A Summer Camp for Organ Transplant Survivors – December 30, 2016

Both campers and staff at a special summer camp near Camp Meeker share a common bond—they are all organ transplant survivors. Life is more complicated for kids who have had an organ transplant. But a special camp in the hills of western Sonoma County brings them together for a week each summer. Reporter Rhian Miller …

Concrete Tanks as an Alternative For Aging Wine – December 29, 2016

Move over oak, stand aside, stainless steel; the trending new material for aging wine is concrete. In their perpetual quest for new and better winemaking tools and methods, some Northern California vintners have been turning to something that is almost as old as wine itself. See pictures of concrete wine tanks, in various sizes, shapes …

Green Mary’s Lending Library – December 28, 2016

Even small events can generate a large volume of trash. But borrowing plates and glasses from Green Mary helps cut it down. For minimizing garbage, nothing beats reusing things. That’s why Green Mary has assembled an unconventional lending library of plates, glasses and other event essentials. For more information, check out the North Bay Report …

Farm School Digs In Deeper Than Dirt – December 27, 2016

How to grow food is pretty well understood. But how do we grow new farmers? Northern California is home to a growing number of innovative and holistic farms and farmers. A new Farm School program in Sebastopol is out to help export those practices more widely. Hear more about the Permaculture Skills Center’s Farm School …

Wild Horses Sanctuary – December 26, 2016

When a band of wild horses were headed for a slaughterhouse, one Sonoma County resident took action. Wild mustangs are still seen as a symbol of American culture – representing freedom, beauty and power. But these horses are rapidly losing their place on public lands. One Sonoma County resident is trying to change that by …

There’s More Than Meets the Eye to Dragonflies – December 23, 2016

We’ve all seen dragonflies—they’re fairly abundant around North Bay ponds and streams—but how much do you really know about them? Dragonflies aren’t just old—they date back to the age of the dinosaurs—they’re strange. Also colorful, pest-eating, non-threatening to humans, and still surprisingly unstudied. Want to know more? Find details about dragonflies’ unusual mating practices–on the …

The Flavors of Home – December 22, 2016

Across northern California, nature offers a wide array of wild edibles, if you know where to look and how to recognize them. All around us, there are wild edible plants. The trick is knowing which ones they are, where to find them, and how best to make use of them. On today’s North Bay Report, …

Out on the Police Beat – December 21, 2016

As police forces increasingly embrace diversity, it’s getting easier for LGBT officers to feel comfortable on the job. Police and Sheriff’s departments in California and beyond have long included Gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender officers. But now they are increasingly willing and able to let their presence be known, some with the help of a …

Unpacking the Debacle that was Altamont – December 20, 2016

A new book dissects the problems that led to rock and roll’s most notorious concert: The Rolling Stones’ infamous 1969 free concert at the Altamont speedway has become mythologized as “the end of the 60s,” a symbolic counterweight to the romanticized images of peace, love and Woodstock. But a detailed new book from veteran San …

‘Ecological Handprints’ Captures Grass-roots Global Innovation – December 19, 2016

Around the world, creative local solutions to both poverty and climate change are emerging. A new e-book documents them. Is it possible to fight poverty and climate change at the same time? The answer is emphatically yes, and Rocky Rohwedder has examples to prove it. You can find the link to Ecological Footprints and hear …