Jul
30
Jon Stewart interviewed author Robert Glennon who is currently promoting his book Unquenchable: America’s Water Crisis and What to Do About It. This may be one of the best books on water use since Marc Reisner’s 1986 classic Cadillac Desert.
Glennon uses both humor and serious research to document the folly of American water policy, and he proposes some solutions. As San Diegans it is important that all of us stay informed on this important issue, as well as potential solutions. Despite Stewart’s crude humor (in the quote below), this is a good interview–with an emphasis on the humorous side of an important issue:
Tags: Cadillac Desert, Jon Stewart, Marc Reisner, Robert Glennon, Unquenchable
Posted in Water | 1 Comment »
Jul
29
Last Thursday the San Diego County Water Authority reported to its Board of Directors that urban water use in the San Diego region from January through June 2009 dropped 9 percent compared to the same period a year ago. In addition, urban water use fell 24 percent in June 2009 compared to June 2008, thanks to cooler weather and concerted outreach from water agencies about the onset of mandatory water use restrictions in some areas. However, the need to conserve remains. Read the full news release.
Tags: San Diego County Water Authority, water
Posted in Partners, Water | 1 Comment »
Jul
27
This baby seal has an injured flipper. It took him 40 minutes of work to beach himself so that he could rest.
Among the news out of Sacramento recently was a ray of hope for the harbor seals of La Jolla.
The story of the seals is one that fits well into our push to take a STAND FOR LESS. If you visit La Jolla, the beautiful seaside community in the northern part of the City of San Diego, you can readily see an example of why less is possibly more–in this case, two hundred feet less of beaches available to humans.
La Jolla includes seven miles of curving coast along the Pacific Ocean. Along these many miles of coast, which includes some popular and beautiful beaches, are two small coves. These coves each have small beaches. The beaches, in their current state, are a smaller version of beaches that were created in the early 1930s for human use. One of the two beaches has been claimed (or reclaimed depending on your perspective) by harbor seals. Wikipedia has an excellent article on the beach and the harbor seals with more detail on this area, known as Children’s Pool or Casa Beach.
The seals have become a popular tourist attraction, but their occupation means that two hundred feet of beach, out of seven miles of coast in La Jolla, are no longer available to people. As our civilization has grown, especially in the last few centuries, human land use has wreaked havoc on the habitats of other species. Is it possible that we could use a little less of the land and create havens for other species? We discussed the importance of biodiversity in an earlier post.
Courts have ordered the City of San Diego to remove the seals creating a backlash among seal defenders. On July 20, 2009, Governor Schwarzenegger signed a law that gave the seals a reprieve. Read more about the new law and the controversy of La Jolla’s seals.
Harbor seals will spend days at sea, traveling up to thirty miles. They are known to return to the same place along the shore for rest.
What do you think? Add your comment below.
Tags: biodiversity, California, harbor seals, La Jolla, Pacific Ocean, San Diego, Schwarzenegger
Posted in Habitat restoration and preservation | No Comments »
Jul
23
Above: San Diego and Tijuana meet the Pacific, our local shining sea.
Every part of our country, and our planet, is vital to our health: The plains, the mountains, the valleys, and the waterways. San Diego Coastkeeper is devoted to the health of our bays, rivers, watersheds, and that peaceful sea known as the Pacific.
San Diego Coastkeeper works through many routes to achieve their mission. Read this brochure on protecting our ocean for future generations as just one example of their work. Did you know that today’s fisherman are catching less than half of what they did as recently as 1990, and today’s fish are 45% smaller?
Visit SD Coastkeeper’s call for volunteers page to find out how you can help. It takes work to keep our world clean and they need people who want to become ambassadors for clean water.
Their web site has more information on San Diego Coastkeeper, a local organization that is taking a stand for the aquatic world.
Let’s all do our part to promote the health of our ocean. Thanks San Diego Coastkeeper!
Tags: America the Beautiful, California, Conservation, green, Pacific Ocean, San Diego Coastkeeper
Posted in Habitat restoration and preservation | 2 Comments »
Jul
20
Ridgehaven, a city building, is an example of San Diego taking a STAND FOR LESS.
San Diego’s Environmental Services Department stays busy. Their Collection Services Division picks up the trash we generate in the city.
We are Americans, and we generate a lot of trash, though we are getting better with our waste creating, and waste management habits. In fact, as Californians, we are leaders in these areas, but we have a long way to go to truly reform our ways as trash producers. Some recycling leaders prefer that we call it resource management, not waste management—because even our trash has value when managed correctly.
