Between the Artemis II lunar flyby mission that launched Wednesday and the early morning earthquake that shook many of us awake less than 12 hours later, the beauty and power of our planet has been on full display to kick off Earth Month.
When the weight of the world is on your shoulders, it can be hard to feel like our singular actions to have a positive impact make that much of a difference in the grand scheme of things. But every day, there are individuals starting small initiatives that end up having ripple effects across communities.
Take Peninsula Precious Plastics, a San Carlos-based educational nonprofit founded by a San Mateo family in 2020. It works with artists, entrepreneurs, students and civic groups to upcycle plastic and spread awareness of the plastic waste problem.
Colorful clipboards, holiday ornaments, furniture and purses are among the items created by Peninsula Precious Plastics-associated makers. This week, Karla Kane profiles Peninsula Precious Plastics and organizations teaming up with them to help give new life to discarded plastics in Silicon Valley.
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
Meet the Silicon Valley organizations and artists taking a creative approach to tackling the plastic problem
Peninsula Precious Plastics and its associates save plastics from being tossed into landfills and instead remake them into products that are intended to last.
Title Pages: New reads for spring
Whether you’re looking for a good book for a sunny weekend outside or a rainy day indoors, here’s a sampling of new and recent releases by local authors as well as upcoming book events.
Regulars are once again flocking to this 35-year-old Redwood City taqueria following a 3-year closure
Bravo Taqueria underwent extensive renovations for ADA compliance and doubled in size, but ‘the head and the heart’ of its business remain.
Congrats to Regina in Sunnyvale, who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s Goodthing Coffee in Palo Alto!).
The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a gift card from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!
Find our guide to Easter feasts and events here.
Star Party: April 3 Hidden Villa and the San Jose Astronomical Association host an evening viewing of planets, stars, galaxies and other heavenly bodies, with tips on using and maintaining telescopes. Bring your own telescope or binoculars if you have them; SJAA will also have some on hand.
Spring Social: April 4 Stanford Shopping Center hosts a floral bar, a photo station and take-home craft activities for all ages in celebration of spring.
Small Press Comics Expo: April 4 South San Francisco Library hosts the Peninsula Libraries Small Press Comics Expo, featuring artist exhibitions, keynote speakers and more. There are also author events and illustrator workshops at local libraries all month long.
Carillon Performance: April 4 and 12 Hear the 48 bells of the carillon housed in Stanford’s Hoover Tower chiming out in a free concert.
Jam 101: April 8 Learn about jam making at this workshop from Small Batch Jam Co. and leave with a jar of what’s made during the class.
Spineless Wonders: April 10 Docent naturalists lead a guided 3-mile evening hike to search for nocturnal invertebrates and, after dark, listen for other night creatures at Windy Hill Preserve (ages 10 and up welcome).
Redwood City Parcade: Through April 12 Courthouse Square once again transforms into a mini golf course and arcade, featuring an 18-hole course, vintage arcade games and glow-in-the-dark rounds at night.
Plan Ahead:
Independent Bookstore Day: April 25 Indie bookstores all over will celebrate Independent Bookstore Day with special activities, including a storytime with author Dashka Slater (and an optional stuffie sleepover) at Linden Tree Books and a free literary trivia game at Kepler’s.
SpringFest 2026: April 25 Celebrate spring at Quarry Park with crafts, face painting, the Sage Bakehouse food truck and performances from Sterling Bubbles and saxophone ensemble fun’SQ.
Stay in Bloom: May 1-2 Musician/producer Dabin returns to Frost Amphitheater for another iteration of the Stay in Bloom festival, featuring multiple artists over the two-day event.
May Day Music & Art Festival: May 2-3 Two days of live music, food and drink vendors, art installations and more come to Pie Ranch for this celebration of spring. There is even the option to camp on-site Saturday evening.
National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy’s Spring Community Day: May 9 NCEFT offers equine-assisted therapy programs for children and adults with disabilities and mental health challenges. At the organization’s community day, participants can meet horses, learn about the programs, shop a tack sale and enjoy live music and food.
Wildflower Hikes at Edgewood: Through May Edgewood Natural Preserve is known for its rich biodiversity and abundant wildflowers. Free guided wildflower walks are offered throughout spring, including special kid-friendly hikes on select weekends.
Summer Splash Market: May 24 Rancho Pool offers a free public swim, an artistic swim performance, food vendors and a market featuring local artists and businesses at its Summer Splash Market.
Spring greening: 8 great places to get plants around the Peninsula, from funky shops to speciality nurseries
Grow your garden and expand your houseplant collection with the help of these locally owned businesses
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