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Nevada County Sustainability Articles



Image caption: California is considering an end to a program that gives tax credits for cow poopā€“based biofuels.
Climate Credits for Cow Manure: Program May End Soon

California grants climate credits for fuel made from cow manure, but thereā€™s a paradox: The stateā€™s program encourages collection of methane yet promotes natural gas.

Image caption: There is a wind-turbine arms race underway in China, which already manufactures windmills whose blades sweep an area the size of 10 football fields per spin.
Wind Turbine Developments off Central Coast on ā€˜Fast Trackā€™

Ocean wind farms are essential to electrify Californiaā€™s grid with 100% clean energy. But theyā€™re a giant, costly experimentā€”no one knows how hundreds of towering turbines will transform the remote North Coast.

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
Lake Tahoe Ambassador Program 23 cohort wraps with success

LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Sierra Nevada Alliance, a region-wide nonprofit dedicated to uniting people and organizations to protect Sierra Nevada ecosystems and communities, is celebrating the successful completion of the Summer 2023 Lake Tahoe Ambassador...

Image caption: Conservation director Bryan Largay helps the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County choose its priorities.
A Conversation with California Conservationist Bryan Largay

The conservation director of Land Trust of Santa Cruz talks about the highlights of his work, and some of the issues he sees in maintaining Californiaā€™s parks.

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
Climate Profile: Mike Varela, Mighty Mike Plumbing deliver efficient water heating to the Truckee area

If you want to reduce your energy bills while improving your home's climate footprint, you might already be thinking of converting your conventional water heater to a more efficient heat pump water heater. But whom...

Tahoe Daily Tribune logo LOCAL NEWS
Inaugural Lake Tahoe Electric Transportation Summit brings together agency leaders to talkĀ solutions

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif.ā€” The inaugural Lake Tahoe Electric Transportation Summit was held at Lake Tahoe Community College on Friday, Sept. 29, bringing together community members, business owners, and agency leaders to discuss the importance...

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
Palisades Tahoe moves to reservation-based parking for theĀ 2023/24 Winter Season

OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. ā€” Palisades Tahoe is introducing a new reservation-based parking program for the 2023/24 winter season. The program is being implemented in an effort to alleviate traffic congestion and elevate the overall guest...

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
Placer Fish and Game Commission Grant application period now open

The commission awards grants with a maximum value of $1,000 for each successful proposal. These grants are designated for projects aligned with the objectives outlined in the California Fish and Game Code, Section 13103.

Sierra Sun logo LOCAL NEWS
Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation awards over $500kĀ to support private landowners in the battle against wildfires

Forest Futures, a Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation initiative, announced the implementation of the Truckee North Tahoe Forest Management Program.

Image caption: How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ā€˜Swampsā€™ Into Farmland

California has used reclamation districts to turn millions of acres of unusable swamps into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush. Hereā€™s how it happened.

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Working Together: TTCF and California Local

A conversation with Stacy Caldwell, CEO of Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation

Image caption: Zoning for single family homes is at the heart of numerous urban and social problems.
Should Zoning Laws Be Abolished?

Zoning laws that restrict new housing development cause environmental damage, racial and class segregation, and force people into cars creating traffic. Now, a new movement wants to abolish zoning in the United States.

Image caption: California ranks seventh in wind power, with 3.5 percent of all U.S. wind energy produced here.
California Inches Toward Renewable Energy Goal

Renewable energy sources provided 37 percent of California electricity in 2021, a new record for the state as it moves toward its 2045 goal of 100 percent clean energy. Battery storage will play a huge role in reaching that goal.

Image caption: Gary Gragg examines buds on one of the mango plants he's growing in the Sacramento Valley.
Mangoes and Agave in the Central Valley?

The future of farming in California is changing as the planet warms, altering the rain and heat patterns that guide which crops are grown where. ā€œWeā€™re adjusting for survival,ā€ one grower said.

Image caption: Withholding a mere 1% of LA's water would protect Mono Lake and millions of birds.
Save Mono Lake Again

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

Image caption: The snow-lined South Fork of the American River on March 3, 2023.
Too Much, Too Early

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

Image caption: Ever little bit helps in the fight against climate change.
Small Steps in the Right Direction

Donā€™t just be a spectator in the fight against climate change. Here are some small steps you can take to reduce your carbon footprint.

Image caption: Dairy products are Californiaā€™s top agricultural commodity, but the industry is often criticized for its impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sustenance

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

Truckee looks to cut single-use foodware

On Nov. 8, Truckee Town Council adopted a Single-Use Foodware Reduction Ordinance. Starting Jan. 1, food vendors must provide reusable foodware for in-house dining and charge a $0.25 fee for each disposable takeout food container and cup provided. Accessory foodware ā€¦

Help restore Truckeeā€™s watershed

Truckee River Day 2022, hosted by Foriver-Truckee River Watershed Council, is on Oct. 16. For more than 25 years, Truckee residents have gathered with boots, buckets, shovels and smiles to tackle projects to restore our mountain home, including restoring meadows, ā€¦

Featured

Water is a human right under California law, but it doesnā€™t always work out that way.
Agriculture and Water Shortages in the Stateā€™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 itā€™s used for grazing, growing, or getting out into nature.
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.
Moss Landing in Monterey Bay is the worldā€™s largest battery storage facility for solar and other renewable energy.
Solar Power and Californiaā€™s Clean Energy Goals
How the sun is helping push the state toward 100 percent renewable energy.
Dairy products are Californiaā€™s top agricultural commodity, but the industry is often criticized for its impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sustenance
Greener ways to feed the worldā€™s growing population
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ā€˜Swampsā€™ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
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.
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.
California has a goal of 6 million heat pumps cooling and heating buildings by 2030.
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.
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