Sustainability Interest Group - Heidi Sanborn: Product Disposal and Safety (Note: new Zoom meeting link)
Lucy, Burke@CalRecycle
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Grass Roots Circular Economy and Climate Action |
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Join the Sustainability
Interest Group
at CalEPA to discuss sustainable
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***Join Zoom Meeting*** |
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Meeting ID: 995 6734 3249 Passcode: 011424 One tap mobile +17193594580,,99567343249#,,,,*011424# US +12532050468,,99567343249#,,,,*011424# US
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Heidi Sanborn: Product Disposal and Safety |
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
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Thanks in large part to Heidi Sanborn, you may have noticed in recent years, more disposal options in California for mercury thermostats, carpet, paint, and sharps and pharmaceuticals. You also may have read about new Extended Producer Responsibility laws requiring product manufacturers to help pay for the disposal of these products as well as newer programs for single-use packaging and food service ware, batteries, and textiles. She has also been instrumental as Chair of the Commission on Recycling Markets and Curbside Recycling 2020-2022 providing recommendations which led to bills addressing:
In the first of a two-part series, we will discuss these laws, with the second part focused on the new Extended Producer Responsibility program for single-use packaging and food service ware.
Heidi Sanborn is the Executive Director of the National Stewardship Action Council and Stewardship Action Foundation. Prior to co-founding the California Product Stewardship Council, she worked as Policy Advisor to the Chair of the California Integrated Waste Management Board (now CalRecycle). Heidi is a sought-after paid keynote speaker throughout the world and won many awards and commendations such as Waste360’s 2024 Women Who Inspire award at Waste Expo and the National Recycling Coalition’s 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award. She has been frequently published on these topics, interviewed on KCET -LA (PBS Station) National Public Radio, ABC 7 San Francisco, NBC Nightly News, Western City Magazine, and quoted in the Wall Street Journal and Time Magazine. She is an active member of industry associations and serves as an elected official on the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) Board of Directors on her personal time. |
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The Difference Between Store Bought and Home Grown (Taste, Nutrition Value, Cost) |
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Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Industrial farming in the last 60 years has produced bland tomatoes for instance, that are bred for firmness, round skin, and durability more than taste. Tomatoes today have 30 percent less vitamin C, 30 percent less thiamin, 19 percent less niacin, and 62 percent less calcium when compared to those sold in 1960. Tomatoes are grown at home more than any other produce because of that taste difference. But tomatoes are just one of many examples.
In our March 18 meeting our own Nathan Patenaude (Water Board) will share some research on the differences between store bought and home grown produce.
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In a previous meeting… |
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Katie McCammant helped introduce EcoHousing to North America and Marty Maskall is the founding resident of Fair Oaks EcoHousing. Their advanced building standards lowered energy bills while improving social support, sense of community, and physical, emotional, and economic security, at a time when one third of Americans describe themselves as seriously lonely. Check out the video here:
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Plastics / Packaging
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Los Angeles Times, February 25, 2025 Video
We all know that microplastics are everywhere – in our food, our water and, yes, even in our bodies. Over the years, as the production of plastics has grown, scientist have found alarming increases of microplastics in our brains. |
E-Waste
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Humans generate 62 million tons of e-waste each year. Here’s what happens when it’s recycled |
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The Conversation, February 19, 2025
There are significant challenges when it comes to recycling e-waste.
Some are associated with consumer behavior. For example, unlike curbside recycling services for paper, glass and cardboard, recycling e-waste generally involves consumers making a special trip to a designated drop-off location. Accessing these locations involves extra effort and can be an inconvenience which deters people from recycling their e-waste. |
Batteries
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Waste 360, February 20, 2025
Specialized recyclers and processors are working full tilt to quell the deluge of spent batteries flooding the waste stream and to extract their critical metals for reuse. Now some major retailers have joined the battery recovery effort. One of them is big box giant Staples.
