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I saw my first 'smart car' while on vacation with my family in Germany in 2000. My brother and I still laugh at the picture we took of my 6-foot-4 dad hovering over the little thing with a "what the heck" grimace on his face.

(By the way, that's not dad in the picture. That's Rick Masters, a local smart car owner.)

Now, smart cars are here. The European-made, micro-car debuted in the United States this year and already I've seen three in Bakersfield. After following one owner to her home to (she actually was quite nice about being followed but declined my interview request), we managed to track down another one for our story today. (I have to say, too, as small as these cars are, I had trouble in my Ford Focus trying to keep up with that lady.)

The car is certainly cute -- you can't deny that -- the price is decent and the gas mileage is pretty good. But some say the two-seater's practicality may not win out here. For the same price (about $12,000 to $13,000), you can get a Kia Rio or Toyota Yaris with more space and nearly the same gas mileage.

If you're in the market for a new, fuel-efficient vehicle, would buy a smart car?

Controversy over the Big West refinery expansion has focused on one thing in recent weeks: which toxic chemical would be safest, modified HF or sulfuric acid.

But a revised environmental report out Friday contained a bit of a surprise.

How about neither?

The 3,000 page report examines a wide range of impacts on everything from wildlife to odors and traffic. But in a section called "alternatives" it also describes a process that would allow Big West to boost its diesel and gasoline output while allaying community concerns about hazardous chemicals.

The alternative appears to be a sound compromise that would allow the expansion to move forward while assuring the surrounding community there will be no new dangers from toxic chemicals.

Big West wasn't available to comment on the alternative Friday but said they will discuss it Monday.

You can read the section on alternatives by downloading the Refinery Alternatives PDF on this page. Scroll down a bit and it's on the left beneath the 'PDFs' heading.

Anyone think this option will get some traction? Or do you expect the issue to remain polarized between sulfuric acid and modified hydrofluoric acid?

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These are days when I love my job. I spent the afternoon with my jeans rolled up to my knees wading through a small stream trying to find a beaver.

This morning we received a report of another tree lost to the animal along the bike path near the Park at Riverwalk. As you may recall, this is the same area where at least nine cottonwoods were mowed down by a beaver in January. (See this story to read about that incident and the ensuing controversy that gained national attention.)

There's a small stream of water that runs from the bike path out toward the Kern River bed, so I decided to follow it and see what I found.

No beaver sighting -- not a big surprise since they're nocturnal -- but along the way I passed numerous trees that had been felled and chewed, and I even spotted a small dam.

I put the pics in the accompanying slideshow (click on the photos to the left).

It's time for Big West to answer a few questions ... again.

As promised, state Sen. Dean Florez, D-Shafter, will hold a senate committee hearing in Bakersfield Thursday night regarding the Bakersfield refinery's response to a recent ammonia leak as well as the company's handling of past spills and leaks.

As you may recall, county supervisors held a similar hearing a couple weeks ago following the ammonia release that ended with a pledge from Big West that it would contact local emergency crews whenever a leak occurs, no matter how small or inconsequential.

Thursday's hearing will be held at 6 p.m. at Bakersfield City Hall, 1501 Truxtun Ave.

Here's today's press release from Florez's office:

Senator seeks accountability from Big West for leaks
 
Underreporting heightens concerns as company proposes using even more toxic chemicals
 
BAKERSFIELD – Senator Dean Florez, D-Shafter, will hold a public hearing Thursday evening in Bakersfield, calling on Big West of California to detail its policies and procedures for responding to hazardous materials spills.  Last month, a leak of anhydrous ammonia occurred at the refinery, and authorities were only notified when a nearby resident reported the alarm to police. 
 
Florez and many local residents are concerned the company’s incident reporting record does not bode well for its plans to expand the facility and introduce the use of modified hydrofluoric acid, a highly toxic chemical with the potential to vaporize and spread for miles. 
 
“I know there are many people in the community who want solid assurances that this company has a philosophy of, and commitment to, abiding by the letter of the law when it comes to reporting leak incidents,” Florez said, adding, “We want to know they will do everything within their power to err on the side of public safety, particularly if they expect to be trusted with the added responsibility of keeping residents safe from HF.”
 
