Get To Know Your

Street Sweeping Schedule

As the Fall rainy season approaches, the City of El Cerrito asks that residents move their vehicles from the street on their scheduled street sweeping day. Street sweepers remove pollutants before they enter storm drains, ditches and creeks which eventually flow into the Bay.

Find your street’s sweeping schedule at El-cerrito.org/StreetSweeping.

Get Ready for the Rainy Season!

Creeks and culverts can overflow during heavy rains and the City needs assistance in assuring that the storm drain system functions properly. Here’s how you can help:

• If you have a creek on your property, make sure that debris and vegetation do not block the flow of water.
• Make sure to prevent soil, trash & other materials from entering the storm gutter area & never pour anything other than storm water in the drain inlet.
• If you have a storm drain grate in the street near your home or business, check it during heavy rains. Make sure nothing blocks the grate. If you observe an inlet that needs cleaning, contact the City at (510) 215-4369.
• If your property is flooded by water from the street, report the problem to the City at (510) 215-4369.
• To prevent flooding from the street, the City provides up to ten (10) sandbags for each household in El Cerrito & Kensington.

The sand pile and bags are available at the El Cerrito Recycling Center (7501 Schmidt Lane). Please bring proof of residency and check in with Recycling Staff. If you have questions about storm drain system maintenance or need additional assistance, please contact Public Works at (510) 215-4369 or email maintenance@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us.

See Where El Cerrito's Curbside Recycling Goes

@ Napa Recycling's Facility Tour Day

Saturday, October 5th, 2024

9am-1pm

820 Levitin Way Napa, CA 94503

Take a tour of Napa Recycling's Materials Diversion Facility and learn what happens to the items you place in your recycling carts after they are picked up by El Cerrito’s recycling trucks!

• Touch-a-Truck Tour: A shorter tour geared for kids and big fans of collection trucks.
• Tour the Recycling Operation: Learn about the newest use of technology like optical sorters and robots that help capture more recycling materials.
• Hear about The CASP Composting Process: Learn how food scraps turn into compost in just 63 days in an aerated static pile system.
• Guided tours leave every 15-30 minutes starting at 9:15 am until 12:15 pm.

Please note: Tours could be canceled in the event of heavy rain without notice. Tour attendees must wear closed-toe, thick sole shoes (no sandals, ballerinas or high heels).

For more information on Napa Recycling's Facility Tour Day, please visit the event page.

Plant Walking with El Cerrito Trail Trekkers: A Healing Ritual -

Edible & Medicinal Plants

of the Hillside Natural Area

Saturday, October 5th, 2024

1pm-3pm

End of Regency Court -

Enter 1590 Regency Ct, El Cerrito in GPS



Join the El Cerrito Trail Trekkers on a walk to learn about how native plants have been used over the centuries, and currently, for food, medicine and crafts locally and globally (ethnobotany). Led by Alan Siegel, a volunteer docent at the East Bay Regional Park District Tilden Botanic Garden. Meet at the north end of Regency Court.

Questions? Contact Dave Weinstein at davidsweinstein@yahoo.com.

El Cerrito Free Market

Sunday, October 6th, 2024

4:30pm-5:30pm

Parking lot behind the El Cerrito Library

6510 Stockton Ave, El Cerrito

El Cerrito's fifth "free market," presented in partnership with the El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee. All are invited to bring items to pass on for re-use in the community and find "new-to-you" things to bring home. 

Meet, talk and browse each other's treasures! Please note, this is not a donation drop-off. Before leaving the event, each participant will need to take back all items they brought that did not find a new home. The goal of the event is to create connections and practice the idea that things can be enjoyed by multiple owners.

Join with or without items to swap. Bring your blanket/tarp/table/car trunk to display your items. Bring food or drink to share if you're so inclined. RSVP not required.

Feel free to email Mara Hernandez at marajennifer.hernandez@gmail.com with any questions! 

Join Friends of the Hillside for Broom Pulls Every Wednesday & Saturday

Wednesdays, 5:30pm-7pm

Saturdays, 9:30am-11:30am

End of Regency Court -

Enter 1590 Regency Ct, El Cerrito in GPS



Join the Friends of the Hillside Natural Area to pull French Broom - a noxious and fast growing weed that has taken over large swathes of habitat in our city’s natural areas. Help the recently formed Friends group combat this plant, allowing native plants to flourish in its stead!

Leader Audrey Liese writes: “The times may shift depending on volunteer availability, so if you're interested but can’t make these slots, feel free to let me know! Depending on the weather, we’ll either work in shaded areas or out in the open.” 

“Our main focus will be removing French broom, though we may also tackle other invasive weeds. Specifically, we’ll be targeting the stems left after recent mowing, ensuring they don’t grow back more densely. 

Questions? Contact Audrey Liese at friendshillsidenaturalarea@gmail.com.

7^th Annual Ride Electric

at the Berkeley Harvest Festival

Saturday, October 19th, 2024

11am-4pm

Cedar Rose Park - 20 Virginia Gardens

Berkeley, CA 94702

Join the City of Berkeley on the Cedar Rose Park basketball courts to have some fun and take a test ride on a e-bike or e-scooter! 

• Test ride electric bikes and scooters, including seated scooters (must be 18+ years).
• See city fleet electric vehicles and talk to local EV owners.
• Learn about credits, rebates, grants and loans.
• Sign up for income qualified discount mobility options through Veo Access and Lime Access for electric scooters, and Bay Wheels Bikeshare for All for classic and electric bikes.
• Street parking is limited; please consider taking BART (North Berkeley) or AC Transit (#52). Bike parking available.

