Cap and Trade image by WANAN YOSSINGKUMOPINION – Cap-and-trade extension discussions are heating up in the Legislature, with Governor Newsom proposing to extend the program out to 2045 in the May Revision to the state budget.
CO2 emission reduction, image by Thawatchai ChawongOPINION – The need for carbon capture and storage (CCS) in any climate change strategy is widely acknowledged, from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Lab.
Rat poison trap box container. Image by richard johnsonOPINION – Contrary to popular belief, rodents do not carry more parasites than other animals. It is worth noting however, that rats exposed to anticoagulants have significantly higher loads of Leptospira spp. infections – which can spillover to humans operating antagonistically against public health.
Kim Delfino, photo by Scott Duncan, Capitol WeeklyKim Delfino, an environmental attorney and consultant, is known for her vast knowledge of land use law, wildlife law, water law and energy law. The president of Earth Advocacy, she has led her campaigns while balancing the needs of her family (she and her husband have two adult children) and surviving breast cancer.
Metalworking CNC milling machine. Cutting fibreglass parts in modern processing technology. Image by valdisskudreOPINION – Water use in California is typically thought of in three parts: water for the environment (50%), water for agriculture (40%), and water for communities (10%) per the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC). As a result, “ag” is the sector of the economy that comes to mind first when we talk about the state’s water supply. But the rest of California’s economy also requires water. California’s manufacturers – one of the state’s largest industry sectors, accounting for 11.8% of state GDP – need water.
An illustration of the unknown road ahead. (Image: Pro-Studio, via Shutterstock)California faces many challenges now. One is the climate emergency. Another is economic recovery. Add COVID-19 positivity. That is a partial list. You get the picture. Why imagine scenarios for the Golden State over the next decade or century? We turn to Marina Gorbis.
A young inmate is escorted through a detention facility. (Photo: Thomas Andre Fure, via Shuterstock)California sought to reform its juvenile justice system by housing young people closer to their communities in facilities that are intended to replace the youth prisons run by the Department of Juvenile Justice. If Los Angeles County’s experience is any indication, making that shift is more difficult than expected.
An all-electric Nissan Leaf is seen on a freeway in Mountain View. (Photo: Sundry Photography, via Shutterstock)OPINION: A transition to electric vehicles is a bold and necessary vision. Transportation is responsible for almost half of the state’s emissions and the reason why so many of our communities breathe unhealthy air. Reducing emissions is key to mitigating the impacts of climate change and improving air quality.
Students in a classroom receiving instruction, pre-pandemic. (Photo: Monkey Business Images, via Shutterstock)OPINION: Over the past year, the need for equity has risen to the forefront of public discourse. As calls for racial equity and health equity have rightfully become more prominent, unfortunately education equity has shifted in the wrong direction. One of the most egregious acts of education inequity is seen in the fine print of AB 1316.
A landscape shot of grazing range in Central California near the foothills. (Photo: David A. Litman, via Shutterstock)OPINION: California can take significant climate actions not just in such obvious areas as energy and transportation policy, but also in policy areas that some might find unlikely. It can start with land management – an area in which past shortcomings have contributed to creating our new era of megafires.