Living in the Neighborhood

“In the Know in Our Neighborhood” is intended to provide important, useful, or interesting information that might not be known by all neighbors. I need topics that you feel appropriate. If you have ideas, call Dave Smith (704.987.1472) or e-mail davidbsmith@bellsouth.net.

Yard-of-the-Month Winner – August, 2006

The Landscape & Grounds Committee congratulates Pat and Mike Stenhouse of 115 Caldwell Avenue as the August 2006 winner of the “Yard-of-the-Month.” The Stenhouses have done an outstanding job on a corner lot. The entire yard is manicured and enhanced with seasonal color with both annuals and perennials. They have effectively used trees, shrubs and flowers to give great visual appeal from every angle. As a corner lot, you can view the yard from Caldwell or from Twain.

Pat & Mike pose proudly in front of the neighborhood Star of Excellence. Just think – “A Corner lot equals two yards and they are both gorgeous!”

Selection Criteria for Yard-of-the Month

Each month from April through November, a yard will be selected among single-family homes. The home will be selected one or two weeks prior to the month of the award and will be featured in the newsletter and posted on the website.

The criteria established by the Selection Committee (representatives from the neighborhood) are listed again to help all neighbors recognize and develop outstanding yards in our neighborhood. Several good candidates were not considered due to the fact that the grass strip between the sidewalk and street was not maintained. This grass/planting area is the owner’s responsibility and has been added to the criteria for clarification.

The total exterior appearance of the yard should be one of neatness and visually appealing as evidenced by:

• Mowed and edged lawns.
• Well defined planting beds that are mulched and weed-free.
• Pruned shrubs and trees.
• Effective use of seasonal color through plantings of annuals and/or perennials.
• Plantings in scale to size of yard.
• No, trash, junk, or dead plant/grass material.

If you have questions or suggestions regarding this plan, please call Shirley Fischer at 704.894.0222.

Some Thoughts about Stewardship and Global Warming

In Genesis, God gave us dominion over the earth and commanded that we be good stewards. Right now we are falling a bit short. And we are getting ready to pay for it.

Animals breathe oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide. Plants in essence breathe carbon dioxide and exhale oxygen. These two gases have been in relative balance for a long time. Life as we know it depends on that balance. Carbon dioxide is also a natural and inescapable byproduct of the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels – primarily coal & petroleum and now ethanol & methanol. We are currently burning an enormous amount of hydrocarbon fuels and producing more carbon dioxide than the world’s plants can process. The carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are increasing. Carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere. Global temperatures are starting to rise. A small change in global temperatures (less than 10 degrees) will bring about catastrophic climate changes. When the climatic changes begin to kill off plant life, we will have a runaway situation. Life as we know it will be over. If nothing changes, it may happen in our children’s lifetime, almost certainly in our grandchildren’s lifetime.

The United States is the major hydrocarbon fuel consumer. If everyone here in the United States makes a few simple changes, we can substantially reduce carbon dioxide production and reverse this most dangerous situation. We don’t need the world’s cooperation. We did it ourselves and we can fix it ourselves. Anything we do to reduce energy consumption also reduces carbon dioxide production.

In coming newsletters, we will look at specific things we can all do that make a big difference - simple changes that we all can make. It is better that we should give up a little now so that or children and grandchildren do not live in a world than makes Hell seem like a vacation.

Mike Stenhouse
Concerned Resident of New Neighborhood

Articles about recycling and about the environmental impact of our actions as residents of the planet Earth are among the most frequently discussed and requested issues in our neighborhood. To that end, Mike Stenhouse has written a series of articles that will discuss the causes and some solutions of global warming. “Is global warming fact or fiction?” You may be surprised to hear what Mike has to say and the impact that we can make as individuals.