Friday, January 11th, 2013 by Geoff, Executive DirectorcloseAuthor: Geoff, Executive DirectorName: Geoffrey McQuilkin Title: Executive Director About: Geoff's goals for the Committee are: assuring Mono Lake's continuing protection, restoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, developing a permanent education program, and assuring that the strong tradition of scientific research at Mono Lake continues. A graduate of Harvard in the history of science, Geoff has worked for the Committee since 1992 and was an intern and volunteer before that. He's happy to live close to the lake with his wife Sarah and their daughters Caelen and Ellery.See All Posts by Geoffrey (105) Contact Geoffrey
David Gaines, 1947 -- January 11, 1988
Mono Lake Committee founder David Gaines was killed in a tragic wintertime car accident 25 years ago. His inspirational vision of protecting Mono Lake
for people, birds, and wildlife is being realized today.
Monday, January 7th, 2013 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
We are sad to relay the news that longtime supporter and friend to Mono Lake, Huell Howser has passed away. Huell introduced countless people to Mono Lake through his first visit with “California’s Gold” in 1992 and then again in 2008 when he returned to film another episode, “Mono Lake Today,” about the exciting restoration progress.
Huell Howser paddling at South Tufa with Mono Lake Committee Executive Director Geoffrey McQuilkin in 2008. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
It’s not uncommon for us to hear visitors say, “I first learned about Mono Lake from Huell Howser (more…)
Friday, December 28th, 2012 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
Number 4 on our Top Ten highlights list is a compendium of things that have made this year particularly memorable. One of the great things about living in the Mono Basin is that life is infused with the happenings of the natural world.
Since pictures are worth a thousand words….
Dry years can mean cold temperatures without precipitation, which makes good conditions for ice skating. We rang in the year with some seriously memorable ice skating on very-frozen lakes such as Lundy Lake Reservoir shown here. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
Thursday, December 27th, 2012 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
Monday, December 24th, 2012 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
The Committee aspen tree will draw its water from the new greywater system. Photo by Elin Ljung.
Number 8 on our Top Ten highlight list are the great strides we made toward efficiency and reducing our ecological footprint.
In February, Sierra Watershed Progressive installed a greywater system that connects the public restroom sink and our swamp cooler with the landscaping out front. It’s only the fourth commercial project in California, and this summer visitors and staff watered the trees by washing their hands!
After the busy remodel summer, we squeezed in one more project before the snow arrived: adding 33 photovoltaic solar panels to the south-facing roof of the bookstore. Sierra Solar came back to help us max out our solar panel capacity after installing 9 panels on the ice house roof back in 2010. Making use of our high-altitude, consistent sun, our 42 solar panels will help us cut our grid electricity consumption by more than 50%.
Sierra Solar staff installed 33 panels on the Committee's bookstore roof in October. Photo by Bartshe Miller.
Sunday, December 23rd, 2012 by Geoff, Executive DirectorcloseAuthor: Geoff, Executive DirectorName: Geoffrey McQuilkin Title: Executive Director About: Geoff's goals for the Committee are: assuring Mono Lake's continuing protection, restoring Mono Lake's tributary streams, developing a permanent education program, and assuring that the strong tradition of scientific research at Mono Lake continues. A graduate of Harvard in the history of science, Geoff has worked for the Committee since 1992 and was an intern and volunteer before that. He's happy to live close to the lake with his wife Sarah and their daughters Caelen and Ellery.See All Posts by Geoffrey (105) Contact Geoffrey
A view of the Mono Craters from the lake's north shore. Photo by Arya Degenhardt.
As the year draws to a close, our thoughts have turned toward 2013 and all the exciting work we’ll be doing for Mono Lake. No doubt you’ve seen many requests for year-end donations these days … please keep us in mind as you make your gifts.
Donations from members and friends are what power the Mono Lake Committee’s successful protection, restoration, education, and science programs.
Today—right now—is the perfect time to make a year-end gift to benefit Mono Lake. We make it easy to do online, plus we have fantastic limited-time thank-you gifts.
Thursday, December 20th, 2012 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
If you’ve been in the Information Center & Bookstore in the past few years you’ve seen the brine shrimp tank in the hallway. Directly on the other side of that tank is the hallway that leads to the room that Geoff McQuilkin and I call our office. In the summer we get used to the din of people checking out the brine shrimp, and in the winter it’s pretty quiet. So, yesterday my ears perked up at the sound of a small herd of snow-boot-wearing kids. It was the Lee Vining Elementary Kindergarten class paying us a visit.
I think I probably don’t need to say much more than, especially right now, it was a really heartwarming moment that I thought Mono Lake Committee members and friends would enjoy too.
Monday, December 17th, 2012 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
Looking back at 2012, it was a very good year at Mono Lake. Starting on December 22, each day we’ll count down our top ten favorites of the great things that happened this past year, so keep an eye on the Mono-logue while you’re visiting with family and nibbling on holiday cookies. It’s the season to celebrate, so raise a glass for Mono Lake!
Wednesday, November 28th, 2012 by Elin, Communications CoordinatorcloseAuthor: Elin, Communications CoordinatorName: Elin Ljung Title: Communications Coordinator About: Elin's job consists of some of her favorite things: finding typos, experimenting with layouts, and figuring out how best to communicate the Committee's work to the world. She also oversees the Field Seminar program. Elin is an EMT on the Lee Vining Fire Department, loves sitting at Latte Da Coffee Cafe immersed in a good book, and watches English Premier League football (soccer) at any opportunity.See All Posts by Elin (133) Contact Elin
The Mono Lake Committee’s 2012 Annual Report is hot off the press and available to view online!
Read about the 2011 projects and activities in our focus areas of protection, stream restoration, education, and scientific research. View the Committee’s financial (more…)
Saturday, November 17th, 2012 by Arya, Communications DirectorcloseAuthor: Arya, Communications DirectorName: Arya Degenhardt Title: Communications Director About: Arya oversees the Committee's communications program, which includes the Mono Lake Newsletter. She loves her job because she gets to share the inspiring work of the Mono Lake Committee with members and visitors alike. When she's not in the office you might find her running with her dogs Dublin and Poco, volunteering with the Lee Vining Fire Department, listening to any music with a banjo in it, or willing the plants in her garden to grow. Her favorite things to do in the Mono Basin include ice skating on nearby lakes, skiing the Mono Craters, and getting to smell the sagebrush when it rains.See All Posts by Arya (91) Contact Arya
Of all people who struggle to choose between large online retailers and small independent bookstores, I think it’s fair to say that the Mono Lake Committee staff qualifies.
The Mono Lake Committee Information Center & Bookstore is an independent bookstore that has to compete with the ebooks, infinite selections, and impossible-to-compete-against prices of online retailers like Amazon. All of our staff members work shifts in the (more…)
