March 2023
Ruth Sandven | Published on 3/3/2023
SEAC hosted the Building Electrification Coalition, one of our coalition partners, for the February meeting. BEC goals include advocating for more legislation for building electrification, outreach and education, equity for all communities in SD, and retrofitting gas fixtures in existing buildings. Electric water heaters, heat pumps and electric appliances are the easiest way to begin electrifying buildings and homes.
For the grid to be 100% green, electrification has to be part of it. Methane gases come from gas water heaters, gas furnaces and gas clothes dryers. Studies show that the parts of the United States that use gas stoves have higher incidences of asthma in children. The smaller the kitchen, the greater the exposure. For cooking, there are induction stoves which work better than the old electric coil stoves. For heating, heat pumps move heat from the outside air to inside. The same unit can do the reverse for cooling. Public safety is better without gas lines as gas pipes leak constantly. We can't reach the CAP goals without electrification.
SEAC members will join the BEC at their booth for Every Day Is Earth Day on April 29 at the Malcolm X Library on Market Street and the La Mesa Earth Day Fair on April 22. We are looking for volunteers!
The Environmental Justice Subcommittee continues to research what is happening in San Diego on the intersection of climate change and health. This month we met with Kristin Vander Molen from the Desert Research Institute, Teri Foster of the County Health Department and Vi Nguyen, a pediatrician at Kaiser who is also co-chair of the climate change and health subcommittee of the local American Academy of Pediatrics SD chapter and also the co-chair of the Pediatricians for Clean Air. The purpose of this meeting was to discuss the heat and health curriculum being developed by the Desert Research Institute (DRI), based on the research they conducted in SD County. In collaboration with the SD County Health Department, a curriculum is being written consisting of six modules: Climate Communication: How and Why it is important to be talking about climate change in regards to public health, Background of San Diego Climate Change (particularly heat), Heat Illnesses- how to understand them and treat them, Prevention of Heat Illness and Adaptation.
The EJ Subcommittee meets the 4th Tuesday of every month at 10:00 am. If you are interested in climate change and health and in particular heat related illnesses, please join us!
Just a few other SEAC highlights to mention are our continuing involvement in the ReWild Mission Bay Coalition, our ongoing monitoring of the City Council Environment Committee and our participation in the Citizen’s Advisory Committee on Solid Waste. SEAC receives a monthly observer report on SANDAG from the Public Policy Committee. I am looking for someone who would be willing to study this (short) report and bring forth the important points at our monthly meetings. If you are interested in SANDAG and would help us monitor its ongoing agenda, please let me know!