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Northern California ADPSR Newsletter
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8 May 2010
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If you enjoy these newsletters please support ADPSR and our mission towards Peace, Environment, and Social Justice. Joining is safe and easy at www.adpsr.org. Members receive discounts on ADPSR events and New Village Press books, as well as discounts on environmental books at Builders Booksource in Berkeley.
Not sure of your membership status? Contact us at admin@adpsr-norcal.org.
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The Northern California ADPSR Newsletter is sent weekly to members and friends of ADPSR. This newsletter is also found at our website, http://adpsr.org/nor-cal/adpsr-bulletin-2010-05-08
Archived Newsletters can be found at http://adpsr.org/nor-cal/adpsr-norcal-newsletter-archive
Have an item or comment for our Newsletter? Please send them to listserve@adpsr-norcal.org
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ADPSR NEWS
2010 Mumford Awards
Help needed in fabricating awards
Later this week we will be publicly announcing the winners for this year's Mumford Awards in the categories of Peace, Environment, and Development. We are looking for an artist to fabricate appropriate physical awards to be given at our ceremony on June 19th, in Berkeley. Here's your chance express your creativity while gaining some notoriety, public good, and just a little bit of money, too.
E-mail Mumford@adpsr-norcal.org with "Award Maker" in the Subject Line.
TOWARD A JUST METROPOLIS:
From Crises to Possibilities
June 16-20, 2010 Conference San Francisco Bay Area
Below are just a few of the roughly 100 workshops, panels, presentations and papers that have been accepted for the Just Metropolis Conference. Presenters are coming from across North America, as well as providing perspectives on urbanization in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
"Energy Efficient Affordable Housing - the Need and the Potential"
"Uncommon Grounds: Urban Agriculture, Environmental Sustainability and Community Self-Determinism in Urban Environments"
"TRANSITions: A Proposal for Development around Berlin’s Central Station"
"Towards Spatial Justice: A New Frontier in Planning for Just, Sustainable Communities"
"Meandering in Shangri-la --- A public art project at the streets on Taoyuan County, Taiwan"
"Community based research as a building block towards entrenching the right to the metropolis?"
"Green CoWorking Hubs: Catalysts for Eco-Entrepreneurship and Innovation"
The Conference is shaping up to be a landmark event for defining the environmental and social justice movements in our cities and cities across the world. The hard work of a great team of volunteers has made this all possible for incredibly low registration prices. This will definitely be time well spent if you care about our habitat.
Volunteers needed
We are always looking for volunteers, part of the critical effort to make this conference affordable for low-income residents, students, and others. There are many ways to plug in – contact Alex Schafran at schafran@gmail.com
Registration now open
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In this issue:
ADPSR NEWS
Help needed in fabricating 2010 Mumford Awards
Register now for Just Metropolis,
ADPSR NORCAL EVENTS
What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs, May 18, 2010, SF
COMMUNITY EVENTS
PG&E Residential Retrofit & New Construction Programs, Wednesday, May 12
Urban Landscaping in San Francisco, May 19
Urban Drought Solutions: Greywater, Rainwater Catchment, Earthworks, May 16
Design For Wildlife Workshop, May 21st
Secondary Units: A Zero Sprawl Solution? May 26
Breakthrough Communities, May 27
Two-Week Permaculture Design Certification Intensive, June 11-26
Regenerative Design and Nature Awareness (RDNA) Program, Begins September 3
EcoHouse Tour, Sunday, June 13, 2010
News and Information
NO ON PROP. 16 - PULL THE PLUG ON PG&E’S POWER GRAB
Group Health Coverage for Individuals & Small Firms in Architecture and Design-Related Professions
A Dark Day in ConocoPhillips Refinery History
EMPLOYMENT
no new items
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES
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FURTHER THINKING
Right Makes Fright - Oil, Chemicals, and Health Care Policy
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ADPSR NORCAL EVENTS
What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs
Presented by ADPSR – Architects/ Designers/ Planners for Social Responsibility
May 18, 2010
6:30 PM – 9:00 PM, AIA San Francisco 130 Sutter Street, 6th Floor
Co-Sponsored by New Village Press
 
Celebrate the release of What We See: Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs, the latest book from New Village Press, ADPSR's publishing arm. This compendium of original essays looks at the present and the future of our communities through the eyes and insights of more than thirty respected activists, scholars, economists, planners, and public figures around the world whose work has been inspired by Jacobs.
