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Special Earth Day Issue April 2018
San Diego
Earth Times
Earth Day in Balboa ParkSunday, April 22 – “We’re All In This Together”
Take Transit to EarthFair!Ride Rapid 215 to Balboa Park – sdmts.com
Where does your recycling go?Local plant handles 50 tons per day
April 2018 3 San Diego Earth TimesSan Diego Earth Times 2 April 2018
CUT TO THE CHASE – FROM THE EDITOR
DIRIMBY as in Do It RIGHT in MY Back Yard
by Carolyn Chase
I surrendered long ago to the reality that San Diego’s natural and cultural beauty would always attract new residents. Children born here look for ways to stay. While out-
migration does happen from time to time, the overall trend is that more people always want to live here.
So what is good growth, really? What makes a city great? How does greatness come about, or get missed along the way?
Close to home A local case study is unfolding before my very eyes, in the view
from my office balcony. The Mission Bay Park Master Plan is un-dergoing updates to two areas separately: Fiesta Island and De Anza (the northeast corner of Mission Bay, next to I-5, where the publicly-managed Mission Bay Golf Course is located).
Across the street to the north, in yet another separate planning process, the city is planning to add a “village.” Formally called the Balboa Avenue Station Area Specific Plan, this area is west of I-5, across from the trolley station being added at Balboa and Morena.
You’d think the city would want these processes to be well-connected and coordinated. You’d be wrong.
Location, locationThe Balboa trolley station location is, to be polite, challenging. In
planning-speak: it is constrained. In simple-speak, it is one of the most car-centric, traffic-clogged and pedestrian-dangerous areas in the city.
Bravo for an attempt to do something about it. But as for the draft plan, we’re not doing greatness because we think we can’t afford it.
If we get past affording it, then the next set of reasons we can’t do it pop right up. It’s usually of the form: another agency or department would have to agree, and that’s next-to-impossible to make happen.
It usually does turn out that it’s difficult – and sometimes next-to-impossible – to make happen. It seems greatness requires great effort.
Here come the VillagesAs the city has sprawled out into open space about as far as it can,
we now face the challenges of infill. When I served on the Planning Commission more than a decade ago, the “smart growth” solution was called the “City of Villages” and an expensive City General Plan Update made its way through to adoption.
Now, here come the “Villages”: thousands of housing units are being added to community plans around the city.
In my area, they plan to add a Village of 3480 units on the west of I-5, between the trolley station on the east side of I-5 and Mission Bay Park.
Contents
San Diego Earth Timesis published by Earth Media, Inc. Our internet version is printed with recycled electrons and can be found at www.SDEarthTimes.com.
StaffEditor/Publisher: Chris KleinEditor/Features: Carolyn ChaseAssignments: Alice MartinezEditors: Kathy Parrish Liz Dexia
CommunicationMail: P.O. Box 99179 San Diego, CA 92169Phone: (858) 272-7423 Email: [email protected]: @EarthDayMomFacebook: San Diego Earth Day(Continued on page 7)
CLIMATE CHANGEClimate science update ................................................................ 5
“Climate change is a catastrophic problem and a moral, ethical issue.” Here are 10 things we can do about it.
Climate change won’t wait! ........................................................ 6There are people who can take action against climate change. But you need to ask them.
The Climate Action Campaign ..................................................... 7MARINE ECOLOGY
Plastic emergency ......................................................................... 8By 2050 oceans are expected to contain more plastics than fish (by weight). The waste and sheer cost is incredible. It can be stopped.
Ocean-friendly restaurants .......................................................... 9Simple steps when dining can lead to important results.
RECYCLINGWhen recycled materials go away, then what…
and where is “away”? ........................................................... 10Turning residential recyclable waste (“blue bin”) back into usable raw materials is a daunting job. We take a look at a local company that handles 50 tons per day, quietly and cleanly.
EARTH DAY 2018EarthFair 2018 in Balboa Park on April 22 ................................ 12
Attend the 29th annual event in Balboa Park.Tree walkabout: the wonderful trees of Balboa Park .............. 14An Impressionist creates murals at EarthFair ........................... 14
Watch a local impressionist artist create a mural, and help color in one youself, at the Mural Wall at EarthFair.
EarthFair 2018 Program and Map .............................................. 16LOCAL ISSUES
Clean cannabis? ......................................................................... 21With newly legalized and heavily regulated cannabis sales, how “green” is it?
UC San Diego – Social Innovation Sprint .................................. 25UCSD students take on climate change by finding a way to keep methane-producing food waste out of landfills.
Wither, the Albatross? ................................................................ 26Yet another problem with plastic waste: it smells like food to these magnificent sea birds, with dire results.
Special thanks to Jennifer Hewitson for creating this year’s “We’re All In This Together” artwork, shown on page 15. Cover photo shows one of Michael Rosenblatt’s colorful murals that will be on display at EarthFair 2018. See story on page 14.
San Diego Earth Times 4 April 2018 April 2018 5 San Diego Earth Times
Climate science updateby Carolyn Chase
International treaties related to climate change are negotiated at annual confer-ences called COPS (Conference of the
Parties) where the “parties” (representatives of nations) attend to present and negotiate. Alongside the officials are the NGOs (non-governmental organizations), usually non-profits, but also including celebrities, activists and pretty much anyone who can make it there. Groups and nations create exhibits and host events around the host city.
What do we want?I was fortunate to be attending COP14
as part of the Sierra Club’s delegation of volunteers making their way to Copenhagen, Denmark, as winter was closing in. Parlia-ment Square was filled with people enjoying bands, with speakers making presentations in between.
At one point, I heard a speaker begin a call-and-response: “What do we want?” Instead of a reply, I discerned bafflement amongst the crowd as they came to the re-alization that “climate change” wasn’t the answer. The speaker rushed ahead: “When do we want it?” “Now!” the crowd roared. The speaker continued: “What do we want?” The crowd demurred again. The speaker finally figured it out and gave up.
I was left to ponder the answer: what we want is what we used to have, and that has, overall, allowed us to thrive: a stable climate.
Seize the moment: what to doIn 2015, the University of California
pledged to become carbon-neutral (net zero climate change emissions) by 2025. A group of 50 scientists and academics from all ten campuses convened and pursued the develop-ment of best actionable solutions for climate change.
Renowned climate scientist, Dr. V. Ra-manathan of Scripps Institution of Ocean-ography at UCSD, led the effort. So it was with great interest that I attended his latest presentation to the San Diego Zero Waste Conference this past February.
His presentation title, “The Urgency of Climate Change and Stabilization,” begins with: “What’s the worst that can happen” and “How Do We Know?” He follows with his data-driven assessment: “Climate change is a catastrophic problem and a moral, ethi-cal issue.”
His address acknowledged the impor-tance of waste reduction. Along the way, he declared San Diego to be a global leader in working to address climate change. And we all need to do more.
His biggest takeaway: while the solutions are integrated and are interrelated, “Societal transformation is the most important aspect for them all” …. “We know what can be done. We need public support for solutions.”
Even if it sounds like the solutions below don’t apply to you, they do. Your support is essential: as a consumer, as a voter, as some-one who needs to live in a stable climate.
Ten SolutionsDr. Ramanathan proposes that “10 prag-
matic, scalable solutions – all of which can be implemented and expanded rapidly – will clean our air and keep global warming under 2 degrees Celsius and, at the same time, provide breathing room for the world to fully transition to carbon neutrality in the coming decades.”
The solutions are organized into six clusters: science, societal transformation, governance, market- and regulation-based, technology and natural and managed ecosys-tems. These solutions are summarized here:
Science1. Sets the goals needed to have an impact
and limit long term global warming to under 2 degrees Celsius.
Societal transformation2. Foster a global culture of climate action.3. Initiate climate collaboration from and for
all. Governance
4. Scale-up models that work; share Califor-nia experiences.
Market and regulation-based5. Create incentives to reduce emissions.
