Greensboro Daily Photo

Cold Gardening in Greensboro

As the world becomes more aware of sustainable practices, small-plot, home gardening is gaining more traction. The above photo features part of a cold-weather garden planted in a yard in northwest Greensboro in late March. The beauty of cold-gardening is that the plants are cold resistant, and the growing season happens before bugs overrun the garden and start eating the plants. After a month, the small garden has already produced several servings of spinach and chard. The cabbage looks healthy, indicating that it will soon produce heads. There are no signs of insects.

With winter finally behind us in Greensboro, it is not time to plant summer gardens. Please consider filling your property with as much produce as possible. Vegetables and greens look lovely planted among the flower beds. Working the dirt is good for the soul. Plus, gardening can help you get to know your neighbors. Perhaps you want to offer them a little gardening space. Perhaps you can garden and they know how to can; you both get vegetables for the winter. Perhaps you can give them some garden space in exchange for house sitting on your beach weekends. Best of all, perhaps you can share the produce when 100 tomatoes are ripe at once. Happy Wednesday! It is a good day to plan your garden.

Tesla, the Electric Car Revolution is Upon Us

At the earth day event at Price Park a couple of weeks ago, one of the displays was of electric cars. In the above photo, the silver car is a first generation Tesla car. The blue car beside it is a 2018 Tesla car. Greensboro does not yet have a Tesla dealer. We would have to go to Raleigh or Matthews to purchase one. However, for educational purposes and to generate interest, they brought these cars to show at the earth day event.

Founded in 2003, Tesla specializes in electric cars and the company is committed to helping the world transition to smarter, more sustainable energy sources. The Tesla car is one such solution. However, their highway-capable, electric car, the Roadster (the blue car above,  starts at about $100,000. Even if it is not yet in our budgets, it is important to know about them. Soon, we'll be seeing them on the streets of Greensboro, honking at us as we pull in to gas stations.

 

Bryant Holsenbeck, Environmental Artist

Bryant Holsenbeck majored in sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. However, she has dedicated her career to making art out of trash and discarded items. She also works to help others learn how to be mindful of the waste we are generating and she provides strategies to help reduce waste and to make art from it. In her left hand (on the right side of the photo), she has an example of her upcycled art. It is a chicken made entirely of garbage she found at the beach-- jokingly called her chicken of the sea. In her other hand, she is holding a plastic container that is being used by 25 Durham restaurants for "to go" orders. Your order is placed in one of these containers and you bring it back next time to be swapped out for a clean one for your order. 

Bryant was one of the founders of the Scrap Exchange in Durham, the store that trained the founders of Greensboro's recycling/upcycling store, Reconsidered Goods. Bryant has a bubbly, upbeat, optimistic attitude that makes her fun to be around and she has a way of bringing out the inner artist in everyone. She is a participating artist who will be at the Opening Exhibition of the Beauty and the Beast Exhibit at the Green Hill Center for North Carolina Art. The opening will be held on May the 4th (First Friday), from 7-9 pm. It is free and open to the public and one that you won't want to miss.

The above photo was taken at the FedEx Global Education Center on Saturday, where Bryant was one of the featured presenters at a workshop for North Carolina educators entitled, Environmental Issues in Latin America & the Middle East. If there were a prize for North Carolinians making a positive difference regarding the environment, she would certainly be a great contender. Happy Earth Day Week, Greensboro! Happy Earth Day, Bryant!

ELF Urban Kayak

The above vehicle, the ELF Urban Kayak was on display at the Earth Day event at the Kathleen Clay Edwards Library and Price Park this past Saturday. ELF stands for electric, light, and fun. The first generation model was launched from a Kickstarter campaign, by designer and developer Rob Cotter, out of Durham in 2013. The ELF is a human and solar powered vehicle meant for commuters. The design makes it eco friendly in that it cuts CO2 emissions. The urban kayak part of the name alludes to the green material of the 8'shell.

Cotter got his start working for Porsche and BMS in California. Now, he is in North Carolina, enjoying his role as a working inventor. The ELF is one of many examples of the fabulous items on display at Saturday's Earth Day event. Perhaps one of the curious young ladies inspecting the vehicle in the above photo will be one of Greensboro's future STEM scientists.

Learn more about the ELF here. Let us know if you see one of these 21st century cycles in use in Greensboro! Remember, this upcoming Saturday is the family-friendly science event on UNCG's campus. If you want more hands-on opportunities to engage with science, everything from learning about rockets to trying your hand at computer programming, head to UNCG to the Science Everywhere event. More information, here.

Julika Pear Earrings and More by Elizabeth Leggett

 

The above photo features Elizabeth Leggett, selling at the Corner Market at Elam and Walker Avenue on Saturday. Elizabeth, a Lindley Park local, sets up most weeks selling her handmade, birchwood earrings.  The colors are lovely and some styles are actually quite large, but they are so lightweight, it is as if you are not even wearing earrings.* Her company is called Julika Pear, inspired by Bart Simpson's prank calls ("Julika" as in "would you like a..."). Recently, Elizabeth has added bees-waxed cloth wraps to her booth. They are a sustainable alternative to plastic bags for packing lunches and storing food.

When she isn't parenting and being artistic and creative, Elizabeth is busy teaching English to English language learners at Durham Tech. Somehow, we're betting she incorporates a lot of creativity into her English lessons. Elizabeth has a degree from UNCG, where she studied English and Russian.

While Greensboro Daily Photo doesn't quite have the readership of Humans of New York, which exceeds four million fans, Greensboro does have some pretty fabulous humans and Elizabeth is one of them!

* Elizabeth's earrings are also available at Design Archives downtown on Elm Street and, for our out of town readers, on Etsy.

Guilford Park Presbyterian

Yesterday was a big day for Greensboro churches with regard to outreach and visibility in the community. The First Baptist Church and the First Lutheran Church both held yard sales which had people filtering in and out of their buildings all day long.  

The above photo features Guilford Park Presbyterian Church at the Earth Day celebration at Kathleen Clay Edwards Library off of Hobbs and Guilford College Road, behind Jefferson Elementary School. Guilford Park Presbyterian had a recycling game at the event and participants could win prizes. People had an opportunity to learn about recycling and get to know church members without feeling the pressure of becoming involved with the church, unless, of course, that's what they wanted to do.

Guilford Park Presbyterian is located on Fernwood Drive in Kirkwood, near the Target on Lawndale. However, yesterday, they were also located in the 98-acre Price Park that was teeming with children and adults alike, who were learning how to care for and celebrate the planet earth. Regardless of one's religious beliefs, stewardship of the earth is something that can unite humans worldwide.

Closet at Backpack Beginnings

Backpack Beginnings serves so many students in the Guilford County Schools. In addition to programs for providing food, school supplies, and hygiene products, Backpack Beginnings also maintains a clothing pantry. The clothing pantry, photographed above, provides clothing for all age groups from infants to high school. In anticipation of spring, as you are going through closets, if you have any gently used clothing that your children have outgrown, especially tennis shoes and light jackets, consider donating them to the Clothing Pantry for this very worthy cause.

If you have questions, you can email [email protected]. It is also quite possible that the social worker at the public school near you can help with donations. Often, school social workers are the contact person to help school children in need. The above photo was taken on a quiet Saturday. Weekdays are a different story when volunteers are sorting and hanging donations at their warehouse off Wendover Avenue.

 

Food Pantry at Backpack Beginnings

The "Impact Wall" of Backpack Beginnings was recently featured on Greensboro Daily Photo (here). Today's feature in the sorting table for the food pantry portion of the facility. Office Manager Michele Alvarino is explaining how a person stands in the foreground, selects donated food from a central palate, determines the expiration date on each can of food and slides them down on a given color strip. The color indicates type of food (vegetable, starch, protein, etc.) and remaining shelf life. The person in the background position, where Michele is standing, then puts the item on the appropriate shelf. Yet another person will pack a box of about 35 pounds of food, from a variety of categories, to send to schools with food pantries. About 200 volunteers regularly drive food to and from schools.

