Great Lakes Green Pages

Oberlin could get a new grocery and distribution center…

Written by Robert Stockham

I wrote before about the plans to turn a defunct grocery store into a new grocer and distribution center. Among the plans for the site are a cafe, organic produce, green paper goods, and wholesale distribution. Think Costco meets Whole Foods. Adaptive reuse of the existing building means less wasted empty real estate. Among the things discussed were solar power, geothermal, bio fuels, waterless urinals, tying to the bike path, storm water management, and grey water reuse. Here are a few of the preliminary renderings for the project just to wet your appetite.

Model of the Oberlin site

one look at the inside

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Tags: grocery, Oberlin, shopping
Posted in Green, Grocery Stores, Projects | No Comments »

So many events…so little time…. I love Cleveland!

Written by Robert Stockham

I am looking at my calendar and trying to get caught up on some things before it gets too hectic.

Monday ( Feb 8th) I am attending a meeting of the Lake Erie Moose Society. The Lake Erie Moose Society fosters camaraderie and shares technical advice among NEO Bloggers of all experience levels. The meeting is at least once a month. Monday it is at the Barking Spider Tavern at CWRU. If you are a blogger or thinking about starting one, this is a great group of folks. I always learn something new, and I have new friends because of this group.

Tuesday night (Feb 9) is the wrap party for Got City Game. If you don’t know what this is, then you are missing out. The idea was to promote some of the truly cool things about Cleveland by creating a reality tv show. We here in Cleveland don’t go for the mainstream, so why not put it out on the web, so everyone can see how cool the NE Ohio region is. I am so proud of the producers and what they have done with this program. Tuesday night we will find out who won the scholarship prizes and who won the grand prize-a year of rent free living in Tremont and gift certificates to all the major entertainment attractions around town… Stop by the Barley House and find out how you might be involved in the next season, and catch up on all the past episodes online atGot City Game.

Thursday (Feb 11) is a big day. I will be spending the day at CWRU with the rest of the design committee to help plan out the next Sustainability Summit. We will be mapping out next year’s summit, reporting on progress from last years summit, and planning the strategic communications for our groups. Thursday evening is the launch party for Endure, an online exhibition for Red Dot Project. I am proud to be a fetured artist in the exhibit and can’t wait to see some of the work by other artists. The evening runs from 5-7pm at environments 4 business, at 515 euclid. Stop by for a nibble and see some cool art. My work is all photography on canvas, so I am eager to hear what people have to say about it. The show will be online shopreddotproject.org through March.

Tuesday of the following week (Feb 16th) is the networking event at E4S, Entrepreneurs for Sustainability. This month’s topic is UNIVERSITIES PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY TO WORK:

Join the E4S Network in February to learn how Northeast Ohio universities are implementing sustainable business practices in their buildings, operations, research, and curriculum. From innovative energy efficiency projects, to green buildings, to cafeteria`s filled with local food, universities in the region are leading the way towards a sustainable economy.

But what else might be possible if all 27 NEO universities – with over 200,000 students and an annual budget of nearly $3 billion – worked together to have an even greater impact? Join the dialog with our panel of sustainability experts from local universities as we explore the present and future of sustainability in higher education.

It is a great group and I encourage you to come and check it out.

Then on Wednesday I am attending a meeting at the Cleveland Film Society. I am very excited about participating in the Cleveland International Film Festival this year. This is only my second year, but I had such a great time last year, that I can’t wait for this season to begin! If you have some time on your hands, I encourage you to give them a call at 216.623.3456 or to sign up online. When you volunteer you can help out a great cause and you just might get to see a movie that will change your life. I saw a couple last year that really made me change the way i look at the world, and I hear that this year’s line up is shaping up to be even better! If you just want to attend, then think about getting an all access pass. You can see a ton of movie for a great price, and you get lots of perks when you go this route too! See the trailer and other videos on You Tube.

On Thursday (Feb 18th) is the Social Media Club monthly meeting. It is another great group and discusses all kinds of ways to use social media to enrich your life. If you are interested in learning more about twitter, Facebook, or other social media try attending this event of folks who love this form of communication.

Then on Friday (Feb 19th) is the 78th Street Studios Third Friday event. I always enjoy myself when I go here. There are tons of great artists to see and so much in one location. Perfect for those blustry winter evenings when walking the streets of Tremont is a cold proposition:

The hottest new arts center on the west side of Cleveland housed in the former American Greetings Creative Studios building between W 78th and W 80th Streets. Stop in to explore this eclectic mix of world class art galleries, studios, and creative businesses anchoring the west end of Gordon Square Arts District!

You can find them at 1300 W 78th St. or get the mat at their website.

What are YOU doing over the next couple of weeks? If you have a great event to add, put it here in the comments section!!

Tell the world!

Tags: art, bloggers, E4S, Events, Sustainability Summit
Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland, Green | 1 Comment »

Real change takes bold measures, and ODOT has no balls!

Written by Robert Stockham

Let’s just say it. ODOT has no balls. Cleveland is working hard to establish itself as a green city. Mayor Jackson has made a committment to being a Green City on a Blue Lake. While I think we should be moving a little faster on some things like curbside recycling and expanding the light rail system, it all takes money and we have a budget problem. We are not alone in this. I just read where Colorado Springs is laying off fire fighters and police, slashed all the parks budgets (asking residents to voluntarily mow green spaces), removing garbage cans from all city parks (replacing them with signs asking users to take their trash with them), turning off street lights, eliminating buses at night and on weekend, and eliminating watering programs for public spaces. While we could be in this dire situation, we are not. We have had to make some hard budgetary decisions, but doors won’t be closing on any museums or pools this year and the the parks will be open. So given the economic situation in town, I can accept some programs moving slower than I would want.

What I cannot accept is ODOT. We need a new bridge, that much is clear. It is obvious when they had to reroute all truck traffic last year that it is really only a matter of time before the whole damn thing falls down. When the bridge in Minneapolis had to be replaced, the city took a good look at its options and made choices that were crazy to some, genius to others. They added things that people hadn’t thought of to make the bridge lase longer and benefit the city in ways that were not even thought of. Crazy ideas like built in bridge monitors, self cleaning concrete, and solar powered street lights that are sculptural in design. They acted fast, built smart, and constructed this bridge to last a long time, while completing the structure months early to finish in only months.

ODOT, on the other hand held a public forum years ago right here in our own neighborhood. It was one of many asking residents what they wanted to see in the overall plan of a redesigned I-90 corridor, and they they didn’t listen. They didn’t listen to residents and citizens who wanted pedestrian and bike access. They didn’t listen when activist groups sent them petitions. They didn’t listen when rallies were held and marches organized. They didn’t listen to experts who built similar bridges in other states. They didn’t listen to the logic of increasing access of locals would encourage dense urban growth and cut down on congestion. They didn’t listen to the planning commission, to industrialists, or to Kent State’s Urban Design Collaborative. In short, they did not listen to the people who pay their salaries. Keep in mind that this is the same group that designed a freeway with a near 90 degree bend in it, aptly named DEAD MAN”S CURVE.

Bridges are made to last a long time. You only get one shot at it. It isn’t like we can remove the bridge in ten years and do it again. At this rate, we may still be working on this one. To really make change, you have to be bold and take some risks. You have to build for a future that is not here. ODOT is obviously not a progressive group that is thinking of the future. Rather than consider things like beauty, accessibility of the downtown, reduced long term congestion by encouraging dense urban growth, and what citizens want, they cite increased safety and maintenance concerns. It’s not like this is the first bridge of its kind. It has been done with success in other cities. Yet ODOT has refused to even entertain the idea. I am reminded of an architect working at a downtown firm who was designing a failed Lakewood project. His plan was to built the parking garage to overlook the Rocky River garage and put the bike lane running through that. His thought was that no one really rides bikes anyway. I would think that the new bike garage downtown would change the minds of people like this who are so out of touch with the people of this town. So I say, make some REAL change, be bold and build a great bridge that will serve everyone. But I don’t hold my breath, because I think ODOT has no balls. They are being led by a group of people who would drive 25 miles in the middle of summer to go to a gym to get on a stationery bike rather than get out in the sunshine in their own neighborhood, which is likely in the burbs. Or is there a little something under the table? Their concerns for maintenance and safety are valid if there is any evidence to cite. But I haven’t seen any.

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Tags: bicycling, Green and Sustainable Design, roads
Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland, Green | 1 Comment »

Selling out at the Green Grocer

Written by Bud Perry

Over the past few years, many different grocery retailers have tried to cash on the healthy & organic food market, giving Whole Foods a run for their money by opening stores under a different banner (name) with this different product mix than the rest of the chain. Most of these stores have since closed, but one remains open and enduring; Publix’s store called GreenWise. However, there’s a strange reason why it is doing alright in this economy.

When Publix opened its GreenWise store they decided it would be a great format to highlight healthy food choices and organic selections. However, like most of the general public, they figured “why not throw in expensive imports and high priced commodities, and then place these stores in extremely upscale neighborhoods?”

Now why would they determine that only wealthy people can afford to eat healthy? This only perpetuates the common belief that organic and healthy foods are expensive luxuries, a belief cultivated by Whole Foods over a decade ago.

Back in our old home town of Portland, Oregon, the chain called Nature’s Fresh Northwest (now a division of Whole Foods) opened five stores with a commitment to only selling organic and/or healthy foods. When they opened their sixth and largest store they decided, due to customer feedback and studies, they would need to add some conventional grocery products to their mix. It seems that customers were going to Nature’s to get a few items, but then going to a conventional grocery store to buy all their non-organic, non-healthy items like Pepsi, Doritos, or Bleach and Tide. This meant, according to their research, that most customers would simply forego the extra trip and thereby avoid buying the healthier fare at Nature’s, opting to buy all their groceries at a conventional store. Therefore, Nature’s added these items to their product mix, but smartly featured the healthier options at eye level in their stores.

Publix thought they’d hit the gold mine. The extremely rich, like those that live near its Maseratis, Florida store, are likely to buy high priced health food items as long as they can get specialty imported and luxury items. According to the Tampa Tribune, these patrons would typically have no problem paying $9.99 a pound for hand-picked olives and $36 for a bottle of vitamins.

Enter the economic downturn. 2009 was hard on everyone, including the filthy rich. Publix found that their once-loyal shoppers were heading to Trader Joe’s or even the Dollar Store in order to take advantage of bargains. Threatened with huge losses, the chain made a decision. It began adding more and more conventional grocery items to the GreenWise stores. One of the best sellers at Publix is its Southern-Style Fried Chicken, and so this very, very unhealthy product has now found a prominent spot at the front of the GreenWise deli. Whether or not customers believe the chicken is somehow healthier since it’s at a GreenWise store is yet to be determined.

So retailers are confused. They think of healthy foods and organics as expensive luxury items, cash cows from an upscale clientele trying to fulfill their New Year’s resolutions. When these customers stop paying high prices, the retailers suddenly back pedal and decide they can no longer just feature healthy items. It’s such failed, circular logic. And Publix, who opened under the concept of providing healthy and organic foods, has sold out miserably to this failed logic.
Publix GreenWise

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Posted in Green, Grocery Stores | 1 Comment »

Get The Green Advantage

Written by Robert Stockham

One of the events that I attended recently was the Green Advantage kickoff that was hosted by Fiorilli Construction. Fiorilli is one of the big boys in construction, and is helping to lead the way in green construction. One of the problems that arises when it comes to things like LEED (the green rating system most commonly used in the US) is that it can be more information than most people need. Becoming a LEED AP is not an easy chore, nor is it cheap. In addition to the materials, the testing, and the training, the cost of the time and energy that must be put into preparing for a LEED exam has to be considered. Then to top it off, once you pay you have to pass. Enter the Green Advantage program.

Green Advantage is a green building Environmental Certification program that brings consumers together with certified building practitioners who have proven knowledge about green building techniques and approaches. The basics off LEED are the foundation for Green Advantage. Why not just take the LEED exam? LEED may not be for you. While I am a huge advocate for the LEED AP designation and think that eventually everyone needs to have it, right now it might be too overwhelming. GA allows you to get your feet wet. You find out about LEED points and what they mean. If someone says to you, “bioswale” and you are left scratching your head then this is the place to start. Maybe you really don’t need LEED AP status right now. If you are a subcontractor, you may not really have a need to know about all the intricacies of LEED and its point systems. If you are the company that lays tile or puts up the drywall, the thought of studying to find out about stormwater retention or a green roof may make you feel overwhelmed. This is the right place to begin.

But how do you prepare for the Green Advantage exam? You can take this course offered by Fiorilli Construction that will prepare you for the exam, and for the application of green building principals. I spoke with Chris Jackson at who will be the instructor for the course. His aim is to use real world examples to help you understand LEED points in a practical way. With plenty of green projects under their belt, Fiorelli has no shortage of real world examples. Building to LEED or other green standards is becoming the norm in the United States. If you want to remain competitive in the marketplace you need to be able to prove that you the skills needed to help projects achieve their LEED certification. The major construction companies need to do their part to help a client reach their LEED goals. More and more these major companies are requiring some sort of designation from their subcontractors. Those who do not keep are are just not going to get hired. Construction is becoming more and more competitive. If you do not know how to build green, then the hirers on the project are not going to take the time to teach you-that is why this designation can be such an advantage. What if you are already a LEED AP? Truly this course and certification is not for you. But if you know that you need to get that accreditation eventually, this is a great place to get your feet wet. Many of the contractors that we have talked to know little or nothing about green. They still think it is a fad, or think the whole process is too overwhelming to consider, or that LEED is just too big for them to tackle when they only concentrate on one small aspect of the industry. This is the ideal place for them to learn. In this economy, you need every advantage that you can get! Building sustainably is not going away. We can no longer wait for the economy to improve and go back to “business as usual.” Here is the info about the course:

This course will prepare you to take the Green Advantage® exam for individual certification to evidence your formal training and dedication to sustainable practices. This program offers practical information to prepare you for engaging in sustainable practices.

Fiorilli Construction’s Sustainable Practices Training is aligned with USGBC’s LEED® standards and is organized based on the following categories:
*Sustainable Sites
*Water Efficiency
*Energy & Atmosphere
*Materials & Resources
*Indoor Environmental Quality

Once complete, you will be able to understand:
*The core concepts of Sustainable practices in construction and everyday life
*How to apply these concepts in large and small scale scenarios
*How Sustainability is already a part of our everyday life, but can often times be simply enhanced
*The LEED® Rating system and how LEED® integrates with Green Advantage®
*What to look for on a construction site and how to avoid common pitfalls that affect uneducated professionals

This session is presented in an interactive fashion with real world examples.

www.fio-con.com/training_programs.php

Trainer: Chris Jackson, LEED AP, GACR
*BS Construction Science and Management, Western Michigan University
*LEED AP- March 2009
*Green Advantage Commercial and Residential Certified- August 2009

Previous Training Programs for:
*LEED Awareness for field staff
*Timberline Accounting, Estimating and Project Management
*Microsoft Project Scheduling, Word and Excel

216.696.5845
216.780.3119
cjackson@fio-con.com

Many people that I have spoken to are excited about this program. Contractors can make themselves more employable. Vendors and service reps can earn the credibility that will allow them to sell more materials. Architects and designers who have not yet studied for the LEED exam can make their resume more exciting and make LEED accreditation more accessible in the future. Even clients and project manager for big companies are planning to take this exam in an effort to keep themselves and their teams on point. Let’s face it, one mistake in LEED building can cost a lot. Avoiding mistakes is mandatory. Times have been tough the last couple of years. If you need an advantage in today’s economy then maybe you need the Green Advantage.

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Tags: construction, LEED, training
Posted in Cleveland, Green | No Comments »

Let them eat Cake!

Written by Robert Stockham

Cleveland is a wonderful town. One of the joys of living here is the entrepreneurial spirit of its residents. When life hands you a bad situation, sometimes you just have to make something new out of it. That is what happened to Laura Williams, owner of LaBella Cupcakes. In 2009, like many Clevelanders, she lost her job. Rather than panic, she opened her own business:

I’ve always had the dream of opening my own bakery, so when the opportunity presented itself after I lost my job last year, I thought why not give it a try. I launched LaBella Cupcakes in September 2009, and we have been growing steadily ever since.

As a mother of two, my first full-time job is taking care of my family. My second full time job is business owner, baker and entrepreneur. Running the bakery currently from my home has definitely been exciting. As we continue to grow and eventually move into our own retail space, we know that other exciting opportunities and challenges will present themselves. But I am always open to change, open to new ideas and always on the lookout for ways to expand my business.

It is not a surprise to see business treating her well. The cupcakes that she makes look amazing! With flavors like S’More for Ya, Wedding Whisper and Cherry Yum Twisted there is something for everyone. Have dietary restrictions? Not to worry, she still has options! Now even if you cannot have gluten or are watching your sugar intake, you can have something special. Some of my friends have kids who can’t eat gluten, so I am happy to see that they have a place to order cupcakes for the next birthday bash! They keep an eye on the environment as well-using only wrappers that are made of recycled paper and printed with soy based inks.

Where this woman finds her energy, I will never know! Not only is running a business a full time job in itself, but she is also a mother! Creating a balance between family and work is hard, but Laura seems to keep herself centered:

In the end, everything I do is for my family. I am happy to carry both loads of full-time mom and business owner so that one day, I’ll have something to pass onto my daughters. My oldest who is 15 stands right beside me, learning the recipes, suggesting new flavors. And the little one, who is only 15 months stands on a chair and pretends to pour vanilla into the bowl as I mix up batches of cupcakes.

So for your next party or event, or just for munching on these chilly winter nights, pick up the phone and call LaBella: 216-501-1084

or check out all the great flavors that she has at the LaBella Cupcakes website. Support a local business that is sure to be a favorite!

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Tags: buy local, food
Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland | 1 Comment »

Recycling can be useful!

Written by Robert Stockham

This video is simply brilliant. While you may not find the use of bottles as a building material particularly useful in your neck of the woods, it is a great concept. Imagine what a little design help could do to make this even more beautiful. I especially love the light!

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Tags: build, recycling
Posted in Green | No Comments »

Recycle this!

Written by Robert Stockham

I saw something similar to this on television. Surprising that we can recycle styrofoam, but who does? I wish we had programs for this kind of thing in Ohio.

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Tags: recycling
Posted in Green | No Comments »

Give me hopes…seven of them.

Written by Robert Stockham

One of the problems in the world is the lack of some peoples to make a living. We all know that most of the goods imported from countries in Eastern Asia are made in sweat shops. People of all ages, children to adults work long hours in horrible conditions, so that we Westerners can have cheap t-shirts and running shoes. We like being able to buy inexpensive coffee, so we support a system where peoples along the equator harvest coffee beans for pennies a day. I could go on a soap box and talk all day about how the world is exploiting so many less developed countries while destroying much of our own economy and the environment along the way. If you are bracing yourself for the usual rant, hang on, as I am going to spare you. Instead, I wanted to talk about a company that is doing a lot to change this system for the better. It gives me hope that we can truly change things. The company is called Seven Hopes United. Their mission is clear: help make the world better by supporting efforts to help impoverished peoples on all 7 continents by selling handmade goods of artisans who earn a living wage, all with the least impact on the environment. Their website is very informative and tells more about their efforts, but here is a lead in:

Seven Hopes United aspires to enrich the lives of communities worldwide through providing a means to a living wage for thousands of artisans and their families, while moving forward to build an alternative market based on the dignity and worth of all people. Seven Hopes United specializes in marketing fairly-traded handmade gifts, jewelry, home decor and personal accessories from producers around the globe. Seven Hopes United supports a trading partnership aimed at obtaining sustainable development for excluded and disadvantaged producers by operating according to fair trade criteria, and investing a portion of our proceeds back into their communities.

At Seven Hopes United, we believe that above all else, our business should be based on respect:

Respectful of ourselves and our own personal commitment to integrity.

Respectful of basic human rights and the dignity and worth of all people.

Respectful to our environment by reducing our carbon footprint, and promoting a sustainable lifestyle.

Respectful of our commitment to invest in disadvantaged communities, and provide a living wage to our employees and producers.

I am a big believer in fair trade as a way to help promote world peace. I think more can be done to stabilize the planet’s governments and economies by eradicating poverty and disease than can ever be done with guns and ammo. If no one had to worry about food, shelter, or medicines, why would there be radical uprisings? I also believe that we should start now to show countries that are following us into the modern global market place that there is away to support themselves without destroying the planet or its peoples. So how can you help? Think clearly about the products that you buy and support Fair Trade products. Companies like Seven Hopes United have done all the hard work. By buying from their site you can be assured that you are doing the right thing and you can buy some unique gifts! For example…

You can buy hand carved wooden figures from Africa. These help support local artisans who hand carve these goods and make a decent living doing it. The wood they use is harvested in a sustainable manner and the money raised helps support conservation efforts, either directly or by giving locals another means to make a living other than by poaching gorillas or destroying the natural habitats of endangered animals.

Many of their products are made using common recycled goods. These programs encourage the collection of waste products and trash and help keep their environment litter free. These goods come from around the globe from places like Nepal and Kenya, and are made from common goods like plastic wrappers and pop cans that otherwise would be tossed out.

I encourage you to check out the Seven Hopes United website to see more of the cool goods that can be purchased to help make the world a better place. You can even start a gift registry, so your next wedding can do wonders to help the world (how many blenders do you really want anyway?) You can find things like carvings, baskets, jewelry…like these cool bracelets. They’re made from flip flops. Ever wonder what happens when you leave a flip flop on the beach? Many of them float back up on other beaches around the world. In Kenya, a unique combination of currents drives thousands of flip flops from around the world onto the beach. What a better way to use them, than by making attractive jewelry out of them? Those folks who collect this “garbage” are paid a living wage and the beach benefits from their efforts. I LOVE this idea. The next time you are giving a gift, think about giving a gift of hope along with something physical.

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Tags: green companies, reuse, shopping
Posted in Arts & Culture, Cleveland, Green | No Comments »

Live simply… Try Simple Mom!

Written by Robert Stockham

Whether you are a blog follower or not, you should at least stop by this site. It is called Simple Mom and its tag line is “Live simply, stay sane. Life hacks for home managers.” Now I am not a parent, but I was turned on to this blog by my friend and fellow blogger Prasti over at Here to There. Not a big surprise, because Prasti and her husband are raising their children to be different. They are striving to teach their kids better values than consumerism-things like stewardship and living better by living more simply. I love seeing some of the ways that they teach their children-teaching them the letters through series of craft projects and such. Since i have no plans to have children of my own, I love to live vicariously through others. Knowing that the real healing of the earth will be done by the next generation, I am always pleased to see others trying to pass along the right ideas to their kids. Enter Simple Mom and the blog post I enjoyed reading called 9 Ways to Encourage your Kids to live Simply. it is a great article with some simple, yet practical tips for raising your children in a manner that focuses on things other than consuming goods. There are some great tips for everyone here, even if you don’t have kids of your own. I especially like the idea of encouraging the use of the right words and keeping down on clutter so that you can appreciate what you do have. Give it a read, it is worth your time!

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Tags: blogs, living simpler
Posted in Arts & Culture, Green | 1 Comment »

Great Lakes Green Pages

Oberlin could get a new grocery and distribution center…

So many events…so little time…. I love Cleveland!

Real change takes bold measures, and ODOT has no balls!

Selling out at the Green Grocer

Get The Green Advantage

Let them eat Cake!

Recycling can be useful!

Recycle this!

Give me hopes…seven of them.

Live simply… Try Simple Mom!

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