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A Greener El Cerrito News from the City of El Cerrito Environmental Services Division www.ecenvironment.org • (510) 215-4350 Winter 2011 • Volume 7 Green waste (including food scraps) will be picked up weekly beginning in February. Help reduce the amount of waste you send to landfill by putting all of your yard waste, food scraps and food soiled paper into your green waste container. For more information, call East Bay Sanitary at (510) 237-4321 or the Environmental Services Division at (510) 215-4350. Weekly Green Waste Collection Starts in February! 10890 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito, CA 94530 (510) 215-4350 [EMAIL REDACTED] www.ecenvironment.org Home Energy Rebates Coming Soon Do you want to … … save money on your energy bill? … increase the comfort of your home? … help reduce greenhouse gas pollution? Then sign up to get more information on the City’s new home energy rebate program. Through grant funding, El Cerrito will be providing up to $250 in rebates toward a professional “whole house energy performance” assessment. This assessment, in turn, will help you qualify for new PG&E rebates and Contra Costa County stimulus funding for weatherizing your home through the new Energy Upgrade California Program. The Program will launch in Contra Costa County later this spring. All funding will be limited, so now is the time to insulate your attic, repair your furnace ducts, and/or insulate your walls, among many other home energy efficiency options. To get more information on these programs, visit www.el-cerrito. org/esd/residentialenergy or contact Maria Sanders, Environmental Analyst at [EMAIL REDACTED] or [PHONE REDACTED]. New Recycling Center Design Phase Underway Design of the City’s new Recycling and Environmental Resource Center is well underway with the goal of beginning construction in spring 2011 and reopening the new Center by early 2012. Based upon previous community input, the new Center will include expanded opportunities for the collection and exchange of reusable items; improved collection for hard-to-recycle items; and better circulation and informational and wayfinding signage. The facilities will also be more accessible, user-friendly, and include public restrooms and a classroom/conference room. Attend upcoming community meetings on February 12 and March 26 to learn about and provide input on the new design, future programs, and the plan for interim operations. Visit www.el-cerrito.org/esd/ or see page 4 of this newsletter for more details about the meetings. Rendering of the proposed new Recycling and Environmental Resource Center by Pankow Special Projects and Noll & Tam Architects. City Council Study Session on Animals Ordinance March 21 The City Council will hold a study session at its regular meeting on Monday, March 21, 2011 to discuss proposed changes to the Animals Ordinance. The study session will focus on proposed revisions to the current ordinance, including changes for keeping animals such as chickens, bees, goats, and pigs. The public is invited to provide comments to the City Council at the meeting, or to Sean Moss at [EMAIL REDACTED]. The City Council meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at City Hall, 10890 San Pablo Avenue. ---PAGE BREAK--- A Greener El Cerrito Winter 2011 • Volume 7 Page 2 New 2011 Garbage, Green Waste, and Recycling Rates The El Cerrito City Council recently passed resolutions increasing rates for recycling and garbage services. The new rates include cost-of-living adjustments, new weekly green waste collection, and financing of the new Recycling Center Project. For more information, please contact the Environmental Services Division at (510) 215-4350. Commercial rates are per once weekly pickup; for more pickups per week, multiply by the number of weekly pickups. The City of El Cerrito contracts with Universal Waste Management, Inc. (UnWaste) to hold collection events for electronics and other recyclables. It’s fast, easy, and the right thing to do - UnWaste employees will unload your car for you! For more information, call UnWaste at (888) 832-9839 or visit www.unwaste.com. This event provides drop-off recycling for the following items: FREE! All large and small electronics, including: TVs and computer monitors, computers and accessories, stereos and music equipment, VCR & DVD players, toner cartridges, printers, fax machines, copiers, phone equipment, cell phones, MP3 players, and more! FREE! All clothing, textiles, shoes and accessories, including: jackets, coats, jeans, knits, leather, sportswear, suits, undergarments, bedding, linens, towels, curtains, pillows, and much more! PAY $ TO RECYCLE: $40 each for large regrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, stoves, dryers and water heaters; $20 each for small refrigerators; $5 each for microwave ovens. Mattresses (with or without box springs) are $50 each for king, $40 each for full/queen, and $30 each for twin/single. 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 Pittsburg Avenue in Richmond - see information at left for more information on how to recycle these items. 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 (house hold 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 origi nal 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 (ex change 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. 