ASIAN PACIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK (PRC Oral Storytelling Project)

In this episode, listeners will hear from the Co-Director of the Asian Pacific Environmental Network, Vivian Huang, and the Ryse Commons Director of Innovation, Dan Reilly.

The Asian Pacific Environmental Network (APEN) in Oakland, CA, builds resilient communities that promptly recover from flooding, air pollution, and heatwaves. The work that APEN is completing will create communities that can adapt to new climate situations and prepare for an unpredictable climate future. APEN identified sites for solar installation in Oakland and Richmond to develop community solar resilience hubs and increase the amount of renewable energy generated for use. Increasing renewable energy will decrease the risk of electricity shutoffs, reduce utility bills, and decrease the greenhouse gases released for electricity generation. The Richmond site is in partnership with RYSE, and the Oakland site with Asian Health Services and Lincoln Elementary School. APEN is empowering local youth to design the community facilities to sustainably meet the needs of residents before, during, and after climate impacts. These resilience hubs will create more resilient communities with renewable energy added to the grid and build climate resilience, emergency preparedness, and social resilience.