New Project Launch, Battery Safety Webinar, and Vintage Garden Wisdom
Happy Holidays! Here is our Blog Post for November! Lot’s of informative information, helpful tips and more! Read below.
New Tricks for Old Tools
By: Laura Gaither
Laura Gaither is the owner of Silver Sage Garden Coaching, San Luis Obispo, CA.
Antique and vintage garden tools in your garden are an exciting way to be part of
a larger garden narrative and history, passed along by generations of gardeners.
Found at antique stores, garage sales, or thrift stores, vintage garden tools are
superior in quality and craftsmanship to new products. Because they are
constructed from better steel and stronger wood, these tools are built for longevity
and are often designed to be repaired or sharpened rather than be thrown away. A
Plant-based lubricant goes a long way in keeping these tools effective! Tools to
consider include galvanized watering cans, hoes, shovels, forks and trowels.
These high-quality tools can be passed down as practical family heirlooms.
Special Hint: Have old tools renewed and sharpened for free at a local Repair
Café such as 5CitiesRepairCafe held four times a year near San Luis Obispo, CA.
Ecologistics Welcomes The EcoLearn Project as Its Newest Fiscally Sponsored Initiative
By: Angel Garibay
Ecologistics is proud to announce the adoption of The EcoLearn Project as our newest fiscally sponsored initiative. EcoLearn is an education-focused program dedicated to empowering young people to lead on climate, equity, and sustainability through hands-on learning and peer-to-peer engagement.
The project is led by Viccy Salazar, a former Senior Advisor for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. During her 32 years at the EPA, Salazar helped shape major national climate policies and directed the agency’s 2021 Climate Adaptation Action Plan, embedding resilience and equity across 23 programs and supporting more than 16,000 staff. Her expertise in community engagement, data translation, and climate preparedness now shapes EcoLearn’s mission of transforming environmental education from awareness into action.
EcoLearn brings climate education to life through a unique student-led model. High school and college students teach younger learners using resources from the EcoLearn Lesson Library, a growing collection of nearly 100 hands-on, student-created lessons spanning 14 environmental and sustainability topics. The approach builds confidence, inspires curiosity, and helps students see themselves as real changemakers in their schools and communities.
The program also works directly with school districts to integrate sustainability and student leadership into their long-term goals. Through collaborations with administrators, teachers, and youth leaders, EcoLearn helps embed environmental learning into district School Improvement Plans and builds systems to measure and celebrate student-driven impact. A recognition program further highlights outstanding students, educators, and districts advancing environmental action.
EcoLearn is already partnering with the Bellevue School District in Washington and expanding conversations with Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland and interested students in Tacoma. With Ecologistics’ support, the project aims to grow throughout the Puget Sound region and beyond.
We are excited to welcome The EcoLearn Project into the Ecologistics family and to support its vision of empowering the next generation of climate leaders.
Ecologistics and SLO Climate Coalition to Host Free Webinar on Battery Energy Story and Safety and Policy!
By: Angel Garibay
As battery energy storage facilities expand along the Central Coast, community members are raising important questions about safety, technology, and state regulations. In response, Ecologistics and the SLO Climate Coalition will co-host a free, public webinar titled “Battery Energy Storage Systems: Law, Safety and Technology – What’s Happening?” on Monday, December 1, from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM.
“We’ve heard from the community that people are concerned about battery fires in the wake of the Moss Landing disaster,” said Ecologistics board member Michael Jencks. “With the completion of the Caballero Energy Storage project in Nipomo and the potential for a storage facility in Morro Bay, we are bringing in experts who can provide information to our communities.”
The webinar’s panel of speakers will break down how California is addressing these concerns, including the passage of SB 283, recent safety requirements, and emerging battery technologies. The discussion will also explore how local communities can advocate for strong safety measures while supporting clean energy progress.
Featured speakers include:
- Kara Woodruff, District Director and Senior Policy Advisor for Senator John Laird
- Captain Richard Birt, founder of Solar and Fire Education, specializing in training firefighters to mitigate structure fires involving energy storage systems
- Elena Krieger, Senior Director of Research and Policy at Just Solutions, a national nonprofit advancing equitable energy and climate policies
The goal of the event is to equip residents, local officials, and community groups with reliable, accessible information to help guide decision-making as new energy storage facilities are proposed across the region.
This webinar is free and open to the public.
To register, visit: https://
