Berkeley began using automated single-operator garbage trucks as a cost-saving measure late last year. Photo: City of Berkeley Berkeley residents could see a 25% hike in their garbage pick-up fees as the city struggles to find a way to bridge the gap between the cost of pick-up services and the income they generate. In a […]
Recycling
Posted inBusiness
First shipping container ‘village’ headed to Berkeley
An innovative new shopping development, made entirely of shipping containers, is in the works for Berkeley’s Sacramento Street.
Posted inCommunity
Berkeley to collect more plastics in curbside collections
A wider variety of plastics will now be collected by Berkeley’s Ecology Center in its curbside collections. Photo: Tracey Taylor By Camille Baptista The Ecology Center announced today that it will now collect more types of plastic items, expanding its curbside collection and processing to handle things like dairy tubs, tupperware, vitamin bottles, plastic cups and […]
Posted inSchools
Berkeley school recycling gets back on track
Students at John Muir Elementary sort for composting and recycling. Photo: Green Schools Initiative Berkeley schools are making a renewed commitment to recycling and composting after efforts slacked off over the past five years. This year, a local non-profit, Green Schools Initiative, has worked with eight Berkeley schools, revitalizing recycling and composting programs. Green Schools […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley meets recycling goals, beats Piedmont
Green waste — here being dumped at a Central Valley sorting site — is collected weekly in Berkeley. Photo: Sean Gin Green waste — here being dumped at a Central Valley sorting site — is collected weekly in Berkeley. Photo: Sean Gin Berkeley residents are some of the best recyclers in Alameda County, according to […]
Posted inCity
Where does Berkeley’s green waste go?
Up to 23 moderately smelly tons of green brush, food waste and non-compostable debris is dumped at a Central Valley site. All photos: Sean Gin By Jim Rosenau At our house, it happens every Monday night. We wheel our green waste to the curb to be hauled away. But just where is this “away” anyway? And […]
Posted inCommunity
Berkeleyan wins cash for recycling, separates trash
Berkeley resident Deirdre McLoughlin won cash for her recycling skills. Photo: Liz Miles By Julia Musto A Berkeley resident is among the first to win a cash prize for her impeccable recycling skills. Deirdre McLoughlin, who lives in central Berkeley, won $50 in the Ready Set Recycle competition organized by StopWaste.Org, an initiative of the Alameda County […]
Posted inBusiness
For Earth Day, a new e-waste recycling center in Berkeley
The GreenCitizen e-waste center opens on Friday April 22 at 1971 Shattuck Avenue (at University) A new business will open tomorrow in downtown Berkeley, and it’s a fitting one for Earth Day: GreenCitizen is the latest outpost of a small chain of e-waste centers which aim to tackle the shameful statistic that 80% of electronic […]
Posted inBerkeleyside
10 Berkeley resolutions for 2011
Given the relatively humdrum results of our 2010 resolutions, Berkeleyside could take the easy way out and repeat the same list. Take it as read that the 10 points we singled out a year ago are still largely unfinished business. But let’s look ahead to further issues for this year: Berkeley schools weather budget cuts […]
Posted inCity
A question for Berkeleyans: How to recycle batteries
The law requires recycling of batteries/Photo: Heather Kennedy Berkeleysider Randolph Kielich writes in with what should be a simple question: “We are trying to recycle or return all of our alkaline batteries and not throw them in the garbage. Where do we go?” State law, not incidentally, requires safe disposal of batteries. Throwing them in […]
Posted inCity
Conveying the message a quintessential Berkeley way
Berkeley is known for many things — among them our fondness for bumper stickers. Indeed, might it be that Berkeley is the world capital of bumper stickers? It’s a thought. Berkeleysider Elliot Busch-Wheaton sent in the one pictured here with the following note: “Hopefully the attached speaks for itself. My wife and I (South Berkeley […]
Posted inCity
Berkeley’s new recycling carts: How it’s going so far
Martin Bourque, Executive Director of the Ecology Center, which has the contract for residential manages all recycling in Berkeley, sends in this report on the impact of the new split recycling carts which most city residents should now have received. He also addresses many of our readers’ questions and comments. (See the varied views on […]