12 Greenest Cars of 2009

If I had it my way, we’d all travel around town on horseback. But as much as I like to dream of a time when grass was sufficient fuel, that’s hardly a feasible mode of transportation in an age of advanced technology and long daily commutes. Still, there are plenty of green (well, greener) options for the environmentally conscious. Ever since that sad day when General Motors crushed the last EV1, automobile companies have taken strides in the right direction to create vehicles that cause the planet less harm. So, if you’re due for a new ride, consider one of the most eco-friendly cars released this year.

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Current Water Use on the Great Plains is Unsustainable

Don't we know it...

WASHINGTON – A new climate change report warns of more extreme weather marked by heat waves, droughts and heavy rainfall for Oklahoma and other Great Plains states. Released by the Obama administration, the report states that climate change already is having visible impacts on the U.S. “It tells us why remedial action is needed sooner rather than later, as well as showing why that action must include both global emissions reductions to reduce the extent of climate change and local adaptation measures to reduce the damage from the changes that are no long avoidable,’’ said John Holden, assistant to President Obama for Science and Technology and director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Key findings include: More frequent and intense heat waves, which will increase threat to human health; increased heavy rainfall, which will lead to more flooding, waterborne diseases and negative effects on agriculture; insect infestations; more wildfires; and a rise in sea level, which will result in coastal flooding and lost land. The report was described as the first in a decade to break down impacts by region.

For the Great Plains region, which covers Texas north through the Dakotas to the Canadian border, the report says temperatures are projected to continue to increase. In addition to heat waves, droughts and heavy rains, the report said the region’s already threatened water resources could be impacted even more. That, it states, could affect activities such as ranching as well as the health and prosperity of residents. Milder winters and earlier springs could encourage a greater number and earlier emergence of more pests, the report stated. Withdrawals from a major aquifer, which supplies most of the water used in the Great Plains, are already outpacing its natural recharge. “Current water use on the Great Plains is unsustainable,’’ the report warns.

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Water-wise Car Washing

Taking your car to the local car wash instead of washing it at home might seem like a guilty pleasure, but from an environmental perspective it is often the better choice.
When you wash your car in the driveway or street, contaminants such as grease and brake dust (as well as the detergent itself) flow into storm sewers, which discharge directly into our waterways. Car washes, on the other hand, are required to drain their water into sanitary sewers (which direct sewage to treatment facilities) or to filter and reuse it on-site.

Water efficiency is also a benefit of many commercial car washes. An analysis by the Maryland Department of the Environment found that car washes use approximately 50 to 75 gallons of water per car (assuming the water is not being recycled); using the self-service bay consumes only 15 gallons. A typical garden hose, on the other hand, which has an average flow rate of seven gallons per minute, would exceed a car wash’s water consumption after two minutes compared with the self-service bay or seven minutes compared with the automated wash if the hose were left running.
If you don’t live near a car wash, here are some ways to clean your car in an ecological way:

• Wash on gravel, grass, or another permeable surface. Grass and gravel help filter contaminants from your wash water so they don’t end up in the storm sewer.
• Use a water-saving hose nozzle. A nozzle with adjustable spray settings and automatic shut-off can save as much as 70 gallons per wash.
• Use the right soap. Choose a biodegradable soap that is chlorine- and phosphate-free. Avoid dish soap, which could remove your car’s wax finish.
• Use “gray” water. If you use biodegradable detergents in your home, and local regulations allow, you can wash your car with the water that drains from your washing machine or dishwasher. You can also use captured rain water.
• Dump your dirty soap bucket into a sink or toilet. These drain into the sanitary sewer (instead of the storm sewer).
• Consider waterless wash products. Several companies have developed nontoxic car cleaners that require no water; they are designed to be sprayed on and wiped off with a soft towel.

Faith 7, GO Computers team up to help environment

Sustainable Shawnee's very own, Chris Geer and Chris Odneal, in the news....

Workers at the Faith 7 Activity Center have benefited the local community in a number of ways in the 33 years since the center opened, but recently, their contributions have widened their reach to include benefits to the global community.

