Environment

Planting seeds of change

Community members from the Coronado, Iron Triangle, and Santa Fe neighborhoods in Richmond came together on César Chávez’ 84th birthday to honor the farm labor leader by planting vegetables, trees, and other vegetation in local schools and neighborhoods. The first annual César Chávez’ Community Garden Day brought nearly 100 people out of their homes and into a garden at Richmond College Prep Charter School, sparking a true grassroots movement.

City council to explore alternative operators for wastewater plant

Veolia Water’s days running the Point Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plant may be numbered after Tuesday night’s city council meeting. The council passed a measure to direct city staff members to prepare a list of all feasible legal options to handle wastewater treatment in Richmond, including the dissolution of the city’s current contract with the multinational company.

Richmond City Council reaches consensus on development, environmental issues

In a long meeting Tuesday night during which Richmond’s City Council noticeably voted in lock step, the council took on a number of issues including the rights of corporations in a democracy, whether or not to allow chain restaurants in Point Richmond, Chevron’s once-rejected Renewal Project and the purchase of new air quality meters to be deployed near the Point Richmond wastewater treatment plant.

Retail plastic bag ban discussed at community meeting

The city of Richmond is considering an ordinance that will prohibit the distribution of plastic bags and allow retail establishments to charge customers a fee for paper bags. The city’s Environmental Initiatives department, which is the agency facilitating the ordinance, held a community meeting Wednesday night to solicit feedback from residents and business owners.