It’s the weekend – the El Cerrito DMV is closed – but  a constant stream of cars flows through the Manila Avenue parking lot. Rather than the usual hurry-up and wait posture of the DMV line, these cars move through the lot with the efficiency of a well-run drive through.

The cars are here to take advantage of the free electronic waste event sponsored by the city and run by the Oakland-based company, Universal Waste Management.

Trunks full of old TVs, computers, microwaves, and vacuum cleaners, are being unloaded to be recycled. “We take anything with a plug,” said Jan Rice, who is running the event in the empty parking lot – turned bustling transfer station.

One El Cerrito resident in line with a plastic bag full of small electronics including some cordless phones, said she comes to the e-waste events regularly. When asked why she doesn’t just throw her electronics away, she said, “well you’re not suppose to.” Another man waiting in line had an old electronic keyboard that he’d been trying to get rid of for three weeks. He said he pulled into the lot when he saw the sign for the event on San Pablo Avenue.

One weekend event like this will keep about 50,000 pounds of electronic waste from sitting in a landfill, according to Rice. “This is the fastest growing segment of the waste stream. In California alone, 6,000 computers go obsolete a day,” she said. Electronics left in a landfill can leech carcinogens and toxins like lead, mercury, poly vinyl chloride, and chromium.

Besides protecting the environment there is also money to be made by recycling electronics thanks to a 2003 state law that added a tax, called the electronic waste recycling fee, to anything with a screen. The fee can range anywhere from $8 to $25 depending on the size of the device. The tax is different from something like a bottle refund because the consumer will never get that money back. Instead, it is paid to collectors and recyclers of electronic waste.

Recyclers get reimbursed from the state based on the amount and type of e-waste collected. Companies like Universal Waste Management also dismantle the electronics and sell the material to specialized purchasers. “We reduce the electronics to the base component parts, like glass and plastic, and metal,” said Rice. “We might get pennies on the pound for some of this stuff.” The real money comes from the state reimbursements, she said.

The city of El Cerrito has a progressive recycling center. They accept the usual mixed paper, plastic bottles, and aluminum, but they also recycle batteries, large appliances, cell phones, and motor oil. But they are unable to deal with the quantity and difficulty of recycling most electronics. So, twice a year the city invites Universal Waste to host a free electronic recycling event. Residents can safely get rid of their old electronics and recyclers can make a living off of keeping toxic trash out of the landfill.

There have been a few stories in the media recently about the e-waste stream being exported to developing countries. Discarded cathode ray tubes (CRTs) – like TVs and computer monitors – are shipped, often illegally, to other countries where they are disassembled for valuable copper, gold, and lead. Without regulation, safety standards, or proper equipment, processing e-waste can cause in a lethally toxic environment.

Rice said, “I got a call once from China. They wanted to buy some CRT’s, but we won’t do it.” Universal Waste Management recycles all e-waste items and the products stay in California,                                                                      she said.

Besides electronics, events organized by Universal Waste Management also accept donations of coats for the organization One Warm Coat, and food donations for local food banks.

If you missed the January 3 and 4 event, there will be another e-waste event in El Cerrito on the first weekend in June. E-waste can also be dropped off at the Universal Waste Management facility at 721 37^th Avenue in Oakland.

More information about local e-waste disposal can be found at www.unwaste.com or by calling 888.832.9839.

BY DANIEL MCGLYNN // Maybe you’ve been stockpiling broken electronic gadgets, are trying to make room for new holiday gifts, or are preparing for the impending switch to digital TV. Regardless of what kind of electronic waste situation you find yourself in, Universal Waste Management is willing to take them off your hands.  The free electronic waste recycling event will be held January 3 and 4, in the DMV parking lot at 6400 Manila Ave.

The event, which is hosted by the city in partnership with Universal Waste Management, an e-waste recycler, will happen between 9 a.m and 3 p.m. on both days.  

“We take anything with a plug,” said Jan Rice, who is organizing the event.  The only fee collected will be $5 for microwaves.

For more information check out www.unwaste.com
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BY DANIEL MCGLYNN //

In Canyon Trail Park there is a boulder inscribed with petroglyphs – mortars, cupules, and fertility symbols. The site is also home to a grassroots conservation project that aims to protect native plants as well as preserve the rock.

To learn more about the efforts of the Canyon Trail Volunteers watch the slideshow below.

BY DANIEL MCGLYNN //

The one-two punch of the turbulent economy and the holiday financial squeeze leaves families across America looking for ways to save money. Well, look no further than your own backyard. With the kids out of school and holiday vacation time, El Cerrito offers plenty of opportunities for outings, fun, and maybe a little adventure.

The following is a list of family-oriented places and activities for the upcoming holiday season:

Parks – El Cerrito is dotted with neighborhood parks.

Arlington Park, 1120 Arlington Ave – Tennis courts, barbecue and picnic area, a playground, a pond, basketball courts, and a grass playing field.

Playground at Arlington Park

Canyon Trail Park & Art Center, 6757 Gatto – In addition to tennis courts, a picnic area, and a playground, the park also has a walking trails and some woods to explore.
Castro Park,1420 Norvell – A large playground and grassy field with basketball courts and a kickball diamond at the adjacent school. The park also has tennis courts and barbecues.
Cerrito Vista Park 950 Pomona – A big playground and a jogging track.  There are tennis courts and a picnic area adjacent to the park.

Restored wetland in Canyon Trail Park

Fairmount Park 715 Lexington – Playground equipment.
Harding Park 7115 “C” Street – Basketball courts and a kickball diamond at adjacent Harding School. The park has play equipment, tennis courts and a field.
Huber Park 7711 Sea View – Large cement slide, a climbing area and basketball court.
Tassajara Park & Pottery Studio – A playground, field, basketball court, tennis courts and a picnic area.

Further afield & other adventures.

Try out shiny new bicycles on the 2.5 miles of the Ohlone Greenway, while pedaling along a new frog habitat and wetland restoration project. Or trek further up in the hills to Wildcat Canyon Regional Park for miles of trails, fire roads and ancient oak trees.

The Swim Center in the El Cerrito Community Center, 7007 Moeser Lane, will be open for lap swim, but not open rec swim due to the season. Check the website for holiday hours. The cost is $5.50 per person.

Swim Center

The El Cerrito Library, 6510 Stockton Ave, will stick to its normal schedule, but will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day. Regular hours are Monday and Tuesday 12-8 p.m., Thursday 10-6 p.m., Friday 1-5 p.m., Saturday 10-5 p.m. For more information call 1-800-984-INFO, or (510) 526-7512, on the web at www.ccclib.org.

El Cerrito library

The Recreation Department is also holding two holiday camps. The camps are for kids ages 5-12 and will run in two sessions on December 22-23, or December 29-30. The times are 7:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 12:30 to 6:00 p.m. The cost is $25.00 for El Cerrito residents and $29.50 for non-residents.

Find all places mentioned in this on the map below.

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BY FERNANDO GALLO //

The Windrush School in El Cerrito opened its new “green” middle school building in September, earning a gold certification under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System in the process.

Among the environmentally friendly features the building has are ample skylights, solar panels and insulated concrete forms that eliminate the need to use lumber. The building also does not require a climate control system, saving nearly $16,000 in energy costs every year. Head of school Ilana Kaufman gives us a tour of the building and explains some of its benefits.

Fire as seen from Albany Bulb

BY DANIEL MCGLYNN //

A small blaze, producing a big plume of smoke and flames visible from Interstate 80, broke out Friday afternoon on the west side of Albany Hill. Fortunately, due to a quick response, crews were able to prevent any serious damage.

Initially, the fire came close to threatening the high-rise Gate View apartment building at 555 Pierce Street in Albany, that is nestled between I-80 and the hill.

Albany police officer Steve Foss said, that at its climax the fire stretched from north to south about the width of the apartment complex and seemed to be moving down the hill.  ”It was going pretty good, but it’s well under control now,” he said.

Since most of the hill is a park, there were no other structures immediately in danger, according to Foss.

The Albany Fire Department, with assistance from El Cerrito and Richmond, were able to use fire roads in the heavily forested park to access the blaze and get control quickly.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Albany Hill, with an elevation of 338 feet above sea level, is a local landmark for both Albany and El Cerrito.

The upper portion of the hill, Albany Hill Park, is a Eucalyptus clad public open space.

Great cities are often defined by the way they look. New York has a one of a kind skyline, San Francisco has the distinctive Golden Gate Bridge and El Cerrito may soon have a unique collection of trees hand-selected by residents. In the next few weeks, a new citizen group, the Tree Committee, is being organized and they are looking for residents to take a part in order to implement a city-wide greening effort

The committee, which will consist of up to 15 members, will be the “guiding force for the Urban Forest Master Plan,” said Bruce King, of the city’s public works department and the staff coordinator for the Tree Committee.

The Urban Forest Master Plan, which was approved by the city council last year, was developed to address the issue of aging trees in El Cerrito. Many of the trees in the city are between 30 to 50 years old.

As trees age, they are either removed because they become too big, or they just fall over. As these elderly trees are cut or die, citizens were concerned that they were not being replaced. “A lot of residents thought something needed to be done, the streets were looking bare,” said King.

The volunteers on the committee will be appointed for four years and will spend most of that time educating El Cerrito residents about the value of urban street trees and planning new planting programs. “The committee will be promoters of trees and identify specific projects,” said King. “One example is planting single or a couple of varieties of trees in different neighborhoods that identify that area, or planting trees at the gateway or entrance to the city that calls attention and says, ‘You’re in El Cerrito now.’”

The Urban Forest Master Plan does not have a budget yet, but the city council has committed $25,000 to the Tree Committee to get the project up and running and an additional $10,000 for the next five years. King expects that committee members will meet “three or four times a year and maybe a few more frequent meetings.”

King says the Tree Committee would ideally start with seven to eight members. Interested residents should contact city hall to get an application. Committee members, unlike some other city commissions or boards are not required to have specific or related experience in order to qualify for service. King said the city is “looking for lay people with an interest in trees.” The city council will review applications, hold interviews and make recommendations for appointments.

The new committee is preceded by a citizen group called the Friends of El Cerrito Trees. The group is less active now because several members moved out of town. It also replaces the Tree Commission, which only dealt with issues of the view ordinance and did little in the way of education or tree planting.

Besides civic minded volunteers for the Tree Committee, the city is looking to fill other openings on city boards, commissions and committees. Some opportunities include: the Arts and Culture Commission, Committee on Aging, Crime Prevention Committee, Design Review Board, Economic Development Board, Environmental Quality Committee, Financial Advisory Board, Human Relations Commission, Parks and Recreation, and the Planning Commission. The Arts and Culture Commission and the Design Review Board prefer applicants with relevant professional experience. The volunteer commission positions usually meet once a month.

Anyone interested in learning more about the open positions or to get an application, contact City Clerk Cheryl Morse at 510-215-4305 or cmorse@el-cerrito.ca.us. The application can also be found at www.el-cerrito.org.

(Photo by Deane Little/Courtesy of East Bay Parks)

BY ALEXIA UNDERWOOD //

On November 4, voters in Alameda and Contra Costa counties passed Measure WW with 71 percent approval. The measure extended an existing regional park bond measure to the tune of $500 million, to be distributed over the next 20 years.

“I think that it’s a tribute to the people [for] recognizing the value of the park district and wanting to have more parks and more opportunities in the future,” said Jack Kenny, chief of parks for the East Bay Regional Park District.

The bond money will uphold ongoing park district projects including urban creek restoration, wildlife protection and additional land purchases according to park district officials.

The money will also be used to acquire, develop, and improve local and regional parks, trails, and recreational facilities for East Bay residents.

Measure WW is an extension of original bond Measure AA, passed in 1988, which imposed a maximum $10 tax per year on every $100,000 of assessed property valuation, according to the park district website. For the owner of a $300,000 house, this would translate into paying about $30 a year.

Seventy-five percent of the new money will go towards buying new parkland and funding projects, and 25 percent will go to cities and local park districts, like El Cerrito’s.

Kenny explained that the measure allotted for a series of bond sales that take place over 20 years. The property tax begins soon, with the first installment due in December, he said.

Some people were surprised to see the widespread support the measure received, said Kenny. “Especially in really tough economic times, I think that [percentage] is surprising,” he said.

Rosemary Cameron, assistant general manager of public affairs with the park district said cities still had some time to put together their proposals for the bond money.

“We’ll be rolling out all the formal procedural guides on how the local grant program will work – right at the beginning of 2009,” said Cameron. “This isn’t something that cities will have to apply for immediately. They will have several years in which to do this.”