The first thing we want to highlight is Amin Younes’ presentation Exploring Renewable Energy Futures in Humboldt County, on Monday, August 9, at 7:00 p.m. on Zoom. Register here to see how we can replace fossil fuel power and what that will involve. The Humboldt Friends is the latest of five local groups to cosponsor Amin’s talk. Thanks to the Friends and our other cosponsors: the Northcoast Environmental Center, 11th Hour, Cooperation Humboldt, and the Climate Action Campaign of the Humboldt Unitarian Fellowship.
Developing local renewable electricity to cut fossil fuels is key to the strategy of Humboldt County’s budding Climate Action Plan (CAP), due to be released any day. County planner Connor McGuigan tells us that the CAP focuses on reducing local Greenhouse emissions from two major sources — cars and trucks, and housing and commercial buildings. Electrification plays a big role in cutting those emissions, so we’re eager to hear what Amin Younes has to say.
As for that CAP, it’s vital that we have a coherent map to start us on the path to a future without carbon emissions. That’s why 350 Humboldt seeks a “qualified” CAP — a term that means it is at least as strict as California’s official climate goals, and is calculated to bring emissions in the year 2030 to a point that is 40% below the level of 1990’s emissions. The advantage for the county and its cities is that compliance with the CAP can then be used as a key benchmark in the environmental review of proposed developments’ Greenhouse Gas impacts.
But we won’t get a “qualified” CAP without the support of Humboldt’s political leaders. The Board of Supervisors has unanimously supported this, in concept, and each of them should be thanked. But only two Eureka City Council members, Kati Moulton and Leslie Catellano, have stood for the “qualified” CAP, and surprisingly, not one Arcata City Council member has voiced support. Tell the Eureka and Arcata city council members that you support an aggressive local plan for climate action. And thanks to the new organization, Redwood Citizens for Climate and Environmental Responsibility (RCCER) for joining us to speak up for the CAP!
A few interesting news items we’ll share:
While we support renewable energy, this New York Times article exposes the gap in employee pay that’s common between renewable and fossil fuel energy projects;
In a summer when weather disasters have become daily news some of us go talk to our elected officials, while others go to … Survivalism Camp?
And from the department of “It may not taste like much but it gets you there”…
…The whisky company Glenfiddich is cutting its carbon footprint by powering its truck fleet with biogas produced from grain waste. (Biogas is among the strategies the CAP proposes to reduce Humboldt’s truck footprint.)
And if you have some time, Eureka’s Planning Commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. this Thursday, live at City Hall, for a Study Session on the Bay to Zoo Trail. Join the commissioners to speak up for more non-vehicle transportation.
Thanks for all you do for the climate,
Pat Carr for 350 Humboldt