Reward improvements.6. Narrowly target regulations at high-emis-
sions sectors not covered by market-based policies.
Technology 7. Promote immediate widespread use of
mature technologies such as photovolta-ics, wind turbines, battery and hydrogen fuel cell, electric light-duty vehicles, and more efficient consumer devices, especially in lighting, air conditioning, appliances and industrial processes.
8. Aggressively support and promote inno-vations to accelerate the complete elec-trification of energy and transportation systems and improve building efficiency. Support development of lower-cost en-ergy storage… and new energy storage, including: batteries, super-capacitors, compressed air hydrogen and thermal storage, as well as advances in heat pumps, efficient lighting, fuel cells, smart buildings and systems integration. These innovative technologies are essential.
9. Immediately make maximum use of avail-able technologies, combined with regula-tions, to reduce methane emissions by 50% and black carbon emissions by 90%. Phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) by 2030 by amending the Montreal Protocol.
Natural and managed-ecosystems10. Regenerate damaged natural ecosystems
and restore soil organic carbon to im-prove natural sinks for carbon (through afforestation, reducing deforestation and restoration of soil organic carbon.) Imple-ment food waste reduction programs and maximize utilization of food produced and recover energy from food that is not consumed.Find the Executive Summary and entire
report online at universityofcalifornia.edu/sites/default/files/Bending_the_Curve_F5_spreads.pdf
Climate Change
San Diego Earth Times 6 April 2018 April 2018 7 San Diego Earth Times
(Continued on the right)
DIRIMBY(cont. from page 3)
Climate change won’t wait!There are individuals who can Take acTion againsT climaTe change. BuT you need To ask Them To.
provided by SanDiego350
The years 2016 and 2017 were two of the three hottest on record. During those years, two-thirds of the Great
Barrier Reef bleached. Scientists tell us that 98 percent of the world’s reefs will be dead by 2050 if we continue along our current path.
As San Diegans, we know how important the ocean is to the world’s ecosystem and our own city. Now is the time to do something about it. Now is the time to turn back climate change. We can’t wait.
The only way to create an impact is to make your voice heard. Our group, SanDi-ego350, advances climate solutions and turns our many voices into the loudspeaker that is a movement.
We are an inclusive volunteer organiza-tion building a movement to prevent the worst impacts of climate change and climate injustice. We strive to create a future that sup-ports a livable planet and just society through
education and outreach, public policy advo-cacy, and mobilizing people to take action.
On callHere are some great actions to take to
defend our planet today:1. Call your state representative and tell
them you support Senate Bill 100, which, if passed, would set California on a path to 100% clean energy by 2045.
2. Call your city council member and Mayor Faulconer (see numbers below):
• Let them know you want “Community Choice Energy” a program that the San Diego Union Tribune called “cheaper, greener electricity.” The Silicon Valley Community Choice Program is already offering 100% clean energy for lower prices than their utility. We should have the same option in San Diego!
• Next, let them know that you oppose the
huge new natural gas pipeline SDG&E plans to run through our city. Not only would the pipeline distribute toxic methane, many see this line as com-pletely unnecessary.
• While you are on the phone with your councilmember, tell them how happy you are that the council passed a resolu-tion opposing offshore drilling.
• We love that you are here and that you have taken the time to participate in EarthFair! However, Earth Day hap-pens once a year, and our planet needs a strong team defending it year round if we are to roll back the clock on climate change.
In that spirit, we hope that you’ll save the date for our September 8th Global Climate Action Summit Mobilization, and consider joining SanDiego350 to extend your climate
and environmental impacts all year long by visiting us at www.sandiego350.org. It’s time to fight for a cleaner, healthier planet. The earth needs your help, and there is no time to waste!Mayor:
Kevin Faulconer, Mayor (619) 236-6330 [email protected]
Councilmembers:Myrtle Cole, Council President
(619) [email protected]
Mark Kersey, Council President Pro Tem(619) [email protected]
Barbara Bry(619) [email protected]
Lorie Zapf(619) [email protected]
Christopher Ward(619) [email protected]
Chris Cate(619) [email protected]
Scott Sherman(619) [email protected]
David Alvarez(619) [email protected]
Georgette Gomez(619) [email protected]
The Climate Action Campaignprovided by The Climate Action Campaign
Climate Action Campaign is a non-prof-it organization with a simple mission: stop climate change. Our purpose is to
protect the people and places we love from the ravages of a warming world. We believe the most innovative and effective climate solu-tions are being developed and implemented at the local level. One of the most powerful ways that a city can take action is to adopt and implement a Climate Action Plan (CAP), which acts as a roadmap to reducing harmful pollution that causes climate change.
The cities where we live, work, and play are stepping up to do their share in the fight against climate change, and they need resi-dents who care to support them and continue to hold them accountable. Nine of the 18 cities in San Diego County have adopted a Climate Action Plan CAP, and five of those cities have committed to 100% clean energy by 2035! Eight other cities in the region are
currently developing a CAP. Find out more about our region’s progress in the fight against climate change at climateactioncampaign.org/reportcard2017.
Our cities are where our energy and our voices can contribute to the swift progress needed to preserve hope for the future.
What YOU can do to help 1) Did you know that transportation is the primary source of greenhouse gas emissions in the region? Raise your voice in support of sustainable transportation, like walking, biking, and transit. And lead by example by taking non-car modes when you can.
2) Support the transition to 100% clean en-ergy through Community Choice Energy: a program that finally gives families a choice about who their electricity provider is. Learn more at climateactioncampaign.org/cce/ and then contact your elected official to let them know you support Community Choice!
3) Trees filter carbon from the atmosphere, making them a climate strategy and a boon to quality of life. Find out if your city has a free street tree program or tree giveaways on particular days of the year, and help grow the urban tree canopy! 4) Get involved! Volunteer with Climate Ac-tion Campaign and work with us to make sure cities across the region are part of the solution. Learn more at climateactioncampaign.org/volunteer.
For more information, please visit www.climateactioncampaign.org.
Traffic is bad now I want to understand exactly how adding
thousands of units into an already congested area is going work out. Really. I’m willing.
The de facto policy appears to be: add as many units as you can – regardless of the “significant unmitigated impacts” – and then everyone else has to adjust to those impacts. As one developer put it, “When traffic gets so bad, people will eventually have to change to transit.”
The idea that transit should be designed so that drivers will want to change to transit
has been beyond our reach.
Get me to the stationThe key premise of adding density around
transit is that people living there will not have to drive. The theory is all well and good. The on-the-ground reality is messy.
One thing I do know: for a Village to move in and use transit – instead of making more car trips – there must be safe ways to walk to and from a station. In the smartphone era, the closest route had best be walkable, too.
Getting people out of cars requires a pedestrian-friendly designed environment
(Continued on page 11)
San Diego Earth Times 8 April 2018 April 2018 9 San Diego Earth Times
Plastic emergencyby Richard Anthony
When will the weight of all fish in the ocean equal the weight of plastic in the ocean? Ellen
MacArthur, a competitive sailor from the United Kingdom, is warning that there will be more waste plastic in the sea than fish by 2050, unless the industry cleans up its act.
According to a report from her Founda-tion in January,
“Assessing global plastic packag-ing flows comprehensively for the first time, the report finds that most plastic packaging is used only once; 95% of the value of plastic packaging material, worth $80-120 billion annually, is lost to the economy. Given projected growth in consumption, in a business-as-usual scenario, by 2050 oceans are expected to contain more plastics than fish (by weight), and the entire plastics industry will consume 20% of total oil produc-tion, and 15% of the annual carbon budget.”In 2015, Science magazine reported:
“By 2050, about 99.8% of the spe-cies studied will have eaten plastic.”A 2012 study published by the United
Nations Convention on Biological Diversity shows that birds aren’t the only victims: More than 600 species, from microorganisms to whales, are affected by plastic waste in the oceans.
A LOT of plastic is entering the marine
environment. Conservative estimates range from 5-8 million tons of plastic entering oceans each year. Eighty to niney percent of the trash in the oceans is plastic. Most of it comes from land-based sources, like trash in urban runoff.
As plastics enter the marine environ-ment, they degrade into smaller and smaller pieces. So the problem starts out as a macro-plastic issue, but as plastics accumulate and degrade – from photo-degradation and wind and currents causing break-down – they
become micro plastics. The United Nations Environment Program UNEP estimates there are nearly 51 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the world’s oceans today.
Plastics are present throughout the wa-ter’s surface, in the water column, and in the seafloor, They are present in all shapes and sizes.
Plastics impact all kinds of marine life. Filter feeders, like jellyfish, mollusks and baleen whales, marine mammals, fish and many others mistake them for food or become entangled in them. A sperm whale found in
Norway had 20 plastic bags in its stomach. This is not uncommon.
The future of plasticsThe MacArthur Report proposes a New
Plastics Economy (newplasticseconomy.org)based on creating effective after-use pathways for plastics; drastically reducing leakage of plastics into natural systems, in particular oceans; and decoupling plastics from fossil feedstocks.
MacArthur announced at the World Eco-nomic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the list of leading brands, retailers, and packaging companies working towards using 100% reusable, re-cyclable or compostable packaging
by 2025 or earlier has grown. The list now includes: Amcor, Ecover, Evian, L’Oréal, Mars, M&S, PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Com-pany, Unilever, Walmart, and Werner & Mertz – together representing more than 6 million tons of plastic packaging per year.
Ric Anthony is a director and founder of Zero Waste San Diego, zerowastesandiego.org.
… by 2050 oceans are expected to contain more plastics than fish (by weight)…
Cleaning Up the Past
Clear Blue Sea is a local non-profit on a mission to “cleanse the oceans of plastic pollution and debris and to return our marine environment to Clear Blue Seas.”
They are proposing unmanned ma-rine robots working like “floating gar-bage trucks” to harvest ocean plastic pollution and powered solely by solar energy. Visit Clearbluesea.org.
Leash the Lid
While Californians did approve a measure reducing plastic
grocery bags, a Proposed Assembly Bill (Stone) Leash the Lid would have required that plastic caps be perma-nently attached to their beverage or bottle.Sadly, it failed to make it to the floor this year. Contact Californians Against Waste to stay in touch with proposals necessary to fight the ex-cessive use of plastic and it’s contin-ued passage into the environment, wildlife, fish and us. Visit www.cawrecycles.org.
Top ten Items collected at International Coastal
Cleanup 2017 1. Cigarette Butts 2. Plastic beverage bottles 3. Plastic bottle caps 4. Food wrappers 5. Plastic grocery bags 6. Plastic lids 7. Straws, stirrers 8. Glass beverage bottles 9. Other plastic bags10. Foam Takeaway containers
Tiny Plastic (items less than 2.5cm) is a category unto itself: 1,212,602 plastic pieces and 1,066,644 foam pieces; 496,640 glass pieces were also recovered.
!wDzdK) Marine Ecology (c9o^L# Ocean-friendly restaurantshow and where you eaT affecTs The ocean. who knew?
by Vicki Conlon
Imagine a San Diego where every restau-rant, cafe, and fast food joint is a registered Ocean Friendly Restaurant (OFR). What is
an OFR you ask? It is a dining establishment that institutes self-regulated ocean friendly policies in order to reduce disposable plastic waste and minimize their impact on San Di-ego’s ocean, beaches and landfills.
The OFR program was launched in Janu-ary, 2015, in response to an increase in plastic pollution. There are currently 422 OFRs nationwide; 118 of those are located in San Diego County.
Surfrider supports and recognizes restau-rants that take it upon themselves to be ocean friendly by promoting OFRs to more than 45,000 San Diego County consumers through various media, emails, community events and beach cleanups. Ocean Friendly Restaurants also receive guidance for improving their environmentally friendly practices, as well as products such as Ocean Friendly window
stickers, table-toppers, diner brochures, bill stuffers, and posters.
Becoming an OFRParticipating restaurants must institute
specific mandatory practices such as no polystyrene use, providing onsite reusable tableware, implementing proper recycling practices and not utilizing plastic bags for take out. Restaurants must also adhere to three additional criteria of their choosing. Visit sandiego.surfrider.org/ofr/ for a full list of criteria. If a restaurant meets all 10 criteria, they are registered as a Platinum Level OFR. How you can help
• Bring your own reusable cup or mug for coffee “to go,” and remember to ask for a reusable mug when ordering “for here.”
• Bring a reusable water bottle to avoid purchasing plastic bottles of water.
• If you think you may have leftovers, bring
your own reusable container (Tupperware, for example) instead of getting a dispos-able container from the restaurant.
• Always bring your own bag when picking up takeout food.
• Take the “Plastic Straws Suck” pledge.(sandiego.surfrider.org/ofr/). Remem-ber the days when the server would ask customers if they wanted a paper wrapped straw to go with their drink? Now, a ma-jority of restaurants automatically plop that unwrapped plastic straw into most beverages whether the customer wants it or not. According to the National Parks “Be Straw Free Campaign,” Americans use 500 million straws every day. That’s enough straws to wrap around the Earth 2.5 times. Surveys have shown that 50-80 percent of customers, when asked if they wanted a straw, declined. Asking custom-ers if they want a straw could reduce straw
(Continued on page 13)
San Diego Earth Times 10 April 2018 April 2018 11 San Diego Earth Times
RecyclingWhen recycled materials go away, then what… and where is “away”?
by Chris Klein
I got a chance to tour our region’s state-of-the-art recycling facility to see exactly what can and cannot be sorted out from
the co-mingled recyclables we put at the curb.Sorry for the jargon: co-mingled refers to
the mix of stuff you put in your recycling bin: cans, bottles, plastics, paper, etc.
In some countries, the citizens are re-quired to sort their recylables into multiple separate bins (and can be fined if they don’t). That makes recycling relatively simple.
We don’t do that here. So: how does that sorting happen? A company that melts down metal cans doesn’t want any paper mixed in. Plastic recyclers don’t either. And paper re-cyclers don’t want anything but. The volume that needs to be dealt with is unimaginable, but I got to see how it works.
Out of sortsThe EDCO Escondido Recycling Facility
opened in July of 2017. This state-of-the-art 70,000 square foot facility processes 100,000
pounds of commingled recycling every hour. It takes the co-mingled recyclables and sorts it into bales of cardboard, mixed paper, news-paper, #1 through #7 mixed rigid plastics, aluminum cans, tetra pak, and tin.
The facility also processes bottle glass to be utilized in new bottles. This facility is designed to increase processing efficiency and improve the quality of the sorted bales. In essence, this means reducing/removing “contamination” from the stream of mixed materials.
The facility is a huge building. At one end, what is probably the biggest mechanical shovel I’ve ever seen dumps tons of mixed recyclables into a large bin. This material works its way through the huge facility on moving belts, with stations that shake, blow, magnetically attract, bounce, and use an amazing variety of mechanical magic to separate the various classes of materials. They
This pile of mixed recyclables is only a small part of what EDCO process every day. Note the full-sized container truck in the background for a sense of scale.
Here is a small section of the sorting operation. Dozens of huge conveyor belts carry partially separated materials to the next station where the refinement continues. At the top, workers in orange vests manually remove contaminants at key positions. The overhead ducts carry away ever-present plastic bags that sneak through.
move through numerous stations to complete the separation and sorting.
It isn’t all mechanical: there are a number of workers who manually remove contami-nants from the belts at critical points. But most of the separation is completely auto-mated. At 50 tons per hour, perhaps you can imagine the scale of the plant.
More to comeThe Recycling Facility is the first phase of
the Escondido Resource Recovery Complex that will include the addition of a mixed waste processing facility and anaerobic digester. These facilities lay the groundwork to create a true resource recovery facility and support the region in achieving its zero waste goals. The anaerobic digester is anticipated to be completed in 2019. The digester will receive both green and food waste and once processed
Trash, NOT RecycleBelow is the “Top Ten” trash items
that are currently found in our region’s recycling bins but can’t be recycled: 1) Plastic Bags 2) Food Waste 3) Electronic Waste 4) Wood Waste 5) Clothing 6) Waxed Cardboard 7) Green Waste 8) Fluids – Water, Soda, Juices. Items
still in container when placed in recycling bins
9) Batteries – Car and household alka-line batteries
10) Wiring and water hoses
Things I Thought I Could Recycle, But Nope!
• Tissues and paper towels: even if clean, they are too delicate and already degraded fibers to be recovered.
• Shredded papers: once shredded, the paper basically turns to dust.
• Shatter-plastic: if it breaks or cracks, it can’t be recovered.
• Small plastic items, lids, small con-tainers: if it’s too small, it can’t be recovered.
will provide CNG fuel for collection trucks.This state-of-the-art Recycling Facility
is critical now that China has banned mixed paper and is requiring all cardboard and newspaper to be nearly contamination free. All imported cardboard and newspaper is required to have less than 0.5% of contami-nation, which equals less than 5 pounds for every 1,000 pounds. This Recycling Facility is capable of producing bales of recyclable material that meet the strict Chinese import requirements.
Stories in the Earth Times are often not good news. It was a pleasure to report on a local, large-scale project making a positive contribution to our environment and well-being.
Chris Klein is publisher of the Earth Times and production manager of the EarthFair in Balboa Park.EDCO has been the recycler at the EarthFair in Balboa Park for 27 years.
EDCO Vice President Bob Hill stands next to a stack of bundles that are the final product of the recycling plant – in this case, #3 recycled plastic bottles.
Extended producer responsibility
“The responsibility, that the waste generated during the production processes could
be taken care of in a proper way, from an environmental and resource-saving point of view, should primarily be of the manufacturer. Before the manufacturing of a product is commenced it should be known how the waste that is a result of the production process should be treated, as well as how the product should be taken care of when discarded.”
Presented on November 18, 1997, at the Take it Back! ‘97 Producer Re-sponsibility Forum by Pat Franklin, Executive Director of the Container Recycling Institute.
(Continued on the right)
Plastic Bag Ban Works!
November 8th was the one year anniversary of the passage of
Prop 67, the statewide single use plas-tic grocery bag ban. Litter data from Coastal Clean-up Day, held annually in September, shows a substantial decrease in plastic grocery bag lit-ter. Preliminary data from the 2017 clean-up reported by hundreds of clean-up crews across the state shows that plastic grocery bag litter had dropped by 72% compared to 2010, and accounts for less than 1.5% of items littered.
Source: Californians Against Waste
DIRIMBY(cont. from page 7)around transit stations and the new villages. EVERYONE who uses transit is a pedestrian at some point in their journey. A successful and safe transit environment requires a safe walking environment.
City of trafficDesigned around cars, the features that
make a city safely walkable have, for most
places, been ignored. San Diego’s hilly ge-ography adds to the challenges, limiting the number of people able to utilize biking or walking. Add that to the reality that too many regional employment centers are not currently well-connected by transit.
In sum, as a practical matter, the vast majority of people are still going to need a car to get around. The well-enough-to-do will get everything delivered. Amazon is already planning to overcome traffic with delivery by drones.
Car sharing is another key way that people are adapting. It’s now cheaper and often more convenient to rideshare than it is to own a car. More solutions to the “last mile” problem are showing up: portable electric bikes and scooters. These new technology-aided solutions will reduce the need for some parking as well as reducing a few trips.
Past vs. futurePlanning is by its very nature about
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San Diego Earth Times 12 April 2018 April 2018 13 San Diego Earth Times
change and the future. Existing residents are understandably fond of what they have now. Thus are the tensions of change brought to bear in a growing city.
The last time I really saw greatness in planning was – dare I say it – under Mayor Susan Golding. Even with a City Manager-run government at the time, her staff was empowered to bring stakeholders to the table and meet regularly to work out solutions.
These days, all too often, outside consul-tants, with no personal stake other than their
fees, run roughshod over plan updates. They control the committees and guide the public presentations through a maze that doesn’t resolve key issues or allow for meaningful negotiations. Factions are left to fight it out, win or lose. More consideration ends up being given to the past over the needs of the future.
Aspire for greatnessI’m not against new housing. I am against
poor planning on significant “details.” It would be nice to aspire to at least a little
bit of greatness, so that current and future vil-lagers can look back and say: hey, that was
DIRIMBY(cont. from page 11)
consumption by half or more.• Show your support by frequenting regis-
tered OFRs and let them know you found them on Surfrider’s OFR webpage.If your favorite restaurants are not already
OFR registered, be sure to tell them about the OFR program and direct them to sandiego.surfrider.org/ofr/ for more information.
Vicki Conlon is the Surfrider San Diego
Ocean Friendly Restaurant project lead.
Ocean-friendly(cont. from page 7)
Earth Day 2018
EarthFair 2018 in Balboa Park on April 22a quick guide To whaT To see and do aT The 29Th annual celeBraTion.
by Chris Klein
EarthFair 2018 is San Diego EarthWorks’ 29th annual event. EarthFair in Balboa Park is the largest free annual environ-
mental fair and Earth Day celebration in the world and has been for decades!
Produced by 300+ volunteers, EarthFair 2018 will feature more than 300 exhibitors, theme areas, a food pavilion, a special Kids’ Activity Area, four entertainment venues, the Earth Day Parade, the eARTh Gallery eco-arts and crafts show, and two Beer Gardens.
Earth Day is a “big tent” celebration, in-cluding everyone and everything that concerns the care and preservation of our environment. EarthFair mirrors this broad view.
ExhibitorsThe exhibitors are the heart of EarthFair.
They represent every type of non-profit organization, governmental department and commercial enterprise with goods, services, or causes that address our environment and quality of life.
It’s impossible to list everything you’ll find at EarthFair: traditional conservation organizations, wildlife preservation groups, green building, products made from natural and organically grown crops, electric cars, gardening information, alternative energy vehicles, eco-tourism opportunities, many alternative and traditional health care prod-ucts and services, clean air and clean water products, habitat preservation groups… the list goes on and on.
If your organization, club, or company is
interested in exhibiting at EarthFair, please visit www.EarthDayWeb.org.
Special for KidsIn our Children’s’ Activity Area, you’ll
find crafts, games, face painting, story-telling, and hands-on activities for children of all ages. Activities are designed to educate, en-tertain, and inspire youth in the spirit of Earth Day. Participants can take part in a number of eco-friendly projects and crafts, including Jeanne’s Connecting with Nature gardening project. Earth Day Parade
The Earth Day Parade begins at 10:30am; see the map on page 16 for the route. Partici-pants are invited to dress up as endangered species or present their favorite earth-friendly
messages. To find out more, see photos of previous parades, or to register, visit www.EarthParade.org. Entry is free!
This year’s Parade Grand Marshall is Dolores Huerta, American labor leader and civil rights activist who was the co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association.
eARTh GalleryThe eARTh Gallery features crafts made
from recycled, discarded or waste materials and artwork depicting “Endangered Spaces” in San Diego County. The Gallery is located close to the corner of Park Blvd. and Presi-dents Way, next to our Food Court and the Moon Stage. For information about display-ing or selling your eco-arts or -crafts, please visit EarthGallery.org.
If You Care, RepairThe San Diego Reuse & Repair Network,
The County of San Diego, the City of Chula Vista, and the City of San Diego are sponsor-ing a special area at EarthFair to showcase “higher use” ways to keep items out of the landfill.
Cleaner Car ConcourseThe Cleaner Car Concourse features
alternative-fuel and high-efficiency privately-owned vehicles of all descriptions (hybrids included). See the vehicles and hear enthu-siastic owners talk about them. The vehicles will be on display in the Pan American Plaza.
Think Globally, Drink LocallyVisit our two Beer Gardens, in the Plaza
de Panama (in front of the Museum of Art), and next to the Sun Stage (behind the Federal Bldg). Refresh youself with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale or Summerfest Pilsner, Golden Coast Mead, or Boochcraft kombucha.
First, you have to get thereIt you plan on arriving at EarthFair after
10:00am, there will be little or no car parking
EarthFair 201850,000 Visitors – 300 Exhibitors
Managed by 300 Volunteers…and YOU!
Make it happen.VOLUNTEER at EFVol.org
close to the park. Try one of these alternatives: bike; use transit; or use off-site parking.
You can find maps and more at EFGo.org.Ride a bike
The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition will offer free, guarded bike parking in two locations (see map on pages 12-13):• On Village Place (off of Park Blvd., south
of the Zoo).• In the California Quadrangle (across the
street from the Museum of Man entrance, just after you cross the Cabrillo Bridge).If you don’t want to ride the entire way to
the park, drive part way, park in a convenient spot, and ride the rest of the way.
Ride public transportationThere is a trolley stop about a ten-minute
walk from the Park, and San Diego Transit runs extra busses for EarthFair. See the de-tails in the Try Transit for Earth Day box on the right.
Off-site ParkingAbout 1,000 off-site parking spaces
are provided at City College, a short walk from EarthFair.
To get to the two City College lots, from the 163 freeway, exit on Park Blvd. and follow the signs: turn right (south) on Park, then turn left (east) on C St. From C you can either: (1) turn left (north) on 16th, and go straight ahead to the parking structure across from Garfield High, or (2) go straight ahead, turn right on 17th, and park in the multi-level parking structure.
And… VOLUNTEER!It takes more than 300 volunteers to
produce EarthFair. In fact, without this com-
munity participation, EarthFair as we know it would not be possible. Come make a differ-ence, and help create a fun, safe, productive event for 50,000 of our closest friends.
There are 23 different volunteer jobs: some are active and physical, others mental and social, still others almost contemplative. No experience required – you will be trained so you know exactly where to go and what to do. Work one 3-hour shift, or pitch in all day. Your choice. Check it out: EFVol.org.
Try Transit for Earth Day!
Take any Blue or Orange Trolley Line to the City College Station in
downtown San Diego. The station is located between 11th Ave. and Park Blvd., and C St. and Broadway. The Route 7 bus stop is just steps away at the corner of 11th Avenue and C Street. Remember to get a Day Pass when you start your trip on the trolley.
Use the Transit Trip Planner on-line at transit.511sd.com. For auto-mated schedule info, call: 619-685-4900.
Remember, riding MTS buses and trolleys make every day “EARTH DAY.” When you use transit instead of driv-ing a car, you reduce greenhouse gases, slow global warming, and im-prove our air quality. Saving just one gallon of gas can eliminate 19 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions.
On-line EarthFair Exhibitor Finder
To help you find specific exhibi-tors that present what YOU are
interested in, we have a special web-based service.
Go to EFExh.org. You will find a list of 60 topics, like “Climate Change,” “Peace,” “Solar-electric” and “Waste Reduction.” Check off the topics you are interested in, press the “Show Ex-hibitors” button, and the system will list the exhibitors that address those topics, their exhibit descriptions, and a link to their websites. One week before EarthFair, we will also list their exhibit locations.
really great the way this turned out. These planning processes are all still in
process. With leadership, they can still be fixed. Mayor Faulconer – are you listening?
Carolyn Chase is co-founder of San Diego
EarthWorks, the non-profit organizers of the annual Earth Day Fair in the heart of Balboa Park, San Diego. She also served as a Plan-ning Commissioner for the City of San Diego, and was a founder of Move San Diego (now Circulate San Diego), committed to improving the sustainability of transportation choices in the San Diego region.
From simple signs to elaborate costumes, everyone with an earth-friendly message is welcome in the Earth Day Parade.
San Diego Earth Times 14 April 2018
EARTHFAIR SPECIAL EVENTS
Tree walkabout: the wonderful trees of Balboa Park
by Alice Martinez
Roger Boddaert, the Tree Man of Fall-brook, and Mark Wisniewski, each certified arborists (tree experts) will
lead two walks during EarthFair. These walks, held at 11am and 1pm, will increase your appreciation of trees in general and at the EarthFair: The Wonderful Trees of Bal-boa Park.
This is a great opportunity to learn what
kind of trees are present, and the important benefits they provide. You’ll come away with a much greater appreciation of the trees.
Meet Roger and Mark behind the seats at the back of the Organ Pavilion. Each walk is limited to the first twenty participants to arrive.
Roger Boddaert – arborist, landscape designer and horticultural expert – has served
many organizations and has been acknowl-edged for planting hundreds of trees. His accomplishments include working with Cal Trans to plant 2,000 oak trees along I-15. Working with 750 volunteers, he managed the planting of 435 native trees in Fallbrook in only five hours. Really, he should be called the Forest Man!
An Impressionist creates murals at EarthFairfor you To enjoy – and To color.
by Alice Martinez
Rosenblatt Studios presents the first annual outdoor wildlife and nature mural exhibit by artist Michael Rich-
ard Rosenblatt.Michael began creating murals for the
public to color at the EarthFair in Balboa Park in 2016, where he also paints a panel during the event.
This year, he has been busy creating, four 7’ by 15’ impressionist canvas murals in advance of the event: Earth Day Moose, Earth Day Lion, Desert Bloom, and California Dreamin’. These murals will be placed at the EarthFair for public viewing during the event, and available at auction after the event.
Rosenblatt is also creating another set of
three panels for the public to color this year: Born in New York, Michael mounted his
first one man show in high school. He moved to San Diego in 1977 and has been creating art ever since. He has been producing murals since 1983.
Earth Day was a natural for Rosenblatt. After Earth Day, Michael will return to volunteering for the Urban Collaborative Project, where he’s working on #MileofArt, a public project starting at 50th and Imperial in southeast San Diego. “My dream and passion is to create art where it is needed and brings people together.”
Kim Phillips-Pea will also create a fourth mural for visitors to color in, and Cisco Contreras Yee will paint a canvas during the fair.
Watch Michael complete this “California Bear” mural at the EarthFair in Balboa Park
Save the World in 6 Steps1) Go to EFVol.org2) Read the EarthFair
volunteer job descriptions
3) Sign up to volunteer4) Go to a training5) Do your job at EarthFair6) The world is saved!
That wasn’t so difficult now, was it?
Children’s Sky StageChildren’s Area
Produced by Maria Connors, VIP School of Music, and Heather Nagey
10:00 Dance Scene San Diego – Variety of Dance: Tap, Jazz, Tahitian, Hip Hop, Belly Dancing
11:45 Capoeira Brasil San Diego – Brazilian Martial Arts/Dance
1:00 Cat’s Band – Alternative Rock 2:00 VIP School of Music – Soloists, Bands, Originals
& Covers
Reuse & RepairExhibits
City of San Diego Exhibits
Sun Stage
eHomeGreen Home
Cleaner CarConcourse
Food Court
eARTh GalleryRecycled arts and crafts
Upcycled gifts
EarthFair SponsorsSan Diego EarthWorks acknowledges and thanks our sponsors and supporters, without whose generous
support the EarthFair would not be possible.City of San Diego Commission for Arts & Culture
Cox CommunicationsCity of San Diego Dept. of Environmental Services
Association of Cannabis ProfessionalsSan Diego Metropolitan Credit Union
San Diego Gas & Electric / Sempra UtilitiesMetropolitan Transit System (MTS)
Solar TurbinesEDCO Waste & Recycling Services
County of San Diego Solid Waste Planning & Recycling
City of Chula VistaSierra Nevada Brewing
Golden Coast MeadBoochcraft
San Diego County Bicycle CoalitionUrban Corps of San Diego
Zero Waste San DiegoRadio Latina • Diego FM 99.3
Loma Media
Moon StagePark & Presidents Way
Produced by Donna Larsen and DeuxRay Productions 10:20 Sarah Groban Band – Acoustic Indie Pop Rock 11:05 Robin Henkel – Country Blues of Mississippi 11:50 Skyler Lutes – Indie Reggae Rock 12:40 Donna Larsen and Messengers – Indie Pop
that Rocks 1:25 Julia Othmer – Cinematic Indie Pop 2:15 Alvino and the Dwells 3:00 Robert Cowan and Friends – Soulful Blues 3:50 January Berry Band – Rockin’ Funkin’ Blues
Guarded Bike Parking
9:00am – 6:00pm
Children’s Sky Stage
Children’s Activity Area
San Diego EarthWorks presents…
EARTHFAIR 2018April 22, • Balboa Park • 10am - 5pm
www.EarthDayWeb.org
Beer Garden
CannabisVillage
Zero Waste at EarthFairEarthFair has a goal of Zero Waste, meaning ev-
erything that is thrown away will either be recycled or reused. Last year, almost 80% of our waste was diverted from the landfill.
If you have food, paper or other waste, don’t just put it in a trash can. Instead, go to one of the 25 Zero Waste Stations throughout EarthFair and recycle! Each station, under a big umbrella, will have blue Recycling and green Composting bins, and our volunteer Trash Talkers who can answer any recycling or composting questions you have, and help you get your waste in the right bin.
Make a world of difference…Volunteer for EarthFair!
Info and Register atwww.EFVol.org
Moon Stage
WorldbeatMulticultural
Earth Day
Beer Garden Food Court
Dr. Wilderness Environmental Magic Show
Hosted by Jacqueline Silva Magic Stage
11:30am, 1:30pm and 3:30pm
Sun StageFederal Bldg. Lawn
Produced by ACP, The Treehouse Balboa, Outliers Collective and Dion Markgraaf
10:00 Dion Markgraaff – Welcome 10:20 ACP Leadership – Chris & Dallin 10:30 Iron Sage Wood – Folk, singer-songwriter 11:15 Doug File – Farmer, Author of “Hemp Bound” 11:30 Chris Conrad – Author, cannabis expert 11:50 Kyle Turley – Speaker & music 12:30 Rick Trojan - Hemp industry leader 12:40 David Myers, Nathan Flecher - Candidates for
Sherrif, Countuy Supervisor 1:00 Ed Rosenthal – Author, “Hemp Today” 1:20 Hemp Fashion Show 1:45 Psydecar – Rock, Jazz, Funk & Soul 2:35 Genevieve Jones-Wright – Speaker 2:45 Dolores Huerta – Civil Rights Leader 3:00 Special Musical Guest 4:20 Dion Markgraaff – Closing
Magic StageEl Prado
Produced by Jacqueline Silva, Harmony Playground
Dr. Wilderness Family Magic ShowNATURAL RESORCERY!—MAGIC FOR
PLANET EARTH 11:30am – 1:30pm – 3:30pm
10:30 Earth Day Parade Introductions 11:30 Dr. Wilderness Family Magic Show 12:30 Music by Lee Coulter – Mindful Acoustic 1:30 Dr. Wilderness Family Magic Show 2:30 Cici Artemisia – Mystic Folk Music 3:00 Jacqueline Jax Silva – Positive Pop 3:30 Dr. Wilderness Family Magic Show
Guarded Bike Parking
9:00am – 6:00pm
April 2018 19 San Diego Earth Times
EarthFair ExhibitorsAs Of 3/16/18
AIGA San DiegoAIMA Electric BikeAmazuAmerican Association for
Nude RecreationAmerican Cetacean Society
Amnesty International Association of Cannabis
ProfessionalsAvian Rehabilitation CenterB ‘N’ B Kettle CornBags and More by TessBaha’i FaithBastyr University CaliforniaBeignet BellyBiotecture Planet EarthBiteBoho VibesBoochcraftBSTREET/ Nature’s Path - Love
Crunch Premium Organic Granola
Buddha’s Light International Association
Buddhist Tzu Chi FoundationCaboandCoral.comCali Life Co.Cali PetsCalifornia Wolf CenterCenter for Sustainable EnergyChic Body by SueChristian Vegetarian
AssociationCity of San Diego Public
UtilitiesCity of San Diego, Energy &
Sustainability ProgramClear Blue SeaClimate Action CampaignCommittee Opposed to
Militarism and the DraftCosmic SolarCounty of San Diego/Solid
Waste Planning & RecyclingCrohn’s & Colitis FoundationCruisin JuiceCultural Homestay
InternationalCULTURE MagazineCuyamaca Rancho State Park
Interpretive AssociationCV Sciences (PlusCBD Oil)Didjeridoo Daddy & ReWear
ClothingDiego 99.3 FM – MVS RadioDirt Don’t HurtDixiePopsDonate-a-Pack FoundationDr. Bronner’s ALL-ONEEarth Made Snow ConesEarth Nut KitchenEarthwell RefillEat Your Heart Out SD
Eco WombEDCO Waste & Recycling
ServicesElixinolEnviro-Business Society SDSUEnvironmental Center of San
DiegoEnvironmental Services
DepartmentEssential AddictionsEufloria BotanicalsFarm Animal RefugeFarm Fresh To YouFeeding San DiegoFiesta Island Dog Owners
(FIDO)Fleet Readiness Center
SouthwestFlippysoxFlora and the SunFry KingFusion SolarGanjaroad.comGarage Band JewelryGardens of CaliforniaGlobal Conservation ForceGolden Coast MeadGoodwill Industries of San
Diego CountyGraceful Departure Pet CenterGratitude and Love BottlesGreater San Diego Academy
Charter HomeschoolGreenpeaceGudi’s AromatherapyHeifer InternationalHEMPZOOHenna TattooHigh Minded Living, LLCHippy Geek GirlHouse of BaoHouse of IsraelI Love A Clean San DiegoIBEW Local 569Imaginery CraftsInfinity from MarvinInMotion Technology LLCInternational School of
Healing ArtsIntertwined Conservation
CorporationISKCONJingle SprinklesJosie’s Kitchenettekb Pure EssentialsKynd Clothing Inc.Language of SpaceLast Chance for AnimalsLaw Offices of Michael E.
Cindrich APCLeague of Women Voters of
San DiegoLedesmas Foods
Lobos Del MarLotus Trolley BagLove, Create & HelpLucysRoomMagic SeaManKind Project San DiegoMarlon Crepes and Tea (Pup
Planet)Masala CottageMelissa HeaneyMercy For AnimalsModern Day HippieN and B Suppliers LLCNataraja Meditation and Yoga
CenterNatural Body & BathNaturally WiredNorwexOcean BeaconOcean ConnectorsOh Kale Yeah!Olivia’s KitchenPacific Coast NaturalsPalomar Mountain WaterPeace PiesPlant With PurposePoster HeavenPOTting PAILSPure Thai DesignsRafikiz FoodzRe-Pac BagsRecycle.ecoartRED SambusasRed Wagon Pizza SDRegeneration-ArtRegistrar of Voters, County of
San Diego,Rena Howe DesignRock AntsRunningpath InternationalSalvadorean Food PupusasSan Diego Beekeeping SocietySan Diego Birth NetworkSan Diego Brady Campaign
and Moms Demand ActionSan Diego CanyonlandsSan Diego Chapter, National
Organization for WomenSan Diego Children and
Nature CollaborativeSan Diego County Air
Pollution Control DistrictSan Diego County Office of
EducationSan Diego County ParksSan Diego Floral AssociationSan Diego IndivisibleSan Diego Peace Corps
AssociationSan Diego Public LibrarySan Diego Veterans For PeaceSana PackagingSanDiego350
Save Mission TrailsScientists & Environmentalists
for Population StabilizationSDG&ESea Shepherd Conservation
SocietySeeds for RefugeesSelf-Heal School of Herbal
Studies and HealingSenate President Pro Tempore
Toni AtkinsShare International USASierra Club, San Diego
ChapterSierra Nevada Brewing
CompanySipseeSisters of Perpetual
indulgenceSociallyabstractartSolana Center for
Environmental InnovationSoleil Communications (Welk
Resorts)Southwest Patient GroupSpay Neuter Action Project
SNAPSpecies Restoration ProjectSpirit Soul and Friends - A
Musical PEACE TroupeSt. Paul’s Episcopal CathedralStrong Marketing -
GardenBasketSullivan Solar PowerSunday Assembly San DiegoSurfrider FoundationSwifte and Waze CarpoolTanglewood North HOATaste of PolandThe Camping BaresThe Friendly Feather ShopThe Life ConnectionThe Old GlobeThe Waldorf School of San
DiegoTraveling StoriesTree House BalboaU.S. Fish & Wildlife Serv.,
Office of Law EnforcementUPcycled WorksUrban Corps of San DiegoViva PopsVivawildWater Conservation GardenWe Boutique /Women
empowermentWishGarden herbsYaYa BambooYES, IncZOVARGOZumo Zuzhi Burrito
San Diego Earth Times 20 April 2018 April 2018 21 San Diego Earth Times
Clean cannabis?iT’s said ThaT Those involved wiTh cannaBis are more environmenTally aware. iT remains To Be seen wheTher The indusTry fulfills on ThaT promise.
by Carolyn Chase
The passage of Prop 64, legalizing and further regulating marijuana, has led to a variety of changes related to all
things cannabis (the plant species is named Cannabis).
Whether you supported Prop 64 or not, cannabis cultivation and wide range or re-lated products is a growing agricultural and consumer market with far-reaching environ-mental impacts, along with the potential for great benefits.
For the second year, the Association of Cannabis Professionals (ACP) is sponsoring Cannabis Village at the EarthFair in Balboa Park. Visitors can learn about the varied businesses and non-profits involved with cannabis: hemp, marijuana, cannabinoids (CBDs) and more. The Sun Stage in Can-nabis Village will feature speakers and music throughout the day.
Part of the mission of ACP is to promote professionalism within the industry and edu-cation for the public, while making a positive impact on the community. I set out to discover how to determine if cannabis products are “clean and green,” as well as what is locally available.
The new era begins in California
On my first visit to a San Diego retail pot shop in February, the first thing I noticed was a girl scout and her mom selling cookies from a cart. I bought a box.
Looking for “clean cannabis” is a dirty job…
I and two others visited all licensed retail locations in the City of San Diego as of March 2018, in
search of clean cannabis.Ideally, clean and green would mean:
sustainably grown and zero waste. Other things we found mentioned on cannabis products included: fair-trade; GMO-free; vegan; natural (seems to refer to being grown outdoors in “natural” sunlight), kosher, and organic. We note that the Certified Organic seal is a federal seal and still not available for cannabis products.
What are the regulations?California’s regulatory approach gener-
ally – and especially, with respect to the environmental – has been to apply existing regulations from a variety of areas: waste management, pesticide use, generator re-quirements, renewable energy requirements (including compliance with the state climate change emissions “Cap and Trade” system), general environmental protection measures (State Water Resources Control Board, Re-gional Water Quality Control Board, Cal Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Hazardous Waste), outdoor lighting, mixed lighting, and the
discovery of human remains.The California State regulations are
lengthy. The environmental requirements hold good news and bad news. If you think California requirements are great, then you’d likely think most cannabis regulations are great. That’s because the main approach by the state has been to take each area of existing regulations and apply those to cannabis – and then some. If you are aware of “loopholes” and serious gaps in California’s environmen-tal regulations, well, as always, the devil is in the details.
LEED for weed?LEED refers to a national certification
process for green buildings. There are several efforts to establish green certifications for cannabis. Such certification is deemed nec-essary due to significant gaps in regulations as well as differing regulations across states.
Bugs like pot, tooBugs like cannabis. But in addition to
potential pesticides use, fungicides might be applied to fight mold.
Generally, if a pesticide is ap-proved for use in California on other consumable crops, it’s OK for can-nabis. Of course, most other crops are not smoked or concentrated, so one wonders how safe this really is.
There is no question that cannabis can be completely sustainably grown using integrated pest management (i.e., with no pesticides or toxins). Organic cannabis waste can be 100% processed back into a plant food that replaces chemical-based inputs. How-ever, the regulations do not require this. Some regulations get in the way – often with the best of intentions.
Local Issues
(Continued on page 23)Sample of plastic non-recyclable waste, mostly from canna-bis packaging.
San Diego Earth Times 22 April 2018 April 2018 23 San Diego Earth Times
(Continued on page 25)
Clean cannabis?(cont. from page 21)
State testing begins…Beginning December 31, 2018, all sam-
ples of cannabis and cannabis products will be subject to a regimen of required testing. The specific tests and required action levels can be found in Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations, Division 42, Chapter 6. The presence of a contaminant cannot exceed the applicable action level (for example, 5,000 μg/g of residual butane).
Licensed cannabis testing laboratories that conduct compliance testing must gen-erate a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for each “primary” sample that the laboratory analyzes. The laboratory must also enter the COA information into the state track and trace system.
Indoors vs. outdoorsNo cannabis being sold may be legally
grown outdoors in the San Diego region. Perhaps the largest environmental impact of indoor growing is energy-intensive lighting. Several brands from Northern California advertise their “sunshine-grown” as more sustainable. It is definitely far more energy ef-ficient. Some experts believe that, as growing cannabis spreads, increasing amounts will be grown outdoors as the lowest-cost approach.
Wasted! Busted!Sadly, while the state requires cannabis
waste to be traced and tracked from cradle to grave, for it to be secured, and to be rendered unrecognizable prior to movement, they don’t require it be recycled. You can pay to send any amount you want to a landfill. You may compost it, only to a licensed facility.
Probably the largest negative impact – and one going against the grain of the City’s Zero Waste goals – is the variety and sheer volume of non-reusable, non-recyclable plastic packaging waste. Most of this waste is small and difficult, if not impossible, for recyclers to process:
• Plastic baggies, all sizes• Breakable plastic tubes• Plastic mixed with paper packaging• Vape pen cartridges (not just can-
nabis) and related synthetic plastic packaging
Unfortunately, overall only 6% of ALL plastics are recycled. Due to kind of plastic and the small sizes, NONE of the items listed above are being recycled. Even worse, 30% of all plastics end up in the environment, where the wildlife that ingests it and can be choked or poisoned.
It appears that every single cannabis customer is getting multiple pieces of waste plastic.
What a packageEvery retail cannabis shop provides a
sealed, plastic, non-recyclable bag to carry your purchased items. They are required to be opaque and child-resistant. Most are of-fering credit programs for reusing the bag: if you return with a bag, they give you a credit toward your next purchase.
The product-packaging varies widely. We did discover some great cardboard tubes (recyclable) instead of the ubiquitous plastic tubes. Some cannabis flowers are being sold in recyclable glass (while small glass contain-ers can generally be recycled, the same cannot be said for their lids). Only a few brands have made the effort to eliminate plastic wrap. Far too many are using pre-measured and sealed mylar bags, i.e., trash.
Cannabis edibles, with the exception of drinks, have all the same waste-packaging issues as other non-cannabis edibles: plastic trash for wrappers and bags.
Another source of waste: empty vape cartridges. We found three brands with take-back programs. The vast majority are going into the trash.
Plastic-free IS possibleJust when I was getting depressed about
the inevitable build-up of tiny plastic trash particles from every person buying cannabis products, I saw a hopeful report of progress overseas. A grocery store with a “plastic free” aisle has opened in Amsterdam, with a variety of goods displayed either in glass, metal or paper containers. Any plastic-looking wrap-ping there is actually made of “biofilm” that composts.
A group called A Plastic Planet has developed a “plastic-free” product mark so that shoppers can identify those products – if manufacturers will use it.
“There is absolutely no logic in wrapping
something as fleeting as food in something as indestructible as plastic,” said Sian Suther-land, co-founder of A Plastic Planet. “Plastic food and drink packaging remains useful for a matter of days yet remains a destructive pres-ence on the earth for centuries afterwards.”
Consumers in the leadCannabis regulations should evolve. It
will take time to overcome decades of mis-information and lack of research.
With the state leading the way with some requirements, others are being left to produc-ers and then consumers to choose.
Health claims?No one is supposed to be making health
claims about cannabis products. “Health-related statements” must be support “the to-tality of public available scientific evidence.” Some studies have finally begun. In time, studies will test a variety of compounds and effects and overcome decades of prohibition and superstition.
San Diego Earth Times 24 April 2018 April 2018 25 San Diego Earth Times
Yes We CannaIf you’re consuming cannabis products,
look for lab test results. Look for certification labels. Some existing labels apply, and some new ones are being developed.
We’re on our own to verify producer claims. Fortunately, there appear to be some greener choices to be made. Seek them out.
The most greenYou have every reason to get the cleanest,
greenest available. You can now get seeds to grow your own. Cannabis is pretty much a weed, and can be grown easily in pots on sunny balconies or in the ground.
If you’re interested in future news and events related to clean cannabis, email: [email protected]
Clean cannabis?(cont. from page 23)
I was invited to participate as an expert-at-large during this “Social Innovation Sprint” co-hosted by UCSD Engineering and Rady School of Business. The Sprint brought together students from high-school through grad school to learn about design and innova-tion. They were then split into teams to work toward a solution for climate change. The following was the first place winner.
Why We Compostby Irem B. Ustunol
In the year 2015, statistics from EPA showed that 10% of the total emission of greenhouse gases comes from methane
production, and landfills contribute 18% of this methane emission. EPA also said that the same amount of methane is 21 times more harmful to the environment in comparison to carbon dioxide. Starting from this motivation, our team decided to find a promising solution to the increasing-growth-of-landfills issue. Landfills create water and air pollution. In addition, they are the prime breeding ground for deadly insects and pests.
Waste = FoodOur mission is to reduce climate change
effects with food recovery and recycling, primarily by composting. We believe that in-efficiencies in the food recovery and recycling space that have not garnered enough attention. Many individuals and firms throw food scraps and leftovers away without consideration of where it might go. Most of this waste is picked up by waste management companies and end up in landfills, where they lie fallow and emit methane gas, destroy soil nutrients, affect nearby land prices, and create an inhabitable environment that is detrimental to our health.
Creativity timeTaking this initiative, we participated in
the Social Innovation Sprint, Winter 2018. This two-day program helped us to gain in-sights on how to define the problem, employ design-thinking, how to develop a business plan, and how to solve the issue in a feasible and realistic way. The faculty and experts in sustainability, health, and organizations that participated in the Sprint, such as Dr. Tina Klein and Brandon Reynante, gave very ben-eficial and insightful talks to help us tackle the issue with the climate change. We were fortunate to be awarded first place for our idea and business plan.
Waste ConnectionOur solution was to create an information
exchange system, starting with a website to allow people to notify us when they have food scraps or excess food. In return, we provide them with the transportation and necessary recycling services that allow for sustainable redistribution of uneaten food and decomposi-tion of food waste. This system helps people positively contribute to climate change at an individual level, and get feedback immedi-ately with social incentives.
We intend to start with the UCSD cam-pus and bigger waste producers, like super-markets and restaurants, that are willing to donate their uneaten food and food scraps. By partnering with a few food banks and community gardens, we can utilize their ex-isting infrastructure to support our effort for sustainable redistribution of uneaten food and decomposition of food waste.
Green Tech TeamOur team consists of a varied group of
people from UCSD. Irem B. Ustunol is a Ph.D. student in the
Department of Nanoengineering, and holds B.S. degrees in Business Administration and Chemical Engineering. She worked on waste and clean water quality improvement, and her current research focuses on molecular and cell/tissue level interactions of environmental metal oxide nanoparticles on human health.
Wesley Cheng is an undergraduate stu-dent in Mathematics-Computer Science and Economics, who is interested in information and business. He has experience in equity research working in the Student Foundation Investment Committee and is currently in the process of designing the website and related systems.
Hung Nguyen is an undergraduate in Speculative Design and minor in Entrepre-neurship and Innovation. He volunteers at the Sustainability Resource Center with the Student Sustainability Collective that focus on campaigns that range from water bottle ban to food waste and is currently working on a Hydroponic project, which works with food digester and water waste treatment at Roger’s Community Garden.
Our newest member is Kunal B. Mehta.Kunal recently got his M.S. degree in Me-chanical and Aerospace Engineering and is working as a performance engineer in a renewable energy company. At UCSD, Kunal specialized in environmental engineering, atmospheric science, and energy efficiency.
Irem B. Ustunol, Ph.D. Student, Depart-
ment of NanoEngineering, UC San Diego
UC San Diego – Social Innovation Sprintby Carolyn Chase
San Diego Earth Times 26 April 2018 April 2018 27 San Diego Earth Times
On the Road to Zero Waste!
There are many ways that recycling helps our environmentand even the smallest step can have significant results.
Family owned and locally operated EDCO
can help you make a difference.EDCO is proud to offer residential, commercial and industrial
waste and recycling services.Please contact us at (619) 287-7555 or (760) 744-2700,
or visit our website, edcodisposal.com
EDCO is a Proud Sponsor of EarthFair 2018
Earth Day 2018.indd 1 3/7/18 9:27 AM
Wither, the Albatross?provided by the Save theAlbatross Coalition
The Pacific albatross roosts in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on islands of the Midway Atoll. This bird is one of the
largest and can fly around the artic circle with-out stopping. They dive for shrimp and krill.
The albatross mistakes plastic items in the ocean to be food. Caps and lids meet the visual criteria from the air. The bird cannot digest these items and dies.
Ninety percent of all seabirds have in-gested marine plastic.
The smell of… plasticRecent research provides a clue as to why
seabirds are so heavily impacted. Petrels, shearwaters, and albatrosses, who spend most of their lives gliding above the ocean, find their food by sniffing out a sulfur compound called dimethyl sulfide, or DMS. When krill and small fish munch on algae, DMS is released – acting as a sort of scent alarm for the birds. The smell triggers their instinct to forage on ocean animals near the surface.
What the researchers found was that DMS-emitting algae grows on the bits of plastic debris. Through the course of natural wave movements, the debris is emitting and mimicking the scent birds seek out to identify food. Attracted by the smell, they
eat the plastic. Although scientists are conservative, and
have a hard time proving how much plastic ingestion is contributing to seabird mortality, seabird populations declined by 67% from 1950 to 2010 (in 60 years). Plastic pollution is certainly a contributing factor.
The cultural change needed to reverse this trend is to focus the public’s attention to the unintended consequences of single use
non-recyclable plastic packages, containers, and products.
Closing the loop on plasticThe thread from the large amount of plas-
tic debris washing up on Midway Atoll and the Northwest Hawaiian Islands is somewhat like an oil spill: the flow must be stopped, and the residual must be removed.
We need to bring the producers of plastic-polluting products and packages to the World table to draft Zero Waste responsibility plans for proper management of discarded plastic via redesign for recyclability, buy back pur-chasing opportunities (closed circle), and recovery campaigns for vagrant plastics on land and sea.
The Save the Albatross Campaign objec-tive is to motivate identified producers to pay for plastic cleanup on Midway and other US Pacific Islands which are nesting areas for the Laysan and Black-footed Albatross. Please visit (albatrosscoalition.org).
Save the Albatross Coalition, albatross-coalition.org
Enjoy Sierra Nevada Brewing’s Pale Ale and Summerfest Pilsner
at The Plaza and Sun Stage Beer Gardens at EarthFair.
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Tourch the lives of 50,000 people in one day
Volunteer for EarthFair 2018
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