Sustainable Fairfax

Bringing people together to support a vital environment and thriving community

Jennifer Hammond

Downtown Fairfax gets new waste receptacles!

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Have you seen the sparkling new public waste and recycling receptacles in downtown Fairfax? What an improvement! Thanks to the Town of Fairfax, Marin Sanitary and Sustainable Fairfax for working together to make this happen.

IMPORTANT: The brown recycling receptacle is NOT for paper! Please use the brown receptacles for recyclable plastic bottles & containers (not plastic wrap!), glass bottles (you can keep the lid on) and aluminum cans. Its ok for your plastic containers to have some food on them, but wipe them out if you can.

WHAT GOES WHERE?

–PAPER CUPS.  As at home, paper cups should go in the grey curbside landfill cart because they are often lined with plastic (the plastic lids can go in recycling).
–BIOPLASTICS.  Bioplastics, also known as “compostable plastic,’ must be put in the grey landfill carts. These materials are not accepted our composting facility, Redwood Landfill, because the material does not breakdown fast enough for commercial composting.
–NEWSPAPERS, MAGAZINES.  Clean paper can be recycled at home in the blue side of your curbside recycling cart, or in the paper recycling bin at the business you visited if they have one.
— SOILED NAPKINS & FOOD SCRAPS.  Soiled napkins and food scraps go in the compost bin at the business you visited if they have one, in your green curbside yard & food waste cart at home, or (as a last resort) the grey landfill cart. There will not be public compost receptacles downtown because of the high contamination rates in public areas.

REFUSE PLASTIC & SINGLE-USE CONTAINERS WHEN POSSIBLE!  Please remember that recycling is not the solution to our waste problem.  There is a shrinking market for recycled plastic, not to mention the energy required to recycle. It is always best to ask the café or restaurant for reusable cups, utensils and containers or bring your own.

Let us know if you have any questions! Write SustainFX@gmail.com

Fairfax Zero Waste by 2020's photo.

Celebrate Earth Day 2016 in Fairfax

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How did Earth Day get its start?

The first Earth Day took place on April 22nd, 1970 when 20 million people participated in peaceful demonstrations to protest the industrial revolution and advocate for a healthy sustainable environment. Earth Day founder Senator Gaylord Nelson was inspired to create Earth Day after witnessing the devastating 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara. He sought to tap into the passion and energy from the anti-war movement to environmental protection.

Earth Day became internationally recognized in 1990 when Denis Hayes mobilized 20 million people in 141 countries. This led to a boost in recycling efforts and set the stage for the UN Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. Earth Day 2000 focused on global warming and clean energy, when hundreds of thousands of people gathered at the National Mall in Washington DC.

In 2010, the Earth Day Network launched A Billion Acts of Green®, and introduced a global tree planting initiative that has since grown into The Canopy Project, engaging 22,000 partners in 192 countries in observing Earth Day.

Fairfax Earth Day Activities

There are several ways you can join Sustainable Fairfax t0 celebrate Earth Day this weekend. Saturday promises to be a beautiful day to be outside after a day of spring showers forecasted for Friday.

1) Saturday, April 23- 8:15am – 1:00pm: Fairfax on Foot: Walk to MMWD Broom Pull- Walk with Sustainable Fairfax to an MMWD French Broom Pull volunteer work party to remove this harmful species from our open space. Learn more here.

2) Saturday, April 23- 10:00am – 2:00pm: Green Infrastructure Workshop & Workday- Learn about green infrastructure from an expert in the field, and work with your community to improve the area surrounding the Fairfax Pavilion parking lot. Come for all or part of this workday! Learn more here.

3) Saturday, April 23- 10:00am – 4:00pm: Earth Day Celebration at The Away Station-The Away station is Marin’s only “reclaim and Reuse” marketplace. The Away Station, located at Fairfax Lumber at 109 Broadway Come, is Marin’s only “Reclaim and Reuse” marketplace.  Celebrate Earth Day with local artists and craftspeople who will demonstrate and provide ideas and inspiration for creative repurposing. At 1:00pm, Fairfax Mayor (and Sustainable Fairfax VP) will give a brief talk about zero waste and Fairfax’s goal of reaching Zero Waste by 2020!

