Eye On Ecology

Restoring "illegal grading" of Los Cerritos Wetlands

2010-11-11T23:28:00.000-08:00

The owner of property at 6400 Loynes Drive had claimed, according to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust, that he had been working under the order of “weed abatement,” for a still-to-be-determined development project, and in the process apparently "illegally graded" sensitive habitat areas, home to endangered birds, burrowing owls, and native vegetation.
Plans for the project have frequently changed over the past few years– mainly because of controversy over whether the area or brackish pond is actually considered wetlands, involving SEADIP requirements and amendments to the Local Coastal Program. How much the developer will be fined is also in question.
The Land Trust and its environmental leaders have taken a strong position against the developer's actions, with environmentalists and community members holding rallies out in front of the property, and are now working with the California Coastal Commission and the Long Beach Planning Commission on plans for the developer to recover and restore the destruction that had taken place. Next week, the Land Trust is sharing some of those plans with the public during a presentation with Professor Travis Longcore of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and Associate Research Professor and USC’s Spatial Sciences Institute, who is working as a consultant to prepare a biological report. The staff recommendation so far is to “Import 1,000 cubic yards of soil to re-establish and maintain a cap over an existing landfill” in response to the Coastal Commission’s emergency permit and re-vegetation and weed abatement, which the commission is set to vote during a meeting scheduled for November 19. The Land Trust presentation is being held November 15 at 7 p.m. at the Belmont Shores Mobile Home Estates Clubhouse.

Aquarium's Napoleon Wrasse dies

2010-11-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

A beautifully exotic rather unique-looking fish called a Napolean wrasse or "humphead" wrasse has died at the Aquarium of the Pacific, according to aquarium staff. The large colorful wrasse was transported this summer from New Zealand, also found in coral reefs of other regions in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. The neon-colored fish with sheep-like heads are known for switching sexes, from female to male on occasion. They can grow up to six feet long.
Originally the fish was planned to be a part of the Tropical Reef Habitat, but became sick while it was held in a holding tank for more than three months to be treated, but eventually died. Foreign fish often are treated for any contaminants or diseases before entering any tank at the aquarium.

Out And About: Diving At The Aquarium, Hiking On Catalina

2010-07-03T12:48:00.000-07:00

As a weekly endeavor I will be posting some things to do every Saturday or so to highlight some ways to get out and see the surrounding abundance of ecological wonders that Southern California has to offer.
….
So here we go... First, I checked this out from the LA Times blog Outposts, which I might add is a great online version of their Outdoor section that folded years ago, that says that the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach is offering (for the first time ever) a dive program for general certified divers to be able to plunge into the aquarium’s Tropical Reef Habitat. This is definitely a first, and one that I don’t know why wasn’t allowed earlier. The dive might come with a hefty price (nearly $300 a pop), but I would say to be able to dive in the tank at the aquarium would be pretty cool. After all, it’s not everyday you can check out a tropical habitat with “over a thousand colorful fish and beautiful coral, including sea turtles, zebra and blacktip reef sharks, porcupine puffers, and a large blue Napoleon or humphead wrasse,” and not have to fly out to tropical island to do it.
…..
Secondly, the Catalina Island Conservancy notes that the 37-mile Trans-Catalina Trail is becoming pretty popular this summer season. Apparently it’s quite a journey: normally spanning six days and five nights, through the rugged terrain of the island’s interior. This LA Times blogger tried to do it in a weekend, but not quite sure if it can be done. The trail opened last year. The Times notes that Coastwalks offers a package to scale the crossing that some times reaches 2,000 feet above sea level at a price of about $600, or you can opt to take the hike yourself, if you can. I would suggest not doing it alone, but being one with nature certainly sounds inviting. This is something that I definitely have to get out and try...

The Colorado Lagoon and the "junky"est monster

2010-07-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

The Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach is one of the murkiest swaths of water I have seen. I should know, I used jog along its shoulders on a regular basis when I lived near there. And for all intents and purposes, I don’t know who would want to swim in it, I mean who knows what type of toxins lie beneath its surface—well apparently DDT, Mercury and other poisonous metals and contaminants, at least according to this LA Times article. The lagoon has made Heal the Bay’s “Beach Bummer” list last year, and was the culprit of many a sewage spill over the years, since mostly when drains get clogged the junk remains stuck in this stagnant water that surrounds, unflatteringly, the rather plush homes of Naples Island.
Anyhow, the city is now moving ahead with its $15 million effort to clean up the gunk and contaminants in phases, which began in March.
The city announced today that it will be holding three public meetings, starting July 8, regarding Phase 2 of a study to clean up the lagoon. The study is available here.
The lagoon itself is a 28.3-acre tidal mere located in east Long Beach providing an estuarine habitat and “retaining and conveying storm flows.” The State of California lists it as an “impaired water body,” due to high levels of water and sediment contamination. In addition, the Lagoon's estuary habitat has deteriorated over time as native plant species have significantly declined due to the encroachment of invasive ornamental landscaping, according to the city’s Website.

Is the West Coast sinking into the ocean?

2010-06-26T02:01:00.000-07:00

The National Research Council is currently conducting a study on sea level rise projections for the West Coast and whether the left half of the country is expected to sink into the Pacific Ocean. The states of California, Oregon and Washington are partnering with federal agencies with the council in a contract to conduct a science review of sea level rise for the West Coast states. The contract aims to gather facts from a panel of experts, assembled to assess the rising tides in these regions and to provide estimated values or a range of values for sea level rise for planning purposed for the next 100 years. There are three public meetings held to solicit reference information that could be considered in the study. The last meeting was already held in Long Beach. There are two more to be held on June 16 in San Francisco and June 17 in Eureka.
The study is expected to look into:
• Projections of sea level rise for locations on the West Coast.
• Climate change-related severe weather conditions on the West Coast, including increased storminess (didn’t know that was a word), increased wave heights, storm surges, changes in storm frequency/duration/precipitation intensity and development atmospheric rive events.
• West Coast site-specific climate change-related impacts on erosion and sedimentation characteristics (e.g. rates and processes) in coastal and estuarine environment, including coastal wetlands.
• Efficacy of coastal habitats and coastal restoration in increasing the resilience of communities and ecosystems along the West Coast.
• Observed sea level rise amounts, severe weather data, or erosion/sedimentation impact relevant to operation of coastal infrastructure for future projections.
• Predicted site-specific local sea level rise amounts and climate change-related criteria methodologies for precipitation frequency/duration/intensity relationships for stormwater drainage, including those that quantify expected local responses associated with sea level rise.
Above are some photos I took of the erosion caused near Point Fermin, often referred to as the “Sunken City” in San Pedro next to Palos Verdes. Point Fermin landslides are classic examples of rotational slides, according to the Cal State Long Beach Geology Department. The erosion is caused by wave erosion that breaks down the rocky layers. The cliffs have been breaking off into the ocean since the 1940s and movement was abated in the early 1960's, but damage to homes and streets had already occurred, with evidence of the historical land erosion still shown today at parts of foundations and streets.

Back Online....

2010-06-26T01:58:00.000-07:00

After a while reprieve of getting things in order and trying, but failing to build my own website, I am back on the Web....and will be reposting stories about the environment. I hope to some time in the future connect with my website but at this time it is still on hold. In the meantime, I will be regularly contributing to this thread about the environment.

Thanks,

Sean

Thank you for the comments, soon to expand...

2009-11-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

Hello, thanks for reading my blog. Eye on Ecology is now up and running ... and will soon be expanding. I am working on a new Website, which will be bigger and better, with more of a local angle, more diversity, interactive functions and even advertising. If you have any suggestions for the future of this blog please let me know. And thank you.

Discovery lands at Space Station

2009-08-24T22:17:00.000-07:00

The Discovery space shuttle just landed at the International Space Station, according to KFI AM.
The space craft is carrying veteran commander astronaut Rick "C.J." Sturckow, Pilot Kevin Ford and Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester, Jose Hernandez, John "Danny" Olivas and Sweden's Christer Fuglesang, and Nicole Stott, who will be replace Tim Kopra at the International Space Station.
Space shuttle Discovery will carry the Leonardo supply module to the International Space Station during the mission.
Also, the STS-128 mission crew will deliver refrigerator-sized racks full of equipment, including the COLBERT treadmill, an exercise device named after comedian Stephen Colbert.
NASA TV provides a live video feed, for the public to see the liftoff from the comfort of their own computers, via the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Photo courtesy of NASA.

Birds, animals on the tarmac at LAX

2009-08-24T20:12:00.000-07:00

Red-tailed hawks, kestrels and peregrine falcons can be seen all over landscapes of Southern California as magnificent winged-creatures that co-exist with humans, sometimes seen as black shadows hovering over freeway overpasses or peering down rocky mountainsides.
To LAX, they seem to be considered deadly pests that can cause dangerous conditions for airliners, sometimes called "bullets with wings."
The LA Times recently reported how the rare birds are captured or sometimes scared away from the airport by a federal government mandated program since the 1990s. More than 940 animal strikes involving commercial aircraft were reported in the last decade, the Times reports. About 4 percent of the collisions caused substantial damage to engines, wings and fuselages.
Birds were reportedly the cause of the U.S. Airways Flight out of LaGuardia that crashed, but successfully landed into the Hudson River in January.
Above is a picture I took a couple years ago of a Cooper's Hawk in Bolsa Chica.

Cash for blowers this week

2009-08-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

Cash for clunkers? Try cash for blowers.
Professional gardeners can start exchanging their old noisy diesel-spewing backpack leaf blowers for newer quieter low-emission units this week through an incentive program.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District began registration Aug. 18 to replace up to 1,500 of the polluting leaf blowers until the program is sold out.
It’s the forth year in a row the SCAQMD has initiated the program with hopes to cut down on smog pollution the backpack blowers produce
The new blowers will be sold for $200 plus tax, representing a $270 discount from the retail price of $470. The old blowers will be scrapped.
The old blowers will be replaced by the STIHL BR 500 models, which is nearly four times cleaner than the California Air Resources Board’s standard for new blowers and it is one the of quietest models available, according to the SCAQMD web site.
The state agency hopes the incentive will protect public health by reducing an additional 21 tons of smog-forming pollution a year.
To qualify for the leaf blower exchange, participants must register by calling (888) 425-6247. The first exchange occurs on Thursday, Aug. 27 at Simon’s Power Equipment at Valley Plaza Park at 12240 Archwood St. in North Hollywood.

Update meeting on Los Cerritos Wetlands

2009-08-23T01:56:00.000-07:00

As news continues to shift and turn as much as the tide regarding the controversial future of the Los Cerritos Wetlands, its land trust is holding a “informal wetlands update” on Sept. 2. The meeting will address such issues as the proposed land swap, the proposed 2nd and PCH development project and follow-up on the illegal scraping at Loynes and Studebaker.
“Because of all this activity surrounding the wetlands, it has been suggested, and we agree, that we need to meet more often to share information and to plan and organize to address the issues and challenges that face Los Cerritos Wetlands,” according to the land trust website.
For the latest on the controversy surrounding a proposed land swap deal that was delayed and then eventually approved by the Long Beach City Council on Aug. 4, read the press-telegram here or the district weekly's pre-story here.
Coffee and cookies will be available.
The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at the Belmont Mobile Estates Clubhouse located at 6230 E Marina View Drive in Long Beach.
For more information or to RSVP, contact Elizabeth at ejlambe@verizon.net.

Documentary: no more seafood by 2048

2009-08-17T00:26:00.000-07:00

Documentary filmmaker Rupert Murrey was interviewed on Coast-to-Coast tonight, giving a glimpse into his new film "The End of the Line," which focuses on the global effects of overfishing. In his report, he said fisheries are catching fish about 5 times more than scientists are recommending to sustain a healthy habitat, while oddly enough depleting the very fish populations that the industry depends on. In China, investigations have discovered that fish catch reports have been overstated for more than 20 years in order to project bigger numbers than what they actually catch. True numbers show a downward trend. Meanwhile, salmon has been largely scarce and there have been reports that worms from farm raised fish have begun to affect the natural spawns. As far as seafood? Scientists say if the fishing industry continues as the way it is than we can count on not being able to order it by 2048.

Lawsuit to block clean trucks at ports dropped

2009-06-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

Here's the latest on the controversial clean trucks initiative in LB and LA Ports:The Federal Maritime Commission announced Tuesday, June 16 that it is withdrawing its lawsuit that had sought to block clean trucks initiatives at the Port of Long Beach and Port of Los Angeles, according to a press release from the Port of Long Beach.
The move eliminates a challenge to the Port of Long Beach’s landmark Clean Trucks Program that already has gone a long way to reduce pollution from area trucks.
“We are pleased that the Federal Maritime Commission has decided to drop its challenge against a key component of our important environmental efforts,” said Port of Long Beach Executive Director Richard D. Steinke. “Today’s decision by the commission helps ensure that the Clean Trucks Program will continue to improve air quality in the Long Beach community.”
In a motion filed Tuesday with the U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., the FMC asked to withdraw the lawsuit.
The FMC sued in October 2008, challenging certain aspects of the ports’ clean trucks concession agreements. In April, the judge in the case denied the FMC’s request for a preliminary injunction.

Study says green jobs in US grew by 9 percent

2009-06-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

The number of environment-related, or green, jobs across the nation grew 9 percent from 1998 to 2007, which is more than 2 percent higher than the rate of the overall workforce, according to the Los Angeles Times that reported a study by the Pew Charitable Trusts.
California led the way with the most growth in the country, with the opening of 10,209 green businesses and 125,390 jobs in 2007 alone.

New source of methylmercury: groundwater

2009-06-08T20:09:00.000-07:00

As many people have taken seafood out of their diets, especially fish, because of the mercury poisoning associated with it, scientists believe they have discovered a new source of where highly toxic mercury could be coming from.
For the first time, scientists have detected mercury in groundwater flows at two coastal sites in California according to a press release from the NOAA California Sea Grant program.
What's interesting is that the type of mercury discovered in these submarine groundwater flows, found underneath the ocean floor, appears to be methylmercury, the highly toxic form of mercury that accumulates in the marine food chain. Methylmercury, also often found in dental fillings, poses a public health problem in most regions of the world, according to the Madison Conference Declaration on Mercury Pollution.
The UC Santa Cruz researchers, who led the NOAA project, believe these groundwater flows represent a “significant and previously overlooked source of mercury in the nearshore marine environment.”
In an article to appear in Environmental Science and Technology, scientists report that these groundwater flows at Stinson Beach in Marin County and Elkhorn Slough in Monterey County inject about as much total mercury into coastal waters as that falling out of the sky, locally through atmospheric deposition.
But, for the most part, scientists aren’t sure how the mercury got there and why it is accumulating in high volumes.
There are a few theories though.
Frank Black, a former doctoral student at UC Santa Cruz, now a postdoctoral researcher in biogeochemistry at Princeton University and the paper’s lead author, believes that some of the inorganic mercury is coming from natural processes such as weathering of local mercury-containing rocks.
Mining and other “human activities” are also sources of mercury in soils and sediments.
Methylmercury, Black believes has come from septic tanks in the vicinity of Stinson Beach, because they provide nutrients to methylmercury bacteria, may be contributing to its formation. At Elkhorn Slough, the leading theory is that groundwater is flushing out methylmercury from sediments where it is being produced.
Previous studies documented the presence of methylmercury in terrestrial groundwater. Few have observed methylmercury in coastal waters, however, the press release states.
On a global average, the amount of mercury falling out of the sky has tripled since the Industrial Revolution 200 years ago, due primarily to the burning of fossil fuels. This mercury is converted into methylmercury by sulfur- and iron- reducing bacteria, which reside in wet, low-oxygen soils and sediments.

Above is a picture of a calico bass I caught in Catalina about a year ago.

What "green bubble"?

2009-06-02T17:56:00.000-07:00

With the economic downturn sending many jobless, whether they be white collar or blue collar workers, the greening of America could be what businesses are looking for.
At least that was the consensus during a conference about the new "green collar" workforce at the Long Beach Convention Center last week.
The event was hailed as the biggest conference to address such advancements in the business market. Rightly so, since Long Beach is a highly productive heavily-polluted area that suffers from bad air quality because of one of the nation's largest ports. The city also suffers from a large unemployment rate, much like other cities across the nation right now.
The conference spoke about diversity in the workforce as well, as government officials and green business owners talked about how environmental efforts will "bring back the middle class...and help protect Mother Earth" all at the same time.
The problem is though, that the State of California, and the nation, as a whole, are suffering financially right now, keeping manufacturers of these new technologies, i.e., wind, solar and other green energies, on hold until further notice. The other problem is the funding to teach people about how to work in the fields of these new green technologies, whether its building green infrastructure or green tech jobs, is near non-existent.
So the answer from experts in the field was pretty much, "Be patient." And whether the green trend will create another "green bubble" much like the tech bubble in 2000 and then the mortgage bubble we all are so familiar with the answer was, "We will always have the sun and wind."
To read more here is my article in the Press-Telegram.

Avalon Harbor top 'beach bummer' for sixth year

2009-05-27T01:34:00.000-07:00

Heal the Bay released its 19th annual Beach Report Card for 2008-09 on May 20, with most California beaches receiving “very good” water quality this past year.
The non-profit water monitoring organization also released its yearly “beach bummer” list of the beaches with the worst water quality.
At the top of the list was Avalon Harbor Beach on Catalina Island, which has been the statewide Bummer for six years running.
Two years ago a $4.5 million swimmer health effects study added Avalon Beach as a research location due to its perpetually poor water quality.
Coming in at No. 2 was Cabrillo Beach harborside and No. 6 was the LA River outlet in Long Beach.
Overall, 276 of 324 (85 percent) locations received very good to excellent (A and B) grades for the year during dry weather.
Heal the Bay analysts assigned A-to-F letter grades to 502 beaches along the California coast, based on levels of weekly bacterial pollution reported from April 2008 through March 2009.
During the high-traffic 2008 summer season, 91 percent of beaches statewide received A or B grades, meaning very good to excellent water quality. That figure marks a slight 2 percent dip from last summer, which earned the best grades ever issued by Heal the Bay.
Overall, only 32 of the beaches (6 percent) monitored statewide received D or F grades last summer.
High bacteria counts at these sites are linked to such potential illnesses as stomach flu, ear infections and major skin rashes.

So Cal all shook up

2009-05-19T16:10:00.000-07:00

Looks like Mother Earth isn't finished rocking and rolling from Sunday.
Today at around 3:45 p.m. and then again at about 3:51 p.m. there were two aftershocks that shook Southern California following the 4.7 that hit on Sunday from the Newport-Inglewood fault line.
The shocks epicenter appear to be from Hawthorne and El Sgundo area.
The 4.1 and 2.5 aftershocks today jostles my Long Beach apartment around a bit, but nothing big. To see up-to-the-second quake info for the So Cal region click here: http://www.data.scec.org/recenteqs/Quakes/quakes0.html

Intermediate I run at Irvine Ranch Conservancy

2009-05-09T00:37:00.000-07:00

Now is a perfect time to get some exercise– the weather is nice and summer is coming.
So, why not experience the hidden valleys of Orange County while you're at it.
The Irvine Ranch Conservancy, 50,000 acres of lush wild flowers and sprawling wild life, offers monthly events to view a wonderland of vast Natural Landmarks.
One of them will be a guided trail run on June 6 at 7 a.m. to the Sinks, an erosional formation similar to the Grand Canyon. On the trail, you will run through burn areas from the October 2007 Santiago Fire and pass through indigenous and recovering habitats of coastal sage scrub, grasslands, and oak woodlands.
This Intermediate I run is shorter than the Intermediate II runs but the pace will be the same, so you'll have to keep up.
The run includes multiple steep climbs and descents with very limited stops and is very strenuous. The run is intended for new and experienced trail runners who are in great cardio shape and have experience running continuously for 8 miles or more. Guests are required to carry their own water.

Earth Day 2009: big fundraiser for Bolsa Chica

2009-04-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

Earth Day, officially held on April 22, might become the biggest fundraiser in Bolsa Chica history.
Making a difference in the environment will not only mean picking up trash and replanting native vegetation, but also helping to pay for it.
The Bolsa Chica Land Trust is organizing a massive single-day donation to help preserve and restore the Bolsa Chica this Earth Day. This will be the largest single-day donation to help save and restore an ecosystem in U.S. history, the organization states, also saying that 95 percent of the coastal wetlands in California have been destroyed.
"Maybe we can't undo all the injustice we have done to this earth, but we can start here in our community. We can show others as well that they, too, have the power to help preserve, maintain and restore our earth," the Land Trust says.
The trust is asking 100,000 people to donate at least $50 or more on April 22 to reach a goal of $5 million in one day.
"Achieving this goal will help us further restore this salt marsh ecosystem and fund the Bolsa Chica Project. It will launch us on the path towards funding the complete restoration and protection of Bolsa Chica, which has been estimated at 50 million dollars.
After the Bolsa Chica Land Trust was formed in 1992, the trust embarked on a campaign to save the wetlands from development, 4,884 houses and a four-lane highway across the wetlands, with 900 houses on the wetlands themselves, the trust says. Now the trust is "fully committed to preserving and restoring the entire 1,700 acre Bolsa Chica."
Volunteers are expected to also attend a clean up day on April 18 at the Bolsa Chica State Beach park from 9 a.m. to noon.
Meanwhile, the Bolsa Chica Conservancy held their Earth Day 2009 festival at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands sponsored by the Bolsa Chica Conservancy and the Amigos de Bolsa Chica, attracting nearly 800 participants.
Engaging booths that provided a diverse variety of information that engaged the young and not-so-young to learn about the many aspects of the wetlands. From birds of prey to reptiles and marine animals, children and adults participated at the Earth Day 2009 festival that allowed them a chance to experience the wonder that is Bolsa Chica.
Congressman Rohrabacher and his children came to join the crowd at the wetlands that were amazed at seeing birds of prey and reptiles up close and personal. The Acjachemen tribe was also represented by educating the public about their history at the wetlands. Conservancy staff talked about animals and critters, while the Amigos helped children count birds and the Colorado Lagoon staff and volunteers taught the public about native plant restoration.

Bolsa Chica to get new interpretive center

2009-03-17T20:20:00.001-07:00

This just in from the Bolsa Chica Conservancy—

The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved an option agreement and lease during a March 17 meeting for an interpretive center at the Bolsa Chica wetlands. The Conservancy announced its plans to develop and construct a permanent interpretive center at the Harriett M. Wieder Regional Park in conjunction with the agreement.
The new center will provide enhanced interpretice educational facilities to the public, including multi-purpose exhibit halls, classrooms, laboratories for hans-on science activities, viewing docks for birding and wildlife, restoration and native discover gardens.
The park is located at the eastern edge of the Bolsa Chica wetlands overlooking the recently completed wetlands resotoration project and the new ocean inlet.
The county's General Development Plan and Resource management Plan for the park include a proposed center on land adjacent to the 4-acre playgorund, including trails linking Huntington Beach Central Park and Bolsa Chica State Beach.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Conservancy will leases 5.3 acres at the Harriet M. Wieder Regional Park to construct the center and ancillary improvement such as outdoor eduational and restoration areas, parking and landscaping. The building is expected to be about 8,000 square feet with space for lectures, classroom instruction.

Public invited to Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust meeting

2009-01-22T10:50:00.000-08:00

The public is invited to attend the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust General Meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 7 p.m. at the Belmont Shores Mobile Estates Community Center.
The special guest speaker will be Long Beach Councilmember Patrick O'Donnell.
O'Donnell will talk about the importance of protecting the Los Cerritos wetlands and the role that theLo San Gabriel River plays in the health and well being of our local wetlands.
The state budget crisis has thwarted any new construction or restoration efforts at the wetlands that were recently proposed by several potential purchases.
Negotiations to acquire the wetlands, which encompass three landmasses that fall on both Long Beach and Seal Beach territories, have stalled since the state Department of Finance ordered all state agencies stop work on grants and contracts funded with state bonds, according to the Long Beach Gazette newspaper.
“Essentially all our funds are frozen,” said Belinda Faustinos, executive director for both agencies. “We had hoped to look at a comprehensive restoration plan this year, and there will be no money.… It has definitely impacted our negotiations for the Hellman property (in Seal Beach). We won’t be able to complete that now. We have no money.”
In November, the City of Long Beach announced a deal that could move a portion of wetlands into public domain, according to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, a joint powers agreement, adopted among several agencies and cities to purchase and protect the land.
The deal would include Long Beach swapping city properties for the 175 acre piece of land formerly owned by the Bixby Company, now owned by developer Tom Dean, the authority states.
That deal, according to Councilman Gary Delong will not be affected by the state’s freeze on funds, the Gazette reports.
Long Beach City Hall would sell the wetlands property to the LCWA for a sum currently estimated at $25 million, the authority states.
City management plans to use the money from that sale to support efforts to acquire, restore and develop the 19-acre Wrigley Heights "oil operators" property as open space and develop 18 acres of open space at the “Hilltop Property.”

The "natural world" of Bolsa Chica Wetlands

2009-01-16T10:40:00.000-08:00

The Bolsa Chica Conservancy will present a series of tours and training sessions for volunteers this year, including a chance to sharpen your awareness skills on the "natural world" of the wetlands.
To kick off the training series for 2009, the Conservancy is presenting a session called "Developing Our Awareness Skills in the Natural World," with Dick Newell, one of Orange County's premier naturalists, who will lead the session.
The session will be held on Thursday, Jan. 29, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
People will learn how to identify animal tracks, bird calls, medicinal and edible plants of the wetlands and much more.
"Sharpen and increase your awareness skills to help make a child's learning adventure memorable and fun!"
To participate, please reserve a spot as seats are limited. Send an email to Diana Ortiz at diana@bolsachica.org.

Black abalone gets endangered species status

2009-01-14T15:26:00.000-08:00

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Fisheries Service determined black abalone, an edible marine mollusk, should be listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, according to a news release today, Jan. 14.
The ruling takes effect on Feb. 13, and comes one year after the fisheries service proposed to list the species.
Once harvested for food, black abalone were plentiful in intertidal waters along the Pacific coast.
The species was harvested early in California’s history by native Americans and peaked as a commercial fishery in the state in the 1970s. The state of California closed commercial and recreational harvesting of black abalone in 1993.
Since the 1980s, black abalone abundance has plummeted primarily from a bacterial disease known as withering foot syndrome. The spread of the disease may have been exacerbated by warmer coastal waters caused by factors such as long- and short-term changes in climate or from the warm water effluent of power plants. Other factors that may have led to the rapid population decline are historical overfishing, and poaching.
Coupled with the listing decision, NOAA’s Fisheries Service is also soliciting comments and information relevant to the designation of critical habitat for black abalone.
According the LA Times, "The final decision, expected after a year of further study, would not have an immediate impact on the hunting of black abalone in California, which has been illegal here since 1993. But the listing could bring in federal money to help restore populations of the species, set aside critical habitat and impose criminal penalties for importing the mollusk from Mexico."
Decades ago, black abalone was known as the most abundant species of abalone from Northern Baja California, Mexico, to Monterey, Calif.
But "the scientific review team reported major declines in the population of black abalone, especially in the areas around the Channel Islands off Southern California," said Rod McInnis, Southwest Regional Administrator for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. “These proposed regulations seek federal protection for black abalone and requests input from the public in determining what areas might be included as critical habitat for the species.”
Withering syndrome is a bacterium that affects the digestive system and causes the abalone to shrink. The bacterium increases in warmer waters (that reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit) that can be attributed to warm water currents such as from El Nino, which some say are early signs of the effects of global warming, according to an article published by National Geographic.
Other causes of the rapid population decline are likely due to historical overfishing, poaching and natural predation. NMFS has considered recent preliminary evidence, which suggests a small disease resistant population may exist at San Nicolas Island. Even with this possibility, the likelihood that black abalone populations will continue to decline towards extinction (within the next 30 years) is very high.
If the listing under the ESA is passed this year, the black abalone would join the white abalone, which was placed on the endangered-species list by the National Marine Fisheries Service in May 2001.
"Estimates of where the white-abalone population stood 30 years ago run from 2.2 million to 4.2 million, but recently their population along the coast was estimated at just a couple thousand."

Aquarium offers "Whale Watch Combo" rides

2009-01-08T11:28:00.000-08:00

They're back!
Gray whales have been spotted off the coast of Long Beach and the Aquarium of the Pacific staff and Harbor Breeze Cruises set sail for a chance to see these gentle giants and find out how the public can help these whales and other marine mammals in Southland waters today.
Members of the media embarked aboard a specialized whale watching, high-speed catamaran docked next to the Aquarium. Whale experts and Spanish spokespeople will be on-board for interviews regarding whales and conservation issues.
In attendance was Michele Sousa, senior marine mammal biologist, Aquarium of the Pacific, Dan Salas, captain & CEO, Harbor Breeze Cruises, Alicia Archer, biologist & boat program coordinator, Aquarium of the Pacific and Marilyn Padilla, Spanish spokesperson, Aquarium of the Pacific.
The public is invited to embark on an educational whale adventure through the Aquarium of the Pacific’s Whale Watch Combo. Adventurers will explore the nearby seas aboard the specialized Harbor Breeze Cruises whale-watching boat, the Christopher, to seek out such travelers as gray, fin, blue, and Minke whales, various dolphin species, sea lions, and a host of migratory sea birds.
Aquarium experts will be on board to answer questions and discuss tips for helping whales and other animals inhabiting local waters. Included in the adventure is a visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific to meet over 12,500 ocean animals and to learn more about whales through the award-winning Whales: Voices in the Sea kiosk exhibit and the Whales: A Journey with Giants film. The Whale Watch Cruise combo ticket is available for purchase on-site at Aquarium of the Pacific and may be purchased in advance by calling 562-590-3100. Prices are $42.95, per adult (12+); $28.95 per child (3-11); $39.95 per Senior (62+); and free for children under age three / all tickets include Aquarium admission. The two and a half hour whale watch excursion with Aquarium experts is available daily at Noon & 3:00 p.m. For more information, the public can visit www.aquariumofpacific.org.

"Great White" submarine to explore ocean floor between Catalina and mainland in April, 2009

2008-12-18T09:24:00.000-08:00

The Great White will soon prowl the waters between Catalina and the mainland, known as the Gulf of California.
This Great White, however, isn’t a man-eating shark, but an underwater vessel meant to do research and explore the ocean. It has a lot to cover since only about 2 percent of the earth’s ocean have been explored.
The submarine is a two-person vehicle that can dive to 500 feet or up to 72 hours. It’s part of The Undersea Voyager Project, which kicked off this week.
A main purpose of the project is to give the ocean a health check-up.
The Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach hosted an event on Dec. 15 to kick-off the project and introduced the small submersible craft.
The program will be in full swing by spring. The craft will launch from the Los Angeles Harbor in April, 2009 and should reach Avalon after three days. The distance between the island and the mainland is about 60 miles and the ocean floor is anywhere from 100 to 200 feet deep.
The idea is to collect samples "in situ" on different species and water samples as well. The type of species known in this area are giant Humboldt squids, dolphins, whales, mako sharks, blue sharks and great whites.
The overall project has three other bigger subs that can dive up to 1,500 feet.
The Undersea Voyager Project is expected to last about five years, with a budget of about $5 million per year. Its leaders said it is a “shoestring” budget, but they expect it to be enhanced by volunteers and donations.
The subs will be tested at various sites, including the trip between Catalina Island and Long Beach.
The submersible vehicles will be able to operate continuously for about 72 hours. They will have power and safety line tethers to a larger ship.
The Undersea Voyager Project will also provide educational opportunities for students and a chance for them to interact with the project's research team.
Areas of study will include global climate change, ocean pollution and energy conservation, along with new species identification and biological ecosystems.
Students will be able to track the program progress via remote technology from their classrooms around the world.
They will also submit their own experiments, ranging from robotic inventions to environmental and species research.
The project's Undersea Classroom program will connect students and their teachers with live images of the aquanauts in the submersible as well as video from multiple external cameras.
Story courtesy of the Catalina Islander newspaper

Update: Hellman wetlands purchase in 'negotations'

2008-11-19T09:17:00.000-08:00

Out of a thick field of invasive bushes and dried up salt patches, ocean currents might flow and green reeds might flourish someday.
At least that's what government officials, property owners and residents hope to accomplish if a multi-layered purchase of several hundred acres of the degraded Los Cerritos Wetlands goes through.
The wetlands, encompassing three properties, takes up a portion of Long Beach and Seal Beach, surrounding the San Gabriel River flood channel that borders Los Angeles and Orange counties.
For decades, the land has stood with a few oil wells and mostly vacant territory, scattered with animals, birds and vegetation.
But several anticipated land acquisitions could change all that.
Last week, the City of Long Beach announced a deal that could move a portion of wetlands into public domain, according to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, a joint powers agreement, adopted among several agencies and cities to purchase and protect the land.
The agency is made up of the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, State Coastal Conservancy and cities of Long Beach and Seal Beach.
The deal would include Long Beach swapping city properties for the 175 acre piece of land formerly owned by the Bixby Company, now owned by developer Tom Dean, the authority states.
In return for the sale, the property owner would be able to purchase the city's public service yard on San Francisco Street, Long Beach Gas and Oil’s headquarters on Spring Street and Junipero, 29.5 acres of frontage on Spring Street, a location formerly known as the “Sports Park” and now designated the “Hilltop Property," and two other small parcels—one at Spring and Atlantic and one at Cherry and Creston.
“City Hall would sell the wetlands property to the LCWA for a sum currently estimated at $25 million,” the authority states.
City management plans to use the money from that sale to support efforts to acquire, restore and develop the 19-acre Wrigley Heights "oil operators" property as open space and develop 18 acres of open space at the “Hilltop Property.”
However, the purchase might not only just pertain to land in Long Beach, but could also open up the purchasing power for the rest of the wetlands, a majority that now sits in Seal Beach.
The wetlands is currently split up into three properties: the Hellman Ranch property, which is about 100 acres that leads up to Gum Grove Park below Marina Hill in Seal Beach, the Bixby property along Pacific Coast Highway past the overpass in Long Beach and the Bryant property which consists of 166 acres in both cities.
Only after purchasing all of the land would a full restoration begin to take hold, something some say would be similar to Bolsa Chica's restoration project and ocean inlet that has brought flocks of migratory birds back to their nesting places.
"We want to reintroduce the area as a salt-water marsh, by introducing a tidal flush," said Suzanne Frick, Long Beach assistant city manager. "It's what it's going to be like in the future. If in fact the land swap goes into affect, all three of those properties would be purchased and restored."
She said right now, both the Hellman and Bryant properties are closed off to the ocean waters, while the Bixby site has limited water flush.
Frick, city planners and residents gathered for a workshop session on the matter this Tuesday at Long Beach City Hall. Frick said the LCWA is in negotiations to purchase the Hellman property, but didn't know how much for.
Although it is unknown how much the Hellman property in Seal Beach is up for, the LCWA has secured a few potential funding sources to pay for all three sections of land from coastal conservancy funds and park grant bond dollars.
"I'm fairly confident they can come up with the money to purchase the land," Frick said.
The next step would be for the LCWA to start moving forward with comprehensive plans for the restoration project, which could take years to accomplish after public hearings on the matter.
Seal Beach City Councilman Gordon Shanks said he has been following the Hellman property for about 40 years, and abstained from being on the LCWA since his home currently sits directly above the wetlands.
He said the property has been a point of contention in the city, after controversy arose over Heron Point homes being put in on the edge of the land facing Seal Beach Boulevard. Although much of the acres have been degraded, he said, he looks forward to seeing the restoration process.
"It’s going to be difficult to get it back to wetlands," he said. "But there are a lot of animals and birds that live there."
Greg Cook, of Lakewood, often walks with his dog Howie down to Gum Grove Park, a hidden trail of red gum eucalyptus trees and vegetation, he didn't even know existed until about a year ago.
As a bird watcher, he said bringing the land back to its natural habitat would also bring back migratory birds that once used to flourish.
“I think it would be absolutely tremendous,” he said. “ This is such an important part of nature for migratory birds. It would be a great thing.”

State restores water quality monitoring funds

2008-11-14T13:09:00.000-08:00

As the state moves forward with a near-record budget deficit, the California State Water Resources Control Board unanimously voted Nov. 4 to make sure water quality monitoring at the state's beaches won't disappear.
The board assured that the state will provide "restored funding for beach water quality monitoring at 15 coastal counties throughout the state through the end of the year," according to an announcement by Heal the Bay.
"In September, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used a line-item veto to ax near $1 million in funding for this critical program.
Heal the Bay applauds the board's decision to fund testing that is critical for protecting the public health of ocean users throughout the state. Funds will be re-appropriated from grant program funds derived from the Clean Beaches Initiative, which voters approved in 2000. The board has the option to extend the agreement for another year.
According to Heal the Bay's end of summer report card, about 91 percent of the 514 beaches monitored statewide this summer received A or B grades, which indicated excellent or very good water quality. Those grades are essentially the same as last year when 92 percent of sites got good grades.
Two years of drought conditions contributed to the positive results statewide, because the dry conditions limited the amount of urban runoff, the biggest source of pollution, according to the group. Also, infrastructure enhancements also played a part, funded by the state's $100 million Clean Beach Initiative, to improve grades at beaches.
Los Angeles County still leads the state for bad grades, with nearly one out of five beaches tracked in the county receiving F grades, 21 out of 109 sites monitored this summer.
Despite some modest improvements, Long Beach still suffers the worst water quality in the state, largely because it sits at the terminus of the contaminant-plagued Los Angeles River. With nearly half of its 25 monitored beaches receiving C to F grades, the city of Long Beach has undertaken proactive source tracking and abatement measures.

Los Cerritos Wetlands land swap for $25 million

2008-11-13T14:17:00.000-08:00

The City of Long Beach is getting close to saving the Los Cerritos Wetlands— a proposed land swap that has been in the works for months, aimed at making sure wetlands stay wetlands.
If done correctly, the proposed 190-acres of somewhat environmentally protected land could be restored after years of oil dredging and land development threats.
But don't count your acres before they're hatched.
The Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority still has to come up with $25 million to purchase the land along with millions more for any restoration that would take place. How the public agency is going to do that is unknown right now.
Before any restoration moves forward, the city has to sort out a "complex" land swap with the current land owner, Los Cerritos Inc., which is headed by investors Tom Dean and Jim Berger, according to Press Telegram's report as well as the District Weekly, which first broke the story.
Basically, in return for the 66-acre Bryant property and the 174-acre Hellman property, the land owners will be able to develop a portion of what was originally going to be a $50 million Sports Park at Spring Street and Cherry Avenue,... so the wetlands will have its costs. City officials say the deal was made after plans for building the extensive recreational park went sour amidst economic hardships.
Once the deal is made final, the wetlands acres will then be bought by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority, a public agency, designating the land for restoration, with government officials by their side.
During a press conference this Wednesday, city officials said protecting the land will by the most extensive "wetlands" restoration for the city of Long Beach, envisioned as a "jewel," similar to nearby Bolsa Chica's efforts.

Baby hammerheads hanging around Cat Harbor

2008-11-07T09:00:00.000-08:00

A few baby hammerheads have lately been found hanging around Cat Harbor, the foggy less-visited version of Two Harbors on the backside of Santa Catalina Island.
The baby hammerhead sharks were found mulling about in the last two weeks, among the shallow waters of the rocky backside, where a few much more dangerous sharks such as Great Whites have been spotted in the past. Some spots on the backside are also ripe with rocky reefs for wave riding.
Doug Oudin, the Isthmus' harbor master, wrote in a column for the Catalina Islander newspaper, that there are about 15 to 20 of the sharks found, some caught on fishing lines in the waters near the mud flats.
The hammerheads average less than two feet in length, he said, and were born sometime in the later summer, and are still "hanging around" in Cat Harbor to feed on the shoals of anchovies and sardines in the cove. The sharks are known to inhabit cooler waters.
He said there were no reports of mature hammerheads in the cove, as mother sharks are known to give birth and then abandon their young.
Most hammerhead species are fairly small and are considered harmless to humans. However, the great hammerhead's enormous size and fierceness make it potentially dangerous, though few attacks have been recorded.

Mammal Center: Northern fur seals malnourished

2008-10-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

A small Northern California fur seal named "Jasper Johns" was so weak that he had to eat threw a tube.
His body was thin and he couldn't hold on any longer.
Last Thursday he died, as biologists are starting to see a string of the malnourished fur seals found off the coast, according to the Bay Area-based Marine Mammal Center's blog.
Fur seals are relatives of sea lions, rather than seals, because they have external ear flaps and can walk on their hind flippers, so their name is somewhat of a misnomer, the center says.
Normally, the furry seals that have 300,000 hairs per square inch, don't come to shore, and predominantly dwell in the open ocean feeding off of small schools of fish like walleye pollock, herring, hake and anchovy, and squid.
But recently the center had five fur seals being treated on site, a few have died in past weeks, including Jasper Johns that died after having a seizure. The center anticipates more of the
"The Center sees a spike in the number of fur seal patients it rescues in some years, but it's unknown exactly what causes this spike and what factors are affecting their health and/or normal feeding patterns in the wild," the center explains.
In the mean time, veterinarians and volunteers have their hands full caring for this unique species. Fur seals are small and often appear to be harmless, but in fact, can be extremely aggressive and quick. With razor sharp teeth, they really keep their caretakers on their toes!"

Clapper rails released at Seal Beach refuge

2008-10-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

Team Clapper Rail, a group of more than 100 individuals and organizations dedicated to breeding, raising and releasing the endangered light-footed clapper rail, started a Species Recovery Program in 1998. Through the Team's highly successful captive breeding and translocation program, 200 birds have been released into Southern California's coastal salt marshes since 2001. On Oct. 16, that number will rise again, with a release of seven birds at the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, located within Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach. This upcoming release follows a very successful year (2007) for Team Clapper Rail in terms of the number of birds released, and the number of breeding pairs estimated in the wild, the largest statewide breeding population detected since the counts began in 1980.
The light-footed clapper rail is rarely seen in its natural habitat of coastal marshes. The long-legged wading bird’s virtual invisibility is due partly to its crepuscular nature — most of the animal’s activity occurs at dawn and dusk — and, more than that, the bird is unseen because its numbers plummeted so low that it has remained on the endangered species list since 1970. But thanks to the cooperative efforts of local and federal agencies, grassroots organizations and wildlife specialists, we will continue to see more and more of the light-footed clapper rail in the months and years to come.
Team Clapper Rail consists of bird experts from the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, SeaWorld San Diego, the Chula Vista Nature Center, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and independent wildlife biologists. Each agency and individual plays a critical role in the captive breeding protocol.
The Wild Animal Park breeds, hatches and raises clapper rail chicks to support this endangered species.
The 28th annual census of the light-footed clapper rail in California was conducted last year, and 443 pairs of rails exhibited breeding behavior in 19 marshes in 2007. This is the largest statewide breeding population detected since the census began in 1980, representing an 8.3 percent increase over the former high count in 2006, and a 36 percent increase of the 24-year high reached in 1996. It’s also the fourth consecutive year of record-breaking high counts.

Supreme Court "split" on Navy sonar and whales

2008-10-09T13:04:00.000-07:00

The Supreme Court justices are "closely split" on whether the Navy is following environmental laws to protect whales and other marine mammals from sonar off the Southern California coast, according to David Savage of the LA Times.
The case, Winter vs. NRDC, landed in Washington D.C. on Wednesday after the lawsuit was brought forth by the Natural Resources Defense Council in Santa Monica.
The U.S. District Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ordered the Navy to "shut down its high-intensity sonar whenever a whale or marine mammal is spotted within 1.25 miles of the ship," according to the Times.
But the Bush administration and its lawyers contend that in war time operations and exercises, paramount to national security, the government has the right to make decisions of whether to shut down sonar. U.S. Solicitor Gen. Gregory G. Garre, asked the judge to throw out the former ruling by a Los Angeles court judge.
The issue now has developed into whether or not a judge has the right to decide whether to stop government projects to the requirements of protecting marine mammals.
But environmentalists state that whales, dolphins and other marine mammals dive deep into the ocean to escape the high frequency sounds and can end up bleeding and sometimes die when they come up to the surface.
A dolphin washed up on the shores of San Nicolas Island in January this year, during the final stages of the Navy's sonar exercises, commonly linked to the death of whales and other ocean mammals, the Times reported.
San Nicolas Island, which is owned by the Navy, is the farthest out of the Channel Islands off the coast of California, passed Santa Catalina Island. The Navy also tests rockets on the Island, which commonly known to inhabit elephant seals.
The dolphin was found with blood in its ear canals and other fluid, common symptoms also shown on whales who were discovered with similar conditions before. The discovery on Jan. 29 was very small compared to the many whales found strewn on the Canary Islands in 2000.
The federal court order would require that the Navy shutdown all sonar operations when whales are 2,200 yards within range and some spots near the Channel Islands.
The Navy will release an official environmental impact statement come next February when all their exercises are complete this year.
The justices will decide their official ruling within the next few months, according to the Times.

Discussion on Catalina's protected habitats

2008-10-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

The staff of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative will give a presentation on the South Coast Study Region from 5 to 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 8, in the Avalon City Council Chambers.
Passed into California state law in 1999, the Marine Life Protection Act requires all existing state marine protected areas be reevaluated. The act also requires the creation of a statewide system of protected areas. The goal is to protect, among other things, marine life, habitat and ecosystems.
In pursuit of that goal, MLPA Initiative staff are inviting members of the public to join the discussion of the South Coast Study Region. The study is in the initial planning stages. The study will look at state waters from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County south to the California border with Mexico, including offshore islands.
For more information about the MLPA Initiative, visit the Web site http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa
For more information on the public presentation, contact Kelly Sayce at (310) 738-2665 or Craig Shuman at (310) 869-6574.

"Millennials" on the rise, "Xers" take the lead, and "Boomers" take the back seat

2008-10-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

Do we really know anything about kids these days?
Well, Neil Howe and William Strauss said they have predicted the characteristics of the new generation that will inevitably change our world, possibly for the better, but not with out a lot of bumps in the road.
As the "GI" generation or the folks preceding the "Greatest Generation," or people who fought in World War II, age 80 to 90, are seemingly on the edge of existence, the "Baby Boomers," now in their 60s, find themselves in the elder leadership role today, explained Howe on the Coast to Coast AM radio show last night.
The predictions have been compiled through history and statistics back in 1997, before 911, which they also predicted would occur, among such things as the fall of the stock market.
The Boomers are also a generation built on "cultural" greatness, which defined the era of the 60s and 70s with Rock & Roll. This is much different from the generation that came before the Boomers, that was built solely on "foundation" and building infrastructure.
Generations shift just about every 20 years, Howe said, but the term "Senior Citizens" we will find will be phased out, as the Boomers don't want to be called the same term that was designated to the generation before them.
The Boomers are now coming to an age where they are the elders, but not like the GIs the Boomers are a very confrontational bunch, and arguing seems to be the focal point as the country has seen with protests and how they can't ever come to an agreement on Capital Hill.
The 13th generation, born from 1961 to mid 80s and now in their late 20s to 30s, are known as the "X Generation."
This generation is, "literally the thirteenth generation to know the American flag and nation. The book,"13th Generation," shows how their “location in history” (Xers were, in fact, the real “children of the Consciousness Revolution”) helps explain their pragmatic attitude and unduly negative reputation.
What's probably so interesting about Howe's and Strauss' discoveries is the Millennial Generation, that are now teenagers growing up after the year 2000.
This generation tends to be lumped in with the Gen Xers, but as Howe and Strauss point out the group of people are entirely different.
The Xers have been seemingly known as a generation to adapt to change are now becoming the generals who care mostly about the bottom line, with such cultural attributions as Hip-Hop and so forth, says Howe.
The Millennials, are different however, and will be able to work together more as a community of soldiers, with a can-do youth revolution, that trust non-profits more than business.
A decade ago, in Generations, Strauss and Howe predicted many of the youth trends America is beginning to see today. Now, in Millennials Rising, the authors show how today’s teens are recasting the image of youth from downbeat and alienated to upbeat and engaged. The authors also show…how Millennials are held to higher standards than adults apply to themselves how they’re a lot less violent, vulgar, and sexually charged than the teen culture older people are producing for them how, over the next decade, they’ll entirely recast what it means to be young and how, in time, they could emerge as the next great generation.
Looking back to the dawn of the modern world, The Fourth Turning reveals a distinct pattern in human history, cycles lasting about the length of a long human life. Each cycle is composed of four “turnings,” and each turning lasts the span of a generation (about 20 years). There are four kinds of turnings (High, Awakening, Unraveling, Crisis), and they always occur in the same order.
For more information log on to their project known as LifeCourse Associates.

APA: Internet addiction may cause mental disorders

2008-09-26T14:58:00.000-07:00

With new tech toys constantly popping up like the 3G- iPhone and other small portable hand-held Internet devices, some people might be wondering if it's a good idea to be on the Internet so much.
You see it everywhere, whether waiting in lines, in classrooms, on the bus, at the grocery store, or even in the car.
The Internet has even transformed language with such words as "blog," "text," "IM," and "LOL."
The next generation has seemingly turned into the "text" generation with the ability to have information at finger tips and chat with friends and family at the touch of a button.
But not only are legislators now taking a look at whether "texting" and over-obsessive Internet use is safe in the car, but the issue has become a main topic of discussion in psychiatric groups.
"Internet Addiction," termed in the American Psychiatric Association committee's editorial published in March, 2008, appears to be a common disorder that merits inclusion in DSM-V (Five), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or the latest manual for revising mental conditions in America.
The article in the American Journal of Psychiatry was written by Dr. Jerald J. Block, who briefly discussed the epidemic on a recent showing of the Coast-to-Coast am radio program.
The diagnosis is a compulsive-impulsive spectrum disorder that involves online and/or off line computer usage and consists of at least three subtypes: excessive gaming, sexual preoccupations, and email/text messaging.
All of the variants share the following four components, excessive use, often associated with a loss of sense of time or a neglect of basic drives, withdrawal, including feelings of anger, tension, and/or depression when the computer is inaccessible, tolerance, including the need for better computer equipment, more software, or more hours of use, and negative repercussions, including arguments, lying, poor achievement, social isolation, and fatigue.
According to the APA, most research on Internet addiction has been published in South Korea, where Internet gaming cafes actually have become violent. Using data from 2006, the government says about 210,000 South Korean children (2.1 percent, ages 6 to 19 are afflicted and require treatment. About 80 percent of those needing treatment may need psychotropic medications and perhaps 20 percent to 24 percent require hospitalization.
China is also concerned about the disorder with about 10 million teenagers afflicted by the disorder.
In the United States, accurate estimates of the prevalence of the disorder are lacking. Unlike in Asia, where Internet cafes are frequently use and in the US games and virtual sex are accessed from the home. Attempts to measure the phenomenon are clouded by shame, denial and minimization, and further complicated by comorbidity, with about 86 percent of Internet Addiction cases having some other disorder diagnosis present.

Governor vetos water quality funding

2008-09-25T12:55:00.000-07:00

This week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger eliminated any on-going funding for the implementation of a water quality bill in a line item veto for the recently-approved state budget, according to Heal the Bay.
Water quality monitoring is the latest casualty of environmental programs due the state's billion dollar deficit this year.
In the last decade, such water quality monitoring has been funded by AB411, a state law that created public health bacteria standards and monitoring requirements for ocean water quality at California public beaches during high-traffic summer season.
The nearly $1 million program for the state's 15 coastal counties stands to be threatened of possibly cut out.
Although new funding might not be coming our way, beaches all over California saw another clean summer, according to Heal the Bay's end of summer report card.
About 91 percent of the 514 beaches monitored statewide this summer received A or B grades, which indicated excellent or very good water quality. Those grades are essentially the same as last year when 92 percent of sites got good grades.
Two years of drought conditions contributed to the positive results statewide, because the dry conditions limited the amount of urban runoff, the biggest source of pollution, according to the group.
Also, infrastructure enhancements also played a part, funded by the state's $100 million Clean Beach Initiative, to improve grades at beaches.
Los Angeles County still leads the state for bad grades though.
According to Heal the Bay, nearly one out of five beaches tracked in the county received F grades, 21 out of 109 sites monitored this summer.
Despite some modest improvements, Long Beach still suffers the worst water quality in the state, largely because it sits at the terminus of the contaminant-plagued Los Angeles River. With nearly half of its 25 monitored beaches receiving C to F grades, the city of Long Beach has undertaken proactive source tracking and abatement measures.
Water quality dipped at Santa Monica Bay beaches this summer as well, with 86 percent of 63 monitored beaches receiving A or B grades, compared to 93 percent last year. Bay beaches receiving D or F grades this summer include Malibu‟s fabled Surfrider Beach, Paradise Cove, Solstice Canyon at Dan Blocker Beach and Marie Canyon at Puerco Beach. Further south in the bay, Venice City Beach at Topsail, Dockweiler
Beach at Ballona Creek and Santa Monica beaches at the Santa Monica Pier and at Wilshire Boulevard also received D or F marks.
If Los Angeles County beaches are removed from the grading curve, state water quality marks improve dramatically. Nearly 97 percent of the 405 beaches outside the county earned A and B grades, with only six locations receiving failing grades.
Heal the Bay assigns an A to F letter grade to beaches along the California coast every summer, based on levels of bacterial pollution reported from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. The Beach Report Card is based on the routine monitoring of beaches from Humboldt County to the Mexican border by local health agencies and dischargers. Water samples are analyzed for bacteria that indicate pollution from numerous sources. The better the grade a beach receives, the lower the risk of illness to ocean users.
Orange County boasted outstanding water quality this summer, improving upon already excellent grades, with 98 percent of its 104 beaches receiving A or B grades. Doheny Beach at San Juan Creek and Poche Creek Beach in San Clemente were the only two locations to receive D or F grades. Historical trouble spots in Huntington and the Doheny beaches maintained their improved A and B marks.

New creatures found off Great Barrier Reef

2008-09-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

If you ever saw the movie "The Abyss," then you might be familiar with the type of brightly colored creatures found deep in the ocean.
But this time it's not a movie and the the hundreds of new marine creatures found in three reefs of Australia are a lot smaller, in fact some are the size of sand grains, according to scientists.
The new discovery led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science, also uncovered 150 soft corals, never seen before shrimps, worms and crustaceans.
Here is a story published in National Geographic Magazine.
The exploration is part of a 10-year project to look at the world's ocean diversity, involving systematic sampling hidden reef animals at Lizard and heron Islands on the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Reef on the country's west coast.
In total, about a hundred new isopod species could emerge from the study.
Other finds include a potentially new class of marine worm known as bristle worms, relatives of leeches and earthworms.
The team is also analyzing organisms such as seaweeds, urchins, and lace corals.
Corals depend on a symbiotic relationship with temperature-sensitive algae that live inside their tissues and provide both food and color.

Calling all volunteers for Coastal Cleanup Day!

2008-09-18T13:13:00.000-07:00

California Coastal Cleanup Day is the premier volunteer event focused on the marine environment in the country.
Coastal Cleanup Day is the highlight of the California Coastal Commission's year 'round Adopt-A-Beach program and takes place every year on the third Saturday of September, from 9 a.m. to noon.
This year, the event will be held on Sept. 20.
In 2007, more than 60,000 volunteers worked together to collect more than 900,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from our beaches, lakes, and waterways. California Coastal Cleanup Day has been hailed by the Guinness Book of World Records as "the largest garbage collection” (1993). Since the program started in 1985, over 800,000 Californians have removed more than 12 million pounds of debris from the state's shorelines and coast.
Pre-register with your local Coordinator, or simply show up at any of our drop-in sites (which will be placed on the county contact pages as they become available).
For more information, contact (800) COAST-4U or coast4u@coastal.ca.gov.
Here is a list of locations and times to volunteer:
Long Beach
Help is needed at the 112th consecutive monthly “30-Minute Beach Cleanup” this Saturday at 10 a.m. This month's cleanup is being sponsored by University by the Sea. There is free parking at the start/finish point: 1 Granada Ave., Long Beach (Belmont Shore). All groups and individuals of all ages are welcome.
The “30-Minute Beach Cleanup” in Long Beach, presented by Justin Rudd's nonprofit 501c3 Community Action Team (C.A.T.), has collected thousands of bags of trash with the help of volunteers of all ages over the past nine years. The efforts have helped to keep our beaches clean and safe with volunteers helping just 30 minutes on the third Saturday of each month at 10 a.m., rain or shine.
Door prizes (tickets from the Aquarium of the Pacific, gift cards from Aroma di Roma and coupons from Polly's Coffee) & refreshments from Duthie Power Services, and University by the Sea will be given immediately after the half hour cleanup.
Bags, gloves, refreshments, volunteer credit forms, door prizes and free parking are provided.
Volunteers may contact Rudd at Justin@JustinRudd.com or 562/439-3316.
Seal Beach
Save Our Beach conducts a monthly beach cleanup in Seal Beach from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the 1st Street Beach Lot (corner of Ocean & 1st in the Rivers End restaurant parking lot) in Seal Beach.
Garbage bags and protective gloves will be provided.
For more information email kim@saveourbeach.org or call (562) 884-6764.
Bolsa Chica Wetlands/ State Beach
At the Bolsa Chica Wetlands, operations will begin at 7 a.m. to remove trash and debris while the tide is low. The cleanup will start at the North Lot at 3842 Warner Ave. in Huntington Beach. Tools and refreshments will be provided. Come with a hearty spirit, closed toe shoes, sunscreen and a hat.

Raptor research project presented Sept. 23

2008-09-13T13:26:00.000-07:00

Scott Thomas, the director for the Sea and Sage Conservation, will host a presentation on his latest findings of the "Orange County Raptor Research Project" on Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. at the Irvine Ranch Water District Duck Club at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine.
Thomas and biologist Pete Bloom, a 35-year veteran raptor researcher, led a group of young scientists and students from University California, Irvine as well as Audubon volunteers in an effort to research the status of the county's raptor population.
Sponsored by the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, where many predators still dwell, this free slide-show illustrated presentation highlights their efforts, including information that can be obtained from monitoring birds using satellite telemetry.
Some biologists and specialists say a declining amount of predators, such as red-tailed hawks, cooper’s hawks, owls and American kestrels, throughout Southern California, could be declining in numbers.
“It’s puzzling,” said Bloom, a biologist for the Audubon California Starr Ranch Sanctuary. “Certain species have declined dramatically.”
Although no official numbers have been recorded, data shows the dwindling amounts of “Birds of Prey” could be caused by a variety of environmental concerns, Bloom said.
Fewer protected habitats because of fires and development, climate change caused by global warming, West Nile virus outbreaks and less prey are all factors in the shortened number of nests over the last few decades.
Some of these predators are sometimes displaced or treated in the hands of veterinarian Scott Weldy, who works for a wildlife hospital in Lake Forest.
Weldy has seen a difference in both the kinds of predators that are brought into his hospital and the amount.
“I can tell you the numbers are a general anecdote,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s not a representation of them dying, but in general, numbers have significantly dropped down.”
Weldy works with federal and state wildlife officials on birds of prey where he treats each one in cages until they can be re-released or relocated.
He said a better representation of whether predator birds are declining would be to take a survey from all of the biologists over the state, look at the nest sightings and see how many babies fledge out of that site.
Photo by Forget Me Not Photography

"Save our park" from toll road Sept. 22

2008-09-11T11:35:00.000-07:00

Even though some surfers were sent home packing when scientists concluded that a toll road wouldn't have affected Trestles as much as previously thought, environmental groups still had won when the California Coastal Commission shot down the proposed Foothill South fast trak in February.
Now, environmental groups who want to protect the San Onofre State Beach from development are at it again— but this time many have changed their focus.
Instead of decrying the project because it might have affected the renowned surf break, which brought out hundreds of surfers from groups like the Surfrider Foundation, this time groups like Friends of the Foothills and the Sierra Club seem to be focusing their efforts more on protecting the San Mateo Campground.
The toll road proposed by the Transportation Corridor Agencies, they say, would have cut down on traffic congestion, along with environmentally sensitive buffers for endangered species, but the Coastal Commission didn't think so.
Following the commission's vote of 8-2, disapproving the proposed extension of the 67-mile system, the TCA filed an appeal with the United States Department of Commerce.
The upcoming Sept. 22 U.S. Commerce Department Toll Road Hearing will be held on Monday, Sept. 22 at the Del Mar Fair grounds, O'Brien Hall from 10:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard.
Environmental groups have already begun a campaign to encourage people to testify to help stop the toll road construction that would inadvertently by built on top of campgrounds and wildlife habitats.
"Speak now or forever lose our park!" states a flier. "U.S. Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez is hearing from special interests and the TCA's lobbyists. Now he needs to hear from you."
Among the hundreds of attendants who came out to the commission meeting Feb. 7 many said the Environmental Impact Report was done sloppily and hides certain unavoidable concerns regarding the proposed project. Their efforts are driven to preserve state land and uphold the Coastal Act.
Either way, the TCA is still going to have one public relations hurdle if the department of commerce ever decides to overturn the commission's decision.

"Biology of Belief:" how to reprogram your mind

2008-09-05T15:17:00.000-07:00

If you were able to tune in to Coast to Coast A.M. last night, you probably had an enlightening experience.
The Sci-fi-UFO-new-age radio program hosted by "night hawk" George Noory had an interesting guest on. His name is Dr. Bruce H. Lipton, who discussed his new book, "the Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter & Miracles."
He revealed some interesting news brewing in the science and medical communities these days. The question is what actually causes the diseases, mental conditions, traumas or imbalances in our lives, that stop us from truly attaining peace and happiness. So many people feel they are bogged down by being an alcoholic, or a drug addict or depressed, because their father or mother was.
But Lipton said it doesn't have to be that way.
Lipton says that by tapping into a constant stream of consciousness, we are able to create "positive thinking," which can actually prevent these illnesses, once we "reprogram" our minds.
Sound weird? Well, let me explain...
He said more and more of today's biologists are turning away from the theory that genes control our destinies, and will in effect determine whether or not we will grow up to have illnesses, conditions and so forth.
For instance, he said he conducted an experiment with two stem cells, and later found out that the "field" or in our case our "mind," or our belief system, can actually affect whether someone will develop cancer. He said for example an adopted child actually began to have symptoms from that families blood line without even being related, but because they lived together and the child grew up to have the same beliefs.
Many people then say, well, you have the same problems like your parents, and so that is what they are told by the mainstream psychiatric world.
But Lipton said if our belief system does not change, than it doesn't matter how much therapy, medication or understanding we attain, because our unconscious mind will immediately begin to spring back into action like a "machine."
Our unconscious mind is developed at a very young age, from the age of birth to five years old. In fact in those very young years, he said, is when we only rely on a trance-like unconscious stream of thought, such as crying to get food or when in fear, or laughing when something is funny. But our conscious mind is developed about by the age of 7, and we are then able to decide and make conscious choices, but we still have an unconscious mechanism that we have to battle with.
An example he used is that when you fall in love, for instance, you are constantly living in a state of consciousness, to dress better, to feel better and to talk a certain way. You are very self aware at this point.
But after the honeymoon, and after the wedding, people often go back to their other stream of unconsciousness, allowing all the fears and negative thinking they learned as a child to take them over because there is nothing left to live up to anymore. And so many people will say, "wow, you aren't the person I married."
What Dr. Lipton says is that we can apply this simple theory of falling in love into our everyday lives and it doesn't have to stop after the honeymoon.
Dr. Lipton's Web site is offering a special for those who buy the book online until Sept. 8.

Talk wetlands with wine tonight!

2008-09-04T13:46:00.000-07:00

Come join the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust for "Wine & Wetlands" tonight.
The event will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Gaslamp restaurant and bar 6251 Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach. The Land Trust will meet with the public the first Thursday of every month from there after.
Six tastings will cost $20, and there will be jazz by guitarist Frank Potenza.
The Los Cerritos Wetlands is an area of native marsh land, sustaining all sorts of coastal animals, birds and fish, even some endangered species.
The wetlands is located where the San Gabriel River meets the pacific ocean, sandwiched between Long Beach, Seal Beach and surrounding business development.
The land is home to herons, halibut, plovers, painted ladies, stingrays, crabs and cord grass according to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust Web site.
The area has also been the center of controversy as land owners want to develop the land and preservationists continue to make strides in purchases to help salvage some of the last remaining wetland areas in Southern California.
Plans to build a Home Depot on one lot off of Loyns Drive, and Studebaker drew much commotion from not only environmentalists but neighbors who felt the proposal would add hundreds of cars to the already congested area.
However, after the California Coastal Commission deemed the developers environmental impact report flawed, the land owner had to go back to the drawing board and then eventually squashed the idea altogether, according to the press telegram. However plans are still moving ahead for possibly another type of development there.
Another high point of contention for the wetlands whether or not portions of the land are actually zoned for development or not, which can bring about a whole host of mitigation requirements that have or maybe have not been fulfilled.
Plans to redevelop the Alamitos Bay Marina and the near historic Marina Hotel off of PCH might also have an affect on the wetlands, but plans for that project have also stalled.

Arachnid meets reptile, or should I say eats!!!

2008-09-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Here is a photo of what looks like some type of a black widow spider that entangled a lizard in its web at my parent’s house in Westminster, CA.
The spider and lizard were hanging from an empty Jacuzzi, which is typically the kind of place these spiders hang out. Spiders, classified as Arachnids, are predatory invertebrate animals that produce silk, a thin protein strand that normally traps insects and then are able to inject poison with their fangs.
This lizard, classified as reptile, seemed to be paralyzed until my mom killed both of them with a broom.

JUNK makes it to Hawaii!!

2008-08-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

The environmental duo who sailed across the Pacific Ocean at a snails pace aboard a raft made of 15,000 plastic bottles and a Cessna 310, have landed at their destination: Hawaii.
After 2,600 miles of open ocean that they crossed in 87 days from the Long Beach harbor, Marcus Eriksen and Joel Paschal, arrived today, "safely, to a throng of cheering supporters, journalists, and videographers," according to their blog site.
The team that works with the Algalita Marine Research Foundation, an environmental non-profit that conducts regular tests of plastic in the ocean and its effects on sea life, took off on the journey in June as a way to help spread the word about doing away with single-use and disposable plastic entirely.
Here is what the two had to say about their excursion:
"From our first week of sinking hopes on a sinking raft, through four hurricanes that swept under us, to the unbelievable chance meeting with Roz Savage in the middle of nowhere, we have had quite an adventure. We’ve collected 10 ocean surface samples using our marine debris trawl, managed to snatch a few large pieces of plastic debris that floated under us, and caught fish with stomachs filled with particles of plastic. Plastic is forever, and it’s everywhere."

Catalina bald eagles, foxes make comeback

2008-08-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

Catalina's bald eagle and fox populations continue to make strides in survival.
This season produced six young eagles that hatched on their own. The eaglets now join four other baby balds that hatched without human help last year for the first time in more than 50 years, according to the Catalina Island Conservancy.
But the endangered birds aren't out of the woods just yet.
The conservancy states that the protected species still has to deal with potential natural hazards, along with the Island's fox population.
"Last week, two fishermen spotted a 4 1/2-month-old eaglet struggling in the waters at Empire Landing and notified the Bay Watch Patrol, who called the Conservancy. Arriving at the scene, a Bay Watch crewmember jumped into the water and made gentle waves to push the bird ashore.
Conservancy Ranger Dave Skoff received the call from Bay Watch and alerted his supervisor Lenny Altherr, who notified Steffani Jijon, research assistant for the Wildlife Institute.
Meanwhile, Conservancy Ranger Phil Lopez happened to overhear the radio transmission about an eagle in trouble. He called and Gilbert and Sherry Hernandez, who opened the gate so that Skoff and Jijon could get down to the beach where the bird had washed ashore and was being dive-bombed by seagulls," according to an article published this week by Kathy August in the Catalina Islander newspaper.
Bald eagles had disappeared from the Island in the early 1970s.
Their eggs, damaged by DDT residue in the San Pedro Channel, were too brittle to hatch naturally. And the Island fox population plummeted from 1,300 to about 100 in 1999 due to a virulent case of canine distemper, according to the CIC.
However, both species are making a comeback thanks to the efforts of the Catalina Island Conservancy and its partner, the Institute for Wildlife Studies.
Between 1999 and 2004, the Conservancy and the IWS, through the Island Fox Recovery Program, were able to save the species from possible extinction because of a particularly nasty bout of canine distemper virus that had infected the fox population.
Now, eight years later, nearly 600 animals roam the Island. Despite the success, the Conservancy keeps a vigilant eye on the fox population.
It is possible that the disastrous event that threatened the population in 2000 may have caused a “genetic bottleneck” increasing the chances of malformations or sensitivity to diseases in the recovering population.
Also possible—and a topic of current research—is sensitivity to factors such as ear mite parasites, or other yet-to-be-discovered cause.
Nevertheless, the Conservancy continues to be committed to the protection and restoration of these endangered and threatened species. Catalina’s unique plants and animals make the Island’s ecosystem especially sensitive to disturbances and catastrophes.

Long Beach rolls out bio-diesel fleet

2008-08-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

The city of Long Beach stepped up its efforts to reduce the amount of smog in the air last week by launching the preliminary stage of using bio-diesel blends for a portion of its vehicle fleet.
Mayor Bob Foster and First District Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal, who helped spearhead the program, both announced the plan last Tuesday aboard one of the city’s John Deere tractors that replenishes sand daily by raking the beach.
For a city flagged for having poor air quality over the years, ten total vehicles, including all of the city’s tractors and skip loaders and a portion of bulldozers and dump trucks, will now be fueled with B20, which is made of 20 percent vegetable oil and 80 percent petroleum diesel.
The blend is most common for cities now using cleaner alternative fuels such as Santa Monica, which has used the blend for its vehicles for years, city officials said.
Larry Rich, sustainability coordinator of the Sustainable City Commission, said using bio-diesel will reduce particulate emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and smoke particulates.
Air quality has long been a problem in Los Angeles County because of port trucks and container ships that inundate the harbor and freeways.
“Using just the B20 reduces the amount we see,” Rich said. “That is a positive reduction, at very little cost differential not having to mechanically upgrade.”
Rich said the first step is to see if there are any problems with using the bio-diesel blend and then possibly using the fuel for all of its 250 addition diesel vehicles.
"The City of Long Beach is launching this bio-diesel program as part of our ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability. We are proud of our environmental record, and we are always looking for ways to expand it," Foster said before pumping bio-diesel fuel into a tractor and taking it for a demonstration spin up and down the Belmont Shore area.
Bio-diesel is a cleaner-burning alternative to petroleum diesel, and testing shows that bio-diesel poses significantly less of a risk to human health than petroleum diesel.
"The City of Long Beach was looking for better sources of fuel to improve the area’s air quality and health. Using bio-diesel is also the City’s way of taking the next step toward using more renewable resources," said Lowenthal. "It’s only been a short time since I brought the agenda item forward that initiated this bio-diesel project. I am eager for the results as a validation of its worth in terms of improving the air and, thus, the health of our community."
In using B20, it is more cost effective because there is no engine conversion needed and the vehicles can switch back and forth with either diesel or bio-diesel. He said using B100, or pure vegetable oil, would mean all of the vehicles’ engines would have to be converted.
If everything goes well, in the next few years, the next step commonly considered is using B50, a 50/50 blend.
Rich said the supplier of the city’s first batch of bio-diesel is Merrimack Energy Group, a broker of all fuels, and gets its bio-diesel mainly made from soy beans from US domestic sources from the Midwest and possibly Canada.
“As we go through this pilot program, we may be using bio-diesel from different sources,” he said.
The city council requested in January to start using the alternative fuel and city officials spent seven months trying to get a parameter, figuring out a way to use bio-diesel in one location.
The Port of Long Beach, however, is going a different route requiring new equipment, newer modern engines to clean up the fuel conditions. While the state is planning on regulating the type of trucks and the engines, to slowly be replaced with Liquid Natural Gas. The city will still have some diesel engines that can use bio-diesel at a cheaper cost.
The city is also increasing use of Compressed Natural Gas, propane, electrical and hybrids.

Wildlife service to further protect bald eagles

2008-08-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published an environmental assessment last week regarding a permit program, designed to protect bald and golden eagle populations while working with property owners and businesses.
"This program would allow issuance of permits under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act authorizing activities that may disturb eagles, require nest removal, or otherwise result in the death of or injury to a bird," according to a USFWS press release."While the bald eagle was protected under the Endangered Species Act, the Service had the authority to allow landowners, under certain limited conditions, to undertake otherwise lawful activities on their property that could result in death or injury to eagles." A Notice of Availability regarding the draft environmental assessment appeared in the August 14, 2008, edition of the Federal Register. "The draft environmental assessment lays out the biological foundation for a proposed nationwide permit program, and examines the impacts of the new permit proposal within the context of all threats to eagles," the release states. "It proposes upper limits to how many eagles can be taken conditioned on increasing or stable populations."
Last year, two bald eagle chicks hatched on Santa Catalina Island on their own, without the help of humans for the first time since the 40s.
The eagles on Catalina at Two Harbors are taken care of as part of the Channel Islands Bald Eagle Restoration Project conducted by the Institute for Wildlife Studies and funded by the Montrose Settlements Restorations Program and donations, according to the Catalina Island Conservancy. Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Long Beach reopened after sewage spill!

2008-08-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

It's safe to go swimming at Long Beach, if you dare, according to the city.
At about 1:45 today, Friday, Aug. 15, a near 4-mile stretch of Long Beach was reopened after a 20,000-gallon sewage spill closed off the various beaches earlier in the week.
“Beaches are now open and there are no advisories in effect,” said a voice message on hotline recording for the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services.
The beach, from 1st Street to 72nd street, remained closed for about three days after a sewer line broke in Watts, leaving sewage to flow into the Los Angeles River and out into the ocean.
The city's health officer, Dr. Helene Calvet issued a beach closure on Tuesday, Aug. 12, and was waiting for a second round of test results for state standards on Friday before opening the beach again.
The sewage spill that closed such "chronically polluted" beaches such as Mother's Beach, was the fifth time Long Beach has experienced a sewage spill since January. It was the second largest spill recorded this year as well.
For more information, call the Department’s Water Quality Information Line, 570.4199, or visit www.longbeach.gov/health and click on "Services" and then "Recreational Water Quality."

'Aquatic insects' thrive on Catalina Island

2008-08-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Fleas, ticks, and ants are common in households during the summer, and with the hot weather today, they might be making you mad, along with your cats and dogs.
But another world of insects also exists on the surface of the ocean, in small ponds, estuaries, lakes and reserves.
Don't worry, most of them don't bite.
These insects feed off of algae and floating organisms found in stagnant waters.
They are a little more colorful, and have been around for a long time— more than 100 million years, since the age of the dinosaurs.
Although they looked a little different back then, the insects haven't changed much, after all, most insects breed in water anyway, such as mosquitoes that can carry disease and West Nile virus.
"Aquatic insects" can be found off of Catalina Island, according to Carlos de la Rosa, a biologist for the Catalina Island Conservancy who posted a detailed slide show on the conservancy's Web site.
De la Rosa says insects in general have a short life spans and "live fast and die young."
Most butterflies, for example, live only a few weeks to a few months.
However, there are insects, like an African queen termite, that can live up to 50 years.
Among the short-lifers, "aquatic insects" are the champions.
Some, like mayflies, caddisflies and non-biting Mosquito-like midges that come out during the night, only live for a few hours as adults – barely enough time to find a mate and produce the next generation. These aquatic insects live dual lives, though, de la Rosa wrote.
Known scientifically as Chironomidae, the non-biting midges have differences in the sexes, like most insects, where the male has feathery antennas and external organs and the female has a rounder body.
Most of these common aquatic insects are well-known to fly-fishermen who use fake rubber lures that look like the real thing to reel in fresh-water fish.
Besides occasional fish, other species that feed off of aquatic insects are frogs, spiders and birds.
Other aquatic insect species that breathe air and then dive into the water include diving beetles and water boatmans.

20,000-gallon sewage spill closes Long Beach

2008-08-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

An exceeding 20,000-gallon sewage spill closed almost 4 miles of beach on Tuesday, city officials warned, which is the fifth and second largest sewage spill for Long Beach this year.
This time, a broken sewer line near Watts out poured sewage that flows down the Los Angeles River from Compton Creeks, affecting the beach from 1st place to 72nd place, according to the Long Beach Health Department press release.
The spill was reported by the Los Angeles County Health Department at about 3:10 p.m. Tuesday afternoon.
Dr. Helene Calvet, the city's health officer, closed the beach to water-based recreational activities "to protect the public from serious illness due to exposure from untreated sewage," according to a city statement.
The water will be tested by the Health Department to determine its bacterial content and when the levels are low enough for the beaches to be reopened.
For further information, call the water department hotline at 562-570-4199 or go to www.longbeach.gov/health.

California brown pelicans take flight

2008-08-11T16:15:00.000-07:00

My trip to Two Harbors Catalina last weekend was a safe voyage.
We had fare winds, a nice breeze, and little or no white caps out on the seas. Despite a few jolts in the night, the rocking wakes just put us right to sleep, for the most part.
Although we didn't spot any dolphins, one thing that was interesting was an enormous amount of California brown pelicans this year, to go along with the overabundance reported recently since the government banned the use of DDT, a chemical used as a pesticide that depleted the already thin shells of pelicans and other birds.
Here is a story about this reported in the Long Beach Press-Telegram.
Also, I spotted about three bat rays this time, which seem to be breeding over from the natural habitat sanctuary reserve at the USC Marine Lab.
Overall, a stellar vacation...as usual.

Aftershocks still rock Southern California

2008-08-01T10:48:00.000-07:00

Nearly two days after the southland experienced what was thought to be the "big one," Orange County residents felt something go bump in the night last night.
A 3.5 earthquake centered west of Petrolia rumbled the area Wednesday night, July 31, at about 7:30 p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey that lists a number of quakes in Southern California and Nevada. A 4.2 had hit the same area on Tuesday.
An aftershock of 3.0 near Yorba Linda occurred on Tuesday, caused by the Chino Hills 5.4 earthquake that rattled Southern California that same day.
According to the site, there have been 15 small-size earthquakes starting at 3.0 from July 25.

