POWER CHARGE
If you are getting power through Monterey Bay Community Power be aware that some of your power will soon come from a very destructive project in the Mojave Desert. Aratina Solar Center is in the process of removing thousands of Joshua trees from an intact desert ecosystem. The panels will cover 2,300 acres. Whatever you think of green energy, this is the most destructive type of land use. In my opinion, solar should be decentralized to minimize loss of habitats and farmlands.
Sandra Baron | Watsonville
CAPITOLA CROSSWALK
It’s very telling that all the people complaining are those complaining about what it’s like TO BE IN A CAR. And many of them are complaining about congestion, aka how fast they can LEAVE the area. They offer no perspective or have no time to care about what it’s like to be someone OUTSIDE of a car. Someone who just wants to use their legs to cross a street. Or bicycle. Or maybe have the audacity to push a stroller.
The values they hold dear are clear, if only implied: You have no right to feel safe walking in this community. Safety is for people in cars. Spend thousands and thousands of dollars on vehicles, insurance, and fuel. And any time you want to go somewhere, even if it’s just to pick up a pack of butter from the store, be prepared to take two tons of metal and plastic with you.
Enough already. Enough of the danger, enough of the car bullying. Walking and biking should be safe and healthy options in our community.
DC
SAVING OUR SHORES
Save Our Shores (SOS) announced the results of the 2024 Annual Coastal Cleanup Day for Santa Cruz and Monterey counties. With the help of 1,540 volunteers, Save Our Shores tackled 56 cleanup sites from Año Nuevo State Beach in the north to Andrew Molera State Park in the south.
Volunteers successfully removed over 6,945 pounds of trash and 612 pounds of recyclables in just three hours. Some of the top numbers of the day include 1,345 pounds of debris removed on Zmudowski State Beach, and an impressive 103 volunteers at Del Monte Beach.
Save Our Shores Executive Director Katie Thompson thanked site captains as they returned cleanup supplies to the Save Our Shores office Saturday afternoon.
“Today’s efforts prove that community action is powerful. By joining forces and getting our hands dirty, we’re not just cleaning up—we’re creating a legacy of environmental stewardship. We deeply appreciate the support from local nonprofits, businesses, and community members who share our vision for a cleaner, healthier bay,” she said.
Calah Pasley
