going green memphis 6-20-10

8/8/2019 Going Green Memphis 6-20-10

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2 GOING GREEN| S u n d ay , June 2 0, 2010 co mm er ci a l a pp ea l.com

Is the water fine?Roy Reed of Memphis Pool supply sees increase in localinterest to greener alternatives in pool maintenance

In the gardenCollierville ChristianAcademy educatorbelieves theres aneducation in

students plantingtheir own garden.

Ea r t h t a l k :Cell phoneusageDebate continues about thenegative effects of radiation

Boutique meat trendgoing mainstream

Compost tea: Liquidgold to organic garden

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!Going Green is a special online publication ofThe Commercial Appeal. We welcome your commentsand suggestions. Follow Going Green on Twitter atw w w .t w i t t e r .co m /G o G r e e n M e m p h i s.

Ed i t o r : Kim Coleman, 529-5243,goi n gg r e e n@co m m e rci a la pp ea l .com

Whats in this issue ...

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http://www.twitter.com/GoGreenMemphismailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.twitter.com/GoGreenMemphis


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The Commercial Appeal S u n d ay , June 2 0, 2010| GOING GREEN 3

The Green Page

From garden to grill: recipe contestWhole Foods Market, the leading natural and organic

foods supermarket, is collaborating with food52, an

online community for home cooks, to hold weekly recipecontests during June and July.At Whole Foods Market, we want our shoppers to

discover the joy of eating and living well, said Nona Evans,global marketing coordinator for Whole Foods Market.Our partnership with food52 spotlights summers

flavorful ingredients such asbasil and heirloom tomatoeswhile giving home cooks astrong voice in creating,sharing and celebrating the

s eason s best recipes.Through July 26, a differentseasonal ingredient will beannouncedeach week onfood52.com, and home cookswill have one week to submitan original recipe based onthe featured ingredient. Thefollowing week, food52 willannounce two finalists, and

the online community will be able to vote on a winner

from the two. Each weekly winner will receive a $100 giftcard from Whole Foods Market. The eight winners fromeach week will be entered into a grand-prize contest fora $1,000 Whole Foods Market gift card. The featuredseasonal ingredients are:

June 21: CherriesJune 28: Summer squashJuly 5: BasilJuly 12: SwordfishJuly 19: Ground beef burgersJuly 26: Heirloom tomatoes

All recipe submissions must meet Whole FoodsM a r ke t s quality standards, which means that they mustbe free of hydrogenated fats, artificial colors, flavors,preservatives or sweeteners.

Contest details can be found at: http://blog.wholefoodsmarket .com/2010/06/8-weeksingle-ingredient-recipe-contest/. Weekly winners an d the grand-prize recipe will be fe atured at:blog.wholefoodsmarket .com .

Ev e n t sThe Wolf River

Con s e r va ncy s ThirdAnnual Lecture Series: ANaturalists Guide to theMi d -So ut h will be held atthe Memphis BotanicGarden on Monday at6:30 p.m.

This month local

butterfly and native plantexpert, Bart Jones, willpresent a short course onbutterfly identification,the North AmericanButterfly Association, andhow you can be involved ina butterfly count programthat is over 30 years old.

Memphis BotanicGarden: memphis botanic

garden.com or (901) 576-4 10 0.Wolf River

Con s e r va n cy :wolfriver.orgor (901)4 5 2 - 6 5 0 0.

To submit items, e-mail going green@commercial appeal .com .

Jim WeberThe Commercial Appeal files

The Eastern TigerSwallowtail is fairlycommon for the area.
http://food52.com/http://food52.com/http://http//blog.wholefoodsmarket%20.com/2010/06/8-weeksingle-ingredient-recipe-contest/http://http//blog.wholefoodsmarket%20.com/2010/06/8-weeksingle-ingredient-recipe-contest/http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/http://wolfriver.org/http://wolfriver.org/http://blog.wholefoodsmarket.com/http://http//blog.wholefoodsmarket%20.com/2010/06/8-weeksingle-ingredient-recipe-contest/http://food52.com/


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4 GOING GREEN| S u nd ay , June 2 0, 2010 co m m er cia l a pp ea l.co m

Green and clean New products add eco-appeal to swimming pools

By Suzanne Thompson

Special to Going Green

Nothing beats a dip in a sparkling clear pool on a sweltering summerday, but nothing is worse than pop-ping up from the water with eyes redand stinging from chlorine.

According to Roy Reed, owner of Memphis Pool, contrary to whatmost people think, when their eyesget red and the water reeks of chlo-rine, thats because theres too little,not too much chlorine in the pool.

Suntan lotions, body oils and otherpollutants in the water cause the

Dave Darnell/The Commercial Appeal

Roy Reed, of Memphis Pool, holds an element for an ozonator, which hasoutstanding germicidal properties for cleaning pools. At right is a

programmable pump which responds to different hydraulic requirementsand accomplishes filtration without wasting energy.


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The Commercial Appeal S u n d ay , June 2 0, 2010 | GOING GREEN 5

chlorine to break down and it givesoff an odor as it disperses.

Chlorine has been the staple forkeeping pools clean from bacteriaand clear from algae for years. It isnearly impossible to maintain a poolwithout the chemical, but there areseveral ways to reduce the usage.

Reed said he has seen an increasein the interest for maintaining poolsusing fewer chemicals.

The large percentage of cus-tomers are green-aware. If they askabout green or you want to tell themabout green, they will listen, he

s aid.Salt systems(i.e., chlorine gener-ators) reduce theamount of chlorinemanually added tothe pool. Through aseries of reactions,the generators ulti-mately convert thechlorine componentin the salt to thechlorine compoundthat drives the san-itation process, killsmicroorganisms and oxidizes, or re-moves the organics that find theirway into the pool water.

A product Reed prefers over saltgenerators uses ozone to treat pool wa-ter, which also reduces chlorine use.

Ozone has a very short half lifeand in no time it returns to the stateof being molecular oxygen, the verystuff we breathe. Talk about being green and eco-friendly. Ozone winsby quantum leaps, he said.

To top it all off, the energy con-

sumed by ozone production is a frac-tion of salt generators.

A pool cannot be cleaned withozone alone. Some chlorine is stillnecessary, but using an ozone gen-erator, which works in conjunctionwith the vacuum system, doesnt al-ter the pH balance of the water.

There are several manufacturers of ozone generators in North America aswell as Europe. While neither ozoneproduction nor its use and efficacy as awater sanitizer are new, there has beenadvancement in utilizing ozone forswimming pool and spa applications.

Known as Ad-vanced Oxidation Technology (AOT),the process involvesa specific range of ul-traviolet emissionswhich go one stepbeyond generating ozone and producehydroxyl free radi-cals. These radicals,along with ozone,create an environ-ment friendly to hu-mans, but lethal to

microorganisms, some of which areimmune to chlorine, Reed said.

Pamela Milling, aquatics director of the alumni pool at Mississippi College,whom Reed said is one of MemphisPo o l s most particular customers, hasbeen very satisfied with the ozonator.

It actually kills pathogens 1,000times faster than chlorine does, shesaid. The less pathogens that are inthe water, the more protected mypeople are.

Milling said she started using the

The large percentageof customers are

green-aware. If they ask about green or you

want to tell them about green, they will listen,

ROY REED

Owner of Memphis Pool


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6 GOING GREEN| Su n d ay , June 2 0, 2010 co mm er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

products about 12 years ago, and atthat time, they used about four buck-ets of chlorine a month. Since theozonator was installed, that hasdropped by at least half and the wa-ter quality improved drastically.

Within a couple of days after in-stalling the ozonator, the waterlooked like a crystal spring, she said.

Reed uses one at his home andsaid he can throw a quarter into thepool from the 13-foot deep end andtell whether its heads or tails.

He is so sure of the effectiveness of the ozonator that he not only offerspeople a money-back guarantee for theproduct, which sells for about $500,but also tells customers hell give theman extra $100 just for their trouble.

In all the years hes been selling them, only one has come back.

Energy usage is always a consid-eration when maintaining a pool anda product called a solar blanket,available for $80 to $120, can helpmaintain the water temperature with-

out the need for a heater. The blanket resembles bubble

wrap, and when placed over the sur-face of the water in the afternoon, willkeep the warmth from the sunlight inthe water even during a cool night.

Most of the energy used in main-taining a pool is through the op-eration of the pump, Reed said.

Pumps have been the big energyh o g.

Newer pumps are made more en-ergy efficiently, but the most com-mon waste Reed detects is that poolowners use bigger units than needed.

Most people use pumps that aretoo powerful, he said.

Replacing an old pump that is toopowerful with a newer, smaller one isan investment that can pay for itself within six months because the en-ergy savings are so significant.

Its like anything else. There hasbeen an evolution of equipment andaccessories to make things better,Reed said.

Gettingcreative withlandscapingaround your

pool can haveaes th e t i c

benefits andkeep your pool

cool in thesummer. When

designed as awindbreak,

landscapingcan even help

to prevent

ev a p o r a t i o n .


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The Commercial Appeal S u n day , June 2 0, 2010 | GOING GREEN 7

How to have a greener poolThe idea of a green pool may make

some people cringe. Thats certainly arespectable reaction if the green youretalking about is unclean, algae-filled water.But when green means eco-friendly, agreen pool is something homeownersshould aspire to have in their yards.

Residential pools are a large part ofsuburban living. It is estimated that thereare 7 million private swimming pools inAmerica today. Factor in the number ofpools at swim clubs, resorts and otherrecreational facilities, and its easy to seehow the country is swimming in pools.

A pool has quite an environmentalimpact. Here are some of the issues.

Pools require a lot of water to befilled, and water is also required formaintenance and cleaning. The average4- to 6-foot-deep pool could use 7,000 to10,000 gallons of water initially.

That water is bound to evaporatewhen exposed to constant sun, requiringperiodic refilling.

Pools operate with a host ofchemicals to keep the water safe and clean.

Significant electrical power is usedto filter a pool. Even more is required ifyou heat your pool.

While it may have some negativeimpact, its possible to make your poolmore eco-friendly.

Do proper maintenance on yourpool. Well-maintained equipment will lastlonger and work more efficiently.

Lower the temperature of your pool.Your carbon footprint will be reduced andyou will save money. After an initialadjustment period you probably wonteven notice the difference.

Cover your pool. A pool cover willprevent evaporation and keep the poolcleaner. If the pool is covered, you can

prevent as much as 70 percent of theev a p o r a t i o n .

Run your pool equipment during off-peak hours. You will save money and useenergy during times of lesser demand onthe grid. See how much you can shortenthe amount of time you need to use thefilter and pool sweep and still get reliabler esu l t s .

Consider switching to greenercleaning methods. Pool companies canadvise you about what products are saferfor the environment.

Use a green pool cleaning service.Some green companies will clean andreuse the same water, saving bothmoney and a valuable resource.

Choose a concrete pool. It could bemore eco-friendly than a steel-framedpool with a vinyl liner. It negates the needfor a plastic-based liner, which may leachCFCs, and any repairs to that liner.

Try salt water: While a salt-waterpool does release some chlorine into thewater, most people find them much lessirritating than a pool in which packagedpool chemicals and additives are added.

Find the balance: Natural swimmingpools are a new trend. They are morecommon in Europe but are quicklycatching on in the U.S. They are built toachieve a balanced ecosystem similar toa natural lake. The rocks do the filtering,the plants destroy algae and a naturalbacteria is added to keep the water cleanand safe. They are costlier thantraditional pools.

Getting creative with thelandscaping around your pool can haveaesthetic benefits and keep your poolcool in the summer and warm in thewinter. When designed as a windbreak,landscaping can even help to preventev a p o r a t i o n .


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8 GOING GREEN| S u n day, June 2 0, 2010 co m m er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

IN THE GARDEN WITH LORI DONLEVY

When Lori Donlevy, an educator at Col-lierville Christian Academy, talks aboutcreating and tending to the schools smallgarden, she says theres an educationalpurpose to planting their own vegetables.

The garden teaches kids a lot aboutplants, and they have fun with it, shes aid.

So far, Donlevy has built two raisedbeds for the school. Her goal is toexpand the garden within the next fewmonths and start composting.

Maybe (Ill) add a third or fourthbed, she said. I also want to start themeal worm farm and begin composting.

Part of town: ColliervilleHow long have you been interested

in gardening? Probably since I was ateen. Growing up we canned, made ourown jellies.

Average amount of time involvedwith gardening per week or month:

On average, my students and I spendapproximately three hours a week in theschools garden.

Whats your favorite plant and why?I like coleus. They dont flower, but theyare beautiful. I also like caladiums be-cause they are so intricate and the veinsare beautiful.

Current or most recent gardeningproject: My most current project is cre-ating and tending to Collierville Chris-tian Academys small garden.

What are your favorite gardening ex-periences? I like watching kids take in-terest and learning about eating healthyand going to farmers markets and talk-ing to farmers. I like to see the fruit of my labor and say, Wow, I grew this.

What advice would you give tosomeone interested in gardening? Yo uhave to have good soil. Nothing is going to grow unless you have good soil.

What other hobbies do you enjoy? Ienjoy cooking, reading and biking.

If you would like to be featured as a gardener, call Matt Woo at 529-6453, or e- mail [email protected] .

Matt Woo/The Commercial Appeal

Collierville Christian Academy's LoriDonlevy helps John David Sammonstend to the school's garden. Donlevysays the garden teaches the childrenabout the different kinds of plantsand how to take care of them.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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The Commercial Appeal S u n day , June 2 0, 2010 | GOING GREEN 9

Maintaining a

healthy gardenBy Karen Nazor HillChattanooga Times Free Press

While theres a big push in our areato buy local, including vegetablesand fruits grown on nearby farms,t h e re s also an increasing interest in

backyard farming.More and more people aregrowing their own vegetables thesedays and for several reasons, s aid

Tim Holcomb, owner of HolcombGarden Center. By growing yourown, you can save money over buying,you can know exactly what went in it,and your home-grown vegetables willhave more vitamins and better tastethan most store-bought vegetables.Once you have planted a garden,maintaining it is equally important .Here are five tips for healthy gardens:

1. Water as needed but not too much.It doesnt do any good to wet the leaves.Rather, soak the ground. Water in themornings. A wet plant at night is morelikely to get a disease. Use mulch to help

maintain soil moisture.2. Feed your plants. They will growwithout food, but the production of a greatcrop is not likely without food. Compost inthe soil will slowly release nutrients intothe plants roots, providing a long-termsupply of nutrition. Compost tea, amultipurpose fluid containing beneficialmicrobes and soluble nutrients, is good for

an immediate boost of food that can besprayed on plants as needed. (See Page 10

for more on compost tea.)3. Prevent weeds and grass from taking

water and food from your vegetables. (S ee Page 15 for an easy weed control solution.)

4. Watch for insects. Keep in mind thatmany insects are beneficial, but if they arecausing damage to the fruit or plant, acontrol measure needs to be taken. If yourenot sure, bring in a bug and/or a damagedleaf or fruit to your local garden center for

identification and recommendation on anatural method of control. (See Page 16 for homemade pest control remedies.)

5. Occasionally, fungus can be aproblem for some plants. Be sure to waterin the mornings and not at night. If adisease is present and/or spreading, thereare several natural solutions. (See Page 18

for more on natural fungicides.)

Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal files


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10 GOING GREEN| S u n d ay , June 2 0, 2010 co mm er cia l a pp ea l.co m

Tea thats not for summer sippin

By Matt Hickman Mother Nature Network

Greetings from my very un-Brook-lyn home away from home this week,Little Saint Simons Island in Geor-gia. Ive decamped to this stunning and secluded eco-resort thinkDeep South safari camp meets en-vironmentally conscious B&B off the coast of Georgia on assignmentfor an upcoming article. My stay onLSSI has been a treat so far: critters

ga l o re , naturist-led bike rides andhikes through untouched wilderness ,rustic but comfy a c c o m m o d at i o n s ,and since this is South Georgia, awhole lot of freshly brewed sweet teat h at s available 24/7.

While the guests on LSSI havebeen raving about the sweet tea, Im

more impressed with another kind of tea thats frequently s e r ve d on theisland: compost tea. LSSI has its ownUSDA-certified organic garden(much of the produce and herbs thatappear in the delicious meals onLSSI comes from said garden) andan equally impressive composting system to divert waste and providethe garden with organic fertilizer. Igot a tour of the multistage com-posting system that includes spraying crops with nutrient-rich compost tea.

Unfamiliar with this super bene-ficial, easy-to-brew "gourmet" liquidfertilizer? Learn how to make yourvery own compost tea with our easyrecipe. Experienced compost teabrewers, have any pointers? Thenemail them to [email protected]

r o c k n e n ew / F l i c k r


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How to make compost teaCompost tea is like gold to the organic

gardener. Its not for you, the gardener,but for your plants! It is not only cheapand easy to make, it provides plants witha hearty dose of healthy nutrientsimmediately, which helps them to growbetter and stronger. Unlike usingcompost in the soil, which slowlyreleases the nutrients into the plantsroots, compost tea immediately providesnutrients, as the liquid is soaked upinstantly by the plants.

Fortunately, compost tea is very easyto b r ew , whether you are a beginnergardener or more advanced. It also

requires very few tools to make. You willneed:Bucket or containerCo mp o s tWa t e rStrainer

The larger your container, the moretea you can make. If you have a verylarge garden, using a 55-gallon drum maybe more efficient to produce the amountof tea you will need. If you have a smallgarden, a 5-gallon bucket may suffice,which is about the minimum you shouldm a ke.

Place your compost materials in thecontainer. You want to have a good ratioof carbon- and nitrogen-based compost,just as you would in a compost pile. Donot pack the compost into the bucket;rather, fill it loosely with the material sothat it can be easily stirred. Do not fill the

container with compost all the way.About three-fourths of the bucket will do.Add water to the compost. If you can

use rainwater, it will be healthier than tapwater, which usually contains chemicalssuch as chlorine. Fill the bucket withwater, leaving enough space at the topso that when you stir the water it doesnot spill over the sides.

You will want to let your compost teasteep for at least a week, stirring thewater every day. You can certainly stirmore than once per day, but it will notnecessarily make your brew any morenutrient-rich.

Keep the bucket in an area where itwill remain warm, but avoid placing it inthe direct sun. Too much sun willpromote algae growth, which will throwoff the carbon and nitrogen balance.

After a week has passed, strain thecompost particles from the liquid. Theeasiest way to do this is to securelyattach a piece of cheesecloth to the top

of another 5-gallon bucket. Using asmaller bucket or container, scoop thecompost tea out of the original bucket,and pour it through the cheesecloth tostrain the water. This will help to removeall small particles from the mixture, so iteasily be used in a sprayer if you desire.

Do not spray the concentratedcompost tea directly on your plants, as itmay burn them, especially if your tea isstrong in nitrogen. Instead, dilute the teawith a ratio of approximately 1 partcompost tea to 10 parts water. Again,rainwater will work best for this.

Using a sprayer or watering can, applythe diluted tea to the roots of the plant,or the leaves if it is early morning orevening. Apply as needed, a couple timesper month. Since it is a liquid, it will washout into the soil quickly.

The strained material can go back intoyour compost pile. However, if planningto make more tea right away, use a newbatch of compost first, as the ingredientsyou just used will now be lacking inessential nutrients.

Let your garden enjoy the fresh jolt ofcompost tea! Its natures best liquidfe r t i l i z e r .

d o i ty o u rs el f. co m
http://doityourself.com/http://doityourself.com/http://doityourself.com/http://doityourself.com/


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12 GOING GREEN| Sun d ay , June 2 0, 2010 co m m er c ia l app ea l.co m

By Tom BeyerleinCox Newspapers

DAYTON, Ohio As more weedsevolve to defeat weedkillers, corporatescientists, agricultural academics andfarmers are locked in a battle againstnature that involves both the creationof new genetically modified crops and

a return to older, harsher herbicides.With the ubiquitous herbicideRoundup losing effectiveness, expertsare encouraging farmers to bring back older chemicals to diversify theirattacks on weeds and slow the evo-lution of herbicide-resistant species.

Brookville, Ohio, farmer RalphDull said the public shouldnt be con-cerned about the proliferation of so-called superweeds and the meansused to kill them.

Its not a public worry. Its a farm-e rs wo r r y, Dull said. The vigorous81-year-old said herbicide fears areoverblown. Ive used all kinds of chemicals in the last 60 years.

But others say the widening war onweeds is dangerous and unsustainable.

With chemicals, youre selecting for a resistant strain every time youuse them, said Michael Malone, whoowns a small organic farm in Washing-ton Township, Ohio. Its just an end-less chain of selecting for a mutant thatwill resist the poisons theyre using.

Darke County, Ohio, organic

farmer Dan Kremer said weeds haveto be managed, but not eliminated.His crops are more expensive thanconventional ones because he spendsmore time in the fields by using mechanical weed cultivation meth-ods. But he said there are hiddencosts to herbicide use.

The people who are dealing withsuperweeds are going to use yetmore petroleum-based products thatare going to end up in the Gulf (of M ex i c o ) , Kremer said. S omewherealong the line, when you try to short-circuit Mother Nature, youre going to pay. We always use the statement,the high cost of cheap food.

In April, the National ResearchCouncil called for a nationwide public-private collaboration to assess the im-pacts of genetic engineering, identifynew weed-resistance problems anddevelop ways to manage them. Thecouncil said superweeds could reversethe environmental and economic ben-

No weed resistantto pulling, hoeing

Mechanical weed cultivationmethods are labor-intensive, butits simple and no weed can resist

a little pulling and hoeing.


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Put newspaper to work in the gardenWeeds the bane of gardeners everywhere.

Here is a simple, cheap and perfectly safesolution to preventing weeds in natural areas,flower beds or even a vegetable garden and youmay have one delivered to your home every week.

Its the newspaper. Once you read it, you canrecycle it or you can repurpose it to snuff outstubborn weeds without using toxic chemicals.

Like the black landscape fabric you may beused to seeing, a layer of newspapers will keepsunlight from reaching young weeds waiting toemerge. Newspapers also encourage earthwormactivity. As the worms break down the papertheir waste provides fertilizer for the soil andtheir tunnels help to provide beneficial oxygen.

Plus, its simple. Clear the area where youwant to prevent weeds from sprouting. Layersections of the newspaper across the area.Overlap the layers by several inches to preventgaps. Put down at least six to eight sheets. Thethicker the layer of newspaper the better theweed control. Spray the papers lightly withwater until soaked. Cover the area with leaves,grass clippings, straw, bark or rock. It looksbetter when the soaked papers are covered butit also helps to keep them in place until theybreak down.

Theres no need to worry about the ink onthe newspapers. Most publishers use organicpigments, which are the same as those used intattoos, hair coloring and other cosmetics. Youmay also see the soy ink symbol on anewspaper, which tells the reader that thenewspaper company is using soy-based inks.

You can use the glossy inserts of thenewspaper but the coating on the paper willprolong the process of breaking down. These

are best used sparingly or on problem areas.Keeping your garden weed-free doesnt haveto be a backbreaking job nor do you have to usea bunch of potentially hazardous chemicals. Doyour part and re-purpose your newspaper for afree, easy and eco-friendly weed solution.

For more information visit D oYourPart.com . Terri Bennett, McClatchy Newspapers

efits of the Roundup revolu-tion.

Monsanto Co. createdRoundup in the 1970s, butthe herbicide hit its stride in1996 with the introduction of Roundup Ready seeds, whichallowed crops to survivewhile weeds died. Geneticallyengineered crops now ac-count for more than 80 per-cent of U.S. soybean, cornand cotton acreage.

Despite the growing resis-tance, Roundup remains effec-

tive against many weeds andits inexpensive and plentiful.Low costs may entice farm-

ers to ignore resistance prob-lems and continue to use itheavily, experts say. HaroldWatters, an Ohio State Uni-versity agronomist, said farm-ers may feel, Ill keep using it until it breaks, and itbreaks when I get moreweeds than soybeans.

We do have managements t rat e g i e s , Watters said. Wedont always implement thembecause theyre more expen-s i ve . Its more expensive, forexample, to rotate corn intosoybean fields, which is a time-honored weed control method.

Organic farmer Malone ac-knowledged his weed controlmethods are labor-intensive,but theyre simple.

Im out there pulling andchopping and hoeing, he said.No weeds resistant to that.
http://d%20oyourpart.com/http://d%20oyourpart.com/


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14 GOING GREEN| S und ay , June 2 0, 2010 co mm er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

Ever wonder what farmers did hundreds of years ago to fight off crop pests?Long before the invention of harmful chemical pesticides (yes, the kind that islinked to cancerous cellular activity), farmers and householders came up withmultiple remedies for removing insect infestations from their garden plants.

The following list will offer some of our favorite, all-natural, inexpensive ,organic methods for making bug-busting pesticides for your home garden.

Neem . Ancient Indians highly reveredneem oil as a powerful, all-natural plant forwarding off pests. In fact, neem juice is themost powerful natural pesticide on theplanet, holding over 50 naturalinsecticides. This extremely bitter tree leafcan be made in a spray form, or can bebought from a number of reputable

co mp an i es.To make your own neem oil spray,

simply add 1/ 2 ounce of high-qualityorganic neem oil and 1/ 2 teaspoon of a mildorganic liquid soap (I use Dr. BronnersPeppermint) to 2 quarts of warm water.Stir slowly. Add to a spray bottle and useimmediately.

Bust bugs in your garden

with homemade pesticides


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Salt spray. For treating plantsinfested with spider mites, mix 2tablespoons of Himalayan Crystal Saltinto 1 gallon of warm water and spray oninfected areas.

Mineral oil. Mix 10-30 ml of high-

grade oil with 1 liter of water. Stir andadd to spray bottle. This organicpesticide works well for dehydratinginsects and their eggs.

Citrus oil and/or cayenne peppermix. This is another great organicpesticide that works well on ants. Simplymix 10 drops of citrus essential oil with 1teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1 cup ofwarm water. Shake well and spray in theaffected areas.

Soap, orange citrus oil and water.To make this natural pesticide, simplymix 3 tablespoons of liquid OrganicCastile soap with 1 ounce of orange oil to1 gallon of water. Shake well. This is anespecially effective treatment againstslugs and can be sprayed directly on antsand roaches.

Eucalyptus oil. A great naturalpesticide for flies, bees and wasps.Simply sprinkle a few drops of eucalyptusoil where the insects are found. They willall be gone before you know it.

Onion and garlic spray. Mince oneorganic clove of garlic and one medium-sized organic onion. Add to a quart ofwater. Wait one hour and then add 1teaspoon of cayenne pepper and1 tablespoon of liquid soap tothe mix. This organic spraywill hold its potency for oneweek if stored in ther ef r i ge r a t o r .

Chrysanthemum flowertea. These flowers hold apowerful plant chemical componentcalled pyrethrum. This substance invadesthe nervous system of insects, rendering

them immobile. You can make your ownspray by boiling 100 grams of driedflowers into 1 liter of water. Boil driedflowers in water for 20 minutes. Strain,cool and place in a spray bottle. Can bestored for up to two months. You canalso add some organic neem oil toenhance the effectiveness.

Tobacco spray. Just as tobacco is notgood for humans, tobacco spray wasonce a commonly used pesticide forkilling pests, caterpillars and aphids. Tomake, simply take 1 cup of organictobacco and mix it in 1 e gallon of water.Allow the mixture to set overnight. After24 hours, the mix should have a lightbrown color. If it is very dark, add morewater. This mix can be used on mostplants, with the exception of those in thesolanaceous family (tomatoes, peppers,eggplants, etc.)

Chile pepper / Diatomaceous earth.Grind two handfuls of dry chiles into afine powder and mix with 1 cup ofDiatomaceous earth. Add to 2 liters ofwater and let set overnight. Shake wellbefore applying.

If you have some easy recipes for making your own organic pesticides, we would love to hear them at goinggreen@commercialappeal .com .
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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16 GOING GREEN| Su n day , June 2 0, 2010 co m m er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

Some of the most effective yetsafest fungicides for organic gardenuse can be made without using anydangerous chemicals.

The best way to limit harmful pestsis to design your garden landscapewith an annual gardening strategythat incorporates companion planting ideas and biodiversity concepts inorder to increase beneficial insectand animal populations.

Controlling plant disease involves

similar long-term planning. Diseasesinclude root-rot, black spot, powderymildew and bacteria such as rusts.

What is the best preventative

measure? Keep everything clean.It may seem obvious, but plantdisease can spread only if it is giventhe chance. If fungi and bacteriaspores are not given the chance tothrive, you will not have a problem.

Here are some practices to followin your day-to-day gardening:

Natural fungicides can be

effective as well as safe

Findingways tofight

disease inthe gardenis just one

of thec h a l l e ng es

organicgrowers

have each year.

Baillan/Flickr


17/23


Remove diseased materials. Qu i c k l yclean up fallen leaves, carefully snip offdiseased areas of the affected plant. Placethese straight in the garbage, not yourcompost bin, as they can then spread andaffect surrounding compost materials

Clean gardening tools and clothing.After treating a diseased plant throughpruning, wash your tools in bleach or othersterilizer. A lot of disease is inadvertentlyspread by you, either through spores onyour clothing or through your tools.

Practice intercropping. Diseases areusually plant-specific. One type of funguswill attack only one type of plant. With that inmind, try planting similar plants in differentareas. For instance, if you have two or moretomato plants, do not plant them together.That way, if one becomes infected, it likelywill not spread to another one, becausethere will be a different species of plant inthe way (such as garlic chives, which willactually protect from many insects anddiseases in the first place.)

Healthy plants equal less disease. Ifyour soil is rich and healthy, your plantswill be strong and vibrant, and thus able toward off a smaller number of fungi andbacteria spores in the air.

However, there are many naturalproducts that will combat fungus andmolds. Here are a few to try, depending onthe type of problem you are having:

Beneficial fungus on transplants.Many destructive fungi live in the soil andattack the roots, so why not have yourplants inoculated by introducing abeneficial fungus instead? Theseorganisms are naturally occurring in rich,healthy soil, and will bind to your plantsroots anyway, out-competing bad fungus.Sprinkle some of this in the root ball or inthe planting hole before transplanting.

Copper to combat rusts, mildews,scabs and more fungal diseases. Co ppe r

compounds have been used for a long timeto control a wide variety of diseases. Theyattack the germination of spores, so theyhelp prevent further spread of the disease.A warning: Copper products, such ascopper sulfate, can be toxic to humans,

mammals and aquatic species, so caremust be taken. Always follow the directions.

Sulfur. Sulfur has been used since theGreeks and Romans, and controls thespread of disease such as black spot andpowdery mildew. Like copper, it inhibits thegrowth of new spores. It also repels spidermites and thrips, but it is also toxic to somebeneficial insects, so only spot-treat plants.Sulfur is also used to reduce the pH of soil.

Homemade fungicide recipesBaking soda (sodium bicarbonate):

Used to combat fungi that attacks plants,such as mildew. Combine 2 tablespoons ofbaking soda, 1 gallon of water and 1teaspoon of vegetable oil. Mix thoroughlyand place in a spay bottle. Spray on contact.Not very effective against black spot.

Tea tree oil. All oils have the potentialto burn plants, so use sparingly. That beingsaid, insects hate vegetable-based oils,and olive and tea tree oil prevents andactively combats fungus on leaves.Combine 2 tablespoons of tea tree oil withtwo cups of water. Mix well and place in aspray bottle. Spray on contact. Also worksgreat as an antiseptic and air freshener(though very strong-smelling.) We use it inour childs diaper pail to neutralize smells.

Soaps. Like oil, use soap sparingly.

Soaps are effective on young weedsbecause they strip the waxy layer off theleaves, drying them out. (A similar processmakes insecticide soaps effective as well.)However, for the same reason, they couldharm your existing plants as well. A smallportion of liquid or tea tree oil soap, mixedwith lots of water and spray, is an effectivefungicide and insecticide.


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18 GOING GREEN| S und ay , June 2 0, 2010 co m m er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

By Juliana Barbassa Associated Press

OLIVEHURST, Calif. Great sushidepends on rice that is just right grains that are glossy and yielding af-ter cooking, sticky with a touch of sweetness, but able to retain their col-or, aroma and shape.

But even in California, where many

chefs have developed relationshipswith farmers and put their names on

the menus, rice is an anonymous, bulkproduct a faceless commodity.Fifth-generation farmer Michael

Bosworth, 28, wants to change that.Hes selling his familys organic ricedirectly to restaurants and retailers,skipping the middle man, preserving the identity and quality of his grain,

Photos by Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press

Rice farmer Michael Bosworth and his 9-week-old puppy, Drake, walk alongberm surrounding one of the organic rice fields on his farm near Olivehurst,Calif. Bosworth, a fifth-generation farmer, is selling his family's organic ricedirectly to restaurants and retailers, skipping the middle man.

Branding rightsCalif. farmer creating identity for his rice


19/23


and helping consumers connect to thesource of their food.

Hes among the first in the nation totry such an approach.

We re trying to make a traceableproduct, to preserve the identity fromthis farm, he said.

For Bosworth, doing business direct-ly with buyers allows him to escape thevolatility of prices set in an interna-tional marketplace. That, in turn, giveshim the security heneeds to investmore in rice hegrows, and deliver

a better product.He has wonsome supporters,such as chef BillyNgo, of Kru inS acramento.

It wasnt untilNgo visitedB osworths farmand tried the ricethat he bought intothe idea of paying a little more for ricehe could track from the farm.

Now Bosworths name is on themenu. He still delivers Ngo his rice,and often stays for sushi.

Its great to have a face with theproduct , Ngo said.

In spite of the demand for higher-

quality rice, and buy-in from chefs suchas Ngo, who takes 150 pounds of rice aweek, the transition to direct market-ing hasnt been easy, Bosworth said.

Rice growers usually sell directly tomarketers, and along the way, thegrain can be mixed with that grown byother farms. Carving alternative paths

to the consumer has taken time andp e rs i s t e n c e .

I had no idea how hard it wouldbe, Bosworth said.

Selling to a large buyer such as theUniversity of California Davis, whichtakes 1,500 pounds of Bosworthsgrain a week, has its own hurdles think liability insurance and third-par-ty auditors.

Their protocol just didnt have away to work withsome guy driving rice down in hispickup truck, s aid

B osworth.Linda Adams, di-rector of sustain-ability and nutri-tion for thecampus, said shedbeen working onsourcing the foodserved to students.It was hard withrice, but Bosworth

made it happen.We really want the students to un-

derstand what they eat, she said.Bosworth has still not met his goal of

marketing all of his organic rice directlyto consumers, but hes adding clients.

Judging from the reception his ricehad when it was served at a recent Uni-

versity of California Davis event, hesearning the loyalty of new customers.Students lining up for the appetizer

read an explanation about its origins and liked what they saw.

You dont know where anything comes from anymore, said Roger Moy,20. Everything is mass produced.

Billy Ngo, the chef and owner of Kruserves up a sushi roll made withorganic rice from Bosworths farm.


20/23

20 GOING GREEN| S u n day, June 2 0, 2010 co m m er c ia l a pp ea l.co m

Q: Why is my new piece of furniture emitting a nasty odor? Should I be

concerned about my health? One of my recent projects was tobuild a new media cabinet I bought

online from Crate & Barrel. This is one of the only pieces of new furniture I have ever bought and while its beautiful and was easy to puttogether, four days later it still emits a

smell thats becoming unbearable. Should I get rid of the cabinet? I have read that the problems are

related to products made in China, swathed in formaldehyde, etc. What isthe deal? Please help. I cannot breathe,

and even at my office far from my home, I can still smell that smell.

T h e re s nothing more frustrating thanconquering the headache that is furni-

ture assembly to find that the headachedoesnt end, thanks to off-gassed chem-icals. O f f - ga s s i n g is the natural evapo-ration of a type of pollutant that you maybe already familiar with: volatile organiccompounds. You may be most familiarwith the VOCs in the context of paints,stains and carpets, but they can exist ina variety of chemical-treated products.

The reports that youve been reading

about off-gassing are correct. In manycases, the offending products are indeedmade in China and swathed in formalde-hyde, although this isnt always the case.China often takes the blame because somuch is made there and quality controlis often lacking, but when it comes downto it, the manufacture of off-gassing fur-

niture knows no geographic boundaries.And formaldehyde is a common culprit

because its used to cure particleboard,pressed-wood and plywood, all manufac-tured composite woods. In reality, astinky smorgasbord of chemicals can off-gas, not just formaldehyde.

When folks are afflicted by the sideeffects headaches, dizziness, res-piratory problems, nausea, skin irri-tation, shortness of breath, etc. of chemically treated furniture, its astandard practice to place the furnitureoutdoors for a while to allow it tob re at h e . If this isnt an option, Idrecommend opening windows forproper ventilation, running air puri-fiers and placing bowls of baking soda,white vinegar and activated charcoal inand around your media cabinet. Also,look into the Bad Air Sponge, a great,

inexpensive product that I use to con-quer unsavory odors in my apartment.If you continue to be plagued by the

stench of your recent purchase, Idlook into contacting Crate & Barrel tosee if you can return it.

There are plenty of companies outthere manufacturing quality, nontoxicitems. I would practice caution whenmaking future purchases. Dont letyourself be distracted by good looks,low price and ease of assembly. It maycome back to haunt you in the end inthe form of a pungent s m el l .

Submit questions to Mother Nature( mnn .com/askmothernature?destinationadvice )

and one of our many experts will track down the answer.

Why does my new furniture smell
http://mnn.com/askmothernature/destinationadvicehttp://mnn.com/askmothernature/destinationadvicehttp://mnn.com/askmothernature/destinationadvice


21/23


Dear EarthTalk: OK, are cell phones emitting dangerous radiation or not? If so, which phones are safer than others and what do we do to

minimize exposure?

The jury is still out as to whether ornot radiation emitted by cell phonescause negative health effects.Mobile phones emit signals tocommunicate with cellulartowers via radio waves,which are comprised of radio-frequency (RF)energy, a form of el e c t ro m a g n e t i cra d i at i o n .

The U.S. FederalCommunications Commission

(FCC) limits the amount of radiationany phone sold in the U.S. can emitto what it considers a safe level of 1.6watts per kilogram of body weight.But some health practitioners areconcerned that even this level of exposure may be too high.

Some recent studies have foundhigher risks for brain and salivarygland tumors among people using cellphones for 10 years or longer, whileother research has found little risk.

More studies are now underway toresolve whether or not cell phonesare safe for people to use, but someelectronics manufacturers arentwaiting around to cut down on theradiation emissions of the phones

they make and sell.If you are in the market for a new

cell phone, check out the nonprofitEnvironmental Working Groups( EWG s) rundown on which of thethousand or so popular models giveoff the most and least radiation.Levels vary widely, from as little as

0.3 to the legal limit of 1.6watts per kilogram of body

weight .Nokias 7710 and the

Blackberry Storm, among others, get top marks for

giving off loweramounts of radiation.Meanwhile, more

than a dozen differentcell/smart phones

(including popular models such asM o t o ro l a s Droid, Blackberrys Bold9700, LGs Chocolate Touch) arecategorized as wo rs t by pushing the1.6 limit. Apples iPhone 3Gs is in themiddle of the spectrum, leaking between 0.52 and 1.19, depending onus age.

You can minimize exposure bytaking simple precautions. For one,your phone emits far less radiationwhen used to text instead of call andthe phone isnt next to your brain whentexting. Also, a poor signal (fewerbars) means that your phone has towork harder and emit moreradiation to connect to a wirelesst owe r.

EARTH TALK

Minimizing cell phone radiation


22/23

22 GOING GREEN| Su n day , June 2 0, 2010 co m m er cia l a pp ea l.co m

By Kim Severson New York Times

NEW YORK So what does acook have to do to get a Scottish High-land certified organic grass-fed steak?

Well, not that much, it turns out.

From the smallest green marketsto the convenient cardboard boxes of Fresh Direct home delivery, boutiquemeat from animals raised on localfields seems to be everywhere.

Never before has so much special-ized, regionally grown meat been aswidely available, and never have

shoppers been as conversant about it.Producers have figured out which

breeds taste best and how to raisethem. Prices are still higher thanthose of supermarket meat, but com-petition has kept them in check. Andcooks have learned to use less pop-

ular parts of the animal, making iteasier for farmers to stay in business.The sustainable meat world has

been a little slower to find itself thanthe sustainable vegetable world butt h at s changed, said Patrick Martinsof Heritage Foods USA in Brooklyn,a broker of meat from small produc-

A stampede of local meat

Cooks who have stayed away from grass-fed beef and locally raised porkbecause of high prices, uneven quality and the heroic efforts it took tofind can now buy reliably delicious meat more easily.


23/23


ers around the country. Six years agohe started selling rare-breed turkeysfrom Kansas and now runs a $6.5million business with customers likethe chef Mario Batali and homecooks with abundant meat budgets.

Fresh Direct, the grocery deliverycompany, expanded its local meat of-ferings from just poultry, to includehamburger, steak and short ribs frompasture-raised English breed cattle.

A record 34 sellers of local, pas-tured livestock will spread out in thelocal markets that will operate thissummer. Thats on top of sellers of

local chicken, whose numbers havetripled in the pastcouple years, saidJune Russell, thefarm inspectionsmanager for out-door markets.

The public un-derstands a lot moreabout how industri-al meat is pro-duced, s aidMichael Hurwitz, di-rector of the Green-market program.

One of the newmeat sellers is DaveDutton, who, withhis life and business

partner, Sonia Sola, left a life in Man-hattan to start raising the shaggy cat-tle called Scottish Highland on a farmnear Cooperstown, N.Y.

The people who are aware of what theyre eating are realizing things are getting pretty scary outt h e re , Dutton said.

The roots of the boutique meat ex-plosion were set in earnest at the be-ginning of the decade, when a newculinary interest in better-tasting,healthier meat married with environ-mental and food politics. More farm-ers began raising cattle on grass and afew high-end chefs and food writersbegan cooking, tasting and praising old-fashioned breeds of pigs and cowsthat ate grass in a field instead of cornin a feedlot.

At the same time, animal welfarewas expanding from a purely polit-ical concern driven by groups like

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, to in-clude ranchers,diners andchefs who be-gan to insist onhumane stan-dards for rais-ing and slaugh-tering animals.

Throw in afew E. coliscares, renewedinterest in tech-niques likebraising andsausage -making and the resur-gence of old-

fashioned butcher shops and prettysoon here you are.We are getting people who just

know they dont want the grocerystore experience, said BronwenHanna-Korpi, who works behind thecounter at Dicksons FarmstandMeats in the Chelsea Market.

Meat producers like the ScottishHighland breed because its hardyenough to survive on meager hayand because the animals long coatsmean less fat, which means leanermeat, which some people prefer.

going green memphis 6-20-10

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