>> African Americans are disproportionately affected by climate change (PDF to executive summary), says a new report from the Environmental Justice and Climate Change Initiative and Redefining Progress. Earlier: Communities for a Better Environnment.

>> The California Public Utilities Commission approved new energy efficiency goals through 2020 for the state’s investor owned utilities. Expected effect: “The energy efficiency targets will have the practical, on-the-ground effect of avoiding the need to build nine giant power plants and reducing pollution equivalent to the emissions produced by 2.8 million cars by 2020. NRDC estimates these electricity and natural gas savings will bolster the state’s economy by providing at least $7 billion in net benefits through 2020 from energy bill savings and the avoided costs of building new infrastructure.”

>> Cause: Frequent fires. Effect: Changes in SoCal ecology. “The chaparral and coastal sage don’t have time to regrow before the next inferno. Hillsides turn into ugly outposts of invasive weeds.”

>> How a commercial composting system works. Jennifer Boynton visits the Jepson Prairie Organics facility in Vacaville, Calif.

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