Each year, MARC’s Air and Water Quality programs conduct public awareness surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of the programs’ annual public awareness campaigns and outreach initiatives. In the last few years, MARC staff have included several climate change questions in these surveys to identify overall trends in concern for climate change, level of priority placed...
On April 24, 2023, MARC will convene professionals from local governments and other public organizations who are working on sustainability and resilience initiatives for a peer exchange and networking opportunity. At this meet-up, participants will learn about relevant regional initiatives, share about their local priorities and projects and discuss collaboration opportunities. MARC intends to bring...
The Greater Kansas City Food Policy Coalition, a long-standing initiative of KC Healthy Kids, convenes diverse stakeholders to advocate for an equitable, sustainable and resilient food system in greater Kansas City and promote policies for the nutritional, economic, social and environmental health of the community. The coalition is an alliance of individuals, government representatives, businesses, and...
There will be a lot of action in 2023! Here are highlights of some of the projects, planning and programs that will be kicking off next year. We invite you to share your thoughts, ideas or resources on any of the projects. Community Water Infrastructure Program/ ARPA A local partnership involving Kansas City, Mo., Jackson...
The landmark Inflation Reduction Act was signed in to law by President Biden this past August. While the Act is a slimmed-down version of Build Back Better, the impact of the IRA will be significant. The act provides nearly $369 billion in direct investment for energy security, carbon emissions reduction, increased energy innovation and supporting...
What is ozone and why do we care about it? Though chemically identical, there is “good ozone”—the kind that is naturally present in the stratosphere (as the Ozone Layer) and keeps Spaceship Earth comfortable—and there is “bad ozone.” Bad ozone is man-made ozone that hangs out at ground level and is a hazard to public...
The newly formed Climate and Environment Council held its first meeting last month to begin the important task of determining its work plan for the year. Each council member will provide input on their top five priority activities that align with the strategies in the Regional Kansas City Climate Action Plan. At the second meeting...
September is Disaster Preparedness Month. And even though we’re a little late to the game, don’t worry! We’ll be peppering readers with disaster preparedness and community resilience tips and resources all year long.
As I’m writing this, Hurricane Ian is working it’s way across Florida. Some Floridians have chosen to follow evacuation mandates and advisories, some have not. Hopefully, all will have prepared adequately and will come out unscathed. I’ve seen Florida friends post to social media about their preparations, whether it’s installing the hurricane shutters, stocking up on food or digging out the solar phone chargers. Of course, this brings to mind the question: what prepares us for disaster in the Kansas City region? And what does disaster-preparedness mean in the face of climate change?
Climate change will exacerbate those natural hazards we are all familiar with here in the metro: flooding, heat, drought, winter weather, tornadoes and thunderstorms. The full impact of more extreme versions of these hazards leaves a lot of uncertainty. But one thing is for sure, the impacts could be broad and wide-reaching. We need to think expansively about our risks and vulnerabilities. Disasters in a different area of the country could impact our region — mass migration, food shortages or economic disruptions, as examples. Read on for a few ways you, your household and your city can build climate resilience by being prepared when we are faced with disaster.
Since the Kansas City Regional Climate Action Plan was adopted two years ago, cities, counties and area agencies have adopted the plan to signal support and commitment to take action. The cities and counties who have adopted the plan account for 83% of the total 9-county population! Thank you to the following organizations who have...
Challenge yourself and your coworkers to bike, walk, carpool, ride the bus or streetcar or vanpool to work this fall. The 2022 Green Commute Challenge is a free competition among Kansas City area commuters to reward taking sustainable transportation options to work. For six weeks, from Sept. 19 through Oct. 28, members of employer-based teams...
