By Aniko Drlik-Muehleck Sighting an owl is a rare and thrilling experience given their nocturnal behavior--they're silent, reclusive characters that only come out at night in search of prey. Or so you thought. In fact, right here in the Bay Area we live alongside a curious little fellow you're likely to see in the daytime! But sadly, the Western Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia hypagaea, is no longer a common sight during the night or day. As grassy prairies turn to urban sprawl, their numbers dwindle. Thankfully, concerned bird lovers are taking action to rebuild burrowing owl habitat. …
The Demise of the Plastic Bag | The Plastic Bag Lobbyists Won This Round, But We’re Not Giving Up!
By Linda Hunter Californians seemed on the verge of joining a growing league of cities and countries around the world that have banned plastic bags. But the American Chemistry Council spent millions on a deceptive campaign to defeat AB 1998, The Plastic Bag Ban Bill, claiming that it would cost California jobs and that we should instead focus on recycling plastic bags. In truth, plastic bag recycling is simply not happening. Fewer than 2% of plastic bags are actually recycled because it's not a viable business option. The recycling argument appears to be just another of the many …
Oil on the Water | How You Can Fight Water Pollution
By Aniko Drlik-Muehleck We have a serious catastrophe on our hands. Each day, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association estimates that 12,000-19,000 barrels of oil are spewing into the Gulf of Mexico from BP's damaged wells. We're at Day 56 now and counting. That makes this the largest oil spill in the history of the US. Now, disturbing images of oil-drenched birds and workers coated in oil sludge are hitting the American public as the oil slick spreads relentlessly toward the Gulf Coast shoreline. Surely this is the worst case of water pollution ever, right? Surprisingly and sadly, …
Growing Up in the Bay’s Murky Waters | Eelgrass Plays a Key Role in Subtidal Ecosystems
By Christopher Lim Have you ever been walking along the shoreline and seen green patches of vegetation in the water? That's most likely eelgrass, Zostera marina, an underwater flowering plant that lives directly in the bay. Eelgrass is not simply another plant though; its effects on the San Francisco Bay are vital for a healthy ecosystem. Eelgrass is a survivor. Even though the water of San Francisco Bay is turbid, or cloudy, eelgrass still finds a way to photosynthesize and live in the shallows of the estuary. While the historical distribution of eelgrass in the Bay is unknown, there …
What’s in Your Watershed? You Are! | Our Watersheds Connect Us to One Another and to Our Environment
By Linda Hunter Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect. - Chief Seattle We all live in a watershed. No matter if you are in the heart of San Francisco's financial district or on a dairy farm in Contra Costa County, water trickles and gushes around you on its journey to one of the world's greatest estuaries--the San Francisco Bay. Our lives are interconnected through our relationship with our watersheds. They are the containers for our homes, schools, and places …
Is Your Local Creek Dirty? | How Data Collection Can Save a Creek
By Aniko Drlik-Muehleck A deadline is approaching. It isn't one most of us have heard about. August 30th is the last day the California State Water Resources Control Board will accept data submissions for the 2012 303(d) List. The what? Good question. The "303(d) List" or Impaired Waters List originates in section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act requiring all states to record waters too polluted for recreational or natural environmental uses. States and stakeholders must then create mitigation strategies to restore waters to a functional state. The only problem is that states aren't …
Showdown Over Plastic Bags | Finally, A Statewide Effort to Reduce Trash, Save Energy, and Protect Marine Life
By Jeff Embleton As I begin this article, the ticker on www.reuseit.com shows that 293,651,720,000 plastic bags have been consumed this year. Since the plastic bag first found its way into the back seats, kitchen cupboards, and spare space under the sink in American households, we have been consuming them at an alarming rate. Worldwide plastic bag consumption falls between 500 billion and 1 trillion bags annually. That breaks down to almost 1 million every minute. The plastic sandwich bag was introduced into American lunches in 1957. The long roll of plastic that hangs above fruits …
What’s in Your Watershed? | The Fiesty Dungeness Crab
By Jeff Embleton If you look closely into the depths of the estuaries around the Bay, you may spot a Dungeness Crab resting near the sea floor. Dungeness Crabs make temporary homes in our watershed. They use the blend of salt and fresh water to grow into the large and grumpy-looking water dwellers that many people know and love (to eat). Dungeness Crabs generate tens of millions of dollars for their value as food for humans, but they also play an important role in the marine food chain. The Latin name Cancer magister means "chief crab." Physical Appearance These crabs' claws make …
