FREE Eco-Consultation for Dunwoody Residents and Businesses

So I was driving around Nancy Creek Drive the other day and I came upon these little islands in the middle of the road. "Ah, traffic-calming vegetative swales!" I remarked to myself, like a moron. But then I got to thinking, "This neighborhood is really thinking smart." I mean, they could have just put in speed bumps. But these planted islands actually mitigate stormwater runoff at the same time they slow traffic, and they look really nice, too.

And then I got to thinking, "What else can neighborhoods do to make a sustainable difference?"

And then I got to thinking about my neighborhood, where someone wanted to put on an Energy Star roof but it was turned down by the HOA architectural review committee because it was "too light in color" and wouldn't fit in with the "harmony of the neighborhood." What about the harmony of the earth? What about future homebuyers? (Generation Y hits the homebuying market in 2012 and they want eco!)

So I got involved, helped research the Energy Star roof situation, and found a series of concerning details that did lead to a decision to not approve these lighter roofs just yet, but not merely because of their looks. And this led me to suggest to my neighborhood that we form a Sustainability Advisory Group to help research and suggest ideas that can assist our HOA in adjusting rules and embracing opportunities in preserving the almighty property values by preparing for the future.

And, of course, this got me thinking about you. And about your Dunwoody neighborhood, and what you can do. You see, the City of Dunwoody Sustainability Commission is focusing mostly on the government measures of the ARC Green Community checklist this year so that we can hold the City up as a model. And then we can suggest citizens and businesses try out some of these things, too, in the hopes that enough will want to and we can achieve enough additional points to reach the first level of certification by the end of 2010. That may or may not happen--it depends on all of us.

I've seen such a dramatic outpouring of support for a few things in this city (efforts to become more bike and pedestrian friendly, the community garden, the farmers market . . .) that that leads me to think enough people are interested in trying something different. So, if you are one of those people (or know someone who is) and you are wondering what you can do right now in your neighborhood, here are some ideas:

1. Form a Sustainability Advisory Group. Call it the Green Team. Call it the Eco Group. Call it something way more clever (best name wins a fistful of herbs from my garden).

2. Look at your HOA covenants, if your neighborhood has them. See if they reflect current eco-realities and makes accommodations for emerging ones. Things to consider include:

* The allowance of solar power (and not just on the "side of the house that can't be seen"--that may or may not be where the sun shines!)

* The allowance of recycled materials for fences and play equipment

* A broader color palette to accommodate increased reflectivity (and increased energy savings and reduced heat island effect)

* Native, drought-tolerant (we did used to have a drought, didn't we?!) landscaping in your common areas (you'll save money on all that "seasonal color" annual transplant stuff, too!)

* Rain harvesting/stormwater solutions (such as rain barrels, rain gardens, and permeable pavement)

* Energy-efficient lighting at your front entrance

* And other things specific to your neighborhood.

3. Gather some baseline data. Figure out your neighborhood's recycling rate. The Dunwoody average, based on the most current information I could get, is about 17%. My neighborhood recycling rate is about 32%, twice the Dunwoody average. I don't think anyone in my neighborhood knows this! What neighborhood in Dunwoody has the highest rate? What 'hood has the most homegrown food? What subdivision sees the highest number of kids walking or biking to school?

For data geeks like me, this stuff is fascinating. I especially like to compare our local findings to other cities nearby and nationally. And you know what? I've been surprised to see how well we are actually doing on some of these things. And how much we don't really know about our city. Grabbing baseline data lets you measure your progress monthly, quarterly and year-over-year, plus it gives you a quantitative reason to celebrate success (and we can never have enough reasons to celebrate, especially during these tough economic times).

4. Contact me. If you have a dedicated group of at least four Dunwoody residents (or you are a Dunwoody business) with a clear sustainability objective (starting a sustainability group in your neighborhood; starting a home, community or school garden; reducing waste or setting up a zero-waste zone; "greening" your business) and you don't know where to start or are hitting barriers, I will give you a FREE eco-consultation via phone to brainstorm ideas about how to move forward, plus research on suggestions for up to a total of one hour. My "day job" is as a sustainability writer/specialist, and this is a $125 value for free.

To take this positive step toward increased sustainability, please email me a one-page (or less) synopsis of your group, your sustainability objective and your barriers at freshbakedcopy@mindspring.com and I will set up a mutually-agreeable time with you. I am willing to dedicate up to five hours a week pro bono for these consultations. This is five hours a week I am taking directly from the Dunwoody Community Garden, and I love being there, so you can see how important I think this is.

If you already have a great Dunwoody-based sustainability story to share, I'm happy to report it here. Also, consider adding details about it to our social networking site.