• People

Interview of the Week: Congressman Mike Levin (CA-49)

• 30 by 30
• California
• clean tech
• climate change
• Congress
• renewable energy
• San Diego

This week we had the opportunity to sit down with Congressman Mike Levin of California’s 49th congressional district. During a week in which President Biden announced the nation’s boldest climate agenda to date, it was especially opportune to speak with the Congressman who worked as a cleantech entrepreneur before running for office. We asked him […]

• Ocean

One Cool Thing: SoCal’s Waves Glow 

• bioluminescent
• red tide
• San Diego

The coastal waters of Southern California are being lit up by a stunning display of bioluminescence due to an increase of tiny microorganisms known as dinoflagellates. The dinoflagellates are actually producing a red tide that glows at night. Red tides are unpredictable and not all of them produce bioluminescence but this current display has mesmerized the city […]

• Sustainability

Cities Saying Bye-Bye to Styrofoam

• ban
• carbon emissions
• D.C.
• Forbes
• New York City
• News10
• recycle
• restaurant
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• styrofoam
• trash
• Washington

On Tuesday, the City of San Diego became the latest U.S. city to ban the use of styrofoam within city limits.  The ban covers the use and distribution some very common products like egg cartons, food containers, coolers, ice chests, pool or beach toys, mooring buoys and navigation markers made fully or partially of polystyrene foam, commonly known as styrofoam.  Other major cities like New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis and Washington, D.C. also now have styrofoam bans in effect. 

Why This Matters:  Styrofoam needs to go.  The new replacements are better for the planet and completely recyclable.  For example, TemperPack’s  “ClimaCell” packaging produces 97% less carbon emissions in the manufacturing process than styrofoam and will replace tens of millions of pounds of plastic foam that would otherwise be dumped in landfills and never biodegrade.  Good for the economy and good for mother earth.  Good for these cities for taking this bold action.