Save The Bay, an organization I have long cherished and admired, Today, they brought news of a great victory they had, on behalf of all Californians. They launched a huge campaign, to get the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (yes a mouthful, but no, the campaign was not to shorten said Board’s name. Perhaps that will happen some day) to vote unanimously to order Caltrans to “Cease and Desist” from continuing to pollute the SF Bay Area’s roads by allowing trash to pile up, which then spills over to the creeks, onto the Bay and finally the Pacific Ocean!
I am linking the Save The Bay release below. They have provided further opportunities for reading and learning there.
I have been aware of Save The Bay’s efforts for a while. Even back then, I found it inexplicable that a state run agency, especially an extroverted-liberal state like California had to be threatened almost over a 2 year period, for them to basically do their jobs!
How Environment Friendly IS California?
One thing many Californians, including yours truly have is an immense love for the state. This is a bit tongue-in-cheek to be saying (or rather typing) on Valentine’s Day, but the cliche goes, “love blinds”. California, especially the Bay Area preaches and proselytizes more than she follows. Development is almost unabated in the Bay Area, and in a further example of brazenness, after one of the worst fires in Northern California History, the State allowed for homes to be reconstructed in the same unsafe areas that burned, like Rohnert Park.
And now we have a State Agency, funded by taxypayers, Caltrans, had to be goaded, threatened and finally given an ultimatum. Plus, they haven’t done any of the cleanup that they have been told they must do. As Save The Bay indicated, Caltrans has barely moved the needle in the last five years.
It is truly remarkable that they only reacted after being given a C&D notice.
The message for all California Nature Lovers is clear. The State appears to be a whole lot more environment friendly and sustainable than it actually is, and much work remains to be done!
So, if California is this bad, what of others?
While I criticize my home state, I also have to wonder, if one of the most environment friendly states has agencies that are this far behind the curve, what of the others? Do they have their own “Save The Bays”. And if so, how relentless and successful are they? And, at lest California got here today. Much is to be said of another cliche “As goes California, so goes the Nation”. Maybe, imperfect as we are, and holier than thou that we act to be, we can still be a role model. And maybe, we will have the humility to learn from others’ successes as well as their failures.
In Conclusion
Protecting nature, natural resources and the environment should not be this difficult. While ennui can set in, it is important to acknowledge the relentless courage and focus of the several wonderful organizations out there that fight on our behalf.
References:
- The Save The Bay Release: https://savesfbay.org/cease-and-desist-caltrans-ordered-to-stop-trashing-the-bay
- Image, Courtesy, Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/photo/america-architecture-bay-boat-208745/
