Monterey County Sustainability Articles

Within Carmel’s one-square-mile city, volunteers with the nonprofit group Carmel Cares picked up 70 pounds of cigarette butts – representing approximately 250,000 cigarettes – in 2022 alone. That staggering number is just a drop in the bucket nationally; the Keep…

I’d like to start this piece with a quote: “In 2023, we must come together again in partnership for the planet. Businesses, governments and civil society are equally responsible for taking action against the climate crisis and lighting the spark …

A sizeable coalition has called for California's water regulator to take emergency measures to protect Mono Lake and suspend diversions to Los Angeles.

When warm storms melt snowpack early, reservoir managers must release water to prevent flooding—which sends this precious resource into the ocean.

For over 200 years, ships at sea have used colorful flags to communicate with passing vessels or a nearby shoreline. Monterey City Manager Hans Uslar flew his own flag to the cruise ship industry, signaling his belief the city should…

Don’t just be a spectator in the fight against climate change. Here are some small steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint.

California is a leading producer of agricultural crops. So it’s not surprising to find cutting-edge ideas taking root here.

David Schmalz here, thinking about sand. That’s because, with the recent storms, the beaches along southern Monterey Bay will be seeing more of it. Monterey County officials cut a canal in the Salinas River in December as a preventative measure…

Thursday, Nov. 17 is shaping up to be a momentous day for the future of the Monterey Peninsula’s water supply, as two major state boards – the California Coastal Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission – are set to…

Consumers may not know it, but their cellphones and laptops – if improperly disposed of – could become an incendiary device. Ditto that for anything with a rechargeable battery, like a toothbrush, drill, or any number of now-common household appliances

The city of Greenfield has grown exponentially in recent years, and several projects are still on the way, including a hotel on Walnut Avenue, an apartment complex on 12th Street, a new community center and a proposed annexation to the…

Ferrini Ranch is the project that just won't die.

GONZALES — Students from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands displayed the world’s first 100% recycled car last Monday at Gonzales High School. The solar-powered vehicle is all-electric with zero emissions. Parts of the car are made out …

The future water supply of the Monterey Peninsula got a big boost Sept. 30 when Anne Simon, an administrative law judge appointed by the California Public Utilities Commission, issued a proposed decision that, if approved by the CPUC next month,…

KING CITY — City of King has completed construction of new solar streetlights along Jayne Street, bringing some much-needed light to the area and improving the overall public safety in the community. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Sept. 22 in …

MONTEREY COUNTY — Monterey County Sustainability Program will host an in-person workshop Thursday, Sept. 29, to understand the community’s challenges and opportunities about climate change, with a focus on resilience, equity and adaptation.  This two-hour public event, from 6 to …

Solar power, and a network of giant battery storage facilities, are playing an essential role in moving California toward its goal of exclusive reliance on renewable energy sources.

For half a century, this group has reduced waste, reimagined local transportation and redesigned buildings. It’s all part of Ecology Action’s quest for sustainability.

After initially turning away California American Water’s application for its controversial desalination plant as incomplete, the state commission said Friday that the water utility had filled the gaps in its application. The proposal is clear to go in front of…

In 2018, the Walden Monterey housing development had its debut, touting simplified living among a 600-acre oak forest off Highway 68, in the tradition of 19th-century poet and philosopher Henry David Thoreau. Unlike Thoreau, who used lumber from the land…