Ben Jealous, Executive Director, Sierra Club (Photo – Brian Biery)
Ben Jealous, executive director of the Sierra Club, visited Pasadena/Altadena on Wednesday, January 29, to witness the devastating destruction caused by the Eaton Fire and to offer support to the survivors, as well as provide insights for the rebuilding process.
By Brian Biery
Jealous was invited to tour fire-impacted areas by Cynthia Cannady, chair of Pasadena 100, in coordination with Morgan Goodwin, director of the Sierra Club’s Angeles Chapter, and was hosted by Rev. Larry E. Campbell of 1st AME Church.
After surveying the damage, Jealous remarked, “Seeing the homes, it took my breath away. We saw a metal roof with solar panels that had been destroyed by fire. People were in the midst of their lives, trying to adapt, but they were overwhelmed. I am still overwhelmed just trying to process it.”
Climate change wreaking havoc on our environment
Jealous addressed a group of over 50 community members at Pasadena’s 1st African Methodist Episcopal Church for more than an hour. His message was clear: climate change, driven by carbon emissions, is wreaking havoc on our environment. The goal, he said, is to save the planet—not only for ourselves but for future generations—by investing in renewable energy.
“We are the caretakers of a bountiful and life-giving garden,” Jealous explained. “The idea is to make sure that the garden is preserved for all of us. But right now, the garden is on fire. To ensure that our grandchildren have a place to live, we need to shift our energy sources away from those that harm the garden to those that are limitless.”
We need to change our way of doing things
According to Cannady, the challenge in transitioning to renewable energy is not technological, but a matter of determination and will. For example, the City of Pasadena is projected to reach 85% renewable energy by 2030, a higher percentage than most cities in California. “However,” Cannady said, “We need to change our way of doing things. We need to do better to reach 100% (non-carbon-based energy) by 2030.”
The front lines of climate disaster
Goodwin pointed out that California aims to achieve 100% carbon-free renewable energy by 2045, while Los Angeles is targeting 2035. With climate-related disasters like fires, hurricanes, cyclones, and tornadoes, mounting the need to rethink how the U.S. powers its homes, businesses, and transportation is urgent. “It was heavy,” Goodwin lamented after seeing Altadena. “These are the front lines of the climate disaster.”
Rebuilding process
The rebuilding process also presents an opportunity to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and carbon-based materials. By updating building codes to encourage energy-efficient designs, non-toxic building materials, and all-electric systems in new and reconstructed homes, demand for carbon-based energy would drop significantly. Homes and businesses would ultimately become safer, healthier, and more efficient by using the disaster as an opportunity to rethink how we build the places where we live and work.
The shift will benefit everyone
The shift to carbon-free energy will benefit everyone. Without that transition, however, more human-caused disasters like the Eaton Fire will follow. As Jealous put it, “Clean energy is the cheapest form of energy. And we have an unlimited supply of sun and wind given to us by God.”
Vigil for Our Community and Our Planet
Pasadena 100 held a ‘Vigil for Our Community and Our Planet’ at 6:00 pm on Thursday, January 30, in front of Pasadena City Hall. Guest speakers included Rev. Dr. Larry Campbell of 1st AME Church, Seventh District City Council Member Jason Lyon, keynote speaker and youth climate activist Audrey Ma, local hero Edgar McGregor, and Rose Queen Lindsay Charles. The event marked the second anniversary of the Pasadena City Council’s landmark decision to convert to 100% renewable energy by 2030.
Morgan Goodwin, Ben Jealous, Rev. Larry E. Campbell, Cynthia Cannady (Photo – Brian Biery)
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