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San Franciso looking at 'bird-safe' buildings

mmmarvel

mmmarvel

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Ah, California, especially San Franciso, the ideas just flow endlessly. So here is an article talking about how the city is considering new building regs regarding glass, so as to make the buildings safer for birds.

http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/09/13/san-francisco-explores-bird-safe-building-standards/

I loved some of the comments - one person wrote, "I’ve heard caves and lean-toes are “bird friendly”. To which someone else replied, "They won’t approve a cave for occupancy, and they won’t give you a permit to build a lean-to." (Hmmm, would depend on the zoning and plans).

Someone else wrote, "The migratory birds will glide safely past the San Francisco high rises only to be chopped to smithereens by the wind mills up on the Altamont Pass. You gotta love green!"

And finally someone wrote, "Really? I mean really? What won’t the People’s Republic of California think of next? I bet fish bump their widdle heads on the supports for bridges. You going to legislate hovering bridges next?"

Ahhh, California, a different place indeed!!!!
 
It did not originate in the People’s Republic of California

http://www.nycaudubon.org/home/BirdSafeBuildingGuidelines.pdf

http://www.nycaudubon.org/home/BSBGuidelines.shtml

Bird-Safe Building Guidelines

New York City Audubon has just published (october 26, 2006) Bird-Safe Building Guidelines, a 55-page manual for architects, landscape designers, engineers, glass technicians, developers, building managers, city, state, and federal officials, and the general public. It reveals the magnitude of bird-collisions with glass and describes the conditions that cause these deadly collisions. Bird-safety in buildings is integral to the “green” sustainable building movement, and the guidelines suggest strategies that complement the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating system. The guidelines also suggest ways to retrofit existing buildings. NYC Audubon’s Bird-Safe Building Guidelines are an important resource for all people in the building and design industries as well as policy makers.
 
OMG.......thank goodness this stuff originates on the coasts and it takes years and years for it to work it's way in.......if ever.
 
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And you know Mark, the fact that you were the person who knew all this does not really surprise me in the least. Some day I'd really like to meet you.
 
mmmarvel said:
Ah, California, especially San Franciso, the ideas just flow endlessly. So here is an article talking about how the city is considering new building regs regarding glass, so as to make the buildings safer for birds.http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/09/13/san-francisco-explores-bird-safe-building-standards/

I loved some of the comments - one person wrote, "I’ve heard caves and lean-toes are “bird friendly”. To which someone else replied, "They won’t approve a cave for occupancy, and they won’t give you a permit to build a lean-to." (Hmmm, would depend on the zoning and plans).

Someone else wrote, "The migratory birds will glide safely past the San Francisco high rises only to be chopped to smithereens by the wind mills up on the Altamont Pass. You gotta love green!"

And finally someone wrote, "Really? I mean really? What won’t the People’s Republic of California think of next? I bet fish bump their widdle heads on the supports for bridges. You going to legislate hovering bridges next?"

Ahhh, California, a different place indeed!!!!
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Wouldn't caves, and some lean-toos, fall under existing structures?
 
fatboy said:
OMG.......thank goodnees this stuff originates on the coasts and it takes years and years for it to work it's way in.......if ever.
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Are you suggesting that building codes migrate?
 
"Are you suggesting that building codes migrate?"

Not necessarily, more that trends, fads, ideas do. But, the same might be said for codes.
 
If they want to get serious about saving birds they should outlaw BB guns and cats. When I was a kid living in Illinois, birds in the thousands would roost in a particular pair of trees every year. One year, the homeowner lined the ground with bushel baskets and went to work with a shotgun. I got a quarter for picking up the ones that missed the basket and killing the wounded. That was big money to a six year old. Imagine if that happened today. The homeowner would be in jail ...... the kid would get five dollars and mental health counseling.

Edit: Maybe I shouldn't have posted this. A few of you already think I need counseling. Yup, me and Ozzie need counseling.
 
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ICE said:
If they want to get serious about saving birds they should outlaw BB guns and cats. When I was a kid living in Illinois, birds in the thousands would roost in a particular pair of trees every year. One year, the homeowner lined the ground with bushel baskets and went to work with a shotgun. I got a quarter for picking up the ones that missed the basket and killing the wounded. That was big money to a six year old. Imagine if that happened today. The homeowner would be in jail ...... the kid would get five dollars and mental health counseling.Edit: Maybe I shouldn't have posted you this. A few of you already think I need counseling. Yup, me and Ozzie need counseling.
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Actually I don't think that counseling would help - on the other hand, it does go a long ways at answering some questions about you :)
 
brudgers said:
What? A swallow carrying a code book?
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No. Don't be silly, a European swallow couldn't carry a code book by itself. it is too small. Calculating the average airspeed velocity of an unladen European swallow at around 25 mph, or about 11 m/s, while beating its wings an average of 7-9 times per second (and there simply isn't sufficient data to determine the velocity of any of the 47 species of African swallow) does little to counter the fact that a 5 ounce bird can not carry a 2.5 lb code book, let alone a coconut. Now two swallows, with a code book on a string....

As for a shrubbery, you should be able to find suitable shrubs at your local florist, as well as any other grasses or flowers you may want to place around them.

EDIT: And, for good measure, I suppose I should add that an average human being could never swing a herring with sufficient velocity to even get close to felling any of the variety of tree that grow in the forest of Britain
 
steveray said:
Logically......If a 30 story high rise weighs the same as a duck......
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I have read the 30 story high rise thread, and I am not altogether convinced it would float. Perhaps if it were made of small pebbles.
 
Papio Bldg Dept said:
I have read the 30 story high rise thread, and I am not altogether convinced it would float. Perhaps if it were made of small pebbles.
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I'm altogether convinced it would burn.
 
Don't confuse me; how could a 30 story wooden highrise be constructed of small pebbles?.
 
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