Impact by the Numbers: 2017-18 Service Year
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In the 2017-18 service year CivicSpark AmeriCorps Fellows assisting with
139 public agency initiatives
. These projects focused on sustainable transportation, energy efficiency, implementing climate action plans, waste reduction, water conservation, among others.
With completing 2017-18 projects, Fellows dedicated over
100,000 hours of service
to California's urgent climate and water needs. Over the course of their 11 months, Fellows successfully implemented a wide range of climate and water actions, including connecting over 19,000 community members through in-person events including over 700 youth who participated in community projects, and 909 volunteers who provided 4,542 hours of support; organizing 93 community events and 96 implementation workshops; completing 14 Climate/Energy Action Plans; drafting 64 Climate Action Policies; and completing 28 Inventories.
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CivicSpark is on Instagram!
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Water Conservation in Fremont
Water Fellow Hayley Padden is placed at the
Alameda County Water District
, located in Fremont. Working in the Water Conservation Department, Hayley focuses on both conservation outreach and data analysis. On the outreach side, Hayley works with customers to implement water conservation measures in their homes and businesses. Then, for the bulk of her project, she is collecting and processing data that will help the District set water use targets that they will then use to create their Urban Water Management Plan. In addition to this work, Hayley assists in working with other departments to promote water conservation in other projects throughout the District. She is excited to learn more about the problem and potential solutions of water in California and to do her best to help make water conservation a California way of life.
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Sustainable Transportation and Water Efficiency in Santa Barbara
Sean Burns is a Climate Fellow supporting the
County of Santa Barbara's Sustainability Division
. He is helping employees choose sustainable transportation and recommending strategies and policies to reduce water use at county parks. Sean is currently reviewing survey data from over 1,000 county employees to inform actions the County can take to reduce employee vehicle miles traveled and increase wellness. He is also working with water use data for county parks, exploring water reduction measures like smart irrigation systems, and thinking about how to engage communities on water conservation. Sean is thrilled to support the Sustainability Division and collaborate on climate projects in the County, community, and region.
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Solar Installations in Moreno Valley
Alan Siebuhr is a Climate Fellow working with the
City of Moreno Valley
to determine the impact of solar panel installations on their local electric utility. While the utility is relatively small even compared to other public utilities, they have over eight megawatts of solar capacity installed on their grid which has been causing many problems, such as the cost-shift between solar and non-solar customers. Alan initially worked on financial models to determine the cost to serve a customer, and currently is working to determine the load for each circuit as well as how much solar each circuit contains. He is excited to see where his research takes him and how it can positively impact the City of Moreno Valley.
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Question of the Month
:
"If you could recommend one article, book, or movie that focuses on environmental or social issues, what would it be and why?"
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Claire Howard | Central Inland Region
"
My mom recently gave me the book 'Where the Water Goes' by David Owen, which I am now reading. 'Where the Water Goes' provides a detailed and captivating explanation of the Colorado River and other water resources within the American West. My understanding of water and the importance of the Colorado River within the American West has transformed from my childhood in Denver to my recent move to California for my CivicSpark service year within the program’s water track. I suggest this book to those interested in learning about the history and present context of water in the American West through engineering, social, political, economic, and environmental changes.
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Claire Howard graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Environmental Engineering and a minor in Global Health Studies. Claire is looking forward to this opportunity with CivicSpark to gain a greater understanding of water policy’s central role within local government. Originally from Denver, Claire has always loved the outdoors and is eager to learn more about policy decisions around water rights and usage through her year with CivicSpark.
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Priya Macwan | Greater Los Angeles Region
"It was SO tough to choose just one because there are so many great books and movies out there, and lots that I have yet to read and watch. I ultimately decided that I would recommend a movie (because picking just one book is an impossible task for me). Girl Rising is a documentary about girls in different parts of the developing world and their individual life experiences and expectations and what they go through to get an education. It emphasizes the value of education for these girls who have limited options in their lives. It is a bit heavy at times, but so beautifully made!"
Priya Macwan was born and raised in Los Angeles and transferred to UCLA after two years at Santa Monica College. Her passion for environmental justice issues lead her to major in Geography/ Environmental Studies and to pursue a Master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning at UC Irvine. Her hope was to be able to utilize her educational background to help create a more environmentally and socially just urban region. She is excited for the opportunity to be a CivicSpark Fellow as it will allow her to continue along this trajectory and to gain experience on how to work towards a Southern California region that is sustainable and that continues to thrive in this changing climate.
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Peter Brown, 2018-19 Climate Fellow - Sacramento and Sierra Region
"
I gave myself a good two-week crash course in the business of connectivity and, when the beneficiary interviews came along, I felt that I "held my own," but still that each of the people I spoke to knew more about the subject than I did: the interviews seemed to create more questions than answers...
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Angeline Foshay, 2018-19 Climate Fellow - Central Coast Region
"
Taking a chance and investing in yourself, giving yourself the space to learn and grow professionally is the best choice you can make. I think back to where I was not even 2 months ago, so uncertain of my future, and feeling the weight of the existential question: what am I meant to be doing with my degree, my experience, my life?...
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Marisa Perez-Reyes, 2018-19 Water Fellow - Inland Empire Region
"
...in the past month, as I've started to gain an understanding of water governance in California and met with a variety of professionals who have formed deep and admirable careers in this field, I've come to view the cluster of water organizations as less of a mess and more of an integrated network, each thread of which has the potential to lend greater strength and connectivity to the whole system
..."
Elena Guevara, 2016-17 Alumni Fellow
"
I think for many of us in the sustainability field, it’s easy to fall into this mentality. We’re committed to our work because we’re mission-driven. But at the end of the day, you really do need to take care of yourself and your happiness because you can't take care of others, including this precious planet...
"
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Upcoming Regional Climate Symposia
Long Beach, CA
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Stateline, NV
Fresno, CA | San Luis Obispo, CA
The State of California has released the
Fourth Climate Change Assessment
, which provides the scientific foundation for understanding climate-related vulnerability at the local scale and informing resilience actions. A series of regional workshops are being organized to showcase key findings, as well as to discuss opportunities to advance local adaptation initiatives.
Learn more about the regional events
here
.
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Mayors' Commission on Climate Change Public Meeting
November 26, 2018
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1:00 - 4:00PM
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Sacramento, CA
The Mayors’ Commission on Climate Change will be conducting its first public meeting on Monday, November 26, 1:00 - 4:00 pm at Sacramento City Hall. The meeting will discuss the City of Sacramento and City of West Sacramento’s vision to achieve carbon zero by 2045. Presentations and discussions will be centered around climate risks and impacts facing the region, key opportunities and barriers to achieving carbon zero, progress updates on city climate action efforts, and the overall goals and structure of the Commission.
The meeting will be open to the public and allow for public comments regarding the Commission’s work. An RSVP is not required to attend.
Learn more about the Mayors' Commission on Climate Change
here
.
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CivicSpark is a Governor's Initiative AmeriCorps program implemented by the Local Government Commission in partnership with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. Each year, 90 Fellows are placed across California in regional hubs to implement targeted projects that build capacity for local government agencies to better address community resilience issues such as climate change, water resource management, and access to opportunities.
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