Sustainable California

As part of the 2022 Carbon Sequestration Symposium at California State University, Bakersfield, Climate Now founder and host James Lawler moderates a panel discussion on how to capture and store carbon dioxide in order to meet climate action goals. The panelists are Ken Haney, California Resources Corporation Bakersfield, Lorelei Oviatt, director of Kern County Planning and Natural Resources and Sarah Saltzer, Managing Director for Stanford Center for Carbon Storage and the Stanford Carbon Initiative. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 38158]

The 2022 Carbon Sequestration Symposium at California State University, Bakersfield, focuses on engaging the community, industry, policymakers, and academia in the topic of carbon sequestration. According to several studies, Kern County has been identified as a prime location for the geological sequestration of carbon dioxide. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Roger Aines, Ph.D., and Kim Mayfield, Ph.D., discuss efforts underway to capture and store carbon dioxide as a viable option to mitigate climate change. Series: "Climate Solutions " [Science] [Show ID: 38157]

Climate economists have created a value called the "social cost of carbon" in order to better understand the cost/benefit relationship of climate policies and regulations. The social cost of carbon is the cost to society from damages caused by a ton of CO2 emissions. This value is difficult to quantify, with factors such as future societal wealth and global climate damages (such as species extinction) that are impossible to know. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 38046]

In order to reach global net-zero emissions by 2050, we must remove CO2 from the atmosphere as well as prevent further emissions. Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) can be accomplished naturally -- through forests, soil sequestration, or mineralization -- and technologically. In fact, we will need both natural and technological CDR methods to get to net-zero. So what methods exist that remove carbon from the atmosphere? What are their respective costs, how do they compare, and which are already on the market? Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 38045]

California is a pioneer in researching the impacts of and solutions to climate change. Getting to carbon neutral - or net zero carbon emissions - is key to curbing our increasingly warming planet. Dr. Roger Aines of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory talks with Climate Now's James Lawler about the latest research on ways to capture carbon. Series: "Sustainable California" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 37993]

Recharge Net Metering (ReNeM) is a novel incentive program that encourages individual efforts to use excess surface water to improve groundwater supply and quality. ReNeM engages agencies, researchers, and regional stakeholders in collaboration towards common sustainability goals. A ReNeMe pilot program was launched in the Pajaro Valley, Central Coastal California. This short video describes the ReNeM program, how it is run, and the benefits it may provide. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 36130]

Anthropogenic climate and environmental change are among the most immediate threats to global sustainability, including the sustainability of human populations. Although these changes are happening at a rate never recorded before, climate and environmental changes per se are not unprecedented. Moreover, prior environmental changes have sometimes been accompanied by social and technological innovations that mitigated the impact of environmental change on human populations. We explore two such episodes in the history of California, and ask what lessons they may hold for adaptable societies in the Anthropocene. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 35098]

Katherine Markovich, PhD teamed up with fellow graduate students Stephen Maples and Lauren Foster in the NSF Climate Change Water and Society Integrative Graduate Education Research Traineeship (CCWAS IGERT) to study water resources in Chile. Using water’s signature, the isotopic values for snow, rivers, and groundwater, Dr. Katie Markovich is developing an understanding of Chile’s water portfolio under different climate conditions. Like many of Graham Fogg’s students at UC Davis, she relies on high-powered models to describe future scenarios. California and Chile’s Mediterranean climate is changing, and hydrological research will help water managers in both areas prepare infrastructure for different conditions. Series: "Women in Science" [Science] [Show ID: 34329]

UC Natural Reserve System lands are home to dozens of vulnerable animal and plant species. These range from some of the state's rarest amphibians to endemic plants to icons of the West such as bighorn sheep. Studies conducted at the 39 reserves of the NRS informs how these species are managed, which helps preserve the Golden State's extraordinary biological diversity. Scientists "can work in protected areas that allow them to follow the biology and the ecosystem dynamics of these rare and endangered species. We're really proud of that," says Peggy Fiedler, executive director of the NRS. Series: "UC Natural Reserve System" [Science] [Show ID: 33949]

Grand initiatives such as the National Parks program, begun in the late 1800s, are for many people a hallmark of land conservation. However, the majority of land nationally (~60% overall; ranging from <5% to >95% on a state-by-state basis) is privately owned. These private lands can have conservation value too. Join Rangeland Manager Billy Freeman and UC Merced Management Professor Catherine Keske as they explore McKenzie Ranch, in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California to discover land conservation strategies that ensure public access and enjoyment of some of the nations otherwise hidden wonders, while also providing returns from the land to the private land owners. In a period of rapid global change, species range-shifts, and altering resource availability and risk, a diversified portfolio of lands and management practices may become increasingly important in conservation. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 33986]

