Atlanta Smog Report

By Kevin Green

Clean Air Campaign

As you may know, the EPA tightened ozone standards earlier this year. As a result, the Atlanta region was expected to have more violations.

So far during smog season, metro Atlanta has registered 16 ozone violations (2 code red, unhealthy for everyone; 14 code orange, unhealthy for sensitive groups) as of July 15. Last year during the same period, we logged 12 ozone violations (2 code red; 10 code orange).

If the standard had not changed, eight of this year’s violations would not have been recorded. So while we have more violations than last year, you could say that we’re having a better year. But the bottom line is that standards changed for a very good reason: to better protect human health. From that perspective, even one violation is one too many.

If you are changing your commuting habits to be more “green,” (or even to save money), rest assured that your hard work is making a difference. Each day in metro Atlanta, your relationship with The Clean Air Campaign is helping to eliminate 1.2 million vehicle miles of travel and keep 600 tons of pollution out of the air. But commuters in the region can do more.

Besides ditching your solo driving habits, there are other simple actions you can take to protect your health:

• Sign up to receive Smog Alerts .
  
• Learn how to protect yourself and your family from the negative health effects of bad air.
  
• Encourage others to do the same.
  
• The hottest days of summer are still ahead of us, so please share any tips you have for reducing pollution on Smog Alert days.

For more updates from The Clean Air Campaign, visit the organization's new website and blog. 

Vickery's Glenwood Park Goes Green

Vickery's Glenwood Park has gone green by offering a sustainable menu that includes all natural beef and poultry, and a wine list that features several organic juices. The restaurant has also moved to reduce their waste by switching to 100 percent biodegradable to-go cups that are made from corn instead of traditional plastic in addition to 100 percent biodegradable silverware and to-go boxes as opposed to the typical non-biodegradable styrofoam containers commonly used in most restaurants.

"While the green movement continues to stay to at the forefront of consumer consciousness, the idea is only practiced on a limited basis at the local restaurant level due to financial and logistical constraints," says restaurant owner Karen Ney. "We are hoping that we can lead by example at Vickery's Glenwood Park."
By using all natural chicken and Niman Ranch all natural beef products, it ensures the animals were humanely treated, never given any hormones or antibiotics, raised without the use of confinement farms and fed with 100% vegetarian feeds. All of the Niman Ranch products are pasture raised on sustainable, U.S. family farms. Vickery's also offers a selection of organic, pesticide free wines, some of which use lady bugs to control pest infestation at their vineyards in lieu of dangerous pesticides.

Vickery's Glenwood Park is located at 933 Garrett Street in the heart of the recent Glenwood Park development. It is a green community that harvests its own water from storm and well water for landscaping, and through energy efficient design will save 1.3 megawatts of power per year, which is the conservational equivalent of removing 243 cars off of the roads of Atlanta annually.

For more information about Vickery's, visit www.vickerys.com.

New Paper Recycling Opportunity

US GreenFiber, LLC, manufacturer of GreenFiber natural fiber blow-in insulation, announces a new community paper recycling program throughout the Atlanta area. As a company, GreenFiber diverts over 350,000 tons of paper each year from landfills and rewards participating organizations by giving back to local groups.

“The benefit for communities that participate in the GreenFiber Community Recycling Program is far-reaching,” said Liz Byrd, recycling program coordinator for GreenFiber in the Metro Atlanta area. “Residents now have a free, ecologically-sound way of disposing their recyclable paper materials, while also supporting their local organizations and keeping a measurable amount of recyclable material out of landfills.”

Collection teams at schools, churches, businesses and other community organizations can participate and benefit based on the amount of recyclable materials they gather using specially-designed GreenFiber recycling bins. The GreenFiber recycling bins feature a vivid green exterior and graphics of the GreenFiber Community Paper Recycling Program mascot – a green frog whose likeness is on the GreenFiber Web site, www.greenfiber.com.

Unlike some recycling programs, GreenFiber’s Community Paper Recycling Program accepts a wide variety of paper goods: newspaper, magazines, phonebooks, office paper, cardboard, cereal boxes, brown paper bags and construction paper.

A GreenFiber collector regularly services the bins at no charge and designated community programs benefit based on the amount of recyclable material collected. The community also benefits by reducing the amount of paper products that would otherwise be buried in local landfills. Refuse efficiency experts estimate that paper products account for almost 35 percent of landfill space; some estimates indicate that Americans throw away enough office and writing paper every year to build a wall 12 feet high from Los Angeles to New York City.

