Home wind turbines in Bernal

The Bay Guardian has an article about Bernal resident Todd Pelman on Roscoe Street and his six-foot-tall cylindrical turbine. The article says a turbine can generate about 10% of a home's electricity needs.

"A one-turbine system will cost around $5,000, though Pelman estimates that rebates will reduce the price by $1,500. It's an "emotional purchase," he said, that will at least partially satisfy a green conscience."

Interactive Google Map of Bernal

Gavin Comes Clean at Bernal Bubbles

SF's Mayor Gavin Newsom came clean this evening at Bernal Bubbles.

I came late to the gathering at the Bernal laundromat so I had to squeezed in right next to the door. I was incredibly impressed by how knowledgeable and articulate he was. Gavin was very comfortable going into details on a wide range of topics. Some of the specific areas that caught my attention:

• SF Connect -- The question of how to engage volunteers came up and the mayor praised what SF Connect is doing. "The mission of SF Connect is to mobilize residents and sectors for a stronger San Francisco. SF Connect is about engaged residents volunteering their talent and time for the City as well as innovative partnerships between the private, public and social (nonprofit) sectors."
• Experience Corps -- A program where the "experienced" ones are able to give back in educational settings.
  
• College Track -- A progam that is starting to come into SF. They say, "We exist to help students, who have the desire but lack the resources and support, to attain higher education and fulfill their own best promise." Video of College Track.
• There's a movement gathering momentum to generate power from tidal turbines outside the Golden Gate. Chronicle article
• He mentioned that San Francisco has a recycling rate of 70% and that this blows away all other US and international cities.
• There was also a lot of talk about Bay View and the potential for a greening of the area along with development of green collar jobs.
• The Mayor's blog.

A video of his talk at Bernal Bubbles.
Part 1

Part 2

Bernal community is driving change

I sat in the Bernal Heights safety meeting last Thursday evening thinking how lucky we are to have such an engaged and committed neighborhood.

More than 35 residents from all corners of the neighborhood came together in the BH Community Center for a safety update. This gathering followed a previous meeting that drew more than 170 residents earlier in the year. Ingleside Police Captain Paul Chignell brought five of this officers. The Mayor and Supervisor were also represented. Police Commissioner David Campos made an appearance. You get the idea -- there was a lot of official support.

Frank and Betty, members of the Alemany working group, updated the group on the improvements at the Projects. After Frank spoke, a 65 year Bernal veteran admitted that he had not spoken with someone from Alemany since his high school years. They quickly gained common ground and agreed that a community Bar-b-que was in order.

There is also tangible progress as reported in the SF Chronicle.

• Starting last weekend, four police officers were assigned full-time to the Alemany beat. The Ingleside police station received four new officers to make up for the ones assigned to Alemany.
• The federally funded San Francisco Housing Authority has promised to give the Alemany officers their own apartment in the development in which to build a satellite office.
• Social services are also an important component, and Ammiano helped secure $300,000 in city money for violence prevention programs at Alemany. A Head Start preschool program and playground recently were established in the development.
  
• The Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center has asked for another $100,000 from the city to run recreation programs.

Captain Chignell and three officers stayed for a neighborhood block watch meeting that followed the main meeting.

"Community Put Peace Together. Responding to Increased Violence a Working Group Gets Alemany and Bernal Heights Residents Together to Effect Reform"

FUF Brings Trees in Bernal

We just finished a great morning of tree planting with the team from FUF, Friends of the Urban Forest. Along with FUF came volunteers from Berkeley's Civil Engineering club as well as Berkeley's RotorAct group. There was also a contingent of Japanese tourists who helped to plant. We put in about thirty tree and wrapped up with a wonderful potluck lunch.

If you are interested in getting trees please contact FUF