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Power Outages

To measure PG&E's performance, we need to log all power outages--even short ones. Please make a Power Outage Report.

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Neighborhood Network

The Neighborhood Network program encourages citizens to work cooperatively in neighborhood teams to prepare for disasters. In the process of getting better acquainted, neighbors are inspired to plan other events such as block parties and holiday get-togethers. Their sense of community fosters a “Neighborhood Watch” awareness that helps prevent crime.

To learn more, click on "more" or contact Terry at terry@terrynagel.com or (650) 347-3576.

Civic Engagement

Here’s what I learned at a civic engagement seminar on March 6, 2009, called “Focus on Community Engagement." It was presented by FOCUS (a partnership of four regional agencies in the Bay Area) with Common Sense California and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group

You can read what Burlingame is doing to foster civic engagement here.

Carl Guardino of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group pointed out the value of community participation by asking, “Do you feel more ownership if you build it or you buy it?”

Public engagement enhances government’s effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions

• There is a lower chance of “blowback”
• Decisions are more creative, with better ideas incorporated
• Residents are more informed

Housing for the future

We’re having a spirited conversation now in Burlingame that will take place in every city in the Bay Area sooner or later.

It’s about how much height and density to allow in areas near major transit corridors. This discussion isn’t just about what you and I want. It’s about trying to anticipate what residents and businesses in our cities will need 10, 20 and 30 years from now.

How to Get People Out of Their Cars

With gas close to $5 a gallon and vehicles causing 50 percent of carbon emissions in our cities, it’s time to get serious about getting people out of their cars.

At the San Mateo County Council of Cities meeting for council members, two experts on transportation recently offered Top 10 lists for how to encourage people to use alternatives to cars. Here’s what they had to say.

Christine Maley-Grubl, executive director of the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance

No. 10 – Encourage employers to offer telecommuting as an option for employees to leave their cars at home. The Alliance can provide information on establishing a telecommute program.

No. 9 – Encourage employers to urge employees to vanpool if they are commuting long distances. Vanpool providers such as VPSI or Enterprise can provide the vans. The Alliance can help coordinate vanpools and also offers cash incentives to vanpool drivers and to riders. 

Earthquake Lessons

Stewart Brand happened to be driving by the Marina in San Francisco on the fateful evening of October 17, 1989. As the chaos of the 7.1 earthquake unfolded, he helped rescue victims and made mental notes of what worked and didn’t work. Later, he recorded his impressions and interviewed others to create a comprehensive record of what it’s like to go through a major catastrophe.

Mr. Brand, who is best known for founding the WELL (an early online community) and creating The Whole Earth Catalog, has kindly given permission to use this article "in any way you like," so feel free to print it out and share it with others. By the way, he’s still very busy. These days he lives on a tugboat in Sausalito and runs the Long Now Foundation, which is dedicated to encouraging long-term thinking.

Download "Learning from the Earthquake," by Stewart Brand, here.

Claims for Power Outages

Did you have a power outage recently? Burlingamers Unwilling to Live with Blackouts (BULB) would like you to record the details of your outage by filling out a Power Outage Report at on my Web site. If you incurred losses, you may be eligible for a refund from PG&E. Click on "more" to find out how.