Orinda | 511 Contra Costa

2019 Earth Day Events

Earth Day is Monday, April 22! We’ve pulled together a list of Earth Day celebrations in Contra Costa, happening through Sunday, April 28.

If you see a ☀ next to an event listing, it means 511 Contra Costa staff will have a table at the event. Say hello, pick up some 511CC swag & get info on bonuses for trying an alternative (and environmentally friendly) commute.

Click any link below for additional information

Earth Day Events

Saturday, April 20

  • AntiochUpper Sand Creek Basin – Spend the morning in the beautiful Upper Sand Creek watershed, exploring an area that is usually closed to the public. Volunteer activities include trash pickup, invasive species removal, and planting native flora. Upper Sand Creek Basin, 6600 Deer Valley Rd, 9am-12pm.
  • Clayton: Clayton Cleans Up – Community clean-up day; volunteers check in at Clayton City Hall. Various locations. 9am-12pm (Must complete registration form; for more info call the Pioneer at (925) 672-0500.
  • Crockett: Crockett Shoreline Cleanup – Join the Carquinez Watershed Council in a celebration of Earth Day. The Carquinez Regional Environmental Education Center will be hosting a free planting party for the whole family; volunteers will be cleaning up trash and doing a trash assessment at the site. Crockett Shoreline, 10am-2pm.
  • Martinez ☀: John Muir Birthday–Earth Day Celebration511CC staff will be giving each person who bikes to the event a $5 Jamba Juice gift card. Celebrate pioneering naturalist John Muir’s 181st birthday at his former home while learning practical ways to help the planet thrive. There will be live music, activities for the kids and other entertainment. John Muir National Historic Site, 10am-4pm. 511CC giving people who bike to the event $5 Jamba Juice gift cards
  • Port CostaPort Costa Earth Day Cleanup – Meet at the café in Port Costa for coffee and snacks in the morning, followed by an Earth Day cleanup of the Port Costa Shoreline! 2 Canyon Lake Dr, Port Costa, 9am-12pm.
  • RichmondNorth Richmond Earth Day Cleanup & Celebration – Help clean up Wildcat Creek at Verde Elementary School. After the creek cleanup, enjoy the North Richmond Earth Day Celebration at Shields-Reid Park and Community Center including food, live performances, kids activities, and more! The Watershed Project will be hosting fun and educational watershed activities for kids of all ages. Cleanup 9-11am, festival 11am-2pm.

Sunday, April 21

Monday, April 22

  • Pleasant Hill ☀: Diablo Valley College Earth Day – Meet the experts, ask questions, and learn what you can do to be more sustainable. Live entertainment, giveaways, and free food. 511CC staff will have prizes and information on how students can earn rewards for everyday transportation with the Miles app. All are welcome. Commons at DVC, 321 Golf Club Rd, 11am-2pm. 

Tuesday, April 23

  • Pleasant Hill ☀: Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Earth Day CelebrationA day of ecologically oriented fun including a recycling contest! All ages welcome. Kaiser Permanente Medical Center – Main Courtyard, 1425 S Main St, Walnut Creek, 11:30am-1:30pm.

Wednesday, April 24

  • Concord ☀: ASI Earth Week Festival – Celebrate sustainability and Mother Earth on the CSUEB Concord campus! Talk with featured organizations and enjoy music, food, and giveaways. In front of CSUEB Concord University Union, 4700 Ygnacio Valley Rd, 11am-2pm.
  • Moraga: Saint Mary’s Earth Day Festival – Enjoy over 20 booths, including an electric vehicle car show, the Global Gael food truck, yoga, music, art, and more. Celebrate the Earth and learn about environmental issues and solutions. St. Mary’s College, De La Salle Hall, 1928 St. Mary’s Road, 12:30pm-3pm.
  • Pittsburg ☀: Los Medanos College Earth Day Fair – An opportunity to learn about environmental organizations, their work, and how to live in an environmentally friendly way. The Sierra Club will be hosting a table to share information about the work they do and outings they sponsor. Los Medanos College Campus Quad, 2700 E Leland Rd, 10am-1pm.

Saturday, April 27

  • Orinda: Orinda Action Day – A day of community service by residents and friends. Volunteers check in at the Orinda Library Plaza. Orinda Library Plaza, 26 Orinda Way, 10am-12pm.

Sunday, April 28

  • Lafayette: Lafayette Earth Day Festival – Discover opportunities to make environmentally friendly choices at the festival. Several organizations will host informative and educational booths including the Girl Scouts, the Climate Reality Project, and Wheel Kids Bicycle Club. Lucia’s, a popular Berkeley pizzeria, will offer regular, vegan and gluten-free pizzas for purchase. Lafayette Library, 3491 Mt Diablo Blvd, 11am-2pm.
  • Orinda: Wagner Ranch Wildlife Festival – Enjoy free admission to the beautiful historic ranch and 18-acre nature preserve, rarely open to the public. Join a variety of activities for all ages: wildlife fun at the Frog Pond, animals to visit in the garden, tours of the meadows, and live music. You’re also welcome to bring a picnic lunch or visit one of four food trucks. Wagner Ranch Nature Area, 350 Camino Pablo, 11:30am-4:30pm.
  • Walnut Creek: Lindsay Wildlife Experience Eco Fest – Meet wild animals – like falcons and porcupines, check out an electric car showcase, learn about sustainable food choices, and more! Lindsay Wildlife Experience, 1931 First Ave, 10am-5pm.

