Celebrating Climate Action - 2021 Year in Review

December 28, 2021

min

Hammond Climate Solutions

Collage of Hammond Climate Solution Foundation climate events

The Hammond Climate Solutions team is excited to celebrate our second year creating a more just and livable future together! Since our social enterprise was founded by Tara and Justin Hammond in 2020, we have been on a mission to combat the climate crisis and climate injustices through leveraging dynamic solutions through climate project management, advocacy and policy. The past two years have brought incredible growth, positive impact and community building, and we are grateful to reflect on all that we have collectively created just within the past year. Feel free to check out our blog post from last year that celebrated our first year’s accomplishments.

Before jumping into reflections on our efforts, we’d like to highlight our newest team member, Maya Steinberg! Maya joins the Hammond Climate Solutions team as our Climate Justice Development Manager, and is helping us generate a greater positive impact through managing clean energy programs and projects, and seeking funding opportunities to enhance current and future initiatives. We’re thrilled to have her onboard, and are excited for the impact she’ll have on fulfilling our mission.

We also want to sincerely thank our clients, partners, climate champions and climate activists for your dedication and contributions to lessening the impact of the climate crisis.

Clean Energy Initiative Management & Consulting

Over the past year, our team has been a part of 406 solar projects that have collectively deployed 213,525.9kW of solar across 37 states and Puerto Rico. This translates into 5.3 megatons of carbon offset, ensuring clean air and creating healthy communities that have reduced reliance on dirty fossil fuels while supporting green jobs and stimulating the economy.

In 2021, thanks to our client Left Coast Fund, we had another $1 million budget for the Solar Moonshot Program, a no-fee grant initiative we manage that helps nonprofit organizations afford the switch solar. This year alone, the Solar Moonshot Program supported 42 nonprofit organizations in adopting a combined total of 1,116.5kW of solar power and three solar thermal projects. Each grant allows the receiving organization to reinvest in its mission, reduce local greenhouse gas emissions and climate injustices, improve the quality of life of its community members and educate the community about the feasibility and importance of solar in combating the climate crisis. We secured additional funding for the Solar Moonshot Program to continue in 2022, thanks to clients Left Coast Fund and BQuest Foundation. Read more about the Solar Moonshot Program’s impact in 2021 by checking out our recent blog post here.

We continued management of the e-bike “ride off” programs with Climate Action Campaign and Business for Good San Diego, where riders are loaned an e-bike and every mile ridden is $1 off of the loan. The goal is for participants to own the bike for no money out-of-pocket by successfully riding off the mileage. This helped increase adoption of e-bikes as a form of clean energy transportation, reducing thousands of vehicle miles travelled since the programs began. Hammond Climate Solutions has been involved with Pedal Ahead, an e-bike ride off program that was formed by San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, in partnership with Rider Safety Visibility, with the e-bikes generously funded by our client, Left Coast Fund. Through this program, e-bikes are available for those living in San Diego County Supervisorial District 4. Since the program began in September 2020, over 160,000 miles have been ridden by participants, averaging 10 miles per day, which translates into over 160,000 vehicle miles offset, and communities that are healthier, have cleaner air and can enjoy a greater quality of life.

Late last year, we helped a local foundation apply for $42,000 in rebates from the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (CALeVIP) for electric vehicle charging stations to help expand access to clean transportation for communities of concern. This summer, five electric vehicle chargers with eight total charging ports were installed at two campuses for a San Diego nonprofit organization that has a mission of maximizing self-sufficiency with families and individuals through high-quality programs and advocacy in communities.

We provided clean energy development services for engineering firms such as Black & Veatch, financing companies such as Fellowship Energy, and contractors such as Aloha Solar Power. We also worked directly with a number of nonprofits, businesses and a special district to provide independent energy analyses, feasibility studies and request for proposal (RFP) support for their clean energy endeavors. The projects we served ranged from small scale commercial (under 30 kilowatts) to large scale multi-facility (over 1 megawatt) sized jobs. Learn more about these services here.

Pushing for Climate Policy

Hammond Climate Solutions has had the pleasure of providing our climate policy expertise to local solar companies that are seeking to stay ahead of changes to policies like net energy metering, California’s rooftop solar agreement that has allowed solar to make sense financially for 1,300,000 California families, businesses, cities, schools, nonprofit organizations and multi-family property owners. In addition to our policy advising, our team has been working tirelessly over the past year to help pass policies that would advance climate justice. Most recently, we have been fighting for an equitable future solar agreement in California, net metering 3.0 (NEM 3.0), the latest update to the solar policy, through advocacy on the local and state levels. Last year, we helped the Solar Rights Alliance start a local and statewide coalition, now known as Save CA Solar, to fight for an equitable and sustainable rooftop solar industry in California by advocating for a strong NEM 3.0 policy. This year, we helped grow that coalition through releasing almost 10 blog posts, creating and sharing toolkits with calls to action, participating in countless meetings and webinars, and presenting to community groups, organizations and elected officials whenever possible. Check out our most recent blog post on this critical issue, written by our Climate Justice Policy Advisor, Karinna Gonzalez.

Through participating in over 1,000 meetings, calls and public comments and signing onto over 30 letters in the past year alone, we fought for local and statewide policies that would create a more just and livable future and against those that would hinder our progress. Some of the climate policies we advocated for include building electrification ordinances across the San Diego region to electrify new construction, updates to Climate Action Plans within the County of San Diego and cities in the region to move us to zero carbon, resolutions advocating for a more environmentally sound solar agreements, funding related to stormwater infrastructure, franchise agreements in the City of San Diego, defeating the “anti-solar bill” Assembly Bill 1139 and more. Read more about our climate policy efforts over the past year, which also include advocating for policies to achieve zero carbon via Climate Action Plans, Community Choice Energy and building electrification, as well as world class transit, in the recently-published blog post written by our Climate Justice Policy Advisor, Karinna Gonzalez.

Climate & Climate Justice Advocacy

Hammond Climate Solutions is a proud member of 15 nonprofit organizations and an active member of various coalitions. Our team is pleased to have served in various leadership roles in 2021:

Vice chair, San Diego Community Power Community Advisory Committee
Steering committee member, San Diego Green New Deal Alliance
Executive committee member, Surfrider Foundation San Diego
Board member, Climate Defenders Action Fund
Board member, GRID Alternatives San Diego
Steering committee co-chair, San Diego Building Electrification Coalition
Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Resource Development chair, San Diego Green New Deal Alliance
Chair, California Solar & Storage Association, San Diego
Member, California Solar & Storage Association Policy Committee
Co-lead, South Bay Eco Justice team, SanDiego350
Member, California Green New Deal Coalition Storytelling Working Group

This year, we continued to work alongside fellow members and community partners within the San Diego Green New Deal Alliance to achieve our collective goal of reaching zero carbon by 2035 through advocating for community-based solutions like a world-class clean transportation system, family-sustaining union jobs and a just transition, transit-oriented housing solutions and building electrification. In partnership with other members of the San Diego Green New Deal Alliance, we helped organize events around these critical solutions and issues, including President Joe Biden’s budget reconciliation bill, bike lane expansions in San Diego, holding polluting corporations like Sempra accountable for greenwashing and ensuring energy democracy through community choice energy with our regional provider, San Diego Community Power.

We also helped organize four San Diego Climate Hub events in 2021, which virtually brought folx together from across the country to discuss potential solutions to pressing climate issues such as housing and the climate crisis, transportation, water issues and a just transition. Be sure to follow the San Diego Climate Hub on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date on upcoming actions and events, and save the date for the next quarterly Climate Hub event, which is taking place on 3/31/2022.

Awards & Recognitions

Hammond Climate Solutions is grateful to have been recognized for the efforts we have undertaken thus far in climate leadership, advocacy, clean energy program management and policy. This year, Hammond Climate Solutions’ founders Tara and Justin Hammond were honored with awards for their climate leadership, from Business for Good San Diego’s Environment Champion Award given to Tara Hammond, to the Hometown Heroes award, which Justin was named by his local town council. Read more about the recognitions that were received in our recent blog post.

Looking Ahead to 2022

In addition to continuing our climate advocacy, policy efforts and existing climate programs like the Solar Moonshot Program and e-bike ride off programs, two key initiatives to look out for include the “Fossil Fuel Free Pledge,” an initiative with the San Diego Climate Hub, which recognizes nonprofit organizations that are refusing to accept money from fossil fuel corporations, and the “San Diego Climate Report Card,” which we’re launching in partnership with Climate Defenders Action Fund and League of Conservation Voters San Diego to bring accountability to elected officials in the City of San Diego and County of San Diego for their climate action results. We are hopeful that in 2022 the Climate Hub organizations will be able to work together under one roof at the solar-powered Climate Hub in Hillcrest, San Diego, as originally planned prior to the pandemic.

We’ll be sharing details on other programs for 2022 in the coming weeks, some of which will serve as pilot programs and proof of concept to lay the foundation for bigger programs for cities, community choice programs and legislation.

Stay tuned for an exciting announcement that we will be sharing in early 2022! Connect with us on social media at Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and to ensure you receive updates in the future, sign up for our newsletter by heading to our website.

We look forward to working with all of you in 2022 to create a more just and livable future!

