12/24/2021
Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Farewell, Aleta!
Aleta George, the Monitor’s Open Space reporter, is moving on:
“After four years of covering open space for the Bay Area Monitor, I am stepping aside to work on a book project. It has been an honor and a privilege to write for the League of Women Voters of the Bay Area. You may see my byline occasionally as a contributor, and I will definitely keep reading! Thank you for all that you do. You inspire me.”
Celebrate the Holidays, and Aleta’s wonderful writing, with some of our favorite articles:
The Magic of Winter Light – In case you missed it last Tuesday, here’s Aleta’s solstice meditation on the particular qualities of winter light that capture plants, poets, and painters alike.
One Step, One Sunday at a Time – A small group of women walked the entirety of the Bay Trail, including the unfinished portions.
Imperiled Islands of the Bay – Historic buildings on Angel Island and Alcatraz are vulnerable to sea-level rise.
Take these Broken Wings – Citizen science has shown that bird numbers across the US have taken a nosedive since 1970. Individual volunteers, like Wendy Schackwitz, are trying to reverse the trend for California’s tri-colored blackbird.
Waves of Grain – Pandemic-inspired baking sessions can help support California agriculture in a climate where wheat is well-suited to thrive.
Looking Ahead
A couple of events in early 2022 to set your sights on (we’ll post reminders in Notes following the new year!):
Clean Air Centers
Under a grant from AB 836, the Air District received funding to establish a network of public facilities with high-efficiency air filtration systems for people without access to clean air during wildfire season. For more information, and to identify locations for these centers, the District is hosting an online workshop on Monday January 10th from 10 to 11am.
Code Red for Humanity
Acterra is hosting a workshop on Friday, January 14th from 12 to 1:30pm to address August’s “Code Red” declaration from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Presenters will discuss what municipalities can do and how cities are our strongest hope for meaningful action to address the accelerating crisis.
New Releases
A new paper from Adapting to Rising Tides “gives an introduction and overview of the current state of funding for sea level rise adaptation in the Bay Area.”
Greenbelt Alliance’s Resilience Playbook is here. This “comprehensive digital guide for accelerating equitable adaptation to the climate crisis in the Bay Area,” is an essential resource for decision-makers and leaders as they address the impacts of climate change in their communities.
See You Next Year!
The Monitor will return on Wednesday the 5th with weekly Notes, and on Monday the 10th with original Reports. Until then, Happy Holidays!
Monitor Notes is produced by Michael Adamson. 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.