TuneTrack

The San Diego Tribune just eloquently wrote about the fragility of life in the Miramar and Mira Mesa Vernal pools.  These Vernal Pools are the only last homes to the Engandered Mira Mesa Fairy Shrimp, quickly losing more habitat each year.  Because so many people believe these engandered species to be 'unusually resilient', well, we've plowed over so much of their habitat that they are now at risk of extinction!

Endangered Fairy Shrimp - Photo by John Gibbons

Mira Mesa trying yet again to build a school (despite its rejection in past engandered species legisltation outlawing the destruction of important vernal pool habitats) where one of the two last vernal pool areas reside in Mira Mesa.  Because of humanity's short-sightedness, we're destroying much of the natural world and don't see the connection between 'them' and 'us'. 

Photo by John Gibbons

Please read the article in the San Diego Tribune to become more informed, and email us to get involved and help save our last vernal pools from expensive, unnecssary development!

Peace.

SDUSD Opts for Expensive Construction & Mitigation, Not Debt Management

The San Diego Unified School District and Mira Mesa Town Council support plowing over one of the last couple of Vernal Pools on the Mesa....to build a new school.  They will spend $30M on one new school, while our six other schools are in desperate need of funding and capital improvements, teachers are losing their jobs. Is SDUSD choosing developers over our kids and their future?

THREATENED VERNAL POOL

AWAKE is doing a lot of research on the history of Vernal Pools in the area, the Engangered Fairy Shrimp they support, and the other life forms that have been losing their habitat, site by site.  We look forward to sharing it with you, and you can see some photos from our Salk Site visit HERE.

Interestingly, it is the undeveloped land in a neighborhood that raises its property values.  And children that explore natural habitat have a connection with nature and imagination that paved-and-park-only-kids can miss completely.

Vernal pool habitat has been severely reduced by urban development in southern California. This fenced pool near Mira Mesa Market Center (San Diego County, CA), is the last remaining of an original complex that contained 67 vernal pools.
(Photograph by A.G. Vandergast, USGS)

 AWAKE recommends Mira Mesa Town Council and the San Diego Unified School District change their plans for the betterment of all of our elementary children, instead of a small group, by improving our six existing schools instead of building a new one -- and save miillions of public monies too.  And while we're at it, preserve one of the last recovering Vernal Pool Habitats for Endangered Fairy Shrimp we have left.

Email us for more information and to learn how to get involved.

Help Haiti

One of my closest friends, Isabelle, is from her Haiti and her family still lives there. They just found her father who was missing for three days. Via Blackberry's and facebook, her family and friends are able to text her and tell her specifically what they need.

>>  HAITI NEEDS LIST >>

Isabelle's brother, Edouard, is taking a team of 10 people to help him with a grassroots mission to his town, where they are not yet receiving help. They need first aid medical supplies (bandages, gauze, etc), pain supplies like Advil, Tylenlol and more, to help these people somehow manage through their suffering until we can get in with the next wave of more sophisticated medical equipment (lots of folks are about to become amputees he said).

Edouard already has 7 volunteers and can take 3 more - must be highly trained medical/military personnel that can handle crisis. He will be leaving on Jan 22. Isabelle has created a website that is continually being updated with the personal needs of her family, friends and town http://bodyandmindrevolution.com/default.aspx. She is updating it regularly.

We are asking people to start collecting MREs and the other medical supplies based on information we're getting from Isabelle.  Her brother will then go with his team to Haiti, which will likely include two of our volunteers. We will keep updating on how everyone can help through the next couple of days. Thank you for your help and for showing so much love to these people we love so dearly.

We will have an address later today on where to send the supplies in Miami. Donations will need to arrive in Miami by Jan 21 for the January 22 mission.  If you are in San Diego, you can drop off donations here:  Body Mind College, 5440 Morehouse Drive, Suite 2700, San Diego, CA 92024 between 10:00am - 7:00pm  or Stillpoint Body Lounge, 965 Second Street, Encinitas, CA 92024 betwen 7:00am-12:pm and from 3:00pm-6:00pm.

Thank you. Peace.

~Emily

P.S. Here is an email I just received from Edward Nau:

Emily,

I want to thank you for your time and patience. I am forwarding the list of items I believe will be of great help to Haiti. Over the next few weeks when this situation stabilizes itself, these items will change into a more short shelf life products.

Flashlights and batteries, or solar rechargeable lamps. Currently the nights are spent in complete darkness due to all power grids being non-operational.

I am also receiving phone calls for basic sanitary items such as tooth brushes and paste, baby wipes or sanitation wipes.

My sincere gratitude and appreciation,

Jules Edouard Nau
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