Santa Clara County Sustainability Articles

“One man’s rubbish may be another man’s treasure.” —Hector Urquhart

Three prominent Cupertino government buildings are set to switch to green energy as the city warms up to the idea of solar power.
The Cupertino City Council voted 3-2 Feb. 4 to install solar panels at the Quinlan Community Center, …

The goats at the Santa Clara County Animal Services Center in San Martin have a new source of shade: an array of solar panels that generate power for the 37,000-square-foot shelter.

The county Facilities and Fleet Department completed three solar arrays in 2024, part of a larger campaign to expand solar power capacity and battery storage at county facilities.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – California's 30×30 goal was a topic at the Sierra Nevada Alliance Conservation Conference held at Lake Tahoe Community College, Nov. 7-8. In 2020, California Governor Gavin Newsom committed the state to conserving 30% of lands …

A proposal to strengthen Santa Clara County's electrical grid could become an environmental hazard and threaten efforts to protect Coyote Valley wildlife from being killed along busy roads south of San Jose.
That's the warning from local environmental advocates, who …

Local agencies finally have enough money to complete the Upper Llagas Creek Flood Protection Project, about 70 years after the massive infrastructure project was initially planned.

Advocates and politicians have worked for years to ban the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in San Jose. A new incentive could be the answer.
Although the state has banned the purchase of new gas leaf blowers as of this …

Santa Clara County firefighters and public officials from throughout South County last week celebrated an upgraded solar energy system at a key local station that will save money and better equip the first responders when dealing with their own emergencies.

It’s the most infamous time of year for Los Gatos residents — peak beach traffic season exacerbated by a scorching Fourth of July. The West Valley town is still trying to figure out how to calm traffic down.
The Los …

As funds for climate change programs are cut, Democrats and environmentalists are pushing for a bond measure on the ballot to restore some funding.

CENTRAL COAST — Despite significant progress since the release of a landmark 2018 farmworker housing study quantifying critically overcrowded housing conditions for agricultural workers in the region, thousands more homes are needed to relieve severe overcrowding, unaffordable rents and ensure …

To celebrate Earth Day, Performance Food Group on April 22 held an open house event in Gilroy to show how they have created a sustainable distribution model at the company’s local facility.

For the good of Tahoe Truckee forests and communities, funders & local leaders rally to support Northstar Community Services District wood energy facility.

A Caltrain struck a vehicle on the tracks in the unincorporated community of San Martin in Santa Clara County on Monday night, a spokesperson for SamTrans said. 

Heat pumps, an energy-efficient way to both heat and cool homes, are a necessary element of California's climate goal of net zero carbon emissions. Here's what they are, how they work, and how to get one.

Some Milpitas residents are about to get a break on rent, as the city pushes to address the affordability crisis.
Milpitas’ workforce rent relief program will give up to 50 households $645 a month to help supplement rent for up …

San Jose has been named one of the best places to live for quality of life, and some are asking how that happened.
The U.S. News and World Report ranking for the 25 best places to live puts San Jose …

Sunnyvale officials are prioritizing what local issues they'll tackle this year, and topics like homelessness and transit safety are topping the list.
The Sunnyvale City Council ranked its priority projects out of the 40 proposed on Feb. 15, signaling what …