CivicSpark is Recruiting Project Partners!
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CivicSpark, a Governor's Initiative AmeriCorps program, is now accepting applications for project partners for the 2017-18 service year! CivicSpark uses national service to build local climate, water, and community resilience by placing CivicSpark fellows with project partners to support research, planning, and implementation projects. Over the past 3 years, CivicSpark has provided 130,000+ hours of climate and water capacity-building support to over 100 public agencies.
Register for an Informational Webinar If you are a local government, State agency, or an NGO with a climate or water action project need, register for one of 3 upcoming informational webinars to learn more about how CivicSpark can support your efforts.
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Water in Northern California
Northern California Water fellows attended the Water Education Foundation's "Water 101 Workshop" to hear from experts, including the former director of the Department of Water Resources, experienced governor's and legislative advisors, and a law professor who brought fellows back to their university days with an impassioned discussion on water rights. Multiple speakers addressed Integrated Regional Water Management and Disadvantaged Community Involvement, which are the main foci of Bay Area Water fellows Maddie Duda and Kate Nicholson's project. Throughout the workshop, California water issues were addressed from a variety of angles including the historical background, geographic layout, legal foundations and political ramifications, as well as current pressing issues.
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Sustainability in San Leandro
Bay Area Climate fellow Benjamin Davenport is serving in the City of San Leandro's newly formed Office of Sustainability Management. As the City surges forward on sustainability initiatives, Benjamin works on the core tasks of updating the greenhouse gas inventory and climate action plan to keep the city on track for regional and statewide targets. Additionally, the City has joined East Bay Community Energy and is collaborating with local EPIC Grant recipients ZipPower to create a pilot microgrid focused on renewable energy production and storage. While San Leandro moves ahead, it has committed to keeping industrial space and jobs within the city. These local partnerships help strengthen relations with the community and ensure sustainable, local growth for the future.
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Communities and Water in Riverside
Water fellows Amanda Schallert and Paul Caporaso are serving with the Santa Ana Watershed Project Authority (SAWPA), which is a joint-powers agency created by five water districts and responsive to watershed constituents within Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. The fellows are assisting with SAWPA's Disadvantaged Communities Involvement (DCI) Program, and will engage with members of disadvantaged and underrepresented communities about water resources management throughout the Santa Ana River Watershed.
After a year-long planning process, the California Department of Water Resources approved in February $6.3 million for the three-year DCI Program. To formally introduce the work fellows have done and will complete over the service year, SAWPA held a kickoff event and brought together the program partn ers. The team discussed its shared vision to gather the stories of people throughout the watershed to better understand the strengths and needs of all communities. The work will assure the voices of members of disadvantaged and underrepresented communities help drive the Integrated Regional Water Management planning process.
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Question of the Month: "If you could convince the government to invest heavily in only one climate change/water management solution, what would it be and why?"
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Emma Bennett, Sacramento Region
A: "The scope of our modern environmental conundrum, in my mind, stems from our consumption. We can't live without consuming, but can we consume without polluting? In my mind, the answer is yes. Or at least, at this point, we can pollute a lot less. To help address this, I would make investing in alternative energy technologies and aggressively scaling them my number one priority, even though there are plenty of other opportunities to address consumption (changing behavior/culture, using renewable or safer materials, exploring alternative disposal options, etc.)."
Emma possesses a BA in Anthropology and MPA in Public Administration. She has moved to the capital of one of the most progressive states in the nation to learn more about environmental policy in action. Her passion is composting, on which she conducted her thesis (state composting policy). Originally from Boston, Emma grew up in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and enjoys being active outside, relaxing, traveling, and enjoying the world through food.
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Kara Kelly, Bay Area Region
 A: "It's really challenging to pick just one option! I don't think there is a simple management solution to the issues we're facing. As one speaker at a recent water conference put it, 'We have 19th century laws, 20th century infrastructure, and 21st century problems.' Given the complexity, history, bureaucracy and pure geography of water management in California, I would propose a very comprehensive investment solution, similar to some of the recent water bonds that have come before CA voters. Governor Brown has laid out a robust approach to water management in his Water Action Plan and I strongly agree that investing in an integrated water management approach that supplies funding for multi benefit projects to restore ecosystem services, enhance flood protection and water quality, ensure equity in decision making and diversify the water supply portfolio for coastal and inland communities is the right direction to be moving. An immediate issue that could use investment would be for the planning and implementation of a long term solution for communities in California who presently do not have access to contaminant free potable water."
Kara is a California native and 2015 graduate of Sonoma State University where she received her BS in Environmental Studies and Planning with a focus on Water Resource Management. She is excited to be returning to cooler weather after a year as an AmeriCorps member in the Sierra Nevada foothills working on restoration and environmental education in headwater watersheds. Kara is particularly interested in exploring the water and land use nexus, but really finds all things planning fascinating. In her free time she likes to throw and chase frisbees, stare up at big trees and listen to people, especially those who are generational stewards of local landscapes.
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Catherine Baltazar, Southern California Region
 A: "One of the most important issues affecting Southern California is the extreme heat of the summer months that gets exacerbated by the urban heat island effect. The research I have done for my project has showed me that various communities, such as those of low-income and communities of color, are more vulnerable to the extreme heat we feel in the LA County region. Without access to cooling centers or air conditioning, for various reasons, these populations have a harder time coping with rising temperatures making them susceptible to many heat-related impacts. However, if I could convince the government to invest in one (potentially universal) solution for this issue, it would be for the retrofitting of irrigation systems using recycled water for trees in public parks and rights of way. I have learned that there are various initiatives to plant trees, but without proper maintenance or watering, these trees can die. If we were to invest in expanding recycled water pipes or using permeable pavements that will collect rainwater, we can prevent the unwanted loss of trees, especially in areas with low tree canopy."
Catherine Baltazar graduated from Wellesley College in May 2016 with a B.A. in Environmental Studies as well as Cinema and Media Studies. She was born and raised in the concrete jungle of Los Angeles, and is currently residing in Long Beach, CA. One of Catherine's most recent projects took her to the city of Dhaka in Bangladesh where she combined her passion for environmental advocacy with that of photography and created her own photojournalism project documenting Bangladeshi communities dealing firsthand with the impacts of climate change. She's serving with the LA County Department of Public Health on urban heat island reduction, which will allow her to approach on environmental justice from a local government perspective.
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Izabela Cirloganu, Climate - Bay Area Region
"For this past month, no other activity left a stronger impression on me as the first CivicSpark volunteering day during the Martin Luther King Jr. Day event, on January 16th."...
Abbey Pizel, Water - Southern California Region
"Leadership. Leadership is inspiring and motivating people. Leadership is wanting others to be the best they can be."...
Aaron Presburg, 2014-15 CivicSpark Alum, Los Angeles Region
"It has now been 10 months since I started my job as Energy Program Manager at Portland Public Schools and I am still learning something new every day (yes, the learning continues after CivicSpark)."...
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CivicSpark 2017-18 Project Partner Informational Webinars
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Over the past 2 years, LGC's Governor's Initiative AmeriCorps CivicSpark program has provided over 130,000 hours of support to more than 100 public agencies while implementing 80 Projects in support of state climate and water priorities. If you are a public agency or an NGO with a climate or water action project need, register TODAY for one of THREE upcoming webinars to learn about how CivicSpark can support your efforts.
Fri, 3/3| 3 PM - 4 PM
Wed, 3/8| 9 AM - 10 AM
Fri, 3/17| 3 PM - 4 PM
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REGISTER TODAY!
Community Choice Energy:
It's All About Impact
Friday, May 5, 2017
Long Beach Hyatt Regency
Long Beach, CA
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Registration is open for the Business of Local Energy Symposium at the Hyatt Regency in Long Beach on May 5th, 2017! Don't miss this opportunity to network, exchange ideas about Community Choice Energy programs and learn about current energy policy, regulations, markets, and technology. Use our organization's discount code BLE17CVSP, and receive a 10% discount off registration! Register for this event at: https://blesymposium2017.eventbrite.com
Check out the program topics and list of confirmed speakers on the event website at localenergybiz.com and sign up to receive updates. This event is being organized by the Center for Climate Protection, Local Government Commission, and Local Government Sustainable Energy Coalition.
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About CivicSpark
CivicSpark is a statewide Governor's Initiative AmeriCorps program implemented by the Local Government Commission in partnership with the Governor's Office of Planning and Research. Regional hubs host 68 fellows across California, building capacity for local government agencies to address climate change and water resource management issues. The 2016-17 service year started on Oct. 9th, 2016 and will go through Sept. 8, 2017.
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