Nearly 100 GreenFiber recycling bins have been placed in the Metro Atlanta area in Carroll, Douglas, Haralson and Paulding counties and additional bins have been ordered to meet demands as the program grows. “The response has been wonderful – we already have a waiting list,” Byrd said. “The community has embraced the program and recognizes the environmental and economical benefits - it’s truly a win-win situation for everyone.”

To find a GreenFiber bin location in the Atlanta area, call 770-819-6900, x14. Additional details about the recycling program are also available at www.greenfiber.com/corporate/recycling_bin_program .

GreenFiber cellulose insulation is a natural fiber product made of 85 percent recycled paper fiber and offers an environmentally-friendly option for homeowners’ building, renovation and re-insulation projects with all of the ease and convenience of blow-in insulation. Since 2000, GreenFiber has diverted nearly 3 million tons of recycled materials from landfills. One ton of recycled paper: saves 17 trees; saves 4,000 kW of energy; can provide enough GreenFiber natural blow-in insulation to insulate the attic of a 2,500-square-foot home.

Established in 2000 and headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., US GreenFiber, LLC is the largest manufacturer of natural fiber insulation, fire and sound products. With 11 manufacturing plants located throughout the United States, GreenFiber products are sold to building supply retailers, manufactured housing builders and insulation contractors in the U.S. and Canada. For more information on GreenFiber, call customer service at 800-228-0024 or visit www.greenfiber.com.

Commuter Club Marks 100th Vanpool

Commuters from 17 metro Atlanta counties rely on Commuter Club’s vanpool program to make their trip to and from work less expensive and more enjoyable every day. Now, the largest TMA-sponsored vanpool program in the country celebrates the expansion of its vanpool fleet to 100 vans.

Commuter Club was developed in 1996 by the Cumberland Community Improvement District to address transportation, environment and infrastructure issues.

“Today, issues of environmental impact, traffic and high gas prices have become increasingly relevant, especially for our community, given that the average commute for Atlantans is 30 percent longer than that of workers in other major U.S. cities” said Jennifer Hammond, director of Commuter Club. “This daily commute is stressful, expensive and negatively impacts the environment. Commuter Club is dedicated to providing affordable and innovative transportation solutions like the vanpool program.”

A pioneer of vanpool programs, Commuter Club is committed to reducing traffic and pollution while saving commuter dollars. Since its inception, Commuter Club has prevented the emission of 229 tons of pollutants, equivalent to the weight of the Statue of Liberty. It has also removed 100 million vehicle miles from roadways, equal to two round trips to Venus, and saved commuters more than $5 million in vehicle-related expenditures.

The vanpool program also helps reduce stress and increase camaraderie as local commuters arrive at work less tired and arrive home happier, having spent their commute time reading, working or talking with friends. The placement of Commuter Club’s 100th vanpool will be marked with a celebratory event and lunch at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on June 27 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Since 1996, Commuter Club has offered free services for businesses and commuters in the Cumberland Galleria area. These services include vanpools with a $50 flat rate per rider per month, as well as assistance in implementing carpools, teleworking and other commute alternatives for individuals and employers. Commuter Club is a program of the Cumberland Community Improvement District. For more information, visit www.commuterclub.com.

Save On Gas By Commuting To Work

Metro Atlanta commuters know just what to do when gas heads toward $4 a gallon – stop driving alone to work. In fact, more than 3,000 commuters have signed up this year for an incentive program that pays them to try carpooling, transit, teleworking and other less expensive – and less polluting -- alternatives. That is more than double the number of commuters who signed up for the program, known as Cash for Commuters, in the same timeframe last year.

“Not since the gasoline shortages immediately following Hurricane Katrina have we seen such intense interest in our programs,” said Kevin Green, executive director of The Clean Air Campaign. “May was a phenomenal month for enrollment, and June looks like it will be even more active.”

Cash for Commuters is one of three financial incentives available to Georgia commuters through the Commuter Rewards program. Cash for Commuters pays $3 a day, up to $180 over a 90-day period, for commuters who try an alternative to driving alone. Commuter Prizes, another incentive, awards monthly prizes to existing users of commute alternatives, selected at random. Carpool Rewards provides gas cards to carpools with three or more people. All three programs have seen strong increases in enrollment. Highlights include:

In May, The Clean Air Campaign received more than three times as many Cash for Commuters applications as were submitted in May of 2007.

· Almost five times as many Carpool Rewards applications were received in May 2008 when compared to the same month last year.
· Year to date, applications for both Cash for Commuters and Carpool Rewards are more than double the number submitted during the same timeframe last year.
· More than 300 Cash for Commuters applications were submitted in the first five days of June.