"At least 90 percent of what our workers do is recycle, reuse," Rick Gowin, Faith 7 director, said. "Ten percent is putting washers and nuts on bolts for Fastenal," a Shawnee company. In March, the recycle, reuse percentage gained an e-waste boost after Chris Geer and Chris Odneal, co-owners of GO Computer Systems, spoke with Gowin and others about how the two entities could help one another and help the environment at the same time.

"My grandfather was a processor of e-waste and tried to get me involved," Geer said. "As an individual, I wasn't into it. But we get volume and with volume comes opportunity. We mentioned that taking apart the hardware we receive was something Faith 7 workers could do." Geer and Odneal receive many used computers, parts and accessories in their line of work and understand that several components of those items are reusable in some way. "Reusing has a lot more gain than recycling," Geer said. "There's just a lot of things that can be reused."

After joining Sustainable Shawnee during a membership drive, Go Computers helped set up a program with Faith 7 where the center collects most of the e-materials, disassembles and sorts the various parts and sells them. "We started with about 40 computers from McLoud to recycle," Gowin said. "We separated what we wanted our workers to do and they stepped up and took to it right away." Geer said the Faith 7 workers contribute a lot to the environmental efforts. "Faith 7 does the majority," Geer said.

After the donation from McLoud, Kickapoo Indian Health Center donated a 40-foot trailer full of computers, printers, and more, Gowin said. "The workers tore it down in about a week," Gowin said. "They really enjoy it and all the money stays with Faith 7." In addition to the benefits seen by those who need a place to discard this type of item and the benefits seen by workers, the environment also profits. "It's a win-win for everybody," Gowin said. "Most of the parts are sellable and we sell the pieces once we have enough and use it to pay the workers for their work. Some are able to do so many they can make more than minimum wage. We don't need to make money, if we can break even, we're doing good."

For information regarding donations accepted by Faith 7, call Christina Knight at 275-4223, or visit 301 S. Kennedy. Faith 7 business hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For information regarding donations accepted by GO Computers, call 214-6090 or visit 6 W. Main.

Oklahoma Local Foods Week 2009

Sustainable Green Country and a host of other groups are encouraging their fellow Oklahomans to join them in celebrating "Local Foods Week" during the week of June 14-21, 2009, pronouncing that local food is a valuable economic asset for the state of Oklahoma. Gov. Brad Henry has made the event official this year by means of a proclamation.

Created by Sustainable Green Country's Buy Fresh Buy Local initiative, Local Foods Week festivities will highlight local family farms and farmers' markets hosting a variety of events, including community garden tours, a farm table dinner, cooking demonstrations, a scavenger hunt for children, a salsa making contest, canning classes, on-the-farm cheese making class with tour, and more. In addition, there will be a special screening of the film "FRESH". FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system.

Buying local strengthens the local food and farm economy, improves health and revitalizes rural and urban communities. Tulsa metro-area residents spent $2.2 billion on food in 2004. If just five percent of those dollars were redirected to buying local food, this would mean an additional $110 million dollars stays in the Oklahoma economy. For more information on Local Foods Week, visit http://www.buyfreshbuylocalok.com/.

Sustainable Shawnee and Allied Waste help SYAA Recycle at the Ball fields

With the assistance of Allied Waste, Buford White Lumber, and Sustainable Shawnee, SYAA is now recycling plastic bottles at the ball fields north of the YMCA. “We noticed the huge volumes of plastic bottles going into the trash during the baseball season and really wanted to do something about it this year so we contacted Sustainable Shawnee.” says Sarah Oliver with SYAA.

Thanks to Allied Waste and Buford White several of the recycling bins and the recycling service have been provided free of charge. “Allied Waste agreed to locate a large container for plastic at the ball fields to make it easier on the kids and parents to recycle.” says Shawna Turner, President of Sustainable Shawnee. “We’re very pleased with the project and hope to repeat it again next year.”
Sustainable Shawnee has recently received a grant from the Junior Service League to conduct Event Recycling in our community. Sustainable Shawnee’s first activity will be Jazz in June on June 13th downtown. If you are planning an event or are responsible for sporting activities in Shawnee and would like to recycle, contact Sustainable Shawnee at http://www.sustainableshawnee.org/ and we’ll be happy to help!

Sustainable Shawnee Gets Trashy!

Sustainable Shawnee visited Greenstar Recycling in Oklahoma City in April. Greenstar, formerly known as Midland Recycling, accepts most of the recyclables collected from the Shawnee recycling program. We had a great visit and learned a lot about what items can be recycled as well as how they should be prepared before dropping them off at the Homeland center. With the new information, we're finalizing a 'How-to Recycle in Shawnee' that should be ready soon. Cody has posted her photos from the trip online. Use the user name: recycling and the password: trash for access.

Post your comments and questions about the visit below. We'll get back to you!

Sustainable Shawnee in the News!

On April 24th, Sustainable Shawnee was presented by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board with a check for $4,450 to conduct water education in Shawnee. Several Sustainable Shawnee members were on hand at the City Hall to enjoy the moment along with Rep. Kris Steele, Sen. Charlie Laster and Mayor Linda Peterson. Thanks to everyone for a job well done!

Shawnee's Water Conservation Program would focus on three areas: Public Awareness, Youth Education, and Low-Water Landscaping. The grant will support elementary school field trips, a college-level seminar, a native plant park and drip irrigation project, and public water conservation education. Sustainable Shawnee will collaborate with several partners including the City of Shawnee, the Oklahoma Dept. of Environmental Quality, the Shawnee Council of Garden Clubs and local schools to carry out the Campaign this spring and fall called, "Water: Use it Wisely." The Shawnee Council of Garden Clubs has already begun work on the native plants and drip irrigation garden on the corner of Broadway and Main St. We'll keep you posted!

Fight Water Pollution in Your Own Backyard!

Union of Concerned Scientists
Greentips: April 2009

When rain falls faster than the ground can absorb it, it runs off into storm drains along with any contaminants in its path, such as oil and grease, de-icing salts, heavy metals, pesticides, and bacteria from trash and animal waste. The Environmental Protection Agency reports that urban runoff—in which 77 of 127 key pollutants have been detected—is one of the largest sources of water contamination nationwide.

We can all help minimize the problem of storm water runoff by planting rain gardens—6- to 12-inch-deep depressions filled with native plants. Rain gardens can capture hundreds of gallons of rainwater, filtering out up to 90 percent of pollutants while allowing the water to drain deep enough into the soil to help recharge groundwater supplies.

Whether you undertake this project on your own or with a landscaper, here are some factors to consider when planning a rain garden:

• Location. Site your rain garden where rain and snowmelt collect or run off—near downspouts or gutters, below a slope, or along sidewalks and driveways. However, avoid planting a rain garden within 10 feet of your home’s foundation, within a septic system’s drainage field, or above buried utility lines.


• Size. The square footage of your rain garden should generally be about 20 percent that of the area draining into it. For example, if your roof covers 800 square feet, a rain garden designed to collect all of the roof’s runoff should cover 160 square feet. To capture runoff most efficiently, a rain garden should be longer than it is wide, and aligned perpendicular to the slope.


• Materials. Rain gardens use layers of different materials to help maximize drainage. The bottom layer typically features an “underdrain” (e.g., a piece of perforated PVC pipe) pointed toward an existing storm drain and covered with gravel. The next layer is the planting medium, which should be a mix of about 20 percent compost, 50 percent sand, and 30 percent topsoil. A final layer of mulch helps prevent weeds and removes metals from runoff.


• Plant choice. Native plants are best because they establish deeper roots (which help the soil hold water), can withstand the local climate, need minimal care, and attract local butterfly and bird populations. See the Related Resources for a list of plants native to your region. And, if your rain garden is near a street treated with salt in the winter, ask your local nursery for salt-tolerant plants.

For more information on how to make your own rain garden, visit http://www.ucsusa.org/publications/greentips/

On Earth Day and Every Day of the Year...

Earth Day is a great opportunity to celebrate environmental progress and cultivate new strategies to continue protecting the Earth. On Earth Day and the other 364 days of the year, we can all help to foster a healthier environment through our actions, including:

• Saving energy
• Reducing, reusing, and recycling
• Conserving water
• Planting trees
• Teaching kids to respect the environment