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

Green the Ghetto - Environmental Justice

A recent conversation about the challenges in Bayshore and Hunterspoint reminded me to go back and listen to an inspiring talk by Majora Carter, a 2005 MacArthur "genius" grant recipient, who fights passionately for environmental justice in South Bronx.

From the TED site:

"In an emotionally charged talk, Majora Carter explains her fight for environmental justice in the South Bronx. This MacArthur-winning activist shows how minority neighborhoods have suffered most from flawed urban policy, and energetically shares her grassroots efforts to "green the ghetto."

With her inspired ideas and fierce persistence, Carter managed to bring the South Bronx its first open-waterfront park in 60 years, Hunts Point Riverside Park. Then she scored $1.25 million in federal funds for a greenway along the South Bronx waterfront, bringing the neighborhood open space, pedestrian and bike paths, and space for mixed-use economic development.

Her success is no surprise to anyone who’s seen her speak; Carter's confidence, energy and intensely emotional delivery make her talks themselves a force of nature.

Carter, who was awarded a 2005 MacArthur "genius" grant, now serves as executive director of Sustainable South Bronx, where she pushes both for eco-friendly practices (such as green and cool roofs) and, equally important, job training and green-related economic development for her vibrant neighborhood on the rise."