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December 14, 2021
Along with our climate-focused Congressional briefings and fact sheets, EESI features climate solutions in action across the country through articles published in our biweekly newsletter, Climate Change Solutions. In 2021, EESI produced 25 articles covering geographically-specific case studies of local and regional climate actions.
Featured projects included climate adaptation in Alaska, waste reduction in Iowa, urban forestry in Pennsylvania, clean energy installations in Hawaii, microgrids in Maryland, and much more.
While federal leadership and support can be key to inspire and finance action, climate solutions are enacted on the ground by passionate and capable individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and state and local organizations. EESI is pleased to highlight these remarkable instances of environmental leadership across the country.
Check below to see if your district, town or state was featured.
If you have a great local or state solution we should highlight in 2022, reach out to us at [email protected].
Climate action by state:
Statewide
“Sentinels” Lead Inclusive Climate Monitoring in the Arctic
Operating in over 20 communities across Alaska, the Indigenous Sentinels Network conducts environmental monitoring based on community needs, combining Western science with Indigenous knowledge and practices.
Local
How Juneau’s Climate Action Plan Inspired City-Wide Building Decarbonization
Juneau, Alaska
District: Alaska-01
Juneau partnered with local nonprofit Renewable Juneau and other organizations to decarbonize the city through the deployment of heat pumps and by switching from heating oil to electricity.
Q&A: How Phony “Chasing Arrows” Were Run Out of California
To increase transparency about what is actually recyclable and to improve recycling rates, California recently passed SB 343, Truth in Labeling for Recyclable Materials, prohibiting the use of the chasing arrows symbol on non-recyclable products or packaging.
California Climate Hub Provides Essential Information to Farmers Threatened by Climate Change
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's 10 Climate Hubs, established in 2013, connect USDA research, information, and training to agricultural professionals across the nation to help states build resilience to climate change. California’s hub helps farmers combat drought.
Q&A: Foothill Transit Team Discusses Sustainability Leadership, Federal Transportation Policy Opportunities
Los Angeles, California
Districts: Calif.-27, Calif-32, Calif.-34
Foothill Transit Team, a Los Angeles-based transit provider that services the San Gabriel and Pomona Valleys, was the first transit provider in North America to put fast-charge electric buses on the roads and continues to embrace sustainability in its business practices.
Colorado Utility Works to Build Workforce and Green Its Community
Fort Collins, Colorado
District: Colo.-02
A Fort Collins utility is helping households make energy efficiency upgrades through on-bill financing, creating jobs and contributing to the community's carbon neutral goals.
Increasing Clean Energy Justice and Resilience for Faith Communities Through Solar Energy
The NAACP and EESI convened a virtual event that brought together Hawaii's green bank, an electric utility, and religious leaders to discuss installing solar panels on faith-based institution property, expanding on the state's existing work to increase clean energy access.
Illinois Passes a Comprehensive Climate Solutions Bill
Illinois's new Climate and Equitable Jobs Act aims to grow the state's renewable energy, invest in workforce development, finance green banks, and support rural areas while focusing on environmental justice.
Iowa Programs Offer Renewable Energy Opportunities to Veterans
Home Base Iowa and Future Ready Iowa’s Last Dollar Scholarship programs connect veterans with positions in Iowa’s growing renewable energy economy.
How One Iowa University—and the Hawkeye State—Is Handling Waste
The state-run Iowa Waste Exchange helps Iowa organizations extend the life of materials, divert waste from landfills, and save on disposal fees through a community- and education-based approach to waste management.
Brewery’s Restoration Efforts a Win for Local Community and the Environment
Waterloo, Iowa
District: Iowa-01
Local, state and federal resources combined to help SingleSpeed Brewing in Waterloo, Iowa, adapt a historic building for a new energy-efficient brewery business that reduces the building's carbon footprint.
How the Maryland Climate Leadership Academy Creates Climate-Savvy Professionals
The Association of Climate Change Officers and the state of Maryland's Climate Leadership Academy trains professionals to address climate change in their communities.
Bolstering Resilience: Maryland County Showcases the Power of Microgrids
Montgomery County, Maryland
District: Md.-08
Microgrids are smaller, localized, and autonomous electrical grids that can take over from the main grid during emergencies to increase the resilience of the electricity supply. Montgomery County, Maryland, successfully implemented two microgrid projects that expanded renewable energy use.
Montgomery County, Maryland, Brings Climate Planning to Life—Virtually
Montgomery County's virtual climate planning process has allowed for collaboration and information sharing to continue through the pandemic.
Great Lakes Climate Corps Builds Community Resilience, Workforce
Marquette, Michigan
District: Mich.-01
The Great Lakes Climate Corps works on local climate adaptation, resilience, and conservation projects, such as restoring the eroded Lake Superior coastline in Marquette, Michigan.
Turning Urban Wood Waste into Local, Sustainable Opportunities
Ann Arbor, Michigan
District: Mich.-12
The Urbanwood program turns wood waste into high-quality wood products to reduce waste and stimulate local economies.
Building Green: How Affordable Housing Can Tackle Justice and Sustainability
Detroit, Michigan
District: Mich.-13
Detroit nonprofit HOPE Village Revitalization works to create affordable housing that is energy efficient and uses renewable energy, reducing the energy burden on households and increasing community resilience.
New Jersey Strives to Address Cumulative Impacts of Pollution in Environmental Justice Legislation
Community organizing built momentum for New Jersey's environmental justice law, which requires the state's Department of Environmental Protection to assess the cumulative impacts of pollution in overburdened communities.
Floating a New Solution for Solar Deployment
Fort Bragg, North Carolina
District: N.C.-08
Floating solar panels, or “floatovoltaics,” at the Fort Bragg military base in North Carolina can conserve land and water, be more efficient than land-mounted solar power, and work with hydroelectric power.
Cincinnati Paves the Way for Equitable, Climate-Forward City Planning
Cincinnati, Ohio
District: Ohio-01
The Green Cincinnati Plan has set out to reduce the city's emissions, create a network of sustainable buildings, and expand greenspace while centering equity in the plan's community engagement process.
Why Art Matters: Street Murals Bolster Community and Re-imagine Transportation
Portland, Oregon
District: Ore.-03
Painted intersections in Portland, Oregon, show that asphalt art can help reclaim public space for pedestrians, calm traffic, reduce accidents, and empower local engagement in the planning of street uses.
In a Warming World, Urban Forestry Programs Help Residents Beat the Heat
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
District: Pa.-18
Urban trees can mitigate the urban heat island effect, but their distribution is far from equitable. Tree Pittsburgh, a local urban forestry nonprofit, identified the neighborhoods that could benefit the most from more trees and facilitated community engagement to create neighborhood-specific forestry plans.
Virginia’s Proactive Plan to Tackle Coastal Resilience
The Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Planning Framework is a comprehensive approach to coastal planning and adaptation that represents an unprecedented development in the state’s efforts to address the impacts of climate change.
Washington State Tackles Solar Panel Waste, the Dirty Side of Clean Tech
Without proper regulations or recycling technology in place, millions of tons of solar panels could end up in landfills. The Washington Photovoltaic (PV) Module Stewardship and Takeback Program requires solar PV manufacturers to finance the takeback and recycling of panels at no cost to their owners.
All Aboard for Nature: Improving Outdoor Access Through Public Transportation
King County, Washington
District: Wash.-09
The Trailhead Direct shuttle service in King County increases access to public lands for people who could not easily get to green spaces before.
Compilation by: Amber Todoroff and Valerie Nguyen
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