Ryland Steen, drummer for the punk-ska band Reel Big Fish, has been with the band for six years. Six years is about the length of time it takes to obtain a degree in medicine, but considering the band just celebrated its 20th anniversary in January, Steen is the perpetual freshman.

SANTA CRUZ > The city presents its Climate Action Plan

As one of his last acts in office, outgoing Mayor Ryan Coonerty debuted the final draft of Santa Cruz’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), a set of guidelines aimed at reducing the city’s carbon footprint. The plan has been two years in the making and sets ambitious goals for the city to meet by 2020.

Santa Cruz homeless land back on the streets

The homeless people who were camping in San Lorenzo Park are once again returning to life before Occupy Santa Cruz. The Armory, a shelter in Santa Cruz that offers up beds for homeless people during the winter, tells GT that they’ve seen a 50 percent increase in capacity since Thursday, Dec. 8. The shelter is now almost at full capacity.

Obsessive Beauty’s eco-friendly holiday gift-giving pick

If you’re struggling to come up with the perfect, thoughtful gift for the lovely ladies in your life, look no further: Copper Moon Apothecary has what you need.

But before I succumb to raving about the luxurious and healing items in their inventory, let me take a moment to note that purchasing holiday gifts from Copper Moon also means that you’ll be “thinking local first” (they’re based in Ben Lomond) and supporting a sustainable and “green” business—both major pluses for today’s eco-minded shopper. The recyclable amber glass and post-consumer recycled labels give the products a high-end feel, while also appealing to the environmentally responsible person on your shopping list.

The last installment in a rhetorical analysis of the single-use plastic bag debate

As I have discussed in the past three blog entries, and as Rebekah Fox and Joshua Frye state in their 2010 article, “Tensions of Praxis: A New Taxonomy for Social Movements,” “the relationship between the communication and environment is critical, but difficult to explain.”

Part three in a four part series looking at the discourse surrounding plastic bag bans

Only humans make things Mother Nature can’t digest. The main argument found in environmental groups’ discourse surrounding the plastic bag debate is that plastic bags aren’t good for our Earth, and that reusable materials are simply the better choice. Despite the positive spin put on plastics by lobbying groups, activists say there is no debate. Save the Bay, one of the leading environmental organizations fighting to ban plastic bags says, “Plastic bags are toxic to marine animals, and the ecosystem at large. Plastics leech toxic chemicals and take an estimated 1,000 years to decompose in landfills, which is where most end up.”

Winter has arrived with its brisk chill and fashion-appropriate attire. There's fundamentally no better fashion must-have during the cold months than a pair of classic, well-worn, versatile boots that you can pair with any outfit. The answer? The short Emma boot by Greenbees in the color, "Sienna," (a reddish brown hue). It goes for $280 and is well worth the investment. Take care of your boots and they'll last a good chunk of your lifetime. Tires comprise the soles and the boot is make up of recycled leather. It's a fashion forward "green" shoe that can complement a pair of skinny jeans, be worn under trousers, or even look cute when summer rolls around and you're donning skirts and shorts again. If only everything that was "green" was this pretty.

Visit planetshoes.com or shop.shopgreenbees.com.

Scissors. Check. Sewing machine. Check. Pattern. Check. Excellent, skilled teacher, check. For the last year, I've been taking sewing lessons at Judy's Sewing Center in Capitola, studying with the owner, Judy, on Tuesday nights and now branching into studying additionally on Thursday nights with Dresden Ericksen, a long-time master seamstress who attended fashion design school and has the chops to match her experience. At only $10 per class, Ericksen guides students in creating garments. Note: You need a good grasp on the basics of sewing.

A twirl around Plantronics’ new and improved offices

Plantronics, Santa Cruz’s largest commercial employer, is making changes to its world headquarters. The headset manufacturer unveiled the new improvements to its Encinal Street offices this week, updating its old workspace to keep up with the company’s evolving business philosophy.

Part two in a four part series looking at the discourse surrounding plastic bag bans

When we truly sit down and think about everything in our lives that is plastic, we might begin to realize our love affair with synthetic materials is not a simple one. Look around you right now: Can you live without your plastic computers, cell phones, toilet seats, bags, pacemakers, sneakers, toothbrush, coffeemaker, iPods, or chewing gum (yes, gum)?