Avila Beach Life • May 2022

LOCAL NEWS ... BEACH VIEWS • MAY 2022

AVILABEACHLIFENEWS .COM

Community Spotlight

VAN CURAZA FOUNDATION NEWS & VIEWS PAGE 3

PET OF THE MONTH MEET COSETTE PAGE 4

MOUNTAIN LIONS

ROAM FREELY IN SLO COUNTY PAGE 6

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2 | Avila Beach Life — MAY 2022

Making Communities Better Through Print™

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“Happiness is letting go of what you assume your life is supposed to be like right now and sincerely appreciating it for everything that it is. At the end of the day, before you close your eyes, smile and be at peace with where you’ve been and grateful for what you have.

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M

ay is one of my favorite months, warmer weather, days full of sunshine, events start to fill up every weekend, and this year my husband and I celebrate 10 years of wedding bliss. Being married to Nicholas, growing with him, and watching him become the man and father he was destined to be truly fills my heart and soul.

In May, we also celebrate Mother’s Day, which is one of the most special honors I have been given in life is to be a mom to three special kiddos. Elle, 17, Mirac, 9 and Maximus 7. These three have taught me more about myself and the world than I have could have ever imagined. The last few years have been quite the challenge; however, each one, in their own way, have embraced the changes, made their own paths, and continue to inspire my husband and me each and every day. A warm Happy Mother’s Day to

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CONTRIBUTORS Rick Cohen

Mary Foppiano Betty Hartig

Kathy Mastako

Dr. Cindy Maynard John Salisbury

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all the mommas and the women who step into a mom’s shoes when there is not one.

May also brings us May Day, Cinco de Mayo, and we end with Memorial Day. Memorial Day has always held a special place in my heart. To all the men and women that have paid the ultimate sacrifice fighting for our freedom, we thank you.

Each month, Avila Beach Life is brought to you by the advertisers and the Avila Beach Community Center. Please be sure to thank them as you see them around town.

As our communities start to reopen, we prepare ourselves for all the visitors who will keep our beaches packed full for the next several months. It is an exciting time of year once again, and we are looking forward to it!

We hope you enjoy this issue of Avila Beach Life.

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MAY 2022 — Avila Beach Life | 3 FOUNDATION NEWS AND VIEWS

Get Ready for a Busy Summer!

Rick Cohen

G

avila beach foundation

reetings, fellow Avilones. Get ready - here we go! The holiday/summer season is rapidly approaching, which means Avila Beach will soon be inundated with beachgoers and vacationers. We’ve already had a taste of the human tsunami coming our way, as was experienced during the April Easter school break, along with some unseasonably warm days early in the month.

A friendly reminder from me to you that May 8 is Mother’s Day, and May 30 is Memorial Day. We can expect crowded beaches and lots of traffic over both weekends. And, as reported in the previous issue of this publication, we are set to welcome back the Avila Friday Farmer’s Market after its two-year pandemic-imposed hiatus. I imagine the opening day of May 6 will generate a rousing and enthusiastic crowd.

As time passes, and the world as we knew it continues to throw us curveballs, I find myself

being more introspective and pensive than usual.

The Ukraine/Russia conflict aside, I find myself stunned at the fundamental life changes our world is now experiencing. In comparison, it has been 20+ years since the 9/11 attack, and still, the extreme security measures that affected the way we travel and the places we go remain intact. Most of us would agree that much of the fun of going from here to there has vanished.

And now, due mostly to the pandemic, we are becoming a more reclusive society, reliant upon technology that keeps us tethered to our homes.

Work from home, meal and grocery deliveries to our doorstep, Amazon shopping, movie streaming, Zoom gatherings, online learning – OMG! How many generations into the future are we away from having literally no in-person human contact?

For more of my “Negative Nelly” rantings, let’s talk about the global supply shortages and business staffing challenges that have driven up the cost of everything – groceries, cars, appliances, gasoline, airfare, dining out, etc. And have you been following the real estate market? For a mere pittance of about $1 million, you can score an 800 square foot two-bedroom, one bath, one-car garage Shell Beach home with no ocean views built in the 1950s. Yowzah! I am not just picking on our next-door neighbors to the south, because what’s happening in Avila is also beyond belief. Just last month, a Pelican

Point condo inside the San Luis Bay Estates went on the market for $995,000. A bidding war ensued, and within days the home sold for $1,500,000. I kid you not! What remains to be seen is if we are going to see the “bubble” burst across the board with prices returning to pre-pandemic levels or if new thresholds are here for good.

Okay, how about some “Positive Paul” offerings? I am doing cartwheels over the fact that the “Foundation” Board of Trustees has resumed in-person meetings. We’ve had only one of those since January 2020. Truth be told, I am “Zoomed-Out” and so happy to get back to the type of gatherings more conducive to fruitful dialogue and energetic interactions.

Getting back to business as usual will require some doing, since I seem to have forgotten a bit these past two years. What was once repetitive and reflexive for me now requires more forethought. Now, how did I do that??? Coming up for our board is an important decision. Do we return to our former grant-making processes now that the local agencies and organizations we fund are getting back to business as usual?

Or do we repeat yet again what occurred the past two years when the “Foundation” put a pause on our traditional grantmaking process and simply rolled over recipient funding levels from what grantees received in

the year 2020 and allowed these sums to be used for whatever was necessary to keep things afloat for the time being. I know that funding relief was helpful during a most difficult period, but It’s likely time to get back to past practices.

Here’s some news for those of you on the lookout for ways to distribute your charitable contributions. The US House of Representatives recently approved HR 2954, the “Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2022,” which could make significant changes to a popular charitable giving vehicle, the Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) and can be counted toward satisfying a donor’s required minimum distributions (RMDs) for the year, if certain rules are met.

The proposed law, as currently written, could provide a boost to this popular giving option – including permitting the donor to use the distribution to create a charitable gift annuity. Consult with your CPA or Tax Attorney for details.

That’s it for now, fellow Avilones. See you at the beach!

Transition Time Last month I posed the question, “Is the Bear Market Over?” It’s too early to make the call, but there are signs the market is digesting all the current news. The major indexes hit their lows of the year so far on Feb 24th, the day of the Russian invasion and, as I type this, are considerably higher. Sentiment is low*, which often is a good contrarian signal.

As I wrote to my clients, I think we are transitioning from the “new” to the “old.” The cash burning “growth” companies may be giving way to management that makes profits. What a novel idea! This may mean a need for rearranging your portfolio.

To learn more about our process, please visit our website and/or call for a time to review your situation (no obligation or fee). *Sentiment Trader 04/18/22

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Branch office: 1186 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 — (805) 473-6670

4 | Avila Beach Life — MAY 2022

Making Communities Better Through Print™

OPINION

A view from the beach…

Mary Foppiano

Avila Beach Civic Association

H

i All – Spring showers bring May flowers…or so they say. No matter how much we need rain, it is hard

for me to get too excited since I have naturally curly hair and am allergic to the smell of flowers. Oh well, I know how much we need the rain, and I can always wear a hat and mask.

As I mentioned in my column last month, the Avila Beach Civic Association will be hosting our first fundraising event on Monday, July 4. We will have our annual Pancake Breakfast and Doggie Parade.

Breakfast will be from 8:30 to 11 a.m. at the Community Center with tables inside and outside in our Healing Garden. We will have puppy sitters in the garden to allow

pet parents to either eat inside or outside with their dogs prior to the parade.

Our Doggie Parade will be at 11 a.m. on the Avila Beach Promenade. Registration and check in will be outside the Center from 9 to 10 a.m. and in front of the Old Custom House from 10 to 11 a.m.

More details will be provided next month. We are in need of volunteers for both events so please get in touch with me at (805) 627-1997 or avilabeachcc@gmail.com.

