Sustainable Business Council – Missoula Area Spring 2005 Newsletter

Inside this issue:

March’s Sustainability Lecture
Featured Sustainability Tip
SBC Activities:
– Committee for the Built Environment
– Community Food Assessment Project
– Conference Planning
– First Annual Sustainability Awards
– Missoula Greenhouse Gas/Energy Conservation Team
– Other SBC Board Activities
Member Profile: Customer Carpets and Flooring
Member News Briefs
SBC Calendar of Events
Web Site of Interest
SBC Web Site News
Members in Best of Missoula List
Member to Member Discounts
SBC Wish List
About the SBC

March Meeting – Building Sustainability: The past, present and future
of Home Resource

At MCAT on March 15th, Home Resource Co-Directors Matt Hisel and Lauren
Varney will present a brief history of Home Resource and a vision for
the store’s future role in the community, followed by a group
discussion about ways to collaboratively advance Missoula’s
sustainability efforts. The mission of Home Resource, Missoula’s
one-year-old building materials re-use center, is to reduce waste and
help build healthy communities by collecting and selling reusable
building materials. The original vision for Home Resource was to
become a sustainable moneymaker for the environmental and social
service sectors. Now, in order to realize that vision, the
organization is developing new products and services, new community
relationships, and plans for a new location.

Home Resource’s latest project is a collaboration with Opportunity
Resources, Inc. (ORI) that employs disabled adults to clean, repair and
recycle construction waste from a variety of sources. The program is
supported by a $20,050 “Jobs Through Recycling” grant from the
Environmental Protection Agency, awarded to Home Resource in June of
2004. Last year, ORI employees began work cleaning plumbing fixtures,
pulling nails, and organizing shipments of materials. In February,
they started producing siding shingles from scrap lumber using a
process developed by Steve Loken of Loken Builders in Missoula.

Matt Hisel and Lauren Varney, co-founded and co-directs Home Resource.
Matt has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies from the University
of Montana, and has lived, worked, and studied in Missoula for seven
years, including two years as Site Director for the Missoula Urban
Demonstration Project. Currently he also serves on the City of
Missoula Greenhouse Gas/Energy Conservation Team, an advisory committee
to the City Council. Lauren is in charge of operations and
deconstruction at Home Resource. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in
Environmental Studies and five years experience as a carpenter with
various green builders and deconstruction contractors, including (SBC
member) Loken Builders and Heritage Timber.

Featured Sustainability Tip: Designing or retrofitting a building to
take advantage of day lighting via windows, sky lights, and other
technologies can significantly reduce energy costs, improve employee
productivity, and increase sales. Using light colors on interior walls
and ceilings can help reflect existing light and increase its
effectiveness.

SBC Activities:
Committee for the Built Environment
In late summer and early fall of 2004, a group of individuals
interested in sustainable building practices met several times and
decided to form a subcommittee of the SBC. The Board approved the
creation of the committee in November. The new Committee for the Built
Environment (the Committee) has had three official meetings, one each
at Tipu’s Tiger, the Gold Dust Apartments and at Loken Builders, where
they received overviews of the sustainable features of each facility.

The Committee would like to undertake a hands-on project to demonstrate
sustainable building practices and one or two other projects as well.
Demonstration projects being discussed include work on the Dakota
Street bicycle pedestrian path area, traffic-calming circles in the
neighborhood south of the Osprey ballpark, and a building on the
Missoula Urban Demonstration Project site. Other projects the
Committee is considering include a green building tour, a green
building trade show, workshops for contractors, workshops for
homeowners, bringing the Northwest Eco Building Guild speakers’ tour to
Missoula, and developing web content related to green building.

The Committee’s next meeting will be held April 14 from 12:00 – 1:00
p.m. at Mark Vandemeer’s shop, 1301 Scott Street in Missoula. The
group will be discussing projects to undertake.

Community Food Assessment Project
The SBC has had a representative on advisory team for the Community
Food Assessment Project of the University of Montana Environmental
Studies and Social Work Departments for over a year. In the fall of
2004, the Project group released the results of the assessment in two
documents, "Grow, Eat, and Know: A Resource Guide to Food and Farming
in Missoula County" and "Our Foodshed in Focus: Missoula County Food
and Agriculture by the Numbers."

The project group and its advisory team recently developed a set of
priorities for future progress in improving food and farm system
security in Missoula. Their first priority is to set up a Food Policy
Council, recently renamed the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition
(the Coalition). They have recently received support for and
representation on the Coalition from both the Missoula City Council and
the County Commissioners. Priorities for the Coalition include
developing and securing a Missoula County Food and Farm Policy,
conducting educational campaigns that target both the general public
and low-income people, and facilitating collaborative projects to
increase local production of and access to nutritious foods for
low-income people.

