Seeking higher sustainability priorities
I am a Boy Scout for Orinda Troop 57 who is heavily invested in environmentalism and sustainability. Looking at the environmental priorities of the Lamorinda governments, I fear that not enough action is being taken to address this growing concern. Lafayette environmental organizations are, of course more prevalent than those in Moraga and Orinda. These two governments, while certainly possessing certain forms of sustainable planning, fall far behind Lafayette in both precise policy and volunteer support, and while the latter is not the fault of the governments themselves, the lack of green policy, at least in the public eye, is startling. The Moraga website's climate action plan hasn't been updated since 2013, and Orinda lacks easily found climate policy on its own website. Overall, I would like to see, if not more action, more transparency when it comes to the fight against climate change in Lamorinda.
Seamus McCarthy
Moraga/Orinda
A request for change
To the editors of Lamorinda Weekly,
With all these shops going empty downtown, we should work together as a city to set one aside for a small youth center. With Stanley Middle School in walking distance of our downtown, many of the students pass time there on half-days, weekends, and Fridays. But what can a middle schooler do downtown right now? They can wander around, and they can eat.
When the weather turns wet in the winter, the wandering option gets trickier. For their physical and social health, we should have a place where they can be with each other and practice independence when school is not in session. Indoor climbing structures with a well-supplied maker space could be a great starting point. What about a garden they could work in and enjoy? We have a community garden, but it is far out of walking distance, and not oriented for children. What about a small interactive museum with rotating installations? And what if the kids could participate in running it? As a city, we could come up with some really creative, amazing ways to include preteen to teenage kids in our downtown area. Many Lafayette children get plenty of supervised lesson time, but they also need time on their own to develop independence, leadership, creativity, and resilience. And to just have fun!
We should begin brainstorming from a place of "what does our community need," and then work out specifics regarding funds afterward. With the high profits required to make our rising rents, it might even be best to look at this as a community-supported project, rather than a business opportunity. We already have many wonderful restaurants and shops. What we need is a place
for young residents to be creative and active with minimal supervision, especially during the rainy season.
Heidi Doggett
Lafayette
I am a Boy Scout for Orinda Troop 57 who is heavily invested in environmentalism and sustainability. Looking at the environmental priorities of the Lamorinda governments, I fear that not enough action is being taken to address this growing concern. Lafayette environmental organizations are, of course more prevalent than those in Moraga and Orinda. These two governments, while certainly possessing certain forms of sustainable planning, fall far behind Lafayette in both precise policy and volunteer support, and while the latter is not the fault of the governments themselves, the lack of green policy, at least in the public eye, is startling. The Moraga website's climate action plan hasn't been updated since 2013, and Orinda lacks easily found climate policy on its own website. Overall, I would like to see, if not more action, more transparency when it comes to the fight against climate change in Lamorinda.
Seamus McCarthy
Moraga/Orinda
A request for change
To the editors of Lamorinda Weekly,
With all these shops going empty downtown, we should work together as a city to set one aside for a small youth center. With Stanley Middle School in walking distance of our downtown, many of the students pass time there on half-days, weekends, and Fridays. But what can a middle schooler do downtown right now? They can wander around, and they can eat.
When the weather turns wet in the winter, the wandering option gets trickier. For their physical and social health, we should have a place where they can be with each other and practice independence when school is not in session. Indoor climbing structures with a well-supplied maker space could be a great starting point. What about a garden they could work in and enjoy? We have a community garden, but it is far out of walking distance, and not oriented for children. What about a small interactive museum with rotating installations? And what if the kids could participate in running it? As a city, we could come up with some really creative, amazing ways to include preteen to teenage kids in our downtown area. Many Lafayette children get plenty of supervised lesson time, but they also need time on their own to develop independence, leadership, creativity, and resilience. And to just have fun!
We should begin brainstorming from a place of "what does our community need," and then work out specifics regarding funds afterward. With the high profits required to make our rising rents, it might even be best to look at this as a community-supported project, rather than a business opportunity. We already have many wonderful restaurants and shops. What we need is a place
for young residents to be creative and active with minimal supervision, especially during the rainy season.
Heidi Doggett
Lafayette
Reach the reporter at:
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA