Communities Fight Back Against Marine Debris
Richmond City Council Passes Gutsy Foodware Ordinance
Styrofoam, be gone! On Tuesday, October 20th, The Richmond City Council voted 6-1 to pursue an ordinance requiring food providers to use only biodegradable or compostable food ware. Richmond now joins a growing list of municipalities that have banned polystyrene in the Bay Area including Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Fairfax, Hercules, Millbrae, Oakland, Palo Alto, Pittsburg, San Bruno, San Francisco, San Mateo County, Santa Cruz County, Sonoma County and South San Francisco.
It's Raining, It's Pouring
Tips for a Healthy Winter Watershed
Rain and stormwater are vital players in our watersheds. Particularly in California's Mediterranean climate, characterized by alternate dry and rainy seasons, rainwater drives the water cycle. It fills our creeks and replenishes our aquifers. It also transports concentrated levels of pollutants into waterways. The first rain of the season washes away all the built up dirt, oil, and trash from the roads and other impermeable surface. This mess of non-point source pollutants is sent straight into gutters, storm drains, creeks, and eventually the Bay. This polluted water harms wildlife, disrupts natural habitats, and contaminates drinking water.
What's in Your Watershed?
The Diving Surf Scoter
While a November dip in the Bay may seem like a chilly idea to you and me, birds disagree. In fact, hundreds of thousands of migrate annually to winter in the temperate waters of the San Francisco Bay. Among their numbers is the Surf Scoter, who loves to dive hungrily into cresting waves in search of food.
