28 Ways to Keep Oakland Green

1. Reuse bags: Bring your own cloth or other reusable bags; plastic bags consume 12 million barrels of oil, paper 14 million trees.
2. Reduce junk mail and save paper: 100 million trees are used for junk mail each year. Visit  www.stopjunkmail.org for simple forms to stop the waste.  
3. Use rechargeable batteries: Put non-rechargeable batteries in a ziplock bag on top of your gray recycling can or dispose at your nearest library, recreation center, fire station or local city building.  
4. Adopt-a-spot or block, become a park steward: Go to  www.keepoaklandbeautiful.org or  www.oaklandparks.org/ 
5. Plant a tree: During a 50-year life span, one tree will generate $30,000 in oxygen, recycle $35,000 worth of water, and clean up $60,000 worth of air polution, or $125,000 total per tree, without including any other values!
6. Use your mini-green waste bin to recycle food scraps: Empty it into your large green waste bin. Oaklanders now divert 65% of our garbage from land fill!
7. Let worms eat your kitchen garbage: Discounted compost bins & workshops on worm composting and Bay Friendly Gardening at www.stopwaste.org.
8. Turn trimmings into mulch: In the Wildfire Prevention Assessment District, residents are eligible for one free chipping request per year. Call 238-7388 to schedule or visit www.oaklandnet.com/wildfireprevention/services.htm 
9. Protect local watersheds and the Bay: Choose permeable hardscape to prevent runoff. Use the least toxic pesticides as the last resort. Volunteer with the Friends of Sausal Creek or Adopt-A-Creek.
10. Bay Friendly Gardening Workshop & Home Tours: Simplify garden care, reduce chores and use fewer resources from water to fertilizer and plant natives.  www.stopwaste.org or
    (510) 982-6500.
11. Conserve water: Fix those plumbing leaks. EBMUD provides free inspections and rebates up to $150 for new efficient toilets and washing machines. The site also lists drought tolerant and native plants. www.ebmud.com 
12. Take advantage of PG&Es Appliance Program and Low Income Weatherization: Rebates on energy efficient appliances and free weatherization measures to reduce gas and electricity usage for qualified low-income customers. visit www.pge.com/energypartners. 
13. Recycle used computers and E-waste: OTX-West refurbishes used computers for Oakland Schools and low income residents. Call (510) 893-4822, or visit www.otxwest.org 
14. Use fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent bulbs: A 28-watt fluorescent bulb uses 1,020 pounds less carbon dioxide and three pounds less nitrogen over its lifetime than an incandescent bulb. Fluorescent bulbs go to the Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program for a free drop off. www.household-hazwaste.org 
15. Buy products with the least packaging: choose paper, glass over plastic. Not all plastic containers are recyclable. Go to www.oaklandpw.com/page303.aspx for details.
16. Recycle packing "peanuts", cardboard, moving boxes and bubble wrap. Many packing/shipping services will accept these items for reuse.
17. Choose recycled and green products: Buy recycled paper, printer cartridges  and office supplies. Choose less toxic cleaning products, low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, Energy Star® certified appliances and computers.
18. Donate office supplies and other items to school art programs: Contact East Bay Depot for Creative Reuse at (510) 547-6470.
19. Recycle unwanted usable items: The Oakland Museum's annual White Elephant Sale, www.freecycle.org, www.craigslist.org or call the recycling hotline at (510) 877-stopwaste. ( www.stopwaste.org)
20. Build and remodel Green: The City in partnership with the Pacific Energy Center offers a series of free Green Building classes. Stopwaste.org also has publications, workshops and resources.
21. 
    Drive less & smarter: Walk when you can, share rides, consider biking and public transportation. Visit WalkOaklandBikeOakland 
22. Report illegal dumping, graffiti, overflowing litter cans: Call the 24-hour Public Works hotline at (510) 615-5566,  email pwacallcenter@oaklandnet.com or use the new SeeClickFix (www.seeclickfix.com) application for your smart phone. 
23. Help us reinforce the foodware polystyrene ban: Let your local restaurant know you support the ban. Report violations to the Oakland Recycling Hotline at 238-SAVE (7283) or recycling@oaklandnet.com 
24. Take a kid and yourself to the Bill Nye's Climate Lab at Chabot Space & Science Center.
25. Buy close to home: 75 cents of every food dollar goes to processing, packaging, marketing, transport and retailing. Support Oakland's many Farmers' Markets and local stores.  
26. Support the Oakland Food Policy Council, which strives to ensure access to healthy, affordable food within walking distance of every Oakland resident and turn the Oakland food system into an engine for local economic development and involve local and regional agricultural communities.
27. Grow your own vegetables. Don't have a garden? ConsiderOakland's Community Gardening Program.   
28. Make a donation to Friends of Oakland Parks and Rec to fund a park capital project, provide a scholarship to a child or send a youth to Feather River Camp.  

Stories from the Friends of Oakland Parks and Recreation