It's easy being green

LITTLE ROCK — About 60 people who gathered Saturday at Simon Intermediate School in Conway laid out action plans for the region to become more livable by using environmentally friendly approaches.

The Faulkner County Supporters of Sustainable Community focused its initial meeting on "envisioning a future that works for all," organizer Pamela Mosley said.

Conway Mayor Tab Townsell said, "We're all part of a serious circle of discussion about the environment and our part in it. Our goal is for Conway to be a place to live life in all its aspects."

Along those lines, he said that the city has passed "greener, softer and more walkable" design standards. He referred to traffic roundabouts, with one recently completed at Bob Courtway Drive and Siebenmorgen Road, and four new intersections in progress.

The city is finalizing a $1.5 million citywide plan for bicycle paths, as well as considering solar panels as an energy source for municipal buildings, Townsell said.

Faulkner County Judge Preston Scroggin sees his role as to encourage recycling and erosion control, as well as gardening projects in the rural areas. "We're constantly looking at ways to improve the environment," he said.

Small-group sessions concentrated on alternative fuels, bike trails, conservation, local and organic food, public transportation, whole health care and other subjects.

The health care discussion centered on health endangerment issues, such as vaccine preservatives that contain mercury. Group facilitator Marj Anderson of Conway said studies show that exposure to low levels of mercury at a young age can lead to neurological impairment and autism.

Bob Groff of Guy said, "Our health comes from the earth. People can't usually get the nutritional benefits they need from their food unless it is home-grown." Groff also discussed the trainloads of coal coming through the region, and how burning fossil fuelsdamages people's health and environment.

Camille Lagrossa of Greenbrier, who led the diversity and culture group, said she felt everyone needed to know more about others as the ethnic and religious landscape of Faulkner County continues to diversify. Mayor L.B. Pavatt of Damascus agreed. Although he recently retired from teaching science in Bee Branch, his wife continues to work for the public school system. She said a young girloriginally from China is in the school and speaks no English. Pavatt was also concerned about a return to some of the prejudiced attitudes of the past toward people of other races.

Those exploring public transportation options in Conway talked about the temporary use of senior citizen vans and church buses until a more formal public transportation model could be instituted, Bob McCormack said. Other possibilities for public transportation include organizing personal schedules to allow sharing rides between Conway and Little Rock for appointments, trips to the airport, to work and for other needs.

Awareness of environmentally safe consumerism was the topic of the subgroup facilitated by Gail Kirkland. Ideas from this cluster included shopping with reusable canvas bags and obtaining items others throw away. "Sometimes unopened items, like microwaves, are put into Dumpsters at the colleges," Kirkland said. Those focused on this topic suggested ensuring that such items be taken to battered women's shelters and other charities rather than wasted. Kirkland also cited the cost of disposables. "We know the cost of the things that we buy.But what is it going to cost us to have a disposable item dumped into a landfill?" she asked.

Helping Conway schools become more aware of recycling was the topic of an afternoon group led by Conway School Board President Dr. Terry Fiddler. Fiddler said state and federal grants are available so the school district could utilize "green procurement" guidelines to purchase materials for school use.

Conway Sanitation Department Special Projects Coordinator Debbie Plopper discussed Virco Mfg. Corp.'s cardboard recycling program and returning profits to the local schools as an example for other corporations.

One large circle of people in the afternoon focused on identifying local, organic sources of food. Headed by Ryan Brown, much of the discussion centered on ways to create a more attractive farmers market. It was hoped that this would attract additional consumers and entice more farmers to participate. Enhancement ideas included inviting local artisans and musicians to participate, as well as to diversify items sold to include items like homemade bread.

Other ideas dealt with possible educational workshops for farmers. Barriers to organic farming were also presented, "The farmers that dedicate themselves to organic farming know that it is very labor intensive," permaculture expert Gerald Anderson said.

The sustainable committee's deliberations will affect Conway churches. Biocompostable drinking glasses and other items are being encouraged for use in churches instead of plastic-foam cups, Cecilia Patterson said. Thegroup she led on "greening the faith community" also would like to see ministers tour the recycling center and be made aware of other aspects of the environment, she said.

Visiting Hendrix professor Dr. Erik Baker wrote his dissertation on a sustainability group in Gainesville, Fla. He and Bob Essert of Conway, along with a few others, comprised the alternative-fuels group that met close to the end of the day. Essert said it could take as little as $300 to convert a gasoline-based car engine to utilize alternative fuels such as ethanol. The cost and processes of growing the corn used to produce the fuel, however, holds some controversies. In addition, ethanol is still expensive to set up, and can also be expensive to make, he said. Using cooking oil, or "greasle diesel," for diesel-powered vehicles may be a novelty and useful for some, but Essert said it is not realistic on a large scale. Generating electricity by solar power also presents challenges, including the manner in which the electricity is produced.

Engineer Jim Mosley led a discussion of green building, including an upcoming tour of homes. The tour will feature at least one new house that uses solar panels to help generate electricity. In addition, the Conway Housing Authority will have a model building using this technology, he said.

Several of the subgroups set next meetings and the whole group will meet again after the first of the year, overall facilitator Michael Vinson said.

The results of this daylong forum will be published on the Faulkner County Supporters of Sustainable Communities Web site, www.fcssc.org. The site includes an online forum that allows comments and suggestions.