Air Quality

Because we are surrounded by industry, a number of monitoring resources are available for air quality in Point Richmond.

BAAQMD operates a station in Point Richmond located a few blocks west of Washington Elementary, and data from this station may be viewed at https://www.baaqmd.gov/about-air-quality/current-air-quality/air-monitoring-data/#/airp?date=2021-10-03&id=342&view=hourly&style=chart. This is a source-oriented station that measures for hydrogen sulfide, a pollutant commonly associated with certain refinery operations.

Chevron operates three community monitoring stations in the Richmond area, one of which is in Point Richmond and is located at Washington Elementary. These stations measure for several pollutants. Real-time data for the Chevron community stations, in addition to from Chevron’s fenceline monitoring, are on Chevron’s Richmond air monitoring website: https://richmondairmonitoring.org/measurements.html.

There are also networks of lower-cost air quality sensors in the area that provide real-time data, including networks installed under Groundwork Richmond’s Air Rangers project and PSE Healthy Energy’s Richmond Air Monitoring Network.
Here are a couple other resources that provide links to more information on these and other monitoring networks:

Resource Guide for Air Monitoring Data Websites

Air Monitoring Data Inventory for the Richmond-San Pablo Area

Solid Waste

Our waste disposal company is Republic Services, which has a number of resources to determine which items go in which bin.

What items can be recycled?

What items belong in the organic waste bin?

Bulky Item, E-waste, and curbside pick-up

Richmond residents may receive 2 free curbside pickups each calendar year. See the link above for more information.

Hazardous Waste

What is hazardous waste?

The hazardous waste facility is located at 101 Pittsburg Avenue, and it is open Wednesday through Saturday 9am to 4pm (closed 12 to 12:30). Mattresses may also be dropped off at this location at no charge.

Composting

Republic Services offers free compost for Richmond residents every first Wednesday of the month Households can pick-up for 2 cubic yards of compost from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM at 101 Pittsburg Avenue. This is self-service only, and you must bring your own bag, bin or bucket, and shovel to load the material. Valid identification is required.

The Three “R”s

We should all reduce, reuse, and recycle, in that order.

Reduce: Do I need it? Is there a biodegradable (non-plastic) alternative? Am I able to buy a product that is higher quality and will last longer? Is there a product with less packaging? Can I contact a manufacturer or seller and ask them to reduce the amount of packaging used? Can I bring my own bags or bulk item containers to the grocery store? Can I consolidate trips, carpool, or share shopping trips with neighbors?

Reuse: Can I buy the item used? Are there things that I can repurpose rather than purchase new? For example, worn out T-shirts can become cleaning rags, and empty plastic containers can become storage for screws or other small items.

Recycle: As a last resort, put everything that can be recycled into the blue bin.

Responsible Water Use

California is currently in the midst of a drought, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) has designated Contra Costa County a “Severe Drought” area. Water conservation is vital to our community. EBMUD, our water utility provider, has a comprehensive website addressing water conservation. There, you can view tips on water conservation, learn about rebates for home upgrades, track your water usage, and report water waste, among many other resources.

The cleaning and transportation of potable water to our homes and the treatment of waste water consumes enormous amounts of energy. Saving water also saves energy!

Energy Efficiency

Richmond residents have a choice of two electricity providers: PG&E and Marin Clean Energy. The natural gas provider is PG&E. PG&E and MCE each have webpages with tips for conserving energy and lowering your utility bill. Each provides information about incentives and rebates offered for energy efficiency.

Responsible Gardening

Invasive Plants

Invasive plants threaten native species and ecosystems and abatement of invasive species is expensive. The city of Richmond has designated certain plants as invasive exotic species, including some popular garden plants such as ice plant, fountain grass, English Ivy, fennel, and pampas grass. For a full list of invasive exotic species, see RMC 9.50.040. Properties where these plants are not controlled in a garden setting may be designated a nuisance and the owner may be required to abate the nuisance or pay for city abatement. For the full ordinance related to invasive plants, see RMC 9.50.010 et seq.

Pesticides and Herbicides

Pesticides and herbicides should be used thoughtfully and carefully to avoid harm to our ecosystems, including native birds, insects, and mammals; honeybees; and watersheds. The Audubon Society produces a guide on the responsible use of pesticides. Pest management in the garden can sometimes be achieved with other methods. The sale of glyphosate (an active ingredient in Roundup and other herbicides) is banned within the city, and the Richmond Municipal Code prevents its use on city property. The city’s Integrated Pest Management Ordinance is at RMC 9.48.010 et seq.

City of Richmond Street Tree Program

Street trees provide valuable shade, wildlife habitat, and beauty to our neighborhood. The city of Richmond has a street tree program, through which a resident may request a street tree in front of his or her home. The requesting resident is responsible for the care of the tree, but the city provides pruning services. You may fill out an application for a street tree on the city’s website.

Visit Local Native Gardens

The Hurlbut Tennis and Garden Park surrounds the Plunge at the corner of East Richmond Avenue and Garrard Boulevard.

The Point Richmond Map Garden is a native garden located in downtown Point Richmond, next to the fire station.

The Regional Parks Botanic Garden within Tilden Park in Berkeley, was founded in 1940 and is dedicated to the collection, growth, display, and preservation of the native plants of California.

Each year, volunteer local residents open up their native gardens for tours with the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour.

Native Garden Resources

The Watershed Nursery, located in Point Richmond on Canal Boulevard, offers native plants from Contra Costa and surrounding counties.

Annie’s Annuals, located on Market Avenue in Richmond, offers a wide variety of native plants from around the state.

The Native Here Nursery, located in Tilden Park, is a non-profit nursery that specializes in plants grown from seed and cuttings collected in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties and is dedicated to growing plants for restoration of park lands and gardening projects.

The Oaktown Native Plant Nursery, located in Berkeley, specializes in native plants.

Responsible Lighting

City Ordinance

The City of Richmond passed a Nuisance Lighting Ordinance in 2018. For precise definitions of nuisance lighting under the city ordinance, see RMC 9.22.090. Broadly, nuisance lighting is lighting that results in off-site spill into certain zones or does not comply with certain other requirements. Nuisances, including nuisance lighting, may be reported using the city’s COR Connect tool.

How Can Lighting Be Harmful?

Lighting is not inherently good or bad. However, improper lighting can be harmful to human health and safety and to the environment, and more is not always better. The introduction of LED lights has reduced the amount of energy required to produce light. While energy efficiency is a worthy goal, there are some potential downsides to misuse of these powerful lights. The potential human health effects are summarized by the American Medical Association and include: glare causing driver discomfort and disability and creating a road hazard, and interruption of circadian sleep rhythms. According to the AMA report, surveys have shown that brighter residential nighttime lighting “is associated with reduced sleep times, dissatisfaction with sleep quality, excessive sleepiness, impaired daytime functioning and obesity.”

In addition to its ill effects on humans, too much lighting poses a threat to our environment. For example, birds may be attracted to and disoriented by artificial light, causing fatal collisions with buildings or other objects. Also, nocturnal animals, which use darkness for hunting and reproduction, may be affected. The many detrimental effects of dangerous lighting on our ecosystems and wildlife is detailed by the International Dark Sky Association.

Finally, nuisance lighting prevents us from being able to see the stars, something humans have enjoyed throughout history. Lassen Volcanic National Park, located a few hours away, hosts a Dark Sky Festival each year, where visitors can enjoy an unspoiled view of the night sky.

For an interesting example of how excessive lighting casting harsh shadows can increase security risks and have unintended consequences, see the video at https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/lighting-crime-and-safety/

What is Responsible Lighting?

According to the International Dark Sky Association, lighting should:

• Be on only when needed
• Light only the area that needs it
• Be no brighter than necessary
• Minimize blue light emissions
• Be fully shielded (pointing downward)

Ideally, outdoor lighting should have a light temperature of 3000K or less, as recognized by the American Medical Association, which has adopted guidance on the subject to reduce the potential harmful effects of blue-rich LED lighting on humans. You can find the light temperature of the bulbs you buy on the outside of the package.

Ask yourself these questions as you install or modify your exterior lighting:

• Is this light serving a purpose?
• Will this light fixture shine onto my neighbor’s property or into my neighbor’s home?
• Will the position and intensity of this light create harsh glare and shadows that will decrease visibility and safety?
• Can this light fixture be lowered?
• Can this light be shielded or pointed straight at the ground?
• Can this light fixture be dimmed or put on a timer or motion sensor?
• Can the lighting element (bulb) in this fixture be changed to a 3000K or less color temperature?