Environmental Committee

2010 Environmental Committee Year End Report

The Environmental Committee had a busy year. There were special speakers as many of the regular meetings, active support for the State Parks’ Initiative, participation in Earth Day with a great booth with many activities, a successful Green Solutions Workshop, attendance at Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors’ meetings, a hot and hard-working River & Road Clean-up, planning for a campaign to reduce cigarette butt litter, some recognition for our committee members, and a community Dialogue on the Environment, with our State Assembly Member, Bill Monning.

We coordinated extensive signature collection for two and a half months, to help get the State Parks Initiative on the ballot.

The February meeting featured a presentation by Boulder Creek resident, Margaret Bruce. Margaret was Director of the Center for Climate Action and attended the UN’s Convention on Climate in Copenhagen and had a fascinating report on it, concluding that there are too many economic and social constraints to get a world-wide consensus and that we will have to act unilaterally on global warming.

In March, SLV Water District Watershed Analyst, Betsy Herbert, spoke about the District’s Watershed Plan (see it online), gave many insights into the District’s operations, and the planning the District is doing to prepare for climate change. Also at that meeting, Judith Broadhurst gave a presentation on Transitions SLV, which has grown into a very active, productive organization, working to assure a resilient, energy independent community to deal with decreasing oil supplies, global warming and economic challenges

At the April meeting, Bill Kocher, Director of the Santa Cruz Water Department, came to speak on the proposed desalinization plant that would be used by Santa Cruz City and the Soquel Creek Water Districts. The complicated issue is very controversial because of the environmental problems of such a plant, and the enormous expense and energy use it would entail. We are also concerned that the SCWD overdraws from it SL River sources, causing severe problems for salmonids. We had a remarkable booth at the April 17th Earth Day event in Santa Cruz, featuring live music, special children’s activities coordinated by teacher/author Loretta Halter, and hands-on Green Solutions activities by Stephanie Sakasai.

Several of us met with the new Santa Cruz County Planning Director, Kathy Previcich, hoping to apprise her of the challenges facing the SLV River and Watershed, and the need for improved enforcement of existing regulations and recognition of its special needs.

In May, six of our committee members received Honorable Mention Awards for their volunteer activities from the Blue Circle group, which brings together government agencies and nonprofit organizations working on watershed issues.

In May a longer Green Solutions workshop brought in an eager crowd to learn how to make alternative household products, thanks to Stephanie Sakasai and other volunteers.

In June and July we began planning for the Bill Monning Environmental Dialogue to take place in October, and for the River & Road Clean-up. We evaluated upcoming State Propositions and made recommendations regarding some of them. We looked over the Conservation Blueprint project that will help the Santa Cruz Land Trust establish priorities for land preservation in the coming years; little mention had been made of lands in the SLV, so we tried to make the planners aware of the need to give our area a higher priority.

On July 4th the Environmental Committee entered in the Boulder Creek Parade with other VWC members, with banners and signs about the Valley Women’s Club. Lots of fun!

August was busy in preparation for the River and Road Cleanup which, on September 25th proved to be an enormous success, with over 120 people pulling out three tons of trash and recyclables from in and by the River and the roads leading to the River. And a grant proposal was written to the Santa Cruz County Fish & Game Commission, to help fund the Cigarette Butt campaign to reduce the number of butts allowed to fall to the ground, to be washed into our waterways.

October’s focus was the Bill Monning Dialogue on the Environment which took place on Wednesday, October 27, at Felton Community Hall. The event allowed community residents to get straight-talk discussion and answers to questions and concerns from our State Assembly Member.

November and December’s focus is on preparations for the brochure, media events and projects of the Cigarette Butt campaign.

Respectfully Submitted, Nancy B. Macy, Chair

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