Tag Archives: Climate Solutions

ECOS Environmental Justice Speaker Series with Dr. Aranda, May 21

Mapping Inequality: Connecting Rural Environmental Justice and Local Realities

Guest Speaker: Dr. Alfonso A. Aranda, Professor of Environmental Studies at California State University, Sacramento

2nd Meeting of our Environmental Justice Speaker Series

Thursday, May 21, 2026
5:30 PM Social/6:00 PM Event

Ralph Propper and Eugene Lee, Co-Chairs of the ECOS Climate Change Committee, invite you to the 2nd Meeting of our EJ Speaker Series:

While many environmental justice (EJ) conversations focus on urban centers, rural communities face unique and often overlooked challenges. This talk will define the core principles of EJ and demonstrate how tools like CalEnviroScreen are used to identify disproportionate burdens in our region. By connecting these broader frameworks to local issues (specifically within agricultural communities) we will explore how data and community-led research can drive local action.

Dr. Alfonso A. Aranda is an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Sacramento State and a scholar-activist dedicated to advancing environmental justice. He holds a Ph.D. in Geography from UC Davis, where his research focused on environmental health risks in farmworker and agricultural communities. As the son of farmworkers, Dr. Aranda is committed to bridging academia and community through participatory research. He leads the Knights Landing Environmental Health Project (KLEHP) and teaches courses on environmental health and justice, critical thinking, and science.

Join us in-person or via Zoom!

Location: CSUS Downtown, 304 S St., Room 104/105, Sacramento, 95811
Paid parking available. Bike parking available in the Downtown Center Parking Lot. Nearest stops: Bus 51 (9th/T) and Blue Line LRT (13th/R).

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

ECOS Climate Change Committee hosts David Mogavero, Feb 12

Feb 12, 2026 at 5 pm at the Stanford Gallery

111 I Street in Old Town Sacramento, in Pacific Rail Road building shown below. Stanford Gallery is part of CA Railroad Museum.

  • 4:45 pm snacks
  • 5:00 pm talk
  • 5:45 pm Q&A
  • 6:15 pm continue at Bear & Crown

For years, David Mogavero — renowned local architect and tireless regional land use advocate — has been at the forefront of shaping smart growth within the ECOS platform. Now, he brings his deep expertise and decades of on-the-ground experience to the spotlight. Dive into the dynamic intersection of architecture, housing, and land use policy as David unpacks the legacy of ECOS’s impact and his own journey in transforming the landscape of our region. Don’t miss this powerful seminar on policy, practice, and purpose.

  • Bus 51 — 8th and I St; Bus 88 – 4th and J St; Bus 62 – 3rd and K St
  • Gold Line LRT and Bus 30 and 38 – – Sac Valley Station
  • Car parking at Old Sacramento Garage (I Street between 2nd & 3rd)

Help us get the word out! Please share this post and the flyer with your networks!

California Energy Commission Talk, Dec 18

ECOS Climate Change Committee Meeting

Thursday, December 18, 2025
6 PM (drinks/snacks starting at 5:30)
Hybrid meeting: In-person at Mogavero Architects, 1331 T Street, Sacramento
and on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155 (copy and paste link)
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

Speaker: Gypsy Achong, Program Manager in the Efficiency Division, California Energy Commission

Topic: Gypsy will discuss Assembly Bill 130, recent updates to the Building Energy Code, and the impacts of these changes on local efforts to build green.

Major legislative changes have adversely affected the state building standards adoption process and its contribution to residential building decarbonization. This summer, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 130, which pauses new updates to the California Building Standards Code, including the Energy Code, that affect residential units until January 1, 2032. The law also limits cities and counties in adopting stricter local building codes on or after October 1, 2025. Join us to discuss this topic with Gypsy Achong, Program Manager from the California Energy Commission.

Help us get the word out!

Please share this post and the flyer with your networks!

A Conversation with SMUD — The 2030 Zero Carbon Plan 10/16/2025

ECOS Climate Change Committee – October Monthly Meeting
Join us for a conversation with Obadiah Bartholomy, Manager of SMUD’s Distributed Energy Strategy, to discuss the efforts that SMUD is making to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.

Speaker: Obadiah Bartholomy, Manager, Distributed Energy Strategy, SMUD

Date: Thursday, October 16, 2025

Time: Social Hour at 5:30 pm, Presentation at 6:00 pm

HYBRID meeting: In-person at Mogavero Architects, 1322 T. St.
And online via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155
To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155

“Climate Compass”: Elk Grove’s Plan to Implement Climate, Sustainability, & Resilience Goals – Presentation 8/21/2024

Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS) Climate Change Committee Meeting: Thursday, August 21, 2025

Featuring a special presentation on the “Climate Compass”: Elk Grove’s Plan to Implement Climate, Sustainability, & Resilience Goals

Zoom Link to join: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6656164155 | To phone in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 665 616 4155
And in-person, at Mogavero Architects, 1322 T St., Sacramento, CA

The City of Elk Grove is updating its draft climate action plan, titled the “Climate Compass”.
Intended as a roadmap for climate mitigation and adaptation, it also addresses broader sustainability and resilience efforts.

New measures are proposed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from transportation and buildings – through policies such as compact development, electric vehicle infrastructure, and building energy efficiency.

City efforts have been led by Carrie Whitlock, Elk Grove’s Long Range Planning Program Manager. She has been working on climate, sustainability, and resilience in Elk Grove since 2019. Previously, Carrie worked on climate change at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; and 20 years for the U.S. State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development, serving in Rwanda and Cambodia.

5:30 PM: Social period (join us for snacks and drinks!)
6:00 PM: Welcome and Introductions
6:10 PM: Carrie Whitlock will overview the Climate Compass and the Climate Compass Dashboard which lists the Compass actions and impacts. Compass comments are due August 15; ECOS and others have submitted comments. Carrie will share her thoughts on how the Compass may be revised in light of the comments received. State legislation calls for carbon neutrality by 2045, a goal that has been made more difficult by federal actions this year.

ECOS Letter

On August 15, 2025, ECOS submitted a letter to the City of Elk Grove regarding their Climate Action Plan, also called the Climate Compass. Click here to read the letter. Click here for the attachment to the letter.

Join the discussion and learn more about the City of Elk Grove climate plans!

After Q&A, we’ll have updates and announcements (open to all).
Updates to include recent Sacramento City & County actions on Natomas development projects.