Natural Holiday Decorating Tips

For many of us, December brings the holidays, and whether it’s Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, or Christmas that’s celebrated, family and tradition are always in the forefront.

To celebrate, we can add some festive touches from our own natural landscape and bring the sense of calm and serenity we usually feel in our gardens inside our homes during this often-hectic time.

Here are some quick and easy ideas using collected branches, seeds, plants, leaves, fruit, and other natural items to extend the garden’s bounty into the winter holiday season.

One of the simplest things to do is to decorate the house with fresh greenery from your garden. Greenery gathered from your own garden will be much fresher than any that you can buy. Just remember when gathering live greenery from your shrubs and trees you are actually pruning the plants so carefully consider which branches to cut and which ones to leave.

• You can use the greenery to create garlands, wreaths, swags, and to add to centerpieces and flower arrangements.
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• Door ornaments are quick and easy to make from evergreen branches. Wrap a sturdy wire around the ends of branches of several types of evergreens for contrasting color and texture. Then add a large bow to cover the attachment point. You can also substitute rope or raffia for the ribbon for a more natural look.
• Use winter berries from your shrubs such as holly, pyracantha, and toyon to add to your garlands and wreaths.
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• To add unique color to your decorations, attach shiny, red, and gold apples to your wreaths and garlands. Cranberries, citrus, and pomegranates also look great in holiday decorations.
• Gather dried pods, pine cones, dried wildflowers, and twigs and display them in a basket. They can be used as they are, sprayed with gold or silver paint, or sprayed with potpourri oil. You can also put a dab of glue on each point of the pine cone and sprinkle them with glitter.
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All different sizes of candles, from votives to pillars, can be scattered with metallic painted pinecones and branches of leaves to make a decoration for the mantle.

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• For a simple Hanukkah centerpiece, you can light nine assorted candles (to represent the nine candles on the Menorah). Scatter colorful clementine or other tangerines from your garden, dreidels, and chocolate gelt with the candles. That way, between dinner courses, your family and friends can snack on a tangerine or chocolate and the children can play with the dreidels.
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• Add some sparkle to your decorations by including glitter or small mirrors.
• Use fruit for decorating your holiday table. Pears and small apples are great for spray painting with metallic colors or in your favorite holiday color.
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• Oranges, lemons, or apples sprinkled with cinnamon or cardamom and stuck with whole cloves make fragrant pomander balls and are a great rainy day project for the whole family.

Judi Gerber is a University of California Master Gardener with a certificate in Horticultural Therapy. She writes about sustainable farming, local foods, and organic gardening for multiple magazines. Her book Farming in Torrance and the South Bay was released in September 2008.
Click here for more ideas on the care 2 website

Green still adds value

Even in a volatile market, green office buildings post significantly better returns than their less-environmentally friendly competitors. Those are among the findings from a recent study by Nils Kok and Pier Eichholtz of Maastricht University in the Netherlands and John M. Quigley of the University of California at Berkeley. Using data from more than 25,000 commercial buildings on the listing site of the CoStar Group, the authors determined that buildings holding either the Energy Star rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council had rents that averaged 3 percent higher than comparable office buildings in the same market. In 2007, effective rents—the rent multiplied by the occupancy rate—for green buildings averaged 7.5 percent higher; by 2009, the rent premium had dropped to 5.1 percent. The authors note that some of this variation could occur because green buildings are often newer and larger than competitors.

The study, “The Economics of Green Building,” also determined that between 2004 and 2009, green buildings listed on CoStar sold for about 13 percent more than comparable properties. “This strongly suggests that property investors value the lower risk premium—perhaps the insurance against future increases in energy prices—inherent in certified commercial office buildings,” conclude the authors.


-REALTOR magazine, Sept. 2011
*photo courtesy of paradigmsforprogess

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Santa Barbara's Demo 2 Design specialize in architectural reuse. Materials may include doors, windows, plumbing and lighting fixtures.
Marborg and Demo 2 Design have recently teamed up. Now your materials from deconstruction can be picked up from your site, diverting it from the landfill and giving it the chance of another life in someone else's home.
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Carpinteria Bans Bad Bags

City Council Votes to Go All Reusable All the Time  

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

by TYLER HAYDEN

Plucking a hefty jewel from Santa Barbara’s supposed crown of environmental stewardship, the Carpinteria City Council voted on Monday evening for an across-the-board ban of single-use paper and plastic bags. The unanimous decision makes Carpinteria the first South Coast city to ban such bags and, once formalized, the ordinance will be the strictest of 14 similar laws throughout California.

All Carp businesses, from supermarkets and drug stores to restaurants and mom ‘n’ pop shops, will be required to stock and sell reusable totes as disposables phase out. Big retailers like Vons, CVS, and Rite-Aid will have three months to comply once the ordinance is enacted; smaller businesses, six months. The restrictions likely won’t apply to plastic produce bags at grocery stores, and there’ll be exemptions for those who can’t afford reusable bags. “I don’t think it’s going to be very difficult, and I think our community is ready for it,” said Councilmember Gregg Carty before casting his vote. “Let’s go.”

Carpinteria retailers distribute an estimated 1.5-million single-use bags annually, but that was up to 2.5 million before Albertsons stopped offering paper and plastic in April, a self-imposed move that was part of a corporate pilot program. While sales did dip at Albertsons for the first three weeks, people eventually embraced the idea. Most jurisdictions allow the use of recycled paper bags in one form or another, but the council — taking staff’s cue that paper bags are the 10th most collected item during coastal litter cleanup efforts — nixed them as well.

Long known to choke animals and landfills, pollute waterways, and wreak general havoc on delicate habitats, single-use bags have nevertheless enjoyed relative immunity from state and federal regulation, leaving cities and counties to draft their own laws. Those efforts have been tempered by the Coalition to Save the Plastic Bag, an industry-backed group that sues jurisdictions for not conducting environmental reviews before imposing bans. But a recent state court ruling in favor of Manhattan Beach and against the coalition determined that environmental review wasn’t required. The legal precedent put the Carpinteria city attorney’s office in a position to back the restriction without fear of lawsuit.

The city staff’s extensive report advised that the council not ban plastic and then impose a fee on paper, which Los Angeles County did and is now being sued by a South Carolina-based bag manufacturer. The report also recommended that stores under 10,000 square feet in size be allowed to carry single-use paper bags, but a letter from the California Grocer’s Association expressed concern over favoritism, so the council was convinced to make the rule uniform.

No one spoke out against the bag ban before the unanimous vote, instead lauding Carpinteria for having the foresight — and what many called the “bravery” — to move forward. The supportive remarks were met with audience applause. “I think we’ve all finally come to a place where we realize this is an issue, that it is a negative impact to the environment,” said Kathi King of the Community Environmental Council, “which is more than I can say for some of the other jurisdictions where I have been beating my head against the wall for a long time.”

Sandy Lejeune with the Surfrider Foundation, who’s spoken before the Santa Barbara City Council on the issue more than once, touched on the impact of rogue bags. “It costs a lot of money to clean up bags that don’t get disposed of properly,” he explained. “Every piece of plastic that’s ever been made is still out there. It doesn’t go away,” he went on, remarking that plastic only photodegrades, never biodegrades, meaning it eventually becomes so small fish eat plastic particles mistaken for plankton, introducing the toxic substance into human food streams.

Former Carpinteria mayor Donna Jordan, speaking on behalf of Carpinteria Beautiful, which has spearheaded the area’s reusable movement for years, stated, “Single-use bags are a disaster not waiting to happen, but happening … It’s really time to break the habit. We’ve tried education, tried persuasion, tried setting examples for people, but it just hasn’t been enough.”

As staff finalizes the ordinance over the next two to three months, Carp government employees will be speaking to and working with area businesses to ensure the switch goes as smoothly as possible. A public hearing will also be held. If all proceeds according to plan, Carpinteria will be sans-single-use by spring and summer of 2012.

Santa Barbara County Sales for September

CARPINTERIA

$186,000 5935 HICKORY ST 2
$355,000 4692 CARPINTERIA AVE 30
$399,000 4816 SAWYER AVE
$510,000 4234 CARPINTERIA AVE 1
$600,000 1484 NAMOUNA ST
$625,000 6955 GOBERNADOR CYN RD
(REO) $727,000 5384 STAR PINE RD

$486,000 Avg Price
$510,000 Median Price
7 Sales

SUMMERLAND

(REO)$800,500 2289 SHELBY ST 

$5,900,000 3555 1/2 PADARO LN

$3,350,250 Ave/Median Price
2 Sales

MONTECITO

$533,000 1932 JAMESON LN D
$535,000 1028 THE FAIRWAY
$535,500 1940 JAMESON LN A
$950,000 1126 HILL RD
$980,000 633 TABOR LN  

(REO)$1,106,000 2803 EAST VALLEY RD
$1,662,000 840 RIVEN ROCK RD
$1,757,500 175 TIBURON BAY LN 

(REO) $1,825,000 2024 SANDY PLACE RD
$2,550,000 920 CAMINO VIEJO RD
$2,775,000 145 BUTTERFLY LN
$2,975,000 965 PARK LN
$3,134,500 807 PARK HILL LN
$3,300,000 780 ROMERO CYN RD
$3,600,000 897 PARK LN
$4,700,000 202 OLIVE MILL RD
$4,850,000 449 COURT PL 

$2,221,676 Avg Price
$1,825,000 Median
17 Sales

SANTA BARBARA

$212,500 492 N LA CUMBRE RD
$234,500 350 CHAPALA ST #203
$234,500 4538 OAK GLEN DR F
$250,000 21 W ISLAY ST
(REO) $310,000 315 S CANADA ST A

315,000   732 BOND AVE
$320,000 721 W VALERIO ST
$325,000 34 W CONSTANCE AVE 2
$329,000 618 SAN PASCUAL ST
$329,000 618 SAN PASCUAL ST
$329,000 618 SAN PASCUAL ST
$330,000 711 W ORTEGA ST 11
$377,500 358 OLIVER RD
$380,000 535 E MONTECITO ST
$390,000 101 S SALINAS ST
$410,000 128 W ALAMAR AVE 3
$417,000 1078 MIRAMONTE DR 7
$417,500 416 POR LA MAR CIR
$437,000 407 W PEDREGOSA ST 21
$445,000 355 POR LA MAR CIR
$450,000 539 E MONTECITO ST
$450,000 46 BARRANCA AVE 2
$470,000 1717 THOMAS AVE
$474,000 716 EUCALYPTUS AVE
(REO)  $310,000 29 LA CUMBRE CIR
(REO)  $450,000 1411 CLIFTON ST 

$500,000 1440 W VALERIO ST
$500,000 3039 LUCINDA LN
$505,000 1311 W VALERIO ST
$512,000 830 KENTIA AVE
$520,000 2229 DE LA VINA ST 

$536,000 920 CHELTENHAM RD
$540,000 1085 VERONICA SPRINGS
$550,000 616 MULBERRY AVE
$550,000 LA CORONILLA
$550,000 421 VERANO DR

$570,000 328 LOMA VISTA AVE
$580,000 931 WELDON RD
$600,000 318 W DE LA GUERRA ST B
$604,000 4004 VIA LUCERO UNIT 7
$612,000 1518 LAGUNA ST B
$631,000 535 E MONTECITO ST
$635,000 4004 VIA LUCERO UNIT 9
$649,000 824 CHELTENHAM RD
$655,000 1818 PAMPAS AVE
$660,000 2829 PUESTA DEL SOL
$665,000 1835 CHAPALA ST
$667,000 26 E VALERIO ST
$689,500 535 E MONTECITO ST
$716,500 1902 EL CAMINO DE LA LU
$720,000 3934 CAMELLIA LN
$735,000 3742 BRENNER DR
$740,000 2122 RED ROSE WAY
$746,500 2915 VALENCIA DR
$755,000 1153 PALOMINO RD
$790,000 221 GROVE LN
$810,000 3210 CALLE MARIPOSA
$880,000 627 SURF VIEW DR
$891,000 3992 PRIMAVERA RD
$930,000 407 E FIGUEROA ST
$959,000 2229 STATE ST
$969,000 501 CALLE ALAMO

$975,000 4538 VIA MARIA
$1,025,000 220 E JUNIPERO ST
$1,112,500 211 BATH ST
$1,112,500 614 KENTIA AVE
$1,125,000 588 VIA RUEDA
$1,145,000 209 BATH ST
$1,150,000 2150 FOOTHILL LN
$1,195,000 1266 SAN MIGUEL AVE
$1,296,000 229 N ARBOLEDA RD
$1,300,000 2928 ARRIBA WAY
$1,337,500 407 NORTHRIDGE RD
$1,350,000 259 SAN RAFAEL AVE
$1,465,000 1915 SANTA BARBARA ST
$1,495,000 2817 EXETER PL
$1,550,000 4663 VINTAGE RANCH LN
$1,550,000 2465 CALLE ALMONTE
$1,570,000x 4175 PALOMA DR
$1,574,500 1608 LAS CANOAS RD
$1,595,000 637 E MICHELTORENA
$1,685,000 1717 MIRA VISTA AVE
$1,890,000 501 E GUTIERREZ ST
$1,985,000 734 ARBOLADO RD
$1,997,000 531 CHAPALA #D
$2,255,000 209 E PEDREGOSA ST
$4,000,000 4484 VIA ESPERANZA

$832,575 Avg Price
649000 Median Price
87 Sales

HOPE RANCH

$1,200,000  777 VIA AIROSA 

$4,850,000  4010 BITHYNIA RD

$3,025,000 Avg/Median Price

2 Sales 

GOLETA

$175,000 29 DEARBORN PL 19
(REO) $180,000 7560 CATHEDRAL OAKS 4
$220,000 7610 HOLLISTER AVE 315
$285,000 5740 ENCINA RD 2
$335,000 7606 HOLLISTER AVE 307
$365,000 7620 HOLLISTER AVE 219
$372,000 5020 BIRCHWOOD RD
$380,000 137 ATLANTIC LANE
$400,000 255 MORETON BAY LN 2
$425,000 413 CANNON GREEN DR G

(REO) $430,000 4983 SAN MARCOS CT
$445,000 558 POPPYFIELD PL
$455,000 547 POPPYFIELD PL
$460,000 7262 DEL NORTE DR
$480,000 4913 RHOADS AVE
(REO) $489,000 559 PINTURA DR
$495,000 637 AVENIDA PEQUENA
$525,000 314 CINDERELLA LN
$530,000 4844 WINDING WAY
(REO) $540,000 4824 PAYTON ST
$540,000 373 N KELLOGG AVE
(REO) $541,000 184 SALISBURY AVE
$555,000 7592 HEMPSTEAD AVE
(REO) $566,500 7244 FORDHAM PL
$600,000 104 ATLANTIC LANE
$608,000 7618 NEWPORT DR
$612,500 523 S SAN MARCOS RD
$620,000 101 ATLANTIC LANE
$663,000 5051 WALNUT PARK DR
$703,000 5635 PEMBROKE CT
$769,000 265 CINDERELLA LN
$800,000 421 PEPPERDINE CT
$830,000 935 DENA WAY
$1,300,000 7772 HERON CT
$1,450,000 1025 OCEAN VISTA LN

$546,971 Avg Price
$525,000 Median Price
35 Sales

ISLA VISTA

$820,000  6730 SABADO TARDE RD
$925,000  6603 TRIGO RD

$872,500 Avg/Median Price
2 Sales