The Environment
Healdsburg Rotary Environment Services focuses on building awareness of how we can all help improve our planet . Our members are actively involved with hands-on projects as well as raising awareness of the needs of others across the globe.
We are committed to supporting activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment. We empower communities to access grants and other resources, embrace local solutions, and spur innovation in an effort to address the causes and reduce the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
Save the Monarch Butterflies
Monarch Butterfly’s population has declined 90% since the 1990s due to habitat loss, pesticides and climate change. The Monarchs overwinter along the Pacific Coast from Mendocino to upper Baja California. Starting in early spring, the western population of Monarchs start to return to where they came from which are areas west of the Rocky Mountains as far north as Canada. Two common, local, native milkweeds are the Narrowleaf(Asclepias fascicularis) and Showy(Asclepias speciosa). They are vital to the Monarch’s return migration. Monarch Butterflies lay their eggs on the native milkweeds and the caterpillars feed on the leaves. It takes three to five generations for the Monarchs to return to areas where they migrated from. We can help to increase the Monarch’s population by planting native milkweeds in our area.
To help this species recover, we will give out seeds of the Narrowleaf and Showy Milkweeds to increase the habitat of the dwindling Monarch Butterflies. The Narrowleaf Milkweed grows to 1 ½ to 2 feet tall and likes full sun. The Showy Milkweed grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and likes afternoon shade. You can sow the seeds 1/4 to ½ inch deep directly into the ground or into plug flats or small pots and transplant the seedlings later. Better results are seen when starting the seeds from flats and pots. Water frequently until the plant is established. The plants should be placed 6 to 24 inches apart in the ground. Place a stone on the southwest side of the plant to shade the roots. Milkweeds go completely dormant between November and April so mark where you planted them.
Carbon Footprint
The world’s yearly greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions continue to climb with the highest level recorded in 2022 at 58 billion metric tons which is equivalent to 127 trillion pounds. This is due mostly to the uncontrolled burning of fossil fuels. The world’s temperature continues to rise mostly due to the accumulation of GHG in our atmosphere causing extremes in weather, food and water insecurity, health problems, imbalance in nature and global economic damage. We all need to do our part to fight global warming primarily by reducing our emission of GHG. You can calculate how much GHG that you are emitting by doing a carbon footprint calculation. We did this exercise with our Rotary Club members using the household carbon footprint calculator developed by CoolClimate, an organization associated with the University of California, Berkeley (https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator). It does require some time and effort. The carbon footprint, expressed as tons of CO2e(carbon dioxide equivalent which is the GHG emission) per year, that you calculate will be compared with other households with the same number of occupants and income in your city. This carbon footprint calculator also lists actions that you can take to lower your GHG emissions. Each action has a CO2e amount saved during the year. So, try to calculate your household carbon footprint and see what actions that you have already taken and what other actions you can take to lower your carbon footprint (GHG emission)!
We are committed to supporting activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance ecological sustainability, and foster harmony between communities and the environment. We empower communities to access grants and other resources, embrace local solutions, and spur innovation in an effort to address the causes and reduce the effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
Save the Monarch Butterflies
Monarch Butterfly’s population has declined 90% since the 1990s due to habitat loss, pesticides and climate change. The Monarchs overwinter along the Pacific Coast from Mendocino to upper Baja California. Starting in early spring, the western population of Monarchs start to return to where they came from which are areas west of the Rocky Mountains as far north as Canada. Two common, local, native milkweeds are the Narrowleaf(Asclepias fascicularis) and Showy(Asclepias speciosa). They are vital to the Monarch’s return migration. Monarch Butterflies lay their eggs on the native milkweeds and the caterpillars feed on the leaves. It takes three to five generations for the Monarchs to return to areas where they migrated from. We can help to increase the Monarch’s population by planting native milkweeds in our area.
To help this species recover, we will give out seeds of the Narrowleaf and Showy Milkweeds to increase the habitat of the dwindling Monarch Butterflies. The Narrowleaf Milkweed grows to 1 ½ to 2 feet tall and likes full sun. The Showy Milkweed grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and likes afternoon shade. You can sow the seeds 1/4 to ½ inch deep directly into the ground or into plug flats or small pots and transplant the seedlings later. Better results are seen when starting the seeds from flats and pots. Water frequently until the plant is established. The plants should be placed 6 to 24 inches apart in the ground. Place a stone on the southwest side of the plant to shade the roots. Milkweeds go completely dormant between November and April so mark where you planted them.
Carbon Footprint
The world’s yearly greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions continue to climb with the highest level recorded in 2022 at 58 billion metric tons which is equivalent to 127 trillion pounds. This is due mostly to the uncontrolled burning of fossil fuels. The world’s temperature continues to rise mostly due to the accumulation of GHG in our atmosphere causing extremes in weather, food and water insecurity, health problems, imbalance in nature and global economic damage. We all need to do our part to fight global warming primarily by reducing our emission of GHG. You can calculate how much GHG that you are emitting by doing a carbon footprint calculation. We did this exercise with our Rotary Club members using the household carbon footprint calculator developed by CoolClimate, an organization associated with the University of California, Berkeley (https://coolclimate.berkeley.edu/calculator). It does require some time and effort. The carbon footprint, expressed as tons of CO2e(carbon dioxide equivalent which is the GHG emission) per year, that you calculate will be compared with other households with the same number of occupants and income in your city. This carbon footprint calculator also lists actions that you can take to lower your GHG emissions. Each action has a CO2e amount saved during the year. So, try to calculate your household carbon footprint and see what actions that you have already taken and what other actions you can take to lower your carbon footprint (GHG emission)!
 | Doug Lyle Healdsburg Member Contact |
 | Donald Mitchell Healdsburg Member Contact |
 | Richard Tang Healdsburg Member Contact |
 | Norman Fujita Healdsburg Chair Contact |