Environmental Forum of Marin Building Communities Earth Day Marin Can Diversity Make Us Stronger? Our final lecture of the 2015 series will start an important conversation exploring the intersection of environmental conservation and social equity in Marin. Adhering to the principle strength lies in diversity, we must empower all the voices of Marin to be heard. Minority and marginalized voices are critical strands in weaving together a more resilient Marin community. Are these voices currently part of the conservation dialogue in a changing Marin?

1. Environmental Forum of Marin
Earth Day! April 22, 2015
Kathrin Sears, Gina Fromer, Matt Willis, Nancy Johnson,
Mark Squire, Sue Gardner

2. Equity, Environment, Engagement
 Aging Population + Youth Engagement
 Needs of an aging population and need to engage
younger generation in environmental conservation
 Equity
 Vulnerable populations, participation and engagement
 Resilience
 Healthy eating, active living, economic opportunity,
planning for a changing climate

3. “My interest is in the future, because I’m
going to spend the rest of my life there.”
- Charles Kettering

4. Slide 4
National Income Inequality
I N E Q U A L I T Y G R E AT E S T I T S B E E N S I N C E G R E AT D E P R E S S I O N
This chart
illustrates that in
1928 and 2007 –
the year before
the two greatest
financial crashes
in U.S. history -
income
inequality
peaked.

5. Local Poverty in Marin
 Living below the Self-Sufficiency Standard
 $102,223 for a family of 4 in Marin, $86,400 in Alameda
 Marin County: 35% below
 Alameda County: 38% below
Marin households living below the Self-Sufficiency
Standard have increased 28% since 2007

6. Population Trends in Marin
 Marin County 2010 census:
• 17% of Marin residents are age 65 and older
• Median age in Marin is 44.5, compared to 35.2 in
California
Greatest increase in population over the next 40 years
is expected to be the elderly and young adult
households, which tend to have the lowest income
levels.

7. Marin City Demographics
 31% of Marin City’s population is 5 to 24 years old,
compared to 21% in the County as a whole
 11% are 65 years and over, compared to 17% in the
County as a whole
 34% are Black or African American, compared to 3% in
the County as a whole
 16% are Latino, compared to 15% in the County as a
whole

8. Marin City Demographics
 Unemployment rate 14% compared to 5%
countywide
 Of those aged 18 to 64 years: 13% have a
disability compared to 6% countywide
 Of those 65 years and older: 20% have a
disability compared to 26% countywide

9. Sustainability & Resilience
 Community resilience is the ability to
withstand and recover from difficult times
while meeting basic needs for community
members.
 Communities and populations that
experience social inequalities are likely to be
more vulnerable or susceptible to immediate
and lasting harm from hazards such as
flooding.

10. Sustainability & Resilience
 Vulnerability is the flip side of resilience.
 In a resilient system, change has the
potential to create opportunity for
development, novelty and innovation.
 In a vulnerable system, even small changes
may be devastating.

11. December 3, 2014 - Mill Valley

12. Equity and Sea Level Rise Planning
 Social vulnerability analysis and
understanding of sensitive demographics
 Vulnerability of critical services,
infrastructure and facilities
 Collaborative process
 Community engagement
 Integrated adaptation

13. Southern Marin SLR Study Area
SASM
The Redwoods
Bothin
Marsh
Manzanita
Tam
Junction
Marin City
Waldo Point Harbor

14. Southern Marin Inundation Map
Manzanita
Bothin
Marsh
Tam
Junction
Marin City
Waldo Point Harbor

15. Vulnerablilities in the Study Area
RESIDENTIAL
 Tam Valley (“Birdland”)
 Houseboat community at Waldo
Point Harbor
 The Redwoods
COMMERCIAL AREAS
 Shoreline Highway between
Tennessee Valley Road and Tam
Junction
 Pohono/Manzanita

16. Vulnerabilities in the Study Area
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS
 Marin City public housing,
senior/disabled housing
 Fireside senior/family housing
 Bridge Housing on Miller Avenue
 The Redwoods
PUBLIC SAFETY
 Fire/sheriff substation In Marin
City
 Emergency shelters (schools,
community centers)

17. Vulnerabilities in the Study Area
UTILITIES & INFRASTRUCTURE
 Sewer Agency of Southern Marin
 Flood zone pump stations
 Gas and electrical utility lines
 Communications: cell, optic fiber,
telephone systems
TRANSIT/TRANSPORTATION
 Highway 1/Shoreline Hwy
 Highway 101
 Marin City access

20. MCE Clean Energy – Grassroots
Engagement
MCE Community Power, formed in 2014, is a
grassroots coalition empowering
community transformation to a clean energy
economy by focusing on the interests of
underrepresented and historically
marginalized constituencies.

21. MCE Community Power - Goals
 Expand access to affordable, renewable energy and
energy efficiency programs
 Advance equitable, local, and sustainable
workforce and economic development
 Accelerate the transition to a cleaner, more
efficient energy economy
 Build and develop equitable and inclusive
programs and policies for all MCE communities

22. Equity, Environment, Engagement:
The Way Forward
 Ecologically-based response that links environment,
social equity and public health
 Importance of prior planning for vulnerable
populations and protection of critical infrastructure
 Community-based emergency preparedness
 Improve resilience by bringing neighbors closer
together in places of worship, community centers and
parks

23. Equity, Environment, Engagement:
The Way Forward
 Ensure that all of our local communities are
engaged and responsible for the decisions
that are made in response to sea level rise
and storm events
 Educate and energize our youth about
environmental conservation – the future is
theirs!