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.

Public Works: Transportation

Green’ Buses Set to Arrive: Natural gas vehicles brings the city’s municipal fleet up to 20% alternatively fueled vehicles.

Burbank Leader: August 28, 2009 by Christopher Cadelago

CITY HALL — Five new compressed natural gas buses will roll onto city streets in the coming weeks, each serving as the latest example of Burbank’s effort to “green” its fleet, transportation officials said.

The 30-seat buses, each with a price tag of about $395,000, bring the city’s number of alternatively fueled vehicles to 101, or about 20% of its municipal fleet, including compressed natural gas, hybrid and hydrogen technologies, said Ari Omessi, assistant Public Works director of fleet and building.

The newest buses were paid for with a mix of city and grant funds.

“We’re one of the cleanest cities out there,” he said. “And it’s genuine. We purchased [compressed natural gas] vehicles and put in a refueling station long before it was [politically correct.]”

To support its green quest, as well as the aspirations of private companies and neighboring Glendale, the city six years ago opened a public natural gas station at 810 N. Lake St., paid for with $600,000 in state grants and $200,000 from ENRG, the company originally contracted to operate and maintain the station for 10 years.

A demonstration hydrogen fueling station is at the city yard at 124 S. Lake St. READ MORE !

News For You: AERS

Smart2BeGreen: Onion Fuel
. . . from Smart Tips
August 26, 2009

Onions may make you cry,
But they can be a fuel supply.
Onion juice ferments you see,
Waste becomes energy!

Crying All the Way to the Bank

In Oxnard, California, Gills Onions, a national onion processor and distributor, has constructed an Advanced Energy Recovery System (AERS) that converts 100% of their onion waste into ultra-clean renewable energy and a high-value cattle feed. The AERS creates enough methane biogas to power two onsite 300-kilowatt fuel cells, which operate the plant's refrigeration units and lighting.

• Like a Big Stomach: Juice extracted from onion waste is sent to ferment in an anaerobic digester that contains bacteria from an Anheuser-Busch beer brewery. The bacteria feast on the carbohydrates in the fermenting juice and produce combustible methane gas.

• Cost Savings: The AERS provides annual savings of $700,000 in electricity costs, $400,000 in disposal costs, and has lead to more than $3 million in government and power company incentives.

• GHG Reductions: The AERS eliminates up to 30,000 tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions per year.

• Waste-To-Energy: Gills Onions is one of many companies using their biomass waste to create energy. Other types of biomass waste employed include animal manure, vegetable oil, whey, municipal solid waste, and industrial wastes.

Healthy Air Walk Kick Off Breakfast: Aug 19

The Greater Los Angeles

Healthy Air Walk
Kick Off Breakfast
Special Guest: Ed Begley, Jr.
Television Star, Environmentalist,
and Honorary Chair for the Healthy Air Walk

Wed: Aug 19, 2009 - 8 am-10 am
Sponsored By: Woodbury University
Ahmanson Main Space - 7500 Glenoaks Blvd.

Exciting things are happening to gear up for our Healthy Air Walk, and we'd like to share them with you! This event is an opportunity to network with your fellow teammates, as well as other teams and our Leadership Committee. We will also have materials and fundraising tips to help support your efforts !

Our special guest speaker, Ed Begley Jr. is star of his own reality show, "Living with Ed". Don't miss out on this great opportunity ! Please bring your teammates,coworkers, anyone interested in learning how we are Fighting for Air !

Join the Burbank Central Library Team
Sponsor Walker - Jody Hidey

Product Watch: School Supplies

6 Eco-friendly School Supplies
Lifestyle - MSN

Soybeans aren’t just for tofu anymore―these days crayons are made out of them, too. Get ready to go green this fall with planet-friendly school supplies.

1. Soy crayons
Nontoxic Prang Fun Pro Soybean Crayons are made from soybean oil.
$1 for eight @ Stubby Pencil Studio

2. Paper stationery
Elephant Pooh makes odor-free (promise!) journals with paper made from pulped and processed dung.
$9 @ Global Exchange Store

3. Biodegradable pens.
These corn pens disintegrate completely about a year after they are thrown away.
$2 @ Grass Roots Store

4. Reusable sandwich bags
Pack lunches in Wrap-N-Mat, cotton and non-PVC-vinyl-lined bags.
$7 @ Reuseable Bags

5. Recycled scissors
Westcott Kleen Earth scissors have black handles that are made from recycled plastic.
$8 @ Westcott

6. Adhesive paste
This glue by Coccoina, made of potato starch, works on paper and fabric. Plus, it is solvent-free and smells like almonds.
$8 @ Grass Roots Store

. . . . . and a few others:

Little Eco-Packs @ Dante Beatrix
Hemp Backpacks @ Next Tag
Eco-Friendly Notebooks @ Buy Green

Book Watch

New Green Books @ Burbank Public Library

Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture
Ellen Ruppel Shell – Penguin 2009

381.149 SHELL
~ The engine of globalization, outsourcing, planned obsolescence, and economic instability in an increasingly unsettled world.

The End of the Long Summer: Why We Must Remake Our Civilization to Survive on a Volatile Earth
Dianne Dumanoski – Crown 2009

551.6 DUMAN
~ Ecological consequences beyond global warming resulting from modern human activity; describes the possibility of massive instability and climate swings, including a possible return to ice ages of the past.

The End of Energy Obesity
Peter Tertzakian - John Wiley & Sons 2009

333.79 TERTZ
~ Explores how the world can reduce its energy appetite and change its diet of fuels for a prosperous and secure tomorrow.

Book Watch