Would you be like to know more about one of the most important and little-understood steps cities can take to combat climate change?

According to a subcommittee of the LWVUS that spent six months researching successful climate actions in communities around the United States, decarbonization—electrification of buildings—is one of the top actions cities can take. Decarbonization of buildings means ensuring that new commercial and residential buildings are designed to run on electricity rather than natural gas. It also means retrofitting existing buildings so they use electricity instead of natural gas wherever feasible. It means providing subsidies for homeowners and communities to make these changes to their own dwellings, workplaces, and commercial spaces.

How is all this to be accomplished? What are the barriers? What are the possibilities? What has been achieved so far? How much difference does decarbonization of buildings actually make in lowering carbon dioxide emissions?

November’s Thursday with the League, organized by the Natural Resources Committee, will provide insight into these questions. The event features Ben Stapleton, Executive Director of the U.S. Green Building Council–Los Angeles. The Council promotes decarbonization through education, exposure to innovation, and impactful action, because business as usual is no longer an option. Stapleton has worked for years to build a sustainable environment that does not contribute to climate change. At this event, he will share his insights into how cities can decarbonize both commercial and residential buildings. Stapleton brings a creative mind to a wide range of projects. Working with informed professionals whose goal is to transform Southern California into a more sustainable region for all, he has consulted on energy efficiency with companies that take their sustainability goals seriously.

On November 4, 10:00–11:30 a.m., we will have the opportunity to learn about some of the actions, particularly the strategies for decarbonizing our built environment, that Stapleton and his volunteers have implemented in the Los Angeles area. Register now and join us!

—Kitty Kroger, Chair, Natural Resources Committee