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In Hitchcock’s suspense masterpiece Notorious, Nazi villain Claude Rains discovers his wife, Ingrid Bergman, is an undercover agent and plots to kill her without detection by gradually poisoning her coffee.
When we
Read more…Today's buzzword for energy nerds, green builders, and environmentalists is "electrification." You might know some other buzzwords like "renewable energy portfolios," "net zero energy use buildings," and "Passive House." These all refer to the same
The 16th Annual Leadership in Sustainability Awards Gala will have plenty of sustainable and appetizing options to enjoy! Courtesy of our partners, Calicraft Brewing and Captain and Viano Vineyards, there will be sustainable and local food, beer and
Read more…In the United States alone, 40 billion plastic utensils are thrown away each year, and there are estimates that plastic in the oceans will outweigh fish by the year 2050. Are bioplastics the magic solution to the plastic global crisis? Does the littl
Water will be an essential and stressed resource in California, the West, and in any hot, dry climate far into the future. Politics and economic forces are at play regarding water and other natural resources. Besides advocating for local, state, nati
Regenerative agriculture certainly sounds positive and healthy, but what is it? One way to find out would be to attend a screening of the powerful film "Kiss the Ground," presented by Sustainable Contra Costa and Unity of Walnut Creek. Narrated by an
Read more…Xeriscaping, from the Greek prefix “xeric,” meaning “dry,” is a popular style of landscaping, particularly in areas with arid or semi-arid climates such as California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas. Xeriscaping (“zeer-i-scaping”) reduces the
Read more…It's like being pelted with popcorn—the choices and decisions keep coming at us. But some popcorn is more significant than others. The house we are remodeling in Orinda had cement tile shingles, and though the shingles held a lifetime guarantee, we c
Read more…Real grass was introduced to North America by the early settlers in order to feed grazing livestock. Later, green lawns came to represent the American dream of living in an orderly, desirable neighborhood with a manicured lawn. We’ve come to learn th
Repair and reuse are key concepts at the heart of sustainability. Pushed towards consumerism, Americans have gotten into the habit of buying new things instead of fixing broken ones. This practice is not only wasteful and expensive, it is not sustain
Read more…Here is a juicy secret: The East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) and the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) will give you money for taking out your grass lawns. It sounds too good to be true, but it's true. You can create a beautiful water-sip
We’ve all seen those cool looking silicone cupcake pans, ice cube trays, whisks, basters, spatulas, and other kitchenware that come in a variety of alluring colors and soft, malleable shapes. There are even silicone baggies that replace disposable pl
Read more…At our Walk 'n Lunch event in Lafayette we "decorated" the walking trail with signs pointing out many interesting sustainability facts you may (or may not!) know.
What???
o 40% of bottled water is really tap water
Pass on single use plastic
o The
Remodeling our “Forever Home” is testing our patience! There are so many little details to study and decisions to make. For example, we decided to make our bathroom wheelchair accessible. After coming up with the design for the perfectly sized vanit
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If you're looking for the Spring Cleaning article mentioned in the April 2024 newsletter, click here!
How about a little pesticide with your breakfast? If you regularly eat Cheerios or Quaker Oats products, there are some things you should know, esp
Read more…Our house in Orinda has been “up in the air” since November. It’s jacked up because the foundation had partially collapsed. It didn’t happen all at once. The house was built in the early 1950s, and we think the foundation was exposed to water that un
What is Prop 65? In the state of California, Prop 65 warning labels on products inform consumers that it is known to cause cancer or reproductive harm in humans or laboratory animals. Products include apparel, textiles, jewelry, accessories, home pro
Concrete is everywhere. It is popular for buildings and infrastructure because of its compressive strength. Add rebar, and you add tensile strength—resulting in a material that can carry weight without cracking and resist bending or being pulled apar
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