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Walking, running, biking, skateboarding, traveling by scooter, and other human-powered modes of transportation. It can also include low-speed electrical devices,…Read more
October 23, 2025
The effort to adjust systems, behaviors, infrastructure, and institutions in response to climate change to lessen future impacts.
Housing that costs no more than 30 percent of a household’s monthly income. Most affordable housing developments are intended for…Read more
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A process by which organic matter, such as food waste or sewage, is broken down in the absence of oxygen…Read more
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The practice of breeding, raising, and harvesting aquatic organisms, such as fish, shellfish, and seaweed, in controlled environments.
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Affordable housing properties that are nearing the end of their affordability restrictions and/or subsidies and may convert to market rate…Read more
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The repurposing of material waste for new uses, instead of sending it to a landfill, in a way that is…Read more
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The variety and variability of flora, fauna, and ecosystems. Biodiversity can be observed on macro levels, micro levels, and in…Read more
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Areas across the globe that are biologically rich and threatened by development, urbanization, pollution, and disease. There are 36 total…Read more
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The process of reducing and ultimately eliminating greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings. Operationally, the building is energy efficient and…Read more
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A greenhouse gas made up of one carbon atom and two oxygen atoms that is released primarily through the burning…Read more
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A system or jurisdiction that has net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Strategies to achieve carbon neutrality include renewable energy supply,…Read more
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Contributing fewer carbon emissions compared with a conventional process while still providing the same service. A building, machine, or process…Read more
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An economic system aimed at eliminating waste and keeping resources in use for as long as possible. It emphasizes designing…Read more
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An analysis of the extent to which a species, habitat, ecosystem or community is susceptible to harm from climate change…Read more
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The CERT program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may impact their area and trains them in…Read more
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Community-controlled nonprofits that purchase vacant land or existing property, construct housing, and sell or rent these housing units to low-…Read more
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Community-controlled nonprofits that purchase vacant land or existing property, construct housing, and sell or rent these housing units to low-…Read more
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An approach to research that mobilizes volunteers to work alongside scientists to help answer questions about the world. The City…Read more
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A neighborhood that features necessary resources, such as grocery stores, banks, childcare, and medical services, all within a small geographic…Read more
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The product, rich in nutrients, resulting from the decomposition of organic material. Material used to make compost includes landscape trimmings,…Read more
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Census tracts characterized by high levels of socioeconomic hardship, as defined by a Los Angeles County analysis. The designation is…Read more
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A transportation demand management strategy to reduce peak-period vehicle traffic, often in urban centers. Congestion pricing involves charging road users…Read more
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High albedo, or reflective, and pervious surfaces that reflect more light and trap less heat than conventional surfaces. These surfaces…Read more
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Major changes to the structure or systems of an existing building for the purpose of achieving significant reductions in energy…Read more
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Removing paved areas, such as asphalt and concrete, and replacing them with soil and growing space for trees and plants.
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Construction of new buildings that substantially changes the intensity of the use of land. This general definition is distinct from…Read more
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Communities that suffer most from a combination of economic, health and environmental burdens as defined by the California Office of…Read more
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The process that occurs when the increasing property values brought about through gentrification drive out existing residents and business operators…Read more
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Decentralized sources of energy that are smaller than utility-scale energy sources and can be aggregated to provide the power necessary…Read more
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Scooters with an electric motor that assist with user mobility. See also micromobility.
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The potential of someone to realize economic success. Similar to economic mobility, economic opportunity can be influenced by many factors,…Read more
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The natural processes—biological, chemical, or physical—that take place within an ecosystem. Ecosystem functions include decomposition, production of plant matter, and…Read more
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An umbrella term for various vehicle types that use electricity as their primary fuel source for propulsion or as a…Read more
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The use of less energy to provide the same service. A process, building, machine, or other energy consuming object is…Read more
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A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy program that promotes energy efficiency and provides information to consumers…Read more
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A no-cost, interactive energy management tool offered by ENERGY STAR® that allows building owners and operators to track and assess…Read more
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A measure of a building’s energy performance compared with similar buildings nationwide. A score of 50 represents median energy performance,…Read more
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Technologies that collect generated energy so it may be used at another time. Energy storage includes electric systems, such as…Read more
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The amount of energy consumed by a building over a period of time and normalized by another factor, such as…Read more
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Defined by California state law as “the fair treatment of people of all races, cultures and incomes with respect to…Read more
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A philosophy to minimize societal harms and maximize benefits in the development, design, and application of artificial intelligence systems.
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The responsibility of the producer or manufacturer of a product for end-of-life management. This level of responsibility encourages producers and…Read more
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Areas identified by CAL FIRE that have a high probability of fire hazards. These zones are determined based on factors…Read more
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An area of low-lying land near a stream or river subject to flooding during periods of high flow, such as…Read more
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The collection of plant and animal species, respectively, in a certain geographic location.
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Hydrocarbon fuels formed over millions of years by natural processes, such as the anaerobic decomposition of organic matter. Typical fossil…Read more
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A type of electric vehicle that generates electricity through a chemical reaction between hydrogen and oxygen, with water vapor as…Read more
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Wastewater generated in homes and offices, sourced from baths, sinks, washing machines, or kitchen appliances. Graywater may contain amounts of…Read more
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October 24, 2025
An economy powered by renewable energy sources, where net economic production minimizes waste and hazardous byproducts and ecological restoration is…Read more
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October 23, 2025
A process in which cleaning polluted areas or providing environmentally beneficial amenities increases local property values and causes displacement of…Read more
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October 24, 2025
The transportation of goods in a sustainable fashion using alternative fuels and freight and shipping innovations.
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A method for naturally managing rain and storm waters. Green infrastructure reduces and treats stormwater runoff while also improving the…Read more
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A policy for procuring goods and services that are more environmentally friendly and cause minimal damage to the environment, compared…Read more
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Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere by absorbing and emitting solar radiation within the atmosphere, causing a greenhouse effect…Read more
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The degree to which patches of land used as habitat by local plants and animals are connected to one another.…Read more
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Natural areas that connect patches of habitat to one another so that local species can travel between otherwise isolated patches…Read more
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A measurable increase in ambient urban air temperatures resulting primarily from the replacement of vegetation with buildings, roads, and other…Read more
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Solid surfaces, such as paved roads and parking lots, that do not allow water to penetrate into the ground below.
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A planning ordinance that requires a given share of new residential construction to be affordable to people with low to…Read more
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The development of new residential units on vacant or underused parcels of land within existing urban areas.
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An approach to material production and consumption that evaluates all stages of a material’s life, including production, use, and disposal.
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Utility pricing structure in which low-income households are charged lower rates on nondiscretionary water and/or electricity consumption and higher rates…Read more
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Streets that combine elements of bicycle and pedestrian accessibility with landscaping and green infrastructure to lower temperatures and provide ecological…Read more
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A designated area of land used to separate or mitigate the impacts between different land uses, typically between industrial or…Read more
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Different groups of people or populations of a given culture, context, and history at risk of being subjected to multiple…Read more
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Thresholds for drinking water systems set by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the Safe Drinking Water Act and…Read more
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The measure that introduces an annual one-and-a-half-cent parcel tax per square foot of building floor area on taxable real property…Read more
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A gas made up of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. Methane is the main component of natural gas,…Read more
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An electrical distribution network that is connected to two or more buildings in a local area that can enter into…Read more
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Transportation options that include personal vehicles meant to carry one or two passengers such as bicycles, small electric cars, or…Read more
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A range of multiunit or clustered housing types, such as duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes, town-homes, and courtyard apartments, that fall between…Read more
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The transition from one form of transportation to another, typically from higher-emission modes like single-occupancy vehicles to more sustainable options…Read more
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Designated census tracts where tax incentives are offered for investment. These zones provide a tax incentive for investors to reinvest…Read more
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Biodegradable waste containing materials from living organisms. Organic waste may include food waste, green waste, landscaping and pruning waste, nonhazardous…Read more
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A combination of solid and liquid droplets found in the air. Particulate matter can include dust, dirt, soot, or smoke.…Read more
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A type of electric vehicle that combines a traditional internal combustion engine with an electric motor and a rechargeable battery.
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A collaborative arrangement between public agencies and private-sector entities to design, finance, build, operate, or maintain public assets and services.…Read more
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A local ordinance that requires projects to exceed minimum energy, water, or other sustainability requirements established in applicable building codes.…Read more
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Processes that divert waste from landfills by extracting value from materials through recycling, composting, and energy generation. It includes both…Read more
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Processing used materials into new products, diverting them from landfills, and conserving natural resources. Recycling helps reduce the need for…Read more
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Water that has been consumed and then reclaimed with additional treatment to be reused for potable and nonpotable processes, like…Read more
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A government-sponsored practice that exacerbated inequality by prioritizing home loans in desirable areas for White homeowners, driving away low-income people…Read more
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To minimize the amount of waste generated in the first place. This involves choosing products with less packaging, avoiding single-use…Read more
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A set of holistic land management and agriculture practices that reverses the effects of climate change through rebuilding soil organic…Read more
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State housing law requires the California Department of Housing and Community Development to determine the total number of new homes…Read more
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Energy that comes from resources that are naturally replenished on a human timescale, such as sunlight, wind, tides, waves, bioenergy,…Read more
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The capacity to survive, adapt, and thrive in the face of chronic stresses and acute shocks and to even transform…Read more
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The process of improving the efficiency of existing building systems and equipment by ensuring that the equipment is operating appropriately…Read more
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To extend the life of products and materials by using them again instead of discarding them. This can include repairing…Read more
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An effort to reduce the parking footprint and ensure that parking lots and other infrastructure are not oversized for the…Read more
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A countywide measure approved by a majority of voters in the November 2018 election. Measure W is funded by a…Read more
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Land uses that are occupied by vulnerable populations, such as children, older populations, and populations with chronic illnesses, that are…Read more
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Shocks are sudden, disruptive events that threaten or impact the County’s immediate well-being. These can include earthquakes, wildfires, landslides, public…Read more
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Techniques for prioritizing bus travel in roadways. Signal prioritization aims to improve service reliability and reduce delays for mass transit…Read more
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Officially designated areas within LA County with irreplaceable biological resources. These areas are identified through the SEA Program, intended to…Read more
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Privately operated vehicle that contains only one driver or occupant.
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Digital meters that record energy or water consumption and communicate the information to the supplier for monitoring and billing.
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The practice of minimizing the amount and toxicity of waste generated at its origin before it enters the waste stream.…Read more
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The proper separation of different waste streams for waste collection and treatment, such as properly separating and disposing of paper…Read more
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Individually metering and billing units based on consumption in a traditionally master-metered building (or one where a single meter measures…Read more
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A strategy to manage declining industries, such as the oil and gas industry, and phase them out.
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Emissions concentrations scaled based on a toxicity factor. This means that emissions that are more toxic to human health have…Read more
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The process of converting nonrecyclable waste materials into usable forms of energy (such as electricity, heat, or fuel) through methods…Read more
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A planning strategy that explicitly links land-use and transportation by focusing mixed housing, employment and commercial growth around bus and…Read more
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Strategies to change travel behavior to reduce traffic congestion, increase safety and mobility, and conserve energy and reduce greenhouse gas…Read more
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More than 65 percent of the County (or 2,654 square miles) is unincorporated, meaning that it does not lie within…Read more
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The process of transforming by-products, waste materials, or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality and environmental…Read more
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Agriculture practices in urban areas that take the form of backyard, rooftop, or balcony gardening, community gardening in vacant lots…Read more
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Public landscaping and urban forestry projects that benefit both residents and their environments.
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The unrestricted growth of urban areas into surrounding areas with low-density development and high car dependence.
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A measurement of miles traveled by vehicles within a specified region for a specified time period.
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The commitment to eliminate traffic-related deaths and severe injuries by a certain date.
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The population of LA County including older adults, people with disabilities, children, Native Americans, people of color, and people with…Read more
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A measurement of walkability of a location. The Walk Score considers the walking commute between amenities, road metrics (e.g., block…Read more
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Studies to determine the mix of waste types in the disposed waste of an area by collecting waste data and…Read more
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The process of managing a waste stream such that waste products do not end up in landfills. Waste can be…Read more
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The total amount of waste created within a jurisdiction (or by a business or residence); includes waste that is disposed…Read more
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An area of land that drains all the streams and rainfall to a common outlet, such as the outflow of…Read more
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A holistic approach to water management that is focused on maintaining and treating a contained geography as its own watershed,…Read more
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A zone of transition between unoccupied wildland and urban or suburban development.
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Farms, ranches, forests, and managed natural areas that support economic activity and land-based livelihoods. There areas supply life-sustaining resources including…Read more
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Energy resources that emit no pollutants. This includes all renewable energy sources, as well as non-emitting energy resources such as…Read more
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Vehicles that produce no pollutants in tailpipe emissions. ZEVs may include but are not limited to battery electric or fuel…Read more
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