No one likes high winter bills. But I'll certainly take my whopper over having no power, like our neighbors in Arkansas, Kentucky, and Missouri.
Looks like our neighbors to the east are also experiencing sticker shock when opening their bills. The Tennessean, Nashville's daily paper, recently ran an article entitled: Tennessee fumes over high heating bills; Nashville-area utilities get record number of calls. Nashville Electric Service (NES) is passing the buck to TVA, which raised its wholesale rate more than 20 percent over last year.
The President & CEO of NES wrote an editorial in last weekend’s Tennessean stressing the importance of conservation.
Many people are concerned about how the recent coal ash spills might further effect electric bills. TVA officials will go before the Nashville Metro Council members next month to answer questions about rate hikes, the recent coal ash disaster in East Tennessee and other issues. (See the story here.) Nashville Councilman Hunt "recently learned that TVA is not regulated like other utilities and he wants to know more about what oversight it faces and how that could be improved." Should be an interesting meeting.
On Feb. 25, our own CEO, Jerry Collins, will travel with other members of the Tennessee Valley Public Power Association (TVPPA) to ask Congress for federal assistance with the coal ash cleanup. TVPPA wants to avoid the cost of the cleanup being passed on to TVA customers.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
MLGW Helps Mayfield
This morning, a convoy of 12 MLGW trucks left the North Service Center and began the three-hour drive to Mayfield, KY, a city rendered powerless by this week’s snow and ice storms. As part of a mutual aid agreement, 21 MLGW employees—or three six-man crews, two supervisors and a mechanic—will work closely with Mayfield Electric & Water Systems and other utilities to clear downed power lines and restore power to Mayfield’s more than 10,000 residents. The crews will be in Mayfield for an unspecified amount of time. (In recent years mutual aid agreements have assisted MLGW in restoring power after windstorms and tornadoes. The utility asking for the assistance is responsible for all costs associated with recovery efforts, including salaries and lodging out of town assistance.)
For those of you interested in learning about the restoration efforts in Kentucky, nineteen year-old blogger, Steven Devine, is providing weather reports, outage updates, and general weather info on his blog West Kentucky Weather.
If you haven’t seen some of the devastation that last week’s ice storm has had across the U.S. including Kentucky, Arkansas and Missouri, here are a few links to some good articles:
Crews make some progress on ice storm outages
Ky. hit with record number of power outages
Residents face long, icy wait for power to return
Thousands still in dark; water running short
There are still more than 1.3 million people without power right now.
Photos courtesy of the Associated Press
Customer Care Center Extends Hours for February
Starting tomorrow, Saturday, January 31, our Customer Care Center will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Extended hours will continue throughout the month of February.) Live operators will be available to assist customers during this time. The Customer Care Center will also be open during regular hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. The CCC answers more than 110,000 calls per month. Cold weather and winter bills have increased our call volume considerably and we want to make it easier for our customers to reach us.
The Customer Care Center number is 544-MLGW.
Don't forget, many transactions can be completed 24 hours a day by using our automated menu. (i.e. Payment arrangements, balance and due date information as well as start, stop or transfer service.) You need to have your most recent bill handy and also know the last four digits of the customer of record's Social Security number.
Cold Weather Cutoff Policy
The weather seems to be warming up for the weekend (yay!), but no doubt it will dip down again. I'm sure not everyone knows what our cold weather cutoff policy is, so I thought I'd share it with you:
If the WIND CHILL is predicted to be at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit during a 24 hour period, we do NOT execute cutoffs.
We want to ensure that our customers are safe during days of extreme temperatures. Cutoffs are processed once the temperature returns to normal. A similar approach is taken for excessive heat during the summer months.
If the WIND CHILL is predicted to be at or below 32 degrees Fahrenheit during a 24 hour period, we do NOT execute cutoffs.
We want to ensure that our customers are safe during days of extreme temperatures. Cutoffs are processed once the temperature returns to normal. A similar approach is taken for excessive heat during the summer months.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
State-by-State Winter Energy Fact Sheets
The Alliance to Save Energy has updated their state-by-state winter energy fact sheets for the 2008 – 2009 winter heating season. Each fact sheet describes how much home heating bills are likely to rise or fall compared with last winter’s bills, based on fuel costs in each state. Depending on heating fuel use, some homes will face higher costs, while others may see a decrease in heating expense. The sheets also provide energy efficiency tips to help cut heating and other home energy bills. You can see the 2008 – 2009 Winter State Fact Sheets here.
The Tennessee Fact Sheet shows that home energy bills for Tennesseans using natural gas will rise about $65 compared to last winter and $80 for those using electric. As someone with an electric heater, I can vouch for the $80 jump.
The Fact Sheet offers some energy tips--like using space heaters and programmable thermostats--and is worth a look. The figure I found most interesting was:
By replacing their four most used bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, Tennessee households can save almost $110 over the lifetime of the bulbs.
CFLs usually last about two years. So that's a savings of $55 a year for just four bulbs. Not bad at all. People like me, with electric heaters, are looking for ways to cut down their overall electric bills to compensate for the inefficient and expensive heating!
Utility Assistance Phone Lines Open
Just a reminder that utility assistance is available now. This was reported in today's Commercial Appeal...
Utility help line taking requests
Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton's utility assistance call center is open and taking requests for utility assistance to residents who have recently received Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division cutoff notices.
As of Wednesday afternoon the center had received 2,182 calls, prequalified 1,676 families and given out 375 vouchers totaling about $190,000. County officials believe they will be able to help 2,200 families and households with $1.2 million in federal funds.
The call center, which opened Tuesday, will be open today from 9 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To qualify for assistance, residents must have received a recent MLGW cutoff notice, meet federal income requirements, have an adult living in the home who is 60 years or older, or have an adult or child living in the home who is disabled, or within the past 90 days have experienced a major, uncontrollable circumstance preventing payment of utility bill.
Federal funding is limited and residents who have received utility assistance anytime since July 2008 will not be eligible.
To apply for assistance, residents must call 535-2200 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins will not be accepted.
Utility help line taking requests
Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton's utility assistance call center is open and taking requests for utility assistance to residents who have recently received Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division cutoff notices.
As of Wednesday afternoon the center had received 2,182 calls, prequalified 1,676 families and given out 375 vouchers totaling about $190,000. County officials believe they will be able to help 2,200 families and households with $1.2 million in federal funds.
The call center, which opened Tuesday, will be open today from 9 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
To qualify for assistance, residents must have received a recent MLGW cutoff notice, meet federal income requirements, have an adult living in the home who is 60 years or older, or have an adult or child living in the home who is disabled, or within the past 90 days have experienced a major, uncontrollable circumstance preventing payment of utility bill.
Federal funding is limited and residents who have received utility assistance anytime since July 2008 will not be eligible.
To apply for assistance, residents must call 535-2200 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins will not be accepted.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
No News is Good News
Memphians had one thing on their minds this morning: Snow! However, there were a mixture of sentiments regarding the fluffy precipitation. I heard a wide range, from "Yay! No school!" to "I hope my power doesn't go out."Thankfully, in regards to power, we were lucky. Since there was little to no ice, power lines were not affected. There was a brief outage this morning affecting 4,000 customers, due to a driver hitting a pole. (It's all fixed now.)
Feel free to start the "Memphis Driver" jokes in the comment section!
Photo courtesy of the CA
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Save Water America Contest
via TreeHugger...
Faucet Giant Kohler Launches Water Saving Contest
While they design the faucets and fixtures that bring the water to you in style, they don't think that wasting water should be part of the design. So, Kohler has launched their Save Water America campaign to educate homeowners on water saving tips. Part of this includes an easy, virtual water saving contest - the prize: water faucets for Habitat for Humanity homes.
So here's how the game is played - for every person that goes online and completes the (short) quiz on water, Kohler will donate $1 worth of water-saving products to Habitat for Humanity homes, which can be tracked in real-time on the site. Ultimately Kohler plans to donate over $1 million in water-saving products, which will outfit plumbing on at least 600 homes.
The "game" is really a way to show you how updating your own toilet (where at least 25% of your daily water usage goes) could save potentially thousands of gallons of water each year. Then the results show you which states have toilet replacement rebates to help fight the financial burden of protecting the planet. There are also several videos with explanations on how to install different water-saving technologies. The site isn't very in-depth but is a handy little tool on getting started with saving water around the home.
Habitat for Humanity, praised for its work to build modest, sustainable homes, has worked to incorporate eco-friendly principles in the past. Now it's getting one more booster shot with water saving products.
I took the quiz, and it really couldn't be easier. Clearly Kohler is trying to sell toilets, but the $1 donation to Habitat for Humanity made the subliminal marketing bearable!
Faucet Giant Kohler Launches Water Saving Contest
While they design the faucets and fixtures that bring the water to you in style, they don't think that wasting water should be part of the design. So, Kohler has launched their Save Water America campaign to educate homeowners on water saving tips. Part of this includes an easy, virtual water saving contest - the prize: water faucets for Habitat for Humanity homes.
So here's how the game is played - for every person that goes online and completes the (short) quiz on water, Kohler will donate $1 worth of water-saving products to Habitat for Humanity homes, which can be tracked in real-time on the site. Ultimately Kohler plans to donate over $1 million in water-saving products, which will outfit plumbing on at least 600 homes.
The "game" is really a way to show you how updating your own toilet (where at least 25% of your daily water usage goes) could save potentially thousands of gallons of water each year. Then the results show you which states have toilet replacement rebates to help fight the financial burden of protecting the planet. There are also several videos with explanations on how to install different water-saving technologies. The site isn't very in-depth but is a handy little tool on getting started with saving water around the home.
Habitat for Humanity, praised for its work to build modest, sustainable homes, has worked to incorporate eco-friendly principles in the past. Now it's getting one more booster shot with water saving products.
I took the quiz, and it really couldn't be easier. Clearly Kohler is trying to sell toilets, but the $1 donation to Habitat for Humanity made the subliminal marketing bearable!
Monday, January 26, 2009
2008 was a Rollercoaster Ride for Consumer Energy Costs
In early 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) predicted a significant percentage increase in natural gas costs for the winter of 2008, at times predicting as much as a 30 percent cost increase for customers in the Southern region over last winter. The trend in rising energy prices nationwide and across the board was undeniable. This was not good news for customers of MLGW.
Although MLGW cannot control the price of energy, the Division works to reduce the impact of rising power costs in the following ways: discounted supplies of electricity and natural gas through long-term prepayment contracts; strategic purchases of natural gas; price protection of these purchases by using a combination of futures, options and market pricing; and continuous efforts to help shape the direction of federal and state electric restructuring to ensure access to reliable, low-cost electricity supplies.
And now the good news:
TVA rate decrease – On January 1, 2009 the Tennessee Valley Authority cut electric rates by approximately 6 percent to account for lower fuel costs. The savings should equal about $4 to $8 a month per residential customer, depending on usage. The change reflects a 25 percent reduction in TVA’s fuel cost charge, which is adjusted every three months. This will be the first decrease after three successive quarterly increases.
Natural gas costs continue to drop – December Dept. of Energy (DOE) figures showed the cost of natural gas for the Southern region was $14.25/mcf, down 25 cents from November’s forecast. January 2009 figures show natural gas costs to be $13.54/mcf. The Henry Hub natural gas spot price is projected to decline from an average of $9.13/mcf in 2008 to $5.78/mcf in 2009, but then increases in 2010 to an average of $6.63/mcf. More detailed information, which is updated monthly (next update Feb. 10), can be found at the Dept. of Energy’s website.
Gasoline prices look good for 2009 – Also according to the DOE, economic contraction in 2009 and lower projected crude oil prices are expected to result in annual average retail gasoline and diesel fuel prices in 2009 to $1.87 and $2.27 per gallon, respectively.
Photo courtesy of Getty images
Conservation Day Recap
Community Conservation Days are aimed at increasing customer awareness of energy conservation measures. Reducing energy consumption can save customers money on their utility bills and also help them to reduce their “carbon footprint,” which refers to an individual’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions.
Our first Community Conservation Day was so well received by the public that we thought it would be a good idea to do them on a monthly basis. With the economy currently in a downturn, it is even more important for all of us to practice energy conservation in our homes.
We want to encourage our customers to think about energy conservation. Friday MATA busses were in front of each MLGW community office from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. to show MLGW customers how to save on their utility bill. The free seminars, the first of several Community Conservation Days the utility has scheduled for 2009, educated customers about saving energy and lowering their utility bills.
Those attending one of two hour-long energy workshops aboard the bus received a special energy conservation kit valued at more than $40. Energy saving brochures and information were also available to customers unable to attend the workshops. MLGW employees were also on hand to answer questions regarding energy conservation.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Community Conservation Day Tomorrow
Utility bill got you down? We want to help teach you some easy ways to conserve energy in your home.
Tomorrow is the first Community Conservation day of the year. It is being held at all MLGW Community Offices from 8 am - 2 pm. There will be a MATA bus in each parking lot so that MLGLW representatives can conduct EnergySmart workshops and distribute large TVA conservation kits to each participant. (There is no charge for the workshop or the kit!)
Those without time to attend the EnergySmart workshops will receive a smaller kit (similar to the ones previously distributed at Exxon) that include a CFL, outlet covers, and energy conservation brochures.
So be sure and stop by one of our offices!
Tomorrow is the first Community Conservation day of the year. It is being held at all MLGW Community Offices from 8 am - 2 pm. There will be a MATA bus in each parking lot so that MLGLW representatives can conduct EnergySmart workshops and distribute large TVA conservation kits to each participant. (There is no charge for the workshop or the kit!)
Those without time to attend the EnergySmart workshops will receive a smaller kit (similar to the ones previously distributed at Exxon) that include a CFL, outlet covers, and energy conservation brochures.
So be sure and stop by one of our offices!
Shades of Gray
The cover story in this week's Flyer is about the TVA coal ash spill in KIngston, TN...
Shades of Gray
Confusion reigns in the wake of an unprecedented TVA coal-ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee.
At times, the January 9th town hall meeting held in Harriman, Tennessee — hosted by celebrity environmentalist Erin Brockovich and set against the panic and uncertainty of a massive environmental calamity — resembled an episode of The Simpsons, TV's long-running satire about a typical "nuclear" family living in a radioactive city where the fish have three eyes.
One woman worried that cleaning up the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) massive coal-ash spill might disturb all the barrels of toxic waste rumored to be buried under the sediment.
A man in a wide-brimmed hat offered to donate the misshapen body of his tumor-ridden, river-loving dog to science as soon as the poor thing died.
A nattily dressed man with snow-white hair waited patiently, then, when he got his turn at the microphone, erupted like a volcano: "Who can I trust? Tell me, who can I trust?" he asked, his voice quivering.
The man ran down a list cataloging the incongruous viewpoints he'd been subjected to for 18 days — the time that had passed since the waste-retaining wall at the TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant gave way, and his hometown — once a water-lover's paradise tucked into the postcard-perfect hills of East Tennessee — became the new synonym for environmental disaster.
Read the rest of the article here...
Shades of Gray
Confusion reigns in the wake of an unprecedented TVA coal-ash spill in Kingston, Tennessee.
At times, the January 9th town hall meeting held in Harriman, Tennessee — hosted by celebrity environmentalist Erin Brockovich and set against the panic and uncertainty of a massive environmental calamity — resembled an episode of The Simpsons, TV's long-running satire about a typical "nuclear" family living in a radioactive city where the fish have three eyes.
One woman worried that cleaning up the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) massive coal-ash spill might disturb all the barrels of toxic waste rumored to be buried under the sediment.
A man in a wide-brimmed hat offered to donate the misshapen body of his tumor-ridden, river-loving dog to science as soon as the poor thing died.
A nattily dressed man with snow-white hair waited patiently, then, when he got his turn at the microphone, erupted like a volcano: "Who can I trust? Tell me, who can I trust?" he asked, his voice quivering.
The man ran down a list cataloging the incongruous viewpoints he'd been subjected to for 18 days — the time that had passed since the waste-retaining wall at the TVA's Kingston Fossil Plant gave way, and his hometown — once a water-lover's paradise tucked into the postcard-perfect hills of East Tennessee — became the new synonym for environmental disaster.
Read the rest of the article here...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
It's a Bird! It's a Plane! It's a...
Poll! See it over there in the top right corner? Take a minute and tell us if you're utility bill is higher or lower than it was last year. And, if you REALLY want to tell us about it, leave a comment.
What are you doing to conserve energy this winter?
What are you doing to conserve energy this winter?
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
New Blog in Town
It's all inauguration all the time today, so I thought I'd post a head's up: Obama has a blog! Check out the White House blog. It is a part of President Obama's new media policy and promises to focus on Communication, Transparency, and Participation.
Later today, they’ll put up the video and the full text of President Obama’s Inaugural Address. There will also be slideshows of the Inaugural events, the Obamas’ move into the White House, and President Obama’s first days in office.
The White House joining the blogosphere illustrates how much this medium has grown as a communications tool. At MLGW, we saw an opportunity to increase communications with our customers and created Bird on a Wire at this time last year. We're no White House, but we're pretty hip in the utility industry. Just sayin'.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Water Quality Assured
MLGW water quality testing revealed—for the first time—trace amounts of Benzene and other compounds in tap water that originated from the Allen Water Pumping Station. While the trace levels are far below those which require reporting under Federal regulations, three wells were immediately taken out of service as a precautionary measure. One of these wells was identified as the primary source of the compounds and will no longer be used to supply drinking water to the public.
MLGW, whose quality standards far exceed state and federal guidelines, took extra steps because Benzene previously had not been at a detectable level in Allen Station’s tap water. To date, none of the other nine MLGW pumping stations has shown any level of Benzene in their tap water samples.
Q & A: Allen Water Pumping Station
Q: What has happened with the water at the Allen Water Pumping Station?
A: Minute amounts of compounds including Benzene, a substance found in a natural part of crude oil and gasoline, were found in tap water originating from MLGW’s Allen Water Pumping Station. As a precaution, three wells have been taken out of service. One well was identified as the primary source of the compounds and will no longer be used to supply drinking water to the public. To date, none of the other nine MLGW pumping stations has shown any level of Benzene in their tap water samples.
Q: Is the water supply safe?
A: MLGW water exceeds all federal safety drinking water standards. There was never any danger to the water supply. MLGW wanted to notify our customers that a minor issue had been discovered and what actions the utility is taking to ensure their water maintains the quality to which customers and MLGW are accustomed. In fact, the concentration of Benzene in the tap water is 263 times less than the federal safe drinking water limit.
Q: What is Benzene?
A: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “Benzene is widely used in the United States. It ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production volume. Some industries use benzene to make other chemicals that are used to make plastics, resins, and nylon and synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.”
Q: How much Benzene was found?
A: The amount of Benzene found in the tap water was 0.019 parts per billion. According to government guidelines, amounts over 5.0 parts per billion must be reported.
Q: Is the water from the Allen Pumping Station sent throughout the city?
A: No. Customers receive water from the pumping station that is closest to them. The water from the Allen Water Pumping Station is distributed to customers near the station.
Q: How often is the water tested?
A: MLGW goes above and beyond federal guidelines for water safety. Some quality tests are run daily to ensure there are no immediate pollutants in the water supply. Finished water is tested once a year for volatile organic compounds such as Benzene. Regularly scheduled tests completed in the fall showed no detectable Benzene at the wells.
Q: What will MLGW do to ensure that the water quality at the Allen Water Pumping Station remains reliable?
A: For the foreseeable future, MLGW will perform weekly tests to ensure that there are no detectable levels of Benzene or other volatile organic compounds in the tap water.
Q: What is the cost and will it lead to a rate increase?
A: The cost to test the wells is nominal and will not impact MLGW rates.
Q: What should I do if I suspect any changes in my water’s taste, smell or look?
A: Contact MLGW’s Water Quality Hotline at 320-3950.
MLGW, whose quality standards far exceed state and federal guidelines, took extra steps because Benzene previously had not been at a detectable level in Allen Station’s tap water. To date, none of the other nine MLGW pumping stations has shown any level of Benzene in their tap water samples.
Q & A: Allen Water Pumping Station
Q: What has happened with the water at the Allen Water Pumping Station?
A: Minute amounts of compounds including Benzene, a substance found in a natural part of crude oil and gasoline, were found in tap water originating from MLGW’s Allen Water Pumping Station. As a precaution, three wells have been taken out of service. One well was identified as the primary source of the compounds and will no longer be used to supply drinking water to the public. To date, none of the other nine MLGW pumping stations has shown any level of Benzene in their tap water samples.
Q: Is the water supply safe?
A: MLGW water exceeds all federal safety drinking water standards. There was never any danger to the water supply. MLGW wanted to notify our customers that a minor issue had been discovered and what actions the utility is taking to ensure their water maintains the quality to which customers and MLGW are accustomed. In fact, the concentration of Benzene in the tap water is 263 times less than the federal safe drinking water limit.
Q: What is Benzene?
A: According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), “Benzene is widely used in the United States. It ranks in the top 20 chemicals for production volume. Some industries use benzene to make other chemicals that are used to make plastics, resins, and nylon and synthetic fibers. Benzene is also used to make some types of lubricants, rubbers, dyes, detergents, drugs, and pesticides.”
Q: How much Benzene was found?
A: The amount of Benzene found in the tap water was 0.019 parts per billion. According to government guidelines, amounts over 5.0 parts per billion must be reported.
Q: Is the water from the Allen Pumping Station sent throughout the city?
A: No. Customers receive water from the pumping station that is closest to them. The water from the Allen Water Pumping Station is distributed to customers near the station.
Q: How often is the water tested?
A: MLGW goes above and beyond federal guidelines for water safety. Some quality tests are run daily to ensure there are no immediate pollutants in the water supply. Finished water is tested once a year for volatile organic compounds such as Benzene. Regularly scheduled tests completed in the fall showed no detectable Benzene at the wells.
Q: What will MLGW do to ensure that the water quality at the Allen Water Pumping Station remains reliable?
A: For the foreseeable future, MLGW will perform weekly tests to ensure that there are no detectable levels of Benzene or other volatile organic compounds in the tap water.
Q: What is the cost and will it lead to a rate increase?
A: The cost to test the wells is nominal and will not impact MLGW rates.
Q: What should I do if I suspect any changes in my water’s taste, smell or look?
A: Contact MLGW’s Water Quality Hotline at 320-3950.
Community Conservation Days (Yes, that's Plural!)
On October 10th of last year, MLGW conducted our first Community Conservation Day event. More than 225 employees had the opportunity to get out and help educate our customers on how to reduce their energy consumption. Due to the overwhelming success of the 2008 Community Conservation Day, we have planned several similar events for 2009.
Mark your calendars! Conservation Days will be held from 8am to 2pm on the following dates:
January 23
February 3
March 13*
April 3
May 4
June 3
July 6
August 3
September 3
October 5*
November 3
December 3
*The March and October dates will be in partnership with the Exxon on the Run, like in 2008. MLGW employees will be at participating Exxon on the Run stations handing out conservation kits.
The other dates will be a new model. The conservation events will held at all of the MLGW Community Offices from 8 am - 2 pm. On these days, there will be MATA buses in the parking lot in which MLGLW representatives will conduct EnergySmart workshops and distribute large TVA conservation kits to attending customers. (There is no charge for the workshop or the kit!)
Those without time to attend the EnergySmart workshops will receive a smaller kit (similar to the ones previously distributed at Exxon) that include a CFL, outlet covers, and energy conservation brochures.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Free Tax Assistance
The VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Super Sites open tomorrow at the Department of Human Services (DHS) office Macy's in the Southland Mall and at 3230 Jackson Avenue. The Southland Mall super site will be open from 10am-2pm and the Jackson Avenue super site will be open from noon to 4pm. MLGW will have a booth at both locations in order to distribute information on conservation and special programs
These sites will be open 30 hours per week. Help spread the word!
These sites will be open 30 hours per week. Help spread the word!
Utility Assistance Funds
Shelby County Community Services Agency's (CSA's) emergency assistance program will start January 27 and continue through January 30. In order to qualify for assistance, customers MUST have a cut off notice AND be elderly, disabled, or have a child under 5 in the home. Customers can also have a cut off notice AND proof of emergency expenses in the last 90 days. (i.e. Car repair, medical bills, etc.)
CSA has 1.2 million dollars to distribute. Each qualified customer will receive between $500-$600.
The phone number to call is 535-2200. The CSA call center will be staffed from 8:30am-8:00pm each day, except for the 30th when they will staffed from 8:30am-5:00pm. Click here for more information.
Also customers who received the City Utility Assistance can also apply for CSA money. However, if a customer has received CSA money in the past 6 months, they cannot apply for/receive City funds.
CSA has 1.2 million dollars to distribute. Each qualified customer will receive between $500-$600.
The phone number to call is 535-2200. The CSA call center will be staffed from 8:30am-8:00pm each day, except for the 30th when they will staffed from 8:30am-5:00pm. Click here for more information.
Also customers who received the City Utility Assistance can also apply for CSA money. However, if a customer has received CSA money in the past 6 months, they cannot apply for/receive City funds.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Corporate Dumpster Diving
I just read a fascinating article at Greenbiz on dumpster diving at the corporate level. The article specifically focuses on Burt's Bees because they saved their garbage for two weeks, dumped it in the parking lot, and had employees sift through it to see what was there. They made three piles: one for things that they already recycle that shouldn't be in the trash, one for things that could be recycled, and one for actual trash.
Some companies have regular dumpster dives.
Why the sudden interest in dumpster diving? Thank LEED.
The article gives a lot of good advice for starting your own Dumpster Day. It's crucial to involve employees to get their buy-in and good ideas!
After watching the video on the Burt's Bees' site, I'm totally fantasizing about a Dumpster Day at MLGW. In fact, I'm fantasizing about every one of our customers (hey, that's everybody!) having a Dumpster Day at home and/or work.
In fact, if things get a little slow here on the blog, it's safe to assume that I'm rifling through my co-worker's trash.
For more on trash, click here
"Employees who waded through the two weeks of garbage found recycling opportunities that cut the company's waste in half while generating $25,000 in estimated annual savings, says John Replogle, president and CEO of the natural ingredient body products manufacturer."
Some companies have regular dumpster dives.
Bentley Prince Street, a subsidiary of carpeting manufacturer Interface, Inc., is an old hand at dumpster diving. The company has been at it for 12 years and does it on a monthly basis to complement its aggressive recycling program in both the manufacturing and office areas in its plant in City of Industry, Calif., says Judy Pike, director of sustainability and supply management.
Each month, a random department is chosen for the activity. Facilities personnel lay out a tarp near its outdoor recycling area and empty two dumpsters for 20 employees who sift through the trash for about 15 minutes to identify items that could be recycled or re-used in different ways, Pike explains. When they first started picking through the garbage, the company had three types of recycling bins in-house for cardboard, yarn and plastic wrap. Today there are about 20 different containers, including ones for metal buckles and straps, mixed paper, shear lint, twine and wood.
Why the sudden interest in dumpster diving? Thank LEED.
Part of the LEED certification process often involves a waste stream audit where certification seekers get intimate with their garbage, report on it and identify opportunities for diverting those items from the trash. For example, if mounds of paper towels from the bathroom are found in the trash, a company might explore the option of installing hand dryers to eliminate that source.
The article gives a lot of good advice for starting your own Dumpster Day. It's crucial to involve employees to get their buy-in and good ideas!
Since the big dumpster dive at Burt's Bees last summer, the company has drilled down that initiative to the departmental level. In recent months, management has instituted "green derby day," where a team shows up unannounced in various departments to inspect the local recycling bins to make sure items in the containers are being sorted correctly, says Replogle.
If the department passes the test perfectly, a sticker is placed on the bins as recognition. If employees make mistakes, however, they get a "ticket" on their bin with their name on it. If workers get three tickets, they have to meet with Replogle for remedial training with the boss.
"I'll sit with them and pick through the trash to teach them where everything needs to go," he says. "It's important because my bonus is tied to (our goal of getting to zero waste) and so is everyone else's at the company."
After watching the video on the Burt's Bees' site, I'm totally fantasizing about a Dumpster Day at MLGW. In fact, I'm fantasizing about every one of our customers (hey, that's everybody!) having a Dumpster Day at home and/or work.
In fact, if things get a little slow here on the blog, it's safe to assume that I'm rifling through my co-worker's trash.
For more on trash, click here
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Mad, Mad Ways to Save the World
While I diligently avoid plastic bags and recycle everything possible, scientists around the world are coming up with much BIGGER ideas for saving the planet.
Starting February 15th, the Discovery Channel will be airing a show discussing these ideas. A British paper Mail Online has a sneak preview.
Ideas include:
Seriously, read the article. It's fascinating. Then set your DVR.
Starting February 15th, the Discovery Channel will be airing a show discussing these ideas. A British paper Mail Online has a sneak preview.
Ideas include:
1. SEEDING THE OCEANS WITH IRON FILINGS
2. INSTALLING MIRRORS OVER THE SAHARA
3. INSTALLING A SUNSHIELD IN SPACE
4. CREATING ARTIFICIAL WEATHER
5. SIMULATING ARTIFICIAL VOLCANOES
6. USING GIANT FACTORY FILTERS
7. CREATING JELLYFISH FARMS
8. WRAPPING UP GREENLAND IN A GIANT BLANKET
9. REPLANTING FORESTS - FROM THE AIR
10. MOVE THE EARTH FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SUN
Seriously, read the article. It's fascinating. Then set your DVR.
Google's Carbon Footprint
How many times a day do you Google something? Ever thought about how your searches might relate to global warming?
There's quite a scandal involving Google's carbon footprint, since the London Times reported Sunday that Two Google searches produce same CO2 as boiling a kettle.
Google itself claimed that the number was "many times too high" and one Google search is equivalent to about 0.2 grams of CO2.
Their blog states:
And they go on to list the many things they are doing to reduce their energy usage, like building the most energy-efficient data centers in the world.
In a nutshell, Google says, "in the time it takes to do a Google search, your own personal computer will use more energy than Google uses to answer your query."
Harvard professor Alex Wissner-Gross provided new details on his energy research, in a TechNewsWorld article yesterday. He said his study never mentions Google. "For some reason...the Times had an ax to grind with Google," Wissner-Gross told TechNewsWorld. "Our work has nothing to do with Google. Our focus was exclusively on the Web overall, and we found that it takes on average about 20 milligrams of CO2 per second to visit a Web site."
And the example involving tea kettles? "They did that. I have no idea where they got those statistics," Wissner-Gross said.
The article later notes:
Just when it seemed like Google was doing a fine job of spinning the story back in their favor, I noticed that a Techworld commenter accused them of extreme greenwashing, stating that Google's "feel good programs" (that include electric vehicles and bikes on campus) pale in comparison to the CO2 used by the Google founders' private jets. The commenter also took them to task for keeping its server infrastructure private, not publishing its audited CO2 emissions, and not pledging to become CO2 neutral in a public, transparent fashion.
What's your take?
There's quite a scandal involving Google's carbon footprint, since the London Times reported Sunday that Two Google searches produce same CO2 as boiling a kettle.
Google itself claimed that the number was "many times too high" and one Google search is equivalent to about 0.2 grams of CO2.
Their blog states:
Not long ago, answering a query meant traveling to the reference desk of your local library. Today, search engines enable us to access immense quantities of useful information in an instant, without leaving home. Tools like email, online books and photos, and video chat all increase productivity while decreasing our reliance on car trips, pulp and paper.
And they go on to list the many things they are doing to reduce their energy usage, like building the most energy-efficient data centers in the world.
In a nutshell, Google says, "in the time it takes to do a Google search, your own personal computer will use more energy than Google uses to answer your query."
Harvard professor Alex Wissner-Gross provided new details on his energy research, in a TechNewsWorld article yesterday. He said his study never mentions Google. "For some reason...the Times had an ax to grind with Google," Wissner-Gross told TechNewsWorld. "Our work has nothing to do with Google. Our focus was exclusively on the Web overall, and we found that it takes on average about 20 milligrams of CO2 per second to visit a Web site."
And the example involving tea kettles? "They did that. I have no idea where they got those statistics," Wissner-Gross said.
The article later notes:
In between answering reporters' e-mails and appearing on CNBC, Wissner-Gross has had a lot of time to think about why the Sunday Times focused on Google in its story. "The short answer is, it's a really easy way to sell papers. Google is a very successful company and it's a very easy way to get readership by making grandiose claims about them."
Just when it seemed like Google was doing a fine job of spinning the story back in their favor, I noticed that a Techworld commenter accused them of extreme greenwashing, stating that Google's "feel good programs" (that include electric vehicles and bikes on campus) pale in comparison to the CO2 used by the Google founders' private jets. The commenter also took them to task for keeping its server infrastructure private, not publishing its audited CO2 emissions, and not pledging to become CO2 neutral in a public, transparent fashion.
What's your take?
Monday, January 12, 2009
Public Meeting--MLGW & the EPA
The League of Women Voters of Memphis & Shelby County and the Sierra Club's Chickasaw Group are co-sponsoring a public meeting. Attorney Charlotte Knight Griffin, representing MLGW, will speak about the recent $1.22 million dollar fine & $10 million dollar clean up levied by the EPA against MLGW. Questions welcome.
The meeting is January 14th from 6:30pm - 8pm at the University of Memphis' Cecil C. Humphrey School of Law, Room 310. Parking is available in the Fogelman Executive Conference Center Garage on Innovation Drive (off of Central Ave.)
For more information, please contact Peg Watkins, League President, at 490-0050.
The meeting is January 14th from 6:30pm - 8pm at the University of Memphis' Cecil C. Humphrey School of Law, Room 310. Parking is available in the Fogelman Executive Conference Center Garage on Innovation Drive (off of Central Ave.)
For more information, please contact Peg Watkins, League President, at 490-0050.
New Countertops or Energy Efficiency?
This is a NY Times article that ran on 12/29, with a fantastic to-the-point quote from the soon-to-be-confirmed Secretary of the Department of Energy, Steven Chu (see below).
From Focus on Weatherization Is Shift on Energy Costs by Matthew L. Wald:
Has this heating season caused you to rethink your home improvement goals for 2009? If so, remember MLGW has plenty of tools to help:
My Account
The Energy Doctor
Free TVA Kits (Available through 2009)
EnergySmart Memphis
From Focus on Weatherization Is Shift on Energy Costs by Matthew L. Wald:
In the forgotten corners of tens of millions of American attics and basements, near the old Trivial Pursuit games and out-of-season clothes, are flaws that waste vast amounts of energy. Buildings often resemble colanders. Leaking ducts bleed heated air into areas outside living space. Cold-air returns suck in dust and mold from attics, or gas and oil fumes from garden equipment stored in basements. Long-neglected air filters clog, forcing furnaces or air-conditioners to work harder.
Mr. Obama’s choice for energy secretary, Steven Chu, told a group in Washington in June that an extra $1,000 could make a new house energy efficient “but the American consumer would rather have a granite countertop.” (Read the full article here)
Has this heating season caused you to rethink your home improvement goals for 2009? If so, remember MLGW has plenty of tools to help:
My Account
The Energy Doctor
Free TVA Kits (Available through 2009)
EnergySmart Memphis
Friday, January 9, 2009
Second TVA coal ash pond ruptures
This just in...
Second TVA coal ash pond ruptures
By ANNE PAINE
Alabama environmental officials were on their way as of 10:15 a.m. Central Time to an spill at TVA's Widows Creek coal-fired power plant in northeastern Alabama. TVA confirmed an ash-related spill at a second TVA plant, this time at its Widows Creek plant in northeastern Alabama. “I had heard that that’s the case,” confirmed Barbara Martocci, TVA spokesman who was at the Kingston plant in Tennessee. Scott Hughes, spokesman for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management said, “The only thing we’ve got right now is that there was a release from a gypsum treatment operation.”
“We do understand that some of the material has reached Widows Creek.” The creek from which TVA’s coal burning plant gets its name, crosses the plant property. Gypsum is one of the byproducts when special filters capture and treat ash. It can be sold for use in wallboard, but markets have been slow and it like more standard ash can build up in waste ponds.
“We’re in the process of gathering more info and getting a full report." Kingston is the scene of a TVA ash pond that ruptured: Early on the morning of Dec. 22, more than a billion gallons of sludge flowed out of the pond, damaging a dozen homes and creating environmental havoc along the Emory River.
The Widows Creek Fossil Plant is located on Guntersville Reservoir on the Tennessee River. It has eight coal-fired units and was completed in 1965. The plant consumes about 10,000 tons of coal a day. The ash from that coal was in the pond that broke there.
Second TVA coal ash pond ruptures
By ANNE PAINE
Alabama environmental officials were on their way as of 10:15 a.m. Central Time to an spill at TVA's Widows Creek coal-fired power plant in northeastern Alabama. TVA confirmed an ash-related spill at a second TVA plant, this time at its Widows Creek plant in northeastern Alabama. “I had heard that that’s the case,” confirmed Barbara Martocci, TVA spokesman who was at the Kingston plant in Tennessee. Scott Hughes, spokesman for the Alabama Department of Environmental Management said, “The only thing we’ve got right now is that there was a release from a gypsum treatment operation.”
“We do understand that some of the material has reached Widows Creek.” The creek from which TVA’s coal burning plant gets its name, crosses the plant property. Gypsum is one of the byproducts when special filters capture and treat ash. It can be sold for use in wallboard, but markets have been slow and it like more standard ash can build up in waste ponds.
“We’re in the process of gathering more info and getting a full report." Kingston is the scene of a TVA ash pond that ruptured: Early on the morning of Dec. 22, more than a billion gallons of sludge flowed out of the pond, damaging a dozen homes and creating environmental havoc along the Emory River.
The Widows Creek Fossil Plant is located on Guntersville Reservoir on the Tennessee River. It has eight coal-fired units and was completed in 1965. The plant consumes about 10,000 tons of coal a day. The ash from that coal was in the pond that broke there.
Toxic Spills and You
MLGW's CEO, Jerry Collins, spoke with both Mike Matthews of WREG Channel 3 and the Commercial Appeal's Daniel Connolly yesterday about the environmental incident on Dec. 22 at TVA's Kingston coal plant, when coal ash spilled from an aboveground, storage structure, damaged homes and entered the Emory River. Both reporters asked Collins about the possibility of cleanup costs being passed on to TVA customers, a subject that was reported yesterday in the Nashville-based newspaper, The Tennessean (Costs of TVA sludge spill to show on electric bills).
Collins stated that TVA had indicated that the clean-up efforts would cost TVA tens of millions of dollars, and that those costs would likely be passed on to customers. However, he also said that it was likely to be several months before TVA could determine those costs. (Read today's Commercial Appeal story, Spill could affect MLGW.)
If you have any questions about the TVA spill, please visit TVA's website or call (865) 717-4006.
Collins stated that TVA had indicated that the clean-up efforts would cost TVA tens of millions of dollars, and that those costs would likely be passed on to customers. However, he also said that it was likely to be several months before TVA could determine those costs. (Read today's Commercial Appeal story, Spill could affect MLGW.)
If you have any questions about the TVA spill, please visit TVA's website or call (865) 717-4006.
Tankless Water Heaters
Energy Star has updated its website to include a new tankless water heater category. It has information on savings & benefits, buying tips, and an explanation of how the heaters work. In addition to that, there is a link to tax credit info, qualified manufacturers, and qualified models. (Tax credits are for 10% of the installation cost up to $300. ONLY tankless energy star models are eligible for the tax credit.)Click here to see my other post on tankless water heaters.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Local Trash Talk
Just the fact that our City Council is actually discussing public recycling and plastic bag bans thrills me! Mary Cashiola covered the issue in her column this week (see below) and has even more info on her blog (click here).
Out With the Old ... Sort of
City Council discusses recycling bins in public places.
By MARY CASHIOLA
New year, new leaf?
The Memphis City Council's parks and environment committee recently discussed an idea to make Memphis more eco-friendly: placing recycling bins on city streets.
Last September, after returning from the Democratic National Convention, council member Barbara Swearengen Ware noticed something about Memphis.
"After spending a few days in Denver, I see now that we don't have a big emphasis on recycling," she said at the time. "Everywhere you go, there are recycling bins. It's obvious to me that we have not done a comprehensive job on recycling."
Similarly, during a National League of Cities conference in Orlando, she noticed that every hotel room included bags for recyclables.
"I thought it was a great idea," she said. "Out of all the things to gain from a conference. ... We are not getting nearly the benefit that we need to from recycling."
And so the longtime council member proposed putting recycling bins "any place people congregate."
"It's two-fold: Recycling not only will help the city and the environment, but it is also a financial benefit to the city when we recycle. We gain a lot more than we lose," she said.
According to a survey of recycling rates among the 30 most populous cities in the United States by Waste & Recycling News last March, Memphis recycles 26 percent of its total waste.
Which, in terms of the rankings, doesn't put Memphis down in the dump, but it still throws a lot of things there.
San Francisco, which recycles 69 percent of its total waste, led the rankings, followed by Portland and Los Angeles. Houston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio had the worst recycling rates.
Annually, Memphis collects 6,000 tons of paper, 552 tons of metal, 828 tons of plastic, 1,800 tons of glass, and about 94,000 tons of yard trimmings.
In years past, the city has earned $25 for each ton of recycling, and public works director Dwan Gilliom said Memphis' recycling program was "one of the most profitable in the nation."
But because of the economic downtown — and a worldwide decline in demand for recycled materials — the company that the city contracts recently asked Memphis to pay them for recycling.
"We now have a proposal on the table that we'll just call it even," Gilliom said.
In addition to public places, parks committee chair Jim Strickland would like to see recycling bins at festivals, 5Ks, parades, and any event on public property that requires council approval.
Piggybacking on a previous initiative by former council member Dedrick Brittenum, Strickland introduced — but then held — an ordinance that would ban plastic bags at festivals and public forums and would require the groups that host them to provide recycling bins.
"You go to an event, you have a can of Coke or a bottle of water, and they're just thrown in the garbage," Strickland said. "If you offer people the opportunity to recycle, I think a good percentage will."
City recycling coordinator Andy Ashford countered that the problem with recycling bins at festivals is contamination.
"If you put a dumpster out, it looks like it's for trash," Ashford said. "Even if it says it's for recycling, people are going to put their trash in it."
But times change. When I learned that Ware was the council member who proposed the discussion on additional recycling bins, I have to say I was surprised. In the past, she hasn't always come off as a friend of the environment.
There seems to be a shift in awareness, both with the council and the public at-large. In September, the parks committee — now known as the parks and environment committee — reinstated City Hall's recycling committee. So far, that group has added recycling bins at City Hall, even giving each council member their own bin. "You know we go through a lot of paper," Strickland said.
That committee is now charged with looking into adding recycling bins in public places.
And though the city might not make money off an increase in recycling, each ton of trash diverted from a landfill saves the city $23.
"It's not just about revenue," Ashford said. "It's about savings and what the public wants."
Out With the Old ... Sort of
City Council discusses recycling bins in public places.
By MARY CASHIOLA
New year, new leaf?
The Memphis City Council's parks and environment committee recently discussed an idea to make Memphis more eco-friendly: placing recycling bins on city streets.
Last September, after returning from the Democratic National Convention, council member Barbara Swearengen Ware noticed something about Memphis.
"After spending a few days in Denver, I see now that we don't have a big emphasis on recycling," she said at the time. "Everywhere you go, there are recycling bins. It's obvious to me that we have not done a comprehensive job on recycling."
Similarly, during a National League of Cities conference in Orlando, she noticed that every hotel room included bags for recyclables.
"I thought it was a great idea," she said. "Out of all the things to gain from a conference. ... We are not getting nearly the benefit that we need to from recycling."
And so the longtime council member proposed putting recycling bins "any place people congregate."
"It's two-fold: Recycling not only will help the city and the environment, but it is also a financial benefit to the city when we recycle. We gain a lot more than we lose," she said.
According to a survey of recycling rates among the 30 most populous cities in the United States by Waste & Recycling News last March, Memphis recycles 26 percent of its total waste.
Which, in terms of the rankings, doesn't put Memphis down in the dump, but it still throws a lot of things there.
San Francisco, which recycles 69 percent of its total waste, led the rankings, followed by Portland and Los Angeles. Houston, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio had the worst recycling rates.
Annually, Memphis collects 6,000 tons of paper, 552 tons of metal, 828 tons of plastic, 1,800 tons of glass, and about 94,000 tons of yard trimmings.
In years past, the city has earned $25 for each ton of recycling, and public works director Dwan Gilliom said Memphis' recycling program was "one of the most profitable in the nation."
But because of the economic downtown — and a worldwide decline in demand for recycled materials — the company that the city contracts recently asked Memphis to pay them for recycling.
"We now have a proposal on the table that we'll just call it even," Gilliom said.
In addition to public places, parks committee chair Jim Strickland would like to see recycling bins at festivals, 5Ks, parades, and any event on public property that requires council approval.
Piggybacking on a previous initiative by former council member Dedrick Brittenum, Strickland introduced — but then held — an ordinance that would ban plastic bags at festivals and public forums and would require the groups that host them to provide recycling bins.
"You go to an event, you have a can of Coke or a bottle of water, and they're just thrown in the garbage," Strickland said. "If you offer people the opportunity to recycle, I think a good percentage will."
City recycling coordinator Andy Ashford countered that the problem with recycling bins at festivals is contamination.
"If you put a dumpster out, it looks like it's for trash," Ashford said. "Even if it says it's for recycling, people are going to put their trash in it."
But times change. When I learned that Ware was the council member who proposed the discussion on additional recycling bins, I have to say I was surprised. In the past, she hasn't always come off as a friend of the environment.
There seems to be a shift in awareness, both with the council and the public at-large. In September, the parks committee — now known as the parks and environment committee — reinstated City Hall's recycling committee. So far, that group has added recycling bins at City Hall, even giving each council member their own bin. "You know we go through a lot of paper," Strickland said.
That committee is now charged with looking into adding recycling bins in public places.
And though the city might not make money off an increase in recycling, each ton of trash diverted from a landfill saves the city $23.
"It's not just about revenue," Ashford said. "It's about savings and what the public wants."
Calling All Eco-Artists
Eco Artists are invited to apply for one of the exhibitor slots in the first ever Environmental Art Market during Shelby Farms Park Conservancy's annual Down to Earth Celebration in April.
Down to Earth is now in its third year and is quickly becoming the region's most anticipated Earth Day celebration. Booth space at the festival is limited. The festival committee will review submissions and mix of categories.
Artists are required to showcase art that demonstrates a relationship with nature, informs about nature and its processes, educates about environmental problems, and/or utilizes reclaimed, recycled, or natural materials, and above all honors nature in artistic, aesthetic ways.
Please download the EcoArt Market application here if you are interested in participating. Contact Margaret Cross (Manager of Events and Membership) for further information at: mcross@shelbyfarmspark.com or (901) 767-PARK
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Birdmen (and Women)
For all of you bird lovers that dream of flying, now it's possible!
wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.
Last November in California, 71 men and women flew together in formation to set a world's record.
Ready to fly? First you'll need a valid skydiving license and 500 solo jumps (or 200 jumps with a certified BIRDMAN Instructor). And you'll need to purchase your very own wing suit. (They sell for $699-$1495.)
Thanks to Midtown Memphis for the movie link!
wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.
Last November in California, 71 men and women flew together in formation to set a world's record.
Ready to fly? First you'll need a valid skydiving license and 500 solo jumps (or 200 jumps with a certified BIRDMAN Instructor). And you'll need to purchase your very own wing suit. (They sell for $699-$1495.)
Thanks to Midtown Memphis for the movie link!
Local Coffee Shop Guide
In my quest to find the perfect cup of coffee, I have created a handy guide for all of the local coffee shops (that I could think of) as well as two local coffee suppliers/roasters--Ugly Mug and McCarter's. I have listed additional information from their websites where available.
These are the attributes used to determine the coffee's perfectness:
LR--Locally Roasted
O--Organic
FT--Fair Trade
BF--Bird Friendly*
*It is safe to assume that organic and fair trade coffee is somewhat bird friendly by default, but I am only listing BF next to coffee that explicitly lists bird friendly as one of its attributes.
I have these listed in alphabetical order:
Bluff City Coffee
Bluff City Coffee provides high quality Italian style espresso beverages. Each ingredient has been carefully selected to offer the finest taste possible. (There is no mention of LR, O, FT, or BF anywhere on their website.)
Brother Juniper's College Inn O, FT
True Blue Coffee Roasters has been named the official coffee of Brother Juniper's Restaurant. Their coffee is the highest quality Fair Trade Organic coffee available. A variety of single estate and special blends are offered in whole bean which brings a memorable gourmet coffee experience with every cup.
Cafe Eclectic FT
Cafe Eclectic offers illy coffee, which buys beans directly from the source, making illy one of the largest fair trade coffee companies in the world. illy caffé exclusively purchases coffee of the Arabica species, in particularly from Brazil, the largest producer worldwide, but also from the countries of Central America, India, and Africa.
Harbor Town Coffee O, FT, BF
Supporters of Grower's First which is helping coffee growing families in remote communities through direct training and assistance.
High Point Coffee LR, O, FT
High Point Coffee began as a single coffeehouse in Oxford, MS and has evolved into a roaster and distributor of specialty grade coffees from around the world.
The company supports sustainable growing practices and equitable relationships through worldwide alliances. High Point is a member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the Rainforest Alliance, FairTradeUSA, the Organic Crop Improvement Association, and the BBB of Mississippi.
Java Cabana O, FT
McCarter's Coffee LR, FT
McCarter's Coffee in Millington is TransFair certified to see that growers receive above-market prices. Their coffee is roasted locally and is available in the store on weekends only, online, at Miss Cordelia's, and at Restaurant Iris.
Otherlands Coffee Bar LR, O, FT, BF
Otherlands uses Ugly Mug coffee (more info below).
Quetzal LR
Quetzal generally offers fair trade and organic varieties, but they are no longer certified.
Republic Coffee LR
Republic Coffee is a purveyor of world coffee markets and they roast their bean varieties locally. Their mission is to develop a green solar coffee roaster and roast off-grid.
Starbucks O, FT
Starbucks offers a few organic, fair-trade, and shade grown options, but according to their website, they "buy coffee solely on its performance in the cup." Starbucks combs the world for the perfect combination of climate, soil, elevation, and agricultural practices that come together to produce a great coffee. When searching for coffees, the only question for Starbucks is this: Which coffees from a given location best represent the perfect intersection of climate and skilled horticulture?
Ugly Mug LR, O, FT, BF
Sells only fair trade & organically grown coffee. Ugly Mug is looking to start two programs that will directly impact growers. They plan to set up/are in the process of setting up economic assistance programs and coops with specific farmers. The unique factor driving this endeavor is equipping the coffee farmers with tools and skills that make their coffee more valuable on the commercial market. Additionally, they will be able to trace the coffee from the individual farm all the way through to the cup of coffee their customers enjoy, a huge selling point that is needed but not provided with almost all coffee today.
Did I forget anyone?
These are the attributes used to determine the coffee's perfectness:
LR--Locally Roasted
O--Organic
FT--Fair Trade
BF--Bird Friendly*
*It is safe to assume that organic and fair trade coffee is somewhat bird friendly by default, but I am only listing BF next to coffee that explicitly lists bird friendly as one of its attributes.
I have these listed in alphabetical order:
Bluff City Coffee
Bluff City Coffee provides high quality Italian style espresso beverages. Each ingredient has been carefully selected to offer the finest taste possible. (There is no mention of LR, O, FT, or BF anywhere on their website.)
Brother Juniper's College Inn O, FT
True Blue Coffee Roasters has been named the official coffee of Brother Juniper's Restaurant. Their coffee is the highest quality Fair Trade Organic coffee available. A variety of single estate and special blends are offered in whole bean which brings a memorable gourmet coffee experience with every cup.
Cafe Eclectic FT
Cafe Eclectic offers illy coffee, which buys beans directly from the source, making illy one of the largest fair trade coffee companies in the world. illy caffé exclusively purchases coffee of the Arabica species, in particularly from Brazil, the largest producer worldwide, but also from the countries of Central America, India, and Africa.
Harbor Town Coffee O, FT, BF
Supporters of Grower's First which is helping coffee growing families in remote communities through direct training and assistance.
High Point Coffee LR, O, FT
High Point Coffee began as a single coffeehouse in Oxford, MS and has evolved into a roaster and distributor of specialty grade coffees from around the world.
The company supports sustainable growing practices and equitable relationships through worldwide alliances. High Point is a member of the Specialty Coffee Association of America, the Rainforest Alliance, FairTradeUSA, the Organic Crop Improvement Association, and the BBB of Mississippi.
Java Cabana O, FT
McCarter's Coffee LR, FT
McCarter's Coffee in Millington is TransFair certified to see that growers receive above-market prices. Their coffee is roasted locally and is available in the store on weekends only, online, at Miss Cordelia's, and at Restaurant Iris.
Otherlands Coffee Bar LR, O, FT, BF
Otherlands uses Ugly Mug coffee (more info below).
Quetzal LR
Quetzal generally offers fair trade and organic varieties, but they are no longer certified.
Republic Coffee LR
Republic Coffee is a purveyor of world coffee markets and they roast their bean varieties locally. Their mission is to develop a green solar coffee roaster and roast off-grid.
Starbucks O, FT
Starbucks offers a few organic, fair-trade, and shade grown options, but according to their website, they "buy coffee solely on its performance in the cup." Starbucks combs the world for the perfect combination of climate, soil, elevation, and agricultural practices that come together to produce a great coffee. When searching for coffees, the only question for Starbucks is this: Which coffees from a given location best represent the perfect intersection of climate and skilled horticulture?
Ugly Mug LR, O, FT, BF
Sells only fair trade & organically grown coffee. Ugly Mug is looking to start two programs that will directly impact growers. They plan to set up/are in the process of setting up economic assistance programs and coops with specific farmers. The unique factor driving this endeavor is equipping the coffee farmers with tools and skills that make their coffee more valuable on the commercial market. Additionally, they will be able to trace the coffee from the individual farm all the way through to the cup of coffee their customers enjoy, a huge selling point that is needed but not provided with almost all coffee today.
Did I forget anyone?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
TransFair Coffee
While exploring TransFair coffee, which certifies coffee and other products to see that growers receive above-market prices, I was pleased to discover that there was a TransFair certified roaster in Millington called McCarter's Coffee! And I was even more pleased to see that the Commercial Appeal did a story on McCarter's just a couple of weeks ago. (The coffee is available online, in the store on weekends, at Miss Cordelia's, and at Restaurant Iris.)
At Millington's McCarter Coffee Co., they 'listen to the beans'
By Wayne Risher
Jim McCarter is all ears when he's at the controls of small-batch coffee roasters that turn grass-green beans into aromatic nuggets of deep-brown java.
The co-owner with his wife, Debra, of McCarter Coffee Co. in Millington, McCarter, 49, said it takes more than meticulous attention to roasting time and temperature to produce great coffee.
Green coffee beans emit tiny pops or cracking sounds as 400- to 460-degree heat drives out moisture and caramelizes locked-in sugars over a 10-15-minute roast cycle.
"Each time you get a new bean in, you've got to learn what the bean can handle," Jim McCarter explained. "You kind of have to learn to listen to the beans, and they'll tell you what they want to do."
The McCarters, seeking to re-create the experience of small coffee roasters they'd encountered in Italy, opened the micro-roasting company about a year ago in the back of Old Millington Winery.
They sold from booths at the Agricenter and Downtown's Memphis Farmers Market during the growing season while relocating their gas-fired roasters to a former candy store and restaurant at 5995 U.S. 51 North.
Last month, they launched Internet sales at mccartercoffee.com and opened the store to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. There, customers can taste samples of about 30 coffees, ranging from Fair Trade-certified, single-source roasts to blends including African Espresso and Louisiana Style French Roast with Chicory.
Credit Kelly English, chef and owner of Restaurant Iris on Monroe in Midtown, for nudging McCarter to create the New Orleans-style blend.
Iris serves a French press version of the blend and uses it as an ingredient in coffee and chicory creme brulee, served with beignets.
"We try to use local products and whatnot in the restaurant as much as we can," said English, a Louisiana native. "The quality that McCarter Coffee produces is pretty incredible. It's the first coffee and chicory outside of New Orleans that I've really liked. We like coffee you can stand a spoon up in."
McCarter is affiliated with TransFair USA, which certifies coffee and other products to see that growers receive above-market prices. TransFair spokeswoman Katie Barrow said there are about 400 licensed roasters nationally. Fair Trade coffee sales are an estimated $837 million a year in the U.S., she said.
It might not seem the best time for a startup specialty coffee business when megachain Starbucks is closing stores and a recession is deepening.
But the McCarters have day jobs -- Jim as a General Sessions Court employee, Debra as a credit union employee -- and they're more interested in being good than being big.
"This is a new adventure for us, and you learn something new every day," Jim McCarter said. "If all I had to do was roast coffee, I would be a happy person."
-- Wayne Risher: 529-2874
McCarter Coffee Co.
What: Micro-roaster specializing in small batches (25 pounds or less) of specialty coffee beans
Where: 5995 U.S. 51 North in Millington
When: Open for retail sales 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Other ways to buy: Beans are available for $10 a pound online at mccartercoffee.com and at Miss Cordelia's grocery in Harbor Town; Restaurant Iris sells brewed Louisiana Style French Roast with Chicory
At Millington's McCarter Coffee Co., they 'listen to the beans'
By Wayne Risher
Jim McCarter is all ears when he's at the controls of small-batch coffee roasters that turn grass-green beans into aromatic nuggets of deep-brown java.
The co-owner with his wife, Debra, of McCarter Coffee Co. in Millington, McCarter, 49, said it takes more than meticulous attention to roasting time and temperature to produce great coffee.
Green coffee beans emit tiny pops or cracking sounds as 400- to 460-degree heat drives out moisture and caramelizes locked-in sugars over a 10-15-minute roast cycle.
"Each time you get a new bean in, you've got to learn what the bean can handle," Jim McCarter explained. "You kind of have to learn to listen to the beans, and they'll tell you what they want to do."
The McCarters, seeking to re-create the experience of small coffee roasters they'd encountered in Italy, opened the micro-roasting company about a year ago in the back of Old Millington Winery.
They sold from booths at the Agricenter and Downtown's Memphis Farmers Market during the growing season while relocating their gas-fired roasters to a former candy store and restaurant at 5995 U.S. 51 North.
Last month, they launched Internet sales at mccartercoffee.com and opened the store to the public on Saturdays and Sundays. There, customers can taste samples of about 30 coffees, ranging from Fair Trade-certified, single-source roasts to blends including African Espresso and Louisiana Style French Roast with Chicory.
Credit Kelly English, chef and owner of Restaurant Iris on Monroe in Midtown, for nudging McCarter to create the New Orleans-style blend.
Iris serves a French press version of the blend and uses it as an ingredient in coffee and chicory creme brulee, served with beignets.
"We try to use local products and whatnot in the restaurant as much as we can," said English, a Louisiana native. "The quality that McCarter Coffee produces is pretty incredible. It's the first coffee and chicory outside of New Orleans that I've really liked. We like coffee you can stand a spoon up in."
McCarter is affiliated with TransFair USA, which certifies coffee and other products to see that growers receive above-market prices. TransFair spokeswoman Katie Barrow said there are about 400 licensed roasters nationally. Fair Trade coffee sales are an estimated $837 million a year in the U.S., she said.
It might not seem the best time for a startup specialty coffee business when megachain Starbucks is closing stores and a recession is deepening.
But the McCarters have day jobs -- Jim as a General Sessions Court employee, Debra as a credit union employee -- and they're more interested in being good than being big.
"This is a new adventure for us, and you learn something new every day," Jim McCarter said. "If all I had to do was roast coffee, I would be a happy person."
-- Wayne Risher: 529-2874
McCarter Coffee Co.
What: Micro-roaster specializing in small batches (25 pounds or less) of specialty coffee beans
Where: 5995 U.S. 51 North in Millington
When: Open for retail sales 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Other ways to buy: Beans are available for $10 a pound online at mccartercoffee.com and at Miss Cordelia's grocery in Harbor Town; Restaurant Iris sells brewed Louisiana Style French Roast with Chicory
Monday, January 5, 2009
Greenwashing Winners
Greenpeace has awarded BP with the coveted Emerald Paint Brush for greenwashing above and beyond the call of duty in its first annual Greenwashing awards. Read the full story here.
The energy corporation with an income larger than most of the world's nation states has spent a lot of time and money restyling itself as being 'Beyond Petroleum' in recent years, but a trawl through their accounts quickly reveals just how empty that assertion really is - 'Back to Petroleum', more like it.
American Public Radio's Greenwash Brigade has also listed it's top 10 greenwashes of 2008. Read them here.
The energy corporation with an income larger than most of the world's nation states has spent a lot of time and money restyling itself as being 'Beyond Petroleum' in recent years, but a trawl through their accounts quickly reveals just how empty that assertion really is - 'Back to Petroleum', more like it.
American Public Radio's Greenwash Brigade has also listed it's top 10 greenwashes of 2008. Read them here.
Bird Friendly Coffee
One of my New Year's resolutions was to give up my nasty Diet Soda habit (just 1 per day) in favor of a cup of coffee. It's weird to resolve to start drinking coffee when most often people attempt to quit drinking coffee, but that's what I did. Why? Mostly because the health benefits of coffee are being extolled across the Internet...and I've yet to hear one good thing about Diet Soda.
Anyways, I will be posting about coffee this week, as I explore local options. I'm starting off with some info on "Bird Friendly Coffee" since I just heard of it for the first time today, and I haven't posted any bird news in a while!
From the Smithsonian National Zoological Park:
On a global scale, more than five billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used annually for agricultural purposes, forest and rangeland management, and disease control, as well as in homes, and on lawns, gardens, golf courses, and other private properties. Twenty percent of this total volume, or 1.2 billion pounds, is used in the United States alone. What does this massive chemical dousing of the Earth mean for the health of the environment?
