Wendy Buhr, owner of Ella’s vintage clothing shop on Front Street in downtown Traverse City, has made a living implementing smart, ecological business decisions. A lover of fashion and an active collector of the antique, Buhr opened Ella’s 12 years ago to support her habit.

“Ella’s started as a vintage store and evolved into a high-end boutique that seeks out designers whom are inspired by vintage and have their designs made with integrity,” said Buhr.

From its creation, Buhr has worked to make Ella’s as eco-friendly as possible, beginning with recycling almost everything and utilizing the Bay Area Recycling Center (BARC).  With the implementation of green cleaning products, recyclable packaging and a new addition of composting coming soon, Ella’s makes every effort to lessen their impact on the environment.

In her latest eco-savvy move, Buhr installed Pure Energy LED lighting in her shop, embracing the new technology for its financial and environmental benefits.

“Switching over to LED lighting has helped us use only a third of our prior energy consumption.” said Buhr, “Comparing January 1 through February 28 this year to last year, our electric expense is down by 36.9%.”

After finding herself throwing away so many light bulbs that were unable to be recycled, Buhr began researching lighting options that would emulate the output of a halogen bulb while saving her money, energy and the hassle of constantly changing fried bulbs. The addition of LED bulbs met all of her criteria.

“The initial investment was big, but knowing that we won’t have to buy a light bulb for 11 years, and the fact that our electric bill dropped so dramatically, it was not a problem,” said Buhr.

Buhr also utilized the Traverse City Light & Power Energy Smart Rebate Program, a fast and easy incentive that made the switch a “no-brainer” for the shop.

On your next stroll of downtown Traverse City be sure to stop by Ella’s at 209 E Front St. to see the LEDs in action, and remember that vintage shopping is just another way to recycle! Call or stop by Eco-Building Products to find out how your home or business can join the movement and benefit from LED lighting as well.

Eco-Building Products » LED Lighting

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Family-Camp Shines as Eco-Example

For 88 years, Camp Arcadia, a Lutheran family-camp on the shores of Arcadia, Mich., has proven its green resolve, one step at a time.

Over the last decade, Camp Arcadia’s green efforts have further evolved, helping them to achieve Mich. Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG) certification as a Green Lodging Steward.

“Part of our mission statement is to renew our guests in spirit, mind and body,” said Chip May, director of Camp Arcadia for ten years.

This renewal includes being surrounded with healthy, ecologically-sound products and buildings.

“People choose to vacation in Northern Michigan because it’s so beautiful,” said May, “so it’s nice to know things we do everyday within our business help to keep it that way.”

Camp Arcadia worked with Eco-Building Products to green-up their cleaning regimen, as well as to transfer in all shapes and sizes of high-efficiency compact fluorescents.

“We switched all the chemicals we clean our camp with to Core products,” said May, “and EBP worked hard to help us find the right bulbs for all manner of fixtures and dimmers.”

Building efforts are only one of the ways Camp Arcadia shines when it comes to environmental impact. Chef Kurt Harvey, another member of Camp Arcadia’s green-minded staff, has also done his part to contribute to the local economy and the farming families found within.

A full 25-percent of the food purchased for the lodge is locally-sourced, with approximately thirty-four thousand dollars a year going to local farmers.

“Most of our meat, eggs, veggies, coffee and basics are locally sourced,” said May. “It’s great to know where our food is coming from, that it took less fossil fuels to get it here, and most importantly that the food we’re using is putting food on the table for local farmers.”

This far-reaching concern for both man and planet has also lined Camp Arcadia up with several efforts of the Grand Traverse Land Conservancy. Through a series of successful Harvest fundraisers, Camp Arcadia has helped spread the word on the importance of conservancy.

“We’ve been blessed to be a part of GTLC efforts over the years,” said May, “including the Coastal Campaign which was to preserve coastal and farmland property, and hosting a dinner in support of the Arcadia marsh area just east of us that they are trying to preserve and raise money to purchase.”

With these and other active and continuing efforts, Camp Arcadia plans to further their environmental reach.

“As part of our strategic plan, we have a goal to use all renewable energy sources, 100%, in the near future,” said May.

Although challenging for a family-lodging facility, with the resources readily available and the resolve they have shown so far, Camp Arcadia is well on its way to achieving full sustainability.

Eco-Building Products’ Environmentally Preferred Partnership (EP3) is based upon a mutual commitment to have immediate positive impact on Mother Nature. All of EBP’s products and systems eliminate or reduce negative environmental impact as soon as they are installed. Camp Arcadia has purchased products that promote good indoor-air quality, off-set carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) by reducing Kilowatt-hours usage, and generating clean energy.

While Eco-Building Products have made a difference in homes coast to coast and around the world, local homes in Traverse City, Mich. have also felt the benefits of our earth-friendly products.

Eco-Building Products and Harmony Home Construction customer Janet Fleshman utilized several products in her Traverse City home, including American Clay natural earth plasters and American Pride paints.

Using American Clay plaster in the laundry room, where moisture can be a major issue, Fleshman quickly noticed the superiority of American Clay over the average plaster. Instead of regular drywall, which absorbs water, causing it to crack and require refinishing, Fleshman’s earth plaster resists splashes and has maintained the natural finish from application to the present.

“I’ve had the American Clay in my laundry area for a year and it still looks as nice as the day it went up,” Fleshman said.

As well as the earth plaster, Janet utilized Eco-Building Products for her painting needs with the purchase of American Pride Paints.

Not only did she find the paint to be exceptional, spreading nicely and covering well, but the customer service at Eco-Building Products was cooperative and made her requests, no matter how difficult, a possibility.

“The company was able to match any color I needed, even from ancient fan ducts.”

This durability and flexibility of product and people make Eco-Building Products a satisfying alternative for your home and building needs.

Going Green in Leelanau County

“We are not just selling cherries anymore; we are trying to make a better world,” says Cherry Republic President Bob Sutherland, who has taken a cue from one of the country’s prominent environmental philanthropists and made an effort to “green up” his popular Glen Arbor business that sells all things cherry — from ice cream, to salsa, to clothing. True to form, Cherry Republic installed dual-flush toilets and a solar-thermal system this past May.

Sutherland is not alone as the green building movement gains traction in Michigan and beyond. And that’s a breath of fresh air. As recently as 2006, buildings accounted for 40 percent of the total energy consumed in the United States and 38 percent of our carbon dioxide emissions.

In our state, environmental improvements could serve two purposes. Michigan boasts the highest unemployment rate in the nation, and green jobs and technology could prove to be a savior. Grand Rapids, for instance, boasts 26 buildings that are LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) — making it per capita the top city in the country.

Leelanua’s Green Businessman

Of course, you have heard of Bob Sutherland, the local boy who began by selling T-shirts out of the back of his car. Since those meager days, his business has grown to become the leading distributor of specialty cherry products worldwide. Meanwhile, Sutherland’s environmentally-conscious business practices have distinguished Cherry Republic among local businesses as a green pioneer. The company donates one percent of its sales to environmental nonprofits — an amount that has already topped half a million dollars. Sutherland cites Patagonia outdoor clothing company founder Yvonne Chouinard as the impetus for his environmental mission.

Chouinard “was a huge inspiration to me,” says Sutherland. The two met 11 years ago when Chouinard came to Traverse City to speak on behalf of the Michigan Land Use Institute, an environmental and land use advocacy organization. Sutherland took to heart Chouinard’s pleas to do more for the planet.

The three-year goal at Cherry Republic now is to reduce energy consumption by 40 percent by creating renewable energy and adopting energy conservation. “We’ve already gotten to 20 percent in our first year,” Sutherland adds with a smile.

The “green team” at Cherry Republic — staff members who focus on cutting energy consumption and educating fellow employees on ways to conserve energy at work and home — has teamed up with Eco-Building Products of Traverse City to implement environmental improvements at the store in Glen Arbor. “We started with the basics, changing light bulbs, increasing the insulation, and installing thermostats,” Sutherland adds.

The next step was to purchase construction materials from Eco-Building Products such as paints, clear finished, and adhesive that off gas very few, if any, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that pollute indoor air. He installed three Caroma dual-flush toilets in employee and guest restrooms in the Glen Arbor location that will save 24,000 to 36,000 gallons of water this year. The most expensive investment was to install a commercial Solar-Thermal System on the roof of Cherry Republic’s Cafe.

The Green Building Alliance

Cherry Republic and Eco-Building Products (EBP) are paving the way for other local businesses by spreading the word about green-building techniques. “We are very proud of our association, because we are helping them make a living so they can make more companies in our area greener too,” summarizes Sutherland.

“We were so inspired by Cherry Republic’s commitment to have a positive impact on the environment, we thought that we needed to recognize the company for its efforts. “Barnes explains. “So we developed our own Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Program (EP3 for short) similar to President Bill Clinton’s 1998 Executive Order, entitled Greening the Government through Waste Prevention, Recycling and Federal Acquisition.”