Seal Beach wildlife hangs on the balance

2008-08-01T09:19:00.000-07:00

The sun peeked its way through the overcast skyline, as vacationers flocked to the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station early in the morning last Saturday.
“I want to see how our tax dollars are being spent,” said one visitor.
Droves of onlookers expected to get an up-close glimpse of wildlife during the base’s free tour, held on the last Saturday of each month.
Volunteers wearing beige vests then went over a few rules: no smoking, no cameras and, most recently, no cell-phone cameras.
The security regulations are due to the wildlife’s relationship with the Navy base, used as a holding ground for ammunitions.
This hidden natural habitat, known as the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, which takes up one fifth of the 5,000-acre Navy base, is one of the last remaining protected areas for bird species.
Predators in peril
But some biologists and specialists say a declining amount of predators, such as red-tailed hawks, cooper’s hawks and American kestrels, throughout Southern California, could threaten the very existence of this vast ecosystem.
“It’s puzzling,” said Pete Bloom, a biologist for the Audubon California Starr Ranch Sanctuary. “Certain species have declined dramatically.”
Although no official numbers have been recorded, data shows the dwindling amounts of “Birds of Prey” could be caused by a variety of environmental concerns, Bloom said.
Fewer protected habitats because of fires and development, climate change caused by global warming, West Nile virus outbreaks and less prey are all factors in the shortened number of nests over the last few decades.
However, Navy biologist Bob Schallman said the problem is more of a regional issue.
“Open space at the Seal Beach refuge continues to provide suitable breeding and foraging areas for a wide variety of bird species, including raptors,” Schallman said. “The Navy and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service staff continue to work together to monitor the health of the station's bird population through regular surveys and studies.”
Schallman said this year has been a banner year for California least terns, small sand-dwelling birds that are currently on the endangered species list.
The count, about 207 nests, matched or exceeded the base’s all time high this year, he said. The increase in population is mainly due to more protection from volunteers and more small fish to feed off.
The nests are protected on an island formerly used as a testing sight for NASA projects.
Least terns are then expected to leave in August.
Prey also in danger
But, the Navy continues to have challenges with predators targeting these young birds, resulting in relatively low fledgling numbers compared to previous years, he said.
A number of potential predatory species on the base that feed on the terns likely include the great blue heron, northern harrier, common raven and American kestrel.
Volunteers from the Friends of Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge's "Eyes on the Colony" program have provided assistance to the Navy and the USFWS staff in monitoring the tern-breeding site for these predators, providing quick notification when predators target the site.
Some of these predators are sometimes displaced or treated in the hands of veterinarian Scott Weldy, who works for a wildlife hospital in Lake Forest.
While he admits Seal Beach is not a good representation of sampling, Weldy has seen a difference in both the kinds of predators that are brought into his hospital and the amount.
“I can tell you the numbers are a general anecdote,” he said. “Hopefully, it’s not a representation of them dying, but in general, numbers have significantly dropped down.”
Weldy works with federal and state wildlife officials on birds of prey where he treats each one in cages until they can be re-released or relocated.
He said a better representation of whether predator birds are declining would be to take a survey from all of the biologists over the state, look at the nest sightings and see how many babies fledge out of that site.
In general, however, birds during this time of year aren’t as abundant as in other months.
“Winter is the best time to see a lot of birds,” said John Fitch, a volunteer who has been monitoring birds since 1988 and helps protect least terns on the base.
The marshland provides food and a way of life for almost 200,000 shore birds on a day-to-day basis during those times.
Predators, he said, add up to about 4,000.
Marsh lands disappearing
“We have only 2 to 5 percent of marsh left in Southern California,” he said. “We got more and more red tails that will start hunting in here.”
In addition, the Seal Beach wildlife refuge is home to one of the last remaining burrowing owls in Orange County. With about eight to 12 owls, the Navy has set up protected artificial burrows on the north side of the base.
Kristen Bender, president of the Friends of the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge, said she considers the refuge a jewel for all types of wildlife in the midst of coastal development. She said without the shallow nutrient waters of the wetlands, local fish off the coast wouldn’t have a place to lay eggs.
“If the marshes go, then so goes the fish,” Bender said. “This is vastly more productive than a marina.”
To learn more about the Naval base wildlife tours log on to http://www.pelicanvan.org/ or call (562) 598-1024.

Junk is on its way!!!

2008-07-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

Our guys are determined, that is, Joel and Marcus, two environmentalists who took to the seas of the Pacific to make a point about the pollution our plastic contamination is causing on our much needed ocean environment.
I have faith in both these men, who, with the help of hundreds of people, are making a difference.
It sounds like fun, but right now they have passed Isla De Guadeloupe, the farthest south island off the west coast. They're heading for the Big Island of Hawaii, now only surviving off of cans of beans and corn on a make-shift boat made of 15,00 plastic bottles, Cessna fuselage and a sail, named JUNK.
The energy that these two have is fueled by the pure will to spread the word about environmental causes, such as the fact that tons of plastic is dropped into our ocean currents each year.
That is ridiculous!!!
We need to reduce, reuse, and recycle, which is in order for a reason.
I applaud these guys for not only making our generation of people look good, but also for telling the world, scientifically, what is going on.
Cheers!

NASA: there's ice on Mars!!!

2008-06-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

This just in:
Today NASA has confirmed the existence of frozen water on Mars, the first such discovery of ice on a distant planet, according to Bloomberg.com
"Water in liquid form is an essential ingredient for life," the web site states.
Whitish, dice-sized chunks, which were dug from the rocky red soil and warmed in the sun, vanished four days after the National Aeronautics and Space Administr ation (NASA)'s Phoenix probe dug them up June 15.
They confirm what NASA satellites have suggested for years: Frozen water exists several centimeters beneath Mars's surface.
Scientists believe ice exists on planets including Pluto, though Phoenix is the first probe to confirm it on the ground. The survey is part of NASA's theme in Mars exploration: follow the water," the Web site states.

Sewage spill closes 1.75-mile stretch of Long Beach

2008-06-19T09:20:00.000-07:00

A 1.75-mile stretch of coastline in Long Beach is closed due to a 16,000-gallon sewage spill that occurred Tuesday, June 17, in Glendale and entered the Los Angeles River, according to Heal the Bay.
Since the river empties into San Pedro Bay, Long Beach locations are closed as a precaution. Beaches are closed west of Belmont Pier to 3rd Place until testing determines bacteria levels in the water are within state standards.
For further information contact the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services at (562) 570-4199.
If state standards for recreational water quality are not met the beach is posted with signs, warning the public to avoid body contact with the ocean water.
The health warning stays in effect for the beach until water re-sample results are below the state bacteriological standards.

Sea lions didn't exhibit gunshot wounds

2008-06-17T12:44:00.001-07:00

Marine biologists say domoic acid outbreaks in Southern California have decreased since the last few years
Specialists said they did not find evidence of gunshot wounds in two sea lions that washed up on the Seal Beach shore last week.
Last Wednesday, lifeguards had reported what they thought were small bullet holes in the carcasses found on the north and south sides of the pier.
Once lifeguards called the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for an investigation, the pinnipeds were then hauled off to the Marine Mammal Center in San Pedro for a necropsy to determine the cause of the deaths.
Dr. Lauren Palmer, a veterinarian for the center, said there were no signs that the holes were caused by bullets, after inspecting the badly decomposed bodies last week.
“I found no evidence that they were shot,” Palmer said.
NOAA spokesman Jim Milbury confirmed humans did not cause the sea lion deaths.
“From the outside, you see a bullet hole when in the ex-rays the hole going in would be perfectly round. But it turned out to be splintered,” Milbury said. “It was definitely not human cause.”
Instead, biologists have not ruled out the cause to be from domoic acid poisoning from toxic algae, which Palmer said commonly occurs during spring and could continue throughout the year.
Sardines, anchovies and shellfish often feed off of the bio-toxic phytoplankton and then are consumed by the larger predators such as sea lions, seals, dolphins and birds far off the coast, causing many to be poisoned, ending up dead on nearby shores more frequently in the last five to 10 years.
Although Palmer said the two sea lions were too decomposed to determine if they were infected with domoic acid, this year the amount of poisonings in marine life has actually decreased.
Only about 15 dead sea lions from Long Beach and other beaches off of Southern California have shown up in recent weeks, she said.
“We have not seen nearly as many animals as in the past,” Palmer said. “There were a lot more last year and even more the year before.”
Officials say when 40 to 50 marine mammals start showing up on the coast then it is time to worry.
In 2006, the blooms came earlier and killed more sea life than previous years, with more than 36 sea lions found dead on Orange County beaches. The state also issued a quarantine on clams and mussels due to the outbreak of toxic algae blooms that year.
The phytoplankton produces the toxin, which is a natural process, Palmer said.
But just what exactly is causing the phytoplankton to produce the toxin is not determined.
“It looks like it might be nutrient related, or also could be caused by upwelling,” she said.
Some marine mammals could be affected by recent outbreaks, were others could have been suffering from long-term effects that cause seizures and brain damage in the mammals over time, Palmer said.
Domoic acid was first identified in 1991 in samples of mussels, razor clams and other seafood at several locations along the pacific coast, including California.
But no known cases of human poisoning from this toxin are known to have occurred, according to officials.

California experiences driest spring on record

2008-06-11T11:48:00.000-07:00

California experienced the driest spring season on record, as the United States had its 36th coolest March through May spell on record, according to NOAA's National Climatic Data Center.
The average spring temperature of 51.4 degrees F was 0.5 degree F below the 20th century average. The average May temperature of 60.3 degrees F was 0.7 degree F below the 20th century mean, based on preliminary data," the Web site states.
California had its driest spring on record, while Nevada and Utah had their 10th and 11th driest on record. For May, two states were much drier than average -- New Hampshire had its ninth driest May on record and Florida its 10th driest.
As California witnessed the driest last few months in the country receiving the lowest ranking, other states on the central East Coast, where storms and tornadoes recently have touched down, received an increasing amount of precipitation.
For the spring, Missouri had its fourth wettest, Arkansas its sixth wettest, Indiana and Iowa their eighth wettest and Illinois its 10th wettest. For May, Arizona, Maryland, and Nebraska were much wetter than average, with Nebraska ranking fourth wettest and Maryland fifth wettest on record.

'Junk' stalls from San Nicolas Island

2008-06-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

The courageous environmental duo, who set sail on June 1 for Hawaii aboard a 20-to-30-foot raft named "Junk" made of 15,000 plastic bottles, are now on their own. The two researchers, who want to bring attention to the damage caused by plastic in the ocean, were escorted for three days by the ORV Alguita catamaran vessel. Now the crew will be sailing solo.
Junk's blog will be updated until the craft makes it to the Big Island, expected to take about 40 days. So far, the vessel is held down at San Nicolas Island after experiencing some "wicked winds"...

Seal Beach: West Nile virus threat high this year

2008-06-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

By Charles M. Kelly

Seal Beach Councilman Michael Levitt warned the public that the threat of West Nile virus is high this year.
“There are more dead birds in Orange County that have died of West Nile virus (this year) than since 2004,” Levitt said.
The Seal Beach District 5 representative spoke during the council comments segment of the City Council’s Tuesday, May 27 meeting.
Levitt represents Seal Beach on the board of directors of the Orange County Vector Control District. Vector Control is the agency charged with containing disease carrying-creatures.
West Nile virus is a potentially fatal disease. So far this year, there have been no confirmed human cases, according to information posted on the Vector Control District’s Web site.
Thirteen birds collected in Orange County tested positive for West Nile virus last month, according to a Vector Control statement issued Tuesday, May 20.
The Vector Control announced that nine American crows, two house finches, a hermit thrush and a black-headed grosbeak, all collected between May first and the ninth, were found to be positive for WNV.
Two separate laboratories tested the dead birds.
“Thirteen birds in such a short time frame is reminiscent of 2004 conditions,” said Robert Cummings, scientific and technical director for Vector Control.
“The high number of positive birds, the variety of species, and the wide distribution is a strong reminder that WNV is present and being actively transmitted throughout Orange County,” Cummings said.
In a memo to the Vector Control board for the week ending May 30, District Manager Gerard Goedhart stated, “As expected, the calls to the district on dead birds have increased significantly over the past week. For example, over the last six days there were 110 calls for dead bird pickup. The district has hired one additional part-time employee in the lab to handle the increase.”
So far, there have been no confirmed cases of birds dying from West Nile virus in Seal Beach, Rossmoor, Los Alamitos or Sunset Beach.
The birds were reported by residents from San Clemente to Brea and from Huntington Beach to Fullerton. In all, nine West Nile-positive birds have been collected in the city of Garden Grove since 2008 began. Four birds were collected in one Garden Grove neighborhood alone.
Vector Control is asking the public to report any dead birds they may come across by calling (714) 971-2421, extension 117.
The district is advising people to eliminate standing water wherever they find it. Apparently, mosquitoes can develop in a week in as little as a quarter inch of water.
For more information, visit the district Web site at www.ocvcd.org.

'Junk' on its way to Hawaii from Long Beach

2008-06-02T15:32:00.001-07:00

The junk has launched into the ocean...
No, not the 6 billion tons of plastic from California alone that ends up in the Pacific, but rather a man-made craft that was built to bring attention to it.
"Junk," made from 15-000 tightly sealed plastic bottles along with a Cessna cockpit, took off from Long Beach harbor yesterday, on a calm afternoon.

Marcus Eriksen and Joel Paschal, both environmentalist educators who have worked many years in the field of science, boarded their raft made of trash to bring attention to the world's plastics that have damaged the ocean habitat.

The two left last weekend with a wind generator and one large sail, all the way to Hawaii, and they will not be towed in. They have radio GPS systems, along with two radio phones for contacting help.
The trip will take close to seven weeks to make it all the way to Hawaii, with nothing but dried food, aluminum cans with water(enough for three months) and fishing poles for fishing.

"Take care and we'll see you in Hawaii," said Erikson, as he wrapped up his speech before casting off the dock.

(Photo Credit: Sean Belk)

Look for continued coverage

UPDATE: California single-use bag bill steps forward

2008-05-29T14:37:00.000-07:00

A proposed California measure, known as the most stringent restriction ever imposed on grocery chains and pharmacies by any state in the country, is one step closer to being signed into law.
On May 28, AB 2058 (Levine–Brownley-Davis) passed off the California Assembly floor with 44 votes. If passed, this bill would require large grocery chains and pharmacies statewide to charge a 25-cent fee on single-use plastic and paper bags if a 70 percent reduction in bag usage is not achieved by the end of 2010, according to Santa Monica-based environmental group Heal the Bay.
Similar policies in other countries such as Ireland have been extremely successful and have resulted in reductions upwards of 90 persent, the group says.
"Single-use bags, especially plastic bags, wreak havoc in the marine environment and cause extreme environmental blight. Each year local governments spend millions of dollars to clean-up litter such as plastic bags and to landfill this waste," Heal the Bay says.
The bill now moves to the Senate Environmental Quality Committee.
Having consulted closely with the bill’s authors for the past few months, Heal the Bay is hopeful that the Senate will pass the measure, as it tackles one of the worst sources of marine debris.

Researchers to sail to Hawaii on 'Junk'

2008-05-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

In an effort to bring attention to the "growing problem" of plastic contamination and debris in the world's oceans, the Algalita Marine Research Foundation will set sail from Long Beach to Hawaii aboard "Junk," a raft made out of 15,000 plastic bottles.
The trashed up ship will launch on June 1 at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific at 100 Aquarium Way during an event from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
On board will be Dr. Marcus Eriksen and Joel Paschal of the Algalita foundation, and there will be an updated blog as the sea voyage continues.
The Alguita vessel, a large catamaran used to troll the ocean during research excursions of trash in the middle of the Pacific known as a spiraling gyre, returned on May 19 from an overnight trip acting as tow and the escort for the first and only sea trial of the vessel Junk, according to crew member Jeff Ernst.
On the way back from Hawaii here's what Ernst said:
Myctophids, a large fish family consisting of 246 species in 33 genera which retreat down to open darkness at 300-1200 meters during the day. But at night they are quite abundant and a significant constituent of the largest daily migration on the planet, of organisms from the depth of the ocean up to the surface to feed.
On the trip back from Hawaii an interesting question was raised when we saw over and over again so many of these fish mixed in with so much plastic debris. The fish that were captured in our manta trawls from the trip home have all been separated out and are currently being analyzed by our resident ichthyologist Christiana, who to date has done a gut content analysis on over 200 of these fish finding plastic fragments in the stomachs of 38 percent of the fish, with a record maximum size piece of 5mm.
We caught a few fish in the trawls from 2 nights ago but no myctophidae that I could identify in the field. It remains to be seen what we will find once we get the samples back into the lab, but my suspicion is that its simply too shallow a habitat for this species to be in any high abundance.

For updated constant feeds on the trip log on to Junk's blog.
According to Heal the Bay, marine debris has injured or killed at least 267 species world-wide, primarily through ingestion and entanglement.
More than 1 million seabirds, 100,000 marine mammals, and countless fish have died annually in the north pacific from ingesting or becoming entangled in marine debris.

Look for continued coverage as Eye On Ecology will be covering the launch from Long Beach...

Coral Reef owner comes out with 'Ribber' wetsuit

2008-05-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

Tony Jones, long-time owner of Islands Hawaiian Furniture and Coral Reef wetsuits, has come out with his most recent creation: the custom-made “ribber” wetsuit that has extra padding to protect ribs, for those who don’t surf that much.
Corky Carroll first broke the story on his blog titled, "Jonesin' with Tony."
His store that sticks out like an island at 14161 Beach Blvd. in Westminster has been selling wetsuits since 1980
Jones started his Coral Reef wetsuit company out of his years of experience in dealing with rubber and a competitive industry that forced him to develop his own brand name.
His wetsuits have since been known by surfers and divers as one of the toughest around, fit with his own patented Thermilflex neoprene that he says keeps you warmer, is more flexible and lasts four to five times longer than any other suit.
The wetsuits, which range from long johns to spring suits, contain a special rubber formula he developed from his days as the owner of a waterbed manufacturing and repair business.
Jones and his family were known for King Neptune’s waterbed company, where he would use the phrase, “We build the best and repair the rest.”
As the waterbed industry began to slow down, Jones decided to shift gears but still use his decades of knowledge in rubber.
After sewing wetsuits out of his garage for personal use, Jones got the idea of opening up Coral Reef Dive and Surf, where he first sold wetsuits and surfboards.
But he then had another hurdle to jump, he said.
With the surfing industry beginning to take hold in the 80s, bigger stores wouldn’t sell wetsuits to him because they didn’t want the competition.
That’s when Coral Reef was born.
“I thought, ‘lets name it after the ocean,’” he said.
Today, Jones uses his own custom-made machines to sew the wetsuits out of his store, sometimes for special orders and repairs.
He dropped the “dive” from the title of his store in 1999, when scuba diving shops began closing down all over the coast because the sport began to lose popularity.
Jones also stopped selling surfboards around the same time and quickly replaced them with tiki furniture that seems to take over the store today.
But over the years, Jones has still been able to keep his wetsuit business afloat.
“We’re sold out all the time,” he said. “I can’t make them fast enough.”
While he takes a break on Mondays to surf and catch up on orders, Jones now sells anything from board shorts and surf vests to rash guards and leashes.
For more information one may log onto www.coralreefwetsuits.com or for Jones' travel packages to Fiji log on to www.fijitravel.com.

Report: Avalon Beach is most polluted in the state

2008-05-23T11:06:00.000-07:00

Avalon Harbor Beach on Catalina Island tops the list as the most polluted beach in the state, according to environmental group Heal the Bay's annual "Beach Bummer" report card.
For a first in a long time, Long Beach's coast, long-known to have a heavy polluted bay from storm drains, nearby ports, oil drilling and a breakwater that traps it all in, actually decreased in pollution this year.
Multiple locations in the city of Long Beach dropped down to seventh place in the group's annual report.
The 18th Annual Beach Report Card summarizes the results of beach water quality monitoring programs along California’s coast, from Humboldt County to San Diego County, over the last 12 months (April 2007 through March 2008). The summary includes an analysis of water quality during three time periods: summer dry season conditions (the months covered under AB411 - April through October), year-round dry weather conditions, and wet weather conditions. In addition to summarizing local water quality, the report includes a brief review of the number of sewage spills that impacted recreational waters over the past year. The information derived from this analysis is used to develop recommendations for cleaning up problem beaches to make them safe for swimming and surfing.
Avalon Beach topped the list after being a perennial statewide Bummer for five years running. A $4.5 million swimmer health effects study added Avalon Beach as a research location due to its perpetually poor water quality.
The beach sees constant boat tourism, where boaters often dump oil, waste and trash into the ocean. In addition, large cruise-size ships dock in its ports on a daily basis.
The Santa Monica Pier’s continued water quality problems was a disappointment again this year. Santa Monica, a typically environmentally conscious city, has a comprehensive plan to improve the storm drain infrastructure, diversions, and runoff treatment facility.

'Acidified' ocean waters found off California coast

2008-05-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

For the first time, international scientists released findings May 22 of corrosive waters off the west coast of Northern America due to the ocean sucking in Carbon Dioxide (C02) from the heavy polluted atmosphere, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.
During a field study from Canada to Mexico last summer, including California, this was the first time “acidified” ocean water has been found on the continental shelf of western North America, less than 20 miles off the west coast.
The term “ocean acidification” describes the process of ocean water becoming corrosive as a result of carbon dioxide being absorbed from the atmosphere.
While the absorption significantly reduces the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and decreasing the effects of global warming, the change in the ocean chemistry affects marine life, particularly organisms with calcium carbonate shells, such as corals, mussels, mollusks, and small creatures in the early stages of the food chain, according to Richard Feely, who wrote “Evidence for Upwelling of Corrosive ‘Acidified’ Water onto the Continental Shelf” along with Christopher Sabine, both oceanographers at NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle, Wash.
The findings were published on the online journal Science Express. Their co-authors are J. Martin Hernandez-Ayon of the Instituto de Investigaciones Oceanologicas from the University of Baja California, Mexico; Debby Ianson of Fisheries and Oceans Canada in Sidney, British Columbia, and Burke Hales, of Oregon State University College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Corvallis, Ore.
“Our findings represent the first evidence that a large section of the North American continental shelf is seasonally impacted by ocean acidification,” said Feely. “This means that ocean acidification may be seriously impacting marine life on our continental shelf right now.”

Catalina to celebrate flying fish

2008-05-21T10:08:00.000-07:00

The flying fish, or Exocoetidae, will be gliding off the Pacific Ocean shores of Catalina Island for the warm months of summer and the Catalina Island Conservancy group will be welcoming them.
The 1st annual Flying Fish Festival will be held from May 29 – June 1 in celebration of the annual return of Catalina Island’s famous flying fish for a four day festival of family fun.
There will be flying fish tours aboard the histroic Blanche W, a 1922 vessel built for the original flying fish tours. Join with the Conservancy and take a rare, wonderful excursion to the Catalina Island Marine Institute at Toyon Bay on Saturday and Sunday.
As part of the Conservancy’s Living History Street Theater program, meet Charles Frederick Holder, founder of the Tuna Club and one of the Island’s first conservationists. Met Blanche Trask, the Island’s first botanist as she shows you the treasures of the Wrigley Memorial & Botanical Garden. And, at the Garden, meet Tachi, our beautiful Island fox ambassador.
Here is a cool video from National Geographic Magazine, which claims to have a record flying fish flight.

NOAA: Atlantic hurricanes fewer but stronger

2008-05-19T12:12:00.000-07:00

As the aftermath of Myanmar's hurricane continues with the United Nations stuggling to send relief, a new model simulation of Atlantic hurricane activity for the last two decades of this century projects fewer but stronger hurricanes overall, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.
The study shows a "slight increase in intensity for hurricanes that do occur."
Hurricanes are also projected to have more intense rainfall, on average, in the future. The findings are reported in a study by scientists at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory in Princeton, N.J., published online on May 18 in Nature Geoscience.
In a preliminary study published last October in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, the new model was shown to successfully reproduce Atlantic hurricane counts year-by-year from 1980 to 2006, including the observed increasing trend.
In the new study, the model was used to test the influence of greenhouse gas warming on Atlantic hurricane activity through the end of the 21st century. Simulations reveal higher levels of wind shear and other changes, which act to reduce the overall number of hurricanes in the model.
Tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures have increased over the past century and several studies have reported strong correlations between increasing tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures and measures of hurricane activity since at least 1950. Although it is widely accepted in the climate change research community that increases in greenhouse gases have caused most of the global warming of the last half century, the link between increasing greenhouse gases and hurricane activity has been a topic of wide debate and of little consensus.
This new study suggests that in the Atlantic basin, global warming from increasing greenhouse gases will have little impact, or perhaps cause some decrease, in tropical storm and hurricane numbers.
Large-scale environmental changes in circulation, such as wind shear, as well as possibly moisture, are likely the dominant factors producing the reduced storm frequency. These results support recent research showing that the primary driver of the recent increase in Atlantic hurricane numbers was the warming of the tropical Atlantic relative to the other tropical basins.
An increase in hurricane intensities globally is assessed as "likely" in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fourth Assessment Report issued in 2007.
Provided by a NOAA press release

Hybrid averages 191 miles per gallon?

2008-05-18T00:37:00.000-07:00

With the nation experiencing soaring gas prices, here is some sign of hope on the horizon.
Jim Philippi, of Houston, Texas claims to be the world's first "ultramiler," having recently averaged 191 miles per gallon in his plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
He said the car offsets gasoline by using a wind-generated energy source.
It sure beats his last gas-guzzler that averaged 12 miles per gallon.

Malibu: forget the fees, no more plastic bags at all

2008-05-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

City to ban all single-use plastic shopping bags, considering imposing a fee on paper bags to encourage using "reusable" bags
In the most agressive action against the use of plastic bags, the Malibu City Council voted unanimously Monday night to ban retailers from distributing single-use plastic shopping bags within city limits, joining dozens of other progressive cities that have recently moved to curb the proliferation of wasteful packaging, according to a press release.
The ban applies to all retailers, from grocery stores to small boutiques. It forbids the distribution of both plastic and compostable carryout bags.
Grocery stores, food vendors, restaurants, pharmacies and city facilities have six months to comply with the ordinance. Smaller sized retailers have one year until the measure is operative.
The City Council also directed staff to research imposing fees on paper bags, in a bid to drive consumer adoption of more sustainable reusable bags.
The council's decision comes after a statewide ban on plastic bags wsa proposed, that would impose a 15 cent fee for plastic bags, sidelining a harsher 25-cent recommendation. The decision also comes after Santa Monica officials propsed a new ordinance that would impose a fee of 5 cents per bag.
Santa Monica is now drafting an ordinance that would forbid the distribution of all single-use plastic shopping bags within city limits and require that store owners charge shoppers a fee if they request a paper bag.
Regional environmental group Heal the Bay provided input to city staff that drafted the approved measure as part of its yearlong fight to promote the use of reusable shopping bags statewide. One-use plastic bags clog landfills, foul our public spaces, waste energy and threaten marine life.
California taxpayers spend more than $25 million a year to collect and dispose of the 19 billion one-use plastic shopping bags distributed annually. “The city of Malibu should be commended for taking decisive action to protect the environment and improve residents’ quality of life,” said Sarah Abramson, Heal the Bay’s director of coastal resources. “Hopefully other cities are taking notice and now realize that the writing is on the wall for plastic bags.”
More than two dozen nations and metropolitan areas have recently enacted limited bans on plastic bags, including China, San Francisco and Paris.

It's official!: Polar Bears endangered of extinction

2008-05-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

2007 sees 39 percent below previous long-term average for loss of sea ice. By the end of century percentage could hit 97 percent.
An increasing epidemic of melting Arctic sea ice has potentially threatened wiping out the polar bear habitat, the Interior Department said Wednesday, May 14.
The department accepted the recommendation made by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for listing the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act, placing the animal as the first species ever endangered due to causes directly linked to global warming.
In making the announcement, Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne said, "I am also announcing that this listing decision will be accompanied by administrative guidance and a rule that defines the scope of impact my decision will have, in order to protect the polar bear while limiting the unintended harm to the society and economy of the United States."
"While the legal standards under the ESA compel me to list the polar bear as threatened, I want to make clear that this listing will not stop global climate change or prevent any sea ice from melting. Any real solution requires action by all major economies for it to be effective. That is why I am taking administrative and regulatory action to make certain the ESA isn't abused to make global warming policies," he said.
In January 2007, the Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the polar bear as threatened throughout its range based on receding sea ice.
The proposed ESA special 4(d) rule is available at http://www.doi.gov/issues/polar_bears.html for a 60 day public comment period.
Kempthorne illustrated the listing decision with charts depicting satellite images of the differences in sea ice from the fall of 1979 to the fall of 2007.
Last year, Arctic sea ice fell to the lowest level ever recorded by satellite, 39 percent below the long-term average from 1979 to 2000. The amount of sea ice loss in years 2002-2007 exceeded all previous record lows.
Four of the 10 models project declines in September sea ice in excess of 80 percent by the mid -21st century. Seven of the 10 models show a 97 percent loss in September sea ice by the end of the 21st century.
Based on actual observations of trends in sea ice over the past three decades, these models may actually understate the extent and change rate of projected sea ice loss.
Kempthorne acknowledged Canada has not listed polar bears as threatened even though they have two-thirds of the world's population of the species. "Last week, I went to Canada and explored this issue. The Canadian law is different from U.S. law with respect to endangered species, both in its criteria for listing and administrative process for making listing determinations."
While in Canada, Kempthorne signed a Memorandum of Understanding with his Canadian counterpart, John Baird, the minister of environment, for the conservation and management of polar bear populations shared by the U.S. and Canada.
However, the U.S. department will additionally, monitor polar bear populations and trends, study polar bear feeding ecology, work cooperatively with the Alaska Nanuuq Commission and the North Slope Borough for co-management of the polar bears in Alaska, and provide technical assistance to the participants of the 1988 North Slope Borough Inuvialuit Game Council Agreement for the conservation of polar bears in the Southern Beaufort Sea region and monitor the effects of oil and gas operations in the Beaufort Sea region.

UPDATE: Harsher statewide plastic bag ban fails

2008-05-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

But weaker bill passes that would impose a 15-cent charge if grocers don't meet recycling requirements:
Here's some enviro news that might have been missed last month, or at least I failed to update it.
The most restrictive ban ever on plastic bags used in grocery stores and drug stores California, spearheaded by Los Angeles County and environmental group Heal the Bay, was actually voted down in the legislature last month, after an ordinance was passed by the Santa Monica City Council.
AB 2829, the CA bill to impose a statewide 25-cent fee on plastic shopping bags, stalled in the Legislature on Monday, April 14, according to healthebay.org.
The Web site states that a weaker competing bill, AB 2058, was approved which would implement a 15-cent bag fee only if recycling goals are not met. However, proposed changes to AB 2058 look promising.
The Assembly Natural Resources Committee considered two competing bills targeting plastic bags. The committee voted against AB 2829, a bill that would have imposed a mandatory fee on plastic carryout bags, authored by Assemblymember Mike Davis (D-Los Angeles) the bill proposed a statewide fee of 25 cents per bag by 2009, that would have been marked as the "most aggressive action by any state legislature in the nation to curb the proliferation of plastic bags and limit their negative impacts on the environment."
However, the committee passed its competing bill, AB 2058, authored by Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys), which is weaker because, Heal the Bay states, the bill would "give grocery chains and large drug stores three years to meet recycling goals to reduce plastic carryout bag pollution, with an eventual fee of 15 cents if the future targets are not met."
"Although Heal the Bay is disappointed that the committee denied the stronger of the two bills, the future looks promising for statewide plastic bag legislation in California. In negotiations surrounding the hearing, Assemblymember Levine agreed to:
• Bring on Assemblymembers Davis and Brownley (D-Santa Monica) as joint authors of AB 2058.
• Amend the bill to increase the fee from 15 to 25 cents.
• Streamline the the bill's recycling targets.
• Include language in the bill repealing previous legislation that preempts local governments from placing a fee on plastic carryout bags.
The new bill comes just a few months after the Santa Monica City Council approved an ordinance on Feb. 26 that would ban all "single use" plastic bags from stores in the city, and impose a for customers who would prefer to use them.
The council's decision had been delayed until staff had further recommendation, but now it is final.
However, many grocery companies have debated over whether plastic is being given a "bad wrap," so to speak, since paper bags burn more fuel in production and cause more of a CO2 concern in landfills, if not just as much. Some consultants have said the concern is over the customers' responsibility for handling the plastic bags.
Studies have estimated that more than 1 million sea birds, 100,000 marine mammals and countless fish die annually through ingestion of and entanglement in marine debris, including plastic bags.

CSUF's associate dean worked on ConCEPTs

2008-05-07T22:05:00.000-07:00

After 31 years of instruction and service for Cal State Fullerton, Dr. David Fromson, associate dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics has retired.
Fromson was commemorated at a "Retirement Farewell Reception today at CSUF's Alumni House.
The professor has spent many years as an advocate of science education.
He was a project leader in developing "Contextual Coursework for Elementary Pre-Service Teachers, known as ConCEPT, increase the quality and quantity of science instruction in the state's elementary classrooms to reverse the historically poor preparation of many of California's elementary school teachers in science," according to Web site for the Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education at CSUF.
"In collaboration with five local community colleges, CSUF has developed the new instruction.
Since most elementary teachers fulfill their science requirements at community colleges, ConCEPT will target prospective elementary teachers at CSUF and the community colleges (a pool of 3,500-4,500 students). ConCEPT will draw on existing exemplary curriculum materials to develop three 3-unit courses, including laboratory experience, designed to help future K-6 teachers understand science concepts, acquire science process skills and implement the K-6 National Science Education Standards. The courses will be cross-disciplinary, with a contextual approach to science and a hands-on, inquiry-based pedagogy. ConCEPT courses will be developed collaboratively during the first year and refined and piloted during the second year.
ConCEPT's immediate impact will be to change the way future elementary teachers at the six participating institutions experience science.

Wildlife service says proposed OC toll road safe

2008-05-07T00:38:00.000-07:00

A heavily criticized plan to extend a toll road through San Onofre State Beach would not put at-risk wildlife in danger, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday, according to the LA Times.
Nine species were reviewed, including endangered species, according to Jane Hendron, a wildlife service spokeswoman, the Times stated. For the most part the project's scope would be outside of the endangered species area, the spokesperson said.
But in other cases, the Pacific pocket mouse would benefit from the toll road agency's plans to manage the habitat.
In February, the California Coastal Commission voted 8-2 against the Transportation Corridor Agencies proposal to extend Orange County's Foothill South toll road, that would have cost $875 million.
The meeting drew hundreds of environmentalists and surfers who fought to block the agency's plans because of anticipated effects on wildlife and the effect the toll road would have on nearby surf spot Trestles beach.
But toll road officials have said disapproving the proposed extension of the current 67-mile system would stop the plan to help reduce traffic congestion.
The TCA has already filed an appeal with the United States Department of Commerce.
In addition the toll way would have had more of an effect on the San Mateo campground than anything.
Also, according the TCA spokesperson Jennifer Seaton, the project would:
• avoid certain wetland areas.
• create wildlife under crossings.
• treat water that comes from the San Mateo Creek
She said the environment would actually benefit from the toll road creating a net water quality benefit in the area in addition to improving air quality by moving cars more efficiently on the road, according to research done by independent biologists.
However, environmental and land preservation groups beg to differ. And these studies and reports are "very complicated," even according to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who even sent a letter to the commission to postpone the hearing 30 days.
Among the hundreds of attendants who came out to the commission meeting Feb. 7 many said the Environmental Impact Report was done sloppily and hides certain unavoidable concerns regarding the proposed project. They also said the commission's decision puts forth a message to preserve state land and upholds the Coastal Act.

CSUF grad student to talk coyotes

2008-05-05T16:40:00.000-07:00

One of Cal State Fullerton's own respected lab workers has finished a Master's degree thesis on the habitat of coyotes that dwell beneath the freeways, Orange County is so known for, according to Gary Robbins, OC Register's Science Dude blogger and reporter.
The dude reports that David Elliot will show off the findings of his study on freeway underpasses made for wildlife, often as a mitigation agreement to continue to the long stretch of freeways that exist throughout valleys and noted protected wild lands.
According to Robbins, Elliot will present his research with a speech "how did the coyote cross the road," in Room 413 in the 400 building at CSUF at noon this Thursday, May 8.
There will be a short gathering beforehand for the CSUF's College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
By the way, the campus sits directly below hills named after coyotes, the West Coyote Hills.

Pittsburgh tops LA in particle pollution

2008-04-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

State of the Air: Los Angeles sees slight improvements, but California still nation's top polluter
For the first time in the agency's history, the American Lung Association reports that a city outside of California has topped the charts in particle pollution.
Pittsburgh, which is home to a large steel coal plants, is now the number one polluted city for short-term particle pollution (soot), according to a new report by the American Lung Association.
Los Angeles still stayed number one in the other two pollution lists (year-round particle pollution and ozone pollution, or smog, the deadliest).
However, the city, which has gained world-wide attention toward it's efforts to reduce emissions, saw ongoing improvements in air quality, cutting its year-round particle pollution by about one-third since the 2004 report.
It also saw improvements in levels of ozone pollution, with the weighted average number of days each year with unhealthy levels of ozone dropping by 13 (103.3 to 90.3) from the 2007 to the 2008 report.
Statewide, 26 of California's 52 counties with air quality monitoring stations received failing grades for either high ozone days or particle pollution days. In alphabetical order, they are Amador, Butte, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Fresno, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Los Angeles, Mariposa, Merced, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, Santa Clara, Stanislaus, Tehama, Tulare and Ventura.
Nineteen counties received an "A" grade for either high ozone days or particle pollution days, with some of these receiving an F in one category but an A in another. The A grade recipients for at least one category, in alphabetical order, are Calaveras, Colusa, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Nevada, Plumas, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou and Sonoma.
On May 1, the American Lung Association of California offered a chance to view the extensive air quality report that shows the grades for each county in the state.
People may enter their ZIP codes for their local air quality grades and other related links or log on to www.stateoftheair.org for the full report., called the American Lung Association State of the Air: 2008 Report.
In Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, American Lung Association of California Board Chair Gwendolyn Young, Sona Patel, MD (allergist and pediatrician)and Oswaldo Hernandez, a 14-year diesel truck port driver affected by air pollution spoke on the matter.
"When you think of the impact of ozone on our respiratory tracts, imagine putting acid right in your eye. It's that corrosive," said Tony Gerber, MD, an American Lung Association of California volunteer and a pulmonary specialist and assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco. "This corrosiveness causes severe irritation and leads to problems like asthma attacks, coughing, wheezing, chest pain and even death."

Greenhouse gases increased in 2007

2008-04-27T00:31:00.000-07:00

The amount of global greenhouse gases, including heavy polluter, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), rose in the atmosphere last year despite recent efforts to curb their increase, according to a US government agency, read a statement on ecoearth.info.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in its annual greenhouse gas data update, reported that Carbon Dioxide increased by 0.6 percent or 19 billion tons (2.4 parts per million) more than 2006.
In other words, "2.4 molecules of the gas were added to every million molecules of air, boosting the global concentration to nearly 385 ppm," a NOAA statement said.
Before the industrial revolution the total amount of CO2 in the atmosphere was 280 ppm, according to the agency's statement. Since 2000 the amount of gas rose about an average of 2 ppm per year.
Burning coal, oil and natural gas is the main source of CO2 emissions. Oceans, vegetation and soils absorb about one half of all CO2 emissions, while the rest persists in the atmosphere for centuries.
According to the LA Times, the amount of methane, also a large contributor to global warming, also increased by about 27 million tons last year. Despite the yearly increase, the Governor of California, while leading the state against greenhouse gas emissions, has been recently trying to put pressure on the federal government to start requiring lower emissions in cars, according to the Times.

Scentless flowers could wipe out bee colonies

2008-04-21T09:33:00.000-07:00

Pollution, such as car exhaust, could be causing flowers to lose their scent and in turn causing bees to not pollinate them, which could set off a destructive ripple effect in our world's ecology.
According to new research by the University of Virginia, funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation, in highly polluted areas, which are commonly found next to freeways, highways, coal plants, e.t.c. produce conditions for flowers that have scent molecules that travel less farther than flowers in areas with less pollution.
Since the scent is lessened this makes it harder for the bees to find the flowers.
Scientists with the study also say this new found dilemma could affect bees' ability to attract mates and ward off enemies.
This new research could help explain why a bout 25 percent of bee colonies in the United States' 2.5 million abundance has nearly been wiped out, due to what is called colony collapse disorder, where the bees desert their colonies. Bee decline has continued across the globe and has now entered Europe, according to a report from the The Independent.
Recently, I was reminded by a friend that it was Albert Einstein who said if the bees were to disappear, humans would only have a few years left to live and civilization would end.

