You may have heard about Gov. Gavin Newsom's multi-billion-dollar climate package. But do you know what's in it and how it will help Californians?
Here are 5 things to know:
- Let's start in Sequoia National Park with the General Sherman Tree. It's one of the largest living trees in the world, and it's been standing there for over 2,000 years. When it was a baby sapling, Greek Mathematician Eratosthenes proved the Earth was round. Park officials recently shrouded its base in protective foil to keep it from being lost in forest fires. And it's protection and prevention like this that's driving Newsom's billion-dollar bid too. And here's what's in it:
- About $1.5 billion will go to prevent forest wildfires, which destroy our homes along with wildlife, timber to build with and create polluting emissions harmful to our health. Another $7 billion will go to projects that lessen the impact of rising sea levels so flooding, crop and drinking water destruction and extreme heat, which can lead to increased respiratory and cardiovascular problems, even death for vulnerable groups, can be lessened.
- Another $5.2 billion will go to expand water supplies for California and emergency drought relief. Water is literally life for us all. Without it, we'll find it hard to survive. It also affects sanitation, food growth and supply.
- Then $3.9 billion will go to invest in electric vehicle infrastructure, which will reduce emissions and make it more attractive to buy them because it'll be much easier to find places to charge them.
- And finally, $1.1 billion for sustainable agriculture farming that will help our environment thrive into the future and feed millions of unborn mouths yet to come.
So it's a sweeping package that is certainly aiming to address the issues we will face in the future but will it go far enough? Only time will tell if we've bet sufficiently on these key areas to help create a better climate not just for California but for us all!