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.