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Santa Lucian • March 2009 1
The official newsletter of the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club • San Luis Obispo County, California
Santa LucianSanta Lucia Chapter of the Sierra ClubP. O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE
PAIDPERMIT NO. 84
SAN LUIS OBISPOCA 93401
Protecting andPreserving theCentral Coast
SantaLucian
IIIII n s i d en s i d en s i d en s i d en s i d eEating steelhead 2
Reality border tour 3
The 60s, without the drugs 4
Good green jobs 6
Water experts on tap 9
Classifieds 11
Outings 12
Please recycle
This newsletter printed on100% post-consumer recycled paper with
soy-based inks
March 2009Volume 46 No. 3 Sick Transit
Upcoming Events
Outings leader training,March 29
To get on our e-alertmailing list, send your
e-mail address [email protected] “subscribe e-alerts”
in the subject line.
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by Eric Greening
It is ironic that the same statelegislature and governor who passedand signed AB 32 and SB 375, withtheir calls for transit oriented devel-opment, would so readily raid StateTransit Assistance money to pretendto balance the budget. This, and the reductions in sales taxrevenue, have left transit providers ina difficult fix; at a time when moreand more people are flocking to thebuses, less and less money is tricklinginto the system. Nonetheless, on February 4th, theBoard of the San Luis Obispo Re-gional Transit Authority took a stepback from implementing service cuts,although this issue will likely berevisited before the next fiscal yearbegins on July 1st. Every year, the Council of Govern-ments Board (made up of the samepeople who serve as the RegionalTransit Authority Board—all 5Supervisors plus one representativefrom each incorporated city) mustfind that there are no unmet transitneeds reasonable to meet beforejurisdictions are free to divert sales
tax moneyintended fortransit (with ameasly 2%taken off thetop forbikeways) toroad work.This commondiversion, thehabit of thecounty and allcities exceptMorro Bay andSan Luis Obispo, violates the legisla-tive intent of the TransportationDevelopment Act, the 1/4 cent of salestax receipts governed by the Act. Thelegislative intent is clear: “Becausepublic transportation systems providean essential public service, it is
desirable that such systems bedesigned and operated in such amanner as to encourage maximumutilization of the efficiencies of theservice for the benefit of the total
Wanted: Outings leaders
Take a Hike!
Nav
The Outings component of theChapter is an excellent avenuethrough which to connect withmembers, meet new people, andexplore the lands which we protect. Here’s an opportunity for you toassume an important leadership rolein sharing your love for the outdoorswith your friends and the greatercommunity. The Santa Lucia Chapterwishes to increase the number ofqualified Outings Leaders andincrease the variation on types ofoutings. We want your involvementand imaginative input! Join us for an informative and funday where we will give you the toolsto become a qualified Sierra ClubOutings Leader!
When: Sunday, March 29Where: Sierra Club office at 547Marsh Street, San Luis ObispoCost: First Aid Class is $25.
The Outings LeadershipTraining (OLT) and after-party areFREE! If you are already FirstAid certified, then you arewelcome to just show up for thefree OLT segment and stay for thefood and company after. For
The Bureau of Land Management hasreleased the public dreaft of theResource Mangement Plan for CarrizoPlain National Mangement Plan(RMP). Now they need to hear fromyou. Specifically, they need to hear thatthe Monument is a special and fragileplace –that’s why it was given specialstatus, and the way it is managedshould be special, too. The Carrizo Plain National Monu-ment is a uniquely diverse landscape.It is a singular place of national andworldwide significance. Its species, communities andecosystems are extremely rare andimperiled. The very future of itsextraordinary plants and animals,unique ecosystems and other out-standing features could very welldepend on the decisions made in theRMP. Because of its significance, designa-tion as a National Monument andinclusion in the National Landscape
Conservation System, the BLM shouldmanage the Carrizo Plain NationalMonument differently than otherBLM lands. The BLM should prioritizeresource preservation. The Natural Area Plan and thepreferred alternative in the February2004 draft of the EnvironmentalAssessment provided a solid founda-tion for future management. The BLMshould build upon these recommen-dations. The valuable and fragile evidence ofpre-historic and historic peoplesshould be protected. Painted rock andother archaeological and historic siteswithin the Monument preserve animportant span of history. The BLMshould ensure that it manages theMonument to provide for theirpreservation and restoration. The road system on the groundshould support transportation needs
The Carrizo ManagementPlan Needs You
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2 Santa Lucian • March 2009
Change of Address? Mail changes to:
Sierra Club National Headquarters85 Second Street, 2nd FloorSan Francisco, CA 94105-3441
or e-mail:[email protected]
Visit us onthe Web!
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Outings, events, and more!
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EDITORKaren MerriamCleve NashJack McCurdyEDITORIAL BOARD
The Santa Lucian is published 10 times ayear. Articles, environmental informationand letters to the editor are welcome. Thedeadline for each issue is the 11th of theprior month.
send to:Editor, Santa Lucianc/o Santa Lucia Chapter, Sierra ClubP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA [email protected]
Santa Lucia Chapter
2009 Executive CommitteeKaren Merriam CHAIRJack Morrow
Cal French MEMBER
Mark Shefrin MEMBERSteven Marx TREASURER
Melody DeMeritt MEMBER
Linda Seeley MEMBER
Cal French COUNCIL OF CLUB LEADERS
Committee ChairsPolitical Chuck TribbeyConservation Sue Harvey [email protected] Cal FrenchLitigation Andy GreensfelderNuclear Power Task Force Rochelle BeckerWaterTask Force Jack Morrow
Other Leaders
Open Space Gary Felsman 805-473-3694Calendar Sales Bonnie Walters 805-543-7051Chapter History John Ashbaugh 805-541-6430
ActivitiesOutingsJoe Morris [email protected]/Kayak open
Webmaster Monica Tarzier [email protected]
General InformationSanta Lucia ChapterP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA 93406
Chapter DirectorAndrew [email protected]
Andrew Christie
VICE CHAIR [email protected]
Printed by University Graphic Systems
Office hours Monday-Friday,11 a.m.- 5 p.m., 547-B MarshStreet, San Luis Obispo
The Executive Committee meetsthe third Friday of every month at12:00 p.m. at the chapter office,located at 547-B Marsh St., SanLuis Obispo. All members arewelcome to attend.
It was one of those news stories thatseems to come into existence just toprovide a dramatic illustration of asocial divide and seize the popularimagination; a dramatic tableau witha plaque affixed a the bottom of theframe reading something like “ADilemma For Our Time:” Homelessman gets ten days in the slammer foreating a protected fish. And so it was. For weeks afterreporting the story of the fatefulcreekside meeting of Victor ManuelSilva, a victim of economic devasta-tion, and a steelhead trout, victim ofenvironmental destruction -- and alsopregnant, the loss of her roe causing asignificant blow to the survival of thespecies -- the Tribune editorialized,printed waves of letters, and con-ducted on-line polling memorializingthe incident. What did we all think?Should he have been let off with awarning? Or if ya gotta eat, ya gottaeat? Or is the law the law? The usual sides formed up, holdingforth on our overregulated society,the elevation of concern for a fishover the Rights of Man, etc. Class warraised its inevitable head, with writerssuggesting that latte-sipping yuppieswere condemning the downtroddenwhile reclining on their velvet divans.Others pointed out that the CEOs ofthe companies polluting, dammingand developing steelhead habitatdon’t seem to be spending manynights in jail. While later reports took some of thesteam out of the story – the gentle-man in question evidently was nothomeless, was allegedly in thecountry without benefit of citizenshipor passport and had a parole violation;otherwise, yes, he would have gottenoff with a citation – the centralconflict remained, and the wrestlingmatch and pot-shots fired over thespecies and class divides just as futile. No one suggested that we might dobetter to focus our attentions onremedying the conditions that put thesteelhead into environmental inten-sive care and put that man in a placewhere he didn’t have many options indetermining where his next meal wascoming from, nor was it pointed outthat both of these problems aresymptoms of the same disease. To that end, we direct your atten-tion to page 6 of this issue, and ourreport on the Good Jobs/Green Jobsnational conference held last monthin Washington, D.C., just as thefederal stimulus bill arrived in the
Senate. The point of the conference wasthat focusing economic recoveryefforts on building a green economywill actually address and help toresolve several problems at once:Creating new industries, cuttinggreenhouse gas emissions, cleaningup the pollution of our air and water,and lifting millions out of povertywho have been permanently disen-franchised by the inequities inherentin the old economy. Locally produced,decentralized power is key to thatnew, green economy. Green jobtraining is essential to making ithappen. An end to the dumping oftoxic substances on low-incomecommunities is part of that neweconomy. A carbon-free, nuclear-freemodel (see facing page) will make ithappen. An economic model ofcorporate trade like the one thatdrove down wages and living condi-tions south of the border manydecades ago under what was thencalled colonialism and is now calledNAFTA (see facing page) — which hasalso driven indigenous farmers offtheir land, and can take credit fordriving any number of undocumentedimmigrants to the banks of steelheadcreeks with fishing poles in hand —is definitely not part of that new, cleangreen economy. A dirty recovery -- one that simplyreestablishes what was there before --“would be worse than no recovery,” asJonathan Schell of The NationInstitute recently pointed out. “Itwould be the quickest path to a biggerbust…. The just-crashed ‘successful’economy, excellent as it was inproducing cheap goods, was alsoproducing environmental catastro-phe.” What was articulated by the BlueGreen Alliance over those three daysin D.C. is a vision for a future thatprovides a real job at a decent wagefor that disenfranchised man on thebanks of San Luis Obispo Creek,making him a sustaining member of afunctional community, while provid-ing that trout with an unchokedstream and unfouled habitat that letsher function as a vital part of anecosystem that sustains her speciesand ours. And when that day comes, as abonus, we can stop yelling at eachother on letters pages about whodeserves the most punishment forhow screwed up everything is. We’llhave something better to do.
