Visit us on the web! You'll find case studies, issues of the month, workshop materials, archived newsletters and updates on local government activities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Contra Costa County
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Join Our Mailing list!
info@cccclimateleaders.org
Contact us:
925.631.0597
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The 4CL Program offers:
Quarterly workshops for education and networking opportunities
Monthly newsletters for environmental updates, pertinent local information, and interesting upcoming events
Ongoing website containing the CCC city environmental developments, archived newsletters, and other educational resources
www.cccclimateleaders.org
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Thank you to our sponsors!
PG&E
QUEST
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Newsletter Contributors:
Content:
Anne Cavazos
4CL Consultant
Carla Dowell
QuEST Contributor
Editor:
Katherine Bracken
4CL Volunteer
Contributing editors:
Lynda Deschambault
Executive Director 4CL
Newsletter articles are collected from a variety of sources and are cited via a website reference when applicable
To add content or events to our next monthly newsletter, please send an email to
info@cccclimateleaders.org
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East Bay Energy Watch (EBEW) News
Update on Contra Costa County Building Energy Benchmarking. As of November 1st, 120 buildings within Contra Costa County have been benchmarked for their energy use and account for a total of 1,597,153 square feet of building space. Benchmarking your building tracks your energy use over time and helps to identify areas where you can save money on energy and decide on capital investments. If your municipality attended one of the Benchmarking Building Energy workshops, it is qualified for benchmarking assistance from Quantum Energy Services & Technologies, Inc. (QuEST). If you have questions about whether your municipality is qualified for the benchmarking assistance or if you've taken the workshop would like to get started on energy benchmarking of your municipal building please contact Tim Bankroff timb@quest-world.com
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Funding
National Smart Growth Conference Planning - Up to $800,000
Proposal due date: November 26, 2012. EPA is seeking proposals to organize a series of national smart growth conferences over a five-year period. Each conference will be a multi-disciplinary event that focuses on diverse smart growth issues and attracts a large and varied audience. EPA will award one cooperative agreement, which will include substantial federal involvement. EPA expects to award $140,000 for Year 1 with the possibility of additional, incremental funding of up to $800,000 in total over a five-year project period. For more information, Click here.
EPA Brownfield Area-wide Planning Grant - $4 MillionApplication Due: November 30, 2012 Eligible Entities: General purpose unit of local government and others. This grant will fund projects to facilitate community involvement and conduct research, training, and technical assistance necessary to develop area-wide plans and implementation strategies to facilitate Brownfields assessment, cleanup, and subsequent reuse. For more information, see the request for proposals. USDA 2013 Urban and Community Forestry Grant - Approximately $900,000 Application Due: December 3, 2012 Eligible Entities: Any U.S. non-federal organization, operating within the US or its territories. The National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory Council is seeking innovative grants proposals for program development, research, and collaboration to address the following two strategic priority issues: proposals that demonstrate the connection between the personal benefits of urban forests and quality of life within a community through community engagement; and proposals that design an urban forestry recruitment program and retention strategies that support existing urban forestry academic curricula. For more information, see the request for proposals.
Our Town Grants-National Endowment for the Arts - Up to $200,000
Application deadline: January 14, 2013. The National Endowment for the Arts has announced the next round of Our Town grants. The grants will be invested in creative and innovative projects in which communities improve their quality of life, encourage greater creative activity, foster stronger community identity and a sense of place, and revitalize economic development. Grants ranging from $25,000 to $200,000 will be available to support creative placemaking projects. Click here for more information. |
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Local City News
Contra Costa Municipalities Participate in Solar Rooftop Challenge. The Contra Costa Economic Partnership received a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative Rooftop Solar Challenge project to help jurisdictions remove market barriers to accelerate the market adoption of solar PV by streamlining the permit process and adopt best practices. Participating jurisdictions include Antioch, Brentwood, Concord, Martinez, Oakley, Richmond, San Ramon, Walnut Creek and Contra Costa County. For more information, visit www.diabloinnovationalliance.org or contact Terry Shoaff at tshoaff@cococo.org.
Solar-Powered Streetlights for Moraga Road Crosswalks. New solar-powered streetlights will be installed as part of the High Visibility Crosswalk Improvements project on Moraga Road. Some benefits include better lighting; lower installation costs compared to conventionally powered streetlights; optimized aesthetics by adhering solar skin technology to the pole surface; and no monthly energy bills! View the Moraga Website.
