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REI Union Chicago Workers Walk Out on ULP Strike
REI UNION CHICAGO WORKERS WALK OUT ON ULP STRIKE & RALLY WITH LABOR GROUPS & CO-OP MEMBERS OUTSIDE LINCOLN PARK STORE DEMANDING THAT REI REACH A UNION CONTRACT BY END OF 2024 AMID COMPANY’...
Ecology Action
Listed under: Environment Transportation Water Sustainability
From YubaNet...
Science Points to ‘Climate Collapse’ as UN Chief Calls for Action
The world is heating up at an unprecedented pace, new climate data shows, and leaders gathered for the COP28 conference in Dubai must get us out of “deep trouble,” UN chief António Guterres said.
From SFGate...
Sewage Spill Closes Southern California Beach
Two miles of public beach were closed in Laguna Beach following a spill of 94,500 gallons of sewage. Orange County is testing water to determine when the beach will be safe to reopen.
DOE Analysis Confirms Salton Sea Is a Rich Domestic Lithium Resource
An analysis by the U.S. Department of Energy found that with expected technology advances, the Salton Sea region’s total lithium resources could produce more than 3,400 kilotons of lithium, enough to support over 375 million batteries for electric vehicles—more than the total number currently on U.S. roads.
From Santa Cruz Sentinel...
Big Basin: Redwood Trees’ Recovery Is ‘Remarkable,’ While Some Species Still Struggle
More than three years after a wildfire devastated Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the massive redwood trees continue to recover. But some wildlife species, particularly salmon, steelhead and some types of birds, could take many years to bounce back.
From CalMatters...
As Storms Hit California, Reservoirs are Healthy. But Water Forecast Remains Unclear
Unlike a year ago, water storage is above average. Whether the year is wet or dry, though, remains uncertain despite El Niño conditions.
In Rare Strike by Civil Servants, State-Employed Scientists Walk Out for Better Pay
More than 4,000 state scientists have worked under an expired contract for three years. Average wages in 2020 were $83,586, 27% less than state engineers’ pay. The state filed an unfair labor practice charge to stop the strike.
Families Struggle to Pay Power Bills, but California Regulators May Hike Prices
Millions of people across the state struggle to pay electric bills as California regulators decide on proposed rate increases. PG&E wants a rate hike to bolster the safety and reliability of its services.
From The Guardian...
Southern California Has Wolves Again, for the First Time in Nearly 150 Years
A 2021 fire has helped bring wolves back to Southern California for the first time since the 19th century. A rancher is worried about how to keep wolves, which are federally protected, from harming cattle.
From Los Angeles Times...
A Proposed Development Might Threaten California’s Oldest Tree
A shrubby Palmer oak tree in Riverside County is around 13,000 years old, making it California’s oldest tree and one of the longest-lived organisms on earth. Some people are concerned that a proposed development could threaten the tree.
Local Couple Fights for Walnut Avenue’s Iconic Redwood Tree
Like silent guardians standing sentry on Walnut Avenue near Santa Cruz High School, two intertwined redwood trees, technically considered one, have inspired reverence in passersby and nearby residents for close to a century, possibly longer.
From New York Times...
UCLA Scientist: California’s Redwoods Might Not Last Another Century
A UCLA climate scientist says California’s redwoods might not last in their current groves for another 100 years. An effort is afoot to plant redwoods elsewhere in more potentially hospitable climates, such as the Pacific Northwest.
Scientists Find Two Ways That Hurricanes Intensify
Forecasters have struggled to understand why tropical storms sometimes blow up into major hurricanes. Scientists have shed some light on this forecasting challenge.
Western States’ Water Cuts Should Hold Off Colorado River Crisis—For Now
Wet weather and planned cuts by California, Arizona and Nevada averted declines that could have threatened water deliveries and power production—but long-term threats to the Colorado River remain.
Surfboard-Stealing Otter of Santa Cruz Appears With Tiny Pup
An otter appearing to be 841 with its youngster was floating just off Lighthouse Point, periodically diving while the pup floated. When both were on the surface, the pup bobbed nearby.
From Lookout Santa Cruz...
Can California Continue to Fight the Ocean?
