REMINDER: SFV Climate Reality Mtg.,Tuesday, Feb., 11th, 7pm |
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We at SFVCR are grateful for all of the emergency responders who have worked so hard over the past weeks, as well as the communities that have pulled together to help those in need. The strength of community plays a huge role in our disaster preparedness and resilience, and we appreciate everyone who has reached out to help a neighbor during this climate disaster. |
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SAN FERNANDO VALLEY CHAPTER MEETING |
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| Join our Chapter Meeting Tuesday, February 11th 7pm - 8:30pm Click Here To Register Everyone is welcome! Please spread the word. |
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Reducing Waste, Increasing Alternative Choices Join our Guest Speaker Jennifer Pinkerton, from the Los Angeles Department of Sanitation (LASAN), to hear updates about what LASAN is doing to support our city's zero waste ordinance, plastics reduction, organics recycling, and food rescue goals, as well as LASAN's role in fire recovery with the EPA and Army Corps. There will be lots to learn and plenty of inspiration to reduce waste in our own lives! Register Here. |
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Jennifer Pinkerton, Environmental Affairs Officer, Los Angeles Department of Sanitation Jennifer Pinkerton has worked in the field of recycling and solid waste for 30 years and is an authority on how cities are currently managing waste. She previously worked with Californians Against Waste and has now been with LA Sanitation for the past decade. During her time at LASAN, Pinkerton wrote the City of LA's plastic pollution policy report and drafted the plastic straws and foodware "accessories upon request" ordinance, expanded the single-use plastic bag ban, enacted the citywide styrofoam ban and is now focused on LA's zero waste ordinance. |
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SFV CHAPTER NEWS & EVENTS |
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| Join Our Leadership Team (or at least vote for it!) It's time to vote for the leadership team to guide our chapter's activities for the next year! Want to take a more active role in our chapter? Volunteer for a leadership position! No experience needed; you'll partner with our more experienced members to learn what's needed.
We will be sharing the election ballot and leadership roles at our meeting for anyone interested in joining the leadership team, or you can email us to express interest. |
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Legislative Committee Our Legislative team members are busy meeting with as many California legislators as possible before bills are submitted on Feb 21. If you'd like to sit in on a half-hour meeting or two (it's fascinating to hear what these folks are thinking and what their priorities are!), email Kathy Schaeffer here to be added to the invite list.
The Legislative committee also needs volunteers to vet bills for our endorsements. If you'd like to scan through bills and look for promising topics for us to support, let us know! |
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Environmental Justice and Rights of Nature (EJRoN) Meeting The SFVCR Environmental Justice and Rights of Nature (EJRoN) group welcomes all interested to join our efforts. At our next Zoom meeting, we will be discussing the focus of our work for 2025 and our new social media campaign on endangered species. Now is the ideal time to join us at the beginning of planning and executing a new effort! Email Judy Glass for the Zoom link.
Monday, February 10th, 4pm |
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| Tarzana Native Plant Fair SFVCR will be tabling at the Tarzana Native Plant Fair on Feb 23, 11am-4pm, so come on out to learn about firewise landscaping with California native plants. Pick up some plants to create a healthy ecosystem in your yard, and stop by our table to say hello! There are activities for the whole family, including art and gardening activities for kids, live music, mingling with our community...and it's FREE. Sunday, February 23, 11am-4pm |
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Biodiversity Spotlight Each month we'll feature a different California native species, either endangered or critical to our region, and how it's being impacted by climate change. "A Nation That Destroys It's Soils Destroys Itself." Franklin D. Roosevelt |
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Biodiversity Spotlight: California or Coast Live Oaks Range: California and northern Mexico, mostly along the Coast. Habitat: Mostly lowlands and forested areas, covering millions of acres. Threats: Disease, insects, severe drought and human intervention/fires (though oaks can actually regrow after wildfires!). Impacts: Coast live oaks, like those found in Thousand Oaks, provide a vast array of benefits for the ecosystem. They develop a network of trees that communicate with each other. Their root systems not only provide nourishment for the trees, but also help limit ground erosion. The intricate root system helps them survive drought conditions, and provides growth resiliency after fires. They can live hundreds of years and grow to 75 feet tall, at a rate of about 2 feet per year. Their shade canopy can cover 30-70 feet and is one of the reasons it is considered a “keystone species". This canopy provides a year-round sustainable habitat for numerous species of birds, mammals, insects, and other plants who depend on their numerous ecological attributes. Animals (i.e. deer, squirrels, and birds) as well as Tongva peoples gather and consume their acorns due to their high nutritional value, availability and versatility. |
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| An integral part of the tree's growth includes shedding of their leaves and acorns As the trees seasonally shed leaves, acorns and small branches, they begin to decompose on the ground in soft piles and their nutrients leach back into the soil providing nature's own form of composting. Those decomposition piles hold in moisture which minimizes hydration needs and encourages other plant growth. As if that isn't enough, these oaks help in carbon sequestration by capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis, thereby reducing some of the effects of climate change. Additionally, the voluminous leaves act as a natural air filter to trap pollens, dust, and smoke or other air borne particulates. |
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If you would like to suggest a California Native species or write a biodiversity spotlight please contact Zina Block or Sherrell Cuneo. |
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