How Green Is Your Irish Pub?

This column just might be the most in depth, investigative candidate for the Pulitzer I have ever done. 

After a lifetime of immersion into the culture, and 15 years of extensive local research, I present to you, my thoughts on Saint Patrick’s Day. 

I get to celebrate two of my favorite things: Irish culture and green, as in sustainable thinking.

Several local Irish pubs were contacted to discuss how they might be going green, and their plans to celebrate on March 17.  Unanimous feedback was, “We’re green every day.” 

That is how I feel about Earth Day, or a Beach Clean-up, that I live it every day.  That I don’t just participate in the green culture at an event, I celebrate the green culture every day. 

St. Patrick is the most commonly recognized of the patron saints of Ireland.  Irish folklore holds that one of his teaching methods included using the shamrock to explain the Christian doctrine of the Trinity to Irish people. 

St. Patrick is also known for driving snakes from Ireland. Although Ireland likely never had actual snakes, the story is possibly symbolic of putting an end to pagan practices, represented by the serpent.

When I visited Ireland, I was comfortable in the culture.  Looking back, I believe the lifestyle is consistent with a sustainable lifestyle, with core values that are simple and focus on community, relationships, friends and family.  When you don’t have many trees, or other resources, conservation is a necessity.  Peat, the dominant heating source, is a sustainable energy source.  My custom Irish sweater was hand made by the women of the Aran Islands.  Think “must keep the fisherman warm”-type of handmade, generational-quality item that will last my lifetime. 

Here is some of what the locals are doing to care for the environment, and to enjoy March 17, St. Patrick’s Day. 

Skosh Monahan’s: 2000 Newport Blvd.

The Costa Mesa mayor’s place is leading by moving away from Styrofoam, ahead of pending ordinances.  Their produce has a low carbon footprint being transported across the parking lot.  They compost at home much of the vegetable trimmings.  If someone would like to pick up buckets of high-value compost, they will save them every day.  And yes, they have a bike rack. 

Tom Tilly band will play on St Pat’s Day.  Only place to get Paddy’s Whisky, wash it down with a pint of Smithwicks’s, served with cute smiles.

Muldoon’s: Fashion Island

Sustainable  feedback received from this family-owned tradition is exceptional.  Sunday Brunch has always served Certified Organic eggs, same goes for Certified Organic Chicken.  House roasted turkey is free range, and all beef is Certified Angus, grass-fed.  Muldoon’s purchases a large percentage of California grown produce, always fresh, never frozen, and hand-cuts their own french fries every day. 

Energy Star appliances, non-disposable napkins, and to-go cups made from post-consumer products.  No Styrofoam for more than 20 years. Waste glass and plastic is recycled by a staff member, and the bus line picks up and drops off at the front door.  Muldoon’s gets it.

Plans for St Patrick’s Day are to continue a 36-year tradition with live music all day, great food - try the award-winning Irish Stew - and Irish culture to match their sustainable achievements.  Opens at 10 a.m.

Get in the spirit early with tha 9^th Annual Sexiest Kilt Contest on Saturday, March 13, 1p.m.

Malarky’s: Balboa Peninsula

Overall, Malarky’s conserves where it can, and holds regular staff meeting to come up with ideas.  To reduce water, the new parking lot features high-grade artificial grass.  To improve water quality, so close to the beach, a water clarifier filters water before it enters the storm drain.  The most convenient parking is in their bike rack.

Two-hundred pounds of corned beef will be prepared for a special menu to include Corned Beef Tacos, Corned Beef Reubens and Corned Beef Sliders.

The Shamrock Bar & Grill: PCH

Surfrider has verified their no Styrofoam compliance.  They proudly recycle their grease, serve 100 percent Angus Beef, import Irish bacon, changed all light bulbs, have a bike rack, and pour a good 20 oz. Imperial Pint that is sure to sustain you. 

Their special, if you get in, is two live bands and a limited Irish Food Menu to make sure you get a little Irish in you. 

Rudy’s Pub & Grill: Balboa Peninsula

Outdoor seating in this climate is a necessity.  The 40-foot retractable roof allows natural light and warm ocean breezes for passive heating and cooling.  Cooking oils become fuel. Bio-pack to-go boxes are made of sugar cane.  All plasma TVs and computers are recycled.  Biodegradable soap and tankless toilets, waterless urinals.  Food is efficiently utilized, as unused fresh table bread becomes croutons to cut down on waste. 

Yes, they will be slinging Corned Beef specials.  Opening Day of March Madness meets St Patrick’s Day, add some sun and what a day. 

The Harp Inn: 17^th St. and Newport Blvd.