Our Steelhead, Ourselves
wall or desk calendar
when you buy direct from the Chapter, you support ourconservation work in
San Luis Obispo County
To order, call 543-7051
2009 Sierra Club Calendars
$10firstquartersale!
Admin and Development Kim Ramos Education and Outreach Barry Valencia
Coordinators
Santa Lucian • March 2009 3
40 Years with the Mothers for Peace
In 1994, the North American FreeTrade Agreement (NAFTA) wasimplemented, leading to a corporaterush for the border as companieshurried south in search of lowerwages and environmental regulations.As a result, industrial waste continuesto pollute the water and air along theborder while many factory workersstruggle to support themselves andtheir families on meager pay andbenefits. To see for yourself the impacts ofNAFTA and this free trade model onthe environment and communities,join the Sierra Club’s Responsible
On January 24, the Sierra Club’sCalifornia Nevada Regional Conserva-tion Committee voted to approve a“Carbon-Free, Nuclear-Free State-ment of Principles.” The Committee recommended thatnational Sierra Club do the same, andrecommend the Statement to theObama Administration for appropriateconsideration in upcoming energy-climate policy decisions.
The annual election for the Club’sBoard of Directors is now underway.Those eligible to vote in the nationalSierra Club election will receive in themail (or by Internet if you chose theelectronic delivery option) yournational Sierra Club ballot. This willinclude information on the candidatesand where you can find additionalinformation on the Club’s website. The Sierra Club is a democraticallystructured organization at all levels.The Club requires the regular flow ofviews on policy and priorities from itsgrassroots membership in order tofunction well. Yearly participation in elections atall Club levels is a major membershipobligation. Your Board of Directors isrequired to stand for election by themembership. This Board sets Clubpolicy and budgets at the nationallevel and works closely with theExecutive Director and staff tooperate the Club. Voting for candi-dates who express your views on howthe Club should grow and change isboth a privilege and responsibility ofmembership. Members frequently state that theydon’t know the candidates and find itdifficult to vote without learningmore. Visit the Club’s electionwebsite: www.sierraclub.org/bod/2009election. This site provides linksto additional information aboutcandidates, and their views on avariety of issues facing the Club andthe environment. The candidates are:
Laurence Gibson (TX)Chris Warshaw (CA)Frank Morris (NY)David A. Scott (OH)Robin Mann (PA)Rafael K. Reyes (CA)Lane E. Boldman (KY)Phil Wheeler (CA)
You should use your own judgmentby taking several minutes to read theballot statement of each candidate.Then make your choice and cast yourvote. Even if you receive your electionmaterials in the mail, the user-friendly Internet voting site will savetime and postage.
The Other Side of the Fence:US-Mexico Border Reality Tour
The San Luis Obispo Mothers forPeace invites you to join us incelebrating 40 years of activism onbehalf of the land, the people, andfuture generations of the CentralCoast. The celebration will takeplace April 25, at the Odd FellowsHall on Dana St. in San Luis Obispo.The festivities begin at 7 p.m., withlots of great hors d’oeuvres and ano-host bar with great local wines.Donations will be welcomed andthere will be a live auction sellingservices provided by members andsupporters of Mothers for Peace:dinner for four, house cleaning, aday’s sail on a 35-foot sloop, andMORE. Come celebrate with us! MFP was launched when, in 1969,a young mother wrote a letter to theeditor of the local newspaper askingthat people who shared her frustra-
Register by March 6
NationalSierra ClubElection isUpon Us
tion at the needless loss of life in theVietnam War join her in searching outways to act effectively as a group. Theshared values and compelling need toact that originally brought the grouptogether have continued to character-ize the Mothers for Peace. In that same year the Hosgriearthquake fault was discovered byoil geologists just three and a halfmiles off shore from Diablo Canyon.PG&E did not recognize the fault forseveral more years, and in installingseismic bracing accidentally read itsblueprints in reverse, necessitating acostly retrofit that added billions ofdollars and several years to construc-tion costs. In 2008, another fault wasdiscovered to be even nearer to thepower plant. Its significance is yet tobe evaluated. The Mothers joined with the
Abalone Alliance in 1977, and in 1979forty thousand people gathered at ananti-nuclear rally organized by theAbalone Alliance that included aspeech by Governor Jerry Brown, whocalled for a moratorium on theconstruction of nuclear plants inCalifornia until and unless theproblem of storage of nuclear wasteswas resolved. Fast forward to 2006 when Mothersfor Peace attorney, Diane Curran, wona favorable ruling from the NinthCircuit of the U.S. Court of Appealsthat the NRC must study the environ-mental effects of a terrorist attack onthe proposed dry-cask storage facility.The NRC has still not fully compliedwith that ruling, so the MFP has againappealed to the Ninth Circuit Court.The costs of this appeal are expectedto be between $70,000 and $100,000,so contributions to the legal work ofMothers for Peace are welcome. The Mothers for Peace is a localnonprofit, but its work for improvingthe safety of all nuclear power plantsthroughout the U.S. has been widelyrecognized. It advocates conservingenergy and bringing about thesustainable, renewable energyrevolution, a commitment as strongas its commitment to stop thegeneration of more nuclear wastewith nowhere to go. None of this could have been donealone, and the Mothers for Peace aregrateful for all the help we havereceived from other individuals andorganizations through the years. The Mothers for Peace website ishttp://mothersforpeace.org
Trade Program on April 24-26, 2009,for a tour of the border in Tijuana,Mexico. Beginning in San Diego on Friday,April 24th, we will cross the borderinto Tijuana, where, over the courseof our two days in the border region,we will visit factories, dump sites andworkers’ settlements. Participants willalso have the opportunity to speakwith factory workers and activistsworking to improve environmentalprotections, workers rights, andpublic health. Culminating with a stop at theborder fence in San Diego, the tour
will provide participants with a “oneof a kind” opportunity to learn moreabout the far-reaching impacts of ourinternational trade agreements. Tour costs, including food and localtransportation during this three-day,two-night tour, will be subsidized bythe Sierra Club; however, participantswill be asked to cover a $200 accom-modation fee in addition to travel andpersonal expenses. In exchange, we’llask you to share your experience withfriends and family upon your return.For a detailed itinerary, visitwww.sierraclub.org/trade/bordertouror contact Susan Ellsworth at
202-548-6593 or [email protected]. Space is limited for this amazingopportunity and applications must bereceived by March 6!
Note: The Sierra Club is closelymonitoring the safety of travel toTijuana at this time. We will be sureto update participants when and ifcircumstances change.
The Carbon-Free, Nuclear-Freecampaign invites everyone to be partof the project of building the worldyou want to live in by changing yourlocal energy source, getting yourvoice heard, or influencing nationalleaders. You can join the CFNFAlliance and they’ll plug you into anetwork of people working for acarbon-free, nuclear-free future. Go towww.ieer.org/carbonfree.