We are also in the beginning stages of planning for our Avila Apple Festival on Satur-

day, September 24, in our Healing Garden. Sylvia Remmenga is our Events Chair and can be reached at (805) 245-9352 or sylvia. remmenga@gmail.com if you want to get involved in this fun event.

Since the Community Center has been closed to fundraising events for the past two years, we are always looking for new ways to raise operating funds. One easy way to help us is to enroll in the Ralphs Community Rewards Program. All you have to do is go online to ralphs.com and sign up for the Avila Beach Civic Association (AS854), and a percentage of

your purchases will be donated by Ralphs to the ABCA. Another way to support us is by clicking on smile. amazon.com/ch/95-6067627, and you will be connected to support the ABCA. San Luis Obispo County District 3 Supervisor Dawn Ortiz-Legg will continue hosting her office hours in our office on the second Thursday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m. With so many important issues happening in our community, this is your opportunity to meet with Supervisor Ortiz-Legg to get answers to your questions.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Van Curaza

By MARY FOPPIANO For Avila Beach Life

I

enjoyed spending an afternoon talking with Van Curaza regarding his love of the ocean. He grew up in Avila Beach and told me about the community spirit of family and unity that existed when he was a kid and how he will always consider Avila Beach his home.

He reminisced about sitting on a bench when he was a kid and talking with Earl Farris in front of the old Avila Market. Earl said that he should never throw away a tool because he might need it later, and he should always have a learning mind. Van said that he always enjoyed talking with Earl and other elders during those early days before the “big dig.” Those were the days when kids played outside instead of spending most of their time on social media. Kids had more freedom in those days and were able to run around the community without fear.

Van is one of the most positive people I have met and a strong supporter of Avila Beach. He said that he feels that we all need to support each other, whether as individuals or businesses. He acknowledged that we need tourism to support our businesses but we also need anyone living, working, or visiting Avila Beach to respect the ocean and our values. Avila Beach is the “Gem of the Central Coast,” and we all need to take care of each other and promote the wellness of our community.

Van said he wanted to help others as he had been helped as a young man and to give them hope to make life changes. He has been giving

back to our community since he began teaching surfing to disabled, wounded veterans in 2006.

He started the nonprofit organization Operation Surf with a mission to channel the healing powers of the ocean to restore hope, renew purpose, and revitalize community. The curriculum-based programs aim to inspire injured

Van has always had a passion for the ocean and surfing. He started the Van Curaza Surf School, through which he teaches children and adults to surf and imparts knowledge to keep them safe in the ocean. He learned through his personal experience that giving back is the key to success and happiness. The

Van Curaza Family with Amanda and Kaia. Photo by Mary Foppiano

military and veterans to seek wellness in all aspects of their lives while providing the necessary resources, tools, and peer-to-peer support to continue this mindset indefinitely. By staying true to his core values of care, inclusion, commitment, integrity, and communication, he changes participants’ lives – one wave at a time.

VCSS offers private surf lessons for first-timers to surfers who want to take it to the next level; group lessons for friends, family, parties, schools, companies, and more; and summer surf camps for kids 7+ ages. They are now working on starting a summer camp for 5–6-year-olds to teach them to surf and boogie board, explore

tide pools and critters, and play on the beach in the sand.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in isolation from our friends and caused a fear of getting together with others in groups. One benefit of the past two years is the re-evaluation of how Van’s programs worked. He said that downsizing to smaller, more intimate programs has helped the individuals in the programs to feel more comfortable and to more easily build relationships.

The ultimate goal of Van’s programs is to become a certified form of therapy to replace prescriptions. Dr. Russell Crawford has been collecting quantitative data on the impact of ocean therapy on veterans with PTSD. His book, “The Impact of Ocean Therapy on Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder,” suggests that surf therapy offers an alternative form of nature-based therapy that could potentially be effective for treating veterans with PTSD. Dr. Crawford’s research on the Operation Surf program showed that participants experienced a 36 percent decrease in PTSD symptoms, a 47 percent decrease in depression, and a 68 percent increase in self-efficacy.

