1. Gas Ban Organizing Story from Mothers Out Front – The story begins in the summer of 2019, when Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley joined the Campaign for Fossil Free Buildings in Silicon Valley (FFBSV). At that point, few of their members knew what a reach code was or why building electrification is essential to solving the climate crisis. But they were eager to learn.…They wrote Letters to the Editor; met with City staff, Council members and the Mayor’s advisors; conducted a Twitterstorm; and spoke at a press conference and City Council meeting. Mayor Liccardo and the council members listened to the mothers and allies! On September 17, 2019, they unanimously declared a climate emergency and passed a strong building electrification reach code. After a large youth-led climate march and rally at City Hall, at which Mothers Out Front Silicon Valley spoke, the Council returned in October to adopt an even stronger ordinance banning fossil gas infrastructure in new low-rise residential construction! Full article here. Thanks to Mothers Out Front member Lisa Marshall for this tip.

2. Orange & Rockland Adjusts Savings Calculator – With urging and data from Will Lange, Director of Utility Marketing at Waterfurnace International, Orange & Rockland Utilities, Inc. has updated its Heating Comparison Calculator, which now more accurately reflects the operating dollar savings from installing a geothermal heat pump relative to other heating and cooling systems. The before and after screen shots below were taken with the same basic settings and annotated by Will. The settings can be adjusted to more accurately reflect individual homes.

3. Video: The Gas Rush – Grassroots Environmental Education has put together a critical 16 minute video detailing numerous problems with the use of fossil