Life Lessons in the Garden
Grown Your Own! teaches students and adults about sustainability By Allison Jarrell For students working in the garden at San Clemente’s Shorecliffs Elementary School, their curriculum included mulching in March and an intro to aquaponics in April. These young gardeners now easily articulate how different irrigation methods work and explain the importance of planting native, drought-tolerant species and flowers that attract pollinators. Jenny Goit, a life science teacher at Shorecliffs, is proud of the knowledge her students are acquiring and implementing in the school’s garden, where, each day, they’re learning about environmental sustainability and responsibility—what it takes to keep a garden growing. “I think one of the most important things they’re learning is respect,” she said. Shorecliffs Middle School was one of the first junior highs to join The Ecology Center’s two-year program called Grow Your Own! The initiative, created by the San Juan Capistrano-based nonprofit, is designed to help elementary teachers implement gardens on their school’s grounds. Since its 2012 inception, 20 Orange County and San Diego elementary and middle schools have joined, including many in Dana Point, San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. Meg Hiesinger, director of educational programs at The Ecology Center, said the program began taking form after the center’s founder, Evan Marks, expressed interest in reviving a program centered on garden lessons and nutrition. Hiesinger spearheaded the effort, which has evolved into a two-year, grant-subsidized program that is free to schools selected by The Ecology Center.
“When people think of a garden, they often think about food and nutrition, but it’s a more powerful site of education for kids and adults.” — Meg Hiesinger
“The program was born out of the needs and expressed desires of the community,” Hiesinger said. “My interest is in building community around the garden.” With a cost of about $10,000 per school, Hiesinger said the program relies on the support of sponsors—a recent $100,000 grant from the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation enabled The Ecology Center to extend their program offerings to more schools and develop more resources. Such resources, including mentorship pro-
Events at The Ecology Center We Are Earth Day
Gardening with Native Plants
Zero Waste Lecture
Saturday, April 11; 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Join in an early Earth Day celebration at this annual community festival with free tacos, live music, hands-on crafting, teepee building, farm animals, eco-activities and more. Cost is $3.
Saturday, April 25; 10 a.m. Learn how to create a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant garden using native, California plants from Mike Evans, a nursery owner specializing in native-plant landscaping. Course costs $30.
Friday, May 1; 6:30 p.m. Join in on an open forum with Josh Prigge of Fetzer Wines to learn about and discuss how an individual, community and business can commit to creating zero waste. Tickets are $35.
Organic Gardening Basics
Natural Pest Management
Backyard Beekeeping
Saturday, April 18; 1 p.m. Learn the basics of organic gardening— planning and maintaining a garden, plant succession, watering, composting, pest control and more—to harvest your own fresh, healthy herbs and vegetables. Cost is $30.
Sunday, April 26; 1 p.m. Gain an understanding of easy, natural pest prevention tactics such as using plants and insects to deter pests and making non-toxic remedies at home in order to create a toxin-free, organic garden. Cost is $30.
Saturday, May 9; Noon In this workshop, learn about the lifecycle of honeybees, their importance to the environment’s health, the equipment needed to start beekeeping, hive maintenance tips and more. Class costs $35.
The Ecology Center • 32701 Alipaz Street • San Juan Capistano • 949.443.4223 • www.theecologycenter.org
grams, school visits, training for teachers and website curriculum, are designed to educate across five core areas of sustainability: food, water, waste, shelter and energy. The program focuses on community building and planning in the fall, designing and building in the winter, seeds and seasonal planting in the spring and maintenance in the summer. Hiesinger said schools are essentially guided in developing and implementing the basic elements of a selfmaintaining, sustainable garden program. “When people think of a garden, they
often think about food and nutrition, but it’s a more powerful site of education for kids and adults,” Hiesinger said. “It teaches sustainability across all levels. The program is about helping people work together in a functional and real way, which to me, is the foundation of community.” Mia Ferjulian, an eighth-grade student at Shorecliffs, has been working in the school’s garden for three years now and enjoys the sense of community and teamwork it fosters. She finds it peaceful and soothing, like
“entering a sanctuary.” “If we work together, we can make a big environmental difference,” Ferjulian said, pointing to a nearby mural in the garden. “It’s like this picture says—individually we are one drop, together we are an ocean.” For more information on the Grow Your Own! program and a look at the curriculum, visit www.theecologycenter.org/growyourown or email growyourown@theecologycenter.org. Applications for the 2015-2016 school year will be available on April 30.