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How to Celebrate the Holidays Sustainably in the time of COVID-19

Lifestyle

February 15, 2021

min

How to Celebrate the Holidays Sustainably in the time of COVID-19

If you’re scrambling for last-minute holiday gifts (like some of us), it can be tempting to give in to Amazon Prime delivery and the holiday deals at big businesses, throw the likely unethically and unsustainably made items in a gift bag, and call it a day. But with economic losses resulting from the pandemic, and continued impacts of climate injustices,it is even more important to shop ethically and sustainably this year.

With transportation accounting for 28 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by economic sector in 2018, and an increase in package deliveries around the holidays, shopping at local, small-owned businesses with sustainably made or second hand gifts is one of the best ways to resist climate change and stimulate the local economy. If you choose to leave your house for holiday shopping, walking or biking to a small owned business is encouraged. In particular, we’re considering how we can best support small businesses owned by Black folks, Indigenous friends and People of Color. If there’s one thing we took from 2020, it’s that our actions are needed to continue showing up for racial and environmental justice.

With the recent rise in COVID-19 cases, shopping in person is not considered the safest option for folks. Many small businesses have gotten creative with local delivery and if you have friends or family who will be shopping in person this year, consider reaching out to them to arrange no-contact drop offs from your favorite local shops. If neither of those options are working out, consider getting gifts delivered to your loved ones from small businesses local to them, so you can save on emissions from shipping presents to them from where you are. In these uncertain times, we’re reminded that the health of our communities and the health of the planet are interdependent. Regardless of whether or not you’re leaving your house to get gifts, there are so many other ways to celebrate sustainably this holiday season--and for good reason. The EPA estimates that the American household waste increases by more than 25 percent between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day for an estimated additional one million tons of wasted food, shopping bags and gift wrap per week! Along with buying items that are ethically and sustainably made, here are additional tips for a more conscious holiday celebration this year:

1) Say no to plastic and paper bags when buying presents

This one may be a little harder while reusable bags are not allowed in some stores, but many stores will allow you to bring them in as long as you bag your items yourself.

2) Rethink gift wrapping

If you don’t have gift wrap or bags leftover from previous years, instead of buying new ones, you can opt to use newspaper, reusable bags, reusable gift wrap (for a gift that really keeps on giving!), any leftover shopping bags or just skip the wrapping altogether! If you’re sending packages yourself, consider looking on websites like OfferUp, Buy Nothing or Nextdoor for free shipping boxes.

3) Aim for little to no food waste

In San Diego, we typically throw away 40 percent of food, which is higher than the national average. Instead of contributing to that already staggering number, we can be proactive about food waste this year and prevent an increase in methane emissions from adding to over overflowing landfills. We can do this by preparing “just enough” rather than way too much, distributing leftovers to friends, family and houseless folks, freezing leftovers we’re likely to eat and composting the scraps we don’t use while cooking.

4) Get creative for gift giving

Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gifts are even more popular this year as we’re spending most of our time at home. Think outside the box for a meaningful, hand-made gift that uses household items. Need inspiration? Pinterest always has great DIY ideas!

5) Gift intentional quality time to your quarantine partners

If you’re quarantining with someone you want to spend quality time with, like a friend or significant other, consider planning a thoughtful hangout or date at a COVID-safe place like your home or a park that isn’t crowded. Make it special with energy efficient LED string lights, games, plant-based and locally sourced food (if accessible) and holiday-themed sweaters and music!

6) Gift a donation on behalf of a loved one

A great alternative to buying people more things they likely don’t need is donating to a nonprofit organization on behalf of the person receiving the gift. You can even symbolically adopt an animal through the World Wildlife Fund, and the funds go towards programs to help conserve and protect that species.

7) And for last minute gift ideas…

We suggest gifting items that will help reduce your loved ones’ environmental impact. Consider giving a durable reusable water bottle or coffee cup, reusable paper towels, reusable storage containers to replace ziploc bags, or reusable straws. Local zero waste stores are becoming increasingly popular, so if you can buy these items from a local, small business, that is even better!

Thanks for caring and reading this post. Individual actions add up and can make an impact reducing carbon emissions contributing to the climate crisis. Happy holidays!

Woman holding hands in a heart shape around the sun during a sunset

Sustainability Intention Setting for the New Year

Lifestyle

February 15, 2021

min

Sustainability Intention Setting for the New Year

New Year's resolutions likely will look different this year, if they haven’t been written off entirely as we grapple with the heavy effects of the continued pandemic. The past year has shown us how important it is to take time to decompress and make space for productivity being less of a priority during a global pandemic that has rippled effects in public health, physically, mentally and emotionally. While this is still the case now, entering a new year is a great time to set intentions and think about the year ahead.