Shade-grown organic coffee plantations stamped with the "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval play a key role in the conservation of our global environment and of migratory birds that find sanctuary in their forest-like environments.
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) encourages the production of shade-grown coffee, and the conservation of migratory birds, through its "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval.
The Smithsonian site goes on to list some benefits of bird friendly coffee (which is usually also organic and/or fair trade). There is also tool to help you locate a bird friendly coffee retailer in your area. I wasn't able to find any in Tennessee, Mississippi, or Arkansas! It says all National Zoo Stores sell bird-friendly coffee, but the Memphis Zoo gift shop does not.
Check out Bird on a Wire's handy local coffee shop guide to see who sells bird friendly coffee in town.
Anyways, I will be posting about coffee this week, as I explore local options. I'm starting off with some info on "Bird Friendly Coffee" since I just heard of it for the first time today, and I haven't posted any bird news in a while!
From the Smithsonian National Zoological Park:On a global scale, more than five billion pounds of conventional pesticides are used annually for agricultural purposes, forest and rangeland management, and disease control, as well as in homes, and on lawns, gardens, golf courses, and other private properties. Twenty percent of this total volume, or 1.2 billion pounds, is used in the United States alone. What does this massive chemical dousing of the Earth mean for the health of the environment?
Shade-grown organic coffee plantations stamped with the "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval play a key role in the conservation of our global environment and of migratory birds that find sanctuary in their forest-like environments.
The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center (SMBC) encourages the production of shade-grown coffee, and the conservation of migratory birds, through its "Bird Friendly®" seal of approval.
The Smithsonian site goes on to list some benefits of bird friendly coffee (which is usually also organic and/or fair trade). There is also tool to help you locate a bird friendly coffee retailer in your area. I wasn't able to find any in Tennessee, Mississippi, or Arkansas! It says all National Zoo Stores sell bird-friendly coffee, but the Memphis Zoo gift shop does not.
Check out Bird on a Wire's handy local coffee shop guide to see who sells bird friendly coffee in town.
Green Cleaning
Today's Commercial Appeal has a nice profile of 2 Chicks and a Broom, a local cleaning service that uses all natural cleaning products. (Remember, there's more info on green cleaning in our archives.
Housework service, 2 Chicks and a Broom, cleaning up nests
By Jon Devin
When Kip and Kelly Uhlhorn go shopping for vinegar, lemon, ginger, basil, lavender and green tea, they're not planning on cooking dinner.
The new owners of 2 Chicks and a Broom plan on continuing the company's legacy of providing cleaning services with all-natural products while expanding retail sales.
The Uhlhorns, who have been married for 31/2 years and residents of Memphis for the last two, bought the Midtown-based company from the original owner, Candace Mills, for $50,000 in September.
Kelly Uhlhorn, 34, had been a close friend of Mills' and worked as a "chick" herself. Mills moved to New York after the sale.
"It's pretty amazing what (Mills) accomplished -- somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 to 1,000 clients without a Web site," said Kip Uhlhorn, 31, who also owns Kip Uhlhorn Investments, a construction company.
The Uhlhorns have already started the company's first Web site, though currently it only lists product lines. By the end of January, they hope to launch a more developed version that will allow clients to pay for services and order products online.
2 Chicks will remain at 885 S. Cooper, but has expanded to include space it formerly shared with Light Years, a vintage clothing store, which has since moved.
Kelly said flexibility is the most important thing the business offers its staff of about 35 male and female employees, called "chicks." All are independent contractors, and many are artists and students whose schedules change from time to time.
"Some go to school, or they'll leave for a little bit, maybe go on tour," said Kelly. "We support a lot of artists and musicians here because they need the freedom to be able to go out and come back. They can basically make their own schedules, if they want to work two days a week or five days a week."
"If I had had this job when I was in my band back in New York, I would have been thrilled," Kip said.
2 Chicks and a Broom offers both residential and commercial cleaning services during the day, at night, or on weekends. The initial service is typically a five- to six-hour deep cleaning, which is followed by two- to three-hour rotational cleanings. Cost is $30 per hour per chick.
The Uhlhorns said they consider corporate franchises their direct competition, but they believe they've got an edge in the green niche with their natural cleaning products.
"When Candace started the business she was using commercial products, too," said Kelly. "She started getting really bad allergies and developed something almost like asthma. When you're breathing in bleach all day, and then you mix in ammonia, it can be deadly. She realized that she could do this green and it would work just as well for disinfecting."
For example, the BioShield floor soap, which the Uhlhorns stock in their retail space, lists three ingredients: plant oils, water and linseed oil.
Barbara Clenin of Total Health Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Clinic said she uses 2 Chicks' services as a way to accommodate her clients who have allergies.
"We see nearly 300 people a week in the clinic and so many of them suffer from allergies to different smells and substances," said Clenin, who also uses 2 Chicks for her home and a Downtown loft. "We had had some complaints from patients about our disinfectants, but the product lines that (2 Chicks) use have cut down on patients' sensitivity."
2 Chicks also uses washable cloth towels instead of disposable paper towels, 100 percent recycled toilet paper, and can scent their dust-free vacuum cleaners with essential oils if requested.
Kelly said they happened to buy the company at one of the worst times economically, but found that many of the customers who cancelled their cleanings to save money had returned.
"A lot of people are working longer hours than they were before, and they just don't have time to do the cleaning," Kelly said.
In the future, the Uhlhorns hope to open an East Memphis office as their client base spreads to Germantown and Collierville, and they plan to offer more services, like pet-sitting and house-sitting, which Kelly said people have requested.
Housework service, 2 Chicks and a Broom, cleaning up nests
By Jon Devin
When Kip and Kelly Uhlhorn go shopping for vinegar, lemon, ginger, basil, lavender and green tea, they're not planning on cooking dinner.The new owners of 2 Chicks and a Broom plan on continuing the company's legacy of providing cleaning services with all-natural products while expanding retail sales.
The Uhlhorns, who have been married for 31/2 years and residents of Memphis for the last two, bought the Midtown-based company from the original owner, Candace Mills, for $50,000 in September.
Kelly Uhlhorn, 34, had been a close friend of Mills' and worked as a "chick" herself. Mills moved to New York after the sale.
"It's pretty amazing what (Mills) accomplished -- somewhere in the neighborhood of 800 to 1,000 clients without a Web site," said Kip Uhlhorn, 31, who also owns Kip Uhlhorn Investments, a construction company.
The Uhlhorns have already started the company's first Web site, though currently it only lists product lines. By the end of January, they hope to launch a more developed version that will allow clients to pay for services and order products online.
2 Chicks will remain at 885 S. Cooper, but has expanded to include space it formerly shared with Light Years, a vintage clothing store, which has since moved.
Kelly said flexibility is the most important thing the business offers its staff of about 35 male and female employees, called "chicks." All are independent contractors, and many are artists and students whose schedules change from time to time.
"Some go to school, or they'll leave for a little bit, maybe go on tour," said Kelly. "We support a lot of artists and musicians here because they need the freedom to be able to go out and come back. They can basically make their own schedules, if they want to work two days a week or five days a week."
"If I had had this job when I was in my band back in New York, I would have been thrilled," Kip said.
2 Chicks and a Broom offers both residential and commercial cleaning services during the day, at night, or on weekends. The initial service is typically a five- to six-hour deep cleaning, which is followed by two- to three-hour rotational cleanings. Cost is $30 per hour per chick.
The Uhlhorns said they consider corporate franchises their direct competition, but they believe they've got an edge in the green niche with their natural cleaning products.
"When Candace started the business she was using commercial products, too," said Kelly. "She started getting really bad allergies and developed something almost like asthma. When you're breathing in bleach all day, and then you mix in ammonia, it can be deadly. She realized that she could do this green and it would work just as well for disinfecting."
For example, the BioShield floor soap, which the Uhlhorns stock in their retail space, lists three ingredients: plant oils, water and linseed oil.
Barbara Clenin of Total Health Chiropractic and Rehabilitation Clinic said she uses 2 Chicks' services as a way to accommodate her clients who have allergies.
"We see nearly 300 people a week in the clinic and so many of them suffer from allergies to different smells and substances," said Clenin, who also uses 2 Chicks for her home and a Downtown loft. "We had had some complaints from patients about our disinfectants, but the product lines that (2 Chicks) use have cut down on patients' sensitivity."
2 Chicks also uses washable cloth towels instead of disposable paper towels, 100 percent recycled toilet paper, and can scent their dust-free vacuum cleaners with essential oils if requested.
Kelly said they happened to buy the company at one of the worst times economically, but found that many of the customers who cancelled their cleanings to save money had returned.
"A lot of people are working longer hours than they were before, and they just don't have time to do the cleaning," Kelly said.
In the future, the Uhlhorns hope to open an East Memphis office as their client base spreads to Germantown and Collierville, and they plan to offer more services, like pet-sitting and house-sitting, which Kelly said people have requested.
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