Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Up-date for basin Fire from June 29-2008

Linda Parker — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:45:05 -0700

This evening we have an update on the Basin Complex fire and the Indians fire with an updated map showing their relative locations.
KSBW has footage of the Pico Blanco fire that many of you may have seen today from Big Sur. The flames were dancing 100 feet in the air and fire was working its way into the Gorge, easily visible from the Ranger Station.
I wasn't at the Community Meeting tonight but others have been posting their impressions of the meetings on http://www.surfire2008.org

In my previous email regarding the last sentence of the Evacuation Definitions was truncated so I'll post the whole post again here. It bears repeating.

EVACUATION DEFINITIONS

The current fire situation is requiring public safety personnel to issue evacuation information. It's critical that residents who live near the fire areas know how to react to this information. What do these evacuation notices mean?

Evacuation Advisory: This is a precautionary notice designed to give residents time to prepare for a possible evacuation. If you have special needs you might want to leave the area until the threat is passed. If you have livestock that needs transporting, you should move them.
Voluntary Evacuation: You are strongly urged to leave the area. If you choose to remain, you should be prepared to take action immediately if the danger approaches.
Mandatory Evacuation: You are in jeopardy and should leave the area immediately. If you choose to remain, you may be on your own as emergency personnel likely will not be able to help you.

-------------------------
earlier report by jack:
The Community Meeting tonight was attended by more than 150 people. The Incident Commander and BSVFB Chief Frank Pinney said the fire is staying on the east side Mt. Manuel, moving north toward Pico Blanco and south toward Dolan's ridge. The firelines are nearly in place completely. The major break is along the ridge of Mt. Manuel.
An inspection team will go into the Gorge this evening to see what activity there is.
Mary Ann Vasconcellos' house seems to have been lost, as is Rona and Michael's studio.
The pass system for entering the closed road area is working well. More than 400 have been issued. If you need one, call 667 2317
Because of all the fuel load from sudden oak death and drought, Palo Colorado is in danger. The evacuation advisory has been placed on Palo Colorado - all the canyon from Highway One to the Boy Scout Camp - includes Garrapatos Road, Redwood Estates, Green Ridge, Rocky Creek Ranch, Long Ridge, Rocky Creek Road and Ray Ridge Road and everything else.
The fire has made runs toward Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp and Palo Colorado. Dozer linesare being constructed west and north of the fire to protect Palo Colorado.
The fire on the south is moving mostly southeast into the Wilderness.

There are now 1,236 fire fighting personnel in 37 crews here. Also: 84 engines, 7 helicopters, 7 air tankers and 18 dozers.
------------------------------------------

another report on Toby and Linda Rowland-Jones. They're more than OK. He's fighting the fire and she's at Redwood Grill (Fernwood) blogging with her spotted spaniel, Kipling. The pot bellied pig was rescued.
http://www.survision-bigsur.blogspot.com/
------------------------------------------------

Our friend, Mike Gilson, who lost his home on Partington Ridge, needs help with heavy-duty brush clearing at South Coast property.
Looking for one or more persons to do weedwacking and brush clearing on a South Coast property later today - Sunday - or tomorrow - Monday. I will provide transport, all tools, etc...and can pay hourly if someone needs income.

Mike Gilson
Phone: 667-0737 or 831-915-
Email: mikegilson@yahoo.com
-------------------------------------------------
Posted by Margie, 4 pm, 6/29

http://thecalifornian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080629/NEWS01/806...

June 29, 2008

UPDATE: Red Cross prepared to open new fire evacuation center if needed
The Red Cross has announced it's prepared to open an evacuation center at Carmel Valley Middle School, 4380 Carmel Valley Road, if further evacuation advisories or orders be given for the Big Sur area.
National Forest Service officials this morning issued a fire evacuation advisory for the Palo Colorado Canyon from Highway 1 to the Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp. This includes: Garrapatos Road, Redwood Estates, Green Ridge, Rocky Creek Ranch, Long Ridge, Rocky Creek Road, Ray Ridge Road and others in the canyon.

Evacuations remain in place in the Partington Ridge area.

