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Sustainable Fairfax

Fairfax Residents: Last Compost Delivery of the Year!

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FREE COMPOST FOR FAIRFAX RESIDENTS.  Compost will be available to Fairfax residents on Saturday, December 14 the Fairfax Pavilion Parking Lot (at the ball field fence). This will be the last delivery made by Marin Sanitary Service in 2019. This compost is made from the food and yard waste collected in our green curbside carts.

This compost is for Fairfax residents only and is not for commercial use.

To ensure there is enough to go around, please do not take more than five 5-gallon buckets (which provides a one inch cover for a 40 square foot garden).  Bring your own containers and shovels for collection.

Use of Compost: Compost is a soil amendment that improves the water-holding capacity and structure of your soil, but too much of it can harm your plants. It is recommended that you use no more than 1-2 inches on your annuals & perennials.

Let us know if you have any questions at info@sustainablefairfax.org.

Take the No-Waste November Challenge!

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STEP ONE: SELECT YOUR PERSONAL GOAL

You don’t need to tell us what goal you set. That is up to you!

OPTION 1:  Limit your garbage to ONE PAPER BAG for the month of November.

OPTION 2:  Limit your garbage to ONE MASON JAR for the month of November.

OPTION 3: Do not create any garbage. This, of course, is for the advanced zero waste practitioners!

STEP TWO:  Submit the form below to request your No-Waste November “How-To-Do-It” Guide. Join the community conversation so we can figure it out together!

STEP THREE: SHARE YOUR SUCCESSES and WIN!

There are two ways you can enter a drawing for a $100 Good Earth Certificate and other prizes:

1. Post a picture of your waste-free action on social media:

    • Include hashtag: #NoWasteNovember
    • AND tag Sustainable Fairfax:

  Instagram: @SustainableFairfax
Facebook: @SustainableFairfaxCA
Twitter: @SustainFX

OR

2. Share your tip/solution for minimizing waste in an email to info@sustainablefairfax.org

We have many events planned this month to help you on your journey- to be announced soon!

Buy Raffle Tickets for an Electric Bike!

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$5 for 1 ticket and $20 for 5 tickets

GRAND PRIZE: WIN AN ELECTRIC BIKE FROM THE NEW WHEEL!  Sustainable Fairfax will be raffling off an Electric Bike from The New Wheel– a Gazelle Medeo T9, a classic European city bike made by Royal Dutch Gazelle in the Netherlands, valued at $2,500! 2-year warranty included.

SECOND PRIZE: $100 GIFT CERTIFICATE FROM SUNSHINE BICYCLE CENTER

BUY YOUR TICKETS!

  • Come to the free screening of Motherload, Saturday, October 12 at 7pm and buy your tickets at the Sustainable Fairfax table!
  • Come to the Sustainable Fairfax table at Fairfax Streets for People (near Mas Masa) before 3:30.
  • Write to info@sustainablefairfax.org to arrange to buy them at our offices at Indie Alley in downtown Fairfax.

THE DRAWING WILL TAKE PLACE AT STREETS FOR PEOPLE ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13 AT ABOUT 3:30pm. You do not need to be present to win.

Fairfax Streets for People- Clothing Swap!

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Sunday, October 13, 2019 – 10am-4pm

Bring some “gently used” clothing items you are ready to part with, and find new additions to your wardrobe. The swap has been a big hit every year!

New Location: the parking lot next to Gestalt Haus. Drop off clothes starting at 9am.

For more information about Fairfax Streets for People, check out the website at www.FairfaxStreetsforPeople.com.

If you have any questions, please contact info@sustainablefairfax.org

Water Conservation Resources

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Below are some great resources for water conservation and management. Please check them out, and let us know if you have resources to add.

Water Conservation in the Home

Marin Municipal Water District

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p style=”padding-left: 30px;”>MMWD Water Conservation Resources
MMWD is a public agency that provides drinking water to 185000 people in a 147-square-mile area of south and central Marin County. Their website has great information about reservoir levels, conservation techniques, rebates, and more.

Get a FREE Water Use Survey – Are you looking for ways to reduce your water use and your water bill? Through MMWD’s Conservation Assistance Program (CAP), MMWD offers FREE, personalized water use consultations for your home or business. Click here for more information.

Weekly Watering Schedule: Not sure how much water your garden needs? MMWD’s  Weekly Watering Schedule is updated every Friday based on current weather conditions, so your plants always get just the right amount of water.

