Green Goodness: a Grounded Look at Being Green

Please pardon me for cheering yet another business, but I’m going to toot Winston’s Grille’s horn for their efforts in water reuse and conservation. 

Lately, I feel like a cheerleader for businesses that have greened up their efforts a couple notches, and I apologize if you find it annoying.  I promise my roots are in skepticism and interrogation, but I find myself feeling the need to share truly interesting information shared with me.

My pal Raleigh Native (I know him as Doug) called me a couple days ago, blown away with a little something he stumbled upon while visiting Winston’s Grille in Sutton Station in Raleigh.  I like that he shares Raleigh efforts with me, as I don’t tend to stumble onto anything except neat Durham stuff.

Doug was so excited by Winston’s efforts to reuse and conserve water that he posted it on MyNC.com too.

More and more companies are “going green” (a phrase that frankly makes me ill deep in my gut) in the Triangle, and of course, not everyone is living up to their hype. 

Winston’s, on the otherhand, seems to be proceeding quietly when it comes to their cistern, which collects rainwater from their 8,000 sq. ft. rooftop.  After the cistern is complete, it will look like a giant cedar wine barrel, which is pretty neat.  I have to say, I’m genuinely thrilled about the step they’ve taken toward conserving in an area riddled with drought concerns.

While I have no intentions in making this the one-stop resource to hear or showcase how a local business is getting with the program, being grounded in the Green movement requires cheering on proactive solutions and initiatives in our community.  Cheering on those who take on more than the minimum requirements (ie, most of the local restaurants and chains) is an important step in letting businesses know that our dollars will support business practices we believe in. 

And with the way money flows in the Triangle, not to mention the muriad of competitors in the Triangle food scene, it’s more important than ever to bypass the Crapplebee’s and head for a place with a sense of spirit, vivaciousness and community. 

Locally-owned restaurants are important in supporting sustainability.  But locally-owned options are not necessarily the answer either.  We ate at one of a five-restaurant Raleigh chain, and there is *nothing* sustainable or vegetarian about it… and we won’t be going back.  Sheerly because it’s locally-owned and I’m not into bashing any small business owner, I won’t mention the name.

But next time we dine in Raleigh, I’ll be suggesting Winston’s (hoping I can cheer them for vegetarian options beyond “house salad” as well). 

Sustainably yours,  Ashley Sue

So, as I mentioned previously (April 19th), Marc and I attended the Raleigh Planet Earth Celebration for Earth Day after I got home from Herbfest.

I also previously mentioned that Herbfest was actually awesome while Raleigh’s huge hoopla was… well, less than awesome.  And that’s being nice.  Unless you are under the age of 12.  Or you happen to have children under the age of 12.  Then, and only then, you may have found Raleigh’s event worth going to.

I nearly decided to scrap the video from the Raleigh event, but I might as well share my highlights from the event.  See for yourself and let me know if I’m overreacting.

Regardless, I think from here on out, I’ll go to Durham’s Earth Day Celebration.  It was only supposed to be from 12 - 6 pm, and I hear that they were having to FORCE people to leave at 7 pm!  Raleigh, on the otherhand, promised Rockstar fun for everyone from 11 - 7, and by 530, it was nothing but sloppy seconds.

As a seasoned manager once said, it’s better to under-promise and over-deliver than to promise the world and disappoint.  Take note of that, Raleigh.  I *won’t* be giving you a second shot next year, no matter whether my fave band is supposed to play or not (since you have them play at 4 pm!).

From Durham to Raleigh to Pittsboro to Chapel Hill to Clayton to Wake Forest, the entire Triangle is getting down and getting dirty to celebrate Mother Earth this Saturday (April 19th).  Here are some of the Rockstar events going on THIS weekend, as well as which ones you are apt to see me! Read the rest of this entry »

So, in addition to this weekend’s West Durham Urban Hike, check out “Slow-Flow, Warm Glow”, an AWESOME energy, water and conservation event at Watts-Hillandale.  All you have to do is show up at Oval Park on W. Club Blvd on Saturday morning (THIS SATURDAY, 12th April) at 9 am, and then you can pick what you want to do when!

This weekend, Chapel Hill is having a rainbarrel event, and Chatham County’s Abundance Foundation is having a Vermiculture Workshop at Pittsboro’s Piedmont Biodiesel.

1. Chapel Hill’s rainbarrel event:

Purchase Discount Rain Barrels at H2Oh! Education Fair

Chapel Hill’s Stormwater Management Division is sponsoring a rain barrel sale and H2Oh! Education Fair on Saturday, April 5, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Eubanks Road Park and Ride Lot. Two styles of rain barrels will be offered and may be pre-ordered, with payment and pick up required on the day of the event. Hillsborough’s Mark Ray will sell 55-gallon rain barrels for $65 each. Rain Water Solutions’ 65-gallon rain barrels will cost $90. Please e-mail Wendy Smith at wwsmith@townofchapelhill.org to pre-order. Pre-orders are limited to two per household due to limited quantities available. Vendors will demonstrate how to set up the rain barrels on April 5.

The accompanying education fair will teach people about composting, watershed issues, rain gardens, waterwise landscaping, and how we can improve our water quality, maintain streamside buffers for clean water and healthy creeks, and prepare for hurricanes. Free low-flow showerheads will be given out by OWASA to their customers.

A one-inch rain produces 623 gallons of runoff from every 1,000 square feet of impervious surface, such as a roof. This stormwater is sometimes directed into vegetation where it can infiltrate the ground, but most of it quickly runs off into the nearest storm drain or creek. Runoff washes nutrients, sediment, litter, automotive fluids and other pollutants from yards, parking lots and streets into local streams and on into Jordan Lake. Properly set up rain barrels can help residents slow the flow of runoff during storms, infiltrate water into the ground during non-storm periods, and give residents a water supply for outdoor and gardening needs.

2. The Abundance Foundation’s Vermiculture Workshop

(You had to register by April 1, but call if you are interested and find out if you can get in or if they are planning more)

Vermiculture is the fastest, easiest way to get immediate results in reducing your waste and creating rich garden soil. Come on out!

Date: Saturday, April 5, 10am – 2pm
Location: Piedmont Biofuels Industrial Plant, Pittsboro
Instructor: Amanda Sand, Piedmont Biofuels Vermiculture

Dig in to the basics of backyard composting, including bins, tools, and accessories; sift through the process of turning kitchen scraps into plant fertilizer and cultivate the production of compost tea. You will learn from experts, experience the process first hand and go home with hard working worms ready to produce for you!

2b. A Worm Farm Conference is coming up in May, just in case you’re interested but missed this one… I’ll keep you posted as I here more.  Or you can learn about composting and National Compost Awareness week (May 4-10) here.

…ps… thanks, Courtney, for bringing the awesome green of Chatham and Orange Counties to my attention!