Palo Alto voters approve composting measure by a large margin
Palo Alto voters approved Measure E, reallocating 10 acres of Bxybee Park for the possible construction of a new composting facility.
conservation
High-speed rail may not be eco-friendly if trains aren’t full
High-speed rail is one of President Obama’s priorities, but Northern California debates continue. According to Stanford earth science students, high-speed trains are only eco-friendly if full.
Stanford artist marks pelican population’s rebound by creating sculpture from trash
The California brown pelican was on the endangered species list in 1970, but the population rebounded, and the birds came off the list in 2009. A Stanford student artist commemorates the victory in sculpture.
Salmon fishing season opens after years of restrictions; tensions remain
This month, for the first time in two years, salmon fishing season is fully open in the Pacific Northwest. But tensions over water use remain, and the salmon population may still be threatened.
Bay Area photographer promotes conservation with marine life portraits
Susan Middleton, wildlife photographer, snaps portraits of rare sea life to promote conservation efforts. When a bird died from consuming plastic shreds, she photographed the plastic to make an artistic point.
128 San Mateo County landowners must farm natural land or pay higher taxes
For decades, the Williamson Act kept taxes low for property owners who protected open land from development. Now, as state faces budget crunch, some landowners must farm or see tax rates nearly double.