No Carbon, No Nukes
Pointed: Sandy Silver of the MFP, taking on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in SLO in 1981.
4 Santa Lucian • March 2009
TDCscontinued from page 1
The Grand Jury Wants Youby David Georgi
You Should Consider Applying forthe Grand Jury If you would like to participate in apure form of democracy and learnabout local government, you shouldconsider applying for the Grand Jury(GJ). The GJ has a tradition that datesback to time of the Norman Conquestof England. During the Reign ofHenry II (1154-1189), a “jury ofpresentment” was established consist-ing of twelve “good and lawful men”to investigate suspected crimes. GJsexisted in colonial New England andwere included in the Fifth Amend-ment of the Constitution. In earlyCalifornia, GJs investigated localprisons and audited county books. San Luis Obispo County, like allother California counties, has a GrandJury that investigates civil issues. Theobjective of the GJ is to “shed a light”on all aspects of local government toensure they are being governedhonestly and efficiently. Any citizencan apply at http://slocourts.net/grand_jury/forms. The deadline isMarch 30. Citizens can also obtain acomplaint form at this site andcomplain about anything having to dowith local governmental agencies. GJsdo not have jurisdiction on state or
federal matters, or on issues underlitigation. I applied last year and was one of 19jurors selected. One of my mainmotives was to learn about localgovernment and I was not disap-pointed. In the first few months,jurors were given extensive training.Key government officials and stafferscame to explain what they did in theirjobs. I soon was conversant withterms like “Community ServiceDistrict,” “LAFCO,” “joint powersagreement,” and learned to associatefaces with the names that frequentlyadorn local newspapers. Local newsstories now have an operatic dramabecause I have developed familiaritywith the complex political maneuver-ing and riveting personal motivationsthat underlie them. There are many cool features ofbeing on the GJ. In the first fewweeks, you get taken to the Sherriff’sDepartment to be photographed andissued an official GJ badge. You getofficial GJ business cards and key to acute little house downtown, known asthe “Grand Jury House.” The countypays you mileage for GJ business andyou receive the princely sum of $15per day for jury duty. Along with the
19 selected Jurors, eleven alternatesare chosen to fill in as Jurors dropout. The GJ conducts regular businesstwo mornings per week and thenpursues individual investigations asnecessary. GJs have several specific responsi-bilities. Jurors tour all holding cellsand evidence rooms in the county.They are shown complete tours of theprison and disaster center. Each week,the foreperson reads any new citizencomplaints and the jury decideswhether to investigate it. Eachcomplaint is given a number, and it issurprising how fast they add up. GJsare also empowered to identify cases,that is, issues generated by jurors.Cases are identified by letters. TheSLOGJ usually accumulates severaldozen cases and complaint investiga-tions in a year. Grand Juryies possess severalpowers. Witnesses can be asked totestify, and the proceedings arerecorded for later reference. Wit-nesses are admonished that every-thing asked and answered during theinterview, including who said what, isconfidential. Breaching this confiden-tiality is subject to contempt of court.Jurors are under the same admonish-
by Jon Barrows, SSC Training Director
Sierra Student Coalition Youth Leadership Training Opportunities
ment. Witnesses can be sworn, as in acourt case. And, if necessary, wit-nesses can be subpoenaed. Govern-ment agencies are required to provideany documentation needed by the GJ. The GJ is organized into commit-tees and subcommittees for specificinvestigations. When an investigationends, the pertinent committeeappoints a juror to write a draft reportfollowing a prescribed template. Thereport is reviewed by the committeeand then passed to an editorialcommittee. The revised report is sentto County Counsel for fact checking,and returned to the whole GJ, whichvotes whether to make it public. Ittakes 12 of the 19 jurors to approveincluding the investigation report inits final report. The final report isreleased at the end of the GJ year andis made available to local newsorganizations and governmentalagencies. It is published on the GJweb site. Government agencies thatare the subject of investigations mustrespond to the report. Each year, theGJ reviews the previous report andinvestigates any developments. The composition of my GJ is mostly
Correction:
The article “On Smokoska Time”(January) referred to Ken Smokoskaas chair of Sierra Club California’sEnergy and Climate Change Commit-tee. Ken was Chair from 2003-2008and is currently a member of thecommittee. The committee is chairedby Jim Stewart and Ed Mainland.
Learn to Lead: We’llTeach You How!
Students at high schools and oncollege campuses around the countryhave been busy. Last fall, theycollected 350,000 pledges from theirpeers, committing to civic engage-ment around building a clean energyeconomy. This February, theygathered in record numbers (10,000strong!) in our nation’s capitol forPower Shift ’09 (www.powershift09.org), to deliver a message to ourleaders: we need bold climate actionnow! Youth are also active at the locallevel, passing green fees to purchaserenewable energy and retrofit oldbuildings, passing policies thatrequire new buildings to meet LEEDcertification standards, convertingvehicle fleets to bio-diesel, gettingtheir schools to commit to reducinggreenhouse gas emissions to zeroover the next couple decades, anddemanding national leaders followtheir lead. And that’s just the begin-ning. It’s like the ‘60s without thedrugs. How did they do it? Many of thesestudents attended one of the SierraStudent Coalition’s Summer Environ-mental Leadership Training pro-grams. In 2009, the SSC will runnine programs across the country (seewww.ssc.org/sprog for dates and
continued on page 9
continued next page 10
Santa Lucian • March 2009 5
Going to Bat
WHAT: Meet and greet County Supervisor, Adam Hill at “Art after Dark”WHERE: ECOSLO (1204 Nipomo Street, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93401)WHEN: Friday, March 6th, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Take your part; enjoy Art and your local Supervisor after Dark!
The Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo County (ECOSLO) is participat-ing in Art after Dark by providing an opportunity for our community to meetwith a member of the County’s Board of Supervisors while enjoying a localstudent’s artwork. On Friday, March 6th, supervisor Adam Hill will be featured along with theartwork of a high school student from his district. Please drop by ECOSLO at1204 Nipomo Street from 5:30 – 7:30 PM for a chance to mingle with one ofour County’s leaders. This is a great opportunity for citizens to get involved! For more information, call 544-1777 or e-mail [email protected] night: Mr. and Mrs. Hill on election night 2008.
Will Montana de Oro State Park remain free to the public, requiring theCounty to forfeit revenues from state-owned facilities it currently administers,or will a user fee be imposed? Or is there a third option? When Los Osos resident Gwen Taylor saw theAT&T Asia-America Fiber Optic Cable Project coming down the pike, shethought there just might be. The cable will come ashore at the Park’s SandspitBeach parking lot, and cross Pecho Valley Road and Clark’s Gap Road. Mightthe County be owed something for the use of public land? Taylor contacted the Los Osos Community Advisory Council, who contactedCounty Supervisor Bruce Gibson. On January 6, Supervisor Gibson, joined byJanice Rohn (left) and Linde Owen of LOCAC, attended the State LandsCommission’s presentation of the Environmental Impact Report on the trans-Pacific cable project. Gibson spoke in favor of the idea of including a condi-tion of the project whereby AT&T – either as mitigation, compensation for theuse of public land, or just as a gesture of good corporate citizenship — wouldsupply the annual funding for the park that is otherwise proposed to come outof user fees. Stay tuned.
My Dear SootiesHow remarkable they arethe sooty shearwatersgliding like bomber pilots around the bayThey appear like a cloud of mistdarting in and out of my gazeas they vanish for a moment, returning when the “white flash” of their wingsshimmers in the sun,a swath of silver in the sky, like a waving flag in a magic trick.
They are the estuary entertainerszipping high, low, clumped like a swarm of beesmystifying in their movements;I give this show—nature’s play—my awe and an ovation.