In 2014, the Food Research and Action Center, ranked Greensboro and High Point as Number 1 for people who had difficulties in securing food.* Hopefully, with programs like Backpack Beginnings, the situation is improving. 

As many people have a day off today, celebrating the Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday, let us all remember that the day is intended to be one of community service. If you are looking for a way to help, consider holding a food drive, through any of your networks of friends and associates, and donate what you get to Backpack Beginnings. Access their website, here, or call 336-709- 9649 to arrange to drop off food. Finally, remember the words of Booker T. Washington, "The happiest people are those who do the most for others."  While Booker T. Washington died 14 years before Dr. King was born, they shared the common goal of uplifting and empowering African Americans and they would have loved each other. May we do our part to continue the work of these great humanitarians.

* reference.

Dang Skippy, Inc. at Daisy on Battleground Avenue

Stores within stores is a nationwide trend. Antique malls have long rented space to individual vendors. However, booths of new retail items, up-cycled items, and original artwork are appearing in large, repurposed retail spaces. Daisy's Designer Alley at 3121 Battleground Avenue, a few doors up from Lowe's, has attracted a great assortment of shops. The above photo features one of their newest vendors, Kier Skipper, who makes furniture, food serving boards, and other items out of reclaimed wood. He never cuts down a tree; he only harvests wood from trees that are already dead. In 2015, Skippy saved 700 trees; in 2016, 1,200; in 2017, 1,800. If the trend continues, we should expect him to save over 2,500 trees in 2018. He even has some reasonably-priced, scrap pieces that crafters could use for their own art projects. He tries to save every little bit of those hardwoods that get blown over in storms. Some of the wood is sealed with polyurethane and some is left natural. (Skippy says he can tell by the smell of the polyurethane how far along it is in the drying process).

We met up with Skippy as he was hauling in items for his booth. He is a U.S. Army veteran who enjoys his newfound career an a woodworker. Skippy still had quite a bit to load in when we left. Stop by his booth, Dang Skippy, Inc., and have a look at his great selection at Daisy. If you have some unique request, inquire at his e-mail address, [email protected]. It will be interesting to see where this new start-up venture leads him. If you are lucky, you will meet Skippy in person. He is optimistic, upbeat, easy to talk to, and always seems to be smiling.

Reconsidered Goods & the Quest to Use Less Single-Use Plastic

As we approach Christmas, the season of mass consumerism, consider giving used and up-cycled gifts. At the moment, Reconsidered Goods, (located on Patterson Avenue behind the Red Collecton) has 50% off all Christmas items. With the discount, Christmas-themed earrings are a mere .50¢. Most ornaments are less than a dollar. Reconsidered Goods is a non-profit business, committed to helping us live a more sustainable lifestyle. The above photo features a holiday tree they've constructed out of plastic items that were donated to the store.

It is estimated that 19 billion pounds of plastic end up in the ocean every year. Plastic waste is non-biodegradable. It just breaks down into smaller and smaller particles, with micro particles found in even the smallest of sea creatures. If you are looking for gifts, see if your family and friends will agree on gently used gifts.

If you are looking for a 2018 New Year's resolution, consider giving up single-use plastic.  ("No thank you, I don't need a plastic straw. I don't need a plastic fork; I have a metal one in my purse"). To quote the Huffington Post, "The Oceans are Drowning in Plastic--  and no One's Paying Attention."*

Greensboro's Reconsidered Goods is paying attention, and they make it easier to reduce, reuse, and recycle without feeling like you are missing anything. In the meantime, we're wondering if RG will put a price tag on that up-cycled tree at the end of the season!

* Huffington Post reference and additional information, here.

Downtown On Two Feet or Two Wheels

The above photo says so much about downtown Greensboro. This South Elm Street shot was taken in front of the Green Bean Coffee Shop, on the eve of a recent Preservation Greensboro Walking Tour of Elm Street. Quite a crowd came out that night to learn about architecture. If you notice the flowers hanging from the lamp posts, they have been meticulously maintained all summer and continue to thrive. A watering truck comes around and waters them as needed. In the back right corner, you can see the former Cascade Saloon under renovation with scaffolding surrounding it. Soon, it will soon house the regional office of Christman Capital Development Company.

In the foreground, you see two of the ubiquitous LimeBikes. This reasonably priced, low-environmental-impact transportation choice is proving popular in the Greensboro market. Ease of use is tremendous, since there is no specific place one must dock/return them. LimeBike is in the process of ironing out some of the kinks. For example, while consumers don't want to have to commit to return them to a set place, some people are not good stewards and leave the bikes overturned in the middle of the sidewalk in neighborhoods. Perhaps there could be a financial incentive to get them somewhere out of the way. Those of us who returned Coke bottles for deposit money as a child could well find ourselves returning bikes for the change to buy a candy bar. In the meantime, we'll continue to enjoy our dynamic city, whether on two feet or two wheels.

ECOFLO: Keeping the Green in Greensboro!

ECOFLO is a company that provides hazardous waste disposal. It is a privately-held, veteran-owned business. In Greensboro, the facility is located at 2750 Patterson Street. They have many services, including industrial and household waste processing. Free drop off for used motor oil is one of the services they are best known for. They also have a mountain of used electronic equipment, including unwanted giant screen TVs. ECOFLO®, Inc. has been the contract administrator for the City of Greensboro/Guilford County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center since 1994. 

Patterson Street is starting to be a major sustainability corridor. On the corner, the Red Collection is a consignment store for people to give unwanted items a new life. Reconsidered Goods, behind Red Collection, up-cycles materials, especially for artists and crafters. Across the street is Shops on Patterson,  an antique store. Then, you will find ECOFLO, open Wednesday-Saturday to help with getting rid of hazardous waste. Call before you go to make sure your disposal needs can be met. 800-999-6510 or [email protected]  With school about to start, for teachers, homeschoolers, scout leaders, and other community leaders, perhaps your organization can do something to help with keeping hazardous waste contained in an environmentally friendly way.

American Green Tree Frog

Yard work has its perks. We were removing weeds from an outbuilding and uncovered this American green tree frog. It was a small one, only about an inch long. While these frogs are common throughout the southeast, their North Carolina habitat range tends to be a little more to the east than Greensboro. According to a website for amphibians and, maintained by Davison Herpetology, the habitat of the American green tree frogs is expanding into the North Carolina Piedmont.* Have you ever seen one near your home?

As the above frog clung to the wall, we were reminded why we avoid using pesticides in our yard. Nature is such a delicate balance, and amphibians are at risk. There are 21 frog species identified in North Carolina. It would be nice to maintain all of them. If you want to learn more about North Carolina's diverse amphibian population, and possibly become involved in efforts to help prevent decline, go here.

Did you know that North Carolina has the highest salamander diversity in the world? We are second only to Georgia in amphibian diversity in the USA. Learning these facts made us even happier to cover the above tree frog back up and let him sleep for the day. At night, he will be leaping through the air, trying to make a meal of flying insects. Hopefully, he likes mosquitoes. We don't!

*reference and tree frog call, here.

Mobile Oasis

The above photo features the Mobile Oasis, a mobile food truck that takes fresh produce into neighborhoods that don't have easy access to fresh produce. This truck is at Warnersville Recreation Center on Doak Street, behind Jones Elementary School, every Wednesday from mid-May to mid-October from 4:00- 6:00 pm. The fruit and vegetables are very beautiful and reasonably priced (see photo below). 

According to the volunteers on-site,  idea started as a community-engagement project by UNCG faculty member Marianne LeGreco. It has grown to a collaborate effort involving the Guilford County Department of Health and Human Services, Greensboro Parks and Rec; United Way of Greater Greensboro, Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, East Greensboro Now, UNCG, and the support of the USDA. Students from NC A&T, UNCG, and Guilford College were on site helping yesterday. It is possible to purchase produce here with SNAP/EBT (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), cash, debit, and credit. The Warnersville location is one of four sites for the pop-up produce markets. At the Warnersville location, a volunteer from the nearby Prince of Peace Lutheran Church  brings cooked food samples and recipes of all the nutritious items she has prepared over the last two years. Today's sample was glazed peas and carrots, and the medley was tasty. This truly collaborative effort shows how good things come when people work together and students have an opportunity to learn while serving.

