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Finding Inspiration for Action: Introducing the Earth-Minded Muse
Each month you’ll find a new edition of The Earth-Minded Muse here on our CRBA blog pages.
You’ll find stories from my drought-resistant garden, reflections on conservation and stewardship, and observations drawn from the beauty, resilience, and vulnerability of the natural world.
This column is for those who want to feel encouraged rather than overwhelmed, inspired rather than defeated, and connected rather than alone in the work of caring for our planet.
Is Rooftop Solar Still Worth It in California?
With less favorable net metering contracts now in effect, many homeowners are hesitant to get rooftop solar, fearing it just doesn’t make for a sound investment. In this post, we offer a quick rundown of why rooftop solar projects can still pay off, even under Net Metering 3.0. You’ll find a breakdown of how net metering contracts have evolved, an objective modeling of upfront costs vs. long-term savings for an average Bay Area household, tips on how to design your project for optimal savings, and a guide to navigating your own rooftop solar project.
When Climate Change Denialism Drives Federal Policy — A Recipe for Disasters
This final post in our six-part series highlights how climate denialism is shaping federal climate policy. Drawing on scientific evidence, public opinion data, and policy analysis, we explore what’s driving climate denialism, the key tenets of climate change science, and what’s at stake for communities, ecosystems, and economies when climate change denialism informs federal climate policy.
Gambling With Public Safety: How Federal Cuts Are Compromising Bay Area Climate Resilience & Emergency Readiness
In the fifth post for our series Mapping the Federal Retreat on Climate Action, we examine how federal cuts to climate agencies and emergency preparedness programs are affecting public safety in the Bay Area right now. Using real local examples — including halted climate resilience centers, suspended infrastructure projects, and strain on first responder teams like California Task Force 3 — this post explores how weakened federal support can ripple outward into local consequences for residents, activists, and lawmakers across the greater SF Bay and Delta Region.
The Climate Safety Net: How Federal Climate Systems Quietly Support Local Resilience
Federal climate agencies do more than issue forecasts or respond to disasters — they form an interconnected safety net that supports local planning, preparedness, and resilience. This post examines how cuts to core agencies like NOAA, FEMA, and the EPA — including the dismantling of the EPA’s Office of Research and Development will have a domino effect — weaking larger systems that protect public safety and ensure disaster readiness and planning, nationally and locally.
Water Frontlines: How Federal Cuts May Increase Flood and Sea Level Risks in the Bay Area
Flooding, extreme storms, and sea level rise are becoming everyday risks for Bay Area communities — and reliable climate science plays a critical role in preparing for them. This article examines how federal cuts to forecasting, modeling, and monitoring systems could weaken early warnings and long-term planning, increasing uncertainty just as water-related climate risks accelerate.
Wildfire Risk and Federal Cuts to NOAA, FEMA, and Climate Research: What Bay Area Communities Need To Know
As wildfire seasons grow longer and more destructive, Bay Area communities increasingly rely on federal agencies for accurate forecasts, emergency preparedness, and long-term climate research. This post explains how federal funding cuts to NOAA, FEMA, and climate science programs could weaken wildfire monitoring, early warning systems, and disaster response capacity in California. Focusing on local impacts, it outlines what these changes mean for public safety, community resilience, and why protecting science-based wildfire planning matters now more than ever.
Local Industry Leaders As Climate Allies? What I Learned Attending CRBA’s Screening of Beyond Zero
I recently joined a gathering of about thirty climate activists for a screening of Beyond Zero at the Interface showroom in San Francisco, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. The film recounts how the CEO of Interface, a global carpet company, was inspired to put the company on a path to sustainable practices starting back in the 1990s. Seeing that story in the place where some of those innovations now live felt surprisingly grounding. Discovering how Interface’s corporate journey wasn’t driven by existing technologies or by mandates or corporate governance fads but above all by a corporate leader’s uncompromising commitment to environmental accountability — a where there’s a will there’s a way approach — made me see that the biggest obstacle to solving the climate crisis may be the narratives we’ve created for ourselves.
How Community-Driven Action Is Decarbonizing Bay Area Businesses — One Upgrade at a Time
Businesses across the Bay Area are going clean — thanks to local programs, community partnerships, and practical upgrades that cut costs and carbon. See how the shift is taking shape in the commercial sector across the Bay Area, and discover practical ideas and a list of helpful resources that help SF Bay Area business owners and leaders ramp up their clean energy commitments.
