EcoFront

Lessons from the Lessen Impact Challenge

2011-12-30T08:01:00.000-08:00

A while back I won EcoFront’s Lessen Impact Challenge. Many of the daily and weekly challenges aligned with the lifestyle Rebekah and I have already committed to (biking to work, eating fresh foods, buying local, recycling and composting to name a few) and were easily accomplished. Naturally, meeting the challenges that were not our established habits took the most effort. My affection towards using copious amounts of paper towels, love of long hot showers, and delight of a well-lit house were things I knew I could improve (and knew I could commit to improving for a week). What I wanted most was to see what, if I made the choice and disciplined myself, would become a lasting habit.

The easiest adjustments (saving energy with a click of a button):

Using a power strip to unplug multiple items: After discovering that my stereo used 20 Watts of power while on standby mode it and the other electronics associated with it went on a power strip that is easily turned on and off.

Turning off my computer monitors when I leave my desk: I don’t know how much energy they use, but judging from the heat they put off it’s a lot.

Unplugging laptops and phone chargers when not in use: Once again I don’t how much energy they consume while idle, but it’s easy to unplug them and place them in a drawer. A secondary benefit comes from the uncluttered space, which unclutters the mind.

My biggest challenges:

Paper towels: It was shocking to realize how quickly and subconsciously I reached for a paper towel. My first step to recovery was admitting that I had a problem. (My name is Aaron, and I’m and addict…) The effective solution was to hide the paper towel roll and provide a cloth towel as a reasonable alternative. I can now say that I am proudly on the road to recovery.

Water: Oh, how I love a long hot shower…and to use the sprayer to clean out the blender…and isn't it hypnotizing to watch water swirl down the sink drain? Once again I had to admit I have an addiction (or at times I’m just plain lazy). Awareness was my key to victory here. I recognized that, despite the perceived therapeutic value, I didn't need to simply stand under the water in the shower after I’ve rinsed off. I recognized that a little water and a sponge clean better than a liter of water from the sink sprayer. We started rinsing vegetables in a container in the sink and reusing the captured water for the garden or house plants, or for rinsing dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. I still struggle with overusing water, but I’m improving.

The lasting changes:

The easy adjustments: The electricity-saving adjustments became habits. Anything that has an LED or might consume energy while idle is unplugged or on a power strip and that includes the coffee maker and space heater.

Fixing and repurposing: Before we bring something new into the house, however small, Rebekah and I have an honest conversation to determine if it’s something we need or simply something we want, what it will replace, and what we’ll do with the replaced item. Also, before we throw something away we consider if it can be repaired or repurposed by us or by someone else. In most cases it can.

What the Lessen Impact Challenge highlighted most is that living a sustainable lifestyle is process, and one that you have to design by establishing written goals. When you write out your goals, it’s easier to determine which choices you make align with your goals and which don’t. By regularly making choices that align with your goals not only do you reach them, you establish the habits that will benefit you and others the rest of your life.

-Aaron

Products of the Future

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-08:00

In October, CEATEC, Japan's largest information technology and electronics fair showcased some great sustainable techniques of the future.

The conference presented the newest and most high-tech energy saving digital electrical appliances, including solar power generators and electric cars.

Check out the slideshow of the interesting products here.

One of the displays is this "smart house" that uses an electric car like a battery, storing energy generated from solar power that is later supplied to the house.

Thanks to Jeremy Altman for passing along this great find!

Image Credits

Trinity Lutheran Eco Prayer Park

2011-12-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

FourFront Design has been thrilled to be a part of the Trinity Eco Prayer Park design process. The park has had very positive reviews by the public and is welcomed as a positive addition to the downtown community.

Click to enlarge

A few of the sustainable features of the design include the use of recycled materials for the circular pathway, passive rainwater harvesting for stormwater management, and the use of xeriscape plant species native to South Dakota.

Click to enlarge

For more information, see the great write up in the Rapid City Journal or a clip from the local news.

We're hoping to break ground this Spring!

Folding Urban Greenhouse

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Here's an innovative new product by Dutch designer Daniel Shipper.

It's a folding greenhouse made out of recycled plastics that folds flat for easy storage and moving.

It seems like a great option for someone who isn't fully ready to commit to an actual garden, or for someone who might be limited in space.

It's great to see new and fresh ideas to help people explore their green thumbs!

