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America’s Cup environmental review draws criticism

07/25/2011 no comments
America’s Cup environmental review draws criticism

Heavy construction. Massive crowds. Congested waterways. Based on the city’s recently released draft environment impact report (EIR) for the 2013 America’s Cup, these threats, along with others, are an unavoidable addition to the international event. Local environmental groups are split over the city’s proposed plans to tackle the problems. “I’m optimistic about the report,”...
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Protecting the Little Fish, Food for Many

07/18/2011
Protecting the Little Fish, Food for Many

They’re the little guys. Small, silver, nondescript fish that are so hard to tell apart that many people simply call them “baitfish.” But though they don’t command the attention of a breaching humpback whale or trophy tuna, these humble creatures known as forage species–from...
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San Francisco catches on to bulk solar purchasing

07/13/2011
San Francisco catches on to bulk solar purchasing

In an effort to boost the city’s solar energy use, San Francisco officials launched a pioneering program today keying in on a simple model: group discounts. “[email protected]”, developed by the city’s Department of the Environment and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, encourages commercial business...
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San Francisco shifting tree care onto property owners

07/11/2011
San Francisco shifting tree care onto property owners

Arborist Chris Altman recently had a job to remove a beautiful 15-year-old ash tree from its sidewalk-bound home. The tree appeared healthy at first glance, but it had lacked...
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Leatherback sea turtles win critical habitat

07/06/2011
Leatherback sea turtles win critical habitat

The endangered leatherback sea turtle enjoyed a huge conservation victory this week. The hulking, jellyfish-eating reptile will be protected in ocean waters off the coasts of California, Oregon and...
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Bay Area aims to be nation’s EV capital

06/27/2011
Bay Area aims to be nation’s EV capital

The Bay Area is charging up. Along with L.A. and New York, San Francisco is one of the largest U.S. markets for plug-in electric vehicles (EVs). The pledge by...
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New San Francisco biodiversity push could come too late for golf course critters

New San Francisco biodiversity push could come too late for golf course critters

Public debate about the plight of protected species on a San Francisco-owned golf course in Pacifica has refocused attention on the city’s commitment to safeguarding natural diversity.
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Environmentalists petition federal government to reduce whale mortality in California

06/13/2011
Environmentalists petition federal government to reduce whale mortality in California

Over 50 whale carcasses struck by ships have been discovered along the California coast in the past decade, including at least six last year and a humpback found on...
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It’s a good time of year to spot urban wildlife

06/06/2011
It’s a good time of year to spot urban wildlife

For 35 years Janet Kessler has lived in San Francisco and been an avid early morning walker, exploring the city’s parks with her dogs and observing the busy transition...
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Of Mice and Birds at the Farallones

05/27/2011
Aulon Arch Sugarloaf

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has extended to June 10 the deadline for accepting public comments on a controversial proposal to eradicate nonnative house mice on the Southeast...
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Don’t build neighborhood on SF Bay salt flats, Redwood City voters say in new poll

Don’t build neighborhood on SF Bay salt flats, Redwood City voters say in new poll

Redwood City residents oppose a plan to build a massive development on a stretch of salt ponds beside the San Francisco Bay by a 2-1 ratio, according to new...
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Superfund site in San Francisco proves toxic for Navy, neighbors

Superfund site in San Francisco proves toxic for Navy, neighbors

A year after the dissolution of the Restoration Advisory Board for Hunters Point Shipyard, the Navy says it will introduce a new community involvement plan that emphasizes diversity. The announcement...
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San Francisco tackles erosion, sea level rise on Ocean Beach

01/17/2011
San Francisco tackles erosion, sea level rise on Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach is one of San Francisco’s most uncertain recreational spots, its permanence in question as shifting sands and sea level rise threaten to change its dimensions, and even...
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Environmental justice groups: California climate change law not at our expense

02/08/2011
Environmental justice groups: California climate change law not at our expense

California’s landmark climate change law survived a dirty battle at the polls last fall when oil industry groups tried to take it down in a ballot initiative. But now...
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San Francisco sidewalk gardens cause kerfuffle

02/18/2011
San Francisco sidewalk gardens cause kerfuffle

San Francisco sidewalk gardens are suddenly the buzz around town, but not quite in the way the city had hoped. Last Saturday the city kicked off a series of free...
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Proposal to ban shark fins in California heats up

Proposal to ban shark fins in California heats up

A proposed ban on the sale, possession and distribution of shark fins in California has been introduced by Assemblymen Paul Fong (D-Cupertino) and Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael),  much to...
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San Franciscans work to reduce shark slaughter

02/16/2011
San Franciscans work to reduce shark slaughter

The movie “Jaws” created the notion of sharks as powerful eating machines who stalk humans. Yet ironically, in the 35 years since that movie debuted, it’s sharks that have...
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San Francisco requiring large commercial buildings to get energy audits

02/18/2011
San Francisco requiring large commercial buildings to get energy audits

San Francisco is hoping to sway building owners to reduce their energy footprint with the power of knowledge. City officials signed into law on Friday a new requirement that...
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Green film festival coming to San Francisco

