| News - Wednesday, January 21, 2009
News Briefs: RecycleWorks plans series on green building practices
A series of presentations by building professionals on sustainable construction practices is scheduled for three upcoming Thursday evenings at 5 p.m. at the Redwood City Council Chambers. The series is a program of RecycleWorks in San Mateo County.
On Jan. 22, representatives from Santa Clara-based Earth Bound Homes and San Francisco-based Forest Ethics are scheduled to talk on buying wood that sustains forests.
On Feb. 5, Berkeley-based architects Cate Leger of Leger Wanaselja Architecture and Ian MacLeod of MacLeod Design & Construction will talk about building more with less when building with wood.
On Feb. 19, Ciro Giamonna and Trace Kannel, both of Harrell Remodeling in Mountain View, are set to talk on the use of renewable materials in adding "finishing touches" to a home.
The Redwood City Council Chambers are located at 1017 Middlefield Road. To make a reservation, call 599-1485 or send e-mail to greenbuild@recycleworks.org.
Volunteers needed to count the homeless
It's census time in San Mateo County, but perhaps not in the way you're thinking.
The county's Human Services Agency is looking for around 200 volunteers to spend four hours — between 5 and 9 a.m. — on Thursday, Jan. 29, to count the number of homeless people in the county.
"Over the last several months, there's been a marked increase in the demand for shelter services," Tish Birkby, a county homelessness analyst, said. "If we can count them, we can help them get back on their feet."
An accurate count also matters in determining the level of federal funding for the county and local nonprofits that deal in homelessness, agency spokeswoman Amanda Kim said.
Volunteers will be trained, and new volunteers are paired with experienced counters. A two-hour training session in Menlo Park is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21, at the Clara Mateo Shelter in Building 323 D at 795 Willow Road.
There are two Redwood City evening sessions on Jan. 21 and 22 and a mid-day session on Jan. 27. To volunteer and for more information, contact Ms. Birkby at 802-7656 or at tbirkby@smchsa.org.
Drop-off day for hazardous waste
Residents of Menlo Park, Atherton, Woodside and Portola Valley may drop off hazardous waste in Menlo Park on Saturday, Feb. 7, by appointment only.
Acceptable items for drop-off include paint, paint thinner, motor oil, batteries, fluorescent tubes, pool chemicals, thermometers, and household cleaning products — but not tires, explosives, or any waste in a container larger than five gallons.
The event is sponsored by the San Mateo County health department. To make an appointment for drop-off, call 363-4718, or go to www.smhealth.org/hhw.
Waste must be dropped off between 8:30 a.m. and noon. Residents are encouraged to register early.
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