Environment
Agriculture
Urban Ag Promotes Healthy Food, Thriving Gardens
Urban Ag Promotes Healthy Food, Thriving Gardens MARCH 27, 2023 Watch as Steven Greenhut of the Free Cities Center tours City Slicker Farms in Oakland, an urban agriculture program that promotes access to healthy food, thriving gardens and urban green spaces.
Blog
Previewing Gov. Newsom’s Political Roadshow State of the State
The Associated Press reports that “Newsom plans to fulfill his constitutional requirement by sending a letter to the State Legislature” instead of delivering the usual speech at the State Capitol. Part of me felt a little nostalgic by the news. I’ve had the chance to work on both sides of ...
Agriculture
Water fines for farmers will not keep the wells from running dry
When a profoundly important resource like water is no longer abundant, prioritizing where water goes becomes challenging. The California Assembly is considering legislation that would punish people for over-using water during droughts. The bill, however, does not differentiate between water “needs” and water “wants.” Specifically, food producers and municipalities would ...
Commentary
California’s high gas prices go on trial
The California Senate’s first hearing on gasoline prices was held Wednesday and his plan “was met with a dose of skepticism” according to Politico. Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee chairman Sen. Steve Bradford told the committee that “we must ensure our actions that we take first (do) no harm to consumers.” ...
Commentary
Blame California Environmental Polices for the Spike in Natural Gas Prices
A governor who has come to be perpetually angry about something or the other is demanding a federal probe into natural gas prices in California and other Western states. Gov. Gavin Newsom just has to know why prices “have risen to alarming levels.” If he’d shuffle some of the papers ...
Agriculture
California farmers can reduce emissions and feed the world with regenerative farming
A handful of California farmers, ranging from wine growers in Sonoma to chicken raisers in San Diego, are embracing “regenerative” methods to boost the health of their flocks and crops. But many Golden State farmers are still skeptical, largely because regenerative farming is stereotypically viewed as a new-age, hippie practice, courtesy of its emphasis on reducing ...
Agriculture
Despite recent rains and record snowpack, California’s drought is far from over
The Department of Water Resources announced an increase in allocations from 5 percent to 30 percent of requested water. For agriculture, the increased allocations mean approximately 10 million acre feet of water for the nearly 10 million acres of irrigated farmland in the state or enough water to cover every ...
Blog
Are Western cities ready for renewable skyscrapers?
Every so often a product comes along that presents itself as a “sustainable” innovation, yet has compelling appeal even if sustainability isn’t someone’s top priority. Of course, sustainability has become something of an overused buzzword, but it generally refers to a production process that doesn’t deplete natural resources or damage the environment. ...
Agriculture
Pork producers await the SCOTUS decision on Prop 12
The law, approved by California voters back in 2018, would require pork producers to give hogs in commercial settings 24-square-feet of housing space in which they would not come in contact with another pig. It also bans gestation crates and requires any pork coming into the state to follow the ...
Commentary
State nowhere near meeting unrealistic energy goals, and that’s a good thing
California is barreling toward its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target. Will it make it? The Legislative Analyst’s Office doesn’t seem to think so. By statute, emissions are to be at 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2030, then 85 percent below by 2045. The California Air Resources Board recently set ...
Urban Ag Promotes Healthy Food, Thriving Gardens
Urban Ag Promotes Healthy Food, Thriving Gardens MARCH 27, 2023 Watch as Steven Greenhut of the Free Cities Center tours City Slicker Farms in Oakland, an urban agriculture program that promotes access to healthy food, thriving gardens and urban green spaces.
Previewing Gov. Newsom’s Political Roadshow State of the State
The Associated Press reports that “Newsom plans to fulfill his constitutional requirement by sending a letter to the State Legislature” instead of delivering the usual speech at the State Capitol. Part of me felt a little nostalgic by the news. I’ve had the chance to work on both sides of ...
Water fines for farmers will not keep the wells from running dry
When a profoundly important resource like water is no longer abundant, prioritizing where water goes becomes challenging. The California Assembly is considering legislation that would punish people for over-using water during droughts. The bill, however, does not differentiate between water “needs” and water “wants.” Specifically, food producers and municipalities would ...
California’s high gas prices go on trial
The California Senate’s first hearing on gasoline prices was held Wednesday and his plan “was met with a dose of skepticism” according to Politico. Senate Energy, Utilities and Communications Committee chairman Sen. Steve Bradford told the committee that “we must ensure our actions that we take first (do) no harm to consumers.” ...
Blame California Environmental Polices for the Spike in Natural Gas Prices
A governor who has come to be perpetually angry about something or the other is demanding a federal probe into natural gas prices in California and other Western states. Gov. Gavin Newsom just has to know why prices “have risen to alarming levels.” If he’d shuffle some of the papers ...
California farmers can reduce emissions and feed the world with regenerative farming
A handful of California farmers, ranging from wine growers in Sonoma to chicken raisers in San Diego, are embracing “regenerative” methods to boost the health of their flocks and crops. But many Golden State farmers are still skeptical, largely because regenerative farming is stereotypically viewed as a new-age, hippie practice, courtesy of its emphasis on reducing ...
Despite recent rains and record snowpack, California’s drought is far from over
The Department of Water Resources announced an increase in allocations from 5 percent to 30 percent of requested water. For agriculture, the increased allocations mean approximately 10 million acre feet of water for the nearly 10 million acres of irrigated farmland in the state or enough water to cover every ...
Are Western cities ready for renewable skyscrapers?
Every so often a product comes along that presents itself as a “sustainable” innovation, yet has compelling appeal even if sustainability isn’t someone’s top priority. Of course, sustainability has become something of an overused buzzword, but it generally refers to a production process that doesn’t deplete natural resources or damage the environment. ...
Pork producers await the SCOTUS decision on Prop 12
The law, approved by California voters back in 2018, would require pork producers to give hogs in commercial settings 24-square-feet of housing space in which they would not come in contact with another pig. It also bans gestation crates and requires any pork coming into the state to follow the ...
State nowhere near meeting unrealistic energy goals, and that’s a good thing
California is barreling toward its 2030 greenhouse gas emissions target. Will it make it? The Legislative Analyst’s Office doesn’t seem to think so. By statute, emissions are to be at 40 percent of 1990 levels by 2030, then 85 percent below by 2045. The California Air Resources Board recently set ...
