Columns

It goes without saying that plants are some of the most beautiful and important organisms we have on our planet. As a child I was always interested in the world of plants. A world seemingly so familiar yet so estranged from common understanding. As kids we run barefoot and play on the soft grass, take refuge under the shade a tree provides amidst a hot California day, and take a deep breath of the fresh air the leaves so selflessly gift to us. All while the plants remain sessile, unassuming and ask nothing of us. 

Editor’s Note: The following was a letter sent to the Board of Supervisors by a coalition of citizens, associations and nonprofits in early January, and recently shared with us.

“Every drop counts.”

Last summer, I befriended a woman from Laos who worked on a Sonoma County marijuana plantation. Three other Laotians worked with her. All of them belonged to the Hmong, an ethnic group that has lived for thousands of years in the highlands of Southeast Asia.

The status quo has got to go. It’s not healthy for the community, doesn’t adequately support our officers and costs the county money. John Mutz is running for Sonoma County Sheriff in order to cultivate a fundamental, long-term, cultural shift — based on community engagement and relationships — to keep our community safer, reduce costs and improve department morale.

America is a disposable nation. Each person, on average, produces more than 1,600 pounds of trash each year.