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The Passive House: Minimum Energy, Maximum Comfort

As our climate changes, leading to colder winters and hotter summers—along with more intense wildfire smoke infiltrating the valley—one Sacramento builder is bringing a new type of structure to town. It’s called a “passive house,” an airtight abode that even our region’s dreaded pollen can’t work its way into. And despite its seemingly laissez-faire moniker, the concept is a proactive step toward the future of sustainable home design.

E-Waste Not

The last place you want to toss old tech is in the trash. Instead, there are far more environmentally friendly—and sometimes even profitable—ways to eliminate your e-waste.

Eat Eco

Greener eggs and ham ... and chicken and carrots. Restaurants around town, from Mulvaney’s in midtown to Almighty in El Dorado Hills, are dishing out planet-wise plates and raising their sustainability game.

Can Electric Bikes Help Save The Planet?

Pre-pandemic, electric Jump bike rentals in Sacramento trailed only Paris in popularity. Today, electric bike ownership is soaring. From commuters to joyriders to grandmothers, e-bikes are turning even non-cyclists into e-vangelists (like Rocklin City Councilmember Jill Gayaldo, pictured below) and creating a greener, less fossil-fuel-filled world. Now we just need more of our region’s leaders to make it easier and safer for all of us to plug and play.

Younglandia

In an industry where women rarely take center stage, Julie Young has quietly become one of the most significant and thoughtful urban developers in the region—crafting exquisitely curated projects that bloom like defiant wildflowers in the concrete jungle. And now, through sheer tenacity and savvy scrappiness, she may just have unlocked the mystery to attainable housing that aspires to forward-thinking design as much as affordability. It’s a beautiful day in her neighborhood, indeed.

Bee the Change

In recent years, a global trend of topping bus shelters with bee-friendly gardens has been spreading like, well, wildflowers. With Earth Day coming up on April 22, here’s the buzz on eco-forward “bee stops.”

Where It’s Easy Being Green

Welcome to Nudge Eco Store, a retail wonderland where you can shop guilt-free, because every item—from shampoo bars to bamboo bandages to vegan eyeshadows—on the recycled shelves of this midtown boutique is sustainably made. If you’re aspiring to live a more earth-friendly lifestyle, this shop will gently guide you in the right direction.

Love Shack

The Urban Roots team brings new life to a beloved East Sacramento hangout, retaining its unique flavor while reimagining it with a Mexican comfort menu. Cervecería at The Shack, welcome to the neighborhood.

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Sactown Fall 2025 Issue Cover

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