CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT

CLIMATE CHANGE

There is no time to lose in addressing climate change, and meaningful change must happen at the local level — from rooftop solar and other household energy shifts to large-scale renewable energy projects. But renewable energy production is not the whole story. All of the elements of Livable Cville’s mission — including increased housing density, improved public transit, and safer pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure — serve our common climate goals by reducing reliance on fossil fuels and overall energy use.

environmental justice

As our community works toward carbon neutrality and a sustainable future, we must make sure no one is left behind or unfairly saddled with the burdens of that future — particularly members of lower income or historically dispossessed neighborhoods. Charlottesville and Albemarle County must build more housing, including much more affordable housing, and make significant commitments to non-car-centered infrastructure and renewable energy so that all members of our community can thrive.

initiatives

  • Livable Cville co-signed a community letter to Charlottesville city officials about the city’s Climate Action Plan draft. Along with the Community Climate Collaborative and many other organizations, we asked the city to go further in pushing toward carbon neutrality, reducing energy consumption and reliance on gas, and centering equity and social justice in decarbonization efforts, among other things.

  • Livable Cville supports Woodridge Solar, which is a utility-scale solar project proposed in Albemarle County. We compiled this FAQ document to help inform community discussion and sent a letter to the Albemarle County Planning Commission in support of this exciting project, which has the potential to power more than 25,000 homes and represents a rare opportunity to make meaningful progress on local climate action goals.