David Smernoff, Olya Milenkaya, Mark Bult, and Talia Stoessel

Oh, how I do love to collect photos. I've undoubtedly got hundreds, maybe thousands of photos from my BAA days, mostly taken in the pre-digital days. Here are three that I scanned a while ago, part of an ongoing effort to make digital copies of all my print photos so I can store them offsite in case I ever suffer a fire or flood at home.



I had this photo with a bunch of others on my desk and someone saw it and asked "Who's this gentleman?" And I said, "That's not a gentleman, that's David Smernoff."

David Smernoff and a bear, that is. I used to have this one on my desk when I worked at Acterra, and David just loooved that. He was my boss at the time.

Good thing he's got a sense of humor. Well, he'd have to, right? Look at the picture for evidence.

I think this was around 1996, on the way to Nevada Beach. A group of BAA members went on a vacation/mountain bike trek near South Lake Tahoe. Photo by Mark Bult.



Velma Gentzsch took this shot of Olya Milenkaya and myself enjoying homemade fondue at Velma's house. Circa 2003 or '04.



Talia Stoessel was part of the High Schools Group after BAA moved to Mounatin View. This was in 2000 I believe, and Talia used to help Olya a lot in the office after school. I haven't seen her in years, but she went on to UC Santa Cruz and I heard she's doing well these days. Photo by Mark Bult.

Welcome

From 1990 to 2000, Bay Area Action (commonly known as BAA) was one of the region’s most effective and respected environmental groups.

The people of BAA accomplished a lot in ten short years, from helping to save Bair Island to ensuring the success of Earth Day year after year. And there was so much more.

In 2000, with the merger of Bay Area Action and the Peninsula Conservation Center Foundation, BAA ceased to exist as we knew it.

I created this new site to serve as a historical archive. To recognize the important contributions of hundreds of dedicated members, and the organization they loved.

Welcome. Please feel free to post comments, send photos, share stories and memories.



Pictured: Three of BAA's founders — David Coale, Peter Drekmeier, and David Smernoff — at the BAA Moffett House. Photo by Mark Bult.