City Climate Corner

Latest Episodes:

Could you be a Climate Candidate? Jun 07, 2022

Show notes

How would you run for local office on a climate platform? We interview Max Gruenig, co-founder of Climate Candidates, about their program that provides knowledge, insights, and a peer support group for climate champions running for local and state office.

Resources

City Climate Corner goes to Europe - preview May 24, 2022

Show notes

Larry interviews Abby about her trip to Europe that is happening as the episode releases. We talk about what she hopes to learn from visits with officials in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Bremen, Heidelberg, and Freiburg in Germany, and Barcelona in Spain.

Rotterdam

Climate Proof Neighborhood
Benthemplein: the largest water square in the world, and other sites around the Zoho neighborhood
ZoHo rain garden: Functional gathering space that collects and reuses rain water
Floating Bridge: 400m floating pedestrian bridge
DakAkker: Rooftop farm and water management system
Sponge Garden: Rain garden and green space designed to capture and reuse water

Bremen

Bike City
Bike Share: the city’s bike share program
City Center Bike Tour: Recommended tour on city website
Bicycle Zone - Neustadt District: 12-block zone in the city that prioritizes cycling

Heidelberg

Carbon Neutral District
Bahnstadt District: World’s largest passive house settlement
Kindergarten Schwetzinger Terasse: Net-zero kindergarten

Freiburg

City of the Future
Vauban: example of one of the most sustainable neighborhoods in the world
Model projects: the city has a map of various sustainability projects around the city, I will go to as many as I can

Barcelona

David Roberts Vox article: Super Blocks
Superblocks and other sustainable neighborhood demonstrations

Contra Costa CA: SMART Housing & Conservative City Climate Progress May 10, 2022

Show notes

Though near the Bay Area, Contra Costa County has very different political dynamics when it comes to climate change. And yet a group of organizations are collaborating to get climate action language into cities' general plans and even getting climate emergency resolutions adopted. We interview Lynda Deschambault, President and Co-founder of Contra Costa County Climate Leaders and Zoe Siegel, Sr. Director of Climate Resilience at Greenbelt Alliance, about their approach and specifically how they're using Sustainable, Mixed-use, Affordable, Resilient, and Transportation-friendly (SMART) housing to make progress.

Resources

Contra Costa County Leaders website (LOTS of resources)
Greenbelt Alliance website
The Resilience Playbook - from Greenbelt
Contra Costa County Climate Emergency Resolution and Announcement

Indigenous Climate Leadership: Quinault Nation & The National Congress of American Indians Apr 26, 2022

Show notes

The Quinault Nation is on the front line of impacts from climate change, having experienced a dramatic drop in their blueback salmon fishery, as well as rising sea levels forcing the relocation of one of their two main villages. We interview Fawn Sharp, the Vice-President and former President of the Quinault Nation in Taholah Washington, and the 23rd President of The National Congress of American Indians. We hear her story of how local impacts have driven her to lead state, national, and international action on climate change.

Resources

Quinault Nation website
Taholah Village Relocation Master Plan
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) website
NCAI Climate Action Task Force
Washington Climate Commitment Act

Microgrids: Fremont and Menlo Park CA Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

What are microgrids and how can they save money, reduce air pollution and provide carbon-free power and backup power? We interview Rachel DiFranco, Fremont's Sustainability Manager about the trail they blazed five years ago when they installed microgrids on three fire stations. And we're joined by Menlo Park Council Member Cecilia Taylor and Menlo Spark Executive Director Diane Bailey, to talk about how they are integrating a microgrid into the rebuild of a Menlo Park community center.

Resources

Fremont Sustainability page
CA.gov info on Fremont Microgrid project
MicrogridKnowledge.com article
Gridscape website
Webinar done by Fremont and Gridscape
Fremont Green Challenge
Menlo Park main website page and climate action plan page
Menlo Spark
New community center breaks ground - article
Case studies, backgrounder, and slide deck on Fremont and Menlo Park

Tempe AZ: Resilience to Extreme Heat Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

Extreme heat is now commonplace in Tempe, with 100 days per year over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and 30 days a year over 110. And those numbers are increasing. We interview Dr. Braden Kay, Tempe's Director of Sustainability, to learn how Tempe's is adapting while trying to change its built environment to reduce the urban heat island effect.

Resources

Climate Action Plan
Climate Action Plan Update
2020 Sustainability and Resilience Annual Report
EnVision Tempe
Sustainable Tempe website
NPR report on Tempe resilience hubs

The Importance of Storytelling Mar 15, 2022

Show notes

Climate change discussion is often filled with science, data, and graphs. But to move people, organizations, and governments to action requires emotional connections and empathy. It requires storytelling. We interview Jothsna Harris, founder of Change Narrative, who is dedicated to building capacity in the climate justice movement through the power of stories.

Resources

Honolulu and Maui sue Big Oil Mar 01, 2022

Show notes

In March, 2020, inspired by a small city in California, Honolulu sued 8 oil companies for their role in causing local climate change damages. A few months later Maui County did the same. We interview some of the key people involved to learn how it happened, why they did it, and what they expect to gain from it. Our guests are the former Mayor of Honolulu, Kirk Caldwell, Maui County Council Member Kelly Takaya King, and Alyssa Johl, Legal Director for the Center for Climate Integrity.

Resources

KEY UPDATE: Honolulu Scores A Win Against Big Oil In Climate Change Lawsuit and Energy Cos. Can't Dodge Climate Claims In Hawaii State Court - are two articles, from 2/27/22 and 2/23/22, that report on a key ruling that is discussed in the episode, but hadn't yet happened.
Center for Climate Integrity website
Climate Liability Litigation - website and resources
Honolulu sues petroleum companies article
Maui county sues - article
Maui Has Begun the Process of Managed Retreat. It Wants Big Oil to Pay the Cost of Sea Level Rise
Federal ruling favors Maui county

Keene NH: Small City, Big Climate Punch Feb 15, 2022

Show notes

Keene NH, population 23K, has been leading on climate action for over two decades. While their first formal action was in 2000, they've since done a Climate Action Plan, Climate Adaptation Plan, and now a Sustainable Energy Plan. We interview Mayor George Hansel and Planner Mari Brunner, to learn about the powerful alliance of citizens, elected officials, and staff that has pushed Keene forward.

Resources

Jan 2021 Sustainable Energy Plan
- Webpage
- Plan document
- Jan 2019 Resolution - led to the Sustainable Energy Plan
Keene Energy Week
Energy & Climate Committee
Keene Sustainability webpage
Keene Local Stories (including podcast like recordings - halfway down page)
21 in 21 Program
Article in local paper about 21 in 21
2007 Climate Adaptation plan
2004 Climate Action Plan

Columbia MO: One Stop Shop City Feb 01, 2022

Show notes

Columbia Missouri is a "One Stop Shop" city, with their own utilities in electricity, water, solid waste, stormwater, and sewer. We interview Office of Sustainability Manager Eric Hempel and explore how their electric utility is an integral part of Columbia's climate goals. We also learn about a Habitat for Humanity net zero home project that has had a wide-ranging impact. Plus, hear from Larry about 15+ MN cities declaring a climate emergency at the same time.

Resources