The national chain takes back consumers’ batteries in all 1,000 of its stores. The program just launched in spring of 2024, and Staples will not yet release figures showing how collections are going. |
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Sacramento Area Landscape Rebate Programs |
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· State of California Turf Replacement Program · Sacramento County Water Agency Cash for Grass o $2000 rebate · Sacramento Suburban Water District Rebate includes:
· Sacramento City’s River-Friendly Landscape Rebates cover a maximum of: o $3,000 at $1.50 per square of grass converted on the front, side and back yard o $400 for materials used to convert to drip irrigation for front, side or back yard o $400 for adding EPA WaterSense Labeled Smart Irrigation Controller. · Carmichael Water District Turf Replacement Rebate · Citrus Heights Water District Rebate Program
· Folsom Cash for Grass Turf Replacement Rebate
· Placer County Lawn Replacement Rebate Program · Roseville Cash for Grass Utility Rebates · West Sacramento Smart Controller Rebate and Water Wise House Call · Woodland Mulch Rebate · Yolo County Water Conservation Rebate Program |
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See the edible low water use plant example found in the City of Sacramento’s River Friendly Landscape Plant List below.
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Aloe |
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Size: 9 ft. x 6 ft. Water Requirement: Low Type: Shrub Edible Uses: The flowers are sucked for their sweet nectar. In Japan the leaves are used as a vegetable and as a health food because they are thought to overcome constipation. Parts of the stem with a number of leaves attached are marketed as a vegetable. The plant is an important ingredient of 'Kidachi aloe candies', a popular sweet in Japan, enjoyed for its tangy yogurt flavor. Medicinal Uses: This species is one of the main sources of Aloe for medicinal use - preparations made from it are sold as over-the-counter drugs for the acceleration of gastric secretion, as a purgative and for dermatological use. In Ecuador, where the plant is cultivated, it is considered the first treatment for any type of scratch, bite, or burn, and is used in hospitals as a primary treatment for burns up to the third degree. Worldwide attention was drawn to the possible value of the gel prepared from this and other Aloe species after the second World War, when skin burns of victims of the nuclear bombs on Japan were successfully treated with it. The gel of this species contains much higher concentrations of the primary compounds present in other aloes, and this higher concentration is responsible for the faster and more effective action of the gel against skin conditions. As in most Aloe species, the leaf exudate of this species contains anthraquinone derivatives such as aloin and hydroxyaloins. Although aloin is inactive as a laxative, it is activated in the digestive tract by Eubacterium species to the compound aloe-emodin anthrone, which is an effective laxative. Although some observations indicate that in diarrhea induced by aloin, increased water content might be more important than stimulated peristalsis, the side effects of prolonged use point to a griping effect on the colon. Therefore, aloin should preferably be administered in combination with an antispasmodic to moderate its griping action. In any case, anthraquinone laxatives should not be used for longer than 8 - 10 days, or by children younger than 12 years. Contra-indications also include pregnancy, breastfeeding, intestinal inflammations and hemorrhoids. Possible side effects of aloin include congestion and irritation of the pelvic organs. Anthraquinone laxatives may play a role in development of colorectal cancer as they have genotoxic potential and also tumorigenic potential in rodents. It has been claimed that aloin is also responsible for antihistamine and anti-inflammatory activity. Both aloin and aloeresin B have skin-whitening activity. The gel contains polysaccharides and glycoproteins. Apart from mannan and glucomannan, arboran A and arboran B have been identified, which have hypoglycaemic effects. The structure-function relationship of polysaccharides from gel from different Aloe species is still subject to research. Biological activity is thought to be, at least partly, due to immunomodulating effects of these polysaccharides. The leaf epidermis contains lectins (aloctin A and aloctin B) that inhibit the growth of fibrosarcoma in animals. The leaf powder showed protective effects against human carcinogenesis. In 2002 the United States Food and Drug Administration withdrew the 'generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE)' status for over-the-counter drugs based on aloe exudates. Aloe arborescens gel works as a synergist of neomycin sulphate in eye drops; they are useful in the treatment of inflammation and infections of the eye[ 299 ]. Freeze-dried leaves have shown a 70% growth inhibition of Trichophyton mentagrophytes (one of the fungi causing athlete’s foot in humans). A leaf decoction is given to women to ease childbirth. The leaves are eaten as a vegetable as a treatment for constipation. The split or crushed fresh leaves are widely used to treat burns and wounds. Physical Characteristics: This evergreen shrub grows at a medium rate. The flowers are pollinated by sunbirds, bees. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. Known Hazards: The sap of Aloe species contains anthraquinones. These compounds have several beneficial medicinal actions, particularly as a laxative, and many species of Aloe are thus employed in traditional medicine. Whilst safe in small doses and for short periods of time, anthraquinones do have potential problems if used in excess. These include congestion and irritation of the pelvic organs. Long term use of anthraquinone laxatives may also play a role in development of colorectal cancer as they have genotoxic potential, and tumorigenic potential. |
