San Mateo County Sustainability Department

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Redwood City, CA
San Mateo County Sustainability Department

The San Mateo County Sustainability Department is committed to building a sustainable community that fulfills the needs of the present and future.

09/01/2026

Climate change can be overwhelming, but our staff find ways to stay hopeful every day. 🌍💚Let us know what gives you hope in the comments!

08/31/2026

One of California’s largest community microgrids is coming to rural Pescadero, bringing greater electricity resilience to nearly the entire town. The Pescadero microgrid will use local solar and battery storage to provide up to 3–7 days of backup energy during power outages.

"I was proud to help champion and secure funding for this project, thanks to the enormous benefits it will bring to Pescadero residents.” - San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller

Construction is expected to begin in 2029, creating a model for how communities across California can build a more resilient, clean energy future.

This project is led by WestLight Energy in partnership with the County of San Mateo, Arriba South Coast, PG&E, and other partners. Learn more at westlightenergy.org.

08/27/2026

APPLY NOW: Youth Climate Ambassadors applications close in 5 days!

Are you a high schooler in San Mateo County interested in climate change and taking local action? If so, check out the Youth Climate Ambassador (YCA) Leadership Program! We are currently accepting applications from all San Mateo County high school students grades 9 through 12. 🌍💚

Apply today if you or your student is interested in…
- Building leadership skills
- Taking action to address climate change
- Connecting with peers who have similar interests
- Implementing a Community Impact Project
- Learning more about the climate crisis and local solutions
- Joining a network of fellow high school students ready to take action together
- Getting paid a stipend to complete this amazing program!

Applications are now open! Learn more about the program and apply online (link in bio): sustainsmc.org/YCA

All applications are due before 11:59pm on September 1st. Please share with your youth changemaker and climate action networks!

08/26/2026

♻️ Staff Spotlight: Meet Gilee!♻️

Gilee is a Program Manager on the Climate Resilience Team, where she manages a team of professionals who implement a range of climate adaptation and resilience initiatives, policies, and programs. This means addressing climate change impacts through community-led resilience efforts, hazard mitigation and adaptation planning. Projects she works on include water quality monitoring at beaches and streams, implementing the Government Operations Climate Action Plan, the Green Business Program, and Employee Commuter Benefits Program, and developing strategies to build climate resilience in the community.

Gilee has been with the County for four months and has a background of 10+ years in public service related to climate resilience. So far, she says her favorite thing about her dynamic job is a collection of things. She loves celebrating a win with her team, watching a great idea unfold and take shape, and overall working together to move this critical work forward, one step at a time. She wants people to know that sustainability and climate work in San Mateo County is fascinating, rewarding, and deeply satisfying.

One sustainability habit she practices in her own life is keeping a worm bin at her community garden to compost her food scraps.

Thanks for everything you do, Gilee! We’re lucky to have you. 💚

08/21/2026

Here's a poetic field note by Artist-in-Residence Monica Korde, inspired by her recent visit to Samaritan House and Cora’s Community Market. Through her residency with the Sustainability Department, Monica has been creating poems in response to the people, places, programs, and stories she encounters across San Mateo County.

Samaritan House saves more than 1.9 million surplus meals each year from San Mateo County businesses, giving that food to neighbors who need it. Their food pantries alone saved over 7,000 families an average of $3,000 a year.

Monica is also the former Poet Laureate of Belmont and is currently shaping a civic project through her Artist-in-Residence work, bringing an artistic lens to the relationships between people, place, and sustainability efforts across San Mateo County. We can’t wait to check it out! Stay tuned for more.

'Prayer for Every Table': poem by Monica Korde, Artist-in-Residence with Government, San Mateo County Office of Arts & Culture, in collaboration with the Sustainability Department (2026).

08/20/2026

Reminder that our friends over at are offering No-Cost Green House Call Kits to help you save on your energy and water bills!!

After completing a quick home efficiency survey, energy and water efficiency devices will be delivered directly to your home. This program is available to San Mateo County residents. Sign up today and start lowering your utility bills!

Sign up: risingsun.tfaforms.net/f/GHC

08/18/2026

♻️ Staff Spotlight: Meet Susan!♻️

Susan is the Program Manager of the Climate Protection team, focusing on greenhouse gas reduction and energy efficiency in San Mateo County. She manages a team of staff who implement the County's Community Climate Action Plan and the RICAPS Climate Collaborative. A big part of her role is helping the community take advantage of rebates and technical support from the Bay Area Regional Energy Network and San Mateo County Energy Watch local government partnership.

Susan has been with the County for a total of 12 years, and her favorite thing about her job is working with so many creative and passionate colleagues on ground-breaking climate action projects. She wished more people know that to make a big impact, we need to collaborate with a variety of partners and look at change on a systematic level.

One sustainability milestone she recently reached in her personal life is replacing her aging gas furnace with a heat pump. She says it’s been wonderful to have air conditioning on hot days! This marks the last step in her transition to an all-electric home, and she did it by taking advantage of various incentives that provide technical support. She’s excited to integrate lessons learned into her energy efficiency work.

Thank you for all you do, Susan! We’re lucky to have you.💚

08/14/2026

Join the FREE Master Composter Program! This 8-week course is designed for all experience levels, with a focus on hands-on learning. You do not have to have a backyard to participate and start composting at home!

WHEN: Tuesdays 6:00 - 8:00 PM, starting September 15
WHERE: Redwood City, register for exact location

Register at sustainsmc.org/mastercomposter2026

08/13/2026

The ocean gives us so much, let’s give back by picking up our pet waste to keep it clean.

Bag it. Trash it. Every time.

08/12/2026

🌊💡 Start your day with community and climate action at Waves & Watts! This family-friendly morning is dedicated to protecting our health and planet with interactive activities that include games, beach cleanups, a plastic free store, and more.

Save the date for Saturday, August 29th from 11 am - 1:30 pm.
📍Venice State Beach near HMB

Register for your free tickets here 👉: tinyurl.com/2026wavesnwatts

Sponsored by 350 Silicon Valley, WestLight Energy (formerly Peninsula Clean Energy), and Sea Hugger. With support from City of Half Moon Bay, Climate Carnival Games, Pacific Beach Coalition, Sustainable San Mateo County, San Mateo County Sustainability Department, Citizens Climate Lobby San Mateo, Climate Reality Bay Area, SF Bay Physicians for Social Responsibility, Coastside State Parks Association, Beach Break Entertainment, and the Half Moon Bay Library.

Address

455 County Center
Redwood City, CA
94063

Telephone

+18884422666

Website

http://www.smcsustainability.org/

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