BLVDS "Green" issue 12

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community

culture

design

flavor

INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL DISPLAYS AND MUCH MORE — INCLUDING AMAZING ANIMALS, WALKING TRAILS, OUTDOOR CONCERTS, BOTANICAL GARDENS, MUSEUMS, EXHIBITS AND SURPRISING SECRETS — WAITING FOR YOU AT THE SPRINGS PRESERVE.

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It takes a village to raise a child...

Lied Discovery Children’s Museum is proud to announce the opening of the

Green Village exhibition on February 21, 2009.

Constructed of materials selected for sustainable characteristics, the exhibition maintains the learning concepts that mimic everyday life while offering children an awareness of the environment in which they live.

The Green Village was made possible through the support of: Lied Foundation Trust NV Energy The Ritter Charitable Trust James Manning Richard Worthington

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S p o t l i g h t s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 C h r i s B r o o k s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1 R o s e M c K i n n e y - J a m e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 2 S t e v e R y p k a . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 5 U N L V a n d S u s t a i n a b i l i t y R e s e a r c h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 6 T h e F r e e c y c l e N e t w o r k . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 E n v i r o F l a s h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 4

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R e a d i n g R e c y c l e d . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 8 D o u b l e N e g a t i v e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 2 A r t s & E v e n t s C a l e n d a r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 6 d e s i g n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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M a r q u i s H o m e s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 0 N e w H o r i z o n s A c a d e m y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 6 I n c r e a s i n g Y o u r “ G r e e n ” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 0 f l a v o r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ON THE COVER: Empty wine bottles © Yurok this page FROM LEFT: Springs Preserve © Grace Rakich; Solar collector © UNLV

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S u s t a i n a b l y D e l i c i o u s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 4 C o m p o s t C o n f e s s i o n a l . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 9

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James Eells, MD 3150 N. Tenaya Way

Mark Handelman, MD 3150 N. Tenaya Way

Michael Gunter, MD 7455 W. Washington Ave

Shari Klein, DO 8571 W. Lake Mead Blvd

Michael Mall, MD

Lisa Haworth, MD

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Each physicianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s practice is independently owned and operated.

Welcome to our twelfth issue of BLVDS. We’re two years old! Publishing BLVDS has been a wildly enjoyable adventure. We meet so many wonderful people and share their stories with you. I also love the collaborative process of putting the magazine together.

In this issue my niece who just finished her Master’s degree in Urban Planning wrote a piece for us about UNLV’s position on the forefront of research in sustainable energies. And a good friend of ours shares his secret compulsion for composting.

Choosing a cover for our “Green” issue was no easy task. We asked ourselves (and everyone else we spoke to), “What does ‘green’ look like--especially in the desert?” I hope you enjoy our pick for the cover, a collection of wine bottles waiting to be recycled--we do like our wine.

And for those of you who read the publisher’s letter, thank you.

- Jan Craddock President and Publisher

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contributors

t he t eam

the team

Editorial Board

Contributing Writers

Jan Craddock President & Publisher

Jack Chappell

Allison Craddock

Sherri Kaplan COO & Co-Publisher

Audrie Dodge

Hektor D. Esparza

Pat Marvel Consulting Editor

Darin Hollingswor th

Wendy Kveck

Kimberly Schaefer Managing Editor

Gina Jackson

Pam Lang

Mahoney Galloway Adver tising Ar t Direction

Jill Jackson

April McCoy

Pam Lang Sales and Marketing Director

Wendy Jordan

Sara Nunn

Debra March

Shaun Sewell

Randi Matushevitz

Craig Schaefer

Kimberly Maxson-Rushton

Kimberly Schaefer

c o n ta c t u s 1000 N. Green Valley Pkwy, Suite 440-178 Henderson, NV 89074 (p) 386.6065 (f ) 386.6012

K aren Rubel Shaun Sewell

Photography Alexis McAllister Brennan Lang Grace Rak ich

blvdslv.com

Greg Warden Mik ayla Whitmore

Copyright 2009, by BLVDS, Inc., all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from BLVDS, Inc. Every effort was made to ensure the accuracy of the information in this publication, however, BLVDS, Inc. assumes no responsibility for errors, changes or omissions. BLVDS, Inc. accepts editorial and photography submissions. Please send all submissions to: editor@blvdslv.com.

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is on the forefront of research, education, and communication in the area of green energy. Projects ranging from geothermal power production to solar energy to harnessing the wind will help Las Vegas move toward its green goals while contributing to worldwide trends in sustainability. The Freecycle Network’s mission is to save resources and reduce the burden on landfills by promoting the free exchange of unwanted items. EnviroFlash delivers air quality updates right to your in-box.

the local spotlight

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the local spotlight

ARTICLES Spotlights Chris Brooks Sustaining Optimism for Nevada’s Bright Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Rose McKinney-James Championing Renewable Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Steve Rypka Transforming Personal Passion into Local Results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 UNLV and Sustainability Research Thinking Globally, Acting Locally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 The Freecycle Network Where Trash Becomes Treasure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 EnviroFlash Protecting Your Health with Air Quality Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

facing page: Nevada Solar One © UNLV

Save the Date! April 19th Mark it on your calendar! The 2009 AIDS Walk will be held on April 19, 2009. Get a head start and sign up or form a team today at afanlv.org or call 702 382-2326 for more information.

AFAN and AIDS Walk 2009 is supported by:

www.cdistudios.com

Chris Brooks

S u stainin g Op timism for N evada’s B ri g ht F u t ure Where some see challenge, others see opportunities. So it is with Chris Brooks, director of Bombard Renewable Energy a division of Bombard Electric. Current economic circumstances do not deter him in his optimism for the future of Las Vegas, and its possible position on the vanguard of the growing green economy.

Brooks grew up here and has seen the evolution of our city and state from a small town to a world-class destination. And now he’s hoping to play a major role in our evolution into a leader in renewable energy.

Our natural resources, especially the obvious abundant sunlight, make our community perfectly suited for this evolution. As Brooks says, “You look out the window, the sun is always shining.”

The Clark High School graduate is a third generation contractor who saw what he describes as a “perfect storm” of Nevada legislative changes and technological advances as the perfect opportunity to make his first foray into the renewable energy business. In early 2001 he founded Las Vegas Solar Electric which installed a majority of the first net-metered solar systems in the state.

In 2004 he approached Bombard Electric, a firm for which he had previously worked, about partnering to grow his business. Bombard Renewable Energy was formed. Since then, Bombard has been responsible for major installations including North America’s largest photovoltaic solar power plant at Nellis Air Force Base. The plant covers 140 acres of land, includes over 70,000 solar panels, and generates over 14 megawatts of electricity for the base.

In addition to the work he does with Bombard, Brooks has also been involved over the years with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the AFL-CIO in creating a training program for electricians and apprentices to prepare them to install and service photovoltaic systems. “Organized labor, as a whole, have been major advocates of renewable energy as a way to create jobs,” says Brooks.

He served as an instructor for several years in the program and several employees of Bombard are still serving in that same capacity.

bridge across the Colorado River. . . everything we have in this state, well this is just one more aspect of construction,” he says. In his estimation, we have the labor force ready to make the leap into high-paying “green collar” jobs.

There’s another benefit of a more personal nature for Brooks.

“My kids have grown up with a solar-powered house. They’ve grown up with me dragging them around to Earth Day events, trade shows, non-profit events. They’re the next generation, and I’m starting to see the results. The political process that they’ve been immersed in their entire lives, now that’s just the way it is. We’re creating the next generation of activists.”

Where would you most like to travel?

I want to see some of the advances that are being made in Europe with renewable energy.

What’s your greatest indulgence?

Jack Daniels.

What’s next?

I want to help the great state of Nevada in any way I possibly can to help us achieve our goals as a state and not squander this opportunity that we’ve been given to really turn some things around. More than challenges I see opportunities.

Brooks sees another advantage for Nevada in the emerging green economy. “If our labor force has built that strip down there and that

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COMMUNIT Y the local spotlight

Rose McKinney-James

Championing Renewable Energy

Never underestimate the power of serendipity. It was serendipity that took Rose McKinney-James to the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Although she had never attended such an event, she was invited as an observer and decided to attend with her then 9-year-old and 14-year-old sons. It was serendipity that on the very night that McKinney-James was on the floor at the convention a very important and now historical speech was made—by Barack Obama. It was a turning point for her personally and professionally, and a turning point for our country.

A native of Detroit, McKinney-James attended college on a vocal music scholarship. She became interested in public affairs as an undergraduate when studying with a professor she describes as “provocative”—another unforeseen turning point in her history.

Her interest in public affairs and desire to stretch her intellectual boundaries led her to attend law school and follow that with a one-year consulting contract in Nevada. Fortunately for the residents of our state, McKinney-James decided to stay.

Her appointment to the Public Utilities Commission by Governor Bob Miller led McKinney-James to develop her interest in energy issues.

Her long and impressive resume includes stints in the public and private sectors including Chief of Staff for the City of Las Vegas, Chair of the Nevada Renewable Energy Task Force, and Managing Principal of Energy Works Consulting.

that are consistent with both my personal and professional beliefs,” explains McKinney-James.

Her most recent role has been serving as the Team Lead for a group reviewing the operations of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Of course, she’s also still playing the role of mom. Her sons are older: the younger is now 13 and called his mother to let her know that she was the “current event” topic of discussion in school one day. Her older son is a college freshman, and “all he could say was ‘pretty cool, Mom.’” Her role as a mother is also important in her hopes for the future of our state and our country. While she is focused in her work on the

But it was that fateful evening in 2004 that led to her recent role on the transition team for President Barack Obama. “In some measure, the reaction of my sons to seeing him on stage, and the message of his speech attracted me to him,” she says of Obama. “I followed his career and participated in some fundraising activities” for Obama’s Senate race. Subsequently, McKinney-James received a call from Obama asking for her help with his presidential campaign steering committee here in Nevada. “It was difficult to say ‘no,’” she says.

business and economic aspects of renewable energy, she is well aware

“As we began working on the campaign, and as he began to articulate a position around energy and energy independence, it became very clear to me that there were very important aspects of his campaign

What’s the one thing people don’t know about you?

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that “we’re also talking about saving our environment. As a mother, it’s very important to me that there will be an environment that is as clean as possible for future generations.”

With whom would you like to trade jobs?

I would love to be Emeril for a day. I’m really bad at cooking, but I would love to learn.

I sang the national anthem at the 1978 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden.

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Steve Rypka

Transforming Personal Passion into Local Results

Steve Rypka’s first career was not as a green living consultant. In fact, he spent years as an audio engineer and spent time touring with Liza Minnelli and Paul Anka. He was eventually lured to Las Vegas and became Technical Director of Entertainment at the Las Vegas Hilton where he worked for 15 years.

So how did he transform into Las Vegas’ very own guru of all things green? “Coming from California may have played a role in that.

I was a surfer and a skier, very outdoorsy, very in tune with nature.

I love the ocean and the mountains. I’ve always had an interest in the environment,” he says. So, 15 years ago, as his corporate career was winding down, he began researching green building and renewable energy for a personal home project. Since then, as Rypka puts it, he’s “been really passionate” about incorporating eco-friendly practices into his life and into the lives of others.

Rypka’s business, GreenDream Enterprises, provides consulting services to companies and individuals to assist in the integration of “systems, technology, and education to create positive results.”

Personally, Rypka and his wife, Marsala, are true examples of how we can, as Steve terms it, “live more lightly” on the planet.

The Rypkas purposely bought their home to incorporate passive solar design. They both drive hybrid cars and sleep on a mattress that is not treated with chemical flame retardants. Among many eco-friendly features of their residence, the interior of their home is lit in several places by Solatubes which are basically small skylights that provide soft, natural light. Interior walls are painted with low-emitting paint that has minimal impact on air quality, and the limited amount of carpet used in the home is made from recycled soda bottles.

Most impactful in their green efforts, the Rypka home is solar-powered and produces more energy than is used—they actually build up credits with NV Energy. “We’re up over 7 thousand kilowatt hours,” he says. Steve is a vegetarian, a choice he initially made for health reasons, but he has since realized the carbon reduction that is inherent in such a choice. In fact, since 2000 the Rypkas have reduced their carbon emissions by approximately 75 percent.

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Rypka takes his role as a leader in green living into the public sector by volunteering with Solar NV, the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society. He also serves on the board of Solar NV. In addition, he is co-founder of the U.S. Green Building CouncilNevada Chapter, where he also serves on the board. And as if that weren’t enough, Rypka writes a bi-weekly column on green living for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

With whom would you like to trade jobs?

I wouldn’t mind trading jobs with the captain of the Sea Shepherd which is the boat that travels around the world and protects the sanctity of marine life. They’re making a difference. I think that would be pretty cool.

Who is your favorite fictional character?

Alan Shore on Boston Legal.

If you could have a “do-over,” what would it be?

Pay more attention to my mom.

What are you going to put off doing today?

That’s a limitless question because I am a really good procrastinator.

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COMMUNIT Y the local spotlight

facing page: Engineering Professor Dan Cook and his animatronic flower © UNLV

Allison Craddock

UNLV and Sustainability Research Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

A s e n v i r o n m e n ta l ly s u s ta i n a b l e e n e r g y s u r g e s i n p o p u l a r i t y, t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f N e va d a , La s V e g a s h a s s t e p p e d i n t o t h e f o r e f r o n t o f s u s ta i n a b i l i t y r e s e a r c h .

Taking advantage of Southern Nevada’s ample natural renewable

energy since they both include renewable resources. The one big

resources, UNLV has undertaken research in a number of areas

caveat of sustainable energy is that these resources must be able to

that will not only help the Las Vegas Valley move forward in an

meet the needs of the present generation, as well as providing for the

environmentally conscious fashion, but contribute to the worldwide

needs of future generations.

trends in sustainability.

The current impediments to moving forward in green energy include

The terms “green” and “sustainable” have become buzzwords used in a

cost, accessibility, and education of the general public. UNLV faculty,

variety of contexts. Though they are often used interchangeably, it is

staff, and students have taken on research and development projects to

important to note that there are differences between the two.

remedy these impediments and help Las Vegas become a forerunner

Green energy usually refers to a source of energy that may be

of green energy.

accessed without polluting or harming our environment and includes

The National Science Foundation recently awarded UNLV a

geothermal, solar, wind power, and other renewable resources.

$15 million grant for studies surrounding the effects of global climate

The definition of sustainable energy often overlaps that of green

change within Nevada with emphasis on water resources. This study

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COMMUNIT Y the local spotlight Clockwise from left: Professor Bob Boehm and students; Nevada Solar One; UNLV turf reduction program © UNLV

is expected to last five years and will team UNLV researchers with

Geothermal energy is generated from heat stored in the earth and

those at UNR, the Nevada State College, and the Desert Research

presents many advantages over current traditional fossil fuel-based

Institute. These researchers will divide their efforts into subcategories

sources. To tap into this resource, wells are drilled at various depths,

centering on environmental science and water resources, policy,

ranging from just below the surface of the earth to as deep as several

education, and technology with UNLV’s contributions focusing on

miles. Wells drilled into underground reservoirs access hot water or

water resources, policy, and education.

steam pockets that can be brought to the earth’s surface for use in an

One of the projects undertaken by UNLV will be the development of a

assortment of purposes. These wells may also be used for cooling and,

network of environmental and ecological monitoring stations in order

if implemented in our valley, could contribute greatly to the energy

to assess how climate change affects Nevada’s biological diversity

efficiency and sustainability of the region. At UNLV, Assistant Research

and water resources over time. This monitoring network will allow

Professor in Mechanical Engineering Suresh Sadineni is researching

UNLV researchers to further academic studies covering ground water,

cooling towers used as a passive cooling alternative to conventional

wildfires, and both invasive and endemic species of plants and animals.

air conditioning in the Southwest.

A campus-wide program centering on developing a sustainable

In addition to research in the Southwest, UNLV’s sustainability

community and region has been started, called the UNLV Urban

initiative investigates scenarios all over the world, using the

Sustainability Initiative (USI). The USI works within the multifaceted

information garnered in other places to develop comparable green

elements of a sustainable community including sociocultural,

technology for Nevada and the Southwest.

environmental, and economic aspects of sustainability. The findings for Las Vegas and Southern Nevada overall may then be translated to

Adam Simon, an Assistant Professor of Geoscience, is involved in a

other studies across the nation.

project focusing on enhancing geothermal power output in Russia.

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Clockwise from left: Net-zero energy house; Distinguished Professor Bob Boehm; Studying energy-efficient design Š UNLV

The results from this study will have direct impact for geothermal

photovoltaic cell which generates electricity. This technology, once

power production in the western United States. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think there is

reserved for such lofty uses as power generation on satellites in space,

significant potential in the Reno-Carson City area, and eventually this

is now being put to use here on earth through university research.

could offset almost all of the need for traditional fossil-fuel-based energy in that area of Nevada. In the Las Vegas area there is probably not significant potential for large-scale geothermal energy production.

However, Las Vegas is quite suited for development of extensive solar power,â&#x20AC;? says Simon.

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Director of the Nevada Nanotechnology Center Biswajit Das and his research team are developing technology for the production of economical, highly efficient nanotechnology-based solar cells. These cells are exceedingly efficient and work with specific wavelengths of light,

Southern Nevada receives ample amounts of sunlight year-round,

but have previously been cost-prohibitive for the average consumer.

making it a prime region to implement solar energy techniques. This

Professor Das has engineered a fabrication method and these cells at

form of sustainable energy may be harvested either through solar

a significantly lower cost than previously available. As an additional

cells like the ones seen on some rooftops, or solar collectors, which

advantage to this research and development, these cells are

often resemble satellite dishes.

translucent and may be used as an overlay on architectural glass.

In addition to cooling tower research, Professor Sadineni is also part

Researchers at UNLV have seized many opportunities to push the

of a UNLV research team developing a new concentrated photovoltaic

boundaries of solar science and engineering offered by our warm,

system, or CPV, which could be a solar collector capable of generating

abundant sunshine and lower latitude. Many other faculty members

enough power to supply public utilities. CPVs use relatively

are involved in the development of more efficient and sustainable

inexpensive reflective materials to concentrate sunlight onto a small

solar technologies, such as Robert Boehm, a Distinguished Professor

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COMMUNIT Y the local spotlight THIS PAGE: Research Assistant Rick Hurt at Nevada Solar One Š UNLV

of Mechanical Engineering and the Director of the Center for Energy

areas of Nevada and will fill a void in information regarding the

Research. Professor Boehm works on a wide variety of sustainability

potential of wind energy in our area.

initiatives including the development and testing of a net-zero energy home in Las Vegas, a solar-powered hydrogen fuel filling station, a

One of the most essential parts about transitioning to green energy

hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engine, and testing of emerging

is educating those who will use it, from a municipal scale down to the

solar and hydrogen technologies.

average homeowner. Researchers at UNLV have recognized this need,

Harnessing the wind provides an exciting form of green energy that is already seen in wind farms along I-40 in northern New Mexico and the

and have been working together to find ways to empower members of our community to use and understand green energy.

panhandle of Texas. These wind farms create electricity by using wind

Daniel Cook, an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and

turbines that drive massive generators, using no fuel and creating no

engineering graduate student Mike Genova, are designing animatronic

harmful emissions in the process.

flowers that will demonstrate how solar cells work by imitating a real

Darrell Pepper, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and the

plant. Solar cells substitute for leaves, and then assist the electronic plant

director of the Nevada Center for Advanced Computation Methods,

to follow the direction of sunlight, the same way that plants track the sun

is participating in an effort to discover how wind energy may be

to make food in the process of photosynthesis.

harnessed in Southern Nevada and northern Arizona. This research is looking at the suitability of the Nellis Dunes area, northeast of Las Vegas, and is pioneering in its nature, as very little information

It is innovation such as this in green and sustainable design, coupled with equally innovative means of education and communication, which puts

regarding the assessment of Southern Nevada and northern Arizona

UNLV on the forefront of green energy. As the dream of green energy

currently exists. This work is in complement to existing knowledge

becomes a reality, we need only look to our own backyards to see the

about wind power in the consistently windier northern and central

wealth of possibilities that nature has bestowed on the Las Vegas Valley.

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United Way of Southern Nevada

GIVE. ADVOCATE. VOLUNTEER.

LIVE UNITED

™

Want to make a difference? Find out how at UWSN.ORG.

COMMUNIT Y the local spotlight THIS PAGE: One Man’s Trash © Dean Pizzoferrato

H e k t o r D . E s pa r z a

The Freecycle Net work Where Trash Becomes Treasure

L e t m e co m e r i g h t o u t a n d s ay i t: I a m a co n s u m e r a n d I lo v e to s h o p. S o m e w o u l d e v e n g o s o fa r a s to s ay t h at i n t h e s e to u g h e co n o m i c t i m e s i t i s m y pat r i ot i c d u t y to s h o p. I w o u l d n e v e r m a k e t h at a r g u m e n t, b u t I d o r e co g n i z e t h e va lu e o f p l ay i n g m y pa r t i n t h e g lo b a l e co n o m y. I n fac t, t h e r e a r e f e w t h i n g s a b o u t s h o p p i n g t h at I d o n ’ t l i k e . O n c e I l e av e t h e h o u s e p r e pa r e d to s p e n d, a l m o s t n ot h i n g c a n s p o i l m y d ay.

But there is one little snag that makes shopping a less-than-guilt-free

their way to landfills, and instead into the hands of people who can

experience. With my next purchase, as I gain more, something or

use them. Currently, the Las Vegas group has over 9,000 members.

someone somewhere will have less. Be it food, water, air, or just space

The Henderson group has over 2,500 while the North Las Vegas group

to live in, the resources that go into the products I buy must come from

boasts 1,700 members.

somewhere. When I consider that some trivial item I just purchased may have pushed forward, ever so slightly, the demand on materials necessary for another creature’s life, human or otherwise, it gives me pause.

The Freecycle Network is a nonprofit organization based out of Tuscon, Arizona that was started by Deron Beal in 2003. It received its 501(c)3 status from the IRS in November 2006. Today, according to the

When a Freecycle group was founded here in 2003, a remarkable

freecycle.org website, it is comprised of 4,663 groups each belonging

thing happened that gave people in Las Vegas another avenue for a

to different regions, towns, or cities and boasts well over 6 million

more thoughtful way to share space on this planet. Freecycle offers

individual members world wide. “[W]e are currently keeping over 500

consumers a method for preventing unwanted objects from finding

tons a day out of landfills! This amounts to five times the height of

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Mt. Everest in the past year alone, when stacked in garbage trucks!”

a 6-year-old, and I want him to be able to see green trees when he’s 60.

reads a passage from the site’s history page.

I also saw it as a better way to meet people within our community who

All items posted on Freecycle must be 100% free with “no strings

are pro-active about saving the environment.”

attached whatsoever.” And all items must be legal and appropriate

Both Penny and Beth say things run pretty smoothly with the Las Vegas

for all ages. No alcohol, drugs, tobacco, pornography or firearms are

group and that it has been a great way to build community here.

permitted to be given away. Members violating any of the guidelines

Most items posted as “offers” find a home.

are on a “two strikes and you’re out of the group” policy which is enforced by a group moderator.

For more information about our local Freecycle group, please visit freecycle.org. By entering your city and state, you can proceed to the

Penny, a moderator and co-owner of the Las Vegas group for almost two

appropriate group. Once there, you’ll be directed to join the group in

years says, “Our group generates over 500 messages per week. I would

order to post items or view items listed there.

say 75% of those are offers. That’s an awful lot of items that Republic Services isn’t taking to the landfill.”

Beth, another local group co-owner and “mentor moderator” for Freecycle groups around the world, says she got involved because, “I thought it was a really creative way to ‘recycle’ tangible items. I have

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K i m b e r ly S c h a e f e r

EnviroFlash

Protecting Your Health with Air Quality Notification According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), we breathe

Says Brenda Williams of the Clark County Department of Air Quality

over 3,000 gallons of air each day. And the quality of that air can have

and Environmental Management (DAQEM), â&#x20AC;&#x153;The tool is exceptional.

an obvious and serious impact on our health.

It allows people to understand air quality and raise awareness of how

As residents of the Las Vegas valley are well aware, there are

their activities affect the quality of our air.â&#x20AC;?

numerous pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter that at

EnviroFlash is a free service that is available in more than 200 cities

times can be prevalent in the skies above us. For some residents,

in 34 states. In our area, information for EnviroFlash subscribers is

these pollutants may be no more than a nuisance. For children, older

provided by the DAQEM.

adults, and those of us with heart or lung disease, changing air quality conditions can influence decisions we make about our daily activities.

A new service from the EPA, working in conjunction with state and local governments, is available to aid in that decision-making process.

EnviroFlash sends air quality information, such as forecasts and advisory notifications, to subscribers via e-mail. EnviroFlash messages let subscribers know when air quality is good or when it is important for them to reduce their exposure to pollution. Subscribers can choose to get forecasts every day or only when air quality is poor.

Signing up is easy. Registrants simply provide their name, email address and zip code, and select the air quality level at which they would like to receive alerts.

To subscribe please visit enviroflash.info.

For more information about the Clark County Department of Air Quality and Environmental Management, visit accessclarkcounty.com.

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C U LT U R E e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s

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Used bookstores and libraries began recycling the written word long before recycling was even a word. Learn about some places to satisfy your book jones and save some money at the same time. Go “off-roading” to experience art? That’s what’s waiting for you northwest of Overton with a unique “earthwork” called Double Negative. This spectacular chasm blasted into the desert landscape belongs to the permanent collection of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.

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ARTICLES Reading Recycled Used Bookstores and Libraries Benefit Booklovers on a Budget . . . . . . . . . . 28 Double Negative Monumental Earthwork Transforms the Nevada Desert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Arts & Events Things to Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

facing page: Double Negative © Mikayla Whitmore

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C U LT U R E e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s

facing page: Book lovers’ dream © Brennan Lang

Pa m L a n g

Reading Recycled

Used Bookstores and Libraries Benefit Booklovers on a Budget A l m o s t e v e r y o n e h a s at l e a s t o n e h a b i t o r a d d i c t i o n t h at t h e y s e e m i n g ly h a v e l i t t l e c o n t r o l o v e r .

M i n e i s a b o o k h a b i t.

I am thrilled when I have an hour to browse the shelves of a bookstore

them to do the same. I’ve donated books to my local library only to

and bring home a new book. I love the way it feels to open up a

replace them with new ones. Justifying a collection of signed books

new release by a favorite author and hear the binding crack a little,

and first editions is easy. It’s the “that-was-such-a-good-book” portion

knowing I am the first person to read that copy. It’s always amazing

of my collection, however, that has taken over my home and troubles

to me that an author’s ideas can transform into the lining up of words

me. They multiply, filling up shelves that turn into more shelves that

turned into sentences and then be bound together to create a story

turn into rooms of books. It results in a lot of clutter, not to mention

that can be my own personal escape.

acres of trees sacrificed for my reading enjoyment. The whole situation doesn’t really fit into my desire to make my home a “greener”

A ten-year career in marketing for a large corporate bookstore only

place to live.

fed into my constant indulgence of book-buying. It was so tempting and satisfying that, before I realized it, I had enough books to have

Libraries are a good alternative to buying books and they

opened my own bookstore.

had the right idea all along. The whole concept of libraries was

Through the years, I have happily passed books on to friends urging

The lifespan of a library book is the perfect example of how one

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about recycling long before anyone ever talked about recycling.

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C U LT U R E e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s

printed item can benefit so many readers. The Las Vegas-Clark County

“The shop is about community and giving people a place to share

Library District gladly accepts donations of used books, and the

ideas and meet friends,” remarks Piediscalzi. She is also cognizant of

community can shop at the used bookstores at the branches.

the effort the store makes towards a greener society. “We don’t throw

Henderson District Public Libraries also accept books for their used

things away, the recycle portion of this business appeals to us.”

book sales. Thrift stores and hospitals are good places to donate used books, as well. But, I know I am not alone when it comes to the joy

Like other used bookstore owners in town, Piediscalzi can easily tell

of making that purchase at the local bookstore. So, is there a better,

visitors what books she has in her huge stock of titles and can find

“greener” alternative when purchasing a book?

them in an instant without the aid of a computer. How does she handle getting rid of books she doesn’t want to keep in the store any

Las Vegas has an abundance of used book shops scattered

longer? “The inventory is always revolving, but sometimes I have

throughout the valley and most utilize a trade/point system that

books that don’t sell,” she explains. “I have a free box, and I donate

enables readers to trade book for book, but more often gain points

books to dialysis units and senior citizen centers.”

to purchase already steeply discounted and gently read books. Like traditional bookstores, many used bookstores offer a vast choice of

Ann DeVere owns Plaza Books, a shop that rivals any new bookstore in

titles, occasional book signings, book clubs, and knowledgeable staff.

organization and display. All of the hardback books are meticulously

One of these local treasures is Dead Poet Bookstore. It is not only a used bookstore, it’s an experience. Owner Linda Piediscalzi created this eclectic book haven to beguile the imagination. The exterior sits unassumingly in a strip mall, but the shop’s interior exudes a quirky charm. With an atmosphere evocative of a college campus, the store offers a wide array of books.

wrapped in clear book covers, so nearly every used book looks and feels like a new one. DeVere also works on a trade and credit system that enables avid readers to pick up books in excellent condition for a fraction of the price. Her customers are people with “reading habits” that are seeking a way to enjoy books and save money.

“Why throw away a book?” she asks. “If it was a good enough book to

Instead of the ubiquitous neat and orderly rows of most bookstores and libraries, Dead Poet Bookstore is a collection of nooks and crannies featuring different book genres. A vintage kitchen table with a gingham checked tablecloth welcomes shoppers to the cookbook section. A hardcover copy from a famous chef, nestled among a good collection, sells for half the retail price.

Curtains, curiously drawn to each side, entice readers into a

read once, it’s a good enough book to read again.” She believes that utilizing a used bookstore benefits the reader and the community. “If you are an avid reader, you can either hoard books and build more bookcases, while adding on to your home, or you can recycle them,” DeVere explains.

Shereen Hale agrees. She is on the board of the Booksellers Association of Southern Nevada and is the owner of Book Boutique in

little room of art books, and the Sci-Fi/Mystery Room features an

downtown Henderson. She keeps stock current in her shop by trading

over-stuffed couch that invites readers to curl up and delve into

paperbacks, one for one, and offering one-half the retail price on

the tome of their choice. Paperback books line shelves according to

hardcover books. A charming children’s corner invites young readers

series, enabling the reader to pick up that out-of-print book that they

to browse through a colorful selection of discounted used books, and

missed the first time around. Hand-painted chairs and collages add

a fascinating antique book section can keep a bibliophile busy for

to the bohemian ambiance of the store with board games set up for

hours. She acknowledges the benefit of recycling books and offering

anyone wishing to try their hand at chess or Scrabble.

discounted prices.

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Clockwise from left: Dead Poet Books; On the shelf; A good read © Brennan Lang

“My customers are older adults on a budget or school age children

Dead Poet Bookstore

that need a specific title for class,” explains Hale. The store gives both

937 S. Rainbow Blvd.

the opportunity to shop for what they need and own a book at a price

Las Vegas NV

they can afford. She knows her customers well and keeps a good

227.4070

selection of large print books, children’s titles, and required school reading on hand.

Used bookstores stock their shelves by accepting books for trade or donation, but keep in mind that they do set a standard. The Booksellers Association of Southern Nevada offers a system that helps store owners evaluate books by using one of six terms to describe the condition of books. Used books are rated as: As New, Fine, Very Good, Good, Fair, and Poor. Generally, shops are looking for books that fall into the first three categories. Individual stores are happy to tell you which rating of books they accept, as well as what kind of books they will trade or buy.

For more information on these and other local used bookstores, please visit usedbookslasvegas.com.

Plaza Books 7380 S. Eastern Ave. Suite 120 Las Vegas 89123 263.2692 Book Boutique 19 W Pacific Ave. Henderson 89015 697.0001

C U LT U R E e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s This Page: Heizer’s monumental earthwork © Mikayla Whitmore

W e n dy K v e c k

Double Negative

Monumental Earthwork Transforms the Nevada Desert “ T h e r e i s n o t h i n g t h e r e , y e t i t i s s t i l l a s c u l p t u r e .”

Michael Heizer

Traveling through the rough terrain to the eastern edges of the Mormon

practices out of the studio, challenging the notion of the art object as

Mesa, northwest of Overton, one may be surprised to be looking down

commodity. This movement followed on the heels of other impulses

into one of the great works of contemporary art. And it’s not a mirage.

in the art world that blurred the lines between art and everyday life

Double Negative is a seminal earthwork created by artist Michael Heizer

including performance art and the accessible imagery of Pop art. In the earthworks movement, the desert landscape was a canvas to be written

in 1969-1970. Earthworks, also known as “land art,” are works of art

on, a material to be formed. Artists turned away from making objects

made by manipulating or moving the earth, oftentimes, enormous

that could be bought and sold and instead sought to create spaces of

masses of land. In the case of Heizer’s Double Negative, some 240,000

experience, shifting and questioning the value and boundaries of art.

tons of rhyolite and sandstone were displaced to create the spectacular 1,500-foot-long, 50-foot-deep, 30-foot-wide chasm comprised of two

Michael Heizer was raised in Berkley, California, but has strong ties

massive cuts into the facing slopes of the mesa.

to Nevada and the desert landscape–one grandfather was a mining engineer in Lovelock in the 1880s and the other, a geologist. His father

The earthwork artists of the ‘60s and ‘70s gravitated west from New

was an archeologist who did excavations in the Great Basin, Mexico,

York City. Painters and sculptors who were disenchanted with the

and Central America. As a boy, he accompanied his father to several of

consumer culture of the New York gallery scene, many moved their art

these sites, surely formative experiences for the young Heizer.

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After studying for a brief period at the San Francisco Art Institute, Heizer

a hole. Yet within the context of the art world, this gaping void was, and

moved to New York where he made paintings on shaped canvases

is, significant on many levels.

with spaces carved out of the center of them that foreshadowed Double Negative and his other earthworks’ preoccupation with negative space. His earliest earthworks were North, South, East, West 1 (1967) in which the artist dug holes akin to those of his paintings, this time into the landscape of the Sierra Nevada, and Nine Nevada Depressions (1968), meandering trenches spaced intermittently over a span of 520 miles in the Mojave Desert.

Although earthworks artists emerged from the strict formalism of Minimalism which emphasized the pure object minus narrative or metaphorical meaning and often used industrial techniques or equipment to fabricate the work, they could not completely escape the references and symbolism of the natural landscape or the intrinsically performative nature of producing such monumentally scaled works.

Moreover, earthworks’ relationship and break with the many “isms” of

As its title implies, Double Negative explores the compositional notion

the 1960s’ diversely dynamic art world made Double Negative a bold

of negative space. “Negative space” is an artists’ term that describes the

addition to the annals of art history. How appropriate that Heizer’s

space around an object, be it a painting or a sculpture. As background

piece was constructed in the Wild Western space of Nevada, in keeping

shapes inevitably share a vital relationship with the foreground or

with this state’s maverick tradition of manipulating the “nothingness” of

“positive” space shapes of an artwork, artists must consider both

the barren desert into something man-made and awe-inspiring.

equally to create formal balance, unity and movement, and to suggest psychological states such as anxiety, emptiness, or tranquility.

Visiting Double Negative is unlike visiting other works of art in a museum or gallery setting. One must navigate rugged off-road terrain

The negative space of Double Negative’s deep cuts made with dynamite

in a reliable vehicle (preferably with four-wheel drive), drink plenty

blasts and bulldozers forms two walls on either side of the deep,

of fluids, and pack proper sun-gear. One may have the sensation of

ravine-like trench. In contrast to the traditional framing of subject matter

visiting an historic ruin, natural landmark, or an excavation site, whether

by negative space, here what is being “framed” or presented is nothing:

surrounded by the landscape when within the trench or hovering on

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C U LT U R E e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s

CUSTOM UPHOLSTERY

Upholstery Drapery Wall Upholstery Fabrics Restoration Caning Design Accessories

Mon-Fri 9am-5pm Sat 11am-3pm Closed Sunday

Call 702.385.7122 Please visit us at 1218 S. Main Street Las Vegas, Nevada al e x r i vas u p h o l s t e r y.c o m 34 B L V D S

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this page: Another view of Double Negative © Mikayla Whitmore

the edge, looking down. In the case of Double Negative, one physically

Though earthworks were oftentimes conceived of as temporary works,

stands within the marks of industrial equipment on the natural

many still exist in some form and have been documented and presented

landscape, the realization of an artist’s act.

as historical archives by museums and galleries, and supported

Although Heizer acknowledges childhood excursions with his father and his own research into ancient civilizations as influential, he prefers that such comparisons emphasize experience or “atmosphere” above

and protected by foundations and patrons. In fact, Double Negative belongs to the permanent collection of the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art.

specific cultural-historical references. As he said in a 1984 interview

For more information on Michael Heizer and Double Negative visit

for the book Michael Heizer: Sculpture in Reverse: “It is interesting to build

moca-la.org or doublenegative.tarasen.net where you can find detailed

a sculpture that attempts to create an atmosphere of awe. Small works

directions to the location.

are said to do this, but it is not my experience. Immense, architecturally sized sculpture creates both the object and the atmosphere. Awe is a state of mind equivalent to religious experience. I think if people feel commitment they feel something has been transcended….”

At 62, Michael Heizer lives in Nevada where he continues his life’s work begun in 1970. City, is another monumental earthwork comprised of abstract structures which he calls “complexes,” an archeological term for buildings at ancient sites. Heizer is actively opposing the Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Storage Facility including proposed connecting railroads that threaten the pristine landscape surrounding City and thus its projected completion in 2010.

visit blvdsLV.com for more details on all events C U LT U R E e n t e r t a i n m e n t & a c t i v i t i e s

Events february Russian National Ballet February 11, 2009 8 p.m.

UNLV Charles Vanda Master Series UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu The Diary of Anne Frank February 13-22, 2009 Nevada Conservatory Theatre UNLV Judy Bayley Theatre 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu House of Blue Leaves February 13, 2009 - March 01, 2009 Thurs-Sat 8 p.m., Sun 2 p.m.

Las Vegas Little Theater 362-7996, lvlt.org Masterworks III February 14, 2009 8 p.m.

Las Vegas Philharmonic UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu St. Valentine’s Day Dance Carl Grove Combo February 14, 2009 7-10 p.m.

City of Las Vegas Charleston Heights Arts Center 229-6383 lasvegasparksandrec.com

Valentine’s Day Romance on Main Street February 14, 2009 5-9 p.m.

The District at GVR thedistrictatgvr.com/events.php Speak of Love February 14, 2009 7 p.m.

293-2018, bcnv.org

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Nevada Chamber Symphony: For the Love of Music February 15, 2009 3 p.m.

Nevada Chamber Symphony Clark County Library lvccld.org

The Sniper & Brian Kral as Eugene O’Neill February 20, 2009 - March 01, 2009 CSN Department of Fine Arts CSN Performing Arts Center 651-LIVE, csn.edu/pac

The Traditional Arabic Music Ensemble; World Vibration Concert February 15, 2009 2 p.m.

Clark County Winchester Cultural Center accessclarkcounty.com

The Narrative Youth Jazz Band Concert February 21, 2009 2 p.m.

City of Las Vegas West Las Vegas Arts Center 229-4800 lasvegasparksandrec.com

World Cuisine: Mediterranean February 25, 2009 12:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Clark County Special Events Winchester Cultural Center accessclarkcounty.com

Readers Theatre: The Meeting February 21, 2009 2 p.m.

Clark County Library lvccld.org

Queen of Swing Norma Miller and The World-Famous Ink Spots February 27, 2009 6:30 p.m.

City of Las Vegas West Las Vegas Arts Center 507-3989 lasvegasparksandrec.com

Gallery Exhibit – Charme’ Curtin February 16, 2009 - March 13, 2009 City of Henderson Henderson Multigenerational Center hendersonlive.com Anabel Montesinos February 17, 2009 8 p.m.

Classical Guitar Series UNLV Doc Rando Recital Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu Wagner and Berlioz February 17, 2009 7:30 p.m.

UNLV Music Department UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu Denis Azabagic February 17, 2009 7 p.m.

UNLV Classical Guitar Series UNLV Doc Rando Recital Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu Bandstand Jam Tropical Music Series – Caribbean Steel February 20, 2009 7 p.m.

City of Las Vegas East Las Vegas Community Center 229-1515 lasvegasparksandrec.com

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Manufactured Landscapes February 21, 2009 Cinegvegas Green Film Series Las Vegas Springs Preserve 952-5529, cinevegas.com Mutts on Main Street February 21, 2009 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Distrist at GVR thedistrictatgvr.com/events.php

Women’s Leadership Luncheon February 24, 2009 11:30 p.m.

United Way of Southern Nevada’s Women’s Leadership Council Caesars Palace 892-2317

Night Groovin’ – Freedom Jazz Trio February 27, 2009 7 p.m.

City of Las Vegas Reed Whipple Cultural Center 229-6211 lasvegasparksandrec.com

Munich Symphony Orchestra February 22, 2009 8 p.m.

Charles Vanda Master Series UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu

GospelFest February 27, 2009 at 7 p.m February 28, 2009 at 10 a.m.

City of Henderson Black Mountain Recreation Center hendersonlive.com

Russell Banks February 24, 2009 7 p.m.

UNLV Black Mountain Institute UNLV Student Union Theatre blackmountain.unlv.edu

Norma Miller and The World Famous Inkspots February 27, 2009 6:30 p.m.

West Las Vegas Library lvccld.org

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visit blvdsLV.com for more details on all events Petstacular Pet Fair February 28, 2009 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Rainbow Library lvccld.org Read & Run for Your Health February 28, 2009 7 a.m.

Henderson Libraries James I. Gibson Library 564-9261, hendersonlive.com march Music by Faure, Penderecki, & Haydn March 01, 2009 3 p.m.

Southern Nevada Musical Arts Society UNLV Artemus Ham Hall, 461-6672, snmas.com Ten Minute Play Festival March 04 - 08, 2009 8 p.m.

Nevada Conservatory Theatre Paul Harris Theatre 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu The Living Wake March 05, 2009 Cinevegas From the Vault Clark County Library - Flamingo 952-5529 Luminosity March 06-07, 2009 2 and 8 p.m.

UNLV Dance Department UNLV Judy Bayley Theatre 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu Potpourri March 06, 2009 7:30 p.m.

Las Vegas Master Singers lvmastersingers.com

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Vocal Jazz Solo Night March 06, 2009 7:30 p.m.

CSN Jazz Singers CSN Performing Arts Center 651-LIVE, csn.edu/pac

43rd Annual Sons of Erin St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival March 12-15, 2009 City of Henderson Henderson Events Plaza hendersonlive.com

Estonian National Symphony March 24, 2009 8 p.m.

UNLV Charles Vanda Master Series UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu

BC Renaissance Faire March 06-08, 2009 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

BC Chamber of Commerce Veterans Memorial Park in Boulder City 799-8200, bcnv.org

The Cradle Will Rock March 13, 2009 - March 29, 2009 Nevada Conservatory Theatre UNLV Judy Bayley Theatre 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu

Viva La Vita Bella Italian Festival March 28, 2009 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Sahara West Library lvccld.org

Sneak Preview of a New Green Film March 07, 2009 Cinevegas Green Film Series Las Vegas Springs Preserve 952-5529, cinevegas.com “Books into Film” March 11, 2009 7 p.m.

UNLV Black Mountain Institute UNLV Student Union Theatre blackmountain.unlv.edu The Dublin Philharmonic Orchestra March 12, 2009 8 p.m.

UNLV New York Stage & Beyond UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu CSN Informal Dance Concert March 12, 2009 1:00-3:30 p.m.

CSN Nicholas J. Horn Theatre 651-4201 Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour March 12, 2009 7 p.m.

Clark County Library lvccld.org

Mutts on Main Street March 14, 2009 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The District at GVR thedistrictatgvr.com/events.php Mardi Gras Mambo March 15, 2009 2 p.m.

Clark County Winchester Cultural Center accessclarkcounty.com

Extreme Thing March 28, 2009 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Clark County Special Events Desert Breeze Park 455-8200, extremething.com/gen_info.htm Concert Series II: Young Artist’s March 29, 2009 2 p.m.

Henderson Symphony Orchestra Henderson Pavilion hendersonsymphony.org

Brasil Guitar Duo March 17, 2009 8 p.m.

UNLV Classical Guitar Series UNLV Doc Rando Recital Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu

Masterworks IV April 04, 2009 8 p.m.

Las Vegas Philharmonic UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS, pac.unlv.edu

Pops III March 21, 2009 8 p.m.

Las Vegas Philharmonic UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS, lvphil.com

Tour de Cure April 04, 2009 City of Henderson and American Diabetes Association Henderson Events Plaza hendersonlive.com

World Cuisine: Spain March 22, 2009 12-1:30 p.m.

Clark County Winchester Cultural Center accessclarkcounty.com

American Masters April 10, 2009 - April 11, 2009 8 p.m. April 10 and 2 p.m. April 11 Nevada Ballet UNLV Artemus Ham Hall 895-ARTS nevadaballet.com

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A new custom home development demonstrates how green technology combines with comfort and beauty to create a living space that’s luxuriously harmonious with nature.

New Horizons Academy has set its sights on being the first LEED certified school in Nevada. Learn about its green campus project and the school’s plans for a “living, learning laboratory” to educate all Southern Nevadans. Learn how a certified home energy auditor can help you save money and improve energy efficiency, too.

the local spotlight

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architecture & style

ARTICLES Marquis Homes Style and Beauty Go Green . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 New Horizons Academy Aiming to be the First LEED Certified School in Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Increasing Your “Green” Save Money and Improve Efficiency with a Home Energy Audit . . . . . . . . . 50

facing page: Desert design © Marquis Homes

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DESIGN architecture & style

This Page: Outdoor daybed © Marquis Homes

S a r a N u nn

Marquis Homes

Style and Beauty Go Green T h i n k g o i n g g r e e n m e a n s s i m p ly c a r r y i n g c a n v a s b a g s a n d s a v i n g a f e w b u c k s a y e a r w i t h e n e r g y - e f f i c i e n t l i g h t b u l b s ? M a r q u i s H o m e s m a s t e r m i n d T yl e r J o n e s i n v i t e s yo u to t h i n k ag a i n .

“This entire house, nine thousand square feet—net zero electricity,”

complex as one might think. In addition to ultra-efficient building

Jones says. “That means this house creates more electricity than it

practices, the house relies on something Las Vegas residents get

consumes.” This is Tyler Jones’s introduction to the model house at

more than enough of—sunlight. Most of the home’s energy comes

the new Marquis Homes development on Tomiyasu Lane. A stunning

from solar power harnessed via solar roof panels. Instead of the

achievement of architectural engineering and cutting-edge

aluminum foil rectangles you might be picturing, each home is

technology, this home is the first of 14 in a community that’s about

topped with sleek, nearly unnoticeable panels whose exteriors

to put a whole new face on Las Vegas luxury. While McMansions

belie their powerful function.

surrounding golf clubs put a drain on the city’s water and electricity, this housing development actually gives energy back and looks fantastic while doing it.

Indeed, nowhere in the house is design compromised for efficiency.

Rather, the house is a study in how to live in harmony with the world around us. “The indoor/outdoor relationship is really key to what we

With floor plans ranging from 4,701 to 10,176 square feet of

try to do with our homes, and what’s made them successful,” Jones

space, that’s no mean feat. According to Jones, though, it’s not as

says. And this philosophy is clearly reflected in each Marquis Home.

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DESIGN architecture & style clockwise from left: Outdoor living space; View from above; Grand entrance © Marquis Home

Painted in subtle colors that blend with the desert landscape, these

desert dweller’s propensity for lounging in the sun in mind, the most

homes seem to rise up from the sand, adding to the landscape rather

expansive entertaining spaces are outside, mostly beneath additional

than detracting from it. The architecture is a desert-modern blend

solar-paneled roofs to protect residents from an excess of UV rays.

of form and function with sleek, unimposing exteriors that create a

In this house, even the leisure spaces are put to work—sunlight

feeling of luxury without ostentation.

reflected off the pool and concrete is absorbed by the double-sided

Take a step inside, and you glimpse your first view of the desert

solar panels, creating even more energy.

landscape. This isn’t the landscape you’re used to, however. With

Outdoor lounge areas surround the elegant infinity pool, including a

these homes, each half-acre plot of land is uniquely yours. As each

comfortable cabana space and sizable entertainment area complete

home is custom built, owners get to decide what they want to see.

with flat-screen TVs and a pool table. A state-of-the-art grill ensures

A basement level is a popular option, but don’t be fooled by the

that pool partiers need not go hungry, while the more easily pleased

name—with Marquis Homes the basement is more of a level zero that

can simply take up residence on the comfortable poolside lounge

further opens the home to sunshine. At the property’s model home,

chairs and enjoy the quiet. After-hours revelers can enjoy the third

the front door opens to a space overlooking a small courtyard on

story outdoor wet bar, comfortably fitted with couches and television

the basement level below, flooding the front hall with sunlight and

sets—although with the nighttime view of the Strip in the distance,

creating a space friendly to both entertaining and enjoying a

no one may be interested in what’s on TV.

Zen moment after a long day.

No matter how much entertaining you might want to do, it’s still

Jones refers to the courtyard space below as an “outdoor living room”

important to have a space of one’s own in a home. Each house

and further touring of the home reveals that it’s one of many. With a

features a master suite sectioned off from the rest of the house.

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Durette Studio 1007 South Main Street Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 Phone: 702.368.2601 www.winecellardesigns.biz

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All rights reserved. Each franchise independently owned and operated.

DESIGN architecture & style

Here, too, these homes offer something more than just an oversized

This choice of land was no accident. According to Jones, original

master bedroom. The master bathroom features a first-of-its-kind

landowner Bill Tomiyasu used to get seed money from Jones’s

bathtub with a ceiling mounted faucet, so the water streams from

grandmother each year for crops, creating a relationship that’s clearly

above. Not only can bathers control the temperature to the perfect

lasted through generations. With former and past residents including

degree, the bath can be run without worry. The tub has automatic

Mike Tyson, Suge Knight, Robert Goulet, Gladys Knight, Orson Welles,

sensors that stop the flow of water at a certain level, avoiding

and many prominent Las Vegas families, Tomiyasu Lane is a popular

potential overflow. “A lot of the things we have didn’t exist until this

area for the city’s biggest and brightest. With 14 lots originally

house,” Jones explains with a laugh.

available, the Marquis Homes development offers a chance for

The indoor/outdoor aspect of the rest of the home is also reflected

Las Vegas residents new and old to get in on a well-kept secret.

in the master bath. There’s an outdoor shower just off the master

For those not in the market for a new home, Jones suggests simple

bedroom area for relaxing or rinsing off after a swim. Steps from the

improvements to make your own home greener: retrofitting with

sliding glass door is a small Zen garden paired with the ultimate in

south-facing solar panels, new energy-efficient appliances, dual-

desert decadence, an outdoor canopy bed.

flush toilets and tankless hot water heaters. When building a new

In addition to being energy-efficient, Marquis Homes have partnered with Microsoft to stock each home with the most up-to-date technology available. These fully automated houses can be controlled from touch pads on the walls, portable remote controls, laptop computers, or even a PDA. Want to shut the door without leaving the couch? Bring the menu up on the TV and the sliding glass doors will

home, look for heating and cooling systems that run on natural gas as well. “It’s really the future of homebuilding,” Jones says, explaining his choice to go green, a choice that extends back to his company’s beginning in 2004. “All the builders eventually are going to be forced to get on board, and it’s the right thing to do.” Marquis Homes prove it’s not just right—it’s gorgeous.

shut for you. Frequent travelers need not worry about coming back to

Marquis Homes feature four different floor plans, each completely

an unwelcoming home, either. You can even start up the hot tub, turn

customizable from one to four stories, starting at $234/sq. ft. with

the lights on, and open the garage door right from your BlackBerry.

prices ranging from $1,100,000 to $1,500,000. For more information

As with any home, location is key. Marquis Homes are located on Tomiyasu Lane, a storied part of town known mostly to locals and

or to arrange a consultation at the Marquis sales center, call 531.3000 or visit marquisvegas.com.

the wealthy. Tomiyasu Lane offers a prime location right in town near both the 215 and 15 freeways and less than five minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. The Marquis Homes land tract lies across the street from local entertainment legend Wayne Newton’s palatial estate and borders the even larger Sunset Park. And it seems that even in the Las Vegas area, there are still some sections that aren’t destined for housing developments. Sunset Park is home to an endangered species of songbird and the land is off-limits for development, guaranteeing Marquis Homes’ residents an uninterrupted park view now and in the future.

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DESIGN architecture & style Clockwise from left: Earth Day celebration © NHA; Hard at work; In the green classroom © Alexis McAllister

A p r i l M cCoy

New Horizons Academy

Aiming to be the First LEED Certified School in Nevada W h at o n c e wa s a s s o c i at e d w i t h t r e e h u g g e r s a n d p e a c e m o v e m e n t s i s b e c o m i n g a r e a l i t y a c r o s s t h e w o r l d. G r e e n b u i l d i n g i s t h e p r a c t i c e o f i n c r e a s i n g t h e e f f i c i e n t u s e o f r e s o u r c e s w h i l e r e d u c i n g b u i l d i n g i m pa c t s o n h u m a n h e a lt h a n d t h e e n v i r o n m e n t.

Well-known slogans such as “save a tree, save the earth” and “recycle,

The school’s mission is to provide individualized learning programs in a

reduce, reuse” have become staples in many states as more people are

small group setting enabling each student to achieve social, emotional

recycling both at home and work, re-using purchased grocery bags to

and academic success in a safe, nurturing environment.

cut down on the use of plastics while developers are building green offices, homes and even schools.

Many students are told that there is something wrong with them because they are unable to learn at the same speed as other students or

New Horizons Academy (NHA), a private, non-profit, K-12 school which

because they are more active than other students. These students are

serves children with learning disabilities in the Las Vegas Valley and will

shunned in traditional school settings resulting in poor grades and low

soon be the first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

self-esteem. NHA embraces diverse learning environments changing

Green Building Rating System) certified school in the city and the state

its students’ frustrations and failures into confidence and academic

of Nevada. NHA was started in 1974 by Dr. Theresa Smith to help children

achievement. “Learning different students,” as the school calls it, include

who are intelligent but learn in a different, non-traditional manner.

high-risk students who suffer from sensory processing confusion, motor

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This Page: Rendering of the New Horizons campus © NHA

difficulties, attention deficit disorders (ADD/ADHD), and lack of language

“As one of the state’s most ambitious green building projects, NHA’s

and pragmatic skills, as well as other multi-sensory processing issues.

green building will be a nationally-recognized demonstration of

The school currently has a green classroom which is by far a favorite among the students. All aspects of the room are green—paint, carpet, desks, and even chairs. The room is lit by natural light which flows through fiber optic cables and small openings in the roof. Planets hang

healthy, energy-efficient, sustainable school design,” said Dr. Roger Gehring, executive director of New Horizons Academy and Project Green Champion. The school plans to build a 35,000-square-foot learning facility called The Energy Education Station which will feature solar power and seek the highest level of LEED green building certification.

from the ceiling and green and sustainable practices are taught in the classroom’s science program.

The mission of the Energy Education Station is “to promote an energy-conscious and educated Southern Nevada by constructing” a

“Studies have shown that people are more productive and healthier in

green campus that will serve “as a living, learning laboratory.” NHA also

green environments,” says Jan McAdams, Green Building Consultant.

hopes that the green campus will be “an energy and environmental

“Students have been sick less and grades have gone up” since the

demonstration for students, educators, business, government, and

establishment of the green classroom.

community leaders.”

The school will show its commitment to green building education and

A high performance school building must be healthy, productive, cost

outreach on Earth Day, April 22nd, by unveiling the “Green Classroom

effective, and sustainable. The new school building will feature efficient

Demonstration Project.” The school will also be hosting an event at the

resources such as recycled water, building and landscape materials;

Las Vegas Springs Preserve to celebrate Earth Day and to benefit the

a green roof; photovoltaic panels located on sun screens to provide

new green building project on April 24th.

solar power; daylight harvesting and light shifting; and thermal high

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This Page: Capturing daylight © Alexis McAllister

efficiency hot water generation. Construction of the building will

nine LEED certified buildings in Las Vegas. New Horizons Academy is

also include a maximized east/west orientation for light and shade,

truly benefiting students and the community alike with its sustainability

innovative porous paving techniques, recycled construction waste, and

practices. The greening of the city and state is a good thing—using less

Zero VOC (volatile organic compounds) emitting interior materials.

power, gas, and conserving is good for the environment and the people

New Horizon’s green campus project will cost $15 million, and the

who live in it.

school’s Building Committee is currently meeting with prospective

For more information on New Horizons Academy, their green campus

donors to secure funding. To date, NHA has secured $5.5 million in

project, and the school’s Earth Day event at Springs Preserve, please

pledges for the project. The project will be built by CORE Construction

visit energyeducationstation.org or nhalv.org.

and is scheduled to break ground in the fall of 2009. Core is the first construction company in the Valley to build its own sustainable office

New Horizons Academy

building. The company completed its new 12,543-square-foot office

6701 W. Charleston Blvd.

that operates on solar power and is one of the greenest buildings in

Las Vegas 89146

Nevada, seeking LEED-Gold certification. CORE has generously donated

876.1181

its services to construct the Energy Education Station.

Las Vegas was recently recognized for its use of green practices with a ranking of tenth on the 2008 U.S. Cities Sustainability Ranking list.

Las Vegas has been among the more progressive cities in its green efforts and has several LEED certified buildings. Currently, there are

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Shaun Se well

Increasing Your “Green”

Save Money and Improve Efficiency with a Home Energy Audit An energy audit of your home will help you save money in ways you couldn’t possibly imagine. For example, “phantom devices” such as microwaves, DVD players and computers left connected to a wall plug could cost you as much as $21 per month.

quality in your home. Les Lazareck of Home Energy Connection here in Las Vegas points out another important safety benefit. “Through an energy audit, systems such as gas appliances are checked to ensure that fumes are venting properly.”

Heating and air conditioning are the biggest users of energy in your home, so an energy audit that evaluates the performance of your appliances can find problems in your home that are causing higher energy bills.

To ensure that you receive the best information and best value, contact a certified HERS Rater. An HERS rater uses the Home Energy Rating System provided by the Energy Star program. A home energy audit usually costs around $700 for a 2,500-square-foot home with two air conditioning units. To find a certified rater visit resnet.us/ directory/raters.aspx.

Following the suggestions you receive from an energy audit will help you reduce your carbon footprint by increasing your energy efficiency. Suggestions could include using a water heater blanket, improving insulation, or making repairs to ventilation systems. In other words, your home will be greener.

With your health and safety in mind, a certified energy auditor will find those places in your home through which air is flowing in and out. Dust and allergens enter the home through these leaks.

Following the advice of an auditor will help to improve indoor air

You can also visit NV Energy online at nvenergy.com. Sign up for an account and complete an online energy survey. This online tool will provide you with helpful suggestions on how to reduce your home energy costs.

Home Energy Connection 451.8630 homenergyconnection.com

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Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant at the Springs Preserve focuses on food that’s seasonal, organic, ecologically responsible and delicious! You can enjoy a meal that’s good for you and good for the earth. A compulsive composter waxes poetic on the benefits of recycling the right materials to fertilize naturally and reduce our impact on the earth

the local spotlight

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d i n i n g & R e ta i l

ARTICLES Sustainably Delicious Café by Wolfgang Puck at the Springs Preserve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Compost Confessional Craig Comes Clean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

facing page: Sustainable and delectable © Grace Rakich

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This Page: Chef Peter Sherlock in the kitchen © Grace Rakich

H e k t o r D . E s pa r z a

Sustainably Delicious

Café by Wolfgang Puck at the Springs Preserve W h i l e L a s V e g a s i s a c i t y o f t e n a s s o c i at e d w i t h o v e r - t h e - t o p, w o r l d - c l a s s d i n i n g , i t j u s t m i g h t b e t h e l a s t p l a c e a n y o n e w o u l d e x p e c t t o f i n d a r e s ta u r a n t d e s i g n e d f r o m t h e g r o u n d u p w i t h e c o l o g i c a l a n d e n v i r o n m e n ta l e t h i c s i n m i n d.

Yet that is exactly what has been achieved at Café by Wolfgang Puck

taken on the sustainability mantle and are raising awareness one

at the Springs Preserve. From floor to ceiling and dish to dishwasher,

plate at a time.

great care has been taken to minimize the restaurant’s environmental impact. It’s an impressive achievement to be sure, and it was a long

Stepping up to take charge at Café by Wolfgang Puck, the Valley’s only restaurant housed in a certified Platinum LEED green designed

time in the making.

building, is Executive Chef Peter Sherlock. A veteran food professional Twenty years ago few people would have guessed that the

with more than 20 years experience in high-volume fine dining,

environmental movement would get a potent shot in the arm from

Sherlock eagerly accepted the task of taking “green restaurateuring”

high profile chefs and their patrons. But as fine-dining establishments

to its logical next step. This would mean a comprehensive rethinking

became more common and executive chefs were elevated to celebrity

of how a restaurant is equipped, stocked, and managed.

status, the quality and sustainability of the foods served in these restaurants came under increasing scrutiny. Internationally known

As Sherlock explains, “There’s been an initiative over the past 12 years

celebrity chefs like Mario Batali, Jamie Oliver, and Emeril Lagasse have

with Wolfgang Puck to be sustainable, organic, and more eco-friendly.

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With the Springs Preserve people, they wanted this restaurant to be a

Yet tasteless produce, cramped chickens, and cattle of dubious origins

good marriage and it is, because that is what Wolfgang Puck is all about.”

are but minor concerns when compared to the plight of the world’s

Many restaurants have made the shift to incorporating at least some ecologically friendly practices into their businesses. The challenge

fisheries. A consensus of top scientists predicts a major collapse of fisheries around the globe by the year 2040 if systemic checks are not put in place soon.

put before Sherlock however, would include everything from electricity and water usage to the furniture, china, and glassware

As any chef worth her salt will tell you, “sourcing is everything.”

used in the restaurant.

Alice Waters knew this when she opened the now famed Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California in 1971. Nearly four decades later her

“Seventy percent of the electricity we use is generated by solar

philosophy of using only fresh, seasonal, and mostly local ingredients

panels,” says Sherlock. “The china is a clay product that is made

has garnered her fame and fortune and has inspired generations of

just for us. If a piece is broken we can recycle it. It is ground up and

top-notch chefs around the world.

turned into sludge, then reshaped and fired, and sent back to us.”

Additionally, the glass plates used for its catering service are made

The good news: more people are taking notice and demanding

from 100% post consumer material.

change. Across the board, from seafood to celery the trend is local, seasonal, sustainable, and organic. It’s a shift in thinking that food

Because the wastewater at the Café ends up in the Preserve’s

lovers everywhere are latching onto. From Alice Waters to Wolfgang

gardens, special attention must be given to the cleaning solutions

Puck the mindset that sees the world’s food resources as precious and

that are used in the kitchen. “We use enzyme-based cleaners from

worth taking care of is spreading.

the Ecolab company. For our floors, we scrub them and use a friendly bacteria that eats harmful bacteria. The water from the Café goes into irrigation for the Preserve. If we used bleach it would kill all the plants here. So the water goes into a mechanical cleaning and filtering system and then is exposed to UV light to eliminate [pathogens],” explains Sherlock, while seated at a desk made from banana tree fiber, a low-impact renewable resource.

“Everyone is jumping on this bandwagon to use organic, natural, free-range,” explains Sherlock. “Just for how the animal is treated and how the meat tastes. Free-range animals are exercising, so there is more blood flow to the muscles, combined with natural feed, you get a chicken that tastes like chicken.”

At the Café by Wolfgang Puck at the Springs Preserve a serious

Today it is nearly impossible to have a conversation with a chef or serious foodie without the issues of sustainable and ecologically responsible food-sourcing arising. Intensive agriculture has yielded cosmetically uniform produce that packs, travels, and sits in supermarket displays well, but is often found wanting in flavor and texture. When it comes to protein selection the situation is even

commitment to the sourcing of ingredients is applied to everything on the menu. For seafood sourcing Sherlock uses the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch database to ensure that all of the seafood on the menu is sustainable. If that information is not readily available on their website, a quick email or phone call lets him know which products to buy and which to avoid.

worse. In the interest of lowering costs and increasing production, the

For produce and other products, he offers that sometimes sourcing

modern industrialized livestock industry stands accused of feeding

better ingredients is just a matter of asking questions. “For example

animals food that is far from their natural diet, remedying their

I can buy a three-pound case of commodity mixed baby field greens

resultant digestive problems with drugs, and confining many species

for $12.50, or I can buy a certified organic case from the same

to very limited areas or cages.

company for the same price. It’s just a matter of picking up the phone

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clockwise from left: Chinese chicken salad; Springs Preserve Café; Recyclable dishes © Grace Rakich

and talking to your vendor,” says Sherlock. “We make our own breads

Café by Wolfgang Puck

for our sandwiches. You can buy organic flour for an extra $8 per

Springs Preserve

fifty-pound bag, and big deal. You are using a better, cleaner product.”

Open daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

333 S. Valley View Blvd.

Even after the extra cost, time, and effort put into the food at the

Las Vegas 89107

Café, the prices on the menu remain competitive. “The burger that

822.8716

we make is an American Kobe style beef from Colorado. It comes on

springspreserve.org

a homemade bun with fresh organic lettuce, tomatoes, and a pasta salad, side salad or fries. It’s $11 dollars out-the-door. You would pay well over $20 on the Strip for a similar meal.”

In the end, taking these extra measures is about more than just feeling good about what you are eating today. As Sherlock says, “When you are talking about sustainability, you are not just considering what makes sense for today and tomorrow. You are thinking about years down the line, the health of the planet, and your children’s future food supply.”

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clockwise from left: Organic homegrown tomato; Black gold; Craig’s compost © Alexis McAllister

Craig M. Schaefer

Compost Confessional Craig Comes Clean

P s s s t… . wa n t t o k n o w a s e c r e t ? A l i t t l e i n s i d e i n f o r m at i o n f r o m a n av e r a g e g u y l i v i n g t h e A m e r i c a n D r e a m . . . w i f e , k i d, h o u s e a n d d o g ? M y s e c r e t i s n e i t h e r i l l e g a l n o r i m m o r a l . I t m i g h t b e a l i t t l e o d d, b u t I l o v e i t. M y c o n f e s s i o n i s t h at I a m a c o m p u l s i v e c o m p o s t e r .

Okay. I know that it is not the most electrifying confession; my

of vermin overrunning our yard, so the next thing I knew I was sent

obsession is an enjoyable one nonetheless. I make coffee on the

to the public library. Still in the grips of newly married bliss, I obeyed

weekends just so I can add the grounds to my mix. When my wife eats a

without question. My wife needed proof that compost wouldn’t be

banana, I can scarcely contain my eagerness to grab the peel and race

stinky or attractive to mice. She made me review books, videos, and

to the backyard.

even a report authored by the State of Washington speaking to the

My compulsion started about ten years ago when my wife and I lived in Blaine, Washington. We had just been married and bought our very first house in quite a rural setting. Our lot contained over a dozen towering evergreen and deciduous trees. Garbage was picked up only twice a month, so there really was not a simple option to get rid of the leaves.

When I was a kid my grandparents had a compost pile, so I thought we

benefits of composting.

While I still snicker about the amount of research I did, it truly came to be very helpful. I found that compost is basically the result of billions of microbes breaking down materials into fertile garden soil. There are four major components: container, food, water, and air, and like any good recipe, the right proportions are key.

should consider it for our situation. I spoke to my wife. She had visions

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F L AV O R d i n i n g & r e t a i l This Page: In the mix © Alexis McAllister

A simple garbage can with a lid will work as a container. The food

Locally, the Springs Preserve is a good resource if you’re interested

should consist of equal parts nitrogen and carbon-based items.

in doing your own composting. They even periodically offer classes

I remember the adage of “browns” and “greens.” The “browns” are dry

on how to get started. Their class schedule is on their website,

and dead plant materials such as straw, dry brown weeds, autumn

springspreserve.org. You can also find more information by checking

leaves, and wood chips or sawdust; the “greens” are fresh materials such

out howtocompost.org. Finally, The University of Nevada Cooperative

as grass clippings, celery stalks, lettuce, apple cores, coffee grounds, or

Extension has a website with loads of information for gardeners and

any fruit and vegetable waste from the kitchen.

composters. Check out unce.unr.edu.

The water can be supplied by a watering can once or twice a month, just enough to keep the material damp. The air is a reference that reminds us to mix the pile to ensure the items are not compacted together. Remember that the microbes are living beings, so no air–no compost. Simply add food, water, and mix once a week and within two to three months, you are ready to sift and spread around the yard.

The benefits of composting don’t end in our yard. By taking scraps from our kitchen that would ordinarily end up in a landfill, we reduce our impact on the earth. The all-natural fertilizer that we use on our plants and lawn has no negative impact on the environment. If it runs off and back into the water supply, well, it’s just food for the fish. And best of all, I’m able to teach my son about how doing something so simple can really make the world a better place to live.

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Las Vegas, NV 89146 876-1181 nhalv.org

Call (702) 822-6920 for more details, Contact Amy Anderson at aanderson@mdausa.org or Jacquelynn Gistarb at jgistarb@mdausa.org for sponsorship opportunities or log onto: https://www.joinmda.org/stridelv09 to sign up your team!

Registration and breakfast will begin at 8:30 a.m.

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YOUR GREEN THUMB IS SHOWING!

Save the Date!

Run Away with Cirque du Soleil® at the Springs Preserve–a 5K Run and 1M Fun Walk benefiting the Springs Preserve.

Saturday, March 21, 2009 8:30 am Shotgun Start with Mayor Oscar Goodman.

For more information visit: www.cirquedusoleil.com/5KRun

Explore, Play and Learn on 180 acres of green museums, gardens, theaters and animal habitats habitats. The Springs Preserve isn’t your ordinary attraction.

After all, it’s Vegas baby—feel the rush of a 5,000-gallon flash flood, virtually suspend yourself over Hoover Dam or take in the views from the balcony of the Springs Cafe by Wolfgang Puck. You’re in the middle of the action and at the heart of the world’s premier attraction for sustainable living.

The Springs Preserve—another side of Vegas

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