Upcoming Opportunities to Go Green!
Mayor Pro Tem Jason Gibbs
Santa Clarita residents have many options to live a cleaner, greener life. Whether it’s through one of our many scheduled collection events, including household hazardous waste, tire and document shredding, or the opportunity to participate at the annual River Rally event, Green Santa Clarita provides residents and local businesses many opportunities to live sustainable lifestyles. Let’s recap some of the City’s recent green events and what you can look forward to for the remainder of this year.
Just a few weeks ago, over 1,000 volunteers gathered to help remove debris from the Santa Clara River at the 27th annual River Rally and Environmental Expo. This annual cleanup remains a valuable volunteer opportunity for residents to play an active part in the City’s environmental efforts through hands-on experience. The accompanying Environmental Expo also provided educational resources from local biologists and environmental specialists. Commuters even had the opportunity to ride their bikes to the event and take advantage of a free bike valet service.
Speaking of Santa Clarita’s commuters, this year’s Rideshare Week began earlier this week on Monday, October 3. This program encourages residents and businesses to get to their destinations using alternative modes of transportation, including carpooling, public transit or our expansive trail network. Ridesharing is not only an effective way to help relieve traffic congestion, minimize air pollution and save money, but active alternative transportation options, including walking or biking, also offer great health benefits.
Even though this year did not provide much rainfall here in Santa Clarita, residents have the opportunity to be prepared for future rain events by participating in the Rain Barrel Purchase Program. The program allows pre-orders of up to two rain barrels per household, while supplies last, for just $40 plus tax. Pre-ordered rain barrels will be available for pick up this Saturday, October 8, at the Centre’s parking lot (located at 20880 Centre Pointe Parkway) along with the opportunity to attend a free informational class beginning at 9:00 a.m. for tips about rainwater harvesting and best practices for installing your own rain barrel.
As we move into the last few months of the year, there’s never been a better time to safely dispose of old electronics and household hazardous waste, including paint, fluorescent light tubes and chemicals. Remember to mark your calendars for the next collection event on Saturday, November 19, at the College of the Canyons Valencia Campus. If you’re unsure of which items to bring, I encourage you to visit GreenSantaClarita.com to view a full list of acceptable items and event information.
We are also excited to bring back our holiday tree recycling program, where you can place your holiday trees curbside for pickup from December 26, 2022, through January 14, 2023. Trees will be collected on the regular collection day for single-family residences, while multi-family communities can place their trees next to their designated trash enclosures for collection. Please make sure all trees and wreaths have been cleared of ornaments, lights, tinsel and stands. More information will become available on social media in the coming weeks, so be sure to follow Green Santa Clarita on Facebook.
Thank you for all you do to protect our local environment. To learn more about the City’s Environmental Services team, please visit GreenSantaClarita.com and don’t forget to connect on social media @GreenSantaClarita.
Mayor Pro Tem Jason Gibbs is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at jgibbs@santaclarita.gov.
