California Black Media

‘Everyday Actions’: Gov. Newsom Asks All Californians to Join Climate Fight

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced an environmental campaign at Climate Week NYC to encourage one million state residents to take daily actions to help tackle climate change. The campaign urges residents to pledge that they will fight global warming with “everyday actions” such as composting, using public transit instead of driving, and planting trees or native plants.

Published

1 year ago

October 5, 2024

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced an environmental campaign at Climate Week NYC to encourage one million state residents to take daily actions to help tackle climate change.

The campaign urges residents to pledge that they will fight global warming with “everyday actions” such as composting, using public transit instead of driving, and planting trees or native plants. State officials launched the campaign at Climate Week in New York City, a gathering of climate leaders from government, industry, as well as activists that seek to promote solutions to conserving the environment.

The climate pledge aims to motivate residents to live sustainable lives, reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, and overcome the feeling of anxiety and helplessness due to the impact of climate change.

The campaign is based on the California Climate Action Corps, a climate change volunteer program that the state launched four years ago. Over the years, the program has grown to 400 members and helped model American Climate Corps across various states and the White House.

Josh Fryday, the chief service officer with the governor’s office, stated the campaign has mobilized thousands of volunteers to have a real impact on the environment. The Governor’s office also plans to partner with local organizations in various communities statewide to expand the climate change campaign.

“Together, we can create collective impact,” said Fryday, “and our partners, by organizing people on campuses and in the workplace and in their cities, are going to demonstrate that we can do this.”

State officials serving in the governor’s administration stated that they have shifted their focus from discussing environmental issues to inspiring action that tackles climate change in communities statewide.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 18 – 24, 2026

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2 weeks ago

February 20, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of February 11 – 17, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 11 – 17, 2026

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2 weeks ago

February 16, 2026

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Bo Tefu

Trump’s White House Pushes to Control California Wildfire Recovery

The executive order signed Jan. 27 by President Donald Trump directs federal agencies to explore regulations that could override California and municipal permitting rules for homes and other structures destroyed in the fires. Land-use and rebuilding permits have traditionally been handled by cities and counties, making the move an unprecedented federal intervention into disaster recovery.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 10, 2026

Oakland Post

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By Bo Tefu, California Black Media

The White House is moving to take control of wildfire recovery efforts in the Los Angeles County area, issuing an executive order that would shift rebuilding permit authority from state and local governments to the federal government following the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires.

“I want to see if we can take over the city and state and just give the people their permits they want to build,” Trump told the media when signing the order.

The Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed about 16,000 homes, businesses, and other structures across Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding areas. According to local data, roughly 4,700 applications to rebuild have been submitted, with about 2,000 approved so far. Officials say the pace of rebuilding is consistent with recovery timelines from other major wildfires in California, where reconstruction often takes several years.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass quickly condemned the order, stating that it is unnecessary and legally questionable. Disaster recovery experts echoed those concerns, pointing to constitutional limits on federal authority over land-use decisions.

Trump’s order calls on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration to consider allowing builders to self-certify compliance with health and safety regulations to receive federal approval.

The dispute has become another flashpoint in the ongoing political battle between Trump and Newsom. The governor has requested $33 billion in federal disaster aid that has not yet been approved, while survivors continue to face challenges related to insurance payouts, high rebuilding costs, and legal disputes tied to the cause of the fires.

“Instead of finally sending to Congress the federal relief Los Angeles needs to rebuild from last year’s firestorms, Donald Trump continues to live in fantasy land,” Newsom wrote on X.

Bass said the White House could speed recovery by approving disaster aid and pushing insurers and lenders to support affected residents.

Trump’s order calls for draft regulations within 30 days and final rules within 90 days.