Thursday’s hearing, entitled “Evaluating the sufficiency of the response protocols utilized by Big West after hazardous materials discharges,” will be held jointly by the Senate Governmental Organization Committee -- which oversees emergency preparedness -- and the Senate Select Committee on Air Quality.
 
Bill Chadick, director of health, safety and environmental for Big West of California, will testify on behalf of the company regarding its safety record and emergency response procedures.
 
Betsy Ramsey, organizer of Bakersfield Citizens against Hydrofluoric Acid, will give voice to those residents concerned by the company’s plan to expand and use the highly toxic chemical.
 
Also testifying will be Matt Constantine, director of the Kern County Environmental Health Services Department; Dennis Thompson, chief of the Kern County Fire Department; and the emergency services coordinator and legal counsel for the state’s Office of Emergency Services.

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The Big West of California refinery leaked a small amount of ammonia early Sunday that sounded an alarm in which a recorded voice told people to evacuate the area.

Emergency crews responded and no one was injured.

The alarm was meant to alert refinery personnel but was heard by an off-duty Bakersfield Police lieutenant at his home near Truxtun Avenue Extension and Coffee Road, according to police. Refinery personnel also heard the alarm and notified emergency responders shortly after it went off around 12:15 a.m. Sunday.

Refinery Health, Safety and Environment director Bill Chadick said the leak was very small and caused by a faulty valve on an ammonia storage tank.

Chadick did not know the quantity of ammonia released from the tank but said no one was injured or impacted in the incident.

“We have alarms in the ammonia area that are set to go off whenever they get even the slightest whiff of ammonia,” Chadick said. “The alarm went off and that's exactly what it's supposed to do.”

While ammonia diluted with water is typical for household uses, anhydrous ammonia -- which contains no water -- can be hazardous in the event of a sizable leak. Because the chemical has an extremely low boiling point, it will instantly vaporize, creating a cloud that can travel downwind. Exposure results in severe chemical burns.

The chemical is commonly used in industry and small leaks have occurred in Kern County on occasion, said county Environmental Health Services Director Matt Constantine, whose office continues to investigate the Big West leak.

"We  want to clearly understand why they had the release and is there some preventative maintenance that should have been performed," Constantine said.

At least 50 cars have reportedly been damaged by a bad batch of  gas produced at a local refinery and delivered to 25 Kern County gas stations in late March.

The county Department of Agriculture and Measurements says the gas contained a sediment that's plugging fuel filters and damaging fuel pumps. Anyone experiencing those problems should contact the department at 868-6300.

John Jacobsen of John's Independent Honda & Acura repair shop in Bakersfield said a woman  brought in a 1991 Acura Integra Monday afternoon affected by the tainted fuel.

"Basically, the car doesn't want to run,"  said Jacobsen, who's  draining the gas tank and  pulling out the car's fuel system to survey the damage today.

In newer model cars with fuel injection systems, the sediment may plug the injectors, he said.

Kern Oil & Refining Company, a small refinery southeast of Bakersfield, supplied the gasoline and is reimbursing affected car owners for the repairs. The gas was believed to have been tainted when the refinery's filtration system unknowingly malfunctioned, according to county officials.

In addition to the affected Kern fueling stations, another 15 stations in six other counties also received the tainted gas.

Has anyone been affected by this?

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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger praised today's Tejon Ranch announcement as an example of how developers and environmentalists can come together and find solutions.

"When forward-thinking people, like the people that are standing here with me today, are willing to sit down and make something positive happen ... all battle lines can be terminated," Schwarzenegger said.

(Get it? Terminated. Ha ha.)

But everything is not so rosy.

The confidential meetings that resulted in the deal between Tejon Ranch and Sierra Club and other environmental groups has caused a split among the local Sierra Club members. The dissenters are upset that they -- some of whom live nearby and could  feel the impacts of Tejon's proposed developments --  weren't consulted on the secret meetings.

Others say the preservation deal isn't as great as it sounds. Most of the land being preserved was too rugged to be developed, anyway, and now someone has to pay for 60,000 acres of it.

Still, agreeing not to develop 90 percent of its land sounds like a pretty big concession on Tejon's part.

What do you think: was  this a win-win or a lopsided deal?

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I went on a mission a few weeks ago trying to find fresh, locally-grown produce. I thought this would be easy considering all the farms and orchards around here. But that was not the case.