The Traverse City Firm’s Environmentally Preferred Partnership (EP3) is based upon a mutual commitment to have immediate positive impact on Mother Nature. (Go to Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program for information.) All of EBP’s products and systems eliminate or reduce negative environmental impact as soon as they are installed. In exchange for purchasing and installing its eco-building products and systems, Eco-Building Products provides it’s partners with valuable empirical data (often in the spreadsheet form) that measures environmental impact and financial Return on Investment (ROI).

This valuable data ensures that its partners are well-informed, calculated, well-balanced and sustainable. EBP provides its EP3 partners with volume discounts and “broad scope” discounts that encourage its partners to take action on several environmental fronts as long as it is economically sustainable. Cherry Republic has purchased products that promote good indoor-air quality, save water, off-set carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) by reducing Kilowatt-hours usage, and generating clean energy.

Water Efficiency and Free Hot Water

Glen Arbor does not have public restrooms, and will not have them until next spring. In the meantime, Cherry Republic has gone though four sets of toilets in six years and experienced the stress of high water usage on its septic field. If used correctly a Caroma dual-flush toilet has the ability to save 14,000 gallons of water each year in a commercial setting,” explains Jim Barnes.

Meanwhile, Eco-Building Products’ solar-thermal system heats water that can be used for washing Cherry Republic’s cafe dishes, guests and employee hands. This represents over 200 gallons of water each day during the high-volume summer season. Unlike solar (photovoltaic) panels, which turn solar energy directly into electricity, solar-thermal systems harness the sun’s energy for thermal energy or heat.

Several concave vacuum-sealed glass tubes are visible on the roof of café. No matter where the sun is in the sky, these tubes direct light to copper pipes in the middle of the tube. “When the liquid heats up inside the copper pipe it turns to a gas and transfers its heat to a medium (either water or a water/glycol mix) in a closed-loop system that will then transfer the heat into a water storage tank in the utility room,” Barnes explains.

“It’s the most efficient, best payback, cleanest, and longest-lasting form of renewable energy. Everyone in Northern Michigan should have one,” encourages Sutherland. “A single-family home with a two-panel system will typically cost $8,000-$10,000 installed,” estimates Barnes.

Federal Tax Credit Inspires Solar Energy and Green Building

Besides earning a 30 percent tax credit on average, solar water heating can reduce carbon emissions by one ton per year if replacing natural gas, and three tons per year if replacing electric hot water heating. Cherry Republic has also begun buying wind power energy credits from a wind farm in McBain, Michigan, called Heritage Sustainable Energy.

“Our whole green initiative here has invigorated me as a business owner,” says Sutherland. “Creating a green team has inspired employees. They are more loyal and proud of what we are doing here.”

As founder of the Sierra Club Foundation David Brower put it, “There is no business to be done on a dead planet.”

Spotlight on ‘Yoga for Health Education’

Health is priceless. And for Michael & Libby Robold, learning to appreciate the life surrounding them is a foundation for their personal and business lives.

The Robold’s overlapped their need for tranquility and healing from their home to their business, where Yoga for Health Education, located at the Village Center on the old State Hospital Grounds in Traverse City, was formed in January 2002.

“Yoga is about movement and using breathing to emphasize and become aware of the senses,” said Michael Robold, co-owner with his wife of Yoga for Health Education.

With this idea in mind, the Robold’s utilized eco-friendly paints in both their home and place of business to eliminate the off-set of harmful gasses.

The choice of eco-friendly products adds to the idea of healing through nature, in a setting away from distraction and congestion.

Within their home, the Robold’s have also made health-conscious, green decisions with water conservation, flooring and paint.

“Along with Caroma Duel-Flush Toilets, we also had Marmoleum flooring installed in our bedroom and living room last October,” said Robold. “And the whole house has been repainted so it doesn’t give off harmful gasses.”

These steps, as much about the health of the home’s inhabitants, are an example of the lifestyle of learning and evolving they promote: each one of us makes a difference.

“The people at Eco-Building Products, and companies like them live consciously of others,” said Robold. “They know that we’re all working together. It’s not about making lots of money, it’s about living the way you know is the right way to live.”

Yoga for Health Education’s ideals of educating and expanding yourself to consider your environment go hand-in-hand with the goals of Eco-Building Products.

“What you put in, on and around your body will affect your overall health,” said Robold. “We want to achieve the notion that what we leave behind is better than what we have now.”