By JOY CAPPS
Photography ROBERT FRENCH
Three decades ago, protecting the environment was generally viewed as something pursued by tree-huggers or hippies. Today, being green has become an accepted trend embraced by a large percentage of American citizens and U.S. businesses. As environmental awareness has grown, so have earth-friendly technologies, products and energy sources.
Green living choices can easily be found if you look for them.
• Thanks to growing consumer interest over the last few years, hybrid electric-gas cars have become a competitive market. Green cars use alternative energy sources and are more fuel-efficient
• Meeting Energy Star requirements, green buildings that use recycled building materials and have water conservation and other eco-friendly practices are becoming more common. Several cities, such as Boston, San Francisco and Scottsdale, have passed laws requiring new public buildings to be green.
• Green roofs reduce air pollution, energy bills, urban “heat island” effects and storm water runoff. Replacing gravel, shingles or tile, with heat resistant succulent plants to cover roofs and soak up lots of water, providing many environmental benefits.
• Reducing the use of hazardous substances, green chemistry creates alternatives for industrial applications such as dry cleaning fluids and consumer products such as fertilizers, pesticides and household chemicals.
• Wind and solar power and biodiesel fuel provide green energy and options for generating electricity and running machinery and automobiles. In San Antonio, CPS Energy offers windgenerated electricity through a relatively new program called Windtricity.
WINDTRICITY
CPS Energy
CPS has actually been a leader in environmental practices for decades.
Before the launch of Windtricity in 2000, many in the local community weren’t really environmentally focused, so CPS did not spend money advertising all it was doing.
In fact, the company has exceeded EPA requirements for decades on most of its power plants. And it took action on issues such as water conservation by building Braunig and Calaveras Lakes. CPS developed its wind farm projects before the government began requiring that a portion of all electric generation be from renewable sources. It has continued to exceed all increases in those requirements over the years.
So how does CPS use the wind for energy? It harvests energy through wind farms located in West Texas where there is consistent air movement. In layman’s terms, the blades of wind turbines are turned by the wind. These turbines are connected to generators and create electricity. Wind-powered turbines create a renewable electricity resource with minimal environmental impact compared to energy
generated by coal or other fuels.
The original Windtricity customers have remained loyal users with attrition caused by relocation of customers out of the service area. For the first four or five years, Windtricity consumer growth was slow but steady. The target market was narrowly defined for residential customers, and very few businesses were willing to pay more for their energy. In the last two years that tide has turned, as many San Antonio businesses have begun using Windtricity in varying levels. Some have committed to purchasing 100 percent of their electricity through Windtricity; others, to varying levels of Windtricity usage ranging from 2 percent to 60 percent.
 JULIA JONES
CPS Energy
Manager of Strategic Marketing
As one of the inaugural users of the program, Julia Jones not only promotes the program for her job but walks the talk. “A lot of things have changed in the past year or so that have made people more receptive to renewable energy,” says Jones. “First of all, Al Gore deserves a lot of credit for bringing this important issue to the forefront. And the strange weather patterns we’ve experienced have raised environmental thoughts among San Antonio citizens and businesses.”
For CPS Energy this awareness brings about new challenges. “We still have a low-median-income community that’s growing rapidly,” Jones explains, “so the demand for electricity is increasing, and people need our low rates.” They are incredibly low in comparison to other Texas metro areas and shockingly low compared with other cities across the United States, she says.
Jones says, “Wind energy actually costs more for several reasons. First of all, although wind is free, the turbines and technology to convert the wind into
electricity are expensive. Then, the electricity generated by the turbines has to
be transported from far West and North Texas.” This translates into infrastructure improvements, coupled with state fees and surcharges for transporting renewable energy to San Antonio.
“Ideally, if those who can afford to pay a little more voluntarily purchase
Windtricity, we could help keep the base rate low for those who cannot,” she
explains. “You know, so many of us are blessed with a lot. If we all just made an
effort to do a few things to reduce our carbon output by switching to compact
fluorescent light bulbs, recycling and purchasing renewable energy, we could — as a community — have a positive impact on the environment.”
