April should be designated Earth Month as the weather is milder and people are getting out to enjoy the wild flowers and green hills. Local Earth Day events are planned to get us involved in taking care of our precious earth. The easiest way to find out where to go is to log on to www.recycle-guide.com, the Solano County Recycling web site.

Here are a few activities to put on your calendar:

On Saturday, April 21, Vallejo’s fourteenth Earth Day celebration will take place on Sacramento Street adjacent to Farmers Market in downtown Vallejo from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Highlights include a California Native Plant sale, Loma Vista Farm’s petting zoo, recycled arts and crafts, and face painting. Composting demonstrations are at 10 am and 11 am. Two lucky Vallejoans will go home with a Biostak composting bin. The Recycled Generation will again perform and many exhibitors have donated prizes for free raffle drawings that will happen during the event. As always, there will be environmental and recycling information available.

This year Vallejo Sanitation and Flood is exchanging a new digital fever thermometer for your old glass mercury one (one per family). And the Vallejo Police Department will be there to conduct finger printing and make IDs for children. Additional sponsors and participants include Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association, VALCORE Recycling, City of Vallejo Recycling Program, Vallejo Garbage Service, City of Vallejo Water Conservation Program, Paul Roberts & Partners, Advocates Corner, Vallejo Chamber of Commerce, Vallejo Community Arts Foundation, Solano County Fairgrounds, Solano Napa Commuter Information, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Benicia Vallejo Humane Society, City of Vallejo Transportation Dept., and Web Designer Ricardo Serrano. More information is on our web site or one can call 55-EARTH.

Also on April 21 are two recycling events at Vallejo Garbage Service (VGS) located at 2021 Broadway from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Vallejo’s fifth annual E-Waste Recycling event is open to Vallejo residents and businesses. Items accepted include TVs, computer monitors and parts, fax machines, laptops, radios, VCR's, small electronic appliances, cell phones, cameras, microwave ovens, fluorescent tubes/bulbs, and household batteries. VGS will not accept refrigerators, washers, dryers, air conditioners, freezers, stoves, or ovens. Simultaneously, Vallejo’s fourth annual tire recycling drop off takes place at VGS. Vallejo residents and businesses will be allowed to drop off up to 15 passenger and/or light truck tires for recycling at no charge. For information call 648-5346.

The California Automobile Association is teaming up with Vallejo’s Wiler’s Tow (1340 Lemon Street, 642-5108) for the annual AAA Great Battery Roundup. Between April 11 and April 22, you can drop off your auto, motorcycle or boat battery for free recycling. AAA will donate $2 for each battery to the International Bird Rescue Center in Suisun.

At the Benicia State Recreation Area, volunteers are needed from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to remove non-native plants and plant native plants in the Forrest Deaner Native Plant Botanic Garden. Call 707 747-6204 for information.

Fairfield will hold an Earth Day Celebration on Saturday April 21 at the Solano County Government Center Plaza located at 875 Texas Street from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Don’t miss the Free E-Waste Recycling event at Westfields Solano in the northeast parking lot near the great Wall Buffet from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

California Native Plant Sales

Mark your calendars for the Solano Resource Conservation District’s sale on Saturday, April 28 from 8 am to 1 pm. They are located at 6390 Lewis Road, east of Vacaville.