Our Purpose: Nevada County Climate Action Now is a group of people dedicated to addressing global warming and its causes and effects through mindfulness, education, and action, and to challenging the systems that are creating global climate change.  To fulfill this purpose, it is our intention to:

Inform and educate our members and the general public about the crisis of global warming and its causes, consequences, and potential solutions.

Stay connected with national and global grassroots organizations that are addressing climate change, and coordinate actions with these groups.

Initiate programs, forums, workshops, and retreats to deal directly with climate change.

Plan local and regional actions that help raise awareness, defeat denial, spread truth, and seek to limit greenhouse gas emissions, both locally and global.  

Support actions which will influence climate policies at local, state, and federal levels.

Act in solidarity with vulnerable peoples who are experiencing the effects of climate change first and worst. 

 

 

Our Vision and Guiding Principles:

We seek to be a community, open to all, that is guided by a vision of our planet healed and made whole.

We value an approach to our shared concerns that is non-violent, compassionate, and respectful of each person and of all life.

We see ourselves as a group of people who want to be engaged with others who care about the planet, see the crisis, and want to address these issues together.

We desire to be a community of persons that welcomes and respects a variety of viewpoints. We affirm in our process of decision-making an approach that is by consensus, where agreements that are made can be affirmed by all.

Coalition participants are encouraged to initiate ad-hoc groups or committees for addressing specific concerns or actions that are in keeping with the spirit of the Coalitionʼs stated purposes.

Leadership will be shared and rotated as determined by the needs and desires of the coalition.

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                      NC-CAN Strategic Plan 2026

 

NC-CAN Committees - Objectives for current year.   

 

Steering Committee

 

Purpose: Coordinate NC-CAN activities

 

• Review and approve finances

• Hold monthly meetings to coordinate and approve other committee actions

• Yearly, review and produce strategic plan

                                        

Education Committee

 

Purpose: Educate Nevada County citizens on climate related topics

 

Objective 1: Encourage youth to advance their awareness, advocacy, and participation in climate action

 

• Support SERi’s mentorship programs to cultivate a new generation of organizational leaders and/or energy auditors

• Assist SERi in advocating for jobs that stimulate the circular economy and that employ youth

• Hold an informal one-day retreat for past Climate Change Agents to share their past successes and future plans

 

Objective 2: Community Education

 

• Work with all steering committee members to present written information or timely educational events on topics relevant to Nevada County (e.g., editorials, articles, co-sponsored events)

• Collaborate with other organizations, such as UUCM, to present public opportunities for engagement (e.g., EV show booths, film series, forums, etc.)

Communication Committee

 

Purpose: Present NC-CAN to the public

 

Objective 1  - Platform maintenance and content:

 

• Maintain physical website and update library for events

• Maintain physical Facebook, Twitter sites and add/delete content to them

• Maintain physical newsletter platform and add newsletter content

  • Maintain email list of NC-CAN participants and contacts and review and respond to input from visitors to platforms, events, and other outreach

 

Objective 2 – Communication to the public:

 

• Each committee prepares public content for each platform

• public meetings at least quarterly

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Carbon Action Committee

 

Purpose: Address investment and divestment for reducing fossil fuels

 

Objective 1:  Address carbon reduction through fossil fuel and deforestation divestment and “green” investment.

 

Government - Nevada County, Nevada City, Grass Valley, and Nevada Irrigation District examination. Focus on employee retirement funds and government bond and cash holdings.

• Identify how funds are currently invested.  Example: NID employee retirement is held by the “Local Agency Investment Fund” under the California State Treasurer’s Office.

• Identify and examine successful California city and county divestments.

• Develop local county strategy in consultation and perhaps collaboration with As You Sow, Fossil Free California, Sierra Club and other local and State organizations concerned with divestment/investment.

• Implement one target divest/invest local campaign strategy.

 

Individual Retirement Divestment/Investment.

• Maintain and expand website on invest/divest and carbon screening organizations.

