It’s time for the City of Kent’s annual fall clean-up. During the week of Nov. 12-16, residential households with trash service can place extra trash out at no extra charge. Households are limited to 10 units of garbage (1 unit – 32 gallon can, bag or box). Trash should be put out on the residents’ normal pick-up days and be put in a bag, box or can, that is no more than 60 pounds per unit. Extra yard waste – in yard waste containers – will also be picked up. No construction or demolition debris will be picked, nor will rocks, concrete, bricks or asphalt.

For more information, or to view the pamphlet mailed to city residents, visit Kent Recycles.

Green Kent needs you this Saturday for GREEN KENT DAY ’12! This Saturday Mayor Suzette Cook and hundreds of volunteers will gather at two locations for a tree planting extravaganza. Join volunteers at Morrill Meadows Park and the Green River Natural Resources Area to help plant trees. Work begins at 9 am and ends at noon. The event will include plenty of yummy food and end with a barbecue at Morrill Meadows Park. If you’re ready to volunteer, register online now!

Earlier this month, the City of Kent announced that levee work near Three Friends Fishing Hole (20025 Russell Rd., Kent) will begin on Sept. 17. The park will be closed until the completion of the project which is estimated to be March 2013. The Green River Trail  and portable restrooms at the trailhead will be open, but the park and parking lot will be closed. For more information about the project or the park closure, contact Tobias Hallock at 253-856-5536.

Contributed by the King County Solid Waste Division, reprinted with permission. Some links added by iLoveKent.net.

King County Executive honors 92 local companies and non-profits for waste prevention and recycling:  Organizations named as ‘Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling’

King County Executive Dow Constantine today applauded 92 local companies for reducing waste and increasing recycling, naming them as the county’s “Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling for 2012.”

“From recycling Styrofoam and cell phones to creating new programs for composting, the innovation these organizations have shown proves that sound environmental practices can go hand-in-hand with a successful business,” said Executive Constantine.

The sixth-annual list spans a wide array of businesses in King County, including hospitality, medical services, professional services, retail, finance, government, arts and entertainment and others. The list includes an honor roll for companies that have made the list at least five years in a row.

The businesses honored use a wide range of recycling and waste reduction strategies, including:

• Eastside Community Aid Thrift Shop’s program that donates customer cell phones to domestic violence shelters;
• Safeway’s styrofoam recycling program; and
• Lake Washington School District’s new composting efforts, which have helped reduce their garbage pick-ups by 50 percent.

“Many times, what businesses consider waste is something other entities can use and actually purchase,” said Andrew Koeppen, managing director at Hot Off the Press, a local family-owned printer based in Redmond, and a first-time Best Workplace for Waste Prevention and Recycling. “Finding out where our waste can be used helps our society become a community.”

Hot Off the Press holds green print design seminars to teach others how to design printed documents and business materials in an environmentally conscious way. They donate the paper they don’t use to local schools and non-profits.

Last year, businesses in King County sent more than 180,000 tons of recyclable materials to the landfill. King County’s Solid Waste Division compiles the “Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling” list annually to recognize the top recyclers and waste reducers, and help motivate others in the local business community.

All businesses operating in King County outside the City of Seattle are eligible for the list. To secure their spot, businesses are required to meet the same five basic criteria, as well as 10 additional waste reduction and recycling criteria, such as using reusable or compostable dishware in kitchens, collecting batteries for recycling or sending electronic invoices.

To see the complete list of 2012 Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling and to learn more about what these businesses are doing to improve recycling programs, visit www.kingcounty.gov/recyclemore, and click on the link.

To learn more about the program, contact Karen May at 206-296-4353, or karen.may@kingcounty.gov.

_____________________________________________________________

On July 25, King County’s Solid Waste Division announced that 92 local companies have been named to the 2012 “Best Workplaces for Recycling and Waste Reduction” list, including five businesses/offices in Kent. The list recognizes businesses with exceptional recycling programs and for their commitment to reducing the amount of waste their company produces. Last year, businesses in King County sent more than 180,000 tons of recyclable materials to the landfill. However, King County’s Solid Waste Division compiles the “Best Workplaces for Waste Prevention and Recycling” list annually to recognize the top recyclers and waste reducers, and help motivate others in the local business community.

