Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Warmed Over
Global warming, a long-term rise in global temperatures, is just one aspect of climate change. But it is enough to chill moods when people speculate if we’re too late to have an impact. The League of Women Voters of Fremont-Newark-Union City will warm up discussion with a November 19 workshop at the Fremont Main Library from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. to learn about fighting and defeating global warming. Environmentalist and scientist Jeff Goby (pictured) will lead the program, which includes a look at “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming,” a book that covers the results of five years of scientific research on 100 of the most substantive existing solutions for addressing this serious environmental problem.
Water Protection
While Sonoma County’s Kincade Fire is approaching full containment, questions linger about how wildfires affect our water supply, an issue the Monitor looked at last year. The Commonwealth Club offers another look on Tuesday, November 26 from 6 to 7:15 p.m. in San Francisco, as representatives from the East Bay Municipal Utility District, California’s Forest Management Task Force, and Sausalito nonprofit Carpe Diem West discuss what is being done about the problem. Buy tickets here.
Panels Heat Housing Talks
There are two housing events to consider moving into this month. SV@Home is holding the fourth session of its 2019 lunchtime forum series on Thursday, November 14 in San Jose from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., digging into matters that determine where, when, and how housing actually gets built. Panelists such as Midpen Housing’s Jan Lindenthal (pictured) will discuss broad labor trends, as well as how labor costs and access to labor affect construction timelines and the number of projects completed. Buy tickets here. Then on Tuesday, November 19, the League of Women Voters of North & Central San Mateo County is moderating a panel of affordable housing advocates (including Lindenthal’s colleague Nevada Merriman) who’ll discuss the county’s progress in addressing this need. The two-hour event starts at noon at the City of San Mateo Main Library.
EV Driver’s Ed
The Bay Area needs more housing. Period. But how do you create communities in ways that reduce the need to drive? Transform is hosting a November 4, 6:30 p.m. event at the Santa Clara Library to itch this head-scratching question. Speakers on tap include two developers and Transform’s Nina Rizzo (pictured), who manages the advocacy group’s GreenTRIP certifications program, supporting multi-family residential housing that cuts traffic, parking, and greenhouse gas emissions. Putting solutions in place to ease the housing crisis isn’t always easy. So what speakers say about any developments that could pave the way toward more affordable, transit-friendly housing might be worth hearing. Click here for event details.
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