Some local farms have fruit stands but it seems the options are  limited to what that farm specializes in -- oranges, nuts, grapes, etc. So then I checked out one of those impromptu, roadside stands that cropped up at an intersection near my house last weekend. But they were selling mangoes and pineapples grown in Central America. Most of the local farmers markets aren't up and running yet but I've heard the produce sold in these venues often come from non-local farms, too.

Apparently, Green Frog Market and Young's carry some local produce.

Anyone know where else one might find a decent selection of locally-grown food?

Earth Day is tomorrow so I've compiled a few news items here that I think are worthy of a peruse.

Sign up to stop junk mail and get $1

From Greendimes: "Pankaj Shah, an “eco-preneur” who founded GreenDimes, a Palo Alto, California-based company that leads the nation in reducing the amount of postal junk mail sent to American mailboxes, is kicking his green status up a notch this week. Today Shah announced his campaign to pay 5 million people $1 each. Don’t need the dollar? GreenDimes will plant a tree for you. All he asks in exchange is that people sign up with GreenDimes to start getting rid of their junk mail. When all is said and done, Shah is just trying to do his part in the battle against global warming – and in doing so, he will prove that brands can combine consumerism with altruism, fine tuning the capitalist business model so it coincides with social and environmental good."

Need a new lawn mower?

The San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District is distributing vouchers for steeply-discounted, electric lawn mowers to valley residents who trade-in their gas-powered machine. Those who take part will get a new, $399 air-friendly mower for $150.

The program runs through May 31 but supplies are limited.
For more information, call the air district at 326-6900 or send an e-mail to public.education@valleyair.org. Vouchers will be mailed along with information on how to surrender your gas mower.

Green tips to teach children

First 5 California is encouraging parents and caregivers to teach young children how to live “green” to help ensure a healthier future for them and the planet. First 5 is a state commission funded by tobacco taxes to provide educational information to parents of children 5 and under.

No Gushing While Brushing: Teach children to turn off the water while brushing their teeth during the two-minute brushing time dentists recommend.

Walk The Walk: Instead of taking the car, walk! By walking, you will not only help cut down on pollution, but provide good exercise for you and your family.

Fresh Is Best: Go to a farmers market and teach your preschooler how to choose local seasonal produce for healthy snacks. A farmers market is eco-friendly because it offers fresh produce that has not traveled a long distance and isn't wrapped in a lot of packaging. Don’t forget to bring a reusable bag to carry your groceries home!
   
Lights Out: Tell children to turn off the lights when leaving a room and help them open curtains and blinds to let in the sun’s natural lighting during the day. Switching off lights helps conserve energy – and lower your home energy bill.

Recycle Over and Over: Teach your kids the value of recycling – newspapers, magazines and junk mail are just a start. You can even turn this into a fun activity like creating a newspaper and magazine photo collage. 

Green Thumb, Here We Come: Most kids love to play in the dirt. Turn this into a fun gardening experience to grow plants and herbs – all it takes is a small plant container or empty egg carton.  As an extra bonus, indoor plants help clean the air in your home. 

Take a Hike: Play as a family outdoors. Throw a ball around or play tag instead of playing with electronic toys.

Think Artsy: Bring to life the artist in you and make crafts from objects you were planning to throw away. Make homemade wooden toys or create new outfits for your child’s dolls from old clothes and linens.

Give Bottled Water the Boot: It is important for kids to drink plenty of water every day. To cut down on trash, refrain from buying bottled water. Instead, show your child how to fill up reusable bottles and thermoses with filtered tap water.

Turn Household Chores Into Playtime: Kids are natural scientists and love experimenting with things, so show them how to mix baking soda and vinegar to create a natural cleanser for your home. Not only will you replace unhealthy household toxins found in traditional cleaning supplies, you will turn a household chore into a fun activity for your child.

Last week, the Vulcan project released a map of carbon emissions across the United States. Unsurprisingly, it looked pretty much like a population density map. This week, there's a new version: carbon emissions per capita.

Check out the Wired blog post.

If you look at the high-res map, the Bakersfield area looks red. When you zoom in, though, I think Bakersfield proper is actually green, and it's surrounding areas that are red — areas with high emissions and few people. It's hard to really pinpont Bako on the map, though. Maybe somebody with more mashup skillz than I can turn it into a layer and throw a highway layer on, so we could see better.

-- James Geluso