David Kagon wrote me a letter critical of the Sierra Club for reminding Malibu voters that the club has endorsed Roy van de Hoek for City Council and critical of the fact that we recommend a “yes” vote for Measure P. David Kagon, I am sure, is a good man. Measure N, which he supports, is an attempt to fool the voters of Malibu.
Sierra Club’s history of land-use battles is long and we’ve learned from those efforts. One such lesson is to watch for and denounce “greenwashing” – an effort made by polluters and resource destroyers that effectively deceives the public by claiming to be environmentally sensitive, and neglecting to tell about the damage to be done.
Malibu has a prime example of greenwashing in its midst. Mr. Kagon
expressed surprise at the recent Malibu Township Council forum when someone showed him a flier mailed from The Malibu Bay Company that asked voters to support “Measure N” and vote “No on P.” Now that Mr. Kagon has been informed of the distinction between the two measures by the developers’ own admission that they favor Measure N, perhaps he and other well-intentioned community members, who have apparently not understood all of the ramifications of this measure, will appreciate the club’s rigorous election review process.
Malibu is a built-out community. Pacific Coast Highway is maxed out. Prop N would develop Malibu in chunks of 29.9 acres at a time. It is a small wonder the developers support Prop N and oppose citizens right to vote on urban sprawl developments of less than 30 acres.
The Malibu Bay Company proposed development would destroy wetland resources and preclude wildlife restoration potential at Malibu and Trancas Lagoons. Having surfed Malibu for years, I know there are few more urgent environmental goals than cleaning up Malibu Lagoon’s contamination and preventing more pavement in Malibu Creek’s watershed. Proposed development includes pavement, roofs and other impervious surfaces, which creates urban run off, making it tougher to clean up the Lagoon.
One reason Sierra Club involves itself in election campaigns is that it is often difficult for our members to discern whether or not a particular campaign issue or candidate is really the best choice for the environment. We spend a great deal of time and effort reviewing candidates’ records and sorting out the rhetoric. Measure N was placed on the ballot in response to the citizens’ initiative – Measure P. Measure P provides the only real protection for Malibu’s fragile environment. Likewise, Roy van de Hoek, a scientist and environmental educator with plenty of credentials apparently not known by Mr. Kagon, is the only candidate for Malibu City Council that will provide the citizenry with the watchdogging needed when development pressures are so intense.
Gordon LaBedz, M.D.
Chair, Sierra Club Angeles Chapter