Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Planning Is in the Air
Join Bay Area Air Quality Management District officials at a summit on Saturday, February 16 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and learn about a community air monitoring plan intended to improve air quality in Richmond and San Pablo. The Air District’s efforts are part of the agency’s Community Health Protection Program that was established to implement Assembly Bill 617, passed in 2017 to help communities disproportionately affected by air pollution. Data collected from monitoring plans will inform future community-based emissions reduction plans. RSVPs for the summit are encouraged to help organizers plan for lunch and child care.
Fare Play
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) board members and public transit officials will meet Friday, February 8 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. for a fare policy integration seminar. The agenda includes a “Why Look at Fares?” discussion and a presentation entitled “Beyond the Bay: the Case for Fare Integration in Toronto” by Martin Powell, based on his experience at Metrolinx, an agency of the Government of Ontario. No actions will be taken; the meeting is an opportunity for local transit officials and operators to develop a vision for fare integration in the region, said John Goodwin, MTC spokesperson. Public comments will be welcomed toward the seminar’s conclusion. View the agenda and meeting location.
A Course of Action
Last month, a new “Hacking4Local” class started at UC Berkeley, with the syllabus challenging 25 students to help solve the Bay Area’s housing shortage, prevent wildfires, and slow climate change, according to a San Jose Mercury News article. Working in teams, students will devise solutions that are tech-focused, propose a city regulation change, or call out other road blocks. Beyond the potential to earn an “A” for brainstorming practical solutions, there’s the added boost that city officials could be standing by to embrace students’ recommendations. Cram to learn more about Hacking4Local.
Down to Earth
A Sierra Club program wants to inspire the next generation of environmentalists through a series of new classes. The first one, open to kids under 6 and their caregivers, is Thursday, February 14 from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. and will explore the theme “The Earth Is My Valentine.” RSVP here for this free event at the San Francisco Bay Chapter in Berkeley. More programs are planned every second and fourth Thursday this spring.
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