ESCONDIDO’S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN SETS OFF DEBATE

Councilmember says city has more important issues

The range of opinions on climate change among Escondido residents was revealed in sharp relief last week during a progress report on Escondido’s climate action plan that was provided to the City Council.

On one side of the issue were those who see climate change as a dire threat to humanity’s health and well-being, while on another side were those who contend the city has more urgent issues to confront.

“I’ve read a lot of books on the climate crisis and climate change and they all say the same thing. We’ve got to stop emissions and were running out of time,” Laura Hunter said as she and other speakers urged the council to press ahead on enacting the city’s climate action plan. “The (United Nations) secretary says delay means death. It’s now or never.”

But Councilmember Mike Morasco said many in town don’t see climate change as the city’s top priority.

“I salute the passionate minority… who feel so passionate about this. I salute you for your efforts but there are a lot of others who don’t place this as their top priority, for what we need to be doing with the city dollars we have,” Morasco said.

“I feel bad for the youth who’ve been indoctrinated to feel their lives are in peril. I don’t look at it as if the sky is falling,” Morasco said. “I’ve lived here a long time. We are a green and beautiful city.”

Morasco said the city is obliged to meet its state-mandated goals on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but it doesn’t have the money to go beyond those requirements.

“We’re going to do everything that we can but we’re not going to break the bank on this particular issue because we have more important things we need to address first,” Morasco said.

During a presentation to the council, senior planner Veronica Morones said the city implemented several key provisions of its climate plan over the past year, including joining the Clean Energy Alliance, a partnership of several North County cities that aims to provide cheaper, cleaner electricity to its members.

Joining CEA, a community choice energy program, potentially offers the largest reduction in greenhouse gas emissions among the measures in Escondido’s climate action plan, which was adopted in 2013 and updated last year, said Morones.

Other accomplishments, she said, include starting an organic waste recycling program, and replacing more than 1,000 streetlights with energy-saving LED lights. Taken together, the city’s actions will reduce Escondido’s carbon emissions by 6 metric tons between 2020 and 2021, Morones said.