UPDATE: Chinook Salmon off limits this season

2008-04-12T00:15:00.000-07:00

Due to declining numbers, The Pacific Fishery Management Council has decided to ban the fishing of Chinook, or king salmon, this season in California and Oregon for the first time in the fishing industry's history.
The National Marine Fisheries Service will have to approve the closure for it to go through.
According to the Times, Salmon have dropped from a fresh normal season in 2002 of about 800,000 to about only 60,000 salmon that are expected to spawn this fall.
Mounting concerns of global warming surrounds much of the declining restaurant favorite, in addition to highly contaminated ocean waters, rising sea levels and declining fresh water, such as in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
Some scientists say the cause of the low number of salmon is due to changing ocean conditions that have taken away their food source. The National Marine Fisheries scientists say the winds have caused currents to shift statewide, unsettling nutrients, a possible link to global warming.
Others say it is because of urban run-off from streets, sewage waste, and pesticides from nearby farming operations in the San Joaquin valley, one of the largest farming locations in the state.

Veteran EV reporter gives CSUF students heads-up

2008-04-11T10:44:00.000-07:00

Gary Polakovic, an award-winning veteran environmental reporter for the Press-Enterprise and LA Times, visited Cal State Fullerton's first environmental reporting class last night and gave some insight into the growing field.
Mr. Polakovic spoke last night to new journalists, who desire to become balanced EV reporters, and gave a few pointers.
First, with the aspect of the environment and news like global warming and "Al Gore," swimming around in the "blogsphere," becoming ever so popular, changing the course of history, although that could happen, should not be our intention. This is called advocacy journalism and can often label journalists as being "green," or "pro-environment." We must stay away from this Gary says and we should force ourselves to be objective and accurate.
The most important point is that environmental reporting has a lot at stake, we're talking big business, lives, jobs, economy, housing, reporting on the environment can affect a lot of things. So that's why he said it's so important to be accurate!!! The smallest mistake or misquote or exaggeration can result in people losing their trust in what you say or a lawsuit.
So if there is one thing we can learn from Gary, who basically created the field of EV reporting, it's that we need to get our facts straight. Once the facts can stand on their own, then it doesn't matter what anyone says.

Sean's E-Vlog— An apple a day....

2008-04-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

UPDATE: Navy releases impact report

2008-04-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

The Navy released a large marine impact study Thursday, amidst recent allegations that training exercises off the California coast could be harming, and in some cases, killing marine life.
But this isn't the first study.
It comes after federal judges said previous environmental reports done by the Navy did not properly assess how to protect whales and dolphins from routine sonar tests.
The Pacific Ocean off of California is home to numerous marine mammals, such as the gray whale that makes its annual voyage from Alaska down south to Mexico.
According to the Environmental Impact Statement the Navy training exercises could expose 94,370 marine mammals each year to sonar frequencies loud enough to alter their behavior, potentially injuring or killing as many as 30 marine mammals including two gray whales, one blue whale, one sperm whale, 11 dolphins and 15 harbor seals," as reported in the LA Times by Kenneth Weiss.
The Navy's computer models show 817 mammals would be affected by underwater explosions used by the Navy, with 36 suffering from mild injuries and possibly 12 could be severely injured or killed, such as dolphins and sea lions that are found washed up on the beaches.
The region that the study indicates is called the Southern California Range Complex, which includes Santa Catalina, Santa Barbara, San Nicolas and San Clemente islands from LA to Baja.
The Navy's environmental statement comes only a few months after a dolphin washed up on the shores of San Nicolas Island in late January during the final stages of the Navy's sonar exercises.
The federal court ordered last year a requirement that the Navy shutdown all sonar operations when whales are 2,200 yards within range and some spots near the Channel Islands.
But according to the Times, the Navy sees the measures as getting in the way of realistic exercise training for submarines and ships and see as reducing sonar at 1,000 yards of a marine mammal and shutting down operations at 200 yards as sufficient.
In January, President George W. Bush sided with the Navy by exempting the agency from precautions in California because of concerns to ensure effective use of "national security," angering many environmental groups, according to the New York Times and Planetark.com.
The Navy will hold a public hearing on May 1, 2008 at the Long Beach Public Library located at 101 Pacific Avenue, Civic Center Plaza.

UK study links cellphones to brain cancer

2008-03-31T08:59:00.000-07:00

People in countries around the world could be at an increased risk of developing brain cancer due to the heavy, over-popular use of cellphones, according to a recently released British study. The study, conducted by Dr. Vini Khurana, was described in The Independent newspaper's on-line edition, and posted at the Drudge Report.
According to the study, brain cancer normally takes about a decade, or 10 years, to show signs of developing, and cellphones haven't been around for that long so no studies have documented cases that are accurate so far. So, the original safety assurances put out by cellphone companies and groups were inaccurate, he says.
The doctor also warned that if the cellphone industry doesn't reduce the amount of radiation emitted from their phones soon, in about another decade the world could see a large number of people with brain tumors, and problems that could be irreversible.
Land phones that are cordless also have increased risks to brain cancer other studies have shown and risks to children could also increase.
However, the Mobile Operators Association claims his evidence is slanted to fit his independent research and there are other studies that draw opposite conclusions.

Seal Beach naval base helped clean up

2008-03-28T14:55:00.000-07:00

The public had a unique opportunity to help protect several endangered species March 29 as the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station hosted a major community project to clean up a remote section of beach used as a feeding and nesting area for endangered birds.
The Saturday event was sponsored by the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific and hosted by the Navy in cooperation with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the volunteer group Friends of the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge. Over 200 volunteers are expected.
Volunteers met at station’s PCH Gate at 9 am. The gate is located off Pacific Coast Highway, south of Seal Beach Boulevard and the Anaheim Bay bridge, and adjacent to the Phillips Street entrance to Surfside Colony. It is only accessible from the southbound lanes of PCH.
Volunteers brought gloves, heavy shoes, hats and sunblock, and must RSVP by calling the Aquarium of the Pacific at (562) 437-3474, extension 2.
The beach area to be cleaned is used by endangered and threatened bird species including the California brown pelican, western snowy plover, light-footed clapper rail, and the California least tern. The area has been heavily impacted by trash carried in by recent storms.
Commencing operations in 1944 as a U.S. Naval Ammunition and Net Depot, Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach is the Pacific Fleet’s premier ordnance loading and storage installation. The base services approximately 50 United States Navy vessels annually.
For more information, contact the Naval Weapons Station Public Affairs Officer (PAO), Gregg Smith, at (562) 626-7215.

Huell Howser talks bio-diesel

2008-03-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

Drought continues despite rainfall, restrictions

2008-03-28T13:17:00.000-07:00

Despite scattered rain fall this past winter season and efforts to curb water waste, state officials warn that California is still experiencing drought conditions and water levels could continue to fall.
Some of the state’s first restrictions on water use, such as in Long Beach and other cities where fines were handed out for overuse, have caused water consumption to fall about 8 percent below normal this year, according to state water officials.
But representatives still say that’s not enough and the decades-old infrastructure built to hold, share and import water needs to be upgraded.
Adan Ortega Jr. of GCG Rose & Kindle consulting firm for the Metropolitan Water District, the largest water district in the country, said the state is losing water because of an over-population of people, groundwater contamination, wasting water and levies drying up because of increased temperatures.
He said typically droughts last thousands of years, and states all over the country experiencing a water shortfall could continue to see a steady decline.
“We get rain, just not enough to support all those people,” he said. “We started to notice that the snow pack is getting smaller and smaller. Things are not the same.”
He said farmers, who rely heavily on imported water, are saying the state needs more storage, officials and taxpayers aren’t as willing to bank on restructuring the vast system of water flow, while global warming issues continue to affect on levies because of increasing water levels and high temperatures.
Water that households use two years, about 326,000 gallons of water, is known as one acre foot, and costs tax payers money depending on how the water is treated or where it comes from.
The three sources of water in California are the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, Colorado River, and local wells underground. Half of the water is from local resources and the other half is imported.
He said about seven states share water with California from the Colorado River.
“[State officials] don’t put enough time into education or resources into water,” he said.
“When you have political rhetoric you hear about special interests. We now have individual interests.”
Amidst increasing unstable weather conditions, Ortega Jr. said households, businesses and farmers continue to waste 25 percent of the state’s water supply.
“You’ll never see Lake Mead full again,” he said. “We waste half of all of the outside water that we use. When your customers are wasting water and they’re buying other water that is just going to be wasted again.”
In addition, the state has been increasing efforts to help bring back the Delta smelt, a small fish in the River Delta commonly used for bait that has nearly disappeared.
But Ortega Jr. said the state should be focusing on larger fish that have larger populations.
Ortega Jr. says the state should invest in upgrading its dilapidated levies and infrastructure, in addition to impose low flush toilets, and installation of satellite driven sprinkler systems for lawns.
“I think we are in a water crises of our own making,” he said. “If we don’t update operations we’re going to be in bigger trouble that before.”
Sam Pedroza, a former employee of the County Sanitation District of Los Angeles County, said there is still a lot local and state governments can do to help save water and money.
He said, due to the drought, water is costing households more and will continue to, if steps aren’t taken to limit consumption or find alternative water sources.
“Water is a natural recourse like air,” he said. “But we’re paying for the process that goes into getting it.”
Currently about 25 percent of California water comes from recycled water, which costs $200 to $300 an acre-foot, equal to an acre of water a foot high, from big tanks that pump in a reservoir that is filled up. Imported water costs about $400 an acre foot for untreated water straight from the Colorado River basin. The Santa Ana River and San Gabriel Valley percolate the water and it is treated by nature.
To receive “treated” imported water it has cost about $500 to $600 an acre-foot.
But now, Pedroza said, because of the drought the cost has risen to $800 an acre-foot.
New technology and innovations are the wave of the future, he said, and could be what helps the state with decreasing water levels and rising costs.
Such methods as desalination, where salt is extracted from water, or reverse osmosis, might cost more, but are alternatives rather than take away from the already depleting rivers and basins.
While desalination, common in Saudi Arabia or Catalina Island, costs $1,000 an acre-foot, costs for imported water are raising so high it could be the next choice.
Recycled water, another alternative, is made through treatment plants, bacteria storage, through sand a gravel and anthracite coal and a fourth way is through reverse osmosis, or micro filtration that costs about $600 to $700 an acre foot.
The state proposed a program to start treating sewage water for drinking water in the 1990s, called unattractively “Toilet to Tap.” But it failed due to its dirty connotations, and reverse osmosis systems such as in Orange County could also be the answer he said.
“We have enough water, it’s just maximizing what we have,” Pedroza said.

Giant marine species found in Antarctica

2008-03-23T22:29:00.000-07:00

Large, and possibly new, marine sea creatures have recently been discovered from an unprecedented survey of New Zealand's Antarctic waters.
Some scientists are taken by the large size of some species, such as jellyfish with 12-foot tentacles, giant sea spiders and 2-foot starfish.
But it will take time for research to indicate whether the newly found marine life are in fact actually new species.
"The survey was part of the International Polar Year program involving 23 countries in 11 voyages to survey marine life and habitats around Antarctica," according to an Associated Press article published March 21.
The 12-mile excursion through the Ross Sea turned up a host of never before seen species, which some scientists believe the oddly large size is due to cold temperatures, a small number of predators, high levels of oxygen in the sea water and even longevity— possibly attributed global warming effects.
The Ross Sea is a bay located off of Antarctica's icy coast. The south and north islands of New Zealand are miles from the bay, but contain much of the water currents.
The find also uncovered a hidden nest of sea lilies that coat the ocean floor, and most notably, possibly eight new mollusk species.

Black abalone may be protected if endangered

2008-03-23T15:19:00.000-07:00

Black abalone, while although considered the smallest of the large sea mollusk species, once flourished in plentiful abundance in the intertidal waters along the California coast.
But due to a combination of overfishing, disease and a sprawling otter habitat, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration proposed placing the black abalone on an endangered species list in January 2008.
NOAA Fisheries Service filed with the Federal Register Jan. 12 a proposed rule or petition to list black abalone as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The proposal comes after NOAA Fisheries Service considered the report of a scientific review team concluding that the species is at risk of extinction. Comments on this proposal must be received by April 10, according to the Federal Registry. A final approval would then come probably sometime at the end of the year, according to officials.
According to an LA Times article on a forum at fishpolitics.com, "The final decision, expected after a year of further study, would not have an immediate impact on the hunting of black abalone in California, which has been illegal here since 1993. But the listing could bring in federal money to help restore populations of the species, set aside critical habitat and impose criminal penalties for importing the mollusk from Mexico."
Decades ago, black abalone was known as the most abundant species of abalone from Northern Baja California, Mexico, to Monterey, Calif.
But "the scientific review team reported major declines in the population of black abalone, especially in the areas around the Channel Islands off Southern California," said Rod McInnis, Southwest Regional Administrator for NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. “These proposed regulations seek federal protection for black abalone and requests input from the public in determining what areas might be included as critical habitat for the species.”
Since the 1980s, black abalone abundance has plummeted primarily from a bacterial disease known as withering syndrome.
Withering syndrome is a bacterium that affects the digestive system and causes the abalone to shrink. The bacterium increases in warmer waters (that reach 65 degrees Fahrenheit) that can be attributed to warm water currents such as from El Nino, which some say are early signs of the effects of global warming, according to an article published by National Geographic.
Other causes of the rapid population decline are likely due to historical overfishing, poaching and natural predation. NMFS has considered recent preliminary evidence which suggests a small disease resistant population may exist at San Nicolas Island. Even with this possibility, the likelihood that black abalone populations will continue to decline towards extinction (within the next 30 years) is very high.
If the listing under the ESA is passed this year, the black abalone would join the white abalone, which was placed on the endangered-species list by the National Marine Fisheries Service in May 2001.
"Estimates of where the white-abalone population stood 30 years ago run from 2.2 million to 4.2 million, but recently their population along the coast was estimated at just a couple thousand," according to an article in fishpolitics.com

Flying Fish Festival comes to Catalina Island

2008-03-20T10:35:00.000-07:00

In celebration of the annual return of Catalina Island's famous flying fish, Catalina announces Flying Fish Festival, according to the Catalina Islander newspaper.
The inaugural event will be held May 29 - June 1, a four day festival of family fun.
From May to September every year, Catalina Island welcomes the famed flying fish that soars out of the water at heights of up to 30 feet. The fish glides for distances as long as mile.
The flying fish visits the Island for only a few months a year and best shows itself at night when lured with lights. It is only fitting that Catalina celebrates their arrival by honoring them as special guests with a four day long weekend of festivities.
The Flying Fish Festival kicks off on May 29, a Thursday night, with the Taste Around of Avalon.
It's a chance to explore some of Avalon's finest eateries and taste their most delectable menu items, all in one night.
Activities are plentiful throughout the rest of the weekend as the events and entertainment roll out to celebrate the fantastic flying fish.
Flying Fish Festival event highlights include evening Flying Fish Boat Tours aboard the Blanche W, a 98-passenger solid wood vessel built in 1924, originally made for the flying fish tours.
There will be a professional sand sculpture created by the beach, a free concert at Wrigley Stage, a Fishing Derby for kids, various flying fish and ocean craft activities for kids, a Mini Cooper Rally, an excursion to Toyon Bay, a Flying Fish Parade, the introduction of Gill, the Flying Fish and more.
For additional information about special events, accommodations, attractions, and activities, or to receive a free copy of the new 2008 Visitors Guide, contact the Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau at (310) 510-1520 or visit www.CatalinaChamber.com.

Climate change continues to be "hot" topic

2008-03-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

Quoting Sir Winston Churchill during the presentation "The Climate Crises" at Cal State Fullerton Tuesday, former politician and now environmental activist Lance Simmens said the world is "entering a period of consequences."
Simmens is one of the first people trained by former Vice-President Al Gore and The Climate Project. Simmens has presented over 50 seminars that mirror Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth."
Toppling glaciers and brightly-colored diagrams painted a grim picture of the Earth's changing climate as Simmens encouraged a packed auditorium of students in Pavilion C to take steps toward reversing what scientists say are the effects of global warming.
The heavily attended event, sponsored by environmental groups on campus, included an introduction by Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez and ended with a question and answer forum by a panel of faculty.
"We need to get the message out and we need to participate," Sanchez said. "Teachers are telling me they have been seeing students grab on to something that's so important."
Sanchez said debates over global warming continue to heat up in Washington D.C. and a panel on climate change clearly states the need to reduce emissions immediately.
Most speakers said they were concerned the United States currently doesn’t have a national policy and states are lagging behind as the country contributes 25 percent to global warming.
"I don't care if you're a Democrat or Republican, this is bigger than that. It's a global issue," Simmens said. "If you think this is a warm and fuzzy, tree-hugging issue, think again."
Global warming, Simmens said, is caused by the increasing amount of carbon dioxide (C02) in terms of parts-per-million, or increasing levels of dense greenhouse gases that trap the rays of sun in the atmosphere, causing the earth to heat up. He said the planet is currently at 380 ppm and could rise to 600 ppm if nations "continue business as usual" and don't start using alternatives to pollution-causing infrastructure, such as burning fossil fuels.
"Global warming is happening and humans are causing it," Simmens said.
Recent events have proved this theory, he said.
In 2004 Brazil experienced a groundbreaking hurricane, in 2005 the world's largest oil platform was damaged during a storm off the Gulf of Mexico and an unprecedented 37 inches of rain fell in India in just a 24-hour period during that same year, according to Simmens' statistics.
Simmens said the world will see wetter and more intense storms to come.
However, out of all the places to heat up, Simmens said the North and South Poles are leading.
Scientists are examining cracks in the ice shelf of Antarctica that did not exist five years ago, and he said polar bears are drowning and dieing off because they end up swimming long distances of 40 to 50 miles between cracks in the ice. He said glacial earthquakes are also doubling.
Normally, he said the ice glaciers have reflected the sun's rays, but due to rising temperatures, the ice has melted and has turned into an "absorber" instead.
Simmens said there have also been shifts in wind currents that have contributed to rising ocean temperatures and species loss in coral reefs.
He pointed out that if glaciers were to completely melt down, sea levels would rise and displace tens of millions of people worldwide.
Along with such information, Simmens described a few misconceptions people might have about global warming, such as whether there are disagreements among scientists, divisions over economy and the environment or whether individual participation can make a difference.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is debating whether they're 90 or 99 percent certain human beings are causing global warming, Simmens said. But he said the consensus is that we are.
"We will never be at 100 percent certainty," Simmens said. "... But I don't think it's really a question anymore."
Erin Saverio-Seibert, a member of the CSUF Environmental Studies Student Association, said some professors on campus are not entirely convinced, but have also admitted to not being well educated about it.
Vienne Vu, a geography studies CSUF grad student, said such events help to educate those who might not otherwise be exposed to the sciences.
"I think it depends on who's listening. If you're a Spanish major, you might not know as much, but if you're a geography major, it gets pounded into you every day," Vu said. "The more you know, the more you can do something."

Chinook salmon not king anymore?

2008-03-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

If you go fishing this summer and catch a fat salmon, you might have to toss it back or else run the risk of getting fined.
Declining numbers of Chinook, or king salmon, have caused federal fishery agencies to start thinking about the possibility of closing down salmon fishing in California entirely this year, according to the Times.The Pacific Fishery Management Council unanimously approved the future vote of three options on dealing with the dilemma, closing down salmon fishing being one of those options. The council will meet next month to make a final recommendation to federal regulators. The National Marine Fisheries Service would then have to approve the closure for it to go through.
This would be the first time in the state’s history the salmon fishing season would be closed.
Salmon have dropped from a fresh normal season in 2002 of about 800,000 to about only 60,000 salmon that are expected to spawn this fall.
Mounting concerns of global warming surrounds much of the declining restaurant favorite, in addition to highly contaminated ocean waters, rising sea levels and declining fresh water, such as in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta.
In the past few years, the state has been increasing efforts to help bring back the Delta smelt, commonly used for bait that has nearly disappeared.
But the declining salmon numbers has caused some scientists to take another look at the approach of trying to regulate the fishing industry, that maybe such bigger fish are more of a concern and local governments should have been trying to keep an eye on rather then the tiny smelt.
Some scientists say the cause of the low number of salmon is due to changing ocean conditions that have taken away their food source. The National Marine Fisheries scientists say the winds have caused currents to shift statewide, unsettling nutrients, a possible link to global warming.
Others say it is because of urban run-off from streets, sewage waste, and pesticides from nearby farming operations in the San Joaquin valley, one of the largest farming locations in the state.
According to the Times, much of the criticism is due to exporting water from the river delta, north to south, the same cause as the smelt.
But because of the smelt, the federal government recently cut the exportation of water down to a fifth.
Check out this video of the Somona County Water Agency and how agencies didn't know about the effects of water distribution in the Russian River that has possibly been a contributing factor to the declining salmon.
In other states salmon decline has been attributed to the fish having both sexual organs, or low sperm count or testosterone levels, some say is due to chemicals from farms such as in Florida.

CSUF's Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary recovers

2008-03-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Walking along a path in between a barren mound of soil and a fresh cluster of dark green shrubs, Cal State Fullerton biology instructor Bill Hoese carefully watches his step.
He doesn’t want to destroy what has just started to recover.
About a year ago, the now bleak heap of earth used to be filled with native plants for students to observe at the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary nature trail, an area of Modjeska Canyon owned and operated by CSUF.
Some of that land was scorched down to rubble in October of last year, when the Santiago Fire engulfed more than 28,000 acres, destroyed more than 14 homes and caused thousands to evacuate. Officials blamed the fire on one or more arsonists.
“Before it all burned, it looked like this,” said Hoese, as he pointed to a three-foot high healthy California scrub habitat. “But a lot of the plants are well adapted to fires.”
Fast-growing plants, such as the wild cucumber shrub, chamise and coastline oaks are reaching toward the sun first, after recent rains have allowed native vegetation to re-sprout.
Months after the fire came within 10 feet of burning down the sanctuary, ecology classes have now returned to find a recovering hillside, ripe for examining how vegetation adapts to fire destruction.
Hoese and two undergraduate students began taking photographs of two-meter plots in January, and they are documenting each plant's revival.

"Green" buildings might be gold for CSUF

2008-03-11T00:30:00.000-07:00

When Cal State Fullerton's new Student Recreation Center opens in the next few weeks, students will be burning more calories, and, at the same time, the facility will be burning less energy.
After years of planning and designing, the two-story center, which will include a swimming pool and a rock climbing wall, might be the university's most energy-efficient building ever constructed.
“This was a student-led project,” said Kurt Borsting, Titan Student Union director. “Our student leaders have really come to make this building environmentally friendly.”
The roof is made of a white solar-reflective material to reduce the load on air conditioning units, showers and irrigation systems use low-flow water methods, a wall of windows cuts back on lighting during the day and the carpet is made of recycled material.
These points all add up to what faculty and students hope will be the university’s first building ever to receive a gold certification in Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design.
New standards are part of a widespread call for sustainability on campuses, mandated by CSU Chancellor Charles Reed in 2006, with a policy statement addressing energy conservation.
The LEED recognition is certificated by the United States Green Building Council, a federal organization that recognizes the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings.
The policy states that all universities in California are required to have new buildings that are at least LEED certified. Certification is the lowest of three rankings, which are certificated, silver and gold. The number of points earned for energy efficiency determines each rank.
However, CSUF student leaders and administration have planned the building to be “green” before such policies ever hit the books.
Borsting said students have been working with maintenance and construction officials since 2000 to make the $40 million center the first of its kind in energy-saving capabilities.
With the help of such efforts, CSUF has already received accolades for the recreation center, which won first place for overall design at the CSU/UC Sustainability Conference last year. Previous projects, such as the Arboretum Visitor Center, also received recognition during a previous conference, as well as restructuring the campus’ heating and cooling systems that increased efficiency by 10 percent.
Physical Plant Director Willem van der Pol feels such recognition will push university administration to take more of a “campus-wide” approach to sustainability, instead of different departments taking the lead.
Van der Pol is a member of a developing group of students and faculty called the Sustainability Initiative Study Group, which is currently researching methods and strategies to transform the campus into a more sustainable environment for future projects. The group will be presenting their mission and goals by this summer.
The university has used various methods of conservation in the past such as using “green” cleaning products, conserving water and recycling about 60 percent of waste, including construction material.
But he said people need to make more of a "conscious" effort to save energy, as well as creating a sustainability curriculum.
“We want to encourage faculty and staff to come to the campus using alternative fuels,” he said. “It’s smart to be a little bit ahead.”
Van der Pol is as much involved in the effort on campus as he is in his own life.
In addition, he has helped to convert a majority of maintenance vehicles into electric cars, some with solar-power capabilities, to be steps ahead of a California law that requires all state agencies to have 75 percent of their vehicles powered by alternative fuels.
The benefits of such conservation can also be cost effective as well.
The physical plant is currently in the planning stages for a project to install solar panels, or photosynthetic cells, on top of the Nutwood Parking Structure, said van der Pol.
“We’ve committed to getting this underway,” van der Pol said “We hope the project will pay for itself.”
While the respect as an energy-efficient campus is received well, Mike Smith, CSUF Office of Design and Construction director, said the evaluation of each building “doesn’t come cheap.”
Adding up points for each energy-efficient component can take time and money out of the budget for already costly construction on campus, he said.
Each project is paid for through grants, bonds and student fees, and a portion of funds goes toward making sure buildings are evaluated for LEED certification, such as the new Mihaylo Hall College of Business and Economics, which may receive a top ranking as well.
However, Smith said the developer, C.W. Driver, agreed to pay for the recreation center evaluation, and results were sent to the federal council in Washington D.C. He said it looks promising that the building will receive the gold certification trophy soon.
“We’re pretty confident we’ll get it,” Smith said. “We’re really proud of that and I think the students will be proud too.”

Fireplace use banned on bad air days

2008-03-08T23:45:00.000-08:00

During cold winter nights, residents of Los Angeles county might think twice about lighting up the fireplace if any one of those nights fell on a day of heavy air pollution.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District passed new regulations last Friday, March 7, that would impose fines for firing up the chimney during "high-pollution" days, and prohibit builders to install wood-burning fireplaces in new homes, although gas burning hearths are allowed, according to the Times.
Those exempt would be restaurants, such as California Pizza Kitchen, homes that use fire for energy and homes above 3,000 feet elevation.
Beach fires and ceremonial fires are exempt, as well as coastal homes where breezes commonly exist.
The smoke emitted from chimneys make up about 6 tones of particulate matter, according to the district, per day, and the new ban would reduce that average about 1 ton, of the 106 tones of soot put out daily by either car emissions, or coal refineries or any other sources.
The new regulations are due to the increasing number of particulates found in the LA area's air, that can travel to other regions and cause a number of respiratory illnesses for residents, and about 5,000 premature deaths each year.
The LA basin is surrounded by ports that some say are largely responsible for an out pour of particulates, nitrogen oxide and sulfur, and soot from heavy diesel-burning engines on tankers. The ships that come to the harbors are the source of heavy clouds of smog pollution that then is baked in the sun producing a low lying layer of ozone, a toxic poisonous gas that is invisible. The hard to see particulates can then enter the lungs causing asthma and other cardiovascular and respiratory problems in nearby cities and canyons where the smog ends up.
The smog and pollution has frequently caused the region to perform below federal health standards.

Vons puts out bio-diesel fueled grocery trucks

2008-03-07T13:00:00.001-08:00

Initiatives and state mandates that could be on this year’s election ballot have pushed some California businesses to start shifting toward cleaner energy.
Vons grocery store, the third largest grocery retailer in Southern California, has recently launched many energy-efficiency campaigns, along with having its 300 fleet of grocery trucks fully converted with bio-diesel fueled engines by June. Bio-diesel produces substantially low emissions known as a carbon neutral fuel, compared to regular diesel. Most fuel mixtures are partly made from either fresh or used vegetable oil.
The grocery chain, owned by Safeway since 1994, began phasing in the bio-diesel truck models in January to promote low emissions and replace the older heavy-polluting diesel trucks that on average drive about 75,000 miles a year.
The pressure comes on the heels of measures proposed for the November 2008 ballot, such as the Renewable Energy and Clean Alternative Fuel Act. The initiative requires California utilities to generate half of their power through renewable sources by 2025 and would at the same time allow state officials to sell $6 billion in bonds for various pollution-reducing purposes and research.
The measure, also known as the Solar and Clean Energy Initiative, will require 433,971 signatures by mid-April to qualify for the ballot.
While some companies take action after a law has passed, Curt Smith, Safeway’s manager of Intex and Recycling Centers, said in many cases, Vons has tried to stay one step ahead of legislation, or at least on the same page.
“It makes good business sense, “ said Smith. “It’s a small transition from diesel to bio-diesel.”
The company’s long history of recycling efforts to turn trash into compost, has earned awards and accolades, but the business hasn’t stopped there.
Since energy efficiency can also lead to cost efficiency in some cases, Vons has started to invest in new forms of recycling, solar power and wind energy for its 300-store operating area.
He said other competitors such as grocery stores like Albertson's have not been as proactive in terms of energy efficiency and recycling.
With a $32.3 billion profit last year, Smith says Vons is familiar with stepping forward on environmental issues before laws and regulations are passed, while balancing market demand and customer needs.
“It’s not a new phenomenon,” he said. “We find out how we could turn what we are losing and make a profit.”
In the 1980s, the state passed Assembly Bill 939 requiring that by 1995 every city in California had to reduce waste by 50 percent, or receive $10,000 fines. Smith said Vons had already been working on a recycling program before the law ever hit the books. But he said it was the requirement that forced the company to take their approach one step further.
Vons initiated a program to turn waste from each store into high-grade organic compost for farms. Currently the company recycles about 90 percent of its 200,000 tons of waste each year, which means only 10 percent is trash. The process of making compost involves mixing nitrogen (fruits and vegetables that have gone bad) with carbon (cardboard, bread and paper), along with what’s called “green waste” and grinding the ingredients down into a usable fertilizer. Throughout many years, the compost has been used in Southern California farms as well as donated to schools.
“It helps give back,” said Vons spokesman Richard Garcia. “It’s the right thing to do environmentally.”
As California progresses each year in terms of clean energy requirements, state agencies such as universities are also getting in line with current legislation.
Cal State Fullerton has formed a Sustainability Initiative Study Group this year to gear up for up coming requirements before they become state law.
Willem van der Pol, director of the university’s physical plant, said sustainability has always been an issue with the campus, having been proactive in recycling waste, increasing energy efficiency and water use in the past. He said the campus currently recycles 60 percent of its waste.
But van der Pol said this year institutions should not only be implementing the practice but also teaching sustainability as a curriculum. He wants to see CSUF take more of a “campus-wide” approach to energy efficiency.
“We want to encourage faculty and staff to come to the campus using alternative fuels,” he said. “The idea of the study group is that we come up with a broad spectrum of what we hope will be approved and promoted.”
In addition to converting a majority of maintenance vehicles into electric carts, some with solar power capabilities, the plans for next semester include changes in construction, such as constructing buildings that are LEED certified, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. The state certification recognizes agencies for buildings that use the most energy-saving construction.
CSUF recently filed for a silver certification for the construction of the university’s new Mihaylo Hall business center, which the campus recently received a $30,000 donation for. Once it’s open, along with a new student recreation center, which might receive a gold certification, Willem said he plans on using energy efficient lighting, water conservation and only “green” cleaning products.
“We are working on many levels of sustainability,” Van der Pol said. “It’s smart to be a little bit ahead.”

Least terns returning to nest

2008-03-04T02:28:00.000-08:00

Flocks of endangered birds known as least terns will be making their way to the Southern California coast soon. And thanks to years of preservation, the feathered friends will have a safe place to rest.
Following many seasons of creating an inhabitable environment for these small migratory shore birds at the wildlife refuge on the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, volunteers are no longer needed this year.
That’s a good thing.
Navy spokesman Gregg Smith said volunteers did such a good job of picking up trash and weeds in previous years at the small nesting areas on the wetlands, that the volunteers will be moving on to another section of land.
On the last Saturday in March, he said helpers are still needed to pickup trash and remove invasive plants at the Navy property north of the Surfside colony.
The birds that normally nest on beaches or other areas of bare sand should be returning by May to produce offspring until they leave in mid July.
Their endangered status is primarily due to development of beaches and other human use of potential nesting land.
While it is unknown exactly where the birds migrate to after they finish producing offspring in late summer, some have been spotted coming from Central America and Mexico.
The birds fly north every year to small pockets of land, such as on the naval base known as NASA Island. Navy biologists have been forming new ways to keep invasive plants and predators out of the 3-acre site to provide a safe nesting habitat.
The Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge holds monthly tours on the last Saturday of each month in the brightly colored Pelican Van.
The group leaves from 800 Seal Beach Blvd. in Seal Beach at 8:30 a.m. and comes back at noon.
Vans will run from 8:30 to 9 a.m. to transport visitors from the parking lot to the refuge, and will then run from 11 a.m. to noon to take visitors back.
Because the National Wildlife Refuge is located on a Naval Weapons Station, all participants must register at least two days in advance and provide their full name and phone number or they will be denied entrance.
To make an appointment call (562) 598-1024, or to volunteer at the refuge call manager Kirk Gilligan at (562) 598-1024.

Dana Point's festival of gray whales

2008-02-29T15:47:00.000-08:00

The majestic giants of the sea, the California Gray Whale, are gracing the public with their presence during their 5,000-mile migration from Alaska to Mexico. The migration already began in December and continues through March, the last month. During the peak season, 40 to 50 whales pass by Dana Point each day, using the headland's cliffs near the harbor as a landmark to check their path.

The city of Dana Point and other agencies will be hosting the Festival of Whales, from March 1 through 9 in honor of this incredible event.

During the festival weekends the learning labs will focus on new discoveries in marine mammal research and allow visitors to explore a variety of fascinating phenomenon unique to the magnificent whale. Families will have the opportunity to listen to underwater whale sounds to discover how they communicate, enjoy hands-on activities, learn from special speakers each day of the festival and create fun children’s crafts.
Naturalist Doug Thompson will discuss his research in Baja and his newest book Whales: Touching the Mystery from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.
Public hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission price is $6 for adults (13 yrs+) and $4 for children (3-12yrs); Children 2 and under are free. Members are free.

Best whale watching price:

Ocean Institute Whale Watching Cruises
(949) 496-2274
Journey to sea with Ocean Institute naturalists and they’ll introduce you to the local marine wildlife including microscopic plankton and the animals that live in sediment retrieved from the ocean floor. Encounter a pod of playful dolphin or witness the majesty of a traveling whale. Discover the amazing life that lives just beneath the waves in this 2 ½ hour cruise! Cruise times are 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 to 4:00 PM. Members: $22/adult and $19/child (4-12yrs) Non-Members: $35/adult and $22/child (4-12yrs)

Santa Monica passes plastic bag ban

2008-02-29T14:42:00.001-08:00

The Santa Monica City Council has finally approved an ordinance this Tuesday, Feb. 26 that would ban all "single use" plastic bags from stores in the city, and impose a fee for customers who would prefer to use them.
The council's decision had been delayed until staff had further recommendation, but now it is final.
The ordinance was pushed by environmental group Heal The Bay, which is located in the city. The organization monitors beach water quality up and down California's coast.
However, many grocery companies have debated over whether plastic is being given a "bad wrap," so to speak, since paper bags burn more fuel in production and cause more of a CO2 concern in landfills, if not just as much. Some consultants have said the concern is over the customers' responsibility for handling the plastic bags. Many grocery stores have started recycling plastic bags that are brought back into the stores such as Von's, Pavilions and Ralph's.
According to the city's analysis:
• Plastic carryout bags are made in a number of different sizes and thicknesses and are typically manufactured from either high density polyethylene (HDPE - recycling symbol #2) or from low density polyethylene (LDPE - recycling symbol #4). The LDPE bags are thicker and are generally used by department stores and other commercial retail outlets. The HDPE bags are typically thinner, cheaper and are used much more widely by supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores and restaurants. These bags are termed “single-use” bags because they are intended for one time use for customers to carry their purchases from the store, followed by disposal or recycling. The thin, light duty plastic that the bags are made from is not durable enough for them to be repeatedly used for carryout. The California Integrated Waste Management Board estimates that Californians use approximately 19 billion of the light weight HDPE bags each year with approximately 6 billion of these being consumed within Los Angeles County. A survey conducted by City Solid Waste Management division staff in December 2005 solicited plastic bag information from 25 Santa Monica grocery stores and food markets. The survey concluded that these 25 businesses use approximately 23 million plastic bags each year.
According to the ordinance, in Santa Monica if you want to buy groceries it will cost you:

Type of carryout bag	Approximate cost per bag	Approximate annual usage per person
HDPE plastic	1 to 5 cents	500 - 600
Paper	5 to 25 cents	500 - 600
Biodegradable	10 to 21 cents	500 - 600
Reuseable (cloth or plastic)	99 cents to $10	2 - 4

Plastic bags are a significant source of marine debris and are hazardous to birds and marine animals. The California Coastal Commission estimates that 60% to 80% of all marine debris, and 90% of all floating debris is plastic. Plastic bags do not biodegrade in the environment, but they do break into smaller pieces that are often mistaken for food by birds and marine animals.
Studies have estimated that more than 1 million sea birds, 100,000 marine mammals and countless fish die annually through ingestion of and entanglement in marine debris, including plastic bags
Heal The Bay states that: http://www.healthebay.org/actionalerts/2008_02_05_SMbaghearing/default.asp:
• Just 25 Santa Monica grocery stores and food markets use approximately 23 million plastic bags each year. Californians use more than 19 billion plastic grocery bags and merchandise bags each year, roughly 552 bags per person — and if placed end-to-end, enough to stretch around the globe over 250 times. This usage generates 147,038 tons of unnecessary waste. • California taxpayers spend $25 million to collect and landfill plastic bag waste each year. That figure does not include external costs, e.g., resource extraction and depletion, quality of life issues, economic loss due to plastic bag litter and human health expenses.
• U.S. consumers use 100 billion plastic bags annually, which is the energy equivalent of 12 million barrels of oil. This equates to 60,000 plastic bags used every five seconds.

EPA squabbles with state over ship emissions

2008-02-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

Just about a week after the Port of Long Beach and the city's harbor commission imposed a plan with truckers that would obligate the contractors to reduce emissions, a federal appeal court rejected a California's state regulation pollution from ships.
According to the Times, the ruling means the state has to get approval before imposing pollution restraints on the large diesel burning cargo ships and and other marine vessels that can be seen wading off the shores of Long Beach's harbor. Squabbles....
Long Beach and Los Angeles ports are responsible for an outpour of particulates, nitrogen oxide and sulfur, and soot from large heavy diesel burning engines on the tankers. The ships that come to the harbors are the source of heavy clouds of smog pollution that then is baked in the sun producing a low lying layer of ozone, a toxic poisonous gas that is invisible. The hard to see particulates can then enter the lungs causing asthma and other cardiovascular and respiratory problems in nearby cities and canyons where the smog ends up.
The smog and pollution has frequently caused the region to perform below federal health standards.
In an attempt clean the air quicker by stepping forward with harsher regulations and coming up with a plan to make the busy port areas one of the "greenest" regions in the country, state officials argued the state didn't need waivers from the Environmental Protection Agency. The federal agency has granted the state several waivers in since the 1970s allowing the state to regulate its own standards.
But this time the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Fransisco said the state can't do that.
The EPA has denied the state's request to apply stricter standards before such as when the federal agency denied California from imposing standards to reduce emissions from automobiles.
But the whole controversy is over whether the regulations should be implemented or administered by the state or the federal government. Since Global Warming is commonly stressed as an international problem, many companies are confused as to who should be responsible, because inadvertently picking up the tab for lowering emissions means throwing out the old and in with the new. But some shipping companies have already taken steps to use on-shore power or lower the speed or use low sulfur fuels.But my question is if the state can't regulate it's own ports, then who will, obviously the federal government doesn't care, because it wouldn't have been this way in the first place. California is constantly taking harder steps toward cleaning up the ships, trucks and cars that make our air polluted.
You can smell it!
And there's also something else I can smell too. We should stop worrying about who is in charge and bickering over who is going to stop it and just work together to do it.
If the state needs a waiver, then get a waiver, but I don't see why we should slow down our plans for a greener and healthier world, when that should have been the plan from get go!
In the name of Nike, Just Do it!