Please sign up here to volunteer at Ride Electric. Volunteers are needed to showcase their electric bikes, talk about their experience driving electric cars, monitor the test ride route and/or help with set-up and take down.

For questions, please email electric@berkeleyca.gov.

Event is in partnership with the El Cerrito Environmental Quality Committee.

Get a $1,000 Electrification Mini-Grant to Help with Sustainability Upgrades

at Your Business

Applications must be submitted

by October 14th, 2024

The California Green Business Network and Intuit are providing Certified-Level Green Businesses, or businesses that get certified, with a $1,000 Electrification Mini-Grant to help complete electrification and efficiency projects at your facility.

Applications can be submitted through October 14th, 2024 for eligible projects and awarding $1,000 Electrification Mini-Grants to 65 Certified-Level Green Businesses. All you need to do is fill out a Mini-Grant application, describe what project you would like to complete and how receiving funding will benefit both your company and the community you serve.

Don’t wait - this is a limited-time opportunity that ends October 14, 2024!

¿Necesita una traducción al español? Seleccione el botón SP en la parte superior de la página de mini-subvenciones.

Click Here to Learn More & Apply for a Mini-Grant.

Bay Area SunShares is Providing Limited Time Discounts on Solar & Battery Storage for Bay Area Homes

Join a community-wide effort to help accelerate clean energy adoption across the Bay Area. Any resident in the Bay Area’s 9 counties (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, and Sonoma) can sign up for the SunShares discount at Bayareasunshares.org between September 1st & November 15th, 2024.

Bay Area SunShares is hosting free public informational webinars for residents interested in rooftop solar or battery storage on:

• Wednesday, October 9th @ 5pm w/ Partners from CLEAResult, Switch Is On & Drive Clean (Link)
• Wednesday, October 16th @ 12pm (Link)
• Thursday, November 7th @ 5pm (Link)

Register at Bayareasunshares.org/Webinars to learn solar + storage basics, how to take advantage of the SunShares discount, and get to know the pre-vetted installers during the live Q & A!

Carpool to School & Win a $250 Back-To-School Shopping Spree at Target!

Register to win by

October 18th, 2024

Enter to win a $250 back-to-school shopping spree if you carpool to school! Save gas, save time, and reduce school zone traffic. Families that carpool with friends or neighbors can register for a chance to win one of ten $250 Target gift cards. Carpool drivers and parents of carpool passengers are eligible to register.

SchoolPool is a 511ContraCosta youth carpool promotion for Contra Costa residents to encourage shared rides to and from school and after-school activities. It improves air quality in classrooms, reduces traffic congestion in neighborhoods, saves fuel and provides some fun social time for students.

Click Here for More Information on SchoolPool & Contest Rules.

Take the Bus to School - It's Free!

Did you know AC Transit serves all El Cerrito public schools, including three dedicated school routes to El Cerrito High and Korematsu Middle School?

Skip the traffic and save gas while getting your students to school. With 511 Contra Costa’s Pass2Class program, it’s easy to make the switch to transit with two months’ free rides for up to two students per household.

For more information or to apply, visit Pass2Class.org. 

511 Contra Costa Offers Reimbursements for Emergency Rides Home

Want to walk, bicycle, carpool, vanpool, or take public transit to work or college, but worry about needing a ride for an emergency? 511 Contra Costa’s Guaranteed Ride Home (GRH) program reimburses you for a ride home during emergencies like a personal illness, sick child or missing your carpool. 

Register now, and you’ll be ready to go if an emergency strikes. Best of all, it’s FREE. There’s no cost to sign up and 511 will reimburse you for up to six Guaranteed Ride Home trips each year.

To be eligible, you just need to work or attend college in Costa Contra County and commute by walking, biking, or sharing a ride.

Don’t work in Contra Costa? Neighboring counties offer Guaranteed Ride Home programs too. Check out the list here. All Bay Area Counties have a Guaranteed Ride Home program, but if you commute to another county that doesn’t have a Guaranteed Ride Home program, 511 will cover you!

For more information on the Guaranteed Ride Home program, view the full Guaranteed Ride Home Program Terms & Frequently Asked Questions.

The Bay Area Air District is Offering $1,500 to Scrap Cars '98 Or Older

As of July 1,2024 the Air District will offer $1,500 to Bay Area residents to improve local air quality by scrapping their 1998 and older vehicles through the Vehicle Buy Back Program.

Eligibility requirements for the Vehicle Buy Back Program include the following:

• Vehicle must be 1998 model year or older
• Vehicle must be currently registered as operable and must be drivable
• Vehicle must have been registered in the Bay Area for the past 24 months
• Vehicles within 60 days of a required smog check must take and pass smog check

The program reduces air pollutants from vehicle exhaust, including fine particles and ozone precursors, the main ingredients in smog. These pollutants contribute to respiratory diseases and increased mortality rates. Retiring older vehicles also reduces carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

The State of California operates a complimentary program offering eligible consumers vehicle retirement options for vehicles that do not pass smog check. View more information on the state's Consumer Assistance Program.

Discounted Compost Bins and Accessories Available for

West Contra Costa County

Residents and Businesses



To encourage composting, our partner RecycleMore is offering discounts towards compost bins and compost accessories to the residents of West Contra Costa County (El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Hercules and San Pablo; Kensington residents are not eligible):

80% OFF Compost Bins*

$20 OFF Compost Accessories*

*Two (2) compost bins and two (2) compost accessories limit per address.

For more information and to purchase composting supplies, visit the RecycleMore website at recyclemore.com/compost.