Statewide Region Local Sustainability News Articles

Environment Sustainability

UCLA Scientist: California’s Redwoods Might Not Last Another Century

10/31/2023
A UCLA climate scientist says California’s redwoods might not last in their current groves for another 100 years. An effort is afoot to plant redwoods elsewhere in more potentially hospitable climates, such as the Pacific Northwest.

From KRON4...

Sustainability State of California

A New California Law Forces Lawmakers to Plan for Sea Rise

10/26/2023
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law in October, SB 272 by Sen. John Laird, that requires local governments to plan for rising sea levels. It's already factoring into planning in places like Marin County.

From CalMatters...

Transportation Elections & Politics Sustainability

Newsom’s Visit Underscores Electric Car Problem: China Holds Keys to Battery Industry

10/25/2023
China modeled some of its climate programs on policies first adopted by California. Now, California depends on the world’s most populous country for essential materials in its electric vehicle ambitions.

California Local Pin Marker From California Local...

Business, Economy & Jobs Animals Agriculture, Food & Gardening Sustainability Government

Climate Credits for Cow Manure: Program May End Soon

10/19/2023
Image for display with article titled Climate Credits for Cow Manure: Dairy Bio-Gas Program May Soon be Phased Out

As the state moves to a fully electric future, biofuels may be phased out along with credits for the cow poop that produces them.

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Business, Economy & Jobs Environment Sustainability Government

Wind Turbine Developments Off Central Coast on ‘Fast Track’

10/16/2023
Image for display with article titled Needed to Slow Climate Change, California’s Controversial Offshore Wind Farms Could Transform the Coastline

Image for display with article titled Needed to Slow Climate Change, California’s Controversial Offshore Wind Farms Could Transform the Coastline

California can’t reach goal of 100 percent clean energy without wind, but at what cost to the coastline?

From YubaNet...

Sustainability

Cal Poly Humboldt Tree Research Will Help PG&E Reduce Outages, Wildfires

10/03/2023
In an effort to reduce the risk of wildfire, Cal Poly Humboldt faculty and students have embarked on a three-year study to investigate tree health.

From CalMatters...

Environment Health Sustainability Government

The Bay-Delta Ecosystem is Collapsing. Now California Has Dueling Plans to Save It

09/28/2023
A long-awaited, controversial report weighs updates to standards that state officials say have failed to protect fish and wildlife. But environmentalists, Native tribes and others already are furious about how long this has taken—and the state is years away from taking action.

From YubaNet...

Sustainability

Study: Six of Nine Planetary Boundaries Now Exceeded

09/13/2023
Maintaining certain interactions so that they remain similar to those that have controlled Earth conditions over the past 12,000 years is critical for ensuring human activities do not trigger dramatic changes that likely would decrease the Earth’s ability to support modern civilizations.

From Daily Democrat...

Environment Sustainability

Wildfire, Soil Emissions Increasing Air Pollution in Remote Forests

08/30/2023
Satellite data from across California’s landscapes reveal an increase in nitrogen dioxide levels in remote forest areas, and wildfire and soil emissions are likely the reasons why, according to a paper from UC Davis published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

From Associated Press Sacramento...

Animals Sustainability

California Aims to Introduce Anglers to Native Sunfish

08/15/2023
California’s only native sunfish, the Sacramento perch, was once abundant before invasive species decimated it. As the planet heats up and threatens cold-water game fish, the Sacramento perch may be on the cusp of a comeback, thanks to its ability to tolerate warm water.

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Economy & Jobs Education Environment Land Use & Development Sustainability Resilience Community Service & Support Crisis & Personal Support Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation

Working Together: TTCF and California Local

08/12/2023
Image for display with article titled Working Together: TTCF and California Local

A conversation with Stacy Caldwell, CEO of Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation

From The Sacramento Bee...

Sustainability Government

California’s 2030 Climate Target Faces Obstacles, Regulator Acknowledges

08/01/2023
California’s leading air regulator acknowledged major roadblocks to meeting its ambitious carbon emissions target for 2030. The hurdles revolve around the feasibility of carbon capture technologies and the state’s flagship climate program, known as cap-and-trade.

From YubaNet...

Sustainability Resilience

How to Move Communities Away From Flooding Risks

07/27/2023
As sea levels rise, many countries are considering a controversial strategy: relocation of communities. A Stanford analysis of planned relocations around the world reveals a blueprint for positive outcomes from an approach often considered a last resort.

From YubaNet...

Environment Sustainability

Litigation Now a Key Tool in Seeking Climate Justice

07/27/2023
The total number of climate change court cases has more than doubled since 2017 and is growing worldwide. These findings, published by the UN Environment Programme and the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, show that climate litigation is becoming an integral part of securing climate action and justice.

From The Sacramento Bee...

Environment Water Sustainability

California Republicans Fighting Again to Raise the Shasta Dam

07/17/2023
Raising Shasta Dam to increase its capacity would provide 634,000 more acre-feet of water per year, legislators say. But that assumes there will always be enough precipitation, and the move risks flooding sacred Native American lands and harming local habitats.

From YubaNet...

Water Sustainability

Study: Climate Change Is Changing the Ocean’s Color

07/12/2023
In the magazine Nature, a team of scientists reports that they have detected changes in ocean color that cannot be explained by natural, year-to-year variability alone. These color shifts have occurred over 56 percent of the world’s oceans.

From YubaNet...

Environment Parks & Recreation Sustainability

California Legislature Passes Joshua Tree Protection Law

06/28/2023
California lawmakers passed the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, permanently protecting the iconic and imperiled species.

From The Sacramento Observer...

Economy & Jobs Sustainability

Upcycling Turns Would-Be Trash Into Ice Cream and Pizza

06/26/2023
The Salt & Straw ice cream chain is part of the upcycling movement, creating high-quality products from leftover food with flavors like Cacao Pulp & Chocolate Stracciatella Gelato, made from leftover cacao pulp from chocolate production.

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Economy & Jobs Environment Land Use & Development Sustainability Housing Government

Should Zoning Laws Be Abolished?

06/21/2023
Image for display with article titled Should Zoning Be Abolished? How the Land Use Laws We Take For Granted Are Hurting Us

Zoning laws create segregation, inequality and unsustainability. So why do we keep them?

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Economy & Jobs Environment Sustainability Government

California Inches Toward Renewable Energy Goal

05/31/2023
Image for display with article titled California Inches Toward Renewable Energy Goal, But Still 13th Nationwide

In 2021, California drew 37 percent of its electricity from clean, renewable sources.

Statewide Region Local News: Sustainability