EYE ON THE ENVIRONMENT | EARTH DAY “INVEST” THEME FOCUSES ON ELECTRIC TRANSPORT
by David Goldstein
The theme of 2022 Earth Day is “invest in our planet,” according to EarthDay.org, an international organizing coalition. Locally led by the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance, electric vehicles will be a particular focus of the “investment” theme.
“It is an investment, not just a purchase,” said Kent Bullard, whose title with the Energy Alliance is “Electric Vehicle Technical Coach.” He cited financial incentives and a study showing driving on electric is like using gas at 98 cents per gallon.
VENTURA
April 1: The Museum hosts the Ventura County Library’s bilingual (English and Spanish) in-person story time every first Friday of the month at 3 p.m., for free. April’s theme will be Earth Day.
April 17: The Center for Regenerative Agriculture will staff a table at Patagonia, 235 W. Santa Clara Street, from noon to 2 p.m., promoting their grant-funded front yard fruit tree planting program, which offers free fruit trees for residents of Ventura’s Westside. At the table, visitors will have the opportunity to see healthy soils under a microscope.
April 22: At the Pacific View Mall, an electric vehicle display, activities and games inside the mall will be staffed by the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mall staff hope a new car charging site on the west side of the lot will open in time for the event.
April 22: At the Ventura County Government Center, from noon to 1 p.m., a tour of the center will feature water-efficient landscape, stormwater capture systems, electric transportation and composting. The Ventura County District Attorney will speak about how his office’s Consumer and Environmental Protection Unit safeguards our environment. The Sustainability Division of the CEO’s office will showcase the county’s fleet of all-electric Chevy Bolts, and General Services Agency landscapers will plant a tree. The GSA will also host an electronic waste collection event on both April 21 and April 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the service building.
OXNARD
April 7: The First Thursdays Food Truck event at downtown’s Plaza Park will display and distribute information about the city’s new organics collection requirements while launching a new three-bin “clear stream” collection system for large events. City staff will provide promotional items, oil recycling kits and educational information.
April 9: The Del Norte Regional Recycling and Transfer Facility will host a community drop-off event, offering free disposal of bulky items for Oxnard residents only.
April 21: City staff will host an educational booth at the weekly Farmer’s Market in Plaza Park from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., providing promotional items, free oil recycling kits and educational information.
More information:
downtownoxnard.org/events/first-thursday-food-trucks/
downtownoxnard.org/farmers-market/
THOUSAND OAKS
April 9: From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Thousand Oaks Community Center located at 2525 North Moorpark Road, next to Thousand Oaks High School, city staff will host a free family event promoting sustainable lifestyles. Activities will include an electric vehicle demonstration area, workshops and presentations, bicycle safety course and instruction, bicycle donation and collection for underserved youth, kids’ crafts and activities, compost and plant giveaways, and a raffle.
OJAI
April 21: From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., at the regularly scheduled Ojai Community Farmers’ Market in the courtyard of the Ojai Unified School District Headquarters, 414 E. Ojai Ave, vendors and nonprofit organizations will provide a community celebration of Earth Day, featuring crafts for kids, an opening celebration, live music and speakers.
April 23: Café BōKU and BōKU Superfoods, located at 987 W. Ojai Ave., are celebrating 2-6 p.m. The Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance and Electric Vehicle Advocates of Ventura County will display vehicles, give away promotional items, offer games, and provide information to assist customers interested in purchasing electric vehicles. A new, onsite electric bicycle rental business, Ojai Electric Bikes, will offer 10% discounts on rentals (normally $35 per hour or $100 for the whole day, for bikes with 60 to 100 mile range) to anyone who walks into their shade structure, in the BōKU parking lot, and greets staff by saying, “Happy Earth Day!”
www.ojaicra.org/tree-planting
Ventura County Public Works Agency Environmental Resource Analyst David Goldstein can be reached at 805-658-4312 or david.goldstein@ventura.org.
