Only some readers of California Local will remember what Santa Cruz looked like in 1970. Back then, before the ’89 quake, Bookshop Santa Cruz sat on the west side of the Pacific Garden Mall. And behind that, a group of activists set up a recycling center behind the bookstore. For two decades, Ecology Action continued to operate recycling centers, teaching Santa Cruzans and multiple generations of UCSC students the importance of reducing waste—until the group finally achieved a big goal: a countywide curbside recycling program.
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By Sharan Street
Published Sep 19, 2022
9-19-22: Talking Trash
Taking Action
That was just the beginning. Fifty-two years later, Ecology Action still lives up to its name, promoting sustainable transportation and energy-efficient construction. California Local reporter Kimberly Hickok spent some time with these dedicated environmentalists to learn more about their vision for a greener future.
Speaking of action aimed at making our future a little better, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently took a step that would undeniably please the original members of Ecology Action who were critical of fossil-fueled modes of transportation. On Aug. 25, CARB approved a regulation titled Advanced Clean Cars II, making California the first state to prepare to ban the sale of gasoline-powered cars altogether. California Local’s Jonathan Vankin explores the regulation, which is designed to phase gas-powered cars out of existence in the state over time.
Ecology Action’s Plan for a Greener Future
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.
California Bans Sales of Gasoline Cars by 2035: Here’s What it Means
California will ban sales of gasoline vehicles starting in 2035, phasing in electric cars each year until 100 percent of new car sales will be EVs under the new requirements. Here's what it means for you.
Give Democracy a Chance
In his most recently blog post, California Local co-founder Eric Johnson muses on a speech given by UN Secretary-General António Guterres on the International Day of Democracy (Sept. 15). “Civic space is shrinking,” Guterres said. “Distrust and disinformation are growing and polarization is undermining democratic institutions.” At California Local, we look to preserve that civic space, both through the articles we post and also through promoting the work of publications that are part of the California Local Media Alliance.
International Day of Democracy
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres defends "the cornerstone of democratic societies—free, independent, and pluralistic media.”
Dig It!
The newest member of the alliance is Sacramento Digs Gardening, the first blog to publish directly on the California Local platform. Longtime journalists and master gardeners Debbie Arrington and Kathy Morrison Hellesen have moved more than a thousand articles and recipes to their new home on our site, which can be found at SacDigsGardening.CaliforniaLocal.com.
Though some of the posts are specific to the Sacramento area, many provide tips that will help amateur growers elsewhere in the state, including here in Santa Cruz. Gardening stories are searchable by keywords, and there’s a recipe index that will have foodies drooling in no time.
Welcome to Sacramento Digs Gardening
We’ve made our proprietary content management platform available for fellow publishers.
