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A Greener El Cerrito News from the City of El Cerrito Environmental Services Division www.ecenvironment.org • (510) 215-4350 Spring 2010 • Volume 4 Recycle TVs and computer monitors, computers and accesso- ries, stereos and music equipment, VCR & DVD players, toner cartridges, printers, fax machines, copiers, telephone equip- ment, cell phones, MP3 players, and more for free! Recycle clean, large household appli- ances including large refrigera- tors, dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, stoves and water heat- ers for a $40 fee (cash only in exact change), small refrigerators for a $20 fee, and microwaves for a $5 fee. UnWaste will also be accepting textile, clothes, shoes and linens for free. For more information visit www.unwaste.com or call Universal Waste Management, Inc. at (888) 832-9839. Batteries, fluorescent bulbs and tubes, paints and chemicals, and other hazardous wastes cannot be accepted during this event. Please take these items to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility at 101 Pittsburgh Avenue in Richmond. For more information visit www.recyclemore.com or call (888) 412-9277. Food Scrap Composting Coming in July! The City of El Cerrito is partnering with the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (RecycleMore) to hold a special collection event for hard-to-recycle materials at the Recycling Center. During the event El Cerrito residents (with proof of residency) can drop off: Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) and tubes (household • quantities only and no more than 5 eight foot tubes per household—use caution to avoid breaking) Mercury thermometers (exchange for a free digital • thermometer—use caution to avoid breaking) Over-the-counter and prescription drugs including • expired and unused pills, syrups and inhalers in original containers (black out personal information and leave drug name intact—controlled substances such as narcotics and steroids cannot be accepted) Needles and syringes in • biohazard containers (exchange for a free needle container—needles not in biohazard containers cannot be accepted) These items will only be accepted at the Recycling Center on the day and times listed above. For more information please contact the Environmental Services Division. All items listed may also be dropped off for free at the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Facility in Richmond, or via household pickup for seniors and disabled persons. For more information visit www.recyclemore.com or call (888) 412-9277. Free Electronic Waste and Clothing Collection Event June 5 & 6 I 9 AM to 3 PM El Cerrito Department of Motor Vehicles (6400 Manila Avenue) Recycling Center Special Collection Event for Fluorescent Bulbs and Tubes, Medicines, Needles and Thermometers February 27 I 9 AM to 12 PM El Cerrito Recycling Center (7501 Schmidt Lane) 10890 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito, CA 94530 www.ecenvironment.org [EMAIL REDACTED] (510) 215-4350 Starting July 1, El Cerrito residents and businesses will be able to compost food scraps and other organic material, such as pizza boxes and paper plates, in the green bins currently used for yard waste. Check your mailbox and our website in May for details about this new program. ---PAGE BREAK--- A Greener El Cerrito Spring 2010 • Volume 4 Page 2 Environmental Quality Committee To Consider 2010 Community Environmental Programs February 9 I 6:30 PM to 9 PM El Cerrito City Hall I Council Chambers (10890 San Pablo Avenue) The Environmental Quality Committee is a Council appointed body of residents and businesses who work to involve the community in understanding and reducing El Cerrito’s impact on the environment. Committee members recommend programs and policies regarding environmental quality, promote and foster public awareness of environmental quality efforts, and serve in an advisory capacity to the City Council and staff on environmental quality issues pertinent to El Cerrito. In 2009 the Committee worked to develop several programs including: Green Champions: Residential Environmental Recognition Program Every person has the chance to make a differ- ence by practicing environmental steward- ship—look for opportunities at home, school, work, and in the community. Residents who take a moment to fill out a brief survey about their environmental stewardship by the extended deadline of March 1 will be eligible to win $50 gift certificates from Ace Hardware. The Committee will recognize the City’s Green Champions as a part of this year’s Earth Day Celebrations. Take the survey at www.greenelcerrito.org or contact the Environmental Services Division for a copy. Green Take-out Containers: Environmentally Friendly Food Ware Project The City, in partnership with the Committee, received a small grant from the RecycleMore to create incentives for residents and businesses to use and provide environmentally friendly—meaning reusable or compostable—take-out containers for food ordered in El Cerrito restaurants. The project will provide over 1,000 reusable take-out containers to El Cerrito residents who fill out a survey about the project. The City will also provide monetary incentives to businesses that are interested in making the switch to environmentally friendly food ware products whose applications meet funding criteria. Both aspects of the project are still in development and will be implemented in 2010. Community Green Teams: Volunteer-based Environmental Quality Projects In the fall of 2009 the City and the Committee organized three volunteer Green Team events that attracted over 100 volunteers who planted more than 200 trees and cleaned up public areas. The Green Teams are a great way for interested members of the community to get to know their neighbors and work to improve the quality of their local environment. Green Team participants help address ongoing environmental quality issues, such as removing and preventing litter and pollution from flowing to the Bay, restoring and removing invasive species in natural areas, and reaching out to neighbors and businesses about environmental issues and programs. On February 9 the Committee will meet to consider its core programs and policy areas for the coming year. Meetings of the Committee are open to the public—please attend if you are interested in learning more about what El Cerrito is doing to promote environmental quality or would like to suggest particular areas of interest. Public comments regarding proposed priority areas submitted to the Environmental Services Division by February 3 will be distributed to the Committee in advance of the meeting. For information please contact Committee Liaison Garth Schultz at [EMAIL REDACTED]- cerrito.ca.us or call (510) 215-4354. Stay Involved-Sign Up for Email Updates The Environmental Services Division issues a email about volunteer opportunities and environmen- tal activities in El Cerrito. There are already 500 people signed up to receive emails—help us reach 1,000! You will have complete control over your subscription; we treat your information as confidential and commit to sending you only pertinent information around 12 times per year. Sign up today, and get your neighbors to join, too! Join online or via email: www.el-cerrito.org/esd/action.html [EMAIL REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- A Greener El Cerrito Spring 2010 • Volume 4 Page 3 On December 21, 2009 the City Council of the City of El Cerrito passed resolutions increasing the amount you pay on your garbage bill. The most common garbage container sizes are listed below. Please contact East Bay Sanitary (EBS) at (510) 237-4321 or the Environmental Services Division for additional information. New Garbage, Green Waste and Recycling Rates Effective January 1, 2010 Garbage Container Size EBS Collection Rate1 IWM Fee2 (based on garbage size) IRRF Disposal Rate3 Total Rate (including rent) 20 Gallon $11.25 $7.68 $4.77 $23.70 35 Gallon $18.74 $7.68 $7.62 $34.04 64 Gallon $37.48 $15.36 $15.24 $68.08 1 Yard (per pickup)4 $22.11 $10.77 $7.09 $200.08 ($26.88) 2 Yard (per pickup) $44.22 $21.54 $14.18 $386.58 ($40.17) Register for the Spring Citywide Garage Sale May 22 I 9 AM to 3 PM Turn your old stuff into treasure! Register now to host a garage sale at your home during the Spring Citywide Garage Sale. Registration fees help cover the costs of advertising and promotion which includes posting your sale in the garage sale brochure, classified ads in local newspapers and online. Do you want to help make the Citywide Garage Sale more successful by generating more shoppers? Help us out by spreading the word about the Garage Sale, contacting neighborhood groups, and posting your own notices and advertisements. Make your event fun and enjoyable by providing refreshments, treats, prizes or other enticements! Send us your suggestions regarding how to make our advertising strategy more effective—feedback from past garage sale hosts is especially valuable. Find good bargains! Shop the Citywide Garage Sale! Garage Sale listings will be available online at www.ecenvironment.org starting May 14. Print copies will also be available—call (510) 215-4350 for details of specific pick-up locations after May 1st. Garage Sale Registration Form Spring 2010 El Cerrito Citywide Garage Sale May 22 I 9 AM to 3 PM Registration forms are due (with $12 registration fee paid by check to the City of El Cerrito) on May 3 by 4 p.m. by mail to: Environmental Services Division—Garage Sale 10890 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito CA, 94530 Street Address/Sale Location_ Nearest Cross Phone Email Address (please provide an email address, especially if you would like the opportunity to review the accuracy of your listing prior to publication): Sale Description: Maximum of 20 words describing the items for sale and any other details about the sale (i.e. fundraiser for a specific charity, snacks available, etc.). Descriptions will be repeated verbatim in the listing so please use good grammar. 1Rates for the garbage and green waste collection services provided by EBS include minor changes to labor, fuel and other expenses. 2The Integrated Waste Management (IWM) Fee covers operation of the curbside recycling program and the Recycling Center as well as other waste collection, reduction recycling and environmental programs including the design and construction of a new community recycling center. 3The West Contra Costa County Waste Management Authority sets rates covering the disposal and processing of garbage and green waste through the Integrated Resource Recovery Facility (IRRF). 4 Actual bills for 1 and 2 yard service reflects the sum of the EBS Collection Rate, the IWM Fee, and the Disposal Rate times the number of pickups per week, times the number of weeks per year, divided by 12 months, plus the container rent (e.g. for once a week pickup of a 1 yard container $22.11 +$10.77+$7.09 = $39.97 x 1 x 52 ÷ 12 = $173.20 + $26.88 = $200.08). ---PAGE BREAK--- A Greener El Cerrito Spring 2010 • Volume 4 Page 4 February 3 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM Healthy Homes Workshop at the Community Center: Explore a variety of less toxic alternatives to pesti- cides and cleaning supplies and learn to assess household products and make informed choices that can protect human and watershed health. $10 registration fee for residents. Register online at www.ecenvironment.org or with the Community Center. February 9 6:30 PM to 9 PM Environmental Quality Committee Special Meeting: See article for details. February 15 Presidents Day: Recycling Center closed / curbside collection unchanged. February 27 9 AM to 12 PM Special Collection Event at the Recycling Center: See article for details. March 22 10 AM to 12:30 PM Spring Clean-up at Baxter Creek: The City is sponsoring an “alternative spring break” service activity in association with Friends of Five Creeks followed by a guided walk up through the Canyon Trail restoration area. For more details visit www.ecenvironment.org or contact the Environmental Services Division. April 24 9 AM to 1:30 PM El Cerrito Earth Day Celebration: Join hundreds of volunteers in a long-standing tradition of service in the name of environmental quality. Look for more details coming your way in March, and sign up to receive email updates for advance notice of projects and activities. May 13 Bike (or walk) to Work (and school) Day: Do you part to reduce carbon emissions and celebrate the health and freedom of human-powered transportation! Look for more details about the City’s plans to involve cyclists and pedestrians in this effort in our May newsletter. May 15 10 AM to 12 PM Healthy Gardens without Toxic Chemicals: Learn to create a healthy garden ecosystem and protect yourself, family, pets, and the environment. $10 registration fee for residents—register online at www.ecenvironment.org or with the Community Center. May 22 9 AM to 3 PM Spring Citywide Garage Sale: See article for details. May 31 Memorial Day: Recycling Center closed / curbside collection unchanged. June 5 & 6 9 AM to 3 PM Electronic Waste Collection Event: See article for details. Environmental Activities Calendar 10890 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito, CA 94530 STD U.S. Postage Paid El Cerrito, CA Permit No. 79