October & November 2019
In the United States, the holiday season is the most wasteful time of year, with an average of 5 million pounds of food tossed during the period between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. Let's all be a part of the solution at home this season by keeping these food waste-reducing steps in mind.

  1. Share the love: Encourage family and friends to take leftovers home by asking them to bring reusable containers to your holiday feast. Or save your recyclable plastic food containers throughout the year and supply them yourself at the holidays.
  2. Get Creative: Try throwing your holiday protein and veggie scraps into a pot pie or a quiche. There are hundreds of recipes to try online. Visit www.savethefood.com for recipes using food scraps or food past its prime.
  3. Avoid the temptation of overindulgence: We mean well when we want to share our love for family and friends with abundant and delicious meals, but please, try to prepare only what you need. If you have a habit of preparing too much, try cooking less once and see how it goes.
  4. Compost it: Food scraps that can’t be used up can go in a home compost bin. If you don’t have one yet, check them out online or at your local nurseries.
Environmental Program Updates
Green Business
Among the many benefits of becoming a City of Ventura Certified Green Business, our green business owners were recognized by the Mayor at a City Council Meeting and pitched their business in front of City Council! The last round of green business recognitions in September featured (from L-R) Grassroots Yoga , Mountain Beach Seaglass Jewelry , Surfrider Foundation , Birkenstock Footprints , Hypercat Cycleworks , and Latitudes Fine Art Gallery . Congratulations to these wonderful women, and thank you to each of our 80 green businesses in Ventura!

Looking for Green Businesses in Ventura? Visit our website , or contact program coordinator Lars Davenport: LDavenport@cityofventura.ca.gov ; (805) 652-4595.
Green Schools
With support from Ventura Unified School District and the Green Schools Program, Balboa Middle School is launching a new composting program using fruit and vegetable scraps collected from the cafeteria and from student lunches. Students from Mr. Roth's Horticulture class will help manage the program and feed scraps to the worms located in the school garden (Mr. Roth featured above).

Local elementary schools already divert over 150 tons of food waste from the landfill each year with the Green Schools' Lunchtime Recycling Program. Learn more about composting or read about other types of sustainability initiatives that local schools have taken on here .
Food Waste
What does food waste really cost?
It costs labor, resources, time, and at the end of the day, money. Did you know the average American family of four can lose at least $1500 a year on wasted food? Make sure you use up everything you buy and store it properly before it spoils.

SaveTheFood.com is a great resource for recipes and storage tips!
Recycle Coach Tip
What's the most common type of litter found on local beaches?

Cigarette butts! Up to two-thirds of cigarette butts end up in the environment (read more) . First, cigarette butts need to be put out in an ashtray or they might start a fire. Then, they should be thrown in the trash, not in the sand or on the street.

For more recycling information and tips, download the Recycle Coach App !
Upcoming Events
Here's What We've Been Reading Lately...
Exclusive Offers for City of Ventura Residents