Delta Diablo Sanitation District Adds Solar to Resource Recovery Portfolio. Delta Diablo Sanitation District (DDSD) in Antioch completed a 420.75 kilowatt solar project over the summer that will offset a large portion of retail energy at lower costs for the main Plant Operations Center. Wastewater treatment is one of the most energy intensive utility processes as it requires pumping and moving of domestic waste on a continuous basis to ensure public health. The DDSD solar project was made possible through a funding reservation from the California Solar Initiative Program (CSI) with an expected amount of $650,000 payable to the District over the next five years. View the Full Article.
El Cerrito Recycling and Environmental Resource Center Achieves LEED Platinum. The Center originally established in 1972 was rebuilt and reopened as a LEED-Platinum facility in 2012. The Center is unique and the range of recyclable and reuse materials it accepts and in creating a welcoming and user-friendly environment. Tours of the Center to find out how the City handles various materials and learn about the sustainable features and services offered are available on a month basis, the next one being on December 5th from 3 to 4 pm. Contact the Environmental Services Division at 510-215-4350 or green@ci.el-cerrito.ca.us
Richmond Holds Free Tree Giveaway. The City of Richmond hosted a free olive tree giveaway for all residents on October 26 thanks to a generous donation from the non-profit Self-Sustaining Communities and McEvoy Ranch. Other cities may consider holding a similar event for their residents. View the Full Article.
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Other City News
New York City Planners Developing Options to Strengthen Coastal Infrastructure. Hurricane Sandy reminded Americans not only of the importance of cooperation in times of crisis and the promise that great cities such as New York will restore themselves, but also demonstrated the vulnerability of the infrastructure s upon which they rely. The job is to figure out how to harden the United States' vital coastal infrastructure in the face of the predicted consequences of climate change. A municipal report last year suggested updating building codes and other regulations to encourage flood-proof structures. View the Full Article.
Sea Level Rising Toward Washington and Other Cities. How soon could ocean waters be lapping at Thomas Jefferson's memorial on the edge of the Washington Mall? City planners in Washington, D.C. - and in most major coastal cities around the world - are asking such questions as sea level rise, which the world's climate scientists agree is being caused by man-made global warming, accelerates. Recently, the world's climate experts have reported that global sea level rise is speeding up much faster than they expected only a few years ago. View the Full Article.
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Legislation
California Referendum Passes: $500 Million a Year for Efficiency, Clean Energy Projects. Proposition 39 (Clean Energy Jobs Act) passed 60 to 40 in the November 2012 election and closes a legislative loophole that rewarded companies for creating jobs outside of California. The new law requires out-of-state businesses to calculate their California income tax liability based on the percentage of their sales in California. Supporters expect the new law to bring more than $1 billion a year back into the state. For the first five years, half the money will fund energy efficiency and clean energy projects that could create 40,000 new green jobs in the state, and half will go to the state budget and education. View the Full Article.
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Impacts
Climate Change and Older Americans: State of the Science. Older adults make up 13% of the U.S. population, but are projected to account for 20% by 2040. Coinciding with this demographic shift, the rate of climate change is accelerating, bringing climate-related hazards. Older Americans are expected to be located in places that may be relatively more affected by climate change. This report assesses the vulnerability of older Americans to climate change and to identify opportunities for adaptation. View the Full Report.
Climate Linked to California ER visits. The risk of heading to the emergency room for certain conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, kidney disease and low blood pressure rises slightly as temperature and humidity increase, according to a new study from California. View the Full Article.
Adapting Suburbia to Face Up to Climate Change. How can we change and adapt our homes to cope with climate change? What actions can neighborhoods take to mitigate problems caused by increased heat stress and reduced comfort during hot spells, restrictions on water use, reduced air quality, and stress and costs associated with flooding and storm damage? These questions and others are addressed in a research report available on the 'Suburban neighborhood adaptation for a changing climate" SNACC web pages. View the Full Report.
