Author: Justin Capone

Bay Area residents don’t have to look far beyond their doorsteps to see the impacts of climate change. Hazy skies caused by extended wildfire seasons, prolonged drought, and record-high heat waves are now normal occurrences, and don’t show signs of letting up. Soon, an increase in flooding due to sea level rise and storms will add to the ever-growing list of climate impacts. While climate change affects all of us, the burden of these impacts will be felt disproportionately by vulnerable communities, especially those that are lower-income, Black, Brown, and Asian. These communities have been historically underserved, leaving them more …

Read More

Read this Bay Story in English → En los últimos años, las señales del cambio climático se han manifestado de maneras imposibles de ignorar para cualquiera. Los residentes del Área de la Bahía han estado sujetos a semanas de cielos con humo, mala calidad de aire y calor intenso. Pronto el aumento de las inundaciones por tormentas y el aumento del nivel del mar se convertirán también en la nueva norma. Algunas ciudades locales han demostrado un gran liderazgo reduciendo la contribución de nuestra región al problema climático. San José en particular ha adoptado un plan ambicioso llamado “Climate Smart …

Read More

Lea este “Bay Story” en Español → Over the past few years, the signs of our rapidly warming climate have manifested in ways impossible for anyone to ignore. Bay Area residents have been subjected to weeks of smoky skies, poor air quality, and intense heat, and soon increased flooding from storms and sea level rise will become the new norm. Some local cities have shown great leadership in reducing our region’s contribution to the climate problem. San Jose in particular has adopted an ambitious plan called Climate Smart San Jose that makes the city a trailblazer in cutting carbon emissions. While plans …

Read More

Urban greening is an effective strategy for adapting to climate change and enhancing quality of life that cities can implement now. Integrating nature-based infrastructure into city settings has numerous benefits. Rain gardens, bioswales, trees, and planter boxes all help mitigate flood risks from storms and sea level rise, absorbing and filtering water to return to the ocean pollutant-free. Increasing tree canopy and plant coverage helps cool neighborhoods as temperatures rise, preventing scorching urban heat in areas that would otherwise be blacktops. In addition to helping our communities adapt to climate change, urban greening enhances quality of life by expanding walkable …

Read More