STAYING COOL FOR FREE!

That's right.  Stay cool for FREE!  As a Sacramento Municipal Utility District customer your home may be eligible to receive up to ten (10) FREE shade trees.  SMUD has partnered with the Sacramento Tree Foundation to help homeowners reduce their energy bills through good old fashioned shade. 

Not only does planting trees provide shade to cool your home and yard, but it is an easy way for homeowners to make a positive impact on the environment.  Trees help remove the carbon dioxide from our air and produces oxygen in return.  Best of all, it's fully automated!  You plant them and they do it naturally.

To get up to ten free trees you must contact the Sacramento Tree Foundaton and make an appointment with a Community Forester.  The Forester will come to your home and site the best locations for your trees to provide maximum shade protection for your home.  Approximately ten days after the Forester's visit the trees will be delivered along with instructions for proper planting.  Then, all you need to do is plant them.  As the trees mature you will begin to recognize savings. In fact, as the trees mature you may receive savings of up to 40% on your home's cooling cost. 

Call the Sacramento Tree Foundation today at 916-924-8733 to do your part to help the environment and reduce your energy bills with free shade trees.  

 A sign of the season

We are quickly moving into winter from fall.  The air is getting chillier and the leaves have mostly dropped.  Here in Sacramento - the city of trees - the fall is both a lovely time and a time spent raking, blowing and sweeping up leaves.  All this leaf business got me thinking about mulching and laying down bark around the garden.

I did a quick search and found out through the Sacramento Tree Foundation that our very own utility, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District or SMUD, provides FREE wood chips for customers to use around our trees.  Free pick up of wood chips is available weekdays from 9:00am to 2:30pm at the SMUD yard in East Sacramento on 59th Street between Folsom Blvd. and the Light Rail. 

To pick up you free mulch all you need to do is:

• Bring your own tools to load the mulch
• Bring bags or a tarp to fill or cover a load
• Apply mulch to an area around your trees or shrubs at least 4' in diameter and 4"-6" deep, keeping it a few inches from the trunk

If you do this you will be helping utilize the green waste and helping your garden all at the same time.  And for FREE!  Sounds like a bargain to me. 

Oh yeah, don't forget about SMUD's FREE SHADE TREE program in conjunction with the Sacramento Tree Foundation. Now is a great time to plant one in your yard. Trees are a great way to let nature help keep you cool and lower your energy bills in the summer.

BUILDING PERMITS

  WHEN DO YOU NEED ONE?

 Wednesday, September 27th the Development Services Department of the City of Sacramento is offering another in its "Lunch & Learn" series.  The primary purpose for these monthly programs is to provide continuous education to the citizens regarding the development review process. The presenters are experts in the field of the topic being presented. 

September's program will be an evening event from 6:00pm-7:00pm in the Training Conference Room of the City's North Natomas Permit Center located at 2101 Arena Blvd.   The topic covered is entitled "Homeowner's Guide to Permits."  

Areas covered in the program will be:

• When you need a building permit
• Minor repairs
• Other improvements
• Tips

For anyone interested in doing work around their home beyond basic maintainence, particularly if you are a do-it-yourselfer this is an informative and valuable opportunity to learn about the permit process .  As a homeowner it is important to know these rules and guidelines because when you go to sell your home or rental property the buyers will get a home inspection and having work done with a permit will ensure it is done correctly and up to code which can save you time and money as well as help get your property to "closed"  quicker.

So, take an hour this Wednesday the 27th and learn when, or if, you will need to get a permit for your next project around the house.  You will be glad you did.  For more information or to attend please contact Gloria Bacani in the Development Services Office at 916-808-7467 or by email at gbacani@CityofSacrament.org.