Last night, we went to watch the fireworks from Twin Peaks as the year turned over. It was a clear night, despite a little fog earlier on. The hill was crowded with cars and buzzing with anticipation. People jogged or walked up, including one group with something that looked like Minnie Mouse light-up bows on their heads. (We wish all walkers and joggers would make themselves so visible; there were others dressed in dark clothes in the darkness, like ninja pedestrians.)

We drove carefully through the throng of cars and people, to a place lower down and off the main Twin Peaks Boulevard where we could park out of the way…

Then it was midnight, and the city shone below us, and the Bay Bridge with its swag of lights was topped by brilliant bursts of fireworks.

And that notice we’d parked next to, in the first picture? It was a pesticide notice of course, the third we’ve seen on Twin Peaks this month. It was for the Twin Peaks twins: Glyphosate and Imazapyr, both of which we’ve written about before. (Glyphosate is the one linked to birth defects, and imazapyr the one that persists and which has a neurotoxic break down product.) Hurrah. The notice didn’t indicate any spray date or postponement date, though it was supposed to happen in a window of 12-4 to 12-9.

As more people realize how frequent and widespread pesticide use on “natural” areas is, perhaps we’ll find a reduction both in toxic pesticide use and in habitat destruction. We’re hopeful for 2012.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!