Is Novato penny-wise, or climate foolish? City ‘opts out’ of clean energy for $7,800 in filthy lucre... by Jason Walsh
“People today know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” —Oscar Wilde
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At only $7,800, Novato officials could get this vacuum tank at a steal!
NRDC realize a 19-foot Mako fishing boat just went up on Craigslist for $7,800 OBO? We’re not suggesting that going with what’s cheaper is always a bad thing. People do it every day when buying groceries, toilet paper and socks. And if Novato were saving, say, $100,000 a year—the equivalent of running several more senior or kid programs—we’d probably jump into bed with PG&E as well. But $7,800 was all it took for four of the councilmembers to side with the Snidely Whiplash of utility companies? Let’s put that amount in perspective: The city’s 2012-13 operating budget is $30.9 million—$7,800 rounds out to slightly more than 0 percent of that budget. Staying with Marin Clean Energy would have literally cost the city next to nothing. Of course, the Novato City Council has never pretended to lead the charge for clean energy. (One longtime councilmember still doubts human-made climate change is taking place.) From the early days of the Marin Energy Authority, when town officials were duped by PG&E warnings that MCE would cost ratepayers $30 or $40 more a month (so far it’s been $2.56 a month), to 2010 when community demand in an election year finally swayed Councilwoman Madeline Kellner to swing her vote in favor of joining the joint powers of authority, Novato officials have approached clean energy with the enthusiasm of a wet finger headed for a live socket. But the only shock we see coming is the one our kids will experience if today’s leaders don’t take science more seriously. In her dissenting vote last week, Novato Mayor Denise Athas said we need to “reach beyond ourselves and look to the health of the community.” We’d suggest her fellow councilmembers spend a few pennies on similar thoughts. < Warm Jason’s globe at jwalsh@pacificsun.com.
by Howard Rachelson
1. What woman, who was madam of houses of ill repute in San Francisco, and opened Sausalito’s Valhalla Restaurant, later became mayor of Sausalito? 2. To combat the growing obesity epidemic, New York’s Mayor Bloomberg has controversially proposed banning the sale of what? 3. What superstitious people don’t do... 3a. Walk under a what? 3b. Allow what to cross their path? 3c. Open what object indoors? 4. What two locations in the USA hold the largest collections of gold bullion? 5. Can you identify four major league baseball teams with colors in their names? 6. Pictured, right: Name these things that are 6a 6c really BIG! 7. Made from mayonnaise, chopped pickles, capers and onions, this white-colored sauce goes very well with fish and chips. What is it? 8. After allegations that up to 10,000 private telephone numbers may have been hacked by journalists, what London tabloid newspaper abruptly published its final issue last July? Who is the owner? 9. Lying to the east and west of Greece are what two seas whose names begin with vowels? 10. Oliver Stone’s 2008 film W was a biography of what personal friend of his, a former classmate 6b 6d at Yale? BONUS QUESTION: The 38th parallel north of the equator separates what two adversarial countries with similar names? Howard Rachelson invites you to trivia contests, Wednesdays at 7:30pm at the Broken Drum in San Rafael, and Thursday, June 21, at the Corte Madera Library, 7pm (free).
VMarinites constantly impress us with their spirit of giving. Name a need in our community and you’ll likely find people willing to donate their time and energy to help. Last week, volunteers for the Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) rescued threatened steelhead trout and endangered wild coho salmon from the Barranca Creek in Lagunitas. The creeks along the Lagunitas Watershed dry up in the summer months, trapping the fish in evaporating pools. Scientists worked alongside the volunteers, rescuing about 100 fish and releasing them to a perennial flow section downstream. SPAWN’s fish rescue continues through the summer. If you’d like to be a Hero and join the volunteer team, contact SPAWN biologist Jonathan Appelbaum at jonathan@tirn.net or call 415/663-8590 ext. 114.
Answers on page 31
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ith all due respect to Mr. Wilde, here are a few prices worth knowing. They’re all on Craigslist for exactly $7,800: a Yamaha baby grand piano; a 1996 wide-glide Harley; a 1972 Pontiac Le Mans; an 18kt solid gold ladies’ Rolex. It’ll be interesting to see what the city of Novato splurges on with its extra $7,800— that’s the amount it’s saving by choosing energy that’s 30 percent dirtier in order to save 2 percent on its annual bill. We vote for the 1,800-gallon vacuum tank that went on sale June 14 in San Jose. It may come in handy decades from now when they need it to suck up all the San Pablo Bay waters that have engulfed Bel Marin Keys. The city of Novato voted 4-1 last week to opt out of powering its city services through the 50 percent mix of renewable energy offered by Marin Clean Energy and instead spend the town’s money on the 20 percent renewable mix of Pacific Gas and Electric. Among county pro-PG&E municipalities, Novato is so far joined only by Sausalito, whose council was a bit wobbly kneed back in 2010 when MCE was just getting started. Larkspur and Corte Madera are expected to vote on the matter within the next few weeks. In voting for PG&E, freshman Novato Councilman Eric Lucan said during last week’s vote that it was the council’s duty to taxpayers to make a decision that is most “financially prudent.” But is saving a couple of thousand a year in the hopes that climate scientists are overestimating the dangers of global warming “financially prudent”? Here’s what the nonprofit environmental advocacy group the Natural Resources Defense Council says about “the cost of climate change”: “Four global warming impacts alone— hurricane damage, real estate losses, energy costs, and water costs—will come with a price tag of 1.8 percent of U.S. GDP, or almost $1.9 trillion annually (in today’s dollars) by 2100. We know how to avert most of these damages through strong action to reduce the emissions that cause global warming. But the longer we wait, the more painful—and expensive—the consequences will be.” That’s all well and good, but does the
›› TRiViA CAFÉ
HERO
›› EDITOR'S NOTE
WFolks enjoy spending sunny days on Marin’s beaches. Unfortunately, nice weather on the weekends means Marin locals are confronted with dangerous traffic conditions. Last Saturday was a prime example. Cars were at a standstill on Highway 101 approaching the Stinson Beach and E. Blithedale exits. Beachgoers in the middle and fast lanes, apparently not wanting to wait at the exit ramp, attempted to merge at the last minute, creating havoc. Drivers expecting to continue on 101 in the through lanes came upon cars at a complete standstill in front of them. Though the biggest Zeros are the impatient drivers, we have to wonder about law enforcement. Since we experience similar traffic patterns on warm summer weekends, shouldn’t CHP anticipate and prevent this hazardous situation?—Nikki Silverstein
Got a Hero or a Zero? Please send submissions to e-mail nikki_silverstein@yahoo.com. Toss roses, hurl stones with more Heroes and Zeros at ›› pacificsun.com JUNE 22 - JUNE 28, 2012 PACIFIC SUN 9