Marin County just set a new record for the hottest day on record with San Rafael hitting 108 degrees on Oct. 8.
Extreme heat has a devastating impact, especially on Marin’s growing elderly population and those who work outdoors. Year after year, we experience how a changing climate impacts our lives, from prolonged heat waves to more severe storms, rising sea levels, more frequent flooding, and other threats. I am. The longer you wait to take action, the more severe the consequences will be.
That’s why it’s imperative that Californians vote yes on Proposition 4 in the November election. We’re making emergency investments in proven solutions to protect our communities, health, and economy. We address threats to our iconic landscapes, coasts and wildlife before they become too serious and unmanageable.
More than a quarter of Californians currently live in areas classified as under very high or extreme fire threat. Even those living in areas where the threat is less severe are feeling the effects, from the fear of breathing in harmful smoke to the reality of paying for homeowners insurance, which is becoming more expensive and difficult to obtain. Remember when smoke from the North Complex fire turned the sky an eerie orange color four years ago?Proposition 4’s proven fire prevention and mitigation strategies keep us safe. I’ll raise it further.
Rising temperatures increase the risk of wildfires and sea level rise in Marin. According to the county’s Climate Action Plan 2030, “Sea levels are projected to rise by 2.4 to 3.4 feet, and possibly 10 feet, by the end of this century.” Marin’s Gulf Coast, including the Bellmaline Keys, Santa Venezia, Strawberry, and Kentfield. region and the coastal areas of Stinson Beach and Inverness are particularly vulnerable.
The impact will be far-reaching. Imagine what life would be like if downtown San Rafael, the Cove Shopping Center in Tiburon, and Mill Valley Middle School flooded. The effects of sea level rise will harm thousands of homes and businesses near shorelines and streams, and will disproportionately impact Marin’s communities of color in the San Rafael Canal District and Marin City. Proposition 4 would make funding available to tackle this problem now, rather than delaying action until the crisis worsens.
Fortunately, the Marine Climate Action Network, a driving force behind climate action here, is working to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change, while ensuring local communities are prepared for the impacts. We have identified regional solutions for This will accelerate MarinCAN’s solutions, from local food strategies to carbon sequestration, sea level rise resilience, and more.
It will make unprecedented investments in climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture, local food system infrastructure, and the health and well-being of farm workers. Agriculture is an essential part of Marin’s economic and climate future. Marine Carbon Projects strengthen agriculture and climate resilience to climate change by implementing practices that remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and convert it into plant material and soil organic matter.
Proposition 4 would invest $385 million in sustainable agriculture, including the Healthy Soils Program, the Multipurpose Land Reuse Program, and the California Farmland Conservation Program, to address climate change in Marin County and other agricultural and rangelands. to accelerate agriculture. It will strengthen the resilience of local food supply chains by funding certified farmers market infrastructure, including a permanent zero-waste farmers market and a food and agriculture center being developed at the Marin Civic Center. Probably. Sharing of farming and farm equipment. More than $635 million will be invested to support the health and well-being of farmworkers.
This will move our state from a disaster response to a prevention approach, saving billions of dollars in future costs from wildfire damage, water shortages, and family insurance and utility bills. Proposition 4 is supported by a broad coalition of public safety leaders, wildfire prevention experts, small businesses, and faith-based organizations.
Proven, cost-effective prevention strategies reduce disaster response spending and save local governments millions of dollars annually. Our colleague Jeff Kriek of the Carbon Cycle Institute wisely asked, “What will be the cost if we don’t act?”
Andy Nadja Riese is CEO of the Marin Agricultural Research Institute and a member of the Food and Farm Resilience Coalition group supporting the sustainable agriculture chapter of Proposition 4. Steve Schwartz is the executive director and founder of the Interfaith Sustainable Food Cooperative.
