Petaluma Starts Climate Conversations
The Petaluma Equitable Climate Action Committee (PECAC) helps bring diversity and equity to an arena of public policy otherwise dominated by white voices as the city continues to advance its ambitious climate goals.
Petaluma made international news earlier this year for enacting the nation’s first ban on new gas stations. The city of 60,000 in southern Sonoma County also moved this year to prohibit natural gas in nearly all new construction, and hasn’t allowed new drive-thrus since 2008. It aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.
But mitigating climate change involves more than just ending old habits; it also requires building new ones. That’s part of the impetus behind PECAC, pronounced “peacock” in the local parlance, says Kerry Fugett of the Petaluma-based nonprofit Daily Acts. Her organization is helping to coordinate the new committee, which was established in the wake of the city’s passage of a Climate Emergency Framework in January. “We designed the PECAC to help advance the implementation process of this framework so that it had more voices of color in that process,” Fugett says. Six residents with past experience in community and social activism (but not directly tied to climate) were chosen from among 30 applicants to serve on the committee for six months.
Representing Black, Latinx, and Asian-American communities in Petaluma, and a range of socioeconomic perspectives, the committee members — half of whom are under 25 — are supported by a small stipend and tasked with reviewing the Climate Emergency Framework for relevance to their own community, leading outreach and listening circles, and reporting back to the city council with recommendations for prioritizing policies and addressing climate equity issues.
Though modest, the program is one step toward bringing more people into the climate conversation, “which historically has not always felt inclusive,” Fugett says. “We are hoping that this can feed into how [the Climate Emergency Framework] is woven into the general plan process, and potentially future budgeting decisions.”
Other Recent Posts
Uncertainty Requires a Buffet of Resilience Choices
Oakland plans three main resilience hubs. Activists say funding a more decentralized network could be more equitable.
Knock-On Flood Threat Gets 4-Inch Reality Check
Contrary to now popular hearsay, building a seawall won’t necessarily flood your unprotected neighbors along the bayshore.
Delivering BART Muck to South Bay Marshes?
Three million + cubic yards of tunnel muck from a subway extension could help raise South Bay marshes above rising sea levels.
Marin Makes Clean Sweep of Forest Floors
After witnessing fire disasters in neighboring counties, Marin formed a unique fire prevention authority and taxpayers funded it. Thirty projects and three years later, the county is clearer of undergrowth.
Get Plugged In To KneeDeep!
Are you a young writer, artist, photographer, creator, or storyteller? We want you to be a part of our magazine.
Making Shade Where There Isn’t Any
There are few trees and public spaces where residents can escape the unrelenting heat in the eastern Coachella Valley. A master plan for shade equity aims to change that.
New Rules on Rebuilds, FEMA Says No to Wet Feet
New construction projects supported by federal emergency funding must be built to withstand extreme floods, including anticipated rise in sea level.
Memo Distills Joint Approach to Flood Protection
Seven Bay Area agencies sign an agreement to beef up coordination on sea level rise adaptation projects and clarify who’s on first.
