PSR Webinar: Building Electrification: Climate, Health, Equity

Hosted by SF Bay PSR and co-sponsored by PSR National, RMI, Climate Health Now, and Local Clean Energy Alliance

Learn from a panel of experts about new research on the health effects of fossil fuel (“natural” gas) appliances in homes, how to protect your family, and how to advocate for a just transition to all-electric homes in CA and beyond.

After industry and transportation, buildings are a top emitter of green-house gases. In California, 25% of greenhouse gas emissions are from buildings and 15% are from homes. Electrification of buildings is a critical step toward decarbonization, improved health, and health equity.

Fossil Fuel (“natural” gas) appliances and heaters are proven to increase indoor air pollution and exacerbate conditions such as asthma. The health harms from indoor pollution are compounded by the high outdoor air pollution levels in California, per the American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2020 report. Also, while 98% of Californians live in counties with a failing grade for at least one air pollution measurement, a person of color is three times more likely to live in a county with failing grades in all measurements.

California is at a critical turning point with several ground-breaking transportation and building decarbonization bills moving through the legislature that we are amplifying and supporting with our health professional voice. In addition, we need to continue our coalition efforts toward pushing the California Energy Commission (CEC) to demonstrate climate health leadership by developing a 2022 building energy code cycle to require all-electric new construction statewide.

PANELISTS

Jessica Guadalupe Tovar is a longtime environmental justice community organizer working with the Local Clean Energy Alliance for energy democracy. She is a longtime climate and environmental justice organizer in a variety of urban, rural, and indigenous communities throughout California. Jessica started with the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative in 2003, working with organizations across the U.S. on issues of climate justice. Since then, she has battled various polluting corporations; PG&E in Bayview Hunters Point, Richmond Chevron Oil Refinery and many others. She is currently an Energy Democracy organizer with the Local Clean Energy Alliance fighting for equity in clean energy solutions to bring clean power to the people!

Emma Hines is an associate in RMI’s Carbon-Free Buildings program, where she works on the climate, health, and air quality co-benefits of building electrification. Prior to joining RMI, Emma participated in a two-year fellowship with the Climate and Health Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She also previously served as a member of the teaching faculty for the Climate Change and Health Online Certificate Program with the Yale School of Public Health. Emma received her master’s degree in Geography from the University of Colorado Boulder, with a focus on climate and health.

Krystal Pollitt is assistant professor of epidemiology (Environmental Health Sciences) at the Yale School of Public Health and holds a cross appointment in the Yale School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Her research explores the relationship between exposure to complex mixtures of air pollutants and disease. She has developed novel wearable technologies to characterize personal exposure criteria and emerging air pollutants. Dr. Pollitt has worked with community partners to apply these technologies in Healthy Homes initiatives in Western Massachusetts to identify asthma triggers. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada, and a PhD in Environmental Toxicology from King’s College London, United Kingdom.

Zach Williams is the Health Educator & Campaign Coordinator in the Environment & Health program at PSR National, with a background in climate and health education, social services for marginalized youth, and international emergency response. Zach received both his Bachelor of Science in Applied Psychology and his Master of Public Health from New York University, where he was named the inaugural William N. Rom Climate Change Fellow for the School of Global Public Health.

This event is funded by SF Bay PSR members and with support from PSR National and the Energy Foundation. We also thank SF Bay PSR Electrification Project Intern Alma Hernandez for her outstanding contributions.

RSVP