In continuation to the post on Wednesday.

Here are more interesting facts regarding paper and plastic bags.  I hope that it sparks you all to recycle those bags you have laying around.

Did you know that 2000 paper bags weigh approximately 280 pounds, while 2,000 plastic bags weigh approximately 30 pounds?  There are approximately 92 billion bags used in the United States alone.  It will take one good sized tree to make 1000 paper bags.  It takes 9 truckloads of paper bags to deliver the same amount of  paper bags as one truck load of plastic bags.  Paper bags take 40 percent more energy to manufacture than plastic bags.  Plastic bags generate 80 percent less waste than paper bags.  Plastic bags produce 70 percent fewer air emissions from being released into the environment.  It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic that it would take to recycle a pound of paper bags.

It will take 13 to 17 precious trees to generate a ton of paper bags.  Paper bags weigh 9.6 times the weight of plastic bags used.  The bags account of only 5 percent of the bags that are used in the United States.  In order to supply the city of San Francisco with the amount of bags it uses each year, it would take 180,000 trees to be cut down each year.

Please check back on Monday for the conclusion to this post.

I have been asked this question hundreds of times in my adult life…Would that be paper or plastic?  Lately it seems; it is assumed that we all want plastic instead of paper.  The big question is which one is better for the environment.

Here are some interesting facts for you to ponder when making your choice when out shopping…..In the United States we use 20 million barrels of oil per day.  Of that oil used, .7% of that barrel is used to produce film and plastic bags.  It takes 163,000 gallons of oil to make 100 million bags (or 3870 barrels of oil).  The amount of oil that the United States uses in 72 minutes is equal to the total tonnage of bags that are consumed in California for at least 2 to 3 years.

Five percent of 1 days’ crude oil use in the United States is equal to a few years worth of carry out plastic bags used in California.  There are 1.3 million workers employed in the plastics industry in the United States.  This is the 4th largest manufacturing sector in the United States.  There are 43,600 employees working in the plastic bag industry in the United States.

Please check back on Friday for part two of this post.
 

In continuation to the post on Monday.

The reasons are pretty simple why everyone needs to clear their brush.  It will save the lives of you and the people around you, it will help reduce the tax dollars that are spent on emergency fire services, it will protect the beautiful wildlife that live in the area, it will help with the reduction of pollution being released in the atmosphere, and it will help to increase the precious ground water supply that everyone relies upon.  Additionally, the clearing will help protect your physical property, reduce your insurance bill, keep unwanted and unhealthy insect populations down and most importantly….because it is the law!

The state mandated laws are very clear and concise.  A defensible space must be maintained around the perimeter of any structure.  There must be a clearance of at least 100 feet.  All tree limbs that are dead and hang over your house, garage or structure must be removed.  All tree limbs that are within 10 feet of your chimney must be removed.  There must be a spark-arresting screen of at ½ inch or smaller mesh covering your chimney outlet or stovepipe.  All portable equipment, tractors, motorcycles and chainsaws must have spark-arresters installed and maintained regularly.  Each resident is required to clear all leaves and needles from rain gutters, eaves and their roof.

Please check back on Friday for the conclusion to this post.

Cut It Back…You Too Can Help Stop A Brush Fire Part I Of III

California is known for many wonderful things.  Unfortunately, California is very well known for its horrible wild fires that harm people and animals and destroy thousands of acres of land each year.  The climate is perfect for brush fires.  The spring brings the beautiful vegetation with incredible wildflowers.  Then the heat arrives and the landscape becomes dry and brittle.  Add a little (or a lot) of wind into the mix; and you have the perfect conditions for a horrible fire!

Madera county residents are certainly at risk for fire.  It is so important that residents heed the warnings set out by the county and state to help reduce their risks of fires.  Because brush provides needed fuel to a wildfire, it is now time for property owners to be diligent about clearing brush from their property.

Property owners are required to clear brush that is within at least 100 feet from any structure.  Hazardous reduction inspections will be conducted by Cal Fire on all residents.  They need to make sure that all state regulations are being followed at all times.  There will be a $500 fine assessed to any property owner who fails to meet compliance guidelines after the first inspection.

Please check back on Wednesday for the continuation to this post

Everyone has some hazardous waste items around the house.  It is tempting to just throw those items away.  Chowchilla is too far to drive for some residents of Madera County.  The Madera County Supervisors have approved a, one day only, household hazardous waste and electronic waste collection day for Madera County.

It is very critical that hazardous items not reach the landfill.  The collections will be held on April 19, 2008 at Yosemite High School.   Collection times are from 9:00 am until 1:00 pm.  There is a limit as to what you can bring though.  They will accept 125 pounds of solids and 15 gallons of liquids dropped off per trip.

Only certain items will be accepted:  motor oil, antifreeze, grease, batteries, brake fluid, insect spray, pool chemicals, pesticides and weed killer.  They will also accept:  drain cleaners, spot removers, mothballs, oven cleaners, aerosol cans, deodorizers, solvents, paint, paint remover, art supplies, photographic chemicals, wood preservatives and ammonia based cleaners.

They will be collecting many electronics too.  Televisions sets, printers, computers, cell phones, radios….basically, anything with a cord can be turned in.

They are not able to collect any:  radioactive material, compressed gas cylinders or medical waste products.

If you have any questions or concerns, call (559) 675-7817 for more information.

Additionally, there will be a tire amnesty day for area residents at the waste treatment plant in Oakhurst on April 26th.  You will only be able to make a drop off if you call for an appointment first at (559) 675-7821.

