San Francisco County

Six “Unrealistic” Ideas for Deep Greening San Francisco

We need bolder visions for San Francisco’s future this election. From car-free downtown zones to sustainable sports complexes, here are six “unrealistic” ideas that challenge the city’s status quo.

Rise South City busca aire limpio para South San Francisco

Rise South City busca aire limpio para South San Francisco

Francesca Pedraza y Rise South City están instalando monitores de calidad del aire para ver cómo las avenidas que atraviesan South San Francisco afectan la salud de las comunidades latinas. Midiendo los niveles de contaminación y limpiando un arroyo local, esta organización está transformando los barrios de primera línea, aquellos más afectados por el cambio climático.

All Stories

Rise South City busca aire limpio para South San Francisco

Rise South City busca aire limpio para South San Francisco

Francesca Pedraza y Rise South City están instalando monitores de calidad del aire para ver cómo las avenidas que atraviesan South San Francisco afectan la salud de las comunidades latinas. Midiendo los niveles de contaminación y limpiando un arroyo local, esta organización está transformando los barrios de primera línea, aquellos más afectados por el cambio climático.

Beach Loss Looms for the California Coast

Beach Loss Looms for the California Coast

Even though Dan Hoover’s been surveying the same stretch of San Francisco’s Pacific coast for 15 years on his ATV, it never looks the same. In summer it’s wider and in winter narrower. With El Niño the beach will erode more than ever.

Who’s on First at the SF Seawall?

Who’s on First at the SF Seawall?

Ten months after the Port of San Francisco lowered 288 experimental tiles into the water, these bio-friendly seawall surfaces are already crawling with crabs and covered in kelp. This August, researchers are finally getting a good look at all the tile types in their experiment, which range from large to small, and from bumpy to smooth, and which were hung from the waterfront at three different locations and tidal elevations in October 2022.

Crunching the Adaptation Numbers – Not Peanuts

Crunching the Adaptation Numbers – Not Peanuts

Regional agencies made splashy headlines when they released a joint study on the likely cost of protecting Bay Area shores from rising seas: $110 billion. But the top-line number didn’t offer much insight into the complexities. A new inventory and map from the same agencies is much more revealing.

Being Human in Big Weather

Being Human in Big Weather

When it rained this May, it felt unexpected. Based on over 150 years of climate data for San Francisco, May typically gets several days with a light rain. But context is key, and we are coming out of three years of drought—a fact which will generally color memories in a drier hue. “If I’ve learned anything it is that people’s perceptions are usually wrong,” says Jan Null….

Five Threats in Five Places

Five Threats in Five Places

Coastal erosion in Pacifica, drought in Brentwood, fires in the North Bay, flooding in Union City, and urban heat in San Jose. Anissa Foster takes us on a revealing virtual tour.

How Far Can Metro Harbors Go on Nature-Based Shore Protection?

How Far Can Metro Harbors Go on Nature-Based Shore Protection?

Typical flood protections rely on engineered structures. But there’s a new push at the national level of the US Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize working with nature. Storm surge plans currently underway in New York, Miami and San Francisco highlight a range of nature-based fixes.

A Day On The Bayview’s Shifting Shore

A Day On The Bayview’s Shifting Shore

I set out for Heron’s Head Park on an early March morning. To my surprise, I had never heard of, nor visited, this site on the southeastern bayshore in my 20-plus years growing up and living as a visual artist in San Francisco.

Portola Garden District Returns to Its Roots

Portola Garden District Returns to Its Roots

Down a busy street overflowing with groceries, taquerias, Chinese medicine shops, and small businesses, an unassuming dead end is home to a thriving community garden, which also got greener during the pandemic.