Andrea De Zubiria - April 7, 2024 - Earth Day Fresno 2024 offers bike repairs, test drives of EVs and more.

 Earth Day Fresno 2024 offers bike repairs, test drives of EVs and more 

BY ANDREA DE ZUBIRIA SPECIAL TO THE FRESNO BEE APRIL 07, 2024

Where can you spend a spring day in the San Joaquin Valley getting your bike fixed, trying out an electric vehicle and enjoying outdoor music while eating something good and good for you? All this and more will be found at Earth Day Fresno on Saturday, April 13 at Fresno City College. 

The events will take place on the West Lawn by the Old Administration Building from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

This year’s free festival is hosted by the Central Valley Young Environmental Advocates, the Environmental Collaborative of Central California and the Fresno City College Math, Science and Engineering Division. 

If you want to know what local groups and government agencies are doing to address problems like plastic pollution, childhood asthma, climate change and the need to protect and improve natural habitats, Earth Day Fresno is a great place to learn and get involved. 

Check out exhibitors like Ash Tree Green Burial, Central Valley Young Environmental Advocates, Grid Alternatives, Valley Clean Air Now, Valley STEM and more. 

Looking for kid fun? They’ll enjoy making Chinese jump ropes, going on a scavenger hunt, face painting and other fun activities in the Kids’ Zone. Everyone can join in the African Drum Circle. 

It’s always nice to shop for a cause. The Citizens’ Climate Lobby Fresno yard sale will offer bargains on gently used housewares, tools, clothes and more. Your purchases will help send students to leadership training and to meet with Valley members of Congress in Washington, D.C. this June. The group advocates for effective bipartisan policies to address climate change. 

The fundraiser sale at Vegan Fresno Meet-Up will benefit the popular BuaTong Thai Vegan Restaurant that had to shut down due to a kitchen fire. 

If you ride your bike to the festival, it’s convenient to leave it with the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition’s “bicycle valet.” They’ll give you hands-on help with repairs, too. 

If you want to try out one of the clean air vehicles provided by local dealerships, you might want to get there early. Space is limited for the ride-and-drive event. 

This is the second year that Earth Day Fresno will be held at City College. Besides being a great location with its historic buildings and shade from mature trees, it is fitting that this event is on a college campus. In 1970, the first Earth Day was created by Sen. Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin to bring attention to the surprising lack of protections that our country had for the water, soil and air that we all rely on for our survival. April 22 was chosen for the official date of Earth Day, in part because the focus was on activating and informing college students. At that time, April 22 would not interfere with college exams, holidays or spring break. 

In the wake of a massive oil spill off the Santa Barbara coast in 1969 (due to waived safety measures) and the growing awareness of other environmental hazards, 20 million Americans took to the streets and college campuses in protest that first Earth Day. 

In response, then-Republican President Richard Nixon approved the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency in December 1970. This resulted in the Clean Drinking Water Act and the Clean Air Act — the current laws that keep companies from doing things like allowing runoff of toxic chemicals into streams or sending plumes of carcinogenic smoke into the air. 

These days an estimated 1 billion people participate in Earth Week events that are both celebratory and serious, all over the world, in order to highlight environmental issues. Come out April 13 to Fresno City College and support all the local volunteers and vendors at Earth Day Fresno. 

Andrea De Zubiria, PT, is a health care provider and volunteers with Citizens’ Climate Lobby Fresno and The League of Women Voters of Fresno County.

Read more at: https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article287426730.html#storylink=cpy

Ken Wall - 1/10/2024 - California’s road to electric vehicles has bumps, but it is the right direction.

 https://www.fresnobee.com/article284073733.html

California’s road to electric vehicles has bumps, but it is the right direction | 

Opinion BY KEN WALL SPECIAL TO THE FRESNO BEE JANUARY 10, 2024 10:17 AM

The transition in California from gas cars to electric vehicles is necessary, and needs to happen quickly.

 This is the thrust of Gov. Newsom’s executive order requiring that no new gas-powered cars are to be sold in California by 2035.

 So far, nine other states have passed similar measures; five more have draft regulations pending. But, in his recent opinion piece (Fresno Bee 12/4/23), Assemblymember Devon Mathis (whose district includes a part of Fresno County) says the order was issued without a “road map,” and that it will be costly. He seems to be especially concerned about China’s current control of several rare earth elements common in today’s car batteries. 

Importantly, Mathis does not say that the transition to electric vehicles is unnecessary, only that the executive order requires the state to move too quickly. He apparently understands that continuing to burn fossil fuels will worsen the climate chaos we are already seeing today, and that the resulting damage will be costly. 

Scientists continue to tell us that adding carbon to the atmosphere will cause more destructive future weather events, harm oceans, worsen air quality, and will result in more intense wildfires. Scientists are speaking more forcefully that we need to immediately reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases to lessen the severity of these impacts. 

According to the California Energy Commission, the transportation sector is responsible for about 50% of the state’s CO2 emissions, and 80% of the smog emissions. Clearly, converting from internal combustion vehicles to EVs would greatly reduce these emissions. 

I certainly agree with Mathis that the state government needs to ensure that disadvantaged San Joaquin Valley residents are not unfairly burdened with the cost of conversion (used gas powered cars will still be allowed in 2035). They are already disproportionately bearing the burden of our hideously poor air quality, and they do not need to unnecessarily shoulder more costs. 

Mathis points out that the electric vehicle infrastructure is presently inadequate to support the necessary increase in the number of EVs. We can agree on that point as well, although efforts at the state level are well underway. From the energy commission: “Executive Order B-48-18 had set a goal of having 250,000 chargers (including 10,000 direct current fast chargers) by 2025. As of mid-2023, California has installed more than 91,000 public and shared chargers, including nearly 10,000 direct current fast chargers.” 

I agree that over-reliance on China, or any other country, for rare metals necessary to produce car batteries (and other products needed for clean energy generation) is not a good idea. However, the cost of batteries has consistently fallen, and quality has increased, as technical improvements have been numerous and frequent (RMI Spark Newsletter 12/21/23). This seems to suggest that China has not materially withheld battery component supply from the marketplace.

 Additionally, the EU and the U.S. are rapidly developing their own production capacities, so the China risk is diminishing, and it appears not to have obstructed . American EV production so far. According to the Electrek website (10/12/23), more than 313,000 EVs were sold in the U.S. in the third quarter of 2023, a nearly 50% increase from the third quarter of 2022. 

In fact, Electrek says that EV sales have expanded for 13 straight quarters, and sales in the third quarter represent about 8% of total U.S. new car sales. Prices, while still too high for most people, have fallen over 20% since last year. 

In summary, California has the need to transition from internal combustion vehicles to electric vehicles. And efforts are underway to keep the growth of EV sales moving forward, to ensure that EV infrastructure is sufficient and that everyone can participate in the transition. 

State office holders have a special opportunity and obligation to support the governor’s executive order. This means passing needed legislation through the Legislature that improves EV infrastructure in California and ensures that the necessary transition is accomplished quickly and equitably. 

Progress has been substantial, but more is needed. 

Ken Wall is a retired banker and bank regulator in Fresno and is a local environmental advocate.

Read more at: https://www.fresnobee.com/article284073733.html#storylink=cpy

Sarah Wolfe - 12/26/2023 - Fresno group hopes to offer a more natural way to be buried

 

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article283413633.html

Fresno group hopes to offer a more natural way to be buried

BY SARAH WOLFE

SPECIAL TO THE FRESNO BEE

December 26, 2023

Picture this: a beautiful meadow, natural flora and fauna abound — sunlight peeks through trees as they stretch toward a blue sky, wildflowers sway in the breeze as a butterfly flits past. Now, where are you in this picturesque scene? Well, you’re dead, and your body is located three-and-half feet beneath the soil, providing much needed nutrients to this marvelous, magical meadow. 

If this sounds good to you, keep reading, and if it doesn’t, keep reading anyway because it may sound amazing to someone close to you. What I’m describing is a “green burial.” This type of burial is perfect for those who are minimalist, environmentally conscious, generally opposed to the high-cost funeral industry, or any combination thereof.

Green burials are done without embalming and all the toxic chemicals that come with that process. The deceased is interred in a three-and-a-half foot deep grave after being placed in a biodegradable casket, a simple shroud, or any other natural material you choose. This three-and-a-half foot depth is optimal for allowing the microbiome to work its magic. Unlike most burials, the grave is not lined with concrete and is even dug by hand, avoiding the CO2 emissions caused by the heavy machinery used to dig traditional graves. 

Your loved ones will be able to locate your grave using GPS coordinates, and they can memorialize the spot with something native to the area like a tree, plant or stone. One important point: just because the burial process is being simplified in a green burial, that doesn’t mean the burial has to lack ritual or ceremony. Family members are encouraged to include whatever ritualistic or ceremonial practices they desire. 

By this point you may be wondering, what’s wrong with the “traditional” burial practice? The one where someone dies and their embalmed body is placed in a nice casket and buried in a vault six feet below ground in a cemetery. 

First, we should consider the environmental effects of “traditional” American funerals. For example, “American funerals are responsible each year for the felling of 30 million board feet of casket wood (some of which comes from tropical hardwoods), 90,000 tons of steel, 1.6 million tons of concrete for burial vaults, and 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid.”

Additionally, traditional American burial practices take up much needed land that could be used for other purposes. Green burials allow for the space to be used over and over again since a body that is buried this way will completely decompose after about 20 years. 

If any of the foregoing resonates with you, allow me to introduce Ash Tree Green Burial. A 501(c)(3) non-profit “[o]n a mission to open Fresno’s first green burial cemetery.” The company was started by Cecily Callahan who, after the loss of her grandmother, felt like she wanted to see a change in the funeral industry, as well as keep the honor of taking care of a deceased loved one within the family. 

As a hiker and occasional backpacker, I live by the “leave no trace” motto, so why shouldn’t I be able to die by it as well? Perhaps you prefer the traditional burial method, with a permanent casket, concrete lined grave, and all the accoutrement. Maybe this doesn’t appeal to you and that’s OK.

The heart of the issue is, shouldn’t we all have access to the death care that we want? Whether you want to be placed into a casket full of fluffy pillows and soft silk, or straight into a hole in the ground, I want you to have the burial you want and the best way to make that happen is by supporting Ash Tree Green Burial. It is trying to shake up the funeral industry locally, and is in the process of finding, and purchasing land for its cemetery. 

You can help

Support Ash Tree Green Burial’s cemetery project by donating through Facebook, Instagram, or the website: www.ashtreegreenburial.org. 

Sarah Wolfe is a freelance writer in Fresno and a volunteer with Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

Ruth Afifi - 10-15-2023 - GOP Must Rethink Views

 GOP MUST RETHINK VIEWS 

October 15, 2023

“CA’s Kevin McCarthy must take action on climate change,” (fresnobee.com, Oct. 8) 

Young people are demanding action on climate change. I hope that conservative leaders will recognize the importance of the youth vote and promote policies that help combat climate change.The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, “the most significant climate legislation in U.S. history,” passed the Senate with no Republican votes. 

However, its generous tax credits have spurred private investment in solar and wind energy, and many of its clean energy projects are benefitting states whose senators voted against the act. 

Perhaps with pressure from young voters, those conservative senators are now rethinking their stance on climate change and what to do about it. 

Ruth Afifi

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article280456009.html

C.J. Wilson -- 10-14-2023 - Fresno writer discovers what Yosemite can teach Californians about healthy forests.

Fresno writer discovers what Yosemite can teach Californians about healthy forests

Special to the Fresno Bee

C.J. WILSON OCTOBER 14, 2023

It was raining when I arrived in Yosemite Valley, and the forest looked more alive than I’d ever seen it. The trees were covered in dark-green moss, and the smell of wet pine made me forget my damp clothes. A small price to pay for an enriching experience. When I returned to Fresno, I find flooded neighborhoods and closed streets. 

Yosemite’s rain was way more intense than Fresno’s, but the park was beautified while my home was disrupted. As Tropical Storm Hilary came through, I thought about why.

The answer was the forest. Not the trees or the soil, or the leaves and soft earth, but all of it, working in tandem to stabilize the environment. Even the smallest parts have a big role to play.

Take mosses, for example. Mosses need the same two things as any other plant: sunlight and water. But, lacking root systems, they can’t take that water from the earth. So, instead, many specialize in holding water when it comes their way. Touch a patch of dry moss, you’ll notice a texture not unlike a dry sponge. Mosses are highly absorptive. Some can hold 20-30 times their weight. With so much moss present in a healthy environment (ground moss, alone, covers as much of the Earth’s surface as the United States), that’s a lot of material to slow flooding. Plus, the environment provided by ground moss is often prime real estate for seedlings, encouraging the growth of new trees.

or players get even smaller. Grocery store mushrooms are only the flowering part of the plant: most of the rest is made up of hair-thin strands running through the soil, called mycelium. These strands number in the hundreds, and act as reinforcing cord that keeps soil bound together to keep from washing away in a flood. These strands also weave through other plants’ roots to create a network of “mycorrhizal fungi,” which distribute nutrients from healthy plants to damaged ones and keep the forest whole. 

Moss and mycelium. Both almost beyond notice. Both are crucial. Without mosses, some trees can’t sprout seedlings, and the forest is inundated even in small rains. Without mycelium, soils are washed away with ease and the trees that buffer floodwaters are blown over or fail to recover from damage. 

Both beings are also vulnerable. Moss is sensitive to air pollution and serves as a canary in the coal mine for air quality. Mycorrhizal fungi is no less vulnerable, and Europe has linked malnourished forests to pollution-damaged fungi.

Healthy forests have become a political talking point. No surprise: we live near three national parks and they play a huge role in air quality, stable climate, and flood control. It’s easy to think of healthy forest initiatives in terms of trees planted. But, if we want to improve the health of our forests — and doing so will accomplish so much more than simply reducing flood risk — then we need to see them not as inert places full of statuesque trees, but as networks of living organisms in constant interaction. This means we need holistic approaches that take all aspects of forest health into account, rather than “magic bullet” solutions. 

In the same way the forest is tied together by the small and unnoticed, our approaches to forest health need to pay attention to the little things. Managing soil health and reducing things like microplastics and air pollution can be as important as planting those big, eye-catching trees. Likewise, we need to remember how our seemingly small actions can do big damage. Remember the moss and the fungus: crucial and fascinating, but overlooked and fragile.

C.J. Wilson is a freelance writer and outdoor/environmental educator in Fresno

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article280510229.html

Andrea De Zubiria - 9-17-2023 - Leaders Must Act on Climate Goals

Leaders Must Act on Climate Goals

Fresno Bee - September 17, 2023 

Thank you for printing the letter (The Bee, Sept. 2) calling on Republicans to discuss a plan for addressing climate change. 

I watched the presidential debate and couldn’t believe how the candidates barely answered the student who said that young Republicans are intensely concerned about climate change. 

I admire local congressman David Valadao, a Republican from Hanford, for stepping forward to support some bipartisan legislation to try to address air quality and climate chaos. My member of Congress, Democrat Jim Costa, has also shown bipartisan leadership in this area. The higher intensity fires and storms all over the country affect us all. We need strategies to lower greenhouse gases to be supported across the political spectrum. 

Climate smart agriculture, good forest management, planting urban trees and supporting electrification can create good jobs and clean up our air. If we charge oil, coal and gas companies a gradually rising fee to make up for the costs of fossil fuel pollution, we can return that fee to households as a “carbon cashback” . This would be easy to implement without growing the size of government. It would inspire investment in clean energy and would assist low- and middle-income households to meet their needs. 

Andrea De Zubiria, Fresno

https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article279312334.html#storylink=cpy

Ken Wall - 9-17-2023 - State Sen. Grove omitted key points in her Bee op-ed about oil production in California

State Sen. Grove omitted key points in her Bee op-ed about oil production in California 

Fresno Bee - September 17, 2023

In a recent opinion piece in The Bee (Aug. 30), Republican state Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield (who represents parts of Fresno County) presented a case for expanded oil exploration and production in California. Her argument centers on the fact that California does not currently supply enough oil for the state’s energy needs. 

In her piece, Grove brought up Ecuador, where on Aug. 20 the voters approved (with 59 percent of the vote) a referendum calling for the prohibition of oil production in a portion of Yasuni National Park. The park encompasses a wildly diverse portion of the Amazon rain forest and is home to several indigenous tribes (North American Congress on Latin America). 

The referendum in question apparently culminated a decade’s worth of effort that started with those indigenous people who were fighting to preserve their homeland from the ravages of oil companies and from the loggers that followed. The tribes were eventually joined by environmentalists and others, who mounted a grassroots campaign resulting in the voters’ approval of the referendum. The measure was vigorously opposed by the Ecuadoran state-run oil company, government officials and citizens concerned about the loss of potential oil exports and oil-based jobs. 

Grove mentioned the Ecuadoran referendum because she sees it as an argument in favor of expanded oil efforts in California, since California depends on oil imports from other countries, Ecuador being one, to satisfy current demand for oil-based energy. Her argument is that less oil from Ecuador means California should produce more for its own use (apparently California doesn’t use much oil from other U.S. states). 

Contrary to Grove’s claim, reports indicate that oil produced in California is among the most polluting in the world (Center for Biological Diversity, June 28, 2021). It is also worthy of note that petroleum workers (drillers and refiners) suffer a relatively higher degree of serious health problems (National Library of Medicine, April 4, 2021). 

Petroleum workers aren’t the only ones affected by oil and gas extraction. In recognition of the risk to people near drilling sites, the state of California recently established a law (SB 1137) requiring 3,200-foot minimum setbacks between future oil wells and dwellings, schools and other public buildings. The oil industry has vigorously opposed the law and has qualified its own referendum, negating AB 1137, for the next election . 

While the circumstances of the Ecuador and California referendums are different, the overall thrust is the same. Oil interests are pushing hard to continue expanding their extraction while disregarding opposition from people concerned about the negative health and climate outcomes associated with oil and gas production. 

Grove’s opinion piece doesn’t discuss the health and pollution problems associated with oil production, nor does it mention the economic benefits to be realized by the transition to clean energy. The benefits of the clean energy transition include new jobs in various economic sectors, such as solar and wind power installations, batteries, electrical grid enhancements, etc. 

As the transition proceeds, there is also widespread recognition that oil workers should be given the opportunity to be retrained. Those wishing to keep doing the kind of work they are already doing can also be offered the opportunity to help plug the nearly 250,000 orphan oil wells in California still leaking greenhouse gases and abandoned by oil drilling companies. 

An interesting aside is that one study estimates that the cost of sealing these orphan wells will exceed $21 billion, while the total future profits expected from California oil production are estimated to be only $6 billion (ProPublica, May 18, 2023). It seems likely, therefore, that taxpayers will ultimately be on the hook for these costs. 

Even the oil companies know that the transition to clean energy is happening, and that it needs to accelerate to avoid the worst impacts brought about by climate change. There is also no serious scientific doubt that burning fossil fuels has been the primary cause of the planet warming that has resulted in natural disasters of increased severity. 

At the next election, I suggest California voters follow the example of the people of Ecuador. Let us overwhelmingly vote against the oil industry referendum, and metaphorically consign it to one of those abandoned orphan wells, sealed off and rendered harmless. 

And in doing so, say no to increased oil and gas production in California. 

Ken Wall is a retired banker and bank regulator in Fresno, and is a local environmental advocate.

Read more at: https://www.fresnobee.com/opinion/readers-opinion/article279352109.html#storylink=cpy