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Climate Change

Air pollution hovers at ground level with immediate health impacts, but greenhouse gasses rise into the atmosphere creating irreparable damage for generations to come. Air pollution has been directly linked to asthma and other health problems, especially in children. The Air Resources Board of California also has more information about the health effects of air pollution, which includes vehicle exhaust and household air quality.

Climate Action Plan (Adopted June 2016)
The City of Monterey Climate Action Plan (CAP) represents our local effort to address the City’s contribution to a global environmental problem with community-level impacts. The CAP includes the following: 2005 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions inventory; 2012 GHG emissions inventory; existing and planned GHG emissions reduction strategies for both the community (within our City geopolitical boundary) and government operations (associated with operations and management of City real properties and programs; also known as municipal), and recommendations to make further reductions to meet future goals. The CAP sets emission reduction goals for 2020, 2030, and 2050 according to California AB 32, the Urban Environmental Accords (UEA), and Executive Order S-3-05.

The CAP also outlines progress made toward the goals of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement (MCPA) and the UEA, to which the City became a signatory in 2007. Finally, the CAP identifies existing activities that contribute to local climate adaptation and priority steps for adaptation planning. The City of Monterey CAP is a living document - community members, business owners, and public employees should continue to reference and provide input to the CAP to improve the plan and integrate its attributes into City planning.
electric vehicle (ev) chargingCharging-Station-Logo
The City has two electric vehicle charging areas and a total of four stations:
  • Downtown West Parking Garage at 340 Tyler Street - 2 stations, free 4 hour maximum parking.
  • Calle Principal Garage at 440 Calle Principal Street - 2 stations, $1.50 per hour to park, 4 hour maximum.
Get the facts

Carbon Footprint Facts

Carbon Calculator and Facts
Interested in finding out what your environmental impact is? Use one of the calculators below to find out what you are doing now and what you can change to help reduce your impact on our local and global climate.
What is a carbon footprint?
A carbon footprint is a measure of the impact our daily activities and lifestyle have on the environment and, in particular, climate change. It relates to the amount of greenhouse gases produced in our day-to-day lives through burning fossil fuels for utilities, consumption, transportation, and other factors.

Each person has their own unique carbon footprint, a measure of how much CO2 a person emits per year. The average person emits 26 tons (measurement for CO2) of CO2 per year. The more electricity, gas, fuel, and natural resources you use per year, the higher your personal carbon footprint will be.
What is MY carbon footprint?
There are several carbon footprint calculators available to measure your impact on our climate. The following carbon footprint calculators estimate how many tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases your choices create each year.
How is carbon produced?

Whenever we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas - in our factories, offices and vehicles - carbon dioxide (CO2) is produced. So the more that goes into the air, the more the world heats up. This change can look small, but it's enough to have a big effect. The three main ways that CO2 is produced is through deforestation, fossil fuels, and global warming. See the "How is Carbon Produced?" page for more info. There are many other ways that carbon is produced and many other compounds, such as methane from the cattle industry, that contribute to climate change as well.

What is carbon and why should I care?

Most of the world's leading scientists and politicians agree that 'greenhouse gases' are causing climate change. The most potent of these gasses is carbon dioxide (CO2). Increasing levels of atmospheric CO2 and methane are major drivers of climate change. Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe by mass after hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. It is present in all known life forms including the human body.

Carbon Footprint Reduction
  • Eat less meat & dairy. Make vegetarian meals a family tradition.
  • Compost your food scraps at home for your garden.
  • Pledge to ride your bike or carpool at least once per week.
  • Choose a carbon offset option with your next flight.
  • Check out the carbon footprint of your favorite stores and products.