the
Volume 9 | Issue 4
EYE ON THE
APRIL 2018
APRIL happenings
market
Spring is off to a great start here in our region. Our local economy shows no signs of slowing and the healthy job market continues to attract high-wageearning homebuyers to our region. Prospective buyers are increasingly looking to North Sound and South Sound communities to find homes that meet their needs and their budgets. The time it takes to commute into job centers is an important consideration for these buyers, but both finished and planned public transportation improvements such as light rail, HOV lane construction and foot ferries have homebuyers expanding their search areas. These outlying areas are also experiencing stunning price increases, but prices remain within range to continue to attract buyers. Many cities in these outlying areas are fighting against becoming bedroom communities by increasing efforts to
attract large employers and keep residents working (and spending their hard-earned money) closer to home. Our local market remains hot, and the most recent sales statistics from the Northwest MLS show why the Puget Sound area is currently the most competitive market in the U.S.: Closed-sales prices for single-family homes are again up year-over-year in King County by 15.04 percent, while in Snohomish County, prices are up by 17.58 percent and in Pierce County by 16.07 percent. Industry experts attribute the price increases to the steady flow of homebuyers entering the market and competing for homes, as well as to persistent low inventory throughout our region. Meanwhile, mortgage rates continue their slow upward march; however, given that the rates are still historically low, to this point, the upward trend is not deterring homebuyers from continuing their quests.
celebrating EARTH DAY EVERYDAY A few ideas for celebrating Earth Day in your home and your daily life: Walk or bike to work. Reduce your Go to e-stewards.org to find a facility footprint on the Earth by leaving your that will help you recycle your e-waste in car at home whenever possible. You a safe and responsible manner. benefit from the heart-healthy exercise, Reduce junk mail. One and the Earth benefits hundred million trees are cut because, with one less car down each year to produce on the road, there are junk mail, and the resulting fewer carbon emissions. loss of trees takes a huge toll Recycle your e-waste. on the Earth. Return junk More than 50 million tons mail unopened to the sender of electronic waste are by writing "Refused. Return generated each year in the U.S. alone, to sender.” Opt out of prescreened and only 20 to 25 percent of the waste is credit offers permanently or for five responsibly recycled. As a direct years online at optoutprescreen.com. consequence, large amounts of Decide what other mail you do not want hazardous materials such as lead, mercury to receive by going to DMAchoice.org. and cadmium leach into our air and (continued on next page) water, contaminating our communities.
1 Easter Brunch at Tillicum argosycruises.com
1-30 Skagit Valley Tulip Festival tulipfestival.org 7 The Gray Sky Blues Music Festival tacomaevents.com 8 Emerald City Ride 2018 cascade.org 14 9th Annual Aha Mele Hawaiian Festival facebook.com/events 14 & 22 Free State Park Day discoverpass.wa.gov 19-22 Spring Fair thefair.com/spring-fair 20-22 Cherry Blossom & Japanese Cultural Festival cherryblossomfest.org 21 Earth Day at the Arboretum eventbrite.com 21 North Bend Jazz Walk northbendjazzwalk.com 28 Everett/Arlington Color Vibe 5K thecolorvibe.com
TAKING CARE OF tulips Bringing tulips home from the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival? Here’s how to make them last: • Choose tulips that are tightly closed; this means they are fresher. • Select a vase that is half the height of the tulip stems • Fill the vase one-third full, as tulips do better in shallow water. • Re-cut 1/4 inch and rewater daily. • Keep them away from direct sunlight and heat. • At night, store them in the coolest room in the house. • Place a penny in the bottom of the vase ... it’s been said to work!
April
I M P O R TA N T D AT E S
Sunday, April 1 Happy Easter
Sunday, April 22 Earth Day
Sunday, April 1 Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Begins
Wednesday, April 25 Administrative Professionals Day
Friday, April 6 Walk to Work Day
Thursday, April 26 Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
Saturday, April 7 World Health Day
Friday, April 27 Arbor Day
Tuesday, April 17 Tax Day
LOCAL
Eating food that is grown locally helps the local economy and also the environment, as it has traveled only a short distance to get to your table. Below you’ll find where you can purchase local produce, as well as information on the benefits of doing so.
online information & resources
celebrating EARTH DAY EVERYDAY (continued from previous page)
Donate your old clothes. Much of your old, unused clothing can be given a second life by others who purchase secondhand; regenerated into textiles for other products such as cleaning cloths; or turned into fibers for insulation. Goodwill, Value Village and the Salvation Army all participate in “threadcycling” programs and accept clothing in any condition except wet, mildewed or contaminated with hazardous materials. Reduce energy use at home. Use the auto brightness feature on your TV to lower the brightness in low light (nighttime); wash clothes in cold water and spin at the highest speed (removes the most moisture, which means less time in the dryer); completely unplug gaming consoles and DVRs when you’re
eating
out of town, as these types of electronics are drawing power even when turned off. Use small kitchen appliances such as a toaster oven instead of the stove. We’ve heard for years that we should use compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. LEDs are more expensive but last longer and will save you money over their lifetime. Help end plastics pollution. Beginning to reduce your use of plastics can be as simple as telling your restaurant server that you don’t need a straw. Other simple ways include bringing your reusable bags with you to the grocery store; while there, select products without plastic packaging. Stay hydrated with a reusable water bottle. Find a plastics footprint calculator and more at earthday.org.
eat locally WITH PUGET SOUND-AREA CSAs
foodtank.com localharvest.org cityfruit.org seattletilth.org sustainablecapitolhill.org sustainabletable.org urbanfarmhub.org
local produce delivered & for pickup pugetsoundfresh.org/find-csa localharvest.org/csa
farmers markets & shops bellevuefarmersmarket.org everettfarmersmarket.net federalwayfarmersmarket.com fremontmarket.com kentfarmersmarket.com maplevalleyfarmersmarket.org pikeplacemarket.org proctorfarmersmarket.com puyallupmainstreet.com rentonfarmersmarket.com seattlefarmersmarkets.org sfmamarkets.com snohomishfarmersmarket.org tacomafarmersmarket.com vigavashon.org/farmers-market wafarmersmarkets.org
Joining a CSA is great for the environment—and your health!
We all know that eating locally is great for the environment. We reduce the strain on the environment by shortening the length of time and the transportation resources it takes to get produce from the farm to our table. We also know that eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables is good for our health. Community Supported Agriculture programs, commonly known as CSAs, help us accomplish both.
HOW DOES IT WORK? Families pay an annual fee in the spring or winter that entitles them to a “share” of the season’s upcoming harvest. Once harvesting begins, members pick up a weekly box of local, in-season food items that may include fruits, vegetables, cheeses, eggs, honey, meats, poultry, flowers, herbs or preserves. What you get depends on the CSA you sign up with, and each week’s delivery may vary as the year progresses and produce comes into season. Some farms will include recipes and cooking tips that coincide with what’s included in that week’s delivery. This is Volume 9 | Issue 4
especially helpful if you’re unfamiliar with a particular food item. Most CSAs offer various delivery box sizes and price points to accommodate households of various sizes. Each CSA will usually have a few pickup sites within its service area, so be sure to find one with a pickup location convenient for your home, work or school schedule. It’s a good idea to check with each CSA directly before choosing one that fits your needs, because each CSA works a bit differently. More information can be found at: pugetsoundfresh.org localharvest.org/csa