Going Green Memphis 10-2-11

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GOING GREEN | October 2011
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FROM THE EDITOR
A time to reflect on the positive

I think the Greenline is doing what we hoped it would. Its bringing people out to the Greenline that are dusting off bikes (that are) 20 years old or 30 years old or older. Most of the people who use the Greenline are not training for an Iron Man triathlon. Its not just the Spandex crowd on the bikes. Tom Grimes, vice chairman of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy Just two years ago, Memphis was lambasted as one of the worst biking communities in the nation. What a difference a year (or two makes) - just last month, our city picked up two honors from a national bike association as a result of the changes we have made in our policies and community - and the Greenline is a big part of that change. Weve only just begun this journey on the path to a better connected community and a healthier Memphis. Funding and plans are in place to expand the greenways in the area and add miles and miles of bike lanes to the roads. All thanks to innovative leaders and activists who saw the potential and acted on it. Happy Birthday, Greenline.
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Editor: Kim Coleman, 529-5243, goinggreen@commercialappeal.com Community Editor: Emily Adams Keplinger, keplinger@commercialappeal.com
The Commercial Appeal
October 2011 | GOING GREEN
Whats in this issue ...

LOCAL NEWS
22 25 28
Teach your children well: Germantown family puts this motto into practice with daily life Birds, bees, bats, butterflies, beetles and more play a key role as pollinators Profile on the new director for WRC
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Wild about the line

In the year since the Shelby Farms Greenline opened, Memphians experience the benefits to health, community and business.
SPORTS
BUSINESS
FOOD
Henna artist hopes to turn passion for art, natural resources into full-time gig. PAGE 32
Local businessman brings sustainable practices to sporting goods market. PAGE 38
Farm Girls help clients put farm fresh right in their own backyard. PAGE 40
On the cover: Bike riders glide down the newly paved Shelby Farms Greenline last year just prior to its official opening on October 5, 2010. Photo by Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal files.
Micro Greens...
Fallen Fruit tracks trees in urban areas

The project that began as a way to document fruit trees on public property, has become a wide-spread effort to build community with fresh fruit across the world. The Fallen Fruit website and various social media pages feature information on communal jam-making sessions, fruit tree tours and iniatives to plant fruit trees in the Southern California area. They partnered with Islands of LA on Love Apples the installation of seventy tomato plants on twelve traffic islands in LA, carefully tracked to see which thrive and which perish, and harvested in August. Love Apples is an early European name for the tomato, which they considered to be aphrodisiacs. The tomatoes were planted on unoccupied and irrigated public space, and nothing was destroyed or removed in placing them. The project was a test of the definition and use of public space in the city of Los Angeles, imaging new ways in which such spaces could be utilized for the enjoyment of all. To see the maps, photos and to read more information about Fallen Fruit, go to fallenfruit.org.
Green Snap...
Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal
Market shifts with the season

Jane Mpayimana with the Urban Farms Market waters mums, trying to coax the plants to bloom. The community market, established in the spring on Broad Avenue at Tillman Street, hopes to stay open five days a week through the fall and winter, shifting from summer fare of fruits and greens to more root veggies, pumpkins and garden supplies.
Interested in sharing your green experiences: a bike ride on the Greenline, a successful recycling project or a neighborhood cleanup? Do you have a stunning nature photo? Send your green snapshots to goinggreen@commercialappeal.com with "Green Snaps" in the subject line. E-mail photos as JPEGs that are 1-2 MB in size and include complete caption information, including the full names of everyone featured in the photo. Be sure to include a contact phone number in case we have questions.
The Green Page...

Slow Gardening with Felder Rushing
October 18 at Memphis Botanic Gardens, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Author, gardener and Commercial Appeal columnist Felder Rushing will discuss and sign his new book, 'Slow Gardening: A No-Stress Philosophy for All Senses and Seasons.' Admission is $8 for garden members and $10 for non-members. No reservations are required. Call (901) 636-4128.
MIchael Donahue/The Commercial Appeal files
Ryan Trimm is chef and co-owner of Sweet Grass in Cooper Young.
Trough Planting Workshop

October 22 at Dixon Gallery and Gardens, 10:30 a.m. Learn how to plant small conifers, sedums and native plants in a trough, as Dale Skaggs demonstrates proper container planting. Guests can bring own containers. Plants and potting soil will be furnished. Reservations are required. $50 for members and $60 for non-members.
Events
Full Circle: Autumn Harvest Dinner with Chef Ryan Trimm
October 3, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Join the Cooper Young Community Farmer's Market for a homegrown dinner prepared by chef Ryan Trimm of Project Green Fork-certified restaurant Sweet Grass. All food cooked will be from local farms and the farmers will be present so you can get to know them and their fall harvests. Cost is $60 plus tax and gratuity. To make reservations, call Sweet Grass at (901) 278-0278. All proceeds will benefit the Cooper Young Community Farmer's Market.
Paddle the Wolf River Ghost Section, Fall Color Trip

October 30 at Bateman Bridge on Wolf River, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Take a ride down the Ghost section of the Wolf River. For more information, contact Charlie Bright at charlie.bright2010@gmail.com. To reserve your spot, call Kimberly Thomas at officemanager@wolfriver.org by 3 p.m. on October 26.
GrowMemphis Harvest Party

October 15 at Green Leaf Learning Farm on 590 Jennette Place, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Celebrate the opening of Green Leaf Learning Farm with a ribbon cutting ceremony and get to know all the volunteers and members involved with the many community
Compromise on Madison bike lanes

Memphis has received a lot of praise and attention in recent weeks about its commitment to bicycles. We've created a great asset with the Shelby Farms Greenline. We even have a local investor backing a new electric bike. With all the good things we are doing to provide cyclists with accessible and safe places to ride, something continues to puzzle me: Why would we want dedicated bicycle lanes on a street like Madison? This street is dominated by miles of commercial businesses that could not be physically or practically supported by cyclists, including groceries, cleaners, beauty salons, doctors, photography studios and gas stations. The people running these businesses and providing not only services but muchneeded jobs in this economy, stand to suffer greatly if dedicated lanes are implemented. Many of these businesses have been on Madison for years because they provide good, quality service. Traffic to these businesses would be reduced, not enhanced. All these business owners want is a compromise with shared lanes instead of dedicated ones. Why aren't other streets with less commercial tenants being more seriously considered? North Parkway, a wider street with access to Overton Park and the zoo, a college, schools and residences, would be a better choice. Hop on it and you can pedal all the way to Downtown if you want. Plan dedicated lanes where they make sense for everyone, please. Maria Aviotti, Memphis
FROM THE GOING GREEN BLOGGERS
Josephine Alexander: Fall is here, and several community gardens are harvesting sweet potatoes. For first-time growers of sweet potatoes, its hard to know what to expect when you finally part the leaves and dig down into the soil. But pulling this buried treasure from the earth is marvelous for children and adults, no matter how many times you have done it before. I will never get over the wonder of finding
these dense packages of food hidden in the ground, just below the surface. I am amazed to think that while I have been going about my daily life, the sweet potatoes have been growing quietly. All in all, the sweet potato is a relatively maintenance free addition to the garden, and an essential addition to the table.
Read weekly posts at commercialappeal.com/ going green
Going social
For daily updates related to green issues, follow Going Green on Twitter at twitter.com/gogreen memphis and check us out on Facebook by searching Going Green Memphis.
In case you missed it...

