Sacred Rocks: South California’s Green Nature Reserve

Twenty years ago, cash was king. Businesses looked to maximize their income at any cost, and many resorted to environmentally unfriendly tactics to get there. We’ve seen numerous green disasters over the years, and at Sacred Rocks Reserve we’re proud to say we’ve never been involved.

You see, we take a green approach to our natural reserve. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to see so-called “natural” sites that are really resource-hogs, cranking through energy and failing to recycle even the simplest materials. We don’t believe in that – we want to run a natural reserve that’s 100% green and very earth-friendly.

That’s why we recycled over 850 abandoned tires in 2003. It’s why we removed over 80 tons of trash from our land upon purpose. It’s why we heat our pool using a solar blanket, and it’s why we’ve placed recycling containers throughout the park. We don’t just want to be green by ourselves – we want you to help.

Beyond using energy-friendly options for our facilities and park, we take green approaches to everything from drinking water to recycled firewood. An effort to conservation and the environment doesn’t end with efficient lighting and recycling, it requires an understanding of the earth.

We’ve made hundreds of efforts to be green, and we’re proud of it. If you’re tired of the city’s noise, hustle, and bustle, our green nature reserve could be the natural retreat you need. Just 70 miles from San Diego, we’re the most convenient green retreat you’ll find for a weekend getaway or long-term RV trip.

Sacred Rocks RV Park is the greenest and most restful of San Diego RV parks. Locals and out-of-state visitors alike enjoy the best San Diego camping on 163 acres of countryside, with lots of shade trees, native wildlife and chaparral.

How to Make your Business Eco-Friendly, Step 4

The Underground: We ran into a few challenges when working through the underground issues.

1. No one knew or mapped where the main water valves were
2. The electric meters were ancient and broken
3. No one know where the septic tanks were, or lids

Can you see? Can you image digging over 17000 feet of trenches – by HAND? Yes, it mostly had to be dug from site to site to site, avoiding existing pipes that worked, laying in new piping for telephone wires, repairing old water, electric and sewer connections, all the time avoiding tree roots to keep from killing the beautiful oak trees. Thanks to workers from the Freedom Ranch, and to winter workampers, as well as to Dimitri, owner, for this hard and important work.

So we are very protective of our undergound. First, we emphasize to all guests that only biodegradable products are to be used for RV holding tanks, and washing dishes as well as laundry. Secondly, we test the septic system annually to be sure the ‘good’ bacteria are doing their jobs of breakdown.

Our store only sells eco-friendly products. We do not allow mechanic work to be done on vehicles due to oil and gas spillage.

The end result is all systems have been updated, we have a map of main connections, our trees remain green and healthy AND our guests enjoy the benefits of a careful conservation strategy.

It’s a Fall Day at Sacred Rocks Reserve – and 73 degrees!

Officially fall, yet, still in the midst of the Santa Ana conditions that blow the desert air over the mountains to the sea. At this time, though, not a breath of air, people are out in shorts and t-shirts, and as long is the sun is out, it just about perfect. The deciduous trees have completed their shedding for the winter. Most of our trees, however, are oak trees. About 95% of our trees are oak, and green all winter AND summer.

What is you weather like at this time of year? Wouldn’t you just love to come for a visit?

How to Make Your Business Eco-Friendly Step 3

Water – Being a Southern California native, and a Greek Djibouti East Africa native, we are concerned about water. At Sacred Rocks Reserve, some water is found at 20 feet deep, and other places like our drinking well, the water comes from aquifers that are 370 feet underground. Every quarter we test for coliforms which as I understand it, are bacteria brought by insects and animals. Each year we test for nitrites, which comes from farming operations–and we are fortunate there are none nearby. Our water is pure!

We have been told from official sources that ‘your water is purer than bottled water from ‘springs’ sold in grocery stores. So we decided to put in an ice making machine in 2006. Many people do not know that the ice we provide to our guests comes from some of the best water in California. Our ice is made from our pure water!

When remodeling the restrooms and showers 4 years ago, we decided to install tankless hot water heaters. These ultra efficient gadgets heat water on demand, instead of trying to hold a 50 gallon reservoir full of hot water 24 hours a day. We have saved hundreds of KW hours of electricity as well as hundreds of dollars. Since we installed quarter-metered showers, the amount of water used cautioned. People seem to be more careful with their quarters than with our water! The hot water on demand AND metered showers reduce our carbon footprint while saving money!

We urge water conservation techniques for all who live here, knowing that water is a gift that we must carefully use. We encourage people to cultivate plants that are native to this area or are drought tolerant in order to avoid depleting our water supplies.

We purposefully have avoided planting grass on the common areas even though it is visually appealing. It just takes too much water and wastes it.

Our showers that are located in the tenting and clubhouse area are designed to use limited water and along with the metered showers, the toilets are low flush and use less water than normal toilets.

We cannot allow the washing of cars or motor homes or trailers because limited supplies. Our 35,000 gallon tank would be empty in short order.

If you think of any more ideas for water conservation that we might use, feel free to write a comment. We welcome all feedback.

The Greenest, Most Eco-Friendly, Most Earth Conscious, Southern California RV Park is Sacred Rocks RV Park

In remembering the past 6 years of grueling work, I gave thought to the many ways we have brought our Southern California RV Park to be GREEN.

One long-time guest of the park said

“I have never seen a man that works harder and longer than Dimitri [the owner along with wife, Sharon]. Day after day he is out there working in all weather, working alongside Workampers and ranch workers and hired hands. He is in the ditch with a shovel, gluing pipes together, pulling wires, driving tractors and bulldozers and excavators and mowers.”

So here I am just thinking over the many ways we have both worked to create a place for families and future generations, for nature appreciation, for conservation of resources, for quiet enjoyment of all guests, for our own future, and for our children.

How to Make your Business Eco-Friendly Step 2

Plant/Tree Husbandry

When we came here 6 years ago, we had been city folks but with a background in living in small towns, Dimitri from Djibouti, East Africa and Sharon from Valle Vista, a community 5 miles east of Hemet, California. We really did not know much about the plants of the area of Boulevard. Every year we learn more.

The trees. The ancient and venerable oak trees One of the draws of Sacred Rocks Reserve is the huge trees that provide shade during the warm days of summer. The outside temperature can be 95 but 10 degrees cooler in the shade, lounging in a hammock or chaise lounge. The sound of the wind passing gently through the leaves of the trees, whispers

relax, let go, take a nap

A tree dies. A beautiful 300-400 year old majestic oak tree just dies. For whatever reason; age, infestation, drought, it is gone. What do we do? We get the tree company to fell it, then the workers all drag it to the wood pile. From that point it is aged [green wood does not burn well] the big logs are cut with a chain saw, then put through the wood-splitter. All winter long we cut and pile, getting wood ready for our guests. We have heard comments such as,

‘the reason you disallow wood is so you can sell your own firewood’

We laugh because we end up selling the wood at about cost. Cost, you say? Yes, cost. The tree cutting people are expensive to hire. The workers who cut and split the wood must be paid. The stacking and wood chipping the small branches is a job for hired hands. The delivery of wood to campers is a job for our Workampers.

Start with a tree and then it dies….

tree sections

stacks of firewood

Ah, the campfire. Sitting around chatting with your family and friends, it is easy to forget all the work in the getting of the wood. For centuries, people have taken wood from forests to burn for campfires. It has been a healthy and environmentally conscious act, that we have purposefully carried on.

How to Make your Business Eco-Friendly Step 1

Old Outdoor World 1972-2003

Imagine a one ton pickup truck AND a 4 cubic yard, and one determined owner along with a myriad of worker-bees, hauling load after load of trash. It was 2003, the RV Park just purchased. Sharon and Dimitri had a dream. The dream was to take care of the land, and to pass it to future generations. There have been challenges and a big one was, TRASH.

From Boulevard to the Miramar Landfill and back there are 140 miles. For years, people around had been using the RV Park 163 acres as a dump site. For whatever reason, they thought it was normal to dump their trash on other people’s land. The new owners put a stop to that. Then the clean-up began.

Each load of TRASH took 1-3 days to load. Behind nearly every group of beautiful trees and big rocks, the trash of years was cleared out. Day after day of sweating, lifting, hauling, loading, and driving and unloading and returning home. More than 80 TONS OF TRASH were hauled off Sacred Rocks Reserve [formerly Outdoor World RV Park]. Appliances, beds, garbage, cans and bottles, old cars, old parts of machines, more garbage, over 500 tires to the recycling company, over 2 tons of steel and aluminum to the recycling plants in National City. Thousands of miles driven.

So when we go out on to the Reserve to check things out, we take a plastic bag with us, to pick up what has blown or been dropped by careless campers. And we encourage everyone to do the same.

Shall we leave this world a better place? I would like to know of other experiences in cleaning up a business, or a home, or land.