Calabasas Council Vote on Keeping Up With Agoura Hills... Or Not

One of the memes of 2020 was, “it can’t get any worse.” And then it did.

The rapidly-unfolding, ever-worsening climate disaster is exactly like that. Each Each record-breaking wildfire season gets broken the next year. Each record-breaking hurricane season gets broken the next year. In addition to everything else, 2020 was also the hottest year on record. Climate change is that freight train light we think we see at the end of the COVID tunnel.

After the climate-exacerbated Woolsey Fire, our elected officials vowed to do everything possible to ensure Woolsey never happens again and took important steps toward prevention. As I write this, LA County Fire has issued an elevated fire danger Red Flag Warning and SoCal Edison is considering a Public Safety Power Shutoff. Scientists have noted that climate change is making wildfires much worse. Our vulnerability continues to worsen unabated.

Agoura Hills and Malibu have significantly stepped up efforts. Both councils moved toward the creation of climate action plans. Both have recently voted to reduce their citywide greenhouse gas emissions by adopting 100% renewable energy as a default for utility customers through the Clean Power Alliance (CPA), setting each city on a path to zero emissions and reducing their part in worsening climate breakdown.

Now, on January 27th, 7pm, the Calabasas City Council will be addressing its own default CPA tier, which is currently at a meager 36% renewable energy (that’s 64% dirty energy!). For the cost of $7-9 extra per $100 of energy bill, Calabasas residents can take an enormous step towards becoming a 100% renewable energy city, marrying our love of electric Teslas and solar panels with an integral policy choice. In other words, for the same cost as a couple Starbucks Grande Skinny Vanilla Lattes, Calabasas residents can drastically reduce their greenhouse gas emissions almost immediately.

The very real concern about financial impacts upon customers and businesses have been addressed by CPA, who provides a robust COVID relief program to assist those who are struggling. Additionally, if the city opts for 100%, low income customers continue to pay the same rate they would be charged by SoCal Edison. In other words, low income customers can receive the cleanest energy with no increased cost. Regardless, everyone has a choice to opt down to a lower tier.

The Calabasas City Council has the opportunity and the moral duty to take one of the strongest steps within its power to mitigate climate change by moving the entire city to 100% renewable energy with one vote.

Join us in urging them to seize it.

(Details how to engage can be found here.)

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"For while we have our eyes on the future
history has its eyes on us"

- Amanda Gorman, the nation's first-ever youth poet laureate

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