# data[].attributes.headline
Monterey County gets going on it's Sustainability Program

# data[].attributes.subject
Monterey County gets going on it's Sustainability Program

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The climate is changing. Daily reports of fires, intense rains and heat waves make it clear that projected hazards of climate models are coming true. Local studies have identified many climate hazards (fires, flooding, drought, heat waves) that endanger lives, infrastructure and our economy .

So how do we invest our time and resources wisely to prepare for predicted hazards while also working ever-so-quickly to achieve greenhouse emission reductions needed to minimize impacts? An important consideration is that the more we minimize climate change the fewer risks from which we will need to adapt.

Monterey Bay counties are moving forward with planning to address both climate mitigation (reduction of carbon emissions) and climate adaptation (reducing impacts of climate change). Fortunately, both counties have staff dedicated to addressing climate change.

Santa Cruz County has recently established a new department aimed at increasing public safety and infrastructure threatened by climate change. The County Office of Response, Recovery and Resilience was established in December to address both our contributions to climate change and our resilience to projected threats.

The new office links climate mitigation with adaptation, stating on their website that "Proactive planning will prepare our community for natural disasters and changing weather patterns and help limit the economic impacts from catastrophic natural disasters."

This new department will be updating both the county climate action strategy and adaptations strategies, focused on recently experienced vulnerabilities. David Reid with the county notes that the office is focused on a number of equally important and challenging needs. Specifically: the county will investigate how to improve community resilience from climate change impacts (both infrastructure and the economy), minimize public health risks, and ensure that resiliency is achieved equitably for everyone in the community.

Reid notes that the existing Climate Action Strategy focuses on strategies to reduce CO2 emissions, and the updated strategy will also focus on addressing human health, economic and social impacts of climate action; investigating who is likely to be impacted and how to increase resiliency. New planning efforts, added Reid, will "address critical infrastructure resiliency with a strong focus on public wellbeing." Focuses range from developing a compressive fuel management program for rural residences, supporting microgrids to improve grid stability, to retaining hybrid work schedules to reduce commutes.

Monterey County has its own process underway. Ashley Paulsworth, the sustainability program manager for Monterey County is similarly working to address carbon emissions and climate risks. Paulsworth notes that Monterey County does not have a community wide plan to reduce carbon emissions, something her department is working to draft over the next year.

The county climate action plan being developed will inventory current emission and estimate the emissions drop expected from existing state and local programs. The strategy will then identify local programs needed to reduce emissions sufficiently to align the county with state goals of 40% less than 1990 emissions levels by the year 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2045.

Some areas of focus include how to improve climate collaboration between the county and cities and how to coordinate reductions from transportation by shortening commute travel. A new county staff member will help address predicted climate hazards by focusing on how to increase climate resilience.

Asked what those who live here can do to support climate action and resiliency, Reid highlights a new carbon emissions calculator that will help homes and businesses identify their carbon challenges and Paulsworth highlighted the value of the public staying informed and serving on public committees or participating in the public dialog about how we as a community address this climate challenge. To sign up for Santa Cruz and Monterey County climate updates, visit santacruzcounty.us7.
Ross Clark is the director of the Central Coast Wetlands Group at Moss Landing Marine Labs. He's also a member of the Santa Cruz County Commission on the Environment and the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Research Activity Panel. Contact him at Rossclarkiv@gmail.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ross Clark, Earth Matters | We must all address climate change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The climate is changing. Daily reports of fires, intense rains and heat waves make it clear that projected hazards of climate models are coming true. Local studies have identified many climate hazards (fires, flooding, drought, heat waves) that endanger lives, infrastructure and our economy .

# data[].attributes.headline
Ashley Paulsworth, County of Monterey Sustainability Manager awarded HERO award by CSAC and Procure America

# data[].attributes.subject
Ashley Paulsworth, County of Monterey Sustainability Manager awarded HERO award by CSAC and Procure America

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Procure America and CSAC Financial (California State Association of Counties - Finance Corp.) are proud to announce the 2020 HERO award winners for the State of California! Each year, this program recognizes a select group of California county officials who have demonstrated leadership and vision in their efforts to manage and mitigate expenses on behalf of the taxpayer.

"The hard work and leadership of county executives and staff has an incredible impact on local residents, especially during this time of heightened need," said Fred Armendariz, Procure America CEO. "Procure America is proud to acknowledge their achievements, which too often go unrecognized, through our annual HERO Awards."

Winners were selected based on their leadership in creating and delivering impactful programs to improve fiscal efficiency and program delivery to their respective agencies and communities.

Lisa Bartlett, Supervisor for the County of Orange, was awarded the Statewide 2020 CSAC Hero Award as "Supervisor of the Year."

