Congrats to our Executive Director Claire Schlotterbeck for receiving Assemblyman Phillip Chen’s Woman of the Year for the Environment.
Both Claire Schlotterbeck and Melanie Schlotterbeck were interviewed for this OC Register article featuring Hills For Everyone’s recent Wildfire Study. On days like today, it is a good reminder to take important precautionary steps to reduce fire risks near your home. View the Orange County Register article.
Trees are really important because they provide oxygen for us to breathe. They also remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The shade they create helps reduce heat and they reduce runoff by absorbing rain water. So, if you have a chance, plant a tree and encourage others to do so!
Our wildfire study confirms what is reported here, that humans cause most fires. And, vegetation thinning doesn’t solve the problem. Additionally, “[y]ou realize, it was embers that started some of the homes on fire, and then the homes themselves generated a bunch of heat and fire that caught the neighboring homes on fire.” Read the Union Tribune article.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology has determined that one in four birds have disappeared due to habitat loss and pesticide use in the last 50 years. Birds are essential to the success of any ecosystem because they help spread seeds thereby helping the vegetation grow. Birdwatchers play an important role in helping the on-the-ground study. You can play a role in the conservation of birds by getting involved in bird counts. Read the Cornell Daily Sun article.