Globally, over the past century, coastal fisheries have faced overharvesting and mismanagement. California is no exception. This video recounts stories from fishermen, and others engaged in commercial fisheries, about the decades-long struggle to replenish stocks through a variety of management measures. Through their experiences, we discover the many successes in recovering stocks, the capricious nature of the biology of some species, and also emerging challenges for managing fisheries sustainably, including climate change, regional resources management, access, and local infrastructure. Successfully managing the complex 'bioeconomic' dynamics of coupled natural and human ecosystems, such as fisheries, will provide an ongoing challenge of paramount importance for the survival of vibrant coastal communities. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 33987]

Drought, climate change, an aging infrastructure and growing population threaten the water Californias San Joaquin Valley uses to supply most of the nations produce and a large proportion of its livestock and dairy. "Adequate water for food for the nation is a water security issue, and its also a national security issue," says UC Merced CITRIS researcher Roger Bales in a new documentary examining water problems and solutions across the United States and globally. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Public Affairs] [Science] [Show ID: 33730]

Do you know where your water comes from? The iconic spring-fed trout waters of Mt. Shasta and High Sierra meadows are the key to California’s water future. They are a major Source of the state’s water supply, vital to its economy, its people and its fish. Yet, despite its significance, many Californians are unaware of where their water comes from and the need to protect and restore these important sources. They face a myriad of threats. From water bottling plants to hydroelectric and geothermal energy facilities in the springs to degraded meadows in the Sierra. And now – climate change. Learn more about these vital Source waters, and, how we can ensure they are productive and healthy for generations to come. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 33882]

Eva Cisneros is a fourth-year student at UC Merced and seeks to improve campus life by offering the community a space to access nature and by providing a site for academic education and research through a UC Merced arboretum. Modeled on the UC Davis arboretum, Merced’s site would follow the existing canal, cover five acres, and be focused on the unique climate, drought-tolerant plants and sustainable landscaping. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 33863]

Yolanda Medrano is a third-year student at UC Merced and is looking to make every step we take count for energy production. She proposes adding energy-producing floor panels to entrances to the library and other high-traffic areas to power doors, increasing building efficiency for the University’s triple zero commitment. Though a costly investment, UC Merced would be the first university to invest in this technology, producing clean energy through walking, and effectively reduce the energy footprint of campus. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 33864]

William Fernandez is a third-year student at UC Merced who is an avid bike rider. He develops bike-friendly improvements to the two main roads to campus, Bellevue and Lake Roads. With his research, he details simple solutions while indicating that the alternatives are more taxing on the environment. His call to action to improve transit for many of the 8,000 students is titled BUSC: Balance, Update, Solar and Core. William hopes that the repairs to the bike lanes will help students feel safe to ride their bikes, supporting an environmentally friendly commute option to campus and around the city. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 33862]

Eva Fernanda Ordonez is a third-year student at UC Merced and wants to help students plan their daily commute to campus or the community. She used online surveys to study the barriers to sustainable solutions for travel and why students are not using the current system. By remodeling the Fleetmatic mobile app, Ordonez says that more people will commute together by bus, reducing individual vehicle emissions, improving air quality and student life, if the app and bus schedule is upgraded. Series: "Sustainable California" [Science] [Show ID: 33861]

University of Santa Cruz hydrogeologist Andrew Fisher leads a team of researchers looking for better ways to capture runoff and use it to not only increase groundwater quantity, but also quality. They are using the Pajaro Valley on the central California coast, a productive and valuable agriculture area, as their practical laboratory, working with farmers and water managers to recharge groundwater. Recharge net metering is a novel practice of crediting groundwater. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 33843]

UC Santa Cruz researchers are finding simple, cost effective ways to clean captured storm-water as it percolates back into the water table, by employing native soil microbes already in the ground. Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 33844]

Drought, climate change, an aging infrastructure and growing population threaten the water California’s San Joaquin Valley uses to supply most of the nation’s produce and a large proportion of its livestock and dairy. "Adequate water for food for the nation is a water security issue, and it’s also a national security issue," says UC Merced CITRIS researcher Roger Bales in a new documentary examining water problems and solutions across the United States and globally Series: "UCTV Prime" [Science] [Show ID: 33729]