In brief: Concord facilities switching to cleaner electricity starting July 1
The Concord City Council has voted to opt into a provider's 'Deep Green' service option and expects to cut tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
CONCORD
The Concord City Council voted unanimously June 13 to opt the city’s facilities into Marin Clean Energy’s (MCE) Deep Green 100% renewable energy service option. With this action, the city is expected to eliminate 2,729 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, equivalent to taking 607 cars off the road.
The city’s accounts currently served by MCE’s 60% renewable Light Green service will be upgraded to 100% renewable Deep Green service, currently powered by 50% wind and 50% solar. MCE invests half of the Deep Green premium collected in local projects and programs that benefit the community, such as rebates for newly purchased and leased electric vehicles (EVs), EV charging ports and electric water heaters.
“We’re taking bold actions to fight climate change by increasing our commitment to renewable energy,” said Concord Vice Mayor and MCE Board Director Edi Birsan. “This is just one of the ways we are moving to deal with climate change, and we look forward to adding more steps to a better future.”
The transition to Deep Green Service will begin July 1, cost just 10% more annually than the city’s current energy bills for its accounts; and add to a growing list of the city’s sustainability initiatives.
These initiatives include replacing street light fixtures and traffic signals with energy-efficient lighting; receiving the SolSmart Gold designation for solar projects; improving bike lane design in the downtown corridor; and installing a stormwater capture system at Hillcrest Park and a bioretention system along Salvio Street.
“Concord joins eight other cities in Contra Costa County who are choosing to power their facilities with 100% renewable energy, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and investing millions of dollars toward an equitable clean energy transition,” said Dawn Weisz, MCE’s chief executive officer.
To learn about the city’s sustainability initiatives, visit cityofconcord.org/sustainability online. For more information about MCE’s Deep Green 100% renewable energy option, visit mcecleanenergy.org/100-renewable.
— city of Concord
ANTIOCH
City native now serving as hospital corpsman in U.S. Navy
U.S. Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Benjamin Parker, a native of Antioch, provides beneficiary care and expeditionary medical readiness while serving at Hornet Health Clinic Lemoore aboard Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore in California’s Central Valley. Parker joined the Navy 10 years ago and now serves as a hospital corpsman.
“I was homeless after my mother passed away,” said Parker. “I had no support and wanted to go to school. The Navy was my way out.”
Growing up in Antioch, Parker was home-schooled and graduated in 2010. Skills and values similar to those found in Antioch are important to succeed in the military.
“My hard background taught me empathy and gave me a passion for caring for others,” said Parker. “Seek to first understand because you never know what someone else is dealing with.”
These lessons have helped Parker while serving in the Navy. Naval Health Clinic Lemoore provides quality health care to more than 18,000 people at NAS Lemoore and NAS Fallon in Nevada to ensure the Navy and Marine troops are medically ready to fight today, tomorrow and beyond.
The facility also provides dental care and medical administrative support to Navy, Marine and international students at the Naval Postgraduate School, Defense Language Institute and Information Warfare Training Command in Monterey. For more details, visit bit.ly/3NLXfBu online.
— Navy Office of Community Outreach
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