YOUTH DRIVEN DATA AND INSIGHTS

In July 2009, the Oakland City Council approved a preliminary greenhouse gas reduction target for the year 2020 to be 36% lower than 2005 emission levels. 56% of Oakland’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from building energy use. 38% of emissions comes from transportation of local roads, and 6% comes from landfill waste. Most Restaurant waste comes from organics such as food, amounting to 68%.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Renewable Energy and Efficiency:

- Place solar panels around Jack London (on the movie theater, fire station, ferry building, ferry boats, and restaurants)
- Provide tax breaks for businesses that use solar panels
- Use all excess energy from the solar panels to power homeless shelters around Jack London
- Using LED lights instead of CFL lights will reduce costs since they will not need to be changed annually and they have very high energy efficiency
- Solar panels on stadium lights would keep more carbon from being released into the atmosphere
- Insulating buildings in Jack London Square would reduce the costs of heating and cooling by about 20%

Waste Management:

- Increasing composting and recycling bins in Jack London and the stadiums to manage waste
- Using composting toilets that compost waste and turn it into fertilizer
- Producing electricity with local methane

Transportation:

- Making biking around the city possible by improving bike shares, installing safer bike racks, and improving bike lanes
- Make a change to hybrid or electric buses
- Increase the tax on fuel
- Decrease parking to encourage people to take public transportation instead
- Get kids there with no bus fare! Make public transportation 9AC Transit and BART) free for low income students in OUSD
- Using the space in stadium parking for farmers’ markets will bring health organic food to low income communities in Oakland 

The students considered the following sub-questions: How can the community help us measure the impact of sea level rise in Oakland? What are the measures that the community could provide? How can we increase community involvement in data collection and engagement?

YOUTH DRIVEN DATA AND INSIGHTS

Sea level is to rise 1-2 meters by 2100. Students contacted business owners in Jack London Square to talk about sea level rise, only 11 out of 15 wanted to learn more, the other 4 were uninterested or did not belief it would happen. With the help of Neighborhood Watch students conducted a survey of the East Oakland and Iveywood areas about sea level rise. Only 13 out of 36 homeowners knew about the problem, 9 of them had children. Out of those surveyed 11 homeowners thought it was too late to do something about sea level rise. Using an Instagram page to survey people proved to be more efficient than hanging fliers in neighborhoods. Out of the 30 surveyed on Instagram 11 homeowners knew what sea level rise was.

RECOMMENDATIONS

 Looking Forward – City of Oakland

- Spread awareness/notify the community of the rising sea level
- Require regulations for new or rehabilitated housing
- Collaborate with people like insurance companies, businesses, NCPC
- Policy enforcement

Looking Forward – The Students

- Spread awareness about sea level rise on social media
- Talk to their parents/ guardians about joining community events regarding SLR
- Advocate for Climate Change curriculum

YOUTH DRIVEN DATA AND INSIGHTS

- New benches would cost around $300 a bench, to get 15 new benches with seating for 5-7 people it would cost a total of $4,500.

- The cost of a mural is around $10 -$20 per square foot. One would also have to put into account the artist and the compensation that comes with experience.

- 40 new light posts around the station would cost $160,000 at $4,000 each.

- Community protectors in the BART stations would cost around $2,500 a week.

RECOMMENDATIONS

 Together we have come up with several short and long term recommendations that will make BART a more attractive way to travel. Our recommendations range from enhanced connectivity to technology to the development of affordable housing and community-serving retail. While these recommendations are centered around the youth experience, they will make the BART experience better for all users.

SHORT TERM (1-6 Months)

- Comfortable seating like the bench in front of the Fremont BART station would honor the community and provide a welcoming place for passengers to wait to be picked up after their trip
- Charging stations for electronics would allow for emergency calling when devices are on low battery. They would also encourage youth to ride BART
- Murals in the station would make the stations look livelier rather than bland, they would create an environment where riders look forward to seeing the art in their commute. The murals can be painted by community members and youth that can be recruited through a social media contest

LONG TERM (1-3 Years)

- A recreation center with studio space would encourage youth to ride BART and stay healthy and practice their art safely
- WiFi throughout the station to increase connectivity
- The construction of a retail center near the BART station would also boost weekend ridership
- To increase safety in the stations, BART can invest in more lighting that is sustainable and uses LED strips rather than a traditional light bulb. The lights can also change colors making the station more inviting
- To increase the Eyes and Ears on the Street BART can hire community protectors who are members of the Oakland community trained in nonviolent conflict mediation and who are unarmed and unaffiliated with the police force.
- To increase ridership BART should upgrade their App so it looks better and is more comprehensive. There should also be a collaboration between BART and car sharing services so the car arrives when the passenger gets off BART

NEXT STEPS AND SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY

BART officials are working on developing an internship program for high school students so they could work on making some of their recommendations into a reality.

YOUTH DRIVEN DATA AND INSIGHTS

We surveyed 166 of our peers and found that only 14.5% of them rode BART on a regular basis with 72 students out of the 166 saying that they don’t use BART.

