As a life-long climate activist, I support efforts to address climate change at a local level. While it's true that most greenhouse emissions come from industry-wide practices which limit the impact of individual choices, changes at the city level can have wide-spread benefits including healthier air, improved adolescent development, and lower temperatures.

Let’s ensure it stays that way for future generations by increasing public transit access, encouraging cleaner transportation, and decreasing the number of private cars on the road. We need to build upon Walnut Creek’s efforts to transition to clean, renewable energy. According to the latest census, 47% of people who live in Walnut Creek live in multi-unit complexes and have limited access to make sustainable changes to their housing. We should incentivize new construction to add solar and wind installations, not simply switch to electrification. 

As "the young person" in the race, I know how important it is to address housing scarcity. I am one of the few of my friends from high school who can afford to continue living in Contra Costa County. This should be heart breaking for all of us. Don't we want the next generations to be able to afford to live where they grew up? Additionally, individuals of various incomes should be able to afford to call Walnut Creek home.

I'm excited that the current city council and our city's staff were able to receive approval for their housing element plans. We need to make sure they are implemented and, hopefully, even surpass the goals.

We should look into policies that will allow for local sources to help finance affordable housing, home ownership, and support infill housing.

Walnut Creek can support additional housing, without becoming a city of tall buildings like New York. We can keep our community feel, but also still make our city affordable.

Let's get out of our cars and enjoy the city around us. 

For too long roads and cities have been planned around individual vehicles. We need to adapt our high population density areas to reflect the mixed use of the future. These neighborhoods should be pedestrian first designed, offer parks and public space, and encourage multimodal transportation (bikes, scooters, etc.).

Walkable and bikeable cities encourage healthy living, grow communities, and improve air quality.