For the Green Environmentalist

“You’re probably like most people: You want to help make the environment a better place, especially in your own community. But you don’t know how to do it and you don’t have the time to figure it out.

“Even when you have the time, it’s a hassle to find the right people to call and places to go. By the time you finally figure it out, you’re out of time, frustrated and right back where you started.”

That message comes from Ward Allebach, founder of Green Networking for Orange County. OK, he’s got me pegged. I’m a lazy environmentalist.

My wife tries to makes up for it. She’s into car-pooling, recycling, compost heaps. I can still remember scraping my knuckles because she spotted a soda can on the other side of a chain link fence and made me reach underneath to get it. At our house, we have two recycling barrels, and fill them each week.

The angriest I’ve ever seen my wife is when we caught a neighbor putting some nonrecyclable trash into our recycle barrel because he ran out of room. She marched it right back to him, of course. At large gatherings, her mood brightens if she sees the hosts have set out containers for recycling the party’s cans and bottles. And for those who don’t, well, we don’t stay long.

We happen to work together, and at lunch at my desk she checks to see if I’ve used a Styrofoam plate or cup, an unforgivable sin to an environmentalist. And, of course, she has recycling boxes at each end of the office, which she maintains daily.

It was my wife who wanted me to get a copy of Ward Allebach’s new publication, “The Environmental Guide to Orange County.” It’s a key to learning about local environmental causes, events and organizations in Orange County.

Allebach works in the resources division of the county’s Environmental Management Agency. Green Networking is his off-hours passion. It was first part of his master’s thesis, which he began when he moved here from the East five years ago to study environmental science at Cal State Fullerton.

“All of us in class were environmental enthusiasts,” he told me.

Green Networking was designed as a liaison between county environmental groups and the rest of us. For example, Allebach and others now in his group host a monthly environmental round-table in Irvine, which anyone is welcome to attend.

“We try to help the nonprofit groups reach the community, and we try to help the community learn which nonprofit groups to reach out to,” Allebach said.

Hence, the environmental guide.

It’s organized from A to Z (exactly the format someone like me needs). Its listings start with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation and Alliance for Wildlife, and end with the Volunteer Center of Greater Orange County and Wonders of Wildlife Inc.

The book not only lists addresses for these 80-plus groups, but names and telephone numbers for easy access. The book also tells what each group does, how often each one meets, and what outdoor tours are available in the county through next April.

If that isn’t enough, every city in the county has one person designated as its environmental contact. Green Networking’s booklet lists their names and phone numbers.

But Allebach doesn’t want you to let his book sit on your shelf. Remember, he’s a zealous environmentalist. He expects you to use the book to put yourself to work.

Said Allebach: “Even an hour or two of your time a month can be a great boost for the small groups struggling to make your community a better place.”

More Environmental Helpers: Here’s a group willing to donate a Saturday to help the environment: More than 50 students at Linda Vista Elementary School in Mission Viejo have signed up to plant flowers, remove litter and clean buildings at their school on Saturday. It’s part of a grass-roots campaign sponsored by Nickelodeon, the cable TV network for children.

Smokeless With Class: Today is Great American Smokeout Day, so light ‘em if you’ve got ‘em--in the middle of a bonfire.

I just heard about an essay contest won last year by Alex Alvarado, when he was a fifth-grader at Santa Ana’s Diamond Elementary School. He called it “I Want My Mom To Live,” and it was about why he hoped she would stop smoking. Not only did she quit smoking after she read it, Alex won $3,300 from a nonprofit group for his efforts.

By the way, his brother Omar won $1,200 for a second-place essay this year, written for the same teacher, Ginger Davis. She has a history of helping her students earn money through essay writing. The first-place winner for this particular contest was also in her class. Reuel Banner won $1,800 for writing about Martin Luther King Jr.’s positive impact on his life.

Reason to Ride: Richard Pfau has had great success riding Arabian horses at the Los Alamitos Race Track. But Pfau sees his role in the community as more than just a jockey. When he heard that 2-year-old Steven Koss of Thousand Oaks was in need of a bone marrow transplant, he went to track officials and said, “We ought to do something.”

They’ve arranged for the American Red Cross to hold a bone marrow donor recruitment drive at the racetrack, 4961 Katella Ave. in Cypress on Friday, from 5 to 11 p.m. Included will be a raffle for a new color TV, with proceeds going for the boy’s treatment. The procedure is the same as donating blood. You probably won’t miss a single race. No one under 18 can donate blood for testing. If your blood does match, you will be notified later by telephone.

Wrap-Up: The Environmental Guide to Orange County costs $7, and Allebach and his colleagues at Green Networking get no profit from that; anything they earn beyond expenses goes for environmental efforts. If you’d like a copy--my wife recommends it--send your check to Green Networking at P.O. Box 29, Fullerton 92832.

Jerry Hicks’ column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Readers may reach Hicks by calling the Times Orange County Edition at (714) 966-7823 or by fax to (714) 966-7711, or e-mail to jerry.hicks@latimes.com