Advertise | About Us | My Account | Log In

 

From the Editor

 

The Green Report, Part II

    I have a confession to make: I’m not really doing my part to reduce global warming.
    I don’t own a Prius; I don’t take BART to work. Sure, I’ve changed out a few light bulbs, my new washer and dryer are energy efficient and I compost. But I haven’t purchased any carbon offsets or invested in renewable energy.
    I am thinking about the environment more, and that is a start, as increased eco awareness is the first step toward environmental enlightenment. I suspect some Oaklanders are not too different from me, though to be sure there are many in the ever-forward-thinking Bay Area who have their carbon footprints down to the barest minimum.
    What are you doing about global warming? Jeff Swenerton, Oakland Magazine’s appointed green guy who reported in 2007 on how well the city of Oakland scored on the green front, has turned the tables for the 2008 installment of The Green Report. Now it’s your turn.
    Swenerton considers seven subject areas, from building and remodeling to waste and recycling, and in each and every one he boils down the biggest things you can do to have the most dramatic impact on lessening your environmental footprint. Despite this time of economic downturn, Swenerton finds and explores a very bright spot in the current eco movement—its growing green economy. Additionally, he’s got some dynamite tips for living light. Follow his advice and you’re well on your way toward doing something to help thwart global warming.
    The photography accompanying the article, “The Green Revolution,” was shot in the Oakland Hills at Joaquin Miller Park, a hilly, fern-rich city park nestled between Redwood Regional Park and Roberts Regional Recreation Area. It’s a lovely, pristine setting, perfect for contemplating nature and the real meaning of all these efforts to become eco conscious.
    Photographer Mitch Tobias and Debbi Murzyn, art director, couldn’t have picked a more perfect model, Jatossha Davis, whose backpack contained homemade trail mix and Jordan Lomborg’s book Cool It, The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide to Global Warming.
    Always connected to his camera, Tobias scouted the spot and had the idea of using the 1930s-era 8-by-10 view camera as a prop, explaining, “I thought about how people could be enjoying their nature, and this is the way I like to.”
    This special report, then, offers some tools to help you be a little greener so that you can continue to enjoy your natural world.



Judith M. Gallman
judy@oaklandmagazine.com