Tom Steyer for Governor
7-minute read
This Week
Tom Steyer for Governor
Revised rules for home wildfire safety
Driving an electric car keeps getting easier
Closed landfills are great places for solar farms
Growing clean cement using natural bacteria
Brief climate news
Climate jargon explained
Contacts for Santa Cruz County
Click on the underlined links to learn more.
About me
I’m Rex Sanders, a science writer who’s lived in Santa Cruz County more than 20 years. Each week I check dozens of reliable sources for climate news that affects our County. Focused on how we can create a better future together.
Tom Steyer for Governor
Tom Steyer, from his website
I support Tom Steyer for California’s next governor, and you should too. Here’s why.
He’s the most vocal pro-climate candidate by far. Two years ago Tom wrote a best-selling book about winning the climate change war.
Steyer is really smart, focused on affordable electric rates, affordable housing, clean energy jobs, and other issues that help everyday people and our climate.
He knows a lot of important climate policy details, instead of making vague statements of support.
He changed his mind on dirty fuels and climate when he saw the damage first-hand 14 years ago. Tom left the company that made him a billionaire, sold his dirty fuel investments, and invested in companies that help our climate. He’s supported many other climate efforts since then.
Other climate supporters have endorsed Steyer:
Bill McKibben is a nationally-known climate activist
John Podesta and Ali Zaidi, two of President Biden’s top climate advisors
No candidate is perfect. He’s a billionaire spending far more than anyone else running for governor. At least he’s not accepting big donations. And I have a hard time trusting billionaires, like this one, this one, and especially this one. But his words and actions are clear.
I will vote for Tom Steyer in our June 2, 2026 primary. I hope you will, too.
Revised rules for home wildfire safety
Worker rebuilds a home destroyed in the Palisades fire, framed by burnt trees, L.A. Times
Analysis: Proposed state home fire safety rules have been controversial. Mostly around clearing all the stuff that can burn out to 5 feet from exterior walls. Including fences, gates, live plants, and trees.
Illustration of Zone 0, from the CAL FIRE video
Over the past year, CAL FIRE has listened to community groups and fire scientists around the state. They slightly relaxed the old rules. Plus CAL FIRE and local fire departments will start with education, not enforcement.
Zone 0 gets an inner Safety Zone. You must clear all the stuff that can burn at least 1 foot from walls or to the edge of your roof line. The zone expands to 2 feet from windows, doors, and vents. And 5 feet from attached decks and stairs. This still protects your home from fire caused by piles of windblown embers. That’s the main way homes burn down.
Illustration of the new Safety Zone marked by the red line, modified from the CAL FIRE video
Trees can stay, but they must be trimmed 5 feet from roofs and 10 feet from chimneys. Dead limbs and branches must be removed.
The new Zone 0 rules will be phased in. New construction must comply right away. Existing homes get 3 to 5 years to comply with different parts.
The rules apply to homes in most of Santa Cruz County. You can find more information and maps on this CAL FIRE website.
These rules are not final. The proposal allows for some adjustments based on new research and experience. And by fire departments based on local conditions.
The new rules have too many other details to cover here. See this press release or a very good 8-minute video to learn more:
Quotes: “It is a reasonable compromise,” said Beth Burnam, with environmental and fire safety groups. “Do I like everything? No. Can I live with it? Yes.”
“This is about insurability,” said Laura Blaul with the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. And insurance companies can require even more.
Limitations: These rules are not final, but should be very close.
Actions: Climate change will make wildfires worse. Get started now to spread out the costs and work. And to protect your family, home, neighbors, and community even sooner.
Source: Noah Haggerty, L.A. Times, 4-minute read
Driving an electric car keeps getting easier
Charging route map built into an electric car, from the video
“It’s kind of like charging your phone,” said Kristina Zagame of Energy Sage. “When was the last time your phone ran completely out of battery? Probably not very often because you charge it overnight. Electric vehicles work the same way.”
Americans drive an average of 30 miles a day. Plugged into a regular wall outlet, you can add about 60 miles to your electric car while you sleep. Using a special box to automatically share an electric clothes dryer outlet, you can add over 200 miles overnight.
And it’s almost as easy as charging your phone. One minute to plug in the car when you get home, one minute to unplug when you leave the next day.
For longer trips or people that can’t charge at home, most new EVs can go 300 to 400 miles after a fill-up. The same as most gasoline cars. Several companies are rapidly installing public fast chargers across the country, with apps to find them built into the car or on a smartphone. The latest electric cars and trucks can fill up at a fast charger in less than 20 minutes.
“We plugged in, we both went to the bathroom, we bought beef jerky and two bottles of water,” said EV driver Jonny Lieberman. “And by the time we got back, it was [fully] charged.” Many shopping centers have public fast chargers, so you can add miles while you shop.
California has way more charging ports than gasoline nozzles. With 136 fast charging ports in Santa Cruz County.
Map of public fast charging port numbers by county, modified from the California Energy Commission
I’ve driven a small electric car with a 259-mile range for more than three years. Haven’t run out of charge yet. Long trips a few times every year need a little planning. And I have a couple of apps to help with that.
Finding a fast charger is like looking for cheaper gas. Except most fast chargers cost about the same. Gas station prices are literally all over the map. And climbing fast, thanks to our latest war.
Don’t worry about driving range, finding chargers, and charging time when you replace your gas car with an electric car. And your electric car helps our climate.
Kristina Zagame, Energy Sage, 3-minute video
Closed landfills are great places for solar farms
Most of the Buena Vista Landfill near Watsonville is full and covered with grass, from County of Santa Cruz
We need lots more solar farms to help with climate change. But proposed projects get shot down by local governments for many reasons. Like covering farmland or wild land, or looking “ugly.”
But we could put a bunch of solar panels with big utility batteries on land that’s ugly or messed up . Like landfills, formerly known as garbage dumps. Our county has three landfills that will fill up soon. Watsonville, Santa Cruz, and Santa Cruz County should put solar farms on top. Tell your city and county politicians you want this. See Santa Cruz County Contacts below.
Tina Casey, Clean Technica, 6-minute read
Growing clean cement using natural bacteria
Illustration of a bacteria growing cement around itself, from the video
Biomason is literally growing clean cement pavers, siding, and highway barriers. While making far less carbon dioxide and testing far stronger than regular cement. The company is expanding their first factory, and licensing the process to other companies.
Cement plus gravel makes concrete, the most common building material in the world. But making cement creates more climate pollution than all the ships and planes in the world put together.
Let’s hope lots more companies start making clean cement like this very soon.
David Pogue, CBS Sunday Morning, 3-minute video
Brief climate news
Historic San Francisco church gets rooftop solar panels, saving money that will go to food programs and neighborhood cleanups. How about your place of worship? Solar Power World, 2-minute read
Capitola won’t rebuild the Depot Hill cliff path that keeps falling into the ocean. “I do not think spending the $200,000-plus to relocate the path is responsible given that it may last just 10 years.” Or less. Lookout Santa Cruz, 2-minute read
Heat pump water heaters can stop a lot of air pollution in homes, and help with climate change. Clean Technica, 3-minute read
Fire tests for big utility batteries improved to match more real-world conditions. New projects must pass these tests, like the battery storage planned near Watsonville. Solar Power World, 2-minute read
Climate jargon explained
Big utility battery: Utility-sized rechargeable battery that stores clean electricity for later use, also called a battery energy storage system or BESS
Carbon dioxide (CO2): Main climate pollution gas causing global overheating and climate change
Clean cement: Cement made without climate pollution; regular cement makes a lot
Clean energy: Cheaper energy from the sun, wind, dams, or underground heat, that creates very little air pollution or climate pollution
Climate: Long-term weather pattern somewhere
Climate change: Long-term changes to Earth’s weather caused by climate pollution, including global overheating and too much ocean acid
Climate pollution: Gases in the air that trap the Sun’s heat and cause climate change, mainly carbon dioxide and methane, also called greenhouse gases or carbon pollution
Dirty fuel: Coal, oil, gasoline, diesel, propane, or natural gas that creates air pollution and climate pollution, also called fossil fuel
Electric car: Car that runs on an electric motor and a large rechargeable battery
Electric truck: Truck that runs on an electric motor and a large rechargeable battery
Electric vehicle (EV): Any kind of vehicle that runs on an electric motor and a large rechargeable battery, including cars, trucks, trains, and boats
Fast charger: Electric vehicle charger much faster than a home charger
Heat pump: Two-way air conditioner that can cool or heat a building, heat a hot water tank, or boil water for factories
Rooftop solar power: Solar panels mounted on a roof, supplying electricity
Solar farm: Large land area covered with solar panels
Solar panel: Panel that turns sunlight into electricity
More at climatejargon.com
Contacts for Santa Cruz County
City council: Watsonville, Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz, or Capitola, depending on where you live
County supervisors
County Resource Conservation District
Regional Transportation Commission (SCCRTC)
Central Coast Community Energy (3CE) and PG&E
State Assembly: Gail Pellerin, Dawn Addis, or Robert Rivas, depending on where you live
State Senate: John Laird
California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), Air Resources Board (CARB), and Energy Commission (CEC)
Governor Gavin Newsom
U.S. Congress: Jimmy Panetta or Zoe Lofgren, depending on where you live
U.S. Senate: Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff.
Unrelated advice
Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past, let us accept our own responsibility for the future.
John F. Kennedy