The three Rs among environmental thinkers are reduce, reuse and recycle.
This weekend, however, Ocean Beach residents will add an innovative fourth component: repair. The Ocean Beach Community Cleanup and Recycling Fair is an event designed to let participants bring in used items and learn how to repair worn clothing and household items instead of throwing it all in the trash.
The recycling event will be held Saturday, Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Abbott St. just off West Point Loma Boulevard near Robb Field.
The event is sponsored by the City of San Diego’s Environmental Services, Ocean Beach Community Development Corporation and Dog Beach Dog Wash. In conjunction with the event, Zero Waste San Diego is hosting reuse and repair workshops to show residents what “trash to treasure” really means.
“Zero waste or darn close” is the motto adopted by Laura Anthony, chair of Zero Waste San Diego. She said the nonprofit organization is on a mission to find a solution for the overabundance of trash in the cramped landfills by recycling everything.
“The landfill is expected to close in 2012,” said Anthony. “San Diegans average eight pounds of trash per day and the national average is four pounds.”
She said local businesses and nonprofit organizations are partnering with the city to help create a positive impact on the environment by reducing waste and increasing recycling.
“Rather than buying a whole new board, we’ll be showing how to extend the life of a board by simple repairs you can do at home,” said George Gall, co-owner of Plus 1 Surfboards, who will be conducting a demonstration at the event.
Organizers say the event also brings an opportunity to clean out those garages and closets and get rid of excess clutter.
San Diego Rescue Mission will be on hand to collect used items like furniture, clothes and household goods to be donated to homeless men, women and children through their shelters, and to provide residential job training and life skills programs.
The Rescue Mission runs one of the largest battered-women shelters in San Diego, providing a temporary living quarter to those with nowhere else to go.
Used cell phones, ink and toner cartridges will be collected and donated to the Point Loma High School Foundation and Alumni Association.
Reuse and repair workshops will also be located at the entrance of Robb Athletic Field, including “Trash to Treasure Art” created by artist Brandon Zeller from 11 a.m. to noon, and “Surfboard Repair” by Gall from noon to 1 p.m.
Other workshops include repairs for clothing, furniture and bicycles.
The city will have large, 40-cubic-yard bins to collect discards from Ocean Beach and Point Loma residents only. The following items will be collected:
Recyclables:
Appliances
Electronics (i.e.: TVs, computer monitors, VCRs, CPU’s)
Lawnmowers (without oil and gas)
Metals
Cell phones and laser/inkjet printer cartridges (donations go to Point Loma High School Foundation and Alumni Association)
Grass and yard trimmings (must be bundled and tied, under 50 pounds, and less than six feet long)
Trash:
Carpeting
Junk furniture
Mattresses
Palm fronds
Some items will NOT be accepted because of their hazardous nature:
All light bulbs
Dirt, construction or demolition refuse
Hazardous wastes (paint, oil, batteries, etc.)
Tires
To dispose of these hazardous materials, residents are urged to contact San Diego Environmental Services Department at (858) 694-7000.
For more information about Zero Waste San Diego, visit www.zerowastesandiego.org. Interested volunteers should e-mail [email protected].