Good news for marine wildlife

This summer saw progress on legislation to protect embattled Pacific wildlife. Environment California-sponsored AB 258 (Krekorian), which passed the State Assembly, would reduce the growing amount of plastic in our oceans. New research has highlighted the dangers posed by plastic bags and other garbage ending up in the ocean, killing as many as 1 million sea creatures every year. In the North Pacific alone, nearly 100,000 otters, whales and other marine mammals die from choking or becoming entangled in plastic each year.

AB 258, which is now making its way through the Senate, would require manufacturers to reduce pre-production plastic pellets from their waste stream. These plastic pellets comprised roughly 98 percent of the beach debris, according to a recent study.

 A Ridley Sea Turtle, one of the species threatened by plastic pollution.

California’s new solar frontier 

There’s no question about it; California could become the Saudi Arabia of the sun if we put our minds and market to it. Thanks to the advances of an Environment California-sponsored bill, The Solar Hot Water and Efficiency Act of 2007 (AB 1470, Huffman), California is another step closer to that vision.

Following up on our historic victory last year passing the Million Solar Roofs Initiative (SB 1) to promote solar electric technologies, we are now working on the other solar technology: solar water heaters that turn sunshine into hot water reducing natural gas usage, cutting global warming pollution and saving Californians money. At press time, AB 1470 passed the state Legislature and is on the governor’s desk, awaiting his signature.

News flash:

Solar hot water act passes both houses.

Thinking about going solar?

Visit the Solar Home Resources section of our Web site for detailed information about going solar and taking advantage of California’s solar incentives.