Next week's market (Wed. October 13th) will be the last one for the season. If you know a family in need of food, consider treating them to some great produce at a great price. Click on these tiny thumbnail photos if you want a closer look! We are cooking collards, squash, and okra as we type.

 

Got GAS?

Those of you who live in Greensboro are well aware that the Colonial Pipeline gasoline leak wreaked havoc in our community. On September 9th, the largest gasoline conduit in the United States had to partially shut down. The pipe carries over a million barrels a day from the company's refining hub on the Gulf Cost to its customers on the East Coast.* Many gas stations ran out of gas; plastic bags and yellow caution tape alerted drivers that there was no need to stop. Those places with gas saw long lines and, as our favorite stations refilled their supply, the wait to refuel was several cars deep with lines spilling out onto the roads.

A few price increases later, with a rerouted supply pipe and extra gas-filled trucks on the road, life is starting to get back to normal. Let us learn from this recent event to take nothing for granted. Fossil fuels are, indeed, limited. A million barrels a day is a mind boggling amount and we need to do what we can to be mindful of use. This past weekend we heard people eliminating non-essential travel, talking of car pooling, working from home, and coming up with other creative ways to be thrifty with gas consumption. Sometimes, it is good to take pause and think about what we normally take for granted.

Usually, when stuck in traffic, we don't want to get behind those big gas trucks. But, when the Love's truck pulled up beside us the other day, we were joyful that more local stations would be replenishing their supply of gas. Indeed, we rather LOVE having a full tank!

 

*reference and more information.

V is for Vegetables

The main photo today was taken at the stall of the Mighty Tendril Farm at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market on Yanceyville St. this past Saturday. The Mighty Tendril is a small-scale vegetable, fruit, and flower farm in Staley, NC. Above, farmer Emily Madara is bagging up fresh vegetables for a family. The Mighty Tendril is a regular at the Greensboro Farmers Market. The market, established in 1874, is open year round on  Saturday from 7am to 12 noon and on Wednesdays for most of April - December, from 8am- 1 pm. 

This is such a fun Saturday morning tradition. You only have to go once to realize how meaningful it is to buy produce directly from the farmers. They are generous with their knowledge and it means so much to them to be able to make a living at something they love. Shopping for and eating locally sourced food will be good for your family, too.

The thumbnail vegetables were taken at a variety of stalls throughout the market. From left to right: Swiss chard, carrots, squash blossoms (yes, they are edible), beets, and onions. Today is ABC Wednesday and for our A-Z Urban Finds series, V is for vegetables- local, fresh vegetables.

Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day, 2016. Earth Day was first observed 46 years ago and, today, it seems as relevant as ever. Earth Day will be celebrated tomorrow at the Piedmont Earth Day Festival at the Winston Salem Fairgrounds.* I you are interested in sustainability and watching your carbon footprint, this is the event for you. Locally, UNCG is having an event from 3-8pm (here). UNCG is one of only four universities in North Carolina achieving a gold rating from the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System. Last year, UNCG increased annual student fees by $2.22 to fund projects through the Green Fund.

The above photo features bicycles at ReAligned, an antiques and repurposed-items store on East Lewis Street in downtown Greensboro. We think we'll purchase one of those repurposed bicycles and head on over to UNCG's Earth Day celebration. We'd love to learn what we can do to be as impactful as possible with respect to protecting the earth and our resources.  How will you be spending Earth Day?

* if you think you might attend, check, here.

Holy Trinity Community Garden

The Holy Trinity Community Garden, Established 2009, is a big, peaceful open space in downtown Greensboro. The garden is located at 209 West Smith Street.  Each year, its 34 raised beds produce approximately 900 pounds of food that is donated to food banks. It is one of 208 North Carolina Community Garden Partners.* The Holy Trinity garden is located on a mere quarter of an acre, yet is is a peaceful space with giant wind chimes and birdhouses and flowers and, as seen below, a great view of the iconic JP building. 