Kalila VolkovFebruary 2009
continued on page 5
On Friday, February 6th, close to 200public officials, educators, andconcerned citizens attended theRenewable Energy Education Forum(REEF) at the Veteran’s Hall in SanLuis Obispo. Presented by theStrategic Energy Alliance for Change(SEA Change), the event featuredkeynote speaker Cisco DeVries,Managing Director of RenewableFunding, speaking on AB 811, therecent state legislation that allows forthe creation of a community energyfinancing disrict. Three panel discus-sions provided a review of plans andvisions for local renewable energyprojects on the Central Coast, and anoffering of available resources forimproving energy efficiency inbusiness and home remodels. Round-ing out the renewable energy forumwas an all-day exposition of alterna-tive energy options. Renewable Funding offers a turnkeysolution package for a city or county
to create a community financingauthority for renewable energy andenergy efficiency. CityFIRST is agovernment program that provides astraightforward financing method tohelp homeowners and small busi-nesses convert their property to cleanenergy. The CityFIRST program isfinanced by revenue bonds, whichprovides participants with a reason-able interest rate, fixed for 20 years.San Luis Obispo County and theCities of San Luis Obispo, PasoRobles, Atascadero, Morro Bay, PismoBeach and Grover Beach can imple-ment this program with minimalupfront or administrative costs whileproviding leadership to dramaticallyreduce energy costs, boost the localeconomy and reduce our greenhousegas emissions. Sierra Club members can help toprovide the leadership for rapiddeployment of climate change
Art &Adam
Local Opportunities forRenewable Energy
6 Santa Lucian • March 2009
Workin it: Sierra Club stalwarts man the booth at the Green Jobs Expo on exhibtion floor.
A Profound Movementby Andrew Christie, Chapter Director
In a stroke of incredibly good acciden-tal timing, the second annual GoodJobs/Green Jobs National Conference,an event bringing together more than2,000 business, labor and environ-mental advocates to shape thenational dialog on a new greeneconomy, took place in Washington,D.C., two weeks after Barak Obamabecame President of the United Statesand at the precise moment when theU.S. Senate was beginning to debatethe American Recovery and Reinvest-ment Act of 2009, including $100billion worth of clean energy initia-tives. Neither of these things – nor thecurrent economic condition ofAmerica and the world — were knownto be in the offing when planning forthe conference began almost a yearearlier, aiming for February 4-6, 2009. That planning was done by the BlueGreen Alliance, a national partnershipbetween labor unions and environ-mental organizations dedicated toexpanding the green economy andadvancing the rights of workers,comprised of United Steelworkers,Sierra Club, CommunicationsWorkers of America, Natural Re-sources Defense Council, Laborers’International Union of North Americaand Service Employees InternationalUnion. The three days of “Good Jobs,Green Jobs: Making a Down Paymenton the Green Economy” consisted ofeducational programs, speakers andnetworking opportunities that all hadfour goals:
Bring national focus to thespecific policies, public investmentsand funding mechanisms necessary toaccelerate the growth of the greeneconomy
Illustrate the job growth potentialof global warming solutions
Demonstrate the breadth of thecoalition that supports the transitionto a clean, renewable energy economy
Highlight the potential of thegreen economy to forge a new socialagenda that lifts Americans out ofpoverty, improves public health andstrengthens our middle class. Or as Robert Pollin, author ofGreen Recovery: A Program to Create
The environment, labor, investment and social justice converge at “Good Jobs, Green Jobs” conference
Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy put it, writing inthe February 16 issue of The Nation,“The transformation to a clean energyeconomy can…serve as a major long-term engine of job creation [and] canalso become a cornerstone of a long-term full employment program in thiscountry, which in turn will be themost effective tool for moving peopleout of poverty and into productiveworking lives. In short, the transitionto a clean energy economy has thecapacity to merge the aims of envi-ronmental protection and social
justice to a degree that is unprece-dented. It is an opportunity that mustnot be lost.” The conference was the hottestticket in town, quickly growing tomore than twice the size of its first-year convocation in Pittsburgh. The
Blue Green Alliance had sold out thehall and been forced to shut down on-line registration weeks before, butrequests for registration kept comingin. All of the participants who packedthe plenary sessions and workshopsfor all three days at downtown D.C.’sOmni Shoreham and MarriottWardman Park hotels were aware ofthe historic moment. Conference goal#3 – “demonstrate the breadth of thecoalition” – was front and centerthroughout in the visible convergenceof the interests and strengths of thelabor, social justice and environmen-tal movements. That this agenda came to unfold afew blocks away from the simulta-neous deliberations of the Senate overthe administration’s $800 billioneffort to dig us out of the hole thatdecades of unfettered predatorycapitalism have dropped us all into(“We now see the collapse of aneconomy built on ever-increasinginequality,” as Apollo Alliance ChairPhil Angelides put it) lent immediacyto the proceedings. “How’s it feel tobe in the right place at the righttime?” asked a smiling Sierra ClubPresident Allison Chin, as a crowd of2,000 roared back. Scheduled presenters such as
Senators Debbie Stabenow (D-MI),Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and SherrodBrown (D-OH) had to rush back tothe Senate immediately after speakingin order to vote on amendments tothe Recovery Act. “We’re getting a lotof opposition from the same folkswhose policies put us where we aretoday,” Stabenow said. “We want to bebipartisan, but we don’t want to goback to that.” The Senator said shewanted to see more electric vehicles“with batteries made here in theU.S.,” then apologized for cuttingshort her remarks but she had to getback to the Senate in order to add aplug-in electric vehicle provision tothe Recovery Act, joined by MariaCantwell (D-WA) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT).
United we stand Conference participants —including many of the 250 Sierra Clubmembers who attended from chaptersacross the country – returned thefavor, dropping in on legislators intheir Capitol Hill offices to bringthem the message that we are in themidst of an environmental andeconomic crisis and we want to seepolicies that match the problem andan investment in job-creating clean
Nothing the matter with Kansas: Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius told the story of how her state became the first in the nation to cancelplans for a coal-fired power plant due to concerns over greenhouse gas emissions.
Bull session: The Sierra Club delegation gathers for a conference re-cap.
Santa Lucian • March 2009 7
energy technologies. Dr. Jim Stewart,Co-chair of the Sierra Club CaliforniaClimate-Energy Committee, joined inlobbying the California delegation inthe House of Representatives, visitingthe offices of Joe Baca (D-43), LindaSanchez (D-39), Dennis Cardoza (D-18), Pete Stark (D-13), Bob Filner (D-51), and Xavier Becerra (D-31). “Welobbied them on energy efficiency andinfrastructure upgrades, long-termextension of cleanenergy tax incentives,loan guarantees fordomestic manufactur-ing and job retraining,investment in trans-portation infrastruc-ture and transit, andfunding the GreenJobs Act,” Stewart said. The point that this message wascoming to them from a united frontspanning tree-huggers and steelworkers was not lost on the lawmak-ers. “I’m sure it was a shock for somefolks to see Sierra Club and labortogether,” said a smiling RichTrumka, Secretary-Treasurer of theAFL-CIO. “Here’s the message forthem: Get over it. We reject thenotion that you have to choosebetween good jobs and a greenenvironment.” Trumka cited the SternReport on global climate change,which characterized the climate crisisas “the greatest and widest ranging
A strong labor movement is crucial toa strong environmental movement.The Sierra Club supports the Em-ployee Free Choice Act because webelieve that reducing global warmingpollution and investing in cleanenergy will create a strong, sustain-able economy by creating millions ofgreen jobs. Our country is in direneed of an economic renewal that canprovide family and community-sustaining jobs. Allowing workers thebasic right to form a union and toplay a greater role in the workplacewill be essential to the success of agreen and healthy economy. Protecting workers’ freedom ofassociation is closely linked to theefforts to protect the environmentand communities. Workers serve asthe front line of defense againsthazardous pollution, chemical spillsand other accidents that can devastatecommunities. Union workers arebetter trained to know about the risksof hazardous chemicals and havegreater protections if they blow the
whistle on hazards and accidents inthe workplace. Global warming represents not onlyone of the greatest challenges we faceas a generation, but also a tremen-dous opportunity. By investing in agreen energy economy we bothcombat climate change and createmillions of good jobs that helpsupport America’s working families.To fully capitalize on the potential ofthe green economy, we will need arobust and skilled workforce. Passage of the Employee FreeChoice Act represents a significantstep towards protecting workers’rights to advocate for strongerprotections for workers and forcommunities.
“Whoever said you can’t herd cats never tried a can opener”: Jim Hightower knocks ‘em dead at the evening reception.
market failure ever seen.” But can the environmental andlabor movements really get along?Aren’t there significant differencesbetween the goals of hard hats andtree huggers? Teamsters President James Hoffarecalled the impasse of the Teamstersand environmentalists over drilling inthe Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.“Then last fall,” he said, “we decided
you can’t drill yourway out of this. Weare no longer in favorof drilling in ANWR.” Hoffa rememberedmarching against theWorld Trade Organi-zation at the 1999Battle in Seattle as
the “Teamsters and Turtles” met inthe streets, in clouds of tear gas, toprotest corporate trade rules thatharm American workers and theenvironment alike. “That was the beginning of ourdialog with the environmentalmovement,” said Hoffa. “We saw whowas there for us. We looked to oneside of us and saw the Sierra Club. Welooked and we saw Public Citizen. It’sabout knowing who your friends are.” Blue Green Alliance ExecutiveDirector David Foster cited a favoritesaying of legendary pro-labor steelmagnate Henry Kaiser: “Problems arejust opportunities in work clothes.”He was joined by Leo Gerard, the
President of United Steelworkers andco-founder of the Blue Green Allianceand the Apollo Alliance, who pro-claimed “This is the Davos of theworking class and the progressivemovement,” referring to the annualWorld Economic Forum held inSwitzerland by the movers andshakers of corporate globalization.
The Employee Free Choice Act
“They said ‘We’re gonna deregulatethe financial industry and globaltrade, and the free market will takecare of us,’ ” he thundered. “This iswhere we grab the agenda and we sayto the crowd that got us into thismess, ‘We ain’t gonna go your way nomore!’ ”
A climate recovery partnership Dr. Donald Kennedy, PresidentEmeritus of Stanford and Chair of theSierra Club’s new Climate RecoveryPartnership, also got right to thepoint, echoing a passage fromPresident Obama’s inaugural address:“The good news is: Science is back.” And on global warming, “the case isclosed,” said Kennedy. “The SierraClub has launched what we’re callingthe Climate Recovery Partnership, agroundbreaking effort to solve theclimate crisis and help our environ-ment recover using new technology.This will be a serious effort in half adozen sectors to evaluate new tech-nology, support the political willneeded to bring it to us, and empowerthe Sierra Club membership, onemillion three hundred thousand bootson the ground with an abundantsupply of sweat equity in making thisa better planet to live on, by bringingthem the innovations that they needin support of their efforts.” A Regional Climate Policy panelbrought together representativesfrom the three regional climatechange initiatives in the U.S.: TheWestern Climate Initiative, (involvingseven states and four Canadianprovinces); Regional Greenhouse GasInitiative, (ten northeastern and mid-Atlantic states); and the Midwestern
Darren Springer, Senior Policy Analyst for the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices;Environment America Energy Program Director Rob Sargent; Keith Reopelle of Clean Wisconsin; andBarbara Byrd, Secretary-Treasurer of Oregon AFL-CIO, at the Regional Climate Policy workshop.
continued on page 10
8 Santa Lucian • March 2009
Tell the BLM: Painted Rock should be preseved and restored.
Letters
around the Monument, but must alsosupport protection of the Monument’snatural values: The natural splendor of the Monu-ment is best protected by limiting thenumber of roads. The BLM shouldlimit the roads in the Monument tothose that support the mission ofprotecting the Monument’s values. The BLM should consider the roadnetwork and fencing across theMonument in the context of theconnectivity of the landscape. The BLM should consider removingfences which inhibit the movement ofpronghorn. The BLM should consider closingand rehabilitating redundant roads,roads that serve no visitor or adminis-trative purpose, and roads in sensitiveresources areas. There are a number of locationswhere off-road vehicle use is occur-ring contrary to the Monumentproclamation and the currentmanagement plan. The BLM shoulddocument off-road vehicle use,analyze its impacts and develop a planto address the impacts includingsignage, law enforcement andrestoration. Grazing/invasive species need to bemanaged to protect the naturalenvironment. The BLM shouldanalyze the impacts of livestockgrazing to plant and animal speciesand ecosystems. The BLM shouldpermit livestock grazing only if it canbe demonstrated to benefit nativespecies and ecosystems. The BLM should consider phasingout the remaining long-term grazingleases and replacing them withannual free use permits if grazing isused as a resource management tool. To control exotic plant species, theBLM should analyze and consider theuse of prescribed fire in conjunction
with or as an alternative to livestockgrazing and other methods. The BLM should develop firemanagement policies and prescrip-tions for the Monument whichprovide for the use of naturallyoccurring fire to restore and maintainthe Monument’s species and ecosys-tems. Oil and gas drilling can impact thenatural landscape, plants and animals: The BLM needs to address thepotential impacts of oil and gasdrilling on split estate lands. Only responsible hunting andfirearm use should be permitted.Hunting is one of many ways thatvisitors use the monument. However,the BLMshouldconsider theimpacts ofnon-gamehunting to theMonument’secosystems andto threatenedand endan-gered speciesfound on theCarrizo Plain,including theSan Joaquinkit fox and theSan Joaquinantelopesquirrel. TheBLM shouldconsiderlimitinghunting togame speciesin season.
bullets, because lead poisoning fromthose bullets can kill the Californiacondor, an endangered species,golden eagles, and other raptors. Target shooting can result in theaccumulation of litter, soil contami-nation by lead and wildfires. It canalso impact the safety and experienceof visitors. The BLM should maintainits current policy of directing targetshooters to facilities outside theMonument. Now is the time to develop a smartapproach to managing visitors to theMonument Visitor use is expected toincrease and the BLM should identifyways to accommodate current and
future visitor use in a way which willprevent or lessen the potentialimpacts of visitor use.
TAKE ACTIONCopies of the CPNM Draft RMP/DraftEIS are available onlinewww.ca.blm.gov/bakersfield. Com-ments are due by April 22. Send yourcomments via fax: (661) 391-6143,email at [email protected], ormail to:
CPNM RMPBureau of Land Management3801 Pegasus DriveBakersfield CA 93308
Carrizocontinued from page 1
CFLs: Other questions, not sofrequently asked
The CFL article by Dr. Wollman(“Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs:Frequently Asked Questions,” Febru-ary) was very informative and helpful.I do believe there are several otherthings to ponder, before jumping onthe CFL bandwagon. What about our economy and jobs?The congress has mandated CFL usein phases over the next several years,but no USA manufacturer producesthese light sources, and is unlikely tobegin production in our nation. Thislikely means all CFL lights will comefrom China. This hurts our tradedeficit, and China does not have agood reputation for non-pollutingmanufacturing processes. Are we justgoing to offset our problems at home,by having those problems grow inChina? What about clean-up of thoseinevitably broken CFL lamps? Here isan EPA website that addresses thedangers we may be putting into ourhomes. www.epa.gov/mercury/spills/index.htm#flourescent What about our health? Thegovernment says those mercurydangers are minimal and reasonably
safe. That would be the same govern-ment that said “xx” radiation levelswere safe in the 1950’s, then reducedthe safe level exposure several timesover the next few decades. Are theyright about mercury now, or will theybe right about mercury later? Whathealth price might we really pay forthis version of energy efficiency? What about our electrical systems?When you turn on and off incandes-cent lamps, there are no voltagespikes in your wiring. When you dothe same with CFL’s, the voltage inyour home wiring can spike to over500 volts. Studies show that thesevoltage spikes damage computers andother electronic devices on anongoing basis, which may well lead totheir premature failure. With the rise of “smart homes andsmart appliances”, and the fact thatalmost all our phones, TV’s, alterna-tive energy systems, etc. have elec-tronic chips in them; how will thesevoltage spikes affect the operation ofour energy efficient systems? If evenone “smart appliance” is damaged bythese spikes, did we save any moneyby using CFL’s? If one child breaks a
CFL during “horseplay”, and breathesin the fumes, or gets the mercurypowder on their face, are we doing the“right thing”? The problems of power quality(voltage spikes, harmonics, etc.) arealready raising concerns throughoutthe industry, and changing to CFL’swill likely make that concern grow.There are devices we can install ontoour electrical systems to reduce theissues, but they will cost more money,use more energy, need to be manufac-tured somewhere, and add to electri-cal system complexity. Am I against using CFL’s? No, butI think it best to put all the facts outto the members, so they can maketheir own decisions, based on knowl-edge and logic. I use CFL’s, but onlyin select and safe physical locations,and only on circuits that do not alsohave electronic devices on the samecircuit breaker. I hope these infrequently askedquestions will provoke research anddiscourse that leads to intelligentchoices in energy conservation.
Joseph Furino, electrician
send to: [email protected], or Sierra Club, P.O. Box 15755, San Luis Obispo, CA 93406. Letters may be edited for space.
Most of these arguments are wellknown and readily answered: Incan-descent bulbs are also made in China;parents should instruct children notto play with any potentially hazard-ous household item; mercury hazardsare far better known and moreaccurately characterized today thanradiation was in the 1950s, etc. Thepoint about voltage surge, however, isa new one on us. According to EnergyStar: “While there is a brief surge inenergy use when a CFL is turned on,with today’s starting technology, thatsurge usually lasts about a tenth of asecond and consumes about as muchenergy as five seconds of normaloperation. So, even when turned onand off frequently, a CFL uses lessenergy than its incandescent equiva-lent. But because turning a CFL onand off more frequently can shortenits life and CFLs are more expensivethan incandescents, we recommendconsumers use CFLs in applicationswhere they are on for at least fifteenminutes.” No word about potential harm toother appliances. Anyone out therehave more info on this?
The BLMshouldconsiderprohibiting theuse of lead
Santa Lucian • March 2009 9
Renewablescontinued from page 3
transportation system of the state andall the people of the state, includingthe elderly, the handicapped, theyouth, and the citizens of limitedmeans of the ability to freely utilizethe systems” (Public Utilities Code99220). Nonetheless, $3 million inthe current year are being divertedfrom transit to road work by the sixjurisdictions that have this habit. Since RTA service CUTS were to bediscussed later on the same morningthat the SLOCOG Board convened tohear requests for service IMPROVE-MENTS, many of the public spoke tothe unmet needs that would suddenlybefall them if it were no longerpossible to travel among our commu-nities evenings and Sundays. RTApassengers have recently steppedforward with a meaningful fareincrease, and presented compellingarguments at the hearing, frompersonal stories to civil rights claimsbased on disability. Thus, the decision makers issued atemporary reprieve from the servicecuts, while creating a task force tosearch for efficiencies among ourfragmented and sometimes redundanttransit systems that could be imple-mented without compromising theability of the carless public to getaround. After all, the RTA is only oneof many systems providing transit inour county, albeit the one with thewidest coverage. In the two citiesthat use all their eligible TDA fortransit face challenges in balancingneeds of their local systems with theirproportionate contributions to theRTA system that connects us all.Indeed, the system in the City of SanLuis Obispo faces its own prospect ofsignificant service cuts, without thewiggle room of being able to redirectTDA funding from roads to its properuse. Thus, it is incumbent on all of usto continue to lobby the state andfederal governments to provide orrestore operating assistance for publictransit in any way they can. It is important to lobby oursenators and congresspeople to bemore generous with transit (whosefunding in the federal “stimulus” billswas a pale shadow of road money) andto make the use of transit moneyflexible so that it can be used foroperations as well as capital needs.The purpose of stimulus is to arrestthe layoff-driven slide into depression,and preventing the layoff of busdrivers, mechanics, and other staff,and of those who would lose their jobsif they couldn’t get to work, wouldhave seemed to be the most appropri-ate way to use that money. Our state legislators in the recentbudget bloodfest seemed likewiseunaware that cutting transit funds ina time when more and more peopleare unable to keep their clunkersgoing, and are finally making the shiftto buses, is unsound both environ-mentally and economically, and that
transit helps us make more efficientuse of our road system, obviating theneed for hugely expensive roadexpansions. Closer to home, we need to keep thepressure on our own local electedofficials. If you live in a jurisdictionthat diverts TDA funding to roadwork, press for a halt to this regres-sive practice! (Paso Robles is makingprogress in that direction; its diver-sion next fiscal year will be only 6%, agreat improvement from the 40% thatis the present average for otherjurisdictions that divert.) If you wantthe Council of Governments andRegional Transit Authority to con-tinue to resist the growing pressure tocut RTA service, remember theirmeeting dates of March 4th, April 8th,May 6th, and June 3rd. If you live in San Luis Obispo,encourage your Council to reachbeyond TDA in keeping its ownsystem whole while maintaining itscommitment to the regional systemto which it contributes. While itsfiscal straits are unenviable, a citythat can afford $150,000 for 10parking spaces in Mitchell Park oughtto be able to maintain a robustcommitment to public transit. And,given the extent to which it benefitsfrom an enormous jobs-housingimbalance, with huge daily surges ofworkers and shoppers who do not livethere, it has an obligation to begenerous with the Regional systemthat should carry an ever-increasingshare of that traffic. To sum up, transit is something towhich almost every public officialpays lip service. The RTA Boardrecently took a step beyond lip servicein maintaining its commitment toregional transit in the face of eco-nomic gloom and doom. But thegloom and doom won’t go away, andneither will the growing need fortransit, and the growing opportunityto find the silver lining of our hardtimes by maintaining access to morefrugal and efficient ways of gettingwhere we need to go.
Sick Transitcontinued from page 1
Grand Jurycontinued from page 4
retired people who have an activeinterest in local government. Eventhough we represent many differentpolitical views, we have bonded with amutual respect borne of intenseinvestigation of often thorny issues. My experience on the GJ hasbenefited me in several ways. Iachieved my objective of learning theprocess and players in local govern-ment. I gained enormous respect forthe various governmental officials,staff and citizens who interact in thisgrassroots dance of democracy. Andperhaps most fulfilling has been asense of achievement at putting inmany hours of hard work and study tounderstand contentious issues andmake coherent recommendations thatmay have positive effect in our localcommunity.
AB 811 is one of several creative measures that will assist California cities andcounties to implement AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006. AB811 allows for the creation of a community energy financing district. The SantaLucia Chapter and Sierra Club California has also identified AB 117, the Com-munity Choice law, as an important tool to provide local funding opportunitesto communities around the state, including San Luis Obispo County. TheCounty has included Community Choice in its Draft Conservation and OpenSpace Element update as follows: Chapter 5, Goal #1 (Energy), Policy E 1.2(“Local Control”), which states: “Determine if Community Choice Aggregation(CCA) or a similar program is a cost-effective and low-risk strategy to increaseuse of renewable energy. If CCA is a feasbile option, consider joining theprogram.”
solutions. We can learn about thestate laws, such as AB 32, AB 811, AB117, and SB 375 which require andenable significant and rapid changesin our energy procurement, produc-tion and use. We can tell our elected
So what are these laws?
officials and decision-makers that wefavor the creation of a communityenergy financing authority to assistlocal citizens, businesses, andgovernments to bring renewableenergy to San Luis Obispo County.
How to protect and manage localwater resources will be explored byarea experts and the public at a“Lunch & Learn” event presented bythe League of Women Voters of SanLuis Obispo County. The session,which is free and open to the public,will be held Thursday, March 5, at thePG&E Community Center in AvilaBeach, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The local League is reviewing itsposition on local water issues, saidAnn Garfinkel, League president, andit’s seeking input from the public. “Currently, the League’s position is insupport of policies and actions that
Wind on the ground: Harley McDonald describes the Lompoc Wind Energy Project.
Water Experts on Tapprovide for protection andefficient management of waterresources, with emphasis on conser-vation and high standards of environ-mental quality in all areas, as well asconsideration of a variety of watersupply sources, including recla-mation.” Event attendees may bring a brownbag lunch or reserve a box lunch for$15. To reserve a lunch or for moreinformation, call 543-2220 or [email protected] more details about the event, visitthe League website atwww.LWVSLO.org.
Case study: Cisco DeVries of the City of Berkeley lays out AB 811.
10 Santa Lucian • March 2009
Labor takes the stage: AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Rich Trumka, Sharon Beard of the National Institute of Envi-ronmental Health Sciences and Blue Green Alliance Executive Director David Foster field questions from the audience.
