THE green ISSUE Artist Mark George
half fuel, half electric
Embracing Technology go green or go home!
Farmers Market Directory striving for freshness
Eco-friendlyorganic Schools teaching Ponte Vedra Life
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release party the green issue Publisher
Kimberly Berry-Hooks Creative Director
Inger Williamson Graphic Designer
David M. Newman MediaJuiceINK.com Editor
Tracy Margol Contributing Writers
Tracy Margol Nia Gonczi Holden Wayne Suzy Evans Will Rigsby Sarah Boren Sharon Diner Jackson Dr. Hollie Hickman Photography
Kristia Knowles Marybeth Wolf Wally Sears www.PonteVedraLife.com For Advertising Information, Contact: 904.222.8938 Info@PonteVedraLife.com P.O. Box 1091 Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32004
2409 S. Third Street, Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250
904.241.4247
www.DirtyBlondeSalon.com 6 |
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Copyright 2012 Ponte Vedra Life, a product of Fore K and K Media, is published bi-monthly. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in part or in full without written consent from the publisher. Neither the publisher nor the advertisers will be held responsible for any errors found in the magazine. Ponte Vedra Life makes no representation or warrant of any kind for the accuracy of content. All advertisements are assumed by the publisher to be correct.
Hors d’oeuvres & cocktails Thursday, August 23rd 6:30-9:30pm RSVP on Facebook www.facebook.com/PVLMagazine Ponte Vedra Life
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PUBLISHER’S LETTER
From the Office of Governor Scott: We recognize the importance of protecting and preserving our natural resources. Our beautiful waterways, fishing and other environmental treasures are part of the reason Florida is such an attractive place to live. To ensure those resources are protected, Governor Scott has been working closely with our federal partners on a plan for Everglades restoration. He’s worked with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to help the various water management districts across the state focus on their core mission of protecting our water quality and supply, and he appointed a special advisor on energy policy to work with stakeholders and the legislature to develop a comprehensive energy policy for Florida. Ultimately, Governor Scott understands that a healthy economy in Florida depends on a healthy environment.
One of my fondest childhood memories was helping my family plant and tend to our vegetable garden back in East Tennessee. Aunts, uncles and cousins all participated in the annual harvest ritual of picking, cooking, canning and labeling the bounty that would serve as our food source for the winter months. As a child, I never gave any thought to healthy eating or how lucky I was to be able to pick a delightfully good snack whenever I wanted to. My parents’ home was loaded with cherry, peach and apple trees that graced every part of the yard. I still think about that cherry tree. At the age of ten I displayed the early signs of my entrprenurial spirit. One quart of fresh picked cherries brought me one dollar. No overhead. Just hours spent in that cherry tree then pushing them on my appreciative neighborhood clients who coveted my cherry tree. That tree eventually exhausted the ability to produce and died. It has me wondering…why don’t I see more cherry trees around? What about lilac trees? Things are changing and it has me worried. Sustainability is the capacity to endure. It is based on a simple principle and that is…everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends either directly or indirectly on our natural environment. It creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations. Bonus: If it is done right, it will save you a lot of money. It is important to make sure that we have and will continue to have, the water, materials, and resources to protect human health and our environment. Reduce, reuse and recycle principles make good business sense. I hope that you will enjoy and benefit physically, mentally and spiritually from our offerings in this Green Issue. It is more proof that green living is healthy and healthy living is green. Let’s learn these lessons and teach them to our children, taking note that positive incremental changes count. I urge all concerned citizens to take your knowledge, your passions and your convictions about what is right and become the larger change we want to see. May you be bountifully blessed,
Kimberly Hooks Kim
The Green Issue is printed on paper approved by the Forest Stewardship Council. Products with the FSC label uphold principles and criteria which bring the highest environmental benefits and promote successful forest management.
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Cover
Photographer: Kristia Knowles Model: Kristina Wardrobe Stylist: Melissa Intemann Makeup Artist: Carrie Wilson Hair Artist: Chuck Puttman Creative Director: Inger Williamson Wardrobe: C.U.T. Consignment Decor and Furnishings: Sidney Cardels and Luxury for Less
CONTENTS Departments
Featured Story: Recycled Art by Mark George | 18 Urban street art meets mid-century Americana
Tech: Green Applications for Everyday Life | 88 On The Blvd: Villa Paraiso- Tragedy to Triumph | 70 Visit a recycled riverfront cottage where a story is told at every turn
Profile: Nichola McPherson- Platypurse | 54
Aussie entrepreneur mum with a passion for mixing art and textiles
Local: From the Office of Governor Scott | 08 Map: Charging and Changing the Environment |102 NovaCharge--changing the environment one car at a time
Paparazzi: PVL Release Party Pics! | 56 Only In This Issue: Green Farmers Market Directory | 92 Fresh is best!
Five Minutes of Face Time: A chat with Kristin Whitmire | 12 Local artist shares her love of pottery
Gear: Alternative Fuel- Hybrid, Smart Cars & More | 74 What’s in, what’s new, what’s green
Hands: TOMS Shoes- One for One Movement | 82 How one person changed the world one step at a time
Money: The Changing Tides in Real Estate | 75
Davidson Inc. realtor Suzy Evans gives us her insight on local news
Trend: From Bamboo to Textiles | 45
Local designers recycle, reuse and strive to better our planet
Edu: Eco-friendly private schools teach more than the norm | 78 Green programs to look into
Medic: Comfortable in Your Own Skin? | 24
Skin awareness from the professionals of TrüYou Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center
Prime and Prep: Mindy Stamulis is back with hair knowledge for fall | 98 In The Know: Environmentally You | 86 Start the change now
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Five Minutes Of Face Time local artist,
Kristin Whitmire By Inger Williamson
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Tucked in next to a hurricane hole near the Hopetown harbor, you will find, according to some, a modest bungalow, and to others, a sensational oasis. As you arrive by water and wander up the stone path, you’ll discover a haven for art—where Kristin Whitmire masterfully molds clay into functional works of art. PVL chats with Kristin about her passion for the art of pottery.
PVL: Most New Yorkers spend their summers in the Hamptons; Florida’s movers and shakers spend their summers in the Bahamas. Tell me, what brings you to Hopetown? I first came to the Abacos in college with a very good friend of mine. I fell in love with it but didn’t have the opportunity to return. Then ten years ago I rediscovered the Abacos with my husband. We found it to be very inviting, friendly, and quaint. Hopetown, which is the main settlement on Elbow Cay, has historical homes and a lighthouse. The main form of transportation around the island is by golf cart. The Abacos have the third largest great barrier reef on one side and a sea on the other which is perfect for boating, my husband’s hobby. I love photography as well as pottery, and this place 14 |
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is perfect for capturing anything from fish on a reef to beautiful sunsets.
PVL: I understand you work in an eco-friendly environment. How have the islands’ influences inspired you through this journey in pottery making?
The water for the house is collected from rain water. The gutters funnel the water to a cistern under the house and then is pumped up into the house as needed. We’re talking about utilizing the wind for a energy resource in the future. My journey in making functional pottery has been over the last twenty years. I still create using the same materials and glazes as I did when I started, however, my designs have been simplified in some ways. I incorporate the leaves and flowers that are local to the Bahamas. I also use the patterns I see in the bright colors used in the costumes during Junkanoo festivals. They have interesting color combinations with lots of blues and yellows eminent of the sea and sands.
Use me! I make affordable functional pottery that can be used every day. It’s colorful and hopefully makes people happy when they use it. A pitcher left out for display then filled with a local rum punch later for happy hour drinks, plates neatly stacked on open shelves and teacups and saucers resting by the stove ready for the morning.
PVL: There is something to be said about molding, creating and firing something that people fall in love with. Every piece of pottery must have a story. Tell me about your favorite story. Every year I teach a pottery class out in the Seattle area, where I have my pots for sale. Another instructor at the place had stopped by the studio as I unloaded a kiln
with my pottery. She looked at my pottery and then exclaimed that she had purchased several of my coffee cups the year before and just seems to be drawn to a certain one every time she pours herself a cup of coffee. She said she was so excited to finally have met the maker. It’s exactly what a potter wants to hear.
PVL: As an art teacher, expressing your creativity is an everyday focus for you. How much do you enjoy opening children’s minds? Kids are like sponges and love to learn new things. They are excited about art and when they create, it comes straight from their hearts. As a child you are constantly trying to learn to draw better then at some point you grow up and try to draw with the freedom of a child. As much as I inspire the kids to create, they inspire me.
PVL: Your work is featured locally at Art Walk in Atlantic Beach. If your pottery could talk what would it say? Ponte Vedra Life
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From urban centers of the east coast to resort destinations on the west coast, the highly distinguishable modern art of Mark George is viscerally recognized and spontaneously celebrated. The difference between George and most of the rest is that this talented “green” artist lives and works approximately one half-hour from Ponte Vedra Beach. Inspired by Dadaist Marcel Duchamp, the commercialism of Andy Warhol and the fine lines of Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen, Mark George the innovator, is oddly anachronistic. Typically, the passions and interests of a generation skip the previous; few crave the cultural immediacies of their parents. However this 40 year old artist has quickly become fairly famous for his 1960’s female-driven comic book images, his painstaking “reverse-painted” technique and his perennial use of repurposed, corrugatedplastic-canvas materials, turning each into permanent works of fine modern art. When asked if he considers himself a Pop artist, Mark ardently explains, “I utilize the platform created by Pop art, empowering a vocabulary of familiar cultural references.”
Post-Pop Artist
Mark was first inspired to use the corrugated material by catching a glimpse of the timeworn, fiberglass pieces still installed on the back of the old San Marco Theatre. To George, “It just seemed more honest to find things to use.”
Half fuel, half electric
The artist has a choice. Mark’s work is flawless in that he isn’t using the wavy shape of the material to hide imperfections. Quite the contrary, it makes it more difficult. As he told EU Jacksonville for a 2007 cover story, “It’s also my contribution to society [to use the material], a responsibility of sorts. After all is said and done and the earth takes back what is rightfully hers, we will once again be faced with the facts that love and compassion really are the most important part of our existence.”
MARK GEORGE: By Holden Wayne
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Combining this philosophy with his chosen iconography of the salaciously smirky, the openly devastated or the innocently demure, Mark explains: “Human emotion will be the last thing we will always have.” We’re all consumers. George finds a personal balance to repay the planet that offers us life. Mark George is an authentic. The covert Robin Hood of upcycling, George organically cuts every piece of architectural plastic and literally seals each with a soapopera kiss, a shocking teardrop, a lascivious smile or an ironic scowl. By masterfully creating acrylic-paint-rendered, brush strokefree, comic-inspired faces of his imagined early 1960’s subjects, he immortalizes these iconic characters into their own archeological artifacts. With his sublime use of non-biodegradable materials and sexy, contoured subject matter, this defiant artist uniquely embraces and expands the category by turning oft-disparaged Pop art into seamless, contemporary antiquities that are likely to survive the apocalypse. With reverence, much of George’s works could simply last forever.
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Urban Street Art Meets Mid-Century Americana! 20 |
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Burro Bags x Mark George Mark often works with a local, family-owned sign shop in historic San Marco. He makes and prints vinyl banners, real estate signs, even political markers, often reused as yard sale signs. As George explains, “Sometimes I’d love to concentrate on my own work 100% of the time but I think working some hours each week in the shop keeps me grounded.” The artist, an avid recycler, found it troublesome to simply throw away the banner remnants “which I’m sure takes hundreds of years or whatever to rot in a landfill.” With a few tactical phone calls to crony artists and musicians, George began an ongoing campaign that has literally kept tens of thousands of years of debris away from Florida landfills and strategically placed the scrap plastics in fashionable, functional places, including into his newly prized Burro wallets.
Baptiste Basquiat team approach to creating the image. “I’ll work on the original and pass it over to Tony for him to add his own flavor, and vice-versa.” Several of George’s newer works can be seen through August 2012 at fellow artist Steve Williams’ collective ‘The Highway Show: A Public Experiment’ (www.floridamininggallery.com). In a collaborative effort with Clear Channel Outdoor Jacksonville, George will be one of 12 featured artists whose work will be splashed across the city at random intervals via new hulking digital billboards—creating an exciting and massive, impromptu public gallery. During this interview, George casually refers to the most universally-famous Pop Artists Basquiat, Warhol, Saarinen, Keith Haring and
Per their sparkling website, www.BURRObags.com/products/mark-george-artist-series-wallet, a highly successful, environmentally friendly local start-up, has been in the business of making quality, handmade messenger bags, backpacks, gear and apparel for cyclists and all aspects of the urban lifestyle since 2007. Most recently, Burro partnered with George to create the 2012 Artist Series Wallet. The interior printed parts of these fun, collectible wallets are made from the sign shop’s durable leftovers. George has a few other exciting collaborations in the works including a reclaimed wood surfboard line with Hollow Hamilton Surfboards (www.hollowhamiltonsurfboards.com) his images “are printed on rice paper and placed on the shaped board. The applied fiberglass eats the paper and leaves the image intact. It’s pretty sick.” Currently in development is a silk-screened, eco-friendly tee shirt collaboration with critically-acclaimed local artist Tony Rodrigues (www.tactapparel.com) which George explains will emulate an Andy Warhol/Jean-
Burro partnered with George to create the 2012 Artist Series Wallet. The interior printed parts of these fun, collectible wallets are made from the sign shop’s durable leftovers. Ponte Vedra Life
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Julian Schnabel as “accidental pioneers.” In 1979, George received a castoff box of found comic books from his father. Nearly a decade ago, after searching for years for a material inspiration, he noticed a hanging extension on the exterior of a decaying building which still remains complete today. There is nothing accidental about the resourceful and intelligent Mark George, his promising global career or his sincere and innate artistic integrity as he continues to confidently pioneer his way through a riveting and ever-changing art world.
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I’VE GOT A SECRET WEAPON ALL MY OWN!
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Comfortable in your own skin? The professionals of TruYou Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Center talk skin
By Dr. Hollie Hickman
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Radiant and healthy skin is what every woman seeks. During all age stages you have the chance to reverse the signs of aging by taking a few steps. What can you do to look younger? There is a good general answer for everyone…Take care of your facial skin. As we age the turnover rate of new skin cells is slower with less organized skin cells. When you are twenty this process works wonderfully so even if you don’t wash off your makeup at night your skin still looks fresh and healthy. As we age this process slows down. So, in order to keep your skin youthful you have to force the skin to speed this process back up. “How do you do this?” See the following recommendations—and remember, the idea is to “wake up” your skin every day.
1. Always wear sunscreen. This includes under your makeup every day going to work, running errands etc. When getting prolonged sun exposure remember to reapply the sunscreen. It is especially important to be diligent about sun screen when using the products in #4 as they make your skin more prone to sun burns and sun damage. Wear sun screen, hats, and avoid peak sun hours (10am-2pm) if possible. 2. No smoking! You want to age fast… then pick up a pack of cigarettes. 3. Wash your face with an alcohol-free cleanser every AM and PM. Follow this with an alcohol-free skin toner to neutralize the skin and allow better absorption of the products in #4. 4. Everyone over the age of 30 should be on active ingredient products. A prescription strength Retin-A (tretinoin), Retinol, or similar product. These products improve photoaging (sun damaged skin), fine wrinkles, acne and give a more youthful shine to the skin. 5. For hyperpigmentation (sun-spots), sometimes hydroquinone can be used. This is basically a skin bleach that evens the skin tone and coloration. 6. Exfoliate two or three times per week with a gentle scrub. 7. Use glycolic acids and get facials, lasers and peels to keep the skin useful. 8. See your dermatologist, plastic surgeon, or aesthetician for advice on an active skin regimen. Don’t let your facial skin get dull. This is the easiest non-surgical way to gracefully fight the dreaded aging process.
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Last Days of Summer Photography by: Kristia Knowles
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Photographer: Kristia Knowles Wardrobe Stylist: Melissa Intemann Models: Kristina H. of Prodigy Models, Ali C. of Prodigy Models and Jess Reid Ingram Hair Artist: Chuck Puttman Makeup Artist: Carrie Wilson Creative Director: Inger Williamson Location: Sykes and Cooper Farms Wardrobe: C.U.T. Consignment Decor and Furnishings: Sidney Cardels and Luxury for Less Special thanks to Sykes and Cooper farms for their accommodations, C.U.T. Consignment for providing wardrobe, Olsenhaus.com for providing vegan shoes and Yuzuzen.com for providing the scarf. 40 |
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From
Bamboo Shop with us at St. Augustine Outlets Saks Style Shop styles from the world’s top designers making their way to St. Augustine from the runways of New York, Milan and Paris, plus exclusives you won’t find anywhere else. Outlet Prices This is heaven for value shoppers. Find all your favorite brands at prices you’ll like even more! One Stop Shop 24,000 square feet of fashion. Around every corner, you’ll find shoes for your suit, a wardrobe for your vacation, a skin cream for your complexion or a dress for your daughter.
St. Augustine Outlets 500 Prime Outlets Blvd. St. Augustine, FL 32084 44 | Ponte Vedra Life
to Textiles
By Tracy Margol
No longer just frumpy hemp frocks for hippies, organic clothes are riding the green craze right into consumers’ closets. Shoppers are making conscious choices to buy garments made from soy, corn, bamboo and organic cotton because it makes them feel more connected to the environment, they feel healthier, and it’s just plain socially responsible. But being green doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style. We found four local merchants offering unique eco-friendly clothing that leaves behind chemicals, helps sustain the planet and embraces style. So set aside your notions about green fashion and check out what these eco-conscious merchants have to offer. It’s clothing with a higher purpose. Ponte Vedra Life
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Inspired by her veganism and a yearning for affordable, stylish and vegan shoes, Elizabeth Olsen turned her fashion-industry experience into a “haus” of style, offering a chic collection of women’s shoes that hold nary a trace of an animal. (To save you a Google search, ve • gan – a person who does not consume or wear anything from an animal.)
As former creative director for Tommy Hilfiger handbags, Olsen traveled extensively to factories and tanneries where she witnessed devastating environmental pollution and workers who endured conditions so hazardous that they can’t work there for more than four years. When asked about the tannery process, Olsen vehemently explains, “Workers are exposed to 225 chemicals like formalde-
hyde, lead, arsenic and even cyanide... which lead to a long list of cancers.” She says the cruelty the animals suffer is unimaginable, though billions are spent convincing the public otherwise.
“I have no doubt that it is a part of the destiny of the human race, in its gradual improvement, to leave off eating animals, as surely as the savage tribes have left off eating each other when they came in contact with the more civilized.”
An indisputable model of following your passion, not only does Olsenhaus promote consciousness and awareness but the company is a leader in changing the fashion industry and the mainstream perception of veganism.
- Henry David Thoreau
“Everything is connected, every being connected to the other, as one suffers, everything suffers,” states a page on her website, Olsenhaus.com.
Olsenhaus is sold in boutiques and department stores worldwide. See endless. com to purchase online or Olsenhaus. com for more information. You can check out a whole trunk full of Olsenhaus fabulous footwear at the September Emly Benham trunk show. Call the store for details (904) 246-1401.
“I want to illustrate to people that you don’t have to be involved in cruelty to animals or the environment or a disregard for other people’s health,” she explains of her mission, “You can still have style.” And Olsenhaus shoes’ clean lines, minimalist look and colorful palette is the epitome of style and comfort. A vegetarian for 19 years and vegan since 2008, Olsen is a truly outspoken advocate against the use of animals for food, clothing, experimentation and entertainment. She even started the first animal rights club in her high school to spread the truth about atrocities towards animals. 46 |
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an organic clothing line for kids that incorporates the newest durable bamboo fabric with cool designs that kids love. A blend of 70 percent certified organic bamboo, and 30 percent certified organic cotton, the tees are undeniably green and collectible.
World Peace begins with Inner Peace...
What sets Ragaboo apart from other clothing companies is their undying efforts to produce a superior eco-friendly clothing line and to help everyone understand how important it is to be aware and become involved – and Macaffey believes that “this can start with a simple little tshirt.”
It’s never too early
One Ragaboo fan testifies, “I really think that these shirts have the potential to change the world.”
“Our shirts are super comfy, durable, col-
These are a sampling of cheeky t-shirt slogans seen on trendsetting kids around Ponte Vedra. The organic cotton/bamboo blend shirts are the genius of founder Ragda Macaffey, and are sold worldwide on ragaboo-online.com
ored (never white), sustainable, organic bamboo tees with a positive, simple message for my sons and for all the other children in the world (hopefully!)” exclaims Macaffey, also known by her family as “Mother Earth.”
We think he’s on to something.
