Our Northern California climate has been changing and our weather really reflects it lately. Here’s a look at reliable meteorological sources that you can use to keep up to date on the latest weather news and developments in our area. More than fifty percent of our precipitation in California is delivered by Atmospheric Rivers (ARs) long, […]
Richard Vogel / Associated Press Build your own rainwater harvesting system for outdoor use Let’s start with a quiz: say you have a roof that measures 1700 square feet (average for the US) and your area has a rainstorm that yields half an inch, how much water can you potentially collect with a home rainwater […]
“The Dome of California’s Capitol” by Walter Parenteau is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. This is the busy season for legislation and rulemaking. Here’s a review of what SSV has been up to on a number of fronts. Here are excerpts from our letters. The Securities and Exchange Commision Subject: Proposed Rule [Release No. 33-11402; […]
Our latest WET Talk featured Galen O’Toole and Renee Murphy of Intrinsyx Environmental talking about the promise and potential of plants and the power of endophyte-assisted phytoremediation. (Watch the WET Talk 8 video) (Phytoremediation is cleanup of tainted soil or water using plants; endophytes are microbes that live in a symbiotic relationship inside plants and […]
Global urban adoption of Smart Surfaces would cost-effectively deliver a 15% CO2e emissions reduction and 5°F of city-wide cooling—with enormous co-benefits California is trying to solve multiple problems simultaneously: rising heat, inequality, clean air & water, and making cities and neighborhoods more resilient and sustainable As average temperatures rise, and storms grow more forceful, […]
On a December day in 2021, Chris “The Maven” Austin met with SSV’s Water Director Dennis Murphy to chat about all things water in California. Chris has been publishing Maven’s Notebook since 2013 and has been aggregating California water news since 2007. CA Water 101 is one of numerous informative resources that can be found […]
Sustainable Silicon Valley is partnering with the national Smart Surfaces Coalition to help cities make “smart” surface decisions by demonstrating the value of common sense solutions that manage the sun and rain. By using Smart Surfaces where appropriate, cities around the world can reduce extreme summer heat by several degrees, stem flooding, combat climate change, […]
Sustainable Silicon Valley is partnering with innovative San Francisco-based shower maker Nebia on a drought action project to get new advanced technology Nebia by Moen Quattro Rainshower showerheads into the hands of lucky Bay Area water utility customers through their utility conservation programs. The Nebia Quattro Rainshower exceeds EPA WaterSense standards, operating between 1.25 to […]
Thoughts on two days of water immersion WaterPalooza! 2021 featured a spectacular roundup of water industry luminaries, industry experts, municipal water providers, entrepreneurs, scientists, government officials, advocates, and educators speaking about conserving, making, and preserving water. Some key takeaways: Fix the leaks, transition thirsty landscaping to drought resistant plants, and don’t waste water! A diversified […]
The “old panels” taken down and set for a cleaning. & a Snazzy Solar Roof (w/drones) It started, as most things do, over a beer. And copious appetizers provided by wonderfully determined hosts. Al fresco dining near the barbecue, with reasonable social distance. Conversation with my wife’s friend’s husband (we’ll call him Abe) turns to […]