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March Gardening Tips |
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Prune – Perennials, Shrubs, or Trees |
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Prune tree and shrub suckers (branches sprouting directly from the root stock beneath the soil). |
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Protect Vegetable Transplants |
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Protect young summer vegetable transplants from cold snaps through late March with insulating devices such as hot caps or the Walls of Water. |
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Look for Snails |
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Snails will soon begin their annual trek to your tender, young foliage. Look for them hiding in the evenings beneath plants and piles of lumber now before they start eating. |
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Place Mulch Around Trees |
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Add three inches of mulch under your fruit trees and shrubs to keep weeds down. Keep the mulch at least an inch away from the trunks to avoid rot. |
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Check out the companion plants along with the harvest and plant guide below for plants to plant by seed or transplant. Consider companion planting caveats when compared to intercropping. |
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Plants to Avoid |
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Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Bush beans, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Chard, Kohlrabi, Lettuce, Onions |
pole beans, field mustard, and charlock (wild mustard) |
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Basil and other herbs, Carrots Cucumbers Squash as part of a three-way companion partnership |
Cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, potatoes, corn, fennel, and eggplant |
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Beans, Chives, Garden peas, Leeks, Legumes, Lettuce, Onions, Radishes, Tomatoes |
Dill, Fennel, Parsnips |
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Cucumbers, Spinach, Lettuce, Peas, Mint, Parsnips, Beans, Chervil, Dill, Oregano, Peppers, Tomatoes |
Melon, Pumpkin, Corn, Sunflowers, Hyssop, Potatoes, Kohlrabi, Turnips |
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Beans, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Collard Greens, Kale, Kohlrabi, Rutabagas, Turnips, Corn, Lettuce, Spinach, Radishes |
Members of the Cabbage Family, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Squash, Raspberries, Carrots, Asparagus, Sunflowers, Fennel |
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Celery, Lettuce, Bush Beans, Peas, Rosemary, Marjoram, Thyme, Mint, Lavender, Basil, Chives, Leeks, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Radishes, Kale, Onions, Collard Greens, Garlic |
Sunflowers, Beets, Quinoa, Potatoes, Cucumbers, Melons, Pumpkins, Corn |
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Sacramento Area Planting and Harvest Guide |
Also see the UC Sacramento Vegetable Planting Schedule
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This group is about sharing bountiful vegetable gardens with others. |
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Contact Will Cannady for more information. |
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In 2019, Martha Hogan started a local @cityofwestsac Facebook group called #WestsacCropSwap. They share and swap fruits and veggies home grown LOCALLY that would otherwise go to waste. If you know of families that may be in need of healthy fruits or veggies please have them reach out. |
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Sacramento |
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Folsom |
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Citrus Heights |
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Rancho Cordova |
Check out what you can borrow from the Sacramento Library in these categories:
Arts & Crafts ● Electronics & Technology ● Games & Hobbies ● Health
Kitchen Equipment ● Musical Instruments ● Recreation ● Science and Maker
Tools ● Video Games ● Yard Games
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Oak Park What: Free repair: bikes, clothes, lamps, tools, small appliances, knife sharpening. Plus, coffee, tea, snacks, beans & rice When: 11am-2pm, 2nd Saturday of every month Where: Community Shop Class, 3818 Stockton Blvd, Sacramento (turn into parking lot behind Trips For Kids Bike Shop)
West Sacramento What: West Sac residents can repair their bikes, clothing, and electronics for free. When: 10am-1pm, last Saturday of every month Where: Arthur F. Turner Library at 1212 Merkley Ave, West Sacramento. |
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Check out the Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA), which supports bike infrastructure and safety through advocacy, their Bike Valet program, Ride Ready Repair, BikeMatchSac, bicycle safety at night through Lights On, skills training, and Support for Businesses. |
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Did you know you could get $20 per month for reducing the number of cars on the road and biking in 11 times per month by completing the Bicycle Commuter Program Quarterly Self-Certification form? Check out the Bicycle Commuter Program FAQ for more information. |
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Don’t Change Your Car’s Motor Oil Too Soon - Check Your Number |
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Use CalRecycle’s Check Your Number website to find the manufacturer-recommended oil change intervals for most vehicles (2000 - 2021).
