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Linksploration - Bay Area
by Jeanne and Christy
Exploring the links connecting the many paths to a greener future for the Bay Area
Episodes
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Marsh Creek and Its Wildlife
Marsh Creek: wildlife hotspot of the east bay! Today we talk to Bud Chaddock of Friends of the Marsh Creek Watershed about what it has to offer and its challenges. This Saturday, September 26, is the annual cleanup at Upper Sand Creek in the Marsh Creek Watershed! Check out Contra Costa Resource...
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Vermont Recycles
And now we see another way to recycle: this is how they do it in Springfield Vermont. After I visited this recycling center, I wanted to move to Vermont. Local residents took recycling - and reuse - into their own hands, and made it work.
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Hedgerow Farms and California Native Grasses
Here we go to Hedgerow Farms and learn about hedgerows, native grasses, and more!
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Earth Day events 2026
In this episode, we look ahead to events celebrating Earth Day 2026, both by our past guests and local cities. Links to all events in our show notes. Enjoy!
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What happens to your green waste?
Years ago we promised to follow your green waste as it is processed, and we never did - until now! In this episode, we get the facts from David Krueger of the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority's Recycle Smart program.
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We're back - in Germany
Ever wonder how other countries are doing on recycling? We dig into the German way of recycling and visit a German recycling center. It's different!
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Growing Native Plants in Your Yard
In this episode we explore how to incorporate native plants in a suburban East Bay yard with Elaine Jackson from the East Bay chapter of the California Native Plant Society and Friends of Alhambra Creek. Hear about the 5 prettiest native plants, how to combat invasives, and resources available to...
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Meet the John Muir Land Trust - and more on Pacheco Marsh
We're back at Pacheco Marsh, this time on a tour and work day with the John Muir Land Trust and Friends of Alhambra Creek. It's our chance to learn about the invasive species which are pressuring the marsh, and about the Land Trust and its ambitious plans to restore other wetlands, and maintain...
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We're back! And it's Transit Month! We're at MUNI Heritage Weekend in San Francisco
We've been away due to a family health crisis, but we're back! Just in time for historic streetcars, vintage buses, and the all-time favorite: the boat tram! (Not to mention the cablecars.) It's MUNI Heritage Weekend in San Francisco. Learn about the historic streetcars, the Market Street…
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Let's Race to Zero Waste!
Let's talk recycling from a little different angle. Meet Race to Zero Waste! I guarantee you will get answers to some of your recycling questions.
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Native Here! Our Hyper-Local Native Plant Nursery
Want to incorporate native plants into your garden? Or just hear about local plants? There is a lot more to it than I thought. We talk with Beth Wurzburg of the California Native Plant Society about their nursery, Native Here, in Tilden Park.
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Lower Walnut Creek Restoration goes live!
Now renamed Pacheco Marsh, the newly restored five mile stretch at the mouth of Walnut Creek is our newest park. In January, 2023, we toured the restoration in progress. Now we get the before and after as we attend the park's grand opening on May 3, 2025. Enjoy conversations with some of the...
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Electrify your home - a primer from Citizens Climate Lobby
Even P&GE wants you to replace your gas appliances! Bill Olsen from the Contra Costa chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby explains how to get started, what it might cost, and how to make a plan.
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Martinez Refinery - the third update, December 2024
And a brief update on the second anniversary of the Thanksgiving toxic release.
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Martinez Refinery Episode 3
More on the refinery saga.
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Martinez Refinery Episode 2 - December 2023
Here's the first update to our coverage of the refinery.
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Martinez Refinery Episode 1 - July 2023
Here's our first episode about the refinery and its depredations.
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Martinez Refinery: What's happened since the big explosion and fire?
There's never a dull moment living near the Martinez Refinery! After being assessed a $4.5 million penalty, you would think they would clean up their act, but you would be wrong. Heidi Taylor of Healthy Martinez brings us up to date - or almost up to date. After this episode was recorded, on the...
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Repair Cafe: Keeping stuff out of the landfill
Got a broken toaster? Leggings with a torn seam? A broken necklace? The Repair Cafe is here for you.
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Marsh Creek Salmon Walk - Yep, Salmon!
Marsh Creek runs from the flanks of Mt Diablo to the San Joaquin River, and it is full of surprising wildlife! For the MLK Day of Service, we are picking up trash and keeping our eyes peeled.
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Classic episode: Exploring the Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project
Continuing our exploration of area creeks, we are revisiting a 2023 episode about one of the biggest waterway projects in the area, one that is slated to become a public park: the Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project.
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Update: Solar, Martinez Refinery, and Beavers!
Happy Thanksgiving! Like everyone, we are busy busy with holiday cheer, so we are doing a minisode updating three prior episodes.
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iNaturalist - Your nature identification buddy, and so much more!
You may already be using iNaturalist as an app on your phone to identify plants and animals. If you aren't yet, you will want to get started by the end of this episode! And did you know that it got its start right here in the Bay Area? Now it's a worldwide phenomenon used by lay contributors and...
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Resilient, Equitable Urban Streams - the Ecology of Urban Waterways
So far in our creeks series, we have been looking at attempts to restore them to as close to natural as possible. But what if we look at urban creeks in a different way, as their own ecosystems, including the unhoused people who live along them? How will climate change affect these systems? In…
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Friends of San Ramon Creek: Enemies of Arundo Donax, and more!
The friends of San Ramon Creek are amazing! Tune in to hear about all they have accomplished. I guarantee you will want to join them.
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Friends of Alhambra Creek and the Alhambra Native Plant Trail
After a short hiatus in August, we're back with a new series: Friends of the Creeks! Every friends group is different. Join us as we tour the Alhambra Native Plant Trail with the Friends of Alhambra Creek.
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Should public funds own fossil fuel stock?
Fossil fuels are doing serious damage to the planet, yet public pension funds continue to invest in them. A lot of people and organizations think that's wrong, including our guest in this episode, Dr. Carlos Davidson, emeritus professor of environmental science at San Francisco State. We learn...
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Sustainable Contra Costa - Summer Water Savers gets underway
It's time for an update from Sustainable Contra Costa. Their special theme this summer is to prepare for the next drought by developing those good water efficiency habits in the Summer Water Savers Challenge. Learn what's up with Laura Wehrley. Then sign up to help Sustainable Contra Costa reach...
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See you shortly!
This is the week we would normally be publishing a new episode, but I came back from vacation with an unwelcome souvenir - not Covid, thank goodness - and so we ask your indulgence until I am back at full strength. Thanks!
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Port of San Francisco confronts sea level rise
There's a plan! Adam Varat from the Port of San Francisco introduces us to the Waterfront Resilience Plan and how the city hopes to protect its shoreline infrastructure.
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Concord Reuse Project - the Naval Weapons Station transformed
The Concord Naval Weapons Station closed 19 years ago. After some false starts, it looks like its redevelopment is finally underway. We get the scoop from Guy Bjerke, who is the director of the project for the City of Concord.
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The Three Creeks Restoration Project - inching toward nature-based flood control
Marsh Creek in Brentwood was engineered to be a drainage ditch, but the Contra Costa County Flood Control District, in partnership with American Rivers, is changing that. We tour the Three Creeks Restoration Project to see what is possible within the constraints of suburban living.
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Rooftop solar slated to take another hit!
Rooftop solar seems like the front line answer to climate change, but there's a problem: how to share the cost of maintaining the grid and other programs among users, as more and more homeowners opt out. In this episode we look at the latest effort to fix the problem by - yes - taking another…
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Martinez Refinery Update
The refinery's lawsuit against the Bay Area Air Quality Management District is settled; what's next? Let's check in with Heidi Taylor from Healthy Martinez. (Hint: there's more to keep an eye on.)
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... And now we party! MLK Day continued
After the work comes the party! A stroll up the Richmond Greenway takes us to Unity Park and the after-party. We talk to exhibitors, listen to music, and generally chill out.
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Getting to work: MLK Day of Service on the Richmond Greenway
Urban Tilth work day in Richmond: Planting, weeding, mulching, and meeting the staff and volunteers who make it happen. We met the cutest weeder, age 5 - and they found a potato!
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Future focus: Electrification of . . . everything
Electrification is coming! And there is much to learn. Rebates! Tax credits! Cheaper power! And where to get help. Brenna Shafizadeh of the Climate Reality Project shares her expertise.
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"Plant Based Eating" from our friends at Everyday Climate Champions
We have a special holiday gift for you from our friends over at the Bay Area Chapter of the Climate Reality Project, and their podcast, "Everyday Climate Champions"! Ravinder Sehgal of the San Francisco Veg Society talks about why and how to reduce meat consumption to benefit you, the animals…
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What's happening at the Martinez refinery? Nothing good - yet.
What's new at the Martinez refinery? They have added flares and stinky gas releases to their repertoire. Meanwhile, there is a December 21 court date with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and a class action lawsuit is getting underway. In this bonus minisode, we get an update from...
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Giving Natives (plants, that is) a Chance
We're back and planting! Learn about native plants, and efforts to bring them back in the Bay Area. We get to work at an annual event planting native plants, and also learn about their history, how they almost got wiped out, and the fun of resoring them to a part of their former territory.…
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Taking a short break, but we'll be back!
Greetings listeners! We haven't forgotten you. Jeanne was on vacation in Spain, and came back with a A+ cold - (or should we say F-?). We are taking a short break, but we will be back in a few weeks with another exciting episode. Meanwhile, this is your opportunity to catch up on any episodes you...
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Suisun Marsh: Resilience Hotspot
Back in June, we began a conversation with Sadie Wilson of the Greenbelt Alliance about their Resilience Hotspots program. Now we take a closer look at the Suisun Marsh, one of the first group of 5 hotspots, with Sadie and Alex Lunine of Sustainable Solano.
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The Inflation Reduction Act targets Climate Change in a Big Way!
In honor of climate week, host Jeanne puts on her CPA hat and gives listeners a tour of the Inflation Reduction Act, the giant legislation giving tax incentives for all kinds of climate mitigation, plus rebates. It's wild!
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Rooftop Solar - the New Regime
What's happening with rooftop solar now that the new net metering system has taken effect? What is the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act? What else is new in the rooftop solar market? We thought we knew it all, but there is lots to learn. Join us as we chat again with our solar experts, Pat...
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Sustainable Contra Costa: What We Can Do
When we think about climate change, we often focus on the big picture; after all it is an earth-wide problem. This week we zoom in and talk with Laura Wehrley of Sustainable Contra Costa about what they do and what we can do as individuals, right here, right now.
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(Un?)Healthy Martinez
Following a release of toxic dust from the Martinez Refinery, which looms above the historic town of Martinez, local residents banded together to form Healthy Martinez, a group advocating for cleaner air and more transparency from the refinery. We interview Heidi Taylor of Healthy Martinez about...
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Martinez Beaver Festival - A Dam Good Party!
In this minisode, we have a blast at the Martinez Beaver Festival. Just can't get enough of the little chompers!
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Greenbelt Alliance Launches Resilience Hotspot Project
The Greenbelt Alliance has been a longtime Bay Area institution. Now they are tackling climate change in five local sites they are calling "resilience hotspots". We chat with Greenbelt Alliance's Sadie Wilson about how these places were chosen, what they mean by "resilience", and, well . . .…
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Beavers Redux - Real Live Beavers in Fairfield!
In this follow-up minisode, we tour an active beaver colony in Fairfield, CA, and learn even more about the lifestyles of the toothy and hairy. A visit to the home of the Laurel Creek beavers.
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Ranking Cities on Climate Change
Climate change! In this conversation, we talk with Lynda Deschambault of Contra Costa County Climate Leaders about what separates the best cities from the . . . not so good. Some of the factors are what you expect, but some are surprising. And we name names.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Linksploration - Bay Area have?
Linksploration - Bay Area currently has 61 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Linksploration - Bay Area about?
Exploring the links connecting the many paths to a greener future for the Bay Area
How often does Linksploration - Bay Area release new episodes?
Linksploration - Bay Area has 61 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Linksploration - Bay Area?
You can listen to Linksploration - Bay Area on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Linksploration - Bay Area?
Linksploration - Bay Area is created and hosted by Jeanne and Christy.
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