Jones’ department includes energy conservation, marketing research, economic and market forecasting, marketing communications and product management. Everyone in the group is committed to environmental action and
keeps their fingers on the pulse of customers’ interests. “Some of us are
downright passionate about the environment,” exclaims Jones. “We try to
live what we market. Every team member who lives inside the service area
purchases Windtricity.” They even turn off their computers and monitors at
night, which is not common practice in most companies. Her staff talks to people at events about Windtricity, telling why it is so important.
They are always looking for ways to help the San Antonio community conserve
energy. “We just recently launched a comprehensive rebate program that covers all kinds of energy efficiency upgrades for new homes and for existing homes,” she says. “And we just launched a solar rebate program for photovoltaics (solar-powered technology) and solar water heaters. We are always looking for ways to communicate the issue both within our building
and to the community as a whole.” Jones’ entire team is so full of energy
because they know what they’re doing is important. “We make a difference,”
she expounds. “If everyone did a few simple things, they could revolutionize
the San Antonio community and feel good about making an impact that will last for generations to come.”
 HOLLY ZAPATA
Director/Educator
Aveda Institute of San Antonio
Aveda Institute of San Antonio was the first business in the community to commit to using 100-percent Windtricity for its electricity. “To me it makes common sense to do whatever I can to save the environment,” says Holly Zapata, director/educator for the institute. “It is how I approach life. Windtricity, recycling and doing things for the earth to be as beautiful as it is now for our children and our children’s children are what inspire me.”
Aveda Corporation requires its salons and institutes to commit to environmental
conservation by doing what they can to help the environment each day. The Aveda corporate mission, crafted by Corporation founder Horst Rechelbacher, says it all: “Our mission at Aveda is to care for the world we live in, from the products we make to the ways in which we give back to society. At Aveda, we strive to set an example for environmental leadership and responsibility, not just in the world of beauty but around the world.”
Located in the Pearl Brewery historic site, the Aveda Institute of San Antonio
is a 26,000-square-foot facility where everything that can be recycled is recycled — from the foils used to create color highlights to the rainwater that
runs off the roof. “Recycling is messy and expensive,” says Zapata. “We
spend an additional $20,000 a year on our environmental efforts.” The additional costs come from paying someone to haul off the recycled materials and participating in programs like Windtricity. “Since the city doesn’t pay for recycling, we pay someone to come by and haul it away to a recycling facility weekly,” says Zapata. “Being green is good for business all the way around. I think in the end when we all can do it, it will cost less.”
The amazing part of Zapata’s commitment is that she does not pass along additional costs to the customers. In fact, she uses their environmental efforts as a platform to educate customers about how to save the environment. Zapata even prints her brochures on recycled paper with soy ink through special services offered by MinuteMan Press.
PEGGY THOMPSON
Co-owner
Postscript, Inc. d.b.a.
Minuteman Press
San Antonio’s Minuteman Press recently joined Windtricity with a 100- percent commitment. “My husband and I both love the outdoors. We are committed to the idea that if we don’t take care of it, it won’t be around. Our environment is a valuable resource we need to protect,” declares Peggy Thompson, co-owner of Postscript, Inc., doing business as Minuteman Press.
The Thompsons first started doing some recycling about 12 years ago and have been participating in Windtricity since the second quarter of 2007. “A
lot of chemistry is used in the printing business,” she says. “So we continue
to look for ways to help the environment.”
In addition to Windtricity, they
recycle paper and use fluorescent lighting, organic pesticides and fertilizers.
Like others, they have to pay someone to haul away the recyclable materials
they collect. They even provide soy ink printing to the two local businesses that have requested it — the Aveda Institute of San Antonio and K. Charles & Co. Most businesses are looking at cost and don’t request environmentally friendly
printing. This process is expensive because of the additional steps and extra costs for using 30-percent postconsumer recycled papers. Part of the cost results from the special cleansing process needed to switch from oilbased
inks to soy inks.
Thompson believes in being green so much that she and her husband personally take their household recyclables to the plant since curbside recycling is not offered in their neighborhood. “I think it is important for all of us to consider doing everything we can to help our environment,” she explains. “Using Windtricity and being green however we can is simply the right thing to do.”
 KATHY THALMAN
Owner/CEO
K. Charles & Co/Aveda
Institute San Antonio
As the owner and CEO of K. Charles & Co. and Aveda Institute of San Antonio, Kathy Thalman is committed to protecting the environment and has been a green-seeker her entire life. “Being personally accountable for preserving the environment is important,” declares Thalman. “Everyone needs to do what they can do.” Both K. Charles and the Aveda Institute use energy-saving light bulbs and appliances that help to conserve water. K. Charles also uses xeriscaping to decrease water consumption and Windtricity to cut down on the use of fossil fuels.
“Through my personal and professional green efforts, I have always placed myself a little bit outside of the norm,” says Thalman. “It has been very rewarding in a marketable way that people in the community recognize. Becoming part of Aveda raised my awareness about what individuals and
businesses can do to help the environment. It was a challenge to be one of
the first in San Antonio to take a stand for environmental conservation. In the
early days of my quest I thought there might be protests outside my door, but
then it started catching on.” Thalman believes in personal accountability and not putting the blame on someone else. She feels everyone needs to think about the consequences of individual and collective actions, from throwing something out the window to taking the extra step to separate and recycle trash. “I’m not 100-percent green, but I do as much as I can,” she reflects. The Thalmans even used recyclable materials when they built their house. Through the years, she has determined it is worth it even if it requires spending a little bit of money to make green efforts happen.
“If each person chose one achievable way to help the environment, we would
begin to see a positive impact in our community,” she believes. “That is what we try to do at the salon and the institute. And with our customers, we try to introduce simple environmental awareness so it is not so overwhelming for those who are not thinking about it at all.”
Her wish is for San Antonio to make recycling more user-friendly. She feels the
responsibility falls on the city, developers and landlords to provide programs for
recycling. “Offering Windtricity is a positive step in this direction,” Thalman says.
In keeping with her train of thought, the San Antonio City Council recently
approved lowering the price for Windtricity by providing a fuel-adjustment-
factor exemption for program participants. Clearly, the rule of supply and demand applies. “There are hurdles, such as cost, aggravation and time,” she says. “But the more people demand conservation programs, the more they will be implemented, and the costs will come down.”
 DERBA MILLS
President and Owner
Clothesline Cleaners Corp.
Derba Mills started Clothesline
Cleaners Corp. in 2003 as an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional
petroleum-based dry cleaning. Beginning with a single Olmos Park location in 2003, her privately held company now has five locations throughout the city, including a new 5,500-square-foot plant on the South side.
In researching environmental businesses, Mills determined San Antonio needed a “wet cleaner” that did not use chemicals to clean clothes. Through her research she found that many people experience adverse health problems
associated with perchlorethylene used in traditional dry cleaning. Armed with this knowledge and her passion to save the environment, she created Clothesline Cleaners.
As the only wet cleaner in town, the labor-intensive process uses natural, solvent-free solutions from Canada and rice starch from Germany. It’s no surprise that the costs for the wet cleaning process are far greater than dry cleaning. “Even though my costs for being environmentally friendly are much higher, I don’t pass it along to my customers. This is my service to mankind,” she says. “Almost every single customer looks at their receipt and says they would have spent 20 to 30 dollars more somewhere else.
“We recycle and reuse everything we can,” Mills says. “We use cloth towels instead of paper towels. We buy things with minimal packaging, and everything we buy is organically made. I guess you would call us textbook greenies.” In addition to wet cleaning, Clothesline uses eco-hangers made from 100-percent recycled paper, biodiesel delivery vans and Windtricity. When asked why she participates in Windtricity, she remarks, “It seemed like the only choice for us to make.”
Earlier this year the Texas House of Representatives honored Mills and Clothesline Cleaners for offering "an eco-friendly method of cleaning garments." The resolution, sponsored by Rep. Frank Corte Jr., R-San Antonio,
states that Mills “provides a vision of a business that combines profitability with concern for the ecological wellbeing of the Lone Star State.”
HOW TO DO YOUR PART
If we each found one way to positively impact the environment and then built upon it, the San Antonio community would leave a healthy legacy for generations to come. To learn more about participating in Windtricity, visit
www.windtricity.com. Find other ways to change the future of our environment
through these Web sites:
• www.planetgreengame.com
• www.climatecrisis.net
• www.treehugger.com/gogreen.php
• www.prairietreeproject.com
• www.co2balance.com
• www.begreennow.com
• www.carbonfund.org
• www.terrapass.com |
