Otterbein’s Paul Wendel lives the sustainable lifestyle in Westerville

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Given his position as an assistant professor of education at Otterbein University, it should be no surprise that Paul Wendel is big on teaching by example.

Still, though, the extent to which he lives by that philosophy in his personal life exceeds the average observer’s expectations. Wendel is big on sustainability, and both his home and his daily habits bear out his commitment to it.

The Westerville home of Wendel and his wife, Joyce, is distinguished by its yellow exterior and by the array of 11 strategically-placed solar panels on the roof. The house is on the grid, Wendel says, so even when the weather is dreary, the house remains well-lit.

The excess energy the panels generate on sunny days is transferred onto the grid, where it can be consumed by his neighbors. Then, on cloudy days, power can be pulled back off the grid and into his home.

“This didn’t happen overnight,” Wendel says. “We started out small, taking on a new challenge every year. It’s about changing habits one at a time.”

Investing in solar power was certainly not Wendel’s first environmental effort. He has been interested in sustainability since he was in college himself. In fact, it was during those days that he bought the bicycle he has managed to use for the last 18 years.

“Of course, I’ve had to replace parts over time, but the original frame has held up,” he says.

Keeping the bike functional was no simple task, considering Wendel rides his bike to work nearly every day, rain or shine.

Guests in Wendel’s home might also be taken aback by the fact that it is heated by a wood-burning fireplace, given that it is free of fumes or visible smoke coming out of the chimney. Wendel seasons and splits his firewood throughout the year, he says, allowing it to burn as clean as possible. The back yard is distinguished by tarp-covered stockpiles of wood, drying out for upcoming seasons.

Wendel puts in this work ahead of time to make living a sustainable life practical for him and his wife. He was able to acquire the extra wood after his neighbor cut down a tree across the street and offered him the surplus.

To make his sustainable lifestyle work, Wendel devotes himself to maintaining the right habits, from washing laundry in cold water to bringing reusable bags to the grocery store.

“It took us about a year to remember to put the reusable grocery bags in the car before we left for the store, but once you form a habit, it becomes second nature,” he says.

The couple’s efforts to reduce their consumption have been adding up. They are now able to generate as much energy as they consume.

For the similarly ambitious, Wendel recommends starting out by switching to LED light bulbs, or contacting one’s gas company for an energy audit. For those homes served by Columbia Gas, he says, the company will perform a three-hour, comprehensive in-home assessment, install free energy-efficient items such as low-flow showerheads, and provide a personalized report of the home’s efficiency for only $50.

Looking to the future, Wendel feels we should be just as concerned with recycling as we are with reusing items, and investing in products that last. Wendel proffers an example: a glass milk bottle from Hartzler Family Dairy. Wooster-based Hartzler allows customers to return their bottles once they’re empty, then brings them back to the farm to wash, sanitize and refill them. That’s what Wendel does, and it means one less plastic milk jug going into a landfill each week.

Peaches & Cream Pie

Courtesy of Paul Wendel

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ cup milk
  • 1 small box vanilla pudding (not instant)
  • 3 Tbsp. butter, melted
  • 1 can (20 oz.) sliced peaches
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • ½ cup sugar
  • Cinnamon and sugar to taste

Instructions

Mix together flour, egg, baking powder, milk, pudding and butter, and pour into a 9-inch pie plate.

Drain peaches, saving 3 Tbsp. worth of the juice, then put peaches on top of batter.

Combine peach juice with cream cheese and sugar, and mix until creamy. Then spoon mixture on top of peaches, leaving ½ inches of space near the rim of the pie plate.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, then bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 35 minutes. Serve.

Sarah Davis is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

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