Fun LID-GI Project at Vista County Courthouse

I love farmers markets. I love that these local farm-to-fork celebrations regularly and sustainably connect the people and their local land. I am so appreciative that during COVID, farmers markets continue to serve their communities. These outdoor gatherings represent a true Essential Service.

The Vista Farmer's Market, which is held each Saturday in the County Courthouse, is one of my personal favorites. Not only does it have the distinction of being the longest running market in the San Diego County region (open weekly, rain or shine, since 1981), it's co-located with great examples of sustainable design. In 2019, the Courthouse embarked upon a several million dollar parking lot resurfacing project. The project incorporates solar panels that not only provide clean energy to the site, but much needed shelter and shade for market-goers. The overhead coverage mitigates heat-island effect during the hot summer months and rain protection during the infrequent drizzles in the fall and winter. The parking lot also features several stormwater capture basins with pollution-treatment intent. I know that some of the market go-ers grumble but I delight in the xeriscape. The plants are finally starting to come into their own so asked mama to snap this pic of me near the inlet of one of the biggest central basins, right next to the picnic table where we ate market-fresh lunch. =)

Stormwater Outreach in downtown DC!

I was in DC in October 2020. When I was getting my post-airplane flight COVID test I was stupidly excited to see that the tent was set up in an area featuring multiple types of pavement, including permeable pavers.

When I was looking for the project placard, I saw that the local hydrologists had turned the USGS Potomac River monitoring station into an outreach opportunity. It was a nostalgic monitoring moment for me. This was probably one of the prettiest public-facing stations I've seen. I'll admit to gushing to the person doing the testing. You could see the confused bemusement crinkling her eyes above the mask.

 

Rental DIY Project--Front Step Flood Management & Battles with Snails

Managing runoff & Fighting pests

VIDEO DESCRIPTION: Caliwatergal applies her engineer brain to low-tech, sustainable, DIY #gardening. (Sara also showcases her very black thumb).

Flushable Wipes? No Thank You!

Never did I ever think I would write the words toilet paper crisis. COVID-19 seems to be bringing out truly surreal turns of phrase. I too ran out of this much coveted limited resource. I did not enjoy my short sojourn into the sustainable alternatives and am deeply grateful for my paper-based stock. 

My research and experiments made me aware of wipes.... a relatively new-to-me product that inspired a research rabbit hole. After an hour or so of reading, I decided to do another done-in-a-day weekend video project. The final product is technically-nerdy, videographically-rough and done in good quarantine fun. It made a friend in the wastewater industry giggle and clap.... so from my perspective, the effort was a COMPLETE success. The long-ish ~6 minute video found on YouTube here:

Wipes versus Plumbing - The No-Nos of Toilet Paper Substitution - YouTube

VIDEO DESCRIPTION: What’s the big deal about toilet paper? Flood risk management for one thing. Learn more about why your wipe choices matter.

Controlling Microplastics in Your Laundry--Review on the Cora Ball

On October 2, 2019, I was one of the lucky few to attend an in-person seminar that changed me for the better. This fateful seminar was jointly facilitated by the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the 5 Gyres Institute. Monitoring data from the San Francisco Bay estuary was presented... and the numbers reported made international front page news:

"7 Trillion Microplastic Particles Pollute the San Francisco Bay Each Year" (links here)

The message was terrifying.

I was introduced to scientists, policy makers, and change leaders that have built careers around the potential environmental risk associated with the breakdown of plastic. 

The people were inspiring.

I was intrigued by the tools, products and innovations designed to help prevent plastic from mobilizing from our homes into the environment. During the seminar, one research team had focused on at-home solutions to microfiber pollution--the plastics that wash off you clothes when you run a load laundry. The study contrasted the number of fibers captured inside the drum of the washing machine by The Cora Ball with the number of fibers captured by a custom-built filtration system installed on the discharge pipe of a washing machine. Unsurprisingly, the end of pipe filtration unit was more effective than the ball. 

Because I'm a nerd, and an engineer, and a water quality monitoring specialist, I wanted to experiment a little myself. The resulting done-in-a-day video was a great COVID-quarantine project for a rainy, trapped-inside Saturday. This 4-minute video show cases (poorly) a DIY, observational experiment using my own laundry and the facilities provided by my rental unit. Feel free to check it out on my YouTube channel here:

Controlling micro fibers in your laundry - Cora Ball v the Dryer Lint Trap - YouTube

VIDEO DESCRIPTION: Microfibers are showing up in the environment. One of the sources identified to date is wastewater... specifically your laundry. I bought the Cora Ball and threw it into a typical Saturday load of laundry. This is what happened. 

I loved the product in concept--but I'm not a fan. After the video, I gave it a few more chances. I destroyed more of my clothing than I care to remember. I didn't share that tidbit with my mother before asking her to try it out. I wanted her honest and unbiased opinion. She destroyed some clothing too. I groveled and gifted her some lovely wine.

I may never be a technical expert on plastics--macro-, micro-, nano-, or any other scale yet to be defined--BUT I can be a plastics enthusiast. "Microplastic" is now part of my personal lexicon and part of my greater trash management/recycling personal practice. I can read. I can experiment. I can share what I learn.