Sacramento Green Living

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

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

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

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