Green Communities Best Practices Report PDF

REPORT #9 Green Communities  best practices R e p o r t #9 Green Communities Published by the Foundation for Community Association Research Acknowledgements Thanks to each of the following individuals for their generous contributions to this report. Foundation Representatives Ellen Hirsch d...

REPORT #9 Green Communities  best practices R e p o r t #9 Green Communities Published by the Foundation for Community Association Research Acknowledgements Thanks to each of the following individuals for their generous contributions to this report. Foundation Representatives Ellen Hirsch de Haan, esq., Becker & Poliakoff, p.a. Lincoln W. Hobbs, esq., Hobbs & Olson, l.c. Sandra Matteson-Pierson, lsm, pcam, Capital Consultants Management Corporation Team Members Amy Bray, Esq., Andersen, Tate & Carr, p.c. Joe Bunting, cmca, ams, lsm, pcam, Kiawah Island Community Association, Inc. Leslie Fellows, cmca, Today Management, Inc. Marjorie J. Meyer, cmca, pcam, Associa, Inc. Harry Richter, cmca, Charter Management Debra A. Warren, cmca, pcam Foundation Staff Jake Gold, cae, Community Associations Institute David Jennings, cae, sphr, Community Associations Institute Editor Terry White, T&S White Company Special Thanks A special thank you to the CAI Large-Scale Managers Committee for supporting the development and distribution of this Best Practices report. Copyright and Use Permission ©Copyright 2014. Foundation for Community Association Research. 6402 Arlington Blvd., Suite 500 Falls Church, VA 22042 Readers are encouraged to download and reproduce the Best Practices Reports for community association managers, board members, individual homeowners, and community association-related industry profession- als without permission of the Foundation for Community Association Research provided the following terms are met: this document must be reproduced in its entirety including the use permission statement; and this document may not be added to, modified, amended, or otherwise altered from the original as presented here. Readers and users agree not to sell copies of this document or otherwise seek compensation for its distribution. “This document is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is provided with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering legal, account- ing, or other professional services. If legal or expert advice is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.”—From a Declaration of Principles, jointly adopted by a Committee of the American Bar Association and a Committee of Publishers. ISBN 978-0-941301-74-9  G r e e n C o m m u n i t i e s best practices Community Associations Institute (CAI) and the Foundation for Community Association Research are dedi- cated to conducting research and acting as a clearinghouse for information on innovations and best practices in community association creation and management. What are Best Practices? The Foundation for Community Association Research is proud to offer function-specific Best Practices Reports in the community association industry. The Foundation has devel- oped best practices in select topic areas using a variety of sources, including, but not lim- ited to, recommendations from industry experts and various industry-related publications. The outcomes of the Best Practices project include: documented criteria for function-specific best practices; case studies of community associations that have demonstrated success; and the development of a showcase on community excellence. The benefits of benchmarking and developing best practices include: improving qual- ity; setting high performance targets; helping to overcome the disbelief that stretched goals are possible; strengthening cost positions; developing innovative approaches to operating and managing practices; accelerating culture change by making an organi- zation look outward rather than focusing inward; and bringing accountability to the organization because it is an ongoing process for measuring performance and ensuring improvement relative to the leaders in the field. The Foundation’s entire catalog Best Practices Reports is available at www.cairf.org as a free download and for sale in CAI’s bookstore.  best practices Contents Introduction........................................................ 1 Section 1 Defining Green........................................... 3 Section 2 Green Concepts and Sources You Can Use.................... 11 Section 3 Energy Management...................................... 35 Section 4 Transportation Management................................ 37 Section 5 Waste Management....................................... 41 Section 6 Building Management..................................... 45 Section 7 Land-Use Management.................................... 49 Section 8 Governing Documents.................................... 53 Appendix: Top 10 Ways to Help Your Community Go Green............... 57 Case Studies...................................................... 59 Serenbe........................................................ 59 3400 Malone Condominium Association, Inc........................... 61 Kiawah Island Community Association, Inc............................ 62 Marlyn Condominium, Inc......................................... 65 Additional Resources................................................ 69 Reference Notes................................................... 73 About the Foundation/CAI........................................... 81  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s Introduction Naturalist John Muir fell in love with the glens of Yosemite more than 100 years ago, declaring, “In God’s wildness lives the hope of the world.”1 We appreciate the comforts of HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air conditioning) and the amenities of civilization but also want a better, greener world. We are working toward such a world. By the first decade of this century, Americans will have shopped in environmentally friendly ways in record numbers.2 We recycled more, even assuring that we recycled our relatives in burial in an eco-friendly way.3 Some of us earned college degrees in sustainability and eco-sensitive design. And we formed cooperatives and purchased homes in planned com- munities that are environmentally attuned to our shade-of-green preferences. This report explores “greenness” in communities, in their varied forms. It considers the concept of sustainability through better designs, new technologies and social innova- tions. Sustainable communities are developed to meet the “needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”4 They are regenerative, meaning they have “processes that restore, renew or revitalize their own sources of energy and materials, creating sustainable systems that integrate the needs of society with the integrity of nature.”5 As community managers and association leaders, we hold in the back of our minds the question: Can we improve the world for future generations? Sustainability is, in a general sense, the capacity to maintain a certain process or state indefinitely. In recent years, the concept has been applied to humanity, expressed as meeting the needs of the present population without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.6 Can we set sustainability goals? Can we measure how well we are achieving them?7 And can we produce a feedback loop to observe, communicate and celebrate our successes? This report seeks to answer some of those questions. The credo for sustainability is, “Think globally, act locally.”8 Consider this common- sense caveat: that each community’s resource savings, its greenness or its sustainability planning and acceptance should not come at the expense of the residents. What is A green community should do the following: accepted as the right behavior in one Pick up litter. community should not be dictated as Recycle and reuse (waste diversion vs. waste required for all. In this report we will disposal). explore the countless ideas and resources Save water, store water, catch rainwater. that professional managers and commu- Maintain energy efficient buildings, either nity leaders can use to help their associa- retrofitting existing or building anew. tion “go green.” Manage land and lakes for environmental preservation and conservation. Make its membership aware of green products and services available to them. Use energy efficient transportation. 1  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s Section 1 Defining Green Community association developers and leaders are increasingly embracing green thinking and design. Initially, this was monetary-driven happenstance rather than green-driven planning.9 In the 1960s, large-scale, master-planned communities such as Reston, Va.; Irvine, Calif.; and Columbia, Md. emerged with design focused on land preservation. 10 Reston developer Robert Simon hired Conklin Rossant Architects as master planners to incorporate higher-density housing so open space could be available, conserved and managed. He persuaded the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to pass an ordinance making possible the clustering of housing closely together so that open space with fields and trees could serve as large areas of commonly held land to improve the physical appearance and the environmental quality of the community.11 This same grass roots approach of community groups influencing government occurred in Latin America in the 1990s.12 Similarly, when the University of California asked The Irvine Company for 1,000 acres for a new campus in 1959, the company agreed. California accepted the land and purchased an additional 500 acres. The university’s consulting architect, William Pereira, and Irvine Company planners drew up master plans for a city of 50,000 people surround- ing the university. Planning included industrial zones, residential and recreational areas, commercial centers and greenbelts.13 14 Columbia, Maryland was formed with the goal of creating “a garden for the growing of people.”15 Green as a concept did not arrive in the common consciousness until the 1970s with the first Earth Day celebrations. CAI recommended that managers consider this for their communities in the mid-1980s. Clearly, communities were green in land planning and resource usage long before green was an accepted concept. Nevertheless, the core purposes of community associations create some sustainable practices and approaches, even in communities without green language in their cov- enants. Planned communities exist to improve members’ quality of life,16 17 because they offer choices, lifestyles, amenities and, most importantly, efficiencies that people value.18 Architects, landscape architects and developers initially conceived planned communities as places where many community members could share resources, thereby saving each member the cost of building resources themselves. Out of the community association concept came the sustainable idea of saving energy and resources. Developers have found that they enjoy a competitive advantage by constructing new communities with common recreational amenities and provision of some services. These forms of development require some type of homeowners association to manage the common amenities and deal with maintenance and service issues.19 For example, instead of 100 association members having 100 private backyard swimming pools, the association builds a single common pool to provide economies of scale, both in maintenance and replacement costs and resources used. The core values of a community association lead to sustainability, too. For example, care and respect for neighbors are integral to planned communities,20 as are values such 3 as a community’s aesthetics and its environmental quality. This leads to green practices such as ensuring a proper appreciation, valuation and restoration of the natural surroundings of the community and the environment, even in an urban setting. Some urban communities are creating green rooftops to improve members’ quality of life. For example, in Kansas City, Mo.,21 green roofs slow down rain runoff into existing overtaxed storm water sewer infrastructure. Consequently, the Kansas City municipal government wants more of them.22 Additionally, core values facilitate community-wide participation in sustainable practices such as recycling and community litter pickup. In some cases, communities receive reim- bursements from state and local governments for their community litter pickup programs.23 Core values further lead to an insistence on sound community governance on environ- mental policies and rules that foster community spirit and unity. Cohousing, a concept that arose in Denmark more than 30 years ago and came to the U.S. in 1991 with the completion of the first multi-generational neighborhood in Davis, Calif., does this by letting the community establish its own rules. In this arrangement, homes cluster around a pedestrian street or green with the com- mon house as a focal point. The common house typically features a kitchen, lounge with a television, guest rooms and laundry.24 Such pooled resources are ecologically smart. For example, the availability of guestrooms permits individual members to have smaller homes with no loss of comfort. With cars typically parked on the periphery, the neighborhood becomes pedes- trian friendly. Cohousing also typically encourages play areas, sports fields and daycare. Landscape maintenance equipment is shared among the group. The community does some bulk purchasing of food, and several communal meals per week save energy for all. Good governance considers restrictive covenants, including eco-friendly practices. Guidance on solar panels may be a matter of community preference. Similarly, some communities see clotheslines as aesthetically pleasing as flowering fields, while others do not.25 Communities will create the rules that fit the vision and mission of that asso- ciation.26 27 That said, more and more state legislatures have passed laws superseding governing documents that prohibit both solar panels and clotheslines. New Urbanism takes a different approach from cohousing. Arising in the 1980s in the U.S., it was a pushback against suburban sprawl. Through planning and design, New Urbanism communities are designed to contain diverse jobs and to be as walkable as cohousing. However, they do not provide cohousing’s communal aspects of day-to- day living. The most renowned example of New Urbanism is Disney’s Celebration in Florida. Another noteworthy example is Kentlands in Gaithersburg, Maryland.28 A planned community empowers its association members to foster and encourage green ideas appropriate for it. It respects neighborhood preferences and is active in allowing for diversity, including the neighborhood’s natural environment biodiversity. This may yield phenomenal results, such as allowing hawks to return to nests on Fifth Avenue in New York City to raise their young29 30 or even allowing songbirds to return to Versailles.31 4  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s Why Go Green? Association leaders should do what works for the community, not what green planners dictate. What designers plan, even with the best of intentions, is not necessarily what association members or employees will hold dear. For example, residents in desert areas like Phoenix generally prefer relatively water-intensive plantings, including turf grass (sod), around their homes even though they claim they find desert landscapes appeal- ing.32 The resulting irrigation accounts for more than two times the national average of gallons of water per day. Remember, little changes help quite a bit. Even on small things, such as the meetings you hold, you can be greener for your community.33 34 Consider these possibilities: If you are renting a space, ask meeting facility managers what they can do to help you reuse, recycle and reduce for your meeting. Use china and glass for food service instead of disposable items. Buy recycled paper for invitations, posters and paper supplies. Supply pitchers of fresh ice water instead of bottles of water. If you have food service, ask for bio-compostable plates and utensils. Identify and use local and organic food and beverage suppliers. Pick meeting locations located on mass transit routes and publicize and encourage the use of mass transportation to attend the function. Source products that are reusable (name tags, binders, grease boards), made from recycled content, use little or no packaging or packaging that contains recycled or reused materials and are recyclable or compostable on site or in community programs. Donate food leftovers to food rescue programs in the community. The Value of Green to Your Community Do not underestimate the financial benefits of going green. The State of California’s 2003 report on building green indicated that minimal increases in upfront costs of about 2 percent to support green design would, on average, result in lifecycle savings of 20 percent of total construction costs—more than 10 times the initial investment.35 (A “green building” is defined as one designed or modified to conserve resources and reduce negative impacts on the environment, whether it is energy, water, building materials or land.36) A report to the American Institute of Architects showed building green schools costs $3 per square foot more but saves $71 per square foot.37 Figures below represent ranges for all U.S. regions, based on a 2,000 square foot unit. Actual results will vary depending on local climate, age and condition of your unit, energy costs and lifestyle. Action Cost Savings Payback Energy Star™ programmable thermostat $115 $15 to $200 per year Less than 1 year Heating & cooling system tune-up $191 $115 to $140 per year 9 months to 1.5 years Professional air leak sealing $550 $215 to $400 per year At least 2 years Professional duct sealing $450 $225 to $370 per year At least 2 years 5  You may also realize significant savings by going green in vehicle use. Keeping tires properly inflated saves about 10 cents per gallon, while extending the tires’ life. Replace dirty air filters on vehicles and improve gas mileage by up to 10 percent.38 While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional 30 cents per gallon for gas. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town.39 When buying a fuel-efficient vehicle, your choice of transmission will directly affect the cost of the vehicle and its fuel consumption. Generally, a manual transmission is more fuel efficient than an automatic, assuming you shift properly. If you buy an auto- matic, the more gears, the better.40 Yet another way to gain financial benefits is through plantings. Replacing lawns with native shrubs and trees reduces the need for watering, mowing and lawn chemicals.41 Xeriscaping, defined as landscaping that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation, can yield substantial savings.42 The Million Trees Los Angeles initiative researched the benefits of planting a million new trees between 2006 and 2010. Numerical models were used with geographic data and tree size information for coastal and inland climate zones to calculate annual ben- efits and their monetary value. Benefits for the one million-tree planting for the 35-year study period (2006-2040) were between $1.33 billion and $1.95 billion. Average annual benefits were $38 and $56 per tree planted.43 Going green also yields profound health benefits. The nation’s buildings account for 48 percent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions, including the annual energy required to operate residential commercial and industrial buildings along with the embodied energy of building materials such as carpet, tile, glass and concrete.44 By 2010, U.S. buildings will emit 500 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.45 Community volunteers and workers enjoy immediate health benefits when they are in a green building. On the other hand, some traditional buildings can adversely affect employee health. Managers can reduce absenteeism and abate health costs by creating green building workplaces with safe, healthy, comfortable indoor environ- ments. Internal environmental quality determiners such as thermal, lighting (including daylight), ventilation (carbon dioxide rate), and air quality standards are predictors for such extremes as sick-building syndrome, allergies and asthma and short-term sick leave because of respiratory illness.46 A study at Herman-Miller showed up to a seven percent increase in worker productivity following a move to a day-lit facility.47 A study from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that U.S. businesses could save as much as $56 billion through fewer sick days and an additional $234 billion in worker perfor- mance through improvements to indoor air quality.48 Corporations with green buildings improved employee health one to 20 percent,49 which in turn improved productivity. Another interesting fact is the shade from trees can reduce ambient air temperatures by five to eight degrees.50 51 However, trees require significant amounts of water, and deeply shaded forests do not retain as much carbon as previously thought. A single mature tree can absorb as much as 48 pound of carbon dioxide annually and release enough oxygen into the 6  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s atmosphere to support two human beings. It is estimated that between 660 and 990 million tons of carbon is stored in U.S. urban forests nationally.52 However, trees release carbon as they die, so by maintaining a healthy urban forest—prolonging the life of trees and con- tinually increasing tree stock—communities can increase their net carbon storage over the long term. Large healthy trees (trunks greater than 30 inches in diameter) sequester 90 times more carbon annually than small trees (trunks less than 4 inches in diameter).53 Positive evidence abounds. As of 1999 in Atlanta, tree cover saved residents an estimated $15 million in pollution-control devices. In 1996 in Fort Worth, trees removed approximately 29 tons of ozone, 13 tons of sulfur dioxide, 17 tons of nitrogen dioxide, a small amount of carbon monoxide, and 592 tons of airborne particulates. In the Houston area, particulate pol- lution is responsible for an estimated 434 premature deaths each year.54 Massive tree planting programs in Atlanta, Mexico City and Sacramento have reduced ozone accumulation.55 Going green also boosts productivity. The tendency is to think in terms of raising the quota of widgets per hour on an assembly line. Although community associations are not factories, green concepts can yield energy savings while lowering air pollution. A city center using walking and cycling only uses one tenth of the energy of a city with gasoline-powered vehicles.56 A study conducted by the Technical University of Denmark determined that in 83 percent of cases, recycling is the most efficient method to dispose of household waste.57 Visit Pledge to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint online at www.worldoffset.org for more information. In addition to financial and health Material Energy Savings Air Pollution Savings58 benefits, going green offers aesthetic ben- efits. Green looks good, although green Aluminum 95% 95% looks different. Seeing wildlife is appeal- Cardboard 24% — ing. Well-run communities—even in New Glass 5–30% 20% York City—are where suburbia ends. Green is cool. In 2007, Thomas L. Paper 40% 73% Friedman, author and columnist for The Plastics 70% — New York Times, said that a very significant Steel 60% — development was that living and thinking green had become mainstream, that it had become understood as patriotic and right. He said, “I want to rename ‘green.’ I want to rename it geostrategic, geoeconomic, capitalistic and patriotic. I want to do that because I think that living, working, designing, manufacturing and projecting America in a green way can be the basis of a new unifying political movement for the 21st century.”59 Green is, however, a different aesthetic. Instead of maintaining lawns that require significant irrigation and chemicals, allowing them to become forest areas over time will require courage and grit to let nature take its course.60 For a lawn to grow into a meadow can take from two to five years,61 and from a meadow into a forest can be five to 25 years,62 assuming you are not planting it. A community’s pond needs to remain unmowed in a swath at least 10-feet wide around the pond edge to significantly improve water quality;63 64 however, a width of as little as three feet makes a big difference. 65 But, in either case, this is quite a different aesthetic from mowing to the water’s edge. 7  As areas become increasingly urban and suburban, people increasingly seek nature preserves, woodlands, urban forests and green buildings. Urban residents put a premium on neighboring open space.66 Community Call to Action: Helping Community Leaders Be On Target To assist your community, plan and establish a means for residents to realize their greener future. Unless the manager or board of directors understands green concepts and sees the value of them, your initiatives could well be minimized or discounted. The community’s board should first establish its green mission, such as: “We support locally made, organic or earth and human friendly products and practices that reflect our goal as a conservation-friendly, education-oriented community that does green things. For example, it: 1) picks up litter 2) recycles and reuses 3) saves or stores water 4) maintains energy efficient buildings 5) manages land and lakes for environmental preservation, conservation, and the benefit of wildlife 6) makes its membership aware of green products and services available to them 7) uses energy efficient transportation This mission should not be stated unless there is an understanding that the com- munity supports it. To that end, the board may want to add the following proviso: “We support these green goals to the extent that they are embraced by the community’s members.” Such wording would allow future boards the ability to embrace the mission even as they modify it to suit the community for that year. Count on the green community in your location becoming very different over the next five years, since change is the nature of life. Characterize that situation in the mission by allowing for change and growth. Start with a very few things that you know you can tackle, then grow greener over time. It is better for your community to grow from a solid foundation than be a quick-to-rise soufflé. Once you have a board-approved policy in place, the manager must implement the policy. Set up a representative from each community neighborhood, or building or cluster of homes, plus staff department reps to serve as a Green Initiative Leadership Council, or “Green Team.” This accountability group will be responsible for meeting the mission. The Green Team becomes your closest confidante to help put into action the board’s broad mission. Each rep must have excellent communication skills. Each rep would monitor and advise on commu- nity’s interest in the team’s green ideas, and consider tactics to fulfill the board’s mission. Pulling Together a Green Library and Resources Expand your reach beyond the Green Team by providing videos, books, and a website for your community’s members. Provide a virtual tour of your recycling center on your website. Post information on progress in your community newsletter. Print green-inspired materials, including a business or home recycling guide, household hazardous materials guide and variety of flyers about wildlife in your community, when and where they can be seen. 8  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s Post green tips in your community’s newsletter such as an article about how much money drip irrigation saves vs. standard irrigation or one about how much money a non-leaking sink or toilet saves over a leaking one. Use CAI’s website resource, www.caigreen.org. A few grass roots actions will help guarantee continued green success.67 Be sure that the board approves the strategy annually and has the opportunity to modify it. Don’t let the mission ossify. Make one person responsible for driving the board-approved strategy—is that you? That person should make a progress report to the board at least twice and detail new tactics initiated to dovetail into that year’s strategic plan. This person and the Green Team should coordinate the strategy implementation and ensure effective communication throughout organization. Strategies include: Develop indicators and baseline data to measure success. Use a Hot Spot List to target sites and activities. Develop positive relationships with community authorities to further the green cause. Develop positive and productive partnerships with key community businesses (whether they are strictly within your community boundaries or not, neighbors are neighbors). Use the expertise of the community’s current vendors, including waste-management contractors and recycling contractors, who may have programs to offer. Provide a consistent, creative and comprehensive community education program. Help the community celebrate its successes. Any community member can be encouraged to take a number of actions to be greener:68 Here are a few tips. Reduce emissions in your home energy use (get better insulation, plant a tree on the west side of your home, consider green electricity, turn off your computer at night, turn off appliances). Reduce emissions in your transportation energy (buy a hybrid, use light rail, carpool, bicycle, walk). Buy the most energy efficient appliances (called Energy Star™ appliances by EPA) and other products. Be a green consumer (shop from local suppliers, farmers). Live a “carbon neutral” life.69 Reduce, then offset the rest. To find out how, go to www.climatecrisis.net and use the carbon calculator. Make your home or business carbon neutral. Integrate climate solutions into all your innovations (try air drying clothes instead of conventional drying). Invest your money in sustainability companies, funds, places of worship and com- munities that are part of the solution. Become a catalyst of change in your community. Teach others only if you really believe it. Raise awareness by promoting green practices in your community. Become an active participant in your community. Speak up. Help. Contact your elected officials. Make our democracy work. 9  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s Section 2 Green Concepts and Sources You Can Use This section outlines numerous green techniques and innovations that you can implement in your own community. These are: Litter Prevention and Cleanup Recycling: Waste Diversion vs. Waste Disposal Conserving Water, Saving Water, Storing Water, Catching Rainwater Energy-Efficient Building and Housing Development Innovations Energy and Power Innovations Building Materials Innovations Land and Lakes Management Innovations Green Product Availability to Community Members and Staff Energy Efficient Transportation Getting Help from Environmental Professionals Getting Community Recognition Win the Hearts of the Majority Seeing the Face of Your Green Community Litter Prevention and Cleanup As the oldest green activity, litter prevention and cleanup is quick and results are immediate whenever you want to kick-start a green community program.70 71 Keep America Beautiful, a national nonprofit public education organization with 565 certified community affiliates, offers assistance in every state. Its tools for communities include publications such as Role of Recycling in Integrated Waste Management, Close the Loop: Buy Recycled and web-based educational tools such as Clean Sweep USA at www.kab.org. The Texas Department of Transportation initiated a particularly effective roadway pickup program called “Don’t Mess with Texas” in 1986, removing hundreds of tons of trash from Texas roadways.72 While the program cut roadside litter by 52 percent by 2005, the work cost the state $35 million annually. An additional $2 million annually to promote this awareness campaign was offset by $2 million in “Don’t Mess with Texas” annual merchandise sales.73 Your community’s efforts need not involve such an outlay of cash; most community programs are voluntary-only programs that receive some monetary assistance from state and local governments. Americans discard billions of cigarette butts each year, with a large percentage tossed directly into the environment. While cigarette filters look like cotton, they are cellulose acetate, a plastic material that degrades slowly. Consequently, nicotine and other tobacco residue leach into water supplies and turn up in the digestive tracts of birds and fish.74 75 Develop strategies for fighting litter and disposing of cigarette butts. Start by analyzing the role of people who litter and when they do it, which products are involved most 11 often, and the nature of the places where litter accumulates or where it may be trans- ported. Once you gather that information, you can paint a picture of the problems and raise public awareness within your community Through communication, you can build involvement. Creatively coordinate commu- nity partners for a cleaner community. Remember to celebrate the community’s successes, acknowledging what works well, milestones or special achievements. Storm drains are for rain, but litter often ends up in storm water drainage systems as pollution in lakes, streams, rivers and oceans. For a good model for preventing storm-water pollution from discharge of car-care products, dog feces, fertilizers, paints, pesticides and even well-intentioned recycling, visit the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Works website at http://dpw.lacounty.gov/epd/ea/stormwater/tips.cfm. Balloon mass-releases are illegal in several states, including Connecticut, Tennessee and Virginia, because they pose a serious ingestion and entanglement hazard to animals, especially marine animals. In an experiment in North Carolina, balloons floating in seawater deteriorated much slower than those exposed to air only, and even after 12 months of exposure retained their elasticity.76 Among the North Atlantic animal species found with latex balloons in their digestive systems are common dolphin, loggerhead turtle, leatherback turtle and infant sperm whale.77 Other commendable litter cleanup sites are Auntie Litter for Kids, www.auntielitter. org, and the West Virginia Dept of Transportation Litter Help and Adopt a Highway Program, www.wvdot.com/3_roadways/3c1_adopt.htm. Recycling: Waste Diversion vs. Waste Disposal Currently 20 percent of the municipal solid waste in the U.S. is recycled or composted. Nevertheless, every American discards, on average, four pounds of material daily. Clearly, more can be done to divert waste. Produce less waste by means of the three R’s78: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, covered well by the Environmental Protection Agency at www.epa.gov/garbage/reduce.htm, www.epa.gov/garbage/reuse.htm and www.epa.gove/garbage/recycle.htm. Reduce. Reduce the amount and toxicity of trash you discard. Possibilities include pur- chasing durable, long-lasting goods, seeking products and packaging that are as toxin-free as possible and redesigning products to use fewer raw materials in production, last longer or can be used again after their original purpose. The term “source reduction” refers to any change in the design, manufacture, pur- chase, or use of materials or products (including packaging) to reduce their amount or toxicity before they become waste. Source