Subcommittee shares small-scale project ideas for climate change mitigation
By SARA HALL
At the Environmental Sustainability Committee meeting on Monday (March 20) the climate change subcommittee shared some potential project ideas that stemmed from their 2021-23 workplan.
The group’s workplan included research on small-scale mitigation/resilience projects such as: Tree canopy promotion, white sidewalks (or “cool streets”), street lights and other public lighting, green roof pilot, light bulb exchange program, syncing traffic lights, plant-based local food promotion, etc.
The subcommittee recently reviewed the 2021-23 workplan to see what was outstanding and noted that some boxes have been or will be checked off through efforts on the Climate Protection Action Plan, said ESC Vice Chair Judie Mancuso. So, they focused on tackling some of the other items, she noted.
On Monday, the committee members highlighted and asked for feedback about the cool streets and plant-based food promotion ideas. In connection with another workplan project that focuses on environmental regulations and developments for new construction and remodel projects, the subcommittee also invited officials from Southern California Edison to present information on building electrification during the meeting.
They’ve seen some other cities, including Los Angeles and Phoenix, implement the white sidewalks or cool streets idea with some success, Mancuso said.
Cities with a lot of paved areas, especially black asphalt, create a lot of heat, explained committee member Anne Girtz. That heat, especially in the summer months, doesn’t dissipate easily. The idea is to cover some of the black surfaces with a lighter color so they don’t absorb and retain all that heat. That cools everything off and reduces the need for A/C, she added.
“This is something that several cities in the West, where there are hotter climates, have done,” Girtz noted. “In Laguna, it’s really not going to have a really big impact on reducing our heat island here in the Downtown area, but I think, what we talked about, is that it’s really a model and it’s really more of a discussion point for people to become more aware about these issues.”
It’s an easy project for the city to do, Girtz said, and is something visible that will get those conversations started, which will raise awareness and education.
It could be a good project for the city, agreed committee member Steve Chadima. The city could pick a few streets where work is already being planned and look into the potential benefits, he said.
Committee member Mina Brown suggested testing out the cool streets products on a parking lot that’s adjacent to popular uses (like a school or park) where people are really going to feel the difference.
“Where people are using the outdoors and are really going to feel how much cooler it is,” she said.
She also suggested looking into “cool roofs” for people who aren’t putting solar panels on their rooftops, but can put something on to make them a lighter color to reflect light and heat.
Chadima noted a potential wrinkle in the cool rooftops idea though, as he went through something similar when replacing the roof on his own building. They wanted to make it “cool” and found some color options were available, but not white because there have been complaints in the city about the reflecting light bothering neighbors who live on the hills above the white rooftop.
“So there are little asterisks there, but there are still options,” said Chadima, who ultimately got a beige rooftop. “I live on the top floor and it’s a good 10 degrees cooler in there in the summer now because of that roof, so it definitely helps.”
There are competing interests in regulations at work, he noted, and it can be a challenge, but ultimately worth the effort.
A few committee members also suggested planting more trees to help increase the urban forest plan.
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Photo by Mary Hurlbut
AN ESC subcommittee is studying possible climate change mitigation projects, including implementing “cool streets” and programs to help electrify new homes and remodels
Regarding the plant-based local food promotion project idea, climate change subcommittee member Chadima said they were looking to shine a light on the issue.
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