Live Green in Plano Volunteers,
The spring volunteer recognition picnic is one of our favorite events. What could be more fun than eating great food in a thriving garden setting with people who are active and involved in their community!
This setting provides an opportunity to recognize the volunteers who have gone the extra mile in helping get the message out about living lightly on the earth. Dhara Patel, Linda McDonald, Patti Pierce, Larry Howe, John Reas and Tom Tangney completed their 24 hours of Live Green in Plano Volunteer service following the training and received their choice of incentive gift. Gardeners with 2 years and 100 hours at the Plano Community Garden received shirts: Melissa Wright, Linda McDonald, Greg Holdsworth, Charlene Babb, Mimi Serrao and Annamarie Ferguson. Special recognition and thanks go out to Lynda Strain for her leadership on the Texas SmartScape garden installation, Patty Sipe for creating teaching props and training volunteers for the irrigation repair booth at Learn2Live Green (L2LG), Larry Howe for his community organization efforts in promoting the use of solar energy, Shannon Sutlief, Patti Pierce, and Matt Lagos for their work in creating the plastic awareness activities and displays and training volunteers for L2LG, and to John Reas, Rookie of the Year, who has contributed more than 30 hours since Feb. 15 through blogging, presentations, mentoring, the Reuse Center and at corporate events. Fifteen volunteers devoted the entire day to working the L2LG event: Kathy Grove, Jan Eppard, Barri Montgomery, Brenda Steib, Donna Smith, Tanis Roelofs, Frances Meadors, Karen Mitchell, Pamela Sengupta, Joyce Dunst, Mimi Serrao, Erin Yang, Jinx Smith, Greg Sidon, and David Thompson. The energy and enthusiasm volunteers bring to their work, continually inspires us!
The Environmental Education Center (EEC) was dedicated on May 17th and opened to the public on May 19th. Volunteers Martha and Maya Chalhoub, Marionne Atao and Larry Howe made heart-felt talks about what the center means to them. The EEC welcomes people year-round for tours, classes, special events, and as a family destination at the Nature Explore Garden, and as a rental option for green community events. Volunteers are needed on the third Saturdays of the month from 9:00 - noon to host classes.
 
If you had a positive experience in the Live Green in Plano volunteer training, pass the word along to colleagues, neighbors, friends and family. The next training will be held over three consecutive days: Thursday and Friday June 7 and 8 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, June 9 from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Deb Bliss
Sustainability Volunteer Coordinator |
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Electric Cars: The Shocking Truth 
The buzz of anticipation filled Haggard Library Community Room last month as North Texans gathered to consider how an electric car might one day fit into their lifestyle. Moderator Tony Han addressed social, economic, security, health and conservation concerns in setting the stage for considering the importance of moving beyond oil as a fuel source. The U.S. represents 4.5% of the world's population yet consumes 26% of the world's oil and produces only half of the oil Americans consume. DFW is ranked as the twelfth most polluted city in the U.S., primarily from vehicle emissions which in turn cause a variety of health problems. Panelists representing electric car owners and charging station companies took it from there.
Nissan LEAF owner, Joni Strobel-McLean, and Chevy Volt owner, Richard Alford, shared their reasons for selecting their vehicles and told about their year-long experience operating electric cars. Strobel-McLean admits to being more aware of the range of her electric vehicle than her previous car and recharges it as needed at home, but has not had to change her lifestyle driving in the DFW area in any way. The LEAF travels 100 miles per charge, has great pick-up and produces no carbon emissions. The optimum operating speed is 40-45 mph but the range is reduced at freeway speeds. Her family's second car is used for out of town trips.
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The Unhealthy Truth
by Robyn O'Brien
Reviewed by Tanis Roelofs 
I was very fortunate to hear Robyn O'Brien speak at Learn2 Live Green this past April. She is the author of The Unhealthy Truth which is a shocking investigation concerning the dangers of America's food supply. Robyn analyzed a vast amount of research that confirmed the toxicity of the American food supply. She is the founder of AllergyKids , an organization focused on restoring the integrity of the food supply and the health of children. She has appeared on CNN, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and FOX News. The New York Times has called her the Erin Brockovich of America's food industry.
The main highlights of her book include:
- Discovering alarming rates of childhood food allergies in the United States, which has seen a 400 percent increase in the past 20 years. Diagnosis of peanut allergies in the U.S. doubled between 1997 and 2002; no other country in the world experienced anything similar.
- While researching food allergies, O'Brien learned that "90 percent of all food allergies are triggered by proteins in eight foods: eggs, cow's milk, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, peanuts, and tree nuts."
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Plano's Solar Advocate
Larry Howe's mission is promoting the use of solar energy in Plano. He's contributed multiple articles on the Live Green in Plano Blog. He's discussed his ideas with city officials and State Representatives Jerry Madden and Van Taylor, written letters to State Senators, the Texas Public Utility Commissioners and participated in conference calls with solar nonprofits in Houston, San Antonio and Austin and the U. S. Dept. of Energy. Larry has made presentations to Advanced Placement Environmental Science and Introduction to Design classes in PISD schools and served as a judge for student projects. He's developed and administered a solar interest survey and plans to use the http://openpv.nrel.gov site as a tool to track growth of solar installations in Plano over the coming years.
Larry was asked to speak about the community impact of the Environmental Education Center at the dedication in May. Here is what he said:
My wife and I moved to Plano in 1979 (33 years ago). Our two sons have grown up in Plano, and now we have two granddaughters growing up in Plano. For us, Plano has truly been a family-friendly city.
Last year, I retired from an engineering career in the telecommunications industry. In my next phase of life, I wanted to get more involved in one of my interest areas, renewable energy. (I began driving during the first oil embargo, so living through the instability of an energy shock has always been a concern of mine.)
Coincidentally, about the same time I retired last year, my wife received information about an upcoming LGIP volunteer training - so we signed up and attended last fall.
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