The Loma Prietan
April 2003
Meandering
by John Maybury
Lion eyes
Out in the desert, I found myself face to face with 60 wildcats. Thank God, most of them were asleep in the 100-degree midday heat, and behind a chain link fence. I had stumbled upon the Feline Conservation Center in Rosamond, Calif., a breeding facility offering close-up views of some of the world's rarest cats. Drowsy daytime behavior is the norm, but on special occasions you can view the cats in the early evening, when more than their stomachs are growling. Amur leopards, jaguars, fishing cats, margays, tigers, pumas, and other slinkies are waiting to see you, just six hours from the Bay Area via I-5 and Highway 138 east. Info: www.cathouse-fcc.org or 661/256-3793.
Chiller
David Worden questions the conventional wisdom that it's more fuel efficient to drive without air conditioning. He cites a new study comparing the fuel efficiency of driving with air conditioning versus driving with windows open. Researchers concluded that using air conditioning with windows closed is more fuel-efficient, because opening the windows dramatically increases drag. Compensating for drag uses more gas than the extra load on the engine from using air conditioning. Next time you start up your search engine, look up thermoelectrics.
Air Canada
Tracy Strub says if you're ever in the neighborhood, take a gander at the high-rises at 601 and 651 Gateway Blvd. in South San Francisco. Migrating Canada geese have appropriated the lawn between the two buildings. A dozen big birds showed up one day and now number 50. They spend the day eating bugs. Sprinklers don't seem to bother them. "It's a great nature preserve for all of us trapped inside the buildings," Tracy reports.
Inspired recycling
The Dinga family built a "recycled house" in Novato as a total commitment to conservation. All construction and landscaping materials were recycled, and everything inside and out was designed to use as little energy as possible. The house is featured at www.realgoods.com.
Hybrid hype
Tim Malm is underwhelmed by all the hybrid hype. In the 1980s he drove a Chevy Sprint that got up to 60 miles per gallon. Now he drives a 1989 Honda Accord that gets better than 30 miles per gallon, doesn't burn oil, and smog-tests squeaky clean. Tim says Honda makes a zero-emission vehicle that uses two catalytic converters, but the government doesn't recognize it as zero emission because it runs on gasoline.
Are you a gasoholic?
Take the pledge to drive less and drive smart. Keep track of your gas mileage, then shop around for a brand or grade of fuel that improves your numbers. Cut your speed. Avoid quick starts. Organize your errands to reduce driving around in circles. Carpool and ride-share. Bike or walk to the store, and save a shopping trip out of town. Keep every part of your car tuned, filtered, lubed, inflated, or whatever the owner's manual says. Don't waste gas warming up or idling. Drive smoothly and steadily without excessive braking and accelerating. Use cruise control. Don't tailgate or weave in and out of traffic. With a manual transmission, shift up as soon as possible. With an automatic, put the transmission in neutral at long stops, and hold on hills with the brakes, not the gas pedal. When traffic lights are timed, go with the flow. Drive off-peak. On long trips, lighten your load, remove the roof rack, and consider renting a more fuel-efficient car. Info: www.ftc.gov and www.epa.gov.
Recycling roundup
In the spirit of recycling, I compost old environmental clippings. Here is a goodie from the stash pile: In 1999, award-winning filmmaker Dorothy Fadiman made a prophetic documentary called
Fix-It Shops: An Endangered Species about small repair shops going out of business despite their environmental value in conserving resources. Now even large repair centers like California Electric Service have gone dark, and consumers are left with no choice but to toss defective appliances in the trash and go buy new ones. Do you know a Mr. or Ms. Fix-It? Write to mayburrito@goofbuster.com.
Cry for ELP
Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) is a nonprofit center for leadership development in the environmental movement. ELP's three-year fellowships provide training, support, and networking/travel. Fellowship applicants should be fairly new to the field, have about 3-10 years of professional experience or post-undergraduate work, be residents of the United States or U.S. territories, and be from diverse backgrounds (race, ethnicity, gender, values, traditions, and expertise). Info: www.elpnet.org.
Safe salmon
Eating salmon is a great way to get heart-healthy omega-3 fish oil. But avoid farmed salmon and eat only Alaskan wild salmon, which is plentiful. Salmon farming (aquaculture) pollutes coastal waters. When farmed salmon escape from their pens and enter the environment, they can interbreed with wild salmon and weaken the genetic stock of the species. Info: www.environmentaldefense.org/sustainablefishing.
Free trees
Join National Arbor Day Foundation and get 10 free tree seedlings to plant in your yard: www.arborday.org (thanks, Tracy "Appleseed" Strub).
Keep in touch with Meandering John Maybury, Mayburrito@goofbuster.com