December 24, 2009 (Cuyamaca) – A team of 62 sixth and seventh graders marched out to Cuayamaca State Park on December 16th armed with shovels, tubex tree shelters, weed mats and acorns. Their mission? Plant 100 sheltered trees (complete with gopher guards) in areas burned by wildfires. The effort was part of an oak woodland restoration project led by Maureen Anderson of the Cleveland National Forest Descanso Ranger District.

December 22, 2009 (San Diego) – “I am pleased to announce the first green jobs grants awards authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act through the U.S. Department of Labor,” said Congressman Bob Filner (D-San Diego). “Californians continue to benefit from additional funding for job creation and training through the Recovery Act. These Green Jobs programs will take our industry in a direction that is better for the long-term preservation of the environment and our natural resources.”

Three green jobs grants have been awarded San Diego:

San Diego Bay: A Call for Conservation

By the Students at Jacobs High Tech High. Foreword by E. O. Wilson. Preface by Jane Goodall.

University of California San Diego Sea Grant Program. San Diego. 2009. Paperback. Illustrated. 344 pages. $24.95.  Distributed by Sunbelt Publications, El Cajon, CA.

Reviewed by Walter Hall

Part history, part politics, part biology, part artistic reflection and all heart…a remarkable testament to the power of project-based learning in a complex and changing world. -- Allison Alberts, Zoological Society of San Diego.

San Diego teacher Dr. Jay Vavra and his colleagues at Gary and Jerri-Ann Jacobs High Tech High have quietly accomplished something extraordinary. Over the past six years, under the rubric of the San Diego Bay Study, they engaged some 250 students in original research leading to ecological assessments that today are invaluable references for San Diego’s civic leaders, policymakers and conservation advocates.

By Miriam Raftery

November 10, 2009 (San Diego) - One Block Off the Grid (1BOG), the nation’s largest solar buying collective, today announced launch of its second solar community buying campaign to help San Diego County homeowners and small business owners purchase solar energy at group discount rates of $5.29 per watt from now through February 12, 2010.

Story and photos by Leon Thompson

October 31st, 2009 (Mission Valley) -- The 2009 Center on Policy Initiatives Gala, held at the Holiday Inn San Diego on the Bay on October 21st, honored the MAAC Project, which provides self-sufficiency for low and moderate-income people. Long-time activist Deborah Szekely , and San Diego’s Construction Workers were also honored. View highlights and videos of the event, including a film on construction premiered by MAAC.

Increased Efficiencies, Reduced Costs Expected

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 23, 2009 – San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) today announced it has joined with Pyron Solar of San Diego to test an advanced concentrated solar-power system that floats in a shallow pool of water and is expected to generate electricity at higher efficiencies and lower costs than conventional flat-panel photovoltaic systems. The objective of the 18-month demonstration project is to validate the technology for potential broad commercial applications.
 

Now being installed at SDG&E’s Mission Control/Skills Training Center in Mission Valley (photo), the technology utilizes acrylic lenses and a dual-tracking system floating in water to concentrate the sun’s rays and focus the sunlight on a proprietary glass optic. The glass optic spreads the sunlight evenly over advanced photovoltaic cells to generate electricity.

By E.A. Barrera

"This legislation constitutes the most sweeping revision of land use policies since Governor Ronald Reagan signed the California Environmental Quality Act." --Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, September 30, 2008.

"This fundamentally changes the way we think about growth...It does not reduce growth. I think growth is inevitable and a good thing. But it will allow California to grow in ways that are sustainable for our environment." --State Senator Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), author of SB-375

October 21, 2009 (San Diego)--The State of California wants you to drive less and live closer to work. But who will be the last word on how this happen? That is the big question.

All-day forum joins industry with education in ‘greening’ the classroom

EL CAJON – With all the buzz surrounding the burgeoning green industry and the promise it holds for a flagging jobs market, Cuyamaca College is hosting a forum this week aimed at helping local high school and community college educators ride the wave of the green economy.

The free symposium, “Growing Green Careers,” is planned for 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, inside the new communication arts theater for instructors, administrators and counselors to hear experts talk about the vital link between emerging green industries and education, and to share ideas on preparing students for promising jobs on the horizon.

October 10, 2009 (El Cajon)--Do watering restrictions put a damper on your gardening enthusiasm? The City of El Cajon’s Community Development Department hosts a workshop Tuesday afternoon on how to landscape your home during this time of heightened water conservation.  To author and gardening designer Scott Calhoun, working with drought conditions is exciting and can take gardens in new unexpected directions. Hiss presentation is not just about planting tougher plants and using more efficient irrigation methods, it’s all about creating stunning beauty in harsh situations.

This class showcases some of the dynamic and thrifty strategies he uses in the hottest and driest environments in the country, and get some ideas on how to apply them in your own garden. The workshop will be held Tuesday, October 13th, in the City Council Chambers ladjacent to City Hall at 200 Civic Center Way, in El Cajon. Registration is 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., and the workshop is from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

By Kristin Kjaero

September 29, 2009 (La Mesa)-- “Be an Eco-Hero! Each person can make a difference and you can too.... Let your voice be heard!” read a sign at the City of La Mesa’s second annual Sustain La Mesa Environmental Festival. A number of young people showed they are well on the way to being eco-heroes and heroines, as they came to share what they know and make a difference.

By Congressman Bob Filner
Democratic Representative from the 51st Congressional District

The impacts of the climate crisis are already being seen around the world through increasing hurricane intensity, melting ice caps, and refugees fleeing extreme weather conditions. Here in Southern California, we are particularly vulnerable to a variety of threats posed by unchecked global warming – threats to our environment, our economic stability, and our overall quality of life.

While residents of San Diego are no strangers to drought and emergency water conservation measures, climate change will bring a new generation of drought’s stranglehold on our communities as we see our water supply shrink from increasing average global temperatures. Local Scripps researchers concluded in an April 2009 report that if human-induced global warming continues to reduce runoff from the Colorado River, San Diego will be unable to deliver a regular water supply to the region (The press release can be found online at http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/Releases/?releaseID=977).

By Miriam Raftery   

Zak Valade and his wife, Gina, lost their home in the 2007 Witch Creek fire. Now, they’re rebuilding a new home designed by famed architect Drew Hubbell,.constructed of fire-safe and energy efficient materials. They’ve also ripped out their avocado grove and planted a vineyard instead.
 

September 18, 2009 (San Diego’s East County) – We’re proud to announce that our server is now powered 100% by wind energy. Since our online publication is already paperless and green, we’re definitely the most eco-friendly news publication in town!

“Sustain La Mesa” Environmental Festival – Sept. 12
Coastal Cleanup Day at Lake Murray – Sept. 19

By Kristin Hobbs Kjaero