Welcome to Bluedot San Diego! Every other Sunday, we share stories about local changemakers, sustainable homes and yards, and the nature all around us, along with planet-friendly recipes and advice from Dear
Dot. Together, we can make a difference for the blue dot we call home.
– Nicki and Jim Miller
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE / STORIES
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The Magic of a Front Yard Edible Garden
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“Two years ago, I decided our front yard was no longer serving a purpose,” writes our local garden maven Laura McLean. “It was time for a change. Time to reimagine how we used the space and how we wanted it to connect to our neighborhood and the larger ecosystem. We said goodbye to our grass and hello to four raised beds, roses, and a stone fruit tree.” This is a great time to plan for your own yard and garden. Join Laura as she discovers The Magic of a Front Yard Edible Garden and provides tips for creating your own.
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Quick Links
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Skip scrolling! Here's what you'll find in today's Bluedot San Diego Newsletter:
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With all this cool, rainy weather, we’re indoors a lot right now, so we’ve got a couple of inside scoops. Our Mr. Fix-it helps you get more life out of your stuff. Why buy something new if you can fix what you’ve got? In this video, Mr. Fix-it offers guidance on how to vacuum your fridge coils. We tried it out and couldn’t believe how easy it was — and how much the bottom of our fridge needed the de-dusting. This quick task can increase your
refrigerator's efficiency up to thirty percent! And our At Home writer Mollie Doyle likes to say that rugs are “the most underappreciated, underutilized decorating tool in one’s house.” And that area rugs
have it all over wall-to-wall: “They’re far easier to keep clean, and it’s much easier to find area rugs made with natural and recycled materials.”
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Dear Dot: Where Should I Buy a House?
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– Illustration by Elissa Turnbull
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Dear Dot,
I’m a realtor curious about how climate change is going to impact where people will want to live. What are some climate change concerns people should be considering before committing to a next home/next location?
– Karen
Dear Karen,
Your clients (indeed, all of us) should consider two things:
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For example, if you’re considering a new house in a hot climate but it isn’t built with efficient cooling in mind, not only will the house be increasingly uncomfortable as temperatures rise, but it will be increasingly costly and polluting to cool. You’re simultaneously affected negatively by climate change, and, in a small way, contributing to climate change.
And, increasingly, homebuyers need to factor vulnerability to natural disasters into their choice of locations. One harbinger to note? How easy is it to get flood or fire or hurricane insurance? Companies may only offer policies if you have met certain conditions, like fire-resistant or wind-resistant construction. If that’s the case, your house should have those things. But sometimes, you can’t get insured for those things at all, which speaks volumes in words that sound like:
Danger. Don’t go there.
The market isn’t as attuned to climate change, so there may be hidden threats or opportunities.
Read the rest of Dot’s
answer.
Got a question for Dot? Write her at deardot@bluedotliving.com.
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Paid Advertisement
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BUY LESS/BUY BETTER: Athletic Clothing
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The San Diego newsletter and The Bluedot Marketplace include affiliate links.
If you purchase a product through one of our links, we may earn a small digital finder’s fee.
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If you’re one of the many people who have committed to exercising more in the new year, you may want another pair of leggings for the gym or yoga
or snag-resistant pants for hiking. However you like to get sweaty, these brands have you covered.
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Boody
Boody’s best known for super-soft underthings, tees, and basics made from bamboo viscose. We also recommend their activewear, which is made from viscose and organic cotton, with a little spandex for stretch. (Men and women.)
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Buy now or
read our
review.
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Prana
Bluedotters across the country love Prana’s tops, bottoms, and dresses for hiking, yoga, and just hanging out. The brand makes simple yet attractive clothing that doesn’t distract from the task at hand. (Men and women.)
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Buy now or
read
our review.
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Girlfriend Collective
This size-inclusive brand makes flattering activewear using recycled materials and good manufacturing processes. Our Boston co-editor Julia Cooper, a fan, appreciates the wide range of cheerful colors on offer.
(For women.)
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Buy now or
read our review.
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Say Hello to California’s Official State Bat
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Symbols can be important. In the case of the new state bat, the pallid bat, the hope is that by designating it an official symbol of the Golden State, people will come to understand more about this gold-colored beauty, and about bats in general. As 12-year-old bat aficionado Namoi D’Alessio noted in her campaign to get the pallid bat recognized, “Unfortunately, bat populations are declining in California. I hope highlighting the pallid bat that lives in so many diverse habitats across the state will help awaken everyone to their beauty and value.” If bats skeeve you out, we’ve got a new state mushroom, too: the golden chanterelle.
Read more.
Do you have a special San Diego nature photo or story to share? Email sdeditor@bluedotliving.com.
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A Bluedot Favorite Watch: You Are What You Eat
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Reducing your intake of animal products is one of the surest ways to improve your health, and the health of the planet. That’s the message of You Are What You Eat, a four-part Netflix documentary that follows an engaging Stanford study of diet in adult twins. The doc only presents the pro-vegan side (and experts it presents have been accused of taking factual liberties), but the overall message is hard to dispute: Plant-based eating is a delicious way to get fitter and greener. As they say, “It’s your
greens, not your genes.”
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For more Bluedot Climate Quick Tips, click here.
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The Home Front
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Almost four years ago, the COVID pandemic sent us all back to our rooms for a time out. It was scary, and we hunkered down. Home improvement projects became valuable distractions, and the real estate sector has since boomed (not in a great way for people who don’t own homes) as people refocused on the importance of the home front.
Facing environmental challenges, it’s easy to point fingers at listless governments and sinister corporations as the cause of our problems. But the home front is important to the environment as well, because the choices we make at home DO make a difference. During WWII, people grew “victory gardens” to lessen the strain on agriculture and make sure our soldiers were fed. Now people are growing “climate gardens” to create a greener world and make sure we feed ourselves. Cleaning your refrigerator coils. Being smart with area rugs. All these things, multiplied by millions, make a difference. We can make it together!
We’ll be back in two weeks.
– Nicki and Jim Miller
Editors, Bluedot Living San Diego
sdeditor@bluedotliving.com
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We live in San Diego and love the opportunity to be on the water and in the mountains in one day. Nicki, a writer and editor, and Jim, a writer and environmental economist, are excited
to combine skills as the editors of Bluedot Living San Diego. Since we’re avid cyclists, you may see us riding along the Silver Strand or hitting the trails in Cuyamaca (probably not on the same day). Thank you for joining us on this Bluedot ride!
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