Los Angeles Times writer Rosanna Xia’s new book, “California Against the Sea,” examines the postwar coastal development boom and the challenges facing the 27 million Californians who live in the coastal zone as sea-level rise and coastal erosion become facts of life.
Despite Newsom Veto, State Takes Steps to Ban Artificial Turf Due to ‘Forever Chemicals’
California cities can ban synthetic turf under a law Gov. Gavin Newsom signed. He rejected a bill to ban PFAS in fake lawns.
‘Another Attempt to Industrialize the Coast’: California’s Central Coast Residents Want to Halt Offshore Wind
Massive ocean wind farms off Morro Bay and Santa Barbara County—which could transform these quiet coastal towns and affect marine life—face a turbulent path.
He Bashes Republicans for ‘Rights Regression,’ but in Recent Decisions, Newsom Neglects Protections for Marginalized Californians
Gov. Newsom vetoed bills to outlaw caste discrimination and to consider gender affirmation in child custody cases. Advocates wonder if he’s thinking about his national political profile.
San Joaquin Valley Groundwater Pumpers Need to Slow Down or Face Fines, State Says
Hundreds of wells in Tulare Lake aquifer are at risk of going dry. Today's recommendation is the first time that state officials have moved to crack down on local plans that fail to stop excessive groundwater pumping.
Climate Change Took Them to ‘Dark Places.’ Now These Californians are Doing Something About it
The facts of climate change can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair. Some California activists are creating communities for people to talk about those feelings.
Public Utilities Commission to Vote on Plan That Could Make it Harder to Power Homes With Solar
The CPUC is considering a rule that would gut the payments that solar panels on apartment buildings receive, and many housing groups are blazing mad about it.
From KSBW NBC/ABC...
Spider Webs Seen Falling From the Sky Across the Central Coast
A sticky and fluffy substance has been seen falling in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito counties—a natural phenomenon called ballooning, when spiders use their webs to fly through the air.
The Bay-Delta Ecosystem is Collapsing. Now California Has Dueling Plans to Save It
A long-awaited, controversial report weighs updates to standards that state officials say have failed to protect fish and wildlife. But environmentalists, Native tribes and others already are furious about how long this has taken—and the state is years away from taking action.
Watsonville Wetlands Watch Receives $3M Grant to Bolster Tree Plantings
Santa Cruz County is well-known for its forestry, with approximately 75% of its overall terrain covered by trees, according to Global Forest Watch.
From CapPublicRadio...
Why California Rivers Saw Fewer Harmful Algal Blooms This Year
Outbreaks have wreaked havoc on the state’s river ecosystems for years. But this year was different. Faster, colder river waters led to fewer outbreaks of the harmful algae.
Study: Near-Surface Permafrost Will be Nearly Gone by 2100
An international team found that the amount of near-surface permafrost could drop by 93% compared to the preindustrial period of 1850 to 1900. Permafrost may exist only in the eastern Siberian uplands, Canadian High Arctic Archipelago and northernmost Greenland—as it did in the mid-Pliocene Warm Period.
Your Lawn May be Gone. New Bill Bans Irrigation of ‘Ornamental’ Lawns
The irrigation bill, which aims to force businesses and institutions to remove their lawns, now goes to the governor.
Lawmakers Strike $106 Million Deal for Hydrogen Vehicle Fueling Stations
Hydrogen fueling stations will get 15 percent of funds in a state program — even though Californians own only about 12,000 hydrogen cars. The funds come from fees paid by drivers.
Meet California’s (Possible) Future State Bat
There’s an official state bird, mineral, tree, fish, insect, lichen, fabric, sport, dance, soil and even dinosaur.
Climate Bill Forcing Companies to Reveal Carbon Emissions Passes, Newsom Yet to Say if He’ll Sign it
About 5,300 companies would file annual emissions reports. The aim is to hold corporations accountable for the role they play in climate change.
California’s Wildfire Smoke and Climate Change: 4 Things You Need to Know
California wildfires every year emit as much carbon as almost 2 million cars, posing a threat to efforts to battle climate change.
From Daily Democrat...
Wildfire, Soil Emissions Increasing Air Pollution in Remote Forests
Satellite data from across California’s landscapes reveal an increase in nitrogen dioxide levels in remote forest areas, and wildfire and soil emissions are likely the reasons why, according to a paper from UC Davis published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
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