These numbers represent thousands of commuters who are saving money and reducing stress by hanging up their car keys. One of these commuters, Marvin Heath, began riding MARTA just over a month ago and is already enjoying multiple benefits of his new commute. “While I enjoy my job as an IT project manager, I'm an artist at heart. I noticed I was becoming less and less creative in my spare time because of the three hours I was spending each day in stop-and-go traffic. I also realized that I was fueling up twice a week at $60 a pop - or $480 per month!” Heath now takes MARTA to his job in Alpharetta, using his commute time to read and relax. He credits his new commute with helping him arrive home “refreshed,” ready to enjoy his creative pursuits. He’s also saving almost $200 a month.

“Every day we hear more stories of people who are improving their quality of life just by changing their commutes,” added Green. “While gasoline at $4 a gallon and a tough economy is a strong motivator for people to make a change, there are many benefits other than financial savings.”

Commuters looking for a cheaper, better way to get to work should visit www.CleanAirCampaign.com or call 1-877-CLEANAIR (1-877-253-2624) to learn more about the financial incentives and commute alternatives that are available.

Are You Recycling At The Curb?

Request a recycling bin for curbside pickup if you live in a single-family residence or multi-family residence up to six units in Atlanta by calling Charles Dangerfield at (404) 559-9700, ext 109. DreamSan picks up newspapers, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, office paper, telephone books, envelopes, cereal and shoe boxes, glass bottles and jars, aluminum and tin cans, and all plastics.

Fore more ways to recycle and keep the city clean, visit www.keepatlantabeautiful.org.

Recycling For Art & Retail

Atlanta-based Creollus designs, creates and hand manufactures high-end art pieces, fashion and home accessories out of recycled materials such as coffee filter, cardboard, newspapers, banana leaf, gourds... and transform them into lamps, bags, belts, hats, tables, chairs... just to name a few. Check out the website at www.creollus.com.

Tour Menefee + Winer Building, May 31

On Saturday May 31, at 2:00 pm, architects Tony Menefee and Jim Winer will deliver a brief lecture on the design, implementation and documentation of LEED-certification and how it relates to their new office building.  From 2:30 - 5 p.m. the building, formerly a muffler shop, will be available to tour, and architects from Menefee + Winer will be available to answer questions.  The Menefee+ Winer building is located at 1075 Brady Avenue. The American Institute of Architects is hosting the event.

The Menefee + Winer office was opened in December, 2006 and has attained LEED Silver certification. It is the first architect's office in GA to obtain LEED-NC. Through adaptive reuse the building was transformed from a muffler shop into 4,100 square feet of office space. The architects use their new office design to exhibit their passion for detail and sustainable design. From the use of highly-reflective roofing to energy efficient mechanical and lighting systems to the reuse of office furniture to construct new built-in shelves, they have considered every detail.

The building has two very bold volumes; the one story which was originally a 4-bay pre-manufactured garage building and a new, two- story office wing.   As described by the architects, the one-story block is the 'creative engine of the architectural practice, the studio".

About the Architects  
Menefee+Winer Architects is a diversified firm based in Atlanta, founded in 1992.  Their projects include academic, institutional, historic preservation, commercial and residential (single and multi-family) building types.  The principals, Tony menefee, AIA, LEED AP and Jim Winer, AIA, LEED AP, have built a practice centered on close involvement in all projects, technical rigor, responsiveness to clients and open dialogue amongst employees.  Since its inception, the the firm has achieved design excellence while keeping with green design principles.

For more information about the tour, visit www.aiaatlanta.org.

BATMA Gives Away Smart Car

The best things come in small packages, especially when they get at least 40 miles per gallon and produce few smog-forming emissions. That’s why the Buckhead Area Transportation Management Association (BATMA) celebrated Earth Day in April by giving away the chance to get behind the wheel of a smart car at its Go Green & Commute Clean event at Lenox Square Mall. The smart car was provided courtesy of smart center Buckhead.

Sharon Cost of Newnan ended up being the big winner. Every day Cost drives from Newnan to the College Park MARTA station and rides to the Lenox station in Buckhead. Now she’ll be driving her smart car to MARTA and saving hundreds of dollars on gas while the car is hers.

“The convertible top and six CD player will be a lot of fun for me,” said Cost, “But I’m most looking forward to saving some money on gas. My gasoline budget just to get to College Park has doubled in the last year and a half.”