Green Jobscontinued from page 7
Greenhouse Gas ReductionAccord (six states andManitoba). The business and invest-ment communities were wellrepresented at the confer-ence workshops. DeniseBode, CEO of AWEA,provided an update on “thefastest growing energyindustry in the U.S.: “85,000people directly employed;almost double that numberindirectly employed;capacity growth of 32percent in the last 4 years inthe U.S,, which is nowbeating Germany for thefirst time. (Seewww.newwindagenda.org). Cliff Majersik of theInstitute for Market Trans-formation (www.imt.org)pointed out that “utilitieslose money on energyefficiency unless youdecouple energy sales fromutility profits;” meaning thekey to selling electricutilities on energy efficiencyis not to tie their profit tothe amount of energy theysell. But “the biggest obstacle toefficiency is the lack of trained peopleto do green building.” Weighing in with good news on thatfront was Michael Caplan ofBerkeley’s East Bay Green CorridorPartnership between the city, UCBerkeley and Lawrence BerkeleyNational Laboratory. The partnershiphas founded a Green Academy – witha four-year program in green energymanagement, engineering andarchitecture; a Green Economy MSand PhD; and community collegebridge programs and certificates intogreen building trades.
The other kind of green Others had tips for investing in thenew green energy economy. Sheri
Behrenbach of the Calvert Founda-tion, community lenders who special-ize in poverty alleviation through thecreation of green jobs and the sale of“community notes,” urged cities toavail themselves of the bond market,issuing bonds to raise capital forretrofits. Nancy Pfund of the venturecapital firm DBL Investors, the SanFrancisco outfit that bankrolled theTesla electric roadster, specializes intiny companies that can have “anembryonic influence” on the nextgeneration of companies while“enabling social, environmental andeconomic improvement in the SanFrancisco Bay Area’s low and moder-ate income neighborhoods.” Sheproclaimed her firm’s intention (takeheed, SLO) “to fight the lie that you
can’t do manufacturing in California.You can, if you put together the rightincentive package” United Nations Under-SecretaryGeneral Achim Steiner asked “Howmany people know there are alreadymore jobs in renewable energyworldwide than in the oil and gasindustries?” But he did not stint onthe dire statistics: “We have managedto reduce the biomass of largecommercial fisheries by 90 percent;25 countries have eliminated theirentire forest ecosystems; another 29have 90 percent of their forestecosystems depleted… and our loss offisheries, forests, biodiversity, deserti-fication is not an inevitable outcomeof their being six or seven billionhuman beings on the planet; it is the
outcome of an arrogance, anignorance and a lack ofresponsibility, as individuals, ascommunities, as societies.” Heexpressed the hope that in agreen New Deal, we wouldexercise our prerogative toshape the marketplace in a waythat “serves the long-termobjectives of our society.” Representative Keith Ellison(D-MN), who founded Environ-mental Justice Advocates ofMinnesota before coming toCongress, defined the differ-ence between this movementand the movements for civilrights, women’s rights and gayrights, noting that if youweren’t black, a woman or gay,respectively, you could be anally of those movements, butyou would never feel the directweight of the injustice youopposed. “This movementdoesn’t have ‘alllies,’” hepointed out. “You are alldirectly affected. Everybodycounts. Everybody matters.”
The conference closed with an address by Van Jones, thecharismatic leader of Green for All,one of those speakers that no otherspeaker ever wants to have to follow. “We can’t just stop at solar powerand not do anything about the water,the air, toxic waste and the way wetreat each other,” he said, “or we’llwind up with green bulldozers andbiofueled bombers and we’ll still havea dead planet in a hundred years.” For Jones, “This is a profoundmovement, a noble movement;something that’s been torn apart toolong, coming back together.” We’vebeen “waiting and wishing for a longtime,” he said, and we now have “achance to take the struggle from theballot box to the workplace. Thesacrifice zones of the gray economywill be the sacred zones of the greeneconomy we’re making.”
Take a Hike!continued from page 1
those not members yet, applicationswill be available as well. Partialscholarships may be available uponrequest.
The day’s schedule:
10a.m. to 1p.m.: First AidTraining hosted by the American RedCross. Along with being a member ofthe Sierra Club, one of the steps tobecoming an official leader is to beFirst Aid certified. At the end of thisshort class, you will be certified andreceive your First Aid card in themail. (CPR certification is notrequired.)
30 minute break
1:30pm to 4pm: An exclusiveOutings Leadership Training Seminarled by veteran leaders. This afternoonsegment will consist of a mini-course,“Outings Leadership Training 101,” acurriculum of practical informationfor leading a safe, enjoyable, andinformative outing. The SierraClub requires this for all who desireto conduct outings. To make thematerial more relevant to our area,three veteran leaders will givepointers, interspersed with sometimeshilarious examples of things to do andavoid when leading hikes in the greatoutdoors.
4p.m. on: Pizza, beer, andrefreshments, provided by the SierraClub. If you are so inclined, bring aside dish to share. This is a chance toshare your ideas and get to knowother new and old members of SierraClub. Come prepared to talk about a hike/outing you want to lead. We are notlimited to just trails; ideas relating tourban, historical, or botanical toursare just the beginning of a list ofvaried types of outings. During this gathering, you will alsohave the opportunity to sign up for ahike with one of our establishedOutings Leaders, during which youwill “shadow” the leader to become
more accustomed to the nuances andprotocols of leading. Share your passion for exploring thebeautiful Central Coast by becoming aLeader! Please RSVP for this event, as wehave a limited number of spotsavailable for First Aid, and space ingeneral. Contact Barrie Valencia at theSierra Club office, 805-543-8717, byMarch 23.
locations). The demand for thesetrainings has grown exponentially inrecent years. We trained twice asmany youth in 2008 as in 2007. While the demand is intense, weneed as much help as we can get tospread the word about the programs.Iif you are a high school or college-aged youth, or know any; if you are ateacher or know one, please pass theword along about these programs.” Participants learn from some of thetop youth organizers in the nation in
these peer-to-peer training programs.Over the course of the week, partici-pants learn how to start or sustain agroup, recruit and develop newleaders, engage in strategic campaignplanning, plan effective events, workwith the media, engage their leadersand much, much more. Additionally,participants will enjoy playing games,hiking, and meeting other like-minded students. Every year, the program changeslives. Participants leave inspired and
empowered to be leaders and bringout leadership in others. This is theway we build a movement. Past participants have gone on tobecome National Director of theSierra Student Coalition, sit on theSierra Club’s National Board ofDirectors, land jobs working for theSierra Club, SSC and other environ-mental groups and dozens of otherprominent leadership positions onnational and local levels.
According to past participants, theprogram “bridges the gap betweenwanting to make a difference, andactually being able to make one.”Students really do leave being a forcefor change! If you’d like to make a donation insupport of these programs, you cansend a check to Sierra StudentCoalition, 408 C St. NE, Washington,D.C. 20002, payable to “SierraStudent Coalition.”
Sierra Studentscontinued from page 4
Santa Lucian • March 2009 11
ClassifiedsNext issue deadline is March 11. Toget a rate sheet or submit your adand payment, contact:Sierra Club - Santa Lucia ChapterP.O. Box 15755San Luis Obispo, CA [email protected]
11
541-2716 [email protected]
Law Offices of Jan Howell MarxA Client Centered Practice
BusinessMediation
Environmental LawElder LawReal Estate
Wills and Trusts
12 Santa Lucian • March 2009
Hiking Classifications:
Distance: 1 = 0-2 mi., 2 = 3-5 mi.,3 = 6-9 mi., 4 =10-12 mi.,5 = 12 mi. or more.
Elevation Gain: A = 500',B = 1000', C = 1500', D = 2000',E = 2500', F = 3000' or more.
All of our hikes and activitiesare open to all Club membersand the general public. If youhave any suggestions for hikesor outdoor activities,questions about the Chapter’souting policies or would liketo be an outings leader, callOutings Leader Gary Felsman(473-3694). For informationon a specific outing, pleasecontact the outing leader.Outings Leaders please getyour outings or events in bythe 1st for the next month’soutings.
