Burbank Green Spotlight Award: November

Burbank Sustainable Commission
Green Spotlight Award
Each month the Commission will present the award to a resident or business for sustainable efforts. The Award was established at the December meeting.

SUSTAINABLE BURBANK COMMISSION
November 19, 2012 MINUTES

III. BURBANK GREEN SPOTLIGHT AWARD PRESENTATION:

Ms. James announced that the November 2012 recipient of the Burbank Green Spotlight Award is the Vander Borght Group and introduced Jef and Kyle Vander Borght. The Vander Borghts provided a PowerPoint presentation outlining the architecture and construction of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees’ (IATSE) office building located on Magnolia Boulevard in Burbank. The structure showcases the Vander Borght Group’s sustainability efforts to design and build achievable "green projects” in a cost effective and practical manner. The masonry building is constructed from recycled aggregates and regional materials and ensures longevity through design quality. The structure provides a variety of “green” features including double walls for maximum insulation, a white “cool” roof, skylights, polished concrete flooring, solar panels, natural interior lighting, subterranean irrigation, and drought tolerant plant landscaping. The Commissioners congratulated Jef and Kyle Vander Borght, and Mr. Lewis presented them with the Burbank Green Spotlight Award.

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, 2012 – Jan 22, 2013

Drop off @ 3 parks:
• George Izay Park (Olive Park) in the parking lot on Clark Ave.
• Ralph Foy Park in the parking lot on Victory Blvd.
• McCambridge Park in the parking lot on Andover Dr.

Please note: Verdugo Park will NOT accept Christmas trees.

2: Jan 2 – Jan 22, 2013

At the curb or alley
~ place with waste containers on scheduled waste collection day
~ Burbank Sanitation Dept will collect trees placed in the alley and at curb

3: Cut up your tree

~ place it in the green waste containers with other yard trimmings

For more information: 818 . 238 . 3800

Clean Air Act

Clean Air Act - December 17, 1963

The Air Pollution Control Act of 1955 was the first federal legislation involving air pollution. This Act provided funds for federal research in air pollution. The Clean Air Act of 1963 was the first federal legislation regarding air pollution control. It established a federal program within the U.S. Public Health Service and authorized research into techniques for monitoring and controlling air pollution. In 1967, the Air Quality Act was enacted in order to expand federal government activities.

The Plain English Guide to the Clean Air Act provides a brief introduction to the 1990 Clean Air Act. The 1990 Clean Air Act is the most recent version of a law first passed in 1970 to clean up air pollution. This summary covers some of the important provisions of the 1990 Clean Air Act and may help you understand what is in the law and how it may affect you.


New air pollution standards restrict soot particles
The Environmental Protection Agency, announcing the limits, predicts that they could save on healthcare costs from respiratory ailments.
LA Times: 12.14.2012 by Neela Banerjee

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration announced a new air pollution standard Friday that would bring about a 20% reduction in microscopic particles of soot emitted by coal-fired power plants and diesel vehicles that contribute to haze and respiratory ailments.

The new limit, fought by industry and welcomed by environmentalists, marks the first time the Environmental Protection Agency tightened the soot standard since it was established 15 years ago.

"These standards are fulfilling the promise of the Clean Air Act," said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. "We will save lives and reduce the burden of illness in our communities, and families across the country will benefit from the simple fact of being able to breathe cleaner air."

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The new standard will have a particular impact on California, due to problems from the burning of diesel fuel. According to the EPA's regional office of the Pacific Southwest, seven California counties may not meet the new standard by 2020: Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Imperial, Kern, Merced and Tulare. Still, over the last decade, soot levels have been cut by almost 50% in the Los Angeles area and almost 30% in the San Joaquin Valley, the office said.

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States have until 2018 to submit their plans to meet the new standards and then until 2020 to comply. Moreover, they could ask for an extension until 2025 "depending on the severity of an area's fine particle pollution problems and the availability of pollution controls," the EPA said. READ MORE !

Smogtown: the lung-burning history of pollution in Los Angeles
Chip Jacobs
Overlook Press, 2008
363.7392 JACOB