Specialists share environmental tips in Fayetteville
Posted on Sunday, October 5, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE — Nearly 100 years ago, a war put solar energy on hold in favor of oil. With oil no longer a cheap alternative, interest once again is moving toward solar power, among others, said James “Butch” Coger of Coger Custom Construction.
Coger was a speaker Saturday at Twist of Green, a festival organized by the newly formed Sustainable Northwest Arkansas nonprofit group and sponsored in part by the Fayetteville Farmers Market and the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. Programs were held at various downtown sites.
Frank Shuman was the first to develop a solar thermal power plant in 1912, he said. The plant used heat from the sun to run a steam engine that pumped water from the Nile River, which was used to irrigate crops.
Shuman’s plans to further develop the use of solar power was put on hold by World War I, which corresponded to the discovery of cheaply available oil in the Middle East, Coger said.
Interest in solar energy has been reinvigorated now that energy costs have soared, he said. The technology is advancing quickly, with newer methods being conducive to factory production, which will mean decreased costs, he said.
Coger spoke about solar panels in a conversation that replaced a lecture he had planned. He was scheduled to give three lectures on ways to retrofit homes to be more energy efficient but the audience was sparse.
Gavin Smith, a carpenter turned student, sat in the auditorium of the Center for Continuing Education, the lone audience member.
Smith said he returned to school to pursue an engineering degree because the market dried up. Construction jobs aren’t as plentiful as they were, and those who have the money are hiring skilled craftsmen at bargain prices.
Coger and Smith shared stories about the market and talked about the future of construction, energy and the economy. Coger spoke about developers who didn’t prepare for the market slow down and his own struggles with a house built on speculation, which he might have to sell at a loss.
As an Energy Star partner, Coger said, he has to build houses that meet certain cri- teria and use eco-friendly materials that do not contain volatile organic compounds, such as silicone. Energy Star is a federal government program to encourage energy-efficient products and practices.
Many of those materials, though more expensive, Coger said, should be the first line of fitting a house to be more energy efficient.
Before breaking off into conversation, he went through his basic presentation, discussing the pros and cons of such products as compact fluorescent bulbs.
Coger said one negative to using that kind of light is that it contains mercury, which makes it dangerous when broken. If broken, there are specific steps that must be taken to safely dispose of the bulb and mercury, he said, which includes wearing a ventilator and double-bagging the pieces.
The bulbs when intact also have to be disposed of properly and can’t be placed in the trash or recycling bins, Coger said. Places like Lowe’s accept old bulbs.
“If you’re not willing to take those measures, don’t use them,” Coger said.
Coger’s was one of several businesses and groups that had booths at the festival showing their wares, detailing their efforts to be “earth friendly” or offering suggestions on how to go about reducing one’s impact on the environment.
The festival continues today with workshops beginning at 10 a. m. and a “Power to the Feet Art Bike Parade” at 11. More information is available at www. twistofgreen. org.
Eureka Springs-based Planet Home was among the groups on hand to help educate people on being environmentally conscious.
Becky Gillette and Jerry Landrum traded items such as shopping bags made from old T-shirts or compact fluorescent bulbs for pledges to change different aspects of a person’s life.
That change could be driving or buying habits, Landrum said.
The two also were offering free rides on an electric bicycle, which Gillette said was the cheapest electric vehicle available. The particular model listed for about $ 400 at Wal-Mart, she said.
Electric bikes could make the difference for someone in hilly areas, like Eureka Springs, Gillette said.
Landrum recently used the bike to raise awareness of how much carbon dioxide is in the air, which is well beyond safe levels, he said.
“We’re in deep climatic doo-doo, my friend,” Landrum said.
Farther away from the fresh vegetables and leashed dogs of the Fayetteville Farmers Market on the downtown Square was another part of the festival in a parking lot across from the city’s Planning and Engineering Building.
That lot included tents staffed by local artists, activists and entrepreneurs. On part of the lot was a miniature golf course, built out of recycled materials, including guard rails and a gas station sign. Though it didn’t offer anything for sale, Pack Rat Outdoor Center staff was on hand to share facts about the local retailer. Julia Bachelor offered a brief tour through the environmentally sensitive elements of the store, beyond the retention pond that is home to water fowl on year-round. Bachelor said the business has an on-site compost heap. The decking around the building is made from recycled materials, and the logs used to make the structure were “standing dead timbers.”
To contact this reporter: awallworth@arkansasonline. com
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