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Sales: 15% off Solatubes Through July!
Local Business Spotlight: Gainesville's RTS To use Biodeisel In It's Bus Fleet
Product Spotlight: American Clay Makeover Contest- You Could Win $500
Green Tip: Do VOC's Really Tell You What's in Your Paint?
INDIGOgreen Blog Link: Final Push To Help Barrels of Hope Get To Haiti
Community Events
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 ...NEEDS YOUR HELP! Barrels of Hope is catching on but we still need your support. Thank you to everyone in the community that has donated or helped thus far. Please tell 2 friends about Barrels of Hope, friend us on facebook and "friend a family" by sponsoring a permanent shelter for Haitian earthquake vicitms for just $300. This is a non-profit, all-volunteer run initiative and all proceeds go directly to material and transportation costs.
Please visit www.barrelsofhope.org for more information or search "barrels of hope" on facebook. |
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| 15% OFF ALL SOLATUBES PRODUCTS THROUGH THE END OF JULY!!!
 When it comes to light, what is better than daylight? Good for the soul, good for the mind and still free, light from the sun is the best option for both home and work. With skylights you can have massive heat gain which can be a concern in Florida. With Solatubes, the light tube allows light to enter while keeping heat gain out. Solatube® Brighten Up® Series are the cost-effective way to bring natural light to virtually any room. And now, Solatubes are eligible for 30% tax credit.
choice of diffusers.
Some of the bennies of the Solatube:
It provides exceptional lighting. The light output is incredible, providing as much light as you would expect from a skylight many times its size.
It is cost-effective. Tubular Daylighting Devices cost considerably less than other daylighting options, such as windows and skylights, including both product and installation costs.
Installing it is fast, clean and easy. They require no structural reframing, tunneling, drywalling or painting. A professional can install the product in less than two hours and most Do-It-Yourselfers can finish the project in one day.
It can go almost anywhere. The compact and flexible design of TDDs allow them to be installed in just about any room, including rooms without direct roof access and smaller spaces where daylighting would usually not be an option.
It is "Green." TDDs allow you to switch off electric lights during the day, which provides savings on energy bills and also reduces environmental pollution.
It is actually good for you. It has been shown in several prominent studies that increasing daily exposure to natural light can enhance mental and physical well-being, boost concentration and energy levels and a variety of other unexpected perks.
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LOCAL BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT.
Gainesville's RTS To use Biodeisel In It's Bus Fleet
Beginning Aug. 16, the entire RTS fleet will be powered by B20 blend biodiesel fuel and 17 more of these vehicles will sport the blue RTS "wave" on their exteriors. RTS, in a partnership with the University of Florida, began fueling its campus shuttle buses with the biodiesel blend in 2008, and the program has been a success. As part of the effort to improve fuel efficiency and reduce impact on the environment, RTS will power the remainder of its fleet with this partially-renewable fuel starting in the fall.
The City of Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) will host a small ceremony Tuesday, July 13 to announce the expansion of their biodiesel program and to welcome 17 brand new Gillig Low Floor buses to the RTS fleet.
"We are happy to offer our passengers these new buses and two new routes, the 23 and 25, this Fall," RTS Transit Director Jesus Gomez said. "Our fleet will also be greener with higher fuel economy through the use of the B20 blend biodiesel fuel."
The addition of 17 brand new buses will reduce the RTS fleet age from an average age of 9.6 years to an average age of 7 years. This brings down maintenance costs and helps to improve fleet efficiency and reliability.
The brief program will be held at the RTS Operations, Maintenance and Administration Facility at 100 SE 10th Ave. at 11 a.m. This will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about the biodiesel program and check out the new buses.
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PRODUCTSPOTLIGHT.
 American Clay Makeover Contest- You Could Win $500 The annual American Clay Makeover Contest is on again and if you have some pics of your recent remodel project you could win $1000 in American Clay products or $500 cash. All that is needed is your before and after pictures that you can submit online by July 15th. I know myself and at least one other Gainesvillian (not to be mentioned, but you'll see his handywork in next week's newsletter) will be entering this contest.
To be fair to hacks like me, there are two categories that you can submit to, DIY or Professional application.
You also might be thrilled to know that your submission will be looked at by the stunning Kelly LaPlante executive producer for "Brilliant Green", a special for Ovation TV. So c'mon North Florida, let's show them what we can do with this New Mexico clay in our climate.
Go to www.americanclay.com/contest for complete submission requirements. |
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Green Tip.
Do VOC's Really Tell You What's in Your Paint?
VOC's this and VOC's that...what does it all mean? VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds that are offgassing from materials. In green building we talk about offgassing in terms of harmful chemicals that may be released into the indoor environment through materials such as glues used in flooring, particleboards, or plywoods as well as finishes and paints.
VOC's that meet "low" or "zero" by the EPA however, only fit a very tightly defined criteria that is, they do not (if zero VOC) or are very unlikely (if low VOC) to cause low-level smog formation by reacting with low-level ozone. What is unfortunate and what we have to be careful about when looking at paint that is claiming to be zero VOC, is what other compounds and chemicals that might be toxic but not register as VOC's according to the EPA definition.
According to the Pharos Project website:
" Looking only at a product's VOC content does not tell the whole story of the product's potential harm from VOCs. As paints cure, they can sometimes create and emit formaldehyde or other VOCs during the curing process. Both the GreenGuard & Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) programs now certify paints, by looking at the potential for long-term VOC emissions. The MPI Extreme Green program also requires emissions testing before certifying the products. The problem is that the standard upon which these programs are based (California 01350) is designed to identify and evaluate only long-term emissions, not the short-term blast of emissions that comes in the first few hours and days after the paint is applied to the wall."
Take some time to talk to us at INDIGOGreen about AFM/Safecoat, the company that has been around for 30 years creating healthier paints that not only are zero VOC, but also eliminate other harmful chemicals usually found in paint. Click here for more information about AFM/Safecoat. |
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INDIGOgreen BLOGreen.
Final Push To Help Barrels of Hope Get To Haiti
Barrels of Hope is planning on building their first shelter at the end of this month, but we need your help getting a BOH representative there!
click here to read the entire blog |
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COMMUNITY
4-H Summer Camp & Day Camps
IFAS Extension Office
Sewing - June 15-17; Cards, Photo Albums & More - Jun 29 - July 1; Jewelry Workshop - July 5; Nutrition/Cooking - July 6-9; Crafty Kids - July 2; Paper Craft - July 29; Cooking - July 30; Butterfly - July 12 -16; City Slickers - July 26-28; Natural Resources - August 4-6; Knitting - August 11-3; and Shooting Sports - August 9-13
The Alachua County Extension Office is pleased to announce the schedule for 2010 4-H Youth Day Camps. All of these programs (with the exception of Shooting Sports) are held at the Extension Office. Space is limited, so make your reservation now. Contact Matt Benge, 4-H Youth Development Agent at 955-2402 or e-mail mbenge@alachuacounty.us for a registration form.
North Central Florida Farm-to-Restaurant Workshop
Monday, July 19th, 10:00am-1:30pm
Joe's Place Restaurant - 5109 NW 39th Ave, Gainesville (Take Exit 390 off I-75, ~3 miles on right)
This workshop is intended to foster business relationships by providing a forum for farmers, restaurants, and distributors to better understand each other's growing, selling, and purchasing needs.
Coffee, Pastries, Networking, Introductions
A Farmer's Perspective -
Panel discussion on the farm-to-restaurant experience
Going Local
Panel discussion with restaurateurs who are working to source locally-grown food
Meeting Demand
Panel discussion with distributors on their efforts to provide local food & work with farmers
LUNCH - Third-Party Inspections and MarketMaker Presentation
Enjoy a delicious lunch brought to you by our sponsors and learn more about what is involved with inspections and about a great new marketing tool
1:30-2:00 Post-workshop Networking, Door Prizes
Citizen's Co-Op Member Workdays
Friday, July 23rd 11AM-3PM
Saturday, July 24th 10AM-4PM
Co-Op Storefront 435 S Main St
Permaculture Course
November 6 -20, 2010
AEL is sponsoring another Permaculture Design Course this year, November 6 -20. If you're curious about the course, visit the site of the teacher, Patricia Allison :http://
www.patriciaallison.net/index.php Contact Ryan at: ediblelandscapers@gmail.comfor more informationand price.
The Great Suwannee River Cleanup
August- December
Georgia State Line- Gulf of Mexico
Current Problems, the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail Working Group and the Suwannee River Water Management District are coordinating a cleanup of the of the Suwannee River from the Georgia line to the Gulf of Mexico. Be a part of the first ever full length cleanup of the Suwannee within our state. To see what part of the river is already covered go here:http://www.bit.ly/GSRC2010, to join a group that is already cleaning up a section go here: http://www.bit.ly/GSRC2010and for more information, to be a business sponsor , or to be a boat or material supply sponsor please call Fritzi Olsen at 352-264-6827 or e-mail aar@currentproblems.org.
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BE OUR FRIEND PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE!
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A special THANK YOU to all of the teachers and businesses who have donated to the cause of community education! We will no longer be having workshops at INDIGOGreen but please check our calendar or Sustainable Alachua County's website for workshop updates at www.sustainablealachua.org
Hours: Mon 10am-3pm; Tues-Fri 10am-5pm CLOSED Saturday and Sunday
322 SW 4th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601 352.378.2285 Store 352.378.2289 Fax
www.indigogreenstore.com
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