City of Ventura Environmental Sustainability

⚡️It’s time for an Electrification Event! ⚡️ Hosted by Citizens Climate Lobby and Ventura Climate Coalition, this event focuses on educating and empowering residents looking to electrify their lives, like swapping out appliances, installing solar panels, getting an EV, and much more! Sustainable Ventura will be there alongside other community organizations and companies related to electrification!

🔋 When: Saturday, July 27th from 10:00 am - 2:30pm
🔋 Where: 5654 Ralston Street, Ventura, CA 93003

REGISTER for this FREE event by clicking here: https://bit.ly/3WCDgtG

🌊🌴 Happy Plastic Free July, Ventura! Planning a picnic at the beach or in one of our many parks? Opt out of single-use plastic utensils and instead use REUSABLE utensils. Small changes make a big impact!

We just published our July/August Newsletter, highlighting the sustainable programs operating The City of Ventura, like the

🪵 Mulch and Compost Giveaways,
🥬 Organics Recycling, and
📦 Junk Drop Off Day!

Stay up-to-date on these programs and so much more by signing up for our bi-monthly newsletter by clicking the link below.
https://bit.ly/VenturaESNewsletter

Household Hazardous Waste Events are held on the third Saturday of each month except December. Our next event is on Saturday, July 20. City of Ventura residents and small businesses are invited to register for an appointment to drop off their hazardous materials, which will be disposed of properly.

HHW materials pose a serious threat to human, plant, and animal life, and it is illegal to dispose of them in the trash, dump them on the ground, or pour them down the storm drain. Learn more about what types of hazardous materials you can bring to the event by clicking the link below (in our bio).

City of Ventura - Government

🌎 Plastic is everywhere, and we need to drastically reduce the amount entering the environment and our bodies. Join CEC and Plastic Free Future founders Alejandra Warren and Dr. Matt Warren for a webinar to discuss solutions that can lead us to a healthier, cleaner, and plastic-free future.

Register here: https://cec.pub/plasticfreefuture

Have you wondered why you need to bag your food waste? Here are a few reasons directly from the local processing facility!

BAGGED FOOD WASTE
♻️ Quicker, safer, and cleaner to separate food waste from yard waste for processing
♻️ Food waste is used to make renewable energy, animal feed, and organic fertilizers
♻️ Residential customers can reuse plastic bags that would otherwise be thrown away
♻️ Helps reduce odors and pests in your yard/organic waste container

UNBAGGED FOOD WASTE
❌ Costs more to remove loose contamination with food in the yard/organic waste container
❌ Slows sorting and picking to remove food and contamination from yard/organic waste container
❌ Loose food waste in the yard waste can only be converted into compost and not renewable energy, animal feed, and organic fertilizers
❌ Limited infrastructure for loose, commingled organics programs in California

🌊🌴 Let's make a splash this Plastic Free July! Use a reusable stainless or glass water bottle.

By switching to a reusable bottle, you can replace, on average, 158 plastic water bottles a YEAR!

💧 Stay hydrated during these warm summer days and help reduce plastic waste on our beautiful beaches. Together, we can keep our coast clean! 🌿🌊

💚 ♻️ Congratulations and thank you to Blue Jasmin Acupuncture, Herbs & Yoga for re-certifying as a Green Business in Ventura. They have been a Certified Green Business since 2013, offering acupuncture, fire cupping, herbal medicine, essential oils, yoga, meditation, sound healing & yoga retreats around the world.

“I am a green business because the environment & taking care of our Mother Earth is very important to me. I want my company Blue Jasmin Acupuncture, Herbs & Yoga to support this mission as one of our main priorities. The essence of yoga is union, which means being one with our environment and respecting it. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity to learn new ways to make my more business even more green + sustainable.”

We love our small businesses in Ventura 🌊🌴 Visit www.greenbusinessca.org to see how you can get certified today! Certification and participation are free.

Blue Jasmin Acupuncture, Herbs & Yoga

🌞Feeling the heat? Here are some eco-friendly tips to keep cool:

🌬️ Natural Ventilation - Open windows in the early morning and late evening to let cool air in. Use fans to circulate air instead of relying on AC.

🪟 Shade Your Space - Close curtains or blinds during the hottest parts of the day.

💦 Hydrate Wisely - Keep a reusable water bottle with you and stay hydrated. Add some fresh mint or cucumber for a refreshing twist!

🌳 Green Spaces - Spend time in parks or gardens where the temperature is naturally cooler due to vegetation.

Stay cool, stay green! 🌍💚

❤️ 🤍 💙 Happy 4th of July, Ventura! For safe and sustainable celebrations at home, swap out single use items like paper plates and plastic cutlery for their reusable counterparts as part of 🌍 ♻️

Stop by the Sustainable Ventura booth during the 4th of July Street Fair on Thursday from 10am – 4pm! We will have giveaways, games, and prizes for engaging with us and learning about the environmental programs the City of Ventura offers 🌍 ♻️

And a quick reminder that all fireworks are illegal in the City of Ventura. We know it's a bummer, but please leave it to the professionals.

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

Plastic Free July is here! This global movement encourages millions of people to be part of the solution to plastic pollution so all can benefit from cleaner streets, communities, and natural resources.

Over the next 4 weeks we will offer tips and tricks to help you live with less plastic at home, in the work place, and while enjoying some fun in the sun ☀️

How do you reduce plastics? Let us know in the comments!

There are many sustainable programs operating in the City of Ventura, like our Community Cleanup & Recycling events, the Food Waste Recycling Program, Mulch and Compost Giveaways, and the Community Co-Op Compost!

Stay up-to-date on these programs and so much more by signing up for our bi-monthly newsletter by clicking the link below (in our bio).

https://bit.ly/VenturaESNewsletter

🌞 Embrace the flavors of summer! Eating seasonally means enjoying the freshest, tastiest produce while supporting local farmers. 🍓🥒 Shopping at your local farmers market is a sustainable choice that reduces your carbon footprint and helps your community thrive.

Let's celebrate summer with delicious, eco-friendly meals straight from the farm to your table! 🌽🌻

There are two Farmers Markets a week in Ventura;
Wednesday market at the Pacific View Mall parking lot from 9am – 1pm, and
Saturday market on Main St. in Downtown Ventura from 8:30am – 12pm.

For more information on local Ventura farmers markets visit vccfm.org

What's on your Sustainable Summer Bucket List? Here are a few of ours!

🪴 Garden
👟 Morning/evening walks
🧺 Zero-waste picnic
📕 Used book on the beach
🍊Homemade popsicles

🌿🌱 Join us at the City of Ventura Maintenance Yard for a delightful gardening event!

🍽️ Discover the magic of edible native plants and learn how to incorporate delicious California natives into your meals. 🌮🥗

🌎 Support local biodiversity while getting expert tips, sampling native plant recipes, and asking questions. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this event is perfect for anyone interested in sustainable gardening practices. 🌼🌿

🌟 Don't miss this unique opportunity to connect with nature and your food in a whole new way! 🌿🌱

🌱✨ Ready for a challenge? Try going Zero-Waste for a day! 🌍 Swap out single-use items for reusables, compost your food scraps, and be mindful of your consumption. It’s a fun and impactful way to reduce your environmental footprint.

Need some tips to get started? Check out our YouTube Video on Zero-Waste Homes by clicking the link in our bio (below)

Who’s up for the challenge? 💪♻️

🗑️ ♻️ Please keep those recyclables CLEAN and LOOSE in the bin

Bagging recyclables slows down the recycling process and can burden the sorting infrastructure.

Contaminated or "food-soiled" items are also more difficult to recycle, so please SCRAPE as much as you can out of jars, cans, and cartons before placing them in the bin.

Have you ever noticed that it FEELS nice to BE nice 💚 Engaging in acts of kindness has been associated with the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and oxytocin, aka the happy-feel-goods! 🥰 So the more kindness you give, the happier you get! And that feels pretty Sustainable to us 💚♻️

Have you heard about Gold Coast Recycling's ABOP program? Residential customers of Harrison Industries can bring their

🚙 Antifreeze (auto, boat and household)
🪫 Batteries (auto, boat and household)
🛢️ Oil (and oil filters)
🎨 Latex Paint (must be labeled and limited to 10 gallons)

to be safely recycled and disposed of for free during business hours. For a full list of items accepted at Gold Coast Recycling and Transfer station, visit goldcoastrecycling.com/guidelines

Fresh water is one of our most precious resources. Here are some ways to save water at home (while also saving some money!)

💧 Use aerators on all faucets
💧 Install water-saving shower heads
💧 Turn off the faucet while brushing teeth, washing hands, or scrubbing dishes
💧 Replace lawn with drought-tolerant plants
💧 Install a low-flush toilet or displace water in the tank using a brick or other solid object
💧 Sweep patios instead of using a hose

What are your go-to ways to save water?? Let us know in the comments below!

Ventura Water

Farmers markets are a great way to support our local agricultural community while reducing our environmental impact.

When we buy local, we dramatically reduce the miles traveled to get from farm to table. 🚛 That's a positive because the transportation process uses greenhouse gas emitting fossil fuels and can result in lost produce during transport and delivery.

There are two Farmers Markets a week in Ventura; a Wednesday market at the Pacific View Mall parking lot from 9am – 1pm, and a Saturday market on Main St. in Downtown Ventura from 8:30am – 12pm.

For more information on local Ventura farmers markets visit vccfm.org

Join Surfrider Foundation for this month’s chapter meeting as they dive into the Ocean Friendly Gardens (OFG) Program! 🌿 Discover how OFGs help reduce stormwater pollution from yards and businesses. 🌍 Learn how you can make a difference in creating a cleaner, healthier environment for our oceans, waves, beaches, and coastline 🌊

When: June 4, 2024 / 6:30 - 8:00pm
Where: EP Foster Library, Topping Room
651 E. Main St. Ventura, CA

Surfrider Foundation - Ventura County Chapter

Join Ventura Water for a FREE gardening class on easy native plants for beginners! This is a perfect introductory class for children (ages 10+) and adults! The class will cover easy-to-grow native plants and provide a hands-on activity and plants to take home.

⭐️ Children must be accompanied by an adult. ⭐️

Please register in advance by clicking the link below
https://bit.ly/4bxnwfW

When: June 8th from 10 -11:30am
Where: Cornucopia Community Garden

Ventura Water

♻️ City of Ventura residents are invited to participate in our next Junk Drop Off Event to properly dispose of hard-to-manage waste and recycling. We will also have limited document shredding and donation services available. ♻️

📆 Saturday, June 8th
📍 765 S. Seaward Ave, Ventura

PLEASE REGISTER for this event by clicking the link in our bio ♻️

♻️ City of Ventura residents are invited to participate in our next Junk Drop Off Event to properly dispose of hard-to-manage waste and recycling. We will also have limited document shredding and donation services available. ♻️

📆 Saturday, June 8th
📍 765 S. Seaward Ave, Ventura

PLEASE REGISTER for this event here:
https://form.jotform.com/241204696783160

City of Ventura - Government

Have you been interested in starting your own compost pile? Visit our Backyard Composting page for guidelines on how to start compost or vermicomposting in your own backyard. We also offer rebates on compost/vermicompost bins for City of Ventura residents.

Click the link below to learn more!
https://bit.ly/3wDbGiL