Climate and Energy Action Plan (CEAP)

APPENDIX A: OPEN HOU SE STATION RESPONSES Ashland Climate and Energy Action Plan: Open House #2 Page | 10 Station 2: Ashland’s Climate Vulnerabilities What are the most important resources, systems, o r populations for the City to pay attention to in preparing for climate change? Why? Total responses = 18  Populations at most risk: homeless, those in poverty, elderly, people with mental illness. All have limited resources and ability to respond.  Improve public transit. Make it affordable and fun to use.  Coniferous forests at risk from reduced water availability and increased risk of catastrophic wildfire.  Water cycle capture, storage, and release  It is important that historically disadvantaged communities not only aren’t harmed, but that they benefit from actions the city takes and are prioritized.  It is vital that mitigation and adaptation plans are evaluated based on the vulnerability assessment.  The most vulnerable residents – low-income children, elder ly, and disabled. Aid with weatherization and a utility moratorium to protect from shutoffs.  For our most vulnerable – need to provide protection against utility shutoffs for those unable to pay their bills and weatherization. Also, we need cooling and war ming centers, a break in electric rates in summer as well as winter, free air conditioners for low income vulnerable populations, and a system whereby people check in on their neighbors.  Water! Forest. Caring for the forest, thinning to protect large tees and encourage water getting to the ground. Poor – increasing costs must be subsidized.  We need to protect our forests and water supply. We should safeguard our food supply by using permaculture based landscaping for homes, businesses, and college.  Handling stress and other mental health issues is important. Resiliency is higher if people are prepared to help themselves and each other.  The Trouble Makers  Puh-leez. This is not wolverine habitat and has not been since the Little Ice Age.  We need to ensure reso urces to support the most vulnerable: low income, outside workers, persons with health issues. Persons with more resources need to help those with less.  Biodiversity (humans move, many plants and animals cannot)  Protecting biodiversity and natural system f unction is very important as they define our region and can help buffer against impacts.  The homeless are first wave of refugees. Build small house communities and pass renter’s right 90-day eviction notice. Renters are most vulnerable.  You seem to have th e human populations concern, so I will speak up for the animal/plan populations. Because abundant biodiversity = healthy habitat.