reduction also refers to the reuse of products or materials, again so they do not become waste.79 More than 6,000 communities have instituted EPA’s “pay-as-you-throw” programs, where citizens pay for each can or bag of trash they set out for disposal rather than through the tax base or a flat fee. When these households reduce waste at the source, they dispose of less trash and pay lower trash bills. Currently, Washington state has the largest number of PAYT communities—522.80 The Resource Conservation challenge is EPA’s national effort to conserve natural resources and energy by managing materials more effectively. It allows community 12  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s associations to become partners as a non-governmental organization, and provides assis- tance. For details, visit www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/conserve/guide.htm. WasteWise is a free EPA partnership program that helps organizations such as com- munity associations eliminate costly municipal solid waste, benefitting the bottom line and the environment. This flexible program allows partners to design their own waste reduction programs tailored to their needs. Even small community associations may par- ticipate. The program provides free technical assistance to help develop, implement and measure waste reduction activities. Find out more at www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/ reduce/wstewise/about/index.htm. A fun program that encourages putting “These Come from Trees” stickers on restroom paper towel dispensers is available at http://thesecomefromtrees.com. Reuse. Reuse containers and products, repairing what is broken or giving it to someone who can repair it. Donating an unwanted computer to a charity (rather than setting it out for disposal or recycling its parts) is waste prevention and reuse. So is photocopying on both sides of a sheet of paper. Prudent ways to reuse include using durable coffee mugs, cloth napkins and towels; refilling bottles; donating old magazines and surplus equipment; reusing boxes; turning empty jars into containers for leftover food; purchasing refillable pencils; and participating in a paint collection and reuse program. Perhaps the biggest potential impact may result from reusing grocery bags. Go to www.use-less-stuff.com for more ideas from a private not-for-profit agency that publishes a quarterly newsletter. For locations of reuse stores and other relevant information, visit the website for the Reuse Development Organization, another national nonprofit, at www.redo.org. Reusing an item means that it continues to be a valuable, useful, productive item, and replaces new items that would use more water, energy, timber, petroleum, and other limited natural resources in their manufacture. Businesses can save significant dollars in disposal by reselling or donating items that are no longer needed to reuse stores. Many chemicals and solvents that are no longer useful to one organization can be used in other applications by other organizations. This method of “materials exchange” results in disposal savings by the generating company, and savings in the purchase of the material by the recipient organization. Recycle. Recycle as much as possible, which includes buying products with recycled components. Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. In addition, it generates a host of environmental, financial and social benefits. Materials such as glass, metal, plastics and paper are collected, separated and sent to facilities that can process them into new materials and products. Recycling is one of the best environmental success stories of the late 20th century. Recycling, including composting, diverted 82 million tons of material from landfills and incinerators in 2006, up from 34 million tons in 1990. By 2006, about 8,660 curbside col- lection programs served roughly half of the American population. Curbside programs, 13 along with drop-off and buy-back centers, resulted in a diversion of about 32 percent of the nation’s solid waste in 2005.81 For specific community information on where you can recycle, simply enter your ZIP code at www.earth911.org. A California based landscape architecture firm ably explained the need for paper recycling by creating a seven-minute film that documented the planning and creation of an art exhibit of the shredded paper the firm had generated over a 12-week period. Called “So What?” the film seeks to bring meaning to the term “sustainability,” which the firm stresses has been overused to the point of becoming meaningless.82 For paper recycling information resources, go to the National Association for Information Destruction website at www.naidonline.org. Another good source of information about recycling publications and educational resources is the Solid Waste Association of North America website at www.swana.org. The “Ollie Saves the Planet” CD-ROM for kids is a great educational resource that explores the reduce, recycle, and rethink concept as applied to water, waste, energy, air and biodiversity. Also available is a “Have You Hugged Your Garbageman” t-shirt. The International Solid Waste Association also offers information at www.iswa.org. Fluorescent bulbs require special recycling consideration. While fluorescent bulbs have commanded attention because they are four to five times more efficient than incan- descent bulbs, spent bulbs have no intrinsic value or embodied energy. However, they do contain significant amounts of mercury. Recycling keeps mercury-containing products from contaminating the soil or air (in case of incineration). The National Electrical Manufacturer’s Association provides the website www.lamprecycle.org with EPA regu- lations, instructions on handling broken bulbs, and a state-by-state clickable map with states’ regulations and contacts. In June 2008, Home Depot announced a national Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) Bulb Recycling Initiative.83 At each Home Depot store, customers can bring in any expired, unbroken CFL bulbs and give them to the store associate behind the returns desk for free recycling. The bulbs will then be managed responsibly by an environmental management company that coordinates CFL packaging, transportation and recycling to maximize safety and ensure environmental compliance, according to Home Depot. Most, but not all, IKEA stores offer the same free program. Additionally, www.earth911. com lists local sources for recycling CFLs. Additionally, www.earth911.com offers local sources for recycling batteries. Go to the Recycler’s World (Recycler’s Exchange) at www.recycle.net/battery for a list of companies that want to purchase your specific types of batteries, such as lead acid batteries and nickel content batteries. Still other sites worth checking out are www.batteryrecycling.com and www.call2recycle.org. In some parts of the country, oyster recycling merits consideration. In summer, adult oysters release millions of fertilized eggs. During their development, larvae may travel distances; however, when development is complete, young oysters must attach to a hard substrate such as another oyster shell. If no substrate is available, the young oyster dies. Marine organisms, including oysters, will quickly colonize a mound of oyster shells placed in brackish water with good tidal flow. This mound, called an oyster reef, provides beneficial habitat for oysters, algae, worms, barnacles, crabs minnows and fish. Several 14  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s states, including New Hampshire and North Carolina, have oyster shell recycling pro- grams where people take oysters to a pickup area for recycling.84 Water recycling also is gaining popularity worldwide. As early as 1999, Tokyo was recycling 61 percent of its water for nonpotable reuse.85 (Nonpotable water is defined as water not safe or palatable for human consumption because it contains infective agents or other contaminants.) Recycled water can be used in communities for landscape irrigation, application of landscape chemicals, cooling towers and dust suppression at construction sites. Using the same water for more than one purpose conserves water and energy other- wise required to pump and treat that water. For example, the Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority in Albuquerque uses treated wastewater to irrigate the University New Mexico sports complex, golf courses, the Balloon Fiesta Park, soccer fields, Journal Center and other sites.86 Citing economic and environmental benefits, the City of San Diego reports that a full supply of recycled water is available even during a drought and generally is not restricted for outdoor use during normal supply conditions or droughts.87 It offered a rate of 80 cents per hundred cubic feet (748 gallons), compared to $2.52 per hundred cubic feet for potable water, as of July 1, 2007.88 While nonpotable water rates are attractive for community associations, the cost to retrofit a current potable-water landscape irrigation system can be expensive. Carefully weigh advantages, such as lower water rate per gallon, against disadvantages before deciding to make a switch. Essentially, the entire system would require rebuilding because EPA and most state regulations require heavier gauge equipment for nonpotable water. All heads, valves and meters would need to be replaced at a cost of 10 to 20 percent more than regular potable irrigation parts. Regulations aside, a tougher grade is called for to handle the odd pH of gray water, which can sometimes have such a low pH as to be mildly corrosive. For that reason, new heavier pipe is also needed (10 to 20 percent more expensive). Demolishing an old potable system can be so pricey that it is often more cost effective to leave the prior system in the ground while installing the new one. Another cost to be considered is the dedicated gray water line coming from the utility company. Lastly, community association leaders should consider the engineering costs to determine size pipe needed from the utility. Bear in mind that most plants, particularly turf, are pH sensitive. Unless the state regulates water quality—including pH—from gray water (or reused effluent), switching over could harm or kill grass and other expensive plantings. In addition, the EPA and most states regulate when such water can be used and how. For example, water in some states may not be used in a densely populated site where it could be sprayed on passersby or could flow over land or pavement into the existing storm water system. At some private large-scale associations with their own utility companies, pH- controlled gray water is limited to golf courses and unavailable for the association’s use. Check with your utility about demand and availability. 15  Purchasing a water-filtration device is another way to access smaller amounts of nonpotable water. For example, water used to wash company vehicles may be captured and reused in chemical spray tanks for land management. The water containing oils, pollutants and pesticides—any carbon based compounds—goes into a tank that uses bio-organisms to consume them, break them down and excrete waste made of carbon dioxide and water. The resulting “clean” water, while not potable, is reusable and can even be captured on a special wash rack to be recycled for yet another use. Ongoing costs include purchasing monthly supplies of bio-organisms. For details on wash-water treatment systems visit the Water Maze website at www.wmaze.com.89 If your community features ponds or lakes stocked with fish, you need to be aware that discarded monofilament fishing line can entangle, injure and kill marine birds and wildlife. Several states, in conjunction with the BoatUS Foundation and the BoatUS Angler Program, collect and recycle fishing lines. Some even collect lead weights. The nonprofit Berkley Conservation Institute has recycled more than seven million miles of monofilament fishing line since the 1990s. To request recycle collection bins and a poster, contact Berkley Conservation at www.berkley-fishing.com/about_conservation. php#ref_2822. In addition, BoatUS Foundation offers bins for recycling at www.boatus. com/foundation/Monofilament/. Whether or not you are a running enthusiast, Nike hosts a “Reuse a Shoe Program,” grinding up old shoes and turning them into athletic flooring. It takes 2,500 pairs of shoes to make a full-size basketball court. The website at www.letmeplay.com/reuseashoe/ includes drop-off locations. If you choose to resell or trade sports equipment, go to www.playitagainsports.com. Compost (high-quality soil made from yard trimmings and food residuals) is known to make gardeners wax eloquent. For some, however, the whole process has become tire- some, particularly those loving, rambling descriptions from well-intentioned herbivores about how they create compost. Nevertheless, a reliable, no-nonsense website is the EPA’s www.epa.gov/compost/, which contains FAQs and relevant publications. If your association participates in a composting program or advocates the practice among members, insist that feces is never included in the mix. It spreads infection to plants and, subsequently, animals. Although compostable bio-plastics can be sent to your home compost bin or pile, not all materials are made from corn, switch grass or grain. The American Society for Testing and Materials has created two specifications approved by EPA to identify bio- degradable plastics—ASTM D6400, the standard specification for compostable plastics, and ASTM D6868, the specification for biodegradable plastics used as coatings for paper and other compostable substrates.90 Apartment dwellers can create compost below the kitchen sink, using a bucket with earthworms and veggie scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, bread and dryer lint, creating potting soil for their houseplants.91 92 There is some truth to the adage that if a plant is languishing in your garden, throw it on the compost pile where it will grow, bloom and flourish without your tending it. If you want to transport your compostable materials elsewhere, a municipal composter location in your region can be found at www.findacomposter.com. 16  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s A good source for all other recycling is www.recycle.net, established to provide a forum to promote the trade of scrap and waste materials. The website’s recycling cat- egories for buy, sell or trade include automotive parts, computer and electronics, scrap iron, exotic metals, precious metals, minerals, paper, liquid oils and chemicals, tires and rubber, and wooden pallets. Be careful when either throwing away or recycling techno trash such as cell phones, computers, TVs, computer monitors, iPods, MP3 players, digital cameras and PDAs. When China recently outlawed the import of electronic and computer scrap, waste experts say that the clampdown has driven tons of e-waste elsewhere to Malaysia, Ghana and other third world countries. The resulting supersite dumps are creating huge stock- piles of dead machines containing lead, PVCs, barium, chromium, mercury, beryllium and cadmium—all carcinogens. Third-world entrepreneurs working there in unsound salvage operations dismantle these broken devices by hand to extract the metals, which are then sold. This is dangerous to their health and deadly for the world’s environment.93 For information on reputable charities and recyclers, go to www.epa.gov/recycling. As an example, the national Cristina Foundation, www.cristina.org, connects computer donors with the needy. To donate your used cell phone to someone in a developing country, visit www. collectivegood.com or for other options go to www.recyclewirelessphones.com. To reprogram your phone to dial 911 and give it to domestic violence victims, go to www. donateaphone.com. To recycle single line phones, www.reclamere.com. Goodwill, www.goodwill.org, accepts working appliances, and you can also recycle at the Steel Recycling Institute, www.recycle-steel.org.94 Before tossing cardboard boxes, contact the local shelter to ask if they can use them. Offer them at www.freecycle.org. If your workplace collects at least 100 boxes a month, www.usedcardboardboxes.com accepts them for resale. If you have scratched CDs, DVDs and Game Disks, consider sending them to Auraltech, www.auraltech.com, for refinishing. Swap exercise videos for others at www. videofitness.com. Donate wearable women’s business clothing at www.dressforsuccess.org. Offer unwearable clothes and towels to the local animal boarding shelter. Clothes swaps often occur at faith congregations and community centers. Your local Lion’s Club may collect used eyeglasses. Drop-off boxes are often found at local merchants. Lenses are reground and given to people in need. Your local pack-and-ship store will likely accept foam peanuts for reuse. The Peanut Hotline at www.loosefillpackaging.com is a national reuse program for plastic packing peanuts. For information on recycling foam blocks, go to www.epspackaging. org/info.html. Spent ink-toner cartridges are valuable. Trade them in for discounts or refill them at retail stores. Collecting used ones for recycling can even be a fundraiser for groups.95 Currently, www.recycleplace.com pays $1 each. Recycling information for used motor oil for each state is available: www.recycleoil.org. Buy a toothbrush, razor or other product from preserve®, www.recycline.com, and this company will take it back to be recycled again into plastic lumber. 17 Conserving Water, Saving Water, Storing Water, Catching Rainwater The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is a national nonprofit organization providing knowledge and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of water in North America. AWWA offers resources for community leaders regarding conserving water at www.awwa.org. Check out AWWA’s WaterWiser, the water efficiency clearinghouse, at www.awwa.org/Resources/content.cfm?ItemNumber=29269&navItemNumber=1561. Denver has a good “Use Only What You Need” campaign at www.useonlywhaty- ouneed.org/. Download the Rocky Mountain Institute’s excellent pamphlet, Water Efficiency for Your Home, at www.rmi.org/images/PDFs/Water/W95-36_WaterEff4Home. pdf. Also in Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Institute offers the North Central Arizona Water Demand Study, which includes programs that could be modified to community use such as: Constructing wetlands to put wastewater from Kachina Village to use providing wildlife habitat and an aesthetic/recreational amenity. Disinfecting wastewater with ultraviolet light in the South Grand Canyon Sanitary District treatment plant Reusing wastewater as sprinkler irrigation (and overspray to cut down on dust) at the Northern Arizona University track and field complex. Using an ultralow-flow, electronically activated faucet at the Grand Canyon National Park Canyon View Information Plaza. To review the findings, visit https://www.rmi.org/images/PDFs/Water/W02_ AZWaterDemandStudy.pdf. Controlling water consumption in buildings can yield considerable savings in a com- munity.96 If a 600-unit townhome community currently paying a sewer rate of $2.75 per 1,000 gallons of water reduced its consumption by 10 gallons per unit per day, the savings would amount to $6,000 per year. You can make a similar analysis of your own community’s water assumption. Start by checking the historic record at a glance and preparing a spreadsheet analysis. Review water bills to find out how much water each metered account used over the past three years. Using an Excel spreadsheet (or columnar accountant’s pad), list each meter on the left of the page. Across the top, establish the billing period. Write all the accounting data in the appropriate column. Total each column. Determine the gallons consumed per metered account per day. Divide this by the total number of units served by each metered account to determine an average number of gallons used per day per unit. To see how your community stacks up, consider that in 1993 average consumption of 125 to 150 gallons per unit per day was the norm. The average American uses 45 to 75 gallons per day, according to the AWWA. Survey your members. Find out if they are aware of any leaking. The survey can include a politely worded letter indicating that water/sewer rates have increased a cer- tain percentage and that the survey is the beginning of an effort to keep assessments down with water consumption methods, while still providing ample water to each unit. Repair leaky faucets and toilets without cost to the respondent. Schedule plumbers’ visits to install conservation devices such as water saving showerheads and toilet flushers. 18  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s You may be able to save even more water by performing a water use slippage test. Monitor a water meter at 3 a.m., when normal usage is barely at a minimum, and record the consumption. If the rate is abnormally high during this time, there is a problem unrelated to regular usage. By following a few water-conservation practices in common areas, association man- agers and board members can make a big difference. For example, use drought-tolerant plants. A 2005 study found that property owners who removed grass and replaced it with water-efficient xeriscape on average saved 55 gallons of water per square foot per year by converting grass to a water smart landscape. That amounts to a savings of 75.4 percent over traditional landscaping. Even a densely-planted xeriscape saves enormous volumes of water.97 To find the most drought tolerant species, use types of plants growing in the woods and meadows nearby. However, leave those plants in the wild and find your own at the native plants garden center.98 If you must water plants, do it in the morning hours when there is less wind or evapora- tion. Also, keep water close to the ground so it is less prone to evaporation or wind loss. Check your watering system once a month and make adjustments. Install rain gauges on irrigation systems to stop irrigation after a certain amount of rainfall and soil moisture meters to cancel planned irrigation if garden soil is moist enough. Send all gray water from your washing machine (25 to 35 gallons per load for top-load- ing machines) directly to water landscaping. The detergent you add will not harm plants. Install drip irrigation only (no spray heads) and remove certain turf (mowed lawn) areas. If you are brave enough, remove all landscaping and turf areas and their irriga- tion systems. Allow wild grasses and plants to grow into a future forest. Assume that during dry periods, the area will brown out nicely then return to green when precipi- tation returns. Moving now to the bathroom, you can economize and protect the environment by installing water-saving toilet-tank valves to replace old valves99 Even toilets in good repair account for up to 30 percent of indoor water use.100 Toilets made before 1992 do not meet a water-efficient design standard of 1.6 gallons per flush maximum. Placing a water bottle full of sand or water in these toilet tanks reduces the amount of water flushed with each use. Do not use bricks for this because they can break down and cause problems in the toilet system. Urinals before 1992 do not meet water efficient design standard of a gallon per flush maximum. Ultra low-flow valves are 0.5 gallons per flush. In addition, replace valve stems, seats and washers on leaky faucets. And install water- saving shower heads designed to flow at 2.5 gallons per minute or less. This can make a noticeable difference because bathing accounts for 32 percent of residential water use. Install timers on showers in swimming pool bathhouses. Realize even more savings by installing flow restrictors to limit lavatory faucet flow to one gallon per minute. To save on labor costs, schedule routine checks and repairs on bathroom and kitchen fixtures during the same visit. In the boiler room, monitor and maintain boiler water systems monthly to prevent scale and corrosion and optimize condensate reuse. Check for pinhole leaks on central 19 system convector coils. And assure boilers are using in-system condensate for make-up water rather than calling for fresh unheated water. At the cooling tower, install a controller to regulate blow-down flow based on con- ductivity and a water meter on the make-up flow line. Swimming pools provide many opportunities for water conservation. Cover pools when not in use to prevent evaporation. The water levels should not be too high since water splashes easily over the edges. Watch for surface cracks in pools and fill any you find quickly because they can result in water leaks. Consider reusing wading pool water for plants irrigation. Enlist members in your water-saving efforts. Use your newsletter and other commu- nications tool to provide them with water-saving tips such as:101 Keep drinking water in the refrigerator. This will reduce the amount of water that is generally wasted when waiting for the cold water to reach the faucet. It will also improve the taste by allowing chlorine and sulfur smelling molecules to evaporate. Know where the water shutoff valves are for your home. Accidents happen, and when they happen to pipes or water heaters, it is best to know how to shut the water off rather than dealing with a flood and a high water bill later. Turn the faucet off when brushing teeth or shaving. Limit shower time to five minutes, which uses the same amount of water as a bath. Turn off the water when not rinsing in the shower. When cleaning out your fishbowl, use the dirty water to water plants around the house. Not only will you conserve water, but you will also fertilize the plants with nitrogen and phosphorus in the process. Rinse dishes in standing water at the kitchen sink rather than running the faucet. Check toilets for leaks. Simply place food coloring or a dye tablet in the toilet tank and wait 10 to 20 minutes without flushing. Dye seeping into the toilet bowl indicates a leak, most likely from the flapper. A leaky toilet flapper can waste from 30 to 300 gallons of water per day. For advice on fixing leaky toilets, visit www.h2ouse.org. Sweep driveways and sidewalks rather than spraying them with water. Check for leaky outdoor hoses and faucets. To find out how much water is being wasted, visit the Water Wise Drip Calculator at www.awwa.org/advocacy/learn/ conserve/dripcalc.cfm. Don’t run the hose when washing the car. Instead, try using a bucket of soapy water. Use the hose only to rinse. Cover private pools and hot tubs when not in use to prevent evaporation. Drain outside spigots to prevent freezing in the winter, which could lead to burst pipes. Replace your old clothes washer, the second largest water user in your home. Energy Star™ rated washers that also have a “water factor” at or lower than 9.5, use 35 to 50 percent less water and 50 percent less energy per load. Drought conditions accentuate the need for water conservation. In anticipation of that situation, develop a community drought-contingency plan for water management. Work with your local utility and higher education institution to identify and implement modifications to achieve additional specified reductions in water consumption. 20  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s Community associations can learn a great deal about proper water consumption practices from the hospitality industry. For 15 years, the “Green” Hotels Association, www.greenhotels.com, has been committed to encouraging promoting and supporting ecological practices in the hospitality industry. That association and the 2007 National Eco Tourism Conference in Kenya recommend the following simple measures: Perform a water audit to identify major consumers. Meter different sections of the hotel or resort. Install flow meters in water consuming sections kitchens and laundry. Install water saving measures, including energy efficient shower heads and toilets. Toilet tank fill diverters can save ¾ gallon of water per flush. Direct rainwater downspouts to collection tanks for landscape irrigation; harvest rooftop water if your state and locality will allow it. If the local health department will allow, laundry drains and other gray water can water landscaping. For hoses for landscape irrigation, fit them with hand triggers to automatically switch off when not in use. Encourage guests to reuse their towels to conserve laundry water. Benchmark for continual improvement. Seek cooperation of the housekeeping and kitchen staff. Explain your interest and ask them to exercise common sense. Overcome middle level inertia. Stress that you are seeking easy-to-implement and cost-effective measures. Regular loss assessments for the resort should include water overflows, leakages and spillages. Establish a preventive maintenance program. Consider substituting toxic or hazardous materials with green products that will take less rinsing. Like hotels and resorts, community associations should consider collecting rainwater, a practice used for the last 4,000 years.102 It makes a good option for providing a cen- tralized water supply system in areas lacking fresh surface water or groundwater. In the Negev Desert, human habitation and cultivation occurs solely with collected rainwater, as little as four inches of rain annually.103 As a comparison, west Texas receives eight to 10 inches per year; Arizona, seven to 11 inches per year.104 105 A good manual on rainwater harvesting is provided by the Texas Water Development Board at www.twdb.state.tx.us/ iwt/Rainwater.asp. You will find a short, interesting rainwater-collection video from New Delhi at www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWnhYIIKY0U. Permaculture106 consultant Brad Lancaster harvests over 100,000 gallons of rainwater a year on his 1/8 acre urban lot in the Sonoran Desert.107 Every inch of rainfall on an acre produces 27,000 gallons of water, according to him. He recommends the following methods: Harvest using the existing soil in your yard as a tank. Make a bowl-like shape and the plant becomes the living pump, allowing peaches to grow in the desert. Harvest rainwater from a roof into a tank. Harvest the water coming from household shower, bathtub, sink and the washing machine. Lancaster says 30 to 50 percent of potable drinking water consumed by single family home is used for landscape use, so it is better to use gray water for that function. 21  Currently, the state of Arizona offers a tax rebate of up to $300 for installing rainwater harvesting and gray-water harvesting. Other states have similar programs; refer to your state website for more information. The Civano Association in Arizona encourages residents to collect rainwater from roofs and shows them how to build above ground collectors for later use and lists local contractors who provide this service. For details, visit www.civanoneighbors.com/docs/ presentations/23July2006_RainWaterHarvesting_Civano.pdf. People who make a personal effort to collect and use rain are less likely to waste water or tolerate public policies that allow waste by others, such as inefficient irrigation tech- niques or inappropriate residential landscaping. When people are maintaining gutters and cisterns to ensure they can flush their toilets or grow their gardens, they are more likely to appreciate the importance and scarcity of the resource. Energy-Efficient Building and Housing A good place to start in improving energy efficiency in buildings is purchasing energy- saving devices, particularly light bulbs and fixtures. Although shipments of incandescent lamps have declined steadily since 2004, dropping 18.6 percent in 2007 alone, compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) shipments grew by 33 percent, compared to the same period last year. CFL shipments have expanded by a magnitude of five since 2004.108 Find out more at Changing One Billion Light Bulbs, www.onebillionbulbs.com/. As of August 2008, CFLs are 24.7% of the whole light bulb market, according to The National Electrical Manufacturers Association, www.nema.org. Why switch? CFLs use less energy, have a longer lamp life, and produce less heat. The savings from five bulbs could amount to about $100 per year. Insist on Energy Star appliances when replacing clothes washers, dehumidifiers, dish- washers, refrigerators, air conditioners and more. For a list of appliances and sources, go to the EPA website at www.energystar.gov/. A number of small steps can help maintain your community’s existing buildings and reduce emissions from them.109 110 First, check that the building equipment is functioning as designed. Regularly inspect all equipment and controls, including a double check of energy management system programming. Consider your building’s cleaning options. Your janitors could go through the building as a team, floor by floor, turning off the lighting as they go. Better yet, have them clean in the day when there is light anyway. Or install occupancy sensors to automatically turn off lights when a floor is vacant. Tell your staff about your commitment to energy savings. Use the community news- letter to keep members and staff informed about your energy savings goals and how they can help and benefit. Harvest daylight. Locate workstations adjacent to windows. Then use DaySwitch™ on light switches. The photo sensor measures daylight levels and sends a signal to a microcon- troller that switches lights on and off.111 Payback period is approximately three years. For large windows in direct sunlight, install UV protection window film. Caulk and weatherstrip windows and exterior doors.112 In addition to the Energy Star appliances mentioned earlier, install Energy Star rated windows and doors. During off hours, make sure to power down everything, including copiers, kitchen 22  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s equipment and task lights. Ask cleaning and security personnel to turn off miscellaneous items such as coffee pots, kitchen equipment and individual office lights. Have staff activate power management features on their computers and monitors. Unplug laptops and turn off equipment. In commercial kitchens, use microwaves, where you can, instead of ovens. The reduction in carbon-dioxide emissions would be about a pound per meal. Replace inefficient exit signs with high-efficiency light emitting diode (LED) exit signs. These operate around the clock and have lower maintenance costs due to their extended life.113 Close window blinds and curtains on summer days. In winter, close curtains at night to capture passive solar heat. This simple act can save 25 to 75 percent on heating and cooling bills and dramatically reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Similarly, you can make noticeable changes in your power bill while curtailing emissions by adjusting thermostats down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in summer. For maximum energy efficiency, install programmable thermostats, which cost as little as $35 and can save $150 annually. By setting water heaters at 120 degrees, you can reduce emissions 1,200 pounds per year for electric and 880 pounds per year for natural gas. Likewise, low-flow shower- heads in community buildings can reduce emissions 1,800 pounds per year for electric and 430 pounds per year for natural gas. Fix leaks. A leak of one drip per second can cost $1 per month.114 For more water saving tips, see the water savings section. Recycle newspapers, beverage cans and office paper. Carbon dioxide emission reductions could amount to 1,300 pounds per year. And use recycled paper (100 percent post con- sumer) to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by six pounds per ream. Adjust ventilation. Reduce exhaust and outdoor air ventilation rates within codes. Take a look at the fans and adjust ventilation in unoccupied and low-density areas to reduce the ventilation to a practical limit. By using a laptop rather than a desktop computer, you can reduce energy consumption by a surprising 80 percent. You will also cut carbon dioxide emissions by 400 pounds annually. Use lithium-ion batteries instead of AA or AAA batteries to power small elec- tronics, and you can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 450 pounds per year. Removing carpeting and installing other flooring yields carbon-dioxide emission reductions of 4,000 pounds for every 800 square feet. Add more insulation in attic spaces, but make sure that insulation does not cover soffit vents, which would restrict attic ventilation. Without ventilation, attic space can become wet, making insulation ineffective and damaging the home.115 Insulate any knee walls, which are vertical walls with attic airspace behind them. Insulate around water heaters unless the manual specifies otherwise. Optimal water heater temperature should be 120 degrees. Consider using a solar water heater.116 The American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers offers a 105-page document about green-sustainability practices in buildings, including theaters, health facilities, athletic or recreational facilities and even dedicated outdoor air systems. You may download this resource at www.engineeringforsustainability.org/ docs/greentips_2006.pdf. 23  A 2008 study indicates that LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification or the Energy Star label buildings outperform their non-green counterparts in occupancy, rental rates and sale prices.117 The LEED Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. As a manager or community leader, you can hire a professional energy auditor to determine ways to reduce your buildings’ energy con- sumption. For more informatin, go to the Department of Energy’s consumer’s website at www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11180. In your efforts to go green, consider looking to your roofs for significant energy sav- ings. A green roof replaces traditional roofing with a lightweight, living system of soil, compost and plants. It creates a thin, green skin atop a building that filters rainwater and some of its pollutants. The plants produce oxygen, which helps clean the air. A green roof reduces a building’s heating and cooling costs, acting as a form of insulation. And the plants lessen the heat island effect, where buildings warm up so much that they heat the surroundings.118 Most flat roofs in the U.S. can support 15 to 25 pounds per square foot. This means that they can support soil three to four inches deep. Conventional roofing is $5 to $10 per square foot. A green roof will cost $10 to $25 per square foot, but the cost is made up in savings in energy use and lower maintenance. And experience with green roofs in Germany shows that they can have a useful life of 40 to 50 years compared to conventional roofs’ 12 to 20 years. Other resources for Green Buildings include: Florida Green Building Coalition, www.floridagreenbuilding.org/db/ Architects for Social Responsibility, www.adpsr.org American Planning Association, www.planning.org Building Concerns, www.interiorconcerns.org Energy Efficient Building Association, www.eeba.org Global Environment Options, www.globalenvironmentaloptions.org Pacific Northwest Prevention Resource Center, www.pprc.org Smart Growth Network lists programs and resources by state, www.smartgrowth.org U.S. Green Building Council, www.usgbc.org Urban Land Institute, www.uli.org Development Innovations The “Smart Growth” development concept is making a difference all over the world. Proponents advocate compact, transit oriented, walkable and bicycle-friendly communities. New Pattonsburg, Mo. (population 400) was relocated after three devastating floods in 1993. With the help of the U.S. Department of Energy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the town was rebuilt to include a pedestrian-friendly downtown, a storm water management system consisting of constructed wetlands, sustainable town policies (for solar access, energy efficiency and a best-building orientation), a biogas generation plant for the area’s electricity that runs from hog manure, and schools that are monolithic domes.119 Read more on the website for National Center for Appropriate Technology at www.freshstart. ncat.org/case/dpnewpat.htm. 24  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s The micro-compact home was exhibited by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City from July 20 through October 20, 2008. It featured one prefabricated “modern dwelling,” which was an eight-foot, six-inch cube, copyrighted by architect Richard Horden of Horden Cherry Lee, London120 and Haack Hopfner of Munich. Fabricated in Austria, the home is available in several finishes and fabrics. It is built for two people and includes functional spaces for sleeping, working, dining, cooking and hygiene. You can find out more at www.microcompacthome.com. Energy and Power Innovations Be sure to verify with your community’s architectural review committee or board that alternative energy sources are approved before you make a commitment to purchase and install them. Geothermal heating and cooling. Temperatures four to six feet below the earth’s surface remain relatively moderate and constant all year. A geothermal system circulates a water-based solution through a buried loop system to take advantage of these constant temperatures. A single unit can heat and cool your home and provide hot water as well. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the average heat pump would costs $2,500 per ton of capacity. Old systems were open loop, meaning that they took water from underground aquifers and discharged the used water above ground. In most new systems, the water solution flows in a closed loop going from below ground into the home and then returns to below ground in a continuous loop. There is no discharge of hot water into the environment. Three good sources for additional information are www.energyguide.com, www.geo- comfort.com, and www.eere.energy.com. Wind turbines. A wind turbine collects kinetic energy form the wind and converts it to electricity that is compatible with a home’s electrical system. Compatible with community use, they are usually used in conjunction with a local utility or as a stand alone unit. According to the American Wind Energy Association, a wind turbine can lower an electricity bill by 50 to 90 percent. Wind turbine owners often enjoy total electric homes with monthly utility bills of only $8 to $15 for nine months of the year. Small turbine costs anywhere from $6,000 to $22,000 installed, depending on size application and service agreement. Some states provide tax incentives and rebates. Learn more at www.awea.org. Solar power. When sunlight hits solar cells (also called photovoltaics), electrons are released. The electrons then flow onto wires, forming direct current (DC), the same kind of current that flows from a regular battery. A four-inch silicon cell can produce about a watt of DC electricity, according to the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. Solar power works as a stand alone system or in conjunction with a local utility. The amount of power produced depends on the size of the system. In regions that enjoy a lot of sunlight, a solar system might deliver all the electricity needed, but the cost to implement a 100 percent system may be prohibitive. Still, a feasible system may produce 25 to 50 percent of energy needs. A two-kilowatt system may cost between $16,000 and $30,000, while a 5-kilowatt system may be installed for $35,000. Some states offer rebates and incentives. For more information, go to www.nesea.org or www.amesolar.com. 25  Fuel Cells. A fuel cell converts hydrogen and oxygen into electricity. Fuel cells resemble batteries in their design, yet they do not run down or need recharging. Fuel cells are used at hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, office buildings schools and utility power plants. They are either connected to the electric grid or installed as a grid-inde- pendent generator. Currently there are no residential applications. In large-scale building systems, fuel cell cogeneration systems can reduce facility energy service costs by 20 to 40 percent over conventional energy service and increase efficiency by 85 percent. These systems, not readily available commercially, are most often engineered solely for the building they service. There are fuel cell applications for computers, cell phones and laptops, largely because one charge would last far longer than conventional nickel or lithium-ion batteries. For more information, visit Fuel Cells 2000 at www.fuelcells.org. The U.S. Department of Energy also offers plenty of information on energy effi- ciency and renewable energy at www.eere.energy.gov. Still another source for building materials innovation is www.energy.ca.gov/. There you will learn how the California Energy Commission is working to license power plants; ensure homes, buildings and appliances are energy efficient; make the most of indigenous renewable energy resources such as solar, wind, biomass and geothermal; analyze transportation energy demand and support alternatives to conventional fuels; assist new energy technologies with research and development and help them enter the marketplace; and direct the state’s response to energy emergencies. Building Materials Innovations Returning to the use of clotheslines may not seem innovative at first, but rethinking the way you do things and realizing the old ways may make sense environmentally requires an open mind. Similarly, if you rethink your floor coverings, you may realize that tile may be preferable to carpet, which may suffer from formaldehyde breakdown contamination through use. As simple a step as adding UV protection film on windows can enhance a room’s energy efficiency and protect furnishings from fading in the sun. Another exciting building materials innovation is the tankless water heater. Traditional water heaters heat anywhere from 40 to 80 gallons of water at a consistent 120 degrees around the clock, but tankless heaters warm the water only when you need it. As long as a faucet shower or hot water appliance is operating, the tankless continues to run (until the water is turned off). Tankless costs more, but the U.S. Department of Energy estimates projected energy savings of around 50 percent. These compact units are the size of a medicine cabinet and can go on the wall, in a closet or outside a home. If green roofing is impractical for your community, Energy Star qualifies roof prod- ucts, typically metal roofs or shingles, with a special coating that reflect more of the sun’s rays, which in turn can lower the roof’s temperature by up to 100 degrees. This decreases the amount of heat transferred into a home, reducing the need for air-conditioning. For more information, visit www.energystar.gov. The National Institute of Standards and Technology designs software supporting decisions for green building products and design. For details, visit www.bfrl.nist.gov/ oae/publications/proceedings/cib.pdf. 26  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s Land and Lakes Management Innovations Many communities have set up separate nonprofit corporations to preserve or conserve land in their communities. Like them, you can emphasize native plants, removing inva- sive non-natives such as kudzu and Chinese tallow tree, which can choke out indigenous plants. Some community associations are removing turf and plant beds entirely and returning portions of their common areas to forest, prairie grass land or wild dunes