Sacramento’s top polluter is traffic. So why does the county’s climate plan create more?

By The Sacramento Bee Editorial Board | October 05, 2021 | The Sacramento Bee

While it remains to be seen what promises will be made — and likely broken — at the 26th annual UN Climate Change Conference in Scotland next month, you need not travel to Glasgow to see climate denialism in action. Sacramento County has that well in hand.
The latest version of the county’s Climate Action Plan, set to go before the Planning Commission and then the Board of Supervisors after public comment ends Friday, simply doesn’t live up to its name. Representatives of local environmental groups such as 350 Sacramento, the Environmental Council of Sacramento and the Citizens Climate Lobby of Sacramento say the long-awaited document falls far short of promises made more than 10 years ago.

Click here to read the article in full.

Local Transition to Zero Emission Vehicles – Join Us Oct 7

ECOS TAQCC Committee, Thursday Oct. 7th

Please join ECOS’ Transportation, Air Quality & Climate Change (TAQCC) Committee for its regular monthly meeting, on Thursday, October 7th. Details about joining this meeting using “Zoom” are provided below.

A four-agency partnership in the Sacramento Area is moving forward on a transition to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the region, based on the need to improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gases, abate exposure to toxics, adapt to a warming planet, and promote efficient mobility. The four agencies have been working together to create a regional ZEV Deployment Strategy to help address these environmental concerns especially in under-resourced communities. Raef Porter (Program Manager, Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District) will describe this nearly $1 billion initiative, and Jofil Borja from Sacramento Regional Transit will provide details about SacRT’s program to convert its bus fleet to ZEVs — a major component of the ZEV deployment strategy. The other two members of the partnership are SACOG and SMUD.

The balance of the meeting will be devoted to updates on other active issues, such as deployment of neighborhood air quality monitors, Sacramento County Climate Action Plan, Climate Emergency Declarations, the proposed expansion of the CapCity bridge over the American River, and other topics raised by attendees.

When: Thursday, October 7th, 2021 at 6 pm
Where: Videoconference, hosted by Zoom
Link to join TAQCC Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85805612058
To phone in: 1-669 900 6833, Meeting ID: 858 0561 2058

Discussion re Fully Sustainable Communities in Sacramento Area – Sept 13

On Monday, September 13, 2021, from 6:00 – 7:30 pm, join the ECOS Land Use committee for

A Discussion About Plans for Fully Sustainable Communities in the Sacramento Area

with:

Kathleen Ave, Senior Climate Program Manager; Chair, Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative

and

Greg Taylor, City of Sacramento Architect, Sacramento Valley Station Project Manager

(a) Join Zoom Meeting by computer or smartphone:
Click on, or copy and paste into browser: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/543524123
Meeting ID: 543 524 123

(b) Join Zoom Meeting by telephone:
Dial: 669 900 6833
Meeting ID: 543 524 123

ECOS Land Use Committee Meeting Agenda
Monday, September 13, 2021
6:00 – 7:30 pm

6:00 p.m. – Welcome, Introductions, Updates
6:10 p.m. – ECOS happenings (Alexandra Reagan)
6:15 p.m. – Discussion About Plans for Fully Sustainable Communities in Sacramento Area
Kathleen Ave, Senior Climate Program Manager; Chair, Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative
Greg Taylor, City of Sacramento Architect, Sacramento Valley Station Project Manager
7:15 p.m. – Project database Review (Co-Chair Robert Meagher)
7:30 p.m. – Adjourn

Photo by KoolShooters from Pexels

Final Sac County Climate Action Plan Released

September 7, 2021

After years of work and multiple rounds of public review and comment, the final draft of the Sacramento County Climate Action Plan (CAP) has been released! This final draft will be available for public review for a period of 30 days before moving on for approval and implementation. Public comments will be accepted through Oct. 8, 2021.
https://www.saccounty.net/news/latest-news/Pages/Final-Draft-of-Climate-Action-Plan-Released.aspx

Click here for more info.

Caldor Fire: Sept 1 Update

Firefighters ‘lucked out’ with lighter winds, gain in fight to save South Lake Tahoe

By Staff (ABC10), Associated Press | September 1, 2021 | ABC 10

South Lake Tahoe launched an evacuation resources page for evacuees on Wednesday. The site includes information on shelters, where evacuees can go to get their mail, discounted hotels, transportation options, and more.
…
The National Weather Service warns critical weather conditions through Wednesday could include extremely low humidity, dry fuel, and gusts up to 30 mph.

Click here for current information on Caldor Fire evacuations, road closures and updates from ABC 10 News.

Photo by skeeze (pixabay.com)

Renowned Climate Scientist Dr. Katherine Hayhoe – Sept 10, 3pm

Walking the Path

Save the Date! September 10, 3:00-4:00pm (Pacific), via Zoom Webinar

A thought-provoking afternoon with renowned Climate Scientist Dr. Katherine Hayhoe: Welcoming all Faith and Environmental Organizations to a frank discussion about what we can do about Climate Change on a local and global level.

California State University at Sacramento (CSUS) and the Renaissance Society, in collaboration with diverse educational, environmental and faith-based organizations in the Sacramento region, is proud to announce an exciting presentation by Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, one of the most renowned climate scientists of our time and a riveting speaker. In addition to being a world-class scientist, Dr. Hayhoe is a deeply religious person who strongly encourages members of all faiths to participate in stewarding our planet. She is an atmospheric scientist and the Political Science Endowed Professor in Public Policy at Texas Tech University, where she is Director of their Climate Science Center. She is also the founder and CEO of the scientific firm “ATMOS Research”, where they bridge the gap between scientists and stakeholders to provide relevant, state-of-the-art information on how climate change will affect our lives. This year, Dr. Hayhoe teamed up with Potential Energy, a nonprofit marketing firm, to launch Science Moms, a $10 million campaign to educate and empower mothers to do something about climate change. She also co-wrote A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions, a book that untangles this complex science and tackles many long-held misconceptions about global warming. She is about to release another book in September entitled Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World. She argues that when it comes to changing hearts and minds, facts are only one part of the equation. We need to find shared values in order to connect our unique identities to collective action. Among Dr. Hayhoe’s numerous awards and accolades, she was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2014 and United Nations’ Champion of the Earth in 2019.