Tag: garbage

Help protect the environment: Cool ideas at EarthFair.

Use cans and old kitchen tools for plant pots! Dryer lint as cotton with nail polish remover to take off polish!
Use cans and old kitchen tools for plant pots! Dryer lint as cotton with nail polish remover to take off polish!

Late this morning, I walked from Cortez Hill to the 2016 EarthFair in Balboa Park. The cool event, corresponding with Earth Day, is the largest annual environmental fair in the world!

Thousands turned out for 2016 EarthFair in Balboa Park, where San Diego celebrates Earth Day and learns how to help the environment.
Thousands turned out today for the 2016 EarthFair in Balboa Park.  San Diego residents celebrated Earth Day and learned how to help protect the environment.

I blogged about EarthFair the last couple of years and showed you a little bit of almost everything–so this time I decided to take a different, more practical approach. As I walked through San Diego’s garden-like Balboa Park, I searched the many exhibits for useful ideas about things we can do in our daily lives to protect the environment.

Here are a few things I found. Please read the captions! And feel free to share!

1. Ideas for creatively repurposing used household items.

One major theme of EarthFair was re-using and repurposing old items that might otherwise be thrown away. I noted some cool ideas and took pics!

Poster shows many creative repurposing ideas! Click photo to enlarge and read some cool, very unusual ideas that you might try!
Poster shows many creative repurposing ideas! Click photo to enlarge and read some cool, very unusual ideas that you might try!
These shiny, colorful handbags were made from recycled Kool-Aid and Capri Sun packets!
These shiny, colorful handbags were made from recycled Kool-Aid and Capri Sun packets!
Take old clothes to make new clothes for homeless and toys for kids.
Take old clothes to make new clothes for homeless and toys for kids.
Recycling vintage fabric into baby bibs.
Recycling vintage fabric into baby bibs.
Turn old sweaters into beautiful pillows.
Turn old sweaters into beautiful pillows.
People check out the world's largest fair celebrating Earth Day--EarthFair in San Diego's sunny Balboa Park!
People check out the world’s largest festival celebrating Earth Day–EarthFair in San Diego’s sunny Balboa Park!

2. Tasty ways to use up excess fruits and vegetables.

One display created by the County of San Diego provided excellent information about how to use leftover or surplus fruits and vegetables, to avoid unnecessary waste. Those pics came out blurry, so here’s what I noted:

Spinach–add to sandwiches, soups, egg dishes, pasta or smoothies.

Bananas–add to cereal, yogurt or smoothies. Blend frozen bananas with milk and vanilla for a healthy dessert.

Citrus–add to green or fruit salads, soups, pasta or sauces. Add peels to vinegar for a simple household cleaner.

Tomatoes–add to salads, egg dishes, sandwiches or pasta. Use to make fresh salsa, tomato sauce or bruschetta.

Onions–add to salads, soups, egg dishes, sandwiches or stir-fry. Pickle red onions. Make onion preserves.

Peppers–add to sandwiches, salads, egg dishes or stir-fry. Steam and puree to make soup or a sauce for meat or pasta.

Avocados–add to smoothies, salads, sandwiches, egg dishes or baked goods. Spread on toast. Use in pasta sauce with lemon, garlic, oil and basil.

Beets–add to salads, soups or stir-fry. Use roasted beets in place of meat on sandwiches.

Broccoli and Cauliflower–add to salads, soups, egg dishes or stir-fry. Add finely chopped or grated cauliflower to rice.

Berries–add to fruit or green salads, hot or cold cereals, smoothies or yogurt. Use in a fruit salsa served with bread or chips.

Potatoes–add to salads, soups or egg dishes. Use russet potatoes to make potato skins. Use leftover baked potatoes to make hashbrowns.

Corn–add to soups or salads. Use to make a fresh corn salsa. Bake into cornbread or potato pancakes.

3. Things you can do to help protect the environment–and save money!

Here are a few displays I photographed that contained some great advice! Click the photos to enlarge them!

Compost can be made with shredded paper, grass clippings, wood chips, garden leftovers, leaves, livestock manure, chopped up yard debris and used coffee grounds.
Compost can be made with shredded paper, grass clippings, wood chips, garden leftovers, leaves, livestock manure, chopped up yard debris and used coffee grounds.
To save energy, use efficient lighting, adjust your thermostat, install solar, reduce driving, and keep you car maintained and tires properly inflated.
To save energy, use efficient lighting, adjust your thermostat, install solar, reduce driving, and keep your car maintained and tires properly inflated.
Check to see if your city offers free utility inspections and efficiency analysis. In San Diego, a free water survey program is available.
Check to see if your city offers free utility inspections and efficiency analysis. In San Diego, a free water survey program is available.
Ride a bicycle to work! In San Diego, Bike to Work Day in 2016 is Friday, May 20. You might consider walking or taking public transit, too!
Ride a bicycle to work! In San Diego, Bike to Work Day in 2016 is Friday, May 20. You might consider walking or taking public transit, too!
Many San Diegans saved energy, reduced air pollution and stayed healthy by riding their bicycles to EarthFair!
Many San Diegans saved energy, reduced air pollution and stayed healthy by riding their bicycles to EarthFair!

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How to help keep the San Diego River healthy.

Bright yellow California sunflowers. San Diego has more botanical diversity than any other county in the continental United States.
Bright yellow California sunflowers. San Diego has more botanical diversity than any other county in the continental United States.

The San Diego River has always been a source of life. Ancient people flourished on its banks. It’s where European civilization began in California. That civilization today has grown to include freeways, shopping malls, industrial parks and immense residential complexes. Like a gleaming thread of silver, the river flows through it all, eternally, west to the Pacific Ocean.

The health of this once-pristine river, crowded in many areas by human development, is threatened in challenging ways. Pollutants found in storm runoff, windblown litter, piles of garbage and human waste from homeless encampments, encroachment by non-native vegetation… These problems and others require the thoughtful involvement of the local community. Volunteers monitor the river; some help to pick up trash or report graffiti. Active, concerned residents attend special meetings to discuss improvements or make critical decisions.

Would you like to become involved? Click here, or check out my two photos of posters that include contact information.

Our careful stewardship of the San Diego River will ensure the survival of an important riparian ecosystem, and will allow future generations to walk down trails of spirit-nourishing beauty.

Gazing west along the San Diego River from Qualcomm Way.
Gazing west along the San Diego River from Qualcomm Way.
Bicycle and pedestrian paths follow the San Diego River through Mission Valley.
Bicycle and pedestrian paths follow the San Diego River through Mission Valley.
Litter carelessly dropped by a mile marker for The San Diego River Trail. It was picked up.
Litter carelessly dropped near a mile marker for The San Diego River Trail. It was picked up.
The community is working to restore and enhance this area while making an inviting living science center in the heart of our urban riparian environment.
The community is working to restore and enhance this area while making an inviting living science center in the heart of our urban riparian environment.  (Click image to enlarge.)
Make a difference with a fun group of people. Join the River Assessment Team! Help support a clean river and get some exercise!
Make a difference with a fun group of people. Join the River Assessment Team! Help support a clean river and get some exercise! (Click image to enlarge.)
A red San Diego Trolley passes over the life-filled river as it approaches the Rio Vista station.
A red San Diego Trolley passes over the life-filled river as it approaches the Rio Vista station.
A gathering of American coots (or mud hens) where the San Diego River passes beneath Camino del Este.
A gathering of American coots (or mud hens) where the San Diego River passes beneath Camino del Este.
Dark clouds and barren Fremont Cottonwoods minutes before a winter storm brings brief torrential rain.
Dark clouds and barren Fremont Cottonwoods minutes before a winter storm brings brief torrential rain.
Beautiful flowers can be seen at almost any time of year during a nature walk along The San Diego River Trail.
Beautiful flowers can be seen at almost any time of year during a nature walk along The San Diego River Trail.
A couple of bees collect pollen in the morning.
A couple of busy bees collect pollen in the morning.

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Trash collection day in downtown San Diego.

Early Wednesday morning in downtown San Diego, and men are hard at work collecting the city's trash.
Early Wednesday morning in downtown San Diego, and men are hard at work collecting the city’s trash.

It’s very early Wednesday morning. That means a small fleet of garbage trucks will soon be rumbling throughout downtown San Diego. Dumpsters will be hauled, pushed, lifted and emptied. Clank! Crash! Bang! It’s trash collection day!

I took some photos last Wednesday of all the activity. I delayed posting these pictures, however, because stinky, messy trash collection didn’t seem to convey the proper Christmas spirit. (Some would probably say that it does!) Now that New Year’s Day is approaching, these photographs seem more fitting. What’s old vanishes, making way for the new!

A building's dumpsters are ready to be hauled out and emptied.
A building’s dumpsters are ready to be hauled out and emptied.
Plastic garbage cans overflow near the House of Blues. Life in the big city.
Plastic garbage cans overflow near the House of Blues. Life in the big city.
Few people are about this early in the morning. One gentleman was slowly walking down Broadway.
Few people are about this early in the morning. One gentleman was slowly walking down Broadway.
Rows of garbage receptacles in the Gaslamp. The remnants of good times.
Rows of garbage receptacles in the Gaslamp. The remnants of good times.
While garbage is collected, early morning deliveries are also being made, including kegs of beer on pallets.
While garbage is collected, early morning deliveries are also being made, including kegs of beer on pallets.
Several garbage trucks converged at once on this block and I paused to watch for a moment.
Several garbage trucks converged at once on this block and I paused to watch for a moment.
Collecting garbage in downtown San Diego while many still sleep.
Collecting garbage in downtown San Diego while many still sleep.
Blue recycle bins are lifted, banging and clattering, and contents are dumped.
Blue recycle bins are lifted, banging and clattering, and contents are dumped.
A truck heads up to Cortez Hill. Perhaps my own trash will soon be transported away.
A truck heads up to Cortez Hill. Perhaps my own trash will soon be transported away.

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