By Terry McAfee, Nevada Bicycle Coalition

Q. What is the biggest thing that you can do to help save the planet and have a blast doing it?

A. Park your car and ride a bicycle!

If more people bicycled instead of driving cars, money would be saved, less oil imported (and spilled in the Gulf), the air cleaner, the roads less congested and waistlines would be smaller. So, why don’t more people bicycle? Why don’t you bicycle more?

Many people don’t feel safe riding on the streets. It’s valid, sharing the road with motorists, more distracted than ever, can be intimidating. What makes it less intimidating and a lot safer are bike lanes.

In a 1998 study by University of Washington Professor William Moritz, on-street bike lanes were found to be 3.4 times safer than multi-use paths and about 40 times safer than bicycling on a sidewalk. Bike lanes make roads safer for bicyclists and make roads “feel” safer, too.

There are almost 200 miles of bike lanes and paths in Washoe County. The general rule for new bike lanes is that every new regional road is designed and built to meet federal standards, which require enough shoulder to make a bike lane. Local government decides if it is to be striped and signed for a bike lane. The general rule for a bike lane to be installed on an existing regional road is: 1) is it in the regional plan? 2) is the road being resurfaced or rehabilitated? 3) is there room? That last criteria is usually the sticking point, especially if parking has to be removed to make room for a bike lane.

The Washoe County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC), with the help of the Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, is in the process of doing a thorough survey of Washoe County’s bicycle and pedestrian facilities. About this time next year, they should have a professionally designed plan for a bicycle lane and path transportation network that the RTC, Washoe County, Reno and Sparks can use as a design guide for future transportation improvements. One of the requirements when seeking federal funds is that the project be part of a comprehensive plan.

Recent improvements to the local bicycling infrastructure have included a bicycle boulevard on Riverside Drive between Wingfield Park and Idlewild Park. Have you tried it? Plans taking place this year include “road diets”, like Mayberry and Wells Avenue, Holcomb, Arlington, El Rancho and parts of California, calling for a total of 24 more bike lane miles to be added.

Like much of life, bike lanes are what you make of them. You can make the safest bike lane really dangerous by riding against traffic, on the wrong side of the road. Some bicyclists believe that riding against traffic flow gives them the advantage of being able to see the biggest threat to their safety, the car coming directly at them. Unfortunately, that is not where the biggest threat lies. The biggest dangers are cars waiting at intersections and in driveways preparing to cross the bicyclist’s path. When a bicyclist is on the wrong side of the road, the crossing motorist doesn’t expect a bicyclist to be there so he doesn’t look there. A surprised motorist is a dangerous motorist. Don’t be a victim of a motorist who will say, “I never saw him.” Always ride with the flow of traffic.

Enjoy those bike lanes safely!

Terry McAfee is the President and Founder of the Nevada Bicycle Coalition, Inc. The mission of the coalition is to promote safe bicycling in Nevada.

We’re excited to announce that GReNO’s Volume #5 is currently in distribution for your reading enjoyment throughout Reno.

You can also download your free PDF copy here!

By Christal Padilla

Six years ago when I bought my current car I really wanted a hybrid vehicle.  Unfortunately the wait for the then-newish technology was 20 months (give or take) and my car at the time would not last that long.  So, I got the next-best thing in a fuel-efficient vehicle with just enough room and cargo space for our family.  I have often wondered if, environmentally speaking, I should trade in my decent vehicle for a more virtuous hybrid now that they are more readily available.  However, financially-speaking, my car is paid off and our expendable income is a bit, let’s say, less expendable, these days.

So, how can you be greener (or ish) if you can’t afford to buy a new vehicle, or simply can’t squash your family and all their soccer gear, dance shoes, groceries and pets into a Prius or Insight?

Well, here’s the good news according to Andrew Davis of the Environmental Transport Association, a UK organization that studies environmental transportation issues: “Of all the main environmental variables involved with buying a car . . . it is the length of time a car is kept that is crucial. . .”  Davis’ point is that whatever kind of car you have, you should keep it for its entire useful life, as each day you own the same vehicle essentially lessens the carbon footprint used to plan, produce and transport that vehicle.

Davis also adds that “how and when you drive is far more important than what type of car you buy.”  Regardless of what vehicle you drive as long you maintain it and drive it efficiently, you can reduce your pollution contribution.  He is referring to “hypermiling” which means, simply, maximizing gas mileage through a combination of adjustments to one’s vehicle and one’s driving habits.

So, what exactly is hypermiling, you ask? First, it is important to make sure your vehicle itself is running as efficiently as possible by tracking your gas mileage, keeping it tuned up, making sure your tires are inflated properly, getting rid of extra cargo and removing roof racks and bike carriers when not in use.  Secondly, you need to change how you drive.  This is the hard part, trust me.

Full disclosure: I have always been a fast driver.  Just ask my high school Driver’s Ed teacher who named me lead-foot Smalley the first day of instruction.  Also, I am nearly always in a hurry and am usually distracted on some level while driving.  This is not good, I know, but it is not uncommon either.  When child A gets out of school at 3:30 and child B has dance lessons at 3:45 clear across town, some of the techniques required to hypermile seem impossible.  However, over the last month, I have made a genuine attempt with increasing levels of success.  According to fueleconomy.gov my car should get an average of 27 mpg and I have been able to increase that on average by about 6% to 28.65.  Not the 30% that some say is possible, but it’s a start.

Generally, fuel economy is maximized when acceleration and braking are minimized. So hypermilers attempt to anticipate what is happening ahead, and drive in such a way so as to minimize acceleration and braking, and maximize coasting time. Idling for any reason is to be avoided because, guess how many miles per gallon you get when you are standing still?  That’s right, zero (this means no drive-thru folks). Hypermilers believe that they can even lessen congestion with well-timed application of the techniques.

To hypermile you:

1.     Use your cruise control for highway driving whenever possible.  A consistent speed will net better miles-per-gallon.

2.     Accelerate slowly.  It is recommended that you push down the gas pedal no more than half an inch when accelerating.  Warning – this can seem maddeningly slow if you are not used to driving this way, and people behind you won’t like it.

3.     Don’t drive aggressively.  Mashing down the gas pedal which floods the engine with more gas than is really needed, then slamming on the brakes, negating the momentum you just used that gas to achieve, is truly the least efficient way to drive.

4.     Coasting to a stop or into a slowdown is ideal.  This way, you are using the momentum you already gained, instead of more fuel only to stop or slow down using your breaks.  This requires that you pay attention, think ahead, and observe a fairly large following distance.   This, by the way, is impossible when talking on your phone, yelling at your kids, or going over your to-do list. Again, people behind you aren’t going to like it, so toughen up and ignore those tailgaters.

5.     Don’t speed.  Gas mileage decreases dramatically over 60 miles per hour and the faster you drive the less likely you will be able to anticipate slowdowns and stops, making braking more necessary.

6.     Be courteous to your fellow travelers.  Not allowing other cars to merge may seem like the best idea when you’re in a hurry, but it only makes the other drivers behave more aggressively, leading to people cutting each other off and thus, more brake slamming.  Traffic congestion is not only caused by how many vehicles are on the road, it is directly affected by how those vehicles are being driven.  If everyone could merge and move along smoothly the daily slowdowns would be much shorter and a lot less frustrating.

7.     Avoid driving during peak traffic hours.  Obvious, but easier said than done.

These strategies, like many environmental tactics, are fine when one person uses them, but their effects grow exponentially as more people join in.  For example, if, let’s say, one-third of the people on the Reno freeway at rush hour practiced hypermiling, then congestion would be reduced, allowing smoother merging and less need for quick braking, thus increasing fuel economy for everyone as a whole. This then would reduce demand for oil, which we know is a major environmental problem.  And, similarly, if enough people kept their vehicles for their full useful life, demand for new vehicles would be reduced, saving vast amounts of precious resources and keeping more cars out of landfills.

So, I’m going to continue my efforts to hypermile and keep my car as long as it will cooperate.  And maybe when I need a new vehicle, alternative fuel technology and local public transportation will have made such great advances that my choices will be more and simpler.  Come on and join me.  I’ll give you a friendly wave instead of a fist shake when I see you slowly coasting to a stop.

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by David Gibson and Tamara Wright

It is time to train a new labor force if we are to develop and sustain a green economy in Nevada. Nevada has people who are ready and available to work, the products and systems to install, and the ability to position itself to be a leader in green industries, but education is crucial.

Many of Northern Nevada’s high school graduates will be entering the working world in June with a national unemployment rate of 9.7%. Nevada’s unemployment rate is 13.4%, the worst in state history, and currently second highest in the nation – 2^nd only to Michigan!

If we are going to succeed as a state we must place a level of urgency in our plans, focus our energy on collaboration, and work together to educate the children and re-skill adults.

Workforce training is essential to shift the local economy and to bridge gaps that exist between industry sectors, education programs, and market demand.  If we focus education dollars on program development strategies we can begin to bridge some of these gaps.

Recently, Nevada’s Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation was awarded several grants for workforce training, some of which can be used for green jobs.

One example is the State Energy Sector Partnership Training Grant, providing $6 million to teach workers the skills required in emerging industries, including efficiency and renewable energy.  The grant will be used to create an integrated system of education, training and supportive services that promote skill attainment and career pathway development for low-income, low-skilled workers leading to employment in green industries.

Northern Nevada’s higher education system is rising to the challenge as well. Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Renewable Energy to prepare students for jobs in solar, wind, geothermal and energy efficiency.  University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) has created a Renewable Energy Center that “will focus efforts and coordinate programs for competitive research with plans to increase Nevada’s national stature in the renewable energy field.”  UNR students can also earn a minor in Renewable Energy through the Engineering Department.

Over the last few years several non-profit organizations have also begun to work with educational institutions, collaborating to bring about real change in our students’ experience of sustainable practices and future possibilities.   GREENevada Schools, is a new partnership with a mission to grow resources for environmental education in Nevada schools. GREENevada is a partnership between six organizations that are committed to making schools sustainable, believing that “every school can be green and every child can learn global responsibility through local example. Together, we can change the way students learn.”

Below is information on some of the groups involved in the GREENevada Schools’ effort and what each organization is doing to bring about systemic and sustainable change:

Envirolution has recently started Project ReCharge, a service-learning program for middle and high school students, which provides an opportunity for students to learn about building science, energy conservation and green careers while being empowered to take actions to reduce their school’s environmental impact. Students conduct a supervised energy audit of their school before creating a final report of cost-saving recommendations, which they present to school officials while emphasizing cost-effectiveness and available incentive programs.  The project also demonstrates to students how they can save energy at home. www.envirolution.org

Urban Roots has been actively working with elementary school children for the last nine months changing the way kids eat and learn through place-based gardening and seed-to-table education.  www.urgc.org

Black Rock Solar provides schools with educational field trips, consultations for solar installs, and on-the-job training in the field of solar.  www.blackrocksolar.org

Sierra Nevada Journeys engages students in science and outdoor education while developing problem solving and critical thinking skills. www.sierranevadajourneys.org

NV Energy and the Desert Research Institute (DRI) created GreenPower to support the education of K-12 students in Renewable Energy and incorporating conscious living practices into their daily lives. www.nvenergy.com and www.dri.edu

Collaboration is the key to success and we have the start to great future! If we are successful, we will look to these moments as the foundation of the Green Economy in Nevada!

David Gibson is currently an AmeriCorps VISTA for Envirolution working on energy conservation service-learning programs.  He has a degree in civil and environmental engineering and is a LEED Accredited Professional for building design and construction.

Tamara Wright, LEED AP, has a background in architecture, sustainable environments and community.   Since coordinating the Women in Green Jobs roundtable for the Department of Labor, she has been working closely with Envirolution to expand their programs relating to green economic development and green jobs.

by Dale Carlon

With all of the planning and preparations that we have done so far to ensure our new trees success we can’t stop once it’s in the ground. The first growing season is critical – things we do now, both right and wrong, have impacts on the tree for decades to come, if indeed it gets the chance to last for decades.

Irrigation

The most common question I get is, “How much water do I apply?”  As always the type of soil you have and the environment the tree is in makes a huge difference. However, for the sake of this discussion let’s assume that the tree was planted in a good planting mix with average exposure (full sun, full wind). After the planting we have built a berm around the tree forming a saucer. There is an inner ring that prevents water from soaking the base of the trunk, so our saucer looks more like a doughnut. For the first growing season the soil should be just kept moist, not soaking wet. A good rule of thumb is that you fill the doughnut up three times a week. If you install drip put three one gallon per hour emitters about one foot out from the trunk set to run for one hour three days a week.

Fertilizing

The metabolism of a newly planted tree is stressed from being dug up at the grower, transported to the nursery, and then sitting in a black pot on asphalt at the nursery waiting for you to buy it. Adding fertilizers at planting speeds up the metabolism and adds stress. When we have used a good planting soil the nutrients are there and no additional fertilizers should be applied. In about three growing seasons you can start fertilizing with a deep root feeder, opening up the soil and injecting a balanced set of nutrients.

Pruning

It is a myth that newly planted trees should be pruned. Again, reducing stress is important. Pruning makes the tree work on healing wounds when it should be making topgrowth and root system. Only prune off any dead or broken branches, wait till the third growing season to start pruning.

Staking

The argument about staking is a complex one that I will describe in detail in Greno #5 as there is a lot to understand. For today however, let’s admit that we live in a high wind area. As I write this the winds are at about 60 miles an hour in Reno. We do need to stake. Set your stakes outside the rootball so they penetrate the native soil. Orient them in a west/east configuration. Use a soft material to connect to the trunk, and take them off after the first season.

For more information check www.communityforestry.org and please friend me on Facebook at Dale Carlon Consulting LLC, you will enjoy my daily tree tips, and I love to answer questions there.

by Dale Carlon, Certified Arborist

We all learned in school the values of trees; providers of shade, producers of oxygen, screeners of winds. These are all important contributions, but there are so many more ways we can use trees to enhance our environment when utilized correctly.

Everyone can recognize a tree that has been planted in the wrong place, the roots are buckling the sidewalk because the tree is too close, or fruit bearing trees littering yards with rotting fruit, the list is endless. But how often do we say “Wow, that tree is placed perfectly in that space!” The most common mistake we see are large growing trees planted in small areas, this may look good in the beginning, but years later extensive pruning and even removal may be required. To avoid this, check out mature trees of the variety you are interested in and see if they would fit the area you intend to plant fifteen years from now. Consider placing a deciduous tree on the west or northwest side of your house, providing shade to assist in cooling in the summer but in winter with leaves gone allows for a passive heating source. You can increase efficiency of air-conditioning units by placing an evergreen between the afternoon sun and the unit. We use the evergreen for this so that falling leaves will not get into the unit. Winds can make a backyard virtually unusable in the afternoon, the columnar evergreen fits this role perfectly, we can plant these close together and they put on height quickly. Using one of the Pine varieties gives interest to the landscape in winter and provides a safe haven to birds year-round. Providing a canopy of shade over your lawn and shrubs can reduce water usage significantly. Try placing a tree with fragrant flowers like Prairiefire Crabapple between the prevailing wind direction and a house window, just open the window on a spring afternoon and bring a beautiful, natural perfume into your home.

There is a great deal of information out there available to help you in choosing the right tree for your yard .On the web try communityforestry.org, a site by the Truckee Meadows Community Forestry Coalition . Also on the web is the treesaregood.com site by the International Society of Arboriculture. For a more personal connection try a visit to the University Of Nevada Cooperative Extension at 5305 Mill street which is staffed by some of the most knowledgeable people around.

So, whether you have a new yard to landscape or an existing yard that could use some “sprucing” up, (pun intended) think about using trees, the venerable and beautiful sustainers of the landscape.