RECOMMENDATIONS

 Together we have come up with several short and long term recommendations that will make BART a more attractive way to travel. Our recommendations range from enhanced connectivity to technology to the development of affordable housing and community-serving retail. While these recommendations are centered around the youth experience, they will make the BART experience better for all users.

SHORT TERM (1-6 Months)

Sustainable Technology

- Solar powered charging stations and WiFi hotspots throughout the BART station to keep youth and riders connected and increase safety

- Digital Boards in the station waiting areas that display local youth art, advertisements and BART train departure times and announcements would modernize the stations and connect riders to the community around them as well as make revenue through the advertisements.

- Better, more efficient lighting throughout the station would increase safety

- New ticket dispensing machines that allow riders to input the exact amount of money they need on their ticket and that dispenses change in bills rather than handfuls of quarters would increase rider experience

Comfortability in the stations

- Waiting areas for riders to wait for their trains with much more comfortable seating to reduce the stress of commuting

- Cleaner bathrooms and cleaner stations would make riders feel welcomed and appreciated by BART

- Beautifying the stations by including live art canvases and the digital boards can encourage riders to disconnect for a moment and relax by looking at art or participating in the live art canvases

- Employee break rooms with enough space to sit, warm up and eat some food would make for a more pleasant experience not only for the riders but for the workers as well 

- A bike-share program with BART and the surrounding community would reduce the need for cars and would encourage youth to ride BART and be more active

- Turning parking spaces into parklets with play structures for kids can increase child safety by keeping them from running into incoming cars. Parklets would also make parents more inclined to travel with their children on BART rather than car

- Heat lamps near seating in outdoor stations will keep riders warm as they wait for their train in rainy and cold weather

LONG TERM (1-3 Years)

- Parks with sports fields and picnic areas next to the BART stations will increase weekend ridership by making recreation BART-able

- Local businesses that offer other forms of recreation like an arcade, bowling, a pool hall, virtual gold, or virtual reality would increase youth ridership

- Having a space where a Farmers Market and events like Off the Grid would not only encourage people to use BART, it would bring nutritious food to communities who wouldn’t otherwise have access

- Ensuring there is ample affordable housing in the developments BART is planning on their stations would keep Oakland’s youth in Oakland and reducing the dependence on cars as well as making BART accessible to low income communities.

- An Oakland sign in the hills, similar to the Hollywood sign, would increase tourism in Oakland. The sign would also increase ridership, something BART needs more of now that sports teams are leaving Oakland

NEXT STEPS AND SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY

BART officials are working on developing an internship program for high school students so they could work on making some of their recommendations into a reality. 

YOUTH DRIVEN DATA AND INSIGHTS

Rooftop gardens: It costs 25-30% more to install a green roof than to install a traditional roof.

On average, bioswales cost about $16.95 per square foot to install.

Parklets range considerably in cost, starting at $5,000 all the way up to $25,000, depending on architecture and additional fees.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to promote livability, health, and sustainability in Downtown Oakland, we recommend that the city invest resources into short-term and long-term resilient infrastructure and systems.  

LONG-TERM (1-3 Years)

Permeable Pavers: Interlocking concrete paving blocks, porous concrete, or gravel paving that allows for rainwater to absorb into the ground, maintain groundwater systems, and effectively filter pollutants from the water.

Rooftop Gardens: Green roofs moderate daily temperatures in cities, improve air quality, and manage storm water.

Bioswales: These storm water runoff conveyance systems provide green alternatives to storm sewers. Bioswales reduce heat and filter water before it goes back into the ground.

Parklets: A parklet is a public extension of a sidewalk that is installed over the location of a traditional parking space. They offer places to sit and relax in the city and, if planted, provide fresh air and cooler temperatures.

Recycled Water: Using recycled water to hydrate plants and for other non-consumable water uses in the City to promote water reuse, especially in times of drought.

NEXT STEPS AND SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY:

Students participated in a college panel with Y-PLAN mentors to learn more about college life, choosing a major related to sustainability, and finding internships.

We look forward to receiving a response to comment on each of our proposals from the City of Oakland’s Planning and Building Department.

YOUTH DRIVEN DATA AND INSIGHTS

44.4% of people in the survey said it took them 20-30 minutes to get to their grocery store.
Smartphone charging releases 6.4 megatons of greenhouse gases per year.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses reduce CO­2 emissions by 30%.
Smart Thermostats in residences saves about $100 per household per year while saving about 813 lbs. of CO2 emissions annually.

RECOMMENDATIONS

In order to promote sustainability in Downtown Oakland, we recommend that the city invest resources into short-term and long-term alternative energy infrastructures and carbon-free events. It is important that Oakland meets and exceeds the Climate Action Plan target for 2020 and looks to future GHG reduction.

SHORT-TERM (1-6 Months)

Pedestrian Boulevards: Building a strong sense of community in a car-free environment—returning the use of the streets to people.
Solar Charging Stations: Solar powered charging stations in the downtown area near businesses and recreation areas allowing visitors and residents alike to charge their electronic devices.
Three Bin Waste: Require compost, recycling, and trash separated bins at fast food restaurants to reduce landfills.

LONG-TERM (1-3 Years)

Tidal Power: A renewable and efficient hydropower technology that generates electricity from the tides in the Bay.
Edible Gardens: Making healthy food cheap, affordable, and accessible to Downtown Oakland residents so they don’t have to travel as far by car or bus to get groceries.
Pneumatic Waste Systems for Restaurants: A series of underground waste collection tubes that take waste directly from restaurants to compost, recycling, or waste centers.
Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses: By switching over AC Transit’s entire fleet of buses to Hydrogen Fuel Cell burning, GHGs will be significantly reduced.
Solar Electric Bike Share: Combining two sustainable technologies – bike share to reduce car usage and solar charging stations to further the use of green energy in Downtown.
Sensor Controlled LED Streetlamps: This intelligent street lighting system plus LED bulbs is said to reduce CO2 and GHG emissions by 80%.
Smart Thermostats: Reduce about 10% off heating and 15% off cooling costs for an average residence, saving in annual CO2 emissions.
White Roofs: White roofs on office and residential buildings reflects off heat that is usually absorbed by dark roofs, thus promoting cooler temperatures within buildings and reducing reliance on air conditioning systems.

NEXT STEPS AND SHARED ACCOUNTABILITY:

We reflected on why we produced such high quality work, and we agreed it was because of the real-world application of this project. We were inspired to make our city better.
We look forward to receiving a response to comment on each of our proposals from the City of Oakland’s Planning and Building Department.

Our students collectively have about 45 strong ideas that would make for an inviting, youth-friendly and equitable Downtown Oakland. The bulk of their recommendations, however focus on gentrification prevention and providing safe spaces for youth.

SHORT-TERM (1-6 Months)

• - Increased numbers of trash cans on the street with attractive and fun details
• - Light up crosswalks to help people cross the street
• - Increase numbers of creative seating for little kids, teens and the elderly
• - Build parklets on vacant lots and in other underused spaces 

LONG-TERM (1-3 Years)

• - Mandate liquor stores to sell more affordable and healthy food options
• - Public youth centers with academic support services, mentoring, art/music studios, athletic gyms, with affordable/healthy food provided
• - More homeless shelters and therapy support for the homeless
• - A significant amount of affordable housing for people earning minimum wage
• - A Black Panther Monument to commemorate their activism in Oakland and beyond
• - Installment of gender neutral bathrooms in public places
• - A shopping mall with stores of local designers

In order to attract more youth to Downtown Oakland we recommend that the city invest resources into creating affordable, healthy spaces for youth to be in.  We also recommend that the city think critically about how people are being displaced due to the huge increase in rent and stagnant income.

LONG-TERM (1-3 Years)

• - Public gardens; Costs: space and labor needed.
• - Youth Center;  Costs: space and services provided.
• - Affordable housing;  Costs:  Not as desirable for investors.
• - More retail;  Costs:  space; operation costs; big business may take away from local business
• - Mixed use buildings; Costs:  space, many policies need to be approved
• - Social services; Costs:  may need to redirect tax money to make better use of pre-existing agencies.

In Fall 2014, students from MetWest High School in Oakland worked with AC Transit, on its Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) to improve their service to better serve riders in the Bay Area. Advisory students from MetWest's junior class researched solutions to improve bus service for their client, AC Transit transportation planner, Stephen Newhouse. During the semester, students conducted action research including site visits, surveys and interviews to collect community input on how to improve service without increasing costs. Students collected over 200 surveys and found that riders were most concerned about the frequency of buses, and safety. The students recommended removing certain bus stops, splitting bus routes, consolidating routes to increase frequency, and adding shelters and benches, and installing cameras to improve safety. Transportation planners used their findings to inform the first phase of the COA.

 In October 2010, the City of Oakland was awarded a TIGER II Planning Grant Program through the US Department of Transportation and US Department of Housing and Urban Development to coordinate a planning effort for two redevelopment areas, including West Oakland. The purpose of the West Oakland Specific Plan is to develop innovative strategies to revitalize select vacant and underutilized commercial and industrial sites in West Oakland. The plan will focus on leveraging West Oakland’s assets, and supporting and attracting commercial and light-industrial enterprises to provide jobs and services for West Oakland residents and the larger community. In addition, a key element of the plan is reclaiming the identity of West Oakland through guarding and place-making of gateways and corridors into the neighborhood. City of Oakland recognizes that student voice is critical to activating and stewarding the West Oakland Specific Plan, and this fall, looked to students at McClymonds High School to be the voice to inform what these welcome points to West Oakland will look like. Students worked with UC Berkeley student mentors, city planners and community leaders to map assets, challenges, interview residents, and create evidence-based solutions for change. Students presented their proposals to a panel of civic leaders and community stakeholders who will take student’s insight into consideration in implementing the West Oakland Specific Plan. 

In Fall 2014, students from MetWest High School in Oakland worked with AC Transit, on its  Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) to improve their service to better serve riders in the Bay Area. Advisory students from MetWest’s junior class researched solutions to improve bus service for their client, AC Transit transportation planner, Stephen Newhouