Editor’s Note
When I saw the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” in 2006, about global warming, climate change or the worst horror in the world, depending on your choice of words, I thought, “It can’t happen here. We’ll figure a way out of it.”
Now, I’m reading a cover story about devastating fires, while looking out windows everywhere I go or where my friends and family live, and seeing a devastating truth. It’s happening. Now. All over. Just as predicted.
For about a decade deniers from Rush Limbaugh to Franklin Graham told their followers it wasn’t happening, or don’t worry, God’s in control. Some told us that alternative fuel sources were worse for the environment, while others claimed the economy was more important than our delusions of climate change.
Well, here it is. Not to ruin your day, but where do we go from here?
The most depressing line in our cover story was from our Governor: “We live in this new reality,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said at a recent Cal Fire event, “where we can’t necessarily attach ourselves to some of the more predictive models of the past because of a world that is getting a lot hotter, a lot drier and a lot more uncertain because of climate change.”
I’m serious here: I have no good answers. We are Good Times and as such, often try to be positive. We are also a community voice. Why don’t you let us know how you are handling this more than inconvenient truth, this devastating world change. Drop us a line and we’ll save a page for your answers.
What do you tell your kids? What are you doing to make positive change? Do you have hope and if so, why? How do you not give up? And is there any hope for the world to come together and fight this beast, like they do in science fiction movies with happy endings?
Send your thoughts. Let’s share them with the whole Santa Cruz community. Extra credit for anyone who sees something good in all this.
Good Idea
Beginning September 1, 2023, the Santa Cruz Metropolitan Transit District (SCMTD) will accept applications to fill two vacancies on its METRO Advisory Committee (MAC). Applications must be submitted by September 30, 2023 to be considered. The MAC operates in an advisory role to the SCMTD Board of Directors on policy issues related to customer service, bus operations, strategic planning and community needs, among other topics. The Committee meets quarterly and appointees serve a four year term. Please visit scmtd.com/mac to learn more or submit an application. For questions, contact METRO at (831) 426-6080 or email at ma*@sc***.com.
Good Work
In light of the recent devastating wildfires that blazed across Maui, Hula’s Island Grill and Pono Hawaiian Grill locations are raising funds to support Maui victims. At Hula’s, all proceeds on Mondays through October will go to Hawai’i Community Foundation. Meanwhile, Pono is selling Mauia merch, with 100% of funds going to that same foundation. Stop by either establishments to learn more.
Santa Cruz METRO will drive you free to the Watsonville Fairgrounds for the County Fair from Sept. 13-17.
METRO has created a special route, Route 79F, that will provide free daily service to the Watsonville Fairgrounds.
Service will depart from the Watsonville Transit Center on the hour from noon – 10pm on weekdays and 10am – 10pm on weekends and will offer a return trip from the County Fair at :25 past the hour from 12:25pm – 10:25pm on weekdays and 10:25am – 10:25pm on weekends.
For more information on taking METRO to the County Fair visit https://scmtd.com/en/routes/county-fair or for details.
Photo Contest
Quote of the Week
“Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it’s just the opposite.” –John Kenneth Galbraith
We must ALL/WORLD WIDE GROW (industrial) HEMP… it’s a WEED…. it will grow everywhere and heal the planet… replace cotton/fibrous materials like Clothing and PACKAGING… STOP cutting down trees!!!!! Too many trees are cut each year for all kinds of unnecessary things.. What a WASTE…. we can repurpose EVERYTHING already on MOTHER EARTH. We must Heal HER with Growing INDUSTRIAL HEMP!!! And, this is what my poppa told me in Texas when I was a little girl. Blue Grass music ran in our family and so did the fiddle fest; Music kept us together somehow.
My other grandfather was VP of KRAFT; retired in 1980…. if he can do what he’s done; Country Music Awards, Miss America Padgett, Sliced Cheese to Mac n Cheese: We got this…. we can heal the planet with HEMP. (Someone pls tell Richard Branson.) I’m sure of it! ?
Regarding. climate change: I worry about what the world will be like for my grandchildren, who are young adults. It’s already bad for us, and our mitigations are slow in coming. I hear people say that China is worse. So, it seems that this absolves Americans of doing anything. I’m often surprised when I hear otherwise intelligent people denying the evidence that’s right in their backyards and around the world. Massive droughts. Stronger and more frequent hurricanes and cyclones. Wildfires in places that rarely had them before. Ocean temperatures increasing. Sea levels rising. It seems that even the government in Florida can’t see what’s happening under their own noses.
Someone told me the other day that the actions of individuals aren’t even worthwhile. So, recycling or reducing plastics and other pollutants means nothing. I replied that if it’s only one person, she was correct. But when you put together millions of people, and if you have them affecting corporate policies, and if you have them affecting legislation, then all those single “snowflakes” can create a blizzard of action.
One of my friends in southern California laughed about it snowing in their neighborhood last winter. “Haha! See? This global warming thing is a hoax!” But they failed to understand that these changes in weather patterns are a direct result of climate change.
So, my solar panels, my reusable containers, my refusal to use plastic wrap, my trash reduction, my habit of buying recycled clothes, my reduced spending on consumables, etc may not make a huge dent all by itself. But I know that others are doing the same thing. Perhaps we’re only slowing down the inevitable. But I have to face myself each day and know that I’m doing the best I can. Principles without action mean nothing.
What’s up with the negative letters regarding the rail trail? If We dont keep the rails to give Our residents a real option for transit, We might as well give up the hope of ever alleviating traffic along the highway corridor. Those that continue to bemoan the efforts to implement clean light rail must be forgetting the climate emergency exists. Or outright denying it. With improved METRO along with ridesharing and a trail, rail most certainly can give relief to those that don’t ride bikes or drive. Not only did nearly 74% of the voters deny the greenway ballot measure, The RTC has been absolutely killing it getting grants to plan and build the trail with rail. If no rails were included, the grants for multi-modal projects(Our tax dollars) would have gone to other jurisdictions. That’s not OK, let’s keep building the trail and keep rail like the voters want.