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Expert Kunjan Shah knows her “toxic” stuff, as she shares tips for avoiding such problems in our homes. What can you do to protect your family from toxic chemicals in your home? In short, fight with your dollars. On Nov. 12, Kunjan Shah, local architect and expert on healthy building systems, raised the specter of toxins lurking in our homes for a GreenTown talk at the Los Altos Library. Among her recommendations, are to look for specific labels and certifications that protect the health of you and your family. Scary but true Chemicals are ubiquitous in our environment. Pregnant women tested by researchers at UCSF were found to have, on average, 43 toxic chemicals in their blood, many of which were banned in the 1970s. These chemicals are visible in our children as well where autism rates in the population have increased dramatically – from 1 in 2500 in 1985 to 1 in 88 in 2012. Chronic conditions, such as asthma, behavior/learning disorders, and obesity, are also on the rise from 28% in 1988 to 52% in 2006. “One out of every six children suffers from neuro-developmental abnormality…Some environmental chemicals are known to are known to cause brain damage and many more are suspected of it.” – Philippe Grandjean, Braindrain.dk You Need To Step Up Because The Government Isn’t Protecting Us Wonder how these toxics “slip into” our lives? Food, drugs and cosmetics, regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), are the only products that companies need to demonstrate are safe. All other products and the chemicals in them – think furniture, building products, food storage containers, and toys – are virtually unregulated. Under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA), the burden of proving an “unreasonable risk” to health and safety lies not with the manufacturer, but with EPA. So in 1976, when TSCA went into effect, 62,000 chemicals were “grandfathered in,”( i.e., considered acceptable without any testing). Since then, 20,000+ “new” chemicals have been introduced. Each is innocent until proven guilty. Manufacturers have provided EPA with only scant data on these chemicals. More than two-thirds have no data at all. Of the original 62,000, 200 have been tested and only five have been regulated: PCBs, halogenated chlorofluoroalkanes, dioxin, asbestos and hexavalent chromium. Of the new chemicals, only four chemicals – used in metal working fluids – have restricted use. In short, TSCA has no teeth. The worst offenders Among the most common hazards are flame retardants, volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde. So where are these lurking in your home? Flame retardants Flame retardants are found in just about anything with foam, e.g., home insulation, couches, carpet padding, and baby products. The various flame retardant chemicals change our cell structure and function, affecting learning, reproduction (reducing sperm counts and delaying conception), and suppress the immune system, contributing to cancer. Some of the most prevalent bioaccumulate in the environment, such that marine mammals have 100 times the concentration compared to smaller aquatic animals. Source: Green Policy Institute, 2014. Your next couch could be better In the U.S., flame retardant additives in furniture foam, insulation and baby products, became the norm after California issued its flammability standard – Technical Bulletin 117 – in 1975. Ironically, flame retardants added to furniture foam do not prevent ignition, which typically starts on the fabric. Further, they do not reduce fire severity or provide increased escape time. The Green Science Policy Institute and others have been working to counter the 1975 standard. Key among its successes is a replacement standard, TB117-2013, which adds a smolder test for fabric. This standard addresses how and where fires start. Cigarettes on couch fabric is the leading cause of furniture fires. Flame retardant chemicals in the filling are not required to meet TB117-2013. However, caveat emptor, the new standard does ban the use of flame retardants in foam, so when purchasing a couch or chair, buyers should check with the retailer to ensure that the furniture BOTH: (1) complies with TB117-2013; and (2) does not include harmful flame retardants. Wondering about alternatives? This is an awesome article on replacing your couch foam!! Formaldehyde Formaldehyde is a readily available and inexpensive chemical. It is found in many products, ranging from building products; glues and adhesives; permanent-press and wrinkle-free fabrics; paper product coatings; certain insulation materials, and other household products. Pressed-wood products containing formaldehyde adhesives or resins, such as particleboard, plywood and fiberboard, are a significant source of formaldehyde in homes. Formaldehyde inhalation can irritate the nose and throat, cause a burning sensation in the eyes and result in difficulty breathing. It can also trigger asthma symptoms in people with asthma and is a known human carcinogen. Regulation and new products offer hope The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has set stringent emissions standards on formaldehyde in “composite wood products,” including plywood, particleboard and medium density fiberboard. Before purchasing pressed-wood products, including building materials, cabinetry, and furniture, buyers should ask if the product is “California 93120 Compliant for Formaldehyde.” They can also ask for engineered wood products that are manufactured with resins that contain no added formaldehyde (NAF) or urea formaldehyde (NAUF). If manufactured products containing formaldehyde have been used in a building project, all hope is not lost. These can cbe sealed with a product like AFM Safecoat to limit off-gassing. VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds VOCs are carbon-based compounds, such as acetone and methane, that evaporate at room temperature. In the home, they are commonly found in paint, adhesives, caulks, sealants and coatings. While they have been linked to asthma and cancer, EPA regulates VOCs only for their contribution to smog formation. So some exempt, non-smog causing VOCs are found in “low” or “zero” VOC products, despite health hazards. How can you limit exposure? Look for products that are certified by MPI-X Green, Greenguard or Greenseal or for products that pass California Section 01350 or the California Department of Health Standard. Resources for safer products Green Home Guide Environmental Working Group Green Science Policy Pharos Project (Professional, Membership based) Building Green (Professional, Membership based) EPA’s Design for the Environment For more information or to get your questions answered about building product choices and carpet and furniture selection for a healthy home, contact Kunjan Shah at toxics@greentownlosaltos.org.

