March 22: World Water Day: California’s Crisis

Today, March 22, 2015, is World Water Day, a day designated by the United Nations in 1993 to celebrate Water. Being in our fourth year of drought, there never has been a time that Californians are more aware of water. Many of us may be joining the 780 million people of the world who do not have access… Read more »

Spring and Drought

Spring and Drought The days are stunningly beautiful, and the meadow and forest verdant green, even in this fourth year of severe drought. The news is hard: California has a year of water storage left. What then? The drought is like a zen teacher, whacking us into consciousness: water is precious. Do not waste it… Read more »

Charlie Toledo: On Fun and Wholeness

When I was interviewing Napa therapist and water activist Charlie Toledo, Executive Director of the Suscol Intertribal Counsel, this week, we had a conversation not directly related to the drought and water that I found particularly healing. She told me that in pantheistic times, people had more fun. “When I speak to elementary school kids,… Read more »

Charlie Toledo: The Earth is Alive!

This week I had the good fortune to interview water activist Charlie Toledo about the upcoming election ballot measure Proposition One that provides funds for alleviating some of the water problems in California. We are in our third year of drought. Suddenly the general population is acutely aware of the implications!  There are some big… Read more »

Interview: Charlie Toledo on California Water Legislation

              Interview: Charlie Toledo on California Water Legislation Charlie Toledo, Executive Director of the Suscol Intertribal Council in Napa, CA, spoke with me this week about the upcoming election’s Proposition One, on Water. Charlie helped author the Watershed Development plan for Napa County in its seminal years, 1992-1995, and… Read more »

Drought: Charlie Toledo, Part Three: Aquifers

Drought: Charlie Toledo, Part Three: Aquifers Charlie Toledo, Executive Director of the Suscol Intertribal Council in Napa, CA, spoke with me last week about the drought and the water situation in California. This is part three of that interview. Charlie helped author the Watershed Development plan for Napa County in its seminal years, 1992-1995, and… Read more »

Drought: Charlie Toledo, Part Three: Aquifers

Charlie Toledo, Executive Director       Charlie Toledo, Executive Director of the Suscol Intertribal Council in Napa, CA, spoke with me last week about the drought and the water situation in California. This is part two of that interview. Charlie helped author the Watershed Development plan for Napa County in its seminal years, 1992-1995,… Read more »

Drought Interviews: Charlie Toledo, Part One: Watersheds in Napa County

Charlie Toledo, Executive Director Even though many of us in Northern California will be receiving more rain this week, California continues to be in dire straights water wise. We must change our ways! We have built large cities in deserts, cities dependent on rivers that are dying largely due to our mismanagement and lack of… Read more »

Nature’s First Green, Afforded by the Recent Rain

Nature’s First Green, Afforded by the Recent Rain The world has become gold green in Napa; the sunrise, magical; the grass so green it hurts your eyes. The drought persists, however. We are not seduced by the greening. This week we will post a series of interviews with Suscol Intertribal Counsel’s Charlie Toledo, who has… Read more »

Special Event at the Harms Vineyards and Lavender Fields Open House: Healing Our Waters

Bokochi balls ready to go to work!       Charlie Toledo, Executive Director of Suscol Intertribal Council, will follow her 11 am talk, One Water: From Rain to Seas, with a demonstration of the making and use of Bokochi balls, a probiotic mud-ball used in Costa Rica and well as our own Napa River… Read more »