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You shouldn’t be outside. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1969739/smoke-from-californias-record-wildfires-is-its-own-disaster\">It’s bad for you\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The experience prompted Higuera-Mendieta to investigate a question that has become increasingly urgent in California: How can we reduce smoke from future wildfires?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His research, published in the June 11 issue of \u003cem>Science,\u003c/em> found that a sustained campaign of yearly prescribed burning — in line with \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2019/12/31/california-certifies-statewide-programmatic-environmental-impact-review-to-protect-californians-from-catastrophic-wildfires/\">pre-existing state goals\u003c/a> — could reduce smoke severity during bad wildfire years by 25%. Averaged over a decade of good, normal and bad fire years, the net reduction in smoke pollution is about 10%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study, conducted with co-author Marshall Burke, examined two decades of fire and smoke data and provides the first large-scale estimate of how prescribed-fire-like burns influence future smoke exposure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know that smoke is killing a lot of people. Any reduction in that is meaningful,” said Burke, \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/people/marshall-burke\">professor\u003c/a> in the Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford and Higuera-Mendieta’s advisor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1999165\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1999165\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Participants in the prescribed burn add fuel to fires as part of a CAL-TREX prescribed burn in Berry Creek on Nov. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Andri Tambunan for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Prescribed fire, or the intentional and cautious burning of land at low severity, is a smoke solution that comes with trade-offs. A prescribed burn produces its own smoke, so the net benefits to air pollution are felt during the next wildfire, which may be soon or may be years away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re not eliminating the problem,” Burke said. “But you’re making a meaningful dent in the problem, particularly in the worst years, and to me, that’s important.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In past research, Burke’s group at Stanford has estimated that wildfire smoke will be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1972725/wildfire-smoke-could-be-the-main-way-californians-experience-climate-change\">key way most Californians\u003c/a> will feel the harmful effects of climate change. A drying, heating atmosphere, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuel, is leading us to more severe wildfires, which are reversing decades of air quality improvements in California and across the West.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wildfire smoke will kill an estimated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12056655/wildfire-smoke-could-kill-over-5000-californians-a-year-by-2050-study-shows\">70,000 Americans each year by 2050\u003c/a>, if the planet continues to warm at its current rate, according to research Burke and colleagues published last September.[aside postID=news_12086933 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/07/GettyImages-21603288801.jpg']California has set a goal of treating half a million acres annually with low-severity fire. The state is about 20% of the way towards that goal, depending on how you count the progress. But such fires don’t have unalloyed support from the public. Some people complain about the smoke they inevitably produce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the implications of Burke and Higuera-Mendieta’s research is that policymakers who support prescribed fires should emphasize educating the public about the delayed benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A message to all of us living in California that we are probably going to have to tolerate some low-severity smoke during parts of the year when we’re not used to seeing it,” Burke said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve been putting out fires for a century. This has caused a big problem. We’ve got a warming climate, and these put us in a world of hard trade-offs. We just have to be clear-eyed about those trade-offs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the study, researchers mined decades of satellite readings, from data sources like the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. national parks and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Working in such a data-rich environment stood out to Higuera-Mendieta as one of the best things about studying a scientific problem in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wish people knew that part of America’s greatness is this investment in all the open data,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Building on earlier work done by Burke’s group, they used models to trace smoke detected by satellites to the originating fire. They could then simulate how much less smoke those fires would have produced if they’d been less severe because there was a history of prescribed fire in the area. They used natural low-severity fire as a proxy for prescribed fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996121\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996121\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo.jpg\" alt=\"A before and after picture of a small, one-story, nicely kept home, and the remains of it after it was burned down.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"990\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-800x396.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-1020x505.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-160x79.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-768x380.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-1536x760.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-1920x950.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family home in Altadena, California, before and after the Eaton Fire ravaged the community. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the Moreno family)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A parallel, but not novel, finding was that low-severity fire reduced the chance of very severe fires in the area by more than 90%, with reductions trailing off over a decade. This finding is backed by a large body of pre-existing research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One interesting wrinkle was that the greatest benefits were found in conifer forests, the site of many of the most severe fires, but not all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But if you think of the L.A. fires,” Higuera-Mendieta said, “that’s a completely different animal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Southern California’s brushy, chaparral landscapes, low-severity fires were not very protective from future fires and future smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to find solutions for that second half [of the state],” Higuera-Mendieta said. “I think that opens new research avenues for me, asking what interventions work for Southern California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Iván Higuera-Mendieta had never experienced a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/wildfires\">wildfire \u003c/a>season before arriving in California as a Stanford University Ph.D. student. Then, during a bike ride around Palo Alto in the summer of 2021, the Colombian-born researcher noticed what smelled like a neighborhood barbecue.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He remarked to his colleagues how interesting it was that it smelled like wood outside.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He recalls their response with a laugh: “People said, ‘Well, it’s fire season, dummy. You shouldn’t be outside. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1969739/smoke-from-californias-record-wildfires-is-its-own-disaster\">It’s bad for you\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The experience prompted Higuera-Mendieta to investigate a question that has become increasingly urgent in California: How can we reduce smoke from future wildfires?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His research, published in the June 11 issue of \u003cem>Science,\u003c/em> found that a sustained campaign of yearly prescribed burning — in line with \u003ca href=\"https://www.gov.ca.gov/2019/12/31/california-certifies-statewide-programmatic-environmental-impact-review-to-protect-californians-from-catastrophic-wildfires/\">pre-existing state goals\u003c/a> — could reduce smoke severity during bad wildfire years by 25%. Averaged over a decade of good, normal and bad fire years, the net reduction in smoke pollution is about 10%.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The study, conducted with co-author Marshall Burke, examined two decades of fire and smoke data and provides the first large-scale estimate of how prescribed-fire-like burns influence future smoke exposure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We know that smoke is killing a lot of people. Any reduction in that is meaningful,” said Burke, \u003ca href=\"https://sustainability.stanford.edu/people/marshall-burke\">professor\u003c/a> in the Doerr School of Sustainability at Stanford and Higuera-Mendieta’s advisor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1999165\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1999165\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/11/KQED_PRESCRIBED-BURN_AT_257_QED-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Participants in the prescribed burn add fuel to fires as part of a CAL-TREX prescribed burn in Berry Creek on Nov. 4, 2025. \u003ccite>(Andri Tambunan for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Prescribed fire, or the intentional and cautious burning of land at low severity, is a smoke solution that comes with trade-offs. A prescribed burn produces its own smoke, so the net benefits to air pollution are felt during the next wildfire, which may be soon or may be years away.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re not eliminating the problem,” Burke said. “But you’re making a meaningful dent in the problem, particularly in the worst years, and to me, that’s important.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In past research, Burke’s group at Stanford has estimated that wildfire smoke will be the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1972725/wildfire-smoke-could-be-the-main-way-californians-experience-climate-change\">key way most Californians\u003c/a> will feel the harmful effects of climate change. A drying, heating atmosphere, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuel, is leading us to more severe wildfires, which are reversing decades of air quality improvements in California and across the West.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wildfire smoke will kill an estimated \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12056655/wildfire-smoke-could-kill-over-5000-californians-a-year-by-2050-study-shows\">70,000 Americans each year by 2050\u003c/a>, if the planet continues to warm at its current rate, according to research Burke and colleagues published last September.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>California has set a goal of treating half a million acres annually with low-severity fire. The state is about 20% of the way towards that goal, depending on how you count the progress. But such fires don’t have unalloyed support from the public. Some people complain about the smoke they inevitably produce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One of the implications of Burke and Higuera-Mendieta’s research is that policymakers who support prescribed fires should emphasize educating the public about the delayed benefits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“A message to all of us living in California that we are probably going to have to tolerate some low-severity smoke during parts of the year when we’re not used to seeing it,” Burke said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’ve been putting out fires for a century. This has caused a big problem. We’ve got a warming climate, and these put us in a world of hard trade-offs. We just have to be clear-eyed about those trade-offs.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the study, researchers mined decades of satellite readings, from data sources like the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. national parks and the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Working in such a data-rich environment stood out to Higuera-Mendieta as one of the best things about studying a scientific problem in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I wish people knew that part of America’s greatness is this investment in all the open data,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Building on earlier work done by Burke’s group, they used models to trace smoke detected by satellites to the originating fire. They could then simulate how much less smoke those fires would have produced if they’d been less severe because there was a history of prescribed fire in the area. They used natural low-severity fire as a proxy for prescribed fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1996121\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1996121\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo.jpg\" alt=\"A before and after picture of a small, one-story, nicely kept home, and the remains of it after it was burned down.\" width=\"2000\" height=\"990\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-800x396.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-1020x505.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-160x79.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-768x380.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-1536x760.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/02/IMG_5331_duo-1920x950.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A family home in Altadena, California, before and after the Eaton Fire ravaged the community. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of the Moreno family)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A parallel, but not novel, finding was that low-severity fire reduced the chance of very severe fires in the area by more than 90%, with reductions trailing off over a decade. This finding is backed by a large body of pre-existing research.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>One interesting wrinkle was that the greatest benefits were found in conifer forests, the site of many of the most severe fires, but not all.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But if you think of the L.A. fires,” Higuera-Mendieta said, “that’s a completely different animal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In Southern California’s brushy, chaparral landscapes, low-severity fires were not very protective from future fires and future smoke.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We need to find solutions for that second half [of the state],” Higuera-Mendieta said. “I think that opens new research avenues for me, asking what interventions work for Southern California.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "you-cant-beat-mother-nature-destroyed-cafe-gives-pacifica-look-at-climate-changed-future",
"title": "‘You Can’t Beat Mother Nature’: Destroyed Cafe Gives Pacifica Look at Climate-Changed Future",
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"headTitle": "‘You Can’t Beat Mother Nature’: Destroyed Cafe Gives Pacifica Look at Climate-Changed Future | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996746/rising-tides-tough-choices-pacifica-allowed-bolster-seawalls-stopgap-plan\">Pacifica\u003c/a> tore down a beloved local cafe on Tuesday as frustrated residents debated the future of the city’s coastline, which is slipping toward the sea amid a constant barrage of waves and erosion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several hundred stood in silence as excavators ripped the Chit Chat Cafe’s sign off its facade at the base of the Pacifica Municipal Pier, the Pacific Ocean steadily pummeling the rocks below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pacifica resident Kirk Edison stood on a concrete barrier to film the machines tearing apart the cafe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel bad for the owners,” said Edison, who brought his kids to the pier growing up. “I will be shocked if they fix it. You can’t beat Mother Nature — she will win.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After officials announced the cafe’s demolition, about a dozen people spoke out at a city council meeting on Monday, voicing their anger over the cafe’s closure. Others expressed concern about rebuilding the historic pier, which cracked last week and slanted toward the ocean, as rising seas from human-caused climate change continue to threaten the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayor Christine Boles said the pier and the tearing down of the cafe are examples of what’s at risk here because of global emissions causing the sea to rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re on the forefront of climate change with sea level rise and erosion,” Boles said. “The ocean is going to win in the end.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001293\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The council unanimously voted to declare a state of local emergency around the pier, and is seeking a state of emergency from the governor. Officials said a third party will prepare a formal report, but aren’t sure when the final product will come out. Boles said previous reviews found that seawater and sea spray had weakened the concrete pier, which required $19 million in repairs before the latest damage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more deeply we look at the assessments, the more money that is needed before [the pier broke],” Boles said at the meeting. “These have been long-term issues we’ve been trying to deal with, but it’s really hard to find the money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supporters of the cafe owners started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-chit-chat-cafe-owners-after-pier-closure\">GoFundMe\u003c/a> to help them cover the cost of materials they may lose during the teardown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001276\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, for safety reasons, no one is currently allowed to enter the building to recover any of these items, and it is uncertain if they ever will be able to,” organizers wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local surfer Bob Battalio met with his friends at the coffee shop every week for years. He said he’s mourning the loss of his favorite spot to meet up with his buds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pier is closed, and I don’t know when they’re going to be able to open it, if ever,” Battalio said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The L-shaped, 1,140-foot-long pier opened in 1973, becoming famous for Dungeness crabbing and attracting anglers worldwide, according to the city’s website. The end of the pier was closed in 2021 due to collapsing handrails, and then, in 2023, waves and high tides closed part of the pier through part of 2024.[aside postID=science_2001255 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2024/10/BayAreaHeatAP.jpg']Patrick James Cavanaugh, executive director of the Pacific Beach Coalition, said the need to tear down the cafe is an example of acting rather than adequately planning for the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We no longer have time to plan,” Cavanaugh said. “Is the pier the asset, or is our ability to live and thrive in a healthy living environment part of the investment as well?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jolie Bauman has lived in Pacifica for four decades. She told the council that she thinks the pier is worth saving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today, we’re seeing the consequences of deferred maintenance,” Bauman said. “I urge the city council to view the pier not as an expense, but as an investment in Pacifica’s future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moss Beach resident David Belkin said he has fished off the pier and brought his kids there. He thinks a public-private partnership could save the pier and the city should consider creating a charitable trust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m heavily invested in the idea of the pier being here for future generations and not necessarily waiting for me to pass to get to that point,” Belkin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But others questioned whether permanently retreating from the ocean and its constant waves and potentially not rebuilding the pier is a better option than reconstructing or strengthening the existing concrete structure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This whole anti-managed retreat position is just really irresponsible; whether we want to admit it or not, we are ground zero for climate change,” Sam C., who did not give a last name, said. “Now that we have to basically take down the Chit Cafe in an emergency declaration, we’re left with unmanaged retreat. Is that what we’re going to continue to do?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001289\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001289\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd of people watch construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Every year, high tides eat away at the sea wall protecting Beach Boulevard and the homes behind it. The Pacific Ocean has risen by about 8 inches since the 1880s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State scientists project an additional rise of over a foot by 2050, and up to 6 feet or more by the end of the century in worst-case scenarios.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s potential \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083376/an-incoming-super-el-nino-may-bring-california-a-wet-hot-winter\">super El Niño\u003c/a> could result in a temporary sea level rise of around 6 inches in California, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, in a recent YouTube office hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to add that number to climate change-caused sea level rise, which — depending on where you are in California — ranges from about 6 inches to a foot over the past century,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001279\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Boles, the city’s mayor, said the possibility of regular and high tides being even higher this fall and winter is very concerning for flooding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot that’s vulnerable closer than 40 feet to the edge right now,” Boles said. “It is terrifying.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project to rebuild Pacifica’s sea wall, known as Pacifica’s Beach Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency Project, could cost between $80 million and $114 million. The city is still searching for funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "‘You Can’t Beat Mother Nature’: Destroyed Cafe Gives Pacifica Look at Climate-Changed Future | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1996746/rising-tides-tough-choices-pacifica-allowed-bolster-seawalls-stopgap-plan\">Pacifica\u003c/a> tore down a beloved local cafe on Tuesday as frustrated residents debated the future of the city’s coastline, which is slipping toward the sea amid a constant barrage of waves and erosion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Several hundred stood in silence as excavators ripped the Chit Chat Cafe’s sign off its facade at the base of the Pacifica Municipal Pier, the Pacific Ocean steadily pummeling the rocks below.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Pacifica resident Kirk Edison stood on a concrete barrier to film the machines tearing apart the cafe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I feel bad for the owners,” said Edison, who brought his kids to the pier growing up. “I will be shocked if they fix it. You can’t beat Mother Nature — she will win.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After officials announced the cafe’s demolition, about a dozen people spoke out at a city council meeting on Monday, voicing their anger over the cafe’s closure. Others expressed concern about rebuilding the historic pier, which cracked last week and slanted toward the ocean, as rising seas from human-caused climate change continue to threaten the city.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayor Christine Boles said the pier and the tearing down of the cafe are examples of what’s at risk here because of global emissions causing the sea to rise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re on the forefront of climate change with sea level rise and erosion,” Boles said. “The ocean is going to win in the end.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001293\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001293\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-27-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The council unanimously voted to declare a state of local emergency around the pier, and is seeking a state of emergency from the governor. Officials said a third party will prepare a formal report, but aren’t sure when the final product will come out. Boles said previous reviews found that seawater and sea spray had weakened the concrete pier, which required $19 million in repairs before the latest damage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more deeply we look at the assessments, the more money that is needed before [the pier broke],” Boles said at the meeting. “These have been long-term issues we’ve been trying to deal with, but it’s really hard to find the money.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Supporters of the cafe owners started a \u003ca href=\"https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-chit-chat-cafe-owners-after-pier-closure\">GoFundMe\u003c/a> to help them cover the cost of materials they may lose during the teardown.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001276\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001276\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-06-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“Unfortunately, for safety reasons, no one is currently allowed to enter the building to recover any of these items, and it is uncertain if they ever will be able to,” organizers wrote.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Local surfer Bob Battalio met with his friends at the coffee shop every week for years. He said he’s mourning the loss of his favorite spot to meet up with his buds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The pier is closed, and I don’t know when they’re going to be able to open it, if ever,” Battalio said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The L-shaped, 1,140-foot-long pier opened in 1973, becoming famous for Dungeness crabbing and attracting anglers worldwide, according to the city’s website. The end of the pier was closed in 2021 due to collapsing handrails, and then, in 2023, waves and high tides closed part of the pier through part of 2024.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Patrick James Cavanaugh, executive director of the Pacific Beach Coalition, said the need to tear down the cafe is an example of acting rather than adequately planning for the future.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We no longer have time to plan,” Cavanaugh said. “Is the pier the asset, or is our ability to live and thrive in a healthy living environment part of the investment as well?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Jolie Bauman has lived in Pacifica for four decades. She told the council that she thinks the pier is worth saving.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Today, we’re seeing the consequences of deferred maintenance,” Bauman said. “I urge the city council to view the pier not as an expense, but as an investment in Pacifica’s future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Moss Beach resident David Belkin said he has fished off the pier and brought his kids there. He thinks a public-private partnership could save the pier and the city should consider creating a charitable trust.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m heavily invested in the idea of the pier being here for future generations and not necessarily waiting for me to pass to get to that point,” Belkin said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But others questioned whether permanently retreating from the ocean and its constant waves and potentially not rebuilding the pier is a better option than reconstructing or strengthening the existing concrete structure.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This whole anti-managed retreat position is just really irresponsible; whether we want to admit it or not, we are ground zero for climate change,” Sam C., who did not give a last name, said. “Now that we have to basically take down the Chit Cafe in an emergency declaration, we’re left with unmanaged retreat. Is that what we’re going to continue to do?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001289\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001289\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PacificaPierUpdate-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A crowd of people watch construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Every year, high tides eat away at the sea wall protecting Beach Boulevard and the homes behind it. The Pacific Ocean has risen by about 8 inches since the 1880s.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State scientists project an additional rise of over a foot by 2050, and up to 6 feet or more by the end of the century in worst-case scenarios.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This year’s potential \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12083376/an-incoming-super-el-nino-may-bring-california-a-wet-hot-winter\">super El Niño\u003c/a> could result in a temporary sea level rise of around 6 inches in California, said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, in a recent YouTube office hours.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You have to add that number to climate change-caused sea level rise, which — depending on where you are in California — ranges from about 6 inches to a foot over the past century,” Swain said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001279\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001279\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260609-PACIFICAPIERUPDATE-17-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Construction crews demolish the Chit Chat Cafe on the Pacifica Municipal Pier on June 9, 2026, after severe structural damage and widening cracks forced the closure of the pier. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Boles, the city’s mayor, said the possibility of regular and high tides being even higher this fall and winter is very concerning for flooding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We have a lot that’s vulnerable closer than 40 feet to the edge right now,” Boles said. “It is terrifying.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The project to rebuild Pacifica’s sea wall, known as Pacifica’s Beach Boulevard Infrastructure Resiliency Project, could cost between $80 million and $114 million. The city is still searching for funding.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>By the end of the week, forecasters expect \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">summer\u003c/a>-like temperatures across much of the\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\"> Bay Area\u003c/a>, with dry, windy conditions leading PG&E to warn of potential power shutoffs across Northern California due to wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>High temperatures could reach the 100-degree mark across the North and South Bay. The trend begins Tuesday after possible showers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Temperatures “will rise dramatically” on Wednesday as a ridge of high pressure builds over the region, Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologists wrote in their \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?format=ci&glossary=1&issuedby=mtr&product=afd&site=mtr&version=1\">daily\u003c/a> forecast discussion. Inland areas like Livermore could reach into the triple digits by Thursday before dipping into the 80s and 90s this weekend, adding to forecasters’ fire concerns as the region heats up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Thursday is our hottest day of the week,” said Karleisa Rogacheski, a lead meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office. “We may have a couple of 100-degree spots sitting up in the North Bay and East Bay areas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The service has issued a red flag warning for the North Bay mountains and the East Bay Hills. The warning starts Wednesday at 11 a.m. and continues through Thursday morning due to gusty winds and critically dry conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a really strong setup for if a spark starts a fire, that fire is going to have the opportunity to grow very quickly in those areas,” said Brayden Murdock, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000321\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1949px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000321\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1949\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed.jpg 1949w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-768x525.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-1536x1051.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1949px) 100vw, 1949px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Siblings Mason, 7, and Jordan Dewitt, 8, enjoy the spray grounds at Prince Gateway Park in Santa Rosa as the temperature reached 100 degrees on July 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The service has also issued a heat advisory through Thursday evening for most of the region, extending from the North Bay to San Francisco to San José. Temperatures could reach near triple digits in inland areas like Santa Rosa and Livermore, while San Francisco and Oakland are expected to reach the low 80s by Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Wednesday is going to be a pretty warm day and one of the warmest we’ve seen so far this year,” Murdock said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rogacheski said the warm-up isn’t considered a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000299/a-delight-mare-bay-area-sizzles-march-heat-wave-could-shatter-records\">heat wave\u003c/a>, but forecasters expect to reach the low 80s in San Francisco and the 90s and low 100s in the North, South and East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000292\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000292\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People walk down International Boulevard in Oakland during a heat wave on Aug. 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rogacheski’s office is warning the public, especially in inland areas, that a moderate heat risk will begin Wednesday. That level of heat poses a risk of heat-related illness for sensitive populations, including children, the elderly and people who work or live outdoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Pay attention to your body during these times because that’s kind of going to be an indicator of what might help,” Rogacheski said. “Take frequent breaks, rest in shade, stay hydrated and wear sunscreen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The warm temperatures, winds up to 45 mph and decreasing relative humidity could create prime wildfire conditions if a spark were to ignite, Rogacheski said, for areas such as the eastern Napa Hills and the interior East Bay valleys and mountains.[aside postID=science_2001063 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/05/260527-BEE-SWARMS-MD-06-KQED.jpg']“This isn’t a slam dunk red flag warning because all of our fuels aren’t fully cured and dried out,” Rogacheski said. “If there are locations that are dry, there could be easier fire starts and spreads, but there are areas that are still kind of green and moist. It’ll be a little bit harder for fires to start there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The weather service’s Sacramento office has issued a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=red%20flag%20warning\">red flag warning\u003c/a> for a large portion of the Sacramento Valley on Wednesday through Thursday evening, said Courtney Carpenter, the office’s warning coordination meteorologist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There could be a problem if anything gets started,” Carpenter said. “Fuels are drying out, and we’ve got gusty winds and low humidity, so that makes firefighting conditions challenging.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, PG&E announced Monday that it may shut off power in parts of at least eight counties this week. The warning includes potential \u003ca href=\"https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/psps-updates/7day/\">public safety power shutoffs \u003c/a>through Friday in parts of Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama and Yolo counties. The utility shuts off power in order to limit the risk of wildfire from its equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company notes that only “some parts” of each county may be affected and that specific addresses are usually available two days before a shutoff occurs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Here comes the sun: Triple-digit heat, fire concerns and possible power shutoffs from PG&E are in the Bay Area’s forecast this week. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>By the end of the week, forecasters expect \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/summer-guide-2026\">summer\u003c/a>-like temperatures across much of the\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/bay-area\"> Bay Area\u003c/a>, with dry, windy conditions leading PG&E to warn of potential power shutoffs across Northern California due to wildfire risk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>High temperatures could reach the 100-degree mark across the North and South Bay. The trend begins Tuesday after possible showers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Temperatures “will rise dramatically” on Wednesday as a ridge of high pressure builds over the region, Bay Area National Weather Service meteorologists wrote in their \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?format=ci&glossary=1&issuedby=mtr&product=afd&site=mtr&version=1\">daily\u003c/a> forecast discussion. Inland areas like Livermore could reach into the triple digits by Thursday before dipping into the 80s and 90s this weekend, adding to forecasters’ fire concerns as the region heats up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Thursday is our hottest day of the week,” said Karleisa Rogacheski, a lead meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office. “We may have a couple of 100-degree spots sitting up in the North Bay and East Bay areas.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The service has issued a red flag warning for the North Bay mountains and the East Bay Hills. The warning starts Wednesday at 11 a.m. and continues through Thursday morning due to gusty winds and critically dry conditions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This is a really strong setup for if a spark starts a fire, that fire is going to have the opportunity to grow very quickly in those areas,” said Brayden Murdock, a meteorologist with the weather service’s Bay Area office.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000321\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1949px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000321\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1949\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed.jpg 1949w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-160x109.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-768x525.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/20240711_HeatFeatures-7_qed-1536x1051.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1949px) 100vw, 1949px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Siblings Mason, 7, and Jordan Dewitt, 8, enjoy the spray grounds at Prince Gateway Park in Santa Rosa as the temperature reached 100 degrees on July 11, 2024. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The service has also issued a heat advisory through Thursday evening for most of the region, extending from the North Bay to San Francisco to San José. Temperatures could reach near triple digits in inland areas like Santa Rosa and Livermore, while San Francisco and Oakland are expected to reach the low 80s by Thursday.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Wednesday is going to be a pretty warm day and one of the warmest we’ve seen so far this year,” Murdock said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rogacheski said the warm-up isn’t considered a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000299/a-delight-mare-bay-area-sizzles-march-heat-wave-could-shatter-records\">heat wave\u003c/a>, but forecasters expect to reach the low 80s in San Francisco and the 90s and low 100s in the North, South and East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000292\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000292\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/03/250821-FRUITVALE-HEAT-MD-01_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">People walk down International Boulevard in Oakland during a heat wave on Aug. 21, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Rogacheski’s office is warning the public, especially in inland areas, that a moderate heat risk will begin Wednesday. That level of heat poses a risk of heat-related illness for sensitive populations, including children, the elderly and people who work or live outdoors.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Pay attention to your body during these times because that’s kind of going to be an indicator of what might help,” Rogacheski said. “Take frequent breaks, rest in shade, stay hydrated and wear sunscreen.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The warm temperatures, winds up to 45 mph and decreasing relative humidity could create prime wildfire conditions if a spark were to ignite, Rogacheski said, for areas such as the eastern Napa Hills and the interior East Bay valleys and mountains.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“This isn’t a slam dunk red flag warning because all of our fuels aren’t fully cured and dried out,” Rogacheski said. “If there are locations that are dry, there could be easier fire starts and spreads, but there are areas that are still kind of green and moist. It’ll be a little bit harder for fires to start there.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The weather service’s Sacramento office has issued a \u003ca href=\"https://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwatxtget.php?cwa=STO&wwa=red%20flag%20warning\">red flag warning\u003c/a> for a large portion of the Sacramento Valley on Wednesday through Thursday evening, said Courtney Carpenter, the office’s warning coordination meteorologist.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There could be a problem if anything gets started,” Carpenter said. “Fuels are drying out, and we’ve got gusty winds and low humidity, so that makes firefighting conditions challenging.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response, PG&E announced Monday that it may shut off power in parts of at least eight counties this week. The warning includes potential \u003ca href=\"https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/psps-updates/7day/\">public safety power shutoffs \u003c/a>through Friday in parts of Colusa, Glenn, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama and Yolo counties. The utility shuts off power in order to limit the risk of wildfire from its equipment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The company notes that only “some parts” of each county may be affected and that specific addresses are usually available two days before a shutoff occurs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "can-we-swipe-our-way-to-friendship",
"title": "Can We Swipe Our Way to Friendship?",
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"headTitle": "Can We Swipe Our Way to Friendship? | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>When Jen Hobbs moved to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> last summer, she assumed friendships would come naturally, at the coffee shop or after an exercise class. But six months in, she didn’t have any New Year’s Eve plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still didn’t have any friends,” said Hobbs, a 31-year-old Twitch streamer who works from home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She made it her resolution to fix that and downloaded every friendship app she had seen on Instagram. Services like \u003ca href=\"https://timeleft.com/\">Timeleft\u003c/a> have upwards of three million users. \u003ca href=\"https://dayofus.com/\">DayOfUs\u003c/a> is in 14 different international cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The premise is similar. Users answer questions about birth order, economic background, and how spontaneous they are, and an algorithm matches them with like-minded strangers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some apps keep you swiping through profiles, hoping to find a match. Others plan a night out, but leave the follow-up to you. The most structured services match the same people week after week for a shared meal. All you have to do is show up. That repetition gives connection a chance to take hold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These platforms are trying to replace what institutions like church, civic groups, and the office once provided. Remember sipping coffee after a service? Or standing around the water cooler at work? You didn’t have to plan it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000919\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000919\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Co-founder Matt Goss chats with an attendee at “Friend Cult,” a weekly gathering meant to help people spend more time with friends, at the Alice Collective in Oakland on April 29, 2026, where participants share a meal and spend time together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, where remote work is common and people cycle through jobs and cities, there are fewer chances to see the same faces and let familiarity build over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Hobbs, the curated dinners were fine. She met interesting people. And then, almost without exception, everyone drifted back into their separate lives. So she decided to shell out a few hundred dollars and try \u003ca href=\"https://www.therealroots.com/\">Real Roots\u003c/a>, a women-only program that matched her with nine strangers and committed them to meeting every Tuesday for six weeks. A guide tagged along to encourage the attendees to push past small talk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Since we were meeting every week, I think we got to know each other better and better,” Hobbs said. “And now, even though the series is over, we still meet up every Tuesday.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s only been a few months, but the entire group is still gathering.[aside postID=science_2000962 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/05/260429-CLIMATESOLUTIONSINDUCTION00012_TV-KQED.jpg']They’ve scheduled a craft night to make glitter cups, and Hobbs organized a pole dancing class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along the way, something else has shifted for her. For years, most of her friendships lived online through gaming and streaming, connections she once defended as just as real as anything in person. That’s no longer true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I do feel more fulfilled by face-to-face socializing,” she said. “There’s just something about getting up and going outside.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, the ladies met up for game night at Victory Point Cafe in Berkeley. Over a round of the board game of “Hues and Cues,” the women talked about how they’d grown tired of trying to build connections online or through one-off events.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kelsey Manion said she had tried apps like \u003ca href=\"https://bumble.com/bff-us/\">Bumble For Friends\u003c/a> (BFF), the friendship-focused version of the dating app, but the experience felt hollow and the connections rarely lasted. “It felt easier to ghost people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Morgan Ezeir said she never made it off the apps. “I did BFF for a little bit, but it just felt weird,” she said. “It felt like I was dating, but I wasn’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wing Tovbis, who moved to the Bay Area from Canada, said even when they found a connection on the app, it didn’t carry over. “It’s a pretty big hurdle to actually meet in person.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000917\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000917\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jenn Hobbs, right, smiles as she contemplates her next move alongside Wing Tovbis, center, and Kelsea Manion, left, while playing “Hues and Cues” at Victory Point Cafe in Berkeley, California, on Thursday, April 23, 2026. The women met through a friendship app called RealRoots, where they were matched with each other based on common interests and participated in a series of social events. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The pull toward connection is strong enough to change behavior after years of isolation. About half of Americans \u003ca href=\"https://newsroom.thecignagroup.com/all-stories?item=446\">report\u003c/a> feeling lonely because we are spending less and less time together, with the steepest declines among teenagers, who are spending 45% less time hanging out in person, according to \u003ca href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/young-americans-spend-much-more-time-alone-than-they-did-fifteen-years-ago?utm_\">federal data\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s no recent period in U.S. history where we’ve spent so much time alone. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/demographic-change-and-healthy-ageing/social-isolation-and-loneliness\">World Health Organization\u003c/a> warns that social isolation carries risks comparable to smoking, and is linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, heart disease and early death.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Richard Weissbourd, a psychologist at Harvard who studies loneliness, describes it as “an anguishing feeling of deprivation that you don’t feel deeply known, that you don’t have relationships that are deeply meaningful to you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said several drivers have been at play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Social media led to hundreds of online followers, but very few real friends, while also highlighting how much more fun others were having. And it goes beyond comparison; it’s also the relentless scroll of frightening news that leads to a sense of despair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many people \u003ca href=\"https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b7c56e255b02c683659fe43/t/67001295042a0f327c6e6fab/1728058005340/Loneliness_+Brief+Report+2024_October_FINAL.pdf\">report\u003c/a> what Weissbourd called existential loneliness: not just missing friends, but feeling fundamentally unmoored from the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000916\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000916\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wing Tovbis and Jenn Hobbs place their cones on the game board while playing “Hues and Cues” at Victory Point Cafe in Berkeley, California, on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Tovbis and Hobbs met through a friendship app called RealRoots, where they were matched with each other based on common interests and participated in a series of social events. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Then the pandemic pulled people out of schools, offices, and gyms. Young people spent critical social years behind screens, had fewer chances to practice in-person interaction\u003ca href=\"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09760911251333362?\">, and their anxiety and loneliness climbed\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weissbourd pointed to a feedback loop loneliness creates: you feel like you have bad social skills, so you pull back; pulling back makes you rustier; rustiness makes you feel even more deficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emily Steelhammer, who uses they/them pronouns, said they know that trap well. Friendships have come and gone during their 15 years in Oakland. People moved, drifted off, got swallowed by jobs and kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They tried to rebuild through a queer meetup, acting classes, even a summer in New York, half-hoping a change of scenery would solve their ache for deeper connections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I feel lonely, I pick up the phone and fill that void with parasocial relationships — YouTube, TV, scrolling for hours,” Steelhammer said. “It’s so easy to trick my brain into filling that void in a way that’s not practically changing my life at all.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Friendship apps didn’t help either. The endless swiping felt like window shopping. They would scroll, then close the app, feeling worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What finally shifted things was something simpler. A flyer they kept seeing around Lake Merritt for a group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.friendcult.co/\">Friend Cult\u003c/a>. Its tagline stuck: “It shouldn’t take a blood ritual to get our friends together” — a nod to the elaborate scheduling gymnastics so many Bay Area residents joke about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000918\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000918\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Co-founder Courtney Owyang (right) chats with attendees at “Friend Cult,” a weekly gathering meant to help people spend more time with friends, at the Alice Collective in Oakland on April 29, 2026, where participants share a meal and spend time together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Every Wednesday, the group meets at a different Oakland restaurant for what they call a “friend sabbath.” There are about 40 regulars, $35 monthly dues, and a few loose rules: don’t talk about work, ask personal questions, come and go freely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I went the first night dreading it,” Steelhammer said. “And the first thing that happened was someone immediately pulled me into a conversation about restaurant recommendations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then somebody walked in holding a plastic alligator head, trying to figure out how to turn it into a lamp.” They laughed. “I went home thinking, I’m so glad I left the house.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They keep going back each week, even when the venue isn’t their scene. Recently, they met at a pizza spot called Hesher’s located on Broadway near Jack London Square. The rock music was loud. Not their vibe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the door, they slipped a green cord around their neck to signal they’re a regular. Newcomers wear red. People clock who’s new and pull them in. No one stands alone for long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within minutes, people are talking about breakups, parents, money, and why they moved here. It was surprisingly light on small talk. Laughter cut through the music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000921\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000921\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attendees chat with one another at “Friend Cult,” a weekly gathering meant to help people spend more time with friends, at the Alice Collective in Oakland on April 29, 2026, where participants share a meal and spend time together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steelhammer moved through the room with ease, dropping into one circle, then another. She asked questions and waited for the answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People responded in kind. They said they didn’t expect to enjoy the evening, but found that they did. They called it their weekly “social nutrition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Research suggests that kind of regularity matters. It can take \u003ca href=\"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0265407518761225?__cf_chl_tk=HC7GtSJy6sSrAw0mWQQMq_nRZUEeofCdukpeiQ_FBCk-1776900052-1.0.1.1-U1IFfdDojYJu52vKIEq3YM0DVP5PImA7bVCvpM4RD0s\">dozens of hours\u003c/a> together to move from acquaintance to friend, and far more to build real closeness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is collective buy-in at Friend Cult,” she said. “People are choosing to be there, and the goal is actually to enact community, not just to see if you can find somebody useful and move on. It’s like an old school social club. Like the Elks Lodge. But with stranger aesthetics.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In many ways, it echoes something older — regular gatherings, shared space, a reason to return. The fact that it has to be rebuilt points to a deeper problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Developmental psychologist Niobe Way has spent four decades listening to young people talk about friendship, and she has a blunt diagnosis for what’s gone wrong. It isn’t social media. It isn’t the pandemic. It’s the culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Loneliness is not natural,” Way said. “We are social animals.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000920\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tobi Akomolede (center) speaks with fellow attendees at “Friend Cult,” a weekly gathering meant to help people spend more time with friends, at the Alice Collective in Oakland on April 29, 2026, where participants share a meal and spend time together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She calls it a clash of culture and nature. Our society prizes self-sufficiency, independence, and productivity. It sidelines caring, vulnerability, and connection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The only thing we need in our lives is each other,” she said. “Normalize wanting intimate friendship. It is not a girly thing. It is not a gay thing. It is a human thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the first step is simple. Pay attention to the person in front of you. Ask what matters to them. Listen to the answer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>When Jen Hobbs moved to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/oakland\">Oakland\u003c/a> last summer, she assumed friendships would come naturally, at the coffee shop or after an exercise class. But six months in, she didn’t have any New Year’s Eve plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I still didn’t have any friends,” said Hobbs, a 31-year-old Twitch streamer who works from home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She made it her resolution to fix that and downloaded every friendship app she had seen on Instagram. Services like \u003ca href=\"https://timeleft.com/\">Timeleft\u003c/a> have upwards of three million users. \u003ca href=\"https://dayofus.com/\">DayOfUs\u003c/a> is in 14 different international cities.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The premise is similar. Users answer questions about birth order, economic background, and how spontaneous they are, and an algorithm matches them with like-minded strangers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some apps keep you swiping through profiles, hoping to find a match. Others plan a night out, but leave the follow-up to you. The most structured services match the same people week after week for a shared meal. All you have to do is show up. That repetition gives connection a chance to take hold.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These platforms are trying to replace what institutions like church, civic groups, and the office once provided. Remember sipping coffee after a service? Or standing around the water cooler at work? You didn’t have to plan it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000919\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000919\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-05-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Co-founder Matt Goss chats with an attendee at “Friend Cult,” a weekly gathering meant to help people spend more time with friends, at the Alice Collective in Oakland on April 29, 2026, where participants share a meal and spend time together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>In the Bay Area, where remote work is common and people cycle through jobs and cities, there are fewer chances to see the same faces and let familiarity build over time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Hobbs, the curated dinners were fine. She met interesting people. And then, almost without exception, everyone drifted back into their separate lives. So she decided to shell out a few hundred dollars and try \u003ca href=\"https://www.therealroots.com/\">Real Roots\u003c/a>, a women-only program that matched her with nine strangers and committed them to meeting every Tuesday for six weeks. A guide tagged along to encourage the attendees to push past small talk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Since we were meeting every week, I think we got to know each other better and better,” Hobbs said. “And now, even though the series is over, we still meet up every Tuesday.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s only been a few months, but the entire group is still gathering.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>They’ve scheduled a craft night to make glitter cups, and Hobbs organized a pole dancing class.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Along the way, something else has shifted for her. For years, most of her friendships lived online through gaming and streaming, connections she once defended as just as real as anything in person. That’s no longer true.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I do feel more fulfilled by face-to-face socializing,” she said. “There’s just something about getting up and going outside.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recently, the ladies met up for game night at Victory Point Cafe in Berkeley. Over a round of the board game of “Hues and Cues,” the women talked about how they’d grown tired of trying to build connections online or through one-off events.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kelsey Manion said she had tried apps like \u003ca href=\"https://bumble.com/bff-us/\">Bumble For Friends\u003c/a> (BFF), the friendship-focused version of the dating app, but the experience felt hollow and the connections rarely lasted. “It felt easier to ghost people.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Morgan Ezeir said she never made it off the apps. “I did BFF for a little bit, but it just felt weird,” she said. “It felt like I was dating, but I wasn’t.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Wing Tovbis, who moved to the Bay Area from Canada, said even when they found a connection on the app, it didn’t carry over. “It’s a pretty big hurdle to actually meet in person.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000917\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000917\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jenn Hobbs, right, smiles as she contemplates her next move alongside Wing Tovbis, center, and Kelsea Manion, left, while playing “Hues and Cues” at Victory Point Cafe in Berkeley, California, on Thursday, April 23, 2026. The women met through a friendship app called RealRoots, where they were matched with each other based on common interests and participated in a series of social events. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The pull toward connection is strong enough to change behavior after years of isolation. About half of Americans \u003ca href=\"https://newsroom.thecignagroup.com/all-stories?item=446\">report\u003c/a> feeling lonely because we are spending less and less time together, with the steepest declines among teenagers, who are spending 45% less time hanging out in person, according to \u003ca href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/data-insights/young-americans-spend-much-more-time-alone-than-they-did-fifteen-years-ago?utm_\">federal data\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There’s no recent period in U.S. history where we’ve spent so much time alone. The \u003ca href=\"https://www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/demographic-change-and-healthy-ageing/social-isolation-and-loneliness\">World Health Organization\u003c/a> warns that social isolation carries risks comparable to smoking, and is linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, heart disease and early death.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Richard Weissbourd, a psychologist at Harvard who studies loneliness, describes it as “an anguishing feeling of deprivation that you don’t feel deeply known, that you don’t have relationships that are deeply meaningful to you.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He said several drivers have been at play.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Social media led to hundreds of online followers, but very few real friends, while also highlighting how much more fun others were having. And it goes beyond comparison; it’s also the relentless scroll of frightening news that leads to a sense of despair.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many people \u003ca href=\"https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5b7c56e255b02c683659fe43/t/67001295042a0f327c6e6fab/1728058005340/Loneliness_+Brief+Report+2024_October_FINAL.pdf\">report\u003c/a> what Weissbourd called existential loneliness: not just missing friends, but feeling fundamentally unmoored from the world.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000916\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000916\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/042326-FRIENDSHIPCULT-JY-03-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Wing Tovbis and Jenn Hobbs place their cones on the game board while playing “Hues and Cues” at Victory Point Cafe in Berkeley, California, on Thursday, April 23, 2026. Tovbis and Hobbs met through a friendship app called RealRoots, where they were matched with each other based on common interests and participated in a series of social events. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Then the pandemic pulled people out of schools, offices, and gyms. Young people spent critical social years behind screens, had fewer chances to practice in-person interaction\u003ca href=\"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/09760911251333362?\">, and their anxiety and loneliness climbed\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Weissbourd pointed to a feedback loop loneliness creates: you feel like you have bad social skills, so you pull back; pulling back makes you rustier; rustiness makes you feel even more deficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emily Steelhammer, who uses they/them pronouns, said they know that trap well. Friendships have come and gone during their 15 years in Oakland. People moved, drifted off, got swallowed by jobs and kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They tried to rebuild through a queer meetup, acting classes, even a summer in New York, half-hoping a change of scenery would solve their ache for deeper connections.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When I feel lonely, I pick up the phone and fill that void with parasocial relationships — YouTube, TV, scrolling for hours,” Steelhammer said. “It’s so easy to trick my brain into filling that void in a way that’s not practically changing my life at all.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Friendship apps didn’t help either. The endless swiping felt like window shopping. They would scroll, then close the app, feeling worse.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>What finally shifted things was something simpler. A flyer they kept seeing around Lake Merritt for a group called \u003ca href=\"https://www.friendcult.co/\">Friend Cult\u003c/a>. Its tagline stuck: “It shouldn’t take a blood ritual to get our friends together” — a nod to the elaborate scheduling gymnastics so many Bay Area residents joke about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000918\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000918\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-03-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Co-founder Courtney Owyang (right) chats with attendees at “Friend Cult,” a weekly gathering meant to help people spend more time with friends, at the Alice Collective in Oakland on April 29, 2026, where participants share a meal and spend time together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Every Wednesday, the group meets at a different Oakland restaurant for what they call a “friend sabbath.” There are about 40 regulars, $35 monthly dues, and a few loose rules: don’t talk about work, ask personal questions, come and go freely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I went the first night dreading it,” Steelhammer said. “And the first thing that happened was someone immediately pulled me into a conversation about restaurant recommendations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then somebody walked in holding a plastic alligator head, trying to figure out how to turn it into a lamp.” They laughed. “I went home thinking, I’m so glad I left the house.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They keep going back each week, even when the venue isn’t their scene. Recently, they met at a pizza spot called Hesher’s located on Broadway near Jack London Square. The rock music was loud. Not their vibe.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the door, they slipped a green cord around their neck to signal they’re a regular. Newcomers wear red. People clock who’s new and pull them in. No one stands alone for long.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Within minutes, people are talking about breakups, parents, money, and why they moved here. It was surprisingly light on small talk. Laughter cut through the music.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000921\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000921\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-10-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Attendees chat with one another at “Friend Cult,” a weekly gathering meant to help people spend more time with friends, at the Alice Collective in Oakland on April 29, 2026, where participants share a meal and spend time together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Steelhammer moved through the room with ease, dropping into one circle, then another. She asked questions and waited for the answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People responded in kind. They said they didn’t expect to enjoy the evening, but found that they did. They called it their weekly “social nutrition.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Research suggests that kind of regularity matters. It can take \u003ca href=\"https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0265407518761225?__cf_chl_tk=HC7GtSJy6sSrAw0mWQQMq_nRZUEeofCdukpeiQ_FBCk-1776900052-1.0.1.1-U1IFfdDojYJu52vKIEq3YM0DVP5PImA7bVCvpM4RD0s\">dozens of hours\u003c/a> together to move from acquaintance to friend, and far more to build real closeness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is collective buy-in at Friend Cult,” she said. “People are choosing to be there, and the goal is actually to enact community, not just to see if you can find somebody useful and move on. It’s like an old school social club. Like the Elks Lodge. But with stranger aesthetics.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In many ways, it echoes something older — regular gatherings, shared space, a reason to return. The fact that it has to be rebuilt points to a deeper problem.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Developmental psychologist Niobe Way has spent four decades listening to young people talk about friendship, and she has a blunt diagnosis for what’s gone wrong. It isn’t social media. It isn’t the pandemic. It’s the culture.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Loneliness is not natural,” Way said. “We are social animals.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000920\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000920\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260429-FRIENDSHIPCULT-07-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tobi Akomolede (center) speaks with fellow attendees at “Friend Cult,” a weekly gathering meant to help people spend more time with friends, at the Alice Collective in Oakland on April 29, 2026, where participants share a meal and spend time together. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>She calls it a clash of culture and nature. Our society prizes self-sufficiency, independence, and productivity. It sidelines caring, vulnerability, and connection.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The only thing we need in our lives is each other,” she said. “Normalize wanting intimate friendship. It is not a girly thing. It is not a gay thing. It is a human thing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said the first step is simple. Pay attention to the person in front of you. Ask what matters to them. Listen to the answer.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "how-you-can-mostly-cut-using-fossil-fuels-as-a-renter-in-the-bay-area",
"title": "Hot Rugs, Heat Pumps and Induction Cooktops: How Renters Can Go Electric",
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"headTitle": "Hot Rugs, Heat Pumps and Induction Cooktops: How Renters Can Go Electric | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An increasing number of people are swapping gas appliances for electric ones to improve their indoor air quality and to reduce their carbon footprint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for people who rent, making the switch can seem out of reach: they are not the ones deciding what new appliance will replace the last, or when to rewire a home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recent, creative uses of existing technologies are removing these barriers. A market is opening for renters, who comprise almost half of Bay Area households, to go electric. These solutions can also work for owners who want to cut fossil fuels without major electrical work or service upgrades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s your guide for how to do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Cooking\">Cooking\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Warmingandcoolingyourhome\">Warming and cooling your home\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Generatingsomeofyourownelectricity\">Generating some of your own electricity\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Storingenergy\">Storing energy\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Chargingyourcar\">Charging your car\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Dryingyourclothes\">Drying your clothes\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Talkingtoyourpropertyowner\">Talking to your property owner\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Payingforyourutilitybills\">Paying for your utility bills\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Cooking\">\u003c/a>Cooking\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Studies show gas stoves expose people to \u003ca href=\"https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/12/gas-propane-stoves-nitrogen-dioxide-exposure-health-risks-switching-electric\">unhealthy air\u003c/a> and emit \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.1c04707\">methane\u003c/a>, the main component in natural gas. Methane warms the climate at nearly 80 times the rate of carbon dioxide, although it stays in the atmosphere for a far shorter time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Switching to an electric or induction stove can dramatically \u003ca href=\"https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/12/pgaf341/8361964?login=false\">cut pollution\u003c/a>. Induction appliances also tend to heat up faster and be more energy efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are two induction options: cooktops and stoves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001207\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001207\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An induction stove available for checkout at the San Mateo Public Library in San Mateo on April 17, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Induction cooktops\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are fairly flat rectangles that can rest on any countertop or table. Many people simply place them on their gas stove (remember not to ignite your gas stove with the cooktop there).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops provide even heat and boil water quickly. They offer a kitchen upgrade without a remodel or thumbs up from a property owner. They’re portable and easy to pack when you move.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Large retailers like IKEA sell single, plug-in burners, and other companies offer four-burner cooktops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind:\u003c/strong> Buy an induction cooktop that plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet to avoid the need for wiring upgrades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Induction requires compatible cookware like stainless steel and cast iron. Aluminum pots and pans do not work with induction — they simply won’t heat up. To test pots and pans to see if they are compatible, hold a fridge magnet up to them. If it sticks, they will work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> Induction cooktops start around $75 for a single burner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Induction stoves that plug into a standard outlet \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While many induction stoves require home rewiring to provide enough electricity, there’s a burgeoning market of stoves that plug into a standard 120-volt outlet. They have an internal battery that charges when not in use and provides extra oomph when needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This option is more appropriate for people planning to stay in their rental for a while.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001147\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001147\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Laura Fraser demonstrates the efficiency of boiling water on a Copper induction stove in the kitchen of her Haight-Ashbury apartment in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind:\u003c/strong> A stove with a backup battery will allow you to keep cooking during a power outage, at least for a few meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Induction stoves also require compatible stainless steel and cast-iron cookware.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’ll need to switch off the gas valve behind the old gas stove to prevent any gas from flowing into your home. It’s a good idea to talk to your property owner before making this kind of change, especially to be sure you’re properly dealing with the gas valve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A large stove will be hard to take with you when you move. Some renters have reported storing the gas stove that came with the rental, and plan to take their induction stove to their next house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> Induction stoves range from \u003ca href=\"https://www.wattsipper.com/products\">$2,000\u003c/a>-$7,000. Bay Area author and celebrity chef Samin Nosrat loves \u003ca href=\"https://copperhome.com/products/charlie\">this one\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Other kitchen appliances\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if you don’t replace your gas cooktop, you can use it far less with the help of other appliances like electric water kettles, toaster ovens, slow cookers, microwaves, and air fryers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Warmingandcoolingyourhome\">\u003c/a>Warming and cooling your home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The median cost for an HVAC heat pump installation in California is \u003ca href=\"https://techcleanca.com/heat-pump-data/heat-pump-data-visuals/\">$18,816\u003c/a>, which includes equipment and upgrades to existing ductwork, labor, and removing the old appliance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But a renter, or a homeowner for that matter, can pull this off for far less.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001149\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001149\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Gradient plug-in heat pump window unit sits in a bedroom office space in the home of Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Like recent innovations in stoves, there are now fairly portable, affordable window heat pumps that will plug into a standard outlet. They’re similar to AC units, but without the water drips and with far less noise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind: \u003c/strong>Most models are meant to warm or cool a single room, and most only work in sash windows that open up and down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost: \u003c/strong>Popular models start at \u003ca href=\"https://www.geappliances.com/appliance/GE-ENERGY-STAR-8-000-BTU-Smart-Heat-Cool-with-Heat-Pump-Electronic-Window-Air-Conditioner-for-Medium-Rooms-up-to-350-sq-ft-AWGP08WWF\">$550\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Generatingsomeofyourownelectricity\">\u003c/a>Generating some of your own electricity\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar consists of just a few panels that people set up themselves and connect to a wall outlet. In under an hour, people can start generating enough power to keep an efficient refrigerator humming. Panels can be propped in yards or hung from balconies or windows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind: \u003c/strong>According to safety certification organization UL Solutions, \u003ca href=\"https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/05/07/1136933/balcony-solar-boom/\">risks\u003c/a> with current plug-in solar systems include overloading a circuit and damaging equipment or even starting a fire, and a plug may shock a person if they touch it immediately after unplugging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001208\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001208\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington on May 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Distributors say they have solved these issues, however, and that their systems are safe. Some recommend dedicating a circuit specifically to plug-in solar panels to avoid any overloading issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, plug-in solar panels must be registered with your utility as if they were a full rooftop solar array. Proponents of the technology argue that this kind of registration process defeats the goal of plug-and-play systems, making them too expensive and slow to set up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is current \u003ca href=\"http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">legislation\u003c/a> to change California’s plug-in solar registration; however, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">some people are already installing the panels without registering them\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> Smaller systems range in size and cost from around \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/product-page/flex180\">$500\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ecoflow.com/us/stream-microinverter\">$1,900\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Storingenergy\">\u003c/a>Storing energy\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While a whole-home battery system is out of the question for a renter, smaller \u003ca href=\"https://www.pilaenergy.com/products/mesh-home-battery\">portable batteries\u003c/a> are hitting the market. It’s a good option for people needing to keep medicines cool, or mobility devices charged in the case of a power outage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> $1,299\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Chargingyourcar\">\u003c/a>Charging your car\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Should you go the electric vehicle route, you’d most likely want to charge where you park. While some dogged EV fans have made it work charging at public and fast chargers, this takes commitment and money. Fast chargers are more expensive than charging at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you have a garage, many EV drivers use the method of “trickle charging,” which means just plugging into an existing 120-volt outlet. In EV-speak, this is considered “Level 1” charging and provides enough energy to meet the average Bay Area household commute of \u003ca href=\"https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/daily-miles-traveled\">20 miles per day\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001185\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001185\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A bumper sticker reading “This is my last gas car” is displayed on a vehicle owned by Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A Level 1 charger adds about \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/how-charge-electric-vehicles\">5 miles\u003c/a> to a car’s range in an hour, per the Department of Energy. Paying for this extra electricity is a conversation to have with your property owner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people with too few or no outlets in their garage, start-ups are popping up to solve this problem. \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/ev-charging-multifamily-buildings\">Orange\u003c/a> can install Level 1 chargers in larger parking garages at each spot. The lower-level chargers make the upgrade faster and more affordable for the building owner. The start-up \u003ca href=\"https://www.moonfive.tech/\">Moon Five\u003c/a> promises to install an EV charger that the tenant pays back monthly, at no cost to the property owner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost: \u003c/strong>This depends on each project.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Dryingyourclothes\">\u003c/a>Drying your clothes\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The majority of clothes dryers in California are powered by gas. Recently, several electric, heat-pump dryers have come out that do not require rewiring and can be plugged into a 120-volt outlet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind:\u003c/strong> The lower amount of electricity going into these dryers means the cycle will typically take longer than a gas dryer or one that plugs into a 240-volt outlet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of these dryers are ventless, which means they collect water internally and do not require an outside steam vent. You’d need to dump out the water the machine collects each time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> Compact dryers go for a few hundred dollars, and fancier versions top $1,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Talkingtoyourpropertyowner\">\u003c/a>Talking to your property owner\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some of the changes to cut planet-warming pollution from your home involve smaller appliances, and are a matter of personal choice, like a toaster oven.[aside postID=science_2000695 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/05/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-08-KQED.jpg']But some larger changes would be worth bringing up with your property owner, said Ted Tiffany, Senior Technical Lead for advocacy group the \u003ca href=\"https://www.switchison.org/electric-solutions/cooking/renters\">Building Decarbonization Coalition\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If someone plans to turn off the gas valve behind their heater or stove, they’d want to be sure to do it right, Tiffany said. He also recommended people consult their property owner for more visible changes, like a heat pump, heater, and air conditioner window unit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are some tips for talking to your property owner:\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Discuss health benefits. Gas that vents indoors, like a gas stove, emits unhealthy indoor air pollution. You can track your indoor air quality with air sensors that \u003ca href=\"https://lifebasis.com/products/lifebasis-10-in-1-air-quality-monitor-real-time-air-quality-tester\">start around $70\u003c/a> to document what changes you see when you turn on your gas appliances.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Propose cost sharing. For a larger appliance that may stay with the unit when you move, you could take on some of the cost, too.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Talk about climate benefits. Research shows that 42% of planet-warming emissions come from fossil fuels burned in our personal homes and vehicles.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Help find incentives. There are several websites that \u003ca href=\"https://www.switchison.org/incentive-finder\">identify incentives\u003c/a> depending on your address.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Talk about property value. There is \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-020-00706-4\">some research\u003c/a> showing that installing a heat pump can increase the value of your property significantly. Another advocacy group, Rewiring America, has \u003ca href=\"https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/projects/landlord/talk-to-your-landlord-about-electrification-renter\">more talking points\u003c/a> along these lines on its website.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Payingforyourutilitybills\">\u003c/a>Paying for your utility bills\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While swapping out gas appliances for electric ones will improve indoor air quality and reduce emissions, in most cases, it will increase your utility bill because electricity rates in California are higher than gas ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Replacing window air conditioners and/or plug-in space heaters with heat pumps may cut expenses, as heat pumps are more efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "“Climate technology” — innovations that address the climate crisis — is exploding. Here’s how you can take advantage of the gadgets to improve your indoor air quality and lower your carbon emissions.",
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"title": "Hot Rugs, Heat Pumps and Induction Cooktops: How Renters Can Go Electric | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>An increasing number of people are swapping gas appliances for electric ones to improve their indoor air quality and to reduce their carbon footprint.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But for people who rent, making the switch can seem out of reach: they are not the ones deciding what new appliance will replace the last, or when to rewire a home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recent, creative uses of existing technologies are removing these barriers. A market is opening for renters, who comprise almost half of Bay Area households, to go electric. These solutions can also work for owners who want to cut fossil fuels without major electrical work or service upgrades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s your guide for how to do that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Cooking\">Cooking\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Warmingandcoolingyourhome\">Warming and cooling your home\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Generatingsomeofyourownelectricity\">Generating some of your own electricity\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Storingenergy\">Storing energy\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Chargingyourcar\">Charging your car\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Dryingyourclothes\">Drying your clothes\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Talkingtoyourpropertyowner\">Talking to your property owner\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"#Payingforyourutilitybills\">Paying for your utility bills\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Cooking\">\u003c/a>Cooking\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Studies show gas stoves expose people to \u003ca href=\"https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/12/gas-propane-stoves-nitrogen-dioxide-exposure-health-risks-switching-electric\">unhealthy air\u003c/a> and emit \u003ca href=\"https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acs.est.1c04707\">methane\u003c/a>, the main component in natural gas. Methane warms the climate at nearly 80 times the rate of carbon dioxide, although it stays in the atmosphere for a far shorter time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Switching to an electric or induction stove can dramatically \u003ca href=\"https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/12/pgaf341/8361964?login=false\">cut pollution\u003c/a>. Induction appliances also tend to heat up faster and be more energy efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are two induction options: cooktops and stoves.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001207\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001207\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260417-climatesolutionsinduction02210_TV_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An induction stove available for checkout at the San Mateo Public Library in San Mateo on April 17, 2026. \u003ccite>(Tâm Vũ/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Induction cooktops\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops are fairly flat rectangles that can rest on any countertop or table. Many people simply place them on their gas stove (remember not to ignite your gas stove with the cooktop there).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Induction cooktops provide even heat and boil water quickly. They offer a kitchen upgrade without a remodel or thumbs up from a property owner. They’re portable and easy to pack when you move.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Large retailers like IKEA sell single, plug-in burners, and other companies offer four-burner cooktops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind:\u003c/strong> Buy an induction cooktop that plugs into a standard 120-volt outlet to avoid the need for wiring upgrades.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Induction requires compatible cookware like stainless steel and cast iron. Aluminum pots and pans do not work with induction — they simply won’t heat up. To test pots and pans to see if they are compatible, hold a fridge magnet up to them. If it sticks, they will work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> Induction cooktops start around $75 for a single burner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Induction stoves that plug into a standard outlet \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While many induction stoves require home rewiring to provide enough electricity, there’s a burgeoning market of stoves that plug into a standard 120-volt outlet. They have an internal battery that charges when not in use and provides extra oomph when needed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This option is more appropriate for people planning to stay in their rental for a while.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001147\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001147\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_002-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Laura Fraser demonstrates the efficiency of boiling water on a Copper induction stove in the kitchen of her Haight-Ashbury apartment in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind:\u003c/strong> A stove with a backup battery will allow you to keep cooking during a power outage, at least for a few meals.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Induction stoves also require compatible stainless steel and cast-iron cookware.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’ll need to switch off the gas valve behind the old gas stove to prevent any gas from flowing into your home. It’s a good idea to talk to your property owner before making this kind of change, especially to be sure you’re properly dealing with the gas valve.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A large stove will be hard to take with you when you move. Some renters have reported storing the gas stove that came with the rental, and plan to take their induction stove to their next house.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> Induction stoves range from \u003ca href=\"https://www.wattsipper.com/products\">$2,000\u003c/a>-$7,000. Bay Area author and celebrity chef Samin Nosrat loves \u003ca href=\"https://copperhome.com/products/charlie\">this one\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Other kitchen appliances\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if you don’t replace your gas cooktop, you can use it far less with the help of other appliances like electric water kettles, toaster ovens, slow cookers, microwaves, and air fryers.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Warmingandcoolingyourhome\">\u003c/a>Warming and cooling your home\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The median cost for an HVAC heat pump installation in California is \u003ca href=\"https://techcleanca.com/heat-pump-data/heat-pump-data-visuals/\">$18,816\u003c/a>, which includes equipment and upgrades to existing ductwork, labor, and removing the old appliance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But a renter, or a homeowner for that matter, can pull this off for far less.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001149\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001149\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Gradient plug-in heat pump window unit sits in a bedroom office space in the home of Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Like recent innovations in stoves, there are now fairly portable, affordable window heat pumps that will plug into a standard outlet. They’re similar to AC units, but without the water drips and with far less noise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind: \u003c/strong>Most models are meant to warm or cool a single room, and most only work in sash windows that open up and down.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost: \u003c/strong>Popular models start at \u003ca href=\"https://www.geappliances.com/appliance/GE-ENERGY-STAR-8-000-BTU-Smart-Heat-Cool-with-Heat-Pump-Electronic-Window-Air-Conditioner-for-Medium-Rooms-up-to-350-sq-ft-AWGP08WWF\">$550\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Generatingsomeofyourownelectricity\">\u003c/a>Generating some of your own electricity\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Plug-in solar consists of just a few panels that people set up themselves and connect to a wall outlet. In under an hour, people can start generating enough power to keep an efficient refrigerator humming. Panels can be propped in yards or hung from balconies or windows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind: \u003c/strong>According to safety certification organization UL Solutions, \u003ca href=\"https://www.technologyreview.com/2026/05/07/1136933/balcony-solar-boom/\">risks\u003c/a> with current plug-in solar systems include overloading a circuit and damaging equipment or even starting a fire, and a plug may shock a person if they touch it immediately after unplugging.