"I am deeply honored and humbled to receive the 2020 Procure America and CSAC Financial Hero award," said Supervisor Bartlett. "Fiscal responsibility is a public trust that all elected officials assume, and I am very proud of the great work the devoted men and women of our County team delivered during this unprecedented time. While I truly appreciate this recognition by Procure America and CSAC, I accept it on behalf of the County of Orange and the dedicated and talented team we are blessed to have!"

The 2020 County division regional HERO award winners are:

Northern Region

Supervisor

John Giola, County of Contra Costa

David Canepa, county of San Mateo

General Services

Ken Sra, County of Sutter

Public Works

Brian Balbas, County of Contra Costa

Michael Frost, County of Marin

Sustainability/Energy

Suna Yatagama, County of San Mateo

Technology

Partick Wilson, Contra Costa Health Services

Supervisor

Chris Lopez, County of Monterey

Administrative

Matt Machado, County of Santa Cruz

Ryan Alsop, County of Kern

Sustainability/Energy

Ashley Paulsworth, County of Monterey

Technology

Patrick Wilson, Contra Costa Health Services

Procurement

Geoffrey Hill, County of Kern

Supervisor

Nathan Fletcher, County of San Diego

Janice Rutherford, County of San Bernardino

Administrative

Helen Robbins-Meyer, County of San Diego

Sustainability/Energy

Charley Marchesano, County of San Diego

Technology

KC Rosternberg, County of Orange

Procurement

Maria Pirona, County of Orange

Jack Pellegrino, County of San Diego

About Procure America
Procure America is the nation's leading business intelligence company supporting local government. Their services support and deliver operational efficiency, fiscal responsibility, expense transparency and material net cost reduction. Procure America has industry specific practice groups in six specific expense categories: Utilities, Waste & Recycling, Telecommunications, Document Management, Technology Optimization, and Treasury. Each review team is staffed with highly skilled experts that come directly from the industry in which they practice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Procure America announces county winners of 2020 CSAC HERO Awards

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Procure America and CSAC Financial (California State Association of Counties - Finance Corp.) are proud to announce the 2020 HERO award winners for the State of California! Each year, this program recognizes a select group of California county officials who have demonstrated leadership

# data[].attributes.headline
County of Monterey Sustainability Program Manager, asks What Does Sustainability Mean to You?

# data[].attributes.subject
County of Monterey Sustainability Program Manager, asks What Does Sustainability Mean to You?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ashley Paulsworth Sustainability Program Manager County of Monterey asks- what is sustainability?

# data[].attributes.headline
Sign up on our Website to learn more about the County Sustainability Program and Climate Action Plan

# data[].attributes.subject
Sign up on our Website to learn more about the County Sustainability Program and Climate Action Plan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
ENVIRONMENT

SOCIAL

INDUSTRY &
INFRASTRUCTURE

In 2020 Monterey County re-initiated the Sustainability Program, after several years of dormancy. The Program is grounded in the three pillars of sustainability and is designed to support a healthy and vibrant economic, social and environmental future for the residents of Monterey County. The County contains two of the most important natural treasures to the nation, the vast and striking open wilderness of Big Sur and the Monterey Bay, and some of the most fertile and prime farmland in the Country. As such, its resources are both highly sought after and in need of protection and conservation. The Sustainability Program seeks to preserve and restore the County's environmental resources in a way that supports the well-being of our residents and uplifts our economic anchors of tourism and agriculture. The Program does that through 3 main activities, Climate Action Planning which outlines the plan for reducing and sequestering emissions in County operations and County-wide, a Board of Supervisors chaired Committee known as the Alternative Energy and Environment Committee and interacting with and engaging the community to discover Community Priorities.

Clickhere to learn more about the Sustainability Program Plan for 2021/22 or Contact Ashley Paulsworth the County of Monterey Sustainability Program Manager.

Calling all Community Organizations - Join our Equity Panel for the Climate Action Plan "

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
ashley paulsworth sustainability manager monterey county climate action plan

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 2020 Monterey County re-initiated the Sustainability Program, after several years of dormancy. The Program is grounded in the three pillars of sustainability and is designed to support a healthy and vibrant economic, social and environmental future for the residents of Monterey County.

# data[].attributes.headline
Sustainability Program establishes Youth Climate Leadership Council

# data[].attributes.subject
Sustainability Program establishes Youth Climate Leadership Council

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What's Your Vision for Monterey County in 2030? Clean Transportation Transportation Transportation makes up 44 % of emissions locally. Transportation emissions come from the combustion of fossil fuels, generally either gasoline or diesel, although some vehicles are powered by High