Image by Sepp photographyOpinion – Climate change has clear causes and proven solutions but California’s investments in them are inadequate. Unless we square our investment with the scope of the challenge, the lives we build face dire but preventable risk.
Image by Deemerwha studioOPINION – While there’s no quick fix for the climate crisis, there is now solid scientific consensus that restoring the world’s forests is the fastest and most efficient way to capture enough carbon to meet the Paris Climate Accord goals by 2030.
California Aqueduct near Palmdale. Image by Angel DiBilio OPINION – As state and local water managers grapple with the many challenges brought on by climate change, the needs of Black, Brown, and disadvantaged communities cannot be ignored as it relates to access to water.
Image by Africa StudioOPINION – At a time when household energy costs are soaring in California, Passive House keeps heating and cooling bills far below average—and often eliminates them altogether.
Image by Jacob LundOPINION – The Orange County Sustainability Decathlon (OCSD) is a new state-sponsored competition, courtesy State Senator Dave Min, which challenges college students to build housing units that address the climate crisis (as well as workforce development, homelessness, and affordable housing).
Image by StokketeOPINION – California’s ambitious program to reduce the amount of methane gas produced by organic waste is a powerful example of how individuals, local governments, and business can work together to protect the planet for our children and grandchildren, all while creating jobs and investment in our communities.
Climate education, image by LightspringOPINION – People need to be convinced that a future in which their cars, houses, stoves, and garden equipment run on electricity – and that they will need to live sustainably – will not mean a decline in their quality of life. That’s why California should mandate climate change education in grades K-12 right now.
Clean energy, image by ideadesignOPINION – Even as California has made great strides and raised the bar on climate action, it has not adequately planned for our long-term energy needs. Now we are at a turning point. We need a plan to reach the state’s new clean energy targets of 90 percent by 2035 and 95 percent by 2040 on the road to 100 percent by 2045.
Tracking emissions, image by Travel maniaOPINION – A new proposal nearing passage in the Legislature threatens the delicate balance of consensus between environmentalists and the business community. Senate Bill SB 253 would place significant new burdens on businesses – including medium and small businesses – without removing a single molecule of carbon dioxide or other climate pollutants from the atmosphere.
The need for climate action, image by ShutterstockOPINION – As we experience more extreme heat, droughts, water scarcity, and intense wildfires, California’s role as a climate leader for the nation and world is called into question. Our state legislature and Governor Newsom must now pass key climate bills to reduce emissions at the sources, hold polluters accountable for their climate impact, and support climate resiliency in frontline communities.