Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Call It a ‘Bike to Wherever’ Day
Thursday, September 24 will mark the official “Bike to Work Day” — rescheduled from its usual slot in May — but transportation advocates are encouraging Bay Area residents to hop on two wheels the entire month when the air is clean enough to do so. “Bike to Wherever Days” was conceived to keep alive the tradition of bike commuting and reinforce the importance of cycling for health and the environment. Click here for more details, including logging your rides and winning prizes. Then, learn about efforts to bike safely on nearby networks while staying close to home. Or try a Bike East Bay educational webinar on bike safety or mechanics; about 1,000 people have attended its free classes since the pandemic lockdown began in March.
Your Vote Counts
Remind friends and family that Tuesday, September 22 is National Voter Registration Day. It’s a chance to register or update your registration so you’re ready to weigh in on local and statewide measures when the U.S. holds its 59th presidential election on Tuesday, November 3. Last year, League of Women Voters groups from 40 states hosted more than 400 events and registered about 35,000 people to vote. Click here for a directory of in-person and virtual events for both future voters and volunteers.
Among other reminders, the 2020 U.S. Census ends in two weeks. If you haven’t already, you’d be wise to complete your form. Undercounted communities risk missing out on federal funding for housing, transportation, and other critical needs.
Hear About Housing Propositions
TechEquity Collaborative, a membership organization of tech workers and companies, is hosting a “Housing on the Ballot” webinar Thursday, September 17 at noon. It’ll provide an overview of two measures — Proposition 19 (changes in property tax rules) and Proposition 21 (local governments and rent control) — and the impact they’ll have on the housing crisis. TechEquity Executive Director Catherine Bracy (pictured) is moderating the panel, which includes professionals from CalMatters, UC Berkeley’s Terner Center for Housing Innovation, and East Bay Housing Organizations. Register here.
Peak Health
Consider participating in One Tam’s virtual summit, a series of five October presentations every Thursday from 9 a.m. to noon. This year’s theme is “Climate: Change and Resilience,” and how it affects Mount Tamalpais, one of the Bay Area’s most well-known peaks. Four land agencies, along with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, manage Mt. Tam’s open spaces under One Tam’s coordination. The first session begins October 1 with a presentation on Marin’s ecological and social climate. View the schedule and buy tickets here.
Seeking Definition
Changes are afoot to help wetlands find new meaning. The State Water Board adopted rules to standardize the definition of wetlands and identify consistent procedures to safeguard them. Wetlands help protect and improve water quality, provide habitat for fish and wildlife, and buffer developed areas from flooding and sea-level rise. But more than 90 percent have been lost to development and other human activity. New rules culminate an effort begun more than a decade ago. Read about it here.
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