4th Annual
E-waste Collection Event

Forty tons, that's approximately how much electronics has been collected and hauled off to be recycled since we started in 2008. In partnership with Ojai Community Bank, Ojai Valley Directory, Gold Coast Recycling & Transfer, and PC Pros, the Ojai Valley Green Coalition will once again hold an e-waste recycling event this Saturday, January 7 in the bank's parking lot, located at 402 W. Ojai Ave. Ojai, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine. The event is open to all Ojai Valley residents and businesses and an appointment is not necessary.

Accepted for recycling is most types of electronics, including computers, monitors, and all accessories; TVs, radios, stereo and small appliances, such as toasters and microwaves. The Coalition will also be recycling household batteries (limit five pounds), ink and toner cartridges, CDs and DVDs with cases, cassette tapes with cases, iPods, cell phones and incandescent holiday lights.

Did you receive new electronics or small appliances as holiday gifts? It's illegal to dispose of your old items in the trash, or in regular recycle bins. These universal wastes, as they are called, contain toxic heavy metals that can leach into the ground, so they cannot go to landfills.

For year-round e-waste recycling you can drop off to PC Pros, bitVision, and the new Goodwill store in Oak View during business hours or make an appointment for the county's monthly event, where you can take your other hazardous waste, too. The Coalition also collects household batteries, CDs, DVDs, ink and toner cartridges, iPods and cell phones year round at its resource center located at 327 E. Ojai Ave.

Call Deborah at (805) 669-8445 for more information about the event or visit our website.

Call for Members

As you can see we are over half way to starting 2012 out with an additional $10,000 to support a greener Ojai - if we can meet this matching challenge. Each and every contribution made before January 31st counts, is greatly appreciated, and gets doubled! Since the challenge began, we've jumped from 171 to 202 supporting members. Welcome to our newest 31 members!

Along with your contribution being doubled, this is some of what we have planned for 2012: 

• Our annual e-waste collection, Earth Day, and Ojai Day bike education services
• Workshops & presentations that empower us to take action
• A new 'Energy Efficiency Ojai' initiative
• Ojai Creek restoration in Libbey Park
• Campaign for the city to pass a light pollution ordinance and education of our businesses and residents on the benefits of the 'right light for the situation'
• Push for the city to pass a plastic bag ban ordinance, and help for businesses and their customers to make the transition
• Our new Ojai Avenue Resource Center dialed-in to truly be a resource for the community

Let's decide with engaged optimism to build our food, energy, and watershed sustainability and resiliency. Support YOUR Coalition's efforts and then invite others into the conversation. Heck, just our enthusiasm and optimism is worth $25. Thank you!

Using Electric Vehicles
Just Got Easier

Thanks to area environmental councils and a grant from the Federal Department of Energy, Ojai residents and visitors can get their electric vehicles charged for free at either of two charging stations while visiting the downtown area.

"The upgraded charging locations are not new" says Kent Bullard, board director with the Sustainability Council of Ventura County and an EV owner himself. "Ojai's existing EVS (electric vehicle service) stations were installed about ten years ago, but have just been upgraded to a meet a new industry standard."

According to Bullard, before this standardization there were three different models of chargers out there. He feels the newly arrived at industry-wide standard for chargers will eliminate one of the biggest stumbling blocks faced by EV owners, having the correct hook-up to charge their vehicle.

The EVS charging equipment (at the Ojai Park & Ride, 450 E. Ojai Ave; City Hall, 401 S. Ventura St.; and at nearby Lake Casitas) has all been upgraded to the new standard, level 2 J1772 connection, by EVS company Clipper Creek. Electric Vehicle manufacturers have agreed to install compatible equipment on all future models, including Toyota, Nissan and Ford.

According to Bullard, another bit of good news is the development of high speed chargers, fast chargers that work off a higher wattage system, which are currently being strategically placed in each county throughout the state.

Bullard says that these new efforts, paid for by federal and state grants, have been augmented by for-profit companies jumping into providing EVS services. Companies in the private sector are now working on plans to install "pay as you go" chargers, using either a charge-for-fee basis or club-based access, making electric vehicles more feasible for long distance commuting.

Bullard and his wife have an electric vehicle, delivered in August, that she uses to commute to work in Thousand Oaks. They charge it at home with an "over-sized" solar system that they had installed for just that purpose.

"On average at 110 watts, an hour of charging equals 4 miles of range," said Bullard, "So if she plugs in when she gets to work, the car is recharged by the time she leaves. The chargers at City Hall use a 220 current that gives you 10 miles of range for every hour of charging. The new high speed fast chargers work even quicker on a higher current, 440 volt. They are looking at putting in a fast charge station at either Ventura or Santa Barbara to extend the travel range up the coast."

For an updated list of regional EVS locations click here and for more information on an EV workshop Sunday, January 29 in Camarillo click here.

Ojai Joins National Day of Protest
against "Corporate Personhood"

The local group Abolish Corporate Personhood-Ojai Valley is sponsoring a day of action on Saturday January 21st, the 2nd anniversary of the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision extending "personhood" rights to corporations. Organizers will focus attention on efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution to define "persons" as human beings only, and will highlight the ways "corporate personhood" impacts environmental efforts, electoral reform, international trade agreements, and other issues that affect our daily lives.

The event will include demonstrations, music, and street theater in Libbey Park in downtown Ojai from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and musical performances at the Jester (139 East Ojai Avenue) from 4:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tentatively scheduled acts include Rooftop Revolutionaries, Julie Christensen, and Patricia Cardinali. Organizers will be kicking off a petition drive to gather signatures supporting a Constitutional amendment, an effort that will continue throughout the year. Organizers note that a number of U.S. cities (including New York City, Los Angeles CA, Boulder CO, and Missoula MT) have already passed resolutions supporting such an amendment, and the Montana Supreme Court recently issued a decision in direct opposition to the precedent set by the U.S. Supreme Court, setting up a legal battle of national significance.

All interested residents are warmly invited to attend to express their views or to join the festivities. Contact organizer Bill Haff here to learn more.