1) In 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco officially opened to the public, becoming an instant icon and a symbol of American engineering prowess. The suspension bridge spans 1.7 miles and took four years to build, at a cost of $35 million.

2) In 1996, a small group of activists founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) in San Francisco with the mission of defending civil liberties and promoting online freedom. The EFF has since become a leading voice in the fight for digital privacy, free speech, and open access to information.

3) In 2003, the California Energy Commission approved a landmark set of energy efficiency standards for residential buildings, including new requirements for insulation, windows, and appliances. The standards were designed to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and have since been adopted by many other states and countries.

4) In 2015, a devastating oil spill occurred off the coast of Santa Barbara, when a pipeline owned by Plains All American leaked more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil into the ocean. The spill killed hundreds of birds and marine mammals, and caused significant environmental damage.

5) In 2019, California became the first state in the country to require all new homes to be built with solar panels, starting in 2020. The requirement is part of the state's ambitious goal of achieving 100% clean energy by 2045, and is expected to help reduce carbon emissions and energy costs for homeowners.