When I met with Van, he asked me to stress his love of Avila Beach and the ocean and how we all need to work together to keep our smalltown feel by supporting each other. I totally agree with him and hope that we can all share his positive attitude and respect for the ocean and our environment. Van and his wife Amanda have built a wonderful business which gives back to our community and can make us all proud!

FURRY SPOTLIGHT

COSETTE is our Pet of the Month!

By MARY FOPPIANO

C

osette is a very much loved four-year-old standard poodle by her pet parents, Suzanne Abraham and David Bernhardt.

Suzanne said, “Don’t let her fancy looks fool you; she’s a party girl at heart!” Her favorite thing is to play on Avila Beach with her doggie friends, especially WillyAnn, Jack, and Chester.

Sometimes she can play too roughly, so they are working on that.

Cosette comes to Avila Beach from Medford, OR, where she

was born, by way of Carbondale, CO. She still spends several months a year in Colorado, where she has a big yard and goes on lots of hikes and walks.

Cosette adds so much fun to their lives. They explore new parks and beaches she might enjoy and is their little ambassador. They meet so many people because of her. She also was our Santa’s Doggie Parade best costume winner last December!

NEXT MONTH’S ‘PET OF THE MONTH

Please send me your pictures and a short paragraph about your pet to avilabeachcc@gmail.com.

Thanks, and introduce us to your furry friend next month!

MAY 2022 — Avila Beach Life | 5

By KATHY MASTAKO Board of Directors, Point San Luis Lighthouse Keepers

Upcoming Events at Point San Luis While we’re enjoying a beautiful spring at Point San Luis, we look forward to next month when we kick off our Summer Concert series, the Light Station’s major fundraiser for 2022. Tickets will be available soon at my805tix.com for a series of performances by these popular local bands:

Jill Knight Trio – June 26 Upside SKA – July 9 Tipsy Gypsies – July 23 Barflies – August 13

Mother Cornshuckers – August 27 Damon Castillo – September 10 Unfinished Business – September 24 The Charities – October 8

Concert sponsorship opportunities are available for all of these events, with each level of sponsorship offering its own special benefits. Anyone interested in learning more about these sponsorships is encouraged to email sanluislighthouse@gmail.com or call (805)540-5771 for information.

Those interested in volunteering at the concerts should also call or email. Volunteers are needed for: • SET-UP AND TEAR-DOWN OF THE VENUE AREA • • TICKETING • • FOOD AND BEVERAGE PREPARATION AND SERVICE • • PARKING LOT ATTENDING • • DOCENTING • • GIFT SHOP STAFFING •

Another volunteer opportunity is to help preserve history by joining the “Tuesday Work Crew.” Every Tuesday, the “Work Crew” heads up to the lighthouse to work on projects, help maintain the structural stability and appearance of the buildings on the property, and keep up the landscaping and grounds. Recent projects have included constructing a wheelchair ramp leading to the back of the Keeper’s residence so those with mobility challenges can participate in lighthouse tours, planting a native plant garden, and remodeling the light station’s outdoor event venue.

Whether it’s sweeping, painting, constructing, gardening, or washing windows, the lighthouse would not be in such great shape without the Tuesday Work Crew. Work Crew members are a group of people who share a special secret. But if you ask them point-blank why they head up to the lighthouse on Tuesdays, they are likely to confess: “Can you imagine a more beautiful place to be on a weekday morning?”

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6 | Avila Beach Life — MAY 2022

Making Communities Better Through Print™

WILDLIFE

In the Company of Mountain Lions

By BETTY HARTIG For Avila Beach Life

M

ountain lions do not roar but certainly, command respect! The large tan agile creatures roam freely in San Luis Obispo County. Foothills and mountainous terrain are prime mountain lion habitats. These native muscular cats are well-designed predators that are often feared by people. Despite stable numbers, the chances of encountering one is rare. A person is one thousand times more likely to be struck by lightning

than suffer from a mountain lion attack. The highly intelligent animal has the tendency to keep away from people. Our healthy mountain lion population is sustained by the region’s plentiful deer population. Where there are deer, there are mountain lions.

