Environment / Energy Circle
The Challenge
The Bay Area is a remarkable, beautiful place to live and the region is on a path to continue to grow socially and economically. This growth comes brings a high potential for negative environmental consequence. Without strong leadership and swift action, the Bay Area will become more urbanized, leading to open space reduction, natural resource deterioration, transportation congestion, adverse health issues, and further environmental and social inequity in underserved communities.
The U.S. and many other countries are on a similar path of increased urbanization and environmental degradation. Recent studies show that in order to reverse the climate crisis, the U.S. needs to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 [1].
Climate change is an acute environmental concern requiring immediate action [2] on all levels. It is a global issue with local impacts on communities, infrastructure, health and the economy. Across California, state [3] and local [4] governments have implemented landmark, aggressive environmental policies.
Environmental change will come not just through legislation, but also by engaging all citizens as leaders and by all sectors partnering on sustainable solutions. Linking underserved communities to the environmental movement - while ensuring equitable development and social justice - will be critical to providing the resources to fulfill the goals of environmental policy.
Our Goal
Full Circle Fund's Environment / Energy Circle is working to enact positive environmental change and ensure that all communities will be able to participate in the green economy.
Our Approach
In 2007, Full Circle Fund expanded the impact of our engaged philanthropy model by launching our first new issue-focused program since our inception - the Environment / Energy Circle.
To frame the scope of their impact, the Environment / Energy Circle has developed a Theory of Change:
- Protecting the quality of our environment while assisting underserved communities.
- Addressing climate change by reducing our carbon footprint through energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction.
Within this theory, the Circle's project work will center around specific areas of action. This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the environmental causes that matter, but rather captures some of the most promising and exciting ways our members hope to tackle the issue.
- Clean tech and alternative energy
- Urban sustainable development and livable communities
- Green jobs
- Green building
- Global warming and climate change
- Environmental health and social justice
- Corporate environmental and social responsibility
Full Circle Fund's members also have made personal commitments to green their lifestyles, businesses and homes, and Full Circle Fund has taken many steps to "Go Green" as an organization. Read more...
As Full Circle Fund's newest program, the Environment / Energy Circle will continue to actively evolve its approach and expand its scope.
Current Grantees
Chosen by the Environment/Energy Circle in 2007:
- Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
Sources
1 "World needs to axe greenhouse gases by 80 pct: report," article about the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research's findings, Reuters, April 19, 2007
2 United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), www.ipcc.ch
3 The Global Warming Solutions Act, Assembly Bill 32 (AB32), (PDF)
4 SFenvironment.org's webpage on environmental legislation and initiatives, sfenvironment.org