4) Adopt a Redwood!- Help SPAWN plant 10,000 redwoods in the San Francisco Bay Area over a 3-year period. The trees will help the salmon habitat along the creek and will create a local “carbon sink” to fight climate change. You can adopt a tree here!

We hope to see you at these events this Saturday! If you have any questions please email SustainFX@gmail.com

Support the California Seed Exchange Democracy Act!

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Many Californians have started seed libraries which are local community-based organizations (like the one sponsored by the Fairfax branch library and Sustainable Fairfax) that offer public free access to seeds.  In 2014 several states, placed legal restrictions on seed sharing by demanding that seed libraries comply with burdensome, unrealistic testing and labeling regulations designed for commercial seed companies. Please support the California seed library community, small farmers, farm support and advocacy organizations and the food justice community to legalize seed sharing in California.
The Seed Exchange Democracy Act, Assembly Bill 1810 sponsored by our very own assemblyman, Marc Levine will:
  1. Appropriately redefine “sell” in the California Food and Agriculture Code so that noncommercial seed sharing does not fall within the scope of the California Seed Law.
  2. Declare the California Seed Law’s intent to regulate commercial seed sales, not non commercial seed sharing.
  3. Promote seed sharing and equitable access to healthy food by removing burdensome labeling, testing and registration requirements for in-state non commercial seed sharing.
  4. Promote seed micro-enterprises by reducing testing requirements for anyone who grows and sells untreated, uncertified, non-proprietary seed in California and earns $5,000 or less in gross seed sales revenue.

For more information on how to support the bill visit http://www.theselc.org/seed_democracy_act

Sustainable Fairfax Benefit Raffle – Win a Yuba Cargo Bicycle!

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ENTER A RAFFLE TO WIN A CARGO BIKE!  

(And other prizes)

Yuba Bicycles donated a Yuba Mundo LUX cargo bicycle (Value $1600) to support ReduceX2 (car trips per week), a project of Sustainable Fairfax. A cargo bike is specifically designed to carry a load, be it small, large, heavy or light. Load up your groceries & your kids, and help decrease traffic and the greenhouse gases affecting our climate. This is a mode of transport that is contagiously HAPPY!

Buy your Raffle tickets at the Paypal link below (with your credit card or paypal account) and we will mail your tickets to you.  Or come by Sustainable Fairfax at 6 School St Plaza, Suite 150 on Monday-Tues: 11am-2pm.  

You can also buy your tickets at the following Fairfax locations:

  • Lola’s Depot 1826 Sir Francis Drake
  • Marin Museum of Bicycling 1966 Sir Francis Drake
  • Live Water Surf Shop 69 Broadway Blvd

Yuba founder Ben Sarrazin will draw the winning tickets at the Sustainable Fairfax Benefit on Saturday, April 2, 2016.  You do not need to be present to win.

$5 for 1 ticket.  $20 for 6 tickets.

GRAND PRIZE: Yuba Mundo LUX Cargo Bike

2nd Prize: Boreas Gear Day Pack

3rd Prize: Boreas Gear Front Handlebar Bicycle Bag

4th Prize: Wheel Brightz Bike Wheel Lights

*********GRAND PRIZE WINNER OF YUBA CARGO BIKE: Zach Gill of Santa Barbara!********

Our Accomplishments for 2015

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Sustainable Fairfax was successful in bringing important programs and events to the community this year including the following accomplishments:

Fairfax Zero Waste by 2020

  • Fairfax Take Back Day (May 2, 2015)- 3.6 tons of medications, batteries, electronics waste, and paper were collected from residents and diverted from the landfill.
  • Backyard Composting & Mulching Workshops- these workshops educated over 50 people on how to turn household scraps into garden gold
  • Fairfax Festival/EcoFest & Fairfax Town Picnic–we provided zero waste education and coordinated the collection of recycling and compost at these events
  • Public Recycling Receptacles- we identified and successfully advocated for new public recycling receptacles in downtown Fairfax
  • White Hill Middle School-  We participated in the planning stages of one of the two pilot Zero Waste Schools initiatives in Marin County. We served as a liaison, connecting Zero Waste Marin, Marin Sanitary Service and the White Hill administration. This program will allow a significant diversion of the school’s waste from the landfill.

Alternative Transportation– we launched our new alternative transportation campaign, Reduce By Two (Car Trips Per Week)- ReduceX2

  • Fairfax on Foot- we led two walks from downtown to discover the historical easement paths throughout Fairfax
  • Led a bike ride to the Larkspur ferry to show people the safest on scenic route
  • Held an alternative transportation focus group
  • Released the beta version of our new texting-based ReduceX2 Challenge
  • Transit Alley- we provided alternative transportation education at our Transit Alley feature at Streets for People, including an opportunity for people to load and unload a bike on a Marin Transit buss.

Water Conservation Program

  • Water Stewardship Panel–an educational event on water conservation featuring five expert panelists and attended by 60 people and filmed by the Community Media Center of Marin.
  • Home Rainwater Catchment & Greywater Systems Bicycle Tour– a  bicycle tour of local homes and businesses to learn about home rainwater catchment techniques and greywater systems
  • Laundry-to-Landscape Greywater Workshop- we held two sold out workshops that provided hands-on experience on installing a laundry-to-landscape greywater system.

Sustainable Fairfax Film & Speaker Series– we hosted five film & speaker events, attended by over 200 people

Community Events

  • Fairfax Craft Faire– this has become a popular annual zero waste event in December, and supports our local economy by featuring goods from local artisans & crafts people
  • Streets for People– we coordinated our fourth annual Streets for People event, a rare opportunity for hundreds of community members to enjoy a car-free afternoon in downtown Fairfax

Getting to Our Roots

  • Sustainable Garden at the Women’s Club–continued development of an educational garden demonstrating the use of natives and low-water plants in the home-scale garden, designed and implemented by Sustainable Fairfax volunteers as a gift to the Town
  • Community Seed Exchange at the Fairfax Library– we initiated this wonderful addition to the library in partnership with the Marin County Free Library and Branson High School graduates
  • Fall Into the Garden Event- we held this daylong event featuring a community seed exchange, a garden sale, informational tables and speakers

Community Council events

  • We held three community council events which provide the time and space for people to discuss matters relating to sustainability in a quiet and supportive circle led by two facilitators

Youth Program

  • High School Interns- We mentored two high school students from the TEAM and program and two from Drake High School’s Sea-Disc program
  • White Hill Zero Waste

Events Sponsored by Sustainable Fairfax

  • Green Chautauqua Speaker Series- The San Anselmo First Presbyterian Church hosted five informative talks on addressing climate change in collaboration with several environmental organizations in Marin County
  • Time to Lead on Climate- Sustainable San Rafael and Organizing for Action were the lead organizers of this event that drew over 800 people
  • The State of Our Coho- Turtle Island Restoration Network held several talks to address the importance of taking action to save the endangered salmon in Lagunitas Creek Watershed

Awards

We are busy planning are programming for 2016!  We excited about continuing many of our favorite programs and adding some new focuses as well.   Stay tuned!

SFX_Board

 

 

The Fourth Annual Streets for People, August 30 2015!

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Fairfax Streets for People is back for its fourth year of fun in downtown Fairfax on Sunday August 30, 2015 from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The downtown blocks on Bolinas Road will be closed to vehicle traffic and open to the community for live music, dancing, yoga, games, shopping, food and outdoor activities for people of all ages.

We are bringing back many favorite features from prior years including the Youth Music Showcase, an outdoor cafe, Sterling the BubbleSmith, hula hooping with JellyFlow Arts, games in the street, a clothing swap, dancing performances, a bike decorating contest, and a Wellness Zone in Bolinas Park.

Come learn about how to improve health and reduce traffic and greenhouse gases at Transit Alley at the parking lot next to Mono Avenue (and enter a contest to win free prizes).

In 2012, our Sustainable Fairfax Vice President and Town Council member, Renee Goddard, created the first Streets for People after being inspired by Ciclovía, a weekly Sunday open streets event in Bogata, Columbia that encompasses 70 miles of car-free streets for two million people. Hundreds of cities and towns around the world and across the US now feature their own versions of car-free weekends. According to Goddard, the goal is to “create community resiliency and positive spirit, while celebrating what makes Fairfax unique.”

In the car-free spirit of the event, we encourage participants to leave their cars at home, and consider walking, biking (park at the free bike valet), carpooling, or taking public transportation. Marin Transit Routes 228 and 68, and Golden Gate route 23 run on Sundays (see www.511.org for more details). If driving or in need of a ride, participants can try Carma Carpooling, a free smart phone application designed to match riders and drivers.