Create your own soaker hose out of old or leaky yard hoses. Buy a screw-on end cap at the hardware store, then drive a nail into the hose every ½” to 2” to create the weep holes. If you keep the holes on one side of the length of hose, you can point the holes directly over the soil so that the water reaches the soil more efficiently. Attach the hose to your outdoor spigot, wind through your garden or veggie bed, and cover with mulch. Turn on the water just enough to get a steady trickle all the way to the need of your house. After a few tries, you’ll find the right amount of water pressure for your setup. Efficient watering, cost savings, and saving room in the landfill, all from one project

 

MAK loves ReBinder’s alternative to plastic/vinyl binders. FSC-certified, made with 100% recycled content, and recyclable at the end of their usable life, these binders are VOC-free AND cost the same or less than plastic/vinyl binders! We have been using the ReBinder and tabs in our office for design binders for our clients and ourselves. If your kids are anything like the MAK kids, these binders are probably not strong enough to withstand backpack abuse. But they are plenty sturdy for office, classroom, or home projects! Check out the office starter pack – complete with binders, recycled tabs, pockets, folders, CD sleeves, and more!

Want to help out a great local non-profit? Sign up for Tree Davis’s Tree Tenders email list. They will send you monthly updates on volunteer needs – local and just a few hours each. What a great way to improve our community and give the planet a little boost!

If you need volunteers to care for your trees, check out Village Harvest, a new nonprofit group in Davis. They will harvest your fruit and donate the extra to charities in our area (you keep as much fruit as you like). Donated fruit qualifies as a tax-deductible contribution too! If you’ve already picked your fruit and need help distributing it, they will pick it up for you. You can also volunteer your time to Village Harvest to support their effort to distribute potentially wasted food to folks who need it.

Beginning April 22nd of this year new laws take effect regarding the safe disposal of lead paint by remodeling contractors. The ill effects of lead poisoning have been known for decades. The use of lead paint in residential projects was banned in 1978. The most common way for lead to get into our systems is through the inhalation or ingestion of lead dust. Lead as a component of paint becomes a health hazard when it is disturbed during a typical home renovation project. Testing for lead content prior to any demolition will become standard practice in the coming year. There are a variety of EPA-approved lead test kits available. When lead is found, rigorous dust containment and clean-up guidelines will need to be followed. Ken Kirsch, owner of MAK, is now an EPA certified lead-safe renovator. MAK is prepared to test for and contain lead if it is found during our projects. For more information, check out the EPA’s Renovate Right website.

Remember, if you have made energy-efficient home improvements this year, you should check if you can claim a tax rebate (that’s a reduction in the tax you owe) for the costs. Windows, insulation, roofing, HVAC systems, water heaters, and more apply. More information can be found at:

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits#c2.