I had the wonderful opportunity this week of meeting with Mr. Robert Mechielsen along with his two clients, who will soon be breaking ground on the Pasadena Eco House. Mr. Mechielsen is the architect behind this phenomenal project that could easily revolutionize the manner in which homes are constructed throughout this country. The home has been designed to utilize a mixture of green building materials including energy savings, environmental controls, building techniques that are ecologically responsible, and the use of sustainable materials. These components will come together to produce a synergistic effect creating a structure which has a greater fire tolerance, is more resistant to hurricane force winds and can be built to withstand more powerful earthquakes. We feel very privileged to be a part of this project and look forward to providing you with an ongoing inside look into the construction, development, and design of this highly awaited endeavor.

How Green Are You?

As we prepare to bring you the details of how ecologically friendly building practices and sustainable materials will improve and enhance our lives, now would be a good time to test your homes to see how “green” your living practices are and what steps can you take to reduce your own personal greenhouse gases? By entering the data in the personal emissions calculator, you will be provided with a number showing your greenhouse gas emissions that will probably surprise you.

Fear not however. Help is at hand. After you pick yourself up off of the floor check out these action steps for an immediate plan of improvement. The City of Pasadena in conjunction with Pasadena Water & Power also has some excellent programs to assist you in your efforts to improve your own “green” initiative. They will provide rebates on certain appliances and fixtures that help save water and electricity. What a great opportunity to replace those old systems with new energy efficient cost saving alternatives.

Tags: City of Pasadena, environmentally friendly, pasadena green initiative

An article was recently published by US News & World Reports. They did an extensive study on the Best High Schools of 2008. The study included about 18,000 schools. The two local schools that ranked in the top 100 and received “gold” status were San Marino High and La Canada High. Pasadena High Schools did not make the list.

Then they awarded “silver status” to top schools numbering from 101 to 505. Local schools making the list were Arcadia High, Crescenta Valley High, Eagle Rock High, Temple City High, South Pasadena High, Gabrielino (San Gabriel), Anderson Clark Magnet (La Crescenta) and Herbert Hoover (Glendale). Unfortunately, none of the schools in Pasadena were awarded “Silver” medals.

If you have Gold and Silver, you have to have Bronze. The “Bronze” category included about another 1100 schools. Again, Pasadena was noticeably absent.

Pasadena, A First Class City?

I don’t think you will get an argument from any resident of Pasadena that this is a first class city. The scenic beauty, the annual attractions and overall amenities are beyond compare. Why then does there seem to be such a disconnect when it comes to our public schools? We are surrounded by quality educational establishments, just look at the list. Don’t our kids growing up in Pasadena deserve better? Shouldn’t they have the same opportunities as kids in Arcadia, South Pasadena, Temple City and Eagle Rock? Absolutely, unequivocally right they should. Then why don’t they?

Our Kids Deserve the Best

There are very few things in life that I feel people are entitled to. Public education however is one of them. Let me rephrase that. An excellent public education should be one of them! When you consider the taxes you pay to live here, do you feel you get your money’s worth? Wasn’t this country founded upon “taxation without representation”? Do Pasadena schools represent the best we have to offer or can we do better?

What Will it Take to Improve the Schools?

If there is such as thing as a “Pasadena Priority List”, it would be interesting to see where our public education system ranks. Furthermore, I would enjoy hearing why we are surrounded by higher ranking schools. Are there any plans in place to improve the performance or have we just decided status quo, steady as she goes. Could it be that Pasadena has far too many national events that place it in the limelight and we just do not have time to produce a top notch school system?

Tags: City of Pasadena, Pasadena schools

With a population of just over 134,000, Pasadena, CA lies at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Primarily known for being a winter resort home to the annual New Years Day Rose Bowl Tournament of Roses parade and college football game, Pasadena is also the home of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology.

Transportation Drives Early Growth

Founded in 1874, the city was incorporated in 1886. Like most Southern California towns of the 20th century, Pasadena grew rapidly as a result of the construction of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the subsequent construction of the local freeway system that linked Pasadena to Los Angeles and points to the southwest. Serving as the citrus capitol of the west, Pasadena experienced continued growth and notoriety as a leader in agriculture and as a prime tourist destination.

Unique Neighborhoods and Architectural Styles

Pasadena residents are proud of the city’s heritage and preserve it through neighborhood associations and special designations. Bungalow Heaven, Garfield Heights, Madison Heights, and the Historic Highlands are just a few you will find throughout the city. Also, Pasadena Heritage can keep you updated on special events during the year.

Hub for the Performing Arts

Pasadena residents enjoy the arts scene with their local symphony orchestra, a community playhouse, the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens; the Norton Simon Museum; the Pacific Asia Museum and several gardens noted for their rare display of flora. The Levitt Pavilion hosts free summer concerts in the park with a wide variety of music to suit everyone’s taste.

Shopping - Exclusive Designers & Fleas Too!

Shoppers will find a broad range of choices for all budgets including Old Town Pasadena, which is a popular shopping and dining venue for locals and tourists alike. Paseo Colorado offers a more upscale shopping experience complete with a mall designed to be a modern urban village, complimented by apartments above the mall. An exclusive shopping district is also located in the South Lake neighborhood as well.

If the flea market matches your style and budget, don’t miss the Rose Bowl Flea Market which is a large swap meet that involves thousands of dealers and tens of thousands of visitors who visit in and around the grounds of the Rose Bowl. Merchandise offered at this venue ranges from old world antiques to California pottery and vintage clothing. Open every second Sunday of the month since 1967, the swap meet is open rain or shine. The Pasadena City College Flea Market happens the first Sunday of every month on a smaller scale, but with just as many bargains.

Tags: City of Pasadena, Pasadena California