Join the Climate Action Coalition
Published Saturday, April 16, 2011
After several months of research and dialogue, local environmental leaders have come to a consensus on a response to the City's Climate Action Plan and are seeking the endorsement of residents of the City of Santa Cruz. Please consider signing onto the recommendations by going to transitionsc.org/16-points. Call (831) 425-0665 to request a paper copy or to volunteer to gather signatures. Some of the endorsers so far include People Power, Transition Santa Cruz, Ecology Action, Green Ways to School, the Quaker Center, Fred Keeley, and Peter Beckmann. Initial meetings with City staff and Council members show real promise for collaboration and working together to strengthen successive versions of the City's Climate Action Plan in accordance with the 16 points.
For People Power, working in coalition on local responses to climate change makes perfect sense for at least three reasons: First, transportation is the single largest cause of state and local greenhouse gasses. Second, People Power was founded in part as a two-wheeled solution to the huge amount of pollution and environmental degradation caused by the automobile. And, third, the same policy changes that protect our environment also make for nicer cycling and walking. Building the projects that have a "high" and "very high" priority rating in the City's Bike Plan and building the City's segment of the rail trail are examples of practical ways to address local greenhouse gasses while improving human health, civility, safety, and sense of place. They are the kinds of local policy that will make the City of Santa Cruz the gold standard for cycling.
To protect the earth's climate and to get yourself a great place to ride, please consider signing onto the 16-point response to the City's Draft Climate Action Plan. For more information, go to transitionsc.org/16-points or call (831) 425-0665.