Joni Mitchell, Hejira. This album was

Julie Says Great BIG Nature BY JULIE ROSS

As I write this, I’m looking out the window at the rain coming down. Incredible to think that every single drop of that water is holding hundreds, maybe thousands, of tiny living organisms. Makes you look at even a lowly puddle in a whole new way.

The natural world has always had the ability to amaze us and lift our spirts with delight. It’s sad that most of the stories we hear about our environment focus on negative, gloom-and-doom tales of destruction and extinction. That’s why I was so excited to come across a wonderful, positive source of nature news. Canadian filmmaker Bryan Smith and renowned naturalist Brian Keating recently teamed up to launch “Great BIG Nature.” Their mission is to cre ate a Great BIG Community to connect with nature and enjoy and help protect our natural spaces.

Keating and Smith believe that because technology has become so pervasive, the path to getting people back out into the real world starts with the virtual world. To this end, they have created and continue to create a series of short online videos and podcasts – most just a few minutes long – designed to motivate, educate, and inspire. You can watch these videos on the Great BIG Nature YouTube channel and also access videos and podcasts on the website www.greatbignature.com. I just watched the “Monarch Butterfly” video, which provided five minutes of awe -- clouds of millions of butterflies spending the winter in a Mexican forest after migrat ing an astonishing 3,000 miles or more from their summer homes in Canada and the Northern United States. Watch singing lemurs, a hippo whisperer, and perhaps the world’s cutest penguins, all through the lens of hope provided by the Great BIG Nature team.

Aside from the videos and podcasts, another easy way to get a quick pick-meup is to follow Great BIG Nature on social media. Recent Facebook postings include a remarkable snippet on how flowers can “hear” the buzzing approach of bees and respond by instantly increasing the sugar content of their nectar; photographs of the beautiful geometric patterns produced when water droplets react to different mu sical notes (who knew?); and a look at how a couple in Brazil restored a devasted rainforest by planting two million trees.

Great BIG Nature speaks to the importance of our psychological well being by connecting with the natural world, not only by appreciating its beauty and complexity but also finding our place within it. It offers the kind of breaking news reports you might actually want to hear. Tune in soon.

Julie is a UC Certified California Naturalist and has been involved in wildlife education and rehabilitation in the Diablo region for many years. You can reach her at julieakross@comcast.net.

Local Quality You Can Trust!

What is an ADU? How can you benefit?

Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) have been known by many names: granny flats, inlaw units, backyard cottages, secondary units, and more. No matter what you call them, ADUs are an innovative, affordable, and effective option for adding much needed housing in California. ADUs have grown exponentially in number as more cities, counties, and homeowners become interested in increasing the supply of affordable housing. What are the benefits of ADUs? • ADUs are an affordable type of home to construct in California because they do not require paying for land, major new infrastructure, structured parking, or elevators. • ADUs can provide a source of income for homeowners. • ADUs are built with cost-effective wood frame construction, which is significantly less costly than homes in new, multi-family infill buildings. • ADUs allow extended families to be near one another while maintaining privacy. • ADUs can provide as much living space as many newly built apartments and condominiums, and they’re suited well for couples, small families, friends, young people, and seniors. • ADUs give homeowners the flexibility to share independent living areas with family members and others, allowing seniors to age in place as they require more care.

In October 2019, California Governor Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 68 (AB68), making it easier and more affordable to build accessory dwelling units. Summary of recently enacted, new ADU rules in California: • Faster ADU plan review times • Local agencies are prohibited from imposing strict requirements that exceed state mandates. • More flexible ADU size and set back requirements • Allows both regular size and “junior” ADUs on the same property • Allows ADUs for multi-family units and duplexes • Prohibits local agencies from charging “impact fees” for ADUs under 750 sq. ft.

Regardless of its physical form, an ADU is legally part of the same property as the main home it resides near. It cannot be bought or sold separately as a condominium might. The owner of the ADU is the owner of the main home. Installing an ADU in your backyard will certainly increase your property value. After all, it is an additional permanent living space on your lot. The kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms are viewed as additions to your primary home.

To discuss your options and see how these new rules can help you, contact your Pleasant Hill resource, ADU4You, a one stop shop that handles the entire project at a fixed, affordable cost. 925-979-5516 or sales@ADU4You.com.

925-939-1160 • 1581 Oak Park Boulevard • Pleasant Hill www.PleasantHillCollision.com • email phcollision@aol.com Collision Repair & Painting • Frame Straightening Insurance Claims • Glass • Customs COLLISION COLLISION Pleasant Hill