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Greetings!
President's Message This month is a time of transition for the Environmental Forum of Marin (EFM). Sustainable Earth Forum is winding down. We've just completed another inspiring Projects Day. Graduation is next Tuesday, when we will be sending a cohort of thoughtful new graduates to advance the movement for sustainability in Marin. Three members of Class XXXVI will appear in an upcoming publication by the Marin Community Foundation featuring EFM and other grass roots organizations in the county. Watch for it. On Saturday a new Sustainable Communities Seminar will be starting -- in a magnificent room in Hospice by the Bay just off Hwy 101. Although over 30 participants have registered, there is easily room for 15-20 more. So, we're offering classes on a modular basis for those who would like a refresher on a topic of specific interest. Please see the accompanying article in this publication. In another major transition, the EFM Board of Directors ratified a strategic plan for 2009-2012 built around three major strategic objectives. You'll be able to read more about this in the next EFM Newsletter. Also, the plan and its implications will be discussed in greater depth at the Annual Meeting. I hope all members will plan to attend.
Vicki Rupp
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Sustainable Earth Forum 36 Final Update
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January marks the conclusion of another Sustainable Earth Forum, culminating in student presentations of the advocacy project he or she will put into place this year. By the time January rolls around, students feel truly bonded to one another through this amazing shared experience we call EFM. Projects Day only reaffirms what we have discovered in each other over the last few months- that we are a group of highly talented people, whose diversity of interests and knowledge brings great value to the community in which we live. While the projects ranged in scale from simple improvements to make at home to endeavors costing millions of dollars, all were well thought out, well presented and truly inspiring. One student hopes to educate Marin families on the health implications of common household cleaning products by creating a six-pack of natural alternatives and including recipes for making your own non-toxic concoctions. Another student explained the superior ability of native bees to pollinate plants and plans to build native bee houses to be sold in local nurseries. Two students came together to establish a backyard fruit exchange program for their neighborhood in Mill Valley. On the grander scale, one of our classmates used his experience over the last few years working on the Giacomini Wetlands restoration to found the Friends of Giacomini Wetlands as his project. A power trio of students have made it their mission to save the southern tip of the Tiburon peninsula, better known as the Martha property, from development by forming a coalition that hopes to purchase the land as open space. One student will use his skill as a lawyer to help the Bay Institute negotiate the purchase of the Aquarium by the Bay on Pier 39. And finally, if you are tired of having to guess at what is the "greenest" product on the market, soon you may see a new label, created by another class 36 member, that clearly shows which, if any, parts of a package can be recycled and the product's carbon footprint. Lastly, it is worth mentioning that water conservation continues to be the most talked about topic among this class. Several student projects centered around water conservation methods, such as building and incentivizing gray water systems, installing rainwater catchment barrels, and adding rain gardens and berms and swales that conserve as well as prevent flooding, landslides and soil erosion. Look for these and many other Class 36 student projects in the coming year.
Thanks to Whitney Merchant (36) for this update.
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Sustainable Communities Seminar Gets Underway
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It's not too late to sign up to attend one or more classes of the Sustainable Communities Seminar. As always we will present the latest thinking on environmental and sustainability issues from a variety of distinguished experts. The classes will be full of great ideas, information, and brainstorming about how we can and are meeting challenges here in the Bay Area and beyond. The first class is January 31 and the seminar continues for eight Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The classes will be held in Larkspur. We are offering a 50% discount for current members of EFM so plan on signing up for several.
For more information and to enroll please contact the Director at seminar@marinefm.org or visit our website at marinefm.org. And for members wishing to attend any session, please email the Director at seminar@marinefm.org to let her know in advance.
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Sustainable Communities Seminar |
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Desalination Plant in Marin?
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The Desalination Final Environmental Impact Report (EIR) is final and ready for review. The EIR concludes that although there are potentially significant environmental impacts of a proposed desalination plant, all but one of those impacts (noise during construction) can be mitigated. The Marin Municipal Water District Board of Directors will consider certifying the EIR for compliance with state and federal law at their public meeting on Wednesday, February 4, at 7:30.
When: Wednesday, February 4, 2009, 7:30 p.m. Where: San Rafael City Council Chambers 1400 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael
To read the report and for more information:
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Marin Municipal Water District |
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EFM Members In Action
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Several EFM members participated in the National Day of Service on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Jocelyn Knight (36) volunteered at Muir Woods, hauling rocks in a wheelbarrow for trail building and clearing leaves and other debris from the entrance. Ellen Obstler (35) weeded the parade grounds at Fort Baker so that the weeds don't out-compete the drought-tolerant turf for precious water. Vikki Dotterer (35) and Flinn Rauck (36) participated in a neighborhood food drive. They collected about 18 bags of groceries for the Marin Food Bank. And congratulations to Whitney Merchant (36) for the successful launch of Sustainable San Anselmo. Almost 40 people showed up to the first meeting.
Please let us know what you're doing so we can include more information about EFM members. Email enews@marinefm.org. Thank you!
Photo - Jocelyn Knight volunteering at Muir Woods.
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Got Mercury?
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Maeve Murphy (4A) recently helped coordinate Turtle Island Restoration Network's successful event at the Audobon Center in Tiburon featuring Dr. Jane Hightower, author of the newly released book, Diagnosis Mercury: Money, Politics and Poison. Dr.Hightower spoke to a packed house about the dangers of mounting levels mercury in our food and our bodies, resulting in numerous ailments. Dr. Hightower is is the author of a landmark study that brought the issue of mercury in seafood to national attention. She will be speaking on February 4 at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center. Visit www.earthjustice.org/hightower for more information.
To calculate levels of mercury in your own diet, go to the online calculator at www.gotmercury.org (and for cell phones: www.gotmercury.mobi) Enter your weight, fish type and serving size. It will calculate your mercury exposure based on current government standards.
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Earth Justice |
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February Native Plant Walks
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Walk with Joe Kohn (34) and the Marin chapter of the California Native Plant Society. All hikes are free and open to the public, so please invite your friends. Sunday, February 1, 2009, 10:00 a.m. Cataract Gulch from near Alpine Dam Cataract Gulch via the Cataract Trail to Laurel Dell is the one trail to go on every winter, year after year, decade after decade, as it's as beautiful as any place on earth. Even before leaving the parking area, we're bound to see Fetid Adder's Tongue (Scoliopus bigelovii) the locally-rare white Snow Queen (Synthyris reniformis) and other early Spring wildflowers, maybe even Windflower (Anenome oregana), followed by waterfalls galore, one after another, hopefully all raging with torrents from the drought-ending winter storms that we've all been hoping for. The trail goes uphill, past a series of stunning waterfalls for more than 1.5 miles. If you've never taken this trail in winter, make a vow to do it this year. We'll meet at the unsigned parking area located at the hairpin turn, about 1/8 mile south of Alpine Dam on the Fairfax-Bolinas Road, which is located about 8 miles south of Fairfax. Sunday, February 15, 2009, 10:00 a.m. Steep Ravine on Mt Tamalpais Any day spent with large purple and white Trilliums, giant Smith's Fairy Bells, tall Redwoods, big raging waterfalls and small pink native orchids is a good day, but spending a winter's day in Mt Tam's Steep Ravine should be a truly wonderful and memorable day! After all, many agree that Steep Ravine is the undisputed "Best Hike" in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. We'll take a loop hike, ascending from Highway 1 near the coast up to the Pantoll Ranger Station via the Steep Ravine Trail, and descend down the Dipsea, a trail filled with eye-popping views (if it's not raining or foggy.) Meet at the lower trailhead to Steep Ravine, located on Highway 1, a mile or so south of Stinson Beach. If you're unfamiliar with the area, look for the large and visible gate that's the entrance to the Steep Ravine Cabins and park at one of the small parking areas or pullouts nearby. Pay close attention to any "No Parking" signs, as a parking ticket will ruin an otherwise spectacular day! Thursday, February 19, 2009, 10:00 a.m. Early Flowers at Chimney Rock Mid-February is the official unofficial start of wildflower season in Marin, and the yearly "botanical crawl" at Chimney Rock has yielded in recent years as few as 15 and as many as 65 different species of wildflowers in bloom. We'll also see hundreds of Elephant Seals, and should be able to witness more than a few battles between 1000 lb males trying to impress their potential female mates. As we do every year, we'll be meeting up with David Herlocker of the Marin County Open Space District at the Chimney Rock parking area, which is located in outer Point Reyes, near the end of Sir Francis Drake, a mile or so before reaching the Lighthouse. And remember, even if it's warm and sunny when you leave home, it could be cold and foggy and very, very, very windy at Chimney Rock! Sunday, February 22, 2009, 10:00 a.m. Carson Falls Starting in the serpentine barrens and ascending the Pine Mountain Fire Road and its incredible 360 degree views, we'll continue on the new trail to the spectacular Carson Falls area where early season wildflowers, especially the lovely large and small flowered Claytonia ssp. and the endangered yellow-legged frogs should be out and about. Meet at the Pine Mountain Fire Road trailhead, about 1 mile south of the Meadow Club on the Fairfax-Bolinas Road.
