Climate Resolve

Vermont Avenue, with its rich cultural diversity, deserves a thoughtful approach to transit improvement that respects its historical significance and meets the needs of its diverse communities. Through community-based planning, our project will capture a cohesive vision of how transit could create a sense of place through safety enhancements, streetscape improvements, and community art. Grassroots engagement and visualizations of desired transit infrastructure will build momentum to create a high-quality corridor that puts people first.

Climate Resolve is launching Hottest in LA: the Bus Stop Heat Bracket to identify the hottest, most-used bus stops in Los Angeles County that are most in need of improvements. With a 32-stop, March Madness-style bracket, Climate Resolve will use online voting and community input to narrow the field down to a Final Four of bus stops that need upgrades, and create digital renderings of how the stops could look with some much-needed love. We will then use the community feedback and renderings to inform local governments about their bus stop needs.

Climate Resolve’s One Day campaign will encourage Angelenos to get out of their cars one day per week and either bike or walk or take public transportation to get where they’re going. The One Day campaign would not only reduce traffic, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions, but, most importantly, would also show elected leaders that the public supports modes of transportation other than the automobile.

California’s climate is changing and it’s vital that the people of Los Angeles are prepared. Three local organizations – Habitat for Humanity Greater Los Angeles, Grid Alternatives Greater Los Angeles and Climate Resolve – have joined forces to help low-income Angelenos become climate ready by placing solar panels on newly laid cool roofs. With your help, this innovative LA program can become a model for the nation.

In 2050, Los Angeles will be 4 to 5 degrees hotter, access to water vastly diminished, wildfires and flooding more intense and frequent, and the sea level will be 5 to 9 inches higher, all because of climate change. The good news is there is plenty we can do to get ready for these changes, reduce impacts, and, most importantly, make Los Angeles a better place to live. To have a great LA in 2050, we have to start now.

Climate Resolve will use the LA2050 award to galvanize Los Angeles to become better prepared, safer, and more prosperous in the face of a changing climate. We will (1) release three new studies on how the climate will change in Los Angeles by 2050, (2) hold two community climate meet-ups to initiate action on climate solutions, and (3) install a cool roof on low-income apartments to demonstrate a proven solution.

SEEING LA’S CLIMATE FUTURE

First, we will work with our partners at UCLA to ensure that Angelenos understand the emerging science on LA area climate impacts, using our proven communications strategy. UCLA scientists are modeling what LA will look like in 2050. And Climate Resolve is shaping that vision. May to September 2013, Climate Resolve will assist UCLA in the release of climate studies on changes in snowfall in our local mountains, LA area precipitation, and Santa Ana wind conditions by 2050. Climate Resolve help people understand how these studies will affect their lives. Similar to the mid-century temperature study (described below), we will work with media to help ensure the science gets reported accurately and is relatable to the public. We will design maps, graphics, and posters that readily describe the findings in an accessible way, and incorporate the studies into the website C-CHANGE.LA so people can continue to have access to the latest science.

CLIMATE MEET-UPS: BUILDING RESILIENCE IN LA NEIGHBORHOODS

Not just reporting on our future but creating it, Climate Resolve will work with local leaders in two LA communities to look at neighborhood-scale impacts, and identify real, positive solutions that work in these neighborhoods. During the Fall and Winter of 2013, Climate Resolve will host two intensive community climate meet-ups through which we will work with community leaders, invite trusted messengers, and listen to community concerns. We anticipate engaging our partners in this phase to bring together the collective expertise and leadership on community engagement and environmental stewardship in Los Angeles. UCLA scientists will discuss climate impacts. Environmental practitioners will share solutions they have successfully employed around the city.

Each community climate meet-up will have two phases, beginning virtually with live Twitter parties where we engage community members in rapid, thoughtful, and inspiriting dialogue about climate impacts and solutions. One week later, we will host a follow-on in-person meet-up with the agenda informed by the outcomes of the Twitter party. The in-person meet-up will bring community members together with civic and environmental leaders to collectively identify policy measures and real, tangible actions that will prepare Los Angeles for a changing climate. The climate meet-up process will enable the people of Los Angeles to develop and implement solutions for their communities, working jointly with local environmental leaders, academic experts, and Climate Resolve. The result will be identification and action on priority community projects, such as installing a cool roof on a low-income apartment, a shady park with a cool playground, or a greenway along a stretch of accessible waterway.

The climate meet-ups will result in action, the beginning of Los Angeles building-up the social infrastructure to meet the climate crisis. Climate Resolve will work with our partners, including the City of Los Angeles, to obtain resources and get the job done. With Climate Resolve’s strong relationships at City Hall, we anticipate great success. When proven effective, we will expend the climate meet-up model citywide, continuing beyond the LA2050 project.

SHARING SUCCESS: INSPIRING ANGELENOS TO TAKE ACTION

We will promote success stories via Twitter, Facebook and other social media, providing a place for people to post pictures and videos of what they’re able to accomplish in their neighborhood or home or school. This will show people how easy it can be to take action.

MAKE LA COOL: START WITH WHAT WORKS

Cool roofs are a low-cost, accessible and proven solution to keeping Angelenos comfortable and safe, reducing air conditioning costs, and avoiding greenhouse gas emissions. For LA2050, Climate Resolve will spearhead a project to outfit an existing low-income apartment building in Los Angeles with a cool roof. We will work with residents to help track comfort and cost-savings as a proof of concept that cool roofs are an effective solution.