Save Our Shores

Save Our Shores chatted with us today about the upcoming Coastal Cleanup. Panther Beach is a sight that is in need of volunteers. Also Downtown Santa Cruz, and Garden of Eden are all sights which are in need of participation. Please visit Save Our Shores to participate in the next Coastal Clean Up.

San Jose's Green Vision

Mayor Chuck Reed has a Green Vision for San Jose:

Today we have Colin O'Mara with us to describe some of the visions and goals that San Jose has.

Green Vision Goals:
Within 15 years, the City of San José in tandem with its residents and businesses will:
1. Create 25,000 Clean Tech jobs as the World Center of Clean Tech Innovation
2. Reduce per capita energy use by 50 percent
3. Receive 100 percent of our electrical power from clean renewable sources
4. Build or retrofit 50 million square feet of green buildings
5. Divert 100 percent of the waste from our landfill and convert waste to energy
6. Recycle or beneficially reuse 100 percent of our wastewater (100 million gallons per day)
7. Adopt a General Plan with measurable standards for sustainable development
8. Ensure that 100 percent of public fleet vehicles run on alternative fuels
9. Plant 100,000 new trees and replace 100 percent of our streetlights with smart, zero-emission lighting
10. Create 100 miles of interconnected trails

Colin has shared an event with us on September 10, 2008. The Silicon Valley Leadership Group. You can take MST bus line 55 all the way to San Jose. For more information click here. You can contact Colin at (408) 535-8169.

Very cool! Go San Jose!

Have a great Wednesday,

Olana

The Eco Geek

When thinking computers:

The first biodegradable computer now exists.

Also interesting and very green is the computer take back program.

Tid bit: If you run google with a black background you save 8% of the energy spent with a white colored screen! Wow. Switch it up today, right here It is so easy...

When thinking televisions:

Visit Kill Your Television. Listen to the Kill Your TV Theme Song!

If you are worried about the TV conversion process, you might need a converter box.

But seriously, just don't do it. Take this as your opportunity to let go of the TV, rent a DVD once in a while, go on an evening walk, and dust off that stack of books that you've been meaning to read.

Seriously, do we really need a tip sheet to give us ideas about what to do with ourselves instead of watching Nip Tuck? If so, here's some tips!

But if you're addicted, we have some help for you.

When thinking styrofoam:

There's a little controversy surrounding the proposed styrofoam ban in Monterey, CA. The American Chemistry Coalition is paying people off to fight the ban because they are deeply invested in the plastics industry. This is upsetting, but we can defeat it! Please write the City Manager and look at the Surfrider Foundation to remember the importance of this styrofoam ban.

Don't forget to get your letter started! I got mine all planned out:)

Address:

City Manager and the City Council and the Planning Commission:
c/o City Clerk
City of Monterey
City Hall
Monterey, CA
93940

Thank You,

Olana

What is Clear?

What is clear about your life's desire?

As a career counselor Melissa Everett was approached with a graduation pledge involving being a responsible decision maker by not leaving your values at the door of your new workplace.
Making a Living While Making a Difference discusses the impact factor, which asks, "What is the impact you are trying to make?" What is the particular difference you are trying to make?
What are the fields of opportunity? Environmental benefit, health care, from local to global, and then look at a set of professions including the fascinating emerging green industries. Within all theses professions, there are a plethora of supporting jobs that will still need to be filled.

Three categories exist: Entrepreneurs, like the members and founders of NETIMPACT, for example. intrepreneurship, and people who just won't go there at all. There are many different ways to go about finding your niche.

In the process of investigating opportunities, Everett suggests a searching process which connects individuals deeply.
The first step is waking up, getting their life organized for a good foundation.
Secondly, understand yourself and the landscape. Know what moves you and where you would fit in the world. If you tap into a specific movement, you will find a whole group of mentors all working towards making the same difference! Awesome!

When looking for a career, even if you're up against an economic flaw, take a weekend and make little changes to bring your life into balance, in order to go through this process with clarity. Everett encourages people to find something that you can commit to. Find a way to these commitments reciprocal.

When volunteering, it helps you see what is on the horizon. Then you will be inside the arena of work that you want to be a part of. Get on the inside, no matter what it takes! Get in the middle of the field by volunteering with local chapters. You will find that there are so many cool projects waiting for you to assist with.

With time budgets and money budgets you will see how it can all fit. Position yourself so that you see the next stepping stone. Sometimes one organizing principle will take you through an evolution of making a living while making a difference.

How do we market ourselves? Ask employers, "What is it that you need, and how might I be able to help?" Then look at the employers background and performance. Make sure to understand this employer, because it is an exchange. You must support their mission. When working with an organization that shares your values, you can be more honest. Don't only set your intention, manifest your intention, even if it's not to the extent that you strive for.

What is clear about the life you want to create? And what is in the way?

Find Melissa Everett's wonderful book, Making a Living While Making a Difference here.

Thank You ,

Olana

Eco Parenting

Interview with Lydia Nielsen

What is a Waldorf school?

A school with the vision to honor the spirit in every human being throughout the educational curriculum: Spirit, body and emotional.
There is a nature alter in every classroom, natural fiber toys, and a kindergarten year full of play. They really foster imagination play.

What about the education standards and demands?

It turns out that children do better if allowed to remain in the dreamy state until it becomes academically and developmentally appropriate for them to move on. In the long run, these kids become more self directed in high school, because it hasn't been forced on them far before they were developmentally ready.

Waldorf kids aren't taught to read until 2nd or 3rd grade?

By the time you're sixteen years old, it doesn't matter if you learned to read at age 5 or age 12. It doesn't appear to benefit a child to read any earlier.

Mr. Waldorf also brought about Bio-Dynamic gardening. What is it?

Awareness that energy is coming to earth from the stars at all times. Plants, however, are much more susceptible to the forces of the cosmos. As a gardener this can be kind of overwhelming, so refer to the Stella Natura planting calendar.

Thanks Lydia for sharing your insights with us today!

As always, thanks to the community for listening!

Olana

Labaratory of Democracy

With us today, author and activist Jane Anne Morris explores efforts by corporations and the courts to undermine local democracy, in her recently published book, Gaveling Down the Rabble.
Free trade is considered "forced trade," and according to Morris it is stealing our democracy.

All kinds of environmental laws are effected by the domestic free trade zone.

Find more information on Poclad.

Jane Anne will be at the Monterey Library Community room tonight from 6:30 to 8:30 to discuss her book. You can email Jane Anne @ Gaveljam@yahoo.com if you have any questions.

Thanks for listening!

Olana

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

I frequently get asked about light bulbs... here's a recent post to the KSBW.com "Ask the Expert: Greening the Central Coast" blog that I contribute to...

We're being urged to buy Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs (CFLs) and discard regular incandescent bulbs because CFLs use less energy; upwards of 75% savings according to Energy Star. Here's a quote from their website:

If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR qualified bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, more than $600 million in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of more than 800,000 cars.

What a simple way to lower your ecological and carbon footprint in one easy step! Imagine if every household, with an average of 10 light bulbs, replaced them with CFLs? Do the math; the savings in money and emissions would be enough to close 80 American coal-fired power plants and 270 plants worldwide according to Lester Brown of the World Watch Institute.

But CFLs have mercury in them and a debate is underway in Congress about their safety, (especially if broken in the home) and proper disposal. The debate arises because even if every CLF broke, the mercury in the atmosphere would be considerably less then the mercury released from a coal-fired power plant used to power non-CFL bulbs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy we emit 104 metric tons of mercury in the air each year from our coal-fired power plants, and all the CLF's, if broken, would release .13 tons of mercury, so it's better for our environment if we go with the CFLs.

Does this make you feel better knowing that if your bulb breaks in our house that you're still on the path to green righteousness when you're being directly exposed to a chemical that could be inhaled and leave you mad as a hatter?

CFLs have 1.5 to 4 milligrams of mercury per bulb... not very much, about as much as would fit on the end of a pin.... but still if the bulb breaks this small amount exceeds the U.S. Federal Guidelines for chronic or long-term exposure. (A broken bulb, properly cleaned up would not constitute long-term exposure.) Still, Mercury isn't one of those chemicals you want to linger around... even in small amounts mercury can have health risks to children, pregnant woman and elders as it can cause damage to organs and the central nervous system.

It’s also important to note that it is against the law in California to dispose of CLFs in regular trash, they must be disposed of at your local Hazardous Waste Facility but not without consequences. Jeff Lindenthal, from the Monterey Regional Waste Management District, says it costs .55 per CFL bulb to recycle and has caused a 23% increase in expenses this year with no state funds to match the mandate. As an FYI, Home Depot is now recycling used CFLs nationwide. I suggest putting them in double plastic bag before dropping them off.

So, what to do? What to do?

Well, the ultimate choice would be to switch to LED bulbs...or Light Emitting Diodes. They have up to 40,000+ hours of useful life, no mercury, and produce more light. BUT they’re much, much more expensive; easily 10- 20x more expensive then incandescent bulbs... Check out http://www.superbrightleds.com for pricing info.

So, it’s a situation where you need to decide what’s right for your own family. Me, I go with CFL’s and clean up very carefully using the mercury spill principles outlined here:
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#fluorescent

But I’m switching to LED’s when I can find a sale on those bulbs, not because of the mercury, but because they’re more efficient.

Local Hero's Speak Up

Today, Marilyn and Elsa are here with us from Pesticide Watch. These ladies advocate for keeping our coast healthy. An organization based out of Sacramento, they are here to help advocate and team with courageous citizens campaigning for their communities. Stop the Spray was Elsa's first campaign, and she found the organizations dedication to the cause amazing and inspiring.