True to their culture, no response.  Or, perhaps, they were jealously guarding trade secrets.  Either way, I am sure they will have a band and lots of fun, as always.  Appears I will need to do some more research…

Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, please celebrate and care for the planet, responsibly. 

Eco Math Field Trip

Ann Garth, center, and other students collect trash from the beach near the Santa Ana River jetties. Photo by Alyssa Waddell

See a video of the Eco Math Field Trip here.

Have you ever been to a City Council meeting?  You should go.

There are different ways to communicate your point.  At City Council meetings, fear of the unknown often drives logic.  But then there are those that choose to communicate with facts and data, and that is what the youth of The Pegasus School are doing.

Tuesday morning, the 7^th and 8^th graders went on an Eco Math Field Trip to the Santa Ana River jetties, instead of celebrating Justin Bieber’s birthday.  Before they went, they spent some time with a subject matter expert Bill Cooper, professor and director of the Urban Water Research Center at UCI.  The young students went to talk about plastic and experimental design. 

“The students want to make a difference, and see plastic in the ocean as something they can wrap their arms and minds around,” shares Cooper. “These students have a tremendous respect for the environment, are ambassadors of the planet, and can effect positive change.” 

Cooper also got the Aquarium of the Pacific to videotape the entire process to complement the data for presentations.

Pam Conti, Environmental Education Director, and her math-teacher husband developed the standards by which the day’s events are measured as facts and data are gathered to provide for informed decisions. 

“These kids get it,” beams Conti, who went on to describe the intent of the event.  A team of eight students has been working on a project to help prevent plastic and other debris from entering the ocean, and eventually collecting in the North Pacific Gyre, known as the “Eastern Garbage Patch.”

The data collected will be used at the Algalita Marine Research Foundation in Long Beach and will be presented to local city councils in the hopes of convincing them to install debris collection devices in the Santa Ana River, and to ban Styrofoam and maybe even plastic bags.  The students will understand that collecting data is an important component of scientific research, and will provide the basis for an environmental action plan. 

“The ultimate goal is to stop the insanity,” Conti points out.

As more than 100 students broke into teams and set up their 25 data collection sites, I asked a couple what was on their green minds. 

Ann Garth is a student team leader, articulate and confident.  I gave her the scenario that if she were queen for a day, or got to wave a magic wand, what would she do? 

“I want people to know.  If I can get people to see this”  - she passionately points to plastic debris on the beach - “then everything can change, and people will stop throwing plastic away.” 

Garth’s source of passion comes from her love of the beach, and time spent at a family cabin. 

Alisa Bhata, also a member of the debate team, made her case that the collection of scientific data -  weighing and type identification of the collected debris - were important steps to reducing plastic at the beach. 

Another fine student, Payton Fales, was measuring distance of his collection site when I walked up.  “We are figuring out how trash is getting here, and what we can do to stop it,” beams the poised Fales. 

The Surfrider Foundation was present and flying its flags in support of the young students’ efforts.  Collecting debris at the river jetties is like shoveling sand against the tide: you can’t win.  One member, Corona del Mar High School graduate Jeff Coffman, is president of Clean Green Technology.  His company has a solution.  Its “Storm Drain Debris Extractor” safely and economically removes visual debris and chemical runoff, 24/7, from waterways discharging into rivers, lakes, channels, bays and the ocean.    

This means that technology can be introduced upstream on the Santa Ana River, say in Anaheim, that would prevent trash and debris from entering the river.  The good news is that Measure M2 funds are being distributed for just such a solution.  We wish the Corona del Mar grad well in sourcing funds for this solution. 

Let’s Talk Some Trash

The issue today is trash, but if you’re expecting politics, that’s a few pages back. 

Perhaps we can start with a couple basics, then move into some thought provoking items.

Newport Beach has three different types of Residential Solid Waste, or refuse collection.  Most residents receive manual collection, where a City employee handles whatever you leave at the curb.  Some consider this person to be almost family, like the mailman.  In Newport Coast, a vendor picks up according to a two-container system that is automated, where one container is dedicated to recyclables. You can get an extra recycling container free, but trash containers cost extra.  In Santa Ana Heights, there is a single container, with automated collection.

There is a difference between trash and garbage.  Garbage contains organics.  Organics are basically anything that was once alive, like landscape clippings or food scraps.  Trash is separated out at the source, so there is no cross contamination or comingling.  Some call this a dry sort (with no organics) and a wet sort (contains organics).  The thing that drives weekly solid waste service is the organics – the health code requires they be picked up each week.  Some places have weekly organics pick up, and every-other-week pick up of the trash and recyclables.

Manual collection is old school, vs. the newer automated systems, and there is a constant debate about source separation, requiring two or three bins, as opposed to a single container.  Advocates for single-container contend convenience for the residents leads to higher recovery or recycling rates.  Advocates for source separation - multiple bins - say that the recyclable materials are cleaner, of higher quality and thus of higher value. 

In any case, state law requires all cities to recycle at least 50 percent of all trash generated, so collected refuse is transferred to a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), where it is sorted and separated to recover recyclables.  So, “yes” to the often-asked question: “Are my bottles, cans paper, wood, etc., items recycled from my container?”

Zero Waste is a new industry term that asks the question, “If you are not for Zero Waste, how much waste are you for?” and suggests the best answer is “Zero Waste, or darn close.” 

Let’s look at nature. Does nature have garbage? No. Nature is a closed-loop system, so the output of every process, e.g. plant material and oxygen from photosynthesis, is an input of some other process, e.g. animal nutrition and respiration. 

Garbage is created when resources are mixed together in a way that does not allow them to be ReUsed.  There are many waste-prevention strategies - like ReUse and repair, find it a new home, recycle or compost, store for later recovery in a land bank, or energy recovery from materials that cannot be recycled or composted because of poor design.

Zero Waste is an approach in which discarded materials are designed to become resources for other- think like nature and close the loop.

We all know the Three Rs of Reduce, ReUse and ReCycle.  Many are adding a 4^th R: Refuse.  You can use your purchasing power to say no to a Trader Joe’s item because it has too much packaging, or no to a restaurant because it uses Styrofoam. 

Or the Producer could take responsibility - it’s called product stewardship - and design for end of use.  Let’s make two assumptions.  First, we live in America, and have the right to produce something someone else will buy.  Second, the person making the product has the greatest control over product design and marketing and thus the greatest ability and responsibility to reduce toxicity and waste. 

This issue becomes more relevant as landfills fill, and the costs of throwing stuff away increase.

My wife and I recently went through a cleanse program: six bottles a day for three days equals 36 bottles.  I tried talking to employees and a manager about the waste bottles this was creating, when I realized I was getting nowhere.  So, to make my point, I went in when they were busy, and I dropped 36 bottles on their counter.  I made the waste the producer’s problem. 

And there you have it.  A little trash background, and some concepts to think about: 

• Everything you touch, what can it become? 
• Does it have to be that way? 
• Can I voice my opinion? 

If you are willing to seek answers, we can all work on reasonable solutions together.

There is plenty of good information on the city website under General Services.

What are your Earth Day plans?  LMK, JimFitzEco@gmail.com 

Online video: Where does your trash go?  

When Smart Devices Aren't

My kids feel the pain I felt watching my parents try to learn how to operate a VCR.

I have a Smarter-than-me phone.  It is really cool, high functioning, although it appears my 5 year old has greater command of the technology.  I think it gives me personal and business flexibility with mobility. 

A Smart Phone has great functions like controlling your home music or security systems.  If you don’t get overwhelmed by the real time feedback, it can provide fingertip access to ways to eliminate waste and improve efficiencies, so I will keep my Smart Phone.

By now, everyone should have Smart Electricity Meters, that will begin to measure monthly energy use remotely.  The two-way system will enable us to monitor electricity use and costs online, as easily as we check mobile phone use or our bank accounts. 

With many of us looking for ways to save, knowing exactly how much electricity a clothes dryer uses and what it costs will likely change our laundry habits.  Soon there will be appliances that can benefit from these insights, so one might set the dryer to perform functions when energy costs are at the lowest.

But, Smart Meter, not-so smart-transformers.  So, if a neighborhood has a bunch of electric vehicles, the Smart Meters will know when the resident charges the vehicle.  However the transformer does not possess the same intelligence, and cannot move the energy service around the grid to meet customer demands, at least not just yet.

And that brings us to Smart Irrigation Controllers, and I have a bone to pick.  Actually, I would like to take that bone and … well, let me just tell you about my experience with one not so smart offering, in my opinion.

Two years ago, I was so excited to have a Smart Irrigation Controller installed.  Contractor comes out, evaluates my soil and landscape conditions, programs this into the unit that is to take the intelligence and distribute water based on weather in my micro-climate.

Conceptually, sounds wonderful, but here is the reality of my experience. I programmed the unit, across 10 stations, for 100 percent capacity, a hot summer day.  Then I went to bewaterwise.com, a great resource, to get the watering index.  Then, every so often, I set the unit to distribute a percentage of that maximum.  In the winter, it might be 50%.

My first water bill after installation showed a significant increase. 

“Ah, you were deficit watering,”  said the company, “now you are delivering the appropriate and necessary water consumption for a healthy landscape.” 

Then, my Christmas lights tripped the outlet the Controller was plugged into.  So, for six months, my Smart Irrigation Controller was off.  On June 15, I plugged it back in, wondering if the unit was so smart, why didn’t it tell me it was not on, let alone provide data on use so I might be able to conserve water, save money, or detect a leak.

Two weeks later, a bill for my annual subscription came due.  Nice, the only time the Smart Controller chooses to communicate with me is to say “Pay me now.”

It gets worse.  “Pain in switching” is when a company makes it a challenge to switch, but this was real pain.  When I tried to discontinue service, and go back to my old way of doing things, every morning, 8 o’clock sharp, BEEP.  It would BEEP every 30 seconds unless I turned a knob.  And the next morning at 8, BEEP.  The controller had a message to call an 800 number, where I heard a demand for payment. 

This was painful, so I exacted my revenge by taking the time to collect every email for the company’s executive team, and Board of Directors, and sent them all a well-thought-out nasty-gram.  So far, they do not get it, have defended their subscription services and have refused an end-of-relationship solution that is reasonable.

I am seeking a Controller that is not subscription, takes the info from the weather channel, and provides me a dashboard of information from which to make my decisions. I have hope.

So, the moral of this story is, Smart Devices, not so smart executives.  Some, like the transformers, they may be able to evolve into a smart device.  Some, like the executives, well, they need to be recycled back into the work force.

What are your plans for Earth Day?  JimFitzEco@gmail.com.

An Eco-Classroom Lesson

With “Wishes and Water,” the Waldorf School’s younger students take part in the groundbreaking of its new eco-classroom facility.Waldorf School of Orange County had a groundbreaking for their eco-classroom architecture, a unique building method utilizing recycled shipping containers that will be converted into classrooms.

At WSOC, nestled just above Fairview Park, every child acquires the skills to think critically and creatively, to master rigorous academic subjects and to enjoy a life-long love of learning - so says the Waldorf press release. 

“Our innovative education should be mirrored by innovative architecture that reflects our ability to think outside the box” shares an enthused Paul Connolly, WSOC parent and Board Chair.

My observations are that something special happens at Waldorf, as this wasn’t the average groundbreaking.  We were first delighted by the High School Chamber Orchestra and the first movement of Mozart’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, every wonderful note.  That set the stage for students of all ages to participate musically, creatively, and in a common theme around the environment: grades 1 and 2 with “On the Earth, I Love to Stand,” grade 3’s “The Earth Is the Home for All Mankind” and Grades 4 through 8 with “Let Us Make a Thing of Beauty.” 

That was followed by the introduction of some pioneers, seniors who will be the first to graduate from WSOC’s new high school program, introduced four years ago.  Several seniors – pioneers - had been at the school since pre-Kindergarten, and got to feel like seniors all through their high school careers. 

That is when one of the Class of 2011 took the podium.  If you added a little Harvard crimson to the backdrop, or planted a little ivy, you would have sworn Matthew Lee was delivering the valedictorian speech at one of our finest universities. 

A gifted public speaker, at times in competition with a rooster from a neighbor’s yard, Matthew Lee looked directly into the hearts and minds of the crowd assembled for the celebration, many over 40, and offered unsolicited advice.  His message was that when times get tough, watch your composure.  I looked over my shoulder to check and see if he was talking directly to me, but I think all those over 40 had the same powerful impression.  Proof positive the education curriculum is working. 

“Wishes and Water,” grades 9-12 formed a semicircle, and shared their wish for the school with the audience.  All students wrote their wishes on a piece of rice paper, which was dissolved into watering cans.  Their wishes became part of the earth when Kindergarteners came center stage, stomping the show as some scattered seeds and some followed with watering cans, and some silly boys watered the backs of little girls’ shoes. 

Please, invite me to a bake sale at WSOC any day.  These parents and teachers have figured out how to make healthy food look and taste like the farmers made them, not a scientist.  A delicious sense of community. 

Beyond the contagious yet subtle inclusion of sustainable thinking in the everyday curriculum, and the artful weaving of an eco-conscious message throughout the whole inspiring event, the eco-classroom architecture is really quite special.  I love when a green and sustainable decision actually costs less.  Estimates are that ReUse shipping containers integrated into other features will yield a cost savings of more than 50 percent as compared to a wood-framed project.

Eighty percent of the building is made from recycled materials, with virtually no construction waste.  Containers allow flexibility – they can be stacked and movable to allow for growth or change.  The neighbors, and that rooster, will like the construction phase as noise pollution is significantly reduced by offsite fabrication.

Thank you, WSOC, for the invite, thank you for the inspiration, thank you for taking the time to educate our youth and, thank you for those delicious baked goods. 

What is on your green mind?  JimFitzEco@gmail.com