Municipal Green Building Policy
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City Council Meeting
Tuesday, June 9, Time TBA
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The City Council will consider a new
green building policy
for City facilities at the next Council meeting. This policy requires LEED
©
Gold certification of new buildings and major renovations, and encourages building electrification and renewable energy measures where feasible. It reflects the completion of 3 actions within Sustainability Action Plan 4. Details of the policy are available in the staff report, which will be available
here
on Friday, June 5.
The policy will be presented on “consent,” so there will not be a staff presentation.
The agenda will be available
here
on Friday, June 5. Instructions for how you can participate in the Council meeting will be available at the top of the agenda.
We welcome your participation.
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EV Drivers - Share Your Story!
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Do you drive an electric vehicle (EV)? We want to hear from you! If you are willing to share some takeaways about your experience with EVs, please fill out
this very short Google Form and we will reach out to you with additional details.
The form will be open until
11:59pm on Sunday, June 14
.
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In response to COVID-19, Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) is supporting our community by providing on-bill credits for income-qualified residents and qualifying small businesses, developing an all-electric online contractor training program, and supporting local community resilience projects. Learn more
here
.
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Bikes for Essential Workers
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The Silicon Valley Bicycle Exchange (SVBE) and Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) have teamed up to offer bikes to essential workers in need of transportation.
- Can’t afford a bike but need one to get to your job or to get around? Fill out this form and they'll try to match you with a bike.
- Have a bike you aren’t using? If it’s in perfect working order, they will match you with a recipient. If it needs a bit of work, SVBE will refurbish the bike and give it new life.
- Want to help with the effort? You can make a donation to cover the cost of bike parts ($40 on average) or you can help them tune up the bikes by taking a few home to work on.
Join the #BikeMatchSV program as a recipient, donor, or volunteer through the form
here
.
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Volunteers Needed -
COVID Contact Tracing
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Santa Clara County is recruiting volunteers to help with
contact tracing
, a key indicator used for monitoring COVID-19 in our community. Talents of all kind are welcome. Complete a brief online survey
here
to share your interest, skills, and availability. By completing the survey, you can be best matched to role(s) that use your skill set. Each role will support front line staff and first responders, creating a healthier, safer community. Thank you!
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Carbon Neutrality & 2018 Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Inventory
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We are posting upcoming webinars, food waste tips, composting information, and more on our Facebook page! "
Like" our page
here to stay up-to-date on the latest sustainability happenings.
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Collaborate Mountain View - Take Action!
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Check out our list of actions on
Collaborate Mountain View to help fight climate change!
Environmental action might look a little different due to the Shelter-in-Place order, but there is still a lot you can do from home, like eating less meat and dairy, or reducing food waste. Do you have an idea for an action that isn't listed, or a story about an action you've taken?
Share it
here!
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Income qualified residents who ow
n a model year 2004 or older vehicle can receive up to
$9,500
to retire their old vehicle and purchase or lease a new or used electric vehicle. Funding is available for electric vehicle charging equipment as well. You can also get a pre-loaded Clipper card (up to $7,500) for turning in your old vehicle. Incentive options vary depending on income and zip code.
Check if you are
eligible for the Clean Cars for All program and apply
here.
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This section will share program updates, upcoming events, and all news related to Zero Waste. Contact Recycling & Zero Waste staff with any questions about the Recycling & Zero Waste program at
recycle@mountainview.gov or (650) 903-6311.
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Normal Curbside Trash and Recycling Services Resume
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Stay up to date on changes to solid waste services and programs during the Shelter-in-Place order at
MountainView.gov/Recycle
.
- Normal curbside collection services resumed on May 11. Residents may set out one extra bag of trash (no extra garbage sticker needed), extra cardboard (bundled and tied), and extra recycling (up to 2 extra containers of recycling next to the cart with cans and bottles in one paper bag or box, and paper materials in another) on their collection day.
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- On Call Plus clean up appointments are now available. Schedule an appointment or request a voucher to self-haul to the SMaRT Station by contacting Recology at (650) 967-3034.
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- The SMaRT Station is open to the public for most services Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm (closed Sundays) including public disposal, recycling drop-off, and compost pick up.
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- Do not put any clean cardboard in the compost cart. Extra cardboard that does not fit in your recycling cart should be bundled and tied and set out next to the cart on your collection day. The following can go in your compost cart:
- All food scraps
- All food-soiled paper such as pizzeria boxes, paper takeout boxes, and paper towels (NO clean cardboard, frozen food boxes, or plastic including ‘compostable’ plastic)
- Yard trimmings (NO bamboo canes, cactus, ice plant, palm fronds, yucca, or landscape materials)
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Regrow Your Vegetable Scraps
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You don’t need a backyard and a green thumb to grow your own produce – some vegetables can be regrown with just some water and a sunny windowsill.
Save these scraps to regrow:
- Scallions and Leeks – When the green stalk is used up, place the bottom of the scallion (the white part with roots) in a cup of shallow water in the sun. Change the water every few days and watch them grow, trimming off as you need.
- Romaine Lettuce – Leave an inch or two on the bottom of the head and put that romaine ‘heart’ in a bowl of shallow water in the sun. Change the water daily. You should have a new head of lettuce in a few weeks.
- Carrot Tops – The leaves and stems on the top of carrots are a delicious add to salads, soups, and pestos! Put the top of your carrots in a bowl of shallow water in the sun and change water as needed.
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Don’t forget to compost all of your food scraps that can’t be eaten or reused. Check out
StopFoodWaste.org
for tips to reduce food waste.
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As an added safety precaution required under the Santa Clara County Shelter-in-Place order, businesses are not allowing customers to bring their own reusable food ware or reusable bags into stores at this time. The City Council has temporarily suspended the enforcement of the
Reusable Bag Ordinance
. It is most important to prioritize the health and safety of essential workers and follow all health and safety guidelines.
How can I avoid single-use bags if I can’t bring my reusable bags into a store?
You can ask the cashier to leave your items unbagged in your cart or basket and bring them back to your car to put in your own bags or boxes.
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Are reusables sanitary, and is it safe for me to use them once they are allowed again? Yes, reusables are sanitary and safe to use when properly washed. Soap and hot water are effective at killing viruses and bacteria. Reusable grocery and produce bags can go in the washing machine with other laundry. Home and commercial dishwashers are more effective relative to handwashing because of the added benefit of a prolonged wash cycle at high temperatures. As with non-reusables, be sure not to let your reusable cup touch the spigot or dispenser when filling up with water or coffee. Common sense and good hygiene practices are all you need to keep reusables sanitary and safe.
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What are the implications of the current pandemic on the battle against the use of single-use plastics in the Bay Area and beyond? Join a virtual panel of experts from in and around the Bay Area for a moderated conversation on this topic followed by audience Q&A. Register
here
.
- Thursday, May 28, 6pm-7:30pm
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Learn how to save seeds from common vegetables such as beans, peas, lettuce, tomatoes, squash, and cucumbers. Explore how seed saving can enrich your life, save you money, and preserve biodiversity. Help save heirlooms of the past and breed heirlooms of the future. Register
here
.
- Saturday, May 30, 1pm-3pm
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Silicon Valley Youth Climate Action is hosting a Climate Speaker Series that will feature a number of professionals sharing their work and insight on topics within the climate sphere, including science, education, policy, advocacy, and careers. There are several upcoming presentations with different speakers – learn more and register
here
.
- Saturday, May 30, 4pm-6pm
- Sunday, May 31, 4pm-6pm
- Saturday, June 6, 4pm-6pm
- Sunday, June 7, 4pm-6pm
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The California Green Business Network and partners present a webinar series aimed to help businesses adapt and recover, build resilience, and incorporate sustainability in the years ahead. There are several upcoming presentations covering different topics – learn more and
register
here
.
- Wednesday, June 3, 11am-12:30pm
- Wednesday, June 10, 11am-12:30pm
- Friday, June 19, 11am-12:30pm
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Meet other young professionals who are interested in working in the environmental field at this virtual meet and greet! The event will consist of making new connections, getting to know each other, and a game of environmental trivia. Register
here
.
- Thursday, June 4, 7pm-8:30pm
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Not sure what to do with all of your food scraps? Want to boost your home gardening? UCCE is hosting FREE virtual community composting workshops. Register
here.
- Sunday, June 7, 10am-12pm
- Saturday, June 13, 10am-12pm
- Saturday, June 20, 10am-12pm
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Join Acterra for a presentation covering all the basics of EV ownership, including: the benefits of EVs, available rebates, battery range and charging basics, leasing versus buying, current makes and models, and what’s in store for the future! There will be interactive breakout rooms to have specific questions answered. Register
here
.
- Tuesday, June 9, 7pm-8:30pm
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PG&E is offering free classes and upcoming webinars. The course offerings are designed for complete novices to energy experts. Learn more and sign up
here.
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Although the Mountain View Public Library is closed, its Digital Library is still open! Access eBooks, eAudioBooks, streaming services, and more
here. If you do not have a library card, you can apply for a temporary one
here.
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We Want to Hear From You!
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Tell us your sustainability story! Have you recently made energy efficiency upgrades to your home, incorporated a new zero waste habit into your life, or found an alternate mode of transport that you love?
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Want to stay updated on more Sustainability news and local events?
Follow us on
Facebook
!
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Subscribe to this newsletter
here
.
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Read previous newsletters
here.
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