Basin lacks workforce housing
April 26, 2007
What kind of communities do you want to see at Lake Tahoe in 10 years?
Given current trends, the path to the future branches in two opposite directions: Tahoe as a playground for the rich populated by weekend and seasonal visitors or Tahoe as a diverse community where many of the people who work at the lake during the day also live there.
In both scenarios the lake
Related posts: [ Affordable housing a growing concern at Tahoe ] [ It’s all about you ] [ From morals to economics, poverty is everyone’s problem ] [ Why we love Tahoe ] [ Promise to make Tahoe better ]
The life of a fire
April 16, 2007
Preventing wildfire is a big concern for Tahoe Basin agencies. The threat of a fire is high. You have an opportunity to deliberate with other members of the public and policy makers to help decide how to reduce the fire threat. To sign up go to Tahoe Deliberate. But first, learn a little bit about the issue. The animation above shows you several scenarios for the progression and control of a wildfire. Watch the animation and read more. Then listen to Sierra Front Public Information Officer Kirk Frosidck talk about this year’s conditions and the progression of a fire by clicking here.
The Conditions
Firefighters say conditions in the Tahoe Basin are dangerously dry. The forest floor is littered with pine needles, dead tree limbs and brush (fuels) that can ignite quickly.
The Cause
The Sierra Front Incident Management Team says about 50 percent of fires are started by lightning and Mother Nature. A lightning strike can quickly ignite dry fuel, and wind can spread that fire quickly.
The Fire Spreads
As a fire grows it climbs up the brush into lower trees such as White Fir. The fire uses the small trees as a ladder to reach the tops of the taller trees like Jeffery Pine and Sugar Pine Trees.
The Fire Crowns
In some cases the fire will start to travel from treetop to treetop. This is known as crowning. When a fire crowns firefighters say it moves extremely fast, and it’s difficult to fight.
The Fuel Break
Firefighters have several tactics to slow the progression of the fire. One is to get ahead of the fire and create a break in the fuels. Firefighters clear all the fuel out of the way of the fire. Fires need three things to burn: fuels, oxygen and heat. By taking away the fuel, firefighters can stop the fire from spreading.
The Back Burn
Another technique is called back burning. This is where firefighters do a controlled burn of the area in the direction in which the fire is burning. If the fire hits an area that has already burned it is less likely to spread.
Related posts: [ Has agency conflict made the fire threat worse? ] [ Are slash mats worth the cost? ] [ South Lake neighborhood lives on, even without houses ] [ It’s all about you ] [ Forest Service plan focuses on community protection ]
Tales from Tahoe
April 11, 2007
In this interactive slideshow, Lynda Shoshone - Washoe Tribe member, Kent Kreitler - professional skier, Sue Martineau - firefighter, Mike Weber - South Lake Tahoe City Council member, Omar Reyes - Kings Beach resident, and Ruben Sanchez - outdoor retailer, identify what Lake Tahoe means to them in terms of its uniqueness, conservation/naturalness, beauty, human use, and ownership/stewardship.
This is an experiment in non-linear narrative storytelling. You may choose to listen to one person at a time, as they express their values, like a traditional documentary. Or, by using the matrix at the upper right, you may listen “across” environmental values and compare what people think about uniqueness or beauty, for example.
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Tour the Cedar House
April 4, 2007
The Cedar House Hotel in Truckee, California serves as an example of how a business can use energy-efficient lighting. But owners Jeff and Patti Baird didn’t stop there. The Cedar House is gaining national recognition for its all-around environmental friendliness. Watch the slideshow above for a tour of the hotel’s “green” features.
Click here to return to the story about alternative light bulb options.
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Global moves to reduce incandescents
April 3, 2007
==Start Related Links==
Comparison of different types of light bulbs
National Geographic guide to "green" lighting
Learn how to dispose of CFLs
Florescent bulb recycling in South Lake Tahoe
Florescent bulb recycling in Incline Village
Alternative light: A bright idea?
GE press release
Green hotel tour
Make a promise
Play Tahoe Life
Conversation on treehugger.com
Phillips Lighting Company seeks phase out of incandescent bulbs
==End Related Links==
- Yahoo and "An Inconvenient Truth" film producer Lawrence Bender have joined in the effort by starting 18seconds.org. This new Web site maps "how quickly cities are converting to CFL bulbs."
- Australia is following California's lead by planning to ban incandescent bulbs by 2012.
- In Paris, The European Lamp Companies Federation released a plan to phase out incandescent bulbs with no deadline.
- Wal-Mart announced a goal to sell 100 million CFLs by 2008.
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Latest Headlines
- Hearing planned in Incline tree-felling case - The federal trial for an Incline Village woman charged with hiring a tree-cutting company to chop three Ponderosa Pines from her Lake Tahoe property has been canceled and a change-of-plea hearing scheduled May 1.
- Truckee man takes torch to North Pole - A Truckee man who reached the North Pole this week carrying an unlit torch for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games plans to discuss his experience and environmental issues Saturday by audio and video transmissions with participants at a Lake Tahoe festival.
- Quake pattern watched closely - As earthquakes continue to shake Reno, two reports released this month give new insight into the likely characteristics of a temblor at Lake Tahoe.
Winds are North at 6 MPH. The pressure is 30.17" and the humidity is 23%. The heat index is 75. Last Updated on Jul 5, 10:55 am PDT.
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