UC Berkeley and Stanford get $25 million to reduce solar costs

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/08/2011

The Department of Energy has granted $25 million for solar energy research to the University of California Berkeley and Stanford University. Specifically the funds are aimed at research that will lower the cost of solar as quickly as possible. The money will launch the Bay Area Photovoltaics Consortium (BAPVC) whose goal is to reduce the per watt of installation cost from its current $3.40 per watt to $1 per watt. [Read more - UC Berkeley News Center]

Caltrain sees light at end of its very dark budget tunnel

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/08/2011

Caltrain has decided to give itself another two weeks to come up with the funds to maintain its full service schedule with 86 trains, after it successfully diverted a drastic reduction due to budget problems. The transit agencies that fund Caltrain rallied under pressure from riders and developers who are building transit-centered properties near stops that could still be closed. [Read more - San Francisco Chronicle]

Facebook shares specs for its energy efficient computer servers

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/08/2011

While Facebook has been heavily criticized by Greenpeace for using energy from coal-fired power plants to run their energy-hungry computer servers, the social networking company yesterday made public their design efforts to reduce their energy consumption. They say their open-source hardware initiative called Open Compute Project has improved energy efficiency by 38 percent, and they hope by sharing the information others will follow suit. The company said they think energy efficiency is more important than the energy source. That’s sure to draw some fire. [Read more - San Francisco Chronicle]

Traffic pollution may cause brain damage in humans

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/08/2011

If there weren’t already enough reasons to switch to public transportation or electric cars, here’s another: brain damage. California researchers found that exposure to modest amounts of traffic pollution caused memory loss and signs of Alzheimer’s disease in mice. They have yet to study the impact on people, but those driving in open-air vehicles – such as convertibles, motorcycles, and mail trucks – appear to be at highest risk. Makes you rethink the causes of “going postal.” [Read more - California Watch]

You can’t have local beef without a local slaughterhouse

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/08/2011

A shortage of Bay Area slaughter houses is derailing one of the eat-local movement’s primary tenents by forcing would-be butchers to drive long distances, thus producing greenhouse gases, in order to slaughter their livestock. The only local slaughterhouse is found in Petaluma and statewide there are just 23 facilities. Given California’s many regulations and a fear of NIMBYism, it’s doubtful more houses will open up. [Read more - New York Times]

San Francisco opens its new green airport terminal

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/07/2011

A planeload of famous people disembarked from the first flight to land at San Francisco International Airport’s Terminal 2 on Wednesday, drawing attention to the new environmentally-friendly terminal, which will be open to all flights next week. The terminal is on track to become the U.S. Green Building Council’s first LEED gold-certified terminal; it includes local restaurants serving locally-sourced food, compost bins, recycled materials, and reclaimed-water toilets. You don’t need Richard Branson to dress up that news. [Read more - San Francisco Chronicle]

From sourdough to the Outerlands, making San Francisco bread

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/07/2011

An enjoyable read about one guy’s informal baking lesson at Outerlands, a small seaside restaurant in San Francisco that produces some of the city’s best locally baked bread. [Read more - The Bold Italic]

An earthquake warning system could give Californians a 60-second head start

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/06/2011

Seismic scientists say that an early warning system could give Californians 60 seconds to prepare for major seismic activity and that such a system saved lives in Japan’s recent 9.1 earthquake. Scientists told policy makers, business owners, and state officials, following a two-day meeting in the Bay Area this week, that the system could be implemented within five years at a cost of $80 million with $20 annual operating costs. [Read more - San Francisco Chronicle]

San Francisco supervisors may not back cell phone radiation law

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/06/2011

Rumor has it that along with Gavin Newsom’s exit from the San Francisco mayor’s office so went enthusiasm among elected officials to fight for cell phone radiation laws. The City Attorney and Board of Supervisors are currently discussing in closed sessions how to handle a lawsuit filed against the city in US District Court by a cell phone lobbying group. In the face of budget trouble, a battle over cell phone radiation may fall low on the city’s list of priorities. [Read more - SF Appeal]

Famous Oakland urban farmer fined for livestock and vegetables

By Victoria Schlesinger

04/06/2011

DIY urban farmers have been closely following the showdown between the City of Oakland and famous urban farmer Novella Carpenter. Recently Oakland threatened to slap Carpenter with a $5000 non-compliance fine for growing vegetables and housing livestock in her yard. As it turns out, Oakland is currently debating its urban agriculture rules and Carpenter is leading a charge for reform. [Read more - Oakland Local]