San Diego Recycling Awards

The city of San Diego honored the New Children’s Museum, theme parks, and several hotels as "Recyclers of the Year" during a ceremony at the San Diego Zoo.

The New Children’s Museum was given the title of 2011 "Recycling Partner of the Year" for bringing attentiveness to the importance of waste reduction. An exhibit at the museum at this time shows the impact that litter has on our environment.

"Recycler of the Year" honorees in the hotel sector include the Hilton San Diego Bayfront (reduced the use of water bottles and other disposable containers at the hotel), the Grand Del Mar (sends 12-16 tons of food waste to the Miramar Landfill recycling center every month), and the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina (turns more than 250 tons of organic waste into compost used on the property every year), as reported by the Environmental Services Department.

SeaWorld San Diego Honored

In addition, SeaWorld San Diego was honored for stopping the use of plastic bags in shops and reusing packaging materials, along with San Diego Zoo Global being rewarded for turning food waste into compost at the Safari Park.

The ESD works with businesses to help keep the amount of trash low that is being sent to the Miramar Landfill. The city believes the landfill will be at capacity in around ten years.

Mayor Jerry Sanders stated, "While it’s our job to keep the Miramar Landfill open for as long as we can and to protect the environment, we know we can’t do it alone," and went on to say, "Businesses and organizations like those showcased in this program have played an exemplary role in achieving the city’s waste reduction goals."

The Padres, Qualcomm, Navy Region Southwest, Presido Place condominiums, the San Diego County Regional Airport Authority, Point Loma Nazarene University, Albertsons, General Dynamics NASSCO, and the San Diego Convention Center Corp. were also among the honorees.

This is just one small way the city of San Diego works with the community to provide a better living environment for residents. For those looking to call San Diego home or other areas around San Diego, contact one of our professional San Diego real estate Agents today at (888) 865-5055.

Environmental Celebration in Oceanside

Oceanside has plans to hold a week long celebration that will be environmentally focused beginning on April 24th.

North County residents will have the opportunity to improve their skills in composting at workshops starting at 6:30pm until pm on April 24th at the Civic Center Community Rooms and from 12pm until 2pm on April 28th at the Pier Amphitheater. Discounted composting bins are available for Oceanside residents.

Planned Events

On April 26th, a double feature will be hosted at the Sunshine Brooks Theatre located at 217 N. Coast Highway. The theater will be screening Flow, which is a film about the shrinking fresh water supply on the earth along with the human rights, and political issues that surround the problem and how consumers goods are created, used, and either recycled or disposed of by the world. Admission to the screening is free.

On April 28th, Oceanside will host the 12th annual Loma Alta Creek Cleanup from 9am to 12pm. The Loma Alta Creek, south side of the Oceanside Pier, and Buccaneer Beach are the focus areas in which volunteers will be cleaning up debris and trash. The event is sponsored by Waste Management of North County.

On April 28th, the Green Fair at the Beach will be held from 11am until 4pm and will have fun boots that focus on electric vehicles, green builders, music, and food the entire family will enjoy.

O’Reilly Auto Parts has set up the Used Oil Filter Exchange on April 20th from 10am until 2pm at 502 Oceanside Blvd. Residents will be able to exchange three used oil filters for three new filters at no cost.

As you can see, Oceanside has events that only help the environment but also help residents in many aspects of their lives. Throughout the year, residents enjoy fun festivals, beach parties, and a wide array of other events that will keep the family happy and entertained.

If Oceanside sounds like the perfect place for your family to call home, contact one of our Oceanside Realtors today for a complete list of Oceanside homes by calling (888) 865-5055.

Property of Ecke Ranch Sold

The remaining acreage of the Paul Ecke Ranch home in Encinitas is on the block to be sold to a nonprofit foundation. The Ecke Ranch is famous for the development of breeding and marketing different methods to turn poinsettia into the most popular household plant.

After owning the property for ninety years, the ranch will sell the remaining 67 acres of what was at one time a 900-acre farmland, to the Leichtag Foundation. The foundation has plans to develop something that will benefit the community but will not offer shopping centers, commercial offices, or residential subdivisions.

Location Location

The property is just east of Interstate 5 between Saxony Road and Quail Garden Drive.

Paul Ecke Ranch sold poinsettias to over half of flowers sold worldwide. The family owned business will stay in a sector of the business but will be conducting plant breeding to various Encinitas greenhouse for another three years until it find a new home as reported by Paul Ecke III.

"I’m really excited," Ecke stated. "I’m thrilled that we’ve got an opportunity for our company to raise some capital. And I’m really excited about who the buyer is … I’m inspired by the vision they have for this property."

An option agreement to buy the property was signed by Leichtag Foundation with plans to develop "cultural and community resource for the San Diego region and the Jewish community," explained James Farley, the foundation’s president and chief executive officer.

Even though the exact plans have not be been decided and well as terms of the sale have not been released to the public. It may take up to one year before the sale is final. The property at this time offers over 850,000 square feet of greenhouse space, with part of the space being used for development, testing and breeding poinsettia plants. The majority of the plants the Ecke Ranch sells are not grown on this property but on ranches in Mexico and Guatemala.

Multi-Use Property

"It’s agricultural property," Farley explained. "We think some of the ideas will fit in those parameters. We think some educational and cultural sorts of things would be consistent with that zoning. But beyond that, we see this as a process that is likely to take several years to create a vision and produce a plan."

He went on to explain that some of the uses for the property can include urban farming, educational and cultural programs, expansion of the San Diego Botanic Garden, "and support of a strong Jewish community in North County."

Patrick Murphy, Encinitas Planning Director, explained the property is zoned for agricultural use and any changes must be approved both by the city and the California Coastal Commission.

"It’s a tough deal," Encinitas Mayor Jerome Stocks stated. "Frankly, I’m a little sad that we won’t have Ecke Ranch here. It’s such a part of the town and we love being famous for the flowers — it’s even on our city logo. We’re hoping the Ecke’s stay in town but they have to run their business as they see fit."

Stocks noted the Leichtag Foundation has an excellent reputation and is composed of "very honorable" people.

If Encinitas sounds like a San Diego community that you would like to live in then contact the Encinitas homes experts today at (888) 865-5055 and have one of our knowledgeable Agents assist you in finding the home of your dreams

Solana Beach Love My Bike Sculpture

Solana Beach is one of those little known secrets that offer residents the opportunity to enjoy the beach, the beauty, and the serene atmosphere. The only difference between Solana Beach and other beaches in North County is that the beach is often up against a cliff; however, Solana Beach makes it possible by the way, of stairs to reach the beach without any trouble at all, creating an even more secluded feel.

Taking the different staircases to the beach can be quite an adventure, as each one will lead to a new location. You may find yourself on a secluded beach or one where you can watch fishermen, keep on eye on the waves for surfers, or build a sand castle on a family beach.

The main areas of Solana Beach often frequented by residents include Seaside, which is a surfer’s dream, Tide Beach for those that love sand and reef, Fletcher Cover another great spot for surging, and Seascape Surf Beach and Del Mar Shores are great for relaxing on the beach.

Solana Beach Art

For those that want more than just visiting the beach will love what Solana Beach is famous for, the artwork.

A new metalwork sculpture by Amos Robinson has a new home in Solana Beach. His sculpture, "Love My Bike" now has a permanent home on the corner of Cedros Avenue and Rosa Street.

Amos Robinson explained that he remembers the first time he rode his bike as a child, with the wind blowing through his hair. Yes later he dreamed about this experience and hurriedly went to his studio to recreate the look and exhilaration he felt as a child.

"I’m a dreamer," Robinson said. "When I dream something I put it together right away, sometimes without even measuring anything."

This is the dream behind the new metalwork he installed at the above location on March 30.

Sean MacLeod, developer at South Cedros Associates, who commissioned the larger-than-life installation stated, "Public art represents a community’s spirit and offers a sense of pride, bringing people together."

The design is Robinson’s rendition of a person on a bike with their hair blowing in the wind, which he calls, "reflective kinetics," meaning the sculpture moves "like a windmill in the wind and reflects off its metal surface the surrounding scenery".

You can find other sculptures created by Robinson at the Wolfstein Sculpture Parks at Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla and Encinitas, the Manpower corporate office in downtown San Diego and at Tidelands Park in Coronado.

To learn more about the advantages of living in Solana Beach contact the San Diego Real Estate experts that can show you all the available Solana Beach Homes from the San Diego MLS toll free today at (888) 865-5055!