September 23, 2008

Green pest control

I’ve been a pest control operator for almost thirty years. I entered the industry on the cusp of great change. The term integrated pest management was, I think, fairly new back then, but it’s the only pest control I’ve ever practiced. IPM involves coordinated use of many means of eliminating problems, with reliance on toxic controls minimized in favor of such things as mechanical barriers and sanitation programs. My very first mentor was fond of saying “Never turn to the traditional pesticide solution first. Look at all of the ways a pest can be controlled and try the least toxic solution first.” I was never indoctrinated into the “old school” way of doing pest control, the one that historically identified our industry as providers of poisonous chemical applications. I learned, instead, to practice “green” pest control, long before “green” came to be the identifying word for minimizing our impact on the environment. I’m glad it worked out that way. I didn’t have bad habits to unlearn like some of the older guys (they were almost all men back then.) I’ve applied pesticides, but only as a part of an overall program designed to solve pest problems in ways that have the softest possible impact on health, safety and the environment. Educating the public is a huge part of IPM. Pest control is no longer something we do for you, it’s something we do with you.

The bookmarks I lost when my computer bit the dust included dozens of links that have helped me educate friends, family and readers on responsible, participatory pest control methods. I’m slowly rebuilding the list and today I bookmarked a great resource for all of you. The Havahart Critter Library contains a wealth of information, is easily navigable and will teach you everything you need to know in order to deal with furry critters invading your domain. I was using Havahart® live animal traps to capture and release squirrels and raccoons back in the eighties, so I know the company well. Today their website is as much about educating the public as it is about selling products, so it’s a great go-to for anyone who has chosen to live in an enivronment that first belonged to creatures with more than two legs (that would be all of us, in case you’ve never thought about it that way.) The library will guide you through identifying the pest and then point you towards solutions. As an example, many of you are growing at least some of your own food these days. You’re doing it organically, which means you’re not interested in spreading around poisons to keep rabbits from decimating your lettuce crop before it’s mature enough to bring to the table. The Havahart Critter Library will help you confirm which pest you’re dealing with (moles and squirrels and rabbits behave differently and require different controls) and will then provide you with some good choices for control methods you can live with. To save your vegetable garden from bunny invasion they suggest trapping or rabbit repellent as practical and green solutions. Organic gardening can be a little more labor-intensive than reaching for toxic chemicals to control pests, but it’s the responsible thing to do and what you want for your family. Bookmark the Havahart Critter Library. They’ll help you keep your garden green.

Necessary disclaimer, lest you think I’m steering you away from turning to an expert for your pest problems: The Havahart folks are professionals - genuine, dues-paying members of my industry. They’ve been providing alternative pest control solutions for sixty years and their products are widely used by the pros. Effective, green pest control involves partnerships between providers and end-users. Havahart is a great partner to invite into your team!

Technorati Tags: alternative pest control, green pest control, integrated pest management, organic gardening, rabbit control, rabbit repellant

September 4, 2008

I told you I live in the country

It must seem to you like I’ve done nothing but deal with computer problems for the last two weeks. It’s felt like that to me, but I have done a few other things. Last Friday I did a termite inspection for a home right up the coast from me. I enjoyed a little “talk story” time with the very nice local couple who own the home and they introduced me to their pets. That’s Poomba and Wilbur up there, who behave more like puppies than pigs one generation removed from feral. They were pushing their snouts through the fencing to try to check me out, but that made it hard to see their faces. Their papa stepped in and rattled their food bowl so I could get a picture. First thing I noticed about them: they didn’t stink. I’ve been around pigs before and this was a new and different experience. I’m thinking that their pen must be cleaned every day. There’s plenty of mud in their pen for them to wallow and cool off in, so they were muddy, but not smelly at all.

