Neighborhood Watch: Compost

Composting is the Way to Go
Burbank Leader: September 1, 2009 by Robert Rush

Anyone who planted tomatoes this year found it to be one of the best years ever. But I made a discovery that was really something.

When we had the drought two or three years ago, when Burbank got almost no rain, I let the grass in my backyard die because I would have had to flood the backyard daily to save it.

Dead grass is like a brown carpet. You walk on it and your feet don’t get dirty. I left it that way for a couple of years.

This year, I decided to take the dead grass out and try a garden with more than just tomatoes. I have been growing only tomatoes for the last 20 years or so. I have been composting for just as long.

The Burbank Recycle Center gives composters to residents. I found out that the soil under my grass was completely depleted of any nutrients. No wonder I had to put so much water on it during summer months. My soil could not hold water longer than a few hours.

Story continues below ↓

This was a great year, compost or not. But for me, the name of the game is homemade compost. Give it a try — it’s magic, and it’s organic. READ MORE !

The City of LA free mulch give-away program

Bring your own shovel, bag or pick-up.
Load up your own containers and take as much as you need
IT’S FREE & IT’S MADE FROM YARD TRIMMINGS!

Available Locations:
Lake View Terrace -11950 Lopez Canyon Rd.
(near Sylmar)
Everyday 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
Sheldon-Arleta - 12455 Wicks St.
(near Sun Valley)
Everyday 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
West Valley - 16600 Roscoe Pl.
(near North Hills)
Everyday 7:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Donald C. Tillman - 15800 Victory Blvd.
(near Van Nuys - S. of Densmore)
Mon-Fri 7:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M., Sat 8:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
West L.A. - 6000 W Jefferson Blvd.
Everyday 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
East L.A. - 2649 E Washington Blvd.
Fri-Sun 9:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.
Elysian Valley - 3000 Gilroy St.
Everyday 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
San Pedro - 1400 N Gaffey St.
Everyday 7:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
N. Mission Rd. - 850 N Mission Rd. Los Angeles
Scheduled to open soon.

Call James Kurz: (818) 834-5128
City of Los Angeles. Bureau of Sanitation

Findacomposter:
a service of BioCycle magazine. You can use this searchable data base to locate a composting facility in your area. Choose a state or province in the magnifying glass, or click on Facility Search to search by any of the fields in the data base.

Neighborhood Watch

A Friendly Source of power
Burbank Leader: May 15, 2009 by Christopher Cadelago

BURBANK — Robert Beher hasn’t had a power bill that topped $5 for the past five years.

Every month, while most meters charge forward, his meter ticks in the opposite direction thanks to a 2.09-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system atop his 1,300-square-foot home.

“I was satisfied with the decision I made,” said Beher, whose home includes a personal computer and plasma television. “And I am still very happy with it.”

As part of a program that began 10 years ago, Beher was the fifth Burbank Water and Power customer to add solar panels to his property, a number that grew to 15 by 2007.

“Since, the program has exploded from my perspective,” said John Joyce, the utility’s solar support program manager.

Spurred by increased rebates, the utility has funded 36 projects with a total capacity of 1,428 kilowatts, he said. The solar panels are situated throughout the city, including atop car ports, homes and small businesses, an airport hanger and movie studio stages.

All of the activity has led to the city surpassing three gigawatt hours of local solar energy, enough to power nearly 6,000 homes for one month.

“It’s only going to grow, especially as it becomes even more cost effective,” said Councilman Dave Golonski. “Solar is particularly efficient in our region because peak demand corresponds with the daylight and the sun.”

Ten years ago the council established the city’s first solar photovoltaic incentive program called Solar Support.

The program offered residents an up-front incentive of $3 per watt installed up to $10,000. Commercial customers were funded based on kilowatt hours generated. READ MORE