Community Climate Collaborative

This summer, we’re launching a monthly webinar series exploring Charlottesville’s clean energy transition!🏭💨 ➡️💡♻️⚡

Clearing the Air will examine the different pathways Charlottesville could take toward a clean, affordable energy future grounded in equity for ratepayers. Join us as we discover what actions are being taken by cities both at home in Virginia and across the country, as well as uncover opportunities and challenges unique to Charlottesville.

Register for our first webinar in this series, Clearing the Air: Exploring Cville's Clean Energy Transition, where C3 and our decarbonization study partners will explore Cville's energy systems analyzing both what has been done and what it might take to get us to a more sustainable, fair and affordable energy future. ⚡

🗓️ June 23rd ⏰12PM-1PM
🔗bit.ly/cleartheairseries

⚠️☀️Don’t let Richmond miss this opportunity to invest in clean energy! ☀️ ⚠️ C3 and our partners are asking Richmond residents write to City leadership to support an exciting opportunity for the City to invest in solar on its buildings☀️🏢 and save money! 💰

As the energy affordability and climate crises worsen, solar energy is an increasingly valuable solution that we can rely on. Neighboring localities have done it, we can do it too – but we have to act together! 🤝🏼

If you are interested in learning more and taking action join our friends at RVA Climate Changemakers TONIGHT for their Hour of Action at Väsen Brewing Company where you can take action right away and hang out in a laid back environment. Let's keep building a cleaner Richmond together.

🎟️ Register for tonight: https://luma.com/oul6sxmg
💻 Can't make it tonight? Take action at home: https://bit.ly/solarbrief

📣 C3 is looking for high-school students who want to learn about local climate justice issues and solutions, and help educate our community. In this year’s 6-week summer program, interns will partner with Light House Studio to create a film showcasing the connections between electrification and clean energy.📽️ During the internship, there will likely be other opportunities for the interns to get involved with local climate justice work, and we will make those available to the interns.

This is a paid internship for Charlottesville and Albemarle County students to begin the week of June 22nd and end July 31st. Rising 10th-12th graders are encouraged to apply.

View the full position description: https://www.theclimatecollaborative.org/careers

⚡❗BIG NEWS⚡❗: We officially have an energy efficiency program in RVA!!💡🥳

Last night, Richmond City Council UNANIMOUSLY(!) voted to pass a program designed to reduce energy bills and the cost of living for households struggling to keep up with rising costs! We are so excited to see the City also pass two other wins for the future of Richmond's energy use:
💰 Funding for an Energy Efficiency Coordinator position within the Office of Sustainability
✂️ Cutting the full $500k from the Gas Utility New Business fund that supports natural gas expansion

This is exciting start to improve energy efficiency throughout the City and bring Richmond closer to it's climate goals! We are so grateful to the community and our partners whose support made this program possible! Let's do this Richmond! 💚⚡

🛠️💡Energy Audit Diaries 📖...

C3's Biz Partnerships team stopped by Virginia Community Voice to see their brand new location on Ruffin Road! The new building has a standing seam, south-facing metal roof - that makes it ideal for because the panels can just be clipped on! ☀️

And have you ever looked at the EnergyGuide on your appliances? Take a look - too often, you'll see that the model you have shows a cost waaaay over to the right (see the little arrow on the right side in the photo?). That means you have the most inefficient model for that class of appliances, and that means you absorb the cost for inefficiency in every monthly bill. 💸

Opt for models with lower costs and energy use - and in the case of water heaters, see if a will work for you. These use about 1/4 of the energy of a traditional water heater! 🌱 👏

Sign the Green Teen Alliance's petition for more effective, universal recycling and composting systems in all Charlottesville City and Albemarle County schools. Due to the current inefficient recycling and composting systems in schools, we’re asking the school boards to:

♻️ Adopt a paper-and-metal only approach to recycling in all schools

♻️ Ensure that every classroom has an easily identifiable recycling bin that clearly states what can be recycled

♻️ Introduce composting to schools during lunch periods and with paper towel composting in bathrooms

♻️ Facilitate a transition towards staff managing recycling and composting systems instead of students

♻️ Increase education efforts around recycling and composting for students and staff

♻️ Clearly communicate changes to recycling and composting systems to all community members

🔗 SIGN ON: bit.ly/GTARecyclingComposting

We had the pleasure of joining our partners in Homes for All Our Neighbors highlighting a newly released city wide poll emphasizing Richmond resident's urgent concerns for affordable housing in the City. 🏡💵

Unfortunately, how climate connects to better housing options is often overlooked. In creased housing density, diversity in housing types, and more evenly distributed development across the City can allow for more efficient land use and decreased energy consumption, reducing overall emissions and help the City hit its climate targets. 💡♻️

Learn more about the survey and it's stunning results on HFAON page and see how you can plug into upcoming events, including our event on May 6th discussing the discriminatory history of zoning in Richmond. 🔗 Register for the event at: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/v8pr56a?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGn-B-8VNfVH5l13MaDOrHGb27cPzA3W4__qHcH71SDKzx0nhZO6qoEkKaUe1k_aem_CG-Qe4fcuv3925vlR05ljg

Learn more about the Coalition: https://www.homesforallourneighbors.org/

This Earth Day, we’re celebrating real change, happening here because people in our community chose to be part of it.✨🌍

In just the last five years, you’ve helped C3 cities:
💸 Directly invest $9 million in climate solutions, including transit, solar, and electrification
☀️ Install 140+ megawatts of solar across schools, farms, businesses, and rooftops
👥 Engage 8,200+ young people through internships and school programs
⚖️ Pass 25+ local climate policies to drive emissions reductions
💼 Support 200+ businesses to cut energy costs and emissions

Help us keep the momentum going and make a gift to meet our $5,000 goal! 💚 bit.ly/C3donate