Group items tagged

The fourth annual veterans plant giveaway is planned 9 a.m. to noon Monday by the Veterans Garden Project at Butte Environmental Council’s Humboldt Community Garden, Humboldt and El Monte roads. Hundreds of plant starts have been grown in the Butte Creek Canyon greenhouse and will be given away free to any veteran and their families who stop by the garden. Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, lettuce and many more starts will be available for veterans to take home for gardening.

The plant giveaway is offered twice a year, on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

Harvest the rain Nani Teves, the Butte Environmental Council’s Code Blue water-outreach coordinator, reminded me that on Sunday, Nov. 10, from 10-11 a.m., BEC is hosting a free rainwater-harvesting workshop. “If you’ve ever wanted to put your roofs and gutters to work collecting rain for you, this event is a must,” says the BEC website (www.becnet.org) of this informative event. “Learn how to safely and sensibly collect and store water for use in your garden.”

workshop—which will also offer healthful, organic snacks—is being held at a private home; contact Teves at nanibay@hotmail.com or 891-6424 for more information and to register.

Volunteer tree watering in Upper Bidwell Park: 8:15-11 a.m. Resources, including buckets, hose and water provided. Meet at North Rim Trail parking lot. Wear sturdy shoes and be able to carry a gallon of water from a truck to seedlings (5-10 yards). Butte Environmental Council planted 100 blue oak acorns last fall, and help watering is needed to assure their survival. For information or to schedule a group, Becky Holden, beckyh@becnet.org. Weekly through August.

CHICO, Calif. - Volunteers in Chico started the new year by cleaning up Chico waterways. January 2 was the first "Block Party with a Purpose" in 2016.

The Butte Environmental Council last held a "party" in 2014. But waterways around the city are littered with trash so volunteers are back at it.

"It is really a satisfying experience," Shelly Rogers, a volunteer, said. "We get an unbelievable amount of trash."

Oroville >> The Butte County Planning Commission has recommended changes to how close new houses may get to orchards and vineyards within residentially zoned areas.

The commission voted 4-1 last week to approve clarifying that a 300-foot buffer between agriculture and houses applies to agriculturally zoned lands. In residential areas, the commission backed a minimum 25-foot setback between houses and orchards or vineyards, although the policy calls for houses to located as far away as practicable.

Robin DiFalco of the Butte Environmental Council said she generally supported the final revisions. She backed having public hearings and making setbacks be as great as is practicable, which may reduce land use conflicts and was good land use policy.

The Resource Conservation District of Tehama County and Butte Environmental Council will host a Rainwater Catchment System workshop Saturday.

Putting environmentalists and residential well-users on equal footing with farmers, the Butte County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday (June 26) supporting the Butte Environmental Council’s involvement in groundwater management.

North Valley Energy Watch and Butte Environmental Council will be hosting three Community Resource Fairs in Nord, Durham and Orland.

These fun events for everyone in the community will give you access to tons of resources and information. Get help finding a job, reduce your energy bill, and meet local non-profits who offer programs for youth and families in your neighborhood.

In north Chico (3163 Esplanade) is the Asylum of the Dead, where the crazed Charlie killed his folks and conducted his human experiments, and now the house’s old barn is home to the abominations he created as well as various tortured spirits. The Barbee family runs the attraction as a fundraiser for local charities (suggested donations: $3 for kids, $5 adults) and opens it to the public for the entire month, Fridays and Saturdays, plus Halloween, 7-10 p.m. This year’s recipients are Butte Environmental Council and the Hamilton City Fire Department.

“Vampire energy drain,” as it’s often called, costs U.S. households about $19 billion annually, according to a study by the Natural Resources Defense Council that analyzed the utility meters of 70,000 Northern California homes.

Becky Holden, education outreach coordinator for Butte Environmental Council, said not only does the local population continue to grow, but technology has advanced to the point where it’s common for one person to own many devices, like a tablet, laptop, cellphone, iPod and GPS device. “All the outlets are full,” she said.

Butte Environmental Council: 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Earth Day Brunch to benefit Endangered Species Faire. $25 advance, $30 at door. Tickets www.benet.org. 891-6424. Humboldt Community Garden, corner of Humboldt Road and El Monte in Chico.

The Butte Environmental Council organized a brunch in honor of Earth Day in Chico and all the proceeds helped an organization, aimed at educating people about endangered species.

The commissioners also heard grant request presentations from a variety of local organizations and events. Grant requests were heard from kids fishing events in Chico, Oroville, Gridley, and two kids events in Paradise. Additional applicants included the Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife foundation, Butte Environmental Council, Chico State Research Foundation, North Valley Community Foundation, Gaines & Associates, Paradise Bow Hunters, and Troop 2 Boy Scouts. Final grant approvals and amounts will be given out at the commission’s Feb. 6 meeting in Chico.

Shasta Environmental Alliance will be featuring Natalie Carter, Executive Director of Butte Environmental Council (BEC) on Wednesday, January 24, 6 pm at Redding Public Library, 1100 Parkview Ave.

The city has scheduled home energy-efficiency workshops in three neighborhoods composed predominantly of older houses: Barber, Chapman and the Avenues. Speakers from the Butte Environmental Council and North Valley Energy Watch will describe quick retrofits, upgrade options and rebate programs. The workshops will take place on successive Wednesday evenings starting May 31 (see “Power to the people,” Greenways, page 16). You can’t beat the price: free. Organizers hope to boost attendance by serving ice cream—also free—and handing out prizes.

It turns out Withuhn was right to question the removal. Erik Gustafson, manager of the Chico’s Public Works Department, said city staff had been inundated with calls from concerned citizens after the two trees were cut, and confirmed no permit had been issued. City staff visited Enloe Medical Center the next morning—May 3—to deliver a cease and desist order to prevent further removals.