• Plan KVMR program on subject. Write one or two 3-minute editorial news pieces.

• Write opinion piece for Union.

• Utilize CAN mailing list for info pieces on 529s, Banking and Personal carbon screening

 

State 529 education ESG investment alternatives

• Account holder letters to State investment committees requesting ESG alternatives and expanded options

• Seek out national education opinion writers to address ESG 529 investments.

 

Banking and Individual Investments

• Move Your Values campaign:  leaflet local residents to move funds from large bank carbon funders to local banks, and make known reasons.

• Research banks, carbon investments, and local banking alternatives to draw up materials for campaign in consultation with Net Zero Banking Alliance, Stop The Money Pipeline, Fossil Free California, bankfwd, bank.green, and related organizations

• Target initial campaign on one bank.

 

Expand and build local Invest/Divest Climate Action Now committee

• Possible members – Lew Sitzer, Steven Elias

 

Objective 2: Lobby for National Carbon Tax and Dividend Legislation

 

• Endorse and advocate for a carbon fee and dividend in National Legislation. Align efforts with Citizen Climate Lobby.

• Educate NC-CAN membership and public about pending carbon legislation.

• Use NC-CAN membership list to encourage and support citizen action and voice.

 

Energy Committee

 

Purpose: Nevada County to eliminate fossil fuels as an energy source

 

Objective 1: Assist municipalities in reaching California Energy goals of zero-net energy.

 

• Work with the County and cities to Improve the energy efficiency and renewability of their buildings, facilities, and operations

• Provide outreach and education on new and existing community building electrification opportunities

• Encourage solar and wind projects including storage

• Inform our supporters and the community of progress in reaching the goals

 

Objective 2: Support Pioneer Community Energy – a Community Choice Aggregation

 

• Support Nevada County Board for passage of required CCA ordinances

• Foster meetings with members of Pioneer Community Energy to promote renewable energy options

• Help educate public on Pioneer Community Energy Green100 option

 

Objective 3: Help implement 100% renewable energy in the county 

 

• Committee supports a countywide 100% renewable energy plan that will foster coordination of efforts to encourage building electrification, lighting improvements, sprawl reduction, forest carbon sequestration, electric vehicles, local food consumption - while creating and sustaining new jobs and improving public health

• Committee works with other local groups that support elimination of fossil fuels, including Sierra Energy reimagined (SERi), Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL), and Community Environmental Advocates (CEA)

 

WasteNOT Committee

 

Purpose: Promote county wide adoption of State mandate for Circular Economy and measures that move the community on the road to Zero Waste.

 

Objective 1: Inform and educate residents, businesses, organizations, and government bodies, including information on new requirements/laws, to facilitate responsible purchasing and disposal choices.

 

• Serve on County Solid Waste Commission and/or attend meetings, as well as Board of Supervisor and City Council meetings to influence activities and decision making on circular economy measures

 

• Work with WM to clarify recycling needs for the public to re-enforce the R’s of Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Refill, Repair, Repurpose, Renew, Rethink, Remake, Regift.

 

• Educate the public on options for reducing single-use plastics and over-consumption waste via newspaper, YubaNet, KVMR, and Internet media including Facebook and webpages, and events like Earth Day.

 

• Continue the Plastic-Free campaign with articles, events, radio, and personal contacts, especially around Microplastics as a Health Hazard

 

• Continue to work with community to collect and return CRV items as part of circular economy via recycling.

 

• Inform public on new laws/requirements that affect waste and single-plastic use to enhance compliance (SB 54).

 

• Work with Cities to enact and enhance a single-use plastic disposables Ordinance to reduce single-use plastics in the restaurant/takeout sectors.

 

Objective 2: Support projects that promote circular economy goals

 

• Work with county, cities and nonprofits to provide decentralized alternatives such as the GV contract to create a center at DeMautino Park for compost and recycling.

 

• Work with county/cities to publish a Zero Waste Guide (similar to the one in Sonoma County and other municipalities) so community residents have a central source of information to guide actions.