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Sustainable Santa Clara - February 2022 |
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Drought Proof Garden Color - California Channel Islands Tree Poppy
A Water Wise Mindset for the Sunshine State
Californians are shifting to a permanent water conservation mindset; our landscapes are a great place to start! A lush green lawn is no longer the status symbol it once was. Across the state, drought resilient landscapes and seasonally browning lawns are now symbols of pride that residents and businesses display to show that they have made the conservation mindset shift: a mindset of protecting our water and transitioning to landscapes that follow the cycles of the seasons.
Some still wonder how to adapt landscapes to current allowable drought watering schedules. The answers come in minor shifts that many Santa Clarans have made as leaders in conservation.
- Most plants do best with less frequent but deeper watering, driving roots down into soil where there is consistently more moisture.
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Adjust lawn mower wheel heights to raise mower blades leaving slightly taller grass that provides shade and minimizes evaporation. Additionally, removing your mower’s grass catcher bag to leave clippings on your lawn provides soil nutrients (requiring less fertilizer!), improves soil water holding capacity and reduces runoff.
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Consider landscapes that include native plants that spotlight the seasons and require little to no water (or work!). The yellow beauty above blooms December through March and demands no summer water!
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 Silicon Valley Power has added a suite of tools to our website to help you navigate the exciting world of Electric Vehicles (EV’s).
Find out how much you can save by switching to an EV, learn about the costs and charging basics or use our directory tool to discover the many models and robust financial incentives available.
Electric vehicles are rapidly becoming a standard choice for new and used car buyers, with good reason. In most cases, the cost of operating an EV is considerably less than that of operating a gas-powered vehicle due to lower fuel and maintenance costs. Imagine never going to the gas station again! All-electric EVs don’t require oil changes either.
All-electric EVs are also cleaner and have no tailpipe. The fuel sources that provide electricity to Santa Clara residents are 100% carbon-free, so you’re helping reduce pollution in our community and globally when you switch to an EV and charge at home.
This year nearly every major vehicle manufacturer is offering electric options with over 70 different vehicle models currently available in California and more on the way!
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As a part of the City’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support energy efficient technologies, Silicon Valley Power (SVP) recently upgraded Santa Clara Unified School District’s Adult Education cooking classroom with induction cooktops and is sponsoring a twelve-class induction cooking series.
Induction cooktops are faster and more efficient than cooking with gas or traditional electric stoves. They are also safer because there is no exposed flame and they only heat the cookware, not the surrounding area.
The first class kicked off in February with full registration and focused on plant-based, gluten free winter soups! The next cooking class is on March 21, featuring Vietnamese cooking. If you have been interested, or even skeptical, come test out the new technology through a hands-on class and learn some new dishes to add to your recipe collection.
Silicon Valley Power customers can register using our discount code “Induction” to receive $50 off the regular cost of the class. Residents may only register for one class in this twelve-class series so that others may have an opportunity to test induction cooktops.
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Want to save energy, but don't know how to track your usage? Curious about how to find thermal energy leaks around your home so you can fix them? There are plenty of DIY home energy and weatherization projects that you can take on yourself and the City has the tools to help: find out how much it costs to run your refrigerator, identify ground fault interrupter (GFI) circuits, reduce drafts and more!
Tools available in our Tool Lending Library can be checked out through the Santa Clara Central Park Library. All you need is a City of Santa Clara library card, and you can borrow a wide variety of tools. Just click on the name of each tool on our list to see if it is available or to place a request on it through our catalog.
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 Could your home be wasting water without you even knowing it? Checking your water usage is key to detecting leaks at your property.
The City of Santa Clara, the Bay Area Water Conservation and Supply Agency and Valley Water have partnered to provide you with a solution to sneaky leaks - the WaterSmart program!
WaterSmart allows you to compare your current bill to past bills or to other households to see your water used over time and compare to typical water use.
The program also provides tips on how to save and gives you the option to get notifications about leaks, overuse, bills and more via email, text or phone.
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Have you been wanting to try home composting but just didn't feel like you had enough knowledge? Whether you want to create your own compost to enjoy more beautiful blooms in the garden or dial up your household waste reduction game, home composting can be a rewarding way to manage food scraps.
The City of Santa Clara hosts Home Composting Workshops throughout the year. Discover the basics of home composting and join composters around the world that have found an easy way to reduce waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions and create super soil that helps plants thrive without fertilizers.
Come learn how to rot right on March 19 at the Composting Basics Workshop.
As you grow you composting skills, save the date for more composting workshops such as Worm Composting on June 18.
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Make re-use, decluttering and treasure hunting a community building experience! Hosting or shopping at garage sales is a great opportunity to practice sustainability through re-use and reduced waste. It is also a fun way make or save money and discover unique treasures while interacting with your neighbors and community.
This year the City has two citywide garage sale days with the first coming up on April 9.
As a seller, garage sales help you get rid of clutter and earn some extra cash. Registering as a seller also helps promote your site so you don't have to!
As a buyer, you can find unexpected or needed items at lower costs. The event also provides users an interactive map or printable spreadsheet to search for garage sale locations and make the most of your shopping experience.
Registration to host a garage sale for the April 9 event opens in March.
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In honor of Fix a Leak Week, put your toilet to the test. A perfectly working toilet is your home’s main source of water use, making up nearly 30 percent of average household indoor water use. Imagine how much more water a leaky toilet uses!
Leaking toilets are one of the most common household water wasters. The most typical and tricky toilet leak to detect is caused by a faulty flapper, also known as the flush valve or valve seal. This inexpensive rubber part at the bottom of the toilet tank can decay or accrue mineral buildup as it ages weakening the water-tight seal and causing water to leak down into the toilet bowl.
Performing a simple dye test can help determine if it’s just your flapper that needs replacing.
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Put a few drops of food coloring into the toilet tank and let coloring sit for 1-2 minutes
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If color appears in the bowl, you have a leak that can likely be fixed with a new toilet flapper
The City of Santa Clara in partnership with Valley Water provides replacement toilet flappers shipped to you for free!
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Hosted by Recology South Bay, Environmental Day is designed to promote recycling, reuse and diversion of usable materials from the landfill.
Diverting waste from the landfill supports a more sustainable carbon footprint. When cleaning out your home, donating what can be reused and properly recycling e-waste and household hazardous materials supports a more sustainable Santa Clara for all.
Residents are invited to bring the following accepted materials to 1675 Rogers Ave., San Jose:
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Documents for confidential shredding (two box limit)
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E-waste (computers, monitors, printers, etc.)
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Universal waste (batteries, cell phones, CFLs and fluorescent tubes)
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Clothing suitable for donation and reuse
Residents must provide a current utility bill and personal identification to verify eligibility. For questions, contact Recology South Bay at 408-970-5100.
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Mulching season is upon us! Adding a few inches of mulch around plants helps soil retain moisture so you can water less. This is particularly important as we move into spring as warmer weather dries soil out more quickly. Mulching also improves soil quality. Be sure to use natural mulch rather than plastic or synthetic alternatives that can contaminate soils.
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With a hand trowel, dig a few inches deep. If the soil is cool, moist and slightly compacted, cut the irrigation. Or use a moisture meter available free from Valley Water. Most irrigation systems can be turned off through March, but if you’re concerned, check your soil every few weeks. Overwatering in cold weather rots roots and kills plants!
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With the cool evenings lingering, consider bringing new life to stale bread, hard ends of your cheese and all those wilted or slightly less than perfect vegetables in the back of your refrigerator! Instead of sending them to the garbage or compost, consider making a lovely soup and taste the delicious pride of turning waste into warmth!
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Blankets and the body heat of a snuggle buddy help keep you warm so you can lower your thermostat setting and save money. Also, remember to set the temperature down when you’re away.
You can save 1% of your heating costs for each degree you lower your thermostat over an eight-hour period.
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Rebates and Resources to Help You Save |
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It’s time to give new life to your garden and the City is here to help! Yard trimmings that you place out for collection, along with other organics, get processed into rich compost that improves soil structure and aeration, enriches soil nutrients, and reduces pollutants all while diverting waste from landfills. Santa Clara residents can pick up free compost on April 2 at 1700 Walsh Avenue from 9am-noon. Proof of residency required. Compost available while supplies last and limits apply.
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Silicon Valley Power recently launched several new bonus electrification rebates for businesses located in Santa Clara. Rebates of $1,000 are available to replace an electric water heater with a heat pump water heater and when switching from a natural gas water heater a bonus rebate of an additional $1,000 is available.
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Installing an aerator on your kitchen sink’s faucet can save thousands of gallons of water each year without compromising the faucet’s performance. Free 1.5 gallon-per-minute kitchen faucet aerators are available to Santa Clara residents! While you are ordering, consider adding an aerator for your bathroom sink to your shopping cart.
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What do you do in your daily life to be a conservation leader?
Here are a few ideas to get started:
- Don't over dry your laundry - save energy and lengthen the life of clothing. And be sure to clean out the lint trap for efficiency and safety.
- Save water by only running the dishwasher when fully loaded.
- Take notice of single-use plastic behaviors that you might shift away from. Where could you transition to durable, reusable products instead?
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