An evacuation advisory is still in effect for residents along both sides of the Highway 1 corridor from Nacimiento-Fergusson Road north to Nepenthe turnout.

As of this morning, the Basin Complex fire in the Big Sur area had burned nearly 32,500 acres — consuming nearly 2,500 acres in 12 hours, the Forest Service said. So far 16 structures have been destroyed. The blaze remains only 3 percent con-tained and has made some runs on the northwest flank toward Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp and Palo Colorado areas.

Efforts to combat the southern portion of the fire will concentrate near Nacimiento-Fergusson Road.

Public meetings are held daily at 7 p.m. at the Big Sur Visitor Center/Multi-Agency Facility.

Major concerns in the Pico Blanco and Palo Colorado areas include structures, heavy fuel loads due to sudden oak death, threats to the communities of Big Sur and Palo Colorado and the Carmel watershed.

Active fire behavior on the southern end is limiting opportunities for containment actions. The fire moved south of Dolan Ridge where crews were putting in a dozer line. Crews will continue to hold the fire near Dolan Ridge, but are also construct-ing line along Nacimiento-Fergusson Road.

Firefighters have nearly completed hazard reduction around structures in the Tassajara area.

Dozer line construction will continue from Laurel Springs northwest to Los Padres Dam along Chews Ridge and from the MIRA Observatory east along the ridge north of Piney Creek following existing dozer lines where possible.

Highway 1 will remain closed from Nepenthe to Lucia. Closures are subject to change at any time based on fire conditions. Residents can obtain a pass from the Big Sur Visitor Center to allow for access through the closure.

Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is closed. All national forest lands north of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road are closed to public access.

Meanwhile, progress continues to be made in containing the Indians Fire west of King City, with full containment ex-pected by Thursday, July 3.

Arroyo Seco Road is closed to the public from the junction of Arroyo Seco Road and Carmel Road to the west.

All national forest lands north of the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road are closed to public access.

Arroyo Seco-Indians and Cone Peak Roads are closed.

Memorial Campground, Escondido Campground, and Arroyo Seco Campground and Day Use Area are closed.

Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is open, as well as coastal campgrounds and day use areas south of this road.

Closures are subject to change at any time based on fire conditions.

The Monterey-San Benito Counties Chapter of the American Red Cross' Evacuation Site at Greenfield Elementary School at 490 El Camino Real in Greenfield closed at 8 p.m. Friday. Individuals or families requiring disaster-related assistance due to the Indians Fire are asked to call 831-809-5861.

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Tonight's meeting

Linda Parker — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:27:22 -0700

Tonight's community meeting revealed more firefighting progress. On the north end, the fireline on the east side of the mid valley will be completed tomorrow. It's on the old Tosch road about a mile from the road.
On the South end, the fire is being let to burn slowly burning down canyons - except where structures would be threatened. In the latter case, the crews will defend. The fire is in Higgins Creek now. Winds have been favorable. Still, today was "not so good. But we've had only one injury so far. That's good." Crews will be fighting throughout the night.

Sam Farr was there. He praised the extraordinary spirit of Big Sur's community, and pledged help with all he could. He said for everyone to speak up with their needs and requests. His office will co-ordinate with Dave Potter's and the County Office of Emergency Services. He said he will be home here in Big Sur all next week, so let him know how you would like him to help. He said his first priority "is to get the road back open."

Frank inspected Partington Ridge, and around the Stone House today. And the old Wangoe home - which "is clean. 98% is untouched. Grape vines are growing on the roof."

Tomorrow you can see a jell demonstration - call 667 2317.
Also, Leona said she will conduct camp tours tomorrow for all who are interested. The first will be at 12:30 pm. The tour will take about 45 minutes. Call her at 667 231i7 to be scheduled.

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Basin Fire

Linda Parker — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 10:15:24 -0700

Just an up-date on the Basin Fire:
7:00AM June 28 Update: Fire Actively Burning in Little Sur Watershed

Overnight thermal imaging shows vigorous fire activity along broad fronts in both the north and south. In the north, the fire appears to have spilled over the ridge into the Little Sur Watershed in a line stretching from the Window all the way to the headwaters of the South Fork Little Sur. The active burning continues from this area, back through Ventana Creek and across the main stem of the Big Sur River just above Ventana Camp. In the south, an active fire front appears to extend from low in Anderson Canyon, past Burns and Buck creeks and through the upper headwaters of Hot Springs Canyon - while on the other side of the Coast Ridge the fire appears to be descending rapidly toward Lost Valley. The satellite also found continued heat in the upper Tassajara Creek watershed and in McWay Canyon.

Willits Economic Localization (CA)

The Myths of Biofuels

Mary Dalton — Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:11:07 -0800

Start: 2008-01-24 19:00

End: 2008-01-24 21:00

Bay Area Peak Oil

New Old Stock playing at the Big Sur Grange Hall Dec. 12th 7:30 PM

Linda Parker — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:53:12 -0800

Start: 2007-12-12 19:30

End: 2007-12-12 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Film / Potluck At Big Sur Grange Friday June 15, "Memphis Media Reform Conference" Key Note Speaker Bill Moyers

Linda Parker — Thu, 24 May 2007 12:03:37 -0700

Start: 2007-06-15 18:30

End: 2007-06-15 21:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Big Sur Powerdown Community Meeting

Linda Parker — Thu, 24 May 2007 11:52:52 -0700

Start: 2007-06-13 19:00

End: 2007-06-13 21:00

Big Sur Powerdown

The First Big Sur Powerdown Community Picnic

Linda Parker — Thu, 24 May 2007 11:40:45 -0700

Start: 2007-06-02 12:00

End: 2007-06-02 16:00

Big Sur Powerdown

DAM NATION - Dispatches from the Water Underground, 5/24, 7pm

Mary Dalton — Mon, 30 Apr 2007 11:29:14 -0700

Start: 2007-05-24 19:00

End: 2007-05-24 21:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Big Sur Powerdown Presents the film "Affluenza" Friday April 20,2007

Linda Parker — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 15:06:53 -0700

Start: 2007-04-20 19:00

End: 2007-04-20 20:30

Big Sur Powerdown

Big Sur Powerdown Community Meeting Wednesday April 4, 2007

Linda Parker — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 14:46:40 -0700

Start: 2007-04-04 19:00

End: 2007-04-04 21:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Car Free Day to Celebrate National Day of Climate Action

Decal — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 14:54:51 -0800

Start: 2007-04-14 06:00

End: 2007-04-14 23:30

Big Sur Powerdown

Tomorrow Matters - Radio Show with Kelley Rajala from the Livability Project building strong local green economies.

Decal — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 14:49:40 -0800

Start: 2007-02-25 14:00

End: 2007-02-25 15:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Tomorrow Matters - Radio Show with Ed from Blueline Power whose goal is to reduce dependence on polluting fossil fuels.

Decal — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 14:44:09 -0800

Start: 2007-02-18 14:00

End: 2007-02-18 15:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Peak Oil and Community Life in California: A Public Policy Seminar (UCSC)

Decal — Sun, 04 Feb 2007 22:50:06 -0800

Start: 2007-03-24 10:00

End: 2007-03-24 16:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Tomorrow Matters - Radio Show with Dr. Amro Hamdoun and Cris Amarillas talking about the "Spring Cleaning - Keeping it Green"

Decal — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:51:13 -0800

Start: 2007-02-11 14:00

End: 2007-02-11 15:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Tomorrow Matters - Radio Show with Kari Bernardi, Program Director from the Monterey County Farm to School Partnership Program

Decal — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 09:48:24 -0800

Start: 2007-02-04 14:00

End: 2007-02-04 15:00

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

SMC Directors Note - January '07

Decal — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:56:55 -0800

Happiest of New Years to you all! I hope this note finds you warm and dry!
What a blustery beginning to the year. The Holidays have passed and 2007…. here we come!
Should I share with you my resolution? Does it come true if I tell; like a wish upon a star, which is only possible if sealed in secrecy?
Well, I will share, because I know you are all sitting on the edge of your seats.
I’ve completely abandoned ever going on a diet again. Yes, it’s true and in fact… the idea of limit-ing my calorie consumption is abhorrent to me. I will, of course, con-tinue to make wise and healthy eating choices and include plenty of exercise. But I will not spend another penny or brain space fussing over weight reduction programs for the sake of vanity.
If you’ve met me, you might think, like I have many times in the 40 years of previously attempted dieting, that I could benefit from a few pounds lost. But the more important thought to consider besides fitting into a certain size of clothing or culturally imposed image of “the perfect” weight for Deb, is that maybe a little stored fat would be a good thing right about now. Aren’t our bodies designed to hold on to “extra” when the harvest is plentiful so we can ride the wave of scarcity when the cupboards are bare? Isn’t that why we’re attracted to “fat” in the first place, so we can store it, and save it for leaner times?
I don’t always let people know how concerned I am about the future of our food supply. I make my speeches palatable to a wide arrange of Peak Oil and Global Climate Change supporters, and try not to appear fanatical. But I must say to you all that I have serious apprehensions about the coming few years. It is time to get serious about the work ahead. My brain, your brains, all of our collective attention needs to be on mobilization to prepare for the fossil fuel decline and climate change disruptions. The weight will come off when our grocery stores no longer shelve enough food. A heroic cooperative effort is needed now. Please join me in making this happen. My real New Years resolution/wish is that we all weather the coming storm together safely. See our line up of meetings scheduled for 2007 at www.sustainablemontereycounty.org, and you can always email me at deb@sustainablemontereycounty.org.
Plant that veggie garden, we’ll need it.
Deborah

Big Sur Powerdown

Peak Oil?

Decal — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:43:11 -0800

Peak Oil? hasn't that been debunked?
There have certainly been a lot of attempts to debunk it. And why would anyone want to mislead us about oil depletion? It’s only a $1.8 trillion-per-year business, with big profit margins. Lee Raymond retired from Exxon Mobil with something like $400 million in compensation—do you suppose anyone could be persuaded to tell an itsy-bitsy fib or two for that amount of money? But enough of sarcasm and ad hominems—facts is what we want.
So, what do the peak oil deniers claim? Vast stores of undiscovered oil, vast stores of unconventional oil, abiotic oil bubbling up from the bow-els of the Earth, technological mar-vels to extract more and more of the oil already discovered—all ready and waiting to provide more oil just when we need it. Of course, during almost all of the history of oil they supply capacity was found before it was needed, and one might wonder why—with sustained high prices—there’s no longer any spare produc-tion capacity. So let’s take a quick look at the cornucopians’ arguments.
Oil exploration has been con-ducted around the world, with stead-ily increasing sophistication, since Text Box: the 1850’s. After many decades of phenomenal discoveries in the 20th century, the trend has been a dramatic decline since the 1960’s. If it’s going to get dramatically better, there will have to be a new paradigm—right away.
Unconventional oil—tar sands and the like—are vast, but they take huge energy and capital inputs to extract and refine. They scale slowly and can’t support high production rates—Canada’s tar sands are expected to produce just 3 million barrels per day a decade from now, in a world expected to want over 100 million.
Abiotic oil is the most implausible of all. Oil is seldom found at great depth, because the heat of the earth decom-poses it. Carbon isotope ratios in crude oil are C12 enriched, like plants, relative to atmospheric carbon. Aro-matic molecules, characteristic of cer-tain plants, are commonly found in oil. And, if the earth had been producing oil over geologic time at the rate we use it, we would be swimming in it.
Finally, extraction technology has been improving continuously for dec-ades—and consumption caught up anyway.
Oil production is reaching its peak.

M King Hubbert predicted in 1956 that oil production in the lower 48 US states would peak in the late 60’s or early 70’s:
Not just the lower 48 peaked in 1970—the whole US peaked—and never again reached that level of output. The addition of the North Slope of Alaska was only a bump on the downslope. Rising prices seem to have stimulated a little blip in produc-tion about 5 years after the his-toric maximum price spike. New technology was developed and deployed as output slid. Offshore drilling didn’t make up for the de-cline. Now the US, once the greatest producer and exporter of oil in the world, with the best re-sources and technology and capi-tal sources at its disposal, can’t reverse its declining oil produc-tion and imports more than 60% of the oil it uses. Who will do better?

IT’S POSSIBLE TO APPROXIMATELY PREDICT WHEN AN OIL PROVINCE WILL REACH ITS PEAK AND DECLINE

The modern version of Hubbert’s method uses a curve-fitting technique to estimate the total oil that will ever be produced in a province, based on historical oil extraction there. The peak of production is expected when about half of that amount has been extracted—and after that comes a permanent decline. The US has been in decline for 36 years, and Alaska has been in decline for nearly 20 years. Who else is experiencing declining oil production? Oman, Vene-zuela, Indonesia, UK, Norway, China, possibly Saudi Arabia, and many, many others are also in decline. Hubbert’s method fits most of those places very well. Where does the updated Hubbert linearization place the estimate for the peak of world oil extraction—December 2005, according to Kenneth Deffeyes. Where is that abiotic refill when you need it?

All of the mainstream ideas for dealing with scarce energy seem to concentrate on continuing to make more of it available, while the greatest potential lies in using less.

Big Sur Powerdown

Public Speaking for Activists Workshop

Decal — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 14:26:04 -0800

Start: 2007-02-24 14:00

End: 2007-02-24 16:30

Big Sur Powerdown

Tomorrow Matters - Radio Program with Aaron Lehmer, Network Coordinator of Bay Area Localize

Decal — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 13:58:23 -0800

Start: 2007-01-28 14:00

End: 2007-01-28 15:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Tomorrow Matters - Radio Program with Jonathan Berkey, Wind Power Advocate

Decal — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 13:48:45 -0800

Start: 2007-01-21 14:00

End: 2007-01-21 15:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Tomorrow Matters - Radio Program with Thomas Whitman, Board of Directors, Eco Farm Conference

Decal — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 13:41:31 -0800

Start: 2007-01-14 14:00

End: 2007-01-14 15:00

Big Sur Powerdown

Intentional Community and Deep Democracy w/ Dave Henson Saturday, January 27, 2007 9AM-5PM

sharon — Sun, 10 Dec 2006 13:52:25 -0800

Start: 2007-01-27 09:00

End: 2007-01-27 17:00

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Special Topics of Urban Permaculture, Herbalism, Soil Ecology, Rain Water Harvesting, and Fermented Foods Saturday, January 13,

sharon — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 11:57:43 -0800

Start: 2007-01-13 09:00

End: 2007-01-13 17:00

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Future Directions - Thursday, December 6, 2007 6:30-8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:19:00 -0800

Start: 2007-12-06 18:30

End: 2007-12-06 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Alternative Fuels - Thursday, November 1, 2007 6:30-8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 18:05:46 -0800

Start: 2007-11-01 18:30

End: 2007-11-01 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Peak Oil and Politics - Thursday, October 4, 2007 6:30-8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 17:55:12 -0800

Start: 2007-10-04 18:30

End: 2007-10-04 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Education - Thursday, September 6, 2007 6:30-8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 17:49:25 -0800

Start: 2007-09-06 18:30

End: 2007-09-06 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Community Potluck - Thursday, July 5, 2007 6:30 - 8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 11:13:10 -0800

Start: 2007-07-05 18:30

End: 2007-07-05 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Innovative Green Business Solutions - Thursday, June 21, 2007 6:45-8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:59:43 -0800

Start: 2007-06-21 18:30

End: 2007-06-21 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Home Efficiencies - Thursday, May 3, 2007 6:30-8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:50:42 -0800

Start: 2007-05-03 18:30

End: 2007-05-03 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Peak Oil and Transportation - Thursday, April 5, 2007 6:30-8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:36:35 -0800

Start: 2007-04-05 18:30

End: 2007-04-05 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

How to Prepare Yourself and Your Family from Food Supply Risks - Thursday, March 1, 2007 6:45-8:30 PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:27:28 -0800

Start: 2007-03-01 18:45

End: 2007-03-01 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Local Economies for Stronger Community - Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007 6:45-8:30PM

sharon — Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:11:53 -0800

Start: 2007-02-01 18:45

End: 2007-02-01 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Creating the Conditions for Sustainability to Happen, Sat., Dec., 9th 9am-5pm