Home Water Works

Explore water conservation with the water use calculator from the  Alliance for Water Efficiency

Tips from fellow Fairfaxians:

  1. Use a plate scraper instead of running water to scrape plates.  This is huge!.
  2. Keep a wash bucket in your sink.  Use dirty water to pre-wash dishes.  Save clean rinse water to use for wiping counters.  (you also realize how much water goes down the drain when you collect it to make every drop count.
  3. Keep a large container in your shower to fill up waiting for the water to get hot.  You can save 2 gallons of water per shower!  use it to flush toilets or water plants.
  4. Turn off your shower when soaping up.  You can easily install a quick cut-off valve right at your showerhead.  Seriously, it’s easy.
  5. ONLY run full laundry loads AND full dishwasher loads.
  6. Plant only drought tolerant plants.  use lots of mulch to retain moisture.
  7. Replace water guzzler toilets with low-flush.  Still though, “If it’s yellow, let it mellow”.  You’ll save 10-20 gallon of water per day per person.

Water Conservation in the Home Landscape

Bay-Friendly Garden Walk

Receive a free residential garden evaluation from a Marin Master Gardener. Get expert advice on water-wise planting and tips for a beautiful, healthy landscape. Call 499-4204 to schedule or to learn more click here.

Green House Call

Receive a free indoor efficiency evaluation from one of California Youth Energy Services’ friendly and professional young staff, plus free installation of energy- and water-saving equipment. To learn more, go to www.marinwater.org or call (510) 665-1501 ext. 10 to schedule. 

 Graywater

Greywater Action

A collaborative group of educators, designers, builders, and artists who educate and empower people to build sustainable water culture and infrastructure. Using water from sinks, showers and washing machines to irrigate plants is a way to increase the productivity of sustainable backyard ecosystems that produce food, clean water, and shelter wildlife.

County of Marin

The County of Marin provides information on gray water systems with a “Laundry to Landscape” pamphlet.

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission has a great manual for a DIY gray water installation.

Click here to learn how you can harvest the rain in your yard!

Water Management

The Bay Institute

The Bay Institute is the leader in protecting and restoring the entire watershed which drains into San Francisco Bay.

North Marin Water District

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North Marin Water District serves a suburban population of 61,000 people situated in and about the City of Novato which is located in a warm inland coastal valley of Marin County, California and several small improvement districts in the West Marin area near the coast.

Tomales Bay Watershed Council

The Council is deeply committed to supporting and encouraging active stewardship of the natural resources in the Tomales Bay watershed.  They also provide current health status of the beaches within their stewardship.

The North Bay Watershed

The North Bay Watershed Association (NBWA) is a group of 16 regional and local public agencies located throughout Marin, Sonoma, and Napa counties.

Support your Fairfax Farmer’s Market

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SHOP LOCALLY & SUSTAINABLY!

We encourage you to come to the weekly Fairfax Community Farmer’s Market on Wednesday evenings from 4:00-800pm. Shop for fresh local organic produce while enjoying music, food trucks and a variety of vendors in Bolinas Park. SUPPORT OUR FARMERS to ensure the market thrives for years to come!

Farmer’s Market Waste-Free Shopping Tips

BRING YOUR OWN….

  • Reusable produce bags. Silo Pantry, a vendor at the market, sells beautiful reusable produce bags for $5 each. They are durable and a great way to go plastic-free!
  • Grocery bags. If you need one, pick up a free bag from the Sustainable Fairfax table. If you have extra bags you do not need, we will take them for others to use.
  • Container for berries. Leave the plastic berry baskets with the farmer for reuse. Plastic yogurt tubs work perfectly for bringing home berries!
  • Container for chicken. If you buy the whole chickens, consider bringing your own container. The wrapping is plastic coated, and is not compostable.
  • Mason jars for bulk pantry items. Bring your mason jar and get a discount from The Silo (see Vendor Focus below).
  • Plate, cutlery and napkins to eat at one of the many delicious food trucks!

VENDOR FOCUS: THE SILO

The Silo Package-Free Pantry sells bulk grains, flours, rices, natural charcoal water filters, soaps, reusable produce and grocery bags and more. The owner, Andy, is so committed to a waste-free existence, that if you bring your own jars, he’ll give you significant discounts on the finest bulk food.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Join Sustainable Fairfax in striving to make the Market a zero waste event!

  • We are seeking volunteers to setup (~3:30-4:00pm) and/or breakdown (~8:00-8:30pm) the Eco-Station signage weekly through September. Equipment is light and easy to transport and setup.
  • We are also seeking folks passionate about waste issues to help staff the Sustainable Fairfax table next to the Eco-Station. Provide guidance to people as they dispose of their waste, and educate them on alternatives to single-use plastics. We’ll train you!

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