1943 was the first time San Franciscan's planted a Victory Garden in the Civic Center Plaza. It was part of a nation-wide movement to grow food stateside because most food supplies were shipped to the soldiers overseas. Backyard vegetable gardens provided forty one percent of all vegetables consumed in the nation. Fifty-five years later, with help from the arts community, the Civic Center Plaza became the epicenter of a new Victory Garden campaign. Started in 2008, the focus of this new campaign is local food and slow food. Local and slow are really interchangeable terms when it comes to food; the idea is grow nutritious, organic food as close as possible to the consumer.

The San Mateo County Energy Strategy is an effective approach to guarantee sufficient utility infrastructure, preserve natural resources and achieve greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. Energy and water consumption are directly tied to greenhouse gas emissions so the strategy focuses on using less water and less and cleaner energy.

State legislation such as AB32 will impact city and county governments. AB32 calls for a return to 1990 greenhouse gas levels by the year 2020, which represents a 25% drop from today's emission rates. Long-term, the law calls for emissions to be reduced to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

Originally, El Camino Real linked the Spanish Missions from San Diego to Sonoma. Now, cities from Daly City to San Jose want to make the road a "Grand Boulevard" that models transit oriented development (TOD). A collaboration of cities, counties, and local agencies created the Grand

Boulevard Initiative in 2008 to improve the performance, safety, and aesthetics of El Camino Real.

Bottom Line: Become part of the global warming solution by going on a Low Carbon Diet!

This "30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds" is a fun, accessible, easy to use guide written by David Gerbson that will show you, step-by-step, how to dramatically reduce your CO2 output in just a month's time!

Supported with over two decades of environmental behavior change research; this illustrated workbook offers much more than a list of eco-friendly actions. It walks you through every step of the process, from calculating your current CO2 "footprint" to tracking your progress.

By making simple changes to actions you take every day, you'll learn how to reduce your annual household CO2 output by at least 15%! And, for those who are more ambitious, you'll discover how you can help your workplace, local schools, and community do the same. Join the growing number of citizens who have decided to take global warming into their own hands. "Low Carbon Diet" is the winner of the 2007 Independent Publisher "Most Likely to Save the Planet" Book Award.