Mary Dalton — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 15:43:42 -0800

Start: 2006-12-09 08:30

End: 2006-12-09 17:40

Big Sur Powerdown

Free DVD showing: "History of Oil" & local solar expert Joe Jordon

Mary Dalton — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 10:48:57 -0800

Start: 2006-01-18 18:30

End: 2006-01-18 20:47

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Free DVD showing: "History of Oil" & local solar expert Joe Jordon

Mary Dalton — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 16:16:23 -0800

Start: 2006-01-18 18:30

End: 2006-01-18 20:30

Sustainable Monterey County (CA)

Things are looking up in Monterey County

Decal — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:46:12 -0800

Well, what is going on in Monterey County?
Whatever it is, it’s BIG.
It’s Bigger than BIG, it’s the paradigm shift we’ve been waiting for….
It’s the move to a more sustainable (viable into the future) mind-set and it has infiltrated this entire Monterey Bay region.

Let’s go down the list of leaders, shall we?
We’ve got Sustainable Monterey County, promoting energy-independent communities.
We’ve got Sustainable Pacific Grove, and newly elected Mayor Dan Cort, who recently signed the Urban Environmental Accords and the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, leading the way as a demonstration city for sustainability.
We’ve got Big Sur Power Down, with a Biodiesel co-op, and regular workshops on re-ruralization.
We’ve got sustainability meetings in Carmel Valley, discussing issues such as Power of Community.
There’s KRXA 540 AM’s weekly show, “Tomorrow Matters”, addressing global climate disruptions and Peak Oil, and there’s Access TV’s “Inklings” program airing local environmental lectures and demonstrations.
We’ve got MIIS, and CSUMB environmental committees, with many teachers and students embracing new green building and sustainable living programs.
MIIS hosts Earth day in April and CSUMB has an alternative building project in Salinas, next to Dorothy’s kitchen with organic gardening and straw bale structures, and they have an amazing Farm to School Program through the Watershed Institute.
We’ve got Laura Strohm and the Sustainability Academy bringing green consciousness to businesses and teaching about the “triple” bottom line: Profit, People and Planet.
We’ve got LandWatch, League of Women Voters: Natural Resources Committee, AMBAG, U.S. Green Builders, Fort Ord Environmental Justice Network, Sustainable Base Reuse Institute, The Monterey Bay Aquarium, Sea Studios, The Sierra Club, Save Our Waterfront, HOPE, ALBA, Liquid Books, The Last Chance Mercantile, Jane Parker, Leon Panetta, John Laird, and Sam Farr, all working to make this region more livable tomorrow than it is today. We’ve got teachers like Connie St. Amour at Santa Catalina teaching middle school kids how to be Global Warriors, and Roland Saher at Anzar High School in San Juan Bautista teaching climate change policy.
And we’ve got students like Arwyn Sherman, head of the Environmental Committee at York, creating on-campus workshops on Environmental and Corporate Accountability.
We’ve got Laughing Onion and other Community Supported Agriculture farms, we’ve got Farmers Markets, we’ve got wind credits at Whole Foods, we’ve got restaurants like Passion Fish and Montrio supporting sustainable fishing practices and fast food chains like Chipotle in Del Monte Shopping Center which do not use Styrofoam containers and reject factory farming.
We’ve got authors such as Pierre Chomat, “Oil Addiction and the World in Peril,” speaking locally on the global energy crisis,… and if we include every single person who has changed a light bulb to compact fluorescent, ridden a bike to work, or has reduced their consumptive ways by 3% each year to match the global predicted oil decline rate … then we can add tens of thousands of efforts and actions to the list of what’s going on in the Monterey County.
This is the true look of the new millennium. This is us doing what needs to be done to leave a rich legacy for future generations; this is us becoming stewards of the Earth. This is what’s really going on in Monterey County! There’s no gap to be filled, only wagons to jump on. So jump, my friends, ‘cause this is where it’s at!

Sincerely,

Deborah Lindsay