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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

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I worked on a story today about spring being an excellent time to visit one of the several nature preserves around Kern County. These sorts of places don't advertise so it's likely many people haven't heard of them. They're no trip to Disneyland but a great way to get out and enjoy the weather and the natural surroundings.

Any other off-the-beat-path ideas for how to enjoy spring?

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Would you carpool to work or take the bus to help clean the air? How about if you knew that vehicle exhaust contributes to 75 percent of the air pollution in Kern County, which boasts some of the dirtiest air in the nation?

This summer air district officials will launch the Healthy Air Living Program aimed at getting individuals and business to make permanent changes that will help reduce their contributions to air pollution year-round. A big push behind the effort is to get people to cut down on driving.

The program kicks off with a week-long awareness campaign July 7 to 13 when people will be asked to give up their car and try alternative transportation by taking the bus, a bike or participating in a carpool.

The district hopes this week will serve as a jumping off point to get people to make longterm changes.

Think it will work? Would you take the bus? Have you ever considered carpooling?

Sierra Club sued the city today over a recently-approved housing development in southwest Bakersfield the group has called “the worst example of urban sprawl you can imagine.”

The lawsuit targets the Ten Section housing development, which calls for 788 homes to be built on 120 acres of an oilfield located south of Panama Lane, between Buena Vista Road and Interstate 5.

Sierra Club says more homes in a remote part of the city are unnecessary given the downturn in the housing market and a backlog of yet-to-be-built homes. The group seems to think Bakersfield is sick of developments like Ten Section that shoot off from the city like tentacles. But the city contends these area were always envisioned for future growth.

What do you think? Is Sierra Club's lawsuit needless or is this a fight worth picking?