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An Earth Day Preview
by JANE BOGNER
SUNDAY, April 03, 2005

Vallejo Earth Day, April 23, 2005

April should be designated Earth Month. As the rains wane, people are getting out to enjoy the wildflowers and green hills. This spring renewal sparks people to think about taking care of our precious earth. The Glen Cove Community Association and GVRD (Greater Vallejo Recreation District) are sponsoring a Spring Cleanup Day at Glen Cove Waterfront Park on Saturday, April 9. Volunteers are asked to meet at 9 a.m. at the park located at the end of Whitesides Drive (off of South Regatta). For more information call Janet Laine at 648-9448.

Earth Day activities are shaping up for Saturday, April 23. Vallejo’s celebration will take place on a street adjacent to Farmers Market in downtown Vallejo. This free event features environmental booths, music, and recycled crafts. People interested in setting up a booth or volunteering can register on-line at www.VALCORErecycling.org or by calling 55-EARTH.

On the same day, two recycling events will take place at Vallejo Garbage Service (2021 Broadway). Vallejo’s 3rd E-Waste Recycling and 2nd Tire Recycling event will start at 8:00 am and close at 3:00 pm. This free electronics recycling is open to Vallejo residents and businesses. Items accepted include TVs, computers, telephones, hair dryers, microwaves, and other small appliances. This year, there will be an exchange table for unwanted, reusable electronic items.

The free tire recycling is for residents only and they will accept a maximum of 5 passenger tires per resident. For information call 648-5346. I have to admit, the complexities of the electronics recycling bill (SB 20) are just that. The more I read, the more I am confused or as friends would say: "politics as usual.’ In a nutshell, electronic devices included in SB 20 are those with cathode ray tubes which are most computer monitors and TVs.

Starting on July 1, 2004, a fee of $6 to $10 per unit was charged on every new TV and computer monitor. After July 1, 2005, and every two years thereafter, the fee will be adjusted based on the cost of recycling these devices. A recent report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimated that there are 6 million computer and TV monitors collecting dust in California homes. According to the Silicon Valley Toxic Coalition, Americans toss 100,000 electronic products each day. The current recycling fee is only on TVs and Monitors. It will be interesting to watch when the electronics industry and our law makers include all the other devices in new recycling bills. For more information on electronic and other recycling issues, go to the Californians Against Waste web site www.cawrecycles.org.

California Native Plant Sales

Mark your calendars for the Solano RCD Conservation Ed. Center (6390 Lewis Road, Vacaville) sale on Saturday, April 16 from 8 am to 1 pm. Our Willis L. Jepson Chapter (Solano County) of the California Native Plant Society will hold their sale on April 30 from 9 am to 3 pm. It will be held at the Benicia Community Garden located at the corner of Military East and E. 2nd St.

Composting & Less-toxic Gardening Class

The first composting and gardening class of the season will be held on Friday, April 22 at YardBirds (66 Admiral Callaghan Drive) starting at 10 am. For information about other events around Solano County go to www.recycle-guide.com.

Vallejo Freecycle

Thanks to Jackye, Jeanette, Jerry and Jyl, we have our own freecycle site. Membership is open to Vallejo and Benicia residents only, so please include your zip code when you join. Log onto www.freecycle.org.

VALCORE Recycling Vice President Jane Bogner's "A Sorted Affair" is published every other week in the Times-Herald, Community Outlook Section. For recycling information call Genie Kaggerud, VALCORE Recycling manager at 645-8258 or visit www.VALCORErecycling.org.

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