In the early morning of Monday, October 13, 2008 Dorothy Green passed away after a 30-year battle with melanoma. Dorothy, who was 79 years old, was a dear friend of the Planning and Conservation League (PCL) and was our longest serving board member.  We miss her already.

Though many know her because of her creation of the non-profit Heal the Bay, she was a steadfast supporter of PCL.  Dave Hirsch, current PCL Foundation President and long-time friend of Dorothy's, recalls that she "was often in a leadership role on the PCL Board and was a dedicated Southern California Vice President for the League."  Dorothy always brought a new view, especially those on water issues, to the forefront of the discussion.  Her local work on water issues seamlessly intertwined with PCL's water policy work at the statewide level.

"Not only could she deal with the details of legislation or initiatives, but her lasting legacy will be the inspiration she provided to future water leaders," says Jonas Minton,  PCL Water Policy Advisor.

Dorothy was one in a million - she was clever, caring and charming. She never missed an opportunity to mention water issues in California.  In fact, just last week, she had an OpEd published in the Los Angeles Times on water issues. Even while in hospice care, she worked tirelessly to make the world a better place as the LA Times noted in its front page article (today).

At the January 2007 Symposium, Dorothy received the Carla Bard Award for Individual Achievement for her extensive leadership in California water policy. Her persistent devotion, energy, and commitment to improving the world in which we all live and share is truly an example of how one person can make a tremendous and lasting difference.

In October 2007, she wrote a book Managing Water: Avoiding Crisis in California, published by UC Press that was featured at the 2008 PCL and PCL Foundation Symposium.  To our delight she allowed us to showcase her book and offer a book signing for attendees.  The book describes how the current system works (or doesn't work) and discusses the issues that face elected officials, water and resource managers, and the general public. Using the Los Angeles area as a microcosm of the state, Dorothy gathered detailed information on its water systems and applied the lessons learned from this data statewide.

In addition to serving on the PCL Board, Dorothy had many significant accomplishments through out her life, including:

•    Founding the Heal the Bay,
•    Founding the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council,
•    Founding the California Water Impact Network (C-WIN),
•    Campaigning for the passage of Prop. 20, which created the California Coastal Commission, and
•    Establishing the Public Officials for Water and Environmental Reform (POWER).

Dorothy was a class act and though her friends and colleagues in the environmental and water community will miss her dearly - we all know her legacy will live on.  In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to Heal the Bay, the Los Angeles and San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council or California Water Impact Network.  Learn more about Dorothy's life by reading an LA Times article published today.

---

A public memorial service will be held Thursday, October 16, 2008 at 2 p.m. at Mount Sinai Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles.

Mount Sinai Hollywood Hills
5950 Forest Lawn Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90068
(800) 600-0076
(323) 469-6000

From the San Fernando Valley:
East on the Ventura Freeway (101) to the Pasadena Freeway (134) east. Exit at Forest Lawn Drive, proceed 1/4 mile.

From Los Angeles:
North on the Hollywood Freeway (101), exit at Barham. Turn right on Barham and proceed to Forest Lawn Drive. Turn right and continue 1 1/4 miles.

From 405 Freeway:
North or south on the San Diego Freeway (405), to the Ventura Freeway (101) east. Continue to the Pasadena Freeway (134) east. Exit at Forest Lawn Drive, proceed 1/4 mile.