Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Pop Your Questions
With more than two dozen “pop-up” Plan Bay Area (PBA) 2050 events happening across the region next month, there’s probably one that fits your schedule. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), who update PBA every four years, are hosting pop-ups to collect public feedback as they lay out the “Blueprint.” That’s the foundation of PBA 2050, a long-term planning roadmap outlining transportation, housing, economic, and environmental strategies. The Blueprint process starts by integrating policies gleaned via the Horizon initiative for anticipating challenges that could affect the region’s ability to prosper. An October 5 pop-up at the Napa Farmer’s Market between 9 to 11 a.m. kicks off the pop-up event series. Look up other dates and locations.
Put to Water Reuse
Cities around the Bay Area and across California are preparing for water scarcity challenges by innovating around reuse policy and practices. See some of the latest strategies being put to work on a free San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) tour drenched with information about its water purification technologies project. PureWaterSF takes treated water from the “Living Machine,” a constructed wetland treatment system, and treats it to meet drinking water standards. Learn more about the data SFPUC officials are collecting during tours this October and November. Look up dates and get tickets.
Air Circulation
West Oakland, which includes the Port of Oakland and the northern industrial part of Jack London Square, experiences higher concentrations of air pollution compared to many surrounding communities. So attend “Owning Our Air: The West Oakland Community Action Plan” to learn more about local air protection efforts on Wednesday, October 9 at 6 p.m. The plan lays out various targets to improve all of West Oakland’s residential air quality. It also points to strategies, for example, that task the Port of Oakland with removing barriers to adoption of zero-emission trucks, a transition the Monitor mentioned in a recent piece about the Port’s work to clean up operations. Meeting information can be found here.
Watch Like a Hawk
Want to see a hawk up close? The Golden Gate Raptor Observatory is presenting a docent program this fall called “Hawk Talk” to learn about migration and identification. Conditions permitting, a volunteer will bring up a newly banded hawk, talk about the banding ID program, and release the hawk in front of the crowd. Hawk Talks occur every Saturday and Sunday in September and October (except October 12 and 13) at Marin Headland’s Hawk Hill. No RSVP is necessary, but early arrival is recommended to find parking. Flock to the Monitor for other coverage about migrating bird species in the Bay Area.
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