Dear Members of the City Council:
I hope this note is not too late for your considerataion during today’s meeting.
While your prioritization of housing, library and community services, construction of the community campus, and recruitment of staff are crucial for Menlo Park, I am disappointed that only one specific goal—the SAFER Bay Project—is focused on the climate crisis. We need to have the climate crisis front and center for Menlo Park. Even though we are a small city, we can set an example by showing that this crisis looms over all other human activities. A library is only so useful if residents are choking from wildfire smoke. A community campus can’t be used if we are struggling with temperatures topping 100 degrees. Better housing can only do so much if worse and deadlier pandemics emerge from our unconsidered misuse of wild areas.
Climate experts have described the consequences of climate disasters as “ghastly” if we don’t realize that climate is the overarching, existential threat to life on the planet. Please recognize this so that Menlo Park can lead the way—even in a small way—in helping to mitigate the climate crisis.
Thank you.
Judy Windt
239 Elliott Drive
Menlo Park
