Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly roundup of news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.
Pollution and Prejudice
When it comes to climate change, reports of global temperature increase and melting ice belie the truth that different socio-economic statuses feel the impacts differently. “Understanding the role of government in perpetuating institutional and structural racism is essential to our work,” says CalEPA of their “Pollution and Prejudice” story map. You can join the CalEPA, USEPA, and the Air District, tomorrow, August 19th from 10-12am to learn more. During the free webinar, titled “Moving from Redlining to Revitalization,” environmental leaders will tell how historic injustices contribute to current environmental burdens and what changes are needed to ensure safe communities for all.
Oakland Redistricting
The Oakland Redistricting Commission meeting takes place on September 8th at 5pm. This public hearing will give residents of Oakland a chance to provide testimony to inform decisions made by the Commissioners as district lines are redrawn following the census. You can join the meeting via zoom by following this link. If you’d like to join by phone, click the same link, where phone instructions are provided.
Clean (Energy) Living
Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) has launched a new resource online to assist residents in the South Bay switch over to fully electrified and clean energy living. The eHub provides recommendations and information, for example: switching to driving electric is the single biggest change you can make to both cut down on pollution and save money. To help residents electrify their homes, SVCE is offering rebates of up to $2,000 to customers who replace gas water heaters with efficient electric alternatives.
California 30×30
Greenbelt Alliance is hosting the next round of their Climate Leaders series today at noon. Join this online event to hear from Dr. Jennifer Norris, Deputy Secretary for Biodiversity and Habitat at the California Natural Resources Agency as she discusses California’s 30×30 goals. California recently committed to conserve and restore 30% of its natural landscape by 2030, an ambitious goal that could have lasting impacts on future climate resilience.
If it’s too last minute for Dr. Norris, you can still join the Greenbelt Alliance this Sunday at 9:30am to explore Golden Gate Park. This guided walk through the park will pass by ten lakes, the “Enchanted Forest,” and the park’s herd of bison.
Book Club
The League of Women Voters of Oakland is hosting its next Book Club discussion on September 16th. They will be discussing Give Us the Vote, by Ari Berman, which chronicles what followed the passage of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Often regarded as the crowning achievement of the civil rights movement, the VRA is nonetheless under attack more than fifty years later. Start reading now, and RSVP for the discussion by emailing lwvobookclub [at] gmail.com
Monitor Notes is produced by Michael Adamson. 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.