Cost is not alone. Reports from the Boston Globe say “SUV sales for the month of April alone fell 32.3 percent from a year earlier and small car sales rose 18.6 percent. This fundamental shift comes against a backdrop of relentless gas increases, and growing concerns over the environment and US oil consumption, according to auto analysts and car dealers.”

Smart center Buckhead has seen this trend as well. Currently the dealership—the only smart car dealership in Georgia—reports a year-long waiting list for the smart car fortwo. They are classified as an Ultra-Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) on account of extremely low exhaust emissions and get superb gas mileage.

For more information about clean commuting and the Go Green & Commute Clean event, visit www.batma.org.

Hitch a Ride

If the ever-increasing gas prices have got worried or you're looking to live more eco-friendly, consider joining a carpool. RideSmart, a cooperative effort between the Atlanta Regional Commission, Georgia Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) helps commuters find carpool, vanpool and even rides to school for the kids.

The confidential service matches commuters who live or work in the Atlanta region with potential carpool partners and/or vanpools with open seats. Individuals can obtain immediate ridematch results by using the online system or by calling the toll-free hotline, 1-877-433-3463. 

For more information, visit www.MyRideSmart.com.

Atlanta Ranks Second For Traffic Congestion

Forbes has released its list of America's top 10 most traffic congested cities and, no surprise, Atlanta ranked number two just behind Washington, D.C. Here's the list:

1. Washington, D.C.
2. Atlanta
3. Los Angeles
4. San Francisco
   
5. Houston
   
6. New York City
   
7. Riverside-San Bernadino, Ca.
   
8. Chicago
   
9. Dallas
   
10. Boston

Here's what Forbes had to say about Atlanta:

Annual delays per traveler: 60 hours

Commutes longer than 45 minutes: 24%

Those in Atlanta are victims of a trade-off: affordable, exurban homes mean longer commutes. What's more, in the last five years, Atlanta has been one of the fastest-growing cities in America, and any time you add as much industry and people, you strain existing transportation systems, such as highways or the MARTA commuter trains.

Read the full story and see a slide show at www.forbes.com.

Piedmont Park Green Market Opens Saturday

One of Atlanta's favorite outdoor farmers' markets, The Piedmont Park Green Market, opens this Saturday, May 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The weekly event is so popular, that Piedmont Park Conservancy has extended this year's market through Dec. 13. The market is set up on the Piedmont Avenue side of the park at 12th Street.

The produce at this market is Georgia grown, so expect to find the vegetables and fruits that are from this region. For example, May has lots of greens, lettuces and cooler season produce. In mid-June, the melons and tomatoes are in season. Fresh bread and fresh cut flowers are a staple of the market. There are specialty food products such as pasta and salsa as well as all natural beauty and health products. There is also a component for artisans.

Recycle Electronics in ATL, April 26

Atlanta City Councilmember Carla Smith will host the city’s annual Electronic Waste Recycling Day on Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to 1p.m. at Turner Field’s GOLD Parking Lot.

Residents are encouraged to bring their old computers and household electronics to this Earth Day event. An astounding 75,583 of electronic items were collected in 2007 – the largest amount ever collected.

“We are out to beat that record,” said Smith, whose office has hosted E-Waste Recycling Day for the past six years. “Each year we collect more electronics than the year before, which shows there is a tremendous need for residents to properly dispose of these unwanted items.”

The goal of this initiative is to promote the recovery, reuse, and recycling of obsolete electronic equipment and to encourage the design, manufacture, and purchase of environmentally responsible electronic equipment.

The electronics industry is one of the fastest growing and most innovative industries in the world. Every year, newer and better products are being sold to consumers. While electronics account for up to five percent of landfill volume, the products contribute up to 70 percent of the toxins found in landfills.

The following items will be accepted at the city of Atlanta’s E-Waste Recycling Day:

COMPUTER MONITORS
TELEVISIONS ($10 fee required)
MICROWAVE OVENS
COMPUTER CPU’s
STEREOS
TELEPHONES
LAPTOPS
COPIERS
CB RADIOS
PRINTERS
VIDEO MACHINES
CD PLAYERS
DISK DRIVES
VCRs and DVD Players
PORTABLE RADIOS
FLOPPY DRIVES
CAMCORDERS
CELL PHONES
TEST & NETWORKING EQUIPMENT
CAMERAS
KEYBOARDS
MODEMS
RECORD PLAYERS
SCANNERS
CURCUIT BOARDS
SPEAKERS
ELECTRICAL PANELS
TYPEWRITERS
UPS / BATTERY BACK-UP
FAX MACHINES
CD ROMS
PROJECTORS
CABLES
COMPUTER MOUSES

The following items will not be accepted: consoles, projection televisions, vacuum cleaners, refrigerators, washers, dryers, freezers, de-humidifiers or humidifiers, gas-powered equipment, tires, household trash and NON-electronic equipment.