AROUND THE HOUSE
Reducing Your Energy Usage Temperatures will soon rise but that doesn’t mean your electric bill has to. By reducing your power usage this summer—and all year round—you can save money while increasing our region’s energy security and lowering pollution being emitted from non-renewable sources. Installing renewable home energy systems—such as a solar-electric system or small wind turbine—may not be a practical or economically viable option for all, but there are plenty of other low- to no-cost options to decrease your at-home electric usage and therefore reducing your grid dependence. —Andrea Papagianis
Set your thermostat to 78 degrees, or turn off the AC
Use fans and pull down the shades
Run appliances before 11 a.m. or after 6 p.m.
Unplug chargers and power strips
Switch light bulbs out with energyefficient ones
Power down desktops and televisions
Turn off lamps and let in natural light
Wash clothes and dishes in cool water
Invest in energy-efficient appliances
Grill up dinners to avoid heating up the oven
Visit www.sdge.com to view available rebates
Insulate your home to keep it cool and warm
The Un-thirsty Garden Lisa Chmura, lead gardener at Casa Romantica, works with a team of volunteers to maintain the center’s verdant gardens filled with drought-tolerant, native plants, trees and groundcover. Photos: Allison Jarrell
Drought-tolerant plants, flowers and tress that thrive with little care By Andrea Papagianis Out of necessity, Californian’s are scaling down their water use. Cuts to lessen consumption of the state’s drought-stricken resource are being made both inside and out. When it comes to the outdoors, water providers from Brea to San Clemente are incentivizing residents to ditch their lush, green lawns for drought-tolerant plants and a groundcover that drinks less water. We met with local landscape expert Lisa Chmura, lead gardener for Casa Romantica Cultural Center & Gardens, to learn about the water-wise plant life that plays an integral role in the Casa’s bluff-top campus in San Clemente. These plants, all native to Southern California, Chmura pointed out, thrive in sunny and partly-shaded areas and are evergreen. Not only will they ensure color thrives in the garden throughout the year, they’ll guzzle far less water than a traditional lawn landscape.
1. Baja California Senna
Latin name: Cassia purpusii. Category: Tree/shrub. Thrives in full to partly sunny conditions. Provides food for the cloudless sulphur butterfly. 1
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Switching from Green to Brown
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2. Beach Strawberry
Latin name: Fragaria chiloensis. Category: Groundcover. Flowers from March to August followed by edible fruits. Problem Solver: Good for erosion control.
3. California Poppy
Latin name: Eschscholzia californica. Category: Flower. Grows best in full sun and prefers pool soil. Prominent designation: Official state flower of California.
4. Lance Leaf Dudleya
Latin name: Dudleya lanceolata. Category: Succulent. Grows to 1 foot tall in full sun or light shade. Flower clusters appear on foot-long stalks in spring.
5. Tree Mallow
Latin name: Lavatera purisima. Category: Tree/shrub. Grows up to 10 feet tall and 12 feet wide in full sun. Attracts: Butterflies, hummingbirds and birds. Before joining the Casa staff last year Chmura was a garden volunteer—a group of green thumbs who help keep Casa gardens pristine. Dedicated garden lovers are encouraged to volunteer in the center’s gardens each Monday at 9 a.m. To become a garden volunteer, apply online at www.casaromantica.org. 4
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Regional water providers are offering customers lawn-removal rebates—of at least $2 per square foot—in order to increase water efficiency and reduce landscape runoff. The program is available to residents, small businesses and homeowners associations that remove live turf and replace it with drought-friendly, native plants and landscaping. The cities of San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano and the South Coast Water District (the water utility for all of Dana Point and portions of SC and SJC) are all participating providers. To take part in the program, residents must apply through the Metropolitan Water District of Orange at www.ocwatersmart.com. Complete applications have to include a copy of a water bill and simple site plan. A site inspection must take place before the project begins.
