RAIN NOVEMBER 1977 VOL. IV, NO. 2 ONE DOLLAR CALIFORNIA: Beyond the Bottom of the Barrel
Page 2 November 1977 RAIN More than two years ago we were involved in the planning of both the National Center for Appropriate Technology and California's Office of Appropriate Technology, as well as trying to get RAIN on its feet as support for a decentralized grassroots a.t. network. We're far enough down the road now to begin to see the different nature and effects of each of these institutions. What do we get for our money from each? What can each do and how rapidly, how thoroughly and how effectively? What are the restraints on each? Perhaps a dozen states are in the process of trying to set up offices as a result of California's success-without having been prodded by federal funding or bureaucracies. And hundreds of local projects have sprung up assisted only by grapevine knowledge of what other folks are doing, with neither help nor hindrance from any institution Actions need to happen on all levels, federal as well as local, state or bioregional. We 're learning . :~hat belongs where. ,· • We turned this issue over to Gigi Coe of OAT to give us all ;~ report on what it's like to try to affect things through the morass of the second largest bureaucracy in the country. Read between the lines. It's time that a.t. get into politics (more on that next issue) and OA T's experience is valuable both for what they can and cannot do or say. This issue is also a closer look at what's going on in one r~gion of the country. In the future we plan to be working vfith other state and local a.t. groups to focus on happenings in;othe.r regions. - TB .T.- . rJ The Office of Appropriate Technology was established by executive order on May 12, 1976. We are a division of the Office of Planning and Research in the Governor's Office. Policy is set by a steering committee of three members. Sim Van der Ryn, the State Architect, is Chairman of the Steering Committee. The other members are Bill Press, Director of the Office of Planning and Research, and Wilson Clark, Assistant to Governor Brown for Issues and Planning. The Steering Committee serves to chart om course as well as defend our interests when necessary. Appropriate Technology and Ktrk Marckwald, Director of the California Office of Approriate Technology since January 1977, has brought living reality to the chaos of ideas and brought OAT home to itself Turning untried, often spacy, ideas into usable substance in a state government as large as California's requires supreme political tact and insight. One is forever balancing on the tightrope of the rules and budgets of bureaucracy, the policy directives of the OAT steering committee, the hopes of the conscientious and politically aware OAT staff and the needs of the citizenry, all to produce human-scale changes which will endure beyond the next election. Kirk's J!,Ood-humored effectiveness in the stormeye of the transition we are all now making may even lead California's legislature and line agencies towards making a home for OAT among them. We need more Kirks. - LJ Despite our successes during the past 18 months, some nagging, possibly unanswerable questions remain. Can any state or other public entity which has traditionally fostered a "more-of-thesame" approach to problems serve as a catalyst to promote change which will ultimately mean a radical re-ordering of priorities in the projects the state undertakes? Are fundamental institu tional change and tangible demonstrations of that change possible? By what criteria should we choose our projects? How should we concentrate our limited energies.and money? How can we build the lateral support both within the government and, more importantly, outside it, to promote our programs? The Power and Politics of the Governor's Office What are the pros and cons of being in the governor's office? The support which OAT has received from the governor and his staff has encouraged other agencies to seek us out and listen. Our location in the governor's office has been more than a terrific moral boost; it has awakened many citizens to the innovations which the state is encouraging. The political support of the governor's office has opened doors as the office began to develop and flourish on its own. Jt has allowed our staff to work cooperatively with existing line agencies to begin to reexamine and rethink how projects are designed and where money is spent. An ongoing challenge is to throw off the impression that because our office remains small and some of our programs call for radically different solutions to California's problems, that OAT essentially is a "toy" of the Brown administration. There is only one way this impression can be overcome. When our programs are subjected to the scrutiny of the legislature, other agencies, or members of the press they must show a high quality of work and follow through, must have had the support and endorsement of clients and constituencies inside and outside of government and, above all, must have communicated that there are practical choices and alternatives to high levels of resource consumption. Project Criteria There are probably a hundred times as many projects OAT might sponsor as we can, given time and money constraints. How, then, does OAT choose to support certain activities? To date we have picked projects as they have come along and as staff members were able to support them. We arc now beginning to evolve a basis for making these decisions. Some of the considerations are: • Change. Does a project promote another "bandaid" solution which treats a symptom without a commitment to change basic attitudes about resources and natural energy balances? •Benefits.Who will benefit from the project? The easier the project is to do, the more likely it is to affen exclusively middle and upper income persons. The more ambitious and comprehensive a project, the less likely it can be accomplished (for either political or logistic reasons), or that our office can have an impact on the process. • Follow-through . Can we follow through on a project, or pass it on to an agency which will? While it is novel and fun to start a Bicycle Program in Sacramento, the program brings with it many routine tasks such as building support among
Bare Bones Although these are excellent circumstances for us and our work', they are by no means a ticket to Easy Street. We remind ourselves regularly that those who are born by the stroke of a pen are dissolved by the stroke of a pen, and spend as much time hustling program funds and support as would any independent, non-governmental organization. ~irk Marckwald, OAT's Director, estimates that at least a third of his time is consumed in taking care of our basic survival needs, which include finding money, writing proposals, planning budgets, and defending us before public and state scrutiny. Government J facility managers, arranging for maintenance and repair of the bikes and coordinating the details with Fleet Administration so they are able to take it over, administer it and give it the long-term commitment it needs. One of our greatest tasks is to create projects which are solid enough to withstand bureaucratic inertia and planned carefully enough so they can be administered within state regulations. In What Basket Shall We Place Our Eggs? OAT\ work falls into three broad categories-educational programs, demonstration programs and institutional reform. Our educational activities, which presently include an information center and publications, seminar series, regional meetings and the New Possibilities Show, are the core of our programs. They allow us to .reach a wide variety of people, to decentralize information and to work to bring about the change in perceptions and attitudes which is essential if any of our visions are. to reach beyond the ears of the upper middle class who can afford to change, or the "saved" who see our activities as an affirmation of their own choices. While almost ·everyone agrees that educational programs are essential, oftentimes the choice between projects which center on institutional reform versus those which demonstrate new technologies has divided the house. Institutional reform and demonstration projects in some ways repre·sent contradictory methods of dealing with a problem. Demonstrations are by their nature product-oriented, innovative, novel, fun and visible. Yet it is often hard to judge if the project has really changed anything, and just when change may begin to emerge, one must shift the center in order to follow through on it. Alternatively, institutional reforms are process-oriented, routine, mechanical, invisible, and while changing a law, code or regulation can have long term effects, there is a danger of becoming too comfortable with the slow pace of change. Playing the insider's game means using the system which you are trying to change to change itself. One can, through familiarity, become too complacent to critically examine the rnal effects of o.ur efforts. ' RAIN November 1977 Page 3 Our totat budget for the fiscal year 1977/197 8 is approximately $J 32,000. The major share of this comes from the California Energy Research Conservation and Development Commission ($175,000) and Federal Title II Public Works Act funds ($150,000). The remainder comes from the State Water Resources Control Board, the Department of Water Resources, and the Office of the State Architect. These funds cover both our projects and our operating funds. These are the bare bones. I hope this issue of RAIN gives you an idea not only of what we do, but also the vision and values that underlie our day-to-day tasks. -GC Further, as insiders, we can be catalysts for change. But it will take more than us. The line agencies in California will ultimately determine the long-range effectiveness of our programs, and it is they who must be convinced of their importance. The requests for grant monies represent a special probl~m. OAT is administering a small appropriate energy technologies grants program. We are doing it because many of the people who contact this office desperately need money and because, in most cases, there truly is little money ,available to finance small-scale technological development. At the same time, we must begin to work with people to discover alternative, local ways to finance their projects, small business or research. . Otherwise, it will be easy for people to become dependent on OAT or other state sources, and thereby sacrifice their own self-reliance. Is thete a Forest Beyond These Trees? A final dilemma. In the midst of the complexity and confusion of state government we must keep our instincts tuned to the big pi.cture-the need for economic justice, self-determination and self-reliance, the role of mega-corporations in appropriate technologies, equitable use of land and resources, etc.-rather than be swallowed up in minutiae and "bureaucratic noise" (thanks to Scott Mathews for the term). One way to do this is to spend more time visiting people throughout the state and see what their concerns are, rather than perpetuate the tunnel vision of Sacramento. These dilemmas and unanswered questions aren't just • philosophical water torture. They are our reflections of some • of the problems OAT and .others face as we seek to translate visions of the future into concrete programs and policies in the current political and economic systems. Do write and share your observations with us. -Kirk Marckwald
Page 4 November 1977 RAIN NEW QAT HAPPENINGS: Briefly Rural Wastewater Alternatives Report This report, which covers the de-sign and use of compost, drum and pit privies, greywater systems and other on-site systems, has been accepted by the State Water Resources Control Board and will be available about November 15th. Write us if you want to receive a copy. ERDA Appropriate Technology Grants . In last month's RAIN, Lee'mentioned the ERDA Appropriate Energy Technology Grants program. OAT will be administering the program for the State of California. We will be conducting technical and peer review of all.California proposals and making recommendations to ERDA on which proposals should be funded. For further information-and to get an application (submission deadline Nov. 21), call ERDA at (415) 273-7910. Conference: California Celebrates Detritus We are thinking about sponsoring a conference on terrestrial and aquatic detritus (bacteria, <;omposting, earthworms, shellfish, etc.). Its goal would be to provide a forum for scientists, policymakers and business persons to see what's.happening on the decomposer side of the food chain. Should we do it? Further ideas, contact Ty Cashman at OAT. OAT STAFF Kirk Marckwald, Director Diane Winner, Projects and Admiriistration Wade Rose, Legislation and Agency Programs Gigi Coe, Publications and Information Dave Rozell, Solar Technician Training Judy Michalowski, J:>rogram and Grants Claire Barrett, Drought Tolerant Garden Rosemary Menninger, Community Gardens Coordinator Stephanie Pincetl, Library • Bo_b Judd,DOE (ERDA) Appropriate Energy Technology Small Grants Program , Mitch Culliver and Ann ,Wilsnack, The New Possibilities Show Doris Nash, Support Betty Jo Hilgers, Support Work Study and Interns Joyce Hochmuth-Nowell, Aquaculture Ron Mandella, Garden Robbie Welling, Library Kathy Morris, The New Possibilities Show Terence Lott, Capitol Bicycle Program ~;-- • Design Task Force Ty Cashman WC,.,,T"ll..-,"'ii:::;lrrrr..r~-f&.,--:.;_ ---= '\-!=.-~-,.-.,,._ _ _ Dave Rozell • Peter Calthorpe Scott Mathews , Mac Walker ( Integrated Design Task Force , OAT is currently establishing a six to eight per.son design task force to assist state agencies in developing capital outlay projects which integrate resource and energy savings technologies into their design and will demonstrate integrated design and resource conserving technologies. We will complete three projects-an aquaculture project at Sonoma State Hospital, the preliminary.development plan for Salt Point State Park, and an integrated shelter and life support hostel at Natural Bridges State Park (the Energy Commission will do two others)-during the next four months and then decide on: what's next. Any ideas? • Jobs We are looking for a person who is available immediately to analyze state agencies' resource and energy conservation budgets and programs, and two persons to handle project management and administrative responsibilities for our design group and our office. We are especially interested in hearing from minority applicants. Also, over the next few months there may be some limited opportunities (two _or three positions) for people to serve as interns or work/study persons. Write to us for details. OAT PUBLICATIONS LIST l. Appropriate Technology and State Government .75 Sim Van der Ryn, June 1976 • 2. What Is Appropriate Technology? . 7 5 S. Van der Ryri and J. Yudelson, June 1976 3. Criteria for Appropriate Technology .25 L. Nelson and J. Yudelson, June 1976 4. Appropriate Technology for Homestead Design: .75 An Intr_oductory Bibliography J. Yudelson, April 1976 5. Big and/or Little: Search is on for the Right .2 5 Technology Wilson Clark,·July 1976, reprinted with permission from Smithsonian magazine 6. Suitability of On-Site Wastewater Disposal Systems 1.25 Along the California Coast Dr. J. T. Winneberger, February 1976 7. Coastal Water Conservation Practices 1. 7 5. P. Warshall and P. Ferraro, February 1976 8. Central Valley Atlas of Community Resources 1.50 November 1977 9. Rural Wastewater Disposal Alternatives November 1977, available from the Water Resources Control Board. Write to OAT for information. 26. Community Gardening in California 1. 50 Rosemary Menninger, Ju'ly 1977 Project Information Sheets·(free) 10. Solar Technician Training Program 11. Drought Tolerant Garden 12. Capitol Bicycle Program Please order publications by number from: Office of Appropriate Technology 1530 10th Street Sacramento, CA 958_14 916/445-1803
RAIN _November 1977 Page 5 .---·- - ---------- ~ WEAL7H CCWm .. ---- -------- ----- -· L----..... J Central Valley: Atlas of Community Resources, in English and Spanish, $1.50 from: Office of Appropriate Technology 1530 10th Street Sacramento, CA 95814 This atlas is an introduc.tion to a bioregion and the community resources available to the people who live there It is a survey, not a source list, and for that reason it may seem incomplete. Why? Listings, atlases or catalogues compiled by a·state agency , or any outside group, can easily become a crutch or an excuse for a community not to seek further. Nothing can take the place of community self-help and self-relia11ce. Our goal in compiling this information was to make the atlas an overview of community resources and document the ways by which people are organizing to improve the quality of their lives, Why a bioregional, rather than a city or county atlas? Poli-. tical boundaries are rarely useful when identifying what it is that shapes patterns of living. Cultures and COffi;munities are defined far more by climate, geography, topography, economic base and ethnic heritage than by voting districts. People who live within a bioregion tend to share common v_alues and experiences. An atlas which identifies resources which have grown out of common experiences is more likely to be useful than one which does not. Our atlas focuses on community and human resources. There are other equally important !"esources, especially natural resources, which 'deserve to be integrated into a community sourcebook. What is the best stone for stonemasonry? Where is the best surplus produce found? All of these a community might explore for itself. Early in the project, the atlas staff (Ken Kaji, Jim Grossfeld, Nina Byrne and Andy Reicher) began to understand the importance of identifying access points, or making existing resources commonly known, without falling into the trap of the tourist who thinks s/he knows everything. For that reason the atlas focuses on case histories of community organizations, and techniques for building networks and of creating community sourcebooks. - Gigi Coe The New Possibilities Show Inspired by the work of Kye Cochran, AERO, and the New Western Energy Show (see October RAIN), OAT has developed and is sponsoring its own travelling exhibit of appropriate technologies. The show has been booked up since it first went on the road in May and still is drawing crowds of skeptics as well as believers. The schedule for the remainder of 1977 is: November 3-6: Energy Fair, Anaheim Convention Center, Los Angeles, California November 9: Fulierton Public Library, Fullerton, California. November 14-16: Los Angeles Farmer's Market, Los Angeles, California November 17-19: UCLA, Westwood, California November 28, 29, 30: Stanford University, Palo Alto, Californ'ia Capitol Bicycle Program It happens every day: A busy state employee rushes to the ' state motor pool, checks out a car, speeds eight blocks to deliver a handful of memos to another office. Expensive? Yes. Efficient? No. Saves time? Not really-too many one way streets in downtown Sacramento. So, OAT started a state bicycle program which provides bikes to state agencies and employees in much the same way that the motor pool provides cars. To date, 45 bikes are being loaned out. Bicycle blocks have been set in front of all major state buildings to help make parking easier. Demand for the bicycles continues to grow as people begin to realize that, in ' the flat, broad streets of Sacramento, bicycling is the ·most sensible and fun way of getting around. -GC Office . of Appropriate TecnnolOJY
Page 6 November 1977 RAIN Solar Technician Train_ing Program The solar water heaters which now dot the roofs of various state-owned office buildings (including the one OAT is in) and apartments in Sacramento are part of the work of this program. It feels good to know that the hot water coming out of the faucet wasn't heated by Rancho Seco nuclear power plant. - CC I In November 1976, the State of California started an innovative program to train previously unemployed, underemployed and economically disadvantaged Sacramento men and women in the skills and theory necessary to retrofit existing buildings with solar domestic hot water systems. This Solar Technician Training Project (STTP) was the mechanism. The state's Office of Appropriate Technology (OAT) and the Office of the State Architect (OSA) played vital roles in the development and implementation of the project. OAT assisted OSA by writing the grant proposal, securing funds and hiring personnel to staff the project. OSA was responsible for overaH administration of the project. Funding for the , STTP came from Comprehensive Employment Training Act (CETA) for training expenses and the State of California_ Department of General Services for materials. The program was directed by Jo Ann Trujillo; Ron Lipton ahd Dave Rozell were the training supervisors. During the 11 months the STTP was in operation, 18 men and women graduated from the two 22-week sessions. Training included solar energy theory and applications, domestic hot water plumbing and soldering, electrical skills in basic wiring and basic carpentry. Each training session was divided into two periods. The first period (10 weeks) was spent teaching the solar theory and applications and developing the necessary plumbing, electrical and carpentry skills needed for the second phase. The second phase (12 weeks) the training consisted of onthe-job training, which was actual design and construction of the solar retrofits. Seven systems were completed, including three apartment buildings, two small office buildings, the STTP workshop and a thermosyphon dem_onstrator located in a nearby community garden. During the year this program has been in operation many people have asked us what we've learned and how we would change it. Here are some of Dave Rozell's observations: The staff necessary to undertake such an ambitious training project should have been increased to one super\;isor/instructor for every five or six trainees. This added expense is justified because the trainees gain significantly more knowledge, and their skill proficiency increases rapidly through expanded personal contact. A second problem that arose was the realization that 22 weeks of training is not sufficient time to train a true Solar Technician. Part of the problem stems from a lack of defini-• tion for a Solar Technician. The definition I prefer (one that ERDA is currently bantying about) states that a "Solar Technician" is a paraprofessional capable of designing, constructing, testing, tro,ubleshooting and maintaining any solar heating or cooling system. This is distinct from a "Solar Mechanic," who is simply an installer of solar devices. Our allocation of 22 }1/eeks of training to turn out a paraprofessional was naive. The graduates turned out to be some-' where between solar mechanics and solar technicians. They possessed much more theoretical kndwledge than mechanics would need, but not nearly enough theory and troubleshooting experience to serve as solar technicians. A period of 10 to 14 months of concentrated training or, as an alternative, a two-year junior college program will be required to gradu.ate a true tech_nician. We learned another valuable lesson by restricting the size and scope of our projects. More benefit can be derived from designing and building several small solar systems than one or two large systems. ·Because solar retrofits are site specific, each is different and offers a new set of parameters for the trainee to design for and evaluate. The project did offer many rewards. First, 18 individuals learn«d the impact of energy consumption and produc-tion on their lives and ways they might regain control of this aspect of their lives. Secondly, the trainees had a strong desire to take th~ knowledge and skills they acquired and apply them to the benefit of low- and fixed-income communities. Thirdly, 10 of the 18 have already found employment as a direct result of having completed the STTP. We hope that the·lessons we have learned will help other ·groups to open job opportunities to people who historically have been left out of the mainstream of technological development. ' .- Daye Rozell 1i Left to right: OAT solar hot water heaters installed on state o(fice building, state-owned apartments and Governor Brown's apartment.
Community Gardening Not many state governments have a person whose only job is to assist community gardeners. With the growing interest in urban food production, most states should. Rosemary Menninger, the state Community Gardens Coordinator, is helping garden organizers tap into state resources which they might not otherwise know about. She will be writing a bi-monthly newsletter, ·california Green, which will keep garden organizers informed about where money can be found, where institutional support might be, and what is new at the state and local levels. Rosemary's report, titled Community Gardening in California and reviewed in the October RAIN, wilrbe reprinted and sold through OAT. - CC Community gardening has mushroomed in California in the past two years. Cities which started out with one or two experimental gardens now have extensive community garden programs involving schools, hospitals, housing projects and even city parks. Many programs are now run out of the local Parks and Recreation Departments, while others are grass-roots proje.cts started by volunteers whose efforts h~ve been bolstered with local funds and CETA positions funded by the U.S. Comprehensive Empfoyment Training Act. The appeal of community gardening varies with the gardener-whether the incentive is food, recreation, therapy or education, a harvest yields all of these and more. Neighborhoods have been energized by community gardens, as people see their own efforts changing the environment around them. In San Francisco, the residents of a senior citizens' housing project, most of them Chinese who had recently been relocated by urban renewal, felt they had little control over their own lives. A few of them started a garden across the street, and eventually some 100 of th~ residents joined in. Various public officials, impressed with the peoples' initiative, soon began visiting the garden, among them the mayor and the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Now the officials are asking the gardeners if there is anything they need. "More-compost" is usually the response. • Now California has a Community Gardens Coordinator. The process of establishing this job took two years. First, the Governor's Office of Planning and Research agreed to fund a study of state resources available to community gardens. This study concluded that for • the most part, resources are found in • funding programs whose guidelines include gardening but that do not me~tion it specifically; for example, n_utrition programs for the elderly, recreation for the handicapped, environmenral education programs and funds for the beautification of housing projects. Other re~ sources listed are state-supported service groups whose interests encompass community gardening. The FHA-Hero clubs of home economics students could for example, sponsor gardens on scho;l grounds. Once this resource report was published, it served as a proposal to the Governor's Office to create a staff position to help gardening programs tap these resources and to help state agencies start new gardens through their various programs. A year after completing the report, I was hired as the California Gardening Coordinator. The gardens that can benefit most from state re.sources are those connected with an institution of some kind. Hospitals, schools and community service agencies are beginning to include gardening in their activities, and some are already giving plots to residents of the surrourding neighborhood. Neighborhood gardens are best helped from the local level; but institutional gardens, once started, can often qualify for state and even federal assistance to expand their community outreach. A garden connected_ to an existing organization does not have to develop its own and, therefore, often evolves with fewer power struggles and greater secur_ity than many neighborhood gardens experience. In fact, the continuity of institutional gardens can be longer than the life of the sponsoring organization itself. In Ukiah, California, a garden which was started as part of a teen center was not abandoned when the teen •center closed. Instead, the garden became a senior citizens' garden, as the , facility ~hanged to a clubhouse for the elderly, but many of the original gardeners continued to participate. RAIN November 1977 Page 7 Tapping institutions may be the second phase in the growth of community gardening in America. The initial effort·was grassroots organizing, bringing gardening programs into some official sanction; this process ~as taken about five years, with astounding success. In California, more than 50 towns and c.ities have community gardening programs, and the Gallup Poll reports that 10 percent of America's gardeners are involved in a community garden. The next phase may take just as long and, once again, volunteers are playing an important role. But they are a different kind of volunteer; they are really more like moonlighting hustlers. Institutional gardens are usually initiated by a member of the existing staff. Often a local gardening program talks l a staffperson into the idea, but it takes - someone on_the "inside" to get it going. More often than not, the person finds that heading up the garden is more fun than working indoors, and convinces an administrator to allow some time for this. So the institutional garden gets land, water and a part-time coordinator without an ounce of fund raising. One of the major tasks of the Office of Appropriate Techi:iology's gardening· effort, besides helpi,rig gardening leaders find state funding and assistance, is to encourage state-supported institutions of all kinds to sponsor community gardens. For example, Folsom 'Prison would like a garden, but they need guards; volunteers from a nearby church have offered to guard. Security is the main problem, but the church peop_le teach gardening and save the prison the cost of a garden supervisor. In various cooperative efforts, institu tional land can be the proving ground for community gardening programs because it capitalizes on bringing people together. Psychiatric patients, neighborhood.residents and students.from a nq.rby school can all have garden plots on a hospital's grounds. Such dramatic models would show that people come together in a unique way •around growing food. It is a basic human endeavor. - Rosemary Menninger r.
Page 8 November 1977 RAIN Drought-Tolerant Gardens Native plants, like the Manzanita, conserve water. Here we are again learning from nature what our place i,s on earth. During the drought it has become apparent to the Western population that we are living out uf tune with the environment. Most of California has a Mediterranean climate where water annually becomes a precious element to plant and animal life. We have not always been so frivolous with our landscape as we are today. Early Spanish settlers, who came from a climate similar to California's, had a sense of what would survive-they brought fig, olive and citrus. But with Eastern wealth came the means and desire to recreate the English-style landscape of green lawns and exotic plants. Many familiar plants were imported · from high rainfall areas such as tropical South America or Eastern Europe. Now we find ourselves, dependent on modern technology, searching for ways to save existing vegetation. Change can begin with setting new priorities for the use of water, creating a landscape ethic, and educating people about gardening in a Western climate. The Office of Appropriate Technology, in cooperation with the California Department of Water Resources, is working to bring about some of these changes. A prototype of water and energy conserving landscaping has been created in downtown Sacramento. This drought-tolerant demonstration garden shows what can be done around an urban home, apartment or condominium. Planting areas include a rock garden, flower bed, shrubs, trees, vegetable garden, orchard, ground covers and native plants, all of which show that drought-tolerant landscapes can be attractive, colorful and productive. Vegetable gardens and orchards do not have to be abandoned in a drought year: we show methods of managing home food production which allows control over the amount of water consumed. Plant spacing and selection, the proper use of fertilizers, biological pest control, mulching, as well as innovative water use techniques such as drip irrigation systems, are an integral part of the program. At the site, a gazebo-a symbolic house- serves as the information center, rest area and protection from weather. Brochures tell about the use of household greywater on plants, composting and tips for saving water in the landscape. A resomce bibliography and a plant list are available, as well. Next to individual plants are signs which tell their size, exposure, flower color or use. Our intention in constructing the garden was to use locality available, inexpensive materials, and work on a simple yet ecologically sound scale. This way the results can be easily adopted by visitors to their own gardens. By hand cultivating the planting areas, we became intimately familiar with soil characteristics at the site and were able to prepare the soil as needed . Compost piles are helping to replenish the soil with nutrients while increasing the water holding capacity of the soil. Keeping the watershed within the site is important, so all ground construction materials used are permeable (such as the pathways of decomposed granite and wood chips from city tree prunings). Fall or ea.rly spring planting gives the plants a chance for good root growth with the help of seasonal rains and moderate temperatures. Some of the plants wµich have been quite successful are the ·annually flowering cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus), California poppy (Eschschlozia californica) and purple flowered nierembergia (Nierembergia hippomanica caerulea). Ground covers include prostrate germander ( Teucrium chamaedrys 'Prostratum '), which forms a dark green carpet with lavender flowers, and the silver-leaved blue fescue (Festuca glauca). There is a hedge of Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alternus), a lawn of Tall Fescue (Alta fescue), and many shrubs such as the aromatic Mexican sage (Salvia leucantha ). . A variety of irrigation systems are incorporated in the garden to meet the needs of specific planting sites. The vegetable garden, orchard and shrub beds are irrigated by a highly efficient drip system which saves up to 40 per- •cent of water used by conventional sprinkler systems. Drip irrigation, along with mulching, can drastically reduce water run-off and evaporation. Because droughts occur in cycles, normal rainfall will return. However, the lessons of the drought should not be forgotten. Enduring changes must come about to ensure the future survival of our cities and environment. Local planning c0mmissions should be encouraged to modify existing landscape policies. They have the ability to influence th~ design of public parks and create ordinances for en~rgy and water conserving private landscapes. Schools and 'nursery associations are always in contact with the public and have a responsibility for continuing education in these areas. -Claire Barrett
Resources for Water-Conserving Landscapes There are many books, media presentations and fact sheets on how to conserve water in the landscape-a sure indication that people cherish their gardens. Information on how to create a water-conserving garden is available through public utility districts and the California Agricultural Extension Service. Local nurseries and botanic gardens are also good sources of information about local growing conditions and plants for your area. The following resources will give you an idea of what is available. • - Easy Gardening with DroughtResistant Plants, Arno and Irene Nehrling, 1968, $3.50 from: Dover Publications, Inc. 150 Varick Street New York, NY 10014 The most complete publication available. Published in response to the eastern drought of 1966, it offers sound information for any garden, from soil improvement techniques, water guidelines, landscape design, to an extensive guide of drought resident plants. Sunset • Lane Publishing Co. Willow and Middlefield Roads Menlo Park, CA 9402 5 The trend-setting magazine of the Western states offers practical suggestions for gardening, from landscaping with rocks to recently introduced plants. See specifically the issues: "Drip Irrigation," "July 1976, "Frugality with Garden Water," June 1976, "Looking Good ... Unthirsty," Oct. 1976, "Water Short Gardening ... Here Are Some Guidelines," April 1977. Native Plants for California Gardens, L. W. Lenz, 1956, published by: Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Claremont, CA 91711 , This book will give you an understanding of plant communities, propagation and species that can be adapted for home gardens. Now out of print, you may be able to find it at local libraries botanic gardens, or through the pub- ' lisher. Nurseries and Seeds Berkeley Horticultural Nursery 1310 McGee Avenue Berkeley, CA 94703 Natives, bulbs, seeds. • Yerba Buena Nursery 19500 Skyline Blvd. Woodside, CA 94062 A source of interesting native species. Theodore-Payne Foundation 10459 Tuxford Street Sun Valley, CA 91352 Natives, seeds. California Native Plant Society 2380 Ellsworth Berkeley, CA 94704 Local chapters hold annual plant sales. A good source of information. R. L. Hudson, Seedsman P. 0. Box 1058 Redwood City, CA 94063 An extensive list of native and exotic seeds. • Clyde Robin Seed Co., Inc. P. 0. Box 285 5 Castro Valley, CA 94546 Native plant and wildflower seeds. Hortica Gardens P.O. Box 308 6309 Green Valley Road Placerville, CA 9566.7 Seeds and s~edlings. RAIN November 1977 Page 9 Gardens Which Display DroughtTolerant Plants: University of California at Davis Arboretum Davis, CA 95616 Along the banks of Putah Creek is an extensive collection of native plants and exotic species which are drought tolerant. A selection may be found at their plant sale in October. Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Santa Barbara, CA 93105 Here is a magnificent display"of droughttolerant plants which thrive in coastal conditions. Leaflets are available on a wide variety of subjects-from the propagation of native species to the water economy of plants. Rancho Sania Ana Botanic Garden Claremont, CA 91711 Th-is is an active center for ~esearch and propagation of California native plants. The garden trails lead you through natural settings of California vegetation. Strybing Arboretum, Hall of Flo 1 wers . Golden Gate Park San Francisco, CA 94122 A native plant and redwood grove are among the elaborate displays of vegetation. Weekly lectures and the spring plant sale are open to the public,
Page 10 November 1977 RAIN Design a state office building that is humane, ecologically sound, and 100 percent passively heated, cooled and lit. A big order from the crazy new State Architect- can't be done. Well, it's out for bid now. It's not 100 percent passive, but close enough to show it is possible. Good job. - TB "SITE ONE" Energy conserving building design has almost become synonymous with solar design in many ·people's minds. Although solar design often can offer significant energy savings, in many cases there are more appropriate natural energy sources to be tapped. A detailed study of the local climate and building type can reveal alternatives which are unique and often multifaceted. An important quality of environmental design is that it is case-specific for user-oriented, climate-responsive systems, and shuns general panaceas, be they solar-, fossil- or nucleardriven. That is not to say that solar designs do not often share •these qualities, but that solar energy should be just one of many natural energy options to be qmsidered while integrating the needs of the future occupants and the specific opportunities and drawbacks of the site and micro-climate. The basic objective of the energy design of a new fourstory city-block-size California State Office Building, (Site 1) is to reduce dependence on non-renewable fuel resources while enhancing the users' comfort. In Sacramento's sunny and mild climate, the primary energy design problem for large office buildings such as Site 1 is ,___ ----,,.~ - -~ ~ ,' :-~ ...._ __ _ --... o........,, ·' cooling. Given this condition, three general design strategies were employed to achieve the energy conserving goals. The first strategy employecf the natural coolness of Sacramento's .summer nights coupled with the thermal mass of the building's concrete structure. Much like a passive solar system working in reverse, this inate "thermal mass" is used to absorb some of the heat given off by lights and people during the day and store it until nightfall. As the outside temperature drops below that of the warm thermal mass, the building's ventilation system begins to flush out the building with cool night air, a process that may continue until dawn. Human comfort is 40 percent depen9ent on the temperature and humidity of air, 40 perc;ent dependent on the temperature of the surrounding materials (called the mean radiant temperature) and 20 percent dependent on air speed. At the same time that the concrete structure of Site 1 is holding air temperature down by absorbing excess heat, its cool surface is also reducing the mean radiant temperature, thereby significantly increasing human comfort. •
The second strategy employed a combination of shading, lighting and insulating techniques to reduce energy demand. A major design problem was regulating the sun's heat; allowing it to penetrate the building in winter and eliminating it in summer. On the south facade this is simply achieved by trellis projections which shade the high summer sun but don't obscure the low winter sun. The east and west shading is more difficult because the sun's angle is nearly a perpendicular to the windows morning and afternoon year 'round. Rather than permanently obscure the view out of these windows, fabric shades were designed to protect the window when necessary and roll up when no longer needed. As well as preserving the views east and west, the shades add color and lightness to the building's interior. • Another important energy conserving strategy is a more efficient interior lighting design achieved by a combination of task lighting and low level ambient lighting averaging about two watts a square foot. Most traditional office designs consume between four and six watts per square foot. In Site 1, the artificial lighting is supplemented by natural daylight. Simple reflective venetian blinds in clerestorys are used to cut out the unwanted light, which often becomes a source of glare, while casting indirect, useful light onto the ceiling. Finally, energy demand is reduced by better insulation throughout the building and double-glazed windows in all exterior walls. The final strategy employs a large central atrium which is used simultaneously as a vestibule, a preheater and cooler for building ventilation, a light source, a focus for clear building circulation, and a dining and resting place. The atrium's temperature is controlled by adjusting the amount of direct sunlight entering the skylights with its operable louvers, or by using night air to cool its mass. Its four levels of balconies provide an interesting and pleasant circulation, an alternative to the gloomy, often labyrinthine corridors of most state office buildings. At the same time the atrium provides daylighting and views for the interior offices, it affords space for dining, gatherings and special events. The functioning of such as atrium space perhaps best exemplifies the goals of environmental design. It integrates many user amenities, provides a focus to the building and conserves energy. The integration of multiple concerns is the primary objective of good design, and no design option should be considered, no matter how energy efficient, if it forces the subjugation of user needs or even pleasures to the latest technological fad. Solar design can result in architecture which is just as oppressive and monumental as most high rise monoliths if it is considered an end in itself. As with any conceptual system, appropriate technology can obscure the problem with its own abundant solutions. The Site 1 office building responds to a variety of conditions and requirements with what will hopefully be an integrated diversity of solutions. It is this diversity and site-responsiveness which will make energy conserving design produce humane environments. - Peter Calthorpe FEB MAR APR MAY JUN 0 RAIN November 1977 Page 11 V NTILATI N I dee nov oct sep jun may apr feb jan 1000 2000 3000 .JOOO 5000 6000 thfyr HEAT LOSS/HEAT REMOVED FROM BUILDING To offset the heat load in the summer months, night ventilation with the typically cool night air provides for approximately 80 percent of the cooling needs. The cool night coastal breezes provide an appropriate, natural energy sink for absorbing heat from large buildings in Sacramento. AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC DILTRNAL ! h i TEMPERATIJRE I I • CYCLE 1 0 0 :_ .:,.....;,_ 1 ..•...~+..J..++---H>-H-+-r-+-~++++++-I-I-H-+-...+++--t-++-T"-H---i--f--''-,-,,-+,r+-----~....,.....,..""1'""+-r--1--t--._.._~"t"'T-,--........... ~ I , 90 i ! I I I BO : ~µ..+-+-J.+--+-:-+++++++++-++-++---4.....;....+-H+-++irll!IH--1-i--m+e-++-f-f,jft-t-~►+-7+r--+--:-+ I 70 1-+++..J-...;.---........... -+-...+-!--i-++++-+--;1111,.+-'-.-Mi;+---~+...,..+-....... 60 :i ...+-+-~..,..+....+---+-+++-r--jlili;...-+--i-+,! I 50 4-~ilo.J....J-..l.-hlii4-h-l-+ll~+....
Page 12 November 1977 RAIN • Study how a society uses its land and you will come to some pretty reliable conclusions as to what its future will be. -E. F. Schumacher Our future, based on those criteria, will be-like the land's The land ethic is really an extension of the ethics governing -an impoverished one. We clearcut our vi~gin redwoods, allow- our behavior toward our neighbors and toward our communiing irreplaceable topsoil to wash down the hillside and be ties. The notion of ethics colors humankind's naturally selfish carried away forever by winter rains. We gouge out the earth behavior with a touch of respect for other human beings and to extract coal. We terrace the foothills to release geothermal cooperation as a member of the community. Leopold writes, steam for one quick energy fix. We ignore the contour or "The land ethic simply enlarges the boundaries of the comcharacter of the land in planning, or planting, most buildings. munity to include soils, waters, plants and animals, or collecWe pave as much as 60 percent of our cities to accomm.odate tively, the land." the land-hungry automobile. And, in this sophisticated year Don't think that the land ethic is too esoteric or too comof the Lord 1977, we still convert our best croplands and plex for decision-makers today to deal with. In fact, the best orchards to condominiums. expression of the land ethic in this country is also the most Why do we so abuse the earth? simply stated. It was adopted by the Humboldt County, CaliOne reason, of course, is that there has always been so fornia, Board of Supervisors in August 1972: "We, the people much land in this country. As noted in Frederick Jackson of the County of Humboldt, recognize and acknowledge our Turner's seminal essay on the frontier in American history, total dependence upon the land and accept our obligation to and further documented in David Potter's classic People of use the land in a manner which will sustain and benefit man Plenty, the restless American pioneer always knew there was and all other living things." Not a bad beginning-nor end! another valley, another forest, another meadow just over the Last year, the Office of Planning and Research assembled horizon. There was little incentive to do otherwise than move 150 land managers-developers, farmers, realtors, elected in, exhaust the land, and move on. George Washington, himself officials, environmentalists, state and federal bureaucrats-to a farmer and close to the land, gives early evidence of this discuss the wisdom of a land ethic for California. The con- "frontier mentality" in his letters: "We cut down more wood, clusions of their two-day deliberations reflected an amazing if we have any, or move into the western country." consensus: "This is the land ethic. First, the land is the basis As America moved westward, the General Land Survey of all life. Second, that land is a very valuable, a very limited set the tone by establishing the rectangular, grid pattern as the and an irreplaceable resource. Third, that we as temporary basis for dividing frontier lands. The same pattern was applied stewards on the land have a responsibility to care for the indiscriminately to most cities: four intersecting straight lines, land, to nurture it, and to turn it over to those who follow us permitting easy-to-merchandise land parcels, quick sales and in better condition than we found it." limitless expansion onto surrounding agricultural lands. One further example, lest I appear too radical. The Code Another reason is that the great majority of Americans have, of Ethics of the National Association of Realtors begins: by birth or by choice, alienated themselves from the land and "Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely sought refuge in the cities, where appreciation of the land can allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free never be the same. Even more unfortunate for this nation, as institutions and of our civilization." Wendell Berrymovingly relates in A Hidden Wound, is the fact that too many of those who stayed behind on the land turned over the thousands of menial tasks by which the land is maintained-and by which we develop a closeness to the land-to people they considered their racial inferiors: black slaves, Chinese laborers, or migrant workers. People who, of course, lacked the means to own the land and thereby earn the only "ticket" required for admission to Western society. A third reason is that we now have in hand greater tools of destruction than ever before in human history. For the first time our technological capacity for destruction exceeds the land's physical capacity for renewal. Compare the years of primitive manpower that would be required to equal the change to the landscape wrought in one day by one 20th century American on one earthmover. The degree of difference is staggering. I know it is considered heretical among naturalists, but I believe that the easy availability of such tools of destruction- more than any basic philosophical difference- has made contemporary Americans more destructive of the land than their native American predecessors or other "primitive" peoples who are universally praised for their gentle treatment of the good and generous earth. I believe, with Schumacher, that "before our policies with regard to the land will really be changed, there will have to be a great deal of philosophical, not to say religious, change." In other words, unless we in this country begin to think of, or deal with, the land as the limited resource it is, we will never develop any closeness to, or respect for, the land. And until that happens, there will be no policy change, and no amount of planning will work. In short, we need what Aldo Leopold first called a "land ethic" for this nation. Bill Press is a person whose head is in the right place. As director of the Office of Planning and Research in the GoverThe land ethic, then, is one of reverence, respect and responsibility. Reverence: for the life-giving, almost divine nature of the earth; its beauty, its bounty, its mystery, its blessings, its unique role in the well-being and survival of all living things. It is no surprise that the most common trait of all primitive peoples is worship of the earth. Respect: a healthy respect for the ability of the earth, properly cared for, to sustain a nation for centuries; or, neglected or abused, to topple an entire civilization in decades. The barren rim of the Mediterranean is stark proof that proper or improper use of the land is one of the most powerful forces shaping history. Carter and Dale's Topsoil and Civilization should be required reading for every elected official, if not every landowner. Responsibility: for the tremendous heritage that is ours, over which we exercise temporary stewardship, making the daily decisions- in our private lives and in our public institutions-that will determine what shape the land will be in for generations that follow. It is difficult to define a land ethic. It is more difficult to put it into practice. I believe we must do both and change our attitudes toward the land from one of ignorance and abuse to one of care and kindly use. The health of the people and the land, our two greatest resources, depend on it. -Bill Press nor's Office, he can be counted on to push good ideas and programs. - LdeM
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