Out of her love for her four boys, the planet, and people surrounding her, Macaffey created Ragaboo Bamboo Clothing, a leader in certified organic clothing for kids. Described as passionate, kind and charismatic, Macaffey founded Ragaboo out of her passion for living green. “The more I read, the more I learned about the toxic chemicals to which we unknowingly expose our children...organic became my way. I support organic farmers from tomatoes to t-shirts,” says Macaffey. Ragaboo is constantly searching for new ideas, producing new designs and making known their passion for “living green.” And that passion has grown into 48 |
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“Reside in the middle of the circle and let things take their own course” What could possibly be so Zenlike that wearing it not only reminds you that you’re a precious part of nature, but it’s so beautiful you’ll want to frame it and hang it on the wall? It’s an organic scarf by YuZu Zen inspired by the most fundamental Buddhist values. Made from organic bamboo, cotton, silk, hemp or modal, the scarves connect the spiritual and modern, meditation and art, sensibility and function. “ Our scarves are a harmonious blend of raw and simple elements: timeless wisdom, organic textiles, spiritual graphics and a calming palette,” says YuZu Zen. YuZu Zen is the result of the collaboration of Yuleya Turchin and Zula Khramov who met at a fashion show, combined their names and created the company, realizing later that Yuzu is actually a Japa50 |
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nese lemon tree. “It was very inspiring for us...like it’s a sign. Our epiphany was ‘when led by intuition, our acts are sometimes proved to be destined.’” “We would like to think that we’re making a small contribution to the famous fight against stress. It is after all a scientifically proven reason behind many health problems. If our YuZu Zen messages help you to relax and appreciate small things in life, we consider our mission accomplished.” A portion of every scarf sold goes towards different local charity institutions. YuZu Zen scarves are sold worldwide – in stores, online boutiques and on their own website yuzuzen.com Ponte Vedra Life
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Touted as one of the greenest businesses in Jacksonville, Sunisha Designs has changed the way fabric can be used. Even the tiniest of scraps find their way into stationary, gift wrap and wine wraps. Since October 2004, Sunisha Designs has grown from a gift wrap company into a boutique of style. Featured on Channel 4’s Morning Show, in national print media and in more than 20 fashion shows, owner and designer Manisha
S. Joshi adds to the growing product line each year such as 2011’s collection of bridal accessories. “We’ve even cut bridal gowns and turned them into inheritable accessories that can be enjoyed for generations vs. an outdated gown in the attic.” she says. A recently introduced line of men’s messenger bags was a big hit during First Coast Fashion Week. Although they are most known for their unique and fully customizable products,
they are also one of the most charitable small businesses. “We believe in giving back to the community that supports what we do. It’s the time and commitment of so many organizations that inspires us to partner with them in ways that benefit both our company and their cause.” says Manisha. Partnerships with Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Home Society and Dreams Come True include designing a line of charitable handbags specific to each organization. Monogramming, free home delivery and literally more than a 100 ways to custommake your handbag, stationary or other products, are a few specialties of this diverse boutique. Make an appointment at the company’s home studio and enjoy coffee, tea or something sweet, all while designing a covetable handbag. “The stories that have come out of each item we’ve made is sweeter than any corporate profit!”
“I can’t think of anything in life that is not touched by art. Whether it’s an object’s color, a building’s design or a movement in fabric…it is all art”. 52 |
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Platypurse Bringing Aboriginal Art into Life By Evie Newman
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Sewing and producing beautiful things have been imprinted in Australianborn designer, Nichola Macpherson since an early age. While her mum opened her heart for sewing by constructing clothes, Nichola followed her footsteps and started making quilts at age 14. Soon after, she would have a sought after handbag line that’s both functional and beautiful with a touch of Australian flare. Using designs from well-known Aboriginal artists, Nichola has transitioned her love of art onto her unique handbags, bringing Australia’s nature to life. Each whimsical and colorful handbag, displaying the artists’ 54 |
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iconography, tells a classic story such as: Sand Hills by Ana Pitjara, beautiful dunes that provide habitat for flora and fauna in Central Australia; Bush Melons by Betty Mbitjana, suggesting a favorite bush tucker which once grew in abundance in Utopia; the famous folk story of the Seven Sisters by Marlene Doolan, which represents the clusters of the stars in the Taurus constellation; and Rain Dreaming by Rex Sultan, signifying the wetland regions where Aboriginal people were able to practice hunting. The name Playtpurse, inspired by the Australian platypus, is the focus of Macpherson’s product line. Aussie design, fabric and brand conjointly generate a unique product—one that fits perfectly on your shoulder. Together with the artist’s inspiration and fine craftsmanship, these handmade bags come from the heart. Sponsored by Mineral City, Ponte Vedra Beach Ponte Vedra Life
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Paparazzi
Paparazzi
release party the wellness issue
Photos by: SpiritWolf Photographe
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Gear
Alternative Fuel: Hybrids,
We Welcome the New Generation of Transportation As we tolerate this relentless storm of unstable and rising gas prices, America’s transition to greener transportation is well underway. No one knows just how high gas prices will go and many of us are understandably worried. Fortunately, the world is evolving and there are dozens of vehicles with new (and old) technology that deliver exceptional fuel economy while producing less emissions. Whether you are gasoline only, a gasolineelectric hybrid, an all electric “greeny” or clean diesel, there is a broader range of green car choices than ever before. These vehicles are stylish, comfortable and efficient! The question remains…do we continue to drive low mpg vehicles and pay at the pump or do we pay more upfront for fuel efficient vehicles and save more money long term while being environmentally responsible? Let’s take a look at our options….
Gasoline Only
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in Northeast Florida alone that must carry a hefty price tag. On the other hand, billions of taxpayer dollars are spent each year to assure that America can continue to import the petroleum oil we depend on. So based on this, it is easy to say buying gasoline is necessary but perhaps a bit too costly. This brings up the next important consideration. What if we didn’t have to rely solely on imported oil and could mix some of our own resources? America’s introduction of biofuels is interesting but certainly not the answer… yet. They can be used in their pure form, but are generally used as a blend to stretch other fuels. Petroleum is the transportation fuel of choice but it isn’t the only fuel that can run our vehicles. Some of the most promising replacements for oil comes from organic biomass. Biofuels are renewable and help lower tailpipe emissions because they burn cleaner than petroleum fuels. The most common types of biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel.
Ethanol is simply alcohol fermented and distilled from the sugars in plants. Most ethanol comes from a few crops, including corn and sugar cane but other sources are used that aren’t food crops. Cellulosic ethanol production uses the non-edible parts of plants as corn stover, lawn waste and switchgrass. Sounds like our problems are solved…right? It is important to keep in mind that nothing is perfect. Ethanol is attractive because it can be mixed
Smart Cars, and More! with gasoline and used in gas engines. You probably have some ethanol in your gas tank right now. Most gas we pump today is E10---10% ethanol and 90% gasoline. You won’t notice much difference in performance with an E10 blend. Higher mixes such as E85—85% ethanol and 15% gasoline will deliver lower fuel economy and range between fuel stops is reduced. There is a push for the increase of a higher blend of 15% ethanol/gasoline blend or E15 but the questions of compatibility with all vehicles will need to be determined. For now…we wait.
Biodiesel is another alternative fuel be-
ing used at our pumps. Pure biodiesel is better for the environment than petroleum diesel because it produces lower emissions, is biodegrable and burns clean. Like ethanol, it can be produced domestically from high-fat plant sources like soybeans and non-food crop sources like algae for its high oil yield. Pure Biodiesel, B100, can run fine in some diesel engines, but like ethanol, is more commonly blended with petroleum diesel. B5---5% biodiesel and 95% petroleum diesel is approved for use in most new clean diesel cars while B20---20% diesel and 80% petroleum is reserved for the latest generation of full-size pickups. It is possible to produce your own biodiesel at home from new or used vegetable oil, but be careful…do-it-yourself kits will void your factory warranty! We can all agree biofuels aren’t the solu-
tion yet and could be better. Some may question how “green” biofuels actually are. Perhaps some of the resistance to biofuels is undoubtedly fueled by petroleum interests. One fact is hard to argue, it only takes one disruption in the supply of foreign oil to push ethanol and biodiesel back into the headlines.
G a s - E l e c tr i c Hybrid It is getting harder and harder to pull up to the gas pump lately. “Annoyed” is the best word to describe the feeling as the pump clicks pass $40…$50… and $80 for those folks kicking it SUV style. America is desperate for a solution. We need a vehicle that offers high fuel efficiency, long term affordability and increased driving range. The hybrid is here. The word hybrid has become synonomus with efficiency. Americans consider this gas-electric technology as one solution to lowering fuel costs and reducing our dependency on foreign oil. It is just what it sounds like…a cross between a gasoline-powered car and an electric car. It attempts to significantly increase the mileage and reduce emissions of a gas powered car while overcoming the shortcomings of an electric car. The hybrid does not solely rely on a gasoline internalcombustion engine to power the wheels. An electric motor and batteries are also called into service during moments when either pure electricity or a Ponte Vedra Life
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Gear gasoline-electric combo maximize efficiency. Hybrids use sophisticated onboard computers to decide which source of power to use when, how much and when to blend the two. When combined, the two sources of power increase efficiency and provide the kind of performance most of us are looking for in a vehicle.
All Electric
Is it a shock that the electric car is no longer a hypothetical concept car of the future? Electric cars are a great option for drivers concerned with energy security and our nation’s oil dependence. They offer the convenience of being able to “refuel” a vehicle at home, and they’re more efficient and less expensive to operate compared with gas-only cars. In a true electric car there is no gas tank, only a battery pack. Instead of gassing up, drivers plug their cars into a charger located at home, the office or public charging stations. Most charging takes place at home on a 240 volt charger for four to eight hours. A public option is 480 volt “fast-charge” which takes just a half hour to charge. With no help from a gasoline engine, the battery pack offers about 100 miles of range. Drivers should no longer worry about running out of charge; studies have shown most Americans drive less than 35 miles a day. This range anxiety will decrease as public charging options increase. Electric cars reduce noise pollution and emit zero emissions. They do have upstream emissions…those resulting from producing the vehicle’s fuel in this case the electricity. Today’s electric 62 |
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Cayenne S Hybrid cars are indeed responsible for some air pollution, but are a cleaner option than most other cars on the market. We need to increase our use of renewable energy to pave the future to make electric cars even brighter.
Clean Diesel
For many of us, the word “diesel” conjures images of clanking pollutionbelching smokemobiles. Diesel technology has evolved significantly and is once again considered a strong green transportation option. These new powertrains are smooth, quiet, clean, reliable and economical. Fuel economy is the main reason why many drivers choose diesel. Diesel fuel is more expensive than regular gasoline but diesel’s better mileage will save drivers money in the long run. A diesel vehicle allows up to one-third fewer stops at the pump throughout the life of the vehicle. As discussed earlier, diesel engines are also compatible with biofuels produced from domestic sources. Most new diesel vehicles are certified for use with B5, a mix of 5% diesel and 95% petroleum diesel. A diesel engine costs more than a comparable gasoline vehicle because of engine design and with proper maintenance, will last considerably longer. It is not uncommon for a diesel vehicle with proper maintenance to be dependable for over 300,000 miles. Diesels also maintain a high resale value which makes these vehicles sensible investments. Clean diesel vehicles are likely to gain popularity especially if gasoline prices remain unstable.
What you need to know: Price Range: $69,000 Annual Fuel Cost: $2,850 City/Hwy/ Mpg: 20/24/21 Porsche introduced the Cayenne S Hybrid in model year 2011 as an all-wheeldrive (AWD) luxury hybrid. The midsize SUV seats five and gets a combined EPA estimated fuel economy of 21 mpg, compared with the conventional Cayenne’s combined 18 miles per gallon (mpg). The Cayenne S Hybrid combines a supercharged 3.0-liter, 300-horsepower V6 engine with a battery-powered electric motor. The Cayenne S Hybrid is a full hybrid that can sustain all-electric speeds of 86 miles per hour for a little over a mile under certain conditions; it also has idle stop/start, power assist, and regenerative braking. All new-generation Cayenne SUVs set high standards for efficiency and performance. Compared with the former models, fuel consumption is down by up to 23 percent in the New European Driving Cycle and CO2 emissions are reduced. * Porsche has announced it will be bringing a diesel-powered version of its Cayenne SUV stateside, in time for the 2013 model year. * The 500-horsepower 918 Spyder plug-in hybrid @ $845,000 is close to production. Porches claims the Spyder will achieve 0 to 60 mph in about 3.1 seconds and top speed of 199 mph. Fuel economy numbers will be announced closer to the production date…. But come on, now. Does it really matter?
Lexus RX 450h Hybrid What you need to know: Price Range: $45,910 Annual Fuel Cost: $2,000 The Lexus RX 450h is a gas-electric hybrid version of the RX 350 crossover sport-utility vehicle. By any standard, it has been a smash success for Lexus since it first launched as a 2006 model. Ponte Vedra Life
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A significant number of Lexus SUV buyers have opted for the “hybrid upgrade,” making the Lexus RX 450h the most popular hybrid sport utility in 2012. The 2013 Lexus RX 450h continues on with a 3.5 liter V6 Atkinson-cycle engine, electric-motors for a total system output of 295-hp. The 2013 Lexus RX 450h delivers on its promise of impressive fuel economy, utility, power and luxury. * The RX 450h FWD model’s hybrid powertrain employs two motor-generators: MG1, the engine-driven generator, is a starter and can charge the battery pack or power other electric motors as needed; MG2 is the front-drive motor. When the RX 450h is coasting or braking, the electric motors function as generators, capturing energy that would normally be lost as heat through the brakes and transforming it into electricity to recharge the batteries. *As a full hybrid, the RX 450h can operate in electric-only or gas-engine-only modes as well as a mode that combines both. Extended electric-mode operation during lowspeed or stop-and-go driving conditions helps reduce fuel consumption. Under certain circumstances, a driver-selectable EV mode can also allow the vehicle to be driven short distances using only the electric motors.
SMART For Two Gasoline What you need to know: Price Range: $14,000-$18,400 Annual Fuel Cost: $1,600(Premium) City/Hwy/ mpg: 34/38/36 The Smart ForTwo car is an ultra mini two seater, only 8.8 feet long and slightly over 5 feet wide. The Smart ForTwo comes in three models, and according to Mercedes-Benz, all three models come packed with standard safety features that you would only expect to find in a more high priced luxury car. The Smart ForTwo’s dimensions make it the ideal choice for inner city dwellers faced with daily parking challenges. Additionally, if you’re a thrifty open-top enthusiast searching for the most affordable convertible available, look no further than the Smart Fortwo Cabriolet. The drive is comfortable but the excellent gas mileage is the heart of this car. * The Smart ForTwo spent years among the top fuel-efficient non-hybrid vehicles in the U.S. with 36 combined mpg. * The Smart ForTwo is built around a cage of high-strength steel known as the Tridion safety cell, which helps to pass frontal test scores. 64 |
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BMW Active Hybrid 5 What you need to know: Price Range: Around $61,845 Annual Fuel Cost: $2,281 (15,000 miles per year @ $3.95/gal City/Hwy/ mpg: 25/30/26 Combining a 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo inline-six engine and full-hybrid drivetrain into a 5-series body, the ActiveHybrid 5 looks just like any other premium 5-series on the market. In electric mode, the engine remains quiet as you silently make your way at speeds up to 37 mph. Stroke the pedal gently, and BMW says you can achieve somewhere around 37 mpg on the highway, thanks to sophisticated hybrid software that splits power delivery between the inline-six and the electric motor for maximum efficiency. Combined, it is rated by the EPA at around 31 miles per gallon while offering zero-emissions. On a piece of straight road it will jump from 0 to 62 mph in just under six seconds. That is enough for the Active Hybrid 5 to show up every rival sedan on the road. Handling, ride, and interior comfort are all German excellence and unmistakably BMW. * 2012 IIHS Top Safety Pick The nav system (standard) syncs with the hybrid control electronics and optimizes operation based on route topography and urban versus rural road conditions. The Active 5 adds an “eco pro” mode to its standard Driving Dynamics Control setup. It’s essentially the same as comfort in terms of dynamic character, but it also optimizes operation of the hybrid system to further improve fuel economy. And what will optimal fuel economy be? Although the Active 5 reaches showrooms this month, BMW didn’t have final EPA numbers during our preview drive. Best guess by BMW engineering staff is that they will be about the same as the 528i automatic’s—23 mpg city and 34 highway. The 5 Series benefits from nearly 90 years of experience in developing state-of-the-art technologies that have earned BMW a stellar reputation as one of the safest automotive brands on the globe. You might say safety is in the DNA of every BMW we build. As evidence, the 5 Series was once again named a “Top Safety Pick” for 2012 by the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety. Additionally, the 2012 5 Series was one of only two vehicles to earn an overall 5-star crash safety rating by the National Highway Transportation Administration.
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2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI What you need to know: Price Range: $26,800-$33,000 Annual Fuel Cost: $1,800 City/Hwy/ mpg:
30/40/34
There can only be one winner and in 2012 it was the Passat. The 2012 Volkswagen Passat TDI is Motor Trends Car of the Year, as well as, IIHS Top Safety pick for 2012. Good news travels fast. This must be why the 2012 Passat TDI is so hard to find. Volkwagen has spared no expense in designing this car. It is incredible that a midsize sedan with such engineering excellence and elegant features can be so affordable! * The TDI is the only clean diesel mid-size sedan in the U.S.—with the highest fuel economy of any non-hybrid or electric vehicle in its class capable of driving 795 miles on a single tank of gas. * Diesel fuel is more expensive but imagine spending an extra 8 bucks or so at the pump and traveling twice as far. The savings and durability of the engine with diesel are unmatched. * LEED Platinum: Most of the Passats sold in the U.S. are manufactured at Volkswagen’s Chattanooga plant, one of the most environmentally friendly production facilities in the world. The plant uses a revolutionary eco-scrubber system in the paint department. The eco-scrubber system saves approximately 20,000 gallons of water every day.
MINI Cooper Countryman Gasoline What you need to know: Price Range: $22,114 Annual Fuel Cost: $1,420 City/Hwy/ Mpg: 25/32/28
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The MINI Cooper Countryman is relatively rare in that it is the only compact crossover currently on the market, although there are a few on the horizon. Despite being so small, the vehicle still manages to offer a lot, including a healthy dose of practicality, some off-road capability, and plenty of style. Taller, bigger, and with a more boldlystyled front end than your regular MINI Cooper, the Countryman is instantly recognizable, both as aMINI and as something out of the ordinary. * The 2012 Mini Cooper Countryman ranks 8 out of 10 Upscale Small Cars. * The Countryman is the largest Mini available. Reviewers find that the increase in size makes the Countryman very roomy.
Mazda CX5 w/SkyActiv Technology Gasoline What you need to know: Price Range: $20,995-$29,165 Annuel Fuel Costs: N/A City/Hwy/ mpg: 26/32/29 The Mazda CX-5 uses patented SkyActiv technology. Currently, 95% of the world uses gasoline or diesel combustion engines, and by 2020 90% still will. SkyActiv makes the internal combustion engine work better, and makes a big difference in how much fuel the world uses and how much CO2 is emitted. The SKYACTIV®-G gasoline engine is a 2.0-liter engine that produces 10% to 15% more low/mid-range torque, along with 15% lower fuel consumption and emissions than the previous 2.0-liter engine. Mazda has made an SUV that doesn’t cost nearly as much as a hybrid, but still has the same SUV space, a smaller carbon footprint, less expensive maintenance and works with standard gasoline. * 32 MPG Hwy on the automatic transmission model, the CX-5 gets the best gas mileage of any SUV including Hybrids. * MORE EFFICIENT AND FUN TO DRIVE “Mazda is to be congratulated for bumping mileage up and still making cars that are fun to drive.”—AutoWeek | October 2011 Ponte Vedra Life
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* Photos and information provided by Coggin Automotive
so you can go up to a total of 375 miles on a full tank of gas. A lithium–ion battery pack powers Volt for an EPA–estimated 35 miles on a full charge. If you also have a full tank of gas, the total driving range is up to 375 miles†. It’s electric when you want it, gas when you need it. If the battery runs low, you don’t have to worry because Volt automatically transitions to a unique gasoline range–extending capability. The Volt was named a 2012 Top Safety Pick and received a 5–Star Overall Vehicle Safety score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration†. * $7,500 Federal Tax Credit. * The battery has a range of about 35 miles on electric power alone. It takes about 10 hours to recharge on a standard 120-volt outlet, for four hours on a 240-outlet. * Winner of Kelley Blue Book Total Cost of Ownership Award for the best “Real World Bottom Line” among electric cars.
Nissan Leaf Electric
What you need to know: Price Range: $36,000-$38,000(Before $7,500 Federal Tax Credit) Annual Electricity Cost: $600 City/Hwy/ Mpg: 106/92/99 The only thing different about the Nissan LEAF is that you won’t ever need to stop at a gas station! It runs on 100% electricity. That’s right—no gas. A full charge can take 7 hours on a 240-volt outlet and 20 hours on a standard 120-volt outlet. It’s got room for five, plenty of cargo space, and a cool modern interior. It gives you instant torque and a low center of gravity for a seriously fun ride. The LEAF is a well-equipped, all-electric hatchback that can travel about 100 miles on a single charge. * $7,500 Federal Tax Credit. * The Nissan LEAF is powered by laminated, compact lithium-ion batteries, which generate power output of more than 90kW, while its electric motor delivers 80kW (107 horsepower). Altogether this allows for the LEAF to drive at speeds of up to 90 mph. * 10-Year 100,000 mile warranty on lithium-ion batteries.
Toyota Prius Plug-In Plug-In Hybrid What you need to know: Price Range: $32,000 Annual Fuel Cost: N/A Electric/Hybrid mpg: 95 All Electric/50 in Hybrid Mode
Chevrolet Volt Extended-Range Electric What you need to know: Price Range: $40,000 Annual Fuel Cost: $650 City/Hwy/ Mpg: 95/93/94 Volt is unique among electric vehicles because you have two sources of energy. You have an electric source–a battery–that allows you to drive gas–free for an EPA–estimated 35 miles. And there’s also an onboard gas generator that produces electricity 68 |
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The new Prius plug-in combines the benefits of the standard Prius model’s hybrid vehicle operation with extended electric vehicle driving and more affordable pricing than pure electric or range extender type vehicles. Operating in EV mode will allow performance up to 15 miles at speeds up to 62 mph. A full charge using an external AC outlet takes approximately 2.5 to 3.0 hours using a 120v household outlet or 1.5 hours using a 240v outlet. The new hybrid offers seating for 5 passengers and large luggage space. * The Prius plug-in provides about 11 miles of all electric range. After that, the car acts like a conventional 50-mpg Prius. * The Prius plug-in qualifies for a $2,500 federal tax credit. * Ideal for drivers who mostly make short trips and are able to recharge frequently as well as those those needing a primary car for long trips. * Battery pack charges to full capacity in about 3 hours using a standard 120-volt electrical outlet. Ponte Vedra Life
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On The Blvd.
awarded numerous awards and certifications including the first LEED Platinum Certified Home in Northeast Florida.
Villa Paraiso
Tragedy to Triumph In August 2008, Tropical Storm Fay hit Northeast Florida hard. Fierce winds pulled up trees and the rivers rose high. When the bulkheads breached, violent waters stormed down roads and eventually into the home of Michaela Miller and Steve Sadler. Helpless to stop the surge, Michaela and Steve evacuated their beautiful riverfront home as they watched their souvenirs of life float away. When the storm passed, they would stand knee deep in river and sewer waters as the reality became clear…Mother Nature had ravaged their home and left it in ruins. With the devastation also brought new opportunities and they were GREEN. They knew they wanted to build an energy efficient and sustainable home from day one so they surrounded themselves with a team of environmentally conscious professionals. The journey lasted 12 months and the end result was 70 |
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The USGBC (US Green Building Council) LEED for Homes is a rating system that promotes the design and construction of high-performance green homes. A green home uses less energy, water and natural resources; creates less waste; and is healthier and more comfortable for the occupants.
Photography By: Peg Munsey & Wally Sears Photography
The storm ravaged home was deconstructed in six weeks. Reduce, reuse, recycle… In that order. Reduce the amount of waste. Reuse what you can. Recycle what you can’t use. Makes sense. One and a half tons of waste was salvaged and used for recycle from the deconstruction. Only four dumpsters
were sent to the landfill at the conclusion of the project. Steve played a huge role in the recovery efforts. Each evening you could find him in the dumpster retrieving usable materials discarded by workers on the project and organizing it into stacks. He used the treasures for lattices for vegetation, accent décor and also for the “man cave”. Steve’s man cave is constructed of wood scraps from framework and remnants from the cedar stairs and the outdoor kitchen. Roof shingles, drywall, and damaged wood were grounded together to produce homemade mulch for the landscape. The sweet spot of this home is found within the energy efficiency. Amongst the most impressive is the geothermal energy system that drills 175-225 ft into the ground pulling energy from the earth’s core to maintain a consistent temperature of 72 degrees. This is a proven technology that has been around for many years. It is complicated and expensive but well worth it. If you can afford it…invest in it. The system provides energy efficiency as well amazing results in air quality testing. This brilliant home is also equipped with an atmospheric water generator. All air contains at least a little water. On hot, muggy days, the air feels thick and uncomfortable because it’s saturated with moisture. Water generators, also known as water makers, harvest Ponte Vedra Life
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the moisture suspended in humid air. Steve and Michaela will never buy another bottle of water. They are producing it themselves. No incandescent bulbs were used anywhere in the house. Solar tubes are used as a cost-effective way to bring natural lighting into the home. A properly designed reflection system, with curves or angles can deliver up to 90 percent of captured light.
morning dew reclaim system. The panels will catch the water and send it through a piping filtration system and ultimately to rest in 2-1500 gallon tanks to be dispensed through the irrigation system for the organic vegetation. Fourty-50 gallons of morning dew is collected each day! Solar panels are strategically placed to benefit from jthe sun’s patterns. Two additional panels are added to aide the geo-
thermal system for the hot water heater. Shade sails extend off the roof to cover the deck to avert light. High electric bills are an expense of the past for this home. Not only is energy consumption reduced to a minimum, JEA may eventually pay Steve and Michaela for the excess electricity produced!
Awards & Certifications * 2011 Sustainable Florida Green Building Award and Steve Sadler and Michaela Miller were named Florida Sustainability Ambassadors * 2010 Villa Paraiso achieved 1st LEED Platinum Home in NE Florida * 2010 1st Platinum FGBC Award * 2010 Energy Star Home - HERS 18 - the MOST energy efficient in Duval County * 2010 Gold WaterStar, 1st in Duval County * 2010 Environmental Protection Board Award for Individual Category - awarded by Mayor John Peyton
The living roof provides natural insulation from the heat. It is completely sustainable relying on rainwater for its survival. Aluminum panels are equipped to resist 120 mph winds and serve as a storm water and 72 |
* 2010 USGBC N. FL Finalist for New Construction * 2009 USGBC N. FL Innovation Award winner - Water Conservation and Landscape Design
Perhaps the most desirable feature of this house is the Nana Wall. Nana Wall is a custom made folding glass wall for large openings. The entire wall of the living room opens up to a stunning view of the St. John’s River and downtown Jacksonville. Front row seats to the holiday fireworks spectaculars, boat shows and every home Jaguar game is blasted from the stadium onto Villa Paraiso’s deck. This home truly is paradise. In the world of elegant design, green homes tend to get a bad rap. In fact, many people believe that scaling down the aesthetics is a must when building an efficient home. This is certainly not the case with Villa Paraiso. For the next hurricane party, let’s all meet at Steve and Michaela’s house! For more information, the documentary “Built Totally Green $ave Our Future” is a compelling and educational story of tragedy to triumph and includes energy tips and links for federal and state rebates. BuiltTotallyGreen.com
* 2009 Sustainable Florida Best Practice Awards Finalist - Green Design *Cemented basement wall constructed out of recycled bottles
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Villa Paraiso
Shifting Tides
in Real Estate
The market is heating up in Jacksonville and buyers are lining up! It’s nice to see the scales move. Consumers are actually missing out on the homes they want because they are not moving quickly enough or they’re underbidding. It seems that the tide is shifting away from the buyer’s market. The primary reasons are reduced inventory and pent-up demand. People are finally buying homes again and there are fewer to choose from. Recent statistics from the Northeast Florida Association of Realtors (NEFAR) shows:
Steve and Michaela's Nana Wall provides a glorious view of the St. John's River and downtown Jacksonville
Project Highlights:
* Pending sales for June 2012 were up nearly 24% over last June. The price range with the largest increase in pending sales is the $1 Million+ category with a 31% increase.
* 68 PV roof panels
* Recycling rain water from roof into two 1,500 gallon tanks * Geothermal for heating/cooling/hot water * Smart Home technology * Protective spray sprayed on roof to extend warranty 15 -20 years
Recycling Statistics to date: 1.38 Tons of glass
* Spray foam insulation on ceiling, exterior walls and underneath house gives R value of 22-30
1920 Lbs of combined metal
* Virtually all materials recycled into new home - bricks, pavers, & timber
1600 Lbs of aluminum
* Roof shingles and drywall used for landscaping and leveling the ground
286 Lbs of insulated CU wire
* Living walls * 1,000+ Native and/or Heritage plants * Organic Garden 74 |
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132 Lbs of copper 36 Lbs of brass
* Inventory continues to decline. There were 9,267 homes for sale in June 2012, a 30% drop from June 2011. In June there was six months supply of inventory – a five to six month inventory represents a balanced market.
By Suzy Evans Davidson Realty, Inc. Although closings have still not caught up with the surge in pending sales that has occurred over the last three months, transactions are simply taking longer to close. The takeaway for homebuyers is to be prepared to act quickly when they find the right home. We’re recommending buyers get pre-approved not just pre-qualified before starting their home search. Also, if it’s truly your dream home, make a strong opening offer. The biggest mistake is that buyers are still in the mindset that it’s a distressed housing market and they are in the driver’s seat. The truth is, great homes at fair prices are being snapped up quickly. The market is more balanced and home buyers need to come prepared. Suzy Evans - Davidson Realty, Inc. t: 904.940.5000 / c: 904.347.5447 SEARCH FOR HOMES
www.ponte-vedra-beach-homes-for-sale.com
* Average Sale Price Increases 9% from this time last year.
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Eco-friendly Schools
Whitehurst taught the younger students about the importance of recycling. Environmental educator, Tyler Wood, discussed reducing waste and recycling with Ponte Vedra students.
By Nia Gonczi
Students on all campuses and grade levels at The Bolles School are making an effort to “go green.” Participating in recycling programs, environmentally focused clubs and other activities, the intention is to help clean, protect, and preserve our natural resources. In April, lower and middle school students participated in Earth Day activities. Lower school students on the Whitehurst and Ponte Vedra Beach Campuses participated in science-based Earth Day projects in April, coordinated by Science Curriculum Specialist Carolyn Houston. From rain barrels to recycling, the students learned about important environmental issues.
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Students on the Bartram Campus held environmental issues in particular focus in April. The Middle School Environmental Club traveled to Jekyll Island on April 13. The students visited the Georgia Sea Turtle Center and went on an Ecoboat tour. The club members earned the field trip for their weekly efforts in helping the campus-wide recycling effort. Earth Day was celebrated on the Bartram Campus on Friday, April 20. Planned by the Environmental Club, the event included displays, water relays, a recycle toss game, environmental computer games and a bake sale. Students also decorated paper bags that were used to bag groceries at Publix. Students also made environment related pledges. Money raised from the Earth Day celebration was used to fund a school water project in Nicaragua through the Global Water program.
Second grade students at Whitehurst and kindergarten students at Ponte Vedra created rain barrels. Faculty members from each campus worked with students. Helen Meatte worked with the Whitehurst students and Kim Wingo worked with the Ponte Vedra students to create art for the recycled pickle barrels. Upper school student Coleman Lay and his father donated another barrel as a part of Lay’s River Keepers club. The barrels will be used to water the butterfly and vegetable gardens on both lower school campuses. Other Earth Day festivities occurred at both campuses. Fifth grade students at Ponte Vedra Life
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Discovery Montessori partnered with the White Oak Conservation Center, a globally integrated conservation initiative, to support the Okapi Conservation Project (OCP). The OCP is located within the Ituri Forest in the most biologically diverse country in Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. A flagship species, the Okapi serves as an ambassador representing the incredible diversity of species found in the region.
By Nia Gonczi
Discovery Montessori, a private, accredited, independent school in Jacksonville Beach defines their servicelearning program through the lens of Youth Philanthropy (YP) with an ardent focus on conservation. The YP program educates youth about social change in order to identify community problems and design the most appropriate solutions. YP can also be defined as anything young people do to make the world around them a better place while in turn learning to answer the question, “What do I care about and why?”
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In 2010, the Discovering Philanthropy program was launched at Discovery Montessori to provide enrichment to their students’ authentic Montessori experience—one that would awaken the power to make a difference in the world. During the same year, Discovery Montessori partnered with the Rainforest Alliance to support the Adopt-ARainforest program and dedicated all YP fundraising efforts to the Maya Biosphere project in Guatemala. In 2011,
In 2012, Discovery Montessori will be adding a new partner to their Youth Philanthropy work—the Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens. This year’s conservation focus will be on Manatees, with an international educational connection to Belize & Guyana (also connected to the Rainforest Alliance). Zoo educators and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will visit Discovery Montessori for a kick-off event/overview of manatee conservation in Florida and local/global initiatives to plan for the school year. The annual YP fundraising initiative will be designated to support the development
of the Jacksonville Zoo’s Manatee Critical Care Center. Discovery’s global mindset drives their YP partnerships for a sustainable planet. With hopes that through both local and global community service, students will learn to become leaders and agents of change. On Discovery’s campus, an Edible Schoolyard and Aquaculture unit dominates the Elementary schoolyard and conservation threads weave their way through the core curriculum. To allow for further cultural appreciation, Discovery participates in the creative connections art exchange. This allows students to utilize technology and art to create connections with students around the world, engaging students to fully understand the effects of their YP efforts. In the spirit of Discovery’s mission, the Youth Philanthropy program “inspires children to become passionate lifelong learners and responsible world citizens.”
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W
When thinking of trendy shoes and distaste for poverty, TOMS shoes most likely comes to mind. Serial entrepreneur, Blake Mycoskie created TOMS in 2006 after a trip to a village in Argentina where he noticed that most children did not have shoes on their feet. Shocked and unable to grasp the void of something as simple as a pair of shoes in these children’s lives, Mycoskie wanted to give them shoes but he didn’t want to give them shoes just once. Having no background in charities but an extensive entrepreneurial history, Mycoskie created a business model that would give “One for One,” building a company that would sell shoes while at the same time giving shoes away.
TOMS one for one
By: Nia Gonczi
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Shoes are a fundamental resource for protecting c h i l d r e n’s health and providing them with opportunity. There are areas of the world where terrible foot disease is prevalent and the necessity for footwear as protection is only one implication of having shoes. In an interview with Mycoskie, he described another implication:
“It almost becomes a passport into other things that are very important. School, for instance, is probably the easiest example. A lot of kids cannot go to school unless they have a proper uniform, and a proper uniform includes shoes ... so giving them a pair of shoes allows education."
Fueled by his passion to help the kids in Argentina, Mycoskie’s inexperience in fashion and design was never an issue in creating one of today’s most hip shoes. They call it the alpargata, a trendy rendition of a traditional Argentine shoe worn by farmers for hundreds of years. Wanting a comfortable, lightweight and quick to dry shoe, Mycoskie took inspiration from the farmers and revolutionized the style which is worn by all types of people today. During its first year in business, TOMS sold 10,000 pairs of shoes. Mycoskie returned to Argentina later that year with family and friends and gave back to the children who had first inspired him. Thanks to supporters, TOMS gave the one millionth pair of new shoes to a child in need in September 2010. TOMS now gives in over 40 countries and works with charitable partners in the field who incorporate shoes into their health, education, hygiene, and community development programs. TOMS’ giving partners are made up of NGOs, charities, and non-profits already established and working in the countries in which TOMS gives. Their expertise guides TOMS to give new shoes responsibly, making sure there aren’t adverse socioeconomic effects, and to ensure that sustainable giving is possible. Giving shoes to the same children on a regular basis is the idea upon which TOMS was started, and is what truly improves the lives of children and their communities. Sometimes referred to as “shoe drops,” Mycoskie explained why the term for TOMS’ distribution process is slightly misleading. Ponte Vedra Life
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TOMS
A part of the One for One movement is the intimate and giving environment. Every single pair of shoes is hand-placed on a child’s foot, never hastily dropped off or delivered. Mycoskie found that the child gets as much satisfaction and joy from the one-on-one interaction with someone from the first world as they do from the actual shoes. In addition, shoe drops are not just a means to an end of delivering all of the shoes as promised. Every week, TOMS selects one customer to follow their purchase around the world on a Giving Trip. Previously available just to TOMS employees, Giving Trips are not vacations, but journeys into communities of incredible people and incredible need. They are handson, face-to-face experiences that noticeably transform lives.
Blake Mycoskie is the closest thing anyone will ever get to a TOM. Mycoskie explained, “There is no TOM. We like to say that everyone is TOM, because what TOMS stands for, it’s a derivative of the word ‘tomorrow’ and the idea that we have a better tomorrow.” When the project started it was originally called the Shoes for Tomorrow Project. Then it was just Shoes for Tomorrow. Then eventually, it became simply TOMS. “You buy a pair today, we give a pair away tomorrow. And collectively, everyone who buys a pair, everyone who works here, everyone who’s an intern, we all are TOMS. So that’s who TOM is,” Mycoskie stated.
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TOMS is continually expanding. TOMS has recently launched a line of sunglasses, still following Mycoskie’s One for One model with shoes. Today TOMS offers several other styles of shoes in addition to the original alpargata-inspired design. Cordones, the TOMS you can wear with or without laces, as well as the Botas, are designed for both men and women. Stitchouts for men, the Wedge and the Wrap Boot for women, and Youth and Tiny TOMS for children are also available. Many vegan-friendly styles for all ages are now available, too. TOMS shoes are more than just a brilliant idea and a great cause, but they have started a movement across the U.S. and Europe. The revamped ancient Argentine style has become a fashion staple in our modern culture. Mycoskie believes that TOMS’ success is most likely split 50/50 between the people who love the shoe and could care less about the cause; and the people who love the cause and could care less about the shoe. No matter what the reason is for purchasing TOMS shoes, the popularity is evident.
There are several ways to get involved and help change the world one shoe at a time. Visit www.tomsshoes.com for more information.
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Environmentally You
TAKE ACTION Here are six things you can do TODAY to take responsibility to reduce your impact:
Start the Change Now!
1. Cut your trash by 50%. The average American creates 4.6 pounds of trash a day? Throw only two pounds away tomorrow by buying bulk, making sure that the containers can be recycled, buying fresh, unpackage food, composting, increasing your recycling, and more. 2. Assess your household chemical products. The average American household contains over 60 chemical products. Look at your labels and eliminate the most dangerous and most toxic – they give off gas and you don’t want them around. Consider making your own effective household cleaning products out of vinegar, baking soda, and biodegradable soap (look for free recipes on the internet). Buy in concentrate (e.g., orange plus), add water, and save a ton of money. 3. Look for the “9”! Did you know those little stickers on your fruit and veggies have codes on them that tell you whether they were conventionally grown with pesticides, genetically modified, or grown organically? Here is the quick download:
By: Sarah Boren Executive Director, U.S. Green Building Council North Florida Chapter (usg bcnf.org) Executive Director, Green Team Project Vice President and Co-Founder, NE FL Green Chamber Organizer, Sustainable Jacksonville Did you know that U.S. buildings use more energy than U.S. transportation or industry? Did you know that we spend 90% of our time indoors…that we essentially go from one building to the next? Did you know you…yes, you yourself, can take positive action today in your home, your local school, and your workplace? Buildings touch every part of our lives. We drive to them. We bring paper, food, and people into them. We also now know a whole lot more about how to design, build, operate, and behave in buildings 86 |
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so that they are high performing, healthy, comfortable, stunning to look at, and cause demonstrably less harm. Holistic green buildings are energy and water efficient (locally averaging 30-40% more efficient), made out of local, salvaged, or recycled materials (waste diversion from landfill locally averaging 75%), are healthy to thrive in (zero reported sick building syndromes), and ideally have a light footprint on its physical site (more land to grow food and provide vital ecological services). Green buildings
can also create genuine long term jobs and spur innovation as we retrofit our building stock and retrain people to think about how to build without harm. So this is all fine and dandy but what does this have to do with you and me? Well… quite frankly, everything. You and I live in a home and go to a workplace every day. We use buildings and we make purchases every day. You and I have an impact on people and the environment every single day.
* Four numbers (e.g., 4011) = conventionally/traditionally grown with pesticides * Five numbers with an “8” in front = genetically engineered or modified * Five numbers with a “9” in front = grown organically and not genetically modified * Another terrific resource for discovering meaningful versus non-meaningful labels is: www.greenerchoices.org Ponte Vedra Life
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4. Cut your energy bill by 30%. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical home uses 13,600 kWh of electricity a year, pays $1,590 in bills a year, and causes 17,926 pounds in carbon dioxide emissions. A 30% more energy efficient home would save $500, cut 4,190 kWh, and reduce its CO2 emissions by 5,524 pounds. Visit www.jea.com/shopsmart for incentives and a helpful list of low to high investment action items. 5. Reduce your outdoor water use by 40%. Did you know that our region uses 50% of its potable water on its lawns and yards? Rather than wasting our precious resource, consider native and Floridafriendly landscaping. Get a rain barrel and harvest the rain to water your yard. Reduce evaporation by putting your drip irrigation slightly under the soil. Check out floridayards.org for information on the right plants for your yard.
7. Get Involved! There is so much going on in sustainability in this community. Get involved in one of the amazing efforts and help transform our future. I personally think it is all about the kids, so I am going to make a special appeal to help with the Green Apple Day of Service on Sept. 29th (www.mygreenapple. org). Help your child’s school or your local school register and implement a green project on Saturday, September 29th. Help our schools lower their operating costs and create healthy, inspiring places for our future generations to learn and dream great things! Little things add up when there are 1.68 million people in our region. Thank you in advance for completing these actions and directly doing your part to help our region thrive.
6. Try taking alternative transportation one trip a week. Did you know that the majority of the trips you take in your car are within three miles of your home? Consider taking a bike, walking, or skipping for one of these trips each week. Also, calculate your TRUE cost of driving here: http://commutesolutions.org/ external/calc.html
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Smart Green Apps SEAFOOD WATCH Put your smart phone to work for you. On the go green applications make eco-friendly living a snap. The world is becoming environmentally aware and more people and businesses alike are looking for the best ways to decrease their carbon footprint. Take a look at these eco-friendly smart phone apps you can use to help the world become an even more sustainable place.
Gorgeously Green Survival Guide The Gorgeously Green Survival Guide is a quick reference ecoguide for the woman on the go. Developed by New York times bestselling author Sophie Uliano. Sophie has appeared on Oprah, Good Morning America, The View, and other national television shows teaching women how to update their beauty regimen, create an eco-friendly home, adopt a healthier diet and fitness routine, indulge in guilt-free shopping, and more. From money saving environmental tips to the most important items to buy organic. From what’s “Hazardous Waste”, to what chemicals you should try to avoid in your makeup. This app contains several easy-to-follow earth-friendly lists when you need them. Created By: Optimum Drama, Inc.
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By Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch recommendations help you choose ocean-friendly seafood at your favorite restaurants and stores. This app brings you the most current recommendations for seafood and sushi along with complete information about how each item should be fished or farmed. The new Project FishMap feature lets you contribute to the app, adding the names of restaurants and stores in the U.S. where you’ve found sustainable seafood and locating what other users have found at businesses near you. Provides alternatives to seafood on the “avoid” list.
iRecycle By Earth911.com iRecycle is the easiest and most accessible way to get people plugged into local recycling opportunities. iRecycle provides access to more than 1 million ways to recycle plus the latest in green news and ideas to match your lifestyle. iRecycle can tell you how, where and when to recycle just about anything. Using your current location, zip code, address or city, get access to vital details for collection points, such as website, phone number, directions, hours of operation and other materials collected.
Green Meter
The GoodGuide
By Hunter Research & Technology GreenMeter is an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that computes your vehicle’s power and fuel usage characteristics and evaluates your driving to increase efficiency, reduce fuel consumption and cost, and lower your environmental impact. Results are displayed in real time, while driving, to give instantaneous feedback.
The GoodGuide mobile app makes it fast and easy to find safe, healthy, green, and ethical products, instantly delivering the information you need, when you need it most — in a store and on the go. Find health, environmental, and social performance ratings for over 120,000 food, personal care, and household products—from baby shampoo to bathroom cleaner. Barcode scanning makes it easier than ever to retrieve product ratings and information on your phone while you shop. Ponte Vedra Life
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Green Farmers Market
Beach Local Food Network
Beaches Green Market
www.beacheslocalfoodnetwork.org
Located in Jarboe Park, Neptune Beach Every Saturday 2- 5 PM, Rain or Shine
The Beaches Local Food Network’s mission is to address the long term goal of local food security in our community through creating educational programs for children and adults, connecting farmers to consumers, and building community and school gardens. It consists of two main projects, the Beaches Green Market and the Beaches Community Garden, as well as hands-on educational programs offered through these venues. BLFN aims to create healthy community spaces, where people of all ages and backgrounds can come together in order to share knowledge, seeds, resources, and passions that ultimately lead to nutritious food on the table.
Beaches Organic Community Garden Located in Jarboe Park, Neptune Beach
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The Beaches Community Garden serves as a place where individuals, families and groups can rent plots for a small fee in order to grow organic vegetables, herbs, and other edibles. The garden also serves the community through educational programs and workshops, publications, demonstrations native plant gardens, a children’s garden, and guided garden tours. BLFN aims to reconnect people to how food is grown, thus reconnecting to the natural wonders and resources of the Earth.
Through the Beaches Green Market, community members can learn about seasonality and sustainable farming practices by directly getting to know the people who grow their food. The Market aims to empower through education and awareness, thus allowing people to make active decisions towards the betterment of their personal health, that of their families, and the planet as a whole. Vendors at the Market sell a wide selection of in-season, local and organic produce, local all-natural meats, free-range eggs, cut flowers, locally roasted organic coffees, edible plants and trees, orchids, handcrafted teas, gluten-free and vegan foods, handcrafted cheeses, locally-made deserts, freshly-baked breads, homemade dog treats, local honey and other seasonal delights.
Children’s Garden Located in Beaches Organic Community Garden Jarboe Park, Neptune Beach
Kids are much more enthusiastic about eating fresh, healthy foods when they pull them right out of the ground. They also have the opportunity to learn about life cycles of plants and insects, how a seed can produce food, and how hard work is rewarded when you harvest the fruits of your labor. The planet needs a future generation of people who will be growing Ponte Vedra Life
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our food in a responsible manner...enjoying living the farm life and protecting the soils and waters that sustain us. The new Children’s Gardening Program has revamped a 2,000 foot section of the current Organic Community Garden in Neptune Beach...creating a sensory garden, raised vegetable garden beds, herbs, flowers, fruit trees and vines, and a shade structure where activities can
take place. This Garden offers activities for children, twice per month--FREE and OPEN to children of all ages! They can harvest berries and make smoothies with a hand-crank blender, plant seeds by the seasons, learn to smell and taste different herbs and make medicinal salves and sachets with them, create art projects with nature, learn about beneficial insects and how to identify them, and so much more! Please see the webite for details.
CartWheel Ranch Meats
From St. John’s County, they bring humanely raised, hormone-free, antibioticfree, pastured & grain-fed beef and pork. Plus Fido Treats for your furry friend! www.cartwheelranchmeats.com
Ocean Crafts
Bottom
Custom
Donna makes natural soaps from goat’s milk, avocado, cucumber, and shea butter. She also makes tote bags from recycled fabric samples and upcycled candles.
Sweet Grass Dairy
This all-natural dairy from Georgia joins us the second weekend of every month with their famous goat’s milk and cow’s milk cheeses. Some offerings include Greenhill Brie-style, Thomasville Tomme, Lil’ Moo and more! www.sweetgrassdairy.com
Five String Farm
Green Market Vendors Twinn Bridges Herb Farm
Heirloom vegetables and vegetable plants, herb plants, jams, pickles, honey. Located in MacClenny. Pesticide-Free. Some supplemented produce from area farms. They also donated herb plants to fill our community garden beds! www.twinnbridges.com
Saint Johns Family Farm
Farm fresh eggs & pastured broiler chickens. Saint Johns, Florida. Must pre-order. www.saintjohnsfamilyfarm.com
Alvarez Farms
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large variety of local, both conventionally-grown and pesticide-free, produce.
KYV Organic Farm
Based in Switzerland, FL, KYV is certified organic, using sustainable growing techniques to offer fresh vegetables and fruits. Francisco also offers CSA memberships. www.kyvfarm.com
Cognito Farm
Once a month on the second Saturday. Free-range eggs, 100% pasture-raised allnatural broiler chickens, 100% pastured beef, sausage, ham, goat cheese and organically grown produce. Must pre-order. www.cognitofarm.com
Local goat farm has raw goat’s milk and handcrafted raw goat’s milk cheeses. Goats are hand-milked daily and only herbal & homeopathic medicine is used. Cheeses include Sundried Tomato Chevre, Parmesan Garlic Chevre, Basil Garlic Chevre, Rosemary Garlic Chevre, Key Lime Basil Panir, Basil Garli Panir, Cilantro Fromage Blanc Spread, and Cilantro Red Chile Fromage Blanc Spread.
I Love My Life Chocolate
100% Organic, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Raw Chocolate to offer for sale. The chocolate is fair trade and anti-slavery and includes such items as Cashew/Tahini Butter Cups and Medjool Date with Turmeric!
Sea Me Play
Children’s line of clothing and ecofriendly stuffed toys, infant bibs, burp pads, clothes organizers, kids chalkboard
apron-- all handmade with organic cotton and/or bamboo fabric. Wood is repurposed and supports Habijax. Biodegradable paint.
Grower’s Alliance Coffee
Certified Organic and locally roasted, this Kenyan and Ethiopian coffee provides a percentage of profits to be reinvested into development projects in the coffee farm communities of Kenya. www.growersalliance.com
Alex’s Russian Bakery
Sourdough rye and sourdough wheat breads made in the old fashioned way without commercial yeast, additives, dough improvers, and preservatives.
Southern Roots Apothecary
Vegan, gluten-free, low sugar baked goods and dips, hummus, pestos, and quick eats. Also produces hand salves, tinctures, a tea blend, garden abundance, and locally screen printed T-shirts.
Green Bottle Glass
Locally sourced upcycled glassware made from wine bottles in three sizes: Highball, Water and Iced Tea. Available in multiple colors.
Olive my Pickle
Shai offers a variety of stuffed olives, pickles and hummus! Some examples include Kalamata Hummus, Black Bean Hummus, Kim Chi, Pickled Green Tomatoes, Kosher Dill Pickles, Blue Cheese Olives, Almond Stuffed Olives, Chili Pepper Stuffed, Lemon Stuffed, Black cured olives with Rosemary and more!
Fullwood Farms
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offers both yellow and white grits, yellow corn meal, a seafood/chicken breading, and garlic cheese grits. No pesticides, additives or preservatives. The corn is fertilized organically with horse manure, and is not a genetically modified strain. It is ground by a local miller that his family has been using for 75 years! www.fullwoodfarms.com
Bone Appetit
Sally’s Soaps
During berry season, Jeff brings us his pesticide-free blueberries, blackberries and more from Alachua County.
Charlie joins us each winter (NovemberMarch or April) with his organicallygrown citrus, including satsuma tangerines, meyer lemons, and pink & white grapefruit!
Harrietts Bluff Farm
Full Moon Honey Farm
Inspired by her love for her goats and encouraged by her 4H club entrepreneurial program Ariah Peters founded Sally’s Soaps at the ripe young age of 14. The family herd consists of six female goats that are lovingly cared for. Ariah’s morning chores consist of feeding and milking the goats and then processing the milk to be ready to make into soap. She currently offers seventeen different types of moisture rich, goat milk soaps. www.sallyssoaps.com
Second Nature Skin
Caren of Second Nature Skin uses all natural organic skin care products from body scrubs to soaps, sunscreen and lotions that are paraben, petroleum and formaldehyde free. www.secondnatureskin.com
Down to Earth Organic Farm
All organic vegetables, herb bunches, and flowers. Fun heirloom varieties. Brian’s farm is located in Jacksonville. Will not be at the Market during the summer. Down to Earth has a CSA and only comes when they have surplus. www.downtoearthjax.com
Jaxma Orchid Greenhouse
Large variety of orchids from a local family business. www.jaxma.com
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All-natural dog and cat treats, as well as hand-sewn pet collars and toys.
Abundant Acres
100% Pastured Poultry & Florida wild hog sausage. You can also pre-order raw milk from their neighbor’s farm.
Williston Farm
Organically grown blueberries from southern Georgia while in season. www.harrietsblufffarm.com
Maria’s Bakery
Maria sells a huge variety of baked goods, such as whole grain breads, calzones, cookies, pastries and more.
Augustine Crab Cake King
Arthur serves crab cakes from Fernandina, as well as coconut shrimp. He usually comes twice a month.
Swimming Yesterday Seafood
This local company features fresh Mayport shrimp and other fresh catch such as snapper and crab.
Culture in a Cup
Iced-cold handcrafted organic teas and fresh squeezed lemonades and limeades in the summer, and hot teas, cider & chai in the winter. Served in compostible cups. They also have homemade dip mixes with organic ingredients. www.cultureinacup.com
Eat Your Yard Jax
Tim brings edible landscape plants such as olive trees, blueberry plants, cactus,
herbs and more! www.eatyouryardjax.com
Cecil’s Citrus
Cecil and Stella sell a large variety of all organic citrus during winter.
Charlie’s Citrus
Local apiary provides many varieties of honey as well as soaps, honeysticks and crafts made with their honey and wax. www.fullmoonhoney.com
Blue Planet Delight
Minorcan Datil
This local company offers lots of delicious products made with the locally-grown spicy datil pepper. They have Barbeque Sauce, Marinade, Hot Sauce, Mustard, Pepper Relish, Salsa, Pepper Vinegar, Datil Mayonaise, Cran-Datil Jam, Pepper Jelly, and Dried Datil Spice!
Cindy’s Bakery
Specializing in breakfast breads such as pumpkin, pumpkin cranberry, zucchini, banana, banana /chocolate chip, praline apple, blueberry lemon, and strawberry to name a few.Muffins are a must and are always baked with fresh, wholesome ingredients from local produce vendors! I also have cookies , brownies, and a variety of fudge and candies as well. Find Cindy on Facebook!
Blue Planet is out of St. Augustine, and they make all organic & vegan treats such as flax crackers, hummus, pesto, desserts, nut butters and more! www.blueplanetco-op.com
Shakti
Infused Vinegars
Doug’s Salmon
Culinary Vinegars handcrafted with a variety of fresh herbs and spices. Some flavors include Orange Spice Vinegar, Asian Vinegar, Provencal Vinegar, Strawberry Vinegar, Sage Cider Vinegar, Purple Basil Vinegar.
Eden’s Leaf
Organic soaps, African black soap, salt scrubs, and 100% shea butter. www.edensleaf.vpweb.com
YaYa Sweets
YaYa has a variety of Greek/Mediterranean sweets such as Baklava and Almond Cookies, made with local honey and organic ingredients.
Vegan raw living foods like granola, cashew cheese, buckwheat bean burritos, and various desserts! www.shaktilifekitchen.com Alaska Sockeye Salmon straight off the fishing boat! Available only during the winter months, since the Resitarits family spends the fishing season in Alaska, and then travels around the Southeast to small markets to offer this healthy, sustainable product to us! www.dougswildalaskasalmon.com
Nature’s Way Pest Control
A full service natural pest control company based in Northeast Florida uses all organic and natural plant based alternatives. From lawn care to home to pets, they offer safe and effective products that are all EPA approved and manufactured locally. www.natureswaypest.com Ponte Vedra Life
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Green Products for
Green Hair Steps towards a green life through your hair By Mindy Stamulis
W
We are living in a world where a “green life” has so many directions, opinions and steps. It’s a full time job!! Did you know that one change is a step forward, after all, Rome wasn’t built in a day. With that in mind, when you walk out of a salon, you should be wondering if you’re assisting with at least one step towards a green life. But how? One way is through the products...and not to mention, how YOU CARRY your products home. (Hopefully, in a paper bag made from recycled materials). In the salon, look for color that contains natu98 |
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ral based ingredients. There are products that have up to 10 botanical and organic extracts to improve not only your color, but your health. Ask if the treatments utilize keratin, vegetable, oat, and wheat proteins, because these lock out free-radicals through the use of nature’s anti-oxidants, reducing your PH level which assists with antiaging. Request the stylist use hydrators with olive and avocado oils as well as silk amino acids. Some shampoos even utilize apple stem cell technology! Apples! Furthermore, request colors, products, and treatments that do not contain sulfates,
parabens, or sodium chloride AND politely let them know you only want to use products which do not test on animals!
education on the science and impact of climate change, working towards a grassroots solution.
Notably, if you are able to find a salon that will accommodate your requests, rest assured that all the products going through your hair and down the drain will not pollute our immediate environment and water supply. Very, very important.
Doing these things can be your gift to the earth by making smart choices with a consideration for our environment... and when you leave a salon, know you have also participated, in a step towards a “green life” through your hair.
As an added benefit, find out if the salon has partnered up with companies such as, “The Climate Project” (www.theclimateproject.org). a non-profit global organization dedicating itself to public
Peace, love, and hair Mindy Stamulis
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Charging
and Changing the Environment... One Vehicle at a Time
What would it feel like getting 100+ MPG on a regular basis? How about never going to a gas station again? Electric vehicle drivers can tell you exactly how this feels. The Year 2012 is without a doubt the “Year of the Electric Vehicle.” We’ve all seen the commercials for the Chevrolet Volt and Nissan LEAF and now with new manufacturers entering the market, choices for an electric vehicle are growing. These vehicles are no longer small, slow, and lacking in design. Tesla’s recent launch of the Model S is rivaling some of the biggest names from Europe. Being roughly the size of a BMW 7-Series, the Model S will cost the driver roughly $10 in electricity to cover its 102 |
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300 mile range and with seating for up to seven, it can easily carry the entire family. Another option, the Fisker Karma, is a 4-door sedan that looks similar to a Mercedes CLS-Class. This plug-In Hybrid has a 50-mile electric range and a 250mile range from the gas tank. With all these cars hitting the pavement in 2012, the questions everyone’s asking are “where will drivers charge and how long does it take?” Studies show the bulk of charging will occur at home, but what happens when drivers are low on juice while running extra errands or traveling? The answer: public charging infrastructure.
With employers, restaurants, hotels, and retail centers behind the movement, EV drivers can now top off wherever they live, work, and play. NovaCharge, LLC based in Tampa is a distributor of this technology and they are helping address this need through deployment of electric vehicle charging stations in the Southeastern United States. Through a Department of Energy grant, they’ve worked with various entities from private corporations, municipalities and utility companies to deploy nearly 300 stations in Florida already. Jacksonville native and resident, William Rigsby, is the Director of Technical Relations for NovaCharge. He sees the greater Jacksonville area as a
market where electric vehicles make perfect sense. William says, “Drivers who travel less than 40 miles round trip on their commute each day can eliminate gasoline purchases by staying completely electric.” In Orlando, drivers are reporting it costs just under $28/ month in electricity to drive 1,000 miles. Public charging infrastructure is critical for the success of electric vehicles as a whole. “If we look back to the early 20th century, it was only when companies built the infrastructure for gasoline powered vehicles did they succeed,” says William. He adds, “Drivers looking to charge will search for places that will extend their electric driving range. By having the infrastructure available, you’ll become a beacon that will direct traffic to your establishment. There is currently a tremendous amount of interest in the Jacksonville market and we are working to show these companies it is viable to add ChargePoints to their locations.” Unlike petroleum stations, electric vehicle charging stations can be anywhere. We no longer have to worry about where to refuel our cars. The best way to locate these stations is through a free app available on iPhone, Blackberry, and Droid appropriately named: ChargePoint. The app shows drivers the closest stations in real time and if they are “Available” or “In Use.” I’m sure you now want to know how long it’ll take to charge your new electric vehicle while out at the movies or doing some shopping around town…
“One of the biggest reasons we avoid placing ChargePoints at gas stations is due to the time it takes to recharge a vehicle,” says William. Ponte Vedra Life
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Current recharge time can range from 4 to 10 hours, depending on the make and model. Having stations placed where people spend hours at a time, or at home where they plug-in overnight allows any retail business, office complex, or residence to become a fueling location without inconveniencing the driver. “We are exploring options where electric vehicle drivers can “fill-up” in as little at 15-30 minutes. As soon as the majority of vehicles can accept this fast rate of recharge, we will begin to see them added to various locations like conventional gas stations to even rest areas along major interstates” says William. With this infrastructure in the final stages of development, electric vehicles are here to stay. Since these cars are now stylish and cost effective, make sure to consider one for your next automobile.
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