Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee (CSAC)
2024 Year-End Report
The Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month. The committee spent 2024 learning to develop a Community-Based Social Marketing pilot program based around appliance electrification, reviewed the Climate Action Plan 2024 Update, and spearheaded several popular community events promoting sustainability. Additionally, they conducted significant committee work and supported sustainability outside of committee meetings.
1. 2024 Goal 1: Supported Staff in preparing for the implementation of year one Climate Action Plan (CAP) actions
•Committee members read “Foster Sustainable Behavior” to better understand the psychology around encouraging sustainable action
•The Committee learned more about “Community-Based Social Marketing” through multiple brainstorming meetings including understanding barriers and benefits to change and active marketing versus passive marketing. •Committee members began work on a “Community-Based Social Marketing” test pilot to engage the community in appliance electrification, and addressing these actions in the City’s Climate Action Plan 2024 Update:
oE-W.1.1.2: Promote appliance rebate programs offered by Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE), PG&E, and the Bay Area Air Quality
Management District (BAAQMD).
oE-W.2.2.5: Promote awareness and understanding of electrification options to the construction industry and the community through education, outreach, and community partners.
oE-W.2.2.2: Develop and implement a community-wide education and outreach campaign to provide information, incentives, benefits, and technical support for building electrification to increase voluntary adoption of all-electric technologies.
2. 2024 Goal 2: Created mechanisms for the community to share, discuss, and learn best practices in all areas of sustainability (social, economic, and environmental)
•The Committee continued writing blogs to share tips and resources about Sustainable Living with the community for sustainable.fostercity.org. •The Committee also continued to find creative methods to conduct community outreach, including encouraging public participation at CSAC Meetings by directly inviting community members, attending events (both City- and Non- City sponsored) to promote sustainability and committee efforts, and one-on- one community conversations to encourage sustainable practices. The committee have become to “go-to” resource in the City for anyone inquiring about Sustainability.
3. 2024 Goal 3: Organize and Support Sustainable Community Events a. Earth Day
i. 200-250 attendees learned about Earth Day from 14 different vendors, including San Mateo Office of Sustainability, Peninsula Clean Energy, and Recology
ii. Dozens of children participated in the Trash-to-Art Contest iii. Strengthened partnership with the Foster City Library who hosted and promoted the event
b. 4th of July (Pancake Breakfast)
i. Worked with Organizers to reduce single use and bulk items where possible and encourage increased recycling and composting ii. Strengthened partnerships w/ rotary and Foster City scouts c. Summer Days
i. CSAC Booth for two days and connected with hundreds of community members
ii. Trash Sorting Game w/ earth-friendly prizes
iii. Water Refill Station was very popular and appreciated by the community
iv. Conducted an electric appliances survey
d. Clean Air Day
i. 130 attendees
ii. Funded by $1,000 microgrant from the Clean Air Day Coalition iii. Event was developed and managed by the CSAC Events Subcommittee
iv. Vendors included Atlas Bike Repair, the Building Decarbonization Coalition, and Peninsula Clean Energy
e. Tree Lighting Ceremony
i. CSAC Members conducted 15 one-on-one Community
Conversations about electric appliances to support development of Committee Pilot Program
•The Committee also used these events to gain feedback on the community knowledge and current participation in converting to electric appliances. This information helped the committee develop a Community-Based Social Marketing Pilot Program
4. Committee Work
•The Committee members selected a Chair and a Co-Chair for 2024 •The Committee welcomed two new resident members and one youth member •The Committee continued its subcommittee work in the following areas:
oCommunity Engagement
▪Developed monthly blog process with members contributing sustainability topics ranging from installing a heat pump to green business tips
▪Developed focus groups & questionnaires supporting the Committee’s Community-Based Social Marketing Pilot program oEvents
▪Planned and managed ALL CSAC events, including Earth Day, Clean Air Day, and Summer Days
▪Created template and best practices for future events
▪Developed new partnerships with local sustainability groups oBusiness
▪Developed relationship with the San Mateo County’s Green Business Program and brought a representative from the
agency to speak at a committee meeting
▪Committee member achieved a tier 1 green business
certification from the County’s Green Business Program and will act as a model to encourage other businesses to go green ▪Subcommittee held conversations w/ chamber of commerce to encourage more businesses to think sustainably and connect with the County’s Green Business Program
•Committee members also conducted significant work outside of committee meetings to support sustainability:
oCommittee Member Goel: Reached tier 1 green business certification for her salon and worked with (along with Committee Member Mitra) Baybasi to plan more sustainable events
oCommittee Member Kho helped Gilead Sciences align goals with the city’s Climate Action Plan and achieved an all-electric home oCommittee Member Staley brought updates from his involvement with Sustainable San Mateo County and the Thrive Alliance
oCommittee Member Yan supported the committee at events and developed a sustainable reading list for community members oCommittee Member Mitra developed and managed the Trash-to-art contest on Clean Air Day
oCommittee Member Gogi was the committee’s liaison to Youth Advisory Committee and was part of his school’s sustainability program
oCommittee Member Huo became the committee’s liaison to the City’s Parks Master Plan Committee
oCommittee Member Haupt continues to work regarding natural disaster/earthquake awareness and resiliency and worked with CERT oCommittee Member Curry worked as Committee event planner and became a key contact (along with Committee Member Motiwala) with local sustainability vendors for CSAC/City events
oCommittee Member Motiwala was liaison and participated with the Pacific Beach Coalition (with Committee Member Goel), became an electrification pioneer (induction, solar, heat pump, and became a committee resource regarding sustainable vendors, resources and general information
oCommittee Member Mitra worked with her school’s sustainability coordinator to organize a survey of how many students have earth- friendly water bottles. Due to the survey results, more than 280 students will receive free biodegradable water bottles