Before moving to Sacramento in 2017, Eric Johnson played senior editorial roles at various newsweeklies and magazines in the Bay Area for 20 years. He is now fulfilling a lifelong dream as a freelance writer for several Northern California publications. He is a proud and grateful Midtown urban-forest dweller.
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Fuel From the Forest
Can bioenergy technology combined with innovations in finance fuel forest restoration in the Tahoe National Forest?
A new project in the North Yuba Forest is developing a local economy built on wood and other biomass clogging the forest.
Out of the Woods
Could biomass technology help reduce megafires and build a wood-products market in California?
The process of turning wood waste into fuel not only
represents a breakthrough in the biofuels industry, but also
helps to create more resilient forests that can better
withstand wildfire.
How the Port of Stockton Connects the Central Valley to the World
Kirk DeJesus, the new director of the Port of Stockton, is aware that most people, even neighbors in the Bay Area and the Capital Region, don’t know anything about his deepwater port.
The Herb Column: CBD Is for Cats, Birds and Dogs
Pets and their people are finding relief from anxiety and other ailments
The compound, which is available in the form of tinctures and chewable treats, is being used to treat a variety of issues, including anxiety, pain and seizures.
Smoother Ride Ahead
Sacramento International Airport has found ways to avoid a financial fiasco despite a huge drop in passengers due to the pandemic
The SMF Master Plan 2020 Update envisions significant continued growth for the airport.
The Herb Column: Cannabis Dispensaries vs. Opioid Overdoses
UC Davis professor Greta Hsu on her groundbreaking study about cannabis availability and opioid-related mortality
The study’s findings show that as the number of dispensaries increase, the number of opioid deaths drop.
Fleet of the Future
The City of Sacramento moves its municipal vehicles toward sustainability
Sacramento is working to turn its fleet into a model of municipal sustainability with electric vehicles, a software-and-hardware suite to monitor efficiency, and more.
The Herb Column: Living Earth
For cannabis farmers in the regenerative agriculture movement, it’s all about the soil
Small cannabis farmers are contributing to the regenerative agriculture movement by cultivating polycultures rather than growing just one crop.
The Herb Column: Keeping on Track
A conversation with Davina Smith, manager of the City of Sacramento Office of Cannabis Management
Davina Smith hopes to help set the course for the department’s future.
The Herb Column: A ‘Heart-Centered’ Approach
The CEO of a Sacramento cannabis-products manufacturing company on how she is positioned for growth
Khemia Manufacturing’s Mindy Galloway says her company is almost halfway through a $1 million seed funding round.
Delta Blues
The battle over water has been fought to a standstill, but there’s hope that science and technology will make voluntary agreements by all sides possible
For decades, the California water debate revolved around one metric: unimpeded flow, which is the amount of water in the river and streams. While flow is still without doubt the key issue, it is no longer the only one.
The Herb Column: Microdosing Against COVID-19
Cannabis users are switching products and how they use them, dispensary owners say
In this time of enforced boredom laced with extraordinary stress, many people in the Capital Region are turning to cannabis for relief from both.
The Herb Column: High Hopes in El Dorado County
The passage of five ballot measures in 2018 could lead to a thriving legal marijuana industry
Many local leaders and members of the commercial cannabis community are still optimistic about the November 2018 passage of five ballot measures in El Dorado County that lay the groundwork for a fully legalized and regulated cannabis industry.
Making Connections
As more people move farther out, options are in the works to ease their commutes
Stitching together rural and suburban areas from near the Delta to the foothills, Grant Line Road and White Rock Road connect the area’s past and future.
The Herb Column: SMUD Sees Green Energy
Sacramento’s municipal power company is helping cannabis-growing customers be more energy efficient
SMUD is exploring ways to meet increased energy demands where cannabis cultivation operations are concentrated.
Comstock’s Talks: The Transportation Revolution
PODCAST: How we get around is rapidly evolving, and more change is coming. Several public and private sector partnerships are helping to position the Capital Region as a leader in the new mobility revolution.
The Transportation Revolution
How we get around is rapidly evolving, and more change is coming
Several public and private sector partnerships are helping to position the Capital Region as a leader in the new mobility revolution.
Part of this month’s Innovation issue
GIG City
Electrify America and GIG Car Share team up to promote more use of electric vehicles
The nation’s only fleet of “floating” electric car-share vehicles is the newest evidence of a transportation revolution taking off in Sacramento. GIG is one piece of a combined effort by the city, SMUD, and many other players to make the region the leader of the new-mobility revolution.
Marketing for Mobility
SMUD CEO Arlen Orchard envisions new center making the region a major player in the transportation revolution
A group of public and private sector leaders in Sacramento are working to craft a protocol for self-driving vehicles that could be replicated in other municipalities across the country.