Green film festival coming to San Francisco

Washington, D.C., has one. Seoul has one. Bristol, Tokyo, and Turin have one. And now, finally, the Bay Area has one. The first annual San Francisco Green Film Festival...
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Not just fun and games, America’s Cup races have environmental toll

02/28/2011
Not just fun and games, America’s Cup races have environmental toll

The America’s Cup races are two years away, but San Francisco is already bracing for the massive crowds and construction that will accompany the international sailing competition. Among the...
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Bay Area premier of the San Bruno Mt. film Butterflies & Bulldozers

03/02/2011
Bay Area premier of the San Bruno Mt. film Butterflies & Bulldozers

You drive by it often. You can see it from any high vantage point. And yet many people living in the Bay Area know very little about San Bruno...
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Enviro groups sue San Francisco over Sharp Park Golf Course

03/02/2011
Enviro groups sue San Francisco over Sharp Park Golf Course

Environmental groups have filed suit against the city of San Francisco under claims it’s violating the Endangered Species Act at Sharp Park Golf Course. The groups say that San...
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Transit officials make Market St. restrictions permanent, approve youth Fast Passes

Transit officials make Market St. restrictions permanent, approve youth Fast Passes

It just got a little harder for motorists to navigate around Market Street downtown. And local transportation officials say that’s an improvement. A pilot program that forces cars heading...
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California utilities commission to allow customers to opt-out of smart meters

03/10/2011

After repeated pressure from groups protesting the rollout of smart meters in Northern California, the California Public Utilities Commission announced Thursday that it will allow PG&E customers to opt-out...
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An ode (in pictures) to the northern elephant seal

03/15/2011
An ode (in pictures) to the northern elephant seal

The northern elephant seal mating season in Ano Nuevo State Park has come to a close, but young pups will linger through March. If you missed this year's raucous,...
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Radiation levels difficult for public to obtain, understand

03/17/2011
Radiation levels difficult for public to obtain, understand

Federal and state officials have been staunchly insistent that radioactive fallout from Japan’s nuclear reactor crisis will not reach California and the rest of the West Coast. But there’s been...
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California officials say radiation “plume” from Japan won’t increase state’s levels above normal

03/17/2011

California health and emergency officials said a “plume” of radiation coming from the Japanese nuclear crisis that’s expected to hit the West Coast as early as tomorrow will bring...
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Infinitesimal increase in Bay Area radiation detected in EPA’s publically available data

03/18/2011
Infinitesimal increase in Bay Area radiation detected in EPA’s publically available data

As the public searches for answers about radiation from Japan’s growing nuclear crisis reaching the United States, they are turning to the Environmental Protection Agency’s RadNet Central Data Exchange,...
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New Muni crash comes as agency defends safety record

New Muni crash comes as agency defends safety record

A Muni light-rail vehicle was struck by a big rig Monday morning, injuring six people, according to San Francisco Fire Department spokeswoman Lieutenant Mindy Talmadge, in an incident that...
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EPA says trace amounts of radioactive materials reaching West Coast

03/22/2011

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced on Tuesday that trace amounts of radiation from Japanese nuclear reactors continue to be found in West Coast monitors. Results from RadNet filters...
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PG&E proposes charging customers to opt out of Smart Meter program

03/24/2011

PG&E has proposed charging residential customers to opt out of having wireless transmission of electric meters turned off at their homes. The proposal announced Thursday would allow the utility...
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Goldman Prize Ceremony: A Kick in the Pants

04/13/2011
Goldman Prize Ceremony: A Kick in the Pants

EDITORIAL – It’s like the Oscars for the Patagonia set. Every April, just before Earth Day, San Francisco’s environmental community comes together at the city’s Opera House to laud...
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The news at Way Out West

04/28/2011

Way Out West will be offline for the next week. We’re taking a little break for some journalism training through a California Endowment Health Reporting Fellowship that we received...
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Bay Area state parks to close

05/16/2011

The long-awaited list of the California state parks slated for closure, due to a $33 million budget shortfall through the 2013 fiscal year, was finally released last Friday. Officials...
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Where are wild bees in deepest trouble?

07/13/2011

A Marin scientist has started the Great Sunflower Project using flowers to show where wild bees are best and worst off.
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Field Notes Blog

Report: San Francisco faces water-related dangers

San Francisco  has been identified as one of the most vulnerable cities in the nation when it comes to water-related impacts of climate change....
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Builders cheer demise of California environmental law

Upon attending the West Coast Green events at the Moscone Center in San Francisco this week, I was thrilled to find out that Governor...
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Recycling carpets in California will save landfill space

Of the myriad of things cramming California landfills, discarded carpets are taking up lots of space. About 400 million pounds are tossed each year,...
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Way Out West is a news site for the Bay Area dedicated to daily coverage of local green news.

We're camping out at public meetings, traipsing through parks, and sticking our noses into green tech research to bring you relevant local stories that matter.

WOW is produced by two local environmental journalists for you, our eco-savvy readers. We'd love to hear what you want from this site.