COB: Starlight Bowl

Recycling Efforts at the Starlight Bowl
WHAT’S IN THE WORKS
Public Works Newsletter: August 2012

Since 2005 the Starlight Bowl has been collecting bottles, cans and cardboard. Beginning with the 2011 season, Recycle Center staff took waste reduction to a new level by adding the option for guests to compost food scraps and paper products at three Zero Waste stations around the venue.

Staff attends all events, which attract between 1,500 and 4,200 guests, and greet visitors to inform them about how to separate their trash to easily recycle bottles and cans as well as compost any organic material. In addition, guest are encouraged to bring reusable utensils, plates and containers to the next event to reduce the waste generated in the first place. Stage announcements reinforce the message and advertisements were placed in the local newspaper and event brochure. The Starlight Bowl website offers information about how to pack a zero waste picnic and stresses that ―a zero waste picnic is simply more elegant.

At the end of each concert waste audits are performed to see how successful the evenings efforts had been. In 2011 the results were promising with over 40% of the waste either recycled or composted. This was up from only 20% in previous years when only recycling existed. This year, the rate has jumped to 60% thanks, in part, to an increased number of zero waste stations, the familiarity of the program by return patrons, and by the efforts of the Starlight Bowl staff and vendors.

Burbank Green Spotlight Award: June

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
June 18, 2012 MINUTES

III. BURBANK GREEN SPOTLIGHT AWARD PRESENTATION:

Mr. Lewis announced that the June 2012 recipient of the Burbank Green Spotlight Award is Burbank resident Blaine McLaughlin. Mr. Lewis introduced Ms. McLaughlin and provided a brief PowerPoint presentation. Ms. McLaughlin planted California native plants and fruit trees in her front yard, and by using bubblers and drip systems, significantly reduced her water usage. The Commissioners congratulated Ms. McLaughlin, and Mr. Lewis presented her with the Burbank Green Spotlight Award.

Smart frames to track utility costs for Burbank residents
The devices display water and power usage for Burbank Water &; Power customers.
Burbank Leader: 7.08.2012 by Kelly Corrigan

A small group of Burbank residents soon will be equipped with digital picture frames that display not just family snapshots, but also how much energy and water they are using — and how much money it's costing them.

The year-long project piloted by Burbank Water and Power follows the lead of the utility's counterpart in Glendale, which launched a similar project earlier this year

Officials hope awareness among customers of their personal energy and water consumption could spur more people to conserve, helping utilities meet statewide energy goals.

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Made by Burbank-based Ceiva Logic, the frames communicate with smart meters to display graphs showing how many gallons of water are used each day of the week. Energy can be tabulated on an hourly, daily or weekly basis. READ MORE !

Burbank Green Spotlight Award: May 2012

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

May 21, 2012 MINUTES

III. BURBANK GREEN SPOTLIGHT AWARD PRESENTATION:
Mr. Aboulsaad announced that the May 2012 recipient of the Burbank Green Spotlight Award is Burbank resident Suzette Alcantar George. Mr. Aboulsaad introduced Ms. George and provided a brief PowerPoint presentation. Ms. George is an avid recycler and operates a vanpool from the Downtown Burbank Metrolink Station to the UCLA MedicalCenter. The Commissioners congratulated Ms. George, and Mr. Lewis presented her with the Burbank Green Spotlight Award.

Electric Cars Are The Buzz

Electric cars are the buzz
Institutional customers are pitched the alternative technology at an event at Burbank's airport.
Burbank Leader: 6.08.2012 by Maria Hsin

Movie studios, car rental companies, government agencies — all were wooed by proponents of electric cars, test drives and all, at Bob Hope Airport this week in an effort to increase the use of the zero- and low-emissions vehicles.

“An airport and a studio can serve as living laboratories of these technologies,” California Energy Commissioner Carla Peterman said after addressing the audience at a hangar at the airport, where several models were on display Thursday. “I would encourage airports and studios to not only adopt electric cars [and] alternative vehicles, but also alternative energy: solar panels, fuel cells.

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Michael Walbrecht, vice president of public affairs for Warner Bros., said the studio has installed five electric charging stations in two parking structures that are available to employees and visitors.

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The California Energy Commission manages a fund of $100 million annually for investments in alternative fuels, vehicles and infrastructure, and electric vehicles are a part of that, she said.

So far, the commission has invested $65.6 million in electric-vehicle-related projects, and of that, $21 million has been in the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena area, Peterman added. READ MORE !

Burbank Green Spotlight Award: April 2012

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

April 16, 2012 MINUTES

III. BURBANK GREEN SPOTLIGHT AWARD PRESENTATION: Mr. Smith announced that the April 2012 recipients of the Burbank Green Spotlight Award are Robyn and David Kreisberg. Mr. Smith introduced David Kreisberg and provided a brief PowerPoint presentation with photos of their sustainable Beachwood Drive garden and landscaping that is divided into quadrants. The Commissioners congratulated Mr. Kreisberg, and Mr. Smith and Mr. Carlson presented him with the Burbank Green Spotlight Award.

Burbank Green Spotlight Award: March 2012

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

March 19, 2012 MINUTES

III. BURBANK GREEN SPOTLIGHT AWARD PRESENTATION:
Mr. Smith announced that the March 2012 recipients of the Burbank Green Spotlight Award are Juan and Anglica Jimenez. Mr. Jimenez crafted their Burbank garden’s landscaping from reused materials and planted California native flora that significantly reduce water usage. Mr. Smith introduced Angelica Jimenez and provided a brief PowerPoint presentation with photos of the garden and landscaping. The Commissioners congratulated Ms. Jimenez, and Mr. Lewis presented her with the Burbank Green Spotlight Award.