Alex Darocy Photography

On November 1, community members opposing Santa Cruz County Measure D demonstrated at the Graniterock location on Coral Street in Santa Cruz to raise awareness about the major corporate donors to the Yes on D campaign. Graniterock has contributed $10,000 to Yes on D. The Watsonville-based company produces crushed gravel, sand, concrete and asphalt for the construction industry. If passed, Measure D would increase sales tax in the county by 0.5% and dedicate $100 Million for widening Highway 1, which would have a long-term negative impact on the environment, according to demonstrators. Rick Longinotti explained why the No on D group, also known as Widening Won't Work, chose Graniterock. "I spent over twenty years working in electrical construction, and I disliked working on projects that increased energy consumption," he said. "Let's put people to work on transportation projects that offer real solutions to congestion and help us break out of our dependency ...

Residents in Santa Cruz gathered at the Town Clock on September 13 as part of a national day of action to oppose the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline, and to support the Standing Rock Sioux and the Native Americans protecting the land and the water near the tribe's land. "Join us to call on President Obama to instruct the Army Corps of Engineers to revoke the permits for this dirty oil pipeline," an announcement for the event in Santa Cruz read. "The movement to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline is growing stronger by the day, and it's time for all of us to rise up and play a role in this fight - no matter where we live. " The rally at the Town Clock, which was organized by the Earth Democracy committee of the Santa Cruz Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, brought together a large, energetic crowd. As rush hour traffic passed by, community members held signs inscribed with statements of solidarity with the Standing Rock Siou...

On November 22, hundreds of Santa Cruz residents joined together for the "Climate Changes Everything" rally and march to demand action at COP21, which will be held in Le Bourget, France, from November 30 to December 11. COP21 is the 21st annual "Conference of the Parties," which is a meeting of nations organized to discuss taking action regarding the climate. After assembling at Calvary Church, community members marched downtown to San Lorenzo Park, where Rick Flores greeted them by reading a welcome message from the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band. A wide range of speakers were heard in the park, and Santa Cruz Mayor Don Lane proclaimed November 22, 2015 as “Santa Cruz Climate Action Day.” The proclamation urges all residents to, "join together to achieve carbon-reduction goals in Santa Cruz and to join the Climate Action Network in urging global leaders at the Paris conference to adopt an aggressive plan to dramatically reduce carbon emissions around the world....