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Webinar Recap and A Summer Energy Saving Tip

Picture of Brittney Gutierrez

Brittney Gutierrez

Climate and Energy Technician

Rural Energy Solutions: Part 2 Webinar Recap

Thank you to everyone who attended the Rural Energy Solutions: Part 2 webinar on August 9th! SNEW partnered with Sierra Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Partnership (Sierra CAMP) once again to host a panel discussion with leading experts on resilience through renewable energy and electrification for buildings and vehicles. Participants learned from: 

  • Lou Jacobson, building electrification expert at Willdan, 
  • Anderson Barkow, microgrids expert and co-founder of BoxPower, and 
  • John Friedrich, electric vehicle expert at Momentum. 


Panelists discussed barriers and solutions to bringing projects to the Sierra Nevada region and provided real-world examples of clean energy solutions. If you would like to connect with any of our panelists or have any follow-up questions from the webinar, please email snew@sierrabusiness.org. 

If you were unable to attend the webinar, you can watch the recording below. 

Summer Energy Saving Tip

A recent report conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) found that energy-efficient buildings can improve indoor comfortability and habitability by approximately 120% in extreme heat. The report also found that improving energy efficiency performance in buildings prevents deaths and keeps occupants safer during extreme weather events. 

A great way to improve energy efficiency performance in your building is to update outdated windows, as they are responsible for 20-30% of heat gain or loss. If your windows are in good condition, taking steps to improve their efficiency may be the most cost-effective option.

There are several things you can do to improve the efficiency of your existing windows:

  • Check for air leaks. The DOE’s Detecting Air Leaks page is a great resource.
  • Caulk and weatherstrip. Check out the DOE’s Do-It-Yourself guide to learn how to weatherstrip double-hung windows.
  • Add energy efficient window coverings, such as blinds or shades. 
  • Add solar control film to reduce heat gain, block out ultraviolet rays, and reduce glare. Check out Lowe’s Step-by-Step guide on how to install solar film.
  • Add exterior shading, such as awnings, exterior blinds, or overhangs.

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2026 Legislative Session: What It Means for Wildfire & Climate Resilience

September 22, 2026 No Comments

California’s 2026-27 legislative session wrapped up September 1 after a turbulent final week of negotiations over wildfire policy, funding, and the state budget. While a last-minute proposal on wildfire liability ultimately stalled, the Legislature did restore and increase funding for climate resilience through Proposition 4 and the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF)—a meaningful outcome for Sierra communities amid a challenging state budget year.

The final plan includes $329.5 million for wildfire and forest resilience through Prop 4 and $118 million for wildfire prevention through GGRF. While these investments are an improvement over the June budget, wildfire resilience funding remains near historic lows, with no clear plan for sustained investment in future years.

Read more about the final budget, Prop 4 and GGRF allocations, and what’s next for wildfire and climate resilience in the Sierra.