Some San Francisco neighborhoods vulnerable to tsunamis

By Alison Hawkes

03/22/2011

How would San Francisco fare if a major tsunami hit? The topic has been well covered since 51 tsunamis have hit the San Francisco Bay since 1850, nine originating from Alaska. Fortunately no deaths happened as a result. Ocean Beach is at the top of the city’s list of tsunami hot spots. Check out the state’s “inundation map” to see how your neighborhood might be affected. [Read more - Richmond District Blog]

California climate change law on hold

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/22/2011

California’s historic climate change legislation, AB32, has been put on hold until the state’s Air Resources Board (ARB) presents alternatives to the law’s key component, a cap-and-trade system for reducing greenhouse gases. The San Francisco County Superior Court found merit in a lawsuit by Oakland-based environmental justice groups who sued ARB claiming the laws would increase pollution in disadvantaged communities. The ruling throws into question whether the law will be implemented by January 1, 2012 as planned. [Read more - San Jose Mercury News, San Francisco Chronicle]

Malicious vandalism may have been cause of Marin sewage spill

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/22/2011

The Ross Valley Sanitary District is blaming a 2.6 million gallon sewage spill in Marin County last December on a negligent contractor and possibly also on a former Marin Board of Supervisor candidate suspected of vandalism. The district has asked the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board to launch a criminal investigation. The Environmental Protection Agency has concluded its investigation, but refused to comment on the results.[Read more - Marin Independent Journal]

Alice Waters’ daughter on passion fruit, embarrassing moments, and salad

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/22/2011

Alice Waters’ daughter is famous in foodie circles thanks to a cafe, granola, and children’s book sporting her name. Fanny Singer chats with the Wall Street Journal about her life in Cambridge, where she’s earning a PhD, and her passion for food, including biodynamic limes, olive oil, and Pu’er tea. [Read more - Wall Street Journal]

Yellow Pages one step closer to becoming history

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/22/2011

San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors Land Use and Economic Development Committee approved a proposal to require phone book distributors to ask residents and business owners if they want a copy, rather than leaving the books at the door. Currently 1.8 million books are distributed within San Francisco annually, while their disposal costs the city a $1 million. The proposal will now go to the full board for a vote. [Read more - SF Appeal]

Strawberry pesticide up for further debate

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/22/2011

In response to public uproar in December over the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s approval of the “strawberry pesticide” methyl iodide, the Environmental Protection Agency opened the subject for further review last week. The EPA will accept public comments about the controversial pesticide through April 30th. The department disregarded a recommendation from its own staff scientists and set the maximum exposure level to methyl iodide 120 times higher than recommended. [Read more - California Watch]

An interview with California’s top air regulator

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/21/2011

Chair of the California Air Resources Board, Mary Nichols, answers questions about radiation from Japan, nuclear power in California, implementing AB32, and what mode of transportation she uses to get to work in an interview with KQED Climate Watch’s Craig Nichols. [Hear and read more - KQED Climate Watch]

Get ready for a “blanket” of rain this week

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/21/2011

The Bay Area’s wet and windy weekend (minus that reprieve on Sunday) is just the beginning of a long wet streak, despite that San Francisco, for example, is already 113 percent of average for the season. The National Weather Service says the first week of Spring is going to be a very, very rainy one. [Read more - San Francisco Chronicle]

$1 million in funds for the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/21/2011

Local’s have likely heard of the San Francisco Bay Trail, 500 miles of walking and bike trails that ring the Bay. Now kayakers, windsurfers, row boaters and any other non-motorized craft will also be able to circle the Bay on the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail. Late last week the California Coastal Conservancy approved $1 million to improve existing paths and add landing and launching sites in all nine counties. [Read more - SF Appeal]

Living with coyotes in San Francisco

By Victoria Schlesinger

03/21/2011

Officials estimate that a dozen or so coyotes live in San Francisco, one of the country’s most densely populated cities. The Presidio, Glen Canyon Park, and Golden Gate Park are among the green spaces where coyotes have settled in. Residents are divided on whether they welcome their canine neighbors. Some see them as a pest, while others, like Janet Kessler, have become passionate about them. Check out her blog on local coyotes and her great photography. [Read more - Daily Democrat, Coyote Yipps]

Harmless levels of radiation detected in Bay Area

03/18/2011

By Victoria Schlesinger

UC Berkeley scientists detected very low, harmless levels of radiation in the Bay Area, they said during a press conference on Thursday. At the same time California heath officials said no level of radiation had been detected. They also criticized the United Nation’s prediction that negligible amounts of radiation from Japan would arrive in the Bay Area on Friday. [Read more - San Jose Mercury News]