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Are you nervously eyeing weather reports around the world this year like I am?
Heat waves are off the charts - with 20 degrees above typical June temperatures in much of the midwest to northeast US and India experiencing unrelenting 120 degree heat.
Disastrous floods have devastated China, Brazil, and Florida (from rainstorms, not hurricanes).
Fires are scorching New Mexico and in West and Central Africa fires have doubled in wet, tropical forest areas in the last 18 years. Check out world fire tracker.
The hurricane season in the Atlantic has begun with a prediction of a whopping 17-25 named storms. Tropical Storm Alberto has formed and is heading for Texas.
Yet, I remain inspired by many, many people working to ensure best possible outcomes.
Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is one of my climate sheroes. She’s coming out with a new book this summer: What if we get it right? Visions of Climate Futures. You can pre-order book here.
I urge you to adopt the attitude that we CAN do what is needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We CAN prioritize protection of life over short term profits.
But this will not happen if we do not act in large numbers.
What will help you move out of passively hearing the news and watching climate impacts worsen... and into action?
Quotes from Dr. Johnson in a New York Times Magazine interview:
"We have to be responsible to more than ourselves. We have to feel an obligation to more than our children. It can’t just be a selfish desire to hold on to what we currently have.
You can maybe grip tightly onto your comfort in the short term, but the more we resist being part of the collective solution, the less likely that collective solution is to happen."
"I don’t think consumerism is that satisfying for most people. We’re taught that we need to keep up with these trends and buy all this stuff, but it doesn’t really make us happy. Happiness levels are declining. People have fewer close friends.
It’s not like the current status quo is awesome and we should be fighting to hold on to it. We just have a bunch of junk. Instead of being surrounded by beautiful, durable, repairable things that we love, we’ve got a bunch of single-use plastic garbage. Having piles of garbage everywhere is not super delightful. Having all this fossil-fuel-based plastic on every beach and in our drinking water and in our rain and in our beer and in our seafood, which is currently the case — it’s not like that’s a life I want to hold on to.
Often we think about the changes that are needed, and we don’t look at both sides of the coin. We think about, This is going to be expensive, or, This is going to be inconvenient, without thinking about, Do you know how inconvenient and expensive climate change is? It is so much worse."
Regeneración is working to get ahead of worse climate impacts!
Here are 2 easy ways to INVEST NOW. Your support truly makes a difference.
-Donate securely on our website.
-Make a check out to Community Initiatives with Regeneration in the memo.
Mail to:
Regeneration
PO Box 1252
Freedom, CA 95019
Working throughout the year with you to build a more healthy, equitable, and climate-resilient Pájaro Valley,
Nancy Faulstich, Director
with Eloy Ortiz, Special Projects Manager and Maria Perez, Community Organizer
Image by Julita from Pixabay
Announcing Two Grant Awards!
We're proud to share that Community Foundation Santa Cruz County has awarded Regeneración a $10,000 Impact grant and Latino Community Foundation has awarded Regeneración $25,000 for operating support. We are increasing our capacity to drive forward community climate solutions and very much appreciate these investments.
Pictured: LCF new CEO Julian Castro at a reception for grantees in Salinas.
Pajaro River Levee Projects
Good new for jobs related to levee project!! The Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs has designated the Pajaro Valley Levee project as a Mega Construction Project which "can provide immediate impact on contractor and subcontractor recruitment and hiring practices in the construction trades and can help build robust applicant pools that include talented workers from underrepresented backgrounds."
Our spring appeal is well underway!
Please give generously now to help us take our photo gallery to other venues over the coming year and repeat the project with Watsonville youth in 2025.
-Donate securely on our website.
-Make a check out to Community Initiatives with Regeneration in the memo.
Mail to:
Regeneration
PO Box 1252
Freedom, CA 95019
Thank you for elevating the climate experiences of Pajaro Valley residents!
Free Climate Bumper Stickers!
Try this conversation starter: Vote Climate - 2028 is too late!
Order stickers here or contact us at info@regenerationpajarovalley.org to pick one up at our office.
Read recent poll data about voting and climate priorities.
Local Vulnerability - Input needed!
Please review and provide feedback on the draft prioritization maps of Santa Cruz County roads, railroads, bridges and culverts by July 8th via this interactive survey.
CAVA = Climate Adaptation Vulnerability Assessment
Fantastic Climate Jobs!
Elkhorn Slough is hiring 2 Climate Fellows.
CA Marine Sanctuary seeks a Community Engagement Coordinator.
Good Climate News - Zero Emission Cement?
Making cement causes roughly 7.5% of all global CO2 emissions. For manyyears cement has been made by heating limestone, sand, and clay to 1450°Fin giant fossil fuel powered kilns. Half of the emissions come fromburning coal to get the kilns to that hot. The other half is released fromthe limestone as it is decomposed to make cement.
Cement is needed to make concrete and concrete is the second mostwidely used material in the world after water. Its share of emissions isexpected to increase worldwide. Now two new processes are being piloted that hold the possibility ofmaking zero-emissions cement. One, being developed in the UK, uses wastefrom demolished buildings in what is essentially a recycling process. Theother, from Sublime Systems, uses an electrochemical process, not heat, tomake cement and has started construction of a commercial-scale plant.
Image by Alex Antropov from Pixabay.
On Vacation July 2024
Dear community: I'm taking much needed time off in July and will not produce a July newsletter. Sending encouragement for everyone to maintain your health and wellbeing in the middle of the climate emergency!
Nancy
Image by Dominik Rheinheimer from Pixabay
Upcoming Events
Extended through June 30: Pajaro Photo Voice exhibition: SOMOS, 112 East Beach St (United Presbyterian Church free coffeeshop.) Tu-Thu 3-6pm and Friday: 1:30-7pm.
July 11, 6:30 pm: Flood risk reduction for Watsonville and Pajaro community meeting.
Portuguese Hall of Watsonville (124 Atkinson Lane, Watsonville). Representatives from the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Pajaro Regional Flood Management Agency will share details on planned construction of a new levee along Corralitos Creek, the status of emergency levee repairs from 2023 storms, and improvements to levee maintenance. More info.
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