FREE Smoke Alarms
Did you know that 7 people die in home fires every day? If you don’t have a smoke alarm in each of your bedrooms, the American Red Cross will install […]
Sesame Street for Syrian Refugees
How do we comfort Syrian refugee children when their world is in shambles? Sesame Street to the rescue! With 6 million children displaced because of the conflict in Syria, they […]
Homeowners: What’s Your Wildfire Scarlet Letter Score?
Remember Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter? Insurance companies are “branding” homeowners with a WILDFIRE RISK SCORE. Yup! Based on your defensible space around your home (100 feet), community wildfire-mitigation efforts (Micro Communities!), construction […]
VIDEO: Zachary George’s TEDxMeritAcademy Video!
In September, Merit Academy hosted TEDxMeritAcademy at DNA’s Comedy Lab in Santa Cruz. Zachary George was a featured speaker, and his TEDx Talk is embedded below. “What If We Restructured […]
Rich Kids Have it Easier
Do rich students have a better chance of getting into top colleges? One-hundred percent YES! 20% of millionaires under age 55 spend more than $50,000 to get their kids into […]
VIDEO: Spencer Balliet’s TEDxMeritAcademy Video!
In September, Merit Academy hosted TEDxMeritAcademy at DNA’s Comedy Lab in Santa Cruz. Spencer Balliet was a featured speaker, and his TEDx Talk is embedded below. “Why Plastic Belongs in […]
Holiday Lip Balm Gifts
This year our holiday gift is lip balm made from organic oils and butters – no paraffins, preservatives, or chemicals. We mixed in our favorite essential oils, heated it up, […]
Methane (Natural Gas) Appliances Ban Beginning in California
One way to “divest” in natural gas (AKA METHANE) is to buy and install all-electric appliances. Yup! Don’t buy gas-powered appliances this holiday – and replace your gas stoves, heaters, […]
New Podcast: Consumerism and the Holidays
In today’s podcast, I talk about why and how I changed my gift-giving habits. This year, instead of feeling the pressure to buy buy buy, let’s slow down and think […]
Fire Insurance Non-Renewals
Worried about losing your homeowner’s insurance due to your fire risk? Finally, some good news. The California Insurance Dept just prohibited insurance companies from not renewing policies for homeowners living […]