The letter below expresses the desire of parents, grandparents, and guardians, whose children attend Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD), and support the passage of a 100% Clean Energy Resolution at the district.

All parents and guardians of a student at LBUSD are welcome to add their name at the bottom. There is also space at the bottom for all to share personal experiences with these issues, which will be provided to district leadership to read and consider (anonymously, if preferred).

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Dear LBUSD School Board Members,


In 2018, the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that we must transition off of fossil fuels in the next 12-years to prevent catastrophic climate change all over the world. As leading figures of the Long Beach Community, we believe that the LBUSD Board of Education plays an important role in advocating for climate justice and teaching students the importance of taking climate action.

As LBUSD parents, we want to see LBUSD achieve 100 percent clean, renewable energy in its electricity sector by 2030, and in all energy sectors, including heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), cooking, and transportation, by 2040.

We recognize that clean energy improves student health and academic performance. Student achievement can be compromised by health effects from poor ventilation, uncomfortable temperatures, inadequate lighting, mold, and noise, which puts students who already struggle in school at a particular disadvantage. Clean energy solutions — such as efficiency and heating and cooling upgrades — can simultaneously address these challenges, creating significantly better conditions for student health and learning. These upgrades can also reduce school days missed due to asthma, which causes more than 13 million school absences per year and disproportionately impacts low-income youth and children of color.

As technology improves and renewable energy becomes cheaper and more readily available, traditional non-renewable energy is growing in cost. This means that 100% clean energy would allow the school district to save money that can be reinvested in underserved students & classrooms.

Clean energy also has the opportunity to expand educational opportunities for our students. On-campus clean energy projects provide exciting real-world, project-based learning opportunities for classes in science, technology, engineering, and math. Engaged schools inspire broader community awareness of clean energy solutions, and can be integrated into workforce development programs to help our children feel prepared for future careers.

Understanding that climate change poses an immediate threat to our lives and futures as well as those of our children, we urge LBUSD to accept a 100% renewable energy plan.

Respectfully signed,

Leah Odette
Sunny Scarlett
Andrea Ganz
Heather Medure
Laura Kovary
Lee Tham
Thuy Bui
Mirena Rada
Mini Palmer
Jeremy Heis
John Lynch
Veronica Guevara
James cooperider
Sonya Andrew
Candace Lawrence
Natalie Hernandez
Valerie Macy-Hurley
Patrick Gillogly
Jeneva Snyder
Jonathan Weinman
Mary Sadonsky
Devon Trunnelle
Stephannie Reizuch
Jennifer Ritz
Craig Sauer
Ann Cantrell, grandmother
Kevin Brown
Dwayne Rogers
Sy Nguyen
Amy Higuchi
Juan Ovalle
Amy Sharman
Brian Peterson
Jennifer Larsen
Matthew Odette
Rebecca Matulic
Jamie McDonald
Carlos Ovalle, Architect, CD7 Candidate
Jason Manack
Ambyr Hardy
Kimberly Lind
Kelly Dwyer
Rev. William Moses Summerville
Maria Guillen
Ron Smith
Maria L Cisneros
Michelle Lynch
Nicole Davis
Shelly Walther
Karin Kim
Rosa Alvarez
Cristina Klenz
Sean McCauley
Norman Cauntay
Robin Giesen
Renee Cauntay
Hiro Zeoli
Darcy Fudge
Ryan Macy-Hurley
Blair Stanford
Leah McCauley
Kathryn Tinsley
R.J. Guess
Cari Teran
Somaly Rawles
Madeline Barger
Deborah Curlee
Rotanak Manetta
Julia Solano
Robin
Maxim Ishutin
Jalal Torabzadeh
Dat Dao
Maria Robinson
Jean Buchanan
Robin Perry
Janine Solano
Holly Torpey
Julianna Robbins
M. Laura Granados
Elizabeth Lambe
Darianna Rosas Cuevas
Kerry Morrigan
Anna Stanford
Lotta Rossander
Janet Watt
Al Shaheen
Martha McLellan
Victoria Aguilar
Jeff Montooth
Valentina Ishutina
Edward Ishutin