The advisory team’s next meeting will be March 14 from 7-9 p.m. at the
Missoula Public Schools Administration Building, 215 S. 6th St. West,
Room 24 upstairs. Enter through the West doors.
Conference Planning

The SBC Board is currently exploring the possibility of holding a
conference on the new economy of the West next year. Anyone interested
in helping with conference planning please call Susan Anderson at
543-5323 or email us at [email protected].

First Annual Sustainability Awards
The SBC Board has voted to begin giving annual sustainability awards in
three categories: Sustainable Business of the Year, Sustainable
Innovation or New Venture of the Year, and Sustainability Advocate of
the Year. While we realize no organization is completely sustainable
at present, we want to recognize those organizations that have made
significant progress toward sustainability. The first annual awards
will be announced at our May 19th sustainability lecture and meeting.
To nominate a business (including your own) or individual for an award,
please submit an application to the SBC Board by April 8. Applications
are available on our web site or may be requested from Susan at
543-5323 or [email protected].

MissoulaGreenhouse Gas/Energy Conservation Team
The Missoula Greenhouse Gas/Energy Conservation Team (the Team) has met
four times since its inception in the summer of 2004. In addition to
writing bylaws, the Team has been exploring ways to fulfill its charge
of aiding in community-wide education and communication of energy
efficiency opportunities that minimize greenhouse gas generation.
Activities currently being considered include supporting the bio-diesel
bill before the Montana legislature, developing a fact sheet on
recycling for the construction industry, creating initiatives to
encourage alternative transportation. The SBC as a co-facilitator of
the Team has been providing research and administrative support for the
Team.

The Team’s next meeting will be held April 13 at noon in the Mayor’s
Conference room. To read the Missoula Greenhouse Gas-Energy Efficiency
Plan or follow the activities of the Team visit:
http://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/mayor/Greenhouse-energy.htm

Other SBC Board News
In fall, Sarah Annarella, a graduate student in Environmental Studies
at the University of Montana, researched energy efficient lighting
options available in Missoula for the SBC. Her report is available to
check out (contact us at [email protected] for
details). A one-page fact sheet is being developed for release this
spring.

In November, the Board released "Holiday Gift Ideas for the
Sustainability Minded," a holiday gift guide featuring gift ideas
proposed by SBC members. As a result of the gift guide, board member
Susan Anderson was asked to give a 5 minute talk on holiday gift giving
for the Alternative Energy Resources Organization’s weekly spot on
KUFM. During the talk, Susan was able to direct listeners to the SBC
web site and the gift guide posted there. You can listen to a copy of
Susan’s presentation on the SBC web site.

In addition to our great Sustainability Lecture Series, the SBC
co-sponsored Helena Norberg-Hodge’s presentation, Globalization versus
Community in November.

In January, the Board elected to give a $50 award to the most
innovative project dealing with a sustainability issue at the Montana
State Science Fair for middle school and high school students. This
year’s Fair will be held in Missoula at the University of Montana on
April 3-5.

In February, the Board was asked by a member of the Milltown Superfund
Site Redevelopment Working Group to support their Milltown
Redevelopment Plan by writing letters to Representative Rehberg,
Senator Baucus, and Senator Burns. After reviewing the plan, the Board
voted to send letters outlining the economic and social benefits to
redevelopment of the Milltown site and expressing support of the
Redevelopment Plan.

Member Profile: Customer Carpets & Floors and the Birth of The Green
Room
Customer Carpets and Floors, which began as a tiny flooring store on
the banks of the Blackfoot River in Bonner/Milltown, has grown and
changed over the years. However, one thing hasn’t changed, their focus
on the customer’s needs. That focus led them to more sustainable
products and the creation of The Green Room, a newly opened flooring
showroom dedicated to sustainable building in their current store at
801 Ronan Street in Missoula. The store is constantly evolving to
provide customers with the best products to meet their needs.

Their interest in green products began seven years ago when one of
their sales representatives was suggesting products that best fit their
philosophy toward customers’ needs. He sold them their first display of
vibrantly colored Marmoleum samples with assurances it would be an
important new addition to their hard-surface flooring line. They loved
this natural linoleum made from linseed oil, wood flour and jute, but
were skeptical because at the time Armstrong and Mannington dominated
hard surfaces in flooring across the nation. But, something about the
little store in Bonner attracted the most progressive builders and
customers, so they bought 30 rolls of Marmoleum to show and have grown
with the upsurge in natural flooring ever since.

Now located right in Missoula at 801 Ronan Street, along the pedestrian
path north of Boyce Lumber, they note that the interest in natural
flooring continues to grow. Marmoleum piqued interest in ‘green’
flooring, but soon their customers were also asking for flooring that
looks good and that they can feel good about such as bamboo floors,
cork floors, hardwoods certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, and
carpet made from recycled materials. Over the years they have continued
to add more products for building and living green, and now offer those
in The Green Room. The walls are even made of wheatboard.

