25 Ways

To Keep Oakland Green

 

Last year Oakland was named the 5th Most Sustainable and 6th Greenest City in the nation. The City has adopted a Zero Waste goal by 2020; working together we can make our City greener & safer.

 

 

1.          Use Rechargeable Batteries; dispose of non-rechargeable batteries at your nearest library, recreation center, fire station or local city building: Oakland residents may drop off old flashlight, camera or other non-rechargeable batteries in special containers now located at City buildings.

2.          Reuse Bags; bring your own Cloth or other Reusable Bag: Plastic bags consume 12 million barrels of oil, paper 14 million trees.

3.          Reduce Junk Mail and Save Paper: 100 million trees are used for junk mail each year. To cut down the junk mail you receive and prevent your name form being traded, rented or sold, visit www.stopjunkmail.org for simple forms to stop the waste.

4.          Adopt-A-Spot or Block: Oakland is one of the top cities in the nation in acres of parks per citizen, but the Landscape Maintenance District hasn’t received a cost-of-living increase for over 15 years.  Help us maintain a Median Strip, Park, or Block. We’ll give you advice, lend you equipment and arrange for garbage pick-up www.keepoaklandbeautiful.org  238-7630

5.          Plant a Tree: Trees planted on the west side of your house cool your home & the planet. Find recommended street trees and application for a free city street tree at www.jeanquan.org  

6.          Use Your Mini Green Waste Bin to Recycle Food Scraps: Empty it into your large green waste bin; Oaklanders now diverts 62% of our garbage from land fill.

7.          Let Worms Eat Your Kitchen Garbage: Discounted compost bins & workshops on worm composting and Bay Friendly Gardening at www.stopwaste.org or call 892-6500.

8.          Turn Trimmings into Mulch: In the Wildfire Prevention Assessment District, residents are eligible for one free chipping request per year. Stack branches no greater than 4” in diameter and in piles no greater than 4’ by 4’, no more than 2 stacks per pick up. Call 238-7388 to schedule pick up or go to www.oaklandnet.com/wildfirePrevention/Services.htm

9.          Protect Local Watersheds and the Bay: Choose permeable hardscape to prevent runoff. Use the least toxic pesticides as a last resort. Avoid allowing runoff from washing your car or use of chemicals to drain into the city’s storm drains which drain into the Bay.  Volunteer with Friends of Sausal Creek, www.sausalcreek.org or Adopt-A-Creek at www.oaklandpw.com/creeks

10.     Bay Friendly Gardening Workshops: Simplify garden care, reduce chores and use fewer resources—from water to fertilizer. www.stopwaste.org  or 892-6500

11.     Conserve Water: Fix those plumbing leaks. EBMUD provides free inspections and rebates up to $150 for new efficient toilets and washing machines. www.ebmud.com  The site also lists drought tolerant and native plants.

12.     Take Advantage of PG & E’s Appliance Program and Low Income Weatherization: Rebates on energy efficient appliances and free weatherization measures to reduce gas and electricity usage for qualified low-income customers. Contact FLT2@pge.com or visit www.pge.com/energypartners.

13.     Recycle Used Computers and E-Waste: OTX-West refurbishes used computers and provides them to Oakland Schools. Call them at 893-4822 or visit www.otxwest.org;

14.     Use Fluorescent Lamps Instead of Incandescent Bulbs: Compared to an incandescent, a 28-watt fluorescent produces 1,020 pounds less carbon dioxide and three pounds less nitrogen over its lifetime.  Fluorescent bulbs go the Alameda County Household Hazardous Waste Program for a free drop off: www.household-hazwaste.org 

15.     Buy Products with the Least Packaging; Choose Paper or Glass over Plastic: Not all plastic containers are recyclable, despite the numbers on the bottom of the container. Oakland’s curbside recycling program currently only accepts plastic or glass bottles. For details, go to www.oaklandpw.com/Page303.aspx.

16.     Recycle your Packing “Peanuts”, Cardboard, Moving Boxes and Bubble Wrap: Many packing/shipping services will accept these items for reuse.

17.     Choose Recycled and Green Products: Buy recycled paper and office supplies.  Choose less toxic cleaning products, low-or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, Energy Star® certified appliances and computers.

18.     Donate Office Supplies and Other Items to School Art Programs: Give away extra construction paper, crayons, buttons, string, cardboard and other items that could be used for school art projects. East Bay Depot for Creative Use at 547-6470 or visit www.creativereuse.org.

19.     Recycle Unwanted Usable Items:  Community listservs, the Oakland Museum’s White Elephant Sale, second-hand stores and web based sites like www.freecycle.org help your neighbors or good causes. Stopwaste.org’s Recycling Guide lists places that will accept specific items. Call the Recycling Hotline at 877-STOPWASTE or go to www.stopwaste.org

20.     Build and Remodel Green: Learn where to get “green” products for your new construction and other resources. The City in partnership with the Pacific Energy Center, offers a series of free Green Building classes www.oaklandpw.com/Page89.aspx   www.StopWaste.org  also has publications, workshops, and resources.

21.     Buy Close to Home: 75 cents of every food dollar goes to processing, packaging, marketing, transport and retailing. One quarter of all transportation on our freeways is dedicated to moving food.  Support Oakland’s many Farmer’s Markets and local stores.

22.     Drive Less & Smarter: Walk when you can, share rides, consider biking and public transportation.  Drive more efficiently and safer at 55, buy a hybrid or alternative fuel car. Consider a Car Share.

23.     Report Illegal Dumping, Graffiti, Overflowing Litter Cans: The Public Works Call Center takes has a 24 Hour Hotline, 615-5566 or pwacallcenter@oaklandnet.com

24.      Help Us Enforce the Food Ware Polystyrene Ban:  Most Oakland restaurants are complying with our new ban on polystyrene food ware, let your local restaurant know you support the ban.  Report violations to the Oakland Recycling Hotline at 510-238-SAVE(7283) or recycling@oaklandnet.com.

25.     Take a Kid and Yourself to the Kids Go Green Series at Chabot Science Center: An exciting and fun way to learn about easy ways to “Go Green.”  www.chabotspace.org