life.

Here are the direct links to both articles:

LEED Construction: Building a Brighter Future (link removed upon request)

Guide to Green Mortgages / Energy Efficient Mortgages

Join the GreenTown Team!

Greensburg GreenTown is looking for two new AmeriCorps interns for the 2012-2013 season. If you are interested in sustainability, making a difference, and having unique and enriching experiences, head on over to our job listing on Idealist.org to learn more and apply to be a GreenTown Project Manager!

Looking Back and Moving Forward

As we approach the 5-year anniversary of the tornado in Greensburg, we reflect on the town's history and how far it has come in the past 5 years.  While Greensburg experienced a grave tragedy, it has rebounded and continues to build and grow.  For visitors who see Greensburg now it may be difficult to understand the destruction the town endured.  One way for people to appreciate how truly far the town has come since May 2007 is through images.  Google Earth is a tool that allows you to view aerial pictures of almost the entire world.  To use Google Earth, simply go to this link to download it for free.  You can “Fly To” where ever you would like.  If you “Fly To” Greensburg, Kansas, you will see a view of the town from as recently as October of last year.  If you click the year “1996” at the bottom of the page, you will be given the option to see views of Greensburg from a variety of different years.  This overhead view of the town certainly cannot convey the personal journeys of the residents of Greensburg, but it begins to give an idea of the dramatic changes the community has experienced.  Five years after the tornado we look back on the destruction it left in its wake, but also see the hope of rebuilding and the renewal of spirit fostered by the resilient people of Greensburg, Kansas.

Aerial images of Greensburg from 2006, 2007, and 2011

All Bottled Up!

As we mentioned in an earlier blog article, Victor Lorente Miralles has been helping GreenTown develop educational material for a Spanish-speaking audience. He has been busy creating Spanish versions of our GreenTour Book, as well as the Sustainable Building Database. Most recently Victor has reviewed a new Argentinean multipurpose packaging system. Check out his review below in both English and Spanish!

by Victor Lorente Miralles

In most countries it is easier to throw away plastic packaging than to re-use or recycle it, and sadly, these packages are accumulating in our landfills. Today I want to introduce you to the Argentinean EMIUM system (Modular Interconnectable Multipurpose  Packaging), a revolutionary system that will help us take care of our environment.

Image courtesy of emium.com.ar

This innovative packaging is very different from the classic plastic bottle. It completely changes the concept of packaging by providing multipurpose solutions and applications once the product has been consumed. After being used as a regular plastic bottle, it can be utilized for decoration, leisure or construction purposes.

The plastic container can also be used for entertainment and transformed into building toys that can develop children’s creativity. For decoration, empty bottles can be utilized as shelves or any  other type of furniture.

Images courtesy of emium.com.ar

This system can also be applied to the construction field to create panels that allow light to pass through the walls, constituting itself as a thermal isolating structure. To create a stronger structure, the revolutionary plastic bottles can be filled with sand or soil. This allows for the bottle to be used in place of regular bricks.

Image courtesy of emium.com.ar

By using this system at home or your workplace, you can contribute to the re-use of a material that is accumulating in our landfills worldwide. Thanks to this new design, plastic bottles now have an innovative, fun, and environmental friendly way to be re-used.

For more on the EMIUM system please check out their website. You can also check out an explanation of the system by Louis Pittau, one of the inventors or a juice commercial using the EMIUM bottles.

En la mayoría de los países es más fácil tirar el envase de plástico que recolectarlo y reutilizarlo. Estos envases se acaban acumulando en vertederos. Desde Argentina nos llega EMIUM (Envase Modular Interconectable de Usos Múltiples).

Este sistema de envase innovador se aleja de la clásica botella de plástico y cambia por completo el concepto de envase y almacenamiento proporcionando múltiples usos, soluciones y aplicaciones una vez consumido el producto. Tras su utilización como envase, a la botella de plástico se le puede dar un uso tanto lúdico, ornamental, decorativo como constructivo.

Como uso recreativo, los envases pueden utilizarse como juguetes o piezas de lego utilizando la imaginación para crear distintas formas. En decoración las botellas vacías se pueden utilizar como estanterías o muebles.

Aplicando este sistema a la construcción podemos conseguir paneles que proporcionan el paso de la luz por el paramento constituyendo a su vez una estructura termo-aislante. Rellenos de arena o de tierra obtenemos una mayor resistencia empleándose como fábrica de obra.

Así pues empleando este sistema ya sea en nuestro hogar o empresa contribuimos a una reutilización de un material que se suele acumular en grandes cantidades en vertederos. Dándole al clásico envase de plástico otra salida más innovadora, divertida y respetuosa con el medioambiente.

Para más información sobre el sistema EMIUM por favor, echa un vistazo a su página web. También puedes ver una explicación del sistema por Luis Pittau, uno de los inventores o un jugo de comerciales usando las botellas EMIUM.

Oh Beautiful

Today's article is dedicated to the memory of Jean Astle, who passed away last week in Pratt, Kansas. Our friend Jean delighted in her garden, and there is a certain symmetry that her memorial service coincided with the installation of the demonstration garden project in Greensburg.

Barbara helps some of the Girl Scouts plant peppers.It was a beautiful Girl Scout weekend in Greensburg. Over 1,200 girls and their families and leaders - plus a large contingent of scouting alumnae - spent their 100th anniversary celebration with us. Many of Greensburg's streets were closed to through traffic so that our visitors could freely walk around the community, tour various projects, enjoy drugstore fountain refreshments at the Commons, shop, play on inflatable play equipment, and perform community service. We met a lot of delightful girls and made a host of new friends from the Kansas Heartland scouting organization.

GreenTown's Silo Eco-Home was one of the hubs of activity in town and the site of a large service project. Our staff Sarah Thyparambil and Barbara Summers did an extraordinary job of organizing the demonstration garden that the girls planted on Saturday. They worked closely with Girl Scouts Membership Specialist Becky Ayers, whose enthusiasm infused the project from the outset. Ruth Ann Wedel, who serves as Site Manager for the Silo home, did a remarkable job of recruiting folks to help get the yard ready and others to serve as volunteers the day of the event. (At the end of this article you'll find a roster of our amazing helpers and sponsors and donors - it's a long list!) Words cannot possibly do justice to express our gratitude to staff and volunteers who made this project run like a finely-tuned machine.

Girls plant flowers in the Girl Scout Trefoil-shaped planterWhen the girls first checked into town, they were given reusable bags to carry during their stay. Each bag included a beautifully-designed seed tag (thanks to the artistry of Sarah Thyparambil) that the girls could personalize to make their carry-all identifiable. Girls have the option to plant the tags at home and watch the flowers grow!

Girls arrived at the Silo House lot and were greeted at the first station by volunteers who talked about the importance of gardening and got the girls excited about being a part of history. (We always tell visitors that Greensburg is being rebuilt on a foundation of generosity, and the Girl Scouts are now part of that foundation.) The girls went to the next station and picked up their plant and a tag they filled in with the plant name. At the next table they picked up garden gloves and trowels, and then got to work adding their items to the raised bed garden area. Staff and volunteers guided them to the appropriate bed for their planting experiences. Of note is a beautiful flower area in the shape of the Girl Scout trefoil emblem! (Becky Ayers' brilliant idea was implemented by the Frame-It-All company, who provided the raised beds which are crafted from recycled plastic and natural fibers.)

Vining petunias grow in a found-object planter.

Girls were also invited to show their artistic flair with sidewalk chalk in the street next to the Silo House. It was heartening to see lots of variations of "go green". They could also braid their own beautiful jump ropes from recycled fabric.

In the GreenTown lot to the east of the garden, the Wendland family set up their petting zoo, complete with goats, a miniature horse, chickens, and assorted other barnyard critters. The animals were a big hit with the girls. (The set-up was such a success that the Wendlands will be back next Saturday for Anniversary Weekend!)

The weather couldn't have been more beautiful, and it was a wonderful gift to have the energy of so many caring girls and young women infuse the community at one time. We will be forever grateful that Forever Green came to Greensburg. We look forward to many of these Girl Scouts returning to town in the years ahead to check on their garden project.

Here's that list of donors and tireless volunteers:

DONORS

Frame-It-All ~ Clif Bar ~ Stutzmans Greenhouse (Hutchinson) ~ Benton's Greenhouse (Newton) ~ Southwest Nursery-Landscaping (Dodge City) ~ Nature's Corner Greenhouse (Dodge City) ~ Dillons (Pratt) ~ Walmart (Pratt)~ Walmart (Hutchinson) ~ Skaggs Ace Hardware (Pratt) ~ Tractor Supply Company (Dodge City) ~ Waters True Value Hardware (Dodge City) ~ City of Joplin Recycling Center

SEED TAG DONORS

Jean Beeley ~ Kathleen Barber ~ Carol Panzer ~ Beth Kershner ~ Phyllis Brown ~ Carol Montgomery ~ Ruth Hayse ~ Nancy DeGarmo ~ Linda Fegley ~ Barbara Allen ~ Barbara Fetters ~ Sue McGuire ~ Donna Hobbs ~ Judy Conyac ~ Valorie Gean ~ Vivien Elliot ~ Beverly Baker

VOLUNTEERS - GARDEN PREP AND PLANTING DAY

Rex Butler ~ Joan Hayse ~ Ron Shank ~ Matt Deighton ~ spring break students from George Washington University ~ Carol Montgomery ~ Betty Jo Russell ~ Cinda Morehead ~ David White's math class and Travis Powell's wight lifting class from Kiowa County Schools ~ Wanda Booth ~ Dana Trummel ~ City of Greensburg ~ Janice Adamson ~ Nathan Adamson ~ Tom Kotch ~ Girl Scout GreenTeen Volunteers ~ Randy Rinker