A Real Beach Bummer

Imagine this scenario. An old sewer line ruptures because tons of garbage gets piled on top of the ground above it. The sewer spews over 1 million gallons per day into the nearby river. As a result, the health agency closes miles of popular beaches to protect the public.
The closure continues for days, weeks and [...]

Mountain Highs and Lows

I just got back from the Aspen Environmental Forum and there’s a lot to share.  The only thing more depressing than mulling National Geographic’s presentation about the oil sands of northern Alberta (50 square miles of tailings ponds) was watching “Extreme Ice.”  The haunting film by James Balog depicts how quickly the world’s glaciers are [...]

The New EPA

On Wednesday night, I found myself on top of a mountain in Aspen, listening to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson give the kickoff keynote at the Aspen Environmental Forum. Speaking in a deliberate style that reflects her Southern roots, Jackson made it clear to the 300 people assembled that the days of Environmental Destruction Agency in [...]

The Coolest Guy in the Room

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to attend the Obama town-hall meeting at the home of the Cobras: Miguel Contreras High School in downtown L.A. Jeff Carr, the city’s gang czar, reverend and friend, kicked off the afternoon’s festivities with a rousing, moving speech. Then, as at any big game, a singer belted out the national [...]

The March for Water

On March 22, local environmental groups Anahuak and Urban Semillas will convene the March for Water as part of International World Water Day.  Environmental leaders Raul Macias and Miguel Luna are behind the effort to bring attention to our local, state and international water supply-crisis.
Given Miguel and Raul’s initiative and drive, I expect thousands of [...]

Rethinking Our Future

Last Sunday on the Santa Monica Promenade, the students from Santa Monica High School’s Team Marine unveiled their opus to the global marine debris crisis: REthink.  The 7′ x 21′ art installation contains 34,727 bottle caps and includes a wide variety of marine life species made of the plastic tops. Think of a Rose Parade [...]

Jeremy’s Spoken

I have finally met my match. I’ve finally found someone more cynical than I am about the state of the environment and specifically our oceans – Jeremy Jackson, the world-renowned marine biologist.
Jackson, a lanky man with a ponytail and a head of red hair of an interesting hue, made two addresses at UCLA last week [...]

Hope Over Fear

The Golds were an FDR household. Both my Mom and Dad were born in Chicago soon after the beginning of the Great Depression and FDR was their President for their first 13 to 15 years of life.  During a time of unparalleled financial hardship followed by unprecedented global conflict, FDR was perhaps our most powerful [...]

Restoring the Bay

 The  Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission unanimously approved a new Bay Restoration Plan on Thursday.  Dr. Shelley Luce, executive director of the Bay Commission, and her dedicated staff put together the new recommendations: the long-awaited sequel to the original 1995 plan.  Since the mid-90s, a lot has happened to help restore the Bay. Hyperion and [...]

Grand Slams

Thursday’s appointments of Hilda Solis as Secretary of Commerce and Prof. Jane Lubchenco as chief of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric  Administration (NOAA) weren’t just strong for the environment.  They were two grand slams.  In the same inning.
Whom would you choose over Solis to catalyze the green jobs movement in America?  She’s been great on [...]