California voters will decide the fate of two ballot measures that say they would promote alternative energy production in the state. But a long-time solar advocate says for both issues, appearances can be misleading.

Gary Gerber, President and CEO of Sun Light & Power, has been a life long advocate for solar power. But he is opposed to Proposition 7 on next week's California ballot.

Proposition 7 sets a statewide goal of making California 50% energy efficient by 2025. However, it is opposed by a wide range of  stakeholders , from PG&E to the Sierra Club. Proposition 7  is mainly supported by Peter Sperling who has donated over $7 million dollars, becoming the biggest contributor. To read the complete proposition, click here.

Proposition 10 is another measure about alternative energy. To view the website that supports Prop 10, click here.

Opposition to Prop 10 says the new law would cost Californians heavily, but not decrease the use of fuel.

Alternatives to technologies that depend on fossil fuels are all around us, modeled in the natural world, and studied in the new field of bio-mimicry.

Janine Benyus, author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, is founder of The Biomimicry Institute, whose mission is to nurture and grow a global community of people, who are learning from, emulating, and conserving life's genius to create a healthier, more sustainable planet. 

As one delves deeper into biomimicry, Benyus says there are three levels of analysis:

There are instances of complex natural processes that could be adapted for human use all over the planet, Benyus says. African ant mounds are just one interesting example of what is being called "enabling technology."

SMIT GROW is an example of biomimicry. By creating solar panels in the shape of leaves, to gather energy from the sun and wind. Find out more here.

When you look at the global ecosystem, Benyus explains, humans as a species are akin to weeds, gobbling up resources with scant thought for their long-term presence where they have taken root.

Janine Benysus will be a keynote speaker at the annual Bioneers Conference, October 16^th-20^th, at the Marin Center in San Rafael. For more information, click here. There is a full roster of presenters here , and a detailed conference schedule here.

Is believing in gods harmful to humankind? Sunsara Taylor believes it is.

Throughout human history cultures around the globe have developed complex systems of gods and religion. But Taylor questions the idea that these beliefs grow out of an innate aspect of human nature.

You can read an excerpt from Away With All Gods here. Or scan the table of Contents here .

From the author's website: Bob Avakian is the leader of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA, and he is more than that. He's an innovative and critical thinker who has taken Marxism to a new place; he's a provocative commentator on everything from basketball to religion, doo-wop music to science; and he's a pit-bull fighter against oppression who's kept both his solemn sense of purpose and his irrepressible sense of humor.

Noise pollution from big ships is a growing problem under the sea along the California coast, especially for the whales who share the sea lanes.

 Seaflow, a nonprofit organization that works to protect marine life, is advocating for ships to reduce speed once entering the marine sanctuaries.

To view the website of Seaflow, click here .

To read about the Marine Mammal Protection Act, click here.