Why Californians Should Party on the Beach Now

Before Waters Inundate the Coast, We Need to Embrace the Flood and Plan for the Future

Peace out, Pacifica.

Don’t despair, Del Mar.

Never stress, Newport Beach.

Yes, sea levels are rising. Yes, California’s coastline is eroding and changing. And yes, even with Californians taking action against climate change, we are going to lose beloved beaches, bluffs, and homes.

But we must not let our relationship with the coast become dominated by fear, division, and local politics. Approaching sea-level rise as another legal-political fight encourages the kinds of climate response—drastic, panicked, and litigation-driven—that our descendants will rue.

Instead, we should embrace the coast’s constantly shifting nature, cling to …

by Joe Mathews | November 19, 2019

The True Horror of Sunny Santa Cruz

The City’s Residents Feel Powerless Over Their Future—From Housing to Climate Change

by Joe Mathews | September 10, 2019

Is Santa Cruz the scariest place in California?

For sure, this state’s 21st-century reality is frightening: from the persecution of immigrants to the droughts and wildfires made worse by climate change. …

TK | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

Rising Sea Levels Will Leave California With Fewer Beaches—and More Hard Decisions

In the Decades to Come, Some Coastal Homes, Highways, and Ecosystems Will Be Saved, While Others Will Surrender to the Ocean

by Kianoosh Hashemzadeh | July 10, 2019

The Pacific Coast Highway, an iconic symbol of California and vital transportation route, runs along the state’s coastline from Dana Point in Orange County to Leggett in Mendocino County. But …

All Hail the Pacific Sardine, an Indomitable but Endangered Fish | Zocalo Public Square • Arizona State University • Smithsonian

All Hail the Pacific Sardine, an Indomitable but Threatened Fish

Like Californians, These Little Fish Stick Together in a World That’s Out of Their Control

by Joe Mathews | July 2, 2019

At the Monterey Bay Aquarium, most people want to watch the sharks circle in the tanks. Or they check out spectacular octopi. Or maybe they stand outside on the decks …

Can Hawai‘i’s Local Communities Lead the Global Fight Against Climate Change?

Cities and Counties Across the Islands, Through Innovations and Experiments, Are the Perfect Laboratory for Slowing Global Warming

by Reed Johnson | October 19, 2018

Travel-brochure images of Hawai‘i conjure a pollution-free paradise, far removed from dying forests, rising seas, and other ecological mayhems. But it’s more realistic to view the island state as a …

California’s Trees Need to Stop Just Standing There

With Humans Unable to Solve the Golden State’s Forest Crisis, Our Woodsy Friends Must Step Up for Themselves

by Joe Mathews | October 15, 2018

Dear California Trees,

When are you going to stand up and take some responsibility for all the damage you do to this state?

It’s not only the blue-purple blossoms that you jacarandas …

Rising Sea Levels Will Leave California With Fewer Beaches—and More Hard Decisions

In the Decades to Come, Some Coastal Homes, Highways, and Ecosystems Will Be Saved, While Others Will Surrender to the Ocean

Why I Drowned L.A. and the World

It Started As a Lark. But It Turned Out To Be a Major Conversation-Starter About Climate Change.

The Ocean Vs. California

On a Boat Off Santa Barbara, Contemplating How The Coast Has Changed—And Will Again

To Get Things Done in California, Listen More Than You Talk

That’s the Method of Nelson Rising, the Most Effective Developer You’ve Never Heard Of

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