California’s Rooftop Solar Fight: What the Supreme Court’s Decision Means for Homeowners
California’s rooftop solar policy is under renewed scrutiny. In August 2025, the California Supreme Court ordered a lower court to re-examine the state’s controversial “NEM 3.0” rules, which slashed compensation for solar customers feeding energy back to the grid. The decision gives climate advocates a fresh chance to challenge policies they say undervalue clean energy and harm working families. Here’s what the ruling means — and what Bay Area homeowners need to know if they’re considering going solar today.
A New Beginning: Climate Changemakers Joins the Climate Reality Project
Climate Changemakers has recently joined The Climate Reality Project. This new combination of expertise brings us one step closer in finding solutions for the climate crisis and in making change happen. Pairing Climate Changemakers expertise in advocacy and unique tools for community engagement with our training resources and expansive network creates a powerful vessel for effective climate action.
Mapping the Federal Retreat From Climate Action
The Trump administration is rolling back climate science and protections just as climate impacts intensify. Cuts to NOAA threaten weather forecasts and research, a disputed DOE report downplays greenhouse gases, and EPA moves to rescind the Endangerment Finding that underpins U.S. emissions rules. These federal retreats put communities at risk — including here in the Bay Area — but local leaders and residents can step up to defend science and push for action.
Seizing the Mantle in 2025: Turning Climate Setbacks Into Climate Action
The landscape of climate action feels like it’s shifting beneath our feet. From federal leadership relinquishing leadership on climate science and clean energy, to attacks on climate science, the undercutting of the Biden-era EPA Endangerment Principle, and the massive energy consumption of growing AI data centers, where do we stand, how will local communities, and the most vulnerable communities be impact, and where do we make a stand? The answers aren’t always clear. But what is clear is that our local networks, agencies, and grassroots movements are more important than ever. Climate Reality Bay Area (CRBA) is spotlighting four campaigns that invite reflection and action — and we’d love for you to be part of the conversation.
What’s Really Fueling Bay Area Ferries — And Why It Matters
In this article CRBA Leader and CRBA SF Policy activist Dave Rhody challenges the Golden Gate Bridge District’s continued investment in diesel ferries. Drawing on years of persistent advocacy for clean energy solutions, Rhody exposes the myths around “renewable diesel,” questions claims about electric ferry limitations, and urges transit leaders to get serious about zero-emissions transit on the Bay.
Environmentalism: How It Connects Us — To Our World, Our Work, and to Those Around Us or Across the Globe
When you think of environmentalism, you might picture protests or climate reports — but it actually shows up in all kinds of everyday places. From farming and food to clean energy, public health, the arts, and even outdoor fun, caring for the planet is part of how we live and work. This post offers a quick look at how environmentalism connects to so many parts of life, and why that matters more than ever.
Photo Credit: Louis Reed, on Unsplash
What Is Environmentalism — And Why Does It Matter?
In this post we celebrate Earth Month’s 55th birthday by commemorating what environmentalism is about, why it’s a project we can all get behind, and why it matters (so much). And, with climate change leading to more and more frequent and intense disasters and disruptions to health, agriculture, and more, it’s as good a time as ever to show up to work for the planet if you haven’t taken that step yet, or to renew your interest and commitments to the work! Our planet and our kids’ futures depend on us.
Home Electrification: The Shifting Incentives Landscape and What To Know
Under the Trump administration, funds for building electrification incentives are disappearing, so this is a great time to learn more about California electrification goals and what incentives are out there.
Unraveling Fast Fashion: 6 Trends Fueling A New Eco-Business Revolution in the SF Bay Area
Did you know the SF Bay Area is emerging as ground zero for a sustainable fashion revolution? This post explores six regional trends — from eco-conscious values to tech innovations — shaping this movement and providing all the ingredients that can make the SF Bay Area a hub for an eco-business revolution that, with scalable models, offers viable alternatives to today’s fast fashion industry and the harms it inflicts on the planet and workers. Keep reading to see which piece of the puzzle you fit into and how you can support and amplify this uniquely “made in the SF Bay Area” fashion revolution.
Marin County's Electrification Roadmap: A Step Toward a Greener Future!
Marin County is stepping up its commitment to climate action with a newly launched Electrification Roadmap — a community-powered initiative designed to phase out natural gas and accelerate building electrification.
The roadmap outlines ten key steps to optimize alignment and reduce unnecessary red tape. This plan is a call to action for taking a more comprehensive approach to the elimination of carbon fuels and the transition to a fully electric future, cutting emissions, improving public health and unlocking energy savings for all residents.
Learn just how comprehensive Marin County’s Roadmap is, how it will roll out, and ways to get on the electrification bandwagon, whether you live in Marin County or elsewhere in the SF Bay Area.