In The Green Room, you’ll find Timbergrass bamboo, Eco Timber
hardwoods, low and no-VOC paints and free-trade, natural window
treatments. Customer Carpets and Flooring also offers recycled tiles,
clay wall, and many brands of wool carpets including pesticide free,
organic and VOC- free wool carpets. They also carry carpet made from
recycled pop and milk containers called PET polyester, an important
product that until recently was not available in a quality that met
their high standards.

Owners Bill Fleischman and Kathleen Kimble credit the faith of their
early customers like George Tilton, facilities manager at the
DoubleTree in Missoula, and Tracy Blakeslee, Wilma owner, and the
influence of high quality builders with providing them incentive to
continue to seek and provide products for green building. Bill says
"our customers make up the extent of our wealth in the many positive
comments and in the faith they have in us… We still focus on the
customer rather than profits as the best gauge of our success. "

They further credit the SBC with helping to inspire them to recycle
carpet pad and cardboard and to run their trucks on biodiesel. They
donate leftovers to Home Resource to recycle good, new flooring of
small quantities to others.

Customer Carpets & Floors Inc.,801 Ronan Street in Missoula, 542-7632
invites you to visit The Green Room with your flooring, window or wall
treatment questions. You can have a cup of Montana Tea & Spice tea and
browse the green building products and library.

Member News Briefts
The Black Dog Cafe is reopening soon in the Butterfly Building below
The Bridge restaurant, offering mushroom-enhanced vegetarian and
omnivorous meals, local brews and wine.

Home Resource is now accepting lumber scraps at least sixteen inches
long from 2×4, 2×6, 2×8, 1×4, 1×6 or 1×8 boards that will be recycled
into siding shingles. Contractors can save on dump fees and get a tax
deduction for these donations. Home Resource also currently has a
beautiful oak reception desk/counter for sale.

Meadowsweet Herbs will soon be launching a web site at herbsmt.com!
For herb gardeners, they now carry Horizon Herbs organic herb seeds and
many useful books. You can now purchase Meadowsweet Herbs products
from The Bitterroot Community Market in Stevensville as well.

Missoula Food Coop, a new member, will now be holding their buying club
pick-up at the Gold Dust community room at 330 North 1st St. across
from the north side pedestrian bridge.

Shakespear & Co. bookstore has a new location in the hip strip at 103
South 3rd Street West in Missoula.

Treecycle now sells biodegradable rice stalk paper products from Asia.
They are made from agricultural rice stalk leftovers pulped into
plates, bowls, cups, and several types of to-go food containers and are
tree-free. Treecycle is also constructing a passive solar log building
in Huson made from trees that were killed by pine bark beetles.

Western Montana Mycological Association now sells Mushroom Stamp
T-shirts, which support their national campaign to have a mushroom
postage stamp series. The fungaljungal.org web site shows hundreds of
mushroom photos, with numerous recipes and other mushroom information.

Tsunami Relief Efforts by Members
In January, Big Sky Brewing spearheaded a tsunami relief effort. More
than $18,000 and 2000 lbs. medical supplies were donated to support
Darrin Coldiron’s relief work rebuilding the village of Komari on the
east coast of Sri Lanka. Nick Muzik, Spokane Firefighter, Carina
Curnow, a Bozeman area medical student, and Gregg Trude, a Helena area
retired Special Forces medic/geologist, have joined Darrin there.
Missoula Response has also joined the effort and will potentially take
over mid and long term efforts. In April, Darrin and one to three
Komari citizens plan to visit Montana to give talks and participate in
fundraisers. For more information, log on to coldiron.blogspot.com.

Susan Anderson, SBC Board Member and co-owner of BalanceTech LLC, will
be escorting a group of Girl Scouts to Thailand next year to assist a
Thai Girl Guide Troop with tsunami relief work on a school, library, or
similar facility. If you would like to help sponsor their Thai relief
effort, call Susan Anderson at 543-5323.

Visit the SBC web site for more information about these organizations.
Members send us your news. We’d love to share it with other members
and the public. The newsletter deadline for the fall newsletter is
August 25th.

Sustainable Business Council 2004-2005 Calendar of Events

Sustainability Lecture Series – All events in this series begin with a
social hour at 5:00 p.m. The presentation begins at 6:00 p.m.
Tuesday, March 15 – Building Sustainability: Past, Present and Future
of Home Resourc, a presentation by Matt Hisel and Lauren Varney of Home
Resource at MCAT,500 North Higgins

Thursday, May 19 – Recycling in Missoula, a presentation by Tom Ernst
of Missoula Valley Recycling, locations to be announced

Sustainable Business Council Board Meetings – Board Meetings are held
the second Tuesday of every month between August and May in the small
conference room of the Missoula Public Library from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00
p.m. The remaining Board Meetings for this year will be held on April
12 and May 10. Members and the public are welcome to attend.

SBC Committee For the Built Environment – Meetings are held from 12:00
– 1:00 p.m. on the second Thursday of most months at varying locations.
The April 14 meeting will be held at Mark Vandemeer’s shop, 1301 Scott
Street in Missoula. The Committee will be discussing projects to
undertake and Dakota Street as a possible area for a hands-on project.
Don’t forget to bring a brown bag lunch. Check the SBC web site for
dates and locations of future meetings.

City of Missoula Greenhouse Gas-Energy Conservation Team – Meetings are
held from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of various months.
Their next meeting will be April 13 in the Mayor’s Conference room.
SBC co-facilitates this Team.

Web Sites of Interest
The Missoula Urban Demonstration Project has put together an overview
of recycling options in Missoula. You can view their two page
Recycling Table by clicking the link at:
http://www.mudproject.org/newsletter/index.htm

NorthWestern Energy’s web site (www.northwesternenergy.com) For
Business section, includes a lighting calculator, an energy savings
calculator, an appliance calculator, and information on their
commercial lighting rebate program.

SBC Web Site News
The SBC web site has been getting a lot of traffic over the last year
and the number of hits continues to grow each month. The site received
2450 hits in December, 2895 hits in January and 3038 hits in February.

Congratulations to SBC Members in the Independent’s Best of Missoula
2005 List

Crazy Daisy – Runner-up Second Hand Store
Tipu’s Tiger – Best Vegetarian Food
Good Food Store – Best Supermarket, Best Fresh Produce, Runner-up
Vegetarian Food, Runner-up Delicatessen
Bernice’s Bakery – Best Bakery
Le Petit Outre – Runner-up Bakery
Big Sky Brewiing – Best Microbrewery
Jeannette Rankin Peace Center – Runner-up Nonprofit Organization

Member to Member Discounts
The following SBC members have agreed to provide discounts or benefits
to other members. Just mention you are an SBC member when ordering.
Treecycle – 5% off on all paper products
Obvious Ads – First month of advertising free
Missoula Valley Recycling – First month free of new service
Customer Carpets and Flooring – 10% off on all environmentally friendly
products
Home Resource – 5% off on all products (except timber from Heritage
Timber)
Historic Montana Publishing – 20% off on purchase of books directly
from the publisher
Authentic Creations – 10% off all purchases
Zephyr Graphics – 15% off first design project, 10% of first print or
sign order
Boyce Lumber – discounts to all members, call for details

SBC Wish List
The SBC is currently run solely by volunteers and is funded solely by
the comparatively low membership dues we charge. In order to serve you
better, the SBC is asking members if they have the following items that
they could donate or exchange for membership.
Office Space – a single room where volunteers could work and which
would hold a desk and file cabinet, preferably in the downtown area.
A desk
A file cabinet
A phone
A computer
Time to help with administrative work, the newsletter, web site
maintenance, the pocket shopping guide, the Christmas shopping guide,
research, and other publications
Service as a board member, a commitment of 5-10 hours a month directing
SBC activities (one of our current members is moving to Colorado soon)

Sustainable Business Council- Missoula Area
P.O. Box 7991
Missoula, MT 59801
[email protected]
http://www.sustainablebusinesscouncil.org
Newsletter Editor: Susan Anderson

The Sustainable Business Council – Missoula Area is a network of
individuals, organizations, and businesses working toward a sustainable
economy. Its purpose is to promote the economic benefits of a clean and
healthful environment; to educate businesses, organizations, and
individuals about efficient resource use; and to facilitate the
adoption of economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable
business practices.

The Council offers Missoula-area businesses, organizations and
individuals:
Educational presentations and workshops;
Networking with other environmentally and socially concerned
businesses, organizations and individuals;
Resources including a newsletter and publications;
A web site, including an on-line membership directory that gets over
2500 hits a month;
Promotional opportunities for their business;
And discounts from participating members (see page 7 for a complete
list of discounts offered by members to other members).

Membership in the Council is open to businesses, organizations, and
individuals. Membership dues are $25 for individual supporters, $50 for
businesses or organizations with one to four employees and owners, $75
for businesses or organizations with five or more employees and owners,
and $250 or larger donations for sponsoring businesses or
organizations.

Our Sponsoring Member Include:

BalanceTech, LLC
Boyce Lumber
The Missoula Independent
Livesey All Freight Systems, Inc

This newsletter has been formatted by Susan Anderson at BalanceTech,
LLC. For submissions or questions about the SBC, contact Susan at
543-5323 or [email protected]. The fall newsletter
deadline is Aug. 25th. Paid advertising will be accepted on a space
available basis.

Sustainable Business Council- Missoula Area
PO Box 7991
Missoula, MT 59807
http://www.sustainablebusinesscouncil.org