With this past year ja We think the list is impressive and cover our 4 main areas of focus of Water, Watts, Waste and WoW: • “Pedal Power” exhibit at the Los Altos History Museum • Creek Cleanups • Bike valet parking • GreenTalks community discussions • Cyclecide Bike Carnival • The styrofoam ban • reCycle Bike Drives • Energy Day at the Farmers’ Market • The Glass Pumpkin Patch • The Farm to Table dinner. Where did the year go? I am impressed with the dedication and commitment people have in making Los Altos and Los Altos Hills a better place for today and future generations. Of course, we could not have done all these things without support from our community, both donors and volunteers. Thank you for being part of GreenTown Los Altos. During 2014, there are a few things to highlight and people to recognize. If you enjoyed the history museum exhibit “Pedal Power, From Wacky to Workhorse”, then give a special thanks to Gary Hedden and his team of GreenTown Los Altos volunteers who organized, planned and executed the delightful display of 25 local bikes from around the Bay Area. The museum reports that the exhibit attendance was impressive when compared with past exhibits. No wonder the number of bicyclists increased at valet parking during our community events , along with WoW (Walk or Wheel) students who averaged 43% in elementary, 67% in middle schools, and both high schools reported record number of students biking to school. Biking and walking is becoming the preferred method of travel around town for many families. The big story in California, and on everyone’s mind, this year is the drought. Thanks to Kit Gordon and her water team, we had a number of community talks on water wise gardens, grey water systems, rain water catching, and drought tolerant plants at the Los Altos Library community room. Besides the incredible speakers, GreenTown Los Altos volunteers picked up over 200 lbs of unwanted material from Permanente Creek. I heard a few volunteers remark how much debris was in the creek in September during coastal cleanup day given they participated in May’s creek cleanup. Now that single use plastic bags are banned in California, and styrofoam in Los Altos and Los Altos Hills, we are hoping cigarette butts and plastic straw covers on juice drinks join the banned list as we continue to find these two things more than anything else in the creek. Of course, a major part of our successful events are the volunteers, people like you and your neighbors, who sign up at our events or donate to support them. Besides our program leaders, there are three people in particular that create a wonderful experience for volunteers. I am referring to Maddy McBirney, Margene Filson, and Jana Schlansker. Each one of them has a special role to identify and organize volunteers for our events. Also, a special thank you to Maddy and John McBirney for supporting GreenTown in so many ways. It was Maddy’s vision to organize the first, of what will be annual, Glass Pumpkin Patch in September in addition to the Cyclecide bike carnival. The pumpkin patch is a great way to showcase glass art in our community. Please visit next year to see the remarkable glass sculptures. As you can tell, GreenTown Los Altos is a special group of folks. We are in the              planning stages for our 2015 events calendar. There is even talk of us being part of the holiday of lights parade next year. I look forward to meeting you at one of our many 2015 events. Mike McTighe Executive Director, GreenTown Los Altos

Recently, the Packard Foundation held an Open House to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. With several hundred of their “fans” enjoying the good snacks and enlightening tours, a big highlight was the awards ceremony. With many groups receiving recognition, as well as cash grants, seeing the reactions of those recipients was particularly enjoyable given it was a surprise for all, according to GreenTown’s Gary Hedden. Carmel Jud receiving her award for her work with Rising International to help impoverished women support themselves. One of the acknowledged groups that stood out was Rising International.  Carmel K. Jud, founder and executive director of the small non-profit that helps women in impoverished parts of the world market their home-made crafts at home parties was one of those honored.  Think Tupperware. Clearly she has already received accolades. Check out her TedTalk to see how inspiring she is, as she takes action on a critically important issue.

At an Oct. 23 Helix talk at the Exploratorium’s Los Altos outpost, John Barton, Director of Stanford’s Architectural Design Program laid out the challenges for the future in a talk entitled, “The Housing Crisis That Could Ruin Our Economy.” His key issue centered around what he called the housing disconnect: – Housing is too expensive and hurts many people. – For every tech job created, there are six low wage community jobs needed to keep the economy humming. So how’s that dynamic working out?  Badly. The list of issues includes long commutes, wasted time, less productive workers, less time with the kids, and more. That means if things get bad enough, tech companies might just pack up and relocate.  So what to do? John Barton and Margo Horn at the Helix talk at the Exploratorium. Barton presented literally dozens of possible solutions: from tax policy, regional resource sharing, zoning changes, and even direct assistance to help this potentially dire situation. It was a good audience in attendance, including council members and this year’s candidates in attendance. With long commutes cited as one of the real challenges from the environmental perspective what are the possible next steps?  The problem isn’t going away folks, so let’s take action and get moving in the right direction!

Written by Gary Hedden and Charley Pow. On October 24, Stanford University hosted roundtable discussion on climate change. With Lesley Stahl of “60 Minutes” moderating, panelists included mostly Stanford faculty, a Tesla co-founder and Pres. Obama’s former advisor on climate change. The panel said that there is evidence of climate change, but this hasn’t been proven scientifically. But the changes we’re seeing are catastrophic. Therefore, as stewards of the world, we should take action without scientific proof, as we did with ozone depletion. Groundwater is being depleted in California and the rest of the world, and rising temperatures will make this worse by reducing the snowpack and increasing evaporation. The panel would like to see a carbon tax to mitigate carbon dioxide being dumped into the air. Highlights of the talk are below and can be seen on a video here: Lesley Stahl and six panelists had a lot to say about climate change at a recent Stanford Roundtable. Addressing the deniers, Chris Field, Stanford Professor, pointed out that in the last 50 years the heat in the earth itself is increasing at a faster rate, and faster than the atmospheric heat increase. * George Shultz, former Secretary of State, said it’s not that complicated, just look at sea ice.  We have a new ocean, the Arctic. — Lesley, but deniers ask, are you positive it’s due to climate change. * Bina Venkataraman, Director of Global Policy Initiatives, MIT and Harvard, said we frequently make decisions when there is uncertainly.  Think about doctors talking with patients about the probabilities of success with different treatment options. * Tom Steyer, philanthropist and investor, said it’s about the size of the risk.  You never want to bet the whole enterprise.  Climate change has huge risk, so you don’t need 100% certainty before you take action. * Chris Field, pointed to the problem as being inertia.  Climate change is slow, and moving from fossil fuels will be slow, but we need and can start now. * Shultz, added that we need to support energy research and development and we need a price on carbon.  Polluters need to pay for their pollution.  That brought a round of supportive applause from the audience. J.B. Straubel, of Tesla Motors, noted we need better energy storage, and we’re getting there.  No big breakthroughs, but lots of little ones. * Bina, insisted that collaborative team efforts at the local level are important and effective (music to my ears). * Steyer, pointed out that most people are aware of the climate change issue but it’s not a priority.  It needs to connect at a personal level. — Lesley, posited, is it a religious issue? * Alvaro Umana, Costa Rica’s Minister of Energy and Environment, opined that we are stewards of God’s creation. * Steyer, the most vulnerable humans suffer the most from extreme weather. — Lesley, insisted that water is important. * Chris Field, in California, the snowpack is critical and we can’t keep it with a warm planet. * Steyer, it is an essential resource, but many feel they have the right to “as much as they want.”  Most goes for agriculture, so pricing is complicated. — Lesley, Saudi Arabia is driving down gas prices. * Shultz, we need to “wise up” about that and not cut energy research and development. — Lesley, is there a connection to Ebola? * Chris Field, climate change is a threat multiplier.  People move to crowded urban areas as conditions in rural areas deteriorate, leading to medical risks. * Alvaro Umana, no likely connection with Ebola, but yes with other diseases like Malaria. – Lesley, energy consumption is going down, so are we on the right path? * Shultz, thanks to better energy efficiency. * Chris Field, in 2013, it started back up.  Most of the earlier decline was due to the switch from coal to natural gas. – Lesley, are you optimistic? * Alvaro Umana, yes because we are biologically inclined to optimism.  Still, I see the eyes of unborn children asking how could you be so irresponsible. * JB, increasingly optimistic.  The technology is getting better, and there is enough renewable (solar, wind) out there to make it possible. * Chris Field, my concern is the lack of urgency. * Vina, this is our moment. * Shultz, it’s daunting.  Government is weaker, but we have enough experience from past efforts that optimism is justified. * Steyer, optimistic.  We have the ability to innovate.

October 5th’s Farm to Table Dinner & Auction was a blast! A community function with local support and a local twist. Delectable local food. Community table dining. A chance to meet friends or sit with those you know. An evening capped off with a riveting auction with outstanding offerings. Thank you to all who attended. We think the pictures tell the story.

Another Fun Historic Bike Tour of Los Altos Almost 20 cyclists enjoyed another Historic Bike Tour of Los Altos on the last weekend of September. Hosted by GreenTown Los Altos and the Los Altos History Museum, it was a great way to get mentally and physically healthy with a short bike ride that took a close look at some historic properties and learn a little history. The approximately 8-mile ride ended at the History Museum for lunch and a tour of the bicycle exhibition, “Pedal Power: From Wacky to Workhorse”.  The show, now closed, was very popular and well attended.  Noting that this was the 3rd historic bike tour, several people asked, “Will there be a tour next year?”  Gary Hedden, event organizer, only replied, “We’ll see.”

Egan Cadette Girl Scout Troop Hosts Bike Maintenance Class Last Friday, if you were in the right place at the right time, you would have seen a Bike Train of Girl Scouts riding from Egan Middle School to Performance Bicycle Shop on El Camino Real. They met Friday after school, decided on a safe route to the bike shop, and rode together to their class. There, Troop 61058 was met by other Girl Scouts from Troop 60785. Instructor Bobby from Performance, led the girls through a variety of topics ranging from proper helmet fit to overall bike safety to practical maintenance issues, including how to change a flat tire and correctly put a chain back on.  He even touched upon good biking practices such as effective gear changing and the benefits of correct air pressure. The girls were guided through hands-on real world scenarios.  Everyone had a chance to get her hands dirty.  All left with a new knowledge of bike care, bike repair, and properly inflated tires.

By many measures, the First Annual Glass Pumpkin Patch Sept. 13 & 14 in Lincoln Park was a huge success. An im If you attended you saw the  beautiful glass work displayed on tables spanning much of the park. Just walking through the displays you could feel the excitement in the crowd collecting and organizing a special display to take home. There were first time buyers, along with veteran collectors, eager to attend a Glass Pumpkin event held in their Los Altos/Los Altos Hills community. Lincoln Park created a natural ambiance for the glass pumpkin displays with light filtering through the trees, illuminating the colored glass. There was also a full table of Sea Shells and several glass bowls intermixed within the displays. Don’t worry if you missed the Glass Pumpkin event in Los Altos this year. It will return again next year with its magic, beauty, and charm. GreenTown Los Altos is grateful for the benefit provided by Walker & Bowes to our programs supporting outreach and education for green initiatives for the Los Altos community. Without these funds, the programs and events GreenTown volunteers initiate and support, would not be possible.  Get added to our mail list at marketing@greentownlosaltos.org, or look for announcements about next year’s event!

It’s been thought about, talked about and passed in local legislation. But statewide? No one but California has totally banned plastic bags. Governor Brown did what no other state has done to date: completely banned plastic bags. Californians Against Waste reported this today: Just this morning, Governor Brown signed SB 270, the first single-use plastic bag ban approved by any state legislature, into law. It’s a history-making moment that signals a change in the way we address single-use problem products that are polluting our environment and wildlife–and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for your calls, letters, and contributions in support of these efforts over the years! This is indeed a day of celebration for all of us after more than a decade of work on the issue. Forty years ago there were no plastic grocery bags; four years from now, we’ll forget there ever were. Sincerely, Mark Murray Executive Director

This year’s California legislative session ended with some significant victories for the environmental community. Bad Community Choice Energy bill (AB2145) failed to come up for a vote GreenTown advocated against AB2145 which posed a significant threat to Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) programs.  CCAs enable local governments to manage procurement of electricity for residents and businesses. CCAs in California (Marin Clean Energy and Sonoma Clean Power) have resulted in a significantly greater share of electricity coming from clean, renewable sources (50%+ compared with PG&E’s 19%) often at a lower cost than electricity from PG&E. Los Altos staff is closely watching an effort spearheaded by Sunnyvale to assess the feasibility and one day create a local CCA. Los Altos Council member Jan Pepper illustrated her support for these programs in an article she wrote for the Mercury News. “Community Choice is the state’s most powerful tool to give communities local control over electricity supply, and rapidly build clean energy programs that will put Californians back to work, and combat the climate crisis.” said Margaret Okuzumi, Sunnyvale resident and member of a coalition Californians for Energy Choice. California passes landmark single-use plastic bag ban (SB270)! If Gov. Brown signs SB270 into law (and it is anticipated he will), California will be the  first state in the country to outlaw plastic bags. About 1/3 of the state’s population are already subject to local bag bans, which made the legislature’s job a bit easier. As a result of local bans, plastic bag use in California has dropped from approx. 30 million bags in 2006 to about 13 million bags now (source: Californians Against Waste). Other successes Important successes this year include the passage of the following bills [excerpted from California’s League of Conservation Voters]: SB 270 (Padilla, de León, Lara) bans single-use plastic bags AB 1739 (Dickinson) SB 1168, (Pavley) & SB 1319 (Pavley) regulates groundwater AB 1471 (Rendon) places revised water bond on the November 2014 ballot SB 1204 (Lara, Pavley) invests cap-and-trade auction revenues into zero emission truck, bus and other heavy duty technologies SB 1275 (de León) helps put 1 million clean, electric vehicles on California roads SB 1019 (Leno) requires disclosure of flame retardant chemicals in furniture AB 2188 (Muratsuchi) streamlines permitting for residential rooftop solar energy The session was not without its notable disappointments, including the failure of a fracking moratorium bill SB 1132 (Mitchell) that had near-universal support from environmental and environmental justice groups. #BanBag #Electricity #energy #Power

As part of its Sustainable Living Speaker Series at Los Altos Library, GreenTown Los Altos recently hosted a seminar on high- to low-water landscape conversions. Speakers Frank Niccoli, adjunct instructor at Foothill and Merit Colleges, and Lori Morris, owne of landscape design company Beneficial Gardens (beneficialgardens.com), detailed the Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) rebate process and introduced a wide variety of low-water plants to replace water-guzzling landscaping favorites. Carpenteria – a California native, with rose-like flowers With landscaping accounting for up to 70% of residential water use and an “exceptional drought” in full swing, the SCVWD earlier this year doubled its landscape conversion rebates to encourage homeowners to replace lawns and other high-water landscaping with less thirsty alternatives. The $2 per square foot rebate (even more in some areas) could cover a do-it-yourselfer’s planting and water-saving irrigation costs; the rebate is available to those whose projects are approved by September 30th. The SCVWD offers everything from garden design tips to lists of nurseries and irrigation supply stores to assist you in the process. A list of local landscapers who have completed three or more low-water conversions is there, too, for those who would prefer to watch the transformation from a comfortable chair. Dwarf Pomegranate As Niccoli and Morris pointed out, your low water landscape can be as beautiful as the thirsty landscape it replaces. The plants pictured here are all on the SCVWD’s 15-page list of approved low-water plants. Additional images can be found at the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency’s Water-Wise Gardening Guide. To take advantage of double rebates (until September 30), visit the SCVWD’s landscaping page. Lawn alternative, creeping red fescue