Charge it! With Betty's help...

Charging ahead

Whether you have one in your watch, cell phone, wall clock or TV remote, a collection of batteries of all shapes and sizes is at work in your home.
This month Betty provides the 411 on battery use and disposal.

The average American throws away eight household batteries per year, which some say is fine for landfills, but considering all batteries contain heavy metals, the truth is they should be recycled. The acid can be reused and the rest is melted down to scrap metal or converted to a new battery, making them 100 percent recyclable.

Which kind?

Rule of thumb for alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, D, etc.): In low-tech items (remote controls and smoke detectors), single use are a better choice because they drain slowly and last longer. For high-tech items, definitely use rechargeables.

Prolonging battery life

. Do not return a fully charged battery to the charger.
. Let discharged battery cool to room temp before recharging.
. Recharge batteries when almost fully discharged.
. Don't leave them charging for prolonged periods.
. Refrigerating batteries extends their shelf life (but let batteries
reach room temperature before using).

Recycling

For household rechargeables and NiCad (nickel cadmium), try Batteries Plus, Staples and Best Buy, since McIntire no longer accepts them. Most cell phone retailers take phone batteries (made of lithium ion) for recycling. Lead acid-filled car batteries can be recycled at Auto Zone or other auto retailers. Button cell batteries (found in wall clocks and wristwatches) contain silver oxide and therefore are designated hazardous waste and legally cannot be trashed, so wait for the next household hazardous waste day. For more battery information and locations call 1-877-2-RECYCLE (www.call2recycle.org).

Building a Better World starting right here!

Exciting things were happening all over Charlottesville this weekend. It was hard to choose where to be and when and of course try to fit some holiday shopping in there somewhere, even for the Bettiest of Charlottesvillians. Saturday I found myself connecting with two wonderful segments of our green community here: local craftspeople and designers at CRAFTACULAR AND sustainable minded builders, architects, planners, political leaders at the 4th EcoMOD home on Elliot Avenue!

Cary and Kristen and Patty and Kim and other local artists and designers and craftspeople and "upcyclers" (I love this term!) were at Craftacular in the new Open Space at the corner of Monticello Ave and 2nd Street near ACAC). Of course I had to get over my initial "grrrr" feeling at the building for those of you who remember the majestic trees that were on that corner which had to be cut down. But the space is a very beautiful gathering place and cool community concept of rentable space for working and meetings of all types and the building's concierge informed me that they are striving for an all paperless work environment. Excellent.

I met Lindsay Mears who makes beautiful booklets made from old books and (think back now) old floppy disks. I met Kim who creatively upcycles old things she finds in antique or consignment shops or friends' attics, giving them a second life as beautiful bags and artful objects. She likes to take things apart - voila Cary's earrings.

After chatting with the artists and Roger Voisinet, green solar real estate outdoor adventure guy, I headed to the dedication of EcoMOD. Community members from all walks - students, UVA officials, professors, activists, we all braved the cold temperatures to celebrate an important piece of the sustainability puzzle: innovative sustainable modular and affordable home design otherwise known as EcoMOD,which is getting not only community attention, but national and international attention as well!!

EcoMOD is a UVA interdisciplinary project joining UVA's Architecture school and School of Engineering and Applied Science professors and students along with affordable housing organizations like Piedmont Housing Alliance and Habitat for Humanity. This home was a Habitat for Humanity home (the Andesha's home) and required cooperation of MANY students groups, area businesses, and city leaders. The lofty goal of this fourth EcoMod home was a net zero carbon footprint. WOW. And they are going for a LEED platinum rating as well as fulfilling the Habitat Mission of a modest, affordable home. This is a pre-fab home with energy star features, solar roof, and other sustainable feature. To quote Habitat's Executive Director Dan Rosenweig, to be sustainable, designs have to be attainable. This innovative, inter-disciplinary, inter-community effort is now being looked at in other parts of the world and it started with the work of Paxton Marshall and John Quale here in Charlottesville. Green hats off!!

I toured the home, spoke with Betty board members Paxton Marshall and Ryan Jacoby, as well as Mayor Dave Norris about the successful partnership and also about the future plans for the house next door.

The home at the corner of Elliott and Ridge (across from Tonsler park), once a drug hub, has been condemned for years, but through joint support of many organizations in our community, it looks like it's going to be transformed into a state of the green-art educational, living example of sustainable design and energy efficiency! Plans are currently being tossed about (I'm privileged to be a part of some of the dialogue via the Local Climate Action Planning Committee work I'm involved with), but if all funding goes well it should house LEAP, the Local Energy Alliance Program: a comprehensive program launching in Charlottesville to reduce our energy use.

Despite the bitter cold event (held outside the homes), I was inwardly glowing at all the good intention, Better World actions that continue to transform our community, our state and the planet, really. 'Tis the season, everyone!

Best,
BWB

Important meeting about the air we all breath...

I ran into Tom Cormons of the local non-profit Appalachian Voices last week at the farmer's market and he gave me the rundown of the important events happening in Wise County, Virginia next week.

Many of you have been following Dominion Power Company's attempt to approve the Wise County coal plant and the subsequent mountaintop removal. The fate now rests with the Virginia Air Pollution Control Board. If you have not yet sent a message to Governor Kaine about the important appointments he is making to the Board, please go to the wiseenergyforvirginia.org website now and do that. They need to hear from you. They have to know that this is NOT the direction we want to go for a better world: more pollution of our air, continued reliance on fossil fuels, removal of mountain tops in what is now undisturbed forest.

Right now 30 people are signed up to go and the list keeps growing! I hope Betty will have some representation there (I am fairly sure the Board Meeting ettiquette does not include four-year-olds making primal noises while playing in the back row, so unfortunately I personally cannot attend, but I am happy to send positive and clean energy to those who are and spread the word to those who may be able to attend).

The folks at Appalachian Voices and their coalition website wiseenergyforvirginia.org are hosting a plethora of events beginning on Monday, June 23: A service project, site tour of Black Mountain, hike on roaring branch, spaghetti dinner, breakfast and of course the attendance at the Virginia Citizen Air Pollution Control Board Meeting with time for public comment.

It turns out there will be no new speakers - those who can speak are limited to those who have already spoken or submitted written comments. The Agenda language is below:
"Persons who commented during the public comment period may address
the Board for up to 3 minutes. No new information will be accepted at
the meeting."

I have been to enough public meetings to know that attendance is crucial. Tom told me that all plant-opposition leaders will be wearing a green bandana - important visual clue that will send a powerful message!

To get all the details so you can join them, check out: www.cleanenergyva.org/?p=47 Call 293-6373 or email mike@appvoices.org to get info on lodging, map, directions, ride-sharing, etc. I am hoping for a guest blogger to perhaps take pictures and report on this event (please email me if you are willing!)

Safe travels,
BWB