Midtown gem: Survey praises Overton Park, security a concern
Published on Sept. 2, 2011
They love the Levitt Shell, the Memphis Zoo and the old-growth forest, but participants in a survey about Overton Park also want to see improved security and a crackdown on litter and illegal activity. Nearly 1,700 people took part in a survey designed to identify goals for improving the 342-acre park in Midtown. The organization behind the survey a collection of park tenants, users and advocates known as the Overton Park Conservancy Working Group is exploring a new arrangement for managing the facility. It would involve a partnership in which the city of Memphis retains ownership but management would be turned over to a private, nonprofit conservancy. That arrangement similar to ones already in effect at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis and Central Park in New York would reduce the parks burden on the city and its taxpayers while opening up private fundraising opportunities to pay for improvements, members of the working group say. The survey results will be compiled into a case statement to be presented to the City Council, which would have to approve any agreement providing for a management change. They also will help shape a long-range strategic plan for the park. I think the main surprise was how enthusiastic people were to take (the survey), said Naomi Van Tol, president of the Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, one of the groups represented in the committee. Asked to list the problems that need to be addressed, the greatest proportion of respondents 32 percent cited safety and security. Another 24 percent mentioned litter, and 22 percent complained about illegal activity everything from drunkenness to illicit sex. Many of the respondents elaborated about their love for the park. Its an incredible park in the middle of the city, one wrote.
SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS The top five responses, by percent of those mentioning them, to the question What do you love about Overton Park? Levitt Shell: 43 percent Memphis Zoo: 40 percent Old Forest: 35 percent Brooks Museum: 34 percent Greensward and open green spaces: 32 percent The five leading responses to the question What problems must be addressed? Safety/security: 32 percent Litter: 24 percent Illegal activity: 22 percent Parking/traffic: 18 percent Maintenance (lack of): 17 percent
- Tom Charlier: (901) 529-2572
Farm to fork
Fundraiser puts emphasis on locally owned business, food
Thomas Robinson, who authors the popular Eat Local Memphis blog (eatlocalmemphis.org), puts a great deal of thought into supporting local businesses, specifically restaurants. Its one way for us to maintain a unique cultural identity, in the same way that our local music and art make us different from all the other cities, he says. Robinson believes the money consumers put into local businesses creates a ripple effect. That money is put back into the community at a much higher rate than by a business that is located elsewhere. He went to Project Green Forks first Loving Local Fall Fundraiser last year, and is attending again this year. Robinson feels Project Green Fork, in helping local restaurants become more environmentally friendly, is making Memphis a better place. Anyone interested in learning more about supporting small businesses and the local food scene is invited to attend the second annual Loving Local Fall Fundraiser from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2 at South Front and G.E. Patterson under the MATA pavilion (site of the Memphis Farmers Market). We created an event that we think appeals to a wide variety of Memphians, said Margot McNeeley, executive director of Project Green Fork. The ticket cost is low, and the returns are high, so hopefully well attract a lot of people. Tickets are $30 each, and
Whats in season
Courtesy of Margot McNeeley
Beer from Ghost River is among the local products being served at Loving Local.
guests will enjoy food from a number of PGF-certified restaurants, plus free wine and Ghost River beer. There will be pork sliders, portobello mushroom sliders and homemade chips from Central BBQ; Felicia Suzannes Salmon Deviled Eggs and Cornmeal Tarts filled with Cheddar and 5 Pepper Jelly; Hueys potato soup; Charlie Vergos Rendezvous vegetarian red beans and rice; Fuel Cafs vegetarian chili cheese fries; and YoLo frozen yogurt. Edible Memphis is providing kegs of Ghost River beer, and Athens Distributors is serving a selection of organic wines. The venue, the food and the cause all make for a fantastic way to spend a Sunday afternoon, says Melissa Petersen, editor of Edible Memphis and a columnist for The Commercial Appeal. Tickets can be purchased online at projectgreenfork.org ($1 service fee), at Victory Bicycle Studio (2294 Young Avenue), and at the door.
Apples Pears Tomatoes Watermelons Peppers Squash
Pumpkins Gourds Mustard greens Collard greens Kale Bok choy
Broccoli Arugula Mesclun mix Baby lettuces Radishes Sweet potatoes
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Excavations show whats really down in the dumps
Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal files
Bernard Cosby empties two overflowing recycling containers outside a home recycling paper cuts down on the biggest component in a landfill.
THE SCIENTISTS are fighting in the news again over global warming. A Nobel Prize-winning physicist resigned from the American Physical Society over its position that global warming is an "incontrovertible" fact. Lots of angry technical things were said back and forth that I do not understand. And I think I'm not going to spend a lot of energy
DEANNA CASWELL Practically Green
trying to understand, because global warming isn't the main reason I try to live green. Waste bothers me, whether or not it's affecting the planetary temperature. Landfills especially bother me. That's where I really want to put my energy, but I was confused about how to have the greatest impact on my landfill contribution.
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Bill Rathje, an archaeologist from Arizona, has spent the past few decades excavating landfills. His findings have changed the way I feel about my trash. Biodegradables don't really biodegrade in a landfill. After 20 years in the landfill, a third or more of the organic material is still recognizable. Rathje found decades-old hot dogs that still looked like hot dogs. He also determined that we throw away more than one-tenth of our once-edible food. It's not mostly peelings in the landfill; it's decent food that spoiled on us before we got to it. Ways to avoid contributing to the landfill slurry: Avoid buying seldom-eaten items that tend to spoil in the fridge. Compost plant-based peelings at home. Find a chicken to eat the rest. The biggest component in landfills is paper. I thought it would be plastics! Paper is almost half of the landfill waste. And since there's very little biodegrading going on, it's really important to recycle and compost your paper products. It's a pain to tear up that cardboard or rescue that paper label, but it's definitely worth it. Ways to avoid contributing paper trash to the landfill: Reduce and reuse the paper that comes into the house. Send every recyclable scrap to the curb. Compost the rest (like used paper plates and towels.) The second biggest component in landfills is construction/demolition debris. Again, I thought it would be
plastics. Nope. Second place goes to that screened porch the neighbor just tore down. Or that carpet he just replaced. Ways to reduce our contribution to the construction/demolition debris: Be happy with the homes we already have. Restore something old before building something new. Reuse and recycle whatever materials we can. But, what about those plastics we've been avoiding like the plague? They come in fourth, behind metal. But unlike paper that takes ages to decompose, plastics never really go away, so let's don't switch back to them. Let's just take care of our paper mess better. Although plastics may not be the top component of the landfill, they're still a horrible issue in other areas of the environment, like waterways. Please keep reducing, reusing and recycling those plastics. So while the brightest minds in our country figure out what's really going on in the atmosphere, I'm happy to know what's really going on at the local dump. Being wasteful is an ungrateful way to live life, and I'm glad to have learned where we need to improve. Thank you to Bill Rathje (and his helpers) for all those years digging at the dump. I know it was gross, but it's sure a big help to the rest of us.
Deanna Caswell is a local writer who blogs at littlehouseinthesuburbs.com . Caswell and her husband, Jeff, live in Collierville. She practices eco-friendly living while raising their four children, along with pygmy goats and chickens.
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Overcooked, watery mush no way to enjoy summer squash

IM NOT SURE who eats all the summer squash that grows in the Mid-South, but it sure does flourish here. Ubiquitous at farmers markets, home gardens, restaurants and grocery stores, the mildflavored veggies MELISSA PETERSEN popularity still Eating Local, surprises Eating Green me. Unless it was buried in zucchini bread with lots of nuts and a slather of butter, it was never a favorite vegetable. But I am now a summer squash convert. My dislike was unfairly targeted at the fast-growing, heat- and humidity-loving Cucurbita pepo species. You cant blame the vegetable for tasting bad when its the cooking method that is at fault. We must stop overcooking squash!
Melissa Petersen/Special to Going Green
Theyre called summer squash, but crookneck, zucchini and other varieties are in season in the Mid-South until the first big frost.
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Crookneck, zucchini or pattypan, summer squash have firm flesh and soft, edible skins and need only a flash in the pan, on the grill or under some steam. Overcooking makes them watery, and that is the source of squash discord. We may call them summer squash, but theyll be in season locally until we get a good frost. Growing your own summer squash requires vigilance. A perfectly sized zucchini can explode in size seemingly overnight. Generally, you want zucchini to be in the 8-inch range (length) or less; and slightly smaller for crookneck. Pattypan should be less than 4 inches in diameter. If you can find the baby versions 2-inch baby zucchini or 1-inch baby pattypan snap them up. Theyre cute, and they take only seconds to cook. Whether from your own garden or a market, youre looking for firm, glossy, unblemished skins. Use them quickly. They will store only for a few days at the most. While squash can handle bold flavors from tomatoes, cheese, sauces and fresh herbs, the mild flavor of squash on its own is actually quite nice. A little olive oil, salt and pepper for a quick saut in a hot pan is all you need to enjoy this summer staple. Grilling, baking, steaming and frying are all options. Hueys serves squash alongside the grilled salmon and veggie plate; Just for Lunch stuffs them with spinach on its catering menu; and Curbside Casseroles offers a classic squash casserole each Tuesday and Thursday. Just say youre doing it for the environment. Reducing the cooking time of your summer squash saves a little gas or electricity and could potentially save the squash from becoming watery mush.
Melissa Petersen is the editor of Edible Memphis, a magazine that celebrates the abundance of local food, season by season. It is available at various locations around town. Contact her at ediblememphis.com.
Lemon-Squash Muffins
For muffins: 21/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 /3 cup granulated sugar 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda 1 /4 tsp. salt 2 cups yellow squash or zucchini (about lb.), grated and squeezed Zest from 1 lemon 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 large egg, lightly beaten 8 oz. plain yogurt For lemon syrup: 3 tbsp. granulated sugar Juice from 3 lemons 2 tbsp. water
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in squash and zest. Whisk oil, egg and yogurt together in a small bowl and add to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Scoop batter into paper-lined muffin pan. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven. While muffins are baking, in a small saucepan, combine syrup ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved and liquid is syrupy, 1-2 minutes. Prick muffin tops with a fork and brush with lemon syrup.
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Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal files
Cyclists using the Shelby Farms Greenline cross Highland avenue as cars stop at the cross walk. Looking back over the year, the Greenline is doing what planners intended help people health wise and build a sense of community.
A game changer
Memphians see variety of positive benefits after first year with Greenline
By Suzanne Thompson
Special to Going Green
AS CYCLISTS, RUNNERS AND WALKERS travel up and down the
Shelby Farms Greenline, many smiles are exchanged and there is a sense of conviviality. It is a friendly, friendly stretch of Memphis, said Tom Grimes, who uses the Greenline with his wife and twin daughters.
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Outdoors Inc. puts finishing touches on all-bike facility

Long before the Shelby County Greenline opened, helping stoke local enthusiasm for biking and hiking, Memphis had a strong cycling community, says Joe Royer, co-owner and president of Outdoors Inc. And for a long time, Outdoors Inc. has served that community. But the popular chain which serves the biking, hiking and paddling market is taking things to the next level, with plans to open a new all-bike facility on Poplar in East Memphis in August. The Greenline has brought a lot of attention to cycling, but Memphis has had a very strong bike culture for a long time, said Royer, who co-owns Outdoors Inc. with Lawrence Migliara. Senior manager Robin Kendall, who will manage the new building, said that while the East Memphis store sold bikes occasionally, there was not enough space in the existing store. Customers, she said have been clamoring daily for more bike products and services. A grand opening will be held this month, in time for the 25th anniversary of Outdoors Inc. Cyclecross Championship on Nov. 11. As people are getting more active, especially with cycling, they could go other places and purchase lower priced bikes, but maybe those bikes havent really met their needs because they werent fit properly, Kendall said. Royer expects it to have year-round business, because Memphis has a temperate climate. New staffers will be hired to custom fit, service, and repair bikes. For 37 years weve been seeing Memphians do these things climb these mountains, kayak these rivers, ride these bikes, Royer said. The success we have as a business is to not underestimate Memphis. Jonathan Devin
Kyle Kurlick/The Commercial Appeal files
Jordan Emerson assembles bikes to get ready for the opening for his new business, Greenline Rentals, a bike rental store on the greenline. It has been a boon for local business since its opening a year ago. Ryan Schell frequents the trail with his wife and three children. Schell said kids are crazy about their rides on the Greenline, during which the couples two younger children enjoy the scenery from three-wheel trailers attached to moms and dads bikes and their older child peddles along on his own cycle. Every weekend they want to go ride. Thats all they want to do, Schell said. Grimes said he was probably one of the Greenlines earliest users, as he watched anxiously while construction progressed on the project prior to its opening on Oct. 9, 2010. Thats because Grimes is also vice chairman of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, which owns and operates the Greenline. The Greenline is doing exactly what the planners intended, he said. It helps people health wise, as well as building a sense of community. From jump-starting community
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Brandon Dill/The Commercial Appeal files
Cheffie's Cafe shares space with a bicycle repair shop, a perfect fit for the restaurant's location near the greenline bike trail. The eatery is a regular stop for many hungry and thirsty people coming off the trail. development to boosting business at nearby restaurants and retail stores, the Greenline has been a boon for Memphis since its opening a year ago. Robert Montague, president of the Binghampton Development Corp., said because the Binghampton area is in view of the western mouth of the trail, more people have been able to see what is going on in that community, which has helped the community. I think ultimately, in a lot of ways, the trail has served as a relational connection from very diverse neighborhoods, he said. People who have never seen the area before have gotten a look at whats going on there, both positive and negative. People asked the city to deal with blight that is evident from the trail, Montague said. It has helped us with some new housing development projects in the neighborhood. Restaurants in close proximity to the Greenline have experienced an uptick in business as well. Bicycles can often be spotted near High Point Pub, Cheffies Cafe, Republic Coffee and other eateries close
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Memphis pedaling into bike honor roll of cycling league

Memphis received an honorable mention as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists in September. The honor is all the more noteworthy considering that just last year and in 2008 Bicycling magazine named Memphis among the worst cities in the nation for cycling. Since then, Mayor A C Wharton has elevated the issue by naming a bicycle/pedestrian coordinator for the city, and pledging to create 55 miles of new bike facilities by July 2012. So far, the city has established 30 new miles of bike facilities on North Watkins, Chelsea, South Parkway, Front, McLemore, Southern, Horn Lake, Trinity, Knight Arnold, Semmes, Wells Station, Airways and North Highland. Also, the Memphis cycling community has been energized by last falls opening of the Shelby Farms Greenline, a rails-totrail path connecting East Memphis to Shelby Farms Park. The League congratulates Memphis and all of our BFC winners for implementing successful, long-term bicycle plans and programs that provide quality of life improvements for their citizens, president Andy Clarke said. Being awarded an honorable mention reinforces that the efforts currently underway are truly making a difference, Wharton said in a prepared statement. The league also recognized Memphis City Hall as a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Business. The city of Memphis encourages its employees to cycle to work by providing showers, lockers and changing rooms. The city has also installed two bicycle racks outside City Hall for employees and others. Tom Bailey Jr.: (901) 529-2388
Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal files
Jeremy Merriwether, 10, (left) and Nicholas Young, 13, get suited up for their first bike ride on the Memphis to Shelby Farms Greenline. to the Greenline, as hungry and thirsty people come off the trail. They come in wanting a cold beer or a bottle of water, said Grady Gennings, one of the owners of the High Point Pub. During a period of time with a down economy, when youd expect business to possibly decline, weve in fact grown sales. Part of the Schell familys regular weekend routine is to stop by Cheffies for lunch on the way home. People are rediscovering their love of biking, said Jen Andrews, director of communications for the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy. The Greenline almost immediately became a part of peoples lives. Grimes agrees. I think the Greenline is doing what we hoped it would. Its bringing people out to the Greenline that are dusting off bikes (that are) 20 years old or 30 years old or older. Most of the people who use the
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Honorable mention is a start

We of the Greater Memphis Greenline are proud that, as you noted in your Sept. 17 editorial Cycling makes a sharp turn, Memphis has achieved an honorable mention from the League of American Bicyclists for our efforts to become a more bicycle-friendly city. The Greater Memphis Greenline was the organization that began negotiations with CSX six years ago that stopped CSX from selling its rail bed piecemeal, and allowed us to create a rail-to-trail that is now the Shelby Farms Greenline. Our organization is dedicated to creating an integrated nonmotorized transportation system throughout Memphis and Shelby County, and we look forward to the day when this first 6 miles becomes a trivial portion of our entire interlaced network. We are working on other projects, including Livable Memphis work to connect the Tillman terminus of the Greenline with the east side of Overton Park, as well as efforts to bike-lane the old Harahan Bridge, and the purchase of the remaining 7 miles of the CSX line to
extend the Greenline into Cordova. We are negotiating with the Union Pacific railroad to buy a 2-mile section of an unused rail bed along Chelsea and Firestone avenues, which will end very near Mud Island, which, together with a bike lane on McLean, will provide a safe route from Mud Island into the western side of Overton Park and then on to the Greenline and Shelby Farms. We are assessing the 400 miles of easements underneath electrical lines, and hope to prioritize them to begin developing bike lanes there. We also are assessing other unused rail lines within the city and county, to determine if any are appropriate for further development. When we have accomplished these projects, and others that will emerge through the years, property values will rise. If this extra tax money is routed to further increase and improve the nonmotorized bike lane trail system, it wont be too long before we get more than an honorable mention. Robert A. Schreiber, President, Board of Directors, Greater Memphis Greenline
Greenline are not training for an Iron Man triathlon. Its not just the Spandex crowd on the bikes, he said. According to Laura Adams, executive director of the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, an estimated 200,000 people have taken advantage of the Greenlines scenic 7-mile route over the past year. Providing a resource like the Greenline comes at a price, but not out of the taxpayers pockets. As officials at Shelby Farms Park Conservancy ramp up celebration plans for the first anniversary of the trails opening, they want the public to know why fundraising efforts, like the Greenline Half Marathon on Oct. 2, are necessary.
Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal
Teresa Addison, head of the Binghampton Neighborhood Watch and Barbara Hyde (left) cut the ribbon at the official opening of the Shelby Farms Greenline last October.
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The Commercial Appeal files
Life along Greenline: a new bike-pedestrian traffic signal is installed; Vitos offers tasty options for on the go; and a new mural in Memphis adorns the abandoned train tunnel along the Greenline.
The conservancy is responsible for the $160,000 in annual upkeep costs required for the trail, Adams said. I think people dont understand that the conservancy has to start from zero every year, Grimes said. In addition to private donations, membership fees are important to draw revenue for funding. Currently the conservancy has about 2,000 members, but the goal is 4,500, which would represent one member for each acre of the Shelby Farms, the largest private park in the country. Theres no doubt that the Greenline has benefited the city in myriad ways and has given Memphis a leg up in competing with other greenfriendly cities. I feel like its been an outdoor game changer for Memphis and it makes the city competitive with places like Austin and Raleigh, Grimes said. If you use the Greenline, he said, support it. And join the conservancy to do it.
For more information about the Shelby Farms Greenline and how to join the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, visit shelbyfarmspark.org.
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Nikki Boertman/ The Commercial Appeal
A nod from the state to use federal funds to expand the Greenline and install more bike lanes in Memphis like the ones on South Parkway is good news for Memphians.
State OKs funds for trail, bike lanes

By Tom Charlier
charlier@commercialappeal.com
Plans to extend the Shelby Farms Greenline eastward to Cordova cleared a major obstacle last week as state transportation officials agreed to earmark $3.3 million in federal funds to help pay for the work. The 4.3-mile extension of the bicyclepedestrian trail was one of two Shelby County projects that the Tennessee Department of Transportation recommended receive Congestion
Mitigation and Air Quality grants from the Federal Highway Administration. The other was a $1.4 million plan to install 50 miles of bike lanes in Memphis. Three other projects submitted for CMAQ funding, however, failed to make the cut. They included a $7.5 million plan to coordinate traffic signals, $1.1 million for a bicycle-lane project along Broad Avenue known as the OvertonBroad connector, and $1.1 million to the Memphis Area Transit Authority to purchase more hybrid buses. CMAQ grants are intended to support
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projects that reduce air pollution by alleviating traffic congestion and promoting alternative transportation. The states recommendations make it almost certain the greenline extension and 50 miles of bike lanes will be funded. The states recommendations came as the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy, which oversees the greenline and Shelby Farms Park, prepared to celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of the initial phase of the trail. Built along the old CSX railroad bed, the paved trail now runs 6.5 miles from Shelby Farms to Tillman in Binghampton. The extension would carry it eastward from Shelby Farms to the old railroad station in Cordova, although officials havent decided on the best way to get trail-users across busy Germantown Parkway. The project would require a $1.1 million match from the county. But Tom Needham, county public works director, said he believes private donors will come forward to cover much of that sum. Needham said the next step for the county is to negotiate further with CSX Transportation toward the purchase of the railroad corridor to Cordova. Laura Adams, executive director of the conservancy, said the eastward extension will connect Cordova residents with the park and its trails, while offering them the chance to commute by bicycle to employment centers such as the medical complex around Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. From our perspective, its our link to the eastern part of the county, Adams said.
Tom Charlier: (901) 529-2572
EDITORIAL
Greenline gets a timely boost