We’re thinking about the ways we can be sustainable in 2021 that are also sustainable in the midst of the pandemic. Here are our favorites if you, too, need some inspiration to combat the climate crisis this year:

Transition to a low-waste lifestyle: in order to make wasteless habits sustainable for yourself, it’s suggested to take baby steps. Rather than phasing out all single-use items in your house, start with one area, like the kitchen. Replace paper towels with reusable ones like these, or see if you have any unused cotton clothing you can use as an even lower-waste and economic alternative. You can go to zero waste shops, like Earthwell Refill in San Diego, a black-owned zero waste refill store to refill household products instead of buying a new container when the product is done. The Buy Nothing Project has local Facebook groups where you can give away items you no longer need and also request items you need, helping reduce waste while getting to know your neighbors.

Meatless Monday: meat farms greatly contribute to climate change through methane production and cause other environmental problems through runoff pollution and desertification from grazing. If going vegan or vegetarian is too ambitious for you, consider reducing your meat and dairy intake for one day a week, and increasing it to more days out of the week as the year progresses. Forks Over Knives has great plant-based resources and recipes along with San Diegan vegan food blogger, Alexa Fueled Naturally.

Cut emissions by biking, walking or taking public transportation: while we’re not getting out much during quarantine, it still makes a difference to opt for biking, walking or taking public transportation instead of driving for local trips, if possible.

Spend time with soil: connecting with nature is an easy way to reduce stress, take a break from the sedentary lifestyle (that most of us experience) and see the nourishing, symbiotic relationship that’s possible between the earth and us humans. Stand on the grass to “ground” and rebalance your body, or plant seeds to grow your own low-cost, local, sustainable foods.

Embrace the activist within: each of us has the ability to be an activist in our own way. Find what you like most so it’s sustainable; it may look like speaking during public comment at a city council meeting, volunteering at a local climate organization, or signing onto letters and petitions.

Find sustainable eating options: When you’re tired of cooking, especially during the pandemic, restaurants can use support. When you want to order food, opt for local, small businesses that try to integrate organic foods and sustainability into their operations. No one business is perfect, but many are trying to make a difference, like SOULMUCH, with their mission to reduce food waste by rescuing unused grains and turning them into cookies. You can look for Surfrider’s Ocean-Friendly Restaurant certification.

We hope that you are able to enter 2021 with some renewed hope, inspiration and motivation despite the year we are leaving behind. And if not, self-care is likely the most important priority. After all, we cannot fight the climate crisis and strive for sustainability if we ourselves are not taken care of.

Biker riding in the city in front of shops

Biking as a Solution to the Climate Crisis

Lifestyle

February 3, 2021

min

Biking as a Solution to the Climate Crisis

The San Diego Climate Hub hosted its second quarterly event, Biking a Solution to the Climate Crisis, on Thursday, December 10. The San Diego community engaged in an interactive discussion about how bicycling is one of many solutions to help reduce our CO2 emissions, which exacerbate the climate crisis and contribute to climate injustices.

The free event included a presentation with speakers from the nonprofit organizations Bike San Diego, Climate Action Campaign, SanDiego350 and Sierra Club San Diego, and the panel was moderated by Denice Williams with Black Girls Do Bike and the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition. After the panel there was a Zoom breakout session where fellow activists were able to get to know each other and share about their interest in biking.

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San Diego is the eighth largest city in the nation yet ranks sixth for having the worst air pollution. Communities of concern, surrounded by freeways in San Diego, experience higher rates of asthma and pollution related-illnesses, and have a shorter lifespan than communities in other parts of the city. This is an example of a climate injustice. More people who bike instead of drive dirty, gas vehicles can help reduce local air pollution, which was highlighted during the event.

"Communities of color need to be prioritized for all sustainable transportation improvements that will ensure that they have more access to clean air and affordable transportation options,” said Bertha Rodriguez, the Assistant Organizer at Climate Action Campaign, who presented on Thursday. “By centering equity and looking at biking through an intersectional lens, we can start breaking down the disparities caused by race, class, gender and ability in order to promote a more inclusive climate revolution."

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The San Diego Climate Hub is a center, located in Hillcrest, to strategize, collaborate and build collective power to stop the climate crisis and advance climate justice in the San Diego region. The nonprofit members include Bike San Diego, Climate Action Campaign, SanDiego350, San Diego Coastkeeper and Surfrider Foundation San Diego County, and it’s managed by Hammond Climate Solutions. The purpose of the Climate Hub is to catalyze collaborative local and regional solutions to stop the climate crisis, and quarterly events are a way to bring together activists to share education, resources and people power to create a brighter future.

The next quarterly Climate Hub event will be in partnership with the San Diego Green New Deal Alliance on February 23 at 5:30 p.m. More details will be available at www.sdclimatehub.org.

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