Used oil can contain such contaminants as lead, magnesium, copper, zinc, chromium, arsenic, chlorides, cadmium, and chlorinated compounds (CalRecycle). The “every 3,000 miles or every three months” rule is outdated because of advances in both engines and oil. Many automakers have oil-change intervals at 7,500 or even 10,000 miles and six or 12 months (Consumer Reports). |
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Fuel economy is reduced by 0.2 percent for every 1 pound per square inch (psi) your car is underinflated. That means you could save up to 3 percent in gas mileage, according to the DMV, which is naturally a little more environmentally friendly, too. |
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Save Electricity, Save Money |
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…and save the Planet by running your dishwasher, washer, dryer, or EV charger in off-peak times (typically avoid 4-9pm). Depending on your electricity provider, download, print, and keep handy the rate details schedule from SMUD (like below), PG&E, VCE (Yolo County), or Roseville Electric.
SMUD Rate Schedule
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Super Trees! |
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Consider planting any of these Super Trees! They’re water-wise for the Sacramento area—all but the loquat tree are on the City of Sacramento’s River Friendly Landscape Plant List, they have edible fruit (pomegranate or strawberry) or flavorful leaves (sweet bay), they attract beneficial wildlife, provide cooling shade in the summer, most let warming light through in the winter, and all but the olive have fruit and are free to SMUD customers (subject to availability). Check out SMUD’s Free Shade Tree Program and Free Tree List. |
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Up to 10 Free Trees |
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The Sacramento Tree Foundation will give you up to 10 free trees for your yard. Check out the Shady 80 recommended trees for a cooler Sacramento region. You can also volunteer to help the City plant 25,000 new trees per year through 2045. |
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Free Wood Chips |
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Adding wood chips to your yard each year will lead to healthier plant growth by reducing weeds, cooling the soil in the summer, conserving water, and slowly adding organic matter as it breaks down. You can get free wood chips by signing up for ChipDrop or you can search for tree trimmers in your area, then call or complete their website form to request free wood chips the next time they cut down and shred a tree in your neighborhood. SMUD customers can also pick up wood chips. ChipDrop may give you up to 20 cubic yards, which could cover 9 inches of a standard ranch-style home/property; more than the recommended 4 to 6 inches. To prevent nitrogen depletion or spreading diseases, only apply as ground cover in shrub beds, natural areas, and around trees while keeping the mulch away from the tree trunks and vegetables or annual flower beds. |
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Debbie Arrington is a master rosarian. Kathy Morrison Hellesen is a UCCE master gardener. Together they have more than 60 years of gardening experience in California, most of that in Sacramento's grower-friendly climate. They believe all gardening is local. They both love to cook what they grow. They also are longtime journalists (at the Sacramento Bee and elsewhere) who believe Sacramento deserves local gardening coverage. |
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Take a Plant, Leaf a Plant *Free* Sacramento (Map) |
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Consider donating or volunteering for Harvest Sacramento |
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Resoil Sacramento |
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ReSoil Sacramento advocates for three things that we can do to address our changing climate: 1) compost, 2) grow our own food, and 3) build regenerative, climate-resilient landscapes. Check out the latest and get involved. |
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Consider Donating Extra Produce at any area food pantry |
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Consider forwarding this email to invite a friend or colleague to:
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Note: |
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1) Every pound of homegrown vegetables you grow can cut 2 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions when compared to the store-bought counterpart, although what you eat matters more (e.g., fruits, nuts, and vegetables) than how it’s transported. 2) A single home compost bin diverts approximately 646 pounds of waste from landfill each year. |