Mountain lions, which are also known as cougars and pumas, stand about 2 to 3 feet in height at the shoulders and around 7 to 8 feet in length from the tip of their nose to the end of their distinctive long rope like tail. Adult males can weigh between 130 and 150 pounds.

Adult females weigh around 80 to 90 pounds.

Females typically average one litter every two to three years. The young are referred to as cubs or kittens. Litter size is between one and four cubs, but usually only two. Caves and other alcoves that offer protection are used as litter dens. Cubs are born blind and completely dependent on their mother at first.

Newborns are spotted and have ringed tails, which provides excellent camouflage.

The spots eventually disappear by nine months. At approximately 16 months cub’s eye color changes from blue to yellow. As youngsters, the kittens go out on forays with their mother. After six months, cubs begin to hunt small game by themselves. Juveniles remain with their mom

while learning to hunt for at least two years.

In a natural environment, the life span of a mountain lion can be up to 10 years.

Fortunately, humans are not on a mountain lion’s menu. Mountain lions are prolific climbers and stealthy hunters, stalking at dawn, dusk, and nighttime. Tactics typically include waiting for an unsuspecting animal or silently pursuing it before pouncing from behind. Exceptional binocular vision aids in accurately judging the distance to the target. The cougar’s large paws and powerful forequarters allow them to sprint extremely fast, reaching impressive speeds of up to 50 miles per hour, and leap great distances vertically from the ground up to 18 feet high, while a running jump may exceed 40 feet horizontally. Mountain lions are strict carnivores that rarely consume vegetation. The creature’s primary food source is deer. Generally, one deer is killed every week or two, but they also eat small game, such as raccoons, opossums, and rabbits. Usually, the feline will drag a deer carcass to a preferred location, cover it with brush, and return to feed on it over a period of days.

The rather intimidating big cats vocalize with a scream, hiss, growl, and purr about twenty times louder than your domestic feline friend. Mountain lions have the ability, like most species in the cat family, to retract their claws. Tracks are 3-4 inches in diameter, four toes that lack claws, and have a round profile.

The heel pad resembles the letter “M.” Could it be that the signature print stands for mountain lion?

These magnificent mammals are territorial and solitary unless mating or parenting.

Cougars use physical signs, such as claw markings and pheromones, to define their territory, that averages 100 square miles in size.

Do mountain lions live in Avila Beach? You bet! Mountain lions do indeed reside in Avila Beach, as evidenced by sightings and recent surveillance video cameras. In January, a camera

captured three mountain lions heading towards the Bob Jones Trail for a midnight stroll. The Avila area is surrounded by wilderness and has abundant deer to support its mountain lion population. If you live, work, play, or hike in cougar country, be alert!

Respect your instincts. An uneasy feeling or the sensation of one’s hair standing up on the back of your neck signals to stay observant.

People who live in mountain lion habitats can take precautions to reduce the risk of encountering a mountain lion. Avoid walking, biking, or jogging alone between dusk and dawn when mountain lions are most active. Keep small children and pets close to you. When encountering a mountain lion, stop. Do not run. Running away from a mountain lion is the worst thing you can do as it triggers a prey response in the animal. Defensive maneuvers for an aggressive mountain lion are to raise your arms, open your jacket to make yourself appear larger, and speak in a loud, firm voice to discourage an attack. If possible, without crouching or turning away, throw objects in its direction. Never approach a mountain lion.

Give them an escape route.

The statewide mountain lion population estimates are a complex task to obtain because of this elusive species, as well as the geographically large size and diversity of California. In a 1996 study, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife estimated 4,000 – 6,000 mountain lions statewide. In 2014 the Department began working to update the mountain lion estimate. What we know is that San Luis Obispo County is mountain lion country, but the number of mountain lions living in the region is unknown. Humans increasingly enter and live in the cougar’s territory. Wildlife, such as the mountain lion, is rarely the intruder; people have chosen to develop in the cat’s homestead. As with any untamed animal, it is wise to be respectful and cautious. Enjoy the great outdoors smartly.

HEALTH & MENTAL WELLNESS

Changing Our Brain

Dr. Cindy Maynard contributor

W

e used to think that people couldn’t change, especially our brains.

That we are born with a finite number of brain cells, and they slowly die as we age. But thankfully, newer research is showing differently through a process known as neuroplasticity. This new frontier of brain research is exciting because if we understand that our brains can change, we become more motivated to learn new ways of thinking, acting, and evolving.

Plasticity is described as being malleable, easily shaped, or molded.

Neuroplasticity, then, refers to the

brain’s ability to create new neurons or neural pathways and connections in response to learning something new or thinking or behaving in a different way. Our brain is powered by approximately 100 billion neurons. Each of these neurons can have anywhere from 7000 to 15,000 connections with other neurons via synapses (our brain’s way of communicating with the body). The key to creating or strengthening these neural connections is through our thoughts, learning, and experiences.

The brain is actually a flexible organ ready to learn or unlearn, recalibrate, or repair. Our brain cells change in response to a new thought, behavior, or experience. In other words, learning new things or new ways of thinking enables our brain to create new connections. If you look at the MRIs of a university student studying for exams, a bus driver learning new destinations, or a person learning meditation or a musical instrument, you will see that there are changes in the areas of the brain associated with consciousness, thought, emotion, reasoning, language, and memory.

Understanding neuroplasticity is also important because it means we can adapt new abilities and ways of interacting with our environment and people at any age. Retraining the brain and its thought system not only improves our intelligence but it can help manage negative emotions such

as fear, anger, or depression, help with addictions, or re-wire itself after an injury. Medications are commonly prescribed and taken to change the way our brain thinks. But what about changing our brain by changing our thinking? Our brain is molded by what our mind thinks about. If we are constantly thinking anxious or fearful thoughts, our brain will be

more hyperactive. Conversely, if we focus on positive events happening in our life (good health, positive relationships, practicing kindness, etc.), we hardwire our brain to be more resilient and adaptive. By focusing our thoughts on gratitude or more loving experiences, we build new neural circuits and pathways which become woven into our brains.

Take Harry, for example. He admits to self-defeating behavior and decides to do something about it. He incorporated meditation and mindfulness into his daily life and, after a few months, noticed that his selftalk had changed to a more positive, self-compassionate dialogue. Plus, he was calmer. What happened? Harry re-wired his brain and created new neural pathways in his brain that contributed to his well-being.

Other ways we can change our brain chemistry include being more creative with our lives. Learn an instrument or a new dance move.

Get closer to nature. Try writing— we all have a story. Another way to boost plasticity is through physical exercise, which sets the formation of new neural pathways into motion

and increases cognitive functioning. If we think it and then do it, it becomes part of our being. Frequent repetition is key so that it becomes ingrained.

Conversely, brain “drainers” include engaging in the same old routines, negative thoughts, stress, not enough sleep, and lack of exercise. These situations can harm brain cells by decreasing our critical-thinking function and negatively impacting our left and right brain integration.

It’s challenging to develop new habits and skills. Sometimes we need to push ourselves to learn new things. Be patient. Neuroplastic changes take time for new structures and pathways to replace the old. Find your spirit of exploration, and let this be your inspiration for new thoughts and new possibilities.

There are so many things in our lives we can’t change, but we can change our brain — bit by bit, neural pathway by neural pathway.

Cindy Maynard PhD, RD, is a health psychologist, registered dietitian and a health and fitness writer. You can contact her at drcindymaynard@live.com

MAY 2022 — Avila Beach Life | 7

the

Just Facts John Salisbury contributor

T

here is an old saying, ‘Don’t put your cart before the horse”. That is pretty much what is going on with this big push for electric vehicles and replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. Our Governor, part of “Going Green,” has mandated a plan that only new passenger cars and light trucks (pickups) with zero emissions can be sold within 13 years (2035). In just four years, 35% of all new sales to be ZEVs (zero-emission vehicles).

From what I can dig up, and much of all the following in this article is picked from many reputable sources and too many to list, right now, there are around a million ZEVs on the road in California out of around a total of 15 million all types of cars, SUVs, pickups in 2021.

Doing the math, that is less than 7% of the total cars on our highways are ZEVs. That is a long way to go meet the goal of eliminating gas-powered vehicles in the immediate future.

Eventually, heavy-duty trucks, airplanes, military vehicles, farm equipment, and others are next — hate to be looking for an electric plug in the middle of a field miles from the shop for my tractor or harvester! A hearing will be held in June, and the California Resources Board is expected to vote in August. Note – bypassing the State Legislature and decided by a handpick state board.

There is a cost of “Going Green.” Batteries do not produce electricity. They are a storage mechanism. Electricity is made in California mostly by natural gas plants (37%), uranium (9.3%) – Diablo Canyon and we are going to lose this baby soon, hydroelectric (14%) – dams where power generation has plummeted by 60%

because of recent droughts, dirty backup diesel generators, wind turbines (11%), and solar (12%). Two-thirds of the power is generated by non-renewable and unspecified energy, and the other third in all types of renewables. In the United States, 40 percent of all the electricity is from coal-fired plants, so it stands to reason that 30 to 40 percent of the ZEVs in the nation are coal-powered. California imports a quarter to a third of its power annually from other states, generated mostly from coal, natural gas, diesel, and some wind and solar. During the summer black and brownouts, this power does not come cheap; gouging would be a better word and not much of it from renewables.

The wet battery in your electric car weighs around a thousand pounds (one-half ton) versus an average of 40 pounds for a fossil fuel car battery. It has 25 pounds of lithium, 60 pounds of nickel, 44 pounds of manganese, 30 pounds of cobalt, 200 pounds of copper, and 400 pounds of aluminum, steel, and plastic to wrap it all up. All these materials come from mining – lots of big holes in the earth and more coming. For that one battery of stored electricity in your ZEV, you must process 25,000 pounds — 12.5 tons, larger legally to fill a dump truck of brine for the lithium, 30,000 pounds or 15 tons for a set of truck double trailers for the ore for the cobalt, 5,000 pounds, a large SUV, for the ore for the nickel, and another 25,000 pounds of the ore for the copper. These batteries are considered hazardous waste and can only partially be recycled and, if stored or put in the dump, will probably eventually leak like all batteries. ZEVs batteries generally have a life span of 10 to 20+ years and cost $7,000 to $14,000 to replace, depending on the manufacturer. So, a question, how many years and driven miles would a single ZEV have to go to offset all the non-renewable electrical energy to build the battery and drive the car, fossil fuels for the mining, associated equipment, and processing, transportation between the mines, processors,

and to the car manufacturers, plus all the many other embedded costs on top of the air pollution and environmental damage to the earth’s crust for that one car to be truly zero-emission?

The cobalt, 68%, comes from the Congo with no pollution controls and a lot of child labor where too many die from this toxic material.

It is fair to say that this tragedy must be added to the cost of the battery?

Lithium is currently the main used energy source storage for electric cars, phones, tablets, and laptops. There is a bunch of it, 43 million tons on earth, but only a third of it is in a form that can be mined, and 87% of that is in brine waters, mostly in South America, referred to as the “Lithium Triangle” along the coasts of Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile. The process for lithium carbonate takes drilling holes in salt flats and pumping the salty, mineral-rich brine to the surface and left to evaporate; then the leftover salt is filtered for the lithium carbonate.

Simple, but uses large amounts of water and takes time — one and a half to two years for the final product. One of the largest deposits of lithium in the U.S. is in an isolated part of northwest Nevada called Thacker Pass. Mining companies have been trying to get permits for the last fifteen years but are tied up by a bunch of environmentalists and tribal activists. Same problem for drilling permits for possible sites in Death Valley and near other national and state parks. A large deposit of lithium is in the Salton Sea, and companies are starting test drilling.

In the past two years, Lithium prices have gone up 1,000%, copper up 200%, nickel up 300%, and aluminum, the second most used metal on earth after iron ore, is up 300%.

Doubling the aluminum price would wipe out most of the manufacturer’s profit margin for cars, SUVs, and pickups, so those vehicles will inevitably see higher prices. Tesla and China’s largest ZEV manufacturer, BYD, have just raised prices on their electric vehicles. So, how can California and the Federal Governments

who are touting that lower prices of electric vehicles will happen, and many will be able to afford one soon, explain the fact that the opposite thing is happening? There aren’t enough precious metals available now to meet the demand and mandates to make prices come down. Plus, the fact that most of these minerals are mined and/or processed by countries that are not our friends. Just in, warning in the WSJ that there is under 10% of the world’s combined cell production for ZEVs of what is needed in 10 years. Meaning, that 90% of the supply chain does not exist and will be a problem for the next 20 years. Be sure China and others will cover their “you know what’s” for what they need first.

Doesn’t look good for mandates.

For the time being, we need to get our ducks in a row and come up with a sensible Federal Energy Transitional Plan, so energy suppliers can make long-term decisions instead of trying to guess the changeable whims of government policies, back off on the mandates, especially those done by single man federal and state executive orders (what happened to representative government?), allow much more fossil fuel drilling, make it possible and easier to develop our own mineral resources and make peace with some of the problem supply/processing countries - where possible. To be continued – wind, solar, nuclear, and emerging technologies.

“Just the facts, ma’am” – Detective Joe Friday in Dragnet

What If...

• One could invest with a maximum loss known in advance?

• One could invest while protecting up to 20% of losses?

• One could invest with 100%+ stock index price participation?

“Buffered” investments allow investors to potentially profit from gains in major stock market indexes while providing full or partial protection from downside losses. Sort of like having your cake and eating it too.

MAY

2

Mommies & Guppies

Fridays

AVILA CENTRAL COAST AQUARIUM

10 - 11:30am Mommies and Guppies is a monthly event during the school year designed just for preschoolers and their guardians to explore the aquarium.

Entry is $6.00/child for individual sessions for more information visit visitavilabeach.com/avila-beach-events/

MAY

8

Mother’s Day

MAY

28

Fiesta In A Bottle - 9th Annual Tequila Festival

starting may 6

Avila Beach AVILA BEACH PROMENADE

4 - 8pm

Thursdays San Luis Obispo

FIVE BLOCKS OF HIGUERA STREET BETWEEN OSOS STREET AND NIPOMO STREET IN DOWNTOWN SAN LUIS OBISPO

6pm - 9pm

MAY

29

Avila Beach Blues Festival

MAY

30

Memorial Day

AVILA BEACH GOLF RESORT

MORRO BAY BLVD & MAIN ST

Doors open at 12pm Enjoy Music, food and 30+ Tequila Brands. For more info and to purchase tickets visit avilabeachresort.com

12pm This is the 27th year of the biggest and In remembrance for everyone who longest running blues festival on the has died serving in the American Central Coast. For more info & tickets armed forces. prices visit avilabeachresort.com

“Safe” money pays little, so one must continue to invest. Relatively new to the investing landscape, “buffered” investments, offered by major Wall Street firms, may be an option for investors in these uncertain times.

Please call or email to learn more and to receive a prospectus and important information.

Thomas B. Paine

Paine Financial Services 6627-A Bay Laurel Place (Avila Village) Avila Beach, CA 93424 805-473-6679

www.AvilaValleyAdvisors.com Advisory Services and Securities offered through Centaurus Financial, Inc. member FINRA and SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and registered investment advisor.

Paine Financial Services and Centaurus Financial Inc. are not affiliated.

Branch office: 1186 E. Grand Ave., Arroyo Grande, CA 93420 — (805) 473-6670

8 | Avila Beach Life — MAY 2022

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