Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
What’s Your Vision for the Bay Area?
Regional planners are inviting residents to “share their visions for the future and their policy priorities for the Bay Area” during a series of March workshops. The meetings are part of the Horizon initiative created by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments to hatch a transportation and land-use strategy for the region through 2050. Click here for the workshop schedule, or here for a way to participate even if you can’t attend a session.
Play It Safe
The death of a 30-year-old bicyclist in a traffic collision in San Francisco’s South of Market neighborhood last week has generated many calls for change to increase bike safety. Walk SF, a pedestrian safety advocacy group, is urging city leaders to take aggressive steps. “The pace at which our city is delivering on Vision Zero is too slow, especially in the face of the massive influx of vehicles on our streets, and we’re losing precious lives in the meantime,” wrote Jodie Medeiros, Walk SF’s executive director. Read about the actions Medeiros is advocating for and then revisit the Monitor’s Vision Zero coverage, including countermeasures some cities employ to reduce fatalities.
Fish Out of Water
An unprecedented number of jellyfish, crab, and other warm-water species typically seen in places like Baja California, Mexico swam north due to the marine heatwave from 2014 to 2016. UC Davis scientists noticed these creatures outside the university’s Bodega Marine Laboratory, and documented their findings in the journal Scientific Reports. Professor Eric Sanford said he hoped southern species will track northward so that they may survive climate change, adding that his team’s observations could be a glimpse of what Northern California’s coast will look like in the future as ocean temperatures continue to warm.
Groundwater Rules
Do you let water run while brushing teeth? Now’s a good time to nix that habit. It’s National Groundwater Awareness Week, which encourages all of us to do more to protect this vital natural resource. As Valley Water explained, “What we do on the land above affects our water supply underground.” So, it’s a smart idea to reduce household chemical use and properly dispose of motor oil and unwanted or unused chemicals and medications. You also can limit pesticides and fertilizers by planting low water-use plants. Thirsty for more? Read these groundwater conservation tips.
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