Rising white shark populations off California signals ‘a healthy ecosystem’
White sharks have long been impacted by humans. Commercial fisheries caught them for decades, and the sharks’ primary food—marine mammals—has been hunted to the brink of extinction. After California moved to protect its white shark population back in 1994, white shark numbers have risen Read More...
Prop 17 restores voting rights for 50,000 paroled citizens in California
50,000 more Californians were welcomed back into the democratic process this election as the state celebrates the passing of Prop 17. The proposition, which passed with support from 59 percent of voters, will allow paroled citizens convicted of felonies to vote. Previously, those convicted of Read More...
This tax plan wants to help cities address climate change locally
Though it adopted a climate plan in 2009, Berkley, California, hasn’t had the necessary funding to make a significant dent in local emissions. Its transportation and building sectors, in particular, have made little progress in tackling the problem — even though they are among the biggest Read More...
Firefighters are using fireball-dropping drones to contain wildfires
As the West Coast continues to battle unprecedented wildfires, firefighters are taking innovative steps to try to keep the flames under control. More recently, firefighters in the region have added drones to the equation, using the technology to drop special fireballs to contain the spread of the Read More...
Nearly a third of California land to be conserved by 2030 under new order
The year 2020 has seen millions of acres of California land ravaged due to unstoppable wildfires. To protect the state from further damage in the future, Governor Gavin Newsome has announced an executive order to reserve 30 percent of state land for conservation by 2030. The executive order will Read More...
We need diverse juries. New California law will help make that happen
Making the US criminal justice system more fair and effective requires many changes, but one big one is selecting juries that reflect the demographics of their community. To help achieve this, California governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law last week that draws jurors from income tax Read More...
Here’s what it would actually take for CA to meet its 2035 electric vehicle pledge
We recently discussed California’s plan to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles in the state by 2035. While we applaud the ambitious climate action plan, it’s no secret that moving to all-electric vehicle sales in 15 years is a logistical feat. Today we examine critical infrastructure changes Read More...
California moves to ban toxic chemicals from cosmetics
It’s been a busy week or two for the California legislature. The Golden State recently moved to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 and passed a law that will allow the state to fight rising prescription drug prices by producing its own cheap, generic drugs. Now, California has become Read More...
California to produce its own generic drugs to take down big pharma
Whereas one vial of insulin costs about $30 in Canada, that same vial can go for as much as $450 in the US. This is just one example of the sky-high prices of prescription drugs in America, which have risen three times faster than inflation over the past decade. And while generic drugs can help Read More...
California to ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035
When it comes to the transition to cleaner means of transportation, California has been at the forefront of efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles. Earlier this summer, the Golden State introduced a new law requiring all commercial trucks and vans sold in the state to be Read More...