Coordinator Update: Fall 2000

CalMAX and CIWMB Move Downtown!

The next time you plan a trip to Sacramento, plan on visiting the new Cal/EPA building in downtown Sacramento. Located at the corner of I and 10th Streets, this building is the new home of CIWMB Board members, administration, and program staff. The move is planned to take several weeks, culminating with CalMAX staffers moving into the building November 20, 2000.

Californians can now find all of the agencies referenced below under one roof; providing them with a centralized location for their environmental concerns. The new Cal/EPA building will be home to the California Environmental Protection Agency and its boards, departments and offices: California Integrated Waste Management Board, Air Resources Board, Department of Pesticide Regulation, Department of Toxic Substances Control, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, and the State Water Resources Control Board.

For those of you planning a visit, you will find the custom-designed artwork of four prominent artists who are dedicated to demonstrating the integration of art and the environment throughout the building. The artwork was the result of a Sacramento City ordinance that required a certain percentage of capital improvement construction costs be allocated for public art. The courtyard entrance contains a sculpture made of stone that stands eighteen feet high and rests atop a three-and-one-half-foot mound with a grove of sequoia trees serving as a backdrop.

Beverly Pepper, an internationally respected artist, designed this imposing stone sculpture with the intention of bringing a sense of sanctity to the environment and creating a "sacred space" in the courtyard. Inside the lobby, textured stone walls, stone floors, and eucalyptus wood grace the entrance. At the base of the staircase leading to the second floor is a stainless steel sculpture. The artist, Richard Hunt, created this abstract metal sculpture specifically for the Cal/EPA building. It is tentatively titled "Man's Way, Nature's Way." The theme, according to Mr. Hunt, indicates that this is "some of the ways that man and nature both originate and modify form."

In addition to the lobby sculpture, two chandeliers designed by artist Dale Chihuly hang from the 30-foot ceiling. An exterior glass curtain that overlooks the courtyard sculpture is also located in this area. The chandeliers are composed of hundreds of pieces of blown glass in organic-like forms in colors of yellow and green.

Throughout the building are Merle Serlin's environmental quilts. The final art component of the building, these fabric quilts provide an interesting contrast to the larger works made from stone, brushed aluminum, and glass. A total of eight art quilts will be located throughout the building and will represent some of California's environmentally sensitive geographic areas. Regions will include Mount Shasta, Lake Tahoe, Joshua Tree, Central Coast Foothills, Headwater Redwoods, Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, Central Coast, and Monterey Bay Canyon. The combination of art at the new Cal/EPA building might be well worth a visit just for sheer inspiration.

The Cal/EPA building is located at 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. To reach CalMAX staff, call our new toll free number, (877) 520-9703, or CalMAX@ciwmb.ca.gov.

Second Chance Week: Oct. 21-29

Second Chance Week (Oct. 21-29) promotes reuse, repair, resale, and donation opportunities throughout California. It provides an opportunity to work together, hold collaborative activities geared towards reusability, and give items that might otherwise be thrown away a "second chance."

Sponsored by the Alameda County Waste Authority, Alameda County Source Reduction, and Recycling Board, and the California Integrated Waste Management Board; the week of October 21-29 is designed to promote local level and grassroots public awareness in both residential and commercial sectors. Second Chance Week is a perfect opportunity to unite local governments, businesses, community groups, specialty "reuse" businesses, and other organizations. For more information, contact Leif Christiansen at mailto:leif@lgc.org or call (916) 448-1198 x320.

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Over the course of the last several months, CalMAX has been engaged in ongoing outreach to the statewide trade organizations and associations. As a result, a number of articles have appeared throughout the state promoting CalMAX. We would like to thank those who continue to support CalMAX in these various publications. We would therefore like to extend our thanks to EDCO Disposal Corporation (waste hauling firm and publisher of Environmental News); Ag Alert (publication dedicated to the agricultural business community), and the El Dorado Builders Exchange, the Humboldt Builders Exchange, Placer County Builders Exchange and the Peninsula Builders Exchange for the promotion of CalMAX.

For other organizations interested in promoting CalMAX, we can provide a free quarter-page display advertisement and an article describing our program. Let us know if you are interested in receiving either. If you are interested in linking to the CalMAX Web site, we can provide you with the CalMAX Web icon, URL and a description of CalMAX.

Grants Update

A. CalMAX Mini-Grants

Thanks to all applicants that responded to the CalMAX Partnership Mini-Grants. We received applications from the following jurisdictions: San Bernardino County; San Joaquin County; Santa Cruz County; City of El Monte, City of Napa, City of Ontario, City of Santa Fe Springs, and the Novato Sanitary District. The CalMAX Mini-Grants evaluation process began in August. A panel review was held August 29, and the Board will consider all applications at the October board meeting. Once again, our thanks to all applicants and supporters of CalMAX through this phase of the grant process.

B. Reuse Assistance Grants

In addition to the MiniMAX grant program, the Reuse Initiative grant program was designed to provide funds for local governments to promote and implement programs addressing the concept of reuse. The Board allocated $150,000, allowing eligible applicants to request up to $50,000 each. The first cycle of the grant program was due on Friday, September 1, 2000. Final determination of recipients is planned for the October Board meeting. The second grant cycle will be available in late winter of this year. Applicants may contact Sarah Weimer at sweimer@ciwmb.ca.gov or at (916) 341-6613  for further information.

Student Assistant Promoted

For those longtime CalMAX users, you will undoubtedly remember Sarah Weimer, Student Assistant for the CalMAX program during the last two years. Sarah recently graduated from Sacramento State University, only to be hired into the Business Resources and Efficiency Branch at the Board. Sarah has accepted the position of Reuse Grants Specialist and will be coordinating the new Reuse Initiative grants program. CalMAX would like to thank Sarah for her past dedication to the CalMAX program and wish her well in her new endeavors with the Reuse Initiative grants program.

Last updated: August 01, 2008