Green Day Planner: January 2012

Burbank Library Green Pages
January 2012 Calendar

Calendar of Green Events in Burbank and Greater LA.
Check out State and National events on the Green Day Planner.

Burbank and Local
Jan 3: SFV – Critical Mass Bike Ride (Victory & Woodley) 7pm - 10pm
Jan 16: BUR – Sustainable Task Force 4:30pm
Jan 21: BUR – eWaste Collection Boys & Girls Club Fundraiser 8am - 2pm

Southern California and California
Jan 18: S Monica – Green Living Workshops 7pm – 8:30pm
Jan 25: Venice – Green Living Workshops 7pm – 8:30pm
Jan 27: LA – Future of Water in So. California 8am – 7pm

National and International
2012: COOL: Commit to recycling a minimum of 75% of all paper and composting the rest by 2012
Jan 31+: Las Vegas – Solar Power Generation USA

Burbank: Christmas Tree Recycling

Christmas Tree Recycling
Burbank Recycle Center

Remove all tinsel, ornaments, metal stands, and plastic buckets
Flocked Trees are NOT RECYCLED

Recycle Trees 3 Ways !

1: Dec 26, 2011 – Jan 20, 2012
Drop off @ 2 parks
Brace Canyon Park, 2901 Haven Way [in parking lot off Haven Way]
Verdugo Park, 3201 W Verdugo Ave [near corner of California St & Verdugo Ave]

2: Jan 2 – Jan 20, 2012
At the curb or alley
~ place with waste containers on scheduled waste collection day

3: Cut up your tree
~ place it in the green waste containers with other yard trimmings

For more information: 818 . 238 . 3800

Burbank Recycle Center Reduces Bottle & Can Payments

Burbank Recycle Center Reduces Bottle and Can Payments

Burbank Recycle Center Press Release: 12.22.2011

Kreigh Hample, Recycling Coordinator (818) 238-3900

Beginning December 27, 2011 the Burbank Recycle Center will no longer pay the California Redemption Value (CRV) for bottles and Cans. Instead, the Center will pay scrap value only for beverage containers.

Visitors will receive substantially smaller payments. It is unknown when the California Redemption Value (CRV) will be reinstated at the Recycle Center.

Bottles and cans may be redeemed for full CRV value at the following centers:

~ rePlanet, 1100 North San Fernando Blvd., Burbank 91504 (951) 520-1700

~ West Side Metal Recycling, 6449 San Fernando Road, Glendale 91201 (818) 243-6955
~ South Coast Fibers, 5487 San Fernando Road, Los Angeles 90039 (818) 552-4068

Additional redemption centers for bottles and cans are listed at bottlesandcans or earth911.

The Recycle Center will continue to accept all other drop off materials as before. A detailed list of accepted materials may be found at Burbank Recycle.

The Burbank Recycle Center is located at 500 South Flower Street Burbank, CA 91502 and can be reached at (818) 238-3900.

. . . . . more information at

Residents to get less back from Burbank Recycle Center
Burbank Leader: 12.22.2011 by Mark Kellam

Christmas Trees: Real or Artificial

Buying Real vs. Artificial Christmas Trees
earth911.com: 12.01.2011 by Lori Brown

The real versus artificial Christmas tree debate replays itself year after year. But the truth is, each option has its own place on the naughty-and-nice list.

Just a few short decades ago, displaying a Christmas tree in your living room really only yielded one option: a real pine or fir tree. That all changed when a U.S.-based toilet bowl brush manufacturer, the Addis Brush Company, created an artificial tree from brush bristles in the 1930s, acting as the prototype for modern artificial trees.

The Pros and Cons of Artificial Trees
Guilt. Many have made it the sole reason to invest in an artificial tree. The thought of cutting down a new tree each year can put a damper on the holidays for some.

Also, cost, convenience and environmental impact are other reasons consumers opt for an artificial tree.

Given the current economic climate, artificial trees may be especially appealing for their investment value when compared with the recurrent, annual expense of a real Christmas tree. Their convenience is also appealing to consumers as they don’t need watering, don’t leave pine needles all over the floor and transportation from tree farm to home isn’t an issue.

But many experts believe artificial trees actually have a greater negative environmental impact when all aspects of an their life cycle are considered.

Today’s artificial trees are typically manufactured with metal and polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a non-biodegradable, petroleum-derived plastic. In addition, many older varieties may contain lead, used as a stabilizer in the manufacturing process.

Despite their PVC contents, artificial trees are non-recyclable and non-biodegradable, meaning they will sit in a landfill for centuries after disposal.

Furthermore, approximately 85 percent of artificial trees sold in the U.S. are imported from China, according to the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), adding to their overall environmental footprint.

The Pros and Cons of Real Trees
Approximately 33 million real Christmas trees are sold in North America each year, according to the U.S. EPA. Luckily, about 93 percent of those trees are recycled through more than 4,000 available recycling programs.

Also known as “treecycling,” the act of *recycling a Christmas tree is a leading reason many experts agree they are more environmentally friendly than their plastic counterparts. READ MORE !

*Burbank Recycle Center – Christmas Tree Recycling
~ All tinsel, ornaments, metal stands, and plastic buckets must be removed
~ Flocked trees are NOT recycled

Recycle Trees 3 Ways !

1: Jan 2 – Jan 20, 2012 – At the curb or alley
~ place with waste containers on scheduled waste collection day

2: Dec 26, 2011 – Jan 20, 2012 – Drop off @ 2 parks
Brace Canyon Park, 2901 Haven Way [in parking lot off Haven Way]
Verdugo Park, 3201 W Verdugo Ave [near corner of California St & Verdugo Ave]

3: Cut up your tree
~ place it in the green waste containers with other yard trimmings

For more information: 818 . 238 . 3800

Green Day Planner: December 2011

Burbank Library Green Pages
December 2011 Calendar

Calendar of Green Events in Burbank and Greater LA.
Check out State and National events on the Green Day Planner.

Burbank and Local
Dec 1 BUR: Plug In Ribbon Cutting 10 am – Town Center Mall (near Sport Chalet)
Dec 19 BUR: Sustainable Task Force 4:30 pm
Dec 6 TIPPING POINT: The End of Oil 7 pm – Pasadena
Dec 6 Critical Mass Bike Ride 7 pm-10 pm – SFV (Victory & Woodley)

Southern California and California
Dec 7 CA Hybrid Truck, Bus Voucher Incentive – OnLine
Dec 9 Energy Clean Tech Innovation – San Francisco

National and International
Dec 8 Electric Vehicles Virtual Summit – OnLine

2012 COOL: Commit to recycling at least 75% of paper & composting

BUR: Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

December 1: Plug-In Ribbon Cutting
Town Center Mall (near Sport Chalet)
10 am

Electric vehicles can charge for no charge

Stations opening this week will be free to EV drivers until July 1, when the rate will become $2 an hour.
Burbank Leader: 11.26.2011 by Maria Hsin

Eleven new electric vehicle charging stations will debut in Burbank this week, and until July 1, motorists will get to plug in for free.

After the “holiday rate” — approved by the Burbank City Council this week — the price to charge a vehicle will be $2 per hour. But any other charging stations that come online after January will also feature a six-month grace period, according to the city.

The purpose of the grant is to promote and facilitate the use of electric vehicles by encouraging the development of EV charging infrastructure across the country, Xavier Baldwin, assistant general manager at Burbank Water and Power, said in an email.

The three-year demonstration project will also help set pricing. READ MORE !

BWP - Burbank Charging Stations:
Bob Hope Airport Economy Lot A
Bob Hope Airport Lot D
Burbank Town Center Mall (near Sport Chalet)
Burbank Public Works/CDD – 333 E Olive
Costco – 1051 Burbank Blvd
Fry’s – 2311 N Hollywood Way

All Charging Locations in Los Angeles County

America Recycles Day: November 15

America Recycles Day: November 15

Since 1997, communities across the country have come together on November 15 to celebrate America Recycles Day. More than a celebration, America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to the promotion of recycling in the United States. One day to educate and motivate. One day to get our neighbors, friends and community leaders excited about what can be accomplished when we all work together. One day to make recycling bigger and better 365 days a year. Get involved!

Burbank Recycle Center
500 South Flower Street
Burbank CA 91502
818-238-3900 M-F 8am-5pm
818-841-9700 Saturday 8am-4pm

Why Buy Recycled Products?
What Can Be Recycled?
Events
Bulky Item Pick Up
Christmas Tree Recycling
Composting Program
Graffiti Removal
Household Hazardous Waste
Learning Center
RV Dump Station
Waste Haulers
Waste Oil & Filter Recycling
Zero Waste Events

California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery
Where to Recycle, Schools & State Agencies, Resources

INDUSTRY
Batteries: Call2Recycle
Glass: Glass Packaging Institute
Paper: American Forest & Paper Association
Plastic:
American Chemistry Council
National Association for PET Container Resources
Steel:Steel Recycling Institute

Green Day Planner: November 2011

Burbank Library Green Pages
November 2011 Events

Calendar of Green Events in Burbank and Greater LA. Check out State and National events on the Green Day Planner.

Burbank – SFV
Nov 1 Critical Mass Bike Ride – SFV Victory & Woodley @ 7pm
Nov 21 BUR: Sustainable Task Force @ 4:30pm

Los Angeles
Nov 3 Sustainability & the Global Shift to Clean-Tech @ 6:45pm
Nov 9+ Opportunity Green Business Conference
Nov 10 Forum of Climate Change USC @ 3pm
Nov 29 The Next Gen – Near Zero Emission Natural Gas Vehicles
Nov 30+ Groundwater Cong – UC Irvine

California
Nov 12+ Green Festival – SF
Nov 16+ Solar Market Insight Conf - SF

National
Nov 7-10 American Water Resources Conf - Albuquerque NM
Nov 15 America Recycles Day

Weatherization Day: October 30

October 30
Weatherization Day

Burbank Water & Power
Green Home House Call

FREE
Now offering A/C Tune-up and Duct Sealing
Weatherization services for qualified homes*, including attic insulation
Water efficient showerheads & faucet aerators installed
Indoor & outdoor energy-saving light bulbs installed
Landscape sprinkler system check & irrigation controller programming
Personalized report to help you manage electricity, water and natural gas consumption in the future

*Single family homes with central air conditioning and heating will be assessed for possible insulation services.

Energy Awareness Month - October

Energy Awareness Month 2011
Federal Energy Management Program

Each year for Energy Awareness Month (October), FEMP provides materials and ideas to promote energy-saving practices:

Office Energy Checklist
~ energy conservation/efficiency measures to use at the office

Facility Energy Checklist
~ actions that conserve energy within facilities

Home Energy Checklist
~ energy conservation measures to use at home

Energy Savers Consumers Guide:
provides homeowners with tips for saving energy and money at home and on the road. By following just a few of the simple tips found on this Energy Savers Web site, you can make your home more comfortable and easier to heat and cool—while you save money. We bring you the latest information on energy-saving, efficient technologies. We even give tips for using clean, renewable energy to power your home.

Green Day Planner: October 2011

Burbank Library Green Pages
October 2011 Events

Calendar of Green Events in Burbank and Greater LA. Check out future State and National events on the Green Day Planner.

Burbank – SFV – LA
Oct 4: Critical Mass Bike Ride – Victory & Woodley @ 7pm
Oct 7+ New World FEST – Santa Monica
Oct 9: CicLAvia – LA @ 10 am
Oct 13: Forecasting California 2020 – LA @ 6pm
Oct 17: BUR Sustainable Taskforce @ 4:30pm
Oct 20: Transportation, Pollution & Communities – LA @ 9am
Oct 29+ Green Festival – LA Convention Center

California
Oct 2+ Climate Ride – Eureka to San Francisco
Oct 14+ Bioneers Conf – San Rafael
Oct 24+ LEDs 2011 – S Diego

National
Oct 1+ Green Festival – NY
Oct 3+ Water & Health – NC
Oct 5+ WaterSmart Innovations – NV
Oct 17+ Solar Power Intl – TX
Oct 17+ Global Cleantech – DC
Oct 18: Clean Water Act – 40th Anniversary

Moving Planet - September 24

Moving Planet
September 24

A worldwide rally to demand solutions to the climate crisis.

The goal is to get moving beyond fossil fuels—both symbolically by pouring into the streets in the thousands on foot, bicycle and other means of sustainable movement, and politically by bringing powerful demands to our leaders that day to move beyond fossil fuels to a 350ppm world. Mobilizing for individual and community solutions will continue to be important—but one of the main goals for Moving Planet is to demand government action, especially in places where governments are stalling on climate action despite the overwhelming urgency of the science.

To get below 350ppm, we know we need to get off fossil fuels right away, and move to a sustainable, democratically controlled, and renewably-powered future as soon as possible. All mobilizations for Moving Planet are encouraged to pick a clear and strategic demand to deliver to their local governments that day.

350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide—measured in "Parts Per Million" in our atmosphere. 350 PPM—it's the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change.

COB: Composting Workshop - September 22

Composting Workshop
September 22
6:30pm – 8pm

Free Composting Bins for Residents

Join the long, proud tradition of Burbank households that enjoy the satisfaction of quietly turning their leaves, grass, and food scraps into rich soil for their yards, instead of sending it to the curb. Over the past 20 years, more than 10,500 residents have taken the composting workshop and are now helping to divert untold amounts of materials from the landfill and distant mulch sites.

@ Burbank Adult School - 3811 Allan Avenue

Please call 818.238.3900 to RSVP.

Coastal Cleanup Day - September 17

Coastal Cleanup Day
September 17
9:00 am – Noon

Annual beach and inland waterway cleanup. California’s largest volunteer event.

In 2010, over 82,500 volunteers removed more than 1.2 million pounds of trash and recyclables from CA beaches, lakes, and waterways. Combined with the International Coastal Cleanup, organized by Ocean Conservancy and taking place on the same day, California Coastal Cleanup Day becomes part of one of the largest volunteer events in the world.

Find a cleanup site near you.
With over 800 sites throughout California, there is sure to be one in your neighborhood.

Composting Workshop - September 17

Composting Workshop
September 17
10:00 am – 11:30 am

Free Composting Bins for Residents

Join the long, proud tradition of Burbank households that enjoy the satisfaction of quietly turning their leaves, grass, and food scraps into rich soil for their yards, instead of sending it to the curb. Over the past 20 years, more than 10,500 residents have taken the composting workshop and are now helping to divert untold amounts of materials from the landfill and distant mulch sites.

@ Jordan Middle School - 420 S Mariposa

Please call 818.238.3900 to RSVP.

Hazardous Waste Roundup - September 17

Annual Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Roundup
Fire Training Center
September 17
9:00 am – 3:00 pm

In conjunction with Los Angeles County, Burbank will host its annual HHW roundup.

City of Burbank Fire Training Center
1845 North Ontario Street

Please see flyer for details on materials you may bring.

Climate Reality Project: September 14

Climate Reality Project
September 14

What is 24 Hours of Reality?
24 Presenters. 24 Time Zones. 13 Languages. 1 Message.

24 Hours of Reality is a worldwide event to broadcast the reality of the climate crisis. It will consist of a new multimedia presentation created by Al Gore and delivered once per hour for 24 hours, representing every time zone around the globe. Each hour people living with the reality of climate change will connect the dots between recent extreme weather events — including floods, droughts and storms — and the manmade pollution that is changing our climate. We will offer a round-the-clock, round-the-globe snapshot of the climate crisis in real time. The deniers may have millions of dollars to spend, but we have a powerful advantage. We have reality.

When is 24 Hours of Reality?
24 Hours of Reality will be broadcast live online from September 14 to 15, over 24 hours, representing 24 time zones and 13 languages.

Where is 24 Hours of Reality?
From Tonga to Cape Verde, Mexico City to Alaska, Jakarta to London, people living with the impacts of climate change every day will tell their story. You can experience as much as you like without even leaving your home. Click here to find the location — or locations — where you would like to watch a presentation. Due to logistical considerations, three of the presentations will be broadcast remotely from New York — Tonga, the Solomon Islands and French Polynesia — but will include local footage and information. All other presentations will be filmed on location around the world.

Green Infographics

The Web’s Best Green Infographics
Earth911.com: 9.08.2011 by Amanda Wills



Infographics for:
Natural Resources
Recycling
E-Waste
Weirdest Place For Waste
Saving Water

Green Day Planner: September 2011

Burbank Library Green Pages
September 2011 Calendar

Calendar of Green Events for Burbank, Greater LA, California and the US. Check upcoming events on Green Calendar.

Burbank & SFV
Sep 6: Critical Mass Bike Ride 7pm @ Victory & Woodley – SFV
Sep 10: Generation Earth’s Waste Reduction Recycling on Campus 9am @ Burbank Recycling Center for public-private school educators-students
Sep 17: BUR – Household Hazardous Waste Roundup 9am @ Fire Dept Training Ctr
Sep 17: BUR – Compost Workshop 10am @ Jordan Middle School
Sep 19: BUR – Sustainable Task Force 4:30pm
Sep 20: BUR – Landscaping: California Natives Lili Singer 6:30pm @ Buena Vista Library
Sep 22: BUR – Compost Workshop 6:30pm @ Burbank Adult School

Southern California and California
Sep 3+: Mother Earth News Fair – Marin Co
Sep 10: Green Feast Fundraiser 4pm @ Ecology Center – S Juan Capistrano
Sep 15: LA as Capital of Low/No Emission Vehicles 9am – LA
Sep 17: Coastal Cleanup Day – California
Sep 23+: Art of Community – SF
Sep 24: Tree People-Evening Under Harvest Moon Fundraiser – Beverly Hills
Sep 25+: Waste To Fuels Conf – SD
Sep 25: Fight For Air Walk 8am – Santa Monica
Sep 26+: OLEDs World Summit – SF
Sep 27+: Clean Pacific – Long Beach
Sep28+: CA Clean Energy Roundtable – Laguna Beach
Sep 30: Creating a Bike Friendly Los Angeles County Summit –UCLA

National
Sep 13+: Modern Energy Forum – Denver CO
Sep 13+: Sustaining the Blue Planet – Bozeman MT
Sep 14+: Climate Reality Project – Global
Sep 18: World Water Monitoring Day – Global
Sep 23+: Solar Decathlon – Wash DC
Sep 24: Moving Planet Beyond Fossil Fuels – Global

Greenwashing

Is It Really Green?

Contract Services Group, Inc. (CSG) created this infographic to help the average consumer avoid cleaning products that are guilty of “greenwashing.” The information graphic, gives an accurate display of how products greenwash, and how to choose cleaning products are truly green and environmentally friendly.

World Water Week 2011

World Water Week 2011
“Water in an Urbanizing World”
Aug 21 – 27

Hosted and organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) and takes place each year in Stockholm. World Water Week has been the annual focal point for the globe's water issues since 1991.

Some Water Websites:

Circle of Blue
Of all the Earth’s water, 97.5 percent is salt and 2.5 is fresh. Of that water, about 70 percent is locked in glacial ice and 30 percent in soil, leaving under 1 percent (.007 percent of the total water) readily accessible for human use.

An international network of leading journalists, scientists and communications design experts that reports and presents the information necessary to respond to the global freshwater crisis. It is a nonprofit affiliate of the internationally recognized water, climate and policy think tank, the Pacific Institute.

Poster Art to Spread the Clean-Water Word
Sierra: 8.19.2011
To raise awareness about the global water crisis, students from around the world submitted designs for the Water is Life poster-art contest. The winning designs are so inspiring that they're going to be part of a globe-trotting museum exhibit.

The posters are meant to spread the word about Stockholm’s annual World Water Week, a global summit that aims to focus the world's attention on the challenge of water management (as things are now, only one in eight people has access to clean water).This year, the summit happens next week: Aug. 21 to 27.

While the summit itself is primarily for environmental leaders, we all can get involved. How? Read a book, watch a movie, or learn more on the web. Or buy a “Water is Life” poster to spread inspiration. You can also watch live broadcasts from the Stockholm summit.

Water.Org: a U.S. nonprofit committed to providing safe drinking water and sanitation to people in developing countries. Has Lesson Plans and many links.

World Water Council: established in 1996, on the initiative of renowned water specialists and international organizations, in response to an increasing concern about world water issues from the global community.

Sierra Magazine: Greenest Colleges 2011

AMERICA'S COOLEST SCHOOLS
Sierra Magazine

Sierra's 5th annual ranking of the greenest colleges in the United States is open to all four-year undergraduate colleges and universities in the United States.

In March 2011, Sierra sent a 12-page questionnaire to 940 schools, a list based on the widest collection of university contacts that the magazine's researchers could amass; schools that requested a survey were provided one and encouraged to participate.

Sierra received 118 complete responses from schools, which the magazine's researchers scored and ranked. READ MORE !

Top 10
1 University of Washington
2 Green Mountain College
3 University of California, San Diego
4 Warren Wilson College
5 Stanford University
6 University of California, Irvine
7 University of California, Santa Cruz
8 University of California, Davis
9 Evergreen State College
10 Middlebury College

Book Watch: New Green Books @ BPL

New Green Books @ Burbank Public Library

Bottled lightning: superbatteries, electric cars, and the new lithium economy
The rise of lithium batteries and the implications of the new energy economy.
Seth Fletcher
Hill & Wang, 2011
621.31242 FLETC

Force of nature: the unlikely story of Wal-Mart's green revolution
A green business revolution @ Wal-Mart.
Edward Humes
Harper Business, 2011
338.927 HUMES

Let them eat shrimp: the tragic disappearance of the rainforests of the sea
Profound importance of mangrove forests to the ecological balance of the areas near the ocean where they are located.
K P Warne
Island Press, 2011
578.7698 WARNE

Mindfully green: a personal and spiritual guide to whole earth thinking
Finding a personal connection with green living.
Stephanie Kaza
Shambhala, 2008
333.72 KAZA

Green Day Planner: August 2011

Burbank Library Green Pages
August 2011 Calendar

Calendar of Green Events in Burbank and Greater LA. Check out State and National events on the Green Day Planner.

Burbank and Local
Aug 15: BUR Sustainable Task Force @ 4:30pm
Aug 20: BUR Compost Workshop @ Muir Middle School @ 10am
Aug 31: BUR Compost Workshop @ Monterey HS 6:30pm
Aug 2: SFV Critical Mass Bike Ride – Victory & Woodley @ 7pm
Aug 28+: Taste of the World Festival – LA Coliseum
Aug 30+: Women in Green Forum – S Monica

Southern California and California
Jul 31 - Aug 3: CRRA Conf Zero Waste – S Diego
Aug 12: Clean Business Investment Summit – S Barbara @ 7am

National and International
Aug 18+: American Renewable Energy Day Summit – Aspen CO
Aug 22+: EcoCity – Montreal Canada

Electric Cars: Roadside Assistance

If your electric car poops out on the road,
AAA can save the day
examiner.com Long Beach: 7.21.2011 by Jon LeSage

Plug-in electric vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Volt, Mini E, Tesla Roadster, and do-it-yourself conversions, are slowly starting to become mainstream. There may not be any more infamous GM EV1s on the roads, but don’t be surprised to see an electric car getting charged at your workplace, shopping mall, or neighbor’s garage.

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But what happens if your electric car poops out on the highway, and you’re two hours from home? Call a tow truck? That’s where AAA has stepped in, announcing that its roadside assistance trucks are capable of fast charging stranded electric vehicles.

During the Plug-in 2011 conference in Raleigh, NC, AAA said electric vehicle drivers can get a 15-minute jolt of either Level 2 (240-volt), or Level 3 (480-volt) fast charging to get them to the nearest charge point. And there’s good news for Californians – AAA says it will roll the trucks out initially in Los Angeles and San Francisco; beyond that, Portland, Ore.; Tampa Bay, Fla.; and Knoxville, Tenn. Other areas will follow later.

For the fast chargers, the standards haven’t yet been finalized, like they have with Level 1 and 2 stations. So far, only the Nissan Leaf and the upcoming Mitsubishi i are the only electric cars that can use the fast chargers. READ MORE !

COB: Plastic Bags

Group pushes for plastic bag ban in Burbank
Task force recommends the city ban their use by retail stores.
Burbank Leader: 7.26.2011 by Maria Hsin

A ban on plastic bags from store checkouts has been recommended by the Sustainable Burbank Task Force.

Councilman Gary Bric, a non-voting council representative to the task force, said the task force recommended the city move forward with a ban.

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The county ban went into effect July 1 for stores with gross annual sales of $2 million, or that have at least 10,000 square feet of floor space. Smaller stores in the county must comply by Jan. 1, 2012.

In addition to the plastic bag ban, the county ordinance imposes a 10-cent charge on recyclable paper bags.

Jessica Aldridge, executive director of the Burbank Green Alliance, who attended the task force meeting, said she is supportive of a plastic bag ban. READ MORE !

Plastic Bag Poll @ Burbank Leader

California Watch: Governor's Conference Renewable Energy

The Governor’s Conference on Local Renewable Energy Resources
California's Path towards the Future
July 25 - 26

Governor Brown has called for 12,000 MW of renewable power generated within the local power distribution grid. Implementing this effort will provide important advantages in California’s drive for clean power – development of local resources, avoided costs of new intercity transmission or remote generation, and additional consumer autonomy.

Achieving this goal calls for new approaches and coalitions between consumers, community leaders, utilities and power providers. Promising innovations:
-Financing tools that help build new power sources, but also keep costs as low as possible.
-Improvements to existing wires and transformers, and new policies to speed connections.
-Policies and techniques to measure and manage power demand and variable power sources
-New efforts in local land use, building and fire codes to speed up deployment.

This two-day conference will explore these challenges in detail by catalyzing discussions between experts, regulators and other stakeholder groups. The invitation-only conference will be highly participatory and requires extensive facilitation and advance work. Some participants will take roles as participants or facilitators. All participants will review, in advance, conference materials including discussion papers set for each panel.

Complete Agenda with links to Overviews of Issues and Recommended Reading.

Burbank Green Events: July 23

Green Events - Burbank
July 23

eWaste Collection
9:00 am - 3:00pm
Unity Church
637 S Victory

Compost Workshop
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Burroughs HS
(818) 238-3900
FREE Compost Bin for Burbank residents

Green Jobs

Sizing the Clean Economy: A National and Regional Green Jobs Assessment Growth through Innovation, Environment, Cities, Competitiveness, Jobs and the Economy
Brookings: July 2011

The clean economy, which employs some 2.7 million workers, encompasses a significant number of jobs in establishments spread across a diverse group of industries. Though modest in size, the clean economy employs more workers than the fossil fuel industry and bulks larger than bioscience but remains smaller than the IT-producing sectors. Most clean economy jobs reside in mature segments that cover a wide swath of activities including manufacturing and the provision of public services such as wastewater and mass transit. A smaller portion of the clean economy encompasses newer segments that respond to energy-related challenges. These include the solar photovoltaic (PV), wind, fuel cell, smart grid, biofuel, and battery industries.

The clean economy grew more slowly in aggregate than the national economy between 2003 and 2010, but newer “cleantech” segments produced explosive job gains and the clean economy outperformed the nation during the recession. Overall, today’s clean economy establishments added half a million jobs between 2003 and 2010, expanding at an annual rate of 3.4 percent.

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Among regions, the South has the largest number of clean economy jobs though the West has the largest share relative to its population. Seven of the 21 states with at least 50,000 clean economy jobs are in the South. Among states, California has the highest number of clean jobs but Alaska and Oregon have the most per worker. READ MORE !

Some Highlights:
California had 318,156 jobs followed by NY @ 185,038 and TX @ 144,081;
LA Metro area had 89,592 jobs.
Average annual wage:
California: $46,400
LA Metro: $40,910
US average: $43,773.

2010 Tables & Charts:
Table 1. Segments of the Clean Economy
Table 2. Job Growth Median Year of Establishment Birth by Clean Economy Segment
Table 3. Share of Clean Economy Jobs
Table 4. Metro Areas with the Most Clean Economy Jobs, 100 Largest Metros
Appendix A. The U.S. Clean Economy by Category and Segment
Appendix B. The Aggregate Clean Economy by State (Map)
Appendix C. The Aggregate Clean Economy 100 Largest Metropolitan Areas
Appendix D. The Clean Economy by Industry (NAICS-Based
Appendix E. Occupations of the Clean Economy

BWP: Sierra Club Water Conservation Scorecard

Water Conservation Measures Scorecard
Sierra Club Angeles Chapter: July 2011

The Water Conservation Measures Scorecard rated 122 cities in Los Angeles and Orange counties by the number of mandatory water conservation measures enacted. Cities are ranked for measures in their ordinances that address appropriate water use, avoid water waste, improve building standards, and prescribe water-efficient business practices. Five cities were rated “Best” and five cities were rated “Worst.” The scorecard provides cities with a roadmap to update and expand existing water conservation measures in order to meet federal and state water efficiency standards and to work together to better manage use of the region’s limited water resources.

