The purpose of this project was to identify the changes that have occurred since the last tree inventory that the city of Pacific Grove conducted and the one we did this semester. Once the data was collected, we used it to analyze changes in trees, the percent change in the trees, areas of potential change […]
Sustainable Development Goal: 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities
San Juan Bautista Plastic Ban Ordinance
A Plastic Ban Ordinance will go into effect in January of 2020 in the City of San Juan Bautista, and our research sought to make businesses aware of the ban, identify questions and concerns about the ban, and help businesses by recommending alternatives for single-use plastics that are cost-efficient. This research consists of mixed methods […]
Sustainable City Year Program Report Summary
Dr. Fernandez’s Infrastructure Systems class partnered with San Juan Bautista and Pacific Grove to analyze cities throughout California which similarly compared to our partner cities. Students collected data for various categories including general government, transportation, housing, tourism & recreation, water, weather, sustainability, facilities, finances, and fire/EMF. Students worked to find cities that similarly compared to […]
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Pacific Grove Tree Density and Species Richness Assessment
This Pacific Grove Tree Density and Species Richness project maps current tree density and species richness and uses that data to select low density and weak richness zones for important future tree plantation projects […]
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An Analysis of the Current Climatic Factors Hindering California’s Central Coast Monarch Butterfly Population (Danaus plexippus)
The city of Pacific Grove’s beloved species of butterfly Danaus plexippus, or the Monarch butterfly is a once-plentiful pollinator species that is critical to the health of many plant communities. Monarch butterflies are unique in many ways, but one key characteristic is their ability to follow their long migration pattern over the span of several […]
Public Versus Private Water Analysis
Water has been a contentious issue in California, both historically and to this day, particularly concerns over water supply systems ownership. The City of Pacific Grove (PG) currently has privately supplied water from the California American Water (Cal Am) company. PG and cities on the Monterey Peninsula within Cal Am’s water service area are considering […]
Water Bottle Refill Stations in the City of Pacific Grove
This paper is a report on a capstone project completed at California State University Monterey Bay through the Sustainable City Year Program in partnership with the City of Pacific Grove. This research examines the issue of plastic pollution in marine environments on a global scale, and, more specifically, on a local scale. The local example […]
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Environmental Justice in California
In California, and the United States as a whole, low-income and minority communities have often fallen victim to years of environmental injustice through the constructs of elitism and capitalism. This study seeks to understand the process of city development, using data from over 100 California cities to observe whether cities are responsible for different environmental […]
Stormwater Runoff in Pacific Grove: Mitigation Techniques and Public Outreach
The City of Pacific Grove is currently estimated to have a 44% cover of impervious surfaces within the watershed areas that discharge into the Area of Special Biological Significance (ASBS) and the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). To address the detrimental environmental impacts of urban stormwater runoff to the ASBS and the MBNMS, this […]
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Green Business in Pacific Grove
This study examines small to medium -sized businesses in the City of Pacific Grove, CA, and describes how students from California State University, Monterey Bay worked with local businesses to enroll and complete certification through the California Green Business Network. We spoke with owners and employees from 19 businesses, and of those 19, 5 of […]