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In This Issue
EP Foster Elementary School's NEW Reduce & Recycling Carton Program
Green Business Profile: 71 Palm Restaurant
Livin' Green: Spring WaterSense
This month on the "Sustainable Ventura" TV Series
April News Highlights
QUICK LINKS




May 2013

 

May 8

 

GET A GREAT DEAL ON RAIN BARRELS - SUPPLIES LIMITED!
by Christine Wied

A rain barrel discount program for City of Ventura residents is now available through Environmental Sustainability and Ventura Water. Working in cooperation with Smith Pipe and Supply at 3060 Sherwin Avenue in Ventura, the Channel/Bushman 60-gallon rain barrel with a retail value of $85.oo will be available for $42.oo plus tax
at their store with a Rain Barrel Discount Voucher. Discount on up to two units per customer or residential address. READ MORE. 
  
Green Business Certification
Become a State Certified
Green Business

The Green Business Certification Program is currently available to office/retail and restaurant businesses within the City of Ventura, but other sectors will be added as the program gains traction. Although the certification requirements differ for each sector, the main environmental categories are waste, energy, water, pollution prevention, wastewater, and general staff education.

SET UP YOUR FREE CONSULTATION,
Contact: Courtney Lindberg,
805-667-6502 or email: [email protected]  

 

Commercial Business Recycling

It's THE LAW 

What every Ventura Business Needs to know!
Conserving our natural resources is essential for the health and well-being of our community and our planet.

 

In keeping with this sentiment, beginning July 1, 2012, the State of California has made business recycling mandatory. According to the newly enacted legislation (AB341), businesses that generate 4 cubic yards or more of trash per week (the equivalent of a large commercial dumpster) and all multifamily complexes with five or more units (regardless of the amount of trash they generate), will be required to recycle.

Compliance is determined by solid waste service capacity. Businesses that share trash service accumulating the 4 cubic yards or more of trash per week must comply even if individually, the businesses do not generate that amount of trash. READ MORE.  

 

 

What Can YOU Do To Help Preserve Ventura's Environment?

 
A Zero Waste Program
to reduce unwanted
mail & phone books
Did you know that 11 billion pounds of mail was delivered in the US in 2008? That equals 900 pieces (100 lbs) for every household. Out of that amount, only 40% is recycled.

 

Over 660,000 tons of phone books enter the waste stream annually. Only 20% get recycled. Nearly 70% of adults in the U.S. "rarely or never" use the phone book.

 

If you are tired of getting tons of junk mail in your mailbox and would like to save trees, reduce the waste that goes into our landfills and care about reducing greenhouse gas emissions, there is a way you can make a difference.

 

Join along with the City of Ventura's Environmental Sustainability Division and sign up with Catalog Choice to opt-out of getting junk mail deliveries to your home and business.

 

Catalog Choice is the largest independent mail preference registry in the United States. When you sign up, it's FREE and you get to opt-out of receiving all forms of advertising mail and unwanted phone book deliveries. The great thing about Catalog Choice is that with a database of more than 5,500 titles (and increasing daily) that you choose what you want to opt-out of receiving. Under the Fair Information Practice (FTC), your information will also be kept private and be protected.

 

CLICK HERE TO JOIN!
YES! You can Recycle Cartons in Ventura

 

Juice, milk, soup, wine
and other carton packaging
made from high-quality paper is now acceptable in residential (in the blue bin) and commercial establishments (in the white commercial bin) in the City of Ventura.

 

To recycle, all you need to do is simply rinse, then place empty cartons in your recycling bin with your plastic, metal and glass containers. READ MORE. 


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Stormwater:
Best Management Practices
 
Storm Drains & Discharge Points
 
Areas where building or grounds maintenance is conducted can contribute contaminants to runoff when measures have not been taken to prevent discharges. The overuse of pesticides and fertilizers, over-watering and inadequate erosion control may result in an illegal discharge.
 
Implement Best Management Practices 
  • Utilize native vegetation to reduce water, fertilizer or pesticide needs.
  • Use landscaping pesticides and fertilizers only as needed and apply as directed.
  • Avoid over-watering to prevent excess runoff.
  • Use integrated pest management (IPM) where appropriate.
  • Sweep paved surfaces, rather than hosing down or using blowers.
  • Properly contain and dispose of waste water, sweepings and sediments.
  • Use non-toxic substitute for chemicals when possible.
  • Regularly inspect and clean storm drains.
  • Control litter by sweeping and picking up trash on a regular basis.
  • Clean up spills immediately to minimize safety hazards and prevent discharge to the storm drain system.
  • Train all employees. Your success depends on a well-trained staff.

For more information on preventing stormwater pollution, visit:  vcstormwater.org 

 
Ventura's Natural Beauty
Let's keep it that way!

May 2013 
EP Foster Elementary School's NEW
Reduce and Recycling Carton Program   

By Mar
yann Ridini Spencer
From Left to right: Jill Sarick, Dana Bogdanich, Ray Olson, Courtney Lindberg, Lorri Peterson
 

Approximately six months ago, the City of Ventura, EJ Harrison and Gold Coast Recycling met with the National Carton Council, an organization that promotes recycling of these high quality fibers, to find out how cartons could be recycled in Ventura. EJ Harrison and Gold Coast Recycling applied for a grant from the Carton Council to assist Gold Coast with modifying their recycling equipment in order to capture this valuable resource. Now in Ventura, juice, milk, soup, wine, and other cartons, which used to go into the trash, can now be recycled with such items as plastic, metal and glass containers.  

 

Since September, the City and EJ Harrison have been working the EP Foster Elementary School to implement a pilot recycling and food waste composting program. For the program, a special milk carton recycling process was designed with assistance from the Ventura Unified School District's (VUSD) Facilities Department.   EP Foster's Custodian Judy Melton and Louise Smith, Cafeteria Manager, took the project on with great enthusiasm. "Taking into consideration our morning and afternoon food service, we've cut the amount of trash going to the landfill from 34 bags to 7 bags," said Melton.

"The savings is notable," added Smith. "The kids have really embraced the program."

 

In April, the City of Ventura's Environmental Sustainability Division presented a short theatrical skit introducing food waste composting and milk carton recycling to the student body at EP Foster. The City plans to turn the skit into a special educational DVD that will be distributed in order to assist with educating staff, faculty and students in the development of programs district-wide.

 

"Presenting information in an entertaining fashion, we believe resonates with the children," said Jill Sarick. Environmental Specialist with the City of Ventura. "Since the start of the school year, EP Foster has been recycling milk and cereal cups. Food waste composting was added this spring. "  READ MORE. 

 

 

GREEN BUSINESS PROFILE: 
71 Palm Restaurant:  Country French American Cuisine in the Heart of Downtown Ventura
by Maryann Ridini Spencer


     71 Palm Restaurant               Chef Didier Poirer
             
"Opening '71 Palm' was not only a dream of mine, it was, and still is my passion" exclaimed Chef Didier Poirer, Chef and Owner of 71 Palm restaurant, which serves up elegant casual dining and superb French-American cuisine in the heart of downtown Ventura.

 

Chef Didier is also passionate about recently becoming a Certified Green Business. "I have always been a fan of recycling and reuse," said Didier, "I grew up on a farm, the
9th child in a family of 10 children in the Loire Valley region of France. We were taught from an early age to be respectful of the land and the bounty it provided. I profess these same sentiments today," said Chef Didier.

 

"When my wife Nanci and I first came to this building 19 years ago, we had to do a major renovation. We felt it was important, while we were remodeling, to keep the flavor of this charming historic landmark 1910 Craftsman Cottage.To do so, we restored and preserved the wainscoting throughout the home's interior. We also re-purposed and/or refinished other elements such as the original floors, and some of the benches and cabinets. Just last summer, we refinished our original outdoor sign."

 

As a Certified Green Restaurant, Chef Didier is also an avid proponent of the "Shop Local" and "Farm to Table" concepts. "I'm a big fan of local. Fresh food is delicious and it's also better for you. Not to mention the benefits on the environment," said Didier.

 

 READ MORE & WATCH PHOTO GALLERY

 
LIVIN' GREEN:  Spring WaterSense For Your Lawn and Garden

 

Spring has sprung! And the Environmental Protection Agency suggests that everyone remember to - Inspect, Connect, Direct and Select - in order to save more than 25,000 gallons of water and more than $90 this watering season.

 

Inspect Your Landscape

Are you planting waterwise, native plants that will provide beauty and low water usage in your landscape?

 

Connect to Waterwise Timing Devices to Direct and Control Water usage

Knowing when and how much water to use is key to not only keeping a healthy landscape, it can help you conserve natural resources. If you have an in-ground irrigation system, upgrade to a WaterSense labeled controller.   

 

Select Certified Professionals to assist you with your garden and landscape

It's best to work with a certified, trained irrigation professional when you're installing, maintaining and/or auditing your irrigation system. You want it operating at optimal efficiency.

 

 

GREEN Savers: Save Money Checking For Water Leaks
Check for water leaks and install WaterSense products to save approximately $170 per year.  The average household spends as much as $500 per year on their water and sewer bill, but approximately $170 per year can be saved by installing water-efficient fixtures and appliances.  FIND OUT MORE.

 

THIS MONTH ON Sustainable Ventura



This month's Sustainable Ventura TV show takes a trip to
Ventura County Medical Center to find out about some of their new recycling practice.  The show also attends the
Earth Day Eco-Fest in Ventura's Promenade Park and stops in at The Refill Shoppe on Main to talk about the stores "reduce, reuse and refill" philosophy.   Environmental Specialist
Courtney Lindberg also shares some valuable stormwater tips on how we can all make a difference when it comes to keeping our environment safe and clean. 
 
Sustainable Ventura May 2013 Show
Sustainable Ventura May 2013 Show
 

 WATCH
Sustainable Ventura weekly on Caps-TV!

                     
Sustainable Ventura, hosted by Maryann Ridini Spencer and Ray Olson,  airs on Caps-TV VTV's Channel 15, Thursdays at 8:30pm. It  rebroadcasts Monday-Thursday and Saturdays at 9:00am, Sundays at 8:30pm and every other Wednesday at 8:30pm.

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NEWS Highlights from April 2013

April 26: Municipal Sewer & Water
 

The Ventura (Calif.) Countywide Stormwater Quality Management Program has transformed the way residents understand stormwater management and watershed protection by relaunching a new website and reinventing the face of its public education campaign. City of Ventura Environmental Specialist Courtney Lindberg spoke with Municipal Sewer and Water, READ ARTICLE. 

 

  

April 22: Earth Day Eco-Fest
The City of Ventura Environmental Sustainability Division had a booth at the Earth Day Ec0-Fest in Promenade Park on Saturday, April 20 and spoke to locals and visitors about recycling and watershed health.   

LtoR: The City's Debra Martinez and Jill Sarick in the Ventura Water and Environmental Sustainability Booths at Eco-Fest 
 
Watch SustainableVentura.TV News at VenturaCountyStar.com



Video News Stories playing starting mid-May: "Ventura County Medical Center Recycling Program"

Sustainable Ventura.TV Video News is featured in the VenturaCountyStar.com on the News pages.


News Videos cover environmental and sustainable practices, programs, events, issues and happenings taking place in the City of Ventura.  
  
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Environmental Sustainability  
is  
Everyone's Responsibility!
 
Save!
Green Thumb Nursery in cooperation with the City of Ventura's Environmental Sustainability Division, provides Garden Gourmet Compost bins and Wriggley Wranch worm bins at amazing prices to Ventura residents.*
CLICK HERE.

*While supplies last