Go Green! Tips for eco-friendly living in Santa Clara County
County of Santa Clara Offers Tips for Residents to Reduce Environmental Footprint
THE COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA, CALIF. — The health of a community is inextricably linked to the health of the surrounding environment, and the County of Santa Clara encourages conservation and sustainability practices that keep the planet in mind.
The County has a comprehensive list of environmentally friendly ideas and incentives at www.sccgov.org/earthday, with links to various programs and opportunities supported by the County of Santa Clara.
Opportunities abound at all levels of involvement. Here are some starter ideas:
- Save trees and tax dollars by choosing to view your voting materials electronically. There are over 1 million registered voters in Santa Clara County, and every one of them get a printed voting guide in the mail, unless they opt out of paper materials in favor of an electronic format – it’s easy to do online!
- Mind that recycling – learn the do’s and don’ts and why it’s important to cut down on plastic consumption. Follow the County’s Recycle Right guides to figure out which plastics can be recycled in your city but, better yet, limit your use of plastics.
- Be water wise – at least half of the water used in a typical Santa Clara County home is used outdoors! Get paid to replace your landscaping with drought-tolerant, native plants that use less water through Valley Water's rebate program.
- Use care with hazardous materials. What do used motor oil, extra paint, and leftover medications have in common? They’re all classified as hazardous waste and need to be disposed of safely. Luckily, Santa Clara County collects all these items! If you’ve got these items sitting around, learn more about how to dispose them here.
Being an Earth ally can also be fun – residents are encouraged to explore all the options available to get in tune with nature at the myriad parks in Santa Clara County. You can also check out a farmers’ market for your fix of sustainably grown fruits and veggies. Every little effort helps!
Interested? Find more great green solutions, natural resource opportunities, and learn about the County’s response to climate change at:
Eco ideas wanted!
The County of Santa Clara is creating a “Climate Roadmap 2030” – an outline of actions the County and partners will take to:
- Combat climate change,
- Enhance natural resources and habitat,
- Improve community health/well-being
- Help build financial security and prosperity for all.
We want to hear from you! Come check out our virtual Visioning Board to share your vision for a climate-friendly Santa Clara County.
The Visioning Board is a fun and informal way to share your ideas on topics such as improving the walkability of our neighborhoods, community gardens and composting, solar panels, and more.
You can post your own ideas, pictures and videos, or comment on existing posts! No need to log-in to post, just click the red ‘+’ button on the bottom right-hand side of the screen. To post on the vision board visit:
