The City of Santa Cruz is seeking an environmental activist age 24 or younger to join its new Sustainability and Resiliency Committee, which will advise the city council on climate issues.
Climate
Posted inRecreation & Sports
The value of a wave: Can Santa Cruz surfing be saved from climate change?
Climate change threatens the existence of more than 30 of Santa Cruz’s most popular surf breaks. To protect waves before they disappear, Save the Waves Coalition, Black Surf Santa Cruz and Integral Consulting are assessing the economic value of the area’s surf breaks and surfing culture with a new study that could make the case for prioritizing surfing in climate resilience planning.
Posted inLatest News
Faith leaders hold Santa Cruz climate festival Sunday
A festival with live music, food, art, eco-fashion, kids’ activities and spiritual offerings will focus on climate action Sunday, Sept. 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Resurrection Church in Aptos. Attendees of the free Climate Fest “will learn how to advocate for climate action, find out the latest on home electrification and electric vehicles, engage in creative and experiential workshops, get tips on plant-based eating and experience a sense of community with many faith traditions.”
Posted inLatest News
Santa Cruz firm that funds renewable energy projects raises $1.75 million
Climatize, a Santa Cruz-based crowdfunding platform that offers investors a way to fund renewable energy projects, has raised $1.75 million in a pre-seed funding round led by Myriad Venture Partners and also including investments from Climate Capital, Techstars, Responsibly Ventures, and Temerity Capital.
Posted inBusiness & Technology
New Santa Cruz assistant city manager brings climate action experience
Santa Cruz’s new assistant city manager is a city native who comes to the job with experience in implementing numerous climate action and environmental initiatives. Michelle Templeton was previously assistant city manager in Santa Clara, holds a degree in environmental studies, and “has managed collaboration across all city departments to achieve sustainability and climate action […]
Posted inHealth & Wellness
Study: California wildfire smoke contributed to 52,000 premature deaths over 10 years
When wildfires rage, the immediate threat is obvious – but smoke from the fires actually kills far more people than the flames. As fires become more frequent, that smoke is leading to a public health crisis. In a new study published in the journal Science Advances, we found that wildfire smoke likely contributed to more […]
Posted inEnvironment
Rare plant spotted for first time in Santa Cruz County reveals hidden ecosystem reborn in fire
A hobby naturalist walking in the Santa Cruz Mountains discovered a patch of what turned out to be Humboldt County milkvetch, a rare plant that had never been spotted south of Mendocino County. Scientists believe the plant — known as a fire-follower because it often appears after a great disturbance to the landscape — actually has a far wider range than initially understood, but its seeds lay dormant here for decades until the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex fire. The discovery sheds light on how forestry practices that emphasized fire suppression have reshaped the landscape, reducing the biodiversity of plant life.
Posted inEnvironment
U.N. report warns of catastrophic climate tipping points. California is nearing several
The tipping points include groundwater depletion, rising insurance costs, extreme heat, species extinction, melting glaciers and space debris.
Posted inLatest News
With El Niño looming, Santa Cruz city crews rush to tackle West Cliff repairs ahead of coming winter
The City of Santa Cruz Public Works Department is preparing for the winter by prioritizing West Cliff Drive repairs and performing maintenance on the San Lorenzo River levee to ensure its capacity is sufficient to handle increased water flow in the event of a rainy winter. That could come true, with an El Niño pattern looming in the Pacific Ocean.
Posted inEnvironment
A new, sophisticated sea-level rise study will drive Santa Cruz County’s coastline policies on climate change
Historically hesitant to adopt the state’s philosophy on how to handle sea level rise and an eroding coastline, Santa Cruz County just received nearly $1 million from the California Coastal Commission for its most sophisticated sea level rise vulnerability study to date. One top county official said the study will drive the county’s coastline strategy on climate change.