When it comes to fires, there are no guarantees and no fire prevention methods that are 100% effective, but there are certainly things you can do to prevent a fire from destroying your home. Making certain that your home is fire resistant will do more to prevent the unthinkable and it will give you a well-maintained property

If you are considering buying a home or if you’ve already bought a home, you can call the local fire department to get a fire hazard rating for the area.

You don’t have to leave things up to chance: you can plan the vegetation that surrounds you home so that flammable vegetation s further away from your house. If you don’t feel knowledgeable enough, get the advice of a landscaper or other expert.

Be sure to remover dead plants and leaves from your yard on a regular basis. Keep plants and shrubs trimmed.

Keep up with watering your lawn and vegetation so it is more fire resistant. Don’t let the plant life around your home become too dry because that will put you and your family at risk.

There have been some concerns in Madera lately regarding the water supply.  What exactly is in the water anyways?

All residents are urged to have their water tested for contaminants.  They are asked to drink only bottled water until testing is complete.

Understandably so, some residents are hesitant to have their water tested.   The old adage “What you don’t know, won’t hurt you”, CAN actually hurt you.  Uranium, radon and arsenic have been found in many wells and even in faucets that are on public water.  Residents should have their water tested at least three times per year.  Some have found it best to do so even more frequently.  Many have found significant jumps in contaminants each time they test their water.

The good news is that some residents have installed commercial reverse osmosis systems that have returned their water to safe levels.  The system is expensive, but important when you think of the health of your family and pets.

Water testing is being conducted for $101 at the Madera County Public Health Department.  Water samples are accepted on Monday’s from 8 a.m. until noon.  They are located at 40169 Highway 49, between Capitol Pipe and The Oakhurst Living Center.   For more information on testing your water, contact (559) 658-7456.

Sometimes one man’s trash is another man’s treasure…but at other times, one person’s trash is of no use to anyone. This especially true when it comes to getting rid of chemicals and other possibly dangerous substances.

If you are a reside or run a business in Madera County and have hazardous waste that you do not know how to dispose of, the county has made provisions for you. The Madera County Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is there to get rid of things that cannot go out with regular trash.

These items include things that you may not consider to be hazardous. Some of them are common household cleaners that you may often throw away without thinking. These include antifreeze, brake fluid, grease, batteries, motor oil, cleaners containing ammonia, drain cleaners, deodorizers, aerosol cans, spot removers, oven cleaners, moth balls, chemicals used for photography, art supplies, paint removers, paint, solvents, insect spray, weed killers, pool cleaning chemicals, pesticides, and wood preservatives.

They ask that you only bring 15 gallons worth of liquids or 125 pounds of solids each time you come.

They also ask that you not bring the following items because they cannot accept them: medical wastes, radioactive waste, and large compressed gas cylinders.

The facility is located at Fairmead Landfill, 21739 Road 19 Chowchilla, CA 93610, and is open from 9 am-1 pm on Saturdays, with the exception of major holidays.
Individuals can call 559-665-3099 for more information, while business can call 805-481-9213.

Helping the environment should be a top concern for everyone, and California usually leads the charge.  The Burn Cleaner Fireplace and Woodstove Change out program has begun once again.  The exchange program is being sponsored by Operation Clean Air and the Valley Air District.

Residents in eight counties are asked to turn over their non-compliant wood stoves for a credit voucher to buy a new, more environmentally friendly heathing system.  Vouchers awarded can be used to purchase cleaner, natural gas or propane stoves and fireplace inserts.

Interested residents will need to fill out an application and provide proof of residency, which is usually a recently utility bill.  The only local authorized retailer in the area is Mountain Comforts.  Last year only six people participated in the program.  They are hoping for more this year.  The entire program helped replace more than 300 non-compliant units last year.

There is $108,000 that is available for allocation from the fund this year.  This should fund another 300 replacements.  Residents can fill out applications through April 30, 2008 or until the money runs dry.

Counties that are participating are:  Madera, Fresno, Kings, Merced, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Tulare and some of Kern.  Only full time residents may apply for the vouchers.

If you would like more information on this worthwhile “green” project, visit www.valleyair.org or call (559) 230-6000.

E-Waste is described as electronics that have little or no further value to the consumer or business.  From VCR’s, televisions, compact disk players, cell phones to computers, etc.  It is the fastest growing solid waste generated in the United States.   Every holiday Americans receive wonderful updated electronics during the holiday season.

Environmentalists wonder where all of the old equipment will go.  Landfills are filling up nationwide.  These electronics contain harmful components that are terrible for the environment when deposited in landfills.  

E-waste creates a burden on landfills.  Toxic substances can leach into the groundwater and soil.  Harmful substances like copper, lead, mercury, arsenic, PCB’s, zinc, cadmium and nickel can be found in electronic devices. Because of the dangers, it is illegal in California to dispose of these items in landfills.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, some manufactures, retailers and service providers offer recycling of e-waste for free or for a minimal charge.  Many of the components can be easily recycled into other items for the consumer.

There are efforts begin made to ensure that harmful substances do not get deposited in any landfill and Oakhurst is jumping on board as well.  The Oakhurst Chamber of Commerce has scheduled two days to deposit your unwanted electronics.  Saturday, January 5th, and Sunday January 6th from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can rid yourself of these unwanted items.  There are no limitations to the amount of items that you can bring.  Collection is being taken at the Chamber parking lot, next to the library.  For more information, call (559) 683-7766.