BEC Celebrates 36 YearsThursday, October 27, 2011, 5:30 pm - 9 pm Thanks to everyone who joined us for our Birthday Bash! We had a wonderful evening of revelry! The food was scrumptious, the music delightful, the people smiling & joyous! We love you Chico Earth Stewards! Thank you for supporting BEC! Woody Guzzetti catered, our renowned local beers (Sierra Nevada) and wines (LaRocca Vineyards—paid for & John & Sue Scott of Butte Valley donated), and a fantastic silent auction with useful, beautiful, one-of-a-kind items from local businesses! Snapshots from BEC's Past
(Upper left) BEC’s annual Bidwell Park and Creeks of Chico Cleanups engage hundreds of volunteers in removing trash and recyclables from our waterways. (Upper right) BEC continues to be at the forefront of advocating for land use decisions that promote open space and responsible growth. An example is Bidwell Ranch, an ongoing issue that came to a close in 2005. The photo is taken from a Chico News & Review article, with the caption "Battle of the bumper stickers. Kevin Sweeney, a Chico attorney, and Kelly Beagher, a Butte Creek Canyon environmentalist, have squared off in a fight over east Chico development. On June 7 voters will decide the future of Rancho Arroyo." (Lower left) BEC was formed as a cooperative in 1975. In 1977 BEC opened a multi-use recycling service, which it ran until the late 1980s, when it was sold to North Valley Disposal. The photo shows one of the early BEC crews a the 7th and Cherry recycling center. (Lower right) Since 1979, BEC has hosted the Endangered Species Faire, which educates and entertains thousands of Butte County residents every year in Bidwell Park. The photo shows Diane Suzuki performing at BEC's1988 Endangered Species Faire. What would Butte County look like without BEC?Imagine 4,500 homes next to Bidwell Park on Rancho Arroyo, which was defeated in a referendum. Think what the air quality would be like if the coal plant had been built in the late 1970s. BEC’s newspaper was instrumental in the effort to galvanize public opposition to a plant that would have added 40 tons per day of sulfur dioxide pollutants to our air! Visualize two decades of litter in Bidwell Park and Chico’s creek if we hadn’t held community cleanps. Consider what Butte County might have turned into if the Board of Supervisors weren’t sued when Dan Kohrdt broke state law ripping out trees and grading to build as he pleased and three Supervisors supported the illegal activity! Imagine Chico sprawling down to Durham Pentz Road. BEC has been here for 35 years as a watchdog and advocate for clean air, water and land in Butte, Glenn and Tehama Counties. BEC has led the annual Bidwell Park and Creeks of Chico Cleanups for 24 years. We continue to educate the community through the events such as the annual Endangered Species Faire, the longest-running environmental fair in northern California. Join us in a celebration of our success and spirit as we continue to work for sustainable communities, responsible growth, clean water, clean air, and healthy wildlands. |
