From the Editors of E - The Environmental Magazine

Photo:  Environmentalists are optimistic that new designs and technologies — like this hyper-efficient Blended Wing-Body (BWB) design plane that recently emerged from a joint effort between NASA and Boeing — could significantly reduce aviation's huge carbon footprint and environmental impact. Credit: UC Irvine, Flickr CC.

October 14, 2017 (San Diego) -- Dear EarthTalk: You hear a lot about greener cars these days, but what about airplanes? --John Caldwell, Lorton, VA

While it may be the fastest and most convenient way to go long distances, air travel remains the most environmentally-unfriendly mode in our mix of transportation options. Airplanes require massive amounts of petroleum-based fuel that deposits greenhouse gas emissions directly into the atmosphere (where they’re two to four times more potent in causing global warming than equivalent ground-level emissions). The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that aviation is responsible for some 3.5 percent of human-caused global warming to date and expects that figure to grow to somewhere in the five to 15 percent range by 2050 if we don’t take action soon to curb emissions.

Refugee uses GRID training to launch his own solar installation company; other trainees meet top solar employers at graduation ceremony 

Source: Grid Alternatives San Diego

October 11, 2017 (San Diego) -- This month, GRID Alternatives San Diego, an affiliate of America’s largest nonprofit solar installer GRID Alternatives, introduced Syrian refugees and military veterans to the multi-billion-dollar solar industry through its Solar Installation Training Program. Attendees at the program graduation included refugee and long-time GRID volunteer Mohamed Hauter, who recently launched his own solar installation company and now employs several graduates of GRID’s training program.

Senator Anderson votes no, rest of San Diego legislators vote yes on landmark measure

East County News Service

September 26, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) -- Gov. Jerry Brown today signed Senate Bill 214, legislation authored by Sen. Toni Atkins that will strengthen the capacity of the San Diego River Conservancy to protect and enhance historic, cultural and natural resources within the watershed along the 52-mile San Diego River.

East County News Service

September 24, 2017 (San Diego)--Critics are calling today's planned rally in Oceanside that "celebrates the removal of nuclear waste at San Onofre" a sham that does not reflect reality, the opinions of nuclear waste experts or the community. These experts say the celebration tricks the media and the public into believing that the nuclear waste problems at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) have been solved.

Local critics say that Citizens Oversight, the group hosting the "celebration" is misleading the public with magical thinking and an irrational belief in "purple unicorns."

Photo by Sonia Carcoilo, Government of Ontario:  Governor Brown (right), Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne (left) and Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard (center) sign agreement to expand cap-and-trade partnership.

Source: Governor’s office and government of Ontario, Canada

September 24, 2017 (Quebec City) – California Governor Edmund G. “Jerry” Brown Jr. yesterday signed an agreement with the leaders of Quebec and Ontario to officially integrate their cap-and-trade programs, expanding the three-year partnership between California and Quebec to include Ontario, Canada's most populous province and leading industrial region. The agreement takes effect January 1, 2018.

By Duncan McFetridge, Director, Cleveland National Forest Foundation

September 21, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) - Cleveland National Forest Foundation’s lawsuit against the county’s attempt to subdivide the Hoskings ranch near Julian brings out three extremely important points:   

East County News Service

September 11, 2017 (San Diego) - The San Diego River Park Foundation will celebrate its 16^th anniversary on September 21 from 6-9 p.m. at the Town and Country Resort Hotel in Mission Valley.

Festivities include live music, food, wine, beer, awards presentation and a silent auction –all for a $10 suggested donation.

The ECOreport does an update on one of California’s most controversial wind farms – Ocotillo, five years later

By Roy L. Hales

Source:  The ECOreport

Photo, left: Turbine T126 after the collapse – Parke Ewing photo

September 3, 2017 (Ocotillo) - The Ocotillo wind farm went online almost five years ago. Were they not documented in such meticulous detail, some of the  reports coming from the tiny desert community this project surrounds would be difficult to believe.  I once received a constant stream of YouTube videos and reports from this project. It was one of the sites that shaped my perception of the energy sector.  To some extent, I’ve moved on from this story since then, but I always knew I would be revisiting Ocotillo.

Source:  SANDAG and Caltrans

August 30, 2017 (San Diego) - Officials opened to the public today a key bikeway connection in San Diego that provides a protected bike lane parallel to State Route 15. The new bike route established a safe and convenient connection between Mission Valley and the Mid-City communities, including City Heights, Kensington-Talmadge, and Normal Heights, while eliminating challenges that riders have had to cope with on other routes including high-speed traffic and long, difficult hills.

By Miriam Raftery

August 28, 2017 (Jamul) – The Jamul-Dulzura Community Planning Group is seeking a park in Jamul. At its last meeting, the group voted unanimously to approve a proposal by Joe Stuyvesant to ask SDG&E to donate a 3.75 parcel that it purchased from Simpson Nursery for a community park.

According to the meeting minutes, SDG&E pad $1 million for the property, but the value may have dropped to as little as $180,000, giving SDG&E a tax advantage to donate the parcel, which the County could be asked to maintain as a park for the benefit of residents. Stuyvesant offered to head a sub-committee if SDG&E will agree to the proposal.

Below is a copy of the letter sent to SDG&E:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, NASA: Consequences of climate change

August 23, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – President Donald Trump’s administration is eliminating its climate change advisory committee, which made recommendations to federal state and local governments as well as businesses based on scientific findings.

East County News Service

July 24, 2017 (San Diego) -- On Monday, August 21st, a total solar eclipse will pass over the Pacific Northwest affecting California’s solar resources that supply power to the grid. The eclipse is expected to occur from 9:02 a.m. to 11:54 a.m., with the moon obscuring 58 to 76 percent of solar rays, depending on the resource location, and causing a loss of 4,194 megawatts of California large scale solar electricity.

After numerous dog deaths on local park trails, owners taking dogs hiking in hot weather can now be cited for animal cruelty.

By Ranger Rebecca Smart, Mission Trails Regional Park

August 8, 2017 (San Diego) -- Ready to get out and hike this summer? Great! The Rangers at Mission Trails have essential hiking info to share with you.

Follow these hiking guidelines every time you, and any four-legged companions, hit the trails this Summer; and you’ll be trail Rockstars for sure.

By Miriam Raftery

August 7, 2017 (San Diego) -- Only three northern white rhinos remain on earth – and none of them can breed.  But thanks to scientists at the San Diego Zoo, this rare rhinoceros species may yet be saved from extinction.

By Miriam Raftery

August 2, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – The number of honey bee hives lost to Colony Collapse Disorder dropped 27% over the past year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports in a honeybee health survey. In addition, the total number of commercial honeybee colonies has risen 3 percent.