WELCOME TO THE GREEN ISSUE
The World Has Paused, but Green Living Continues to Grow This year marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day—and 2020 is the year events are going digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing has become a buzzword in this crisis era, during which people are staying indoors and being encouraged to not go outdoors so as to limit the spread of the outbreak. There are fewer cars on the roads, businesses have closed or scaled down operations, and people are turning to digital platforms as a result. This is a challenging time for the world, but it is also a chance to pause and reflect. News reports are coming in about reduced carbon emissions, less pollution and increased wildlife activity during the global shutdown. As we travel less and limit our
Not Blowing Smoke Your Guide to Smog Tests By Collin Breaux
Anyone who moves to California with an out-of-state vehicle or buys a new car here is likely familiar with a smog test. But what exactly is it, and how do you pass one? A smog test checks the emissions and engine performance of a vehicle and is part of environmental regulations. We spoke with Ashkan Sean Nassirzadeh, owner of Planet Smog Check, for insight, and also researched state government information. Here are some pointers: PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT Perhaps you’ve noticed the dreaded “check engine light” coming on while driving. If it happens before planning to get a smog check, you’ll have to get it repaired. “If that light is on, it’s indicating that the sensor is on,” Nassirzadeh said. “It will not pass.” Smog checks additionally check to ensure repair jobs done by others were done correctly, Nassirzadeh said.
range of activities, that doesn’t mean environmentalism should stop. Now, more than ever, people realize the value of community and life. Our annual Earth Day Guide reflects that. We have smog test tips, since incoming out-of-state vehicles still need to clear state guidelines. Check out our dive into a San Clemente nonprofit that aims for a clean ocean, and read our feature on community gardens where you can grow your own greens. When the world returns to normal after this pandemic passes, we can all get back out there to visit these places in person and try out activities for ourselves. Until then, we hope this guide gives you some valuable ideas about how to take care of the planet.
“I’m pretty much an environmentalist at heart,” said Nassirzadeh, who is glad to explain smog checks to customers. “I’m here to make sure everyone is contributing to healthier air we breathe.” MAKE SURE MODIFICATIONS ARE IN ORDER Emissions-related aftermarket modifications should be done within legal boundaries. Illegal modifications could cause you to fail a smog check. The California Bureau of Automotive Repair says state and federal law generally prohibit modifications to vehicle emission control systems, and such parts must be original equipment from the manufacturer or be replacements for such. “Modifications to your emissions controls are not acceptable unless the parts used are approved by the California Air Resources Board,” the Bureau of Automotive Repair website said. “ARB grants approvals in cases where the changes or aftermarket parts do not modify the performance of the emission controls in a way that increases emissions.” SMOG CHECKS GENERALLY AREN’T EXPENSIVE OR TIME-CONSUMING The good news is you won’t necessarily break the bank or spend a whole day on a smog check. Smog checks can generally run anywhere from $30 to $80, depending on the type of vehicle. Usually when you get a smog check, you’re in and out of a smog check spot in a short time. Planet Smog Check advertises 15 minutes for walk-ins.
