TreePeople’s Letter to the California Legislature

Dear Governor Newsom and Members of the State Legislature,

In California, millions of kids go to schools that are asphalt covered, prison-like unhealthy learning environments. Investing in school greening to protect and prioritize our kids and teachers is urgent. We request that the final 2022-23 climate resiliency budget include an investment of $250 million to green our schools to protect our kids and teachers from extreme heat and air and water pollution impacting their public health and academic achievement. We thank Senator Bob Hertzberg (Democrat from the Los Angeles San Fernando Valley) for championing the cause so that all students, especially in vulnerable communities on the front lines of environmental justice, have the right to learn in a safe, clean and green environment that supports their academic achievement, mental health and well being.

Now is the time to confront this climate-related threat to our kids with meaningful investments to improve quality of life and public health for our kids and teachers at schools where they spend 30% or more of their waking hours.

We urge the Governor and Legislature to take bolder steps by allocating $250 million for school greening to prioritize kids in our climate goals. This is our opportunity to be visionary, ambitious and provide transformative allocations that will improve California schools and create the healthy, green schools our kids and teachers deserve.

Sincerely,