FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2024
MEDIA CONTACT
Cristina Valdivia, Cristina.Valdivia@cv.ca.gov, (916) 508-9018
Hundreds Take Climate Action in San Diego County
Community Climate Action Day in San Diego County combines the forces of California Service Corps and hundreds of volunteers for a countywide day of service
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. – Today, California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday joined Senator Catherine Blakespear, Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation, community partners, California Climate Action Corps Fellows, and hundreds of volunteers for a day of climate action projects in San Diego County, including invasive plant removal and native planting.
“Volunteers, service members, community organizations and local and state leaders joined together today in San Diego County to take action against our greatest existential threat — climate change. It is a testament to the power of service to unite us and create real, lasting change,” said California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday. “California will continue to organize, lead and engage our communities in climate action because we need everyone involved.”
California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, State Senator Catherine Blakespear, Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, California Volunteers Commissioner Ben McCue, San Diego County officials, and climate action volunteers come together to make a difference at Community Climate Action Day in San Dieguito County Park.
California Volunteers, Office of the Governor partnered with the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation to host the event where California Climate Action Corps Fellows and hundreds of volunteers participated in climate action projects to preserve public green spaces and waterways. Projects included invasive plant removal and native tree and vegetation planting at San Dieguito County Park in Del Mar, San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve in Cardiff and Lindo Lake County Park in Lakeside.
“Climate change affects all of us every day, and we need to do everything we can to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, live more sustainably and protect our precious natural resources,” said Senator Catherine Blakespear. “It’s wonderful to see so many people come together today to take action and address climate change. This is what we need in San Diego County and across the state.”
California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday teams up with climate action volunteers to plant native trees and vegetation during Community Climate Action Day in San Dieguito County Park.
Today’s event comes as the Biden Administration is actively recruiting thousands of new paid service positions now available through the American Climate Corps, which provides applicants to the California Climate Action Corps. Positions range across a number of fields including energy-efficiency, wildfire mitigation, and disaster response and preparedness. Up to 20,000 people are expected to join during the program’s first year. To learn more and apply, visit www.acc.gov.
“We’ve seen the effects of the climate crisis right here in San Diego,” stated Assemblymember Tasha Boerner. “The only way we can create a long-lasting impact on our planet is if we work together. With the help of the California Service Corps and community organizations, we made strides in preserving San Diego’s wetlands and beautiful coast. Many thanks to our youth for leading this effort.”
In honor of conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall’s 90th birthday, California Climate Action Corps has committed to planting 90,000 trees and native plants across the state. The San Diego County Community Climate Action Day included planting native tree and vegetation species plantings to honor Dr. Goodall’s legacy. Explore opportunities to participate in reaching the goal by visiting the California Volunteers’ website.
“Community Climate Action Day is an opportunity for Californians to join together to protect our neighborhoods, coastlines and waterways from the worst of climate change, while also making the places we live greener and more enjoyable,” said Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer, Vice Chair of the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “This initiative is about doing good and celebrating the environment that makes San Diego County and California a special place to live. I want to thank our dedicated volunteers in the California Climate Action Corps for being the boots on the ground and making protecting our planet a priority every day.”
California Climate Action Corps is part of the California Service Corps and organizes Community Climate Action Days throughout the state. Governor Gavin Newsom launched California Climate Action Corps in 2020 as the nation’s first state-level climate service corps with the mission of empowering Californians to take meaningful action to protect their homes, health and communities against the harshest impacts of climate change. The program is led by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor.
“As a California Climate Action Corps Fellow, I am granted a platform where I can make climate action more accessible for all San Diegans. When the community gets involved in hands-on projects like food recovery, composting, tree planting, invasive species removal, and trail maintenance, there is a greater sense of pride around the impact of the changes they helped make a reality,” said California Climate Action Corps Fellow Julia Gallaway . “My work with both County of San Diego Department of Solid Waste Planning and Recycling and Department of Parks and Recreation inspires me to actively seek new challenges to expand my knowledge and inspire others to engage in local and global environmental issues and to take climate action. Remember, every effort helps!”
California Service Corps is the largest service force in the nation, larger than the Peace Corps. It is administered by California Volunteers, Office of the Governor and is made up of #CaliforniansForAll College Corps, #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps, California Climate Action Corps and AmeriCorps California. Learn more or find a local volunteer opportunity at CAServiceCorps.com.
INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE IN SPANISH AND ENGLISH: California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday. Contact Cristina Valdivia, Cristina.Valdivia@cv.ca.gov, (916) 508-9018
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About California Volunteers, Office of the Governor
Led by California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday, California Volunteers, Office of the Governor empowers Californians to take action to improve their communities. California Volunteers is the state office tasked with recruiting Californians to engage in public service.
