Eco-Bulletin ~ June 1, 2007

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1. Volunteers Needed in the Elfin Forest

2. Awakening the Dreamer/Changing the Dream Symposium

3. 6th Annual San Luis Obispo County ECO Summit

4. World Environment Day

5. Local Governments To Hold Public Meeting On Zero-Energy Building In South County

6. Reservoir Canyon Trail-Work Party

7. Irish Hills Ranger-Led Hike

8. Irish Hills Docent-Led Hike

9. Action Alert: AB 1074

10. Volunteers Needed for New Pier Docent Program

11. Support ECOSLO by GoodSearching

Saturday, June 2

Volunteers Needed in the Elfin Forest

Small Wilderness Area Preservation (S.W.A.P.) invites volunteers to help with erosion and weed control in the Elfin Forest. The next work day will be Saturday, Saturday, June 2 from 9 am to noon. Volunteers meet at the north end of 15th Street off of Santa Ysabel in Los Osos. Dress for sun and wind and bring work gloves if you can. Some work gloves, tools and drinking water are provided. Please park carefully, avoiding driveways and mailboxes. S.W.A.P. work parties are held at 9 a.m. til noon on the 1st Saturday of each month. For details, call Small Wilderness Area Preservation (S.W.A.P.) at 528-0392.

Saturday, June 2

Awakening the Dreamer/Changing the Dream Symposium

A global initiative that has swept six countries, and recently debuted in Paso Robles, comes to San Luis Obispo on Saturday, June 2, 2007 with a unique, four-hour symposium on the current challenges facing our planet and the interconnectedness of our personal well being, environmental, and social justice issues.

The Awakening the Dreamer/Changing the Dream symposium will be held Saturday, June 2, from 1pm to 5pm at Unity of San Luis Obispo, located at 1490 Southwood Drive in San Luis Obispo. A donation of $10 is requested, to cover costs ($5.00 for students with ID). Snacks and drinks will be provided. A wine and cheese reception will continue after the symposium to extend the opportunity for community networking and follow up discussions. There is no additional charge to attend the reception.

This symposium was created by the Pachamama Alliance, www.pachamama.org., a non-profit organization working in partnership with indigenous peoples in the Amazon region to protect the rainforests and their way of life.

The Symposium has been created in collaboration with some of the finest indigenous, scientific, artist and activist minds in the world. It features multi-media and group participation as it addresses the illusions and delusions that drive the environmental, social justice, and spiritual crises of our times. This inspiring event will leave you committed and inspired to be part of “bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling and socially just human presence on this planet.” It has already been presented to over 4,000 people in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Holland, and Australia. For more information, visit the website at www.awakeningthedreamer.org/.

Reservations are strongly recommended. To reserve a place, contact Cindy Dixon at cindy.dixon@charter.net, or 805-237-1135, or Jim Cole, jim.cole@charter.net or 805-239-0147 (Email is preferred). Pre-payment is encouraged. Doors open at 12:30. Please arrive early to allow time for parking and sign-in. We request that attendees bring personal water bottles in order to limit the use of paper goods. Parking is available.

Sunday, June 3

6th Annual San Luis Obispo County ECO Summit

ECOSLO is proud to host the 6th Annual ECO Summit from 9am to 6pm on Sunday, June 3, at Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria. Strategize, collaborate, and share with other environmental activists and hear presentations from speakers and panel members. For details or information, contact ECOSLO at (805) 544-1777, email info@ecoslo.org, or visit our website www.ecoslo.org .

Tuesday, June 5

World Environment Day

The United Nations General Assembly established World Environment Day in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. The World Environment Day slogan for this year is Melting Ice -- a Hot Topic?. To learn more, visit the United Nations Environment Program at http://www.almanac.com/go/ofanews052207a .

Thursday, June 7

Local Governments To Hold Public Meeting On Zero-Energy Building In South County

The cities of Arroyo Grande, Grover Beach and Pismo Beach will be holding a joint meeting at 6pm on Thursday, June 7, at the South County Regional Center for a public discourse on ways to build and modify our homes, businesses and public facilities to use less energy today, while setting the course for “zero-energy buildings” in the next 25 years.

Billed as the “2030 Challenge,” the idea for zero-energy, carbon-neutral building is gaining ground nationally and being advanced locally by SLO Green Build, a volunteer group of design and building professionals. Organized by SLO Green Build, the June 7 event is being co-sponsored by PG&E, the Home Builders Association of the Central Coast (HBACC), and the SEA Change energy coalition of business, environmental, government and university groups.

Zero-energy buildings consume no more energy than they produce from renewable sources over a year’s time. Since buildings account for nearly half the energy consumed in our country and a third of our country’s carbon emissions, they represent the single most important opportunity for reducing fossil energy consumption and carbon emissions.

California state law (SB 1078) requires that California generate at lest 20% of its electricity from renewable sources by the year 2010, and 33% by 2020. State law (AB 32) also requires a reduction in statewide greenhouse gas emissions to 2000 levels by 2010, and to 1990 levels by 2020.

The public forum will feature presentations by design and building professionals on the State’s Title 24 Energy Efficiency Standards, Energy Star Homes (PG&E), and the cost and benefits of green building, as well as a roundtable discussion moderated by the HBACC’s Jerry Bunin, and a concluding question-and-answer period. Presentations will cover remodels as well as new construction for both residential and commercial buildings.

Members of the three city councils, planning commissions, and city staffs will be in attendance along with local architects, engineers and builders. The public is encouraged to attend. The South County Regional Center is located at 800 West Branch in Arroyo Grande. For more information, contact Nick Alter SLO Green Build (805) 474-8062.

Saturday, June 9

Reservoir Canyon Trail-Work Party

SLO Stewards maintains trails, creeks, and open space. Work parties go out on Saturdays from 9am to 1pm. On Saturday, June 9, trail work will be done in Reservoir Canyon. To reach the trailhead and meeting place, take Highway 101 north out of San Luis Obispo, past the City limits one mile and turn right onto Reservoir Canyon Road (second road past city limits). Reservoir Canyon Road will end at the trailhead. Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Water and snacks will be provided. For more information, please call the San Luis Obispo City Parks and Recreation Department at 781-7302.

Sunday, June 10

Irish Hills Ranger-Led Hike

SLO City Parks & Recreation holds free ranger-led events Sundays starting at 1pm. On Sunday, June 10, explore the Irish Hills. Meet at the Prefumo Canyon trailhead. From Highway 101, take Los Osos Valley Road north, turn left onto Prefumo Canyon Road and stay on it for one mile. The trailhead is on the left after the bridge crossing. Please wear sturdy shoes and bring water to drink. For more information, please call 781-7302.

Saturday, June 23

Irish Hills Docent-Led Hike

Natural San Luis Docent-led hikes are free and held on Saturdays. Join them for a hike in the Irish Hills at 9am on Saturday, February 24th. Meet at the Prefumo Canyon trailhead. From Highway 101, take Los Osos Valley Road north, turn left onto Prefumo Canyon Road and stay on it for one mile. The trailhead is on the left after the bridge crossing. For more information, please call 781-7211 or 544-1777.

Action Alert: AB 1074

AB 1074 is a bill introduced by Assemblymember Guy Houston (R) designed to streamline permitting of restoration projects on private property. AB 1074 is designed to presumably enhance the ability of private property owners to seek federal grants for these projects, but in fact it will be difficult to implement and has a host of negative implications and consequences for resource protection. The bill is currently on suspense at the Assembly Appropriations committee, having slid through the policy committee phase essentially unopposed. We ask you to write to Assemblymember Mark Leno, Chair of Assembly Appropriations and urge him to vote no on this bill.

Honorable Mark Leno

Assembly Appropriations Committee

California State Capitol

Sacramento, CA 95814

FAX (916) 319-2113

Suggested talking points:

• AB 1074 would mandate that 14 different agencies meet in a series of roundtable meetings to plan subsequent stakeholder meetings and establish Technical Advisory Committees in each of the seven Fish and Game regions to create and administer a State Conservation Permit designed to streamline the regulatory reviews of a restoration project on private land

• AB 1074 would eliminate the jurisdiction of the Coastal Commission, DFG, BCDC, SWRCB, and all other regulatory agencies for restoration projects, and replace them with a single consolidated Conservation permit

• AB 1074 would eliminate public participation in the process

• AB 1074 would eliminate regulatory agency review for consistency with the mandates of the applicable laws, i.e. Coastal Act, Porter Cologne Act

• AB 1074 would de-couple restoration projects from any planned or future development by the property owner possibly preventing placing appropriate conditions on that development

• Restoration projects can have significant impacts on the environment

• Environmental agencies have specific and important mandates to protect public trust resources such as water, air, habitat and endangered species. Consolidating their review into one permit will mean those resources will not be safeguarded

• AB 1074 is unfunded which will mean important staff will be diverted from the regulatory agencies to work on these permits which will mean that other important work will suffer AB 1074 is another attempt at permit streamlining to avoid environmental and public review

Volunteers Needed for New Pier Docent Program

The City of Pismo Beach is looking for volunteer docents to help educate visitors at the Pismo Beach Pier about issues that affect our ocean water quality and human and wildlife safety. Educational topics include:

• Not feeding birds/wildlife

• Proper disposal of trash, fishing line & tackle

• No smoking ordinance

• Welcoming & directing visitors to local businesses

All docents will be provided training, a T-shirt and educational materials. Docents will be asked to volunteer at the Pismo Beach Pier for a 2-hour time period and can choose to volunteer during any time of the day - very flexible. A Pier Docent Coordinator is also needed to help organize the new program. Volunteer from home or work, no on-site time is required. Flexible and only a few hours per month are needed. If you enjoy spending time at the beach and have a passion for protecting it, this is a wonderful & fun opportunity. Great for environmental or wildlife enthusiasts, retired educators or others looking to increase their experience with outreach and education. For more information, email info@pierwatch.com for upcoming training dates or visit http://www.pierwatch.com .

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