If you’re looking to reduce all the time and money spent trying to keep your lawn looking like a golf course, here’s some help to get started: Experts will discuss “Eco-Friendly Turfgrass and Turfgrass Alternatives” Thursday, Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the WSU Tree Fruit Research Center, 1100 N. Western Ave., Wenatchee. 

Chris Hilgert, urban horticulturist with WSU Spokane County Extension, will take on “Eco-Friendly Turf Management” at 9 a.m., looking at how we maintain our lawns and how all that mowing, fertilizing, watering, aerating, de-thatching and controlling of pests impacts growth. At 10 a.m., Hilgert moves to “Eco-Friendly Turfgrass and Turfgrass Alternatives,” focusing on 10 years of research on drought-tolerant and low-maintenance turf and alternative turf species such as yarrow and clover. This is not a traditional lawn mix but an alternative that saves time, money, and natural resources.

At 11 a.m., Dale Whaley, Integrated Pest Management specialist with WSU Douglas County Extension, will show how to calibrate equipment to deliver the accurate amount of chemicals to the target area for the job as specified on pesticide labels. After a break for lunch, he’ll follow up with a hands-on session at 1 p.m., using methods learned in the morning.

At 2 p.m., Paula Dinius, urban horticulturist with WSU Chelan County Extension, will work with participants on renovation of turf in plots at the WSU Master Gardener Community Education Garden, putting into practice what was discussed in the early-morning sessions.

The workshop is open to the public as well as landscape professionals. Cost is $10. Register online at www.ncw.wsu.edu/uh or call (509) 667-6540.

The award-winning 'Barn' at Barn Beach Reserve in Leavenworth includes green features such as solar-heated water that radiates through the floor for winter heating.

If you haven’t been to Leavenworth lately, here’s a really good reason to go: Visit Barn Beach Reserve. 

The reserve spans eight acres overlooking and adjacent to the Wenatchee River.  A group of conservation-minded citizens established the reserve in 2002 to help protect the river ecosystem and, according to the Barn Beach website, “to promote the environmental, economic and social sustainability of the Greater Wenatchee Valley through educational programming and stewardship bridging environment, arts and cultural history.” 

Executive Director Jeff Parsons has been with Barn Beach since its inception in 2002.

This they do through exhibits, programs and community events along the river at the focal point of the reserve,  the 107-year-old River Haus, home to the Upper Valley Museum and Icicle Arts as well as Barn Beach Reserve. Jim White, senior energy services engineer for Chelan PUD, conducted an audit at the historic former home last month to recommend ways to save energy. 

That’s not necessary at “The Barn,” the  new, green-built education and environmental center constructed on the foundation of a 1960s-era home on the property. The facility features 

The century-old River Haus is home to Barn Beach Nature Center, Icicle Arts and the Upper Valley Museum at Leavenworth.

countertops made from recycled paper, low-VOC pressboard cabinets, recycled corrugated metal, and acoustic “cloud” ceiling panels made of remnants from a Hanes underwear factory. Solar energy is collected in two systems, one to heat the building and another to provide electricity. A simple, passive convection ventilation system operates in mild weather. In summer heat, cool air from a basement is circulated to the main floor of the 4,000-square foot building. 

The American Institute of Architects named “The Barn” one of the top 10 green building projects in the Northwest in 2009. 

If Barn Beach Executive Director Jeff Parsons isn’t there to show you around, interpretive signs can guide visitors through the building and its green attributes. 

The reserve is adjacent to the city park and Blackbird Island, a popular stop on Audubon’s Great Washington Birding Trail. Check out upcoming events at the reserve here.

This chip tells controls at Sleeping Lady Resort that guests have arrived so it's time to adjust the thermostat and turn on the lights.

The operators of Sleeping Lady Mountain Resort in Leavenworth believe they may have found a key to saving energy. Actually, 40 keys.

In April, 40 of the resort’s 58 guest rooms were outfitted with the Entergize key fob system. When guests enter these rooms, they insert a small chip attached to their room keys into a special light switch. This sends a signal to the upper half of the rooms’ electric receptacles and thermostats, putting them in the “occupied” mode. Some of the lights go on and heat or air conditioning comes on to pre-programmed settings. When guests leave their rooms they remove the key and fob from the control switch, which causes the lights to go off and the heating and cooling system to drop into the “unoccupied” energy-saving mode.

Ken Erikson, maintenance technician at Sleeping Lady, said the goal is to automate energy savings. Guests don’t mean to waste energy, he said, but it happens. For example, a couple out for a winter walk might crank the heat way up when they return to their room, then leave for dinner and forget to turn it down. With the new system, setback will occur automatically.

A majority of rooms at Sleeping Lady have been outfitted with energy-saving setback systems.

Entergize claims energy use in guest rooms can drop by up to 45 percent, but Erikson isn’t expecting savings that dramatic. Sleeping Lady has no TVs, so the resort can’t be compared to hotels where TVs, even in standby mode, are using power. Erikson said Sleeping Lady’s goal is to save energy over the long term.

Greg Felix, Entergize contractor who installed Sleeping Lady’s system, said he’s done work all over the country, including at actor Ed Begley’s home. The company’s work was featured on a History Channel Modern Marvels episode that focused on ways to reduce phantom load — the energy drain caused by cell phone chargers, TVs and other appliances that are left plugged in and continue to draw power. You can watch that show here.

Calculate the cost of making your morning coffee on Chelan PUD's Website.

A new feature on Chelan County PUD’s Website  allows customers to calculate the energy cost of everything from coffeemakers to hot tub heaters.

You can choose from a list of pre-defined appliances and wattages, or you can type specific information in. To be completely accurate, you’ll need to know the wattage of each applliance and how many minutes or hours it’s used each day. The calculator tells you how many kilowatt hours are consumed and the total cost.

Heating, cooling and hot water use the most energy in your home, so those are two good places to start when you’re looking to save energy. Lower your heating thermostat at night (or in the summer, set your AC thermostat a little higher). Every degree can take 2 percent off your power bill. Set your water heater at 120 degrees F.

The appliance calculator is available here.

The average cost of running your coffeemaker, by the way, is 14 cents a month. The average cost of operating your hot tub heater is $14 a month.

Learn how Feb. 20 with WSU Master Gardeners

Discover how to grow, produce and preserve your own fruits and vegetables with the Washington State University Master Gardeners of Chelan County Saturday, Feb. 20, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Chelan County PUD auditorium, 327 N. Wenatchee Ave. 

Garden for Food is a series of free programs covering composting, organic gardening, container gardening, irrigation, seed selection, and preserving your harvest. The Feb. 20 kickoff will include speakers from S & W Irrigation, and gardener Ken Lacy will discuss seed.  Participants can join discussions on soils, composting and soil nutrients; common problems and solutions in the vegetable garden; and when and what to plant. 

There are many reasons to grow your own:  For health, for the environment, to save money, for self-sufficiency or just for fun.   Whatever your reason, Garden for Food can help you be successful.

Dates and times for follow-up sessions will be provided at the kickoff.

For more information, contact Master Gardener Coordinator Jennifer Marquis
a jgmarquis@wsu.edu.