A Simple Way to Change the World

Inspiring Panel Discussion featuring Local Farmers on Wednesday, February 25, 7:30-9:30 pm at 24th Street Theatre - 2791 24th Street, Sacramento.

Your food choices make a big impact. Learn about what you're supporting when you buy delicious local organic food from small family farms.

Tickets $15, $10 for Sacramento Co-op owners, $5 children under 12.

All proceeds benefit the Good Humus Land Preservation Project and the Soil Born Farms Urban Agriculture & Education Project.

Before the presentation, an organic supper from Eileen's Kitchen ($10) and Berryessa Gap Wine Tasting (suggested donation of $1 per taste) will be available between 6 and 7 pm. Space is limited; purchase tickets for the presentation and the supper in advance at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op.

Green Valentine's Day In Sacramento

Ready to fall in love in Sacramento this weekend? Here are my favorite tips for a greener Valentine's Day in the Capitol city...

-Visit the Sacamento Zoo: The Zoo is a perfect Valentine's date where you can bundle up and enoy each other's company while viewing more than 400 exotic animals including 32 threatened or endangered species.

-Eat Local and Organic For Dinner: Sacramento is so fortunate to have wonderful chefs that specialize in local and organic ingredients. My favorite? Mulvaney's B&L which focuses on seasonal local products from local farmers. Their modestly priced wine list emphasizes producers from the West.

-Sip on Some Local Favorites: El Dorado is a perfect Valentine's Day getaway where locally grown wines and friendly service go hand in hand. Boeger Winery, Jodar Winery and Sierra Vista Winery are all offering Valentine's Day tasting specials and events.

-Go "wild" for your valentine: Sponsor a lion from the Sacramento Zoo and receive specials gifts and recognition. Call 916-808-5888 for more information.

-Green gift baskets and more: Taylor's Art and Soul in Old Sacramento offers eco-friendly bath products, soy candles and more.

Learn at Placer Nature Center

The Placer Nature Center is based in Auburn, CA and dedicated to promoting and educating the public about the environment – helping us all to become environmentally ‘literate’. Through educational programs and events the Placer Nature Center helps to inform the public about issues regarding environmental awareness, scientific debate and literacy and encourages people to take responsibility for our world and to care more for our environment.

The Placer Nature Center gives you, your friends and family a true experiential learning experience. You can explore and learn from the exhibits on offer, hike through scenic nature trails and enjoy picnics by the pond!

The center also provides a fantastic learning environment for school groups – students can experience nature holistically through exploring their environment in the nature trails, and learning more in the Placer Nature Center’s exhibit halls and Watershed Center. Let Placer Nature Center’s 60 acre site become your classroom!

The Center holds exciting events throughout the year. ?If you are looking for activities or things to do with the kids at the weekend then be sure to check out ‘Family Day’. Family Day will be held on Saturday, February 14th from 11:00am – 2:00pm. Your family can have fun exploring the Discovery Hall, Watershed Center and discover a real life bee hive! Guided nature walks through the beautiful nature trails will be held at 11:30am and 12:45pm. Entry for Family Day is free for members and children. For the general public the entry fee is $5 for adults. This is a fantastic opportunity to spend quality family time whilst educating yourself and your children about the environment!

The Placer Nature Center is located at 3700 Christian Valley Road , Auburn, CA, 95602, For more information call (530) 878-6053, email http://us.mc588.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to or visit http://www.placernaturecenter.org/
-Katherine Osgood, Placer Nature Center Volunteer

The Greens Hotel is Open For Business

What could be more green than taking an existing building, renovating it and turning it into a retro hip and green getaway?

The Greens Hotel is an eco-conscious hotel, offering all-natural products in its rooms and maintaining green housekeeping practices. The hotel is an eclectic blend of its 1950's roots and todays vibrant Sacramento art scene.

The Greens is located in the heart of the Arts and Business District of North Sacramento, within 10 minutes of Downtown Sacramento on highway 160, a trip which is slightly longer, but every bit as convenient by direct Light Rail Service, and 15 minutes away from the Sacramento Airport.

Introductory rates start at just $89/night so now is the perfect time to book a room at The Greens Hotel so you can experience this green getaway for yourself. The Greens hotel offers 26 guest rooms and one suite.

Organic Christmas Trees...Start a New Green Tradition

Organic Christmas trees? There are three local growers who are bringing sustainable farming to new heights.

There are only about six organic Christmas tree farmers registered in the state of California and we have three farms that carry organic trees right here in Gold Country.

In Sacramento County, growers used the insecticide dimethoate, one in a class of insecticides known as organophosphates, which target the nervous system and can harm humans, given sufficient exposure; and esfenvalerate, a pyrethroid that’s potentially toxic to aquatic organisms. They also used three kinds of herbicides, including glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup (According to Edie Lau from OGC.org). Conventional tree farmers do point out that they do not use pesticides unless they are needed and many trees are never sprayed. What sets organic farmers apart is they work hard to create an eco system that fights pests and other issues with natural methods. This includes cover crops and other farming methods.

We all know that supporting local farmers is key to creating a sustainable farming base in our community...now we can go one step farther and make our holidays a little greener this year.

Billy's Farm Fresh Christmas Trees

8430 Dillard Road
Wilton
916-987-8354
Open weekends 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Organic certified from CCOF #YO310-produce, fruits and vegetables.
Hay rides, small farm animals and Christmas crafts.

Fudge Factory Farm
2860 High Hill Road
Placerville
866-383-4348
Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Dec. 14.
Note: The trees are grown organically but have not yet been certified.

With 65 different flavors of fudge, fresh baked cookies, homemade hot fudge and caramel sundaes, fresh peanut brittle and English toffee, a wide variety of chocolates and over 15 different kinds of candy coated apples.

Honey Bear Ranch
2826 Barkley Road
Camino
530-644-3934
Note: Tree farm is closed this season for replanting and maintenance. The ranch is still open for local produce, bakery items, food, candy, crafts, live music and more!

Find Nature at Cosumnes River Preserve

The Cosumnes River Preserve is open year-round...that's 365 days a year from sunrise until sunset.

The Cosumnes River Preserve encompasses and protects thousands of acres of wetlands and adjacent uplands. These lands, once considered insect ridden, unattractive, and even dangerous, today are recognized as beautiful places with important roles in local and global ecology.

Wetlands provide a diverse habitat critical to the survival of many kinds of plant and animal life. The Cosumnes River Preserve is recognized as one of California's most significant natural areas.

The 46,000-acre preserve—with its riparian forests, wetlands and free-flowing river—houses more than 40 fish species, 250 bird species and 230 plant species.

Want to see it for yourself? On Saturday, December 6 the Preserve is hosting a Guided Nature Walk at 9:00 A.M. Meet at the Visitor Center and make sure to bring water and dress in layers as the weather does change this time of year.

The Consumnes River Preserve is located at

13501 Franklin Blvd.

Galt, CA 95632

Come See Our Holiday Lights

Sacramento knows how to celebrate!

My neighborhood decorates for the holidays the day after Thanksgiving every year...neighbors who don't comply get a gentle "reminder" or a bag of lights dropped off on the front porch as a less suble "nudge" to get going on decorating.

Did you know that many Sacramento residents are now going green for the holidays with energy efficient decorations?

Now low-wat bulbs like LED and other energy efficient solutions make Sacramento festive and green!

Energy efficient holiday lights are brighter and more vibrant than traditional lights and use over 85% less energy. LED bulbs are sturdier than traditional holiday bulbs and stay cool to the touch...a great safety feature. Sacramento residents also know to turn off lights before going to bed to save energy.

Want to know where the best light displays are? Each year the Sacramento Bee posts the Sacramento Holiday Lights Map for this purpose.

Spending the holidays in Sacramento? Remember to recycle your tree (no charge) at the Sacramento Recycling & Transfer Station.