Ocean Institute Earth Day
Saturday, April 25; 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Make eco-friendly crafts, explore marine life and learn about protecting the environment. Help at the beach/harbor cleanup from 9 a.m.–11 a.m. for free admission. 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.2274, www.ocean-institute.org.
Caspers’ Campfire
Saturday, April 25; 8 p.m.–9 p.m. Every Saturday night, visit Caspers Wilderness Park for this fireside program featuring wilderness safety, games, live animal demonstrations and more. Cost is $5 per vehicle. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.923.2210, www.ocparks.com.
Eco Garden Expo
Eco Garden Expo Photo: Brian Park
Earth Day Events EXPLORE // Native Plants Hike
Tuesday, April 14; 9 a.m.–11 a.m. Learn the pre-mission uses of California native plants during this 2-mile hike over uneven terrain. Cost is $3 a vehicle. Laguna Coast Wilderness Park, James Dilley Preserve, 18751 Laguna Canyon Road, Laguna Beach, 949.923.2235, www.ocparks.com.
Earth Day with OCCA
Sunday, April 19; 9 a.m. Come together with Orange County for Climate Action for a full day of inspirational activities to reconnect with the planet. Hike, grab lunch at Native Foods, screen a documentary about climate change and more. Register at www.occlimateaction.org.
Headlands Nature Tour
Saturday, May 2; 9 a.m.–11:30 a.m. Explore Orange County’s natural history on this 1.5-mile tour of the Dana Point Headlands. Walk occurs the first Saturday each month. Nature Interpretive Center, 34558 Scenic Drive, Dana Point, 949.248.3527, www.danapoint.org.
Caspers Park Nature Hike
Sunday, May 3; 9 a.m.–10 a.m. Join Caspers’ rangers on this 1-mile hike through grassland, oak woodland and cactus communities. Rain will cancel the hike. Hikes are held each Sunday. $5 parking fee. 33401 Ortega Highway, San Juan Capistrano, 949.923.2210, www.ocparks.com.
Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3; 9 a.m. –4 p.m. Explore eco-friendly gardening options and learn about solar power, designing edible gardens, converting organic waste and more. Los Rios Park, 31790 Paseo Adelanto, San Juan Capistrano, 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.
RECYCLE // Community Shred Day
Saturday, April 18; 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Shred sensitive documents at Monarch Bay Plaza for free. Recycle and receive a reusable tote. Corner of Pacific Coast Highway and
Crown Valley Parkway, Dana Point, www.monarchbayplaza.com.
E-Waste Collection
Saturday, May 9; 7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Bring your electronic waste to Dana Hills High School to donate to Goodwill Orange County. 33333 Golden Lantern, Dana Point. All Goodwill locations in the county accept e-waste. Visit www.ocgoodwill.org to find the nearest collection site.
SHOP // Dana Point Farmers Market
Saturday; 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Vendors sell produce, flowers and more at La Plaza Park. Every first Saturday of the month features a craft fair through 2 p.m. Pacific Coast Highway north of Golden Lantern. www.danapoint.org.
San Clemente Farmers Market
Sunday; 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Merchants from across the region sell a wide selection of fruits, vegetables, flowers, plants and prepared foods each week along Avenida Del Mar at Calle Seville.
San Juan Capistrano Farmers Market
Wednesday; 3 p.m.–7 p.m. This weekly market features more than 30 vendors selling produce, fresh flowers, specialty food items and more. Yorba Linda Street at Camino Capistrano. www.farmersmarketsjc.com.
LEARN // Garden Fest
Saturday, April 11; 8 a.m.–3 p.m. Learn about water conservation, butterfly habitats, school garden programs and more at the San Clemente Garden Club’s annual event. San Clemente Community Center, 100 N. Calle Seville, San Clemente, www.sanclementegardenclub.com.
Earth Day San Clemente
Saturday, April 18; 8:30 a.m.–2 p.m. Learn how to make a positive difference by reducing litter and pollutants that end up in the ocean. Arrive early to clean Main Beach. The San Clemente Tree Foundation is giving away 100 trees. Parque Del Mar, San Clemente Pier, www.scwatersheds.com.
Dana Point Farmers Market Photo: Andrea Swayne
VOLUNTEER Earth Day Planting, Cleanup
Saturday, April 11; 9 a.m.–noon. Help place native plants, shrubs and trees around Doheny State Beach. Bring your work gloves and reusable bag. Parking fee waived. Meet at Picnic Site A. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.6172, www.dohenystatebeach.org.
Keep It Wild Volunteer Day
Saturday, April 18; 8 a.m.–11 a.m. Help restore wild lands and create a healthier environment by removing invasive plants and planting native ones. Volunteer at Aliso & Wood Canyons Wilderness Park or Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. www.ocparks.com.
Earth Day Beach, Creek and Park Cleanup
ROOTS Restoration
Starr Ranch Preservation
Saturday, April 18; 9 a.m.–noon. Help clean up Doheny and San Juan Creek. Bring work gloves and reusable bag. Parking fee waived. Meet at lifeguard headquarters. 25300 Dana Point Harbor Drive, Dana Point, 949.496.6172, www.dohenystatebeach.org.
Saturday, April 25 Take part in the California Coastal Commission’s restoration project to preserve Upper Newport Bay. Remove invasive plants and perform site maintenance. Register online at www.coastal.ca.gov. 2301 University Drive, Newport Beach, 949.923.2290.
Earth Day Restoration, Cleanup
Garden Angels
Back to Natives Restoration
Saturday, April 18; 8:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Help maintain San Onofre State Park’s San Mateo Campground by painting bench seating, screen doors and interpretive displays. Also, help plant native plants. Register at www.calparks.org/ earthday or call 888.987.2751 by April 13.
Thursday, April 30; 8:30 a.m.–10:30 a.m. Volunteers meet each Thursday at the Montanez Adobe at Los Rios Park to maintain the gardens. Bring gloves and wear close-toed shoes. 31745 Los Rios Street, San Juan Capistrano, 949.606.6386, www.goinnative.net.
Saturday, May 9; 9 a.m.–noon. Become a weed warrior by removing invasive plants at Audubon California’s 4,000acre sanctuary. Tools provided. Held Saturday, May 16 as well. 100 Bell Canyon Road, Trabuco Canyon, 949.858.0309, www.starrranch.org.
Sunday, May 24; 7:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Assist in habitat restoration for animals on Elsinore Peak in the Cleveland National Forest. Meet at Bravo Burgers, at 31722 Rancho Viejo Road, in San Juan Capistrano at 7:30 a.m. www.backtonatives.org.
Visitors play Race to Recycle at Discovery Cube. Courtesy photo
A Call to Eco Action
Challenge asks youth to reduce waste, reuse and recycle By Andrea Papagianis Personal decisions impacting the environment present themselves every day—choices like taking groceries home in a paper, plastic or reusable bag, or deciding whether a household item is reusable, recyclable or disposable waste. They are basic questions we may think don’t hold much weight. But with each Californian—all 38.8 million of us—creating an average of 4.4 pounds of waste daily, according to the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, these choices matter. That rate of daily disposal amounted to 30.2 million tons of waste entering landfills statewide in 2013—a good deal of which could have been diverted through mindful shopping, recycling and composting. Since 2011, OC Waste & Recycling and Discovery Cube Orange County have been asking the county’s youngest residents to step back and examine daily decisions. Eco Challenge, a series of hands-on, interactive exhibits at Discovery Cube empowers visitors to learn how they can make the environment better by reducing waste. Three immersive exhibits—Discovery Market, Eco Garage and Race to Recycle—challenge guests to shop smarter, properly dispose of household hazardous waste and to be wise about trash sorting. “The goal is to teach them (students) at a young age so they can go home and teach their parents,” said Dan Nasitka, Discovery Cube’s communications manager. “We are trying to have it start at home.”
Dumpster Diversion REUSE Bring your own bag to the grocery store and repurpose any plastic bags COMPOST Decompose food scraps and organic materials to reduce up to 25 percent of household waste GO PAPERLESS Sign up for electronic bill pay, send email invites and unsubscribe from junk mail BUY IN BULK Avoid excessive packaging, which accounts for roughly 1/3 of garbage generated READ THE LABELS Purchase products made, or packaged, with recycled materials RECYCLE Sort through disposables at work, school, home and when you’re out and about DISPOSE Take hazardous waste to a disposal site: Prima Descheca Landfill, 32250 La Pata Avenue, San Juan Capistrano Find more tips for reducing waste at www.calrecycle.ca.gov.
Visitors go on a scavenger hunt in Discovery Market for produce and products with eco-friendly packaging and sort through green, household and hazardous waste in Race to Recycle—a carnival-style game that brings out their competitive side. Lastly, in Eco Garage, guests learn about items they shouldn’t toss in the trash such as paint, insect repellent and aerosol cans. Discovery Cube is located at 2500 N. Main Street in Santa Ana. Visit www.discoverycube.org for information on tickets, events, exhibits and more.
The Schwörer family, a Swiss family of four traveling the world to shed light on climate change, arrives in Dana Point aboard their sailing vessel, Pachamama. Photo: Jim Shilander
Living ON Mother Earth Swiss family travels globe to inspire a better future By Jim Shilander Swiss climate scientist Dario Schwörer and his wife Sabine have been traveling the world for 15 years to raise climate change awareness, and in doing so, putting what they talk about into practice. On Monday, Schwörer, Sabine and two of their four children arrived in Dana Point Harbor. The family will be in south Orange County for two weeks discussing their odyssey “Top to Top”—a journey that has included living at sea and sailing over 70,000 nautical miles aboard the Pachamama, Incan for Mother Earth. The expedition has also seen land and life as the Schwörers climbed six of the world’s highest peaks on six continents, cycled nearly 15,000 miles and welcomed all four of their children. It is a trip that began in 2000 when the couple decided to visit all the world’s climates from the Arctic to Antarctic after Dario saw his office “melting away.” In Schwörer’s case, it was the literal melting of glaciers in the Swiss Alps, which through extensive training and work as a ski and mountaineer guide he became an expert on the impact climate change had on the European mountain range. “Climate is also changing at altitude,” Schwörer said. “Our goal was to explore positive solutions for the climate, for the environment, and along the way, go into schools to inspire young people to act. And we wanted to do it in the most environmentally friendly way possible.” When their first child was born the couple considered stopping, but their decision to continue was “the best we
could have made,” Schwörer said. They now make their decisions on what paths to take and when to take them based on what’s best for everyone. “We are always together with our children,” Schwörer said. For much of their 15-year expedition, the Schwörers have lived at sea, exclusively utilizing human power and nature’s forces of wind and sun. The ship includes a number of solar panels and a pair of small wind turbines in order to generate electricity—just enough to power items and appliances inside the boat. Apart from one instance when the boat collided with a floating container, the most dangerous part of the journey, Schwörer said, has actually been the cycling portions. “After 15 years outdoors, you learn to read the signs nature gives you,” he said. “When you’re on a sailboat, you’re dealing with weather and know the ropes. Climbing, you need to know the knots, but you have base camp and a climbing team.” One of the biggest obstacles and dangers, he said, was dealing with traffic. “If a driver comes along and he’s drunk, then I can be the best cyclist in the world and it might not make a difference,” he said. Even though there are risks, Schwörer believes it is important for people to go out and experience nature and people in all their forms. “We’ve visited more than 100 countries, and this planet is still so wonderful, he said. “There’s so many good people, really good projects, people doing really great stuff for our planet.” The Schwörers will give two talks while in Orange County. First, they will discuss climate change and their journey at the Ocean Institute, 24200 Dana Point Harbor Drive in Dana Point, at noon on Saturday, April 11. Then, on Thursday, April 16 at 6 p.m. The Ecology Center, 32701 Alipaz Street in San Juan Capistano, hosts the family for an open forum. After leaving Dana Point, the family will make their way toward the one peak they’ve yet to climb—Mt. Vinson in Antarctica.
same month one year prior. One month later, in January—considered the state’s driest month— water conservation dropped to 8.8 percent. On April 1, Brown imposed unprecedented mandatory water restrictions for residents, businesses and municipalities as California marks its fourth dry year. The goal: A 25 percent decrease in water use. Provisions in the governor’s order include: • Banning the watering of decorative grasses on public medians
When in Drought California takes extreme measures to conserve, protect water supply Last year Gov. Jerry Brown asked the state to cut water usage by 20 percent. To meet Brown’s goal the State Water Resources Control Board implemented emergency regulations for water preservation. Residential restrictions include bans on: • Washing down sidewalks and driveways • Watering outdoor landscapes in a manner causing excess runoff • Washing a vehicle using a hose without a shut-off nozzle • Running a decorative water feature with no recirculation system • Irrigating turf or decorative landscapes within 48 hours of rain Also, restaurants can only serve water to customers when requested and hotels must give guests the option to not have their towels and linens laundered daily. A survey of nearly 400 urban water retailers showed residential water savings statewide failed to meet Brown’s set goal from June to November 2014. But in December customers of the state’s largest water retailers cut consumption by 22 percent, compared to the
• Replacing 50 million square feet of lawns with drought-tolerant landscaping • Creating a temporary consumer rebate program for energy-efficient appliances • Requiring colleges, golf courses and cemeteries to significantly cut water usage
Brown’s declaration came as Sierra Nevada snowfall hit its lowest recorded point since 1950 when such readings were begun. According to the California Department of Water Resources, the state’s current snowpack holds only 1.4 percent of water content—just 5 percent of historical average for April 1. The mandatory restrictions also arrived on the heels of a $1 billion emergency drought relief package approved by state lawmakers and signed by Brown on March 27. The package appropriates funding and accelerates the movement of others to address the state’s immediate—and future—water needs. About $660 million from the water measure goes toward flood control and $273 million funds additional infrastructure upgrades for water recycling and drinking water quality programs. The remaining monies fund urgent environmental protections, provide food and water supplies to drought-stricken communities and finance conservation education and outreach activities, among others things.
“This funding is just one piece of a much larger effort to help those most impacted by the drought and prepare the state for an uncertain future. But make no mistake, from Modoc to Imperial County, rain is not in the forecast and every Californian must be doing their utmost to conserve water.” —Gov. Jerry Brown Sixty-six percent of California voters approved Proposition 1 on November’s ballot. The Water Quality, Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 allows the state to sell a general obligation bond worth approximately $7.5 billion for a statewide, comprehensive water plan. —Andrea Papagianis
PROPOSITION 1: THE BREAKDOWN
Trimming Your Water Usage Orange County residents use a daily average of 140 gallons of water according to the Metropolitan Water District of Orange County. In order to meet the state’s reduction goal each resident needs to cut at least 28 gallons of water out of their daily usage. Here are a few ideas and simple changes, that can make a world of difference.
INSIDE Cut showers down to 5 minutes and save
9,000 GALLONS PER YEAR
Installing highefficiency toilets will save
19 GALLONS PER DAY
Launder only full loads and save
30 GALLONS EACH CYCLE
While brushing your teeth, turn off the water to save
2,000 GALLONS EVERY YEAR
OUTSIDE Adjust sprinkler systems to save more than
50 GALLONS DAILY
Trade your lawn in for drought-friendly, native plants and save
120 GALLONS PER DAY
Install a “smart” sprinkler controller and save
15,000 GALLONS A YEAR
$2.7 BILLION // New storage
$900 MILLION // Protecting
$725 MILLION // Water recy-
projects such as dams
and cleaning up
cling and salt-removal projects
$1.89 BILLION // Watershed
groundwater basins
$520 MILLION // Clean and
programs and statewide flood
$810 MILLION // Increasing
safe water programs for
management
regional water supplies
disadvantaged communities
Learn more about lessening water usage at www.saveourwater.com and find out about residential and commercial rebate programs for installing high-efficiency appliances, rain barrels, soil-moisture sensors and more by visiting www.ocwatersmart.com. * Water saving figures obtained from the Metropolitan Water District of Orange County.