Full article by Casey Rafter available at Sacramento News & Review
Lawmakers in California are making steady efforts to tweak the culture of fossil fuel consumption and increase awareness of climate impacts caused by greenhouse gas emissions. In fits and starts, change is underway, including plans to end the sale of new gas-powered vehicles across the state by 2035.
Those ideals are being put into action locally through a Sacramento Area Council of Governments pilot program called Green Means Go. The program identifies central parts of cities called “Green Zones” in the six-county Sacramento region and then makes efforts to increase infill housing where services already exist for residents, along with improving access to alternative modes of transportation and reducing commute times.
Less vehicle commuting means less greenhouse gas emissions. SACOG helps match state funding to transit-oriented development. Yet, champions of the program are also hoping it serves as an encouraging force around affordable housing in Northern California.