Prevent lithium battery fires: use certified parts, do not leave batteries charging unattended, and watch for signs of damage or overheating. Call 9-1-1 if fire starts. Know how to safely care for, replace, and re-charge lithium batteries, which are common in household devices.Berkeley has had eighteen fires linked to lithium-ion batteries involving e-skateboards, e-scooters, and e-bikes since 2023. Although incidents are down in the city, these dangerous fires continue to happen around the region and nation. Simple tips can help keep you and your household safe:

Join us Thursday, January 22 at 5:00 am to meet neighbors experiencing homelessness and collect data that helps shape services, policies, and funding. Join a team of volunteers on an early weekday morning in mid-January to help survey people experiencing homelessness in Berkeley and Alameda County.Starting at 5:00 am on Thursday January 22, you’ll help count individuals, youth, and families experiencing homelessness while also gathering specific data about their demographics and characteristics.The count includes those sleeping outdoors in vehicles, tents or makeshift structures as well as those residing in shelters and transitional housing.

Weather experts warned that the days of rain could elevate the risk of small landslides until the ground dries out.

Webinars start on Jan. 7: Learn more about applying, guidelines, and eligibility. Grant deadlines are March 4 and March 11. Artists and festival organizers can apply for one-time grants to support their work and strengthen the arts culture of Berkeley.These grants fund individual artists to create new work and festival organizers to put on events.Applicants for each category can attend separately designed webinars, starting January 7, to learn about guidelines, eligibility, and how to apply.

Berkeley plans to build community gardens and a dog park along a long-neglected strip of the former Santa Fe railroad line.

Buy a living, compostable tree; learn composting guidelines. When selecting your tree this holiday season, consider a plan that reduces waste and fits the City's disposal rules for when the season is over.If you get a cut tree or another type of holiday tree, know which ones you can compost and which ones you should throw away in the trash bin.Consider buying a living tree to plant in your yard after the holidays – and avoid waste altogether.Whatever tree you choose, aim for an option that minimizes waste and contributes to Berkeley's efforts to reduce landfill contributions.

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