Thanks to the state of Tennessee, Cordovans will have the same bicycle and pedestrian access to Shelby Farms as residents on the west side of the park. The Tennessee Department of Transportation has agreed to earmark federal funds for a 4.3- mile extension of the popular Shelby Farms Greenline bicycle-pedestrian trail eastward to the old railway station in Cordova. The project is an important step in the effort to make Shelby Farms accessible to bicyclists and pedestrians on the east side of the sprawling park. The Greenline, which celebrates its oneyear anniversary this month, is a major amenity for Memphians. The 6.5-mile Greenline has provided bicyclists and pedestrians with a safe, scenic paved route. However, a major stumbling block could be finding a feasible way to get Greenline users across congested Germantown Parkway, which the railroad bed crosses north of Fischer Steel Road. Traffic signals now aid Greenline users as they cross busy Highland and a slightly less busy Graham. But Germantown Parkway is another matter. Given the volume and speed of traffic there, a traffic signal doesn't seem adequate to protect Greenline users. Building a bridge over six lanes of traffic wouldn't be cheap. A feasible solution has to be found before work to extend the path into Cordova can begin. Overall, though, the projects TDOT did recommend are a nod to the importance of providing more opportunities for nonmotorized transportation options. Projects like the Greenline encourage more people to get out and exercise. More bicyclists mean fewer vehicles on the road and cuts down on vehicle exhaust emissions.
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LOCAL NEWS
Family traditions
Gtown woman was green before it was cool, and showed her daughters
By Suzanne Thompson
Respect for the environment and for the importance of conservation and reuse was a natural part of the life of Eddie Griggs family for many decades. She drilled it into us when we were young, said Laura Green, one of Griggs daughters. Green and her own daughters, who are now adults, all grew up embracing a green lifestyle. I guess its been a generational thing, Grigg said nonchalantly. For her, protecting the environment and its resources is as natural as breathing. I was really aware that we should take care of the Earth, Grigg said. Its our responsibility. When Grigg, 80, moved into her Germantown home 46 years ago, she started a compost pile in the backyard unheard of in those days unless you lived on a farm.
Mike Maple/The Commercial Appeal
Eddie Grigg (right) set the tone for conservation to be a natural part of her family's everyday routine. Her daughter, Laura Green, continued the tradition with her own children.
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Unlike her neighbors, she left the grass clippings in her yard after the lawn was mowed, knowing they would nourish the soil. Conserving water at her house has long been a part of the daily routine. I dont even throw out water when Im waiting for it to get hot when I wash my face in the morning, Grigg said. A basin in the sink catches the water, which Grigg uses to water her houseplants. I know its only a gallon of water, but I dont like to waste it, she said. She has also collected rain water to wash her and her daughters hair. It makes your hair so soft, Green said. Long before curbside recycling was available in her area, Green and her daughters were taking items that could be recycled to the Agricenter. Her recycling habits started in the 1970s, when she began collecting pop tabs from soda cans. Green, who lives in North Carolina, said when she moved to that state in the 1980s curbside recycling wasnt available there either, so she and her daughters took paper, glass bottles and cans to a community recycling center. It was in their blood, she said of the habit of recycling. Naturally, Grigg was pleased when Germantown began offering curbside recycling. From the day they started, shes had her bins out every Sunday night. Germantown has a semi-annual Amnesty Day, during which residents may drop off large items for proper disposal.
Conservation and recycling runs in the Grigg family. One example, are these bird houses made from recycled barn wood by the late Jim Grigg. I try to get there at 7 a.m. to get in line, Grigg said. She has always realized the importance of keeping things out of landfills and wonders what kind of legacy Americans are leaving for future generations. . Valuable artifacts have been uncovered from generations past, but I wonder what they will think of us when they unearth landfills. Long before reusable grocery bags popped up around the city, Grigg was taking her own bags to the store. Those bags, a set of four, were a gift from Green, who gave all the women in her family a set one Christmas in the 1980s. Made out of the same material used to make parachutes, the lightweight bags, which vary in size from large tote to handbag size, fold into a pouch on the side of the largest bag. The result is a bundle of bags that weighs much less than a
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Eddie Grigg, with her two daughters, have for three generations kept an emphasis on the environment with their lives by looking for everyday objects to be reused or recycled. pound, and is about half the size of a bread box. Because the material is made to withstand the weight of a human body, they are capable of holding heavy loads. They are so strong. I use them religiously. They have really come in handy, Grigg said. Grigg is always dismayed when she goes to the grocery and doesnt see other people with reusable bags. Its taking a while to catch on, she said with a sigh. A member of Germantown United Methodist Church, which recently began a major push to conservation and energy efficiency, Grigg said she believes church participation will really help bring the message to people and will make a difference in the way people live. The preschool children there began recycling the waste from their lunch items before the formal program, Creation Care, began, and that is a good start. You have to make it a family thing, Grigg said.
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Karen Pulfer Focht/The Commercial Appeal
A Monarch butterfly rests on Milkweed. This fragile pollinators population is on the decline because Milkweed is cut down for property development.
Perfect partnership
Imagine a world without pollinators a world with no flowers, fruit or even a cup of coffee
By Suzanne Thompson
Feeding birds and other native wildlife is good, no doubt, but creating a habitat for them by planting flowers to which they are naturally attracted is better. Way better. To that end, a California-based nonprofit organization, the Pollinator Partnership, is raising awareness through education of subjects related to the birds and the bees but not in the metaphorical sense. Birds, bees, bats, butterflies, beetles and some other flying insects play a major part in various ecosystems through pollination. The Pollinator Partnership, founded in San Francisco in
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1997, is dedicated to protecting the health of pollinating creatures upon which ecosystems and agriculture in North American depend. About 1,000 plants worldwide that must be pollinated to thrive are used for food, drinks, spices and medicines. Laurie Davies Adams, executive director of the Pollinator Partnership, said many projects fall under its umbrella of operation. One signature program, the Ecoregional Planting Guides, provides a free online guide to plants in 32 ecoregions across the country. The people in Tennessee are connected to the people in South Carolina because they are in the same ecoregion, Adams said. Different blooming plants in each ecoregion draw pollinators. Memphis is in the Southeast Mixed Forest Province, where perennial flowers such as goldenrod attract bees, butterflies and beetles, hairy phlox attracts butterflies and hummingbirds and vines like climbing hydrangeas attract butterflies. The guide lists which pollinators are attracted to trees, plants and vines of various types in this region. The best way to draw natural pollinators is by planting and cultivating species of plants upon which pollinators feed, Adams said. For instance, instead of hanging a hummingbird feeder filled with nectar in a tree, plant salvias, which the tiny birds love to eat. If you plant them, they will come, she said. Jill Maybry, horticulturist at the Memphis Zoo, agrees that its important
Brandon Dill/The Commercial Appeal files
Honey bees crowd the entrance to a healthy colony. Drawing pollinating insects to flowering plants is so important that legislators are taking up the issue. to plant native species. Plants that grow naturally in this area tend to be much more useful to our native insects than exotic varieties are. Great native plant choices for the Memphis area include: purple coneflower (Echinacea), black-eyed susan (Rudbeckia), cutleaf coneflower (Rudbeckia laciniata), which is a somewhat little-known garden plant, but one of my favorites for attracting pollinators! A mix of plants will ensure that blooming plants are available from early spring through fall, which will provide steady food for pollinators, Maybry said. Lawmakers are also recognizing the importance of pollinators. In 2006, the U.S. Senate designated
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the last week in June as National Pollinator Week. Gov. Bill Haslam was one of 36 governors who declared that the week be recognized in their states. We have a network of interested people the pollinator action team that goes into action to make sure that their governments know that this is something that is important to agriculture and the environment, Adams said. The North American Pollinator Protection Campaign (nappc.org) is another program of the Pollinator Partnership that involves about 140 organizations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, she said. It includes government agencies, universities, zoos and aquariums and also agriculture and private industry, Adams said. The group gathers once a year to discuss issues related to pollinators. This years gathering will be Oct. 25-27 at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington. We try to get all the partners who have any stake in this issue at all together once a year and put them in small task forces and they continue to meet throughout the year by telephone, she said. Their efforts have resulted in the creation of products that support pollination.
Legislation intoduced to help pollinators

Drawing pollinating insects to flowering plants is so important that legislation was recently introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives encouraging states to develop plans to use their highway rights-of-way to do just that. The Highways Bettering the Economy and Environment Act suggests that significant economic and conservation benefits can be achieved through integrated vegetation management practices on federal and state highway rights-of-way. Part of the plan includes a reduction of mowing and maintenance, which seems to have the potential to reduce costs for state agencies. John Schroer, commissioner of TDOT, said the agency already practices some reduced mowing. Should the bill pass, TDOT would analyze the cost of the native plantings versus the cost of mowing and then implement a program that would be the most efficient and cost-effective, he said. Proponents of the legislation believe that reductions in roadside mowing, combined with enhanced plantings of native forbs and grasses, can provide economic benefits, reduce carbon emissions and increase critical habitat for pollinators. But Schroer said that putting native plants in the rights-of-way is not as easy as it sounds. Planting and establishing native plantings is more complex and costly than most people understand, he said. Laurie Davies Adams, executive director of the Pollinator Partnership, said that pollinators are suffering drastic population loss, due in part to loss of habitat, and the legislation will help reduce the carbon footprint of highways in our country. It also will create habitat, she said. Schroer said Tennessee is looking into innovative vegetative management efforts in some other states, and has pinpointed an area of a state highway to determine how effective the practice is. The department plans to explore the new concept by planting native trees and grasses along a small section of State Route 840 along with reduced mowing, and we will evaluate that area to determine how successful this practice might be in Tennessee, he said. Suzanne Thompson, Special to Going Green
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Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal
Keith Cole sees similar challenges in his new job as executive director of the Wolf River Conservancy as he did running a business. Youve got a staff to manage. Youve got revenues to generate.
A NEW FOCUS
Keith Cole brings years of business acumen to new role as executive director of the Wolf River Conservancy
By Suzanne Thompson
Keith Cole, a savvy businessman who became executive director of the Wolf River Conservancy on April 1, has shifted his focus from corporate to conservation. For about 20 years, Cole was president of a Blockbuster franchise group based in Memphis that operated stores in Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama and East Tennessee. His decision to sell the franchise in late 2009 gave him a chance to assess his life and decide what to do next. I was going through a period of
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discernment and a lot of people told me that I should consider working with a nonprofit, he said. He had certain criteria in mind for a new position. I wanted to do something that would be good for the community and also allow me to associate with people I thought I could learn from. When the position at the Wolf River Conservancy came along, Cole saw an opportunity that fit his ambition. The organization has the same challenges any business has, he said. Youve got a staff to manage. Youve got revenues to generate. In this case its mostly from donations and fundraising, but to do that youve got to be able to market yourself and your business or organization. With a staff of six, the conservancy relies on the work of volunteers, and Cole recruited a new volunteer coordinator shortly after he started the job. In addition to being a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the conservancy is also a land trust, which has protected tens of thousands of acres essential to life in the Memphis area. The real reason people should be engaged with the Wolf River Conservancy, and what they forget about sometimes, is our great drinking water here in Memphis, Tennessee. To date, the conservancy has protected more than 20,000 acres of the 42,000-acre Wolf River watershed, which is atop the Memphis Sand Aquifer. Those lands act as a very thirsty sponge when it rains and filter down to the Memphis Sand Aquifer, which of course MLGW pumps back up and filters.
In some cases, the conservancy land trust retains ownership of the acreage. In other instances the land has been donated to the state of Tennessee, and is now being protected by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency or by the Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation. Aside from its established role in land conservation, one of the conservancys major projects is the Wolf River Greenway, which will stretch 22 miles from Downtown to Germantown. Only a fraction of the nonmotorized walking and biking trail, similar to the Shelby Farms Greenline, is complete. The first segment, which is 1.6 miles, is now open, with construction scheduled to begin on a .9-mile second segment in the fall, slated for opening sometime in 2012. It will connect with the Germantown Greenway. Another element of land conservation is environmental education and outreach. In 2010, we had approximately 10,000 adults and kids go through our environmental education program, Cole said. The programs are conducted through public and private schools, as well as scouting and other groups. As to the conservancys recreational outreach, the organization conducts guided canoe trips on the first Saturday of each month. The trips are free to members. Cole has big plans for growing the organization, including revamping its website, possibly restructuring membership dues, and increasing the emphasis on fundraising. The goal is to take the organization to the next level.
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Eco-fair puts spotlight on hummingbird

By Emily Adams Keplinger
keplinger@commercialappeal.com
Timed to take advantage of the tiny jewel-like birds migration south for the colder months, visitors were able to get up close and personal with dozens of the ruby-throated hummingbirds at the 12th annual Hummingbird Festival, Sept. 911 at the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center in Holly Springs, Miss. Volunteers and docents were on hand to explain all sorts of bird facts, and members of the Hummer/Bird Study Group gave demonstrations about how the birds are banded for study. The sun room of the antebellum Davis House allowed for close viewing of the birds in a back garden. Additionally, visitors were able to touch the birds, actually feeling their rapid heartbeats, before releasing them back into the wild. There were other nature demonstrations, as well as vendors, which really set the tone for the event to be an eco-fair. Did you know... Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backward and upside down. More than one species of hummingbird can be found in our area? The ruby-throated hummingbird is more
Photos by Emily Adams Keplinger/The Commercial Appeal
Bob Sargent, author of the book Wild Bird Guide to Ruby Throated Hummingbirds, is one of the founders of the Hummingbird Festival. abundant, but Rufous hummingbirds have also been spotted here during the winter months. Hummingbirds average 30 mph at their normal speed and can rev up to 50 mph in escape mode. A hummingbird egg is about the size of a black-eyed pea. The mother hummingbird knows
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which baby bird to feed based on the shade of a yellow patch inside the baby birds mouth (the darker the color, the longer it has been since the baby has eaten). Hummingbirds are attracted by bright splashes of color. In addition to selective plantings, you can tie brightly colored ribbons (red and pink) to plants to attract them to a feeder. You can find a list of plants favored by hummingbirds by going online to hummingbirdsplus.org. To learn more about the Strawberry Plains Audubon Center, go online to strawberryplains.audubon.org. And to see the actual banding process, scroll down the page until you see Watch these Videos and learn more then click on the tab that shows Master Bander Bob Sargent banding the hummingbirds, and learn why and how the process works.
Green tips
Festival coordinators were very attuned to an overall green theme, making a plea to the public to Help us with our goal of creating a sustainable, low waste festival. They offered these suggestions: Carpool Bring or buy a sturdy, reusable water bottle Look for recycling bins, compost areas and trash cans make sure to throw your trash in the right place Reduce waste whenever you can Bring reusable bags for shopping
Noelle Equi, 12, (left) Michael Equi, 14, and Brennan Brister, 14, served as volunteers at the Hummingbird Festival on behalf of the Shelby County 4-H Club.
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IN BUSINESS
FINE BODY OF WORK
Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal files
Henna body art is the Middle Eastern method of applying henna paste to the skin creating a temporary tattoo commonly in geometric and floral designs.
Memphis henna artist only uses natural powder for her craft
By Suzanne Thompson
Stepping into Beth Hendricksons home-based henna parlor, visitors may forget they are in Memphis, because the decor and atmosphere would more likely be found in Bombay. Bejeweled pillows in shades of deep purple, blue, gold and green accent the sofa and wispy jewel-toned curtains cover the windows. The border trim near the ceiling bears an intricate henna-like design created by Hendrickson. Though Hendickson, owner of New World Henna, works by day testing computer software, she has a
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very different second job. Henna is vaguely similar to a temporary tattoo, which is painted onto the skin in a paste form that flakes off in several hours and leaves a patterned stain lasting from one to three weeks. Its very fleeting, like many things in life, Hendrickson said. One thing that sets her apart from some other henna artists not that there are many in Memphis is the fact that she only uses natural powder for her paste, which is ground from henna leaves. The result is that the stain appears as a dark brown color as opposed to a dark black color produced by using paste that has an added harsh chemical. Para-phenylenediamine (PPD), the same chemical used in some black hair color, causes the dark black stains but can be extremely dangerous. It can give you a chemical burn, can cause rashes and can leave permanent scarring in people who have an allergic
Contact Beth Hendrickson

E-mail: gwenlock@gmail.com. Web: Newworldhenna.com. reaction to the PPD, she said. Known as Mehndi or Mehendi, henna body paint has been used for some 9,000 years in many cultures in the Middle East. Henna is popular in Indian culture as part of the preparation of a bride and her bridesmaids for the wedding ceremony. The bride is adorned with henna to enhance her beauty and (the process) also is attached to fertility, Hendrickson said. Its kind of a rite of passage. Designs for bridal henna can be elaborate and the patterns often cover the hands and forearms, as well as the feet, of the bride. Becca Gordon hired Hendrickson to apply henna to her hands and feet before her wedding and said it was an incredible experience. Beth Hendrickson places a henna design on customer in her homebased henna parlor in East Memphis.
Mark Weber The Commercial Appeal
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My henna was stunningly beautiful and very personally meaningful. Beth went out of her way to take an already existing design and work in flowers from my dress, images from my childhood, and my husbands name into the design, Gordon said. Gordon had her palms completely covered with a design that trailed halfway up her inner forearm. The design extended to the back of her hands, and her feet were also painted. Gordon said it took Hendrickson about eight hours to apply her bridal design a couple of days before the wedding. My henna developed over the course of two to three days and was the darkest on my wedding day and the day after. Then it started to fade slowly. There were some remnants still remaining for about three weeks and it was so cool because even as it faded, it was still truly beautiful, Gordon said. During her honeymoon, she said many acknowledged them as newlyweds. We went to Bali for our honeymoon, which is a Hindu culture, and everyone recognized that we were newly married due to the henna. Prices range from $250 to $350 for the bridal adornment. Hendrickson also goes to private homes for henna parties, which cost $80 to $100 per hour. And she often applies the paste to clients by appointment in her home and at craft fairs. Henna has been used to adorn objects, such as picture frames and candles, which Hendrickson sells at craft fairs. She wants to someday become a fulltime henna artist. Thats my dream to be able to do this full-time, she said.
Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal
Designs for henna tattoos can be elaborate and the patterns often cover the hands and forearms, as well as the feet.
My henna was stunningly

beautiful and very personally meaningful. Beth went out of her way to take an already existing design and work in flowers from my dress, images from my childhood, and my husbands name into the design.
BECCA GORDON, CLIENT
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TRANSPORTATION
Mayor A C Wharton (far right) officiated at the formal dedication of the Downtown bike racks at the Memphis Farmers Market on Sept. 24. Joining him for the ceremony are Jacob Coleman and his father, Rodney Coleman of the Urban Art Commission (left); Mark Hicks, member of the Memphis Hightailers bicycle club; and Downtown Neighborhood Association board member Julie Ray.
Bike racks dedication

By Suzanne Thompson
A project begun by the Downtown Neighborhood Association some 10 years ago, to build bike racks, recently reached fruition when the racks were unveiled by Mayor A.C. Wharton on Sep. 24 at the Downtown Farmers
Market. The project was a winding road for the group which had several changes in organizational leadership throughout the years. We went through six presidents and now with Ken Hudson, current president, weve been able to get it done, according to Julie Ray, longtime member of the DNA who
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Dan Duckworth, owner of Midtown Bike Shop, at 509 S. Main, donated the extra funding needed for the law school bike racks. began advocating for the bike racks in 2001. Another factor in the delay was that the DNA was working with several government entities that provided the $36,000 in funding. Officials at the DNA worked with the Tennessee Department of Transportation, as well as the Department of Parks and Recreation, which was responsible for disbursement of the funds. The result is that the DNA got more than it planned for, in terms of number of bike racks as well as in their design, which are nothing short of works of art. They are so beautiful. People dont realize they are bike racks, Ray said. Artist Jill Turman, owner of Bella Ironworks, was at that time a member of the DNA, and lived on South Main Street. She was commissioned to make the racks when the project first began, and began designing prototypes several years ago. Her design was a hit, so she made four of them in addition to a very large version that was installed in Greenbelt Park. In the interim, she was commissioned by the City of Memphis to provide racks for several popular local spots
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of the racks. Memphis Zoo, the Memphis Botanic We picked the colors based on where Garden, Lichterman Nature Center and they were going to go. They have an eyeThe Childrens Museum. pop, Turman said, with the exception Then the project went dormant and of the rack at the Downtown Farmers Turman moved back to her home state Market, which was painted black. of California five years ago. But when Designing and producing the bike the undertaking gained fresh steam, she racks in Memphis has lead Turman to completed the downtown bike racks. carve a niche in the market. Plans originally called for 14 racks, Ive kind of become the bike rack but in the end, the DNA received 22, queen. which have been placed in various She recently produced bike racks for a locations around the downtown area California town, but Turman said they including the Canon Center for the are completely Performing Arts, different from the Gibson Guitar those installed in Factory, the Center The idea was definitely Memphis. for Southern The Memphis Folklore, Bridges that you could enjoy them ones are unique to and the Arcade even if you were not riding Memphis, she Restaurant. said. Each of the racks, a bike that they were With this kind of which hold four to functional and sculptural. ingenuity, as well eight bikes each, as the dramatic was designed JILL TURMAN, ARTIST increase in the specifically with the number of location in mind. Memphians who are hopping on their For instance, the one at the zoo is fashioned after a giraffe, and and the two bikes as a form of alternative at the law school was inspired by scrolls. transportation, the city has gone in one year from being considered one of the The idea was definitely that you worst biking cities in the country, to could enjoy them even if you were not winning national recognition for its bike riding a bike that they were functional friendliness. and sculptural, Turman said. Memphis received an honorable The racks going in parks and general mention as a Bicycle Friendly public areas were all made in the same Community from the League of American original design the DNA decided upon, Bicyclists Fall awards, and also was the Squiggle model. garnered a bronze level Bike-Friendliness After the 15 Squiggle racks were Award from the organization. complete, Turman and an assistant Now that the waiting is becoming a brought them to Memphis, where she memory, the DNA is pleased with the selected the color of paint used to finish end results. them. Even the decision on the paint It ended up going really well, she said. color was based on the ultimate location
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SPORTS
Alan Spearman/The Commercial Appeal
Scott Vaught, President and CEO of Great Southern Corporation has created a program to reuse old tennis racquets and distribute them to schools. He is also working to have more of his company's products made from recycled materials.
GREEN START-UP
Longtime business adds sustainable sports venture to its lineup
By Suzanne Thompson
When Scott Vaught decided to start a new division of his company, Great Southern Corp., he knew from the start that he wanted it to be green. The business, Vaught Sports, is a departure from the manufacturing and distribution of rubber bands and John Deere work gloves conducted by Great Southern, which has been in Vaughts family for decades. Vaught Sports is primarily in the
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tennis teaching market, selling and distributing tennis racquets and equipment for beginner-level players. Vaught also sells Instant Tennis Kits, which include two racquets, three balls and a net, ideal for practice. But Vaught Sports is about more than selling tennis equipment. Vaught, president and chief executive officer of Great Southern Corp., has taken steps to ensure that the tennis equipment business operates on an ecofriendly basis. We have laid out a plan on how to do this from how we operate internally, everything from conserving energy to reprinting reports before we send them off to be recycled, and the use of heating and lighting and so forth. Reprinting is the practice of printing on the back side of paper that has already been used for printing on the other side. I have to be careful sometimes when I have to print out a legal document that has to be signed that I have clean paper in there, not something thats been printed on again, he said. Its not only internal operations that are going green. Vaught has found a way to give tennis racquets a second life. Aluminum tennis racquets cant be made out of recycled aluminum on the front end. However, they can be recycled on the back end. We try to encourage folks to first send us any old racquets instead of throwing them in a landfill and allow us to either restring them, and donate them to someone who can use them or if they cannot be reused, then recycled. Racquets that are irreparable are chipped up and the aluminum is used to make other products. We do what we have to do to put the
racquets back into service, so we can send them to a needy organization, said John MacDonald, general manager of Vaught Sports, who works from Daytona, Fla. He heads up the racquet recycling program. acquets, Vaught said. A tennis pro himself, MacDonald is retired from a position he held with the United States Tennis Association as the school tennis coordinator for the state of Florida , and still works as a national trainer and tester for the Professional Tennis Registry, one of the organizations that certifies individuals as tennis pros. MacDonald has been using his contacts in the industry to spread the word about the reconditioned racquet program. Green is in in sports and none more so than tennis, MacDonald said. So far, Vaught Sports has reconditioned about 2,000 racquets that are ready to be distributed. MacDonald said he sees the program as a way to give back to the game, a lesson he includes in all the workshops he teaches. Even the products the company purchases are made with sustainability in mind. We source tennis bags that are made from tennis ball cans and they actually take the tennis cans and chip them up and they make the neatest, lightest tennis bags that you can imagine, MacDonald said. The company shirts, typically given to professional players and tennis teachers, are made from 70 percent bamboo. MacDonald and Vaught are looking into ways to make other tennis products using recycled cotton and bamboo. Its something thats never been done before, but its an idea Ive had in mind for a couple of years, MacDonald said.
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FOOD
Through Farm Girl Food Gardens, Mary Phillips and her business partner Caitlin Dupuigrenet build raised beds and plant crops for clients.
Cultivating community
Farm Girls look at venture as a calling a way to help people connect through healthful food
By Melody Gordon
Thanks to barbecue, Memphis has always had a strong food culture, just not a healthy one. Two gardeners with experience in farming have set out to combat two 2010 surveys that designated Memphis as both the most obese and the hungriest city in America. Their business, called Farm Girl Food Gardens, was created to alleviate the lack of healthy food options many Memphians face. Our city is getting sick and dying because of
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the lack of access to healthy food. The most convenient way to get food would be to go into your front yard or backyard and pick it, said Mary Phillips, who started Farm Girl Gardens as a way to keep her hands in the dirt. She previously worked as the manager of Urban Farms in Binghamton and for the Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market. She by no means grew up on a farm, but developed an interest in them after working on a farm in high school. Phillips and her business partner Caitlin Dupuigrenet, build gardens from scratch in customers yards and fill them with plants and herbs of their choice. Then for a fee the two return regularly to help maintain proper upkeep, which includes weeding, harvesting, pest control, replacing dead plants and more. A Farm Girl-created garden can be simple in nature. If the customer so desires, Phillips and Dupuigrenet can construct the bed and leave all further care and maintenance to the new owner. A standard raised garden bed structure, 4 feet by 4 feet, filled with compost and organic plant starts, is $250. Larger beds and custom beds range from $350 to $900. Dupuigrenet believes these types of residential gardens are practical for the customer and the environment. Its a much more viable way of using yard space ... Lawns are for England, where it rains and its cold, said Dupuigrenet. Here (in Memphis) it takes an incredible amount of energy to keep up with grass. It uses an incredible amount of water and effort. End-of-season crop rotation is also available to encourage year-round gardening, said Phillips. For future endeavors, Farm Girl Food Gardens is
Food is a language that transcends all barriers.

MARY PHILLIPS
looking to provide services for restaurants, educational resources and disadvantaged areas within Memphis. Were working on a secret fundraising project for the winter time in which were hoping to raise money for us to be able to put gardens into food desert areas, Phillips said. For Dupuigrenet, helping to alleviate food issues in Memphis creates a sense of community and establishes food justice. I feel like were getting things done and were meeting more people every day who are interested in the cause.
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HOME & GARDEN
Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal files
Malcolm Barnett works in the South Front Antiques Market, sorting salvaged items.
Salvage shopping
Downtown business re-purposes architectural elements
By Melody Gordon
gordon@commercialappeal.com
In a society that frequently throws away perfectly good items for more modern ones, South Front Antiques and Salvage has built a reputation for buying and selling pieces of old architectural elements.
Eric Nielsen and his 84-year-old father, Svend, operate a 20,000square-feet building with three floors full of salvaged windows, fireplace mantles, doors, columns, light fixtures, chandeliers, plumbing, bathtubs, stained glass, artwork and more all for the purpose of reusing.
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My Dad does more of the selling end of the business and I do more of the buying, said Nielsen, a pilot who goes shopping for antique discoveries during his layovers in different cities. If youve seen that show American Pickers, Im sort of a picker, but in the architectural field of antiques. The store opened in Overton Square in the early 1970s. Business continues Downtown, and largely through word of mouth. When a building or home in Memphis is going to be demolished, parts that can be resold are taken to South Front Antiques to be repaired and restored. So literally, when you take a house down, it can be pieced out from the old plumbing, all the interior work, Nielsen said. A majority of the whole house can be reused. Part of Nielsens job in salvage is discovering innovative ways an old item can be given new life.
An antique door can be painted, turned sideways and used as a headboard. Four pieces of tin ceiling can be made into a planter box. A column from a front porch becomes a stand alone piece of art. A baluster, a small vertical column that supports the handrail of a staircase, can be used as the base for a lamp. Nielsen imagines a massive antique fire place mantle in the store far too tall and wide for a residence could be raised and transformed into a back bar, ideal for a restaurant seeking a unique interior design. If you open your mind a little bit and with a little creativity, there are decoration possibilities and furnishing possibilities all over the place. Too many people are too quick to literally bulldoze and start anew, without saving anything, Nielsen explains. Once an item is transformed, then it becomes one-of-a-kind. Youre not going The warehouse has more than 20,000 square feet filled with doorknobs, hardware, doors, mantels, decorative iron, stained glass, terra cotta pieces and many more architectural elements.
Nikki Boertman The Commercial Appeal files
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to find that anywhere else. Reusing old architectural pieces is budget-friendly as well. Nielsen says he has decorated every apartment he has ever owned, and all his houses, for a fraction of what it would cost to decorate with brand new items. Nielsen continues, When you think about it, for the money you might spend just a little more money on buying antique furniture but its gonna last you a whole lot longer and its something you can give to your children, he said. Versus some of the stuff that people buy today, (newer pieces are) gonna be out on the curb. The antique look is gaining popularity amongst designers and big name retailers, as well as buyers. There are a lot of companies that are going to Indonesia and cutting down the rainforest to make furniture, reproduced to make it look like it was the old stuff, says Nielsen. Why not just buy the antiques? Nielsen believes there should be more people in the salvage business to help save items from demolished or abandoned buildings. Over the years he has salvaged 6,500 square feet of tin ceiling from one school in Hutchinson, Kansas, more than 800 light fixtures and globes from a vacant electrical companys warehouse in Memphis, and up to 1,500 doors at any given time. I could be standing in front of the bulldozer, in front of the house being pushed over ... when there was many, many things that could have been used. Habitat for Humanity, you name it, people could reuse it. If it gets destroyed and taken to the dump, its lost forever.
Tonic for the garden

By Suzanne Thompson
You dont have to bust your budget with expensive fertilizers to make your soil rich in nutrients that will result in a glorious garden. Gardening experts agree there are many tried and true old school methods of nourishing the soil using kitchen scraps from used coffee grounds to dried chicken bones that can affect the acidity or the alkalinity. Different plants and vegetables thrive in different soil conditions. Many plants and shrubs that grow better in soil that is calcium-rich can be nourished from breakfast leftovers. Rick Pudwell, head of horticulture at Memphis Botanic Garden, said egg shells are a great source of calcium and add lime to the soil. Egg shells contain lime, so they would be good for plants that need lime, but if you mix it into compost it would kind of nullify that effect and could be used on any type of plant, he said. You can scatter crumbled shells on the soil and when they degrade, the lime leaches out into the ground. Be cautious and dont use them on acid-loving plants, like azaleas or
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camellias, but it would be good for boxwood or lilacs, Pudwell said. Calcium is good for plants that like lime. Some examples would be clematis, lilacs and a lot of vegetables we grow, because 90 percent of the time our soil here is somewhat acidic. Dorothy Shaw, a lifetime gardener who works at MorGreen Nursery, said another breakfast staple, coffee grounds, can perk up plants like gardenias and roses which grow best in soil that is high in acid. Coffee grounds acidify the soil and they do it rather quickly, she said. Usually people can tell a difference in about two weeks. Pudwell said hes talked to people who simply toss the coffee grounds out into the yard and swear that the grass grows greener in those places. If you like bananas on your cereal, there are plants that can benefit from those, too. Banana peels are rich in potash and thats good for a lot of things, and also have potassium which is something thats good for blooms and roots, he said. Ashes from a wood-burning fireplace or patio fire pits can serve as nourishment for plants that thrive in more alkaline soil. Never use coal ash like from a barbecue pit because it contains toxins you would not want in the soil, particularly if you are growing edible plants, Pudwell said. Many gardeners claim that buttermilk poured into the soil will help with the growth of moss. Things that are high in nitrates like alfalfa meal, cottonseed meal or blood
Egg shells are a great source of calcium and add lime to the soil. meal generally are beneficial to blooming plants. Shaw, 77, said she has been gardening since she was a young girl and she remembers her mother adding a little bone meal in the hole you make with the spade when the bulbs are initially planted. Believe it or not, you can even make your own bone meal by saving chicken bones, letting them dry out, and pulverizing them with a mallet. Compost provides myriad nutrients, but composting, while simple to do, just isnt for everyone. Pudwell said he knew one gardener who made a practice of simply digging one spade-size hole in the dirt each day and mixing in each days kitchen scraps. She would make the holes in the dirt between the rows of plants that were growing, and those areas that received the mini-compost became the rows for the plants the following year.
If you have questions for Rick Pudwell about soil conditions or plants, you can contact him at rick.pudwell@memphistn.gov.

Going Green Memphis 10-2-11

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GOING GREEN | October 2011

FROM THE EDITOR

A time to reflect on the positive

Raise your profile

Send in your e-mail address

The Commercial Appeal

October 2011 | GOING GREEN

Whats in this issue ...

Wild about the line

Local businessman brings sustainable practices to sporting goods market. PAGE 38

GOING GREEN | October 2011

Fallen Fruit tracks trees in urban areas

The Commercial Appeal

October 2011 | GOING GREEN

Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal

Market shifts with the season

GOING GREEN | October 2011

The Green Page...

MIchael Donahue/The Commercial Appeal files

Ryan Trimm is chef and co-owner of Sweet Grass in Cooper Young.

Trough Planting Workshop

Paddle the Wolf River Ghost Section, Fall Color Trip

GrowMemphis Harvest Party

The Commercial Appeal

October 2011 | GOING GREEN

Compromise on Madison bike lanes

FROM THE GOING GREEN BLOGGERS

GOING GREEN | October 2011

In case you missed it...

- Tom Charlier: (901) 529-2572

The Commercial Appeal

October 2011 | GOING GREEN

Courtesy of Margot McNeeley

Apples Pears Tomatoes Watermelons Peppers Squash

Pumpkins Gourds Mustard greens Collard greens Kale Bok choy

Broccoli Arugula Mesclun mix Baby lettuces Radishes Sweet potatoes

GOING GREEN | October 2011

Excavations show whats really down in the dumps

Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal files

DEANNA CASWELL Practically Green

The Commercial Appeal

October 2011 | GOING GREEN

GOING GREEN | October 2011

Overcooked, watery mush no way to enjoy summer squash

Melissa Petersen/Special to Going Green

The Commercial Appeal

October 2011 | GOING GREEN

GOING GREEN | October 2011

Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal files

AS CYCLISTS, RUNNERS AND WALKERS travel up and down the

The Commercial Appeal

October 2011 | GOING GREEN

Outdoors Inc. puts finishing touches on all-bike facility

Kyle Kurlick/The Commercial Appeal files

GOING GREEN | October 2011

Brandon Dill/The Commercial Appeal files

The Commercial Appeal

October 2011 | GOING GREEN

Memphis pedaling into bike honor roll of cycling league

Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal files

GOING GREEN | October 2011

Honorable mention is a start

Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal