Earth Day Preview

by Jane Bogner

April 9, 2006

 Vallejo Earth Day, April 22, 2006

 April should be designated Earth Month. When the rain stops, people will be getting out to enjoy the wildflowers and green hills. This spring renewal sparks people to think about taking care of our precious earth.

Our first Earth event is a gardening and composting class scheduled for Friday, April 21 at YardBirds (66 Admiral Callaghan Drive). Starting at 10 am will be Healthy Gardening for Families and Pets conducted by Annie Joseph, a California Certified Nursery Professional. At 11 am, backyard and earthworm composting will be taught by Jane Bogner. Finishing the morning will be a Spring Gardening session with Mike Eramian from YardBirds Garden Center. Cookies and juice will be served at 9:30 am by event sponsor, Jennifer Kaiser, Community Outreach Specialist from Vallejo Sanitation and Flood Control District.

On Saturday, April 22. Vallejo’s Earth Day celebration will take place on a street adjacent to Farmers Market in downtown Vallejo from 9am to 1pm. 

The event dedication is slated for 10:30am with special guest speakers to be announced.  Composting demonstrations are at 10 am and 11 am with the Recycled Generation performing at noon. Many exhibitors have donated prizes for a free raffle drawings that will happen at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30.

Highlights this year include: California Native Plant sale, Loma Vista Farm’s petting zoo, less toxic gardening tips, recycled arts and crafts, Scouting camp craft and activity fair, face painting, and a poster contest for young people to design next year’s Earth Day poster. As always, there will be environmental and recycling information available.

This year’s sponsors and current participants include Vallejo Sanitation and Flood Control District, Downtown Vallejo Farmers Market, VALCORE Recycling, City of Vallejo Recycling Program, Vallejo Garbage Service, City of Vallejo Water Conservation Program, Paul Roberts + Partners, Loma Vista Farm, Sierra Club-Solano Group, Advocates Corner, Vallejo Chamber of Commerce, Vallejo Community Arts Foundation, Solano Napa Commuter Information, California Native Plant Society, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Ricardo Serrano - Web Designer, Area Agency on Aging, Greater Vallejo Recreation District, Solano Community College, First Christian Church, SCR Online, Pacific Gas and Electric, the Recycled Generation, and the Solano County Fairgrounds.

More information is on our web site or one can call 55-EARTH.

Also on April 22 are two recycling events that will take place at Vallejo Garbage Service (2021 Broadway) from 8 am to 3 pm.

Vallejo’s fourth E-Waste Recycling event is open to Vallejo residents and businesses. Items accepted include TVs, computer monitors and electronic devices.

Our third annual tire recycling drop off is for residents only and a maximum of 5 passenger tires will be accepted. For information call 648-5346.

California Native Plant Sales

Mark your calendars for the Solano Resource Conservation District’s sale on Saturday, April 22 from 8 am to 1 pm. They are located at 6390 Lewis Road, east of Vacaville. Native plants will be available along with herbs and advice from UC Master gardeners.

The Willis L. Jepson Chapter of the California Native Plant Society will hold their sale on May 6 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Benicia Community Garden located at the corner of Military East and East 2nd Street.

The California Automobile Association is teaming up with Vallejo’s Wiler’s Tow (1340 Lemon Street, 642-5108) for the AAA Great Battery Roundup. Between April 12 and April 22, you can drop off your auto, motorcycle or boat battery for free recycling. AAA will donate $2 for each battery to our local wild bird rescue group in Suisun.

Since 2001, The Great Battery Roundup has collected 23,874 batteries from which they recycled 501,374 pounds of lead, 71,622 pounds of plastic and 23,874 gallons of sulfuric acid. Over $47,000 has been donated to local environmental organizations.

For information about year-round battery recycling and Earth Day events in Solano County, including Fairfield’s event and an E-Waste drop off at Solano Mall, go to www.recycle-guide.com .

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

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