Image Credit 1

Image Credit 2

Crafting the Future Japan Conference

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-08:00

FourFront Design's Jeremy Altman was recently selected as an AIA Knowledge Scholar to the Crafting the Future Japan Conference. It was held in Tokyo in mid-November, and Jeremy was able to attend to provide multi-media reporting.

(c) Jeremy Altman, 2011

Check out his fantastic photos here:

(c) Jeremy Altman, 2011.

And his blog entries here:

Kamakura Calling

A Tradition of Boundaries

From Metabolism to Mori

Top Japanese Design-Build Firm Hosts American Architects

Here's an excerpt from the "From Metabolism to Mori" entry:

Model of Tokyo. (c) Jeremy Altman, 2011.

And his videos can be found here (the videos of the Tokyo Model are highly recommended):

Taisei Corporation Technology Center

Shirakawa-Go Gassho Style Thatched Roof

Umimirai Library Kanazawa

Osanbashi Pier in Yokohama

Kengo Kuma GC Protho Entry

Kengo Kuma’s comments at Medal of Honor Ceremony

Mori Tokyo Model Video

Thanks for sharing your amazing experience with us Jeremy!

Greening Our Garbage

2011-12-08T07:00:00.000-08:00

Have you noticed the spur of new commercial development happening around Main Street Square? With the addition of new retail and dining options also comes the need for an innovative way to handle waste from the new business activity.

The development on the corner of 5th and Main Streets now has a cutting-edge trash and recyclable handling system. The trash compactor, located adjacent to the Sears Building property and screened from view, crushes trash and co-mingled recyclables prior to them being transferred to the handling facilities.

This singular dumpster essentially takes the place of a multitude of traditional dumpsters and is very progressive in sustainable terms. The compactor offers a unique way to store a lot of trash without taking up a lot of space and greatly reduces waste hauling costs.

A very special thanks to MHL Development, Destination Rapid City, Kiefer Sanitation, and Downtown Recycles for making this happen.

Seasons Greenings

2011-12-07T13:52:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again!

'Tis the season of consumption, as shoppers are gearing up for the holiday season. Did you know that the average person is planning on spending $700 on gifts this year, yet most people cannot remember one thing they received last holiday season? Also, studies have shown that consumers create 25% more waste during the holiday season.

So if you're interested in gifting sustainably this year, here are some tips:

Get creative with your gift giving. Try the Spudcoat, a biodegradable, compostable raincoat made of potato starch that plants seeds at the end of it's life cycle. Or if you're in the Black Hills, try giving a bottle of local wine from one of the wineries.

Register on the Alternative Gift Registry for activities you'd like to do instead of products that will end up in the landfill.

Buy wrapping paper made with recycled content, or use extra paper you have laying around (like a paper bag or an old atlas).

Go digital (or at least recyclable) with your holiday cards.

Give a donation in someone's name to a charitable organization.

Any other creative ideas out there? Let's hear 'em!

Image Credit 1
Image Credit 2

Making Rapid City Sustainable

2011-12-05T15:26:00.000-08:00

Recently, Jenny Goodell of the Family Radio Network interviewed FourFront's own Eirik Heikes, along with Suzanne Markley of the Sustainable Green Cities Task Force, and Perry Schlepp of Destination Rapid City's Green Team. Making Rapid City Sustainable: the Downtown Recycling Program aired on Rapid City radio station KQFR. 89.9 FM, but in case you missed it you can listen to it here:

The interview gives a great overview of the recent development in downtown Rapid City, the background of the Sustainable Green Cities Task Force, and the Downtown Recycles program.

Main Street Square, Downtown Rapid City. October 2011.

The Green Team, Downtown Rapid City.

Cleaning the Creek

2011-11-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

EcoFront is excited to be partners in the city-wide creek cleanup. We are in charge of an area behind the Abouresk Law Office to the bridge by McDonald's on West Main Street. A few weeks ago, FourFront employees cleaned both sides of the creek (it took us two different days since we ran out of trash bags the first time).

The day we chose to clean the creek was the Friday of Trash Week of our Lessen Impact Challenge. Here is a picture of those that showed up (Brittany took the picture).

Wade, Steve, and Bernie

Curt, Garry, Erik, Brittany and friend Mendi, and Bernie helped the first trip. We picked up 10 bags of garbage that ranged from diapers to bicycles and rims, pizza boxes, a ball, cups, bottles and a lot more. It was one of those days we were glad to be wearing gloves. In the picture is the bike we found and me with my pitch fork that we used to get garbage out of the tall grass and the water. The bike was given to Cranky Jeff and he was going to fix it up and give it to a kid that needs a bike.