One of the most important jobs for the Environmental Services Department is diverting as much waste from the landfill as possible by promoting waste reduction and recycling. Our landfill is a vital resource for our community.
Don’t believe us? Cross the border and check out what happens when waste is not handled effectively. It’s not a pretty sight. Sanitation is vital to the health and beauty of our city. It is vital for the quality of our lives and the health of our planet.
The entrance to Ridgehaven.
STAND FOR LESS is proud that San Diego’s Environmental Services Department is a partner in our effort. They take a stand for our community every day.
Greenhaven is the home of San Diego’s Environmental Services department and is a great demonstration of the greening of San Diego’s city government.
From the city: “Ridgehaven’s energy consumption is 28 percent better than the California Energy Code (2005), and the building uses half the water of a comparable commercial facility. This translates to about $100,000 in annual estimated cost savings.”
Read more about this pioneering office building.
Tags: California, City of San Diego, green building, Green construction, Ridgehaven, San Diego, San Diego Environmental Services Department, sanitation, trash
Posted in Green construction, Partners | No Comments »
Jul
17
Laura Anthony of Zero Waste San Diego is the chair of the local chapter of the California Resource Recovery Association.
STAND FOR LESS recently attended a meeting in San Diego that blew our socks off. The San Diego chapter of the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) holds a monthly meeting that attracts an inspiring collection of local leaders. The meetings are held the second Thursday of every month from 11:30 am to 1 pm and they are open to anyone. The next meeting is August 13th and includes a tour of E-World Recyclers, specialists in electronic wastes. Locations vary so send the local CRRA chair, Laura Anthony, an email for more information.
The San Diego CRRA chapter includes people who are actively working locally, nationally, and internationally to promote recycling and zero waste. For those of us who want to change the world, it is an inspiration to meet others whose daily activities are devoted to making a difference for our planet. The folks in our local CRRA chapter are succeeding and have become significant leaders in their field. They want you to join them.
CRRA meetings attract representatives from local recycling hauling companies, non-profits, environmental activists, and interested citizens. Contact Laura Anthony and get involved with the local chapter of the California Resource Recovery Association.
Be sure to visit the CRRA web site, it’s not too late to sign up for their August conference in Rancho Mirage, near Palm Springs. The conference focuses on making the zero waste philosophy a reality.
Tags: California Resource Recovery Association, CRRA, E-World Recyclers, Laura Anthony, Recycling and waste management, San Diego, zero waste, Zero Waste San Diego
Posted in Recycling and waste management | 1 Comment »
Jul
16
The San Diego Union-Tribune has an update from Washington. We are getting $1.56 million in federal stimulus funds to clean up 125 polluting school buses in San Diego County. Many of our buses are old and are spewing high quantities of carbon dioxide and other pollutants into our air.
Taking a stand for clean air is clearly an important move in the right direction. In addition to contributing to green house gases, too much pollution is a direct contributor to illnesses that are killing far too many humans every day. A stand for clean air is a stand for the health of humans and all species.
Tags: clean air, Conservation, San Diego, San Diego Union-Tribune, school buses, stimulus
Posted in Air quality | 1 Comment »
Jul
14
The Internet is changing how we communicate.
STAND FOR LESS is on Facebook, and we invite you to join us there too. If you’re already on Facebook then go to:
If you’re not on Facebook yet, you may want to join. Here’s why . . .
Our online habits have evolved with the Internet. For most of us email was the first “killer application,” and it remains a powerful tool (be sure you are on the STAND FOR LESS email list, by Taking a Stand). Social media sites like Facebook provide new ways of communicating that leverage all aspects of the Internet.
If you join Facebook, you will see how simple the process is. Using your personal email list, you might be surprised to see how many of your friends are already out there. It’s a fun way to connect and reconnect with people, issues, and causes. You choose who you connect with and who can see your updates.
STAND FOR LESS uses Facebook to update our fans on the latest happenings in the world of sustainability. We let our fans know when we’ve posted a new article on our web site. We keep our Facebook fans up to date on trends and ideas that are shaping the discussion of how we can all take a stand for our community and our planet.
An example is when STAND FOR LESS spoke with Josh Tickell, the author of Biodiesel and the creator of the film “Fuel.” A few days after we met him, Tickell was named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador for his work promoting sustainable fuel sources. While we posted information on our web site about the event where Tickell was speaking (Street Smart San Diego) many of you couldn’t make it. Yet we met this amazing man and were inspired by the work he does. The audience at the Sundance Film festival was inspired too—he won a best film audience award there.
