how to live green in Santa Cruz

If you’ve ever been to Santa Cruz, it’s easy to say that it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth. From the Pacific Ocean to the redwood forests, our city has outstanding landscapes that define the area.

In order to preserve the beauty of our city—and to sustain the earth in general—we need to become more conscious about how our habits affect the environment.

Currently, there’s a whopping 5,25 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans and every year we dump in another 8-million tons.

Statistics like these show the importance of living a green lifestyle.

Luckily, there are tons of easy ways to be more eco-friendly. Here are some tips on how to live green in Santa Cruz:

Use Less Single-Use Plastics

Millions of tons of single-use…

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Santa Cruz's Most Walkable Areas

In a city like Santa Cruz, where neighborhoods are built outwards instead of upwards, finding a walkable place to live can be difficult.

Our city is sprawled out from the redwood forests to the oceanside, meaning it can be difficult to get around without a car.

But this doesn’t mean that Santa Cruz doesn’t have its pedestrian-friendly areas.

In fact, it has a ton! Here’s a guide to Santa Cruz’s most walkable neighborhoods:

Downtown Santa Cruz

As with most cities, downtown cores are typically the most walkable areas in town. Santa Cruz is no different.

With a fantastic Walk Score of 96, downtown Santa Cruz takes the cake for the most walkable neighborhood.

The area is filled with over 130 restaurants, bars, and coffee shops…

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5 most affordable communities in santa cruz to buy a home


Recently, Santa Cruz was named one of the five least affordable real estate markets in the United States of America. A median home in Santa Cruz would run someone approximately $650,000. Over 100 percent of a families wages would go towards paying their mortgage. With all this negativity towards purchasing homes in Santa Cruz, we’re going to bring a little positivity to the process. You might be asking yourself, is there affordable housing in Santa Cruz?


The short answer? Absolutely.

Here are the top five most affordable communities in Santa Cruz to buy homes:

Watsonville, CA

Located at the southern end of Santa Cruz County, Watsonville is known for its rich agricultural heritage. Moreover, it is a hotbed for berries. This “small” town…

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Interior design trends 2019

Like fashion and food, interior design goes through trends with furniture going in and out of style at the change of every season. As this industry continuously evolves, it seems impossible to keep up with contemporary decor.

But, you don’t have to spend a lot of time and money keeping your interior design in tune with current trends.

By simply adding and replacing small items from your existing furniture collection, you can modernize your designs and transform your living spaces.

Here are the emerging interior design trends for 2019 that you can try in your own home to revamp your space:

Brass Fixtures and Hardware

As design trends are moving away from stainless-steel and polished nickel fixtures, brass is taking over.

Brass…

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With endless festivals and events for the whole family, autumn in Santa Cruz is just as exciting as summertime.

If you’re wondering about what’s happening in Santa Cruz this fall, here’s a list of some of the most exciting events:

The Big East Side Block Party

Date: August 30th

Location: Pono Hawaiian Kitchen & Tap

Event Information

To close off the summer season, visit Pono Hawaiian Kitchen & Tap for the Big East Side Block Party.

This event has incredible music and food that will keep you entertained for hours. There will also be tons of vendors, selling everything from artisanal crafts to locally made food.

Some of the vendors include Happy Dog Hot Dogs, Venus Spirits, Follow The Sun Art, and Pretty Nails By Jenny.

Not…

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It seems as though every where you go in Santa Cruz, you can find people with their dogs. This is because Santa Cruz offers the perfect community for those with animals.

The city is filled with pet-friendly parks, beaches, trails where you can take your furry friends to run around and play.

But the city doesn’t stop there when it comes to dog-friendly places.

There are tons of Santa Cruz pet-friendly restaurants and cafés that have patios where you can bring your puppy to dine out alongside you. Some cafés even have designated dog menus!

Discover all the best places to bring your dog with this pet-friendly guide to Santa Cruz:

Pet-Friendly Parks

Pet-Friendly Resturants

Pet-Friendly Cafes

Pet-Friendly Parks

One of the best…

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5 best santa cruz communities for retirees in 2019

Retirement is possibly one of the most exciting times of your life. With your career coming to a close, you have more time to visit with friends, explore the country, and simply relax.

So what better place to retire than in Santa Cruz?

Santa Cruz attracts tons of retirees from across the nation who want to be close to its white-sand beaches and top-rated golf courses. The city also has a ton of serene neighborhoods that welcome families from all stages of life.

Without further ado, here are the 5 best Santa Cruz communities for retirees in 2019:

Rio Del Mar

Rio Del Mar is one of the most popular Santa Cruz communities for retirees for its proximity to quiet beaches and top-rated golf courses. In addition to all of the amazing amenities…

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The kitchen is the heart of the home⁠—it’s where families spend most of their time cooking, socializing, and entertaining.

Since so much time is spent in the kitchen, potential homebuyers often search for homes with impressive kitchens. It’s for this reason that making upgrades to your kitchen will increase the selling price of your home.

On average, American homeowners spend between $12,565 and $34,976 remodelling their kitchens. But, when you’re selling your home, you probably don’t want to dump that much money into renovations.

With a few hours and a little bit of elbow grease, you can bring life back to your kitchen for a relatively low cost! Try these three DIY kitchen upgrades that will boost your home selling price:

Refurbish Your…

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Along with its world-class surfing waves and white-sand beaches, Santa Cruz is now becoming known for its phenomenal craft brewery scene.

Tons of small breweries have been popping up in-and-around town, offering creative and flavorful beers made from local ingredients.

Craft breweries in Santa Cruz specialize in a wide range of beers, from unique sours to familiar ales, so no matter where you go, you’re bound to find a drink you love.

If you’re new to the city or just new to the micro-brewery scene, here are 6 Santa Cruz craft breweries to check out this summer:

Discretion Brewing

Discretion Brewing is a fantastic brewery to visit if you’re looking to try a wide range of beers. With a dozen beers on tap, you’re bound to find something…

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When you first bought your home, you may have fallen in love with its quirky details and design features that matched the current trend. 

But, with time, our homes age and our preferences change.

The shag carpets you used to find charming may now seem outdated. The large bedrooms that used to be practical may now be too big. 

Whether you’re wanting to love your home again or put in on the market, renovating it is a good idea. 

Oftentimes, renovating your Santa Cruz home can increase its value because of upgrades and modernization. If you put your home on the market with newly renovated rooms, you might be able to list it for a higher price.

Sometimes, though, your renovations won’t yield the returns you initially expected. If you’re not…

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