Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
EV Interest?
Thinking about making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV)? Then join the League of Women Voters of California (LWVC) for “Drive Clean-a-Thon” events on July 10 and 14. The one-hour gatherings, which the League is co-hosting with Drive Clean California, will feature EV owners sharing their experiences, information on government incentives, and charging solutions for apartment dwellers, among other considerations. The LWVC and the LWVUS are urging all local Leagues to include climate action as a 2021 priority. Switching to an electric vehicle is one step California residents can take to lower carbon emissions. Click here for more information, including more Drive-Clean-a-Thon dates this fall.
The Going Rate
CleanPowerSF and PG&E are hosting a June 17 noontime webinar about moving to a Time-Of-Use (TOU) rate plan with peak pricing — 4 to 9 p.m. daily — beginning in July for residential San Francisco County customers. Under a TOU rate plan, when customers use electricity is as important as how much they use, according to PG&E. So, they are encouraged to shift usage when rates or demand are lower and renewable resources are most abundant. The webinar will explain rates and offer information to help decide which rate plan is best for your household. A California Public Utility Commission mandate drives the TOU move. Residential customers in Sonoma and Alameda counties transitioned to TOU rate plans this spring, and Santa Clara is switching this month. Click here for other Bay Area county timelines.
Tale of Two Valleys
The LWV San Jose/Santa Clara has invited Russell Hancock (pictured), president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley, to speak during “Lunch with the League” on June 17 at noon. The discussion, “A Tale of Two Valleys: Economic Disparity in Silicon Valley,” will hone in on income inequality. Russell is the founder of the annual State of the Valley conference, a meeting of local leaders to discuss the Valley’s challenges and opportunities. Driving much of their discussion is the Silicon Valley Index, a publication showing inequalities related to health, employment, hunger, housing, and other factors. Hancock is expected to speak about applying the Valley’s strength and resilience toward helping those most vulnerable to income inequality.
Flood Zone Fixes
Sea-level rise is a critical planning element for cities located on vulnerable coastlines in the Bay Area and beyond. What policies and technologies could help these communities minimize sea-level rise risks? Advocacy group SPUR has assembled a panel of experts for a June 21, 12:30 p.m. discussion,” Living on the Edge: The Future of Coastal Cities,” to discuss protecting cities and residents. Click here to register and then plunge into the Monitor to read Robin Meadows’ recent article on how local shoreline communities prepare for rising seas. You also can check out an April 22 KQED Science article for more specifics on how flood-prone East Palo Alto is preventing further inundation.
Monitor Notes is produced by Cecily O’Connor. To receive it by email, scroll to the bottom of this page, enter your email address in the box under “RECEIVE EMAIL UPDATES,” and click the red “SIGN UP” button.