Do you have any information on wood gas?

Wood gas is an alternative fuel created by burning wood (or other biomass) in a machine called a gasifier. During World War II, wood-gas-powered generators and vehicles provided a way to get around the petroleum shortage. According to Richard Freudenberger’s article in Mother Earth News, there were over one million wood gas civilian vehicles in Asia and Europe by the end of the war.

One of our patrons was building their own gasifier and hoped to find some resources at the library. They checked out The Homeowner’s Energy Handbook by Paul Scheckel, which had a small section of information, but they were hoping for building plans. We looked in some of the other books about sustainable and off-the-grid living, including Chris Peterson’s Practical Projects for Self-Sufficiency, and we checked our collection of Foxfires and even some of our history books, but we couldn’t turn up anything.

We moved on to searching our online research databases. Typing “wood gas” into Academic Search Premier, one of the multidisciplinary databases available through CLEVNET, brought up a multitude of articles. Some were from scholarly journals, and one was “Wood Gas Wizard,” Freudenberger’s Mother Earth News article from April 2012. Freudenberger interviewed Wayne Keith, an Alabama farmer who was unwilling to pay more than $1.50 a gallon for gasoline. Keith started powering his vehicles with wood gas in 2004. His website, www.driveonwood.com, provides plans and other resources for others looking to do the same.

I'd Like More Information about the Pelicano

"My pastor told us the story about the garbage ship, the Pelicano.  It was filled with toxic ash from Philadelphia and then no port will let it dock.  I would really like to know more about it."  The Newton Falls Public Library staff found this to be an interesting inquiry and told our patron we would see what we could find for them.

An online search brought us to the November 28, 1988 New York Times article "After 2 Years, Ship Dumps Toxic Ash."  According to the article it's cargo holds were filled with " 28 million pounds of Philadelphia's municipal and industrial incinerator ash."  "The ship left Philadelphia in September 1986 as the Khian Sea. It was renamed the Felicia in July and the Pelicano earlier this month, according to published reports and shipping officials. . . After the ship was barred by the Bahamian Government from dumping the ash, it wandered the Caribbean for 18 months, leaving at least 2,000 tons of ash in Haiti before making an attempt to enter Delaware Bay. Its later travels took it to West Africa, the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. It was turned away from ports in at least 11 countries, including the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde. . . Earlier this month. . .a court document showed that the ash had been dumped." 

The New York Times article is not the complete story.  In the March 18, 2001 Los Angeles Times article by Mike Clary titled "Wanted: Final Resting Place for Huge Trash Pile - Environment: 3,000 tons of waste from a 14,000-ton haul is all that remains of years of global travels and no takers. Its barge now sits in a Florida canal."  Fifteen years after this odyssey began "the last of 14,000 tons of incinerated garbage from Philadelphia has yet to find a permanent home." According to this article, 4,000 tons was dumped in Haiti when the officials were led to believe it was fertilizer. "Over the next two years, it sailed through the Suez Canal, changed its name again and was finally spotted in Singapore as the Pelicano--without the remaining 10,000 tons of trash. . .In court in 1992, the boat's captain admitted dumping the ash in the Indian Ocean." After about a 1,000 tons had blown away from Haitian land, the U.S. Department of Agriculture arranged to have Waste Management remove the remaining 3,000 and it was loaded on another ship which sits off the coast of Florida. At the writing of this 2001 article, Waste Management had neither found a dump site nor had been paid for the removal.

We finally discovered what happened to the remaining ash at the website Philly.com.  On June 15, 2002, Inquirer Staff Writer Tom Avril posted "Traveling trash Years later, long-fought ash returning."  The final resting place for the last 3,000 tons of ash is The Mountain View landfill in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.

More information about toxic ships can be found in the Greenpeace report, www.greenpeace.it/Report-The-toxic-ship.pdf.

Does Anyone Pick Up Old Refrigerators?

“I’m assisting a relative in going through some things, and we need to know if anyone picks up old refrigerators?”  The Newton Falls Public Library staff understands the need for finding ways to dispose of old household items. Our patron remembered that an advertisement on television mentioned that the Green Team recycled appliances. Unfortunately, we discovered that the it is part of the Mahoning County Solid Waste Management District and the relative’s home is in Trumbull County.

Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District is our local recycling agency. It has appliance collection dates and a listing of local scrap metal dealers on their website www.startrecycling.com. While their listing did not include Falls Recycling in Newton Falls, we found that this business also accept appliances.

FirstEnergy has an appliance turn-in program for their customers through October 31, 2011. The program accepts empty and working refrigerators and freezers. The same conditions would apply to local charities receiving appliance donations. For patrons wishing to repair their non-working appliances before donating them, the library has a copy of Chilton's Guide to Large Appliance Repair and Maintenance by Gene B. Williams available for borrowing.

What Happened to the Recycling Bins?

Over the last few weeks this has been a frequent question at the Newton Falls Public Library. “What happened to the recycling bins which used to be by the Community Center?” Our staff confessed we didn’t know, but we would find out.

We contacted the Newton Falls City Manager’s office and asked their staff. We were informed that because the city now has curbside pickup, the bins were removed. Information about city recycling can be found at: http://ci.newtonfalls.oh.us/news_files/Newton%20Falls%20Recycle%208.5x11-08%20%28GREEN%20LOGO%29.pdf. Individuals living in apartments and others who wish to take their recyclables to larger centers may take their papers, plastic, metal, and glass to the bins near the Newton Township Administration Building.  For more information the Township’s website is www.newtontwp.com.

The library has an assortment of materials to assist you in going green at home. The DVD Go Green Around Your Home, Mother Earth News, The Complete Compost Gardening Guide: banner batches, grow heaps, comforter compost, and other amazing techniques for saving time and money, and producing the most flavorful, nutritious vegetables ever by Barbara Pleasant & Deborah L. Martin, Easy Composters You Can Build by Nick Noyes, and A Guide to Green Housekeeping: live a calmer, healthier life, recycle and reuse, clean naturally, garden organically by Christina Strutt are a few of the titles which may be borrowed with a Newton Falls Public Library card.

Learn how easy it is to recycle the rain, go green, and save green on Saturday, May 14 at 1:00 pm.  The Trumbull Soil and Water Conservation District will present the program Rain Barrels – “Something old is new again” in the library’s second floor Palmer Meeting Room.

Should I Turn My Heat Off or Lower the Thermostat?

“To conserve energy and save money, should I turn my heat off or just lower the thermostat when I leave for work?” Like everyone today, the Newton Falls Public Library staff can understand the economic need of conserving energy.

The appropriately named book, This Cold House: the simple science of energy efficiency by Colin Smith was the first place we looked. Smith suggests setting your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature in the winter. “Heating costs are reduced by about 2% for every 1% F reduction in settings [p. 189].” Information about different heating systems, insulation, and basic equations to assist homeowners in determining possible savings are included. The use of ceiling fans to blow and circulate warmer air can make people feel more comfortable.

The library has two new books about home energy savings, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings by Jennifer Thorne Amann, Alex Wilson and Katie Ackerly and Save Energy Save Money: 201 do-it-yourself projects, tips, and ideas by Family Handyman. The Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings includes practical information about ways to reduce costs and offers additional ideas at their website www.consumerreports.org/energy. The site has numerous calculators for things such as determining the most economical insulation level for your home and how much money a programmable thermostat will save. The Family Handyman book addresses the misconception that lowering the thermostat requires more energy to reheat the house; when in fact the fuel saved by the dropping temperature is about equal to the amount used restoring it, so the time spent at the lower temperature is reducing your energy use. “Studies show you can cut cost by as much as 20 percent by lowering your thermostat 5 degrees F at night and 10 degrees during the day when no one is home [p.66].”

You can also conserve your energy and save money by visiting the library. With one stop, you can borrow books, audiobooks, movies, CDs, CD-Roms for your computer, magazines, newspapers, and access the Internet from the Wi-Fi computers. There are programs such as story times, craft programs, movie events, and book discussions. Travel back in time when you visit the Local History Room. Visiting the library is a great opportunity to share and learn more about your family, where they came from, and where they have lived. While a little dated, Oral History for the Local Historical Society by Willa K. Baum has excellent ideas on how to create an oral history, learning from older family members about their lives. Discovering the History of Your House and Your Neighborhood by Betsy J. Green is another interesting resource. In conjunction with Ms. Green’s book, the Haines directories and Sanborne Fire Insurance Maps (found in Ohio Web Library’s Genealogy section) will assist you in researching where your family has lived. If your family moved to Newton Falls during the growth of the steel mills, you might find it interesting to view the tools belonging to contractor Nicholas Risko. Mr. Risko built many of the homes for families who came during this era. A relative of the Longenberger family, Grandma Caroline Gamber [1836-1928], would be blushing to know that there is a display of her clothing, including undergarments, in the library’s Local History Room.

How Can I Sell My House?

“I know the housing market is terrible now, but I need to sell my house. Are there any books that have ideas of things I can do?” In today’s market this is a real concern to Newton Falls Public Library patrons who are moving or downsizing.

Home Makeovers That Sell: quick and easy ways to get the highest possible price by Sid Davis has many ideas of small changes you can make to ensure that your residence is more appealing to buyers. My Home, My Money Pit: your guide to every home improvement adventure by Tom Kraeutler and Leslie Segrete includes a chapter called Home Selling Tips. Homeowners can follow some very simple styling suggestions to increase the value of their homes. Things like reducing art, tidying rooms, and banishing odors which take very little time or money can make big differences when prospective buyers do a walk through. 52 Weekend Makeovers: easy projects to transform your home inside and out includes many colorful photographs, a list of tools and gear, what to buy and even alerts as to what can go wrong with a project to help you avoid problems. Even if you are not moving, the ideas in these books can make where you are living feel like a new place.

Energy efficiency is attractive to buyers who may inquire about monthly utility costs. Energy, Use Less--save more: 100 energy-saving tips for the home by Jon Clift & Amanda Cuthbert has both spend nothing - save money and spend a little – save more suggestions. One way to reduce your water consumption, lower your water and sewer bill is by collecting rain water to be used to water your outdoor plants. The Carbon-free Home: 36 remodeling projects to help kick the fossil-fuel habit by Stephen and Rebekah Hren has instructions for a rain barrel that can be made in an afternoon for as little as $20. As buyers begin to look at the actual monthly costs of owning a home rather than just the exterior appearance, being ready with some changes you’ve made from The Home Energy Diet: how to save money by making your house energy-smart by Paul Scheckel may make your home more desirable.

When all else fails, one of the library staff members mentioned burying a statue of St. Joseph, earthly father of Jesus and the patron saint of carpenters, in the yard. The online article Selling your house? Bury a statue by Darci Smith details what many people are doing to increase their chances of selling their home quicker. Ms. Smith relates some of the popular tales of the origin of this belief. One of the most popular “is that an order of European religious sisters in the Middle Ages buried a St. Joseph medal and asked the saint to help them acquire land for a convent [http://www.saintjosephsellshomes.com/anecdote2.html].” She also reminds the reader that after the house is sold St. Joseph should be dug up and kept in a place of honor.

Selling a home can be fraught with problems, so it is wise to prepare yourself by reading How To Buy & Sell Your Home Without Getting Ripped Off! by Patricia Boyd and Lonny Coffey. The authors include advice about understanding real estate trends and finding a realtor with whom you will be able to work well. If you choose to sell without using a realtor, How To Buy/Sell Your Own Home Without a Broker or Lawyer: the national home sale and purchase kit by Benji O. Anosike would be useful to examine.
Don’t get discouraged. Buyers from other parts of the country are beginning to look at the Mahoning Valley as an attractive area to relocate. In Valley comes in 2nd among areas that offer bang for your buck by Denise Dick [Vindicator, September 12, 2008] it is reported that the September 4th issue of Business Week Magazine stated the Mahoning Valley as the 2nd most affordable place to live in the country.

Beer can and bottle collecting

“My buddy has a whole bunch of different beer bottles and cans. Is there something he can do with them?” The Newton Falls Public Library staff found this to be a timely question when one considers that football season inspires many a tailgating party. The owner of such a collection has several different options.

By doing some research you may find that the containers could be sold. The library has several resources available; Kovels' bottles price list by Ralph & Terry Kovel and other collectible price guides such as Kovels' Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide 2009: America's Bestselling and Most Up-To-Date Antiques Annual. According to this newest Kovels’, would you be willing to pay $5000 for a Kool Beer, blue, Grace Bros. Brewing, Santa Rosa, California can or $2640 for a beer bottle from Tiffany and Allen, Washington Market, Paterson, New Jersey? The Official Price Guide to Beer Cans can also be borrowed through interlibrary loan and Ohio Shares MORE. A great deal of historical information can be learned online at Beer Bottle Collectors and Antique Bottles. Antique Bottles and RustyCans have links to collecting groups. There is even a Beer Can Museum located in Massachusetts.

One of our staff members was curious about how these collectible bottles and cans might be displayed. The library has many books with do-it-yourself directions for shelving. Two of the most intriguing were a trapezoidal bookcase in Bookcases by Niall Barrett whose shape is reminiscent of a bottle, and rotating garage shelves in Storage & Shelving Solutions which could be made to look like a giant beer can. Instructions can be found for shelving created with beer bottles and boards at www.diylife.com/2008/01/18/beer-bottle-shelves.

If, after searching the various sources, you find that your cans do not have much value as collectibles consider recycling them. The Aluminum Association’s website states that can recycle rates are at their highest and it takes 34.17 cans to equal a pound of metal. The amount that is paid by scrap metal businesses changes daily. On September 22, Falls Recycling was paying $.60 per pound of aluminum.

Before the cans or bottles can be recycled, they need to be emptied. Have a tailgating party using The Tailgater's Cookbook by David Joachim and Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style by Mario Batali to create delicious food for the occasion. Homebrew Favorites: a coast-to-coast collection of over 240 beer and ale recipes compiled by Karl F. Lutzen and Mark Stevens and Extreme Brewing: an enthusiast's guide to brewing craft beer at home by Sam Calagione are two of the library’s books which can be used to develop your own special brew.

Remember to practice caution in consuming the contents of those bottles and cans. Controlling Your Drinking: tools to make moderation work for you by William R. Miller and Ricardo F. Muñoz and Ohio Driving Under the Influence Law by Mark P. Painter and Majes M. Lookerone are some of the resources the library has to assist you in making wise choices.