Organic waste recycling

By A.J. van de Ven

Since 2022, Califor- nians have been required to recycle their organic waste.

The relevant law is based on Senate Bill 1383, which ensures every jurisdiction in California provides organic waste collection services to all residents and businesses.

The law was introduced because when organic waste is left in landfills, it breaks down and produces harmful methane gas. With the new law, organic waste can be composted and recycled, so that those greenhouse gases are minimized.

What’s more, beginning in 2024, we could be fined if we contaminate our organic waste, with a first offense costing between $50 and $100 and subsequent offenses incurring fines of up to $500.

These penalties are meant to be a last resort, but still, it’s a good incentive to sort your waste correctly.

So, we’ve started to get used to our food waste and yard clippings being collected in compost carts or dumpsters.

At my company, Calsense, we have introduced organic waste recycling into our Carlsbad headquarters. I’ve been pretty hands-on.

I was excited to put a compostable bin in the kitchen for our employees, which we viewed as another positive step in the work we’re all doing to help protect the earth.

One thing we know however, is that food waste can sometimes get a little aromatic, which left us wondering if there were ways we could reduce those odors and other side effects.

To find out, I spoke to Jenna Dotson, Recycling Coordinator at Republic Services in Carlsbad, for some handy tips on organic waste recycling practices.

One of the first things she mentioned was that we should remember that we can line kitchen caddies with paper bags, newspapers, or certified compostable bags.

“Layering your compost in your organics collection cart can also prevent it from smelling and attracting insects,” Jenna said. “That could include plant materials, shredded paper, leaves, paper towels and napkins.

“You can absorb moisture in the cart by including dry materials, such as greasy pizza boxes, foodsoiled paper, pieces of shred- lic Services will replace organics carts once a year free of charge, if required.

“For commercial users, it’s important that they collect their food scraps in smaller containers throughout their facilities, because food waste can get really heavy,” she said. “You don’t want staff being put at risk heaving weighty trash cans around.

“And remember to label ded newspaper, leaves, or baking soda.”

California’s Big 5 gasoline makers — Chevron, Marathon, PBF, Phillips 66 and Valero — posted overall profits of $67.6 billion over the first nine months of 2022, nearly four times as much as they made in the same nine months in 2021. Their yearly gains were even higher.

Then came Newsom’s call for a special session, and what do you know? Prices dropped, all the way down to about $4 per gallon within a month or so.

Anyone who tells you this drop had nothing to do with the threat of a windfall profits tax is blowing smoke.

Gasoline prices had never before seen such a roller coaster. It’s a safe bet this would not have happened without the threat of a windfall profits limit.

Of course, oil companies have price-gouged before. Over the last 50 years, there were at least nine times when gas prices leaped 20% or more within a month, then fell back somewhat after a while.

To avoid insects breeding in your cart, you can add “browns”: dead leaves, sawdust, food-soiled paper products, etc. If there’s already an insect problem, such as maggots, you should add lime juice to the compost pile.

“You can also spray a mixture of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar with dish soap to repel bugs,” Jenna explained. “Try rinsing out your cart and letting it dry out to start fresh.”

Commercial organics are being sent to a processing facility that can remove bags out of the organic materials stream, so commercial organizations can use a clear plastic liner to dispose of organic waste; or a BPI-certified compostable liner.

They can also use baking soda in their dumpster to help absorb moisture and follow the same layering practices as residents.

Jenna said that Repub- the bins you’re using clearly, with a green or compost sticker, so staff and visitors know where their waste should go.”

In Carlsbad, Jenna says compost and mulch from the program will be given away to residents regularly at a variety of events and locations, starting on April 15 at the City’s Earth Month celebration.

Locals should keep an eye out on their city’s communications for more details, or visit their waste services provider’s website for updates.

“We’re just about to deliver the first large mulch load to Carlsbad’s City Parks Department,” Jenna said. “So, we’ll start seeing our organic waste recycling efforts produce benefits for our local green spaces, which is great news for the environment, and for all of us!” letter of support to Democratic state Sen. Nancy Skinner of Berkeley, author of the anti-price gouging bill now active in Sacramento.

A.J. van de Ven is president of Carlsbad-based smart irrigation company Calsense.

The bill would impose penalties when per-gallon profits become abnormally high.

And we will soon have regular knowledge about this: A new law signed last fall requires refiners to report their average profits per gallon monthly starting this spring.

As yet, no numbers have been set for what’s a “normal” profit and what makes a “windfall.” That is part of the legislative battle playing out quietly for now.

None of this, of course, promises to do much about the cartel-like behavior of the state’s five large refiners, who account for more than 90% of California gasoline. When one refiner raises prices, they all do.

When one makes cuts, so do the others. It really doesn’t matter what brand you buy; in any single general area, you’ll pay about the same price.

No one yet has come up with a workable way to stop this, as refiners insist prices are dictated by things like regular maintenance shutdowns and international events.

But this was the first time in modern history prices actually returned to prior levels before inching back up.

Some refiners hope they won’t be faced with windfall profits punishment because it takes a two-thirds majority vote of both state legislative houses to pass a new tax. The oil companies know they’ll get all Republican votes against any such tax, and hope to pick up the few Democrats needed to prevent a two-thirds vote against them.

So some consumerist lawmakers are ready to call this a “fee” or a “penalty” and then let courts decide if it’s really a tax.

But the bottom line is that oil companies now live in fear, regardless of their public stance. They know they had no real excuse for the massive price increases they imposed and kept charging most of last year.

Meanwhile, more than 80 consumer or environmental groups signed a

(Even though it affected less than 3% of their regular supply, the refiners blamed their huge price increase last year on the American boycott of Russian oil, spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.)

Usually, those excuses don’t hold water, but the refiners don’t care; they still repeat the litany with straight faces.

The difference this time is they face a governor who’s not buying it. Knowing California taxes account for less than a dollar of the $2.60 difference between California prices and national ones last summer, Newsom said, “Oil companies have not explained the divergence between prices in California compared to the national average. We’re not going to stand by while greedy oil companies fleece California.”

But so far, lawmakers have not backed him up. It’s now high time for them to act.

Email Thomas Elias at tdelias@aol.com

By Samantha Nelson OCEANSIDE

— The boys volleyball team and Soundwaves Show Choir at Oceanside High School are seeking community donations for big moves this year, including a new coach and the competition trip of a lifetime.

For 20 years, the Pirates boys volleyball team lay dormant until a willing coach and a group of enthusiastic students returned to the program the year COVID-19 struck. While the pandemic hampered the team’s growth, it didn’t stop two siblings who took the helm.

Nathan and Brice Fristed are brothers who currently run the school’s volleyball program, including the boys and girls teams.

By Laura Place

SAN MARCOS — The Palomar College Governing Board has been left without an Area 2 representative after a trustee resigned in order to serve on the Escondido City Council.

Former trustee Christian Garcia was one of several individuals who applied to take over the Escondido City Council’s District 3 seat, left vacant in November by Deputy Mayor Joel Garcia, who now represents District 2.

The council officially appointed Garcia to the position on Jan. 30 in a 3-1 vote.

Garcia was elected to the board of trustees in 2020 and was partway through his four year-term when he resigned on Feb. 1. At the time of his resignation, Garcia was serving as board president.

During his interview with the city, Garcia said the decision to step away from the college was difficult.

“On behalf of the College, I want to thank Trustee Garcia for his steadfast leadership on the Governing Board, where he championed student success,

While the girls team under Nathan is more established, Bryce and the boys squad need a little help moving the financial needle after a two-decade hiatus.

“We’re slowly moving along, but we’ve always been tight on funds,” said Melissa Colon, mother of a senior on the boys’ varsity volleyball team.

To further the boys’ success, the Fristeds want to hire a junior varsity coach, allowing Bryce to focus on building the team’s success. However, after learning that the team and school district lacked funds, Colon launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for a new coach.

The team also needs the extra funding to pay for uniforms, equipment, warmup costs and travel gear.

“All of their equipment is old and outdated,” Colon said. “I’m a true believer that if you look good, you feel good on the court — all of those small things matter to the players.”

With the season approaching, Colon hopes to reach a goal of $6,000 within the next 30 days.

Like the boys’ volleyball team, the Soundwaves Show Choir is also fundraising for an upcoming big trip to Boston for a competition in March.

While the Soundwaves Show Choir is a decades-long tradition for OHS, the choir went through a rough spell until Choir and Vocal Director Leah Ritt came along in 2011. As a result, the show choir is now in its fifth successful competition year.

“When I came along, we had eight kids… now we have 33,” Ritt said.

The show choir currently shares a choreographer with the John Burroughs High School show choir in Burbank, known as one of the best show choirs in the nation.

The two choirs will meeting, and will likely adopt a resolution either to appoint someone or to hold a special election to fill the vacancy through 2024. provided great strategy and demonstrated a commitment to responsible fiscal stewardship,” said Palomar Superintendent/ President Dr. Star Rivera-Lacey. “His departure is a tremendous loss, and we wish him all of the best in his new role as a City Councilmember.”

Information about the process timeline and application materials will be released following the board’s determination.

The individual who fills the vacancy must live within the boundaries of Area 2, which covers Escondido and the eastern third of the state Route 78 corridor.

Garcia’s departure marks the latest change to the makeup of the five-person board, which also saw the election of three new trustees in November.

Palomar officials said they will discuss the Area 2 vacancy at their Feb. 14 travel to Boston together for the Waltham Eastern Show Choir Festival.

While the choir’s cost to travel has been covered for the most part, the group needs extra funds to cover costumes and a set, both expensive yet essential elements to show choir competitions.

“We can’t compete without a great set and costumes,” Ritt said on the choir’s GoFundMe page.

The money will also go to providing meals for students during the trip so that the students who have already saved and paid for the trip don’t have to worry about bringing more money along for food.

The choir hopes to raise $15,000 by March for a trip that will be a lifetime opportunity for many of the students, Ritt said.

“This will be the first time on a plane for some of them,” Ritt said.

While the two fundraising groups are quite different – one being a sports team and the other being a performing arts team – both groups have provided valuable growth opportunities for participating students.

“This sport has allowed new friendships and community connections, and it has taught my son to be open, responsible, find passion and become a leader,” Colon said about the volleyball team.

On a similar note, Ritt mentioned how her students have grown in confidence, responsibility and talent over the years.

“Programs like this are so important for our students to keep them connected to their schools and to give them a place where they can explore leadership opportunities and confidence building,” Ritt said about the show choir.

“They grow into incredible human beings who are confident and capable. They make their parents cry when they get on stage… the growth these kids go through is huge.”

The Feb. 14 meeting will take place at 4 p.m., and community members can attend over Zoom or in person at 1140 W. Mission Rd. in San Marcos.