Monday, April 22 – Saturday, April 27: Cal State East Bay Earth Week

  • Concord: Earth Week is free & open to the public, with events including talks, tree planting days, free lunch (bring your own utensils), a scavenger hunt & more. Check the schedule for times & locations.

 

 

Contra Costa Mayors gear up for Bike to Work Day 2013

Know your Contra Costa Mayors? No worries, we included their photos and how they are participating in Bike to Work Day – maybe you’ll spot a few tomorrow 😉
Daniel Helix, Mayor of Concord, CA
Mayor Daniel Helix of Concord will be at the Downtown Concord BART energizer station greeting bike commuters.


Gayle McLaughlin, Mayor of Richmond
Mayor Gayle McLaughlin of Richmond will be at San Pablo Ave/Richmond Greenway (at 6th St. and Ohio Ave), then at Richmond City Hall.


Cindy Silva, Mayor of Walnut Creek
Mayor Cindy Silva of Walnut Creek will be biking to a TRANSPAC meeting at 9am.


Amy Worth, Mayor of Orinda
Mayor Amy Worth of Orinda will be at the Orinda energizer station.


Image credit (top to bottom): danhelix.com, KALW, Bay Area Open Space Council

Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore Project on White House blog

Yesterday, The White House blogged about the Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore, calling the project a “stimulus success story” for having created hundreds of jobs. The Caldecott Tunnel Fourth Bore is the nation’s second largest highway project supported by the Recovery Act, which itself has created more than 2 million jobs.


Caldcott Tunnel Project Manager Bill Monahan (L) and Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez (R)
Photo credit: http://fastlane.dot.gov

Once completed, the Caldecott bore is expected to reduce congestion for 160,000 drivers daily. Drilling began for the Caldecott tunnel bore on Monday with a 130-ton, 54-foot-long piece of equipment built in Germany, which was then shipped to and assembled in Orinda, CA.
For further reading, visit:

Barbara Boxer tours Caldecott tunnel

West Portal Sound Wall from inside staging area

Last Thursday, Senator Barbara Boxer visited the Caldecott tunnel, a $420 million project that has nearly half its funds ($197.5 million) coming from the Recovery Act. Boxer stated the Caldecott tunnel project would create between 4,000 and 4,500 new jobs by the time it is finished in 2014, and promised more federal stimulus money for highway projects coming to the Bay Area later this year.
As reported by KTVU:

The four-year, $420 million project broke ground in January and has so far created 225 jobs, according to Bijan Sartipi, director of Caltrans’ District 4.

Currently, construction crews are building retaining walls, and a 130-ton, $4.5 million boring machine is expected to arrive on site next week.
Related:

  • Boxer Tours Caldecott Tunnel Construction Site – KTVU
  • Boxer: Recovery Act Is Creating Jobs in California – KCBS
  • Boxer Tours Caldecott Tunnel – foxreno.com

This Week's Headlines in Transportation & Transit: May 8-14, 2010

Upcoming Events & Meetings

Local News (Contra Costa County & East Bay)

Bay Area & California News

To receive additional updates and enter our monthly drawing for $25 to Peet’s Coffee & Tea:

Lamorinda Transportation Commuter Fair Wed. April 28, 11:30 am-1:30 pm

SAVE THE DATE! You and your employees are invited to attend this upcoming Transportation Commuter Fair.

Lamorinda Transportation Commuter Fair
Wed. April 28, 11:30am-1:30pm
Lafayette Library & Learning Center Community Hall
3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd & First Street

The Transportation Commuter Fair will benefit all employers and employees who travel to, through or from Contra Costa County. Lamorinda employers and employees are especially encourage to attend. Visit our booths to learn how to improve your commute.
Stop by to:

  • Lower your Commuter Costs
  • Apply for a Free Guaranteed Ride Home
  • Discover Available Parking Options
  • Get ready for Bike to Work Day May 13, 2010
  • Register for the “Spare the Air 2010” Program
  • Get FREE Lunch and Goodies!
  • Save you & your Employer Money
  • Find Alternatives to Driving
  • Find a Carpool or Vanpool Partner

Sponsored by 511 Contra Costa in cooperation with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District Transportation Fund for Clean Air.
For more information contact:
Darlene Amaral, Lamorinda 511 Contra Costa Representative
(925) 973-2655
damaral@511contracosta.org
www.511contracosta.org

Bay Area Air Quality Transportation Fund for Clean Air Logo

Caltrans to hold community meeting on construction plans for Caldecott Tunnel's 4th bore

This Thursday, Dec. 10 at 7 PM, Caltrans will host a community meeting on the upcoming construction of the 4th bore of  the Caldecott Tunnel. Caltrans officials will be on hand to answer questions from the community regarding construction, schedule, time line and community impact.
The meeting will be held at Orinda Community Center, 28 Orinda Way, Orinda.

Caldecott Tunnel Expansion
Map of Proposed Caldecott Tunnel Expansion

For more information about the project, visit the Caldecott Tunnel Improvement Project website.
Sources: Contra Costa Times, City of Orinda