Join contributing authors Clare Cooper Marcus, Chester Hartman, Alan Jacobs, Richard Register, and co-editor Lynne Elizabeth for a conversation about next steps for shaping socially just, environmentally friendly, and economically prosperous urban communities.
“There is no better place to start than this book to see the wisdom Jane Jacobs so astutely covered almost 50 years ago. We are at the precipice of a new era and Jane Jacobs and her aficionados can show us what it could look like. Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
—Fred Kent, President, Project for Public Spaces
$10.00 donation, No one turned away for lack of funds.
RSVP: lecture@adpsr-norcal.org
or pre-register through http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/110993
Contact: lecture@adpsr-norcal.org
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FURTHER THINKING
Right Makes Fright - Oil, Chemicals, and Health Care Policy
Okay, we weren't the only people to express concerns about increased oil drilling off our coasts - "Kill Baby Kill!" or is it "Spill Baby Spill?"
And the long-suffering people (and environment) of the Gulf Coast are once again on the verge of catastrophe, though the initiating force seems to be incompetence, negligence, irresponsibility , and outright criminality. Journalist Greg Palast has an interesting story about a longer history of the primary villain, "Beyond Petroleum", and their decades long history of fighting, skirting, and outright violating, environmental laws. Slick Operator: The BP I've Known Too Well (http://www.truthout.org/slick-operator-the-bp-ive-known-too-well59178).
Proposition 16, which we urge our members to oppose and vote against in next month's primary election, is but a small means to dive further into the maelstrom of centralized control of a fast failing system. Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) is not the only means to improve the environmental impacts of our energy system, but right now it seems to be a big step in the right direction.
We really hope we're wrong, but...
Our April Lecture at the AIA featured Dr. Arlene Blum and Tom Lent discussing the perils of PVC vinyl and the chemical flame retardants used in rigid insulation, foam cushions, and fabrics. As with the Gulf Oil Spill, the initial fears of environmental disaster are rapidly proving true, and the damage could take decades to repair.
ADPSR is forming a task force on environmental health, and we hope you will join us in this effort. For almost 20 years ADPSR has worked to expose the risks from the numerous synthetic chemicals in our environment, and to propose alternative solutions. We, collectively as designers of the built environment, are in a unique position to influence both policy and the marketplace, as we take on our responsibility to protect all of our clients. Email Cate Leger, lwarc@pacbell.net, if you are interested.
So what does this have to do with Health Care?
Many progressives were not thrilled with the Health Care Bill recently passed. Most still long for a universal system that would increase coverage and reduce costs. The government of Taiwan reviewed health care systems from around the world and decided that the best system was…(drum roll)… US Medicare. We know why the major media didn't cover the options - revenues from insurance and pharmaceutical advertising would doubtless plummet under any form of single payer health plan.
But most companies - large and small - are struggling with spiraling health care costs for their employees, and they know this is putting them at a competitive disadvantage in the international marketplace. So why isn't business, big business, supporting a complete revamping of our health care system?
Some of it may be the usual corporate fraternity, no need to undermine your brethren. But now for another theory.
An ounce of prevention
If health care costs were more closely tied to government expenditures, we suspect that there would be additional pressure by the government to reduce what makes us ill.
It's interesting to note that oil drilling off the coast of Norway - run by the public sector - has additional safeguards for deep wells that BP and other oil giants have virulently (and successfully) opposed. Can it be that as a government, Norway recognizes that the relatively small cost for additional safety measures far outweighs the potential cost of dealing with the potential damage?
Would we see an end to the era of deregulation to balance the potential costs and risks in policy decisions? The associated community costs for injuries were a major part of the argument when California passed the mandatory helmet law for motorcycles in 1992. A government that pays for health care have to look more carefully at the causes of real and potential risks, in our food, in our consumer and industrial products, and in the processes that extract and transform raw materials into those products. Would regulatory agencies make and enforce policy with that in mind? Do the Europeans, for example, have stricter environmental laws in part because to a large degree the governments pay for the cost of health care? And is the US corporate community opposed to a nationalized health care system from fear that this might lead to an end of business as usual?
Even if we were to achieve single payer health care, we are not so naïve as to think transforming regulation would be so easy. The opposition to the helmet law was not well funded, and there weren't particularly powerful interests involved. Recall though that the automobile industry was vociferously opposed to air bags - a fact conveniently left out of today's advertisements touting their safety. The combination of government policy and public advocacy can change the vested interests.
We can but try.
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
PG&E Residential Retrofit & New Construction Programs
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
2010 marks the start of a new program cycle for California's utilities. PG&E will be introducing some new programs to their residential program portfolio and continuing others: the Net Zero Pilot program, which will officially launch, the newly updated single and multifamily programs, the New Solar Homes Partnership, and the Multifamily Rebate Program (for retrofit). A number of these programs contain significant changes that will affect participating projects throughout Northern California. This presentation will cover these program developments, detailing such items as new incentive levels, green building kickers, and eligible measures, and discuss how these programs integrate with green programs throughout the region.
Key Questions which will be answered in this training:
What do PG&E's new technical support and incentive programs look like?
How do these programs differ from the previously offered programs (in 2006-2009)?
How do these new programs integrate with green programs, such as GreenPoint Rated?
Speaker: Brian Silverton and Joanne Panchana, PG&E
Certified Green Building Professional CEU Value: 1.5
Time: Please note the time change for this particular meeting - we will be starting 30 minutes later than usual due to a venue conflict.
5:30-5:45 Sign In & Networking
5:45-6:00 Networking Exercise
6:00-7:00 Topic Presentation
7:00-7:30 Open Discussion
Place: Marin Builders Association, 660 Las Galinas Ave., San Rafael
Registration: Pre-registration is available until noon on Wednesday, May 12th. When preregistering online, folks can pay by credit card or choose to pay at the door with check or credit card. REGISTER ONLINE at http://www.builditgreen.org/en/cev/80 or call 510-845-0472 ext. 105. Once registered, you registration will be confirmed by email.
Pre-registration Rates:
$10 /Build It Green Members
$20 /Non-Members
Non-registered Rate (Door Price):
$25 /Person
Admission includes a light meal; those choosing not to eat still are required to pay the meeting fee.
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Topic: Urban Landscaping in San Francisco
Date: Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Description: This presentation will address following urban landscaping topics:
Provide a list of plants that work well in urban landscapes (for sun, for shade, for combination)
Suggest 5 urban landscaping practices owners can use to create vibrant and sustainable urban landscapes
Present the principles of Permaculture, the design science that utilizes ecological principles of nature in landscape design
Suggest 5 permaculture practices that can help grow food and reduce water use
Provide additional resources for further information on Bay Friendly Coalition and Permaculture, e.g. seminars and certification training
Review SF guidelines for replacing concrete sidewalks and driveways
Speakers: Kevin Bayuk, Permaculture SF; and Chris Geiger, Bay Friendly Coalition <http://www.bayfriendlycoalition.org/index.shtml> /San Francisco Dept. of the Environment <http://www.sfenvironment.org/>
Certified Green Building Professional CEU Value: 1.5
Time:
5:30-5:45 Sign In & Networking
5:45-6:00 Networking Exercise
6:00-7:00 Topic Presentation
7:00-7:30 Open Discussion
Place: SF Environment, 11 Grove Street, San Francisco (Google Map)
Registration: Pre-registration is available until noon on Wednesday, May 19th. When preregistering online, folks can pay by credit card or choose to pay at the door with check or credit card. REGISTER ONLINE at http://www.builditgreen.org/en/cev/126 or call 510-845-0472 ext. 105. Once registered, you registration will be confirmed by email.
