Bioneers speaker asks: “What if every act of design and construction made the world a better place?”

Jason F. McLennan, CEO of the International Living Future Institute and author of  Zugunruhe, appeared at The Central Coast Bioneers Conference in San Luis Obispo on Oct. 14. McLennan’s presentation, which included an impressive stage set and imagery, was extended for more than an hour at the request of attendees. Simply put, after McLennan had wrapped up, said goodnight, and was leaving the podium, the audience wouldn’t budge.
Halfway down the stairs, he appeared puzzled, hesitated, and then returned to the microphone, asking “Do you have some questions, or –?”
“Yes!” was the enthusiastic response.

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September brings cooler evenings that allow reducing summer irrigation schedules by about 25 percent, as well as reducing your water bill. It is also time to begin planning any modifications to your landscape. If you intend to plant or re-seed a small lawn or add other landscape plants, consider doing it at either the end of September or the beginning of October. The cooler evenings will require less water, and winter rains will soon take over to further establish the new landscape.

Natives can be added to the garden as well. The natives should be watered well while planting, but only occasionally thereafter until the rains start. Most natives will do best with limited watering during the first summer season that follows; perhaps one deep watering per month. After that first summer, many natives will do best with no supplemental watering!

Regardless of what kind of plants you are using, it is important to not expose the roots to dry soil while planting. Roots are covered with nearly microscopic “hairs” that take up water. If they contact dry soil, or are allowed to dry out during the planting process, they can be damaged and cause the plant to wilt. To remedy this, place some water in the planting hole and in the pot before removing the plant from the pot. When the plant is in the ground, water it well and you are on your way!

Bob Nicholson has a degree in Natural Resources Management from Cal Poly, SLO, with over 20 years experience in water conservation, irrigation consultation and leak detection. Bob is available for residential and commercial consultation. Call him evenings and weekends at 805-440-6977 and ask about his services.

During the summer it is important to watch your landscape closely. As you adjust for water needs, keep in mind that water requirements for Citrus can be more intensive, while most stone fruits have been harvested and may have reduced water needs.  

Potted plants are seldom addressed when discussing water conservation. An important factor is the type of container used. Rough, red clay containers are a low fire clay that is permeable – water tends to evaporate through the sides of the pot. Glazed pots and plastic pots shouldn’t have that problem.  

I had a customer turn up the irrigation to her pots because the very tips of her leaves were turning brown. She thought they needed more water, but that was not exactly the problem. Brown leaf tips; particularly in house or potted plants, are often indicative of salt burn from accumulated minerals or fertilizer in the soil.  

Of course, other things such as freezing, or suddenly exposing a plant to unusual amounts of sun, can cause leaf “burn”. But all things being equal, if the problem is only with the leaf tip, the accumulation of salts is a likely cause. During the watering process some of the moisture evaporates from the soil and minerals that are left behind accumulate in the soil. These minerals (or salts) can be taken up into the plant and reach levels that “burn” the leaf tip. The solution is to make sure that enough water leaches through and out the bottom of the pot (do this two or three times).  This leaching will help wash the accumulating salts out of the soil and help prevent future salt burn.  The solution to salt burn is not necessarily watering more but watering wisely.

August can be a scorcher; it’s the last month for summer irrigation scheduling. Even though September can be warm, the cooler evenings will allow you to begin reducing your irrigation. The August schedule is the same as during July, so hold steady on the irrigation for another month. It’s important to hold steady because for some reason water consumption tends to increase during August-October.
One thing you can do during August is check again for missing drip emitters or other damage to your system. This is easily done by quickly walking through the landscape while the system is running; any problems should be immediately noticeable. Remember that one missing drip emitter can increase the consumption on a station by as much as 1/3. By finding and repairing problems, perhaps you can avoid the increase in consumption that seems to be typical for this time of year.

The Topaz Solar Farm is a 550 megawatt renewable energy project being proposed by First Solar. First Solar is a manufacturer of photovoltaic panels (PV) using advanced semiconductor technology. Established in Ohio in 1999, First Solar was born out of the automotive glass industry. However, a weak U.S. market for solar had the company looking elsewhere.

First Solar opened a manufacturing plant in Germany in 2002. At the time, European renewable subsidy programs offered financial incentives making solar installation a sensible approach for many home and business owners. First Solar has installed more than 1 Giga watt of PV on European rooftops.

Competing in Europe strengthened First Solar’s global position in many ways. Due to process improvements, First Solar achieved the lowest manufacturing cost per watt in the industry; it created the first(remove,) prefunded PV module collection and recycling program. FS modules generate electricity quietly with no air emissions, no waste production and no water use.

Back in California, the 2006 climate change legislation AB 32 mandated that utilities use renewable technologies. The large scale utility market is predicted to help the U.S. solar industry by creating a pipeline of demand. Projects like Topaz help U.S. manufacturing capabilities. First Solar has begun construction of new manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona.

In 2007, a team led by Topaz project leader Kathryn Arbeit determined that a Carrizo Plains location met three top criteria: 1) the highest solar source in PG&E territory; 2) an immediate connection to an underutilized transmission line; (The California Independent System Operators identified the Morro Bay to Midway Line as the fastest, least impactful and least costly to electric consumers to add capacity from a new project; and 3) previously “disturbed” land.

If one is truly concerned about endangered species, then it is critically important to understand “disturbed” land.

We often read accounts of the Carrizo describing the raw beauty of natural and untouched land. While visitors to the restored Carrizo Plains National Monument can attest to this interpretation, the Topaz land does not meet this depiction.

In fact, Topaz is not part of the national monument. It is privately held farm land that has been cultivated or grazed for decades.

The only feasible cultivation in arid places like the Carrizo is done by dry-land farming, where frequent plowing is required to keep moisture in the soil. The plowing is constant and it destroys native plants, small burrowing animals and the dens of the San Joaquin Kit Fox. Carrizo species are also affected by fencing and the use of rodenticides.

None of these impacts, by the way, are subject to environmental review or regulation.

Many environmentalists predict that taking land out of dry-land cultivation will make things better for the wildlife in the area.  Consider the miles and miles of barbed wire fencing to be removed replaced by large mammal movement corridors. The Fairy Shrimp, one of the two listed species found on Topaz land will be avoided completely by Topaz.

San Joaquin kit fox is the other listed specie found on Topaz land. Project biologists have taken complex steps to identify the kit fox population and design an “onsite” habitat program. This means the Topaz site is being prepared for solar energy production and for the kit fox to thrive among the panels. No more chisel plows! The efforts are a new way forward by making solar locations a setting where biodiversity can be improved while creating clean energy.

Entitled “Habitat Enhancement Case Study”, this extensive report can be found on the Topaz Solar Farm website: http://topazsolar.com/overview/php – under the “Useful Resources” section. This is just one of many positive features of the Topaz Solar Farm.

Solar energy remains an under-appreciated resource whose growth has really only just begun. Topaz is an opportunity for SLO County to be part of the transition to sustainable energy bringing new job opportunities, environmental stewardship and climate change benefits.

Dawn Legg is paid consultant for the Topaz Solar Farm. These views are her own.  

From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Summer Break Pass will allow K - 12 Students to ride any bus in the county. For only $30, the discounted Summer Break Pass is a regional transit pass that works on all buses in San Luis Obispo County and the Avila, San Luis Obispo and Cambria Trolleys. With the Summer Break Pass, students can go anywhere the bus goes including Cuesta College, Cal Poly, downtown San Luis Obispo, the beach and countless other locations. With gas prices predicted to spike over the summer, the Summer Break Pass can help elevate parents’ financial constraints meanwhile teaching youth how to use sustainable transportation.

With each pass purchased, a free Regional Day Pass is available for parents or siblings who want to accompany the pass holder on their first transit trip. For trip planning assistance, pass purchasers are encouraged to call Rideshare at 781-4362 or visit www.summerbreakpass.com to use the online bus trip planner or view the How to Ride the Bus Video and the Places to Go Guide.

The Summer Break Pass can be purchased online at www.summerbreakpass.com or at Regional Transit Authority pass outlets. The goal of the Summer Break Pass is to enable youth with healthy commuting habits and reduce the vehicle trips, miles and emissions that parents would otherwise create driving their kids around; thereby protecting the environment and saving families money.

The Summer Break Pass is a not-for-profit program. The funds gained from pass purchases are redirected into the program to provide travel training and encourage youth to use transit.

SLO Regional Rideshare is dedicated to reducing the number of single occupant vehicles on San Luis Obispo's roads and highways, reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and making it easier for commuters to get to work or school. A division of the San Luis Obispo Council of Governments, SLO Regional Rideshare has programs for adults, youth and seniors in addition to information on all ways to get around – bus, bike, carpool, vanpool and walking. For more information about SLO Regional Rideshare, visit www.rideshare.org.