At this upcoming City Council Meeting, staff will provide an update on the City’s Sustainability Action Plan 4 (SAP-4). This will be a mid-point progress report on the FY 2019-2022 plan and will include a status update on each of the 81 new SAP-4 actions. Council will also consider supporting Federal and State policies through two resolutions: a National Carbon Tax and Dividend policy and a 100 Percent Zero Emission New Vehicle Sales in California by 2030 policy.

Details of the SAP-4 update, as well as the resolutions, are available under Item 7.1 here, and the meeting agenda is available here. Instructions for how you can participate in the Council meeting are shown at the top of the agenda document. We welcome your participation and feedback.

In June 2021, most residential PG&E and Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) customers in Santa Clara County will be automatically transitioned to a new Time-of-Use (TOU) electricity rate. This transition is a part of a statewide effort to help improve how electricity is utilized on the grid and will support California’s shift toward clean energy.

The TOU rate price varies based on when you use electricity. Energy will be cheapest before 4 p.m. and after 9 p.m (“Off-Peak” times). Shifting high energy use to these off-peak times will save you money with a cheaper rate.

If the new TOU plan is not right for you, don’t fret! SVCE and PG&E customers can try the new TOU rate risk-free by receiving Bill Protection for the first 12 months of their new rate. So, if you pay more on the new TOU rate compared to your old tiered rate, you will be credited the difference. More information on Bill Protection is available here.

If you’d like to opt out of TOU altogether, you have until the beginning of June 2021, when the transition will occur. For more information on the Time-of-Use rate transition, visit this link.

National River Cleanup is a day of action to protect our rivers, watersheds, and wildlife from trash and debris. This year, volunteers can sign up to host or join a cleanup event in their neighborhood or local natural area any Saturday in May, and connect with thousands of other volunteers across the country. Visit cleanacreek.org for more information.

Welcome to a new series that will be included in our newsletters and social media. In this series, City of Mountain View employees will share their sustainability tips and tricks.

"Hi, I’m Autumn, the City’s Climate Corps sustainability fellow. One of the ways I reduce emissions is through bicycling. I’ve never had a car and have always preferred to bike everywhere. This has led me to seek out cities with great public transit and bikeable options. I am so thrilled to live in a place that makes alternative modes of transportation a priority, so I can keep reducing my carbon emissions."

Have you done something creative with sustainability that you would like to share? Have you started a garden or found new ways to reuse old objects? Have you tried a new plant-based recipe or started biking instead of driving? Share these stories with us to be featured as a Sustainability Champion! Email sustainability@mountainview.gov with a picture of yourself and your story. We look forward to hearing from you!

Are you ready to electrify your home? SVCE is offering up to $2,000 in rebates to customers who replace their gas or electric resistance water heater with an efficient, electric heat pump version, decreasing harmful emissions in your home and community! View SVCE’s Heat Pump Water Heater Buyers Guide here.

An additional $3,000 in rebates is available for qualifying electric panel upgrades and income-qualified customers. Visit SVCE's website here to reserve your rebate.

The eHub features information on how change starts with clean electricity, how driving electric is the biggest single action you can take to stop pollution while saving money, and how you can improve your indoor air quality at home with efficient, electric appliances. Visit the new eHub here.

Were you impacted by a Public Safety Power Shutoff this year? SVCE has launched a new program with Sunrun to help customers install solar and battery storage systems to prepare for future power outages. If you choose to enroll in Lights On Silicon Valley, you can get an up-front rebate of $1,250 by agreeing to share some battery energy with the electricity grid during peak times, and only when there isn’t an outage. This rebate is available on top of other rebates and tax credits!

With this program, you get access to backup power, reduce your energy costs, and help our community develop a clean-energy power grid. Win-win-win! Interested participants can sign up for more information here.

Did you know that food is one of the largest contributors to the average Bay Area resident’s carbon footprint? Acterra, a local environmental non-profit, has launched its Healthy Plate, Healthy Planet program to help people reduce food waste and eat more plant-based meals. Learn about their online community, plant-forward challenge, upcoming events, and more here.

Attention Bay Area residents! The Air District’s Clean Cars for All Program has expanded to all Bay Area zip codes.

Income qualified residents who own a model year 2004 or older vehicle can receive up to $9,500 to retire their old vehicle and purchase or lease a new or used electric vehicle. Funding is available for electric vehicle charging equipment as well. You can also get a pre-loaded Clipper card (up to $7,500) for turning in your old vehicle. Incentive options vary depending on income and zip code.

Check if you are eligible for the Clean Cars for All program and apply here.

For additional information about this program, please contact (855) 256-3656 or cleancars@gridalternatives.org.

Show your love for our planet by eating less meat and fewer dairy products, and more plants. You can even personalize your approach based on your own comfort level. Choose your own path for this challenge in May — whether it’s eating plant-based once a week, every day, or somewhere in between.

Did you know that the average Bay Area omnivore household emits nearly 10 metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year — just from the food they eat? That’s the same as driving a typical gas-powered car about 23,000 miles.

You can make a big difference by opting for more fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes while moving meat and dairy products to the side — or off your plate entirely. You may also benefit by feeling stronger, more energetic, and healthier. Find out more here.

Join Acterra for the fourth workshop in their Green@Home series. Acterra welcomes guest speaker Barry Cinnamon from Cinnamon Energy Systems to speak about electric vehicle (EV) charging. This workshop will cover the resources for home and community EV charging, rebates, and how to optimize your EV charging experience. A PG&E representative will briefly discuss PG&E’s Time-of-Use (TOU) rates and net energy metering. More information is available here.

Think you can’t afford an electric vehicle (EV)? Think again! Learn about the many financial assistance programs that can make vehicle ownership a reality for you and your family. And not just any vehicle – a non-polluting, low-maintenance, fast, quiet, fun electric vehicle. Acterra will help you discover the specific rebates and grants that fit your tastes, income, and needs, because EVs are for everyone, including you. More information can be found here.

¿Cree que no se alcanza para comprar un vehículo eléctrico? ¡Piensa otra vez! Las nuevas Clínicas de incentivos financieros para EVs profundizan en los muchos programas de asistencia financiera disponibles para los consumidores que califiquen por sus ingresos. Nota: para que los ingresos califiquen, un consumidor no debe ganar más del 400% del nivel federal de pobreza. Por ejemplo, una sola persona debe ganar menos de $51,000 y una familia de cuatro debe ganar menos de $105,000. Este taller se llevará a cabo en inglés con traducción al español. Si necesita más información, por favor vayan esto.

Want to stay updated on more Sustainability news and local events? Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram!