August Green Tidings

Please join us at 7 pm on Thursday, September 13 for our next Sustainable Living Talk, "Renewable Energy Options for Maine's Homes and Businesses" by Fortunat Mueller of Energyworks. And if you'll be going to Common Ground Country Fair later in September, drop by our booth to say hi!

Read on for more about that and other happenings in the world of sustainable living.

Warmly,
Fred Horch, Founder

Renewable Energy Options for Maine's Homes and Businesses

Join us for "Renewable Energy Options for Maine's Homes and Businesses", our next Sustainable Living Talk from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on Thursday, September 13th.

Energywork's Fortunat Mueller will cover photovoltaic solar (converting sunlight directly to electricity), solar hot water, solar space heat and residential wind. For those who have been considering ways to switch to more dependable and affordable sources of power or heat, he'll provide an overview of the renewable energy systems on the market today, including how much they cost and how well they perform.

"As fossil fuel supplies dwindle and the health of our environment becomes a growing concern, more Mainers will be looking towards alternatives to meet their energy needs," says Fortunat.

Fortunat is a co-owner of Energyworks South LLC in Portland. Energyworks, our renewable energy partner, is the most experienced installer of renewable energy systems in Maine, specializing in solar hot water, photovoltaics, residential wind turbines and high efficiency gas and wood boilers.

Free informational handouts will be provided. Seating is limited, so if you are interested in attending please reply via email or call the store at 729-4050 to reserve a seat.

Our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick. October's talk will feature Stephen Carr of WydeVue Residential Energy Services, speaking on the topic of energy savings paybacks and incentives.

News from Energyworks

Jen Hatch of Energyworks South writes,

Are you interested in learning more about a solar hot water or solar electric system for your home? This fall the American Solar Energy Association is sponsoring their annual National Solar Home Tour. The date is set for October 6th, 2007 from 10-4pm. This is a wonderful opportunity to view houses with installed solar systems. It will give you the chance to see what a residential solar system consists of, while receiving feedback from the homeowners who live with them. For more information regarding the tour, please contact Jen at Energyworks South LLC. jen@energyworksllc.com or 221-6342

In the meantime, if you have any questions or projects, call Energyworks North (in Liberty, Maine) at 1-877-enworks or Energyworks South (in Portland, Maine) at 221-6342. Or visit their web site at www.enworks.net.

Product News

One of our best sellers recently has been a non-toxic exterior water proofer called Seal Once. If you have a deck, outdoor wood furniture, fence, concrete, or brick work that you need to seal against water damage, this is a good product to know about. It is a penetrating, long-lasting sealer without toxic ingredients. It comes in clear or you can also mix in tints to provide UV protection.

We also carry a full line of interior paints and finishes. Our Old Fashioned Milk Paint is a great choice for wood furniture or for small rooms. You get a beautiful matte finish with no paint fumes. Naturally zero VOC, milk paint comes as a powder you mix with water. We love the fact that you can make small batches and store the powder for years, so there is virtually no waste.

VOC, by the way, stands for "volatile organic compound". A few years ago, the EPA started to crack down on VOC emissions from products like paint and finishes, because it turns out these were a major contributor to smog and poor air quality. Unfortunately, just because a product is zero VOC does not mean it is safe. It could still contain carcinogenic, teratogenic, or toxic ingredients. But nonetheless it is a good idea to avoid products with a high VOC rating.

Besides milk paint, we also sell water-based latex paint. The two brands we carry (American Pride and AFM Safecoat) work just like other brands of premium latex paint, just better for you and your planet because they don't contain toxic ingredients. We are stocking primer and white paint; tinted paint is shipped directly from the distributor as a special order. There has been a rush to call all water-based zero VOC latex paint "green" recently, even though many brands contain toxic ingredients. It's helpful to ask for the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for any product to find out what's actually in it, and it's a good idea to ask what kinds of tints are used. Some companies are putting their regular toxic tints into their "green" paint. Our distributors use a non-toxic (and rather expensive!) line of water-based colorants from Degussa.

With the colder weather coming soon, our product focus will be shifting from garden and composting to energy conservation. We recently prepared an Energy Saving catalog featuring products such as our Kilowatt meters, which are a neat gadget that can help you pinpoint which electric appliances are costing you the most to operate. We also carry a full line of energy-saving light bulbs. Drop by the store to pick up your copy of our catalog and take a look at some of the ways we can help you conserve energy -- and save money -- this fall.

But just because the days are getting shorter and fall is coming, don't think we're giving up on composting. It's just time to bring it inside! We'll be selling Wiggle Room worm bins and red wrigglers at Common Ground Fair, as well as in our store. If you haven't tried "vermiculture" (as worm composting is called), I highly recommend it. There are some tricks to it, though, so come on in to the store to find out how to convince the little guys to eat your garbage.

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene

The Common Ground Country Fair will be on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 21, 22 and 23. Come to the Fair and see why Downeast Magazine calls Common Ground "Maine's most authentic country fair, uniting, as it does, old-time folkways with progressive ideas about living the good life on a fragile planet." We'll be there in the Energy & Shelter tent. Stop by and say hi!

The Brunswick local redevelopment authority (BLRA) is in charge of developing a reuse plan for the Brunswick Naval Air Station when it closes in 2011. They will be presenting two reuse plan alternatives for public review at "BRAC to the Future 2: Plan Alternatives" on Thursday, September 6 from 7 - 9 pm at the Old Brunswick High School, 44 McKeen Street. For more information, visit the BLRA web site.

F.W. Horch Composting Clinic at Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick, Sat. September 8, 11-noon. I'll show you how to make great compost. Call us here at (207) 729-4050 for more info.

The Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust's Race for Space will be held on Sunday, September 9, at Livesay Soccer Field on the corner of Middle Bay and Pennellville Roads in Brunswick. The four mile run starts at 9 am, a guided walk starts at 9:15 am, and a fun run for kids is at 10 am. Race-day registration is $25 per adult for the run; $12 for the guided walk. Proceeds benefit the land trust. For more information, call 725-0998 or visit www.BTLT.org.

The Brunswick Sustainability Group will be showing Good Food, a collection of short films about sustainability and locally-grown organic food, on Friday, September 14 at 8 pm in the 11 Pleasant Street Arts Center in Brunswick. This is a FREE event and the public is welcome. All residents of the greater Brunswick area are also welcome to attend the group's monthly meetings on the third Monday of each month. September's meeting will be at 7 pm on Monday, September 17, in the 11 Pleasant Street Arts Center in Brunswick. For more information, visit www.BrunswickSustainability.org.

Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick will be holding a brown-bag lunch discussion of Field Notes from a Catastrophe: Man, Nature and Climate Change as part of its Cornerstones of Science series. Faciliated discussions with faculty from Bowdoin, Bates, Colby, USM and the US Army Corps of Engineers will take place in the Morrell Meeting Room on Wednesdays from 12:15 to 1:15 pm starting on September 19. For more information call 725-5242.

July Green Tidings

Our mudroom at home is full of sandals and swimsuits, but it won't be long before boots and parkas reappear. Wouldn't it be great to capture the delicious warmth of July and August to keep toasty during the heating season?

Now you can! Replace #2 heating oil with domestically-grown "biofuel." Please join us tomorrow, at 7 pm on Thursday, August 9, for our next Sustainable Living Talk: "Biofuel for Clean Energy Independence".

Read on for more about that and other happenings in the world of sustainable living.

Warmly,
Fred Horch, Founder

Biofuel for Clean Energy Independence

Join us for "Biofuel for Clean Energy Independence", our next Sustainable Living Talk from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on Thursday, August 9th.

Learn how biofuel -- which can be produced from any plant or animal fat or oil source -- can be used in place of fossil fuel for heating oil and diesel fuel.

"Biofuel is an intelligent solution to the energy security and environmental issues facing our nation today," says speaker Joel Glatz, co-owner of Frontier Energy of South China, Maine.

Joel is nationally known as a speaker and consultant in the area of biofuels. His brother, Garry Glatz, is the owner of Independence Fuel, which delivers BioDiesel and BioHeat(tm) blends throughout the midcoast region including Bath / Brunswick, and south to Kennebunk.

Our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.

News from Energyworks

Join us next month, Thursday, September 13, for a talk by Fortunat Mueller of Energyworks South here at the FW Horch store in Brunswick. These talks are a great way to find out about the latest renewable energy technology being used here in Maine, as well as to network with people who share your interests. Whether you are a complete novice or an old pro, I encourage you to attend. Check out next month's edition of Green Tidings for more details about the topics to be covered.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or projects, call Energyworks North (in Liberty, Maine) at 1-877-enworks or Energyworks South (in Portland, Maine) at 221-6342. Or visit their web site at www.enworks.net.

Product News

We finally have metal compost pails back in stock. One of our most popular items, these are a stylish metal pail that makes it easy to collect and carry out compost scraps. We are also very excited to be working with local potter Cicy Po, who has designed beautiful and functional hand-made ceramic compost crocks. Produced here in Brunswick, these are truly works of art yet remain eminently practical!

Dryer balls are another product we've had a hard time keeping in stock. Pop a couple in your dryer to reduce drying time and eliminate the need for disposable dryer sheets. A simple, practical way to save energy and reduce waste.

One final item to mention on the theme of keeping things in stock, we now have a good amount of bulk cleaning supplies on hand. My sincere apologies to anyone who was inconvenienced last month when we ran out of bulk laundry detergent. It's wonderful to see so many customers have embraced the idea of bringing back plastic bottles for refills. You can save money and save the planet. We're ready for you now!

Besides keeping up with demand for existing products, we have been busy evaluating and bringing in new products. We now have a number of camping and emergency preparedness products. Whether it's battery-free flashlights, super-efficient head lamps, or portable water purification, we can help you responsibly enjoy (and survive) the great outdoors.

Welcome Hillary Shende!

We are delighted to announce that Hillary Shende has joined our staff! A Brunswick resident, Hillary will be handling customer service and special orders, bringing her superb calm competence to bear on our controlled chaos. Drop by to say hi to Hillary mornings during the week.

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene

A subsidiary of National RE/sources, a real estate development company based in Connecticut, has proposed a $1.5 billion Twin River Energy Center to convert coal and wood biomass into fuel to fire a 700-megawatt electricity generator on the site of the former Maine Yankee nuclear power plant site in Wiscasset. In addition to electricity, the proposed plant also would produce a diesel-equivalent liquid fuel. The proposal has generated skepticism among Maine's environmental community, who point out that coal would need to travel long distances to the site, and that the proposed design would increase Maine's emissions of carbon dioxide, which is linked to global climate change.

The Brunswick local redevelopment authority (BLRA) is in charge of developing a reuse plan for the Brunswick Naval Air Station when it closes in 2011. They will be presenting two reuse plan alternatives for public review at "BRAC to the Future 2: Plan Alternatives" on Thursday, September 6 from 7 - 9 pm at the Old Brunswick High School, 44 McKeen Street. For more information, visit the BLRA web site.

On Monday, August 6, the Bath railroad station re-opened for passenger service as part of Maine Eastern Railroad's Brunswick to Rockland route. In the Department of Transportation's 2008-09 budget, a combined $1 million is earmarked for the state-owned Rockland branch rail line infrastructure and its connection points in Bath and Rockland. Capital investments have also been set aside to prepare the tracks between Portland and Brunswick for passenger service.

July Events

Could you get free hot water from the sun here in Maine? To find out, join us tomorrow, Thursday, July 12, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies in Brunswick for "Design and Build Your Own Solar Hot Water Heater", a talk by Al Heath of Arrowsic.

You'll learn how much it costs, how well it works, and how to get started.

Al will explain how he and his wife researched, designed, and built a super energy efficient home themselves, including a solar hot water system that provides the majority of their hot water needs. At tomorrow's talk, which is a follow up to an April talk given to a standing-room-only crowd, he will share lessons learned during the process, focusing on his family's experience living with solar hot water.

Topics covered at the talk will include how much of the design and installation homeowners can realistically do themselves, and how much you need to sub-contract. In addition to describing the solar hot water system already in use in his house, Al will share his plans for increasing the size of his system for space heating.

Composting Clinic, Saturday July 21

Join us next weekend, 11 am to noon on Saturday, July 21, at Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick. I'll show you how to make great compost. Call us here (207) 729-4050 for more info.

Summer Focus: Composting Goods & Supplies

Feed your garden with home-grown compost! We have the information and equipment you need to be successful this season making natural fertilizer from your kitchen and yard waste.

• Kitchen Compost Carrier
  Make your home composting program easier to manage. Perfect for short-term storage of kitchen scraps, this kitchen compost carrier features an optional carbon filter to eliminate odors. Made from 25% recycled plastic. Small (5.8 quart) size, $17.95; Large (9.6 quart) size, $24.95

• Envirocycle Composter
  Make batches of rich compost simply by taking this unit for a spin. This conveniently-sized tumbler is perfect for those who want an easy way to turn batches of kitchen scraps into nutrients for vegetables, flowers and houseplants. Featuring a base that collects liquid for "compost tea", the Envirocycle is a great addition to a deck or back yard for anyone who wants a no-hassle, proven system for composting. Available in black or green. $159

• Sun-Mar 200 Composter
  This innovative outdoor composter is based on a brilliant concept: put yard and kitchen waste in one opening, and remove finished compost from another. Inside the unit are two drums: new material enters the outer drum, fills it up, tumbles into the inner drum, then comes out the middle as finished compost. So well-designed it makes you wonder why all composters aren't built his way! $299

• Sun-Mar 400 Composter
  Suitable for handling large volumes of yard waste, the 400 is the larger cousin of the Sun-Mar 200 Garden Composter. Same great features as the Sun-Mar 200, plus a crank to help turn it. $399

• Sunleaves Wormtopia
  Turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into high quality worm castings with the help of up to 15,000 redworms (sold separately). Worms convert scraps and wastes to castings as they migrate upward to the next tray, while producing nutrient-rich "worm tea" that can be drawn from a spigot mounted on the bottom. $109.50; one pint of Maine-raised red worms, $6.00

• Sun-Mar Composting Toilets
  Choose a Sun-Mar composting toilet when you need to conserve water, minimize your environmental impact, upgrade your outhouse, extend the life of your septic system, or provide sanitary facilities where there is no plumbing. Perfect for seasonal camps; these toilets can freeze solid with no risk of pipes bursting. Composting toilets harness aerobic microbes to oxidize waste, resulting in carbon dioxide, water, and essential plant nutrients and minerals. 95% of the starting material evaporates, and the remainder becomes an NSF-certified safe soil amendment. Self-contained units start at $1345; we also stock the full line of Sun-Mar supplies.

F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies is located at 56 Maine Street in downtown Brunswick, Maine.

June Green Tidings

Green tidings to you and yours on a glorious summer Maine day!

On long June days full of sun, I like to think about our customers who are harnessing abundant, reliable and clean solar energy for hot showers, dish washing and laundry. Might you be among them next summer?

If you'd like to stop running your boiler or hot water heater all summer long -- or if you'd just like to know more about what's affordable with today's technology -- please join us at 7 pm on Thursday, July 12, for our next Sustainable Living Talk: "Design and Build Your Own Solar Hot Water System".

Read on for more about that and other happenings in the world of sustainable living.

Warmly,
Fred Horch, Founder

P.S. Our store is open Tuesday through Saturday, but our web site is open for business all the time online at www.FWHorch.com.
Design and Build Your Own Solar Hot Water System

Join us for "Design and Build Your Own Solar Hot Water System", our next Sustainable Living Talk from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on Thursday, July 12th.

We will discuss the state of the art in solar hot water systems. Solar hot water systems are clean, quiet and affordable. You get all the hot water you need without pollution or a fuel bill. Within a few years, solar hot water systems are likely to be standard for new construction, but today they are ahead of the mainstream in the United States.

Any building that has a sunny roof and indoor plumbing is a candidate for a solar hot water system. With the sign off of a qualified solar installer, the state of Maine pays a rebate up to $1,250 for each system installed. For structures with direct solar exposures, solar hot water systems are the most efficient way to provide domestic hot water.

Our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.

News from Energyworks

Here's the news from Energyworks, our renewable energy partner.

Energyworks North, out of Liberty, Maine, writes:

Summer is here at last and yet it seems to still be 'heating season.' We have been installing about one wood boiler a week! We are also seeing great interest in the new Skystream wind turbine; we have three projects underway and several others in the works. So, we'll carry on this summer installing Solar PV and Solar Hot water one house at a time!

We have also been making some simple boiler upgrades that are proving to save quite a bit of fuel for our clients. Give us a call to find out if these upgrades can save you money. 207/589.4171

Product News

We are now carrying milk paint in our store. Environmentally safe and non-toxic, it comes as a powder. You just add water to mix. There is a slight milky odor when it is applied, but it is completely odorless when dry. The paint is safe for children's furniture and toys, and can also be used for interiors of homes of people who are allergic to latex paints.

No Wet Car Wax is a new product for cleaning and waxing cars without using water. Just apply using a mist applicator with two clean cloths. Not only do you save water, but you also keep dirty runoff out of our rivers and lakes. Makes a great gift for any car buff in your life. This stuff really works!

For gardeners and anyone with houseplants, we are now carrying Earthworm Castings. These are one of the best organic fertilizers available. They are especially good for containers or houseplants, to replace soil nutrients and rejuvenate potting soil. Feed your soil to grow great plants!

We're making it easier to compost with the Biobag line of compostable bags. These innovative corn-based bags look like plastic, but compost when exposed to the proper temperature, moisture and organisms in your compost pile or bin. You can line your compost pail with these bags, and just take out the compost like you would the trash! Keeps down odors and eliminates the need to clean out the compost bucket.

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene

Saturday, July 7, 2007 from 7-9 pm. Join the Natural Resources Council of Maine and Frontier Cafe, Cinema and Gallery in Brunswick for a "Live Earth" global concert.

Running from 12 noon-12 midnight, the Frontier Cafe will be airing Live Earth concerts from around the globe in its cinema space. Starting at 7:00 pm, NRCM staff will be on hand to join you with a special message from Al Gore, just before the prime time American concerts kick off.

Admission to the event is free and open to the public. Don't miss out! For more information, contact Ryan Ewing at NRCM: 800-287-2345 ext 243 or ryan@nrcm.org.

Maine Bike Rally, July 6-8 in Yarmouth. Join bicyclists from across Maine, New England and beyond for a weekend of biking, camping, music food and fun! For more info, visit www.bikemaine.org/mainebikerally/

Composting Clinic at Crystal Spring Farm in Brunswick, Sat. July 21, 11-noon. I'll show you how to make great compost. Call us here (207) 729-4050 for more info.

'Green Space' tent at the Yarmouth Clam Festival: Sunday, July 22 from 8 - 4. See displays of local alternative energy and energy-efficient products. Contact Ami Robbins at afrob2@maine.rr.com for more info.

June 2007 Events

Could your next car be electric? Please join us tomorrow, Thursday, June 14, at 6:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies in Brunswick for "Meet the Electric Car: Test Drive and Discussion", featuring two "Neighborhood Electric Vehicles" -- the Miles Automotive ZX40 four-door mini-SUV model and the two-door sporty Zenn Car.

The cars will be available for test drives starting at 6:00 pm. Afterwards, Bill Drinkwater and Kal Rogers will lead a discussion.

Bill is the Director of EVMaine.org, a web site for electric vehicle enthusiasts in Maine. He has built and worked on many of his own vehicles and has worked on implementing ultra-safe materials for the automotive industry. He calls himself an "adventurer" having traveled extensively and worked as a cable car welder, an art gallery owner/artist and a gold miner.

Kal is the marketing director for Maine Electric Vehicles. Until recently he was a "sales activist" for Maine's Air America Radio affiliate, 870 The Voice. He has worked with progressive alternative businesses and organizations for more than 20 years with highlights as co-founder of Mad Horse Theater Company in Portland, founder of "The InnerGuide" publication, Chair of the Maine Peace Campaign (Peace Action Maine) as well as his time helping to keep Air America on the air here in Maine.

Alternative Energy Days at Mount Washington

Join us this weekend, June 17 and 18, on Mount Washington in New Hampshire for "Mt. Washington Alternative Energy Days," an exhibition featuring alternative energy experts and vendors. The highlight of the event will be the Alternative Vehicle Regatta.

The history of alternative energy on the Mt. Washington Auto Road began the late 1970’s with an Alternative Vehicle Regatta that featured a wide variety of alternative fuel vehicles testing their worthiness on the Auto Road. Because of mixed success of the homemade vehicles and declining interest, the Alternative Vehicle Regatta was last held in 1979. With the growing public consciousness of global warming, the Mt. Washington Auto Road has decided bring back the Alternative Vehicle Regatta as part of this new event to be held in the Glen at the base of Mt. Washington.

Summer Focus: Composting Goods & Supplies

Feed your garden with home-grown compost! We have the information and equipment you need to be successful this season making natural fertilizer from your kitchen and yard waste.

• Home Composting Made Easy
  Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for composting in your backyard. Instead of overburdening your local landfill, learn how to turn kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and paper scraps into "black gold" for your lawn and garden. 32 pages, paperback. $2.95

• Kitchen Compost Carrier
  Make your home composting program easier to manage. Perfect for short-term storage of kitchen scraps, this kitchen compost carrier features an optional carbon filter to eliminate odors. Made from 25% recycled plastic. Small (5.8 quart) size, $17.95; Large (9.6 quart) size, $24.95

• Compost Maker Microbes
  Put billions of beneficial organisms to work for you! Dormant until you expose them to air, water and a food source, this blend of microbes will energize soils, composts, and decomposing organic matter. One pound. $10.95

• Envirocycle Composter
  Make batches of rich compost simply by taking this unit for a spin. This conveniently-sized tumbler is perfect for those who want an easy way to turn batches of kitchen scraps into nutrients for vegetables, flowers and houseplants. Featuring a base that collects liquid for "compost tea", the Envirocycle is a great addition to a deck or back yard for anyone who wants a no-hassle, proven system for composting. Available in black or green. $159

• Sun-Mar 200 Composter
  This innovative outdoor composter is based on a brilliant concept: put yard and kitchen waste in one opening, and remove finished compost from another. Inside the unit are two drums: new material enters the outer drum, fills it up, tumbles into the inner drum, then comes out the middle as finished compost. So well-designed it makes you wonder why all composters aren't built his way! $299

• Sun-Mar 400 Composter
  Suitable for handling large volumes of yard waste, the 400 is the larger cousin of the Sun-Mar 200 Garden Composter. Same great features as the Sun-Mar 200, plus a crank to help turn it. $399

• Sunleaves Wormtopia
  Turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into high quality worm castings with the help of up to 15,000 redworms (sold separately). Worms convert scraps and wastes to castings as they migrate upward to the next tray, while producing nutrient-rich "worm tea" that can be drawn from a spigot mounted on the bottom. $109.50; one pint of Maine-raised red worms, $6.00

• Sun-Mar Composting Toilets
  Choose a Sun-Mar composting toilet when you need to conserve water, minimize your environmental impact, upgrade your outhouse, extend the life of your septic system, or provide sanitary facilities where there is no plumbing. Perfect for seasonal camps; these toilets can freeze solid with no risk of pipes bursting. Composting toilets harness aerobic microbes to oxidize waste, resulting in carbon dioxide, water, and essential plant nutrients and minerals. 95% of the starting material evaporates, and the remainder is an NSF-certified safe soil amendment. Self-contained units start at $1345; we also stock the full line of Sun-Mar supplies.

F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies is located at 56 Maine Street in downtown Brunswick, Maine.

May Green Tidings

Happy summer and green tidings to you and yours.

Mark your calendars for "Meet the Electric Car," our next Sustainable Living Talk at 6 pm on June 14. Note the earlier start time, to give everyone a chance to test drive the cars. Read on for more about that and other happenings in the world of sustainable living.

Warmly,
Fred Horch, Founder

P.S. Our web site keeps growing! If your summer travels don't bring you to midcoast Maine, why not swing by our store online at www.FWHorch.com.

News from Energyworks

Here's the news from Energyworks, our renewable energy partner.

Energyworks North, out of Liberty, Maine, writes:

Hard to believe that Memorial Day weekend has come and gone: winter must be officially over! We are in full swing here -- nearly the whole crew will be working on an 8kw PV project next week where we will also be installing a skystream wind turbine. Climate change issues and escalating gasoline prices are forcing us to all re-think how we will act in the world. What will you do?

It continues to be encouraging to see so many Mainers taking the initiative to deal with these concerns and make the move to renewable energy.

Energyworks South, out of Portland, Maine, writes:

Frustrated by real problems like high fuel costs, global warming and war in Iraq? Energyworks has real solutions like solar hot water systems that can save as much as $2,000 annually in fuel costs, depending on your situation. We have solar electric systems that eliminate thousands of pounds of CO2 emissions annually. All of our renewable energy systems (solar thermal, pv & wind turbines) decrease dependence on fossil fuel and help reduce the need for America to battle over middle eastern oil supplies.

Everyone can make a difference by living more efficiently and adopting renewable energy technology. Our systems are cost-effective, reliable and proven to significantly reduce fossil fuel consumption. Please call us at 221-6342 or visit us on the web at www.energyworksllc.com.

CFL Recycling -- In Store for FREE

You can now bring your burned out CFL bulbs to F.W. Horch for recycling. This is a free new service made possible by Efficiency Maine. Bring any compact fluorescent bulb to our store for proper disposal. Remember, you should NEVER throw a CFL bulb in your regular trash.

CFLs, like all fluorescent bulbs, contain a tiny amount of mercury. If you should break a bulb in your house, wear disposable gloves and use care to pick up all the pieces. Put them in a zip-loc bag, seal it, mark it as "Household Hazardous Waste", store it in a safe place out of reach of children, and dispose of it during your town's annual household hazardous waste collection day. You can use two pieces of paper to scoop up glass shards, or a damp sponge. Put those in the bag as well.

Solar Hot Water -- A Great Summertime Idea

Did you know that modern solar hot water systems allow you to shut off your boiler all summer long, saving fuel, preventing pollution, and extending the useful life of your heating system? Real-world performance data from the growing number of families in Maine who have installed solar hot water systems is demonstrating even greater energy savings than predicted. The reason? Boilers operate at their worst performance during the summer, when they typically cycle on and off in short bursts to keep a tank of hot water ready "just in case" it's needed.

In terms of efficiency, using your home's heating system to heat hot water during the summer is like driving your car one block, stopping, turning the engine off, and then re-starting to drive one more block. You can avoid this unnecessary waste by installing a solar hot water system which will use free sunlight to heat all of the water your family uses all summer long (and potentially even in the spring and fall). State rebates and federal tax credits are still available, and the costs of these systems can be easily financed through any home equity loan or line of credit.

For more information, contact Energyworks.

Drying Racks Made in Maine

We recently found a new vendor for made-in-Maine wooden drying racks. These are solid, durable racks with a very clever expanding design that makes it possible to dry a full load of laundry. Come in to the store to check them out. We will soon offer them through our web site, too.

Know of any other practical, made-in-Maine products we should carry? Please let us know! We believe buying local is a great way to start saving the planet, and we are committed to supporting Maine vendors wherever possible.

Sun-Mar Composting Toilets Meet Maine Code

Composting toilets have been installed throughout Maine for decades. Environmentally, they are the best way to treat human waste, safely converting it in situ into rich fertilizer that can be used as a soil amendment. Recently, there has been some confusion among code enforcement officers regarding the status of composting toilets in homes under the new Maine plumbing code, which took effect two years ago.

To meet the new code for use in homes, composting toilets must pass national standards such as National Sanitation Foundation Standard 41 and be installed according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you are considering a composting toilet for use in an inhabited structure, make sure the model you select is legal for residential use in Maine. The complete line of Sun-Mar toilets we sell here at F.W. Horch meets code.

If you or your codes enforcement officer has any question about whether the brand of composting toilet you are considering is legal, contact Dana C. Tuttle, Senior Plumbing Inspector, Plumbing Examining Board, Office of Licensing and Registration in Augusta at (207) 624-8639 or Jim Jacobson, Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Health Engineering, Plumbing and Waste Water Program at (207) 287-5695.

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene

On Monday, April 23, the Brunswick Town Council voted to add Brunswick to the list of towns and cities across Maine and across the country who have committed to become a "Cool Community". So what is a Cool Community? These are cities and towns that pledge to help stop global warming by signing the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. The Cool Cities campaign helps cities turn their commitments into action by pushing for smart energy solutions.

Want to help Brunswick live up to its commitment to become a "Cool Community"? Join the Brunswick Sustainability Group at our next meeting at 7 pm on Monday, June 18, at 11 Pleasant Street. For more information, drop by the store to sign up for their mailing list.

Is Dad into cars and alternative energy? Then come to Alternative Energy Days, at Mount Washington on Father's Day, Sunday June 17, and Monday June 18. Mt. Washington Alternative Energy Days is an exhibition for consumers looking to reduce their energy use and carbon footprint featuring alternative energy experts and vendors. The highlight of the event will be the Alternative Vehicle Regatta up the Mount Washington Auto Road.

May 2007 Events

Please join us tomorrow, Thursday, May 10, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies in Brunswick for "BayScaping: Landscaping to Protect Casco Bay in Your Own Backyard", a talk by Mary Cerullo of Friends of Casco Bay.

Mary will help you find practical ways to reduce dependence on lawn chemicals. BayScaping is a way for homeowners and yard care services to maintain a healthy landscape without depending on pesticides and fertilizers. You will receive a how-to guide, a soil test kit, and a worksheet for designing a low-maintenance, attractive yard that is healthy for families, pets, and Casco Bay.

This month we have a bonus talk. Join us on Thursday, May 24, at 7:00 pm for "Building Green by 'Function Form': How to Build an Environmentally Friendly Home on a Reasonable Budget" by John Whitworth and James Prentice of the Balsam Group LLC.

John and James will share the Balsom Group design philosophy of "Form Follows Function." They developed this alternative design process to address some of the shortfalls of the traditional builder/owner relationship, especially when applied to building high-performance "green" homes. They will explain how their unique approach can fully integrate the home owner's desires wants and needs into a satisfying design and construction process from start to finish.

News From Energyworks

Energyworks, our renewable energy partner, writes,
Spring is in the air and we are getting back on roofs all over the mid coast ! We've got two wind projects in the works as well as two large residential grid tied pv projects lined up for the spring. Remember that there is still a state rebate available for the installation of a Solar Hot Water system. For more info on the rebates and tax credits check out www.maine.gov/msep

We had a great time at the Green Expo in Damariscotta. A great turn out and lots of interest. It seems there is a great deal of interest in wind power these days, perhaps because of the recent storms. If you want to learn more about the potential of wind, Pat Coon will be doing two presentations in May ( Chewonki's sustainable energy conference may 12 - chewonki.org and a class in camden 5/23)

Energyworks South (the Portland office), writes,
Energyworks South is looking forward to MEBSR's (Maine Businesses for Social Responsibility) annual conference May 10 at the Hilton Garden Inn, Freeport. Please stop by our table to learn how your investment in a solar hot water system can dramatically reduce your household carbon footprint--with a system payback in the 5-7 year range. Too many homes in Maine are heating water year-round with inefficient oil burners. When that boiler kicks on in August to heat water for a shower, we calculate it is operating at roughly 10-15% percent efficiency. The solution? By converting a traditional 'hot start' oil boiler to a 'cold start' mode, in conjunction with solar hot water, we can effectively turn off the boiler from May to October and prevent hundreds of gallons of oil from going straight up the chimney! Call Phil Coupe at 221-6342 to see if your household is a good candidate for this upgrade, or send an e-mail to phil@energyworksllc.com.

F.W. Horch Composting Goods & Supplies

Feed your garden with home-grown compost! We have the information and equipment you need to be successful this season making natural fertilizer from your kitchen and yard waste.

F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies is located at 56 Maine Street in downtown Brunswick, Maine.

All of our store events are now in Google Calendar.

• Home Composting Made Easy
  Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for composting in your backyard. Instead of overburdening your local landfill, learn how to turn kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and paper scraps into "black gold" for your lawn and garden. 32 pages, paperback. $2.95

• Kitchen Compost Carrier
  Make your home composting program easier to manage. Perfect for short-term storage of kitchen scraps, this kitchen compost carrier features an optional carbon filter to eliminate odors. Made from 25% recycled plastic. Small (5.8 quart) size, $17.95; Large (9.6 quart) size, $24.95

• Compost Maker Microbes
  Put billions of beneficial organisms to work for you! Dormant until you expose them to air, water and a food source, this blend of microbes will energize soils, composts, and decomposing organic matter. One pound. $10.95

• Envirocycle Composter
  Make batches of rich compost simply by taking this unit for a spin. This conveniently-sized tumbler is perfect for those who want an easy way to turn batches of kitchen scraps into nutrients for vegetables, flowers and houseplants. Featuring a base that collects liquid for "compost tea", the Envirocycle is a great addition to a deck or back yard for anyone who wants a no-hassle, proven system for composting. Available in black or green. $159

• Sun-Mar 200 Composter
  This innovative outdoor composter is based on a brilliant concept: put yard and kitchen waste in one opening, and remove finished compost from another. Inside the unit are two drums: new material enters the outer drum, fills it up, tumbles into the inner drum, then comes out the middle as finished compost. So well-designed it makes you wonder why all composters aren't built his way! $299

• Sun-Mar 400 Composter
  Suitable for handling large volumes of yard waste, the 400 is the larger cousin of the Sun-Mar 200 Garden Composter. Same great features as the Sun-Mar 200, plus a crank to help turn it. $399

• Sunleaves Wormtopia
  Turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into high quality worm castings with the help of up to 15,000 redworms (sold separately). Worms convert scraps and wastes to castings as they migrate upward to the next tray, while producing nutrient-rich "worm tea" that can be drawn from a spigot mounted on the bottom. $109.50; one pint of Maine-raised red worms, $6.00

• Sun-Mar Composting Toilets
  Choose a Sun-Mar composting toilet when you need to conserve water, minimize your environmental impact, upgrade your outhouse, extend the life of your septic system, or provide sanitary facilities where there is no plumbing. Perfect for seasonal camps; these toilets can freeze solid with no risk of pipes bursting. Composting toilets harness aerobic microbes to oxidize waste, resulting in carbon dioxide, water, and essential plant nutrients and minerals. 95% of the starting material evaporates, and the remainder is an NSF-certified safe soil amendment. Self-contained units start at $1345; we also stock the full line of Sun-Mar supplies.

April Green Tidings

Join us today, the day before Earth Day, for "Solutions Saturday" at Frontier Cafe in Brunswick. Enjoy a series of short environmental films, then discuss local solutions (see schedule below). Get inspired for positive action on Earth Day!

Mark your calendars for "BayScaping: Protect Casco Bay in Your Own Backyard," our next Sustainable Living Talk at 7 pm on May 10. Read on for more about those events, and other things happening in the world of sustainable living.

Warmly,
Fred Horch, Owner

P.S. Our web site keeps growing! If your travels don't bring you to downtown Brunswick, why not swing by our store online at www.FWHorch.com.

Solutions Saturday: Environmental Film Festival

Saturday, April 21 ~ 11 am to 4:30 pm
Frontier Cafe, Cinema and Gallery
Fort Andross
Brunswick, Maine

11:00 am	Family Focus: Environmental Awareness and Action "The Quest for Dan the Can" -- recycling, etc. Discussion leaders: Sustainable Bowdoin Brunswick Town Councilor Ryan Ewing, NRCM
12:15 pm	Local and Organic Food "The True Cost of Food" -- local, organic farming Discussion leaders: Seth Kroeck, Crystal Spring Farm Brett Thompson, Maine Master Gardener Volunteer
1:30 pm	Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention "Our Children at Risk" -- toxins in the environment "Sam Suds" -- PVC, the poison plastic Discussion leaders: Environmental Health Strategy Center Maine League of Conservation Voters
3:00 pm	Energy and Climate Change "Kilowatt Ours" -- a plan to re-energize America Discussion leaders: Chewonki Hydrogen Energy Center

Sustainable Living Talk, "BayScaping: Protect Casco Bay in Your Own Backyard"
Join us on Thursday, May 10, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies for "BayScaping: Protect Casco Bay in Your Own Backyard".

Mary will explain Friends of Casco Bay's BayScaping program to help home and business owners find practical ways to reduce dependence on lawn chemicals. BayScaping is a way for homeowners and their yard care services to maintain a healthy landscape without depending on pesticides and fertilizers. Each person will receive a how-to guide, a soil test kit, and a worksheet for designing a low-maintenance, attractive yard that is healthy for families, pets, and Casco Bay.

As Associate Director of Friends of Casco Bay, Cerullo takes the BayScaping message to the public in a talk that allows attendees to ask questions and share their own experiences. She will touch on the six major aspects of the program: building a good foundation, watering, mowing, thatch and soil compaction, fertilizing one's lawn, and pest control.

Free refreshments and informational handouts will also be available.

Our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.

News from Energyworks

Here's the news from Energywork, our renewable energy partner:

We will be out and about over the next few weeks at several events -- come and see us on April 20 and 21 at the Midcoast Green Collaborative Expo in Damariscotta. In May, Pat Coon will hold several adult ed classes at the Camden Hills Regional High School: Wednesday, May 9 he'll talk about "Steps to Renewable Energy" on the 16th "Going Solar" and on May 23 Pat will talk about "Wind Power". Also we will be at Chewonki's Sustainable Energy Conference on Saturday May 12. In addition, Spring is in the air and we are starting to get busy, we are gearing up for several new Grid Tie PV projects coming up including an 8KW system for a farm in Knox County.

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene
On Monday, April 23, the Brunswick Town Council will consider whether Brunswick will join other towns and cities across Maine and across the country in becoming a "Cool Community". So what is a Cool Community? These are cities and towns that have made a commitment to stopping global warming by signing the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement. The Cool Cities campaign helps cities turn their commitments into action by pushing for smart energy solutions.

The Midcoast Sustainable Energy Expo, at the Central Lincoln County YMCA, Damariscotta, on Friday, April 20, from 12:00 - 6:00 pm, and Saturday, April 21, 9:00 - 5:00 pm, will bring together building trades people, energy professionals, and the general public from a geographic area wider than the Damariscotta/ Newcastle region of Midcoast Maine. It will demonstrate affordable energy-efficient construction techniques, demonstrate working examples of renewable energy systems and technologies that local people can install in their homes and businesses.

Lots more is happening around Earth Day on April 22. For more events and information, visit the Earth Day Network.

April 2007 Events

Our next Sustainable Living Talk is tonight! (Yes, it is still happening despite the weather.) Tonight at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies in Brunswick the topic will be "Design and Build Your Own Super-Efficient Home", a talk by Al Heath of Arrowsic.

Al will explain how he and his wife researched, designed, and built a super energy efficient home themselves. Their 2000 square foot house is heated by one cord of wood and 75 gallons of kerosene per year. A solar hot water system provides the majority of their hot water needs. At the talk, Al will share lessons learned during the process, including a list of helpful sources and contractors.

Join us on Saturday, April 21st from 11 am to 4:30 pm at Frontier Cafe, Cinema and Gallery in Brunswick for "Solutions Saturday", an environmental film festival. We'll be showing "The Quest for Dan the Can", a film made by Bowdoin College exploring what happens to garbage and recyclables in Brunswick. In addition, we will be showing "The True Cost of Food," "Our Children at Risk", "Sam Suds", and "Kilowatt Ours". Many thanks to the Sierra Club for providing these films to show, and to the many environmental groups who will be on hand to share information and lead discussions.

And on Sunday, April 29 from 2 pm to 4:30 pm we hope to see you at the Third Annual Clean Energy Fair at St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church in Yarmouth, Maine. For more information about that event, please call the church at 846-9244 or John or Christina Ferland at 781-7307.

F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies is located at 56 Maine Street in downtown Brunswick, Maine.

F.W. Horch Composting Goods & Supplies

Ignore the snow, it is spring (even in Maine)! In time for gardening season, here are some products to get your compost cooking.

• Home Composting Made Easy
  Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for composting in your backyard. Instead of overburdening your local landfill, learn how to turn kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and paper scraps into "black gold" for your lawn and garden. 32 pages, paperback. $2.95

• Kitchen Compost Carrier
  Make your home composting program easier to manage. Perfect for short-term storage of kitchen scraps, this kitchen compost carrier features an optional carbon filter to eliminate odors. Made from 25% recycled plastic. Small (5.8 quart) size, $17.95; Large (9.6 quart) size, $24.95

• Compost Maker Microbes
  Put billions of beneficial organisms to work for you! Dormant until you expose them to air, water and a food source, this blend of microbes will energize soils, composts, and decomposing organic matter. One pound. $10.95

• Envirocycle Composter
  Make batches of rich compost simply by taking this unit for a spin. This conveniently-sized tumbler is perfect for those who want an easy way to turn batches of kitchen scraps into nutrients for vegetables, flowers and houseplants. Featuring a base that collects liquid for "compost tea", the Envirocycle is a great addition to a deck or back yard for anyone who wants a no-hassle, proven system for composting. Available in black or green. $159

• Sun-Mar 200 Composter
  This innovative outdoor composter is based on a brilliant concept: put yard and kitchen waste in one opening, and remove finished compost from another. Inside the unit are two drums: new material enters the outer drum, fills it up, tumbles into the inner drum, then comes out the middle as finished compost. So well-designed it makes you wonder why all composters aren't built his way! $299

• Sun-Mar 400 Composter
  Suitable for handling large volumes of yard waste, the 400 is the larger cousin of the Sun-Mar 200 Garden Composter. Same great features as the Sun-Mar 200, plus a crank to help turn it. $399

• Sunleaves Wormtopia
  Turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into high quality worm castings with the help of up to 15,000 redworms (sold separately). Worms convert scraps and wastes to castings as they migrate upward to the next tray, while producing nutrient-rich "worm tea" that can be drawn from a spigot mounted on the bottom. $109.50; one pint of Maine-raised red worms, $6.00

• Sun-Mar Composting Toilets
  Choose a Sun-Mar composting toilet when you need to conserve water, minimize your environmental impact, upgrade your outhouse, extend the life of your septic system, or provide sanitary facilities where there is no plumbing. Perfect for seasonal camps; these toilets can freeze solid with no risk of pipes bursting. Composting toilets harness aerobic microbes to oxidize waste, resulting in carbon dioxide, water, and essential plant nutrients and minerals. 95% of the starting material evaporates, and the remainder is an NSF-certified safe soil amendment. Self-contained units start at $1345; we also stock the full line of Sun-Mar supplies.

March 2007 Green Tidings

Mark your calendars for "Design and Build Your Own Super-Efficient Home," our next Sustainable Living Talk at 7 pm on April 12. Learn the new techniques for energy efficiency, and discover what it makes sense to do yourself and what you're better off hiring a subcontractor to do.

Spring is finally here! We have a great selection of composting tools and supplies, as well as a growing assortment of planet-saving products for the home. Energyworks, our renewable energy partner, will be out and about giving talks and classes this spring on solar, wind and other clean energy topics. Read on for more about those events, and other things happening in the world of greener living.

Warmly,
Fred Horch, Owner

P.S. Our web site keeps growing! If downtown Brunswick is out of the way for you, why not swing by our store online at www.FWHorch.com.

Sustainable Living Talk, "Design and Build Your Own Super-Efficient Home"
Join us on Thursday, April 12, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies for "Design and Build Your Own Super-Efficient Home".

We are delighted to have Al Heath give our next sustainable living talk. He writes,

"I was a carpenter, designer, and contractor for 12 years before changing careers in 1990. Three years ago when I wanted to build my family a new and much more energy efficient house, I found that not only was it prohibitively expensive, but most of the builders I spoke with didn't really know what "super-insulated, passive solar" meant. I decided to re-educated myself to the new reality and techniques of energy efficiency and build it myself.

My wife and I researched, designed, and built 80% of our new home while sub-contracting the rest. We now easily heat our beautiful 2000 square foot home on one cord of wood, 75 gallons of kerosene, and all the free/clean sunshine we can get. I have recently installed a solar hot water system that provides a majority of our domestic hot water needs and next, we hope to increase the size of the this system for space heating and further reduce our use of firewood and oil.

It is challenging, interesting, and important work but you don't have to be a rocket scientist! I will share everything time allows, including a list of helpful sources and contractors."

Free refreshments and informational handouts will also be available.

Our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.

News from Energyworks

Here's the news from our renewable energy partner. Phil Coupe of Energyworks South writes,

Energyworks South is delighted to announce the launch of its first Skystream 3.7 wind turbine project in Cape Elizabeth. The Skystream (www.skystreamenergy.com) is a 'residential power appliance' designed for grid-connected homes. We like the Skystream because it is quiet, relatively inexpensive and it produces considerable electricity for its small footprint. With an average annual wind speed of 10 mph, the Skystream produces 230 kWh per month. At 14 mph, it produces 500 kWh/month. Maine's first Skystream was installed in Saco at the town's wastewater treatment plant.

Skystream recently installed at the Saco Wastewater Treatment Plant

If you'd like to learn more about the Skystream, please contact Phil Coupe at 207-221-6342.

And here's the news from Energyworks North in Liberty:

We will be out and about over the next few weeks at several events -- come and see us at the Waldo County Tech Center on March 31 for the Green Building Conference presented by NewForest Center for Sustainable Building and Design. On April 20 and 21 we will have a booth at the Midcoast Green Collaborative Expo in Damariscotta. In May, Pat Coon will hold several adult ed classes at the Camden Hills Regional High School: Wednesday, May 9 he'll talk about "Steps to Renewable Energy" on the 16th "Going Solar" and on May 23 Pat will talk about "Wind Power". Also we will be at Chewonki's Sustainable Energy Conference on Saturday May 12. In addition, Spring is in the air and we are starting to get busy, we are gearing up for several new Grid Tie PV projects coming up including an 8KW system for a farm in Knox County.

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene
Save the date! On Saturday, April 21, the day before Earth Day, F.W. Horch will sponsor a "Solutions Saturday" at the Frontier Cafe Cinema and Gallery in Fort Andross, here in Brunswick. This event will be part of an Earth Week series of films and discussions at Frontier Cafe. Join us on April 21 for an inspiring and practical discussion of environmental solutions available to us now.

The Midcoast Sustainable Energy Expo, at the Central Lincoln County YMCA, Damariscotta, on Friday, April 20, from 12:00 - 6:00 pm, and Saturday, April 21, 9:00 - 5:00 pm, will bring together building trades people, energy professionals, and the general public from a geographic area wider than the Damariscotta/ Newcastle region of Midcoast Maine. It will demonstrate affordable energy-efficient construction techniques, demonstrate working examples of renewable energy systems and technologies that local people can install in their homes and businesses.

Lots more is happening, leading up to Earth Day on April 22.

March 2007 Events

Our next Sustainable Living Talk is tomorrow! Please join us on Thursday, March 8, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies in Brunswick for "Home and Garden Composting", a talk by Brett Thompson, Master Gardener Volunteer.

Brett will share tips and techniques for successful indoor and backyard composting. If you want to start composting, or want to improve your results, you won't want to miss this talk. Free refreshments and informational handouts will be available.

F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies is located at 56 Maine Street in downtown Brunswick, Maine.

F.W. Horch Composting Goods & Supplies

If you're interested in this month's talk topic, you may be interested in these products.

• Home Composting Made Easy
  Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for composting in your backyard. Instead of overburdening your local landfill, learn how to turn kitchen scraps, yard trimmings and paper scraps into "black gold" for your lawn and garden. 32 pages, paperback. $2.95

• Stainless Steel Compost Pail
  Use this stylish compost pail for storing kitchen scraps on their way to being composted. Features a carbon filter in the lid to eliminate odors. One gallon capacity. $33.29

• Kitchen Compost Carrier
  Make your home composting program easier to manage. Perfect for short-term storage of kitchen scraps, this kitchen compost carrier features an optional carbon filter to eliminate odors. Made from 25% recycled plastic. Small (5.8 quart) size, $17.95; Large (9.6 quart) size, $24.95

• Compost Maker Microbes
  Put billions of beneficial organisms to work for you! Dormant until you expose them to air, water and a food source, this blend of microbes will energize soils, composts, and decomposing organic matter. One pound. $10.95

• Envirocycle Composter
  Make batches of rich compost simply by taking this unit for a spin. This conveniently-sized tumbler is perfect for those who want an easy way to turn batches of kitchen scraps into nutrients for vegetables, flowers and houseplants. Featuring a base that collects liquid for "compost tea", the Envirocycle is a great addition to a deck or back yard for anyone who wants a no-hassle, proven system for composting. Available in black or green. $159

• Sun-Mar 200 Composter
  This innovative outdoor composter is based on a brilliant concept: put yard and kitchen waste in one opening, and remove finished compost from another. Inside the unit are two drums: new material enters the outer drum, fills it up, tumbles into the inner drum, then comes out the middle as finished compost. So well-designed it makes you wonder why all composters aren't built his way! $299

• Sun-Mar 400 Composter
  Suitable for handling large volumes of yard waste, the 400 is the larger cousin of the Sun-Mar 200 Garden Composter. Same great features as the Sun-Mar 200, plus a crank to help turn it. $399

• Sunleaves Wormtopia
  Turn your kitchen scraps and yard waste into high quality worm castings with the help of up to 15,000 redworms (sold separately). Worms convert scraps and wastes to castings as they migrate upward to the next tray, while producing nutrient-rich "worm tea" that can be drawn from a spigot mounted on the bottom. $109.50; one pint of Maine-raised red worms, $6.00

• Sun-Mar Composting Toilets
  Choose a Sun-Mar composting toilet when you need to conserve water, minimize your environmental impact, upgrade your outhouse, extend the life of your septic system, or provide sanitary facilities where there is no plumbing. Perfect for seasonal camps; these toilets can freeze solid with no risk of pipes bursting. Composting toilets harness aerobic microbes to oxidize waste, resulting in carbon dioxide, water, and essential plant nutrients and minerals. 95% of the starting material evaporates, and the remainder is an NSF-certified safe soil amendment. Self-contained units start at $1345; we also stock the full line of Sun-Mar supplies.

