Welcome to Bluedot Los Angeles! Every other Sunday, we share stories about local changemakers, sustainable homes and yards, the nature all around us along with planet-friendly recipes, and advice from Dear Dot. Please email us with story ideas at laeditor@bluedotliving.com. Together, we can make a difference for the blue dot we call home.
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SIMPLE / SMART / SUSTAINABLE /Â STORIES
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The March 9 landslide that buried Topanga Canyon Boulevard and effectively cut the neighborhood off from the rest of the Westside caused undeniable disruption for Topanga Canyon residents, shop owners, and visitors. When Caltrans announced on Friday that the road would reopen today, months ahead of schedule, no doubt locals were relieved. But as cars again traverse the thoroughfare, residents might miss one thing: the quiet and calm that came along with the closure of the road and seemed to reinvigorate nature in the area. During the nearly three-month closure, locals noticed that the trees and plant life were more vibrant and lush than they’d been in
years, and wildlife had reappeared along the area’s numerous hiking trails. Bluedot founder Victoria Riskin heard all about it from her niece, Nora, a Topanga Canyon resident, and relays it in this essay about the joys of Topanga, old and new — and why you should make the time to visit now.
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Quick Links |
Skip scrolling! Here’s what you’ll find in today’s Bluedot Los Angeles Newsletter:
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Ask native Angelenos where they first got behind the wheel, and many of them will give you the same answer: Autopia, the classic Disneyland ride. So it’s especially significant that the Anaheim amusement park
recently announced plans to transform the attraction’s gas-guzzling cars into electric vehicles. Not only will it help Disney meet its goal of zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, but it will also introduce the next generation of drivers to clean electric energy in cars. It’s a development Joe Rohde would likely cheer: The retired Disney Imagineer designed Animal Kingdom in Florida, Aulani Resort in Oahu, and Les Villages Nature in France, building as much sustainability into each project as possible. He was also instrumental in creating the Disney Conservation Fund, which supports global wildlife
protection, and was awarded the first-ever Disney Conservation Legacy Award for his efforts in 2022. In an interview with Bluedot contributor Cheri Steinkellner, Rohde explains how his love of nature and sense of responsibility to the Earth has influenced his work and life.
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–Illustration by Elissa Turnbull
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Dear Dot,
I have found that I cannot take advantage of energy-efficient programs due to knob-and-tube wiring. Is there a rebate program to rewire a small house allowing me to move forward toward a more energy-efficient home?Â
—William
Dear William,Â
Dot’s first home, a two-storey yellow brick that celebrated its centennial the year my family moved in, boasted many old-house flourishes, including stained glass, hardwood floors, a spectacular fireplace, ten-foot ceilings, crown molding and … knob-and-tube wiring. Knob and tube, or K&T as it’s sometimes called, was the typical wiring in North American buildings from the late 1800s to the early 1940s. And though it’s frequently cast as hazardous, that reputation seems to rest more on the age of the wiring, improper modifications over the years, or insulation around the wires (which poses a fire hazard) than any inherent danger in knob-and-tube wiring itself.Â
That said, you’re wise, William, to want to rid your home of its knob-and-tube wiring, both for energy efficiency and, potentially, for safety. Knob and tube, the first wiring system installed when humans invented electricity, consists of copper wires run through porcelain “tubes” and held in place by porcelain “knobs.” It doesn’t meet modern safety standards. Knob and tube is highly energy inefficient, and, when it comes to your safety, poses a significant fire hazard.
Read the rest of Dot’s answer.
Got a question for Dot? Write her at deardot@bluedotliving.com.
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This Father’s Day, celebrate the dad in your life with a thoughtful, climate-friendly gift. If this is a day that’s tough for you, consider buying yourself a gift … or not. There’s no right or wrong way to celebrate a commercial holiday.
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If you planted cherry tomatoes this spring, you’re probably just now starting to (literally) enjoy the fruits of your labor. Here are two recipes that make good use of those juicy, tart beauties.
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Maybe you’ve heard the term “outdoor days” in climate journalism, or even just in weather reporting. So what does it mean? In essence, outdoor days are the days that are conducive to outdoor activities, when extreme weather events or extreme temperatures don’t make it impossible for people to get outside and enjoy themselves. Bluedot editorial director Leslie Garrett digs into the history of the term and how scientists are using it to help the rest of us better understand the effects of climate
change on our daily lives.
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School’s out for summer (congrats, class of 2024!), which in my house always prompts a closet-and-bookshelf clean out. Not sure what to do with the clothes your kids have outgrown? Or the books they no longer need? What about the laptop you finally had to replace? Or the prom dress your college-freshman-to-be won’t ever wear again? Bluedot’s guide on How to Get Rid of (Almost) Anything is here to help, with suggestions for donating and disposing of
all of the above, and much more. We’re always updating the guide, so if we’re missing something, please let us know — especially if you have ideas on how get rid of it!
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A Little Can Go a Long Way |
Reading Cheri Steinkellner’s interview with Joe Rohde, I was struck in particular by one thing the retired Disney Imagineer said: “I think people have this notion that there is some heroic threshold you need to cross over in order to have impact. Two things: You definitely have an impact on the system that is around you. Anything you do is worth doing. If you’re mindful of what you do, you can do better for the world with minor adjustments.”
Rohde details some of the bigger adjustments he’s made: driving an electric car, installing a solar roof. But he also mentions the smaller ones: limiting meat consumption, using the HVAC system in his house only when absolutely necessary. If you’re reading this newsletter, you probably think about the environmental impact of nearly everything you do, and you might beat yourself up when you fall short of your goals (a feeling I — and Notes From the Home Front columnist Krista Halverson — know well). But as Joe says, “The decisions we make, even when they are small, have a
huge ripple effect.” This week, I’m going to remember that and give myself credit for the small things. I encourage you to do the same.Â
Thanks for reading, and we’ll be back in two weeks!
–Robin Jones
Do you have a special Los Angeles photo or story to share?
Email laeditor@bluedotliving.com.
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Robin Jones is a Southern California native who served as an editor at Westways magazine for more than a decade. She currently lives in Long Beach and teaches journalism at Cal State Long
Beach, where she advises the award-winning student magazine, DIG MAG. She loves road-tripping across California, especially when the itinerary includes stops in Arcata and Trinidad.
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