KneeDeep Times Magazine

KneeDeep’s Photo of the Month series captures moments of everyday climate resilience in Bay Area communities, seen through the lens of local photographers. Flip through our photo slideshow to see some of our favorite photos featuring king tides, urban forests, and school field trips. As 2024 comes to a close, thank you to all our contributors who helped tell vital climate stories this year. Here’s to another year of putting the spotlight on climate in the Bay Area! See all Photos of the Month here: https://buff.ly/3RM8sUR

As we bid farewell to 2024, KneeDeep Times is looking back at five of our favorite stories featuring climate changemakers willing to challenge the status quo, from a punk rock scientist fighting for environmental justice to the farmers revolutionizing our food systems. https://buff.ly/41S5F1D

Since the 1960s Civil Rights era, the Black Church has championed environmental justice, and Oakland-based nonprofit Green The Church is continuing that legacy today. In this 15-minute podcast episode republished from the Everyday Climate Champions podcast, founder Reverend Dr. Ambrose Carroll shares how Green The Church is transforming Black churches into hubs for climate action and resilience. Listen to the episode on our Climate Quilt: https://buff.ly/4iJn0jn Photo: Green The Church #climatequilt

Your daily commute could be more than just stressful - it could be affecting your long-term brain health. New research in California suggests a troubling connection between traffic-related pollution and Parkinson's disease. https://buff.ly/3AuZ8yR 📷: lechatnoir/Getty Images

On December 5, a sprint was over; a marathon began. The Bay Conservation and Development Commission adopted its Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan, shifting the pressure to local governments to develop their own sea level rise plans by the end of 2033. In the East Bay, communities are already discussing design concepts for adapting Bay Farm Island and the Oakland-Alameda estuary to 2 feet of sea level rise. https://conta.cc/4gBHVCY Photo: Maurice Ramirez

This weekend, hundreds of Californians will gather at the shoreline to witness the highest tides of the year, known as king tides. This natural phenomenon occurs when the sun and moon are closest to the Earth and their gravitational pull on the tides is stronger than usual. Although king tides are not caused by climate change, they can help us visualize what regular high tides will be like as sea levels rise. Find the best place to see the king tides near you: https://buff.ly/49AzIwM Photos: David Chamberlin, George Alfaro, Maurice Ramirez

Sediment is a key ingredient for adaptation to sea level rise. KneeDeep wrote about it last spring, covering the Army Corps of Engineers’ recent experiment with shallow water placement to feed marshes. Since then, the Army Corps has completed a draft regional plan for managing material dredged from the Bay that emphasizes beneficial reuse for resilient shorelines. Deadline for public comments is Dec. 16: https://buff.ly/3VxoALl Photo: Brandon Beach, USACE

At KneeDeep Times, we focus on the local projects and community initiatives shaping climate resilience right here at home. Have our stories informed your work, sparked new ideas, or offered valuable insights this year? Help us dig deeper into Bay Area climate solutions in 2025. A tax-deductible gift of $50-$100 will support independent local journalism and help us reach new audiences: https://buff.ly/3Vk5jNp Photo: Maurice Ramirez

As sea level rise threatens the coastal village of Bolinas, a local architect is starting the community conversation about managed retreat. Rather than fight the rising seas, Steve Matson proposes adapting to them by gradually relocating the town’s center to higher ground. https://buff.ly/3O8YuKu Map: Steve Matson

At Agroecology Commons Farm in El Sobrante, BIPOC and queer farmers aren't just growing food—they're cultivating justice, building community, and reshaping the future of farming. The collective offers a nine-month holistic training program, paid apprenticeships, and even incubator plots to help historically excluded farmers thrive. https://buff.ly/4f4M4OC Photos: Brooke Porter