February 2007 Green Tidings

Green Tidings from F.W. Horch in Brunswick, Maine.

Mark your calendars for "Home and Garden Composting," our next Sustainable Living Talk at 7 pm on March 8. Whether you've never composted before, or have been at it for years, you'll want to attend this talk to learn the best tips and techniques. Bring your toughest questions and get ready to make your best compost ever!

[something about spring]
Fred Horch, Owner

P.S. Our web site keeps growing! If downtown Brunswick is out of the way for you, why not swing by our store online at www.fwhorch.com.

Sustainable Living Talk, "Home and Garden Composting"
Join us on Thursday, February 8, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies for "Zero Energy Homes", a talk by Mike White of Island Carpentry.

Mike will present a comparison between conventionally built stick framed homes and energy efficient homes built with structural insulated panels to superinsulated standards. He will also describe the renewable energy systems that can be used to achieve near zero net energy use.

Free refreshments and informational handouts will also be available.

If you have attended past talks, please remember that we have moved the store! The new time and place for our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.

News from Energyworks
Here's the news from our renewable energy partner:

Bill Behrens, a partner in Energyworks, was present at the ribbon cutting ceremony at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell on January 18 where they unveiled their new solar system. Energyworks designed and installed this combined solar hot water and electricity system. The 15 KW photovoltaic system is the largest solar array in the state. For more information visit Energyworks online at www.enworks.net.

Energyworks South, located in the Bayside area of Portland, is looking for a part-time office manager / bookkeeper. This is a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about renewable energy and looking to join a fast-growing company. We are small today but have big plans for the future! Please send an e-mail to phil@energyworksllc.com if you are interested.

If you're planning to go solar in 2007, the winter months are a great time to start talking with Energyworks!

Worms Eat Our (Neighbor's) Garbage
Want to compost all year round in the comfort and convenience of your own home? Have kitchen scraps that you don't want to throw on your compost pile outside? Worms are the answer!

We will be selling worm bins complete with worms starting in April. In the meantime, we'll have a demonstration unit in the store so you can see how "vermicomposting" works. We'll be feeding our worms scraps from Morning Glory next door -- only the finest for them -- plus our store's junk mail!

Vermicomposting is a system in which worms eat and digest scraps, turning them into a rich soil amendment. A worm bin can be tucked in any closet or under a kitchen sink. Any warm and dark place will do. In addition to kitchen scraps, worms like to eat junk mail. You put kitchen scraps in the worm bin, then cover them with shredded paper (credit card offers are especially delicious!).

Worm bins fully stocked with voracious worms will go on sale in mid-April for $25 a bin. We also have a deluxe "Wormtopia" available for $109.50. If you have been a "fair-weather" composter, consider giving vermicomposting a try. You'll have an easy and fast way to make great compost no matter how cold it gets outside.

And if the thought of harvesting your worm's compost makes you squeamish, we're planning a "worm exchange" day this summer. We'll invite people who have extra worms and people who want worms to meet at the store. Let us find a home for all your extra worms so you'll have room for another year of composting action.

The Sunrise Guide
Looking for a fundraiser for your school or community group that also raises awareness about sustainability issues?

The SunriseGuide is a brand new coupon book and resource guide for healthy & sustainable living in southern Maine. We’ve been selling guides here in the store since December, and you can also buy them online on our web site. They are also available for sale as a fundraiser where your school or community group keeps $8-$10 from each book sold (they retail for $20). For example, The Friends School in Portland sold them for three weeks in December and raised just under $2,500. The Bridge School in New Gloucester also sold them in December and raised $1,100.

The SunriseGuide is packed with 130 coupons (worth more than $4,500) from natural food stores, farm stands, CSA’s, home energy auditors, yoga classes, restaurants that feature local and organic ingredients, and green building stores -- including three coupons to our store! It’s also got a significant resources section that compiles useful info to support a sustainable lifestyle in southern Maine -- a list of the available tax incentives, locations of farmer’s markets, alternative transportation resources, recipes for natural cleaners and more.

For more info, check them out at www.thesunriseguide.com or call 221-3450.

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene
The Brunswick Sustainability Group met at Curtis Memorial Library on Monday, January 29. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 26. For more information about this group, visit the store or drop me an email. A listserve for the group has been set up and a web site is in the works.

Winning green home designs are on display in the Environmental Studies Common Room, Adams Hall, Bowdoin College from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, Jan. 22 - Feb. 5. The winning designs are from the Mainestream Green Housing Design Contest, organized by MaineHousing. The green housing design contest required designers to submit plans for homes that are affordable, at least 1,000 square feet in size, and incorporate the Green Building Standards that MaineHousing adopted. Details at http://tinyurl.com/2waoue

A temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, January 6, was the highest temperature ever recorded in Portland during January, beating the old record of 64 degrees set in 1950. The average high temperature for December 2006 was a record 43.3 degrees. The year 2006 was the warmest year on record for Portland, with an average monthly temperature of 48.5 versus a normal average of 45.7. Every month of 2006 had above normal average temperature, except August which was 0.3 degrees below normal. The temperature never got below zero for the entire year.

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay will host a talk called "Native Americans of the Merrymeeting Bay Region" by Kerry Hardy of Merryspring Nature Center, on Wednesday, Feb 14 at 7 pm at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. For more information, visit their web site at www.friendsofmerrymeetingbay.org

February 2007 Events

Just a quick reminder that our next Sustainable Living Talk is tomorrow! Please join us on Thursday, February 8, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies for "Zero Energy Homes", a talk by Mike White of Island Carpentry.

Mike will present a comparison between conventionally built stick framed homes and energy efficient homes built with structural insulated panels to superinsulated standards. He will also describe the renewable energy systems that can be used to achieve near zero net energy use.

Free refreshments and informational handouts will be available.

If you have attended past talks, please remember that we have moved the store! We are now called "F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies, and our new address is 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.

Recommended Books

If you're interested in this month's talk topic, you may be interested in the following books on green building and renewable energy systems.

• Building Green
• Green Building Products
• Green Remodeling
• The Not So Big House
• Your Green Home
• Planning and Installing Solar Thermal
• Renewable Energy Policy
• Solar House
• Solar Living Sourcebook

January 2007 Green Tidings

Green Tidings from F.W. Horch in Brunswick, Maine. Brrrr, Old Man Winter has finally arrived!

Mark your calendars for "Zero Energy Homes," our next Sustainable Living Talk at 7 pm on February 8, featuring Mike White of Island Carpentry. Come find out how super efficient building and renewable energy systems can bring your home's net energy use to near zero.

Hope you are staying warm!
Fred Horch, Owner

P.S. We are adding products daily to our web site. If the cold weather is keeping you indoors, grab a cup of hot chocolate and visit us online at www.fwhorch.com.

Sustainable Living Talk, "Zero Energy Homes"
Join us on Thursday, February 8, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies for "Zero Energy Homes", a talk by Mike White of Island Carpentry.

Mike will present a comparison between conventionally built stick framed homes and energy efficient homes built with structural insulated panels to superinsulated standards. He will also describe the renewable energy systems that can be used to achieve near zero net energy use.

Free refreshments and informational handouts will also be available.

If you have attended past talks, please remember that we have moved the store! The new time and place for our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.

News from Energyworks
Here's the news from our renewable energy partner:

Bill Behrens, a partner in Energyworks, was present at the ribbon cutting ceremony at Maple Hill Farm in Hallowell on January 18 where they unveiled their new solar system. Energyworks designed and installed this combined solar hot water and electricity system. The 15 KW photovoltaic system is the largest solar array in the state. For more information visit Energyworks online at www.enworks.net.

Energyworks South, located in the Bayside area of Portland, is looking for a part-time office manager / bookkeeper. This is a great opportunity for someone who is passionate about renewable energy and looking to join a fast-growing company. We are small today but have big plans for the future! Please send an e-mail to phil@energyworksllc.com if you are interested.

If you're planning to go solar in 2007, the winter months are a great time to start talking with Energyworks!

Worms Eat Our (Neighbor's) Garbage
Want to compost all year round in the comfort and convenience of your own home? Have kitchen scraps that you don't want to throw on your compost pile outside? Worms are the answer!

We will be selling worm bins complete with worms starting in April. In the meantime, we'll have a demonstration unit in the store so you can see how "vermicomposting" works. We'll be feeding our worms scraps from Morning Glory next door -- only the finest for them -- plus our store's junk mail!

Vermicomposting is a system in which worms eat and digest scraps, turning them into a rich soil amendment. A worm bin can be tucked in any closet or under a kitchen sink. Any warm and dark place will do. In addition to kitchen scraps, worms like to eat junk mail. You put kitchen scraps in the worm bin, then cover them with shredded paper (credit card offers are especially delicious!).

Worm bins fully stocked with voracious worms will go on sale in mid-April for $25 a bin. We also have a deluxe "Wormtopia" available for $109.50. If you have been a "fair-weather" composter, consider giving vermicomposting a try. You'll have an easy and fast way to make great compost no matter how cold it gets outside.

And if the thought of harvesting your worm's compost makes you squeamish, we're planning a "worm exchange" day this summer. We'll invite people who have extra worms and people who want worms to meet at the store. Let us find a home for all your extra worms so you'll have room for another year of composting action.

The Sunrise Guide
Looking for a fundraiser for your school or community group that also raises awareness about sustainability issues?

The SunriseGuide is a brand new coupon book and resource guide for healthy & sustainable living in southern Maine. We’ve been selling guides here in the store since December, and you can also buy them online on our web site. They are also available for sale as a fundraiser where your school or community group keeps $8-$10 from each book sold (they retail for $20). For example, The Friends School in Portland sold them for three weeks in December and raised just under $2,500. The Bridge School in New Gloucester also sold them in December and raised $1,100.

The SunriseGuide is packed with 130 coupons (worth more than $4,500) from natural food stores, farm stands, CSA’s, home energy auditors, yoga classes, restaurants that feature local and organic ingredients, and green building stores -- including three coupons to our store! It’s also got a significant resources section that compiles useful info to support a sustainable lifestyle in southern Maine -- a list of the available tax incentives, locations of farmer’s markets, alternative transportation resources, recipes for natural cleaners and more.

For more info, check them out at www.thesunriseguide.com or call 221-3450.

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene
The Brunswick Sustainability Group met at Curtis Memorial Library on Monday, January 29. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, February 26. For more information about this group, visit the store or drop me an email. A listserve for the group has been set up and a web site is in the works.

Winning green home designs are on display in the Environmental Studies Common Room, Adams Hall, Bowdoin College from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm, Jan. 22 - Feb. 5. The winning designs are from the Mainestream Green Housing Design Contest, organized by MaineHousing. The green housing design contest required designers to submit plans for homes that are affordable, at least 1,000 square feet in size, and incorporate the Green Building Standards that MaineHousing adopted. Details at http://tinyurl.com/2waoue

A temperature of 67 degrees Fahrenheit on Saturday, January 6, was the highest temperature ever recorded in Portland during January, beating the old record of 64 degrees set in 1950. The average high temperature for December 2006 was a record 43.3 degrees. The year 2006 was the warmest year on record for Portland, with an average monthly temperature of 48.5 versus a normal average of 45.7. Every month of 2006 had above normal average temperature, except August which was 0.3 degrees below normal. The temperature never got below zero for the entire year.

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay will host a talk called "Native Americans of the Merrymeeting Bay Region" by Kerry Hardy of Merryspring Nature Center, on Wednesday, Feb 14 at 7 pm at the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath. For more information, visit their web site at www.friendsofmerrymeetingbay.org

December 2006 Green Tidings

Green Tidings and Happy Holidays from F.W. Horch in Brunswick, Maine! May the season bring you peace and understanding in all matters, great and small.

Let me extend a heart-felt thank you for your support and encouragement. Please know that we don't take any customer for granted. We appreciate your business, and we'll do our best to meet the high standards you expect. On behalf of my children and all future generations, keep up the good work saving the planet!

Mark your calendars for "Composting and Recycling to Save You Money and Save the World," our next Sustainable Living Talk at 7 pm on January 11, featuring Brett Thompson, Master Gardener Volunteer. Come find out how to turn waste into wonderful soil.

Best wishes for the New Year!
Fred Horch, Owner

P.S. Our store will be closed the week after Christmas, December 25 to 31, so we can spend time with family and friends. Our web site will remain open for online orders. See you in 2007!

F.W. Horch Is Hiring
We are currently interviewing for a part-time sales clerk to cover our evening shift 4 pm to 7 pm, Tuesday through Friday, with additional hours as needed. This is a permanent part-time position. Our ideal candidate would live within walking or biking distance of our store on Maine Street in Brunswick. If you know a "people person" who is passionate about the environment, please let them know about this position. Sustainable Living Talk, "Composting & Recycling"
Join us on Thursday, January 11, at 7:00 pm at F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies for "Composting and Recycling to Save You Money and Save the World", a talk by Brett Thompson, Master Gardener Volunteer.

Whether you live in a city apartment or on a country farm, you can compost and recycle. Come to this talk to find out how. With the new "pay as you throw" trash ordinance in Brunswick taking effect on January 22, this is the perfect time to learn how to reduce your personal contribution to the municipal trash problem.

Free refreshments and informational handouts will also be available.

If you have attended past talks, please remember that we have moved the store! The new time and place for our Sustainable Living Talks are on the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at 56 Maine Street in Brunswick.

News from Energyworks
Thank you to everyone who turned out for Energywork's "Going Solar" talk this month. It was a standing-room-only crowd, and a great opportunity to network. We'll try to schedule another one soon for those who missed it.

Here's the news from our renewable energy partner:

It's that time of year -- as we wrap up all the projects and look at the past year, we again have seen enormous growth here at Energyworks plus the expansion into Portland. We've completed two big commercial projects, one of them is the largest solar array in the state! We installed 90,000 watts, over a 1/4 mile of power rail and installed 44 solar hot water systems this year. According to the just-released report on the Maine solar rebate program -- one company installed 50% of all photovoltaic projects and one company installed 53% of all the solar thermal projects in the state -- that company is ENERGYWORKS and we are grateful to all our clients and friends who have shown so much support and interest in renewable energy. We are are looking forward to putting more renewable energy systems in place, one house at a time in 2007. Happy Holidays to all.

Other news: Energyworks South co-owner Fortunat Mueller, P.E. recently partnered with the Breakwater School's Expeditionary Learning Center to build a solar hot water system. Students helped install the system components and learned about renewable energy technology. The school plans to use the system to reduce its carbon footprint and to teach kids about the benefits of renewable energy versus fossil fuel energy.

Energyworks South recently completed this combined 270-tube solar thermal / 5kW solar electric system in Cape Elizabeth.

If you're planning to go solar in 2007, the winter months are a great time to start talking with Energyworks!

What's Happening in the Local Environmental Scene
The Brunswick Sustainability Group will meet at Curtis Memorial Library during the last week in January, the exact day and time still to be determined. For more information about this group, visit the store or drop me an email. A listserve for the group will be set up shortly.

The Town of Brunswick will require all household trash to be placed in special "Brunswick Bags" starting January 22. In conjunction with the change in residential trash collection, the curbside recycling program will be expanded to cover paperboard and all types of plastic in a "single stream" recycling system. You will no longer need to sort paper, glass, containers, etc. for recycling. Brunswick bags, more information about the change, and a complete list of items that can be recycled will be available in our store, F.W. Horch Sustainable Goods & Supplies, 56 Maine Street, Brunswick. Come by or give us a call at 729-4050 if you have any questions.

The National Weather Service reports that November 2006 was a record-setting month for warm temperatures in Portland, Maine. The average temperature for November was a record-setting 43.8 degrees Fahrenheit. The previous record was 43.0 degrees in 1975. Normally November has an average temperature of 38.3 degrees. The average low temperature for the month was 35.8 degrees, also a record. The normal average low is 29.5 degrees. During this November Portland never got any colder than 20 degrees, and there were three days where temperatures never got below 50 degrees.

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay will hold their annual meeting and potluck dinner on Wednesday, January 10. The public is welcome. Potluck dinner starts at 5:30, followed by the annual meeting at 6:15, and a talk at 7:00, "Rivers to the Sea: Forage & Feeding in the Gulf of Maine" by Ted Ames, Penobscot East Resource Center. The dinner, meeting and talk will be held in the Cram Alumni House, Bowdoin College, Brunswick. For more information, visit http://www.friendsofmerrymeetingbay.org/.