The Ann Arbor Climate Action Plan is in jeopardy. Some people think it's not worth allocating the proper funding for the plan.
Our partners at the Ecology Center created a quick list of things you can do to help by Monday, June 1, 2020.
We encourage you to contact a City Councilperson (item #1), or speak at the public hearing (item #2) and let us know you took action below!
After months of research, dozens of public meetings, and vigorous City Council debate, the City of Ann Arbor is set to vote Monday, June 1, 2020 on its draft A2 Zero carbon neutrality plan. The plan is an ambitious but achievable roadmap for eliminating community-wide carbon emissions by 2030. The Ecology Center worked on the technical committees that informed the plan, and we endorse the proposal.
Several members of City Council are undecided, and the fate of the A2 Zero plan is in doubt. They’ve organized a public hearing Monday night to give people another chance to speak out about climate action, prior to the final vote.
Here are three ways you can help
1. Contact your City Councilpersons by email or phone, and urge them to vote YES on the A2 Zero plan. Here’s contact info for Council and background information. There are some key points at the end of this message, but what may be most important is that you simply share why climate action is such an important issue to you. And, of course, please be respectful.
2. Speak out at the public hearing on Monday night. Since it’s a virtual meeting, you would be testifying by phone. On Monday night, follow the meeting on CTN Cable Channel 16, ATT Channel 99, or at a2gov.org/watchCTN, and call as the hearing approaches. The meeting starts at 7:00 pm, and the public hearing may start as early as 7:30. The meeting agenda can be found here. To speak at the public hearing (audio only), call 877-853-5247 or 888-788-0099. Enter Meeting ID: 931 3086 8636. Press *9 to “raise your hand,” and let Council know that you are ready to speak.
3. Get a Climate Voter yard sign here and add your name to the petition here.
Thanks for doing your part to fight the climate crisis.
Michael Garfield
Director, The Ecology Center
Key Points for City Council about the A2 Zero Carbon Neutrality Plan
- Thank you for voting last year to declare a “climate emergency,” and to make Ann Arbor “carbon neutral” by 2030 -- a time frame consistent with what scientists have told us needs to be done. These are important symbolic actions and statements of intent.
- Thanks too for approving the Administrator's FY21 budget and new resources for the Office of Sustainability and Innovation.
- The climate crisis demands urgent action, and “business-as-usual” will not do the job. We all realize that addressing the climate crisis will be a difficult and expensive process.
- The City’s draft carbon neutrality plan is extremely ambitious, but it is also doable, and its seven fundamental strategies meet the scale of the challenge. While every single action may not have unanimous support, they collectively form the basis for constructive discussions going forward.
- It will take leadership from every one of us to make Ann Arbor carbon neutral and to rise up and solve the climate crisis. We look to you to be a leader in your Ward and engage your constituents about it.
- Please vote YES to approve the City’s carbon neutrality plan.