VICTORY!
On February 18th, 2025, the Ashland City Council unanimously passed the youth-led policy to incentivize all-electric new homes! The Carbon Pollution Impact Fee will cut pollution, help lower building costs, and boost energy efficiciency in newly constructed homes. The policy encourages new homes to be built with modern, energy-efficient electric applinaces, which both lowers energy blls and reduces building costs. This comes after two years of youth-led community organizing; showing up to city council meetings, giving testimony, holding rallies and walk-outs, and working to hold the city accountable to its climate goals.
The High Schooler's Guide to Saving the Planet, One City at a Time
Learn about campaign successes and obstacles, and gain tips and tricks for starting your own campaign for climate action in this case study written by the Ashland Youth for Electrification team!
Benefits of the Pollution Fee Ordinance:
Clean Air and Public Health
Everyone deserves to breathe healthy air inside their homes.
The use of fossil fuel gas to power home appliances is a significant source of harmful indoor air and climate pollution. Passing a limit on the amount of toxic pollutants that new homes can emit is an opportunity to improve the health of our communities.
Studies show the long-term health risks of living with household gas appliances like gas stoves, which produce pollutants like carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and more–even when they are turned off. Living in homes with gas appliances increases the risk for childhood asthma (by 42%), blood cancers, heart disease, and dementia, among other concerning health hazards.
Affordable Energy
Our communities need access to affordable and efficient ways to heat and cool our homes.
Building new homes with efficient electric appliances is cheaper, and saves money for tenants on utility bills. This is crucial to consider as we build more much needed affordable housing in our community.
A Livable Future
Youth and our communities want clean air and a livable future!
The Climate & Clean Air Policies would reduce citywide greenhouse gas emissions from new residential construction, and will put the city on track to take action on the the commitments listed in the Plan de Acción Climática y Energética de Ashland.
According to the Oregon Department of Energy, residential and commercial buildings account for about one-third of Oregon’s greenhouse gas emissions, and direct use of fossil gas creates 14 percent of the state’s GHG emissions.
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