News: Blog

Categories
Keywords

bicycle business climate change food gardening green lifestyle local outdoors recycle redmond savings solar sustainable wildlife

Archive

12,000 Rain Gardens for Puget Sound

Apr 5, 2012 by C. Dociu
2 Comments
Rain gardens are attracting attention in the Puget Sound as a beautiful and effective way to remove pollutants from rain water runoff before it enters the watershed.  The City of Redmond has installed rain gardens in various locations, including some new installations downtown, to help handle runoff from development.

Stewardship Partners  is offering a free class on Thursday April 12 at the Mercer Slough Environmental Education Center on how to create a rain garden on your property.  This is a part of their effort to build 12,000 rain gardens in the Puget Sound! 

A rain garden is a shallow depression planted with a variety of flowers, shrubs, and grasses that "don't mind getting their feet wet." Rain gardens help soak up rainwater from streets, downspouts, driveways, and sidewalks, while protecting local waterways. Pollutants in the  runoff is filtered by the soil and plants.  

Rain gardens not only reduce pollutants in local waterways such as the Sammamish River and Bear Creek, they:

  • Provide habitat for beneficial insects and birds
  • Reduce flooding on neighboring properties and sewer overflow
  • Reduce erosion
  • Increase the amount of water that soaks into the ground, recharging local ground water

If you’re interested in creating a Rain Garden in your yard, the Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington Homeowners is a great place to start! 

Read More
Posted in: Development, Home & Garden, Stewardship     
Keywords: local, outdoors, redmond, sustainable

April 7 Work Party at Watershed Preserve

Apr 5, 2012 by City of Redmond
1 Comments
This Saturday morning from 10-noon, Forterra will be hosting a monthly work party at the Watershed Preserve.  Work will be to remove invasive species along trails and walkways. To find out more about the event and volunteer, visit the events page on Forterra’s website.

Preservation and maintenance of the City of Redmond’s 800 acre Watershed Preserve is important to the ecological health of our region.  The park is a natural open space and trail system, perfectly designed for horseback riding, mountain bicycling and hiking. A unique feature of the Watershed Preserve is an ADA interpretive trail. 

Forterra's mission is to act with immediacy to protect, enhance and steward our region's most precious resources—its communities and its landscapes. Filling a unique niche as the largest conservation and community building organization in Washington State, they are working to build the foundations for our sustainable environmental and economic futures in the face of a rapidly growing population.

Read More
Posted in: City News, Stewardship     
Keywords: local, outdoors, redmond, sustainable

National Walking Day

Apr 2, 2012 by C. Dociu
This Wednesday is National Walking Day, a perfect excuse to get out and enjoy the spring weather! 

Many car trips are less than 2 km-about a 20 minute walk. Emissions from cars are greatest during the first 15 minutes of operation since emissions control equipment has not yet reached its optimal operating temperature. One of the best ways you can contribute to reducing air pollution is to leave the car at home for short trips and walk instead. 

Not only will it be good for your health, it will help reduce air pollution, toxic emissions, traffic and the noise associated with it.  By reducing the number of short trips you take by car, you’ll also be saving on fuel costs, vehicle maintenance and parking fees.  

So this Wednesday take your walking shoes out on some of the designated walking routes (East Redmond, West Redmond) and trails  in your neighborhood!

Read More
Posted in: Green Lifestyle, Transportation     
Keywords: local, redmond, sustainable

Livestock Handling Event

Mar 26, 2012 by City of Redmond

The Chicks are Here

With Spring in the air, the chicks have arrived at the area feed shops. The thought of walking out to the chicken coop to collect your fresh eggs is very appealing.  And those chicks are just so adorable. However, before you get taken in by their cuteness, first learn about what you need to know if you want to raise chickens.  Washington State University and Snohomish County 4-H are offering a hands-on training on April 21st in Snohomish. To learn more, go to www.snohomish.wsu.edu or call 425-357-6039.

Read More
Posted in: Green Lifestyle, Home & Garden     
Keywords: outdoors, sustainable

Puget Sound Energy Green Power Program at Redmond Library

Mar 22, 2012 by City of Redmond
Puget Sound Energy will be at the Redmond Library this Saturday and Sunday to talk about your green power options.  At the event you can ask questions and sign up to purchase green power!
Read More
Posted in: City News, Energy     
Keywords: local, redmond, sustainable

City Council Sustainability Study Session

Mar 22, 2012 by C. Dociu
1 Comments
Last week Redmond City Council held a study session on sustainability.  In the video available online at RCTV, you'll hear from a number of presenters about ways the city can encourage more sustainable development and retrofit current homes for energy and cost savings.

Some highlights from the video include:
  • Simple practices incorporated into the home building process that save energy
  • How LEED buildings are providing developers a greater rate of return
  • Basic retrofits to a home that save 30% on the water bill
  • How sustainability measures could translate to potential cost savings for the City of Redmond and homeowners
  • Sustainability practices in international cities





Take a look at the video and join the conversation with our city leaders!
Read More
Posted in: City News, Development, Energy, Green Lifestyle, Home & Garden     
Keywords: local, redmond, sustainable
Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23