Eco-Tip for 4/29/18 Awards Programs Recognize and Inspire By David Goldstein, Ventura County PWA, IWMD In his “4R Grandkids/SaveOurWater” blog about Ventura County’s natural resources, Charles Spraggins recently groused about the types of measures celebrated at last week’s Earth Day events, saying, “What is saved by ‘sustainable living’ is consumed anyway via growth and development.”…
Eco-Tip for 4-22-18 Mattress Recycling Options Start with Retailers By David Goldstein, Ventura County PWA, IWMD To fund recycling, local stores and on-line retailers all charge a state-mandated $10.50 fee for each mattresses or box springs sold. However, only the stores are required to collect your old mattress for free when delivering a new one.…
Eco-Tip for April 8, 2018 Smaller Earth Day Events Need Early Support By David Goldstein, Ventura County PWA, IWMD Earth Day is April 22, which is a Sunday this year, making events convenient for attendees who work or go to school. Small-scale events are scheduled for that day, but as is typical in Ventura County,…
Eco-Tip for 3/25/18 Dockwalker Volunteers Needed to Prevent Oil and Sewage Spills By David Goldstein, Ventura County PWA, IWMD This Friday, volunteers will receive training and materials qualifying them to be official “Dockwalkers,” with access to local boaters in the Ventura and Channel Islands harbors. Dockwalkers use this access to protect the environment by educating…
Eco-Tip for 3/18/18 Smart Irrigation Products: Time to Adjust the Automatic Sprinklers by David Goldstein, Ventura County PWA, IWMD During the last week of rain, did you see a neighbor’s automatic sprinkler system running? If adjusted correctly and shut off during wet weather, automatic sprinkler systems are water saving devices, preventing accidental over-watering. Saving water…
Eco-Tip for 3-11-18 Cat Litter Solutions and Environmental Claims By David Goldstein, VC PWA, IWMD Cat litter options at supermarkets and discount retailers often include only clay-based product lines. However, larger or specialty pet stores carry alternatives. For example, one big box pet store, with branches in Newbury Park, Oxnard, Camarillo and Ventura, carries cat…
Eco-Tip for 3-4-18 Service, Home Laundering, or Disposables: Not Local Composting By David Goldstein, VC PWA, IWMD Major companies providing reusable diaper service in Ventura County are based in Pasadena, Montrose, and Santa Clarita; so does the resource conservation of using reusables instead of disposable diapers exceed the environmental costs of transportation? Alternatively, does home…
Eco-Tip for 2/18/18 Microwave: Options Prevent Disposal By David Goldstein, PWA, IWMD Because microwave ovens have circuit boards, including solder potentially containing mercury and lead, they cannot be disposed in your curbside recycling or garbage. Discarding one is also difficult because some electronic recycling facilities accepting computers do not accept microwaves. A funded system for…
Eco-Tip for 2-4-18 Sand and Rock Landscape: Just Don’t Take it from the Beach By David Goldstein, Ventura County PWA, IWMD Many people are rebuilding landscapes, and others are thinking about how to make their landscape less flammable. Add to this the people who want a landscape to use little water and create no waste,…
Eco-Tip for 2-11-18 Thermostat Revolutions Lead to Recycling By David Goldstein, PWA, IWMD Those who sat out the first thermostat revolution are now being tempted to participate in a second one because the rewards of victory are worth more money. The first revolution replaced mercury devices with more convenient digital ones. Now, a second revolution…