Outings and Activities Calendar
May 1-4July 17-20August 7-10September 11-14
Come and explore the wild, wind-swept islands of Channel IslandNational Park. In spring, the islandsare ablaze with wildflowers. Thepristine waters of the Marine Sanctu-ary will entice both snorkelers andkayakers in all seasons. Watch for thehighly endangered Island Fox. Marvelat the sight of whales, dolphins, seaand land birds, endemic plants, andreminders of the Chumash peoplewho lived on these islands for thou-sands of years. All islands are ringedwith rugged shorelines and dottedwith sea caves. Each island offersspecial charm: San Miguel for whitesandy beaches and a huge congrega-tion of elephant seals; Santa Rosa fora rare stand of Torrey Pines; SantaCruz for high mountains, deep valleysand the famous Painted Cave,Anacapa for the brown pelicanrookery, a picturesque lighthouse,excellent snorkeling waters and acolony of friendly sea lions who willswim with snorkelers and follow
kayaks. Cruises depart from Santa Barbaraaboard the 68’ twin diesel Truth. Thefee, $950, includes an assigned bunk,all meals, snacks, beverages, plus theservices of a ranger/naturalist whowill travel with us to lead hikes oneach island and present eveningprograms. The proceeds from thesefundraising cruises will benefit SierraClub’s political programs in Califor-nia. To make a reservation mail a $100check, payable to Sierra Club toleader: Joan Jones Holtz, 11826 TheWye St., El Monte, CA 91732. Contactleader for more information: 626-443-0706; [email protected]
This is a partial listing ofOutings offered by our chapter.
Please check the web pagewww.santalucia.sierraclub.orgfor the most up-to-date listing
of activities.
Island Hopping in Channel Islands National Park Fundraising Cruises in 2009
Sun. Mar. 1st, 0930, Bike RideThrough Nipomo: Meet at junction ofWillow * Albert Way for a tour of thisinstant city. Easy ride, no dogs, kidswelcome. Call (929-3647) or [email protected] a few days beforefor details. Sponsored by Elder Bill.
Sat., March. 7th, 9 a.m. - Noon.City of SLO, Johnson Ranch TrailWork Party: Bring gloves, water,snack and dress for the weather. Meetat the Intersection of Ontario Roadand S. Higuera Street. This City istrying to open up this are by nextspring. But needs to build 3 miles oftrail to make this happen. The morevolunteers the better to make thishappen.
Mar 8th, 0930, Sun. NATUREHIKE IN NIPOMO AREA: Easy hike.Kids & dogs welcome. Call (929-3647)or e-mail [email protected] a fewdays before for details. Sponsored byElder Bill. (Dog Owners be sure oflocation prior to bringing your pet.)
Sun, March 8, 10 a.m. Pole Catsis dedicated to leading local SierraClub day hikes and modeling thebenefits of using trekking poles (seePole Cats Can Turn You Into aQuadruped). Join us for an easy hikeon the Eagle Rock Nature Trail. Thetrailhead is located across fromCuesta College at El Chorro RegionalPark. From SLO, take Highway 1North and turn east (right) at the firstof two turn signals to El ChorroRegional Park. Follow the signs to theDay Use area, passing the ball fieldsand Botanical Garden. Park in the DayUse area at the end of the park, justbefore the locked gate. Confirm withDavid Georgi at [email protected] 458-5575 for upcomingactivities. Bipeds welcome.
2nd Saturdays, 9am-12pm,OCTAGON BARN, South Higuera,SLO: The Octagon Barn on Higuera -just south of San Luis Obispo.Restoration and development isongoing at this Historic 108 year oldbuilding site. We are in preparation toopen the Barn as part of our 25th
Anniversary Celebration Come join uson the 2nd Saturday of each month.Learn first-hand how historicalrestoration works and be part of thetransformation of San Luis Obispo’siconic Octagon Barn. Stop by tocheck it out! If you’re not “handy”contact us about joining the BarnCommittee to plan and strategize onopening the Barn for community usenext year. Call 544-9096 for details.(Sponsored by The Land Conservancyof San Luis Obispo County).
Sat., March 14th, 8 am, GiffordRanch Hike: Here’s a new place tocheck out off Route 166 east. It is nota spectacular hike, but still worth thedrive. There is no data as of yet ondistance and elevation gain. The walkis up and back on the same route.There is some very steep terrain inthe later part of the hike which someindividuals may not want to do.Estimated length is 8-10 miles, 1100ft. of elevation gain, and rating ismoderately strenuous. Expect to begone most of the day. The trailhead is27 miles east of highway 101 on route166. There is very little poison oak.Ticks are probable. Rain postponesthis to Sun. March 15th. Meet atSanta Rosa Park, SLO. Other pick uplocations Halcyon Exit commuterparking lot in A.G. and the dirtpullout at beginning of Route 166 inNipomo as the meeting spots. If youwant to meet in either of the laterplaces or want more informationplease contact Carlos to coordinate @546-0317 prior to the hike.
Sat.-Sun., March 14-15, GhostTown Extravaganza: Come with us tothis spectacular desert landscape nearDeath Valley to explore the ruins ofCalifornia’s colorful past. Camp atthe historic ghost town of Ballarat(flush toilets & hot showers). On Sat,do a very challenging hike to ghosttown Lookout City with expert HalFowler who will regale us with tales ofthis wild west town. Later we’llreturn to camp for Happy Hour, apotluck feast and campfire. On Sun, aquick visit to the infamous Rileytownsite before heading home. Group size strictly limited. Send $8per person (Sierra Club), 2 sase, H&Wphones, email, rideshare info to Ldr: Lygeia Gerard, P.O. Box 294726,Phelan, CA 92329; (760) 868-2179. CNRCC Desert Committee.
Sat., Mar. 21st, 8:00 a.m.; RocksCorral Exploratory Hike: Come take a10 – 13 mile, with unknown elevationgain as this is an exploratory hike onthe Avenales Ranch East of Pozo. Weshould have plenty of wildflowers, andpleasant weather. Bring lunch, water,sturdy hiking shoes, and plan to beout all day. Meet at the Pacific Bev-erage Company in Santa Margarita.This is not a beginner’s hike. Limit 20people. For details, reservations andmeeting place call Gary (473-3694)(5e) Rain or threat of rain cancels.
Fri.-Sun., March 20-22, Califor-nia Desert Wilderness SpringService: Enjoy our traditional springequinox fling in far-eastern Californiadesert helping BLM’s Needles officewilderness coordinator Mona Danielsrestore and improve wilderness - carcamping with central commissary byVicky Hoover. Contact Vicky,(415)977-5527, [email protected]. CNRCC WildernessCommittee and Mojave Group.
Sun, March 22, 10 a.m. PoleCats is dedicated to leading localSierra Club day hikes and modelingthe benefits of using trekkingpoles(see Pole Cats Can Turn You Intoa Quadruped). Meet at the QuarryTrail at the Cabrillo Peak trailhead.From SLO, go 12 miles north on Hwy1 to Los Osos/Baywood Park exit justbefore Morro Bay. Go south onSouthbay Blvd. and drive .7 miles tothe State Park entrance. Continuestraight for .2 miles and look for thedirt parking lot on the left. It is easyto miss. Do not wait at the Live Oaktrailhead, which is shortly after theQuarry trailhead. Confirm with DavidGeorgi at [email protected] or458-5575 for upcoming activities.Bipeds welcome.
Wednesday Hikes Return, March25th 5:30 p.m.: 1 to 2 hour hikearound San Luis Obispo. 5 - 6 milehikes with elevation gain around 1200feet. Sign up for the Hikers list formore information.:[email protected]
Sunday, March 29th; OutingsLeaders and Others Training Day: Ifyou are interested in improving youroutdoor skills and take a basic first aidcourse this activity may be for you.Come meet other like minded peopleand see what it takes to be a leader forthe Sierra Club. For more details andreservations, call 543-8717.
Sat., April 4th, 9 a.m. - Noon.City of SLO, Johnson Ranch TrailWork Party: Bring gloves, water,snack and dress for the weather. Meetat the Intersection of Ontario Roadand S. Higuera Street. This City istrying to open up this are by nextspring. But needs to build 3 miles oftrail to make this happen. The morevolunteers the better to make thishappen.
Sat., Apr 4th Tentative CarrizoPlain Outing. Watch Web Site formore details.
Sun.-Fri., April 5-10, Fencesand Flowers in the Carrizo Plain - aservice opportunity: This NationalMonument is famous for open spaces,for abundant wildlife, and for itsspringtime wildflowers. Fencessignificantly restrict the movement ofthe resident pronghorn antelope, andour service will be in modifying andremoving fences for their benefit. Wewill plan a welcome hike on April 5,three and a half days of service, and afull day for exploring the monument.Use of accommodations at GoodwinRanch included. Limited to 12participants; $30 covers 5 dinners.For more information, contact leader:Craig Deutsche, [email protected], (310-477-6670), or co-leader leader Melinda Goodwater,[email protected], (408-774-1257). CNRCC Desert Committee