Always a Way to Recycle Despite closed centers, there are still plenty of ways to redeem CRVs By Zach Cavanagh Personal recycling in California took a major hit in August 2019, as the state’s largest redemption recycling operator, rePlanet, shut down its 284 locations. RePlanet had operations in San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano. At that time, Consumer Watchdog reported that 40% of California’s redemption centers had closed in the past five years. The closures left many wondering where they could recycle and redeem their California Redemption Value (CRV) cans and bottles to do their part and earn a little money on the side. Thankfully, for those in our South Orange County area, one company has swooped in to reopen some of the rePlanet centers under a new name. Ponce Recycling has taken over a few centers, including the center in Dana Point behind the Ralphs between Del Prado and Pacific Coast Highway. Ponce also has recycling centers paired with Ralphs grocery stores in Mission Viejo at 25104 Marguerite Parkway and in the Aliso Viejo Town Center at 26901 Aliso Creek Road. When rePlanet shut down, many turned to local retailers to fill their recycling needs. However, it was the retailers that had looked to rePlanet to handle their recycling programs. In San Clemente, those retailers had to set up a plan to accept and receive the redeemable bottles and cans or incur a $100 daily fine. The retailers worked with CalRecycle, a state department, to acquire and set up an Option A affidavit to redeem CRV containers in their
stores. According to CalRecycle, there are three locations in San Clemente, three in Dana Point and four in San Juan Capistrano that will redeem CRV cans and bottles in their stores. In San Clemente, the locations are Chevron at 1729 El Camino Real, Catalina Liquor at 102 Avenida Victoria and Fredi’s Liquor at 22 S. Ola Vista. In Dana Point, the locations are CVS at 32900 Pacific Coast Highway, Gelson’s at 24 Monarch Beach Plaza and Chevron at 32842 Pacific Coast Highway. In San Juan Capistrano, the locations are ARCO ampm at 28662 Camino Capistrano, Capistrano Liquor Mart at 31401 Camino Capistrano, El Nopal Mercado at 31451 Camino Capistrano and Farmers Market at 31109 Rancho Viejo Road. If you can’t make it out to any of these locations yourself, there is another local option that can get there for you. First featured in our Green Issue and on the cover of The Capistrano Dispatch back in 2016, 10-year-old Ryan Hickman and Ryan’s Recycling can help you out. While the job for Ryan and his dad, Damion, became more difficult with the rePlanet closures last year, the Hickmans’ San Juan Capistrano recycling pick-up business is still rolling across Orange County. The Hickmans pick up recycling from a patron and take it to a recycling center. To schedule a pick-up of your recycling, go to ryansrecycling.com/contact. No matter the obstacles, there is always a way to do your part in the world of recycling.
Surfrider Foundation Defending the Seas for More Than 35 Years By Shawn Raymundo In 1991, Surfrider Foundation earned national recognition when it won a landmark lawsuit under the federal Clean Water Act against two pulp mills that had been polluting the ocean o Humboldt County. The two companies, Louisiana-Pacific Corp. and Simpson Paper Co., agreed to pay nearly $5.8 million in fines and stop polluting the water under a settlement agreement—the second-largest, at that time—under the Clean Water Act. “That case made national news, because it seemed so unlikely that these surfers would win this case,” says Surfrider CEO Chad Nelson. “That put Surfrider on the map.” According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials at the time, the two pulp mills had been dumping 40 million gallons of untreated waste into the ocean a day, Los Angeles Times had reported. As a result of the e orts led by the small
organization of surfers, the two timber companies had also agreed to put in solar-heated showers at the nearby beaches, allowing surfers to wash o any to ic contaminants, according to the L.A. Times report. After news broke of Surfrider’s major political victory, surfers from across the globe started calling the organization’s headquarters in San Clemente asking for help with their local issues. At that time, Nelson e plains, Surfrider’s operations were still small, having ust gotten o the ground a few years before. “The organization was very small at that time it might’ve ust been primarily volunteers,” Nelson says. “But we started the grassroots e orts, and we said, We can’t solve your problems, but we can help you solve them.’ ” Thus began the e pansion of Surfrider Foundation, which currently has more than 80 chapters throughout the world. The first chapters were started right here in Southern California one in Orange County and one in
San Diego County. “It’s been sort of organic growth since that time,” Nelson says, later adding: “It is still an organization that is grassroots very volunteer-driven.” Surfrider was first formed in 1984 by Glenn Hening, Lance Carson, Tom Pratte, Chris Blakely and a host of other surfers. In the more than 35 years since, the Foundation has continued to address environmental threats to coastal environments worldwide. As coastal defenders, Surfrider has focused its e orts on five key areas: beach access, clean water, ocean protection, coastal preservation and plastic pollution. Across the world, addressing plastic pollution has been at the forefront of Surfrider’s campaigns. Surfrider lists more than 2 0 campaigns in which the organization has been victorious in fighting plastic pollution, and has 0 active campaigns right now to address the issue. Nelson notes that a large amount of the
“These single-use disposable items, although convenient, are causing great harm to our environment and in most cases are things that we can find better alternatives for.” Surfrider CEO Chad Nelson
plastic polluting the seas originated from trash and debris found on the beaches, including plastic wraps, straws and polystyrene. “These single-use disposable items, although convenient, are causing great harm to our environment and in most cases are things that we can find better alternatives for,” Nelson says. “So we’re kind of approaching that by educating the public about personal choice— skipping the bag, using reusable mugs, skipping the straw—and at the same time utilizing our policies to minimize these problems.” One statewide e ort Surfrider is actively supporting is the California Recycling and Plastic Pollution Reduction Voter Initiative, which proposes to require that producers of singleuse plastic packaging transition to producing reusable and recyclable products by 2030. The proposed initiative, which requires 9 0,000 signatures by April 21 in order to qualify for the ballot in the General Election this November, is meant to complement similar legislation in the state Senate and Assembly the California Circular Economy and Pollution Reduction Act, or Senate Bill 54 and Assembly Bill 1080. Nelson e plains that the measures are meant put some of the onus on the organizations that are producing the pollution in order to resolve the problem. One of the ma or key areas Surfrider is focused on in California is coastal preservation. “Over 80 of the California coastline is eroding, and we are starting to see the impacts of sea level rise, and that is causing sort of encroachment on the sea as the ocean encroaches on our beaches,” Nelson says. He notes there are challenges when dealing with preservation pro ects because of the inner play between the ocean, public space, private property and infrastructure that are being damaged by erosion. To mitigate the issue, Nelson e plains that there are three potential responses. One is beach nourishment or sand replenishment. Another is armoring where shoreline structures are put in place to hold back the sea and prevent more loss of sediment. And the third is coastal adaptation. “ Coastal adaptation is also really challenging, because we’re talking about moving infrastructure and moving property lines, and that’s pretty contentious,” Nelson says. “But in reality, that’s what we have to do to have healthy beaches in California.” Nelson says a combination of those responses could be implemented to address the issue. One e ample of this happening is at Capistrano Beach, where OC Parks recently presented some design proposals to help protect the amenities and public access to the local park. A couple of the current proposals are meant to be hybrids of those coastal preservation strategies. Nelson notes that up and down California’s coast, cities and counties are working to figure out how to ad ust, as the sea level is estimated to rise by three to si feet within the ne t 100 years. “That’s going to have ma or implication with how we coe ist in our coastline,” Nelson says. “It sounds like a long way o , but we’re already facing these issues today. They’re only going to accelerate.” To learn more about Surfrider’s history, to volunteer with its South Orange County chapter or donate to its e orts, visit southoc. surfrider.org.
THE FRUITS OF LABOR
Harry Otsubo Community Gardens Offers Camaraderie, Creativity and a Culture of Caring in Dana Point
Lillian Boyd, Dana Point Times Catherine Waters waited six years for her first plot at the Harry Otsubo Community Gardens and now, about 20 years later, she gives thanks each time she walks through the garden’s gates. It began when she first moved to Dana Point. A neighbor told her about the community garden and drove her to go see it. “Five minutes later, I was at the counter at the Dana Point Community Center office putting my name on the waiting list,” Waters said. After si years, Waters was allotted her first plot. “That’s when my ourney as a smallspace fruit grower began. The plot I now have is Harry Otsubo’s former garden. Gardens go into mourning when the loving gardener who fostered it leaves. Back then, in Harry’s absence, that plot had become overrun with stinging nettles, not a ton of fun to weed out.” After clearing out the nettles, the first thing Waters did was plant four apple trees, one in each corner, with the intent of training them into espaliers. Espaliers are the horticultural and ancient agricultural practice of controlling woody plant growth for the production of fruit, by pruning and tying branches to a frame. “Apples, in the theories available to home gardeners in those years, were not supposed to produce in Dana Point’s almost no-chill climate, but I decided to take a chance on low-chill varieties Winter Banana a good pollinator , Anna and Fu i grow them as espaliers and see what
happened,” Waters said. “Most years, we have wonderful crops that stretch from June to November.” While a community garden o ers a solution for residents without backyards or space to garden, plots also allow for garden e perimentation. Some landscapes in Dana Point do not allow for certain vegetable gardening due to flooding risks. “There is a camaraderie amongst many of the people who garden at Harry Otsubo Community Gardens,” Waters said. “They come from all walks of life, all professions. With very few e ceptions, the gardeners are friendly people and also, some, quite rugged individualists. Gardening can definitely highlight individualism. Most of the gardeners are brethren in that we share a common interest.” Waters reflects back on her roots and how her grandfather’s gardening influenced her love for growing from the earth. Waters’ grandfather had an allotment garden in Oakland in an integrated neighborhood. “People from incredibly diverse backgrounds did e actly what he was doing,” Waters said. “Agriculture is a common thread that binds people, not an ethnic identity that divides them. I think a community garden brings this out in people.” The Harry Otsubo Community Gardens consist of 50 plots of gardens that are maintained by individuals within the city. The gardens are open to the public for viewing. It is open 10 a.m.- p.m. and is located at 24800 Stonehill Drive, Dana Point.
While Planting a Seed, They’re Sharing the Love By Fred Swegles What if you could grow organic fruits and vegetables at home, in a compact space without even having to mess with soil? And use very little water? San Clemente residents Greg and Lori Licht have taken the concept from their backyard into a charity endeavor—a nonprofit that supports food banks and encourages local residents to grow their own food. We interviewed Greg Licht of San Clemente Urban Farms: What inspired you and Lori? We originally bought a Tower Garden six years ago and placed it in our backyard. I grew up spending summers on my grandfather’s farm and loved growing things from an early age. When I learned about Tower Garden, I was amazed at how easy and quick it was to grow at home. I haven’t planted anything in the ground since. How did that morph into San Clemente Urban Farms? We were growing so much food on our one tower at home that we started giving it away to family and friends. About four years ago, Lori and I and a small group of friends were looking for a community service project. We knew about Family Assistance Ministries and their need for food donations. We realized that we could grow high-quality food quickly and in great quantities. So we added a couple towers and started growing more and donating. How do Tower Gardens work? It’s an aeroponic growing system that runs a small pump to circulate a nutrient solution over the roots on a timer. We don’t use soil, pesticides or fertilizers. Our system uses 90% less water and 90% less space than normal in-ground growing. We grow non-GMO, beyond-organic, nutrientdense, clean food. We are truly hyper-local. You can’t get fresher produce anywhere. Our mission statement is “to help feed those in need and educate people about the benefits of growing their own food and living a healthy lifestyle.” We are currently supplying three food banks: FAM, Laguna Food Pantry and Southern California Indian Center. We are feeding people in need the very best. We are blessed to have been given space by Mark Zane, owner of Bella Collina (San Clemente) golf club. We originally pitched the idea to Jay Pesicka, general manager of Bella Collina. Before we could finish all the reasons why this was a good idea for the community, Jay said, “OK, done,” and took it to Mark. We moved in about a month after first talking to Jay.
Earth Day Events By Collin Breaux Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing guidelines, we will be listing virtual Earth Day events this year. Though in-person events have been canceled, the quarantine era gives us a chance to slow down, reduce our carbon footprint, reflect on being in harmony with nature and brainstorm plans for being good stewards of the planet. APRIL 19 | EARTH DAY 50 VIRTUAL KICKOFF Time TBD. Earth Day Initiative is “building out an online platform and livestream video experience” to establish an online experience reminiscent of in-person events, in time for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Plans include speakers, among them scientists and performers, as well as virtual workshops and virtual exhibitor booths promoting sustainability. earthdayinitiative.org.
Greg Licht, co-founder of San Clemente Urban Farms, arrives for a harvest. Photo: Fred Swegles
“We moved to San Clemente in January, 1997. I was in the surf industry. After a long-term job as executive vice-president at Body Glove, I moved a new business and family here.” Greg Licht The food banks are in need now, more than ever. We just donated about 160 heads of lettuce, kale, Swiss chard, etc., and Laguna Food Pantry told us more people are coming in for food than before. We are working every day and not slowing. We are following all federal and state recommendations and directives from Bella Collina. Who supports you? We want our local community to get involved and help. You can go to our website and see ways you can support the cause. We have a great group of board members and family that help out on the farm. We also have two employees. Hopefully, we will get volunteers to help. Who are your board members? Myself and Lori, Mel Pasquale, Marco Gonzalez and Je Jonas. Ally Morris of The Happy Hour Agency is helping. Joe and Tiana Bard of Banzai Bowls are supporters. A disabled veteran-owned company, AVCS from Arizona, donated enough money for us to buy 10 towers.
Our nonprofit is a Tower Garden distributor, so we make a little money each time we sell one. We are also planning Farm Stand sales. We o er seedlings for sale and plan to have classes and socials at the farm. -
There is no better way to feed your
family nutrient-dense clean food than from right o your own tower. We are here to help the community and want people to join our Community Collective, where everyone can contribute to our food donations. We want to build a community of equipped and educated growers who take care of their families and help others. The cost of a tower can be financed for zero interest over 12 months, at $51 per month, on our website, but then you are set up to grow for decades. The cost to operate a tower is very low. Our farm uses less electricity in one day than a home oven running for an hour. We have 26 towers. The only other costs would be seeds, growing media like coco coir and nutrients. Seriously, pennies. What do you see as the farm’s future? Food insecurity is real. Food problems like e-coli contamination are real. We believe in “better for all.” It’s not that hard to do. We want to supply more food banks and help people. We will need to grow our farm to do that. We have 26 towers in service. Each tower has 44 growing spaces, so we are producing 1,144 plants that harvest every four to six weeks. Our goal is to get to 52 towers—2,288 plants. Can you handle that? We have the space and have made the investment into electrical and plumbing to handle that many towers. Let’s just see what happens. Learn more by visiting sanclementeurbanfarms.com
APRIL 20 | LIVESTREAMED STANFORD WOODS INSTITUTE CELEBRATION 1:30 p.m. Stanford is a long drive from Orange County, but this year you can celebrate environmental mindfulness with the university from the comfort of your couch. Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment will host this event, and people are invited to join students and faculty for an online discussion of the progress made since the first Earth Day, and what the future holds for the planet. woods.stanford.edu. APRIL 22 | VIRTUAL CLIMATE UPRISING Noon-5 p.m. Participate in a variety of workshops, teach-ins, and acts of solidarity. sandiego350.org. PRI - | EARTH DAY WEEK Varying times. The 2020 “We Don’t Have Time Climate Conference” will broadcast discussions and daily shows from Washington, D.C., Stockholm and from almost all continents on Earth. The event is public, free and devoted to solutions on the climate crisis. wedonthavetime.org. APRIL | EARTH CHALLENGE 2020 Time is up to you. Participate in a citizen scientist initiative to log and report environmental data. “The campaign will use a mobile app to collect billions of observations in air quality, plastic pollution and insect populations, providing a platform and valuable environmental insight to promote policy change in these areas,” the campaign website says. This campaign comes at a time when turning to technology is a necessity for interaction. earthchallenge2020.earthday.org.
MAKE YOUR OWN EVENT Take the initiative and create your own event. You could host a group chat on Zoom, FaceTime or other platform to discuss recycling, sustainable ways of living and tapping into green technology. Grassroots community discussions can often yield new insights and enable collaboration.
Boys & Girls Club
Green Programs The Boys and Girls Club of the South Coast Area is doing its part to be green-friendly while encouraging kids to be environmentally conscious and teaching the importance of recycling. The nonprofit’s Torch Club a leadership and service program for middle school kids has been a shining e ample of how the youth can preserve and protect the local beaches. “They started doing trash cleanups at the beach,” says Elizabeth Beas, the director of development for the Boys & Girls Club. “They’ve been doing it pretty regularly during the school year. So that was something they initiated on their own.”
Beas says that each school year, the Torch Club is encouraged to get involved in serving the community, finding ways to do something that’s meaningful to them. “This year, they decided that they wanted to go outward facing in, really cleaning up the community,” she says. And during the out-of-school program’s summer months, Beas notes that the Boys & Girls Club conducts its 10-week Brain Gain course that’s intended to help keep kids learning over the long break. Throughout the course, she says, learning activities are done using recycled items such as water bottles, newspapers and toilet paper, to name a few. “We’re really dependent on recycled goods; hand-me-down goods,” she says. “We put them all to really good use.”