[GSBN] Holiday Greeetings ... and the Favor of Your Support

[David Arkin, AIA]

Hello GSBN Community:

In short, I'm aiming to counter a promotion of excess with the message of simplicity ... see below, and if so inclined, please share it with your circles.  

Apologies for this being slightly off topic, and doubly so that ours isn't (yet) a straw-bale home.  Nonetheless, sincere good wishes for the Holidays,

David

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Dear Friends Near and Far:

Patch.com has launched a 'Deck the House' contest:  http://deckthehouse.patch.com/contest/albany  The premise is that the 'best decked' house in the US wins $100,000 for their local school district.  As you'll see from the links below, some (most) use electricity like there's no tomorrow.  In fact, Patch is giving 24 finalists $500 to offset their December energy bills.  

We've decked our house with 6.3 watts of electricity ... probably a lot less than most of the others, but enough to add a little cheer to our street on dark winter nights.  So far as I can tell ours is the only house from our town posted right now, and it's easily the lowest energy user of them all.  See it and please vote for it at this link:

http://deckthehouse.patch.com/entry/229160

Please forward the link and this message around ... together we can spread the word that simplicity and conservation and renewable energy are worthy of celebration, and maybe just maybe win that $100,000 for our local Albany, CA schools.  But we have to spread the word fast ... the leader (so far as I can tell) now has 1746 votes, and voting ends on Dec. 26th.  

Three things worth noting:
• People can vote for one entry per day, between now and Dec. 26th
• One doesn't need a Facebook account to vote ... just follow the instructions to set up a temporary account just for the purpose of voting
• You'll be asked if you allow Patch to post to Facebook as you ... you can say 'don't allow' if you'd rather it didn't, and your vote still counts, but if you do say 'allow' all it does is post your vote on your facebook page... it won't keep posting as you into the future.  

Thanks and Good Wishes to one and all for the Holidays!

David Arkin

ps:  One has to awe and be shocked at the time and effort it takes to do some of these, though:

A typical entry:  http://deckthehouse.patch.com/entry/228888

A top vote getter:  http://deckthehouse.patch.com/entry/226635

Current (pun intended) leader:  http://deckthehouse.patch.com/entry/222557

And, imho, one that sums it all all up just a bit too well!:  http://deckthehouse.patch.com/entry/224632

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Arkin Tilt Architects
Ecological Planning & Design

CoolCalifornia.org
2011 Small Business of the Year
http://coolcalifornia.org/article/2011-award-winners

David Arkin, AIA, Architect
LEED Accredited Professional
CA #C22459/NV #5030

1101 8th St. #180, Berkeley, CA  94710
510/528-9830
www.arkintilt.com

"There is no way to peace. Peace is the way."
— A. J. Muste 






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