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Economics
The Economic Impact of Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy's devastating effects on people and property will likely be large... The Wall Street Journal reports estimates from the disaster-modeling firm Eqecat Inc. of $10 billion to $20 billion in losses insured by private companies, plus additional losses insured by the National Flood Insurance Program as well as uninsured losses, bringing total estimated losses to $30 to $50 billion. View the Full Report. West Coast Forum Publishes Toolkit on Household Food Waste Reduction.Food is the single largest-and least recovered-waste stream in the United States. Each year, Americans throw away about one-fourth of all food purchases-at a retail value of $124 billion. The amount of food waste from households nearly equals the combined food waste from restaurants and grocers. The West Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum, an EPA-led partnership of western cities and states, is helping to address this problem by developing a comprehensive toolkit and research report on reducing food waste. Please contact Ashley Zanolli at zanolli.ashley@epa.gov or 206-553-4425 if you are interested in integrating this pilot project into one of your existing programs. The complete toolkit and research reports can be downloaded from the West Coast Forum's FTP site. Refer to Upcoming Events below for the toolkit webinar. Bicycling Brings Economic Benefits Across the Nation. Bike recreation and bicycle tourism are having a significant impact on state and local economies in the US, according to new data from the League of American Bicyclists. The League's updated report, Bicycle Means Business: The Economic Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure found that bike recreation and tourism contribute an estimated $924 million per year to Wisconsin, plus $409 million in health benefits. The study also reported that bike tourism generated $400 million for the economy of Iowa, and brought $60 million into North Carolina's Outer Banks area. View the Full Article. Energy Mapping Leads to Cost Savings.One of the most important steps in developing an integrated energy plan for municipalities as well as manufacturers is to first set clear goals for efficiency, portfolio investment return, carbon footprint, and risk reduction. Without a clear picture of how an energy plant uses - and wastes - energy, it's impossible to develop an integrated plan. ...the Sankey Diagram is still one of the best ways to visualize energy flows. View the Full Article.
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Science
How Does Climate Change Make Superstorms Like Sandy More Destructive? Climate science explains how global warming can make a superstorm like Sandy more destructive in several ways. View the Full Report.
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Upcoming Events
Workshop - Getting It Done: Jumpstarting Energy Efficiency Projects for Local Governments Thursday, November 15th, 9 am - 1 pm (lunch included), 1 pm - 3 pm *Bonus Deep-dive Financial Analysis*, City of Walnut Creek, City Hall Engineering Conference Room, 2nd Floor, 1666 North Main Street.
Do you have energy efficiency projects that you'd like to see happen, but you are not sure how to get them done? This workshop offers strategies and hands-on exercises to help you jumpstart these projects. Local government staff members and energy efficiency implementers are invited to stay for the afternoon and dive into detailed financial analysis and crafting a case for action based on the numbers. Please go to the website for more information OR contact Leah Zippert at leahz@abag.ca.gov or 510-464-7995) to register.
Webinar - Sustainable Food Management: 'Food: Too Good to Waste' November 15, 2012 from 10-11:30am PST for a national webinar on the toolkit, including initial pilot results. Learn 'first-hand' from local community stakeholders about the toolkit developed as a direct result of a community pilot titled: 'Food: Too Good to Waste'. This toolkit can be customized and used by any interested local government or community group. By viewing this webinar you will hear and learn: -How communities collaborated to develop this toolkit focusing on 5 key waste prevention behaviors to reduce wasteful household food habits - How development of this toolkit resulted in both cost savings and environmental benefits - At a retail value of $125 billion annually, Americans throw away about ¼ of all food purchases - FACT: A family of four can save more than $1,600 a year by making small changes in how they shop, prepare and store food to prevent food waste - Food is among the single largest, yet the least recovered, waste streams in the U.S. - How this toolkit is tailor-able and can be used by any interested local government or community. Register Here.
2012 San Francisco Greenbuild Conference & Expo
November 14-16, 2012 , Moscone Center, 747 Howard Street, San Francisco Greenbuild is the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building and brings together industry leaders, experts and frontline professionals dedicated to sustainable building in their everyday work, and a unique energy is sparked. The Expo features three days of inspiring speakers, invaluable networking opportunities, industry showcases, LEED workshops and tours of the host city's green buildings. Register Here Workshop - Free Regional Climate Action Engagement for Small Municipalities Thursday, December 6th, 2012, 10am-12pm, Location: Northern Bay (Exact Venue TBD) Please join the Small Cities Climate Action Partnership (ScCAP) formed by U.S. EPA and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) to exchange ideas and successful strategies to manage energy usage and reduce greenhouse gases (GHG). As the State aims to achieve a significant reduction in GHG emissions in the coming years, small municipalities are facing similar challenges related to energy and climate action planning. Acting together at a regional level, several small cities are leveraging resources, sharing best practices, and developing a collective voice in order to address California's climate policy. Workshop topics to include: * Addressing barriers and voicing concerns * Managing energy bills on a limited budget * Developing peer exchange networks * Collaborating on procurement * Applying for grants To RSVP or find out more, please contact Eun-Soo Lim, SEI: eun-soo@seiinc.org or 415.507.1430.
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