Dear Council Members, City Staff, and Climate Action Committee, As the Climate Action Committee is funded by tax dollars, I would like to see it establish some simple and direct goals to help the community of Sebastopol. I would like to the Climate Action Committee to work on the following goals to support the environment, local businesses and the community as a whole.
1) Work with businesses and nonprofits to lower recycling and composting costs. Some businesses and nonprofits might see an increase in recycling and composting costs with the new garbage contract. There are many free resources in Sonoma County to help with recycling and composting. The CAC could engage in outreach with community organizations and businesses to reach their goals through workshops and door to door education. Zero Waste Sonoma has resources. Sebastopol has its own redemption site.
The North Bay Conservation Corps has Zero Waste Crews.
https://www.ccnorthbay.org/zero-waste/
2) Work with homeowners, the City, Schools and Non-Profits to support Sebastopol’s Urban Canopy. Trees, shrubs and plants are important parts of climate resilience and lowering the surface temperature of cities. Sebastopol has a great urban canopy, which is a community asset. Ill-designed water increases have created an unnecessary economic strain on schools and individual to maintain their green spaces. The CAC could work with schools, the City and individuals to maintain their gardens, trees and shrubs and to reduce heat producing rock and mulch yards. Governor Newsom’s budget includes $46 million to green streets, parks, communities. Green streets, yards, schools and parks are a key part of climate action.
https://www.calcities.org/home/post/2025/01/11/newsom-s-budget-proposalabandons-key-homeless-and-housing-programs-maintains-funding-for-key-climate-andinfrastructure-initiatives 3) Communicate to the public how much water Sebastopol has. Sebastopol sits on a huge aquifer and has a huge amount of water. The aquifer did not diminish during lengthy drought periods. The aquifer is a wonderful community asset. The CAC should let citizens know how much water Sebastopol has and what a huge asset it is. In this regards, the CAC should work with the City to “right size” water pricing to reflect the true situation, which is that there is plenty of water but the City has aging and old infrastructure. The infrastructure needs repair, which is why our water bills are so high.
Are there alternative forms of pricing such as a fixed infrastructure fee, which has been employed in other areas, with a single tier price for Kgals, which would allow citizens to fully access the water in support of the urban canopy and urban gardeners? 4) Hold monthly City and Laguna trash pick-ups. It would be wonderful if the CAC were a regular presence in the community and organized trash pick-ups in Parks, the Laguna, the JRT, downtown Sebastopol and other community spaces. This would also help the Public Works departments. Perhaps the CAC could work with a different group each month such as Analy High School students, Art Center Members, Members of Burbank Heights, Members of the Senior Center, Members of the Rotary, Members of the Chamber.
If the CAC is a tax funded, community group I think it should have goals which directly benefit the community in climate action.
The CAC should have a 6 month report out on to the public on what it has accomplished. There are pressing needs in term of the urban canopy, keeping our public spaces trash free, water abundance education and supporting the transition to the new refuse company.
Thank you,
Kate Haug