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 “UnWaste” Recycling Collection Event for Electronics, Appliances, Clothes, Textiles, and Mattresses June 4 & 5 I 9 AM to 3 PM El Cerrito DMV (6400 Manila Avenue) FREE Recycling Collection Event for Fluorescent Bulbs & Tubes, Medicines, Needles and Thermometers February 26 I 9 AM to 12 PM El Cerrito Recycling Center (7501 Schmidt Lane) Garbage Container Size 2011 East Bay Sanitary Collection Rate 2011 Integrated Waste Management Fee 2011 Integrated Resource Recovery Facility Rate 2011 Container Rental 2011 Total Rate 20 Gallon Can $16.34 $8.37 $5.08 NA $27.09 35 Gallon Cart $21.61 $8.37 $8.12 NA $38.10 64 Gallon Cart $41.58 $16.74 $16.25 NA $74.57 1-yard commercial $22.76 $11.69 $7.34 $27.67 $208.76 2-yard commercial $45.53 $23.38 $14.68 $41.35 $403.57 ---PAGE BREAK--- A Greener El Cerrito Winter 2011 • Volume 7 Page 3 DATE CHANGE - APRIL 16 (Previously April 23) Volunteer Registration Form Work Parties from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (Citywide) Volunteer Appreciation Lunch from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the El Cerrito Community Center, 7007 Moeser Lane For more information email [EMAIL REDACTED] or call (510) 215-4350. Registration forms are due by April 4 to: Environmental Services Division—Earth Day 10890 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito CA, 94530 Name_ Street Address/Project Phone Email_ Do you have an idea for a work party or a project that you’d like to be involved in? Please share your suggestions with us! Register for the Spring Citywide Garage Sale May 7 I 9 AM to 3 PM HOST A GARAGE SALE! 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. Help us by spreading the word about the Garage Sale. 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. Garage Sale Registration Form Spring 2011 El Cerrito Citywide Garage Sale May 7 I 9 AM to 3 PM Registration forms are due (with $12 registration fee via check to the City of El Cerrito) on April 18 by 4 p.m. by mail to: Environmental Services Division—Garage Sale 10890 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito CA, 94530 Name_ Street Address/Sale Location_ Nearest Cross Street_ 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.). Descrip tions will be repeated verbatim in the listing so please use good grammar. Shop the Spring Garage Sale on May 7 Find good bargains! Shop the Spring Garage Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Garage Sale listings will be available online at www.ecenvironment.org and in self-serve literature stands located at the Community Center (7007 Moeser Lane) and the Recycling Center (7501 Schmidt Lane) starting April 29. Sign up to Volunteer for El Cerrito’s Annual Earth Day Celebration! ---PAGE BREAK--- A Greener El Cerrito Winter 2011 • Volume 7 Page 4 February 12 10 AM to 12 PM New Recycling Center Community Meeting: View and provide comments on the design for the new recycling center and learn about plans for collection of recyclables during construction. El Cerrito City Hall - Council Chambers (10890 San Pablo Avenue). Februrary 21 Presidents Day Holiday: The Recycling Center will be closed all day, but curbside collection of garbage, greenwaste and recycling will occur as normally scheduled. February 26 9 AM to 12 PM Special Recycling Collection Event at the Recycling Center: See article on Page 2 for details. March 21 7:30 PM City Council Study Session on Animals Ordinance: The City Council will hold a study session at its regular meeting to discuss the proposed changes to the Animals Ordinance. El Cerrito City Hall - Coun cil Chambers (10890 San Pablo Avenue). March 26 9 AM to 12 PM New Recycling Center Community Meeting: City staff and community members will discuss plans for reuse and exchange at the new recycling center, including rules of conduct for these activities. El Cerrito Recycling Center (7501 Schmidt Lane). April 16 9 AM to 1:30 PM NEW DATE! El Cerrito’s annual Earth Day Celebration: See registration form and details on Page 3. April 23 9 AM to 12 PM FREE Compost Giveaway at the Recycling Center: El Cerrito residents can receive up to two cubic feet of free compost made from the yard trimmings and food waste collected curbside in West County! Offer only valid while supplies last - first come, first served. El Cerrito Recycling Center (7501 Schmidt Lane). May New Recycling Center construction and interim collection operations begin: Visit our website at www.ecenvironment.org for updates or contact the Environmental Services Division at (510) 215-4350. May 7 9 AM to 3 PM Spring Citywide Garage Sale: See article on page 3 for details. May 10 7 PM to 9 PM Draft Climate Action Plan Community Workshop: Get information and provide comments on the City’s Draft Climate Action Plan. Workshop will be held during the El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee Regular Meeting. El Cerrito City Hall - Council Chambers (10890 San Pablo Avenue). May 12 7 AM to 9 AM Bike to Work Day: Stop by the City of El Cerrito “Energizer Station” at the EC Plaza BART for free good ies and bicycle and pedestrian information in El Cerrito. June 4 & 5 9 AM to 3 PM UnWaste Collection Event: See article on Page 2 for details. Environmental Activities Calendar For more information see www.ecenvironment.org or call (510) 215-4350 10890 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito, CA 94530 STD U.S. Postage Paid OAKLAND, CA PERMIT No. 3729