Monterey County
Counties El Dorado County Nevada County Placer County Sacramento County San Benito County San Joaquin County Santa Clara County Santa Cruz County Yolo County Regions Statewide Region Tahoe-Truckee Region
Envelope icon Subscribe Join Us Sign In
Frost Advisory    •    M 2.8 Earthquake 11/25/2024    
There is an important message:

This Holiday Season, Donate to Monterey County Gives.

Environment Image

Monterey County Environment Articles


← Newer
Image caption: Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz, which might be a huge resort if not for the Coastal Commission.
EXPLAINER
The Public Shore Protectors

The future of 1,100 miles of spectacular coastline is in the hands of the California Coastal Commission, which is beloved by coastal environmentalists, notorious among those who favor development, and little-known in the inland parts of the state.

Image caption: Cal Fire personnel engaged in live fire training in Williams, California.
STATEWIDE EXPLAINER
Fighting Fire With Fire

What is California’s Forest Management Task Force and what does it do?

Image caption: The first wave of lightning lit up the Bay Area's late night sky on Aug. 15, 2020.
EXPLAINER
The Lightning Fires of August

This year's dry lightning storms left the state scrambling to for climate change solutions.

California Media Alliance logo
Our Media Allies
Keep You Informed.
King City Rustler
King City Rustler
KSQD
KSQD
Monterey County Weekly
Monterey County Weekly
Salinas Valley Tribune
Salinas Valley Tribune

Featured

A smoky blanket of particulate matter hovers over San Francisco’s skyline.
EXPLAINER
Getting Acquainted With AQI
Learn what's getting into Californians’ lungs and why it matters.
Lighthouse Field in Santa Cruz, which might be a huge resort if not for the Coastal Commission.
EXPLAINER
The Public Shore Protectors
Born amid controversy, this public agency is responsible for managing some of the most precious real estate in the world.
A Pyrocumulus cloud generated by the Dixie Fire in July, 2021.
EXPLAINER
What is Fire 'Containment?' That and Other Terms, Explained
What does it mean when firefighters call a fire "contained?" Here's a brief guide to commonly used fire prevention terminology.
Water is a human right under California law, but it doesn’t always work out that way.
EXPLAINER
Agriculture and Water Shortages in the State’s Breadbasket, Explained
There are many causes contributing to this crisis. And as you may already know, this situation really is nuts.
RCDs look after the land, whether it’s used for grazing, growing, or getting out into nature.
EXPLAINER
California Dirt
RCDs were created to avoid a repeat of the Dust Bowl. Now they work with landowners to preserve the air, water and natural habitats that sustain us all.
Mosquitos kill about 725,000 people every year, worldwide.
EXPLAINER
Taking a Bite Out of the Mosquito Population
How local government tries to control the world’s deadliest wild animal—the mosquito.
Supercell storms are just one of many weather phenomena in the era of climate change.
LOCALIST
The New Vocabulary of the Climate Change Era
As climate change causes more extreme and unusual weather, we need a new set of terms to describe the various phenomena
Over two weekends last October, residents of Santa Cruz and Watsonville participated in demonstration rides aboard an electric streetcar on rails.
EXPLAINER
The ‘Rail Trail’ Movement, Explained
The heated controversy over what to do with abandoned railroad tracks
Moss Landing in Monterey Bay is the world’s largest battery storage facility for solar and other renewable energy.
EXPLAINER
Solar Power and California’s Clean Energy Goals
How the sun is helping push the state toward 100 percent renewable energy.
Just because record rains have been falling, the state’s water crisis remains.
EXPLAINER
What Is Drought? Probably Not What You Think
Recent torrential rains have helped, but California's drought is a long way from over.
From nitrates to arsenic to “forever chemicals,” California’s water supply faces a serious pollution threat.
EXPLAINER
Dirty Water: California Faces a Water Contamination Crisis
In a state that declares water a “human right,” more than 2 percent of its residents have no drinkable water.
They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
EXPLAINER
How California Feeds the Country
California, a state known for high-tech and show business glitz, is also America’s farming powerhouse.
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
EXPLAINER
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Kerry Wood, CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, says the organization researches areas of need to help donors direct their contributions.
EXPLAINER
What Is a Community Foundation?
By channeling funds to a number of nonprofits working on various issues in a given region, community foundations help solve big problems throughout California.
Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation has cost California 90 percent of its wetlands.
EXPLAINER
How Land Reclamation Hurts California’s Environment
The hidden price tag of “reclaiming” swamps and marshes as usable land.
The Pajaro River levee broke during the 2023 atmospheric river storms, flooding the town of Pajaro.
EXPLAINER
Is California Ready for More Extreme Weather Driven by Climate Change?
Increasingly extreme weather events are already testing California’s preparedness.
Since 1972, the California Coastal Commission has ruled over the state’s shoreline.
EXPLAINER
California Coastal Commission: Where It Comes From, What It Does
How a nuclear plant, a real estate development and an oil spill led to a landmark law.
Long-duration energy storage, such as this thermal energy storage facility, allows renewable energy sources to operate at full capacity without overloading the power grid.
EXPLAINER
How California Leads the Race For Long Duration Energy Storage
For renewable energy sources such as solar and wind to be viable, ways to store the power they create are essential.
The Baldwin Hills area in South Los Angeles is one region where a state conservancy would keep open land accessible to the public.
EXPLAINER
California’s 10 State Conservancies: How They Protect Parks and Open Land
Starting in 1976, the legislature began creating agencies to buy up open land, and keep it open.
California has a goal of 6 million heat pumps cooling and heating buildings by 2030.
EXPLAINER
6 Million New Heat Pumps: Essential to California's Climate Future
Installing 6 million heat pumps by 2030 is essential if California is to reach its goal of net zero carbon emissions.
Does California’s signature environmental law protect the state’s scenic beauty, or cause more problems than it solves?
EXPLAINER
CEQA: The Surprising Story of CA’s Key Environmental Law
54-year-old environmental law is often blamed for causing the state’s housing crisis. Is it getting a bad rap?
California Local Logo
California Local is your virtual home for daily local news, community resources and connection to the people and groups making a positive impact in your community.
Facebook icon LinkedIn icon
Communities
El Dorado County
Monterey County
Nevada County
Placer County
Sacramento County
San Joaquin County
San Benito County
Santa Clara County
Santa Cruz County
Yolo County
Regions
Statewide Region
Tahoe-Truckee Region
About
About Us
FAQs
Help
Stats
Connect
Partners
Media Alliance
Community Alliance
Contact Us
Send Us Your Press Releases
Advertise With Us
Shop for Swag
© 2024 California Local Your Privacy Terms & Conditions
Support Community Journalism Join Us
Join Us Today!