Volume 49, Number 4, 2010 www.ventana.sierraclub.org AUG, SEPT, OCT OUTINGS Laundry to landscape watering Early election picks Do we really need all those plastic bags? Pat Dellin's fruit trees are watered from her washing machine. Debbie Bulger Explore, enjoy, and protect the planet hile it is the intent of The Ventana to print articles that reflect the position of C hapter C hair the Ventana Chapter, ideas expressed Win The Ventana are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Sierra Club. Articles, graphics, and photographs are Wonderful whale watching copyrighted by the authors and artists and may be reprinted only with their permission. ast month saw a record amount of The whales seem to show up overnight, unusually high concentration of krill but it DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSIONS humpback and blue whales feeding apparently communicating miles away to was a good sign to see the Bay appear to All materials for publication must be received by in Monterey Bay. In sightings from others about the concentration of krill in have such a healthy population of marine Lland, and even better, from whale watch- our area. Naturalists on the whale boats said life from the smallest microplankton to the the deadlines listed below. No exceptions. SUBMISSIONS FORMAT ing boats, there were often as many their depth sounders revealed krill close to largest animal on earth—the blue whale. as 50–60 whales visible. Up close in the surface and most dense from —Rita Dalessio Please limit articles to 800 words; letters to 300. the boats, a group I was with on a 200 feet to the All submissions may be edited for clarity and length. Email to [email protected]. Mail hard boat tour saw mothers with their calves, juveniles rolling over and copy to editor, address below. How do you save a PHOTOS over flashing their tails and even “ the pink roofs of their mouths as Photos submitted to The Ventana must meet the whale? following requirements: No laser copies or inkjet they took in the abundant krill. In outputs. Electronic photos should be no smaller addition to about a dozen blue whales and You have to protect than 1200 x 1100 pixels or 300 dpi. Cover photos 40 humpbacks, we also saw three types of the must be 3000 x 2000 pixels. Film photos, slides, dolphins and a Black-footed Albatross! It bottom, and at or negatives are fine. Please call the editor if you has been seven years since we have seen this the ocean canyon near Carmel, ocean.” have any questions. number of whales in the Bay. at 450 feet. It is not clear what caused this —Dr. Sylvia A. Earle WHERE TO SEND SUBMISSIONS Send submissions to Debbie Bulger, Editor, 1603 King Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, Chapter and Group seeking [email protected]. Executive Committee CHANGE OF ADDRESS Candidates rom the ditor Do not call editor! Send address changes to: o you know someone who would F e [email protected] or use the mail-in coupon in each issue. be a good candidate to serve on either the Chapter or the Group Simpler times given “a shining bright new penny!” “There POSTAL NOTICE DExecutive Committee? These committees s I write this, my granddaughters had never been such a Christmas.” The Ventana (015057) is published 6 times a meet once a month to determine Chapter and their mother (my daughter) are In the third book of the series, Farmer year, (Feb., Apr., Jun., Aug., Oct., Dec.) paid by and Group policies and to take action on visiting Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Boy, Almanzo Wilder, who is nine years subscription included in membership fee, by The Ahome in South Dakota. The beloved stories old and will eventually marry Laura when Ventana Chapter of the Sierra Club, 511 River issues that affect our beautiful area. Typi- Street, Santa Cruz, 95060. Periodical postage cal tasks include reading EIRs, writing let- of Laura’s childhood have been read and he grows up, celebrates Christmas at his paid Santa Cruz, CA and at additional mailing ters to government bodies, testifying before cherished by generations of children since father’s prosperous farm in upstate New offices. City Councils and County Supervisors, they were first published. York. Almanzo and his brother and sisters Postmaster: Send address changes to Sierra Club, and on occasion recommending the Club While my grandkids are gone, I’ve de- jump out of bed before dawn to check their The Ventana, P.O. Box 604, Santa Cruz, CA stockings. 95061-0604. take legal action. cided to reread these wonderful books so To learn more, check out the Chapter I can better converse with my granddaugh- Almanzo finds a real store-bought cap Editor: with ear muffs, a nickel’s worth of candy, Debbie Bulger, [email protected], website for election rules and timetable: ters when they come home. After all, it had Production: www.ventana.sierraclub.org. To volunteer been over 50 years since I had read Little a new pair of mittens, an orange, a pack- Debbie Bulger, Vivian Larkins, Dale Nutley to run or recommend someone you know House on the Prairie, and I had not read all age of dried figs, and a jackknife with four Writers: call one of the contact numbers in the box the books in the series. blades. “He thought no boy ever had a bet- Rita Dalessio, Debbie Bulger, Lesli Daniel, It was astounding to revisit these chil- ter Christmas.” Jerry Meral below. Photographers: Santa Cruz members are eligible to serve dren’s classics from an adult perspective. I Can you imagine children today being Nancy Stevens-Brown, Debbie Bulger either in Monterey at the Chapter level or was especially struck by the stories of cel- extravagantly happy with these presents? Mike Splain, Russell Boone, Ventana staff in Santa Cruz at the Group level. Monterey ebrating Christmas. The children were in But of course, these 19th century children Proofreaders: members are eligible to serve at the Chapter seventh heaven over what today would be were not exposed to a constant barrage Virginia Draper, Jeff Alford, Robin Drury level. considered minimal presents. of advertisements. It is estimated that the Distribution: average U.S. child today watches between Keith Wood, Esperanza Hernandez, When Laura and her sister Mary saw their Beth Lilienthal, Debbie Bulger gifts, they squealed with delight. Each had 25,000 and 40,000 commercials each year. Advertising Sales: Nominating a new tin cup to drink out of. Each received By the time a child is 3, many can recognize Debbie Bulger a stick of peppermint candy, and each had at least 100 brand logos. Carpentry & Software: a little heart-shaped cake with white sugar Pioneer days were simpler times. Laura Anonymous Committees Chapter website: sprinkled on top. “The cups and the cakes Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder lived in a time http://ventana.sierraclub.org Monterey Chapter and the candy were almost too much. They when reduce/reuse/and recycle were part of normal living. (Contact Mary Gale, 626-3565, were too happy to speak.” —Debbie Bulger [email protected]) But that wasn’t all. In addition, each was Nicole Charles Rod Mills Moving? 2010 Gillian Taylor Ventana Publication Schedule Steve Zmak Please fill out and mail the change of “We are dying of Issue Deadline Mailing Date address form on p.15 or email consumption.” #5 Sept. 20 Oct. 6 Santa Cruz Group [email protected] #6 Nov. 29 Dec. 15 (Contact Debbie Bulger, 457-1036, The post office charges us 70¢ each if —PETER DAUVERGNE, [email protected]) they handle the address change. UNIVERSITY BRITISH COLUMBIA Articles received after deadline Debbie Bulger Please help the Club by handling may not be published. Paul Elerick address changes in a timely fashion. Peter Scott Thanks! 2 The Sierra Club 1 Ventana Chapter, Volume 49, Number 4, 2010 Printed on recycled paper l etters State bill would ban single-use plastic bags Th eVentana welcomes letters Send to: by Lesli Daniel LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Th e Ventana, 1603 King Street, alifornians use approximately 19 Santa Cruz, CA 95060 billion single-use plastic bags each email: [email protected] year. However, less than 5% of all Please include a phone number Csingle use plastic bags are recycled. Instead, with your letter. Anonymous letters are not many of these plastic bags become litter in accepted. Letters may be edited for length. our oceans and our communities. Th e Cali- fornia legislature is poised to pass a bill ban- Oil and Water ning single-use plastic bags, and the Gov- Despite the oil spill tragedy, Santa Cru- ernor has said he’ll sign it. But there is stiff zans are entertaining the idea of depend- opposition from the American Chemistry ing on oil for our water. Most Santa Cruz Council and other industry groups. dwellers are responsible individuals who Additionally some local jurisdictions would be happy to conserve water all year have banned single-use plastic bags or are long, given the necessary incentive, rather investigating local ordinances. Santa Cruz than have the city spend millions on a fi - County is currently investigating such a nancially and environmentally expensive ban. San Francisco enacted a limited ban in desalination plant. Th ose Santa Cruzans 2007 at large grocery and drug stores and who haven’t fi gured out that washing their Debbie Bulger cars at noon without a water-conserving is discussing expanding the ban to more re- nozzle means wasting water will eventually tail stores such as hardware and department Plastic bags were the most common plastic item found in the digestive tracts of leatherback turtles.