10 Thursday, January 8, 2015
Coastal View News • Carpinteria, California
school notes
CMS students seek field trip funding
Carpinteria Middle School sixth graders need help to reach the California Science Center in Los Angeles and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Students are seeking approximately $4,000 in order to mainly pay for transportation for six classes to head south to the exhibits, where they will get free admission. Science teacher Kim Castagna set up a donation site at DonorsChoose.org and the page is titled “6th Graders Go to Mars via the Jet Propulsion Lab.” At JPL, students will observe rovers and learn how NASA communicates with Mars.
Buchmiller graduates from BYU
Benjamin K. Buchmiller, a Carpinteria High School and Santa Barbara City College graduate, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Management with clusters in Residential Design and Business Management from Brigham Young University, Idaho on Dec. 19. Ben’s parents, Karl and Patty Buchmiller, and most of his siblings, were able to travel to Rexburg, Idaho to attend the event. During college, Ben completed internships with Southwest Gas in Las Vegas, Nev. and with Texas Sterling Construction in Houston, Texas. He and his wife, Dana, have now moved to Bismarck, N.D., where Ben has accepted a job with Reddoor Homes Benjamin K. Buchmiller as an Estimator/Purchasing Assistant.
THIS SATURDAY
JAN. 10th • 9am-1pm
Catch ALL The NFL Games
ALL DAY SUNDAY FROM 10am Happy Hour Weekdays 2-6 pm
KARAOKE
EVERY THURSDAY 8-11 9 Beers on Tap and Wine too!
Recycle Your Electronic Waste!
F R E E-BRI NG I T A L L ! Computers, Laptops, Monitors, Printers Cell Phones, Televisons, Fax, VCR, DVD Stereos, Cameras, Keyboards, Scanner and MORE + (No Appliances/Batteries)
9:00am - 1:00pm CHS 4810 Foothill Road
ALL MLB GAMES
PING PONG & BEER PONG 4954 CARP AVE. 805.450.0233
Sponsored by Carpinteria Education Foundation Proceeds benefit CUSD – Info call 805-566-1615
ABOP
Antifreeze – Battery - Used Oil - Paint City of Carpinteria Safe Dispose Program
TWO DATES EVERY MONTH Saturday, Jan. 10, 10am-2pm Saturday, Jan. 24, 10am-2pm
Warming up
living the green life
ERIN MAKER
We have had unusually warm weather for so long that I forgot where I had packed my flannel sheets, and when we turned on the heat at our house it had that stale heater smell that they get from lack of use. But winter finally came to the South Coast this December. We may not have snow, but for those of us used to the mild climate, temperatures dropping into the 40s overnight is chilly. Add to that many older houses are not properly insulated, and the doors and windows in a lot of houses are not efficiently installed or sealed and have gaps that let the cold air in, and it starts to make sense why we want to turn up the heat when it reaches 60 degrees. I am more inclined to put on warmer clothes or add another blanket to my bed than to turn the heat on, but some nights the old house I live in is so cold that heating it up is the only way we will get out of bed in the morning. There are many things we can do to conserve energy, and heat, in the winter. Outside of simply turning the heat off, the easiest fix to heat conservation is checking for leaks and sealing them. If you live in an old house like I do, there are probably gaps in every window and door that let in the cold air—and everything else. Local hardware stores carry weather stripping for both doors and windows, which is easy to install and can help keep heating bills down
and the dust out. Another simple fix is thermal curtains. You can buy thermal backing for existing curtains at most fabric stores or online and upgrade your existing curtains with some fusible tape and an iron. If you are thinking about long-term solutions, insulation and window upgrades can make a huge difference in the efficiency of your home. Many older homes are either not insulated or have improperly installed insulation. Programs like EmPower SBC and Energy Upgrade California can help with financing home upgrades, and EmPower SBC even offers a free energy coach visit to help you get started. Even programming your heater, which seems like a small thing, helps conserve energy and finances. A programmable thermostat can be set for multiple temperatures at various times of the day and eliminates the possibility of forgetting to turn the heat off before you leave in the morning. At my house, ours is set to heat the house in the evening when we get home from work and in the morning when we get up, but only turns on overnight if the temperatures are very low and is off during the day when nobody is home. This is convenient for my household, where we wake up early but are not home most of the day. A programmable thermostat alone can save upwards of 10 percent on your heating bill. There are other upgrades you can do, both at home and in the office, to conserve energy and lower heating and cooling costs. But simple things like being aware of the temperature changes and not leaving the doors and windows open, sealing leaks in the house and programming your thermostat are great places to start. I tend to still take my mother’s advice and just put on another layer, but most people don’t want to wear their down jackets and hats indoors. So go ahead, turn that heat up a little. Just try to keep it all indoors. Erin Maker is the Environmental Coordinator for the City of Carpinteria. She studied biology after discovering her love of nature and science while growing up in Vermont. Always interested in improving water quality and recycling, she currently oversees the City’s Watershed Management and Solid Waste Programs. For more information, contact Erin at erinm@ci.carpinteria.ca.us, (805) 684-5405 x415.
CARPINTERIA CITY HALL 5775 Carpinteria Avenue
WHAT WE ACCEPT
Antifreeze • Oil • Latex Paints Oil-Based Paints limit 5 gallons liquid per visit
Batteries • Used Oil Filters Compact Florescent Lighbulbs Mercury Thermostats Electronics limit 3 per visit ABOP runs the 2nd & 4th Saturday of every month 10am-2pm (Nov/Dec only the 2nd Saturday)
SCRAP GOLD & SILVER WANTED. ANY CONDITION, ANY QUANTITY
BILL’S COINS Funded in part by CalRecycle
4939-B Carpinteria Ave TEL 566-0455 Secondhand dealer’s lic. #42991928