Sacramento Green Living

This just in from Jaclyn over at the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS):

Hello ECOS Supporters!

ECOS is participating in Greenraising (Earth Friendly Fundraising). I know that many of us already make purchases on the internet. Why not allow those purchases to support your local environmental organization, ECOS? Please consider going to http://www.greenraising.com/?AFID=488 next time you would like to purchase reusable bags, biodegradable cleaning products, recycled gift wrap, fair trade gifts, organic tea & coffee, reusable stainless steel beverage bottles, unique lunch bags, bath sets, etc. Greenraising will give 25%, yes you heard that right...25% of the price of each purchase to ECOS!!! This is a great way for you to support ECOS while you do your online shopping.

If you have any questions at all please email me or give me a call (916) 444-0022. ECOS, like most nonprofit organizations, must work hard to keep afloat financially. Your participation in this greenraiser is GREATLY appreciated!

Hope to see you all around soon & happy shopping!
Jaclyn

Labels: ECOS, green shopping, links

Sacramento ranks 12th best in nation by Brookings Institution

In its recently released analysis, "Shrinking the Carbon Footprint of Metropolitan America", the Brookings Institution found that the Sacramento metro area decreased its per capita carbon footprint from residential and transportation uses by about 9% between 2000 and 2005, compared with a 1.1% increase across the 100 largest U.S. metro areas and 2.2% across the nation as a whole.

Newer housing options and increased demand for energy efficient or "green" features in homes (reflected in new urban developments such as 9 on F and the SoCap Lofts in Downtown Sacramento) have helped push Sacramento toward the top of the list.

The Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization.

Looking to reduce your carbon footprint? Some quick and easy ways to do that include using alternative transportation (bus, light rail, and bicycle), living closer to where you work and play, and choosing a home that reduces your impact on the environment. Consider urban living, explore Downtown and Midtown Sacramento.

Labels: 9 on F, Downtown Sacramento, global warming, green homes, green technology, Midtown, real estate, sustainability

Did you miss last weekend's open house at Good (LJ Urban's newest project at 4th & B in West Sac just off the I Street Bridge)? This just came from the fine folks over at LJ Urban:

Many of you have requested that we have another open house, so this Sunday we're going to head over from 5-8 and keep the doors open so you can come and take a look. Its not another big party like last time but for those of you who missed us last week, now's your chance to come see what the fuss is all about.

We are still not officially selling the homes yet, but expect to start taking pre-sale orders in early June.

1931 H Street, Sacramento, CA 95811
916.930.9400

Labels: events, green homes, green technology, LJUrban, real estate, sustainability, West Sacramento

Let me put $368 in your pocket^* with FREE compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) while supplies last

I started giving away energy-efficient compact fluorescent lightbulbs at our Green Second Saturday event in April, and now I want to offer them to anyone who would like to stop by and pick up a four-pack (while supplies last, of course). Just send me an email or give me a call at (916) 444-7577 to let me know you'd like to swing by and pick some up. I'll also throw in a Gold C book (entertainment discounts) to anyone who comes by on foot or on bike. ;-)

Rob McQuade - (916) 444-7577
McMartin Realty
2031 K Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95811-4253

*Save $92 in energy costs per bulb based on 12 cents per kwh over the expected 10,000-hour lifespan of these 23-watt (100-watt equivalent) CFLs compared to 10 standard 1,000-hour 100-watt light bulbs.

Labels: McMartin Realty

Green Home Expo opens in Sacramento May 8th

Okay, so maybe you don't think of the North State Building Industry Association as a bunch of party people (and you obviously don't know them very well if that's the case), but they know how to put on a good (trade) show. This Thursday, May 8th, is the Green Home Expo at the Sacramento Convention Center. It's an all-day event with free trade show admission, and you can expect to see some of the latest green home tech. If you're thinking about starting a remodel or you just want to know more about the latest energy efficient, eco-friendly products for the home then check out the expo (and there are some really cool workshops being offered for a very reasonable price). You can find out more by clicking on the banner below.

PS - The convention center is an awfully big place to heat and cool. Maybe they'll open the windows. ;-) PPS - While you'll find a lot of groovy home products at the expo, you probably won't find an actual home. If you're looking for an eco-friendly home in the Sacramento area, please get in touch with me!

Being a Green Nugget

Oh, and while I'm not in it for the glory, it's always nice to get a friendly mention from people who always have their "green" thinking caps on (made from organic cotton, of course)—and Levi Benkert and the awesome eco-urbanists at LJUrban are among the greenthinkiest (consider the term officially coined) people I know of locally. What's not to love about people whose aspirations are to dream big, live small, and do good?

