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This Thursday: City of S.F. Mayor Race Candidates and Blue Tech

This Thursday, October 10, San Francisco Bay Area sailors, concerned citizens, individuals from the blue economy and more are invited to attend the Candidates for S.F. Mayor Night at South Beach Yacht Club in San Francisco. Produced by S.F. Blue Tech and co-sponsored by the yacht club and S.F. Baykeeper, this free event runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Sejal Choksi-Chugh, executive director at S.F. Baykeeper, will moderate. Candidates include Shahram Shariati, Dylan Hirsch-Shell and a representative from Ellen Lee Zhou’s team; Aaron Peskin was confirmed to attend until last week. Each candidate specifically calls out climate in his/her platform. Each is eager to address questions on ocean and Bay health, the environment, blue economy and more. Time will be dedicated for questions from the audience.

Sejal Choksi-Chugh, executive director at SF Baykeeper
Sejal Choksi-Chugh, executive director at S.F. Baykeeper
© 2024 SF Baykeeper

“San Francisco’s reputation as a leader and environmental steward has declined. In part, this is due to national criticism of the city’s stormwater pollution and trash issues,” says Choksi-Chugh. “There is broad awareness that the city’s water and drought resilience infrastructure has also fallen behind. And unfortunately, city officials have decided to sue US EPA to undermine the Clean Water Act so that the city of S.F. can continue polluting the ocean with sewage discharges.”

Sailors are doing their part to keep the Bay clean but are the cities?
© 2024 California Division of Boating and Waterways

With the Pacific Ocean on one side, and a shared coastline of S.F. Bay down the middle, the health of our waterways is essential for recreation, tourism, shipping, and nature, and as a place for personal retreat and restoration. According to VitalSigns, the 2021 population of the Bay Area’s nine counties was approximately 7.7 million. Unfortunately, due to this highly urban setting, each year the region experiences incredible threats and damage to the marine environment. According to Choksi-Chugh, there are:

40 sewage treatment plants dumping wastewater into S.F. Bay and the Pacific Ocean

7 trillion tons of microplastics entering the water

5 refineries and a coal terminal allowing toxic pollutants to reach the Bay

More than 1600 industrial facilities discharging metals like mercury, lead and copper into the waters

When it rains it pours — straight into San Francisco Bay.

This event is free and open to everyone. You do not need to be a San Francisco voter to attend; the health of S.F. Bay and the Pacific Ocean affects all of us. The 13 candidates for mayor of the City of San Franisco were invited. Some stated inability to attend due to schedule conflicts, others did not reply — seems we sailors and ocean-lovers have a way to go in convincing civic leaders just how important the health of our waterways is.

Thursday start
How clean are the waters upon which we sail — especially after a big February rainstorm?
© 2024 Slackwater SF

S.F. Blue Tech group was founded by local racer, and Latitude 38 contributing photographer and writer, Martha Blanchfield. S.F. Blue Tech events foster fellowship within the region’s emerging blue economy. Objectives include creating action that assists the ocean, waterways and planet, as well as developing a blue tech incubator/accelerator within this region.

Navier
At this past weekend’s Sausalito Boat Show there was lots of “new tech/blue tech” on display to steer us in the right direction.
© 2024 Latitude 38 Media LLC / John

You can find more information here and register to attend here.

Sailing

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