Happy Earth Day! Today allows us to reflect on our planet and hopefully inspires us to change our ways for the sake of the environment.

As many of you know, I've been working for years on ways to cut California's emissions to fight global warming. This year, I'm spearheading AB 33, making low interest loans available to schools and public agencies so they can invest in new energy technologies. This enables them to install electric vehicle charging stations as they transition to greener fleets and establish ways to store renewable energy, which allows them to stay open during power outages.

I've also added plastic waste reduction to my environmental efforts. My bill, AB 478, would require plastic food packaging, such as the clamshells that berries often come in, to include recycled materials. Thanks to legislation I successfully championed last year, plastic beverage bottles will similarly contain recycled plastics. There's no need for companies to keep making new plastic every time they need it. Expanding the market for used plastics reduces overall plastic production and litter.

And finally, I'm tackling "forever chemicals," known as polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) and are often used to prevent grease and other liquids from soaking through food packaging. My bill, AB 1200, removes them, preventing us from ingesting PFAS, which has been linked to health problems, such as cancer and reproductive issues. PFAS are bad for the environment as well. When food wrappers are composted, these harmful chemicals can leach into the soil and be absorbed by our crops.

I hope you join me making sure our planet is healthy and sustainable for our children to enjoy. Every bit helps.

Sincerely,