10th Annual Imperial Beach Citywide Garage Sale April 30

Imperial Beach has declared April Environmental Awareness Month in honor of Earth Day on April 22. In order to bring environmental awareness to a local level, the city has organized several educational activities and events for the next few weeks.

Several free activities have been planned in hopes of reducing landfill waste, increasing awareness of ways to protect water quality by stopping urban runoff and storm water pollution and promoting responsible waste management practices.

The first planned event is the , which will be held Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

More than 100 households have registered for the opportunity to sell furniture, clothing and other items. The event helps IB in several ways. Not only does it give residents the ability to clean out any unwanted items, it saves shoppers money and also supports the community by recycling the sold items.

“The garage sale offers people a chance to get good used items for a lower price. The seller gets free advertising and the opportunity to make some money,” said Guy Nelson, City of Imperial Beach environmental program specialist. “Buying stuff from the garage sale keeps items out of our alleys and landfills through re-use. It’s really a win-win for everyone.”

A map of sale locations is attached as a PDF, or copies can be picked up at the facility (495 10th St.) or at City Hall (825 Imperial Beach Blvd).

The city asks residents to help in waste cleanup by participating in the 2011 Imperial Beach Annual Homefront Cleanup Event from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.

The event, which is hosted by city staff and EDCO, will take place at . EDCO will accept the following items free of charge: appliances, furniture, yard waste, metal, concrete, asphalt and home-improvement debris. No items containing hazardous waste will be accepted unless the hazardous waste has been removed. Hazardous wastes must be properly disposed of at Imperial Beach’s designated Household Hazardous Waste Facility located in Chula Vista: phone number (619) 691-5122.

“Participation is crucial in order to keep pollutants out of our storm drains, increase our diversion of solid waste, and to make others aware of how they affect the environment,” Nelson said.

The Tijuana River Estuary Reserve education and outreach staff will have an educational event in May with kids at the . Students will learn about water quality by taking part in all sorts of interactive activities. The date will be announced on the city’s website.

Nelson pointed out a few small ways people can make a big difference by becoming environmentally aware.

“Pick up after your pet. Pick up any waste in your yard,” he said. “Find out what items can be recycled. Many people do not realize the large number of items allowed in your EDCO blue bins. More participation equals a cleaner, happier community.”

For more information on the Citywide Garage Sale and upcoming events, check out the Environmental Division’s section on the city’s website.