Please come prepared for any type of weather or conditions. Bring lunch and plenty of water, binoculars and/or hand lenses, and your favorite field guides.
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Marin CNPS |
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Muir Woods Earth Day Celebration - February 7
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Come volunteer at Muir Woods' annual Earth Day Celebration. Enjoy the majestic redwoods while helping to restore and preserve this spectacular national park. Projects include planting, habitat restoration and weed removal, mulching, tending the forest floor, and trail maintenance throughout the Redwood Creek Watershed. All participants are invited to stay for lunch at the end of the event. Individuals and groups welcome. It's going to be a wonderful day! Contact Tory at 415-561-3077, 415-561-3044 or volunteer@parksconservancy.org
When: Saturday, February 7, 8:30 to 1:00 Where: Muir Woods
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Muir Woods Earth Day |
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Dominican Sustainable Practice Certificate Program
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Be a part of the Sustainable Community at Dominican University of California. The spring classes are scheduled to begin on March 7, with 10 Saturday classes running until May. This innovative program is designed to help non-degree seeking adults bring sustainability to their workplaces and communities. The program offers affordable and flexible sustainable education that also provides practical, hands- on application-information you can use to affect immediate change.
If you have participated in the Sustainable Communities or Sustainable Earth Forum, your classes may count as elective credit for the certificate and you may be eligible for discounted tuition. Several graduates and current students are currently participating in the pilot program: Lenny Hand (35), Chrise de Tournay Birkhahn (35), Bruce Richard (35), Lisa Chipkin (36), Hillary Jeffries (36), and Julie Hanft (36).
INFORMATION SESSION - come learn how this program can work for you: When: Saturday, February 7, 11:30 to 1:30 Where: Dominican University Campus Contact Elaine McCarty at (415) 458-3712 or certificate@dominican.edu to RSVP or to register for this program.
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Dominican University |
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Support the No Child Left Inside Act
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The No Child Left Inside Act will provide much-needed new funding to help states provide teacher training and expand high-quality environmental education programs, engaging kids with the great outdoors and fostering a lifelong appreciation of the environment!
To show Congress your support, please sign the petition at:
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National Wildlife Federation Kids Outside |
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February Green Tip - Pray for Rain!
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And please be as water-conscious as possible. Here's some tips from the United States Environmental Protection Agency: Fix That Leak: Leaky faucets that drip at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year. A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day. Shower Power: A full bath tub requires about 70 gallons of water, while taking a five-minute shower uses 10 to 25 gallons. Turn It Off: The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of two gallons per minute. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth in the morning and at bedtime can save up to 8 gallons of water per day, which equals 240 gallons a month! Water Wisely: The typical single-family suburban household uses at least 30 percent of their water outdoors for irrigation. Some experts estimate that more than 50 percent of landscape water use goes to waste due to evaporation or runoff caused by overwatering. Make It a Full Load: The average washing machine uses about 41 gallons of water per load. High-efficiency washing machines use less than 28 gallons of water per load. To achieve even greater savings, wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate load size selection on the washing machine. Don't Flush Your Money Down the Drain: If your toilet is from 1992 or earlier, you probably have an inefficient model that uses at least 3.5 gallons per flush. New and improved high-efficiency models use less than 1.3 gallons per flush-that's at least 60 percent less than their older, less efficient counterparts.
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