Tag Archives: environment

25. Tipping Fees

Original Photo: Flikr user Sean Dreilinger.   Used under Creative Commons license.

Increase area tipping fees to make deconstruction feasible. Fees should be over $150/ton.
–Gladwyn d’Souza

Tipping fees (sometimes called gate fees) are charges levied at disposal sites such as landfills for dumping waste.  By increasing tipping fees, those working in building and infrastructure demolition would have incentive to salvage reusable materials and fixtures for later use rather than dumping them as waste.  Such reusable materials include plumbing fixtures, cabinetry, flooring and scrap metal.

23. Protect San Mateo’s Endangered Species

SFGSnakeOriginal Photo: Flickr user Silvain de Munck  Used under Creative Commons license.

We need those who supervise us to have an understanding and appreciation of those species which were here before supervision was needed. Endangered species need to be protected by those who have the power to protect them. April Vargas understands this. Few in power these days do.

– George Cattermole

The San Francisco Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis tetrataenia) pictured above is found only in San Mateo County and bits of far nothern Santa Cruz County.  This subspecies of the common garter snake is considered one of the most colorful snakes in the world.  Classified as endangered since 1967, only 1,000-2,000 individuals are predicted to remain.

Find out more about San Francisco Garter Snakes and efforts to protect them on Wikipedia , Don Robertson from Monterrey’s website, or the Center for Biological Diversity.

20. Beautify 101

Bilboards-and-trees

Original Image: Flickr user occam.  Used under Creative Commons license.  Tree: Public Domain.

Many people use Hwy. 101 and it is really a boring drive and frustrating.  If we could make it more beautiful and relaxing, perhaps we could lessen the road rage, etc.  Also, this greening of the highway by planting more trees would bring more rain to this desert state (as trees attract more rain).  I, for one, take Hwy 280 because it is such a lovely drive and never go on Hwy 101 unless I have no alternative.  Once the trees are planted, they should not need any upkeep.  Nature would provide that.

- Ron Meier

Thanks for this opportunity.
My main concern is the ugly billboards.
Get rid of them.

- Rick Gilbert, Redwood City

14. More (and Better) Bus Shelters

BusShelter

Original Photo: Flickr user crderivative.  Used under Creative Commons license.

Install bus shelters that provide shelter from the weather, not advertising space.

Recently many of the bus shelters which had provided shelter from summer hot afternoon sun and winter rain and wind, we removed and replaced with more open shelters which provided illuminated billboards for advertising, but which do not provide protection from weather.

Since a rider has to wait for up to an hour, sometimes more, for a bus, don’t they deserve some protection? It gets pretty rough out there. The old shelters should have been kept in place which would have increased the number of shelters. – Dana Callen

13. Bring Real Green Jobs

greenjobs

Politicians want to promise “green jobs” for their citizens, but “green jobs” is an ambiguous term and too often the only green workers you see today are those collecting bottles and cans to recycle.

Let’s make San Mateo County a center for real, sustainable, green jobs by supporting educational and vocational training programs for environmentally responsible work.  Such programs might train people in solar panel installation and design, organic farming and ranching methods, manufacturing with recycled materials, safer waste disposal methods, sustainable forestry and open space maintenance, etc.

With a well-trained and talented work force, we can employ our citizens for years to come and attract new green businesses to the county.

11. Keep the Levee Safe and in Repair

SMBridgeLeveeOriginal Photo: FosterCity.org.

In San Mateo we have a problem with keeping the levee on the bayside safe and in repair.

My so-called flood insurance goes up every year (it has NEVER flooded here to my knowledge [by DMV.]) I pay $500 to $600 a year for fire insurance (more likely, more devastation) and over $1500  going close to $2000 a year for flood-ins. – Arlene Horan

10. Keep the Parks Open Clean and Safe

SMCounty-ParkOriginal Photo: Flickr user Kevin.  Used under Creative Commons license.

-Ann and Alan Fleisman

6. Pedestrian and Bike Bridges over 101

Arlie ped and bike bridge over 101I work two miles from home, but I cannot bike to work because it’s too dangerous to get across 101.  Both the Holly Street overpass and the Ralston overpass are too dangerous for bikes and anyway the  bikes impede the flow of traffic. – Arley Lewis

5. Ban Plastic Bags

plastic bag

Environmental damage from plastic waste is a serious reality on California’s coast.  Here’s an excellent article from Salon.com on waste in Oakland’s Lake Merritt.

4. White Roofs

Paint-the-roof-white

Original Photo: Flickr user Patrick Gage. Used under Creative Commons license.

Provide incentives for homeowners and businesses to save energy and reduce carbon emissions in areas of the county that experience high summertime temperatures by painting the roofs of their homes and commercial buildings white.

Obama Energy Secretary Steve Chu has been promoting this as an extremely cost effective way to save energy and reduce air conditioning costs.  A White Roof component could be added to the San Mateo County’s existing Green Building Program to encourage new construction and remodelling projects to include this initiative.  Owners of existing homes and commercial properties could be offered a rebate to participate.

For more information take a look at these links:
Steven Chu’s White Revolution

Energy Smart: Local Action “White Roof (Cool) Roof Project”

3. Mixed Use Spaces

Mixed-Use

Original Photo: Flickr user Architecture & Food.  Used under Creative Commons license.

Revitalize existing commercial buildings in major business districts to add residential uses where feasible, encourage live/work facilities, make downtown areas more walkable and increase economic activity.

Many strip malls do not currently make the best use of available land. By redesigning these projects to include more centralized services and a residential component, individual community identity is strengthened and traffic decreases as more people conveniently travel on foot.

The Grand Boulevard project seeks to recreate El Camino Real using these concepts.

2. Parallel Bike Lanes

Bike-Lanes

Build parallel trails for pedestrians and bicycles along major transportation corridors.

One example is Highway One on the coastside.  Often clogged by traffic on weekends and sunny days, Highway One is no longer an efficient route for local residents and visitors to travel between communities along the coast.  A parallel trail, separated from the roadway by a landscaped median, would allow pedestrians and cyclists to move easily up and down the shoreline while relieving automobile congestion.  A trail would also provide a safe route for students to once again walk or ride their bikes to school, further reducing the gridlock caused by parents dropping off and picking up their kids during peak commute hours.