-Bernie

P.S. Stay tuned for a post from the grand prize winner of the Lessen Impact Challenge!

Lessen Impact Challenge: Water Week

2011-10-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

It's Water Week here at FourFront Design and the final days of the Lessen Impact Challenge.

This morning, Steve set up a water sampling taste test with four water sources to compare: A) filtered water from the office, B) bottled water (Smart Water brand), C) water from Steve's well at home, and D) regular City water from the tap.

Here are the results:

Steve's well water received the most votes for the best tasting water, while the City water and filtered water received the most votes for the worst tasting water. There seemed to be a wide range of opinions, with some of the sources receiving similar amounts of votes for both the best and worst tasting water. Although this test wasn't necessarily scientific, results show that when buying bottled water, you don't necessarily get what you pay for.

We also had a great discussion about water usage in our community, and were given information about the City's rebate program for low water use toilets and high-efficiency washing machines.

Jeremy and Curt discussing the balance and finish of their last sampling of water.

FourFront employees, this is the last week of the challenge, so make it count!

Lessen Impact Challenge: Food and Energy Weeks

2011-10-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

Next week, FourFront will begin the sixth and final week of the Lessen Impact Challenge! The challenge has been tremendously eye opening, and has really helped all of us evaluate our individual carbon footprint.

Over the past two weeks, we've covered Food and Energy. For Food Week, we watched Food, Inc. which is a great film that will really make you look at the food industry differently.

This week for our activity focusing on Energy, Black Hills Power paid us a visit to discuss what we can do to reduce our electrical bills. The Home Energy Calculator is a great way to discover what you can do to make your home more energy efficient.

Next week we will focus on water, with Steve organizing a water taste-test on Monday. We'll update you with the results!

Lessen Impact Challenge: Trash Week

2011-10-04T16:21:00.000-07:00

FourFront Design is now into the third week of our Lessen Impact Challenge!

This week we're focusing on trash. On Free Monday, we showed some of the documentary Garbage Warrior, which focuses on architect Michael Reynolds and his quest to build a fully sustainable house using eco-friendly ideas and garbage.

Exterior hut house, Taos, NM

This week's challenge coincides with the annual office Fall Clean Up. Have questions on what can or can't be recycled? See this post for a quick rundown, or download the city's guide on recycling.

And again, here's a bonus option: Write an informative or entertaining blog post about trash, email it to me (Jessica) and get 3 extra points for the week! Or, comment below about how you're doing with the challenge to get 1 extra point.

Image source

Lessen Impact Challenge: Transportation Week

2011-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Well, we finished the first week of the challenge and it sounds like many FourFronters have gained a huge awareness of our consumption habits.

Source unknown

This week we're focusing on Transportation. A few highlights of the goals we're working on are:

If you go out to eat for lunch, walk instead of drive.
Plan all shopping trips for the week to correspond with one day's commute to and from work.
Carpool to work two or more days this week with a colleague or someone else who works downtown.

Let's see how we do!

And since this is such a tough week to get points, here's a bonus option. Write an informative or entertaining blog post about transportation, email it to me (Jessica) and get 3 extra points for the week! Or, comment below about how you're doing with the challenge to get 1 extra point.

Lessen Impact Challenge at FourFront Design!

2011-09-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

EcoFront has started a Lessen Impact Challenge for all employees of FourFront Design. The purpose is to become more aware of how we as individuals can become more sustainable in our work and home lives.

The idea came from No Impact Man, who attempted to live a zero-waste lifestyle with his family for an entire year.

EcoFront has developed a six week program, attempting to bring awareness to what our impact is on the earth. Each week focuses on a different challenge: consumption, transportation, trash, energy, water, and food.

This week marks the beginning of our challenge, focusing on consumption. The idea is not to completely stop consuming; rather to generally become aware of what we buy, why we buy it, where it comes from, and if we can make this habit more sustainable.

A few examples of the week's challenges include:

Not buying anything for 3 days this week.
If you do buy something, buy locally.
Donate, recycle, or sell 5 things.

We had a lunch discussion on Monday to kick off the week, where we showed The Story of Stuff and and the first clip of No Impact Man.

Personally, I've found it astonishing how hard it is to reduce my use of disposable products (plastic baggies, paper towels, etc.).

FourFront employees, what's been the biggest challenge for you? Leave a comment below!

Photo credit

Cornerstone Mission Apartments

2011-09-12T07:41:00.000-07:00

It was a chilly day on May 6, 2011 when our EcoFront volunteers spent a Friday afternoon shoveling dirt and compost.

One of the community projects our EcoFront team did this spring was create two garden boxes for the Cornerstone Mission Apartments. The apartments are transitional housing that is part of the Cornerstone Rescue Mission. The purpose is to give those that live in the apartments experience is growing a garden and the responsibility of watering and weeding. The rewards are they then get to eat the produce thus saving money on some of their food and they get to feel a sense of accomplishment in watching the plants grow.

The reason for the project is to help people help themselves.

-Bernie

Update (3 months later):

Local Food Challenge at FourFront!

2011-08-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

EcoFront is hosting our own local food challenge for FourFront Design employees on September 15th.

Mixed green salad with goat cheese and roasted beets from Dakota Thyme

Everyone is encouraged to bring a potluck dish that uses local ingredients from within 200 miles of Rapid City or the state of South Dakota. The competition will include winners for the best meat dish, vegetarian dish, side dish, salad, dessert, and garden-grown dish.

Here's a resource list of places to get local food:

Black Hills Farmer's Market

Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Founder's Park

Main Street Market
Breadroot Co-Op
Staple & Spice Market
Prairie Edge (local bison)
Dee Holberg

Set up along Omaha across from Roosevelt Park, Tuesday and Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sausage, beef, cheese, chickens, honey, eggs, jellies/jam, and produce

Black Hills Milk (also sells at the Farmer's Market)
Sunrise Ranch Meats
34 Ranch Meats
Wild Idea Buffalo Company
The Potted Rabbit
Cutting Edge Meat Market (Two locations: Piedmont and 5312 Sheridan Lake Rd.)

Buffalo Chuck Roast with Hard Cider Sauce and Harvest Hash from Wild Idea Buffalo Company.

And here are a few links for recipes:

Dakota Local Food Network's list of recipes
Dakota Thyme
Find out what's in season on Epicurious. Click on your state and the month and it will even give you links for recipes for seasonal ingredients.
Little House Living
Wild Idea Buffalo Company's recipes

Black Hills residents, do you have any local recipes to share?

Let it Rain!

2011-08-23T08:50:00.000-07:00

Recently, we've designed a few sites utilizing rainwater gardens.

These are slight depressions in the site's topography that are planted with vegetation. Rain and stormwater runoff naturally drain into the basins, creating an attractive low-maintenance landscape feature.

Example of a rainwater garden

Here's a visual that might explain the idea better:

You can use a mix of wildflowers, grasses, shrubs, and trees in rainwater gardens. When planting, place seedlings 1' apart, with more flood tolerant species toward the bottom of the basin and drought tolerant species toward the top. Include at least 40% grasses to provide dense root masses to help with erosion.

Some excellent species to use in rainwater gardens in the Black Hills region include:

Prairie smoke
Geum triflorum

Purple prairieclover
Dalea purpurea

Prairie dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepsis

When locating where you want to put your rainwater garden, make sure that you're placing it where the site's existing runoff flows to. Also, be sure to locate it at least 15' away from structures.

Rainwater gardens are an effective way to utilize natural runoff, avoiding the need for expensive irrigation systems. These features are actually part of a larger family of sustainable methods called rainwater harvesting.

To learn more about this technique, I suggest Brad Lancaster's book Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond as an excellent resource.

Cheers to free water!

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So what is Grey Water and We Can Water Our Gardens with it?

2011-08-10T07:10:00.000-07:00

I’ve discovered that the water created after washing our laundry is “grey water” and guess what? You can water your gardens with it!!!! Of course this comes with some caveats. You need to use eco-friendly detergents, no bleach, and use caution with fabric softeners. A good rule of thumb is that most products made for septic systems are safe for grey watering. Another note: the laundry itself can’t contain “harmful” products being washed off it. I probably wouldn't take junior's dirty diapers (should you be brave enough to use cloth diapers) and recycle that water.

Actually it’s been discovered that dirty laundry water can be a treat for plant life. Some of the organic materials found in laundry waste water can actually supply extra nutrients they ordinarily wouldn’t get. Many detergents contain nitrogen and phosphates which help with plant growth. Quite often, grey water users report an increase in growth and overall positive appearance in the garden.

How do you go about converting to grey watering? It can be as simple as adding a hose to drain the laundry waste water from the machine to your garden. You can set up a dual system which can be turned on to divert grey water to sewer when needed for those times the water in the wash could be harmful to the plants. Also, using your judgment on which plants you want to use grey water on is always a very personal choice. Often people will use grey water on everything but vegetables, as they are edible. Should you decide to go “grey”, there are many useful websites with plans for enabling this. Give it a thought, and maybe a try. What do you have to lose? What do you have to save? Water!!!

-Laura

Image Credit

Ecoballs - 1, Laudry Detergent - 0

2011-07-28T23:21:00.001-07:00

Recently I stumbled across a laundry gadget called Ecoballs and have been intrigued ever since. Having often wondered how dishwasher and washing machine detergents affect our water treatment plants, ground water and environment in general, it is exciting to see that Ecoballs offer a gentler alternative to traditional detergents. Ecoballs are one of several environmentally and human friendly products made by Ecozone, a company started in 1997 in England. Go here to view the company website and full line of amazing products. Ecozone has an office in Boulder, Colorado, so hopefully we will see these products in stores soon!

Become a Locavore!

2011-07-26T15:13:00.000-07:00

It's time again for the Eat Local Food Challenge!

Starting August 1st, plan on trying to eat only local foods (within a 200-mile radius) for five days in a row.

See here for some ideas on where to get local food in the Black Hills. And since it's summertime, plan on hitting up the farmer's market in Founders Park on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, open at 9 a.m.

Want to know what's in season in your area? Check out this map to find out what seasonal ingredients are available by month.

Good luck!

Rapid City Revolution

2011-07-14T07:19:00.000-07:00

Rapid City recently made history by successfully tightening restrictions on billboards. Scenic America, a national group working to protect the scenic quality of communities and roadways, is using this success as a model for other cities fighting similar issues.

This documentary on the billboard initiatives in Rapid City has been released across the country to show the process and progress of a community and its people determined to change its future.

See here for the full 15-minute version.

Yard of the Month Award

2011-07-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

The Beautification Committee has started a Yard of the Month award to reward Rapid City residents who have gone above and beyond to improve the appearance of their property and beautify our community. You can nominate yourself or others and winners will receive a prize!

In addition, a “Green Glove” award will be given to the resident that best exemplified principles in sustainable landscape techniques, for example drip irrigation, composting, xeriscape plantings, use of recycled products within the landscape, rain gardens, etc.

Go here for a nomination form.

Low maintenance residential landscape in Ketchum, Idaho by Lutsko Associates.

Photo Source.

Sharing the Road

2011-06-09T09:40:00.000-07:00

Construction on FourFront's design for 6th Street is nearing completion!

This is the first street in downtown Rapid City to see this:

Courtesy of Rapid City Journal.

The symbol is called a "sharrow" and it means that the lane is intended to be shared between vehicles and bicycles. Cyclists are legally entitled to ride in the lane along with vehicles, creating more visibility for themselves.

This is a progressive move for Rapid City, and one that may take a bit of time and education for people to get used to.

What do you think? Do you like the idea of a sharrow?

Live Simply

2011-06-02T20:45:00.000-07:00

With the devastating flooding in our region, people around the office have been lending a helping hand to those forced to move out of their homes in the Pierre and Ft. Pierre communities.

As a result, we've been buzzing about living simply and reducing the amount of unnecessary possessions we all tend to accumulate.

Check out these books that were recommended to reduce clutter:

The 100 Thing Challenge

The Joy of Less

What are some other ways of simplifying?

I love the idea of tiny houses and thought this video was an interesting insight to how much space a person really needs to live and be comfortable.

Less is more!

Tis the Season

2011-05-31T16:25:00.000-07:00

It's finally gardening season! Did you get a chance to get out and get your garden started over the weekend?

A bunch of FourFront employees use garden boxes like these for an easy, manageable way to grow vegetables and herbs.

In fact, EcoFront's efforts were recently featured in the Rapid City Journal! A few weeks ago, we helped the Cornerstone Mission Apartments plant garden boxes for their residents.

Here are some photos from the day:

Garry taking care of the soil.

Leigh and Bernie working the rakes.

Residents checking out the commotion.

Bernie showing the kids how it's done.

We had a great time and are so happy to be able to be a part of this effort.

Don't have the space or resources for your own garden? Check out this article by the Dakota Local Food Network to find out more about community gardens in the area.