Pre-registration Rates:
$10 /Build It Green Members
$20 /Non-Members
Non-registered Rate (Door Price):
$25 /Person
Admission includes a light meal; those choosing not to eat still are required to pay the meeting fee.
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Urban Drought Solutions: Greywater, Rainwater Catchment, Earthworks
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Learn how to turn your house and yard into a water saving site with greywater systems, rainwater catchment, earthworks, and appropriate landscaping choices. You'll learn about the greywater system at the EcoHouse, the first permitted residential constructed wetland/greywater system in the State of California and the first greywater system in Berkeley to be permitted. We will discuss the principles and process of safely irrigating with shower, bathroom sink, and laundry waste water and include a presentation of greywater design and the application process. We'll also touch on the basics of how to collect rainwater from your house and store it in cisterns or directly in your garden. Earthworks such as berms, basins, french drains, swales and diversion drains can also help offset your need for irrigation and minimize your water use in the summer as well as build soil fertility and stabilize soils. Return home with ideas and plans of your own! Instructor: Babak Tondre. Please specify when registering if ASL interpretation is requested, (at least 10 working days in advance). This workshop is not wheelchair accessible. Space is limited, pre-registration required.
Time: Tours begin at 10am and at 1pm.
Cost: $15 general, $10 EC members, no one turned away for lack of funds.
Info: 510-548-2220 x239, register@ecologycenter.org
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Design For Wildlife Workshop, May 21st
San Francisco Institute of Architecture is sponsoring a one day workshop on
May 21st called Design for Wildlife Workshop. This first-of-its kind workshop on designing wildlife-friendly buildings, landscapes and communities.
Focus on ecology and practical design options. Includes wildlife behavior, site-specific methods, materials, wildlife corridors - and more.
If you are interested in the future of wildlife and ecodesign, this workshop will be an eye-opening experience.
Sponsored by the San Francisco Institute of Architecture
Instructors:
Dave Deppen, Architect
Jennifer Berry, Ecologist
Friday, May 21, 2010. 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Workshop location:
Grace North Church
2138 Cedar Street (at Walnut)
Berkeley, California
(9 blocks north of Downtown Berkeley BART)
$200 - professionals and public
$100 - special student and teacher rate - with current ID
Advance registration only
www.sfia.net
510. 523. 5174
Mail check to:
SFIA Information Office
Box 2590
Alameda, California, 94501
Checks made out to: SFIA - Design for Wildlife”
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AIAEB: May Monthly Program
Secondary Units: A Zero Sprawl Solution? May 26, 2010, Oakland
Are secondary units / "in-law units" the solution to sprawl? Come learn about this new development model that puts additional self-contained homes on the same lot as existing properties.
Panelists Include:
Kevin Casey of New Avenue Inc.
Michael Harlock, AIA principal of Michael J. Harlock, AIA
Debra Sanderson, City of Berkeley Zoning Officer and the Division Manager for the Land Use Planning Division
Topics discussed will include:
The value of second units; to the local community and larger housing needs.
Why they (and related home occupations) are very green and community strengthening.
How current California (and local) law facilitates (or discourages) the production of second units.
Successful architectural solutions; useful prototypes going forward.
How second (or third unit) policies could enliven urban design and help neighborhoods evolve towards a sustainable future.
Secondary Units - A Zero Sprawl Solution?
Time: May 26th, 2010, 5:30pm
Location: AIA East Bay Chapter Office, 1405 Clay Street, Oakland.
Contact: 510/464-3600
Cost: $15.75 for AIA Members; $21 for non-members. Registration is required.
1 CES LU
For more information: 510/464-3600
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Author Event: Breakthrough Communities
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Too often, low-income communities and communities of color bear a disproportionate burden of pollution and lack access to basic infrastructure and job opportunities. Breakthrough Communities: Sustainability and Justice in the Next American Metropolis, a presentation and book signing.
M. Paloma Pavel and Carl Anthony will introduce the metropolitan regional equity movement and highlight solutions to problems of environmental justice that take into account entire metropolitan regions: the inner city core, the suburbs, and exurban areas. They will explore current examples of people building healthy, socially just and multiracial communities across the country featured in their new book: Breakthrough Communities.
According to Belvie Rooks of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, "Breakthrough Communities showcases some of the most brilliant, innovative and creative thinkers of our time. Their innovative ideas and solutions enable us to re-imagine, not just the future of our communities and our cities, but of our planet as well."
Time: 7pm - 9pm.
Location: Ecology Center Store, 2530 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley.
Info: 510-548-3402, alison@ecologycenter.org, http://www.ecologycenter.org/store/
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Two-Week Permaculture Design Certification Intensive, June 11-26
Toby Hemenway, author of Gaia's Garden, will be teaching for the first time at Commonweal Garden with Penny Livingston and Brock Dolman! Jon Young and Starhawk will also be there...a great opportunity to learn from amazing permaculture designers and nature awareness teachers that have been practicing and teaching for decades. Please share this event with any friends or family you think would benefit from a permaculture design course like this. See our Facebook site for a post that you can share on your page.
Watch our Permaculture Video and read more:
Regenerative Design and Nature Awareness (RDNA) Program, Begins September 3
The RDNA Essentials curriculum is designed to reconnect you to the natural world, enhancing your ability to manage environmental systems in a healthy and regenerative way - learning to tend and regenerate the landscape for the future generations. If you are planning to join this life-changing course, now is the time to apply!
Find out more about the RDNA experience and watch our RDNA Video Journal:
Regenerative Design Institute
P.O. Box 923 | Bolinas, California, 94924
415-868 9681
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EcoHouse Tour, Sunday, June 13, 2010
Tour the Ecology Center's environmentally friendly demonstration site. Learn about a broad-spectrum of simple improvements that can be made to green an urban home. The tour includes: Berkeley's first city-permitted wetland / greywater system, solar panels, on-demand and solar water heater, water saving fixtures, natural and recycled building materials, rainwater cistern and water catchment strategies, a living roof garden, organic permaculture gardening, native drought tolerant plants, mushroom cultivation, earthworks raingarden, and more. Note: The interior of the home is not included on the tour. Please specify when registering if ASL interpretation is requested, (at least 10 working days in advance).
Tours begin at 10am and at 1pm.
Location: EcoHouse, 1305 Hopkins St., (enter via garden entrance on Peralta), Berkeley.
Cost: $15 general, $10 EC members, no one turned away for lack of funds.
Info: 510-548-2220 x239, register@ecologycenter.org, http://www.ecologycenter.org/.
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News and Information
NO ON PROP. 16 - PULL THE PLUG ON PG&E’S POWER GRAB
What is Proposition 16: the PG&E Power Grab?
PG&E plans to spend at least $30 million on Prop 16, named the “New Two-Thirds Requirement for Local Public Electricity Providers.” Prop 16 would amend the California Constitution to require local governments to obtain 2/3 majority voter approval before issuing public financing for a Community Choice energy program or for extending a public power utility. In other words, Prop 16 seeks to write PG&E’s monopoly into law.
What’s Behind the PG&E Power Grab?
Californians are not required to purchase energy from an investor-owned utility like PG&E. In 2002, the state legislature approved AB117 (Community Choice energy), which allows cities and counties to purchase electricity or develop it locally through an energy provider of their choice. San Francisco and Marin County, for example, are in the process of developing Community Choice programs.
In a Community Choice program, a local government buys electrical power while a utility (PG&E) maintains the power lines and does the billing. These programs are generally designed to provide a high percentage of clean, renewable energy (such as solar and wind) as well as to match or beat utility prices; furthermore, any ratepayer may still choose to opt-out of the program and buy power from the utility.
PG&E currently gets only about 14% of its electricity from renewable energy and will fail to reach the state mandated minimum of 20% by this year. Instead, PG&E is investing mostly in dirty fossil-fuel plants that are powered by natural gas, and which emit large amounts of greenhouse gases. The PG&E power grab is meant to lock us into PG&E’s dirty power and escalating rates.
Why You Should Oppose Proposition 16
It subverts the California Constitution and initiative process.
It manipulates the legal and electoral process to enshrine PG&E’s electric power monopoly in the Constitution.
It distorts our democratic system.
A 2/3 majority approval is not a one person, one vote system. It gives opponents twice as much voting power as those who vote Yes, making it nearly impossible to achieve public approval. We’ve seen how the 2/3 majority has crippled the California state budget process by putting the fate of the majority in the hands of the minority.
It eliminates your community’s choice to opt out of PG&E’s high rates.
Prop 16 stifles competition for electric power. PG&E has the highest rates in California. In addition, PG&E has already begun 2010 with one rate increase and plans nine others that would hurt both residential and commercial customers.
It violates state law by thwarting local control of energy.
Prop 16 is specifically meant to undermineCalifornia’s Community Choice law (AB 117), which gives cities and counties the option of buying cheaper, cleaner power than that provided by PG&E. AB 117 requires electric utilities to cooperate with Community Choice programs.
It threatens the future of clean energy and green jobs.
Prop 16 undermines local renewable energy development and the business growth associated with it.
It endangers our health.
Prop 16 imposes PG&E's dirty power and the pollutants that accompany fossil fuel energy on Bay Area communities.
It stalls greenhouse gas reductions.
Prop 16 undercuts efforts to provide sustainable, clean energy options to PG&E’s dependence on fossil fuels.
WHO WANTS TO PAY MORE FOR DIRTY ENERGY?? VOTE NO ON PROP. 16, JUNE 8!
Questions? Email the Local Clean Energy Alliance at stoppowergrab@gmail.com.
Resources
Prop. 16 analysis and text
California Legislative Analyst's Office: nonpartisan fiscal and policy analysis of PG&E initiative (7/7/09) http://www.lao.ca.gov/ballot/2009/090395.pdf
Actual text of Prop. 16 Initiative filed by PG&E's representative with the Attorney General's office (5/28/09) http://www.powergrab.info/PG&Epowergrab.pdf
Articles and editorials on Prop. 16
“Palo Alto Votes to Fight PG&E ‘Power Grab’,” Palo Alto Online News, Gennady Sheyner (2/2/10) http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/show_story.php?id=15574
"PG&E Spending Millions to Block Local Utilities,"San Jose Mercury News, Dana Hull (1/31/10) http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking news/ci_14296650?nclick_check=1
“PG&E Ballot Initiative Factsheet” blog by John Geesman, former CA Energy Commissioner (2002-08) http://pgandeballotinitiativefactsheet.blogspot.com/
"Editorial: PG&E Makes a New Power Grab,"Sacramento Bee (1/20/10) http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/story/2471258.html
"Editorial: Measure Would Protect PG&E, Not Taxpayers,"Redding Record-Searchlight (1/16/10) http://www.redding.com/news/2010/jan/16/measure-would-protect-pge-not-taxpayers/
“PG&E initiative on Power Suppliers on Ballot,” SF Chronicle, David R. Baker (1/14/10)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/01/13/BUND1BHQ7S.DTL&type=business
“Community Bids to Bypass Utilities Facing Hurdles in CA,” NY Times, Debra Kahn (1/7/10) http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/01/07/07greenwire-community-bids-to-bypass-utilities-facing-hurdl-1763.html?pagewanted=1
"Opinion: PG&E Ballot Measure is a Stealthy Power Play,"LA Times, Michael Hiltzik (12/28/09) http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-hiltzik28-2009dec28,0,3633154.column?track=rss
Letter from CA Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg & legislators to PG&E’s Peter Darbee (12/22/09) http://www.powergrab.info/letter.pdf
“Monopoly Money - Can One Utility Block Marin's Climate Protection Efforts?," Metroactive, Juliane Poirier (10/21/09), http://www.metroactive.com/bohemian/10.21.09/greenzone-0942.html
"The PG&E Plan: Trick the Voters and Make them Cry," The Santa Lucian, Sierra Club California, San Luis Obispo (Oct. 2009), http://www.santalucia.sierraclub.org/lucian/2009/10%20Oct.pdf
Organizations Opposing Prop. 16
CA Assoc. of Realtors http://www.car.org/meetings/carmeetings/summary-of-action items/winter2010summary/
California Sierra Club http://sanfranciscobay.sierraclub.org/yodeler/html/2005/05/feature3.htm
CleanPowerSF http://communitychoiceenergy.org/
League of Women Voters of CA http://ca.lwv.org/action/prop1006/index.html
Local Clean Energy Alliance http://www.localcleanenergy.org/
Local Power blog by CCA author Paul Fenn http://www.localpowerrevolution.blogspot.com/
Marin Clean Energy http://marincleanenergy.info/
Taxpayers to Stop the PG&E Power Grab www.powergrab.info
The Utility Reform Network http://www.turn.org/article.php?id=933
Questions? Email the Local Clean Energy Alliance at stoppowergrab@gmail.com.
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Group Health Coverage for Individuals & Small Firms in Architecture and Design-Related Professions
OWA is generously extending their group health plan to ADPSR members. While not strictly requiring PAID membership in ADPSR, wouldn't you feel better if you knew you had contributed to your favorite source of e-mail information?
Looking for a health plan for yourself or your small firm? The OWA (Organization of Women Architects & Design Professionals) has provided this major benefit to their members (women and men) for the past 30 years. Two flexible, easy to join plans with Health Net provide all the benefits of a large group plan to an individual or small business.
* The lower deductible HMO has strong benefits and allows individuals to join regardless of pre-existing conditions. The more affordable higher deductible PPO Health Savings Account plan has a 6-month pre-existing condition wait period, unless you are leaving another group plan. * If you join as a member of a firm and move on, you can keep your health plan membership as an individual at the same premium. * Firms have flexible options including signing up some staff in one plan and some in another and some not all. * You can join the health plan at any time, effective the first of the month following enrollment in OWA. OWA membership costs $50 per person per year.
For more information about OWA, check out www.owa-usa.org For more information about the health plan contact Anne Jakiemiec, OWA's insurance broker ajakiemiec@northgatebenefits.com or Janet Crane, OWA's Health Plan Coordinator at 415 398 4094.
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March 29, 2010 - A Dark Day in ConocoPhillips Refinery History
On March 29, 2010, the Crockett Community Foundation (CCF) and the Rodeo Citizens Association (RCA) alerted various local, state, and federal officials that ConocoPhillips, because it is not complying with all the conditions of its Land Use Permit (LUP), has unlawfully been operating its Rodeo hydrocracker unit since October 2009.
Against the backdrop of the refinery's unlawful operation, ConocoPhillips announced, also on March 29, that it would not renew a Good Neighbor Agreement with downwind communities that had previously been in place for over fifteen years. The old "Unocal Good Neighbor Agreement," (GNA) signed in the aftermath of a devastating, 16 day toxic Catacarb release at the Rodeo refining facility and inherited by Tosco, Phillips and ultimately ConocoPhillips, instituted environmental safeguards and funded Rodeo, Crockett and the John Swett Unified School District to the tune of $300,000 annually until its expiration this year.
If you're concerned about these developments, make your feelings known to:
ConocoPhillips San Francisco Refinery, 1380 San Pablo Avenue, Rodeo. CA 94572-1299, 510-245-4070, rand.h.swenson@conocophillips.com and/or mark.r.hughes@conocophillips.com
Catherine Kutsuris, CC County Dept. of Conservation & Development, Contra Costa County County Administration Building Martinez, CA 94553, 925-335-1290, ckuts@cd.cccounty.us
Gayle Uilkema, CC County Supervisor, District 2, Martinez Office, 650 Pine Street., Room108A, Martinez, CA 94553, 925-335-1046, gayle@bos.cccounty.us
Crockett Community Foundation, P.O. Box 155, Crockett, CA 94525, 510-787-9708, info@crockettcommunityfoundation.org
Good Neighbor Agreement Blog, http://crgna.org/blog/
The people of Rodeo and Crockett, particularly our children, the elderly and the least among us, deserve better.
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EMPLOYMENT
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Housing Opportunities
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