The 5 cities that scored “Best” with water-efficient building standards and best practices for commercial and outdoor water use:
Burbank, La Palma, La Verne, Los Angeles and Mission Viejo

The Report Includes a City Summary and City Scorecards. READ MORE !

water water everywhere - not a drop to drink*

Direct and indirect water use
Water Foot Print Network

People use lots of water for drinking, cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as food, paper, cotton clothes, etc. The water footprint is an indicator of water use that looks at both direct and indirect water use of a consumer or producer. The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the business. Includes:

Product Water Footprint
-Food & Animal Products: Apples to Wine
(excellent graphic @ National Geographic)
Your Water Footprint
-quick calculator
-extended calculator
National Water Footprint
Corporate Water Footprint
Global Water Footprint

WFPN: promote the transition towards sustainable, fair and efficient use of fresh water resources worldwide.

*The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Industry Watch: Hybrid Cars

Hybrid Scorecard 2011

Hybrid Scorecard for 2011 Shows Automakers Not Delivering Enough 'High Value' Models
Stronger Vehicle Efficiency Standards Needed to Make the Most of Hybrid Technology

WASHINGTON (July 6, 2011) – The current crop of hybrid vehicles demonstrate automakers know how to provide dramatic fuel savings and pollution reductions, but have yet to fully deliver those benefits, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) announced today.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (USC) released its 2011 Hybrid Scorecard that rates 34 Non-Luxury and Luxury cars for their fuel efficiency, environmental improvement, consumer value, and the “forced features” automakers install that artificially inflate the cost of some models.

Green Day Planner: July 4

Green Your Fourth: Cleaner Coal
Sierra Club-Green Life: 6.27.2011
Tip #1: Skip the Coal

Independence Day is, from sea to shining sea, a glorious holiday. This year, your festivities can help protect those purple mountain majesties. This week’s tips tell you how.

To help lessen the 225,000 tons of carbon emitted from Independence Day grilling alone, opt for an electric or propane-powered grill, or a solar oven, over one that burns through charcoal. If you’ve only got a coal-fired cooker and can’t replace it yet, choose briquettes* made of invasive trees, or biomass pellets from sustainably managed forests.

Not sure how to find those? Look for products marked with this seal or this one.

*Eco-Friendly Charcoal

Green Day Planner: July 2011

Burbank Library Green Pages
July 2011 Calendar

Calendar of Green Events in Burbank and Greater LA. Check out State and National events on the Green Day Planner.

Burbank
Jul 18 Sustainable Task Force @ 4:30 pm
Jul 23 Compost Workshop @ Burroughs HS 10am
Jul 28 Compost Workshop @ Emerson Elem, 6:30 pm

Southern California and California
Jul 9: Eco – Fest, Venice
Jul 16+: Eat Real Festival, Venice
Jul 21: Greening the Ports, LA
Jul 30: Green Fair, LATTC
Jul 31: CRRA Conf – Zero Waste, San Diego

June 21: Three Degrees of Preparation

Three Degrees of Preparation:
Turn Up the Thermostat on June 21
Mother Earth News: 6.16.2011 by Robyn Griggs Lawrence

June 21 is the longest day of the year, the first official day of summer—and an opportunity to start a new summer tradition. American Home Shield is spearheading an effort to get Americans to raise their home thermostats three degrees on this day, for Three Degrees of Preparation.

“Three degrees can make a significant impact; some utility companies report that every degree below 78 can add more than 6 percent to your home’s cooling costs,” says American Home Shield president Dave Crawford. “We’re asking homeowners to give the adjustment a test on the first day of summer, June 21, and participate in Three Degrees of Preparation. Your family will probably not notice the difference in temperature, but make the adjustment a daily routine and you should notice it on your next energy bill.”