Feral pigs are a real problem in Hawaii. They’re quite destructive to our forests and have contributed to the loss and/or endangerment of indigenous plants and habitats. Hawaii has no indigenous mammals, so all of them that exist here now are intrusive in our fragile environment. Feral pigs are controlled mostly by hunters, a solution which works well because pork plays a big part in local diets. Many of my neighbors are hunters and most of us benefit by having local pork in the freezer year-round. Poomba and Wilbur were found after a hunter took their mother. Not wanting to leave the piglings to fend for themselves, he brought them to my clients, who have been great foster-parents to them and won’t be turning them into kalua pork.

Update on my computer woes: I bought a cooling pad and a wireless mouse today. My wrist is already inflamed after only a couple of days of using the flat keyboard and touchpad on the lappy, so I’m hoping the more ergonomic design will help with that. I also found my tech geek this morning. He’s a guy I’ve known for a while, but I only found out today that he specializes in rescuing damaged hard drives. I’ll take my old computer to him sometime soon & see if he can extract the documents, photos & other data that I can’t access right now.

Technorati Tags: computer accessories, computers, feral pigs, feral animals, Hawaii, environment

February 7, 2008

Recycling is catching on in Hawaii

It’s never been easy to recycle in all of the years I’ve lived in Hawaii. There are centers you can take soda cans and bottles to. Some of the schools recycle newspaper and phone books (but won’t take other paper goods or corrugated boxes.) The City/County of Honolulu (which encompasses the entire island of Oahu) picks up green waste. Some stores have bins to recycle plastic bags. That’s pretty much been what was available in the past. Since most recycling has required people to go somehwere to do it, most folks just haven’t bothered. It now looks like that will be changing. Public officials have been surprised with the enthusiasm that has greeted two new curbside recycling programs. The pilot programs put pressure on residents to participate by cutting their weekly rubbish pickups from two to one. People who routinely filled their bins twice weekly were forced to sort out recylables in order to get rid of their stuff. They’ve not only done that, they’ve done it well. They’ve sorted properly and haven’t tried to slip non-recyclables into their bins. This speaks well for all of us. The current projection is that it will take three years to offer the new service island-wide. That’s too long, but at least we’re finally moving forward with a workable program. We’re a small island and generate entirely too much waste. Out landfills are full and we’re running out of room to open new ones. Public officials have even considered hiring private contractors to ship our waste out of the state. It just makes good sense to look at recycling as a more responsible alternative. Good for us, good for our local environment, good for Mother Earth. Three cheers for public officials who are doing the right thing!

Technorati Tags: environment, Hawaii, recycling

January 29, 2008

Be eco-friendly!

Do you “shop green?” I think most of us do these days. We’ve learned, much too late, how fragile our world is and just how badly we’ve abused it. Much of the harm we’ve done can’t be repaired, but we all have an obligation to mend our ways and minimize the footprint we leave behind in our environment. It’s a concept I incorporate into my life and shopping practices. I look for eco products that minimize packaging, do no harm to our environment in their creation and that are offered by companies that support a healthier environment. That’s why I’ve bookmarked greenandmore.com and why you should take a look and consider using their services. First and foremost, they’ve got a great line of eco-friendly products, including energy saving appliances, solar power products, home improvement, water conservation products, eco furniture, lighting, eco garden, outdoor living, home decor, accessories and more. I love their gadget department (I’m all about gadgets, you know!) After that horrible marathon power outage in December I had a dozen or so batteries to dispose of, having used my flahlights, lantern and portable radio for so many days in a row. I’ve been meaning ever since then to shop for a crank-powered radio and more eco-efficient emergency lighting and I’ve found my choices today at Green and More.

I’m not terribly impressed by companies that make their money off of eco-products and don’t “walk the walk,” so I checked out the other features at greenandmore.com to see how they perform as environmentalists. I have to say I like what I found! Their brick-and-mortar operation incorporates eco-friendly practices into their everyday operation: no plasticware, recycled office supplies and kitchen goods, 100% recycled cardboard boxes, etc. They buy their operating supplies from companies that use recycled components and practice energy efficiency in their power-usage. Make sure you check out their information on charitable causes, too. They suppoort Oceana, Healthy Child Healthy World and a number of other worthy causes and environmental efforts that are helping make our world a better place. Their staff and community blog Green Musings gives a lot of detail bout how they’re working to enact their motto: Caring for tomorrow’s world. Make sure you check out the Learning Center on your first visit. I’ve already bookmarked it as a resource for all things environmental. Part of their mission statement says: “We hope to educate and inspire everyone to minimize our impact on the planet.” Their own input is solid and inspiring, but they also back it up with expert advice from respected sources like the EPA and US Department of Energy. Greenandgo.com is a one-stop source for eco-education and hundreds of environmentally-friendly products. Check them out and see what you think!

Technorati Tags: eco-products, eco-friendly shopping, environment, going green

January 11, 2008

Another rainy day on the Windward Coast

I worked on the Windward Side of Oahu again yesterday. I really like it over there. They get a lot more rain than we get on the Leeward, and it’s usually noticably cooler over there, too. The views are killer, whether you’re looking makai (towads the ocean) or mauka (towards the mountains,) and whether there’s sunshine or rain. Yesterday was a good case in point. The home I inspected was on a mountainside overlooking Kaneohe Bay. You know how they say that the three most important factors in real estate are location, location and location? A neighbor came over to inquire about the home while I was inspecting. He mentioned that all of the homes that have recently sold in the neighborhood have gone for over a million dollars. I just looked up the sales data on the home I inpsected. The buyer got real bargain at only $855,000, especially when you consider that it’s only got two bedrooms and about 1600 square feet of finished area. I think maybe the view has something to do with the price, don’t you? I wouldn’t mind staring at that while drinking my morning coffee.

It was sunny on the Leeward Coast when I left the house, but started getting gray while I was on H-3 going through the Ko’olau Mountains that form a ridge through the middle of the island. The clouds tend to snag on the mountains and stay on the other side. As I entered the Tetsuo Harano Tunnel I was getting light sprinkles on my windshield. When I came out the other side I entered a downpour. It was little drier by the time I got to the job site, but started pouring again just as I was getting my ladder out of the trunk so I could inspect the attic. When I got back on the freeway to come home I witnessed a phenomenon that I’ll never get used to. Waterfalls had sprung up all over the Ko’olau Range. It’s magical, no matter how often I see it. I did a point and snap photo for you while driving. I’m surprised I caught anything at all, considering that I didn’t look though the camera and that it was dark and rainy. I had to fool with the gamma a little on this so you could see it. It’s not the best photo in the world, but I hated not to share!

I need to make a trip to the Windward on a non-work day soon. Maybe we’ll all get lucky and it will rain so I can get some real photos of the instant waterfalls! Or maybe we’ll get lucky and the sun will be shining. Either way, I’ll get some good photos to share.

Technorati Tags: Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Koolau Mountains, photos, scenery, waterfalls

December 10, 2007

The week that was - photo essay

Early last week I had intended to write about my day on Monday. Things got busy Monday and Tuesday and I never got beyond editing some photos and sketching out my post in my head. The rest of the week turned out to be blogworthy, too, but I’m only just now finding the time, so it’s all going into one long post. Pour yourself a glass of you favorite beverage, kick off you shoes and let me tell you about my week.

Monday

I started my day at home in Maili on the Waianae Coast (the west side on the map above.) I drove out Farrington Highway (93), the only access to and from the coast, to H-1, towards Honolulu. In Aiea I picked up H-3 to the Windward side, turning back west at Kaneohe. Kamehameha Highway (83)took me to my destination in Hau’ula. I drove through rain most of the way and the entire trip took over two hours.

The home I inspected had a heavy infestation of formosan subterranean termites, which we don’t see as much since termite baiting systems are providing such good control. I won’t say that they’ve become rare, but I see them infrequently enough these days that there’s an element of fun in it for me when I get to explore an infestation. The more widespead drywood termites were also present in the home, but I see them in probably six or seven out of every ten inspections. Jobs like this one keep my work from becoming boring, so I was feeling pretty good as I left the site, despite wet clothes and soggy shoes.

As I was getting ready to get back on the highway the radio announced that a car had overturned on H-3 townbound and traffic was backed up. Since my second inspection for the day had cancelled I wasn’t in a great hurry, but I decided to take the Windward/North Shore route home rather than sit in freeway traffic. The surf had been reaching spectacular heights, so I expected heavy traffic on this route, too, but at least I’d be moving and would have pretty scenery to look at. Sure enough, surfers and tourists were all moving in the same direction, towards the big surf of Sunset Beach and Waiamea Bay.

Cars were parked all along the shoulder of the highway and each beach park parking lot. I wasn’t in any hurry, so I stopped several times and took photos of tourists taking pictures of other tourists and the ocean.

I made a few new friends. These two men are from the San Francisco Bay area and one of them has connections to the part of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana where I grew up, so we spent a few minutes talking about our common background.

As I neared Sunset Beach I could see a group of surfers straddling their boards out in the wild water, all hoping for one more good wave to emerge from the sloppiness, I’m sure. The O’Neill World Cup of Surfing had kicked off early Monday morning with waves in the 24 to 30-foot range, but was cancelled about noon when the conditions got too dangerous. (Click photo to see a larger version on flikr. The little black dots in the circle are our daredevils.)

Spectators and competition officials were still trying to exit the grandstand area when I passed Sunset Beach. The parking lot was reserved for the elite, so the shoulder of the road was lined with parked cars and people were dodging in and out of traffic on foot. A police office was working his way down the lines of illegally parked vehicles with his ticket book.

I pulled into the parking lot at Waimea Bay, but there were no slots available so I had to circle the lot and climb back up to the highway. Traffic had slowed to a snails pace, but finally began to move as I approached Haleiwa, where I turned south. I cut across the island through the pineapple fields, Wahiawa and Mililani, with H-2 taking me to H-1 for the last leg of my trip home.

I hit heavy traffic again on Farrington Highway in Nanakuli. I was weary, but reminded myself that there was nothing urgent on my agenda, so I relaxed and enjoyed the scenery. It took about forty minute to travel that last five miles or so to home. The entire trip, counting the hour and half I spent actually inspecting, took almost six hours. I spent a little time chilling with the boys, then ate a very late lunch and wrote up my report and a couple of blog posts. It was bedtime before I realized I hadn’t remembered to look for Tuesday Teaser possibilities while I was out. I took several unsatisfactory photos of household items and finally settled on the oven shot that I used. I wrote the post and put my blog and myself to bed at 2:00 a.m. Tuesday.

Tuesday

Office work, some customer relations calls and Tuesday Teaser comments kept me busy for much of Tuesday. The weather was still rainy and windy, so I was happy to stay in. I watched Bones and House in the evening. We were being warned to expect much worse weather overnight. I unplugged my computer and fax machine, forwarded my office phone to my cell and readied flashlights, lanterns and radio before I went to bed. Storm noises and blowing debris crashed around all night and woke me several times.

Wednesday

I awoke around six without an alarm, as usual. It took me a few minutes to realize what felt “off.” It was the quiet. I could hear rain falling, but the wind had settled down. There was no air conditioner noise from my office and I didn’t hear the usual hum of traffic from the highway. Aha! No power! I stumbled into the kitchen and made a single cup of coffee in the little campfire pot from my evacuation kit. I read by lamplight while waiting for the sun to come up. When I felt awake enough to handle the noise I turned on the radio and discovered that Farrington Highway was closed. Utility poles had fallen across traffic lanes in several areas. There was no way to leave the coast. I called the client I had planned on meeting for an inspection. He was fine with the delay, considering that he was stranded in his own neighborhood on the Windward side. We agreed to move the inspection to Thursday. I spent much of the day putzing at housework, reading, and monitoring the radio for more news. No computer, no TV, no going anywhere. The rain continued to fall. By mid-afternoon the callers to the radio station were getting agitated about being stranded. The refrigerator was reaching unacceptable temperatures and I moved my dairy products into the freezer. I went to bed early with a flashlight and a book, fully expecting to have power by the time morning came.

Thursday

I awoke to an unnaturally quiet house again, but could hear several portable generators powering neighbors’ homes. The rain was still falling, sometimes quite heavily, and gusty winds had the boys on edge for the third day in a row. My Wednesday client was fine with waiting patiently for better conditions before I should attemp his twice-delayed inspection. By noon I was running out of ice. My freezer was packed with chicken, beef, pork, sausage and fish in addition to vegetables, a few leftovers and some ice cream. I drank a glass of French vanilla slush before pouring the rest down the drain and putting stewpots of chicken and beef on to cook. I tried to turn on the oven, but there’s apparently a safeguard that won’t let the gas flow until the electronic ignition fires, so I couldn’t get it to light with a match. I had wanted to cook as much as possible and try to get the excess to the folks who camp on the beach, but the lack of an oven limited what I could do. It was too wet and windy outside to attempt grilling. The inside of the freezer was sweating by mid-afternoon, so I cleaned out both the fridge and freezer and hauled most of the contents out to the rubbish bin for Friday morning pick up. The kitchen floor was a mess by the time I’d gotten three rubbish bags of ripe meat and fish, soggy vegetables and a couple of mushy pizzas out, so I mopped the floor. The highway had opened up for one lane of traffic in each direction with delays of three hours or more being reported by those brave enough to attempt entering and leaving the coast. I could not have gotten to the homeless encampments even if I’d had a way to cook all of my food. Shortly before sunset a neighbor and her two boys called me out to the gate. The local school had invited the community to load up on ice and they’d brought me three precious bags. I cooked some rice and had it with chicken adobo for dinner, then spent the evening reading by lamplight again and went to bed early.

Friday

I knew as soon as I woke up that we were still without power. My phone had died the previous day - maybe the folks re-installing the utility poles had done something? - and my cell phone battery was dead, so I was out of touch with everyone. The radio advised me that traffic was flowing through one lane in each direction on Farrington Highway and still moving at a creep. I pulled the brew basket out of my coffeemaker, put a filter and coffee in it and poured water boiled on the stove through it. Two days of brewing one cup at a time (and having “chewy” coffee full of grounds) had convinced me that it was worth it to stand with my finger holding the brew-stop valve open while the coffee dripped. After I finished my coffee I opened the freezer to get some ice for tea. The bag of ice sitting on my butter and cheese had dripped down the walls into the bottom of the freezer, where a drain hole allowed it to exit gracefully. The bag in the bin at the bottom of the freezer had to be “bailed out” so it wouldn’t overflow. There were puddles on the floor by the time I finished so I mopped again. I needed to go the grocery store, but hesitated because of the traffic tie-ups in each direction. Still, I hadn’t been out of the house since Tuesday and was going a little stir crazy. I showered and put on a work uniform, intending to call the realtor-on-hold from a pay phone.

Just as I was ready to take Lance out to the kennel, the power came back on. After the boys were situated I called the realtor. His own work was backed up and he didn’t have time to meet me, so he gave me the lockbox combo and his blessings to do the inspection at my convenience. Unplugging my office machines ahd saved them from power surge damage when things went live again, so I didn’t need to arrrange a computer rental before booting up and checking in with folks before I went out. Knowing that the retailers on the coast had lost all of their fresh foods, I put my ice chest in the trunk and took off. At the intersection where I enter the highway I saw power crews working to get lines reinstalled, blocking one townbound lane as I looked towards Waianae.

More crews were working on downed lines in the Waianae Bound lanes a few hundred yards away in the other direction. Traffic was slow but moved steadily until I got into Nanakuli. The usual drive at that time of day would take twenty or thirty minutes to get me to H-1. I knew that the hour it took me on Friday was a blessing considering what drivers had contended with the last two days. The inspection in Ewa Beach was uneventful and only took about half an hour, so I was soon at the Safeway in Kapolei. I had chicken adobo and stewed beef in the fridge, but stocked up on vegetables, dairy products and bread. I remembered sandwich rolls and mayo, but forgot that I’d thrown away all of my deli meats. Ah, well - I needed to eat the cooked meats at home first.

Traffic coming back to the coast was heavier than it had been when I was leaving, but I was back in Maili about an hour after I left the grocery store. Crews were still hard at work in the Waianae-bound lanes near Maili Stream, just before my turn-off. Neighbors were out with chain-saws cutting up downed trees, but everyone was in a cheerful mood now that we had power and were no longer stranded. I moved the butter and cheese from the freezer to the fridge, removed the now-empty ice bags and bailed out the freezer one last time before putting away my groceries. The beef that had braised for two days in balsamic vinegar and herbs was delicious and falling-apart tender with left-over rice for my late lunch. I generated my inspection report, made some calls to schedule work for the coming week and acknowledged that life was sweet, despite the rain that continued to fall. Eh - no rain - no rainbows!

Image credit for map: hawaiicity.com

Technorati Tags: Hawaii, isolation, power-outage, storm, surf, termite inspection

November 4, 2007

Stormy day in Hawaii

I love a stormy day. I like the pounding rain and the lightning and thunder that woke me several times last night. I like that the rain continues, with intermittent let-ups so I can take pictures of our beautiful mountains. We’re experienceing a drought, you know, and it’s especially dry on the leeward coast of Oahu where I live. We need the rain, much more rain than we’ll get before this storm blows out to sea.

As I look towards town I see that more clouds are held in abeyance behind Gorilla Mountain (can you see his profile at the right end of the mountains?) I don’t think he’s big enough to hold back the weather. My only regret about this storm is that the streets out here are flooded and likely to be worse before it clears. Today is bookbrunch day. My friends are probably ordering dessert about now at the Mexican restuarant where I had planned to join them. I’ve just finished a pastrami and swiss on an onion bun right here at home instead. I couldn’t face that drive. Cars going down my street are throwing up fantails of splash, and traffic on the highway will be moving at a slow creep past lane-closures and flooded spots. It would have taken over an hour just to get off of the coast, and at least another hour to get to town. Buddy and the storm gave me a very sleepless night and I just don’t have the stamina today to face that traffic nightmare.

Looking over my neighbor’s rooftops and beyond the government lot behind them I see that more storminess is moving towards us from Lualualei. Poor old Buddy! He can’t hear the thunder anymore, but I had to get up and calm him several times last night as the lightning flashes and the wild winds and rain un-nerved him and turned him into a quivering mass. More is on the way, sweet Bud. Mom and Lance are here with you, so it will be okay.

Looking towards Makaha, I can’t see “Wizard’s Peak” very well today. Dad and I used to judge what kind of day it was going to be by whether or not the smaller, conical mountain in the front and center of the photo above was clearly defined as we had our morning coffee out on the lanai. We knew that a day of sunshine was ahead when we could see the resemblance to a wizard’s hat. Not so much today. You could easily hide the signs of malignant mesothelioma in the cloudiness that masks the magic.

Since I can’t gather with the book gals, I’ve decided to do my own private salute to literature today. There’s a chill in the air. I may drag a quilt into the living room and make a cup of cocoa before I settle on the couch with my latest read. Buddy can find me easily there and won’t have to haul his panic and his aching joints down the hall to my bedroom when the storm revs up again.

I don’t know the real names of those mountains. Hawaiians had/have names for each peak, but I’ve never found a map that gives that information for “my” mountains. The local kids named Gorilla Mountain. I think “Wizard’s Peak” came from me and Dad alone.

Technorati Tags: Hawaii, mountains, photos, rain storm

November 1, 2007

Good stuff - Free trees!

Did you know that Friday is Arbor Day? I know because I’ve been hearing about the free tree giveaway every time I turn on the TV or radio lately. Our electric supplier, Hawaiian Electric Company (HECO) is giving away trees and providing expert advice on selecting the right trees and planting them in the right places.

(Sorry - that’s not really clickable. I tried!)

What do trees have to do with an electric company? HECO promotes wise energy usage. Properly placed shade trees can keep your house cooler and contribute to your overall plan to reduce your carbon footprint. Very cool way to do it, too. For my local readers, check out free trees at HECO for times and locations. Plan now on getting out early Saturday to grab the best tree! Rumor has it that the trees are usually snatched up within an hour or so, so skip the second cup of coffee and get there early!

In other good news: Surf’s up! Yeeeeeha! It’s at “fun surf” levels - knee to chest high - so the pros won’t be excited, but it’s safe for tourists and pretty much anyone else with a board. Have I mentioned that though I don’t surf I really enjoy watching the beautiful bronze boys and girls doing their amazing thing on the waves? People-watching at its finest!

This post will be linked to today’s Share Some Good Stuff meme.

Technorati Tags: Arbor Day, free trees, good stuff, Hawaiian Electric Company, HECO, Oahu surf

October 17, 2007

Remembering the Loma Prieta Earthquake

There are landmark times in all of lives, moments that remain forever in our memories. Some are joyful and amazing - the birth of a child, a special time with loved ones, the discovery of a beautiful place you know you’ll always hold dear. Others are jarring and harsh, bringing shock and scars. October 17, 1989 brought the latter. Many across the US had just settled in front of their TVs to watch the Battle of the Bay, that historic World Series between the Giants and the A’s. I was still in my office. I worked long hours in those days. I’d finished an inspection in the hills above Oakland and spent an hour in traffic, commuting back to my office in Belmont. The Cypress Freeway, the Bay Bridge and finally the 101 brought me to my destination. I settled at my desk, my canine partner in the cubby beneath my desk. A co-worker and I set to work in compaionable silence, turning the day’s fieldwork into reports. I wanted to complete one rather complex report before picking up the next day’s assignments and heading home to finish my paperwork in front of the tv. It was 5:04 when the impossible happened. The building began to move, shimmying and shaking. Being new to such pheonomena, it took me a heartbeat or two to realize - earthquake! Not a little bump like the few I’d felt before, this one rolled and jarred and shook, on and on for what felt like an eternity. I watched ceiling tiles dance and office supplies and equipment slide off of desks and countertops. I had just grasped what was happening when my friend yelled, “Get under the desk! Get under the f-ing desk!” He was a native, soft-spoken and unflappable, not given to such language, so I knew then that this was not one of the little temblors that Californians, for the most part, laugh about and endure. Our dogs began barking wildly and security alarms started to blare from buildings and cars. And then ~it ~just ~stopped. I was frightened and shaking as we dashed outside, secured our dogs in the vans and moved them away from the building, waiting … waiting to see if more was to come. The aftershocks were mild, though, and we went back inside after a few moments to do a quick assessment. Some ceiling tiles down, contents of desks and cabinets strewn about, but no real damage. We secured the office, reset the alarm and headed out for home. Signal lights were inoperative and traffic crawled at a snail’s pace. As darkness fell people appeared at intersections, using flashlights to guide us smoothly on our way. I wanted to get home. I needed to see my son, to know that he was okay, though in some part of my mind I knew that this was just life as usual on a fault line for those more seasoned. An hour crawled by - or was it two? My anxiety mounted, though I kept chanting to myself - “It’s okay. It’s over.” When I finally found a working radio signal I new that it wasn’t. The first voice I heard shouted “The Bay Bridge has fallen!”

I was near breaking point with anxiety when I finally pulled into my aparment garage, in a building just above the San Andreas fault. The lights were out here, too, but I felt calmer, more grounded just to be home. I found a flashlight and candles and finally, a note from my son. “Mom - game cancelled. Walking down to Pacifica to see a movie.” He didn’t know either, until he found darkness at the end of his hike, that the entire Bay Area was on hold. It was morning before most of us knew the worst. My son and I had watched the red glow of San Francisco burning from our balcony, but had only bits of information until the next day when we turned on the tv. The Bay Bridge was not destroyed, but it was badly damaged. It was the Cypress Freeway, though, that shocked us and held our attention. Giants slabs and tumbled heaps of concrete, entombing the dead and the living alike. The smoke, the fires, the horrendous screech as buidlings and roadways were ripped apart in the search for survivors. We watched in shock and gradually grasped the magnitude of the disaster that had reshaped the landscape and imprinted itself on our minds forever. We watched the Marina District Burn. We watched as shocked and angry survirors tried to rescue friends under piles of rubble in Santa Cruz, holding out hope when they knew that hope was gone. And we watched as a freeway was deconstructed, bit by tiny bit. True heroes, professionals and civilians alike, burrowed into the twisted wreckage. We watched them disappear into the nightmare and we watched them emerge, somtimes with empty arms, sometimes burdened the living or the dead. Miracles of discovery kept us all going as survivors were pulled from that concrete and steel sandwich, days and even weeks after the earth stopped moving. Like all good citizens, we all did our part to reclaim “normal.” The World Series restarted. We returned to work and school and play, but with a new awareness of the fragility of life and the preciousness of friends and family.

It was nineteen years ago today, but is as fesh in memory as if it were yesterday to those of us who were there. The Bay Area survived, rebuilt, wiser and stronger for what was learned. We’ve moved on. Today at 5:04, though, a few million people will pause to remember, to mourn, to celebrate the resilience of the human spirit. Candles will be lit. Prayers will be said. Stories will be told. This is mine. I suffered no great injury or loss, had no personal tragedy associated with that day - only an emotional jolt, long since scarred over. The scar remains though, and on this day it opens a bit, reminding me that some events in life’s passage mark us forever.

Technorati Tags: earthquake, Loma Prieta Earthquake, remembrance, San Francisco eathquake, World Series Earthquake

October 9, 2007

BP Solar Decathlon

One of the things I was hoping to do during the next phase of my home remodel was to install solar water heating panels on my roof. My electric company had a booth at the beach-front festival I recently attended and I discussed my plans with one of their representatives. I was disappointed to discover that the currently available solar water heater systems are not cost-effective for a single-occupant home like mine. If I were to install one now I’d end up with higher energy costs than the amount I’m already paying. I’m hopeful, though, that the next generation of technology will make solar water heating and other solar resources feasible for me. The research and development needed to help make that a reality will get a big boost in a few days when teams from universities around the world gather on the National Mall in Washington to compete in the Solar Decathlon.

Twenty teams of students have been working hard to make this event happen. Each team will design, build and operate an energy-efficient, completely solar-powered house. If you live near Washington or can make the trip I hope you’ll go and show your support for the students in this important endeavor. It’s a wonderful opportunity to see homes of the future being built right before your eyes. Most of us can’t go, of course, but we can still follow the progress through the BP Solar Decathlon team blogs and website. BP is giving back to each of us and to the environment by joining the Department of Energy in sponsoring the Solar Decathlon. They’ve sponsored the event since it’s inception in 2002 and are committed to supporting these young scientists and to the promotion and use of alternative energy sources. They’ve also created the website where you can meet the Solar Decathlon teams, track their progress and learn how you can reduce your own impact on the environment. I’ve just spent almost two hours on the website and I still haven’t visited all of the pages I want to read. While I can’t install a solar water heater right now, I can do other things to improve my placement on the green curve, and the BP website is full of ideas that will help us all do that. For those of you planning to attend the Solar Decathlon, you’ll find event details, maps and schedules to help you get started. I salute BP for supporting this event and the bright minds that are working to make a better world for us and for future generations.

Technorati Tags: BP, BP Solar Decathlon, energy efficiency, environment, Solar Decathlon, solar power