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Return to 'About SPG'
SPG continues to work at finding more ways for Pacific Grove to transition to more sustainable practices.
What we did in 2011
SPG Activities
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SPG Action Groups continue the work of transition, as applied to Pacific Grove.
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At the Febuary Meeting
Ben Eichorn talked about the
"Ins and Outs of growing Your Lunch". He told us of many different ways that he has helped a garden be created, in
school yards, on the corner of a industrial property, or in a prison. Such gardens were often then used to feed
those who had worked in them.
His web site is
Grow Your Lunch.
The
Monterey County Herald
did a very nice article on him, developed from an extensive interview (no longer on the web).
In the same issue of that paper was an article ( taken from Scrippts Howard News Service) on
"
Starting a community garden proves well worth the effort". Lets see if we can't do this in PG.
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At the March meeting
our speaker was
Dr Carol Reeb, Marine Biologist and Fisheries Geneticist & Hopkins Marine Station biologist.
After a 3-year drought and a State order to stop over-pumping the Carmel River, the
Monterey Peninsula is facing a severe water shortage.
One solution is to build a string of desalination plants along our shores.
What do we know about desalination's impact on the marine environment?
Are there cheaper, safer alternatives that use less energy? What new technologies await the future?
Carol talked on "Desalination of the Sea Around Us " She informed us on the ecological and energy costs of
ocean water desalination.
Take a look at the slides that Dr Reeb used at the meeting.
( Click on the icon in the upper left corner of each slide and see the text that goes with that slide.)
Here is a link to her
website blog,
where there is much more on that subject and related matters about our ocean.
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April 2011 ( no regular meeting, but)
At the start of Good Old Days (Apr 9-10), SPG walked & bicycled in the Parade followed by the recycling bus from MRWMD and its Bag Monsters. We were accompanied by more bag monsters from the Ocean Guardians club of PG Middle School; an electric car from Green Vehicles; and a horse labeled "Green Biofuel Vehicle." At our booth on Lighthouse, all day both days, the Middle Schoolers were again with us, and close to 600 signatures were collected for a petition to ban single-use plastic grocery bags.
An SPG feature of other recent GODays, our Environmental Fair, was replaced this year by a smaller Fair at the PG Farmers' Market on Apr 18, part of an Earth Day celebration. SPG continued the petition drive there, as well at several spots around PG on Apr 22-23.
The bag-ban is part of an ongoing collaborative campaign supported by sister sustainability groups, other non-profits, and businesses around Monterey Bay, and SPG is an active participant.
At Mayor Garcia's invitation, SPG (represented by Vicki and Denyse) received her
Mayor's Earth Day Proclamation
at the April 20th city council meeting.
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SPG 2011 Meetings
(January, no meeting)
February 1 Ben Eichorn talked about
how he has created gardens and explain the
"Ins and Outs of growing Your Lunch".
His web site is
Grow Your Lunch.
(Attending 130)
March 3 we heard about the science and economic sides of desal in the
Monterey Bay area from Dr Carol Reeb.
(Attending 50)
April 5 no meeting ( GODays parade and SPG table.)
May 3 Prof. Bill Weigle shared what is planned for the
open space on the Fort Ord land.
(Attending 21)
June 7 Panel on home energy improvement options, including funding sources.
(Attending 20)
(July, no meeting)
August 2 Potluck picnic at Elmarie Dyke Open Space.
(Attending 21)
September 6
Velorution, documentary film on transportation in Cuba, and Bicycling
Monterey with Mari Lynch, founder of HER Helmet Thursdays.
(Attending 23)
October 4
Gasland, documentary on fracking
(Attending 13)
November 1
Fossil Fuel in my Soup and Salad?!
Food Miles film, Gary Peterson of ALBA and Iris Peppard of Everyone's Harvest.
(Attending 14)
December 6
Holiday Celebration
(Attending 22)
TOTAL ATTENDING IN 2011 = 305
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At the May meeting
Bill Weigle, Prof. Emeritus of Math & Environmental Studies,
discussed the resource that is the old Fort Ord land, what recreation opportunities that land offers,
and how the changes now being planned will change the character of the space and limit public access to this area.
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The June meeting's panel
explained how to make energy upgrades of our homes, together with information on how such upgrades can
be funded.
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In September we had a presentation and a discussion.
First there was a video "Velorution" which documents Cuba's amazing transportation transformation
to bicycles after losing 80% of their oil supply after the fall of the USSR.
Then Mari Lynch, an advocate for bicycling and founder of HER Helmet Thursdays, addressed;
• The HER Helmet Thursdays Project and why this long-term project to encourage bicycling is important to our community's economy and environment.
• Sept 16th deadline for free bike racks/lockers
• The need for outreach to Spanish speakers in the Pacific Grove bike community.
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The October meeting introduced us to hydraulic fracturing, aka fracking,
which is a new process of extracting natural gas.
• Is it planned for southern Monterey County?
• How safe is it?
• What's happening to communities where fracking is taking place?
We saw the award-winning documentary "Gasland" uncovers a trail of secrets, lies, and contamination connected to this new process of natural gas extraction.
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The November meeting
Fossil fuel in my soup and salad?!, focused on the question of the carbon footprint
associated with getting our food from distant locations.
First we saw the video;
"Food-Miles" -- 25 min. movie on the benefits and potential costs of choosing food from local vs. distant origins.
Then there was a
panel on local & organic food with:
Gary Peterson from
Agriculture and Land-Based Training Association (ALBA), and
Iris Peppard from
Everyone's Harvest, sponsor of the PG Farmers' Market.
Acknowledgements:
Jan. -
P.G. Agenda report , "City projects and Other Efforts related to and in Support of Sustainable Pacific Grove (SPG)
2011 Goals".
- P.G. Museum of Natural History includes our monthly programs on its calendar of events.
Apr. -
SPG receives Mayor Garcia's Earth Day Proclamation at the city council meeting.
Jul. -
SPG was invited to attend the Mayor's press conference, introducing the City's nifty little truck, all electric, zero emissions.
Report published in the Cedar Street Times.
Sep. -
Joined Mayor Garcia for 20 min. interview on Your Town, Channel 24 AMP TV.
Oct. -
Cedar Street Times article on the Castroville recycling tour co-sponsored by SPG and the Green
Team of St Mary's-by-the Sea.
Nov. -
Discover P.G. magazine offers to include SPG in its semi-annual issues, and to publicize
our programs on their website calendar which is e-mailed to their e-mail distribution of thousands.
Activities:
On-going project -- Traveling informational display on water conservation, catchment and reuse.
Apr. -
Good Old Days. Participated in the parade and had a booth on Lighthouse. The Ocean Guardians of the Middle School and two CSUMB
Service Learner students helped with our signature drive for the plastic bag-ban petition.
Jun. - Began to work on "No Styrofoam" Decal Program for P.G. Businesses, a program initiated by
Oren Frey and Surfrider Foundation. At present, 50% P.G. restaurants are displaying the decal.
Oct. - Castroville Sustainability Fair and Solar Tour.
- Earth Day Celebration tabling at MPC.
Dec. - Got Safeway to display the MRWMD's signs on reminding shoppers to bring their reusable bags.
- Community Day, Monterey Bay Aquarium Day.
- Initiated the Home Energy Assessment and Upgrade program.
Co-sponsored Events:
Apr. - Earth Day petition drive for the plastic bag ban (Communities for Sustainable Monterey County (CSMC)).
May-Jun. - Referendum petition drive to stop the MST/Whispering Oaks project at Fort Ord (CSMC and Fort Ord Recreational Users (FORU).
Sep. - Moving Planet 350.org Event. Rise: An Interactive Interpretation of Climate Change (CSMC).
Oct. - Field trip to Waste Management recycling center in Castroville (St. Mary's Green Team)
Dec. - Tabled at SaveMart to distribute free reusable bags on Bring Your Own Bag Day (CSMC and Central Coast Sanctuary Alliance (CCSA)).
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