KTVU News

SAN FRANCISCO -- San Francisco is the second greenest city in the country, according to Popular Science Magazine.

The magazine this month released its list of "America's 50 Greenest Cities," ranking them on such programs as renewable energy, transportation habits and air quality, green buildings and public spaces, and recycling programs. The list was compiled with data from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Geographic Society for cities with more than 100,000 residents. Read more »

San Jose Mercury News

The declaration makes the city eligble for state and local assistance related to the container ship accident that dumped 58,000 gallons of fuel into San Francisco Bay. City officials also have agreed to secure $250,000 to pay local crab fishermen to help scoop up oil still floating inside and outside the Golden Gate. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom has declared a local state of emergency to help secure funding for cleanup of last week's oil spill. Read more »

By Cecilia Vega
San Francisco Chronicle

Mayor Gavin Newsom said today the city will take legal action against the company or agency deemed responsible for the 58,000 gallons of oil that spilled into the bay after a container ship rammed into the Bay Bridge Wednesday. Newsom and City Attorney Dennis Herrera also expressed frustration over incorrect information disseminated early on by the Coast Guard about the extent of the spill. "We'll be doing everything to make sure that those who are responsible are held accountable and that the costs borne by this will be borne by the appropriate agency or agencies... or individuals or companies that are responsible," Newsom said. Read more »

New York Times
Editorial Originally Published August 1, 2007

On the streets of New York or Denver or San Mateo this summer, it seems the telltale cap of a water bottle is sticking out of every other satchel. Americans are increasingly thirsty for what is billed as the healthiest, and often most expensive, water on the grocery shelf. But this country has some of the best public water supplies in the world. Instead of consuming four billion gallons of water a year in individual-sized bottles, we need to start thinking about what all those bottles are doing to the planet’s health.

Here are the hard, dry facts: Yes, drinking water is a good thing, far better than buying soft drinks, or liquid candy, as nutritionists like to call it. And almost all municipal water in America is so good that nobody needs to import a single bottle from Italy or France or the Fiji Islands. Meanwhile, if you choose to get your recommended eight glasses a day from bottled water, you could spend up to $1,400 annually. The same amount of tap water would cost about 49 cents. Read more »