Don Shoup on “How L.A. can fix our scary sidewalks for the Olympics” This could work in Sacramento too. September 10, 2024, LA Times

By Donald Shoup | September 10, 2024 | LA Times

Los Angeles’ broken sidewalks are like an obstacle course, especially for people with disabilities. They are bad enough to challenge the Olympic athletes who will show up in four years.

In 2016, to settle an Americans With Disabilities Act lawsuit, Los Angeles committed to spending $1.4 billion over 30 years to make its sidewalks accessible. But a 2021 audit by the Los Angeles Controller’s Office revealed that since 2016, the city had repaired less than 1% of sidewalks. During that period, the city paid more than $35 million in settlements related to sidewalk injuries.

Donald Shoup is a distinguished research professor in urban planning at UCLA.

Click here to read the article in full.

ECOS Climate Committee meeting, Oct 17, 2024

Topics: Air Pollution in Minority Communities; and SACOG Update

Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

6:00 PM: Welcome and Introductions

6:10 PM: Need to reduce air pollution in minority communities – presented by Álvaro Alvarado, Cal/EPA’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment

Álvaro will present his recently published findings (in collaboration with UC Berkeley) that Californians are breathing far less pollution from vehicles than we were 25 years ago. Exposure to fine particulate matter from traffic has dropped by 65%. Communities of color and low-income communities have seen the biggest improvements. The largest reductions in air pollution levels over the past two decades happened in Black, Hispanic, and Asian communities. However, they are still exposed to higher levels than white Californians – a relative gap that did not change much. Álvaro’s branch produces CalEnviroScreen maps, which help identify communities burdened by pollution.

7:00 PM: Work in progress at Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) – presented by Kacey Lizon, SACOG Deputy Director for Planning & Programs

Kacey will present the status of “Green Means Go”, their 2025 “Blueprint”, and their upcoming regional monitoring report. Green Means Go is a State-funded program to increase the capacity of storm, water, and sewer utilities to accelerate infill housing with lower greenhouse gas emissions than housing in greenfields. The Blueprint is SACOG’s Metropolitan Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy. SACOG’s monitoring report will consist of data on transportation, land use, housing, and demographic and economic factors.

In November, we hope to continue discussions with SACOG staff on how our 6-county region can meet the State’s target for a 19% reduction in GHG from vehicles by 2035, and possible changes to Statewide legislation (e.g., SB 375 – Sustainable Communities & Climate Protection Program, and SB 743).

7:50 PM: Updates

Click to view a PDF of this agenda.

Rancho Cordova General Plan community workshop, October 15, 2024

Tuesday, October 15, 2024
5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

With new housing, evolving business needs, and changing transportation habits, it’s time to prepare for the future. What will the next 20 years bring for Rancho Cordova amidst state and regional trends? How will new technologies reshape lives?

Attend the first in-person community workshop for the Rancho Cordova General Plan Update. City staff and the project team will be sharing information on the overall process and objectives for this important document that will guide the City’s growth and development over the next 25 years.

Click here to learn more.

Environmentalist of the Year Awards, October 26, 2024

Saturday, October 26, 2024, 5:00pm
Camp Pollock, 1501 Northgate Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95815

Please join us at the Environmentalist of the Year Awards to celebrate and be inspired on Saturday, October 26, 2024 at Camp Pollock. Network, have dinner, and enjoy a walk by the river on a glowing October evening.

ECOS has a decades-long legacy of honoring local environmental leaders. The Environmentalist of the Year Awards allow us to recognize important work done by people in many fields to further sustainability.

More about the event

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ECOS Mtg + Board: Nature-Based Carbon Solutions & Biodiversity at SMUD, 9/25/2024

Wednesday, September 25, 2024
6:00 pm Featured Presentation by Kathleen Ave of SMUD
7:00 pm ECOS Board Meeting

Kathleen Ave
Sr. Climate & Ecosystem Strategist, Zero Carbon Energy Solutions
Emeritus Chair, Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Power in Pollinators Initiative

Kathleen Ave will provide an overview of SMUD’s activities, then launch into a discussion of SMUD’s Carbon and Biodiversity programs. She will share existing and emerging efforts to improve biodiversity at SMUD projects, facilities and along transmission lines, and will discuss a conceptual plan for a Regional Biodiversity Index.

Click here to view the agenda.

Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

Climate Justice Festival 10/5/2024

Join us at the 5th Annual Sacramento Climate Justice Festival happening on Saturday, October 5th from 10 am to 2 pm at McClatchy Park in coordination with the Oak Park Market and Sacramento Food Literacy Center. The address for the festival is 3500 5th Ave, Sacramento.

There will be lots of fun events happening on the day of the festival:

  • Inspiring talks from wide variety of community members
  • Musical groups with performances by Star Crossed Lovers, Solidarity, AJAX, Taste like TV static, etc
  • We have over ten children’s activities that include a bubble center, nature scent identification game, nature art, tactile nature game, coloring table, making paper butterflies, etc
  • Climate justice obstacle course-steer your way around the natural disasters, go through the tunnel of misinformation, bowl down plastic bottles, plant a tree, etc. to the finish line.
  • Seed planting
  • Nature photo contest/display-so submit your beautiful photos of nature in Sacramento by the end of the week to enter the contest and see the beautiful nature photos from around the Sac area at the festival. Nature photos are due today at 5PM on Sunday.
  • Vegetarian Chili Cook-off: we are still looking for a few more entries.-please consider participating.
  • “Trashion” Fashion Show at noon on the day of the festival. Take your trash and create a fun garment to put on at the festival and you might be a Trashion Fashion winner.
  • Community environmental talks: why electrify, native plant presentation, cool tips of how sustainability practices in your home saves you money, etc
  • Over 30+ vendors
  • Sacramento electric vehicles will be on display to ask questions to actual owners
  • Poetry readings
  • Dancing fun
  • Opportunity to drop off old pens and batteries to be recycled at the festival