Two events over the course of two days signify that when people work together toward a common purpose, they can get things done relatively fast and with minimal argument.

State Sen. Christopher Cabaldon called it the “Yolo Way.” I don’t know about that, but it does seem to be a characteristic of those who live in the county.

On Friday, it was the groundbreaking for a “solar canopy” at the Yolo County Landfill, located near county roads 28H and 104, south of Woodland. I was reporting on the event for The Democrat and couldn’t immediately locate the place where the canopy was scheduled to be built since the information stated “near county roads 28H and 104,” which was vague.

I wound up parking near several cars and found that all the occupants were taking their dogs for a walk along what looked like an unused levee road.

It wasn’t until several minutes of driving that I found the true location — immediately west of the landfill in a field of mowed hay.

As speakers offered their opinions, there were ducks and other birds flying overhead, along with their squawking and cackling.

It was an appropriate introduction because, as Yolo County Integrated Waste Management Division Director Marissa Juhler told the small audience, one day it may be possible for people to walk their dogs, do bird watching, or maybe take a hike in the shadow of the landfill.

Now, that’s an image to bear in mind.

The 466-kilowatt system, developed in partnership with ForeFront Power, marks a major milestone in the county’s clean energy and climate goals, according to county staff. Scheduled for completion in late 2025, the solar canopy will generate over 750,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, or enough to power about 130 homes per year.

Once up and running, the system will offset 89% of the landfill’s electrical use and is projected to save the county around $3 million in electricity costs over the coming 20 years.

“We have a vision for this landfill,” Juhler said. “We are going to have seasonal wetlands, woodland and riparian habitat. We envision that this is going to be a place where you can come and park your car under a shaded canopy and go for a walk in nature.”

Supervisor Mary Sandy echoed that statement, saying, “This is a destination landfill.”

One day later, I was attending the grand opening of the Woodland Regional Park Preserve, at the site of a former landfill that has been converted into a refuge for birds and wildlife as well as a place where people can get out and enjoy nature.

The Regional Park is located east of County Road 102 and south of County Road 25. It’s a 160-acre site where (if you’re not careful) you can still kick at old concrete blocks or a rusted can from decades past.

There were many “nonprofit partners” who worked together to make the Regional Park a reality. Saturday’s event also featured a formal ribbon cutting at the observational deck, built by Woodland Rotary.

That was where Cabaldon made his observation about the Yolo Way.

There were also a lot of speeches given but (to be very frank) I spent more time watching a pair of what I believed were Black Phoebes build a nest in a nearby nesting box, probably because I didn’t have to report on the ribbon cutting but also because I enjoy watching birds from time to time.

I guess I preferred to let Mother Nature speak for herself about the park’s success.

Jim Smith is the former editor of The Daily Democrat, retiring in 2021 after a 27-year career at the paper.