Methyl Bromide is the topic on the town in Moss Landing, where Marilyn resides. In fall 2006, she received a notice which ensured that methyl bromide would be applied to the fields directly across the street. So we ask, how did they get permission to use this banned substance? CA government hasn't complied with the Montreal Protocol in which banned this substance. In reality, more of this toxic substance has been distributed. Unfortunately, "emergency permits" for use of such pesticides are given more frequently than not. So next time you see a field covered with plastic, turn your nose and start writing some letters to your local officials.

Once Marilyn realized the severity of methyl bromide, their neighborhood joined forces, found a lawyer, and started protesting. The farmers were still going to go ahead with it, but a certain farmer decided he preferred not to make enemy's with neighbors, so he moved 1,000 ft away and continued use of the methyl bromide.

If Methyl Bromide is inhaled in high doses for a short period of time, risks include but aren't limited to:
Headaches, dizziness, nausea, acute mania, bronchitis, pneumonia, eye damage from vapors, respiratory disease, can stunt intellectual development, and even cause death.

This fumigation occurs once a year, but causes permanent damage. Therefore, when the spraying occurs, people are put out of their homes to avoid such extreme risks. You can imagine the difficulty of living in one of these areas.

How can we access information about what is being sprayed, and where?
First off, Marilyn and Elsa suggest calling the Agricultural Commissioners office in Monterey County and ask them what is being sprayed. Although they will try to avoid giving you this information, they have to. We realize that this is a backwards process, but we can start the process of change by first gaining the knowledge, then approaching these agencies and start taking action.

Methyl Bromide is going into the atmosphere, running off into streams, going into the oceans and the air, and taking a toll on the health of our citizens.

What can we do? How can citizens gather the strength to deal with these large agricultural corporations and their dangerous fumigation practices?

1) Know where your food comes from. Get your produce from a trusted CSA.

2) Write letters, call the governor, and demand that they discontinue using Methyl Bromide and related chemicals.

Contact Elsa@pesticidewatch.org, and visit the Pesticide Watch website.

Thank You,

Olana

The Pelican Purpose

Today we have Jack from the Pelican Network, which has about 5,000 household members. Pelican Network is a team of people networking together to restore native plants, do creek restoration, and help all kinds of disrupted natural habitat. Jack's job is to connect resources with people who are inclined to help.
Where did "Pelican" come from?
The symbol of pelican represents humans caring about their home and environment. At one point Pelican's were almost wiped off the planet, but a few were found in the Sea of Cortes, and they made it through. Pelicans are a great example of what people can do when they love and understand. A symbol of charity.
The Coastal Trails Project is a way of learning through your own encounter with the coast. In the 1970's the CA Coastal Act was passed, ensuring that everyone will have access to their coast. The biggest challenge has been Big Sur, because of the terrain, and it is still a work in progress. This part of the trail building has involved residents in the designing of the trail. This model is unique to the Big Sur area, as design of coastal trails usually involve a long, drawn out, bureaucratic process. The beauty of this process is the fact that the trail has been divided into six sections in which residents team up to design. This project is predicted to be completed within a year, however the Big Sur fire has set them back and caused them to rethink mudslide issues, etc. The Coast Property Owners Association bring funds together, and bring resources, experts and help out during such challenged situations.

During Gold Mining a horribly polluting process takes place, and The Forest Service was allowing this process. During Jack's work at the Klamath River he learned that the Natives were upset because of the destroyed fish habitat, and land devastation. The Pelican Network helped put the word out about the situation, resulting in an amazing response by citizens. The permit to continue mining was denied due to Pelican Networks efforts, which was one of their greatest accomplishment. Go Pelicans!

We asked John what everyday people can do in their lives? Yes, it is important to understand ethics when it comes to things like off shore drilling. There is a hysteria about fuel cost, and we are confused about the appropriate answer. We must join hands with others and work towards what is appropriate, finding and utilizing renewable energy sources. As citizens Jack suggests that we can get together with others and discuss topics in which you really care. Take some notes about where your concerns lye, and then take steps towards changing and improving these situations.
It is very rewarding to find that we are capable of making change. And sharing in dialog is where it all begins.

What's going on with the Celebrate Big Sur Project?
Jack and others are inviting everyone to come to Big Sur to celebrate their renewal. Let's GO! Lets help celebrate their recovery after the fire. They need us, and we need Big Sur.
You can reach Jack at Pelican Network, by calling (831)667-2025. Leave him a voice mail with your address and he'll send you a personal invitation to Big Sur.

Thanks as always for your comments.

Thank you for listening,
Olana

Mules or Mercedes?

Lets start biking and get these vehicles off the streets!

Take a look at:

Sunday Streets SF

take a look at these pictures of sharrow's.