Irony. This is an example of irony.

The Cuyahoga County Planning Commission's Weblog recently posted that Donovan Rypkema of Place Economics had mentioned that "reusing structures is the best way to save energy and called historic preservation 'the ultimate in recycling'" when he spoke at the Cleveland Restoration Society 34th annual Community Luncheon.

You can listen to the summation on NPR here.

Choice quotes:
"Much of the green building movement focuses on the annual energy use of a building, but the energy embodied in the construction of a building is 15 to 30 times the amount of its annual energy use."

"Part of the major components of new buildings, plastic, steel, vinyl, aluminum. What are among the MOST energy consumptive materials? Plastic, Steel, Vinyl and Aluminum."

This seems a tad bit ironic as the County plans to dispose of the Cleveland Trust Tower (possibly mentioned here before) in order to replace it with a new "green" building. I am sure there are plenty of arguments as to why it should be taken down but it does seem a little strange to suggest that it is more environmentally friendly to remove a 29 story building without a specific example of how. I think that if the County could, in some way, demonstrate why they would need to demolish the building to replace it, it could make their argument much more substantial and might go a long way towards furthering their "green, progressive" image rather then creating another example of how North East Ohio demolishes evidence of its past success.

No image, I am sick of posting images of this building. Besides, I have more coming anyway.

Nov. 24th - 25th: Buy Nothing Day

Well, I already hit you with the National Buy Local Day so I might as well go ahead and mention Adbuster's Buy Nothing Day. Celebrate the busiest day of shopping by not shopping. I know, it sounds counter-intuitive but if you sit and think about it it will make sense. Go ahead. Pour yourself some tea, find a nice comfy chair and sit down. Take your slippers off. Put a blanket on your lap. Breathe deep. Feel that? That is what if feels like to NOT try to push your way through the mindless throngs that will crush up against you as you scamper to find whatever purchase you are trying to make on the busiest shopping day of the year.

I mean, I understand Adbuster's attempt to make a statement about how living in a society that concentrates on overindulgent consumption cannot be sustainable and is rather ridiculous, however for your own sanity wouldn't it be better to just sit at home or go out with your friends and enjoy a day off then spend your day trying to find a parking spot, then find the items you want, then wait in line, then wait in line some more and then go more in debt at the exact same moment most of the rest of the nation is?

That is what I figured. Personally I think I am going to go for a bike ride, take some photos, do a lot of sketching and continue my attempt to re-organize/recycle/donate all my accumulated junk (of which I have no need to add anything to) and maybe make some nice gifts for people for the up and coming holiday season.

So join me in a celebration of sanity. Vote with your pocketbook. Relax your body and mind. Enjoy your holiday.

Treecycle

As Xmas season comes a hollerin' in, already decorations are going up and store displays are in typical gaudy full force, the "Great Xmas Tree Debate" typically begins anew.

My mother has had, since I was a wee lad, this beautiful conifer in a pot that every year gets decorated sparsely with some lights and baubles and hangs out in the kitchen (where everyone hangs out anyway). I remember another time though, when I would trudge out to a Christmas tree farm with my Grandparents, saw in hand, searching for the perfect tree to compliment our living room.

I don't really remember the exact year my father started buying balled trees and then planting them in the spring but I always appreciated that the trees would live on after the season ended.

Regardless, I am just offering those as options, I know that many relish "the hunt" for the perfect tree and don't really think twice about tossing it out on the curb at the end of the season. Fine. I am not judging. All I am asking is that you take the time to maybe see if your community has a tree recycling program where they can turn those trees into mulch or materials for habitats.

There are many great places to check out for information like this. One of the quickest ones could be Earth 911.org which allows you to find local recycling programs rather easily.

Also, to get rid of those dang packing peanuts you can call the Peanut Hotline at 800.828.2214 to find neighborhood stores that will take them off your hands (hopefully to reuse them).

-tip o' the hat to Marjie for the heads up

Cleveland's bus tour. Magic bus tour?

