Parking reform: a win for housing and climate in California
Assembly Bill 2097, signed into law by California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday, eliminates parking mandates for residential and commercial developments located within half a mile of major transit stops. Minimum parking requirements raise housing costs, use up valuable land, and make Read More...
New California law greatly curbs plastic waste
We have written a lot about plastic alternatives you can use and consumer-focused options for reducing plastic waste. Indeed, this is often the focus of efforts to reduce plastic waste. Not enough pressure is put on manufacturers to reduce how much plastic they produce. A new California law, Read More...
After Roe V. Wade, California legislature and citizens jump to help fellow Americans
We decided to revamp this important story with an important update. With the overturning of Roe V. Wade, California is considering a host of reforms to ready itself for the influx of women from other states seeking legal and safe abortions. California’s legislature, care providers, and even Read More...
Fog nets from Chile to Morocco. And soon California?
Fog nets are screens of overlapping horizontal and vertical mesh that catch moisture from fog and collect it once gravity brings the droplets down. In remote villages in drought-stricken Morocco, these devices not only bring drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people but also let them Read More...
California doubles down as a sanctuary state for abortion rights
It remains a strong possibility that Roe V. Wade will be overturned, and sanctuary states and cities are preparing themselves for an influx of women seeking abortions. California, perhaps, is the foremost among them. The California State Legislature is considering a package of 13 bills aiming Read More...
Biologists uncover secrets of parachuting salamanders
A recent study published in Current Biology sheds light on a peculiar adaptation of California’s wandering salamanders, Aneides vagrans. These amphibians are commonly associated with streams, rocks, and decaying logs. The wandering salamander, however, is commonly found in trees and even jumping Read More...
Firefighting goats and The Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council
Surrounded by rugged steep mountains penetrated by hot dry Santa Ana winds, the Ojai Valley is particularly susceptible to wildfire, being in the top one percent of regions in the U.S. and the top three percent in California. The region's limited evacuation routes, vulnerable grid dependency, and Read More...
Redwoods grow new leaves to adapt to drought
We’re doing a lot to adapt to climate change, from creating tree cities and sponge cities to speeding up the schedule for renewable energy. As it turns out, though, humans aren’t the only ones getting ready and adapting to a changing climate. California’s iconic redwoods have started Read More...
For the first time ever, California runs on 100 percent clean energy
On April 30th, just over a week ago, California—the world’s fifth-largest economy, hit an incredible milestone—On that historic Saturday, the entire state was powered by 100 percent clean energy for approximately 15 minutes, with solar power leading the charge. As reported by Electrek, the Read More...
California unveils strategy to take gas-powered cars off the road
California is well-known for frustrating traffic gridlock and making green leaps forward. With growing wildfires, Californians know too well the importance of switching to renewable energy and electrical cars, and it’s with this in mind that the state’s taken on its newest Read More...