In the meantime, homeowners need to “do their homework.” The bill offers two rebate programs and each one has unique requirements:

The Silver Star program provides a $1,000 rebate for each retrofit described in the bill. The maximum amount paid out will be $3,000 or 50% of the total cost, whichever is lower. For example, if a homeowner spends a total of $4,000 on eligible retrofits, they will get $2,000 or 50% back as a rebate. If they spend $8,000 on eligible retrofits, they would only receive $3,000 in rebates instead of $4,000 (which would be 50% of the cost).

To qualify for the Gold Star program, homeowners must reduce their total home energy consumption by 20%. A $3,000 rebate will be rewarded for this reduction. Homeowners can receive an additional $1,000 for each additional 5% reduction, up to a total rebate of $8,000 or 50% of the total retrofit cost. Rebates may be provided for any of the retrofits listed under the Silver Star program, or for any other energy-saving measure, including: home energy management systems, high-efficiency appliances, highly reflective roofing, awnings, canopies, and similar external fenestration (window) attachments, automatic boiler water temperature controllers, energy-efficient wood products, insulated vinyl siding, and mechanical air circulation and heat exchangers in a passive-solar home.

The Home Star bill also outlines 13 different types of retrofits eligible for funding. Again, each one has unique requirements and rebate amounts. Fortunately there are many online resources that provide details. For example, Estimating Software Advice has created an easy-to-read table that lists the 13 retrofits, along with their eligibility details:

Click here to continue reading their report! And thanks to Houston of Software Advice for sharing this. I’ve been thinking of some energy improvements I’d like to do to my house – maybe I’ll take care of those this fall!

The Trees Atlanta TreeKeepers Certification Program is Trees Atlanta’s volunteer training and certification program that applies skill, appreciation, and pride to the stewardship of our urban forest.  TreeKeepers consists of seven workshops, including indoor & outdoor activities, presentations, and engaging hands-on demonstrations.  Each three-hour session takes place at the Trees Atlanta Kendeda Center, and is taught by Trees Atlanta staff or community tree professionals.  Upon completion of the program, which includes volunteering 24 hours to tree projects, graduates will receive an official TreeKeepers hat, a native tree, a training manual, and a signed TreeKeepers certificate, as well as opportunities to put their new knowledge into action.  Register now!

Training will take place on the following dates from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. with a light breakfast served beforehand: August 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th, and September 11th, 18th, and 25th.  The cost is $65 and TreeKeepers will receive an official TreeKeepers hat, a manual, a native tree, and a signed certificate when they have volunteered 24 hours to tree projects, whether with Trees Atlanta or another organization.

To assist toward the completion of these hours, Trees Atlanta has regular planting, tree care, and forest restoration projects where TreeKeeper leadership is valued. Additionally, TreeKeepers may choose to work independently in their own community.

Don’t forget to register now! You can also contact Bethany at Trees Atlanta at 404-681-4898.

I wanted to share info on a new social networking community for tree enthusiasts called The Grove (www.AmericanGrove.org/thegrove). The site launched this spring to encourage families to plant more trees in their neighborhoods, and we have our own community on the site – the Georgia Grove (http://www.americangrove.org/ga/).

The goal of the site is to inspire people to plant trees to counteract our shrinking urban tree canopy. The Grove helps potential tree planters get started by including a tree match tool that pairs tree meanings with life events — such as the birth of a child — or to honor the memory of a loved one. The site also shares tree care and planting tips and articles about sustainable living. Visitors to The Grove can even upload pictures with captions of trees they planted.

I hope this site can serve as a fun tool to help us keep Atlanta green.

Me, too!

Medlock Community Garden at the corner of Scott Circle and Willivee Drive celebrates its inaugural year - welcome to the neighborhood!

When Atlanta was hit with unprecedented rains last September, Burnt Fork Creek overflowed its banks and swallowed houses in my Decatur neighborhood. A few homes were beyond repair and turned over to FEMA. One of those houses is now the site of the Medlock Community Garden at the crossroads of Scott Circle and Willivee Drive. I’ve been driving by every day for the past few months watching the fence go up, the raised flower beds emerge, the mulch pile spread to cover ground, and a stunning array of vegetables and plants take root.

I stopped by on my bike some weeks ago and talked to one of the founders, who lives around the corner. She said that, once the neighborhood found out that the property had been acquired by FEMA, they started the process of asking to have the land for their own garden. As it turns out, the government would rather have the land in active use and adopted by the neighborhood than to stand as an empty lot, and so turned it over to Medlock Park residents who rent the plots out. Beyond that, I’m not sure how the administration of the garden is handled. Reservations went quickly and it wasn’t long before all of the spaces were taken. I guess that’s to be expected when you have an open, sunny lot in the middle a tree-filled neighborhood where sunlight peaks through the leaves!

I’ll keep you posted as I find out more about the garden – just wanted to share that Decatur has a new community garden! Neighbors are frequently there working on the garden, so stop by sometime and say hi. Oh, and Medlock Community Garden isn’t necessarily the official name yet – it was in flux when I went by – but is the most logical for the sake of conversation.

Picking blueberries at Washington Farms on a bright July day (maybe sunscreen would have been a good idea)

Washington Farms is extremely easy to find and they give clear directions on their website from just about any direction you could be coming from. They have two farms (one in Watkinsville and one in Loganville) and you should call ahead of time to make sure they still have blueberries left (the season will be winding down). They also have strawberry picking in the spring and pumpkins and fun activities for kids in the fall.

After we left Washington Farms in Watkinsville, we went back to my cousin’s farm house to cook up some of the blueberries as well as feed the chickens…

They didn't get blueberries, but they seemed alright with their diet of bugs and feed

And pick tomatoes (only if they exceeded 5 pounds in weight)…

Caprese salad anyone?

Overall, this summer’s berry picking was a success and I’m looking forward to more blueberries and strawberries next year!

Within minutes of Farm Burger opening in Decatur, Zack turned to me and simultaneously declared his hunger and desire to try this new place that served hamburgers made with local beef (sourced in part from one of our frequent farms, White Oak Pastures). It took a few weeks, but we finally dined in recently, later on a Sunday evening after the crowds had died down.

My second time around at Farm Burger in Decatur, I just got the kid's meal for a pint-sized afternoon snack. That and my apple juice box hit the spot.

About a year and a half ago, I decided to cut down on (and then cut out) eating meat of unknown origins, and to stick to meat that came from sustainable farms in Georgia. I thought that it would essentially leave me a vegetarian, without claiming myself as such. However, places like Farm Burger make it easy to be a principled meat-eater – and with delicious burgers, too.

Burgers are made to order and you can choose a variety of your own toppings or pick from one of the house burgers with a savory combination of flavors. The decor is that of a southern home / barn with a picnic-table feel. I’m no food critic, but definitely wanted to share with you that these tasty burgers are worth a visit to Farm Burger – especially if you’re going for the more eco-friendly lifestyle. And for those that are true vegetarians, there is a veggie burger option, too!

For all the times I try to explain to people why grassfed beef is better, here is a great, quick synopsis from the Farm Burger website – “Why grassfed beef?”

Farm Burger also supports these other local and sustainable Georgia farms, including the following:

White Oak Pastures
Moore Family Farms (my CSA you’ve probably seen me write about)
Red Mule Grits
Riverview Farm
Sequatchie Cove
Woodland Gardens
Crystal Organics
Love is Love Farm
Enchanted Mountain Trout
Sparkman’s Dairy
Roots Farm
Backyard Harvest
Gum Creek Farm
Featherwise Farms

And check out these other sustainable burger joints around town (for the sustainable eater):

• Yeah! Burger (now open in White Provision on Atlanta’s west side)
• Farmstead 303 (now open in Decatur, too)

I just wanted to share this quick video from Moore Farms and Friends, a CSA (community supported agriculture) that delivers local Georgia produce and food to dozens of drop-off points around Atlanta each week. I’m going on my second year with them and am excited to get my box this week from Sawicki’s in Decatur. In addition to fresh food (and they have a wide range of dairy, meat, eggs, herbs, preserves, and more), the owners Will and Laurie will include recipes in their weekly newsletter with tips on how to cook items in that week’s box.

Moore Farms and Friends from Moore Farms on Vimeo.

On Sunday, June 27th, Moore Farm and Friends members are invited to tour three farms as part of the Summer Farm Tour and Big Pig Roast. The tour is $25 per adult (kids 12 and under are free) and follows this schedule:

• 10 a.m. (EST) Udderly Cool Dairy Tour – Roopville, GA
• 11:45 a.m. (EST) Mt Gilead Farm Tour – Newell, AL
• 1 p.m. (EST) Moore Farms Tour and Big Pig Roast – Woodland, AL

Each ticket includes a meal (with vegetarian or omnivore options). The Big Pig Roast will feature chefs Steven Herman of Haven and Matt Swickerath of Valenza. (My stomach is already rumbling thinking of the last time Will Moore served as master of ceremonies for a pig roast from some of Atlanta’s top chefs… you’ll want to be there!)

You can find out more about Moore Farm and Friends, buy tickets, and sign up for their CSA service (you pay each week, so no long-term commitments, and you can join any time) on their website, www.MooreFarmsandFriends.com.

Here is the update I received from my Laurel Ridge yahoo group:

The county has officially selected a contractor for construction to improve the day-use area of Mason Mill Park (30033). The construction costs, not to exceed $2.1 million, will be funded by the county parks bond.

The improvements include a full-scale play area, new dog park, relocated parking spaces, and improved storm water management. The day-use construction is the first phase of a $7 million master plan for the entire park. To see the plans for the day-use area and the entire park, see links at the bottom. The plans reflect the consensus of county citizens at five public meetings from September 2008 to February 2010.

In conjunction with the day-use renovations, PATH has contracted for a path over the railroad tracks in Mason Mill Park in order to connect that park to Medlock Park.

I try to attend the Mason Mill meetings whenever possible, so I’ll be sure to keep you updated as I find out more.

To check out Mason Mill Park, visit 1340 McConnell Drive, Decatur 30033-3539. To stroll in the woods, continue on McConnell until it deadends into a gravel parking lot, where you can follow a walking trail into the woods, across the railroad tracks, across Burnt Fork Creek, and into the woods.

• When: Tuesday, June 22, 2010 from 6 – 9 p.m.
• Where: SweetWater Brewery at 195 Ottley Drive Atlanta, GA 30324
• How much: $21 (prices go up to $30 after June 14th)
• Sign me up: click here to RSVP

You can also view the PDF invite here. I’ll be out there and I’d love to meet you, so come out and say hi!

You can read more about Park Pride and their mission to green Atlanta on their website: www.parkpride.org. And become a fan on facebook at: www.facebook.com/parkpride!

Read on for the press release here and let me know what you think once you’ve had a chance to try it!

Oh yeah, BONUS! You know the car wash at the corner of Virginia and North Highland in the heart of Virginia Highland? That’s already slated for the next YEAH! Burger, opening this fall (thanks to my inside connection at work, who’s brother is one of the investors making this happen).

Shaun Doty to Launch YEAH! BURGER at White Provision in June 2010
Established local chef will open a 2,400-square-foot eco-friendly, fast-casual burger eatery in Atlanta’s Westside community

ATLANTA (May 25, 2010) – Leading real estate investment firm Jamestown announced today that celebrated Chef Shaun Doty of Shaun’s in Inman Park and entrepreneur Erik Maier will open YEAH! BURGER at White Provision, a restored mixed-use project that delivers distinctive restaurant space, condo units, retail, showroom and office space in Westside Atlanta. Opening on Thursday, June 10, the restaurant will feature customizable burgers made with White Oak Pastures grass-fed beef from South Georgia, nitrate-free hot dogs, hand-cut French fries, organic salads and Straus Family Creamery organic ice cream, all served in a comfortable “California casual” setting. YEAH! BURGER re-imagines the classic American burger joint as a fast-casual eatery with a strong commitment to real, all-natural ingredients and sustainability.

“We are proud to welcome YEAH! BURGER to White Provision. Shaun Doty is an Atlanta industry veteran who will further establish our community as a premier dining and shopping destination on the Westside,” said Chris Faussemagne, principal of White Provision Development Company. “Doty has embraced the story of White Provision as he developed his restaurant, and we are confident it will be an excellent addition to our vibrant, sustainable mixed-use district.”

As the newest restaurant addition to White Provision, Doty’s burger venture will become part of a thriving culinary community that includes rustic and casual dining from acclaimed Chefs Anne Quatrano and Clifford Harrison at Abattoir, local favorite West Egg Café and the neighborhood tavern Ormsby’s from restaurateur Warren Bruno. Just steps away, Bacchanalia, Quinones at Bacchanalia, Star Provisions and JCT. Kitchen & Bar, as well as the casual eateries FIGO Pasta and Taqueria del Sol, add to the local flavor at Westside Provisions District, a joint community combining White Provision and Westside Urban Market.

Doty is a nationally acclaimed chef recognized for his ingredient-driven cuisine, simple preparations and responsible environmental practices. His namesake restaurant, Shaun’s, opened in Atlanta in 2006 to numerous local and national accolades, including a spot on Esquire’s Best New Restaurants list in 2007. Located at 1168 Howell Mill Road at 14th Street, YEAH! BURGER will serve organic burgers, salads, shakes and more Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit www.yeahburger.com.

White Provision
White Provision is a distinctive, modern destination forming Midtown Atlanta’s gateway to the Westside neighborhood at the corner of 14th Street and Howell Mill Road. Under the direction of developers Chris Faussemagne, Mike Millett, and Michael Phillips, and leading asset acquisition and management firm Jamestown, this sophisticated mixed-use project delivers an artistic, upscale synergy among office space, 94 innovative and elegant condominium units, and highly desirable boutique retail, showroom and restaurant space. In transforming the Westside Atlanta community, White Provision cultivates a complementary mix of commercial tenants and residential buyers to create a natural extension of the neighborhood identity. With a dedication to aesthetics and authenticity, the team’s vision for White Provision centers on lasting quality, long-term value and a sense of community.

The sales center at White Provision, located at 1100 Howell Mill Road, is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and can be reached at 404.815.0460. Visit White Provision at 1170 Howell Mill Road or online at www.whiteprovision.com.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
White Provision and Jamestown:
Kelly Spikes / Taylor Trepte
v. 404.888.9348
f. 404.888.9349
kspikes@thereynoldsgroupinc.com
taylor@thereynoldsgroupinc.com

YEAH! Burger and Chef Shaun Doty:
Melissa Libby & Associates
McCall Mastroianni
v. 404.816.3068
mccall@melissalibbypr.com