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From Baykeeper's Column in Bay Crossings Magazine

Baykeeper publishes a column in Bay Crossings, a monthly newspaper featuring articles of interest on San Francisco Bay cultural, environmental and maritime issues.
Holiday Kitchen Tips for Preventing Bay Pollution
(December 2011)

Ah, the holidays. Gathering with friends and family—turkey, roasts, gravy, buttery homemade desserts, sewage . .

Sewage?

Yes, unfortunately. For San Francisco Bay, the holiday season comes with a surge of pollution from sewage. A major reason is the cooking and cleanup of rich holiday meals. Fortunately, there are ways we can all make sure our kitchens don’t pollute the Bay by accident.
Tips for Staying Pesticide Free
(November 2011)

Pesticides are one of the main contaminants to Bay Area creeks and the aquatic life that forms the base of the Bay’s food web. Future columns will discuss our efforts to reduce local governments’ use of pesticide. Read on to learn what you can do to stay pesticide free—for the health of your family and the Bay.
Clean Water Legislative Update
(October 2011)

Three good bills to protect San Francisco Bay and California children made it out of the California Legislature this session and now await Governor Brown’s signature. AB1112, which Baykeeper sponsored to protect the Bay from future oil spills, needs a final push from you.
GOP Assaults on Clean Water Act Continue
(September 2011)

As the U.S. House and Senate return from their August recesses, debates over legislation to gut essential Clean Water Act protections will test the environmental leadership of key California legislators, and the President, as never before. Two major bills, H.R. 872 and H.R. 2018, have already passed the House and await a vote in the Senate, while dozens more stealthy appropriations riders may hold the budget process hostage.
Common Murres On the Comeback Trail
(August 2011)

Every time I write this monthly column, I find that I have to dive deep into a whole new world of chemistry, species, habitat, geology and climate. I enjoy sharing a little bit of what I learn along the way.
Say Yes to Mineral Sunscreens, but No to Nanos
(July 2011)

America’s 33-year wait for the FDA to publish rules on sunscreen labeling ended in June—just in time for the apparent end of the rainy season. The new rules go into effect next year and will provide clear guidance for the most part on sunscreen manufacturers’ claims about effectiveness.
Congress Considers Exempting Pesticides from Clean Water Act
(June 2011)

Much of Baykeeper’s work focuses on strengthening or maintaining clean water laws and regulations related to toxic pollutants and other contaminants capable of compromising the health of San Francisco Bay. We do this work by engaging in policy and regulatory processes, as well as conducting outreach, research and education. When necessary, we litigate on behalf of clean water and the laws intended to protect it.
Boaters Can Help Keep Sewage out of the Bay
(May 2011)

First, a sewage spill update: since I wrote last month about our annual Bay Area winter sewage spills, the number of gallons of sewage spilled has doubled! After a very rainy March, we can now say that nearly a quarter billion gallons of raw or undertreated sewage have entered San Francisco Bay and its tributaries this winter.
Working to Keep Sewage Out of the Bay
(April 2011)

At the time of this writing, this year’s rainy season had already brought nine million gallons of raw sewage to Bay Area waterways, and a stunning 125 million gallons of undertreated sewage from the East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) plants at Point Isabel and in Oakland.

Many people don’t realize that the Bay Area has such an old-fashioned public health threat. Sewage overflows can contain harmful bacteria, disease-causing pathogens, and toxic chemicals that hurt fish, sea lions, birds, and even swimmers in the Bay.
Islands of San Francisco Bay
(March 2011)

Shivery winter weather has been the daily forecast this season, with snowstorms in the East and even the occasional blustery winds and rains around the Bay Area. For many people, cold weather brings to mind warm comforts of hot cocoa, slow-cooked soups, fleece blankets and wishful thoughts of island getaways. But Bay Area residents may not have to book a flight to the tropics to enjoy an island experience. There are more than 15 islands right here in San Francisco Bay, and some of these picturesque habitats are worth visiting: