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The Lab -- Strike for the Planet week 108 [1]

['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']

Date: 2023-10-18  

You can make a difference to the hurt being caused by climate chaos and the great extinction event in your town or your city! How? Reuse, repurpose, and recycle this information. You can push your local politicians to act. It will make a difference!

This is the letter for week 104 of a weekly climate strike that went on for 4 years in front of San Francisco City Hall, beginning early March 2019. For more context, see this story. For an annotated table of contents of the topics for all the strike letters, see this story. Meanwhile…

STRIKE FOR THE PLANET

SF is not prepared for this megadrought

This week’s topic: Water in SF, the Lab

SF has major water problems — Statement of the Problem

Almost all of SF’s water is from the Sierra snowpack 1 and the snowpack is gone 2 possibly for the duration of the megadrought, possibly for longer. 3

and the snowpack is gone possibly for the duration of the megadrought, possibly for longer. This means we have to be a LOT more responsible4, and much less political about water5 or we will lose everything.6

To work the problem, let’s start with a few postulates — Background

If CA isn’t healthy, SF suffers.7 A healthy CA and SF require a biosphere that is hydrated as much and as authentically as possible, even as there is less and less water available.8, 9, 10

And an idea — Hypothesis

SF can do a lot about water, and in a lot of different ways, to make CA’s biosphere healthier, thus supporting SF’s water health.

What does SF have to work with? — Materials

Hetch Hetchy, local rivers and groundwater

sea level rise

lawsuits (more on these next week)

available, nearby scientific expertise

unevenly available money (more on this next week)

interesting political and physical systems of operation (more on this next week)

remnants of engineering and manufacturing expertise

online and digital tech expertise

difficult geography

an aged, battered sewage system

a population with lived knowledge of past megadroughts in CA11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

So how do we solve SF’s and reduce CA’s water problems? — Procedures

1. BLACKWATER RECYCLING

This greatly reduces our draw on state and local waters. The following information, from Strike letter week 95, is contact information for locales already doing blackwater recycling.

Namibia. Windhoek, the Goreangab plant at https://www.wingoc.com.na/contact-0#no-back .

. Wichita Falls, Texas. Harold Burris is the Resource Recovery Superintendent at 940-766-2841 or harold.burris@wichitafallstx.gov . You’re asking about the “toilet to tap” wastewater recycling program of 2014.

. You’re asking about the “toilet to tap” wastewater recycling program of 2014. Austin, Texas. They’ve built, but not yet implemented, a thorough water recycling system. Contact Katherine Jashinski at http://www.austintexas.gov/email/katherine.jashinski and there’s a lot more information at http://www.austintexas.gov/department/site-blackwater-reuse-pilot-project-meet-oscar-and-clara .

and there’s a lot more information at . The City of San Diego. It’s not full toilet-to-tap but they’ve navigated CA regulations most of the way and are looking to do the last step. Their PUC is at 619-533-5358 or scesena@sandiego.gov.

The Orange County Water District. Another CA locale that has been aggressively pursuing water reuse. If Republicans behind the Orange Curtain can do it, clearly we can. The main office phone number is 714-378-3200, though they have a ton of social media and a contact message page available here: https://www.ocwd.com/contact-us/ .

. The East County Advanced Water Purification program of the Padre Dam Municipal Water District in San Diego. They are available at 619-258-4644 or info@eastcountyawp.com.

Singapore. The National Water Agency has dubbed it NEWater, and this overview page explains how they do it — https://www.pub.gov.sg/watersupply/fournationaltaps/newater . They are much more non-bio-tech than the Namibian model, and therefore likely more expensive and susceptible to hacking. They are reachable at (65) 6225 5782 for international calls or online in multiple ways at https://www.pub.gov.sg/contact .

. They are much more non-bio-tech than the Namibian model, and therefore likely more expensive and susceptible to hacking. They are reachable at (65) 6225 5782 for international calls or online in multiple ways at . Israel recycles 90% of its wastewater. Most is directed to agriculture and not the tap. The Israeli Water Authority can be contacted at 076-5300905 or https://forms.gov.il/globalData/GetSequence/getHtmlForm.aspx?formType=contact_us@water.gov.il .

. Salesforce. The tower has an independent blackwater recycling system in place that goes from toilet to toilet or irrigation. If they’re not already on your speed dial, you can contact them at info@salesforcetower.com .

Please note that Supervisor Mandelman’s proposed legislation to expand the 2012 Non-Potable Water Ordinance in SF is a good start, but it only applies to new buildings and not to new affordable housing or permanent supportive housing projects. It is possible, and required, that we do a lot more on blackwater recycling, and we act faster.17

2. CONSERVATION

Current conservation efforts would be sufficient in an undamaged biosphere but are insufficient given climate change, the on-going extinction event, and megadrought. However, plenty of municipalities faced water crises before us and their inventiveness and experiences are available to us. Among the cities to contact are:

Las Vegas where they realized it’s insane to grow grass in a desert, a situation that clearly applies to native vs. non-native plants everywhere 18 , and something we need to be acting on. 19 They already have in place drought management plans that are worth looking at. 20

, and something we need to be acting on. They already have in place drought management plans that are worth looking at. Cape Town reduced their water demand by half in 3 years after the disaster of 2018. And they’re pursuing more water efficiencies while keeping the needs of the economically and socially marginalized front and center. Their Five Commitments are an excellent starting place, and I’m sure the Executive Mayor, Alderman Daniel Plato, would be interested in talking with and working with Mayor Breed and San Francisco. His email is dan.plato@capetown.gov.za, his business number is 021 400 1322 / 400 1301, and the website for Cape Town’s government is www.capetown.gov.za.

In 2014, Peru enacted the Mechanisms for Ecosystem Services Compensation law. This law enumerates the benefits nature provides to human well-being in a way that allows tariffs, taxation, and compensation. 21 Additionally Peru’s sanitation, forestry and climate change, and biodiversity offset laws are contributing to Peru’s meeting the water needs of all its citizens and of the biosphere. 22 This is notable as Lima is the 2 nd largest desert city in the world.

Additionally Peru’s sanitation, forestry and climate change, and biodiversity offset laws are contributing to Peru’s meeting the water needs of all its citizens and of the biosphere. This is notable as Lima is the 2 largest desert city in the world. San Antonio is working hard to do as much right with water as possible, from their clearly stated Code of Ethical Standards to their easy accessibility. Roam their website a bit (at https://www.saws.org/ ), take a look at their Conservation Case Studies, their Rebate Programs, their reuse of all wastewater treatment process byproducts 23 , and more.

), take a look at their Conservation Case Studies, their Rebate Programs, their reuse of all wastewater treatment process byproducts , and more. And if SF supports and promotes Biden’s infrastructure bills, there is $111 billion allocated to pay for water projects, such as the transition of our old sewage system to blackwater recycling.24

3. ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

Restore our groundwater and streams by expanding and enforcing existing permeable surfaces regulations, creating linear parks along water ways (such as has been done in Sorocaba, Brazil25), bring our waterways back to the surface, put bioswales everywhere26, link up our green spaces into biohighways and create many more and bigger green spaces in the southeast and eastern parts of SF, plant natives everywhere27, and plant coastal buffers to help protect SF from sea level rise.28

4. RIGHTS FOR LIVING SYSTEMS

SF must eliminate any privatization of living systems such as ecosystems and rivers, citizens need to be at least equal to corporations in all legal, financial, and rights matters29 we need to implement Restorative Justice30 for the environment.

5. ELIMINATING POLLUTANTS

While all the above measures will help reduce pollution, SF needs to also wield the Precautionary Principle like a sledgehammer against the polluters. We know corporations lie for profit, and that their lies kill and sicken us and damage the biosphere.31 SF needs to take the lead here to make them remediate and pay for their harm.

The results and conclusions of this experiment depend on you

So do the work! Do you know how expensive not spending money to mitigate climate change and the extinction crisis is?32 The costs of acting are much less than the costs of doing nothing.33 Just ask the insurance industry.34 And the military.35

Do your job

We’ve already shrunk the atmosphere36 and shifted the poles37, and now we’re pissing away the water. SF’s chances for survival are borderline at best, and require immediate action?38 You’ve taken oaths to act for the good of SF. You say you are bound by the Precautionary Principle. So act already.

Start with water!

FOOTNOTES

1. Kellie Hwang. “Sierra snowpack is already ‘wiped out’ this year, adding to California drought and fire worries”. SF Chronicle. 11 May 2021. https://www.sfchronicle.com/local/article/Sierra-snowpack-is-already-wiped-out-this-16169301.php .

2. Ibid.

3. “What Climate Change Means for California”. EPA. August 2016. https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/climate-change-ca.pdf .

4. Atreyee Bhattacharya. “Megadroughts: What Causes, And What Solutions?” Discover. 16 June 2010. https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/megadroughts-what-causes-and-what-solutions .

5. Dennis Wyatt. “Newsom plays politics with drought: As Californians we are not all in this together”. Manteca/Ripon Bulletin. 12 May 2021. https://www.mantecabulletin.com/opinion/local-columns/newsom-plays-politics-drought-californians-we-are-not-all-together/ .

6. Charles Choi. “Civilization-Collapsing Megadroughts of Medieval Times Could Be in Store for a Warming Earth”. LiveScience. ~May 2019. https://www.livescience.com/66032-medieval-megadroughts-return-global-warming.html .

7. Eric Ting. “Pandemic Exit Interviews: London Breed says SF may not follow state in fully reopening in June”. SFGate. 5 Mat 2021. https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/2021-05-London-Breed-reopening-San-Francisco-June-16148424.php . Specifically, look at Mayor Breed’s answer to the 4th question, 2nd paragraph.

8. Lori Pottinger. “Ecosystems Need Groundwater Too”. Public Policy Institute of California. 6 April 2018. https://www.ppic.org/blog/ecosystems-need-groundwater/ .

9. Amarina Wuenschel. “Managing for Drought in California Ecosystems”. US Forest Service. Accessed 18 May 2021. https://www.naturalareas.org/docs/Climate_Change2.pdf . This is a set of abstracts for presentations and symposiums on California and climate change.

10. Peter Moyle. “Drought, Fish, and Water in California”. California WaterBlog. 30 June 2019. https://californiawaterblog.com/2019/06/30/drought-fish-and-water-in-california/ .

11. Jeannine-Marie St. Jacques. “Impacts of Megadroughts on North American Native Cultures and Civilizations”. American Association for the Advancement of Science 2012 Annual Meeting. February 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267542489_Impacts_of_Megadroughts_on_North_American_Native_Cultures_and_Civilizations .

12. Dan Bacher. “Salmon advocates criticize California Governor Newsom for promoting Sites Dam, voluntary agreements during drought”. Red Green and Blue. 23 April 2021. http://redgreenandblue.org/2021/04/23/salmon-advocates-criticize-california-governor-newsom-promoting-sites-dam-voluntary-agreements-drought/ .

13. Pheng Vang and Daphne Ding. “Native Americans and the Drought”. California Drought Watch. Accessed 12 May 2021. https://mcjcaliforniadrought.wordpress.com/native-americans-and-the-drought/ .

14. Ezra David Romero. “An Ancient Native American Drought Solution For A Parched California”. KVPR. 2 June 2015. https://www.kvpr.org/post/ancient-native-american-drought-solution-parched-california#stream/0 .

15. Action News. “Native American tribe using traditional methods to combat California drought”. ABC 30. 27 July 2015. https://abc30.com/native-american-drought-north-fork-mono-indians-california/887283/ .

16. Robyn Purchia. “Plug the dirty cash flow to pipelines and polluters”. San Francisco Examiner. 29 March 2017. https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/plug-the-dirty-cash-flow-to-pipelines-and-polluters/ .

17. Bay City News. “City ordinance seeks to conserve water supply, expand recycled water amid statewide drought conditions”. San Francisco Examiner. 12 May 2021. https://www.sfexaminer.com/news/city-ordinance-seeks-to-conserve-water-supply-expand-recycled-water-amid-statewide-drought-conditions/ .

18. Sarah Goodyear. “These Cities Are Using Smart Tactics to Manage Water for the Future”. Next City. 20 October 2014. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/drought-resilience-water-saving-techniques-future .

19. See Strike letter week 27: Trees.

20. “Drought and conservation measures”. Las Vegas Valley Water District. Accessed 19 May 2021. https://www.lvvwd.com/conservation/measures/index.html .

21. Oscar Eduardo Angulo Núñez. “Mechanisms of Rewards for Ecosystem Services (MRSE)”. International Water Association. 2017. https://iwa-network.org/mechanisms-of-rewards-for-ecosystem-services-mrse/ .

22. Michael Jenkins, Gena Gammie, and Jan Cassin. “Peru Approves New Innovative Environmental Policies”. Viewpoints: Forest Trends. 27 July 2016. https://www.forest-trends.org/blog/peru-approves-new-innovative-environmental-policies/ .

23. “Water Recycling”. San Antonio Water System. Accessed 19 May 2021. https://www.saws.org/your-water/water-recycling/ .

24. Tami Luhby, Katie Lobosco, and Kate Sullivan. “Here’s what’s in Biden’s infrastructure proposal”. CNN. 21 April 2021. https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/31/politics/infrastructure-proposal-biden-explainer/index.html .

25. Frederika Whitehead. “Five fo the best water-smart cities in the developing world”. The Guardian. 29 February 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/feb/29/five-of-the-best-water-smart-cities-in-the-developing-world .

26. Sarah Goodyear. “The City of Philadelphia Wants You to Stop Ignoring Icky Overflowing Sewers”. Next City. 17 October 2014. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/are-cities-ready-to-embrace-the-culture-of-green-infrastructure .

27. See Strike letter week 27: Trees.

28. Ryan Kost. “What we’ll lose at the water’s edge”. San Francisco Chronicle. 3 October 2019. https://www.sfchronicle.com/culture/article/As-the-blue-rises-14481022.php .

29. Karen Brooks Harper. “How a Band of Austin Activists Convinced Walmart to Care About a Creek”. Next City. 8 October 2014. https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/austin-walmart-blunn-creek-preserve .

30. Brunilda Pali. “Restorative Environmental Justice”. European Forum for restorative Justice. 2020. https://www.euforumrj.org/sites/default/files/2020-05/EFRJ_Thematic_Brief_Restorative_Environmental_Justice.pdf .

31. Tom Perkins. “Chemical giants hid dangers of ‘forever chemicals’ in food packaging”. The Guardian. 12 May 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/12/chemical-giants-hid-dangers-pfas-forever-chemicals-food-packaging-dupont .

32. Eric Roston. “The Massive Cost of Not Adapting to Climate Change”. Bloomberg. 9 September 2019. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-09-09/the-massive-cost-of-not-adapting-to-climate-change .

33. Starre Vartan. “The Cost of Tackling Climate Change Is Less Than the Cost of Doing Nothing”. Treehugger. 21 April 2020. https://www.treehugger.com/tackling-climate-change-will-help-economy-when-we-need-it-most-4865281

34. Andrew Hoffman. “Rising Insurance Costs May Convince People That Climate Change Risks Are Real”. Huffpost. 1 November 2018. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/insurance-costs-climate-change_b_5bd0a8d0e4b04d1f9a5582d9 .

35. Sébastien Roblin. “The U.S. military is terrified of climate change. It’s done more damage than Iranian missiles.” NBC News. 20 September 2020. https://www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/u-s-military-terrified-climate-change-it-s-done-more-ncna1240484 .

36. Damian Carrington. “Climate emissions shrinking the stratosphere, scientists reveal”. The Guardian. 12 May 2021. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/may/12/emissions-shrinking-the-stratosphere-scientists-find .

[END]
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