Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Just Add Water
For thirsty cities, stormwater is a valued resource to shore up water supplies and adapt to climate change. That’s according to the Pacific Institute, an Oakland think tank. Its new report dives into ways communities — including two Bay Area examples — absorb regulatory and funding challenges and innovate policy to advance stormwater capture. The work speaks to a shift in treating stormwater as an asset, rather than a threat. Our own Robin Meadows explored this change when she wrote about rain gardens and other “green infrastructure” projects. For the latest, check out the Institute’s report.
Get Active
The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition hosts its annual summit on Wednesday, August 22, including sessions on housing and transportation, advocacy, and Vision Zero safety policies. We covered Vision Zero this year, so it’ll be interesting to hear how Bay Area cities are meeting goals to eliminate bike and pedestrian deaths. Scale the summit.
Saving Your Breath?
To combat summer smog, residents are using $250 air quality sensors in backyards for frequent, personalized pollution readings that they typically can’t get from state monitors placed further away. The Monitor covered the emergence of these devices back in 2014; in a more recent article, CityLab sniffs out the health benefits of such technology and its potential to change pollution regulation. See what’s new.
Call of Nature
This Saturday, August 11, join the team from San Francisco-based Latino Outdoors as they partner with Save the Redwoods League to explore Butano State Park in Pescadero and “connect with cultura.” Our reporter Aleta George recently interviewed Latino Outdoors Founder José González for perspective on equitable outdoor access, a priority increasingly reflected in open space policy work. Walk on.
Monitor Notes is produced by Cecily O’Connor. To receive it by email, scroll to the bottom of this page, enter your email address in the box under “RECEIVE EMAIL UPDATES,” and click the red “SIGN UP” button.