For more information, please call Councilwoman Smith’s office at (404) 330-6039.

Jackson Elementary Launches GreenThink

In an effort to implement positive change and further environmental learning at Jackson Elementary in north Atlanta, the school is launching Jackson GreenThink this Earth Day, April 22. The program, brainchild of parents Penny Simmons and Leigh Ann Livaditis, will introduce children to the concept of being eco-friendly with green changes within the school that can translate to the home and community as well.

Earlier this year, a schoolwide assembly was held featuring Magic Debbie, a local childrens' entertainer, who helped kick off the school's expansive recycling program with the magic words: "Reduce! Reuse! Recycle!" Separation bins were dispersed throughout classrooms and common areas. The focus includes paper, aluminum cans, plastic PET bottles, as well as crayons, ink cartridges and cell phones. To date, it's estimated that 1/3 of Jackson's typical waste has been diverted from landfills, thanks to the support of students, faculty, and several recycling companies (Pratt and Newell) that have partnered with the school.

Other activities include: Recycling Pledges from all students describing how they will be kind to the earth, participation in Keep Georgia Beautiful program, re-use of small throw-away objects pressed into sculptures for the Jackson gardens, a "No Idle Zone" for all buses and carpool lines to cut pollutants and save gas, updating cafeteria menu items and janitorial supplies with organic options, a compost pile for lunch waste, rain barrels to collect water for landscaping, lights off or down on designated days, GreenThink re-usable shopping bag sales, a commemorative Earth Day tree planting of 17 Dogwoods and Cherry trees along the school's entrance by Roots and Shoots, Jackson's community service program...and a special fund raising tie-in with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles™ magazine, also committed to the cause.

"We've made great strides already, but this is just the beginning," explained Penny Simmons, co-founder. "The response from our parent volunteers and teachers has been incredible, and our committee has quickly acted on brainstorming, research, proposals, implementations, and introductions to an arsenal of like-minded community partners. The kids are gaining global awareness on an issue where they can immediately effect change. And they're really rallying – and proud – to do it!"

Jackson GreenThink also reinforces the International Baccalaureate (IB) designation which the school was awarded in 2007, designed to foster the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world at large. "Ultimately, GreenThink is another win-win for Jackson," remarked Leigh Ann Livaditis, co-founder. "We're protecting our kids' physical and environmental health while helping them to think critically, make smarter choices, and responsibly grow the seeds this program is planting."

BYOB to Whole Foods on Earth Day

Whole Foods Market is celebrating Earth Month and the stores’ elimination of plastic grocery bags on Earth Day by donating 10 cents for every reusable grocery bag that customers bring in on April 22 to Keep Atlanta Beautiful, a non-profit organization that develops and implements public education and community improvement programs that make a cleaner and greener Atlanta.
 
The Company announced on January 22, 2008 that it would end the use of disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts in all of its 270 stores in the U.S., Canada and the U.K. in order to be plastic bag-free by Earth Day, April 22, 2008.  The first U.S. supermarket to commit to completely eliminating disposable plastic grocery bags to help protect the environment and conserve resources, Whole Foods Market has encouraged shoppers to bring their own bags for years by offering a refund of either five cents at the checkout, but upped the ante to 10 cents when they made the bag free announcement.  Now, in celebration, the stores are hoping to inspire shoppers to adopt a reusable mindset as well by donating these refunds to a local green charity.  On April 22, all Whole Foods Market Team Members will also be participating in a “green out” to celebrate the stores’ “bag out” by donning green attire in honor of Earth Day. 
 
Beginning in January, each store in the Company began depleting stocks of disposable plastic grocery bags and raised awareness about the benefits of reusable bags.  Over the past three months, stores have reduced plastic grocery bag inventories and increased selections of reusable bags for purchase.  Whole Foods Market sells different types of reusable bags, ranging from canvas to its new large, stylish “A Better Bag” — a sound environmental choice since 80 percent of its content comes from recycled plastic bottles and it is an economical choice as well since it costs only 99 cents.
 
Discontinuing disposable plastic grocery bags at the checkouts is another step in the Company’s ongoing effort to provide more Earth-friendly bags and containers in its stores.. Additionally, the Company continues to seek alternatives to plastic bags in its bulk, produce, bakery and seafood departments.  More information can be found at online at www.wholefoodsmarket.com/byobag.