CARB Environmental Justice Blog

  Featured Stories - November 2020 President-Elect Biden Names John Kerry As Climate Envoy Read about the selection of former Secretary of State John Kerry as the highest-ranking U.S. official ever to have a portfolio  exclusively devoted to addressing climate change .   Read More COVID-Related Drop In Emissions A ‘Tiny Blip’ in Buildup of Greenhouse Gases Read about the estimated  4.2% to 7.5% drop in emissions  due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it compares to regular variations in emissions year-over-year.   Read More RSVP: Cleaner Air Partnership *Virtual* Luncheon! Join us on December 11th to hear updates on local efforts to  reduce air pollution and carbon emissions , featuring leaders involved in Community Air Protection projects and the Mayors' Commission on Climate Change.   RSVP Now Comstock's: How Environmental Justice Efforts Are Gaining Ground in the Capital Region Read about how community leaders and organizations across the region are collaborating to achieve 

  Check out this great video by our California Department of Justice The Fight for Environmental Justice: Vallejo - YouTube

  Amid wildfires and an ongoing pandemic, Air Quality Fellows from Stanford University’s Program on Urban Studies provided critical support to Brightline's work throughout Fall 2020. As covered by this new video about our air quality program and The Stanford Daily , 5 Stanford University students have partnered with Brightline as Air Quality Fellows to rapidly increase the program's community outreach and education. This partnership is with Sustainable Cities, a 2020 course of Stanford's Program on Urban Studies . Please visit Brightline's webpage to read more of this story, and how to learn more.

   Example of Empathy in Government Work The meme below made the rounds with farmworkers at the start of the shelter in place.  The first caption says this is how the wealthy shelter in place. The second says this how people who live day to day shelter in place.   I don't know how the wealthy shelter in place; this is about how others see themselves. As the deadline approached, call volumes started increasing dramatically.   People were getting anxious about the consequences of missing the reporting deadline.  Many began calling often, then more often, and we knew because there was a queue.  The policy was that people, who called to settle-up, explore exemptions, or challenge the requirements, would not be subject to penalties if their issues were resolved after the deadline, so long as they made a sincere effort to resolve them by contacting us before the deadline.  Although there were 30 or so people working on this project, the responses to emails and calls fell several weeks

CARB:  Air Toxics Program Listening Session DATE:  December 3, 2020 TIME:  5:00-7:00pm Join Meeting (216) 706 7005 US Toll (866) 434 5269 US Toll-free Conference code: 779864 Presentation Please join the CARB staff to share your concerns, experiences, and/or suggestions for how CARB’s Air Toxics Program can support programs that benefit all Californians. CARB staff plans to go to the Board with the first in a series of air toxic rulemakings in December 2021. Staff are seeking input now to inform how CARB can better address community concerns and priorities in our air toxic rulemakings. Specifically, staff would like to learn: · What types of facilities are of greatest concern? · What are the specific areas of concern/interest about these facilities? · How can CARB staff help to address your concern? More Information

  Introduction to the Low-Cost Sensor  &  DIY   Air Purifier Part 3.   Things to know about this post:   ·       This is not a scientific study, but rather a story of community engagement & empowerment; ·       This is NOT a CARB endorsement of any brands displayed, or mentioned, in the article; ·       The air sensors are measuring particulate matter ; and ·       The air sensors DO NOT identify the levels of many common pollution types that  could be harmful, or Toxic Air Contaminants .    Abe and Stephanie's Story   Abe and Stephanie Last month, Jose caught up with low-cost sensor hosts, Abe and Stephanie. Abe, a sophomore in high school, connected with CARB through his participation as a panelist in the EJ Youth Storytelling Session .   He and his mother, Stephanie, became indoor and outdoor air sensor hosts during the height of the worst (2020) wildfires in Northern California. They also live in what are described as an air-monitoring deserts