Santa Cruz County Sustainability Articles

Santa Cruz County’s economy saw a rebound in the last few years, but an aging workforce and the lack of high-paying jobs might spell trouble for the economy in coming years. These are some of the findings highlighted in the …

The Ben Lomond Village Alliance (BLVA) California Monarch And Pollinator Habitat Kit project has been accepted into the Pollinator Habitat Monarch Conservation program through the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in Sacramento. Out of 200 applicants, the BLVA project was …

The May 11 first-ever Pitch In All Santa Cruz Cleanup Event had a significant community impact, with more than 30 organizations and 431 individuals holding cleanups from Davenport to the Pajaro Valley, including the cities of Scotts Valley, Capitola, Santa …

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

Paul Booth, who lives off Highway 17, said his home insurance was not renewed in 2023. (Michael Warren Mott — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> As thousands of Santa Cruz County homeowners are losing home insurance, a state …

Over the next two decades, the city of Watsonville plans to add thousands of trees to its landscape, create a plan to take care of them and train crews of young people to aid in that effort.

Santa Cruz police talk to a person on Pacific Avenue in 2022. (Stephen Baxter — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> Leaders of Santa Cruz Police and Santa Cruz Fire have a new $20 million training center in their …

Anthony Saua, director of Organic Rising, talks about the rise of organic agriculture and its importance to health, the environment and slowing global warming,

Some Live Oak neighbors raise questions about a 173-unit housing proposal at Soquel Drive and Thurber Lane at a meeting Monday. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local)
LIVE OAK >> A Monday night meeting about a proposed five-building housing complex …

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.

During a report at the April 3 Council meeting, Scotts Valley City Manager Mali LaGoe announced the California Department of Housing and Community Development had certified its Housing Element—on its first try.

In part II of "Have you Been Canceled?", a look at California's homeowner's insurance crisis, Rachel Anne Goodman talks with Deputy Insurance Commissioner and spokesperson for Commissioner Ricardo Lara, Michael Soller. She asks him about the proposed fixes coming from …

A proposed budget for 2025 cuts money for road repairs. Storms in 2023 caused about $140 million in damage to county-maintained roads, county staff said. (Jesse Kathan — Santa Cruz Local file)
SANTA CRUZ >> The financial toll of natural …

In this program, State Senator John Laird and Executive Director of Consumer Watchdog, Carmen Balber discuss California's homeowner's insurance crisis and whether Commissioner Ricardo Lara's proposed fixes will actually help the flight of insurance companies from the state or make …

California State Parks staff continues to move forward with the Big Basin Redwoods State Park Facilities Management Plan (BBFMP). Site planning and design considerations are in the works with the Reimagining Big Basin project team engaging stakeholders and the public …

A fishing ban is set to be considered in two areas off the Santa Cruz County coast, including Pleasure Point. (Kara Meyberg Guzman — Santa Cruz Local file, flight courtesy of LightHawk)
SANTA CRUZ >> As kelp forests in some …