Local HEROES Clean Water

Have trouble keeping New Year’sResolutions? Here are some easy oneswith great rewards.• Click daily at www.thehungersite.com and access five other charities.When joined with other people clickingdaily, you can make a real difference inless than a minute. Last year clicking––and shopping––provided 72 millioncups of food for the hungry, nearly7600 mammograms for needy women,health care for nearly 1,000,000 childrenworldwide, over 500,000 books forunderprivileged children, nearly 78million bowls of food for needy animals,and preserved nearly 15,000 acres ofland.• Donate blood regularly. Everythree seconds, someone needs blood.Although 5 million Americans needblood annually, less than 10% of thoseeligible donate. Now while helpingsave a life, you can improve your ownhealth. A recent long-term study ofmore than 1,0000,0000 Scandinavianblood donors showed a possible linkbetween donation and a lower risk ofcertain cancers (liver, lung, stomach,and throat) and a possible reductionin heart disease in men. While therearen’t yet results for women, donatingcan’t hurt their health––you get a minicheckupincluding a blood pressure testeach time you donate. Now you canschedule a donation online at either theblood bank or at a mobile blood drive;go to http://www.bbr.org/ or call 707-545-1222.• When you’re grocery shopping,buy something extra for the RedwoodEmpire Food Bank’s Winter Food Drive.With the economy in serious trouble,and unemployment rising, more peopleneed the Food Bank’s help. REFB serves60,000 people monthly, including 22,000children and 9,000 seniors. Of the18,8000 households they serve, 7,300 areworking families. Drop foods in barrelsat G&G Supermarkets, Longs, Lucky,Safeway, and Whole Foods or call 707-523-7900 for other locations.You can’t separate one from theother. Global warming, water, fuel use,and electricity are all interwoven.• Save water. We are now into ourthird drought year. Last spring wasthe driest in recorded history. FromJuly 1st to January 1st, Sonoma Countyrainfall was only about 50% of normal.We appear to be in a “la Niña” weatherpattern, with another dry spring onthe way. Measurements of the watercontent in the Sierra snow pack are83% of normal; unseasonably warmweather, an affect of global warming,could evaporate much of that. Droughtisn’t the only factor affecting our watersupplies. A growing population––partlyfrom people moving here, but mostlyfrom people born here who choose tostay here, new and expanding industriesand agriculture, and protecting thesalmon and steelhead runs, all meanwe’ll need to conserve more water,all year around. With so little rain thiswinter, gardens still needs watering.Save water when you turn on the hotwater tap in the shower or kitchensink by capturing the cold water andusing it to water plants. Start planningahead for a dry summer––go to http://www.sonoma.watersavingplants.com/to view the Sonoma County WaterAgency’s water saving CD.• Save gas. The less gas we use, theless global warming, which also meanswe’ll have more water. Last year gasprices soared to nearly $5/gallon, andAmericans responded by driving 100billion less miles; gas consumptionwas down 3.2% in 2008. Prices droppeddramatically during the fall, but nowthey’ve bottomed out. The situationin the Middle East, OPEC reducingits output, a dispute between Russiaand the Ukraine, and reduced refinerycapacity all contributed to gas pricesrising steadily since December. Also,Congress may increase the gasoline taxby 10 cents/gallon to offset the loss offunds for roads. So all the things welearned when gas prices were soaringstill apply. And while we’re savingmoney and fossil fuels, we’re helpingto reduce global warming. One idea––take public transit once a week. (SeePatricia Dines’ article on public transitexperiences in this issue.)• Save electricity. PGE has to purchasepower from non-renewable sources indry winters and when water suppliesare low, because there’s not enoughwater for hydroelectric generation,so saving electricity means less fossilfuel will have to be burned. Unplugelectronics and battery chargers whenthey’re not in use. If all Californians didthis, it would be like taking 120,000 carsoff the road. For other energy savingideas go to www.pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney.26 - www.westcountygazette.com - 1/15/09