Friday, Nov 24, 2pm - 5pm - Sold Out
Saturday, Nov. 25, 10am - 1pm - Sold Out
Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2pm - 5pm
Wednesday, Dec. 27, 10am - 1pm

In an effort to increase exposure for Cleveland among youngsters, two Cleveland State Urban Affairs students, Justin and Erin, created Emerging Cleveland. A series of bus tours that include "Asia Town, Josaphat Arts Hall, the LeBron James houses in University Circle, the Valley View HOPE VI project and Gospel Press in Tremont, the Avenue District, E. 4th Street, the Gordon Square Arts District and EcoCity Cleveland".

Aimed towards young professionals and students home for holidays Emerging Cleveland hopes to revitalize interest and instill an emotional connection back to the home town and keep people abreast of all the new development and changes that are occurring.

The bus tour lasts about 3 hours and costs only 5 dollars (to cover bus rental). The tour guides are all volunteers who act as guides because they're "big urban nerds. We think city redevelopment and revitalization are fun. And we hope to pass some of our enthusiasm on to you".

Awesome.

I suggest that even if you aren't from out of town you try to hop on one of the tours and experience the city from a new vantage point.

To get a seat (the fancy word is "register") then go ahead and email emergingcleveland@gmail.com. When you send them a holler, they ask that you tell them "a little bit about yourself - are you an "ex-pat" or new to Cleveland? Have you recently graduated?".

Dare to dream, dare to have initiative.

Yesterday Crain's Chicago Business announced that Baum Realty Group Inc. would turn the old Cooper lamp factory (which closed down in 2005) into a 25,000 s.f. business park for "environmentally conscious businesses". Baum Realty reports that "Several businesses have signed non-binding "letters of interest" to lease space in the building, including Consolidated Printing, Co.,...and Greeenmaker Supply".

Coming days after Ohio's first renewable energy summit and a week before Wooster's Sustainable Energy Puts America to Work lecture one can see how "sustainable design" is becoming more then just mainstream, it is becoming the standard. One can wonder if Cleveland will find a way to capitalize on this movement. I know that there is plenty of empty retail and office space downtown and with the Euclid Corridor and the push to create a "design district" on Euclid I couldn't think of a better time or place to consolidate an effort to incorporate a concentrated effort to make Cleveland a lead runner in "green design".

While I don't think that one would have to put every entity in the city that deals with green design in one spot, I think it would be nice to create a more consolidated area. Architects and interior designers could walk clients next door to look at material and color samples. Designers that incorporate sustainable technologies would be kept constantly updated while companies and manufacturers would immediately know where trends are heading.

I imagine a wide variety of stores from furniture to print shops, from organic foods to restaurants, book stores and artists. All working together for a common goal. I think this is highly possible. Those involved with green design are typically so passionate about it and constantly yearning to accumulate and disseminate knowledge that allowing a free flow of multidisciplinary ideas would only accelerate commercial growth and the creative process as a whole.

I imagine the district spreading and growing, tendrils reaching into surrounding communities as more people realize the driving principles (which are both market and earthy-crunchy) and more companies start up. I imagine the local community jumping on board, realizing the tax incentives of bringing not only new business but cutting edge new business to its area.

I imagine being able to walk from tower city to the inner ring suburbs, window shopping the entire way, living a sustainable lifestyle in a city renowned for being chance taking and forward looking and setting the standard for every other city in the country.

Will Cleveland use Chicago as a model to improve upon? Will we be bold and daring, realizing that something must be done, something drastic and dangerous? Or will we sit and watch the world pass us by, happy that we were once a growing metropolis reaching for the sky, rivaling any other American city and thinking that our time in the Sun is over?

Will the passionate please take this opportunity to speak out and be heard?

One man's stand against an army

Yeah, I have mentioned the Breuer tower thing before. Yeah, I have decidedly sat on the fence, not committing to any particular view. Yeah I lamented and cajoled but didn't say much of anything.

Well, nothing is going to change.

I still don't have too much of an opinion. Really. Seriously. I haven't really decided to lean one way or another.

I will mention that I have been talking to Bradley over at DesignRag and have spent some time looking at the Breuer tower and pondering and wondering and scheming.

See, Bradley is all about Cleveland. He likes it. He wants to make it better somehow. Then he gets all up on his soapbox and preaches and praises and persuades. I am putty in his logic.

