Arcata and nearby residents will have the chance this Wednesday evening to support a big win for local climate action.
Arcata’s City Council will meet on Zoom at 6 PM. Their agenda includes this mildly worded but important item:
It is recommended that the Council provide staff direction regarding potential building Energy Reach Code types for new building electrification.
Mayor Michael Winkler has proposed banning natural gas in new buildings in Arcata!
It’s vital that 350 Humboldt members, especially those living in Arcata, contact the City Council to support action to get the gas out of new buildings. You can email the Council members at: [email protected]
Please try to attend the meeting and speak in support of getting natural gas out of new buildings. Use this link: https://zoom.us/j/94554571769#success
Either way, remind Council members that eliminating natural gas in new buildings has been a City goal and should be acted on. Thank Mayor Winkler for his steady leadership on tackling climate change and for bringing this to the agenda.
Why is this a good thing for Arcata? For one thing, it saves money. Lifetime expenses of all-electric houses run $130 to $540 less per year compared to houses using natural gas (according to the Natural Resources Defense Council). It’s also a vital start toward reducing the 12% share of our county’s Greenhouse emissions that come from natural gas used in buildings.
Over the past couple of years, two dozen California cities and counties have said “NO” to natural gas in new buildings. Let’s add Arcata to that list, this Wednesday, November 16, at 6 PM!