Labels: Downtown Sacramento, events, green building products, green homes, LJUrban, sustainability, technology

PARK YOUR ART & Green Second Saturday @ McMartin Realty
April 12th, 2008 6-11pm | 21st & K in Midtown Sacramento

Our March event was rockin', but April is gonna be huuuuge! So huge, in fact, that we're staying late—festivities start at 6pm and go until 11pm! And we've added the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD), and alternative energy vehicles to the event, too.

The Smith Gallery will be joining us again with great artwork from prominent local artists, plus we'll have guitar and cello performances from Stephen 9ine and Dan Barker 6-8pm, amazing firedancers at 7:45pm, the Richard March Band goes on 8-11pm, and as always we'll have our popular outdoor art show with dozens of great local artists and crafspeople—giving you a chance to own their one-of-a-kind, handmade works!


This is our big fundraiser for ECOS, the Environmental Council of Sacramento (last month was just a fun bake sale), so join us as we celebrate a green Sacramento! This event is to promote Sacramento Earth Day and awareness of local environmental efforts. Come check out alternative energy vehicles, too!

This event is FREE to attend and is open to art-lovers of all ages. If you'd like to put your art or crafts on display for FREE, download an artist application or for more info call McMartin Realty at (916) 447-1600.

Labels: cars, ECOS, events, green technology, Midtown, music, Sacramento Earth Day, Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op, Second Saturday, SMUD

Who knew Al Gore was funny?

Below is a video from 2006—just a couple months before "An Inconvenient Truth" was released—from TED.com (spend some time on the site, explore TED Talks). In it, the former vice president talks about things we can do individually and together to reduce our impact on the environment around us. And he starts with a bit of a stand-up comedy routine. What could be better?



Here are the 15 Things slides from the video:

1. Reduce emissions from your home energy use (better design, insulation, green electricity).
2. Reduce emissions from your car and other transportation (buy a hybrid, light rail, carpool, biking).
3. Buy the most energy-efficient appliances and other products. Be a green consumer.
4. Live a "carbon neutral" life. It's easier than you think. Reduce; then offset the rest.
5. To find out how, go to: www.climatecrisis.net. Use the Carbon Calculator.
6. Then make your BUSINESS Carbon Neutral. (It's not as hard as you think.)
7. Then, whether you work in Technology, Entertainment, Design--INTEGRATE climate solutions into all your innovations.
8. Invest sustainably—in companies and funds that are part of the solution.
9. Become a catalyst for change in your community. Teach others about the Climate Crisis.
10. Raise awareness by promoting "An Inconvenient Truth" in your community.
11. Send someone to Nashville who can learn how to give my slide show in your community.
12. Become politically active—Speak up! Contact your elected officials! Make our Democracy work!
13. Urge the US to join the rest of the world community in capping and trading carbon emissions.
14. Help with the mass persuasion campaign when it is launched this Spring.
15. Let's call it the "Climate Crisis"; It really is a "Planetary Emergency".

Labels: Al Gore, An Inconvenient Truth, business, carbon capping, cars, global warming, green homes, links, sustainability, TED.com

Good news: The Sacramento area is getting another green tech company with photovoltaic (pv) manufacturer OptiSolar of Hayward. The county has announced $20 million in incentives for the manufacturer to move into the McClellan Park complex in North Highlands.

Better news: Unlike the city's sale of the Sheraton with half the proceeds from said sale going back to the buyer in the form of future subsidies, the county isn't spending any money out-of-pocket for to subsidize OptiSolar.

Best news: In addition to adding a great new green tech company to Sacramento's economic mix, 500 new jobs will be added to the area by 2011.

Labels: green technology, McClellan Park, North Highlands, OptiSolar, solar, technology

Ever wonder what driving a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle is like? This weekend you'll have a chance to take one for a test drive at the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) open house in West Sacramento.


The CaFCP will be giving tours of their West Sac operations—a global partnership of more than 30 car makers, energy providers, fuel-cell technology companies, and government agencies—and drivers can get behind the wheel for test drives.

For more information, visit the CaFCP's events page at http://cafcp.org/events.html

Labels: cars, events, fuel cells, technology, West Sacramento

Nine on F: The Greenest Homes in Sacramento.

It was late summer 2007 when I first heard about a big "green" residential project that was being built downtown in the Alkali Flats neighborhood. I was a bit cautious at first because so many businesses had begun jumping on the "green" bandwagon and were touting any energy efficient, environmentally friendly features they could attach to their product or service.

In November I finally took some time to preview 9 on F Citywalk. What struck me when I walked through the traditional units that fronted F Street was two things: First, I didn't feel like I was walking through a "green" home. The countertops weren't made of recycled beer bottles and there wasn't anything touting blue jean insulation. Second, this was beautiful design—like something out of Dwell Magazine. Better than I'd seen in Sacramento on a smaller scale project like this one.


Sure, other projects lately have been touting their green features. Regis Homes, developer of the SoCap Lofts at the southern end of Downtown, had incorporated solar—but this seemed to me to be a bit of an afterthought.

9 on F developer Jeremy Drucker really started the project with a green end in mind, which is why the nine three-story units are all have LEED for Homes certifications and are rated LEED Silver or Gold—a notable achievement for a Sacramento project being completed in what anyone would say is a challenging real estate market. Drucker, a bay area resident, has gone a step further than most developers and has reached out to the community. I know his goal is to sell a product, but he's managed to build a tremendous amount of media attention and awareness for what I hope will continue to be a mainstream move to green by promoting the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS), SMUD's SolarSmart program, and even connecting with the City of Sacramento at a time when Mayor Heather Fargo and other key officials have been pushing to make Sacramento the greenest city in the nation.

I appreciate Jeremy Drucker's efforts. I also appreciate the great design his project has brought to Alkali Flats and the entire Downtown area. The homes at 9 on F join beautiful design, infill development, and earth-friendly features, which include: dual-zone geothermal heating and cooling, solar, tankless hot water heaters (no "tankless job" puns, I promise), environmentally friendly wood products, FSC-certified responsibly managed wood flooring, and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) interior paints.

For more information about 9 on F or to purchase one of the nine beautiful, traditionally-inspired or urban loft-styled units, visit ForSaleinDowntown.com.

Labels: 9 on F, Alkali Flats, developments, Downtown Sacramento, green homes, green lofts, Jeremy Drucker, real estate, solar

Sacramento once again thinks globally and acts locally at the 2008 Earth Day celebration, being held this year at Southside Park at 8th & W downtown. The event is being held on Sunday, April 20th, from 11am to 6pm and will be the focus of weeks of "green" events before and after (including World Earth Day on Tuesday the 22nd).


Leading up to the event are several walking tours emphasizing green and not-so-green elements of our Sacramento neighborhoods. For more information, visit the Sacramento Earth Day website at http://www.sacramentoearthday.net/ or the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) website at http://www.ecosacramento.net/

And get involved!

Labels: Downtown Sacramento, Earth Day, ECOS, events, Southside Park

Take dozens of great artists and thousands of artlovers, add local craftspeople and musicians, and mix with an environmentally conscious, earth-friendly theme and you get Green Second Saturday 2008.

April's Second Saturday event combine the best of Earth Day "green" awareness and Second Saturday's awesome artitude to make for what we expect to be one kick-butt event.

As usual, you can expect tons of great art and music, lots of energy, and great food and drink throughout Midtown. You can also expect a phenomenal PARK YOUR ART event at McMartin Realty: the Smith Gallery will be featuring talented local artists, the outdoor art/craft show brings art fans and artists together, and hip local music are for-sure. But this time you can also expect a ton of sustainable fun with music from the Richard March Band, cool alternative energy vehicles from SMUD, a fundraiser for ECOS, and an extra late event that goes from 6-11pm with outdoor entertainment.

Don't miss this FREE, phenomenal, family-friendly event!

Labels: art, ECOS, events, McMartin Realty, Midtown, music, Second Saturday

Second Saturday in March is going to be a preview for our big Green Second Saturday event on April 12th... And, to get the ball rolling early, we'll be hosting a bake sale at McMartin Realty for the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) as part of our FREE outdoor event, Park Your Art which runs 6-9pm at 21st & K in Midtown.

In addition to the small ECOS fundraiser, we'll be showcasing the award-winning artwork of Sacramento artist Steve Memering, who will be debuting his latest work capturing the beauty of the American River. We'll also be featuring amazing artwork from the Smith Gallery, an acoustic performance by the lovely and talented SAMMIE-winning Larisa Bryski and the equally talented Willy Seltzer, and McMartin Realty's popular outdoor arts and crafts show where you can get up close enough to buy the works of more than a dozen local artists and craftspeople.

The event is FREE to attend and is open to art-lovers of all ages. If you'd like an opportunity to display your arts/crafts outdoors for FREE, you can download an application here.


Post-event update:

Wow, what a huge success—we had more than a thousand people in attendance and helped to raise funds for ECOS! I hope everybody comes back for the big event on April 12th: Green Second Saturday.

Labels: art, ECOS, events, McMartin Realty, Midtown, Second Saturday

In December the City of Sacramento adopted its first Sustainability Master Plan, but the real step toward making Sacramento a truly sustainable city came this week with the adoption of the 2008 Sustainability Implementation Plan. You can view it as a PDF here.

Labels: City of Sacramento, sustainability