So I thought I would help out his cause. He is taking it upon himself (and anyone else who would like to join) in striking wildly at the windmill that is complacency. He knows that the County has made up its mind, selected its architects, mastered its masterplan and there is little to nothing the community has done to save this historic piece of Cleveland history, nor is there much that can be done. Really, if the building doesn't fit, then the county must acquit, to put it succinctly.

Either way, the fine folks over at DesignRag are accepting modifications to the Save Breuer Image (my little submission is what you see now) with the hope that they can at least spread some concern and knowledge so that if this cannot be halted at least it might not happen again.

Of course the time that we spent staring up at the tower has led to much discussion about what could, in fact, be done to minimize the loss. Stay tuned for more good time happy images about the destruction of this icon and some simple solutions or alterations that could, in fact, change the face of history.

Wooster College - Sustainable Energy Puts America to Work

"Sustainable Energy Puts America to Work"
Bill Spratley - Executive Director of Green Energy Ohio to speak at Wooster College
Thursday, November 30th, 2006
Gault Recital Hall of Scheide Music Center
525 E. University St.
7.00 pm

There has been quite a bit of press about how alternative energy products can create jobs in Ohio. There is the prospect of fuel cell manufacturing, wind power and solar power creating now only jobs in term of research but also equipment production. A large challenge that our area faces seems to be utilizing the research capabilities that we currently possess, getting that research to local manufacturers and businesses and proving to local communities that implementation of technologies allows municipalities to shift their image and possibly draw more technological companies.

Besides being just good for America by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels, utilizing alternative energies would be especially good for Ohio. Our geographic location, manufacturing history, work force and integrated education and research facilities poise Northeast Ohio in a prime position to capitalize on national trends towards placing emphasis on new energy technologies.

The lecture, sponsored by Green Energy Ohio and Wooster's Greenhouse Program if free and open to the public. I am hoping that the lecture covers some of the topics mentioned above.

Dru's Local Diet Primer - Does your Mango need a "green card"?

This is just an update as I gear up to begin a "local/restricted range diet". I have to admit that at first I had some major concerns regarding not only where one would find out information regarding creating a diet based around locally grown foods but also setting aside the time needed to study where one would be able to shop for certain items.

I suppose I am lucky in that I am not really a vegetarian. I have before told people that so they wouldn't question why I am not eating a burger etc, but I tend to not eat that much red meat. I suppose I do dine on poultry a bit and I know that if I had to give up dairy I would just die. I don't understand how people can live without cheese. Oh, the glory that is cheese.

So, I started digging around. Checking all the typical "green" websites, doing quite a bit of googling (spell check won't let that one fly) and have stumbled across quite a bit of helpful guides that should make this attempt much easier.

My first little bit of news comes in the form of a series of articles/blogs that were posted on Grist Magazine's website earlier in the year. This was basically the launch pad for a 100 mile diet which eventually spawned 100 Mile Diet .org that has many "hold your hand step by step guides" to local eating, including a tool to map out your circumfrance if you are bad with maps and a winter eating guide!

Next up I would like to offer Eat Well Guide.org and Local Harvest.org which are both guides that allow you to discover local markets, farms and restaurants that all use local produce within a set radius. While this information is generated from businesses and farms submitting their own information and therefore having to know about these sites in the first place I think it is a great place to start. I have to admit I get generally pretty excited about going to markets and farms that sell produce, etc. Oh boy!

The last resource I want to offer up on this topic right now is Pesticide Wallet Guide that has some basic information regarding produce and its (and eventually YOUR) exposure to pesticides. I don't mean to throw this in to scare anyone but I figured that if you read this far you have some interest into what you are putting into your bodies.

The purpose of this whole experiment is mostly to expose myself to foods and cooking techniques that I am not currently aware of, to inform myself of what comes from where and when it is at it's freshest, to make a comment on where food comes from and therefore on how much energy is spent on transportation, and to discover a local vernacular based in delicious foods.

I plan to try to visit different places, keep a record of what was from where, possibly including prices, and just talk to as many people as I can to make this easier for anyone else who wants to attempt it in Cleveland. Of course I will record all my adventures here for posterity. Wish me luck.

-picture ganked from Grist Mag.