BEC in the News

CHICO, Calif. -

The Butte Environmental Council is giving away a couple small items to help easily tweak water conservation inside your home.First, they are offering a shower hourglass timer that you can suction cup to the side of your bathroom wall.

This times your shower to five minutes. The council said by shaving just four minutes off your shower, you save more than 3,500 gallons of water per year.They are also giving out a sink aerator. This reduces the flow of water, reducing the number of gallons per minute.

Engangered Species Fair runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the group picnic area at One-Mile Recreation Area in lower Bidwell Park. The 37th annual event is put on by the Butte Environmental Council and is free.

The theme is “Back from the Brink” which celebrates the removal of three species from the endangered species list, including the gray wolf, bald eagle and maguire daisy. Highlights include an eco-scavenger hunt, free vegetable starts, a raffle and a puppet parade featuring papier mache puppets made by local elementary students.

37th annual Endangered species Faire, Chico: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Group Picnic Area, One-Mile Recreation Area, Lower Bidwell Park. Learn about environmental issues and enjoy live music and food; 30 environmental booths. Hands-on experiences/activities; eco-scavenger hunt, vegetable starts, raffle, puppet parade featuring paper mache puppets made by elementary students. Free bike valet by Chico Velo; hydration station by Klean Kanteen. Hosted by Butte Environmental Council. www.becnet.org/endangered-species-faire.

The students will get a chance to parade their puppets during the Procession of the Species at this year’s fair on May 7, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at One-Mile Recreation Area.

Environmental groups get together to gain support for local efforts following sustainability conference

“It’s not just what we need to do, but ‘this is what we’ve done,’” Stemen said. “The amount of activity that’s happening around these types of issues—sustainability, environmental justice, basic peace with the planet—is really vibrant in this community so having a night like this allows people to find out what’s going on and be re-energized. When you’re just one group, sometimes it’s a little lonely, then you realize, ‘No, I’m just one of many.’”

Butte Environmental Council has been awarded a $58,000 Energy Upgrade California grant to foster clean energy efficiency throughout the county this year.

Last week, the Concerned Citizens of Glenn County and a number of other individuals, largely from the Hamilton City area, made known their opposition to the Glenn County Solid Waste Conversion Facility project, overseen by KVB Inc. and at a proposed site along Stony Creek.

Becky Holden and Lindsey Wood, both employees of the Butte Environmental Council and Glenn County residents, both expressed their displeasure with the project in its proposed location and cited the Stony Creek waterway and the groundwater table as reasons for concern. "We're following this issue," Holden, a resident of Ord Bend, said. "We believe this project has submitted an inadequate EIR, and I realize that is still being worked on. The KVB project is the wrong project for Glenn County, and it is especially at the wrong site."

I can not believe that the Butte County Department of Development Services has the audacity to come up with a plan to reduce the agricultural buffer in Butte County, and it is not just along the greenline. The proposed ordinance will allow developers to be able to ask for a reduction to the proposed agricultural setback from farming operations to as little as 25 feet.The long standing 300-foot buffer is there for a reason. It is the minimum setback that hopefully will protect the public’s health and well-being. This proposed ordinance is so outrageous that it prohibits and exempts the homeowners affected from even being able to sue for damages if they are harmed. Where are the Butte County department heads of Public Health and Services that are paid to protect and serve the health and well-being of the citizens of Butte County? They must speak out to protect the people of Butte County for generations to come.This proposed ordinance goes before the Butte County Planning Commission at 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 22.This proposed ordinance is a violation of the ‘public trust doctrine’.— John Scott, Butte Valley

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.

The public event will be 9 a.m. Saturday in lower Bidwell Park. Volunteers from Chico State, Butte Environmental Council and PG&E will be planting 60 valley oaks and red buds. Meet at Sycamore Street and Woodland Avenue.