The sixth-annual list spans a wide array of businesses in King County, including hospitality, medical services, professional services, retail, finance, government, arts and entertainment and others. Below is yesterday’s press release from King County. We can offer interviews with King County Solid Waste representatives about business waste reduction, as well as contacts for Kent businesses that made the list.

Kent honorees:

• Applus Technologies
• City of Kent
• Ingenium
• Kent Downtown Partnership
• Torklift Central

Did you know that prescription drugs are the second most commonly abused narcotic preceded only by marijuana? A nation wide effort to reduce drug abuse, Prescription Drug Take Back Day is scheduled for Sat., April 28 from 9 am to 2 pm at the front of the Kent Police Station, next to Kent City Hall, 220 Fourth Avenue South in downtown Kent.  The goal of this unique program is to provide a safe and secure environment for the community to turn in unused, expired or otherwise unneeded medications.

Medications that can be dropped off include controlled, non-controlled and over the counter medicines; all solid dosage pharmaceutical products and liquids in consumer containers and liquid products like cough syrup, cold medicines, etc.

Let’s reduce drug abuse!  If you have any of the above medications to get rid of, support the Prescription Drug Take Back Day by taking them to the Kent Police Station on Saturday, April 28 from  am to 2 pm.

1)      Get rid of old bulbs: When long lasting CFL bulbs finally burn out, remember that CFL bulbs shouldn’t be tossed in the garbage or regular household recycling bins. PSE offers free CFL recycling at participating business locations all over Western Washington. In addition to free CFL recycling, PSE now offers free incandescent bulb recycling too. Don’t wait to make the switch, replace your inefficient incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR®-qualified CFL and LED bulbs that use up to 80 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. There’s no time like the present. Check PSE.com/BulbRecycling to find convenient locations.

2)      Host a bulb recycle box at your workplace: To make CFL and incandescent bulb recycling even easier for you and your coworkers, host a box at your workplace. Materials from CFL and incandescent bulbs including reusable glass, circuitry, aluminum and plastic can all be recycled and reused. Sign up to host a recycling box at PSE.com/BulbDrive.

3)      Dump that old fridge or freezer: Your old fridge or freezer could be costing you up to $200 a year on your energy bill. If your fridge or freezer is ready for retirement don’t hurt your back trying to get rid of it yourself, sign up at PSE.com/Recycling to have PSE haul it away for free. PSE will pick it up and recycle it for free and give you $20.

4)      Try an LED bulb: CFL bulbs are energy efficient and long lasting, but they don’t hold a candle to the latest LED technology. LED bulbs are even more efficient than CFL bulbs and can last up to 25 years. Replacing lights in hard to reach areas with long lasting LED bulbs means less time spent on a ladder changing burnt-out incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs can also be used in dimmable fixtures. PSE electric customers can receive up to a $10 rebate on ENERGY STAR-qualified LED bulbs at participating retailers. Visit PSE.com/LEDs to find a retailer who carries PSE rebated bulbs.

5)      Call 811 before you dig: If your springtime outdoor projects include building a new fence or deck, planting trees and shrubs or even pulling out a tree stump, please remember to contact the 811 Call Before You Dig hotline two business days prior to your project to help prevent serious injuries or potential hazards from striking or damaging underground utilities. All underground utilities must be marked before the start of digging. Don’t assume you know what’s below. Protect yourself and those around you – call 811 every time. It’s free, and it’s the law. Visit call811.com for more information.

Do you enjoy being outdoors while making the community a better, greener place? Then volunteer opportunities for the Green Kent Partnership might just be for you. Check out one of their upcoming work parties to help out. No experience is necessary, and gloves and tools will be provided. Please bring your own water bottle and sturdy shoes, and dress for the weather. Boots are highly recommended. Volunteers of all ages are welcome, but volunteers under age 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Drop-in volunteers are welcome, but RSVPs are preferred.For more info., visit Green Kent Partnership online.

Work Parties

Sat., April 7, 9 am – Noon:  Mill Creek Canyon Work Party

Sat., April 21, 9 am to Noon:  Earth Day at Park Orchard Park

Sat., April 21, 9 am to Noon:  Work Party at Morrill Meadows

Sun., April 22, 7:45 am to 1:30 p.m.:  Bird Census at Green River Nursery

Sat., April 28, 9 am to Noon:  Arbor Day at West Fenwick Park

Sat., May 5, 9 am to Noon:  Work Party at Morrill Meadows

The City of Kent is now accepting pre-registration for the city’s Community Garden P-Patch at the corner of James St. and 64th Avenue South in downtown Kent. Local gardeners can rent a 20 x 20′ plot for a $40 fee for water. There are 44 plots available on a first come, first served basis.

Pre-registration begins Mon., Feb. 27 and ends Fri., Mar. 9. Call the Kent Commons at 253-856-5000 or stop by the Kent Commons office at 525 4th Ave. South.

Started in 1997, the Garden P-Patch is a collaboration between the City of Kent and The Bishop’s Storehouse, affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.Call 253-856-5110 for more information.

Thanks to Victoria Andrews of the Kent Parks, Recreation & Community Services for the story.

King County Executive Dow Constantine signed an Emergency Declaration earlier this week to provide free disposal of wood debris, following our snow, ice and wind storms. Wood debris only can be recycled Jan. 28-29 and Feb. 4-5 in Kent:

Free Wood Debris Recycling
Russell Road Park
24400 Russell Rd. (across from Riverbend Golf Course)
Kent, WA 

Jan. 28 – 29:  9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Feb. 4 – 5:  9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Workers will be available to help Kent residents unload their wood debris. They ask that you place a tarp under the materials before bringing them to the park. This will make unloading easier. Stumps, logs and limbs shorter than six feet will be accepted. Other yard waste, such as brush, leaves and grass clippings, will not be accepted.

Please cover the wood debris while traveling from home to the park to prevent road litter and potential damage to other vehicles if the debris becomes loose during travel.

For more info., call 253-856-5549 or visit KentRecycles.com.

Submitted by Katie Cava for Forterra

Sat., Feb. 4
10 am – 2 pm
Lake Fenwick Park
25828 Lake Fenwick Rd., Kent, WA
YOU can help Pearl Jam mitigate their carbon emissions by volunteering to plant native trees and shrubs at three upcoming events!

Last year Pearl Jam partnered with Forterra to mitigate 7,000 metric tons of carbon emitted during their 2009 world tour. Together we are restoring 33 acres of forested parkland in Kent, Kirkland, Seattle and Redmond. These restoration efforts are part of Forterra’s Green Cities Partnerships, programs with cities and the community that restore our beloved forested parklands.

Volunteers will spend the morning planting native trees, shrubs and ground cover in Lake Fenwick Park while rocking out to Pearl Jam music.

As always, no experience is necessary, and we’ll have all the gloves, tools, and other materials for you, as well as water and snacks. Please remember to bring your own water bottle to re-fill, and/or a mug for coffee.

Wear sturdy shoes and consider long pants and long sleeves. All ages are welcome, although all volunteers under 18 must either be accompanied by an adult or bring a signed waiver (available here).

Please register early by clicking below so that we can plan a great event for our volunteers.  We will follow up with any additional details as we get closer to the date.

EXTRA: Please REGISTER by following this link: http://www.forterra.org/events/2_4_help_pearl_jam_mitigate_their_2009_tour

Thanks to Public Health of Seattle & King County for these tips on winter weather safety.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can kill you. Carbon monoxide gas comes from burning fuels such as gasoline, propane, oil, kerosene, natural gas, coal or wood.

Prevent poisoning from carbon monoxide:

• Only use a generator outdoors and far from open windows and vents
• Never use a generator or portable propane heater indoors, in garages or carports
• Never cook or heat inside on a charcoal or gas grill.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can happen suddenly and without warning. Physical symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include splitting headache, nausea and vomiting, and lethargy and fatigue.

If you believe you could be experiencing carbon monoxide poisoning, get fresh air immediately. Call for medical help from a neighbor’s home. The Fire Department will tell you when it is safe to re-enter the home.

For a full list of carbon monoxide prevention tips and other safety and disaster information in English and other languages, visit www.kingcounty.gov/health/disaster

If you have a power outage, use safe ways to stay warm:

• Find places where you can go to get warm, such as the home of friends and family whose homes have power. Many cities have opened centers where people can go during the day to stay warm. Center locations can be found at www.kingcounty.gov/safety/prepare
• Wear several layers of light weight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. Wear hats, mittens, and blankets indoors.
• Close curtains and cover windows and doors with blankets. Everyone should try to stay together in one room, with the door closed, to keep in body heat.

• Check on elderly friends, family, and neighbors to make sure they are safe.
• Watch your footing on surfaces that may be icy and slick, and wear shoes that provide traction.
• Be careful not to overexert yourself when shoveling snow, especially if you have heart disease or high blood pressure, as the cold weather puts extra strain on your heart.
• Do not sled on streets or on slopes near streets, ponds, or streams.
• Avoid driving if you can. If you must drive, allow safe stopping times and distances.

• Warn others about carbon monoxide poisoning. Share the information with neighbors, friends, family and community groups.
• Check on family, friends, and neighbors, especially if they are elderly or if you think their power might be out.
• If you know someone who has lost electricity, invite them to your home to stay warm.

If power goes out where you live, keep food safe:

• Keep the doors closed on your refrigerators and freezers as much as possible. This keeps the cold air inside. A full freezer can stay at freezing temperatures about two days; a half-full freezer about 1 day.
• If you think the power will be out for several days, try to find some ice to pack inside your refrigerator. Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Refrigerated foods should be safe as long as the power is out no more than a few hours and the refrigerator/freezer doors have been kept closed. Throw away foods that spoil easily (such as meat and fish) if they warm up above 41º F.
• Frozen foods that remain frozen are OK to eat. If potentially hazardous foods are thawed (such as meat and fish), but are still cold or have ice crystals on them, use them as soon as possible. If potentially hazardous foods are thawed and are warmer than 41º F, throw them away.

From Victoria Andrews, Kent Parks, Recreation & Community Services

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, local Boy Scout troops will collect and recycle Christmas trees in neighborhoods around Kent for a $5.00 donation.  The location is Service Club Ballfields, 14608 SE 288^th Street (west off Kent-Kangley Road at 144^th).

To ensure pick-up, trees must be placed outside by 8:00 AM Saturday morning; the scouts are unable to confirm an exact pick-up time. If you prefer to deliver your tree yourself, please bring it to Service Club Ballfields.  Scouts will be on hand to unload the trees and accept your donation. Trees with tinsel and/or flock cannot be accepted.  For more information, contact the Kent Lions & Foundation (253-852-5466) or check the City’s community calendar at www.KentWA.gov.

This long-running program keeps the trees out of landfills and provides a stockpile of chips for use by Parks Maintenance to mulch new plants and maintain trails in the City parks system.  By participating in the program, you can help the Boy Scouts, the Parks Department, and the environment.         

City of Kent Recycling:  Jan. 9 – 13, 2012

The City of Kent will also provide free curbside pickup of Christmas trees for residential households within the Kent City Limits the week of January 9-13, 2012.   You must be a current Allied Waste garbage customer to be eligible.  An event flyer is mailed to residential garbage customers in mid-December.

- Unflocked & completely clean of decorations

- Without stands

- Base of tree cannot exceed four inches in diameter

- Trees taller than five feet must be cut into three-foot sections and bundled with natural material like twine

- If your tree is missed, call Allied Waste at 206-682-9735.

Get your hands dirty and join Kent Parks, Starbucks and REI to celebrate National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 24 at Lake Fenwick Park, 25828 Lake Fenwick Road, Kent. Volunteers are needed to continue the environmental restoration of the Park’s 140 acres.   Kent has participated in National Public Lands Day for the last five years.  The event on September 24 will be held rain or shine, with orientation beginning at 9:00 am and projects continuing until 12 noon.

Last year was the largest National Public Lands Day in history.  Approximately 170,000 people volunteered at more than 2,000 sites across the nation.  They contributed to over $15 million in improvements to public lands.  The event began in 1994 with 700 volunteers.  It was established as a way to continue the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the 3 million Americans who worked from 1933-1942 to preserve and protect America’s natural heritage.

All ages and abilities are welcome!  Registration is required for planning purposes; the deadline is September 21.  Contact 253-856-5110 or download a registration form at www.KentWAParks.com to volunteer.  Tools and gloves are supplied, but extra shovels and pruners are always welcome.  Volunteers are advised to wear sturdy shoes or boots (no flip-flops or sandals allowed) and to dress for the weather.

The 4th Avenue and Meeker Street Starbucks is donating coffee and hot chocolate, as well as water and snacks, and each volunteer will receive an REI volunteer t-shirt.

From the City of Kent:

The public is invited to weigh in on Kent’s Comprehensive Plan and City Code by September 1, 2011.  The City needs input on what the Economic and Community Development Department should focus on in the coming year. 

“We need to know if the comprehensive plan and development regulations create any barriers to the city growing responsibly, equitably, and with environmental and neighborhood sensitivity,” said Fred Satterstrom, Kent’s Planning Director.  “This is the community’s opportunity to participate in making changes.” 

This annual review looks at the challenges that the City’s planning documents, land use plan and zoning maps, and regulations present to economic development and neighborhood vitality. 

The following online tools can help people to weigh in on this annual update.  The public is encouraged to visit the following links:

Submit a request for changes.

View additional details on creating a docket (or list) of suggested changes.

View the Comprehensive Plan Land Use Plan Map and Zoning Districts Map.

Photo by Victoria Andrews

Volunteers met throughout Kent on Saturday, March 19, 2011 to rid the city of unwanted graffiti. Seventy volunteers showed up for the event to remove graffiti from 40 different locations throughout Kent. The event was a huge success. The City of Kent would like to give a special thanks to the downtown Starbucks who donated cocoa, coffee, and pastry goodies for all the volunteers.

Supplies were provided by a grant from The Home Depot Foundation and the six 5-gallon buckets of paint used were donated by Ski’s Painting Inc. Volunteers included  people around the Kent area, several Rotary Club members and students from Kent high schools.

For more information, visit the City of Kent’s Graffiti website.

The City of Kent is opening the Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) tonight at Kent Lutheran Church for the evenings of Wednesday February 23rd, Thursday February 24th, and Friday February 25th due to predicted dangerously low temperatures and snow.

Kent Lutheran Church

336 2nd Avenue South

Kent, WA 98032-5849

9 P.M. – Check-in and registration

7 A.M. – shelter closes, clients must vacate

Priority is given to homeless families with children who are living on the streets or in vehicles, but the SWS is also available for single women and men (separate sleeping space has been prepared for single men, women, and for families with children). The SWS will be operated by Catholic Community Services staff, and volunteers from Kent Lutheran Church and the Kent community.

The SWS will open at 9 P.M. Clients must register at the door. As with all shelters, rules for the health and safety of all clients and staff and the broader community will apply.

Please help distribute this announcement.

City of Kent, Housing and Human Services

253-856-5070

In a press release dated October 21, 2010, the City of Kent announced that the corporate headquarters of REI has been named the Kent Green Business of the Year. It had previously won the award in 2007 and 2008.

REI received the award because the company continually focuses on minimizing its impact on the planet including a lofty inspiration to be a zero-waste-to-landfill and climate-neutral company by 2020. In 2009, for example, the company recycled 88% of its operational waste by volume including paper, glass, cardboard and wood pallets.

In the press release, Kevin Hagen, REI’s director of corporate social responsibility said, “We’re honored to be recognized for our efforts to reduce our impact, but we recognize we have much work to do. To achieve our steadfast commitment, we will continue to focus on collaboration as key to our long-term strategy.”

To read the full press release, click here.

For more information about REI’s stewardship philosophies, visit REI online.

If you’ve got old household items, chemicals or other recyclable materials ready to go, bring them to Kent’s Fall Recycling Event scheduled for Sat., Oct. 16 from 9 am to 3 pm.

The event will be held at Russell Road Park (24400 Russell Rd., Kent), and the city will accept these items (note: some require a donation):

• Appliances and scrap metal
• Propane tanks
• Porcelain toilets & sinks
• Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners
• Televisions, computers, monitors & laptops
• Electronics
• Petroleum-based products
• Tires
• Reusable household goods
• Document shredding (limit 3 file-size boxes per person)
• Cardboard
• Concrete, asphalt, rock and brick
• Batteries
• Mattresses

No flatbeds or dump trucks allowed. No vehicles will be admitted for entry after 3 p.m. For more information about recycling in Kent, Washington, visit these helpful websites:

Recycling Special Materials

Hazardous Waste