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Atherton staff asks EPC to focus outreach as Climate Action Plan moves into implementation
Summary
Staff asked the Environmental Programs Committee to help move the town’s Climate Action Plan from planning to implementation through education and two annual anchor events, while noting SB 1383-driven food-waste outreach and a planned demonstration of the climate dashboard in January.
Town staff asked the Environmental Programs Committee (EPC) to shift toward outreach and education as the Climate Action Plan moves from planning to implementation.
Crisabelle Sore Mendoza, staff liaison, summarized the plan’s goals: “The town updated its climate action plan in 2021 to provide a strategic framework to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Atherton by 49% below the 2005 levels by 2030 and to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045,” she said. Staff noted the plan includes about 61 strategies across sectors including building energy, transportation, waste, carbon sequestration and water use.
To support implementation, staff recommended structuring EPC outreach around two annual anchor events (a spring workshop and a fall rotating-topic event), partnering with local schools and Menlo College to boost youth involvement, and using the town’s public-facing climate dashboard as an engagement tool.
Members discussed composting workshops and community education. Staff explained the outreach also supports state requirements: “We’re focusing a lot on our SB 1383 education and outreach so that we can support the legalities of that new legislation,” staff said, referencing the state’s food-waste reduction requirements. Members noted prior composting events and county presentations drew strong hands-on participation.
KLA, the vendor that operates Atherton’s climate dashboard, is scheduled to present at the EPC’s January meeting to demonstrate how the public-facing dashboard works and how committee members can help promote it. Staff asked EPC members to identify target activities and to help shape themes for Earth Day participation; staff clarified that the town will perform logistics while EPC provides thematic direction and outreach support.
The committee agreed to follow up at future meetings, invite technical staff (including the building official) to discuss construction-related emissions, and to develop measurable outreach metrics.