These community gardens do a nice job of bringing people together. It is amazing how much can be harvested from these small plots. If you know of some idle urban land, it is worth investigating the possibility of developing a community garden. Greensboro is lucky because we have so many, schools, neighborhoods, civic organizations and faith-based organizations committed to community gardens. Happy Sunday! Next time you are on Smith Street, look for the shiny gray sign!

 

 

* reference and more information, here.

Got Solar Power?

Honey Electric Solar, Inc. had a Solar Power Mobile Unit at Doodad Farm recently. People were free to use their service to charge cell phones or other devices. It was free and open to all. Several people took advantage of it. We also saw Doodad Farm campers using solar power at their campsites. When solar panels first came out, they were almost a novelty.  Now, harvesting the sun's energy is happening everywhere.

Honey Electric Solar is located on Alamance Church Road in Liberty. They offer solar electricity, solar water heating, and solar heating for swimming pools. They have been a Greensboro area business since 1994.  They work hard to keep up with the latest technology and have built a business around helping individuals harvest the sun's energy. We love the way the sun's rays radiate through the picture. Happy Friday. 

Southside Apartments

The above apartments, City View,  are located in Southside, parallel to the railroad tracks that cross Elm Street at Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive. They have one of the best views of downtown Greensboro. Their smallest, lowest-price-point apartment is called the O'Henry. The other names for the different floor plans and price points are: Elite, Wick, Norfolk, Spencer, Wabash, Morehead, Southside, Greene, Accolade, and Pullman. Some of the names are more obviously linked to Greensboro than others. At least one of the buildings "GreenLine" has "green" features like a rooftop solar system and many energy saving features.

In the evening, residents can sit on their balconies and hear the sounds of our thriving city. They are a stone's throw from Hamburger Square and the many downtown events. The apartments are clean and inviting and, on a sunny day, they look great against a bright blue sky.

P is for Pirtek and Phil

Pirtek began in Sydney Australia in 1980. The Greensboro franchise, Pirtek Piedmont Triad, opened at the corner of Meadowood and West Market Street on April 23, 2007. Pirtek provides fluid transfer solutions with an on-site hydraulic hose replacement service . If a hose malfunctions on a piece of equipment, Pirtek goes to the job site and makes a new one on the spot. One company needed a very high pressure hose and was losing $1,000 an hour by not having that hose. Pirtek was able to meet their needs.

Of course, with every small business, there are people filling those work orders and providing good and services for their clients. The evening we stopped by, Phil was manning the front counter and his ever faithful dog, Shadow, was waiting patiently for him close up for the day. Today is ABC Wednesday and P is for Pirtek and Phil. By the way, Pirtek had a birthday a few days ago. 

Check here for the A-O entries of our A-Z Local Series.

E-Car Seen this Weekend at UNCG

This past weekend, the above e-car was spotted on UNCG's campus in the Walker Parking Deck. It is a Gem E4 Electric with a state-owned license plate. If you look closely on the front, you can see the chord that was plugged in to the wall of the parking deck.

A google search doesn't bring up any information on electric cars being used by UNCG. It did remind us that three years ago, UNCG's Weatherspoon Art Museum featured a film "Revenge of the Electric Car." We sure hope to see more of them around Greensboro's college campuses. It looks like something a Disney character would drive around in. What do you think?

R is for Rainwater

The above photo, while not particularly memorable in itself, features an outstanding example of how the University of North Carolina Greensboro is committed to sustainablility. To the left, you see the south side of the School of Education building. The building, Gold LEED-certified, has multiple features to harvest and filter rainwater and runoff from the rooftop. A bio-retention pond and sand filtration system filters storm water run-off.* The porous rocks and grassy plantings help with water absorption around the building's open space. The building has more than double the open space for LEED certification. The contour of the landscaping accomodates a considerable amount of water.

To help orient yourself in the photo, notice Yum-Yum Better Ice Cream and Hot Dogs peeking through on Spring Garden Street. Hard to believe Yum-Yum is almost 100 years older than this new state-of-the-art education building. Nice to live in a community that honors tradition yet continues to evolve and grow with the times. Today is ABC Wednesday and for GDP's S.T.E.A.M. series, R is for rainwater.

*reference.