All of this is already here on our web site, but you may have missed it because you actually have to come here. If you were following us on Facebook, the update about this U.N. Goodwill Ambassador would just show up on your main Facebook page–they call it your “wall.”
Now from the comfort of your own computer, you can gain some of the wisdom of Josh Tickell, somebody whose passion for the last decade has been learning about and promoting alternatives to petroleum. Sundance and the United Nations took note–you might pick up something too.
To join Facebook simply go to: http://tinyurl.com/SFLonFB
On the upper left there will be a button that says “Sign up.”
Try it. You have nothing to lose and it will take the mystery out of what this latest Internet tool is.
Once you’re a fan, tell your friends about our page. As a fan you will see a button on the left side of the page that says “share.” Go there and tell you friends about STAND FOR LESS.
See you on Facebook!
Tags: California, Conservation, Facebook, green, Jock Tickell, San Diego, Sundance, UN, United Nations Goodwill Ambassador
Posted in Books, art, films and ideas, STAND FOR LESS | 2 Comments »
Jul
9
San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy volunteer Christine Justice of Lemon Grove.
We met Christine Justice at the San Diego County Fair. She is a volunteer and was staffing the booth for the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy (SDRVC).
SDRVC is a local organization committed to implementing “the San Dieguito River Park and its Coast-to-Crest trail that stretches 55 miles from Volcan Mountain near Julian to the ocean between Del Mar and Solana Beach.” Read more about the accomplishments and activities of this outstanding organization.
San Diego is a center of biodiversity, and the San Dieguito River Valley is one of our region’s most diverse corridors. From Vulcan Mountain to Del Mar and the Pacific, the river valley is a host to many species.
In our public discourse the issue of biodiversity and endangered species, like so many issues, gets lost in discussions that focus on polarizing issues–the vital importance of healthy ecosystems is lost. From the spotted owl, to the snail darter, to wolves, there have been endless controversies about protecting individual species.
But consider the larger picture. We too are part of the ecosystem and we depend on it in so many ways. Did you know that if all insects were to die, the entire food chain would break down and we’d all starve within a couple of years? There are many great books that explain biodiversity and its importance, but if you have ever seen a piece of desolate land that has been over logged, or over mined, or poisoned, you have some idea of the consequences of poor stewardship. If we value our own species, we must respect and protect other species.
We are all interdependent. We forget that, or ignore that, at our own peril.
Conservancy board member Dr. Oliver Ryder discusses the issue of biodiversity in the San Dieguito River Valley in more detail in the SDRVC newsletter.
The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy is an organization that is taking a stand for an important natural resource in our region. Join Christine Justice and others and become a volunteer. Conservation requires work—and San Diego needs your help.
Learn more about SDRVC by visiting their web site.
Tags: biodiversity, California, Christine Justice, Coast to Crest Trail, Conservation, green, Lemon Grove, Oliver Ryder, park, San Diego, San Diego County Fair, San Dieguito River Valley, San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy, SDRVC
Posted in Habitat restoration and preservation, STAND FOR LESS | 1 Comment »
Jul
8
Many of us are dependent on our cars to take us where we need to go. All too often we don’t even consider public transit options. There are many advantages to public transit—first and foremost are saving money and using fewer resources.
For those of us who drive everywhere there are new tools available that help us find directions. One of these is Google maps. Google has a wonderful feature that gives you information on public transit options. When you type in the addresses to get directions there is a little drop down menu where you can choose how you want to get there. Your choices are: by car, public transit, or walking. Below that, Google simply reminds you that “Public Transit” is also an option. You can simply click on the words “Public Transit.”
We all have many considerations when planning our trips. Depending on traffic conditions public transit might be a faster choice. Sometimes public transit takes longer than simply driving, however, you can take advantage of your time riding buses and light rail to work, read, or relax. You won’t have to deal with parking when you arrive and you will likely be doing more walking—which is good for your health.
This is an effective tool that gives you more choices and makes it simple for you to consider using public transit instead of driving your own vehicle.
Please note that not all public transit authorities in the country are currently integrated in to Google maps. Lucky for us, San Diego is included.
Keep in mind public transit when you travel, and don’t forget Google makes it easy for you to consider this option.
Tags: California, Conservation, Google, Google maps, green, public transit, public transportation, San Diego
Posted in Air quality, Alternative vehicles, fuels and transportation options | 1 Comment »
