The Loma Prietan
September 2002
Meandering
by John Maybury
In denial
When his Environmental Protection Agency concluded recently that humans cause global warming, President Bush tried to disown the EPA, saying pointedly, "I read the report put out by the bureaucracy," as if he were still campaigning as an outsider. Give me a break, George. You can't have it both ways. You are now a Washington insider, the head of the federal government, so take responsibility for the consequences of our polluting economy and start doing something about it, like rejoining the Kyoto Protocol, which Japan and the 15 European Union countries have ratified.
Hug native plants
Our favorite native-plant specialist, Jake Sigg, was profiled July 6 by the S.F. Chronicle's Home and Garden writer Ron Sullivan. "I just wanted to garden all my life—and here I am," Jake said, explaining how he came to spend 31 years as a city gardener and now is actively retired as a passionate advocate and activist for native plants. Jake's house is shaded by an oak tree grown from an acorn he found in Golden Gate Park.
As president of the Native Plant Society, Jake recently led a group of us up a trail in San Pedro Valley County Park. We learned about native plants that grow there: sticky monkey flower, honeysuckle, coffeeberry, toyon, hairy cats' ear, yerba buena, pearly everlasting, angelica, ocean spray, mugwort, paintbrush, yarrow, blue witch, cow parsnip, wood mint, sneeze weed, elderberry, hazelnut, and, of course, poison oak. Natives used these plants as food, medicine, and basket-weaving material. The plants provide food and shelter for birds, deer, coyotes, chipmunks, and insects.
On the trail we found a striped wing feather from a great horned owl. The wingtip was soft and fuzzy, explaining how the owl can fly in stealth mode. We also heard the distinctive warbling, echoing song of a Swainson's thrush.
Fire season
Hot weather is a good time to think about conserving our precious non-bodily fluids, i.e., water. Suggestions: low-flow toilets and showerheads, military-type showers (turn off water while lathering and save five gallons), efficient front-loading washing machines, drought-tolerant plants, careful watering and cleaning (don't hose off the driveway, use a broom), water faucet aerators. And don't forget to fix drips and leaks.
Good news from Florida (for once)
One of the most endangered mammals in the world, the Florida panther, may be around for a while longer. Recently, two litters (seven kittens) of the rare cats were born in the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge. Only about 100 Florida panthers remain in the wild. Despite their top speed of 35 miles per hour, they are at risk of being struck by cars on the roads that run through their Everglades habitat. Info: www.defenders.org/habitat/highways.
Greenwash
Environmentalists are feuding with the Environmental Protection Agency about EPA's Green Vehicle Guide (www.epa.gov/greenvehicles). Critics say the government's website is misleading, amounting to a "greenwash."
High-speed trains
Californians may get to vote soon on building a $25 billion high-speed rail network. Bullet trains running 200 miles an hour on "dedicated" tracks could put Southern California just two hours away, city center to city center. Beats waiting two hours in the airport for a 45-minute flight to L.A. (See page 1 for more information.)
Vast wasteland
Keep old TVs and computers out of the landfill. Take them to recycling stations, and for a small fee the scavengers will recycle them. (I recently paid $10 to dispose of a dead 13-inch TV.) But ask them to verify that they are not dumping the sets in foreign countries, where regulations are lax. The Environmental Protection Agency is cracking down on this toxic practice. (Thanks, Curt Allred.)
Surge protector
Assemblyman Fred Keeley, D-Santa Cruz, wants to buy debt-riddled PG&E out of bankruptcy and turn it into a public nonprofit utility called California Gas and Electric. Keeley says he has serious financial backing for such a buyout. Consumer advocates fear that if PG&E is allowed to reorganize under the current court plan, ratepayers and taxpayers will get the shaft, so they are excited about Keeley's proposal. But they realize it has little chance of being approved by the bankruptcy judge. (Source: San Jose Mercury News/SiliconValley.com)
Green Samaritans
Every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. a group of volunteers at Samaritan House in San Mateo works in the garden to grow food for homeless people who live at the shelter. Alana O'Reilly (650/341-2094) is the organic gardener/landscaper in charge of the project.
In the mail
"I [don't intend to] turn in my '61 Volkswagen Bug, which contains minimal plastics (and is long since done outgassing) and gets 25-plus miles per gallon, and buy myself an SUV, which contains a ton of new plastics and gets 12 miles per gallon. All this for the 4,000 miles per year that my husband and I drive!...What we're really working toward is a lower-usage-level deal with CarLink (for our 4,000 miles per year I really cannot justify their $300/month) plus a Ford Think City electric car through CarLink or separately, shared with another household on our block. Once we arrange that, both couples can get rid of their privately owned cars." (Pria Graves)
Keep in touch with Meandering John Maybury, Mayburrito@mindspring.com