Pima County Receives Corporate Award for Innovation in Sustainability

APICS The Association for Operations Management is the global leader and premier source of the body of knowledge in operations management which includes production, inventory, supply chain, materials management, purchasing and logistics. The professional organization is comprised of more than 45,000 international members. They are dedicated to responsibly advancing the productivity and prosperity of the global supply chain.

In 2007, the Pima County Board of Supervisors adopted Sustainable Community resolution 2007-84 setting comprehensive operational standards and objectives that enhance the sustainability of our community. In support of that resolution the Pima County Procurement Department collaborated with Corporate Express(Staples) to implement an internet ordering website and reporting process to encourage responsible staff purchasing behaviors by identifying and promoting the use of eco-friendly and lower cost products. Actual results are reported to senior management for appropriate improvement actions each quarter. Staples is also measured and tasked to continuously improve the amount of eco-friendly items offered.

In 2008, APICS added the Innovation in Sustainability category to their annual corporate awards to recognize the development of practices and systems that promote sustainability and awarded Pima County the first Corporate Award for their efforts to implement a comprehensive sustainable community policy and for their use of technology to promote achievement of the objectives defined by the Sustainability Resolution.

More information regarding APICS and their Corporate Awards can be found at their internet website: www.apics.org

Pima County’s Sustainable Community Resolution and action plan is posted at their internet website: www.pima.gov

Smoking Chimneys Coming Soon
DEQ

Cooler nights and holidays will bring more fireplaces and wood stoves into use in our community. Wood smoke contains hundreds of chemical compounds, including nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. These compounds can cause health problems, especially for children, pregnant women and people with respiratory ailments and heart disease. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-certified wood stoves, fireplace inserts, and natural gas fireplaces emit significantly less air pollution than traditional wood stoves and fireplaces. Pima County Department of Environmental Quality suggests that those who use traditional fireplaces for recreational purposes (not as the sole source of heat in their homes) voluntarily reduce the number of fires they light to improve air quality in our community.

“Every winter I receive calls from community members who cannot walk in their neighborhood due to the affects of wood smoke on their health,” said Beth Gorman, Program Manager at PDEQ. “Wood smoke is about 85% fine particulates. The very small particles from the smoke can penetrate deep in the lungs and become trapped for years, contributing to lung disease,” Gorman continued. Exposure to the pollutants in wood smoke can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, nausea, irregular heart beat, chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness and can aggravate asthma and other respiratory diseases.

A standard wood-burning fireplace is an inefficient and often unhealthy method of heating and can actually remove more heat from a house than it produces. Cold outside air rushes in through cracks and leaks in the home to replace the heated air that exits up the chimney. The pollution from the burning wood can affect the quality of indoor, as well as outdoor air. According to the EPA, several of the pollutants emitted from wood burning have demonstrated cancer-causing properties similar to cigarette smoke. Combustion gases and particles can enter the home from chimneys and flues that are improperly installed or maintained and cracked furnace heat exchangers. Pollutants from fireplaces and wood stoves with no dedicated outdoor air supply can be “back-drafted” from the chimney into the living space, particularly in well-sealed weatherized homes. It is recommended that furnaces, flues and chimneys be inspected annually and that cracks or damaged parts are repaired promptly.

Those who use fireplaces or wood stoves can follow these tips for healthier burning:

• Burn seasoned hardwoods (oak, mesquite, pecan) instead of softwoods (cedar, fir, pine) because hardwoods burn hotter and form less creosote and smoke;
• Use wood that has been split and dried for at least six months;
• Use smaller pieces of wood. They burn more efficiently so they are a better source of heat;
• Make sure there is enough room in the firebox for air to circulate freely around the wood;
• Do not use green or wet woods because they smoke and form creosote;
• Never burn painted scrap wood or wood treated with preservatives, because they could release highly toxic pollutants;
• Do not burn plastics, charcoal, and colored paper such as comics, because they also produce toxic pollutants;
• Go outside and check your chimney frequently. If you see smoke coming out, you’re wasting wood by not burning hot enough. Give the fire more air and check the chimney again;
• Watch your smoke. If it goes into your neighbor’s yard, you are causing a nuisance and should remedy the situation; and
• Avoid burning wood on days when air pollution levels are elevated. Check www.airinfonow.org or (520) 882-4AIR for hourly air pollution information.

Residents who heat their homes with non-EPA-certified wood-burning fireplaces or wood stoves may consider replacing them with new ones to reduce emissions and improve heating efficiency. According to information from the Hearth Products Association, fireplaces with EPA-certified inserts and EPA-certified wood stoves reduce emissions by 85 percent when compared to traditional fireplaces and wood stoves. Natural gas fireplaces reduce emissions significantly more.

If you are using your fireplace for the ambiance, as opposed to it being the sole source of heat, PDEQ staff has a suggestion that will reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution. “Individuals who use fireplaces recreationally, because they enjoy the flicker of flames, may find that multiple candles of differing heights in the fireplace can be as relaxing to watch and will improve the quality of the air we all breathe,” said Gorman.

Photo courtesy of Cynthia Watson

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