As an island city, nearly every home and business in Alameda could be affected by climate change and rising sea levels, which threaten our environment, native wildlife and public health.
We have dry spells that reduce our fresh water availability and storms that have a costly and lingering impact on our community. The health of our native plant species, animals, and fish is in danger. Recently the San Francisco Chronicle reported that “red tide,” a toxic plume of algae stemming from warmer ocean temperatures, is poisoning dozens of sea lions and marine life. And the public health risks our community faces as a result of climate change include an increase in asthma and other pulmonary diseases, as well as an increase in insect-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus.
As we are confronted with these challenges, the city of Alameda is committed to sustainable solutions through effective land use and transportation planning, waste reduction, the protection of our natural habitat and the efficient use of energy. Here are five actions your city is taking:
- Alameda’s City Council, in response to the Trump administration filing notice to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement (a global climate pact supported by nearly 200 countries around the world), joined with 364 other cities, representing 67 million Americans, in a pledge to continue to uphold the agreement and take significant actions to curb the impacts of climate change.
- Alameda is creating solutions to our transportation problems. More than half the greenhouse gases we produce in Alameda are from transportation. Making improvements to how we get on, off and around the Island is critical to our shared future. Current initiatives include traffic calming to reduce speeds, creating a new ferry terminal, launching a bike share service, increasing bus service, and completing the Cross Alameda Trail for bicycle and pedestrian use.
- Alameda is implementing policies to reduce waste. Last month, the Clean Water Fund selected our community to partner on a new $400,000 project called “Rethink Disposable: Unpackaging Alameda.” This program will provide free support for 80 to 100 food businesses in Alameda so they can go packaging-free by the end of 2018 — saving money and reducing more than 100,000 pieces of potential litter each year. Less litter and garbage means less space required for them in landfills and the elimination of harmful emissions caused by landfills.
- Alameda is protecting our natural habitat. Straws and other disposable foodware become litter on our beaches and streets, disrupt wildlife, clog storm drains and add garbage to our landfills. On Sept. 19, the City Council will consider whether to require commercial food vendors to only provide straws upon a customer’s request and clarify that all to-go foodware must be either reusable or compostable.
- Alameda is energy-efficient. Last month, Alameda was nationally recognized as a sustainable city, receiving a climate protection award for the Great Light Bulb Challenge. In 2015, Alameda Municipal Power mailed two free LED bulbs to each of the city’s 30,000 households, followed by a program that reduced the cost of LED bulbs. Both programs serve as a model of community engagement and energy efficiency to communities across the country.
And from now until the end of the year, Alameda Municipal Power is installing smart meters in more than 30,000 homes and businesses, the first step in transforming our electric grid to deliver and manage electricity more reliably and efficiently.
Together with the Climate Mayors Network, the Compact of Mayors and the Global Covenant of Mayors, our mayor and City Council have joined mayors and other communities across the country to help protect against climate change.
Here are five things you can do as an individual:
- Help protect our coastline from pollution. Move away from disposable packaging and ensure your foodware is reusable (for example, metal utensils that stay in the restaurant and get washed and reused — or an insulated cup that you brought yourself), easily compostable (for example, fiber-based with ZERO compostable plastics — think paper and wood materials) or recyclable (like aluminum trays and foil).
- Join other Alamedans in switching out your incandescent light bulbs to LED bulbs, and ensure your home is as energy-efficient as possible. Did you know you can save 200 kilowatts of energy per lamp per year by switching from incandescent light bulbs to more efficient LEDs?
- Use blue and green bins at home and in in Alameda’s public areas to compost and recycle.
- Choose a cleaner commute for at least one of your trips per week, such as walking, biking, taking transit or carpooling.
- Get involved! Participate in a workshop this October on Alameda’s Climate Action Plan and connect with your neighbors through organizations such as Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda at www.casa-alameda.org.
We love our green island! Thank you for keeping Alameda clean, green, and safe.
Sarah Henry is the public information officer for the city of Alameda. She can be reached at SHenry@alamedaca.gov.
