Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving
Everyone here at Pine Cove Water District, Jerry, Becky, Vicki, Jerry, Jeremy and Stitch, wishes each of you a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving holiday. We are all very blessed to be able to live in a place as wonderful as Pine Cove. We will be closed on Nov. 26th and 27th so that the employees may enjoy the holiday with their families.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Newsletters are out!
By now you should have all received your Fall/Winter newsletter in the mail. We would love to hear your feedback on the new, colored and expanded format. We tried to make the newsletter very helpful and informative. Please drop us a note or give a quick call to let us know what you thought about it. Our phone number is 951-659-2675. You can also email us at info@pcwd.org or leave a comment here on our blog. We love hearing from our customers.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Increasing living space without increasing energy costs
As the owner of a small 900 sq. ft. cottage, I know first hand how it is when living space is at a premium. But is bigger really better? I don't think so. Living in a small space saves energy, however, it can be a challenge trying make the most of a small space. So I got to thinking, how can a person increase their living space without going to the expense of major construction, which would in turn increase their energy use?
After a little research, I came up with some great ideas. For instance, if you have a high vaulted ceiling, you can add a loft which would increase the square footage of your home and give you more living space, but wouldn't increase your heating and cooling costs. It would also be a lot more economical than adding on a traditional room. You can also consider closing in an existing deck or patio, either with screening or windows, depending on what you will be using it for.
There are many other "mini spaces" you can add on to make your home seem bigger without the major construction involved in adding on a room. How about taking out a sliding glass door and adding a small nook or niche? Bay windows that extend down to the floor can also expand a room without actually adding on. A garden room put on over an existing deck or patio can also be utilized to increase your living space while keep costs reasonable.
During the warmer months, why not think about adding an outdoor room. A deck, porch, or patio can do double duty as an outdoor kitchen, dining room, living room or entertainment space. They can be as elaborate or simple as you want, depending on your budget. They can be attached to your house or you can make a space in an attractive area of your yard. A ground level deck is easy to construct and there is a wide variety of materials available for making patios. We all know food tastes better outdoors, so why sit in a hot house and eat dinner when the great outdoors is beckoning? And really, what could be better than sipping your morning tea or coffee outside with the birds and squirrels watching the sun rise? The winter months provide a great time to sit and dream and plan where you could add an outdoor room, so get out your pad and pencil!
Have you ever thought about installing an outdoor shower? A simple garden hose can be turned into a solar water heater. Or you can go all out and have a plumber run hot and cold water lines to your outside shower. How much fun would it be to shower outside under a canopy of pines and cedars? As a bonus, the water you use to shower can be put to use in the garden.
So if you are feeling like you need more space, stop and think about the impact of new construction, not only on your wallet, but on the environment as well. Perhaps one of the above suggestions would help improve your living space and keep you energy use from going up!
After a little research, I came up with some great ideas. For instance, if you have a high vaulted ceiling, you can add a loft which would increase the square footage of your home and give you more living space, but wouldn't increase your heating and cooling costs. It would also be a lot more economical than adding on a traditional room. You can also consider closing in an existing deck or patio, either with screening or windows, depending on what you will be using it for.
There are many other "mini spaces" you can add on to make your home seem bigger without the major construction involved in adding on a room. How about taking out a sliding glass door and adding a small nook or niche? Bay windows that extend down to the floor can also expand a room without actually adding on. A garden room put on over an existing deck or patio can also be utilized to increase your living space while keep costs reasonable.
During the warmer months, why not think about adding an outdoor room. A deck, porch, or patio can do double duty as an outdoor kitchen, dining room, living room or entertainment space. They can be as elaborate or simple as you want, depending on your budget. They can be attached to your house or you can make a space in an attractive area of your yard. A ground level deck is easy to construct and there is a wide variety of materials available for making patios. We all know food tastes better outdoors, so why sit in a hot house and eat dinner when the great outdoors is beckoning? And really, what could be better than sipping your morning tea or coffee outside with the birds and squirrels watching the sun rise? The winter months provide a great time to sit and dream and plan where you could add an outdoor room, so get out your pad and pencil!
Have you ever thought about installing an outdoor shower? A simple garden hose can be turned into a solar water heater. Or you can go all out and have a plumber run hot and cold water lines to your outside shower. How much fun would it be to shower outside under a canopy of pines and cedars? As a bonus, the water you use to shower can be put to use in the garden.
So if you are feeling like you need more space, stop and think about the impact of new construction, not only on your wallet, but on the environment as well. Perhaps one of the above suggestions would help improve your living space and keep you energy use from going up!
Green Living Thursday a day late!
This week kept Vicki and Becky very busy preparing the Fall/Winter Newsletter and getting it ready to be mailed out. They are now all mailed out and we hope you will take a few minutes to read it through. There is a lot of information in it and we look forward to hearing your feedback.
So my Green Living Thursday post was postphoned until today. Better late than never! Today I want to talk about saving electricity. I found some surprising facts on The Daily Green. We all know the drill. Turn off the lights when you leave a room, unplug appliances you aren't using, turn down the thermostat and so on. But here are a couple of things you can do to cut your electric bill that I never though about.
For instance, get rid of your cordless phones or cut down to just one. Cordless phones are energy vampires. They sit in their cradles recharing so they are sucking up electricity 24/7. If you replace a cordless phone or two that you don't really need, you can save on your electric bill. An added benefit is that corded phones will work even during a power outage, whereas as cordless phone will not.
It may seem old fashioned, but a tradition corded phone uses only a trickle of electricty that comes throught the phone line. Compare this to a cordless phone which uses 2 to 3 watts of electricity in both active and standby modes. Approximately 60% of cordless phone energy use occurs during standby time.
If you still want the convenience of a cordless phone, then consider getting just one and putting corded phones in the rooms you aren't in as much. If you do purchase a cordless phone, make sure to look for the Energy Star. By following these tips you will soon see your energy savings adding up.
Another good tip I was unaware of is about ceiling fans. I have several in my home and during the summer they get a work out. But in the winter it never occured to me to turn them on. However, during the winter months when we are heating our homes, a ceiling fan can be switched to rotate clockwise instead of counterclockwise, which will circulate the warm air pooled near the ceiling, back into the living space, keeping you warmer and allowing you to lower your thermostat. I am going to be trying this tip in my home for sure.
My last tip is about computers. We all know that turning them off when not in use saves a lot of electricty. However, what I didn't know is that a lap top is much more energy efficient than a desktop. A laptop uses 15 to 25 watts of electricity as compared to a desktop which consumes a whopping 150 watts! I for one, was unaware of this huge difference in energy consumption. A laptop also only draws a fraction of a watt when in sleep mode. So if a new computer is on your wish list, check out the laptops. I have had one at my home for 5 years now and I love the portablility and flexibity of the laptop. It does everything my desktop does and takes up so much less room. Now I know I have been saving energy as well.
If you have any tips on how to save energy around the house, please email them Vicki at info@pcwd.org. We look forward to hearing your comments.
So my Green Living Thursday post was postphoned until today. Better late than never! Today I want to talk about saving electricity. I found some surprising facts on The Daily Green. We all know the drill. Turn off the lights when you leave a room, unplug appliances you aren't using, turn down the thermostat and so on. But here are a couple of things you can do to cut your electric bill that I never though about.
For instance, get rid of your cordless phones or cut down to just one. Cordless phones are energy vampires. They sit in their cradles recharing so they are sucking up electricity 24/7. If you replace a cordless phone or two that you don't really need, you can save on your electric bill. An added benefit is that corded phones will work even during a power outage, whereas as cordless phone will not.
It may seem old fashioned, but a tradition corded phone uses only a trickle of electricty that comes throught the phone line. Compare this to a cordless phone which uses 2 to 3 watts of electricity in both active and standby modes. Approximately 60% of cordless phone energy use occurs during standby time.
If you still want the convenience of a cordless phone, then consider getting just one and putting corded phones in the rooms you aren't in as much. If you do purchase a cordless phone, make sure to look for the Energy Star. By following these tips you will soon see your energy savings adding up.
Another good tip I was unaware of is about ceiling fans. I have several in my home and during the summer they get a work out. But in the winter it never occured to me to turn them on. However, during the winter months when we are heating our homes, a ceiling fan can be switched to rotate clockwise instead of counterclockwise, which will circulate the warm air pooled near the ceiling, back into the living space, keeping you warmer and allowing you to lower your thermostat. I am going to be trying this tip in my home for sure.
My last tip is about computers. We all know that turning them off when not in use saves a lot of electricty. However, what I didn't know is that a lap top is much more energy efficient than a desktop. A laptop uses 15 to 25 watts of electricity as compared to a desktop which consumes a whopping 150 watts! I for one, was unaware of this huge difference in energy consumption. A laptop also only draws a fraction of a watt when in sleep mode. So if a new computer is on your wish list, check out the laptops. I have had one at my home for 5 years now and I love the portablility and flexibity of the laptop. It does everything my desktop does and takes up so much less room. Now I know I have been saving energy as well.
If you have any tips on how to save energy around the house, please email them Vicki at info@pcwd.org. We look forward to hearing your comments.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Newsletter Coming!!
It is almost that time of year again. The Fall/Winter Newsletter will soon be appearing in your mailboxes. It has a new and improved look and format. We are hoping that everyone will take the time to read it. It is chock full of information, pictures and all the news from around the water district. It has been a busy summer around here. We have worked very hard to make the newsletter interesting and informative. We would love your feedback on it as well. If you have anything you would like included in the next newsletter, please let us know. We would love to hear from you. You can contact us via email at info@pcwd.org or by phone at 951-659-2675. We are always interested in knowing what our customers are thinking.
It's Green Living Thursday!
Well, here we are on Green Living Thursday and as promised I will discuss how to make compost. I know there is a lot of mystery surrounding compost. If you start doing some research you will find that some sources make it sound like a very complicated and exact science experiment. In my experience, there are many ways to make compost. Yes you can follow the scientific route and have compost in a much shorter time or you can take the more laid back approach and let Mother Nature do it in her own time.
In my own composting experience, which is minimal at this point, I tend to take the passive approach, rather than the aggressive approach. There are many good reasons for either approach, but basically it comes down to a personal choice based on the amount of time, money and available composting materials at your disposal. As I become more experienced at making compost, I hope to move to the more aggressive approach of making compost.
The EPA has an excellent page on composting and tells you about several different methods, including how to compost indoors and has a great list of what to put into a compost pile and what not to put into the compost pile. It is a quick and easy read with lots of information.
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/composting/by_compost.htm
Here is a list from their site of what to put into a compost pile.
Animal ( cow or horse) manure
Cardboard rolls
Clean paper
Coffee grounds and filters
Cotton rags
Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
Eggshells
Fireplace ashes
Fruits and vegetables
Grass clippings
Hair and fur
Hay and straw
Houseplants
Leaves
Nut shells
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wool rags
Yard trimmings
Here is a list of what not to put into a compost pile and why.
Leave Out/Reason Why
Black walnut tree leaves or twigs- Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
Coal or charcoal ash -Might contain substances harmful to plants
Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt)- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Diseased or insect-ridden plants- Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants
Fats, grease, lard, or oils- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Meat or fish bones and scraps- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)- Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans
Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides- Might kill beneficial composting organisms
One thing you will need prior to starting your compost pile is a container for your compost. This can be anything from a small, wire bin you make yourself, to a three bin system or even a tumbling composter. There are many styles available online and at garden centers well as directions on how to build one. However, several things will determine what type of container you will need. The amount of time, money, space and materials you have will all play a part in the type of composting container you get, as well as the amount of effort you want to put into it. If you are a little handy, you can even build your own bin or make one out of a trash can. The most important thing about composting is that you do it!
Once you have your compost bin and have read up on what to put in to the pile and what to avoid, you are ready to start composting. Certain methods will yield compost faster than others, but as long as you don't have a soggy, wet pile that turns to slime, you will eventually get compost. If you pile is in danger of getting to wet and you have an open container, you can throw a tarp on top to keep some of the winter moisture out of the pile. Composting doesn't have to be hard or scientific. Just follow a few simple rules about what to put into the pile, turn it as much as you can, keep it moist and eventually you will get compost.
The most wonderful thing about composting is that it is keeping all that waste out of the landfills. Making less trash is something we should all be concerned about. Composting and recycling are easy to do and help to alleviate the amount of trash put into our landfills each year. If you are still unsure about composting, do some research online or pick up a book at the library. There is a lot of information out there now about organic gardening and composting. Remember, your garden will thank you for composting with healthier trees and a bountiful garden.
In my own composting experience, which is minimal at this point, I tend to take the passive approach, rather than the aggressive approach. There are many good reasons for either approach, but basically it comes down to a personal choice based on the amount of time, money and available composting materials at your disposal. As I become more experienced at making compost, I hope to move to the more aggressive approach of making compost.
The EPA has an excellent page on composting and tells you about several different methods, including how to compost indoors and has a great list of what to put into a compost pile and what not to put into the compost pile. It is a quick and easy read with lots of information.
http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/composting/by_compost.htm
Here is a list from their site of what to put into a compost pile.
Animal ( cow or horse) manure
Cardboard rolls
Clean paper
Coffee grounds and filters
Cotton rags
Dryer and vacuum cleaner lint
Eggshells
Fireplace ashes
Fruits and vegetables
Grass clippings
Hair and fur
Hay and straw
Houseplants
Leaves
Nut shells
Sawdust
Shredded newspaper
Tea bags
Wood chips
Wool rags
Yard trimmings
Here is a list of what not to put into a compost pile and why.
Leave Out/Reason Why
Black walnut tree leaves or twigs- Releases substances that might be harmful to plants
Coal or charcoal ash -Might contain substances harmful to plants
Dairy products (e.g., butter, egg yolks, milk, sour cream, yogurt)- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Diseased or insect-ridden plants- Diseases or insects might survive and be transferred back to other plants
Fats, grease, lard, or oils- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Meat or fish bones and scraps- Create odor problems and attract pests such as rodents and flies
Pet wastes (e.g., dog or cat feces, soiled cat litter)- Might contain parasites, bacteria, germs, pathogens, and viruses harmful to humans
Yard trimmings treated with chemical pesticides- Might kill beneficial composting organisms
One thing you will need prior to starting your compost pile is a container for your compost. This can be anything from a small, wire bin you make yourself, to a three bin system or even a tumbling composter. There are many styles available online and at garden centers well as directions on how to build one. However, several things will determine what type of container you will need. The amount of time, money, space and materials you have will all play a part in the type of composting container you get, as well as the amount of effort you want to put into it. If you are a little handy, you can even build your own bin or make one out of a trash can. The most important thing about composting is that you do it!
Once you have your compost bin and have read up on what to put in to the pile and what to avoid, you are ready to start composting. Certain methods will yield compost faster than others, but as long as you don't have a soggy, wet pile that turns to slime, you will eventually get compost. If you pile is in danger of getting to wet and you have an open container, you can throw a tarp on top to keep some of the winter moisture out of the pile. Composting doesn't have to be hard or scientific. Just follow a few simple rules about what to put into the pile, turn it as much as you can, keep it moist and eventually you will get compost.
The most wonderful thing about composting is that it is keeping all that waste out of the landfills. Making less trash is something we should all be concerned about. Composting and recycling are easy to do and help to alleviate the amount of trash put into our landfills each year. If you are still unsure about composting, do some research online or pick up a book at the library. There is a lot of information out there now about organic gardening and composting. Remember, your garden will thank you for composting with healthier trees and a bountiful garden.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Speaking of Compost.....
Compost is on everyone's mind it seems. Over the weekend, I was working in my garden, adding compost to some beds, when my neighbors stopped by. They were curious as to how I was able to get things to grow, when they had not had any success in getting anything to grow. They asked me if the soil up here was poor. I explained to them that composting was the best way to go in order to enrich the soil and improve it's water retaining ability. I have found this to be true in my own garden.
The great thing about compost is that you can make it yourself. Composting is an excellent way to divert waste from our landfills and provide the much needed "black gold" our gardens crave. Composting is very easy. I will discuss in Thursday's post exactly how to compost and what kind of containers are needed to hold you compost. It is not as difficult as you might think. Stay tuned for composting samples right here at the water district. We are in the process of setting up our own composting system to cut down on waste produced by the district.
The November 9th issue of the Press Enterprise contained a story about UCR starting a composting program. According to the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a Massachusetts nonprofit group, a recent survey of 332 colleges and universities in the US and Canada found that 55 percent were composting food.
Fortino Morales, an environmental science major and head of Sustainable UCR, a student group that educates classmates about eco-friendly practices says, "We need universities not just to teach about sustainability, but to practice it themselves." We could all take a page from that book! Talk is cheap as they say, but actions speak louder than words.
Why bother composting you might ask. Keeping waste out of landfills should be everyone's priority because they are reaching capacity and because decomposing rubbish emits methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide. UCR's dining services produces more than 11,000 meals on a typical weekday through the university's 19 food outlets. Campus-wide, 1,932 tons a year go to the land fill. Now, 1,466 tons have been diverted according to Gustavo Plascencia, the general manaer for UCR's residential dining.
If more people, restaurants, institutions, schools, office buildings and hospitals start composting, think of the amount of waste that WON'T go into the landfills. In return, we would have wonderful, rich compost to add to our soil. Which in turn helps the soil retain water and provides much needed nutrients for plants. It is a win win situation.
Don't forget, we are giving away a free bag of compost to the first 50 customers who stop by and ask for it. Just come on into the water district office located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd. Our office hours are Monday thru Friday from 9 to 12 and from 1 to 4. We are closed from 12 to 1 for lunch. Come by and pick up your bag and see for yourself the difference compost can make. See you at the office!
The great thing about compost is that you can make it yourself. Composting is an excellent way to divert waste from our landfills and provide the much needed "black gold" our gardens crave. Composting is very easy. I will discuss in Thursday's post exactly how to compost and what kind of containers are needed to hold you compost. It is not as difficult as you might think. Stay tuned for composting samples right here at the water district. We are in the process of setting up our own composting system to cut down on waste produced by the district.
The November 9th issue of the Press Enterprise contained a story about UCR starting a composting program. According to the Sustainable Endowments Institute, a Massachusetts nonprofit group, a recent survey of 332 colleges and universities in the US and Canada found that 55 percent were composting food.
Fortino Morales, an environmental science major and head of Sustainable UCR, a student group that educates classmates about eco-friendly practices says, "We need universities not just to teach about sustainability, but to practice it themselves." We could all take a page from that book! Talk is cheap as they say, but actions speak louder than words.
Why bother composting you might ask. Keeping waste out of landfills should be everyone's priority because they are reaching capacity and because decomposing rubbish emits methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide. UCR's dining services produces more than 11,000 meals on a typical weekday through the university's 19 food outlets. Campus-wide, 1,932 tons a year go to the land fill. Now, 1,466 tons have been diverted according to Gustavo Plascencia, the general manaer for UCR's residential dining.
If more people, restaurants, institutions, schools, office buildings and hospitals start composting, think of the amount of waste that WON'T go into the landfills. In return, we would have wonderful, rich compost to add to our soil. Which in turn helps the soil retain water and provides much needed nutrients for plants. It is a win win situation.
Don't forget, we are giving away a free bag of compost to the first 50 customers who stop by and ask for it. Just come on into the water district office located at 24917 Marion Ridge Rd. Our office hours are Monday thru Friday from 9 to 12 and from 1 to 4. We are closed from 12 to 1 for lunch. Come by and pick up your bag and see for yourself the difference compost can make. See you at the office!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Green Living Thursdays
With all the talk about conservation, sustainability and green living, I thought it might be a good idea to start posting some green living tips. I will try my best to do this each Thursday. If you have any suggestions or any topics you would like to see addressed, please feel free to email them to me at pcwd2675@yahoo.com .
Since we live in this wonderful forest, I thought I would start off by discussing ways to have a tree free home. A sustainable household should try to create as much as possible, a tree free home. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
Since we live in this wonderful forest, I thought I would start off by discussing ways to have a tree free home. A sustainable household should try to create as much as possible, a tree free home. Here are some suggestions to get you started.
- Replace paper napkins with cloth napkins. Cloth napkins are a wonderful alternative to paper napkins and can be easily made by recycling fabrics you already have around your home or can purchase second hand. Sheets, towels, tablecloths, curtains and clothing are easy to turn into napkins. It only takes basic sewing skills to make a napkin or if you prefer a non sewing project, you can make them buy using iron on tape. By recycling fabrics into napkins you are not only taking a step towards reducing your dependence on paper products, but you are also reducing the amount of waste in our landfills.
- Replace paper towels with a special set of cloth towels or napkins or cut up old T-shirts. As with the napkins, just wash and re-use. These items can all be washed with your normal laundry. There is no need to make a special load.
- Take your own cloth shopping bags with you to the store.
- If you pack a lunch, don't use a paper sack. Use a re-usable insulated lunch bag and tuck a cloth napkin and a set of real silver ware inside. Also pack your food items and drinks in re-useable containers that can be washed out nightly and re-used.
- Purchase bleach-free toliet paper that is made from the highest post-consumer waste content you can find. (80% minimum)
- If you print documents, print on once-used paper and/or bleach-free, recycled paper with the highest post-consumer waste content available.
- Create and use note pads from once used paper. Leave messages for family members on a reusable message boards or chalk boards instead of using note pads. Put one in a central location so everyone can see it.
- If you will be doing construction on your house, search out alternatives to using newly cut wood. Check for eco-friendly floorings such as bamboo, previously used wood or composite decking.
We hope you find these tips helpful and we look forward to hearing from you. Good luck in your quest for having a tree free home.
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