88 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
Sky lights increase natural lighting reducing the need for artificial
lights, decreasing electric bills.
Photo by W Roycraft
might be an option if you’re far off the power grid and the cost
of running power to the site is high. It may also be worthwhile if
geographically you have very high energy costs,” he added.
Integrating solar power into your farm requires planning
and budgeting. It’s imperative to consider how much electricity
is truly needed and whether or not the geographic location is
conducive to solar power. Equipment can be costly and even
though depreciated over time, if enough energy isn’t produced,
the equipment may need to be replaced prior to reaching its full
potential. “It’s important to do the calculations; it may not be cost
effective,” he cautioned.
Renovating Responsibly
When renovating or building a barn, consider recycled products.
Recycled products are an excellent way to decrease the amount
of waste in landfills while simultaneously decreasing long-term
expenses. “At one farm the manager chose a recycled wood
product line, similar to Trex, the decking product,” he said. “The
product is recycled, weather resistant and long lasting.”
Selecting products that are ready to install rather than needing
painting, staining or other treatments is another way to limit your
barn’s carbon hoof print. “Lots of paint products put off volatile
organic compounds (VOC’s),” he added. “Even low-VOC paints
release fumes into the environment.”
Concrete block and other products with the finish blended in
directly may initially cost more, but the savings are significant over
the long term as the products don’t require refinishing, which costs
time and money.
Lush Landscapes
Well planned landscaping provides more than aesthetic
benefits. Carefully selected trees provide shade for arenas and
barns. Decorative cobblestone pavers beautify walkways and
aisles. However, plants and pavers can be as functional as they
are beautiful.
Large surface areas like rooflines, driveways, grassy paddocks
and sun-dried earth shed rainfall without directing it anywhere in
particular. If not guided, the excess water erodes soil and carries
silt, sand and other pollutants directly into natural streams and
waterways.
Permeable pavers, though similar in look to traditional concrete
pavers, are manufactured with a spacer along each edge so that
when installed, small gaps are left between each paver. The
permeable paving system allows for water and air to move through
the area once it has been installed. The small gaps provide water
a place to go, directing it downward into the ground, rather than
allowing it to flow across a hard surface. Permeable pavers are
gaining in popularity because of their environmental benefits,
but also because national legislation requires municipalities and
construction companies to use products to manage storm water
runoff.
Equine facilities near urban areas are especially concerned with
storm water runoff. State or local regulations may even dictate
where or how a stable deals with runoff. In certain locations,
rain gardens are also used to prevent storm water from entering
streams and waterways.
A rain garden is 200 – 300 square-foot depression made in the
ground and is filled with native plants. Excess water is directed
to the rain garden where it sits for a day while the plants soak
it in, filter it and return it to underground water sources. Places
like Rutgers University Equine Science Center in New Brunswick,
New Jersey, have installed rain gardens to capture and treat the
storm water runoff from paddocks.
Reducing Your Carbon Hoof Prints
Implementing environmentally sustainable practices in a
stable can require creative thinking and an open mind. It may
even mean trying techniques used in other industries. The key is
finding techniques that fit the individual stable’s set up and daily
operation. As it turns out, it may be easier to be green than you
might think!
About the writer: Katie Navarra has worked as a freelance writer since 2001. She
has been a lifelong horse lover and owns a dun Quarter Horse mare she competes
with.
