Energy Savings Tips:

- Turn off lights when rooms aren’t occupied
- Use a clothes line to dry laundry
- Turn off computer monitors when leaving for lunch or on breaks (if a screen saver is on, the monitor is still on and consuming full power)
- Unplug televisions that aren’t in use (even when not on, instant-on TVs consume electricity)
- If you have a second refrigerator or freezer, consider consolidating all the food into one unit and unplug the unused unit
- Use a microwave oven or convection oven as often as possible rather than a conventional oven

Car Oil, Cooking Oil – Do’s and Don’ts

Car oil recycling program:
Call Monterey City Disposal Service (MDS) at 372-7977 to receive your free oil recycling container and a bag for oil filters. This container and the oil filter bag can be placed at the curb next to your recycling bin.
No special appointment is required.
Just use the recycling container – from MDS or pick one up from an auto parts store –and place it at the curb.

Cooking oil:
When you have leftover grease and fat from cooking meat, or leftover butter and vegetable oils, don’t wash them down the drain or disposal.
Garbage disposals can’t break down oil or grease. Oil and grease cool, harden and buildup in plumbing lines, causing sinks to drain slowly. Buildup can even cause raw sewage to back up in homes. It can also plug City sewer lines and sewer pumps down line, which can result in sewer line back-ups and sewage spills into the Monterey Bay.
Put grease and oils in a container with a lid, such as an empty coffee can, and place in the garbage. Use sink strainers for added protection to keep drains clog free.
Remember: anything that drips in the street will flow to the stormdrains and into Monterey Bay. For more info, call the City’s Recycling Coordinator at 646-5662 (brantley@ci.monterey.ca.us).

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SAFTEY TIPS:

Recognizing the Signs of Domestic Violence
Domestic violence is an escalating pattern of violent behavior directed at a spouse or domestic partner.
Abusers use intimidation and violence as a means to control partners. Abuse can take many forms, including physical or sexual assaults, psychological abuse and use of children to control and manipulate a victim.
Domestic violence frequently goes unreported. Victims often don’t report violence because they are ashamed and embarrassed, and they are frightened by the consequences of police involvement.
Fortunately, new laws have been enacted to support and protect victims of domestic violence and their families. There are also local resources available to provide assistance/services.
Where to get help …
If you are a victim of domestic violence or want to report suspected violence, call the Monterey Police Department at 646-3830.
If you have questions about domestic violence or need info or assistance with the services available to victims and their families, call Detective Wendy Lundgren at 646-3806.

Know How to Deal With Local Wildlife
1) Seal all openings to attics and basements. Most problems with local wildlife, including raccoons and opossums, happen because animals are looking for nesting sites during their baby season which runs from March thru August.
2) Wildlife young are often left alone so a parent can feed. A baby animal, that appears to be abandoned probably is waiting for an adult to return.
3) The City and SPCA do not trap healthy wildlife. However, either will pick up injured or sick animals.
For more info call, the City’s Animal Control at 646-3820 (cristobal@ci.monterey.ca.us); or the SPCA at 373-2632 ext. 227.

Bicycling Safety for Adults
1) ALWAYS wear a helmet.
2) Learn all traffic laws and obey all signs and signals.
3) Use appropriate hand signals. Point with your left arm for a left turn; for a right turn, left arm out bent at elbow with hand straight up.
4) Stop at all stop signs and signals.
5) Ride defensively. Drivers cannot easily see bicyclists in mirrors. It’s easy for them to turn right at a corner and not see a bicycle.
6) Ride on the right side of the road with traffic and use reflective straps and blinking lights whenever possible.
For more info, call the City at 646-5662.
(Some tips provided by: The National Safe Kids Campaign, Washington, DC.)

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Rev. 02/19/08 L. Huelga  http://www.monterey.org/focus/summer01/communitytips.html