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Changes Coming to Your Energy Bill, Good for Planet and Wallet
March 2, 2021
As part of a statewide effort to create a cleaner energy future, all Californians are being encouraged to shift their energy use to earlier in the day, when renewable resources like solar and wind are most plentiful. Currently, many Bay Area...
Virtual Green Friday Program Continues This Spring
March 2, 2021
The Green Friday speaker series is beaming straight into your home via Zoom! Join us virtually on the second Friday of each month for presentations on some of the most interesting and important environmental issues of our time. This spring's...
Keeping Tabs as Refineries Press On With Transitions
March 2, 2021
Phillips 66 is moving forward with plans to transition its Rodeo refinery from crude oil processing to renewable diesel, renewable gasoline, and sustainable jet fuel. Late in December, the company submitted a Notice of Preparation to Contra Costa...
Good News on Saving Tesla Park, but More Work Needed
March 2, 2021
A few years ago, the State Parks department completed an environmental impact report (EIR) on allowing off-road vehicles into Tesla Park. A number of organizations and entities sued, including the County of Alameda, which recently won a major legal...
When It Comes to the SF Bay Shoreline, We're All in This Together
March 2, 2021
We had an early meeting with the Mayor and City Manager of Newark to discuss a proposed luxury housing development on a restorable wetland along the San Francisco Bay shoreline at Newark’s “Area 4” site. The 469-unit luxury housing project in...
Democracy is Messy, but We Can Do Better Than 2% Turnout
March 1, 2021
Every year, our Chapter – as part of the messily democratic Sierra Club – has the opportunity to elect its officers. The Chapter invites all members to vote, and leaders at different levels compete for seats. As in our country’s elections, some...
The Chevron Oil Spill Reminds Us Why We Need a Just Transition
March 1, 2021
On February 10th, a leak in one of the pipelines operated by the Chevron Richmond Refinery spilled around 600 gallons of oil into the waters of the San Francisco Bay near Richmond and San Pablo. This is one more example of how fossil fuel companies...
Balancing Trail Access and Safety in East Bay Parks
February 23, 2021
One of the greatest joys of living in the East Bay is hiking the trails in the many parks of the East Bay Regional Park District. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed how vital and important the park system is for people’s physical and mental health....
Sierra Club Supports End to Single-Family Zoning in Berkeley
February 23, 2021
The Sierra Club enthusiastically supports the resolution to end exclusionary zoning coming before the Berkeley City Council this evening. The trend of cities eliminating single-family zoning began with Minneapolis in 2019, followed by Seattle. The...
The SkyStar Observation Wheel in Golden Gate Park Should Close to Protect Our Wildlife
February 4, 2021
Last year, without adequate environmental review, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department installed a brightly lit ferris wheel in the middle of Golden Gate Park. Now the department is asking that the wheel's one-year permit be extended for...