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Going Green as a South-Asian Californian
By Faiza Zia Khan
Newport Beach, CA
There is constant media attention around California being the epi-center of the “Going Green” initiative. The emphasis on sustainability and preservation of the environment is even greater in 2020. Our home state was constantly working towards reducing the environmental footprint through sustainable state legislated government operations and practices.
According to the state’s website, there are many initiatives such as the energy efficient state building design and construction, renewable energy generation at state facilities, environmentally preferable state purchasing, and sustainable state-owned vehicles. California is in the run for being a contender for the top agricultural producer, therefore media and other informative sources keep the public up-to-date on the Golden State’s status of environmental affairs.
Being a part of the South-Asian Californian community I am proud to say that we have embraced the green initiative whole-heartedly and are applying these practices into our daily lives. By embedding small little changes into our routines we are contributing to reducing the carbon footprint as much as we can. It is true that every little bit goes a long way. In this article, I discuss some of the initiatives we have all seen and embraced as South-Asian Californians.
Mandatory solar panels in all newly built homes: According to the information on the state’s website, California has now become the first state in the US to mandate that all new homes built in the state have to be fitted with solar panels after lawmakers passed a landmark vote on December 5, 2018. The green initiative went into implementation at the beginning of 2020. The new initiative will see all homes in the state equipped with more sustainable sources of energy which is part of a ten-year initiative to convert California into a more environmentally friendly state. More and more South-Asian households are reverting to alternative energy sources as newer housing communities emerge in California. Not only is this an economically efficient measure it also helps the environment immensely.
Zero Emissions Vehicles: A vast majority of South Asians have moved from gas to PZEV vehicles due to the positive impact it has on the environment. Another segment of the California Green Initiative is the commitment to switch from gasoline to electric in hopes of meeting its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2030, and carbon neutrality by 2045. There are 11 states participating in the ZEV (Zero Emissions Vehicles) Program, that require via legislation automakers ensure a certain percent of all vehicles sold are ZEVs. ZEVs are variations of electric vehicles, but can also be hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, or a hybrid. Having a large populace, California is taking the lead in promoting ZEVs by providing rebates, incentives, and initiatives to the state’s residents. These are promoted widely on the pertinent websites.
Air quality: Due to the abundance of wild fires in California there have been reports of poor air quality. It is one that has wreaked havoc upon the California environment and numerous communities, as well as upon thousands of residents and the state’s entire economy. A few years back another retinue of huge fires blazed throughout the state, most notably in Northern and parts of Southern California. The famous fire in Malibu and Calabasas area known as the Woolsey Fire in the Los Angeles area that burned through multimillion dollar celebrity homes is still fresh in our minds. Wild fires, lack of rainfall, and global warming all have impacted the California environment in a way that has not allowed water to be abundant in the state. The drought has left dry brush, foliage, and huge areas of dead trees that helped fuel the fires. Fortunately, on the positive side, the drought has officially ended in many areas of the state with some still struggling with water shortages. However, tremendous damage and destruction have already been done. The rebuilding process may take decades to accomplish.
Plastic bags, single use plastic containers, and straws: California already has placed a ban on plastic items such as straws and bags. Additional legislation was introduced to phase out single-use plastic food containers and other packaging that isn’t recyclable or compostable. The measure could also apply to polystyrene foam containers used for takeout meals, as well as plastic detergent bottles. The legislation that is touted to phase out the single-use plastics by 2030 will have a huge impact on the environment. Having extensive shoreline this legislation follows concerns about plastic debris going into the oceans and laying around on the beaches. Two common recycled plastic materials - polyethylene terephthalate (or PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) - will then be used instead of the hazardous plastic that are damaging the environment. PET is commonly used for plastic bottles that contain water or soda, while HDPE is used in milk jugs, shampoo bottles, household cleaning bottles, and in some trash bags and cereal liners.
Recycling: California is a huge promoter of recycling. Not is recycling a very lucrative business for locals it is helping the environment immensely. An example is that approximately 24.5 billion California Refund Value (CRV) eligible containers were sold in one single year. Out of these, more than 18.5 billion were recycled. If we do rough arithmetic six billion bottles and cans ended up in the landfill. Nobody claimed the CRV on them which adds up to more than $100 million worth. If we all take our bottles to the recycling facilities these empty bottles can become worthy of so much more and the state is happily able to give us CRV refunds.
I have seen these initiatives making a positive impact on the lives of every Californian. As a community let’s take all actions to reduce our carbon footprint one reusable plastic bag and one soda bottle at a time.
(Faiza Zia Khan holds a Master’s in Journalism degree from the University of British Columbia, Canada. She has collaborated with news media outlets including Global National and actively volunteers for several community investment projects for the Red Cross, United Way and the Breast Cancer Foundation)
