Sustainability, Come Rain or Shine

City of Sunnyvale, California sent this bulletin at 02/03/2023 09:45 AM PST

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Sustainable Sunnyvale Newsletter - February 2023

The Drought is Not Over

We’ve had to ride some serious waves of rain lately, but it’s important to know Santa Clara County still remains in a water shortage emergency. Usually when it rains, landscapes and open spaces are able to absorb water quickly and store it underground. But due to lengthier drought conditions, our naturally absorbent grounds have become concrete-like. Flash flooding then overloads our storm drain systems and funnels drinkable water to the Bay. 

Please be sure to keep your irrigation system turned off while it’s raining and only turn it back on after 48 hours of no rainfall. Make sure you stay up-to-date on storm conditions in the area to stay safe and dry. 

To monitor current drought conditions, visit drought.gov.

To know what to do before, during and after flooding, visit valleywater.org.

For more water conservation tips in Sunnyvale, visit sunnyvale.ca.gov/SaveWater.

Fresher Produce, Fuller Wallet

When produce isn't stored correctly, it goes bad and must be thrown out. The average American family of four ends up throwing out a quarter of their groceries, wasting $1,500 per year. You can prevent waste by learning more about how to store your food. Follow these tips to keep your vegetables, fruits and herbs fresher for longer.

Store leafy greens with a damp cloth in an airtight container in the fridge. Soak wilted greens in ice water for 5-10 minutes to bring back their crunch.
Preserve your herbs by putting them in a cup with water, like a flower bouquet. Put a plastic bag over and store in the fridge to get fresh herbs for weeks. For basil, follow the same steps but keep them on your counter.
Wash berries or stone fruits right before you're ready to eat them so they don't get moldy. Keep them in the fridge in the meantime, or freeze in a container to enjoy them for months.
Potatoes and onions prefer darker places in your pantry in a breathable bag. But whatever you do, don't store these next to each other!

There are storage guides for all kinds of food, fresh or otherwise. Check out comprehensive storage guides by Save the Food and Stop Food Waste.

Reduce Your Health Risk and Give Induction a Try!

Did you know gas stoves create harmful pollutants? A recent study found that children in homes with gas stoves are more likely to have illnesses from air pollution, such as asthma. Some ways to reduce pollutants from your gas stove are:

Using the exhaust hood
Opening windows
Installing carbon monoxide detectors

An induction stove is a pollutant-free alternative to a gas stove. Induction does not increase the risk of illness and is a cleaner cooking alternative to gas. BayREN offers a $750 rebate for homeowners to switch to an induction stove. If you want to try one out first, check out Sunnyvale’s Cool Cooktops Program. You can borrow an induction cooktop for free from the Sunnyvale Public Library. Place a hold and pick it up from the library, just like a library book.

Did you pick up sandbags to protect your home? We recommend you keep sandbags through the rainy season in case you need them again.

Flood water from storms can contaminate sandbags with pesticides, motor oil or bacteria. Keep them out of the garbage and waterways.

Only dispose of them by bringing them to a designated drop-off:

Before April: Drop your sandbags off at Santa Clara Valley Water District pickup locations.
April: We will post two local drop-off locations on the city website.