The kiosk itself was constructed with Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified maple plywood and finished with a low-volatile organic compound (VOC), water-based sealant and features a slide show and mounted samples and techniques illustrating how to build "green". Additional green building kiosk resources include a booklet that provides information on techniques, products, how to locate green building professionals (e.g., architects, contractors, etc.), where to locate products, workshops, Green Home Tours, case studies and more. New Home Construction Green Building Guidelines are available in the kiosk and Guidelines for Home Remodeling are coming soon (due at the end of March).

Whether you are a property owner, developer or building professional with a current project, or have future plans to build or remodel, you can improve the community by building green. From a bathroom remodel to developing a commercial building, Palo Altans can counter the effects of climate change by employing green building materials and techniques which reduce greenhouse gases created in the process of raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and maintenance of buildings. Building green is also a strong selling point due to lower operating costs and improvements to occupant health, morale, and productivity.

For more information on Green Building visit Build It Green (www.builditgreen.org) or the U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org).

This kiosk was made possible by the following City of Palo Alto Departments: Public Works Recycling Program, Utilities Marketing Services, Planning and Community Environment, and Public Works Environmental Compliance. For information on the kiosk, contact the Public Works Recycling Program, recycling@cityofpaloalto.org or 496-5910.

Building a Better Palo Alto — Free Guidelines Available to Help You Build Your New Home
"Green" Guidelines to help you build your new home "green" are now available at the Development Center and online. The "New Home Construction Green Building Guidelines" can help you design and construct a home that lasts longer, costs less to operate and is healthier to live in, which enhances the quality of our lives and those of future generations. Use of these Guidelines will help Palo Alto with its goal of Zero Waste. The green measures in these Guidelines range from simple recommendations to more sophisticated strategies. Regardless of your level of knowledge about building green, you will find resources, design ideas and advice you can put to use today.

How green shall you build? Included with these Guidelines is a Green Points Checklist and Calculator, a rating system that assesses the environmentally friendly or green attributes incorporated into the home. The online calculator can help you track your points. A home is considered "green" if it earns 50 points or more, and meets the minimum points in the categories: Community, Energy, Indoor Air Quality/Health, Resources, and Water. You are encouraged to submit the Green Points Checklist with your plan set to the Planning Department to demonstrate the green attributes that you have incorporated into your home.

If you are interested in certifying your home green, a third party rater can provide that certification through Build It Green. There is a growing trend in real estate to promote green home features during resale.

These Guidelines are a result of a collaborative effort with cities in nine Bay Area counties and Build It Green, of which the City of Palo Alto is a member. Build It Green is a nonprofit that partners public agencies, building industry professionals, and green building product manufacturers and suppliers with the mission of transforming the building industry so that buildings are remodeled and built using green practices and products. Palo Alto and other Bay Area cities and counties are making these Guidelines available to their communities. Having all the cities and counties use the same Guidelines creates consistency in defining green building.

Hardcopy versions of the Guidelines and Green Points Checklist are available at the Development Center, 250 Hamilton Avenue or online at the Department of Planning and Community Environment web page.

To find a Green Building Professional, information about green building products, or how to get your home certified as "green", go to Build It Green on the web or call 510.845.0472. 
 

State Bans Items from Landfill and Garbage
As of February 8, 2006, The Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has determined that the items listed below pose a risk to people and the environment if disposed of in landfills or garbage, therefore it is now illegal to dispose of them in that manner. These items are categorized as Universal Waste by the DTSC. Click here for DTSC memo and FAQ,

• Mercury containing items
• Batteries
• Fluorescent lamps and tubes
• Aerosol cans containing toxic or hazardous materials
• Computer monitors and television picture tubes
• Consumer electronics: VCRs, computers (including laptops), printers, cell phones, telephones, radios, LCD monitors/TVs/displays, plasma TVs, microwave ovens

Many of the items can be recycled easily at drop-off locations in Palo Alto. To find out how to properly dispose of/recycle these items, please check the online reuse and recycling resource, the RECYCLOPEDIA or call the Recycling Program at 496-5910.

Break The Bag Habit!
Paper or Plastic? 
Neither, Choose Cloth! Help create a Zero Waste Palo Alto by breaking the bag habit!

• In 2004, the Palo Alto Recycling Center collected 35,920 pounds of film plastic (mostly plastic bags) for recycling. That's a lot of plastic bags when you think about how little each individual bag weighs.

• Avoid paper and plastic bags because they create waste that has to be managed. Using a reusable cloth bag eliminates the need for collecting, transporting, and using resources (water, energy) to recycle or dispose of your paper or plastic bags.

• Reducing waste in the community is a first step towards achieving our Zero Waste goals.

The following Palo Alto stores sell reusable cloth bags and/or provide a bag reuse discount when you bring your bag(s) to the store with you.

Store - Sells Cloth Bags* - Bag Reuse Discount**

• Albertsons 2080 Channing Ave. - no - $.05
• Andronico’s 500 Stanford Shopping Ctr. - yes - $.05
• JJ&F Market 520 College Ave. - no - $.05
• Mollie Stones 164 California Ave. - yes - $.05
• Piazza’s Fine Foods 3922 Middlefield Rd. - yes - $.05
• Safeway 2811 Middlefield Rd. - no - $.03
• Whole Foods Market 774 Emerson St. - yes - $.05

* Type of bags sold and bag prices vary by store.
** Discount given for each bag reused each time you bring it to the store with you.