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001208\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001208\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/250523-SOLAR-BALCONY-MD-12_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Rupert Mayer installs power inverters on the solar panels at Matthew Milner’s home in Kensington on May 23, 2025. \u003ccite>(Martin do Nascimento/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Distributors say they have solved these issues, however, and that their systems are safe. Some recommend dedicating a circuit specifically to plug-in solar panels to avoid any overloading issues.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In California, plug-in solar panels must be registered with your utility as if they were a full rooftop solar array. Proponents of the technology argue that this kind of registration process defeats the goal of plug-and-play systems, making them too expensive and slow to set up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There is current \u003ca href=\"http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB868\">legislation\u003c/a> to change California’s plug-in solar registration; however, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1997918/forget-rooftops-bay-area-residents-are-plugging-solar-into-the-wall\">some people are already installing the panels without registering them\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> Smaller systems range in size and cost from around \u003ca href=\"https://www.brightsaver.org/product-page/flex180\">$500\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ecoflow.com/us/stream-microinverter\">$1,900\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Storingenergy\">\u003c/a>Storing energy\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While a whole-home battery system is out of the question for a renter, smaller \u003ca href=\"https://www.pilaenergy.com/products/mesh-home-battery\">portable batteries\u003c/a> are hitting the market. It’s a good option for people needing to keep medicines cool, or mobility devices charged in the case of a power outage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> $1,299\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Chargingyourcar\">\u003c/a>Charging your car\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Should you go the electric vehicle route, you’d most likely want to charge where you park. While some dogged EV fans have made it work charging at public and fast chargers, this takes commitment and money. Fast chargers are more expensive than charging at home.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you have a garage, many EV drivers use the method of “trickle charging,” which means just plugging into an existing 120-volt outlet. In EV-speak, this is considered “Level 1” charging and provides enough energy to meet the average Bay Area household commute of \u003ca href=\"https://vitalsigns.mtc.ca.gov/indicators/daily-miles-traveled\">20 miles per day\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cdiv class=\"mceTemp\">\u003c/div>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001185\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001185\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A bumper sticker reading “This is my last gas car” is displayed on a vehicle owned by Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>A Level 1 charger adds about \u003ca href=\"https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/how-charge-electric-vehicles\">5 miles\u003c/a> to a car’s range in an hour, per the Department of Energy. Paying for this extra electricity is a conversation to have with your property owner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For people with too few or no outlets in their garage, start-ups are popping up to solve this problem. \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/ev-charging-multifamily-buildings\">Orange\u003c/a> can install Level 1 chargers in larger parking garages at each spot. The lower-level chargers make the upgrade faster and more affordable for the building owner. The start-up \u003ca href=\"https://www.moonfive.tech/\">Moon Five\u003c/a> promises to install an EV charger that the tenant pays back monthly, at no cost to the property owner.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost: \u003c/strong>This depends on each project.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Dryingyourclothes\">\u003c/a>Drying your clothes\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The majority of clothes dryers in California are powered by gas. Recently, several electric, heat-pump dryers have come out that do not require rewiring and can be plugged into a 120-volt outlet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Keep in mind:\u003c/strong> The lower amount of electricity going into these dryers means the cycle will typically take longer than a gas dryer or one that plugs into a 240-volt outlet.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some of these dryers are ventless, which means they collect water internally and do not require an outside steam vent. You’d need to dump out the water the machine collects each time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Cost:\u003c/strong> Compact dryers go for a few hundred dollars, and fancier versions top $1,000.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Talkingtoyourpropertyowner\">\u003c/a>Talking to your property owner\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some of the changes to cut planet-warming pollution from your home involve smaller appliances, and are a matter of personal choice, like a toaster oven.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>But some larger changes would be worth bringing up with your property owner, said Ted Tiffany, Senior Technical Lead for advocacy group the \u003ca href=\"https://www.switchison.org/electric-solutions/cooking/renters\">Building Decarbonization Coalition\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If someone plans to turn off the gas valve behind their heater or stove, they’d want to be sure to do it right, Tiffany said. He also recommended people consult their property owner for more visible changes, like a heat pump, heater, and air conditioner window unit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here are some tips for talking to your property owner:\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>Discuss health benefits. Gas that vents indoors, like a gas stove, emits unhealthy indoor air pollution. You can track your indoor air quality with air sensors that \u003ca href=\"https://lifebasis.com/products/lifebasis-10-in-1-air-quality-monitor-real-time-air-quality-tester\">start around $70\u003c/a> to document what changes you see when you turn on your gas appliances.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Propose cost sharing. For a larger appliance that may stay with the unit when you move, you could take on some of the cost, too.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Talk about climate benefits. Research shows that 42% of planet-warming emissions come from fossil fuels burned in our personal homes and vehicles.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Help find incentives. There are several websites that \u003ca href=\"https://www.switchison.org/incentive-finder\">identify incentives\u003c/a> depending on your address.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Talk about property value. There is \u003ca href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-020-00706-4\">some research\u003c/a> showing that installing a heat pump can increase the value of your property significantly. Another advocacy group, Rewiring America, has \u003ca href=\"https://homes.rewiringamerica.org/projects/landlord/talk-to-your-landlord-about-electrification-renter\">more talking points\u003c/a> along these lines on its website.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Payingforyourutilitybills\">\u003c/a>Paying for your utility bills\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While swapping out gas appliances for electric ones will improve indoor air quality and reduce emissions, in most cases, it will increase your utility bill because electricity rates in California are higher than gas ones.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Replacing window air conditioners and/or plug-in space heaters with heat pumps may cut expenses, as heat pumps are more efficient.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "california-launches-sweeping-rules-aimed-at-cutting-plastic-packaging-waste",
"title": "California Launches Sweeping Rules Aimed at Cutting Plastic Packaging Waste",
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"headTitle": "California Launches Sweeping Rules Aimed at Cutting Plastic Packaging Waste | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>In the 1967 film \u003cem>The Graduate\u003c/em>, a businessman offers career advice to a young Dustin Hoffman with a single word: “Plastics.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">plastics\u003c/a> were the future. Since then, as production has \u003ca href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution\">exploded worldwide\u003c/a>, scientists have found plastic pollution everywhere from Arctic ecosystems to human breast milk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With global production projected to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550924002823#f0005\">triple in the next 25 years\u003c/a>, California is attempting something no state has done before: requiring producers to dramatically reduce plastic packaging and take responsibility for the waste they create.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calrecycle.ca.gov/packaging/packaging-epr/\">Regulations are now rolling out\u003c/a> to make manufacturers responsible for reducing the amount of plastic they use, recycling currently single-use plastic and ensuring that all of their packaging is recyclable or compostable by 2032.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The regulations, spurred by a state law signed in 2022, also require producers to pay into a fund to help clean up plastic pollution and restore ecosystems, focusing on low-income communities and rural areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The producers of a material should be responsible for the end-of-life costs to manage that material, not the local communities who pay for waste management and recycling,” state Sen. Ben Allen, the bill’s author, said while advocating for SB 54 on the floor of the Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001237\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001237\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ben Allen, a California state senator, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The SB 54 regulations approved last month will set step-by-step targets for packaging producers over the next several years: reduce single-use plastic 10% by 2027, 20% by 2030 and 25% by 2032; and recycle 30% of their single-use plastic by 2028; 40% by 2030 and 65% by 2032.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This week, producers were required to submit baseline data about how much plastic packaging they produce to California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, or CalRecycle, which is administering the regulations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s bigger than anything we’ve ever done at CalRecycle,” said Zoe Heller, the department’s director. “Right now about 40% by volume of what we’re sending to landfill is packaging. This is an opportunity for us to reduce that material that’s being sold into the state in a very meaningful way.”[aside postID=science_2001163 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-15-KQED.jpg']Some producers have warned that the regulations will increase food costs. While compliance will call for major investments and may increase the cost of packaged foods, \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/352/2025/07/2025-SB-54-Standardized-Regulatory-Impact-Assessment-063025-1.pdf\">a state analysis\u003c/a> (PDF) indicated Californians would save money overall — at a rate of about $2.50 for every additional dollar spent — by bearing less cleanup costs and avoiding illness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many producers are working with the Circular Action Alliance, a nonprofit set up to help them comply with the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a webinar hosted by the CAA, plastic producers asked questions about the finer details of how to accurately measure the amount of packaging in products and requested that the organization advocate for more time to comply with deadlines, which was denied.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can’t do anything about the implementation timelines,” said Shane Buckingham, chief of staff for the CAA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some environmental groups, meanwhile, have expressed concern with how the regulations were drawn up and announced Thursday they are suing CalRecycle in a San Francisco court, hoping to close workarounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The regulations create giant loopholes that undermine the law’s recycling and plastic reduction goals,” said Avi Kar, senior attorney and senior director for toxics at the Natural Resources Defense Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1998283\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1998283\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Resynergi facility, located in Rohnert Park’s SOMO Village, uses a process called pyrolysis in order to recycle plastic. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Resynergi)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The law is meant to exclude types of plastic recycling that produce significant amounts of hazardous waste. But according to the NRDC, lots of the chemical plastic recycling that should be exempted is allowed as long as the producer has a permit from the Department of Toxic Substances Control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now, the regulations say as long as you have a permit, no matter how much hazardous waste you might produce, you’re okay under the regulations. And we think that’s inconsistent with the law,” Kar said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NRDC joined Californians Against Waste Foundation and international advocacy coalition Oceana in filing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/2026-06/sb-54-loopholes-legal-petition.pdf\">complaint \u003c/a>on June 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CAA has until June 15 to submit a plan to the state detailing how its members will comply with the regulations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "California Launches Sweeping Rules Aimed at Cutting Plastic Packaging Waste | KQED",
"description": "California is trying something no state has done before: requiring producers to dramatically reduce plastic packaging, recycle more and take responsibility for the waste they create.",
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"headline": "California Launches Sweeping Rules Aimed at Cutting Plastic Packaging Waste",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>In the 1967 film \u003cem>The Graduate\u003c/em>, a businessman offers career advice to a young Dustin Hoffman with a single word: “Plastics.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the time, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/climate\">plastics\u003c/a> were the future. Since then, as production has \u003ca href=\"https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution\">exploded worldwide\u003c/a>, scientists have found plastic pollution everywhere from Arctic ecosystems to human breast milk.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With global production projected to \u003ca href=\"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550924002823#f0005\">triple in the next 25 years\u003c/a>, California is attempting something no state has done before: requiring producers to dramatically reduce plastic packaging and take responsibility for the waste they create.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://calrecycle.ca.gov/packaging/packaging-epr/\">Regulations are now rolling out\u003c/a> to make manufacturers responsible for reducing the amount of plastic they use, recycling currently single-use plastic and ensuring that all of their packaging is recyclable or compostable by 2032.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The regulations, spurred by a state law signed in 2022, also require producers to pay into a fund to help clean up plastic pollution and restore ecosystems, focusing on low-income communities and rural areas.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The producers of a material should be responsible for the end-of-life costs to manage that material, not the local communities who pay for waste management and recycling,” state Sen. Ben Allen, the bill’s author, said while advocating for SB 54 on the floor of the Senate.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001237\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001237\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-12-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ben Allen, a California state senator, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The SB 54 regulations approved last month will set step-by-step targets for packaging producers over the next several years: reduce single-use plastic 10% by 2027, 20% by 2030 and 25% by 2032; and recycle 30% of their single-use plastic by 2028; 40% by 2030 and 65% by 2032.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This week, producers were required to submit baseline data about how much plastic packaging they produce to California’s Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, or CalRecycle, which is administering the regulations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s bigger than anything we’ve ever done at CalRecycle,” said Zoe Heller, the department’s director. “Right now about 40% by volume of what we’re sending to landfill is packaging. This is an opportunity for us to reduce that material that’s being sold into the state in a very meaningful way.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Some producers have warned that the regulations will increase food costs. While compliance will call for major investments and may increase the cost of packaged foods, \u003ca href=\"https://dof.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/352/2025/07/2025-SB-54-Standardized-Regulatory-Impact-Assessment-063025-1.pdf\">a state analysis\u003c/a> (PDF) indicated Californians would save money overall — at a rate of about $2.50 for every additional dollar spent — by bearing less cleanup costs and avoiding illness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many producers are working with the Circular Action Alliance, a nonprofit set up to help them comply with the law.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On a webinar hosted by the CAA, plastic producers asked questions about the finer details of how to accurately measure the amount of packaging in products and requested that the organization advocate for more time to comply with deadlines, which was denied.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We can’t do anything about the implementation timelines,” said Shane Buckingham, chief of staff for the CAA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some environmental groups, meanwhile, have expressed concern with how the regulations were drawn up and announced Thursday they are suing CalRecycle in a San Francisco court, hoping to close workarounds.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The regulations create giant loopholes that undermine the law’s recycling and plastic reduction goals,” said Avi Kar, senior attorney and senior director for toxics at the Natural Resources Defense Council.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_1998283\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1998283\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1500\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-160x120.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2025/08/RohnertParkProcessingPlant1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Resynergi facility, located in Rohnert Park’s SOMO Village, uses a process called pyrolysis in order to recycle plastic. \u003ccite>(Courtesy of Resynergi)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The law is meant to exclude types of plastic recycling that produce significant amounts of hazardous waste. But according to the NRDC, lots of the chemical plastic recycling that should be exempted is allowed as long as the producer has a permit from the Department of Toxic Substances Control.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Right now, the regulations say as long as you have a permit, no matter how much hazardous waste you might produce, you’re okay under the regulations. And we think that’s inconsistent with the law,” Kar said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NRDC joined Californians Against Waste Foundation and international advocacy coalition Oceana in filing the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/2026-06/sb-54-loopholes-legal-petition.pdf\">complaint \u003c/a>on June 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The CAA has until June 15 to submit a plan to the state detailing how its members will comply with the regulations.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "these-bay-area-renters-are-cutting-fossil-fuels-from-their-homes-and-commutes",
"title": "These Bay Area Renters Are Cutting Fossil Fuels From Their Homes and Commutes",
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"headTitle": "These Bay Area Renters Are Cutting Fossil Fuels From Their Homes and Commutes | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Writer Laura Fraser was interested in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000695/california-is-transitioning-from-fossil-fuels-to-electric-power-its-going-to-get-messy\">climate change\u003c/a> but felt a sense of powerlessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the face of this enormous existential problem, what does recycling and riding a bicycle amount to?” Fraser said, sitting in her San Francisco apartment. “It just felt like nothing, just a drop in the ocean.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, a few years ago, she was hired to edit a book called \u003cem>Electrify\u003c/em>, by Saul Griffith. Working through it, she changed her perspective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The book points out that 42% of energy-related emissions in the U.S. come from our homes and the vehicles we drive. Its core argument is that swapping polluting appliances and cars for electric versions can meaningfully and quickly bring down emissions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People don’t understand how much power they have in the climate crisis to cut down on the amount of carbon that they as individuals are creating with their cars, their stoves, their heaters,” Fraser said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Fraser and her husband, Peter Eckart, faced an obstacle: they are renters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001148\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001148\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Copper induction stove in the kitchen of Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart’s Haight-Ashbury apartment in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Renters comprise \u003ca href=\"https://census.bayareametro.gov/households?location=bay_area&year=2020\">46% of Bay Area households\u003c/a>, according to the 2020 Census. For homeowners, changing out gas water heaters, HVAC systems, stoves and cars is doable, albeit expensive. Owners have the decision power to rewire homes and upgrade electric panels, while renters cannot make such large and permanent changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recent innovations, however, are giving renters the power to substantially cut the pollution from their day-to-day routines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After learning more about what’s called “electrification,” Fraser and her husband Peter Eckart looked around their Haight-Ashbury apartment, where Fraser’s lived for more than 40 years, with fresh eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001149\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001149\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Gradient plug-in heat pump window unit sits in a bedroom office space in the home of Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They guessed the heating unit in front of the old living room fireplace was from the 1960s, and leaked gas, a hazard to both health and the environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fraser tested this by turning off the gas, disconnecting the pipe from the appliance and placing a balloon tightly around it. The balloon inflated, confirming their suspicions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their six-burner Wolf gas stove emitted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">gas when it was off, too\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001151\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001151\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter Eckart lifts an ornate rug to show the Woo Warmer layer installed between the rug pad and the rug in his San Francisco home on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>First, the couple swapped out their heating and cooling. They installed a portable heat pump in a window, which plugged right into the wall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The unit was free as Fraser and Eckart were beta testers. They also put a $200 “hot carpet” — basically an electric blanket — beneath a living room rug to create radiant heating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For cooking, the couple splurged and installed a high-end induction stove for around $7,000. It plugs into a standard wall outlet. Fraser and Eckart chose this stove over a portable induction cooktop because they never plan to move out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001185\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001185\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A bumper sticker reading “This is my last gas car” is displayed on a vehicle owned by Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001189\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001189\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Laura Fraser enters the garage of near her Haight-Ashbury apartment building in San Francisco on May 18, 2026, where the household stores bicycles and other forms of transportation. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To get around town, Fraser and Eckart take public transit and ride e-bikes. “We’ve had them for about five years and love them,” Fraser said. “I always say the best car for San Francisco is an e-bike.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For longer trips, the couple hops into Fraser’s gas-powered 2005 Mini-Cooper, which sports a bumper sticker that reads, “This is my last gas car.” They’re not sure how they’ll charge an electric vehicle, as there is no outlet in the garage they rent across the street from their apartment, but that’s a challenge they’ll take on in time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Collectively, if we can make the switch to electricity, we will address the climate problem,” Fraser said. “That feels very empowering to me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Everything but the water heater\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Jason Wexler and Karina van Schaardenburg live in a two-bedroom Mission apartment with their 5- and 1-year-old children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They switched nearly all of their gas-powered appliances to electric ones, except the water heater, which would require a substantial modification to the apartment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They are both motivated by climate change and work in clean energy and technology. But said they made these changes after reading about the \u003ca href=\"https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/12/gas-propane-stoves-nitrogen-dioxide-exposure-health-risks-switching-electric\">harmful health\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/12/pgaf341/8361964?login=false\">effects\u003c/a> from burning gas indoors, particularly for kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001154\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001154\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An air quality sensor at Jason Wexler and Karina van Schaardenburg’s home in San Francisco on Sunday, May 31, 2026. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Before switching appliances, they bought a $300 air quality \u003ca href=\"https://www.airthings.com/view-plus\">monitor\u003c/a>, which showed a spike in fine particulate matter and carbon dioxide when they used their gas wall furnace and stove.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like Fraser and Eckart, they now use a window heat pump. But instead of replacing their gas stove, they’ve simply placed a $170, two-burner induction cooktop on its surface. They bake and roast food with a $130 small electric toaster oven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While many clothes dryers are powered by gas, theirs is nonexistent: They line dry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001153\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001153\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Karina van Schaardenburg hangs laundry to dry alongside her son Isaac at their home in San Francisco on Sunday, May 31, 2026. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It took a little bit of getting used to,” van Schaardenburg said. They check the weather before hanging their wash. Their previous apartment had no washer and dryer at all, so “this actually just felt like an upgrade,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The couple has one e-bike and one Prius, which they use for kid drop-offs, grocery runs or other outings. They detach and charge their e-bike battery in their apartment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While most California apartments have 40-100 amps of power available, Wexler and van Schaardenburg made all these changes on just 35 amps and two electrical circuits. Their setup works well, but with one limit: no microwaving while the induction burners are on high or a fuse blows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001156\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001156\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Window inserts to keep the home warm in Jason Wexler and Karina van Schaardenburg’s flat in San Francisco on Sunday, May 31, 2026. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The couple also spent $1,500 to add customized, removable plexiglass to the front windows. The double panes block street noise and drafts from blowing in their 1899 Victorian apartment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although electricity is more expensive than gas in California, the couple spends slightly less on monthly utilities because they have been able to retire the inefficient space heaters they used to supplement their gas heating. They feel their investments have increased their comfort and keep their indoor air clean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, “everything that we have changed is completely reversible,” Wexler said. “When we move out, the apartment will be just as it was when we moved in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Bay Area renters are getting creative about swapping their gas appliances for electric ones, like heat pumps, solar panels and induction stoves.",
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"title": "These Bay Area Renters Are Cutting Fossil Fuels From Their Homes and Commutes | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>California is transitioning to clean energy. KQED is reporting on what that means for you. What works? What doesn’t? How much does it cost? Help us find these answers and more by \u003c/em>\u003ca href=\"http://donate.kqed.org/sojo?ms=W2510EANXXXX22\">\u003cem>donating today\u003c/em>\u003c/a>\u003cem>. \u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Writer Laura Fraser was interested in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000695/california-is-transitioning-from-fossil-fuels-to-electric-power-its-going-to-get-messy\">climate change\u003c/a> but felt a sense of powerlessness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“In the face of this enormous existential problem, what does recycling and riding a bicycle amount to?” Fraser said, sitting in her San Francisco apartment. “It just felt like nothing, just a drop in the ocean.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Then, a few years ago, she was hired to edit a book called \u003cem>Electrify\u003c/em>, by Saul Griffith. Working through it, she changed her perspective.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The book points out that 42% of energy-related emissions in the U.S. come from our homes and the vehicles we drive. Its core argument is that swapping polluting appliances and cars for electric versions can meaningfully and quickly bring down emissions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“People don’t understand how much power they have in the climate crisis to cut down on the amount of carbon that they as individuals are creating with their cars, their stoves, their heaters,” Fraser said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Fraser and her husband, Peter Eckart, faced an obstacle: they are renters.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001148\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001148\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_004-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Copper induction stove in the kitchen of Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart’s Haight-Ashbury apartment in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Renters comprise \u003ca href=\"https://census.bayareametro.gov/households?location=bay_area&year=2020\">46% of Bay Area households\u003c/a>, according to the 2020 Census. For homeowners, changing out gas water heaters, HVAC systems, stoves and cars is doable, albeit expensive. Owners have the decision power to rewire homes and upgrade electric panels, while renters cannot make such large and permanent changes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Recent innovations, however, are giving renters the power to substantially cut the pollution from their day-to-day routines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>After learning more about what’s called “electrification,” Fraser and her husband Peter Eckart looked around their Haight-Ashbury apartment, where Fraser’s lived for more than 40 years, with fresh eyes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001149\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001149\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_005-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Gradient plug-in heat pump window unit sits in a bedroom office space in the home of Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>They guessed the heating unit in front of the old living room fireplace was from the 1960s, and leaked gas, a hazard to both health and the environment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fraser tested this by turning off the gas, disconnecting the pipe from the appliance and placing a balloon tightly around it. The balloon inflated, confirming their suspicions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Their six-burner Wolf gas stove emitted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/1995336/heres-what-happened-when-scientists-tested-the-air-with-my-gas-stove-on\">gas when it was off, too\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001151\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001151\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826RENTERS-GOING-ELECTRIC-_GH_009-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Peter Eckart lifts an ornate rug to show the Woo Warmer layer installed between the rug pad and the rug in his San Francisco home on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>First, the couple swapped out their heating and cooling. They installed a portable heat pump in a window, which plugged right into the wall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The unit was free as Fraser and Eckart were beta testers. They also put a $200 “hot carpet” — basically an electric blanket — beneath a living room rug to create radiant heating.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For cooking, the couple splurged and installed a high-end induction stove for around $7,000. It plugs into a standard wall outlet. Fraser and Eckart chose this stove over a portable induction cooktop because they never plan to move out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001185\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001185\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_014_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A bumper sticker reading “This is my last gas car” is displayed on a vehicle owned by Laura Fraser and Peter Eckart in San Francisco on May 18, 2026. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001189\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001189\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/051826Renters-Going-Electric-_GH_011_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Laura Fraser enters the garage of near her Haight-Ashbury apartment building in San Francisco on May 18, 2026, where the household stores bicycles and other forms of transportation. \u003ccite>(Gustavo Hernandez/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>To get around town, Fraser and Eckart take public transit and ride e-bikes. “We’ve had them for about five years and love them,” Fraser said. “I always say the best car for San Francisco is an e-bike.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For longer trips, the couple hops into Fraser’s gas-powered 2005 Mini-Cooper, which sports a bumper sticker that reads, “This is my last gas car.” They’re not sure how they’ll charge an electric vehicle, as there is no outlet in the garage they rent across the street from their apartment, but that’s a challenge they’ll take on in time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Collectively, if we can make the switch to electricity, we will address the climate problem,” Fraser said. “That feels very empowering to me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Everything but the water heater\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Jason Wexler and Karina van Schaardenburg live in a two-bedroom Mission apartment with their 5- and 1-year-old children.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They switched nearly all of their gas-powered appliances to electric ones, except the water heater, which would require a substantial modification to the apartment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>They are both motivated by climate change and work in clean energy and technology. But said they made these changes after reading about the \u003ca href=\"https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2025/12/gas-propane-stoves-nitrogen-dioxide-exposure-health-risks-switching-electric\">harmful health\u003c/a> \u003ca href=\"https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/4/12/pgaf341/8361964?login=false\">effects\u003c/a> from burning gas indoors, particularly for kids.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001154\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001154\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-04-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">An air quality sensor at Jason Wexler and Karina van Schaardenburg’s home in San Francisco on Sunday, May 31, 2026. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Before switching appliances, they bought a $300 air quality \u003ca href=\"https://www.airthings.com/view-plus\">monitor\u003c/a>, which showed a spike in fine particulate matter and carbon dioxide when they used their gas wall furnace and stove.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like Fraser and Eckart, they now use a window heat pump. But instead of replacing their gas stove, they’ve simply placed a $170, two-burner induction cooktop on its surface. They bake and roast food with a $130 small electric toaster oven.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While many clothes dryers are powered by gas, theirs is nonexistent: They line dry.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001153\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001153\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-01-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Karina van Schaardenburg hangs laundry to dry alongside her son Isaac at their home in San Francisco on Sunday, May 31, 2026. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“It took a little bit of getting used to,” van Schaardenburg said. They check the weather before hanging their wash. Their previous apartment had no washer and dryer at all, so “this actually just felt like an upgrade,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The couple has one e-bike and one Prius, which they use for kid drop-offs, grocery runs or other outings. They detach and charge their e-bike battery in their apartment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While most California apartments have 40-100 amps of power available, Wexler and van Schaardenburg made all these changes on just 35 amps and two electrical circuits. Their setup works well, but with one limit: no microwaving while the induction burners are on high or a fuse blows.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2001156\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2001156\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/06/20260531-RENTERSELECTRIFY-JY-06-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Window inserts to keep the home warm in Jason Wexler and Karina van Schaardenburg’s flat in San Francisco on Sunday, May 31, 2026. \u003ccite>(Juliana Yamada for KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The couple also spent $1,500 to add customized, removable plexiglass to the front windows. The double panes block street noise and drafts from blowing in their 1899 Victorian apartment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although electricity is more expensive than gas in California, the couple spends slightly less on monthly utilities because they have been able to retire the inefficient space heaters they used to supplement their gas heating. They feel their investments have increased their comfort and keep their indoor air clean.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Plus, “everything that we have changed is completely reversible,” Wexler said. “When we move out, the apartment will be just as it was when we moved in.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>Progressive activist Jane Kim appeared poised to advance to the general election in November, besting other candidates in the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/science/2000611/california-insurance-commissioner-candidates-debate-solutions-to-wildfire-driven-crisis\">insurance commissioners race\u003c/a>, with 24.1% of early returns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The second-place finisher, appearing to be Ben Allen, who garnered 20.2% of the early returns, will also advance to the general election.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If elected, Kim’s tenure as commissioner would likely mean far more government involvement in shaping the insurance industry. She proposes a statewide guaranteed, affordable disaster insurance program, modeled on systems in France and New Zealand. 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Ben Allen represents areas affected by the Palisades Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Allen has promised to work with local and state officials to make neighborhoods safer from fire, by designing programs that harden homes and reduce fire spread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000650\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000650\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jane Kim, former San Francisco supervisor, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He also wants to expand financial help for homeowners preparing their properties for fire. He has said he would seek to modernize the Department of Insurance and make it work more efficiently.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s also said he wants fossil fuel companies to bear some costs for their role in driving up insurance prices due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re looking very strong to go into the second round,” Allen said. “We were able to tell a really good story statewide about my experience and record and my standing up for consumers. And I think it paid off. And ultimately, we’re going to head to a strong, robust runoff in the fall.”[aside label=\"Live 2026 Election Results\" link1='https://www.kqed.org/elections/results/california/insurance-commissioner,Learn about the results of the California Insurance Commissioner Election' hero=https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/80/2026/04/Aside-California-Insurance-Commissioner-2026-Primary-Election-1200x1200@2x.png]Allen’s campaign was backed by U.S. Sens. Padilla and Schiff, California Environmental Voters, California Professional Firefighters and the Sierra Club.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The once sleepy race for insurance commissioner has earned significant attention this year. Wildfires and inflation have thrown California into an insurance crisis, with many residents finding insurance hard to obtain or afford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The commissioner is the chief regulator of the state’s $3 trillion insurance industry and holds considerable power over how companies process claims and set prices for coverage for properties, cars, life insurance and workers compensation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two years ago, the Department of Insurance, under Ricardo Lara, rolled out the biggest regulatory reforms in a generation, known as the Sustainable Insurance Strategy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Industry experts say the changes have led to some easing of the insurance market, but more needs to be done to drive down risk from disasters like fires, and increase coverage options while limiting rapidly rising prices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re feeling very optimistic,” Kim said late Tuesday. “Our message of taking on the insurance industry and the status quo is really resonating with voters across the state.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Kim has the backing of notable progressive leaders, including Bernie Sanders, Dolores Huerta, SEIU California and the Working Families Party.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>State Sen. Ben Allen represents areas affected by the Palisades Fire.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Allen has promised to work with local and state officials to make neighborhoods safer from fire, by designing programs that harden homes and reduce fire spread.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_2000650\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-2000650\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2026/04/260409-InsuranceCandidateForum-25-BL_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jane Kim, former San Francisco supervisor, speaks during a forum for candidates for California insurance commissioner at the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) in San Francisco on April 9, 2026. The event brought together candidates to discuss the state’s insurance market, including affordability and coverage challenges facing homeowners. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>He also wants to expand financial help for homeowners preparing their properties for fire. He has said he would seek to modernize the Department of Insurance and make it work more efficiently.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He’s also said he wants fossil fuel companies to bear some costs for their role in driving up insurance prices due to human-caused climate change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re looking very strong to go into the second round,” Allen said. “We were able to tell a really good story statewide about my experience and record and my standing up for consumers. And I think it paid off. And ultimately, we’re going to head to a strong, robust runoff in the fall.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Allen’s campaign was backed by U.S. Sens. Padilla and Schiff, California Environmental Voters, California Professional Firefighters and the Sierra Club.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The once sleepy race for insurance commissioner has earned significant attention this year. Wildfires and inflation have thrown California into an insurance crisis, with many residents finding insurance hard to obtain or afford.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The commissioner is the chief regulator of the state’s $3 trillion insurance industry and holds considerable power over how companies process claims and set prices for coverage for properties, cars, life insurance and workers compensation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Two years ago, the Department of Insurance, under Ricardo Lara, rolled out the biggest regulatory reforms in a generation, known as the Sustainable Insurance Strategy.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Industry experts say the changes have led to some easing of the insurance market, but more needs to be done to drive down risk from disasters like fires, and increase coverage options while limiting rapidly rising prices.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"content": "\u003cp>[dl_subscribe]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to sex, banana slugs take things slow. But slow doesn’t mean boring. Banana slug mating involves swapping slime, swinging heads and some light (or heavy) biting. Learn about how banana slugs procreate in this video – we promise it won’t disappoint.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When it comes to sex, banana slugs take things slow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">But slow doesn’t mean boring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">For them, it’s a head-banging,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">slime-swapping,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">body-chomping bonanza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Banana slugs glide across the forest floor on a bed of their own slime,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">keeping an eye out for yummy things…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">like this mushroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Or this dung.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They’re also detritivores.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They eat dead organic matter and recycle it into fertilizer for the forest floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Thanks slug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Here’s some of that fertilizer now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">It comes out of a hole right next to the pneumastome, the slug’s respiratory organ.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The banana slug is what’s called a ‘simultaneous hermaphrodite,’\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">meaning each slug has male and female sexual organs at the same time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They can actually impregnate themselves,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">but fun’s more fun when you have it together – right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Oh, hello gorgeous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The slugs swing their heads at one another, and start taking little nibbles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Don’t worry! They’re not hurting each other.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Think of it as a sort of taste test, to see if they’re compatible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Excuse me, a little privacy here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">It’s a test that goes on…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">and on…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">for up to two hours!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Researchers think that they need all that time to prepare for the main event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The slugs flex the muscles in their heads, increasing blood flow to the gonopore,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">where each slug’s male and female sexual organs are located.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They need it to be swollen in order for things to progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">You might notice some heavy breathing – here, in the pneumostome.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">This is hard work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They lock heads in a sort of side-hug-french-kiss combination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And they’ll stay like this for another couple hours,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">taking turns delivering sperm to one another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When they’re not mating, the penis is tucked away inside the slug –\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">but it can be as long as the slug itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Oh! Here’s a view of it …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">But wait! This encounter has gone a bit sideways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Banana slugs are known to occasionally…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">chew off their mate’s penis, an act called apophallation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Our duo uncouples peacefully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Each taking the other’s sperm with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They leave a bit of a mess.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">During their slimy romp, slugs produce enough slime to make a kind of nutrient-filled mucus blanket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And this one stays to eat it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They’re hungry now, and ever resourceful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">So resourceful that they can store their mate’s sperm for months,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">waiting to fertilize their eggs until the time is right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When the weather is damp and cool, they find a protected place to lay a clutch of eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And over the next few months the next generation will arrive…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">making the forest a more beautiful, fertile place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>TRANSCRIPT\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When it comes to sex, banana slugs take things slow.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">But slow doesn’t mean boring.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">For them, it’s a head-banging,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">slime-swapping,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">body-chomping bonanza.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Banana slugs glide across the forest floor on a bed of their own slime,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">keeping an eye out for yummy things…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">like this mushroom.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Or this dung.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They’re also detritivores.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They eat dead organic matter and recycle it into fertilizer for the forest floor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Thanks slug!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Here’s some of that fertilizer now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">It comes out of a hole right next to the pneumastome, the slug’s respiratory organ.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The banana slug is what’s called a ‘simultaneous hermaphrodite,’\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">meaning each slug has male and female sexual organs at the same time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They can actually impregnate themselves,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">but fun’s more fun when you have it together – right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Oh, hello gorgeous.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The slugs swing their heads at one another, and start taking little nibbles.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Don’t worry! They’re not hurting each other.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Think of it as a sort of taste test, to see if they’re compatible.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Excuse me, a little privacy here?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">It’s a test that goes on…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">and on…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">for up to two hours!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Researchers think that they need all that time to prepare for the main event.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">The slugs flex the muscles in their heads, increasing blood flow to the gonopore,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">where each slug’s male and female sexual organs are located.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They need it to be swollen in order for things to progress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">You might notice some heavy breathing – here, in the pneumostome.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">This is hard work!\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They lock heads in a sort of side-hug-french-kiss combination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And they’ll stay like this for another couple hours,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">taking turns delivering sperm to one another.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When they’re not mating, the penis is tucked away inside the slug –\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">but it can be as long as the slug itself.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Oh! Here’s a view of it …\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">But wait! This encounter has gone a bit sideways.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Banana slugs are known to occasionally…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">chew off their mate’s penis, an act called apophallation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Our duo uncouples peacefully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">Each taking the other’s sperm with them.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They leave a bit of a mess.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">During their slimy romp, slugs produce enough slime to make a kind of nutrient-filled mucus blanket.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And this one stays to eat it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">They’re hungry now, and ever resourceful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">So resourceful that they can store their mate’s sperm for months,\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">waiting to fertilize their eggs until the time is right.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">When the weather is damp and cool, they find a protected place to lay a clutch of eggs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">And over the next few months the next generation will arrive…\u003c/p>\n\u003cp class=\"p2\">making the forest a more beautiful, fertile place.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"soldout": {
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"title": "SOLD OUT: Rethinking Housing in America",
"tagline": "A new future for housing",
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