Still another step being taken by some community associations is the removal of their chemical budgets for pond maintenance to curtail plants and algae and instead depending on natural organisms. In some cases, communities are setting aside areas for wildlife habitat. Community association professionals often are entrusted with the stewardship of large tracts of maintained and natural open space. Two areas that come to the forefront are golf courses and equestrian facilities such as pastures and polo fields. Other areas that receive less attention but have major impacts are parks, forestland and lakes. Associations have turf care operations that maintain common areas and individual private lawns for owners. Right-of-way maintenance can also have significant impacts in many communities. Each of these areas bring unique opportunities for green solutions. Improved management practices and technologies continually evolve to address the increased focus on proper stewardship in environmental issues. Investing in continuing education for the key players in community operations is vital to keep the community abreast of these issues and the scalable solutions that can be implemented by both the community and individuals. Golf course superintendents and directors of community maintenance, public works, utilities, and grounds are primary staff members that should be fully aware of the issues and goals in this area. The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and its Environ- mental Institute for Golf are a major resource in both researching environmental issues and providing quality continuing education for all types of turf management. The GCSAA has identified five focus areas for addressing environmental issues: Water Management (Conservation and Quality); Plant Management; Wildlife and Habitat Management; Energy and Waste Management; and Site Selection, Design and Construction. Audubon International, another leader in the promotion of green environmental management, offers programs that are specific to golf courses but also address sustain- able private communities. Certification programs for courses and communities provide the opportunity for extensive planning and review to develop best management prac- tices. In these, the development of a Natural Resource Management Plan addressing the five aforementioned issues is a key focus. Maintaining acres of turf to the quality required by community associations can be a water-intensive operation. Many older communities and golf facilities may have irrigation systems with outmoded technology that may not reach the conservation goals for envi- ronmentally sensitive operations. Some of the areas identified as opportunities include: Use of reclaimed and effluent water Sophisticated weather instruments Drought and salt-resistant grasses Water quality monitoring innovations Storm water management 27  The management of appropriate turf and plant species in a high-quality manner entails numerous environmental focus areas such as chemical usage reduction and organic pest and insect management. The Bio-Integral Resource Center (integrated pest management), www.birc.org/, provides resources and information about the latest research and practice of integrated plant management. The normal 18-hole golf course consists of 100 acres of intensely managed turf and 50 acres of scenic buffer. This diverse habitat typically contains wetlands, grasslands, streams, ponds, and various types of forest. Management practices to benefit wildlife involve strategic brush placement, food and water sources, nesting structures and native plantings (berries, seeds, nuts). Proven strategies include the creation of vegetation corridors linking isolated habitat patches, the avoidance of applying fertilizers and chemicals on paved surfaces, and veg- etation buffer strips on streams and ponds to reduce run-off of sediment and chemicals. As with most community operations, appropriate energy usage, waste reduction and reuse has a significant place in green management practices at golf courses. Focus areas include environmentally-friendly products, “green purchasing” practices, waste manage- ment, recycling, composting, alternative fuels and electric carts. Much of a community’s amenity infrastructure requires periodic renovation and replacement. This is particularly true of golf course amenities, and always affords the community association professional an opportunity for positive environmental impacts. In considering any infrastructure renovation, employing the latest techniques in site selection design and construction techniques can significantly reduce the environmental impact of a facility. These projects should consider many elements in the planning process. Major considerations include the relocation of key elements to reduce impact, use of natu- ral storm water filtration techniques instead of traditional surge basins, reduction of imper- vious surfaces, reduction of maintained turf acreage, and turf and materials selection. While much of the research in this area has been developed for the golf industry, these resources are applicable throughout the scope of natural elements under the stew- ardship of community associations. Green operations are not simply for the large acre- age tracts. Maximum benefit results when the practices are carried into all residential, commercial and common areas. The responsibility for good stewardship is not reduced simply because many land- scape maintenance services are contracted with outside vendors. When developing bid specifications for these services, many of these elements can be incorporated. Quality turf and landscape maintenance contractors are aware of the changing trends in manage- ment practices. Helpful resources include: Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, www.gcsaa.org/ The Environmental Institute for Golf, www.eifg.org/ USDA Insect and Pest Management Information Center, www.ipmcenters.org EPA Environmental Stewardship, www.epa.gov/stewardship/ Audubon International, www.auduboninternational.org/ 28  g r e e n c o m m u n i t i e s Green Product Availability to Community Members and Staff A growing number of communities are supporting sustainable agriculture, which refers to the ability of a farm to produce food indefinitely without causing severe or irreversible damage to ecosystem health. Two key issues are biophysical (the long-term effects of various practices on soil properties and processes essential for crop productivity) and socio-economic (the long-term ability of farmers to obtain inputs and manage resources such as labor). Going hand-in-hand with sustainable agriculture is the concept of buying local. The goal is simply to buy food (or any good or service) produced, grown, or raised as close to your home as possible. With industrialization, food is now grown and processed in fewer and fewer locations, meaning it has to travel further to reach the average consumer’s refrigerator. Although this method of production is considered efficient and economi- cally profitable for large agribusiness corporations, opponents characterize it as harmful to the environment, consumers and rural communities. Consider selling locally made gifts and products clearly marked as earth-friendly to show your community’s commitment to going green. Ask members and staff to share their ideas. For an abundance of information to share with members and staff concerning green community living, go to www.earth911.com. Energy Efficient Transportation Three times in the past three decades, oil-dependent economies have been hindered by dramatic oil price increases—in the mid 1970s, the early 80s and since 2006. Alexander Iler, Assistant Director General for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, indicates that the gradual move away from petroleum will continue: “Over the next 15 to 20 years, we may see biofuels providing a full 25 percent of the world’s energy needs.”121 Biodiesel (waste vegetable oil and animal fats). Feeling the pain of higher fuel costs, some residents are making their own biodiesel from waste vegetable oil. At a cost of about $1.50 per gallon, biodiesel can be made from waste oil pickup at a local restaurant, mixing chemicals with the oil, and then filtering out the fuel from the residual products (glycerin and goo). Drawbacks to this production are that: 1) the member will need the approximate size of a car-parking space that is covered for machinery to make the conversion, 2) the machinery looks like a liquor still so would not be ARB compatible in most instances unless screened, and 3) the work is a three-day, labor-intensive process that requires strict adherence to established guidelines.122 Ethanol. This fuel can be synthesized biologically (from plants, not petroleum) and works in current engines. Ethanol is already a U.S. fuel additive. Butanol, another type of bio-alcohol like ethanol, is less toxic than ethanol and has a high flashpoint of 95 degrees, which is a benefit for fire safety but may cause some difficulty starting engines in cold weather. Currently, Brazil and the United States are the largest producers of alcohol fuels in the world. The U.S. Department of Energy offers a website to help consumers understand the average fuel economy of their cars and light trucks. Go to: www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/gasprices/states/index.shtml to find the location of the cheapest gasoline in your city 29  www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/drive.shtml for gas mileage tips www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm to find a compare costs and mileage for a new car Among the most fuel-efficient vehicles are hybrid electric models, which combine a conventional propulsion system with a rechargeable energy storage system. Unlike bat- tery electric vehicles, they are not hampered by range. In 2007, Canada introduced a fuel efficiency initiative, which included a performance based rebate program offering up to $2,000 for the purchase of a new fuel-efficient vehicle and a Green Levy (tax) on fuel inefficient vehicles.123 To encourage hybrid electric models, certain states—New York, Virginia, California—allow these vehicles with single occupants to enter high-occupancy lanes. That incentive indeed has boosted sales of the models in those states. The list of such vehicles continues to grow. In 2008, it included the BMW 1 Series, Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Tahoe, Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Durango, GMC Sierra, GMC Yukon, Honda Civic Hybrid, Lexus GS 450h, Lexus LS600hL, Mazda Tribute, Nissan Altima, Saturn Aura, Saturn Vue Green Line, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Toyota Kluger/Highlander Hybrid, and Toyota Prius. The latest hybrid technology is the Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). The PHEV consists of a gasoline-electric hybrid whose battery pack (usually lithium-ion) is upgraded to a larger capacity, which can be recharged by either a battery charger hooked into the electrical grid or the gasoline engine (only if required). The car runs on battery power for the first 10 to 60 miles, with the gasoline engine available for faster acceleration. After the battery is nearly discharged, the car reverts to the gasoline engine to recharge the battery or the owner can return the car to the charging station. This may get around the fundamental obstacle of battery range that has made nearly all pure elec- tric cars impractical. Fuel costs (ignoring conversion costs), in principle, may be as low as five cents per mile. It remains unclear whether converting an existing hybrid car will ever pay for itself in fuel savings. No major car company offers PHEVs yet. However, BYD Company, China’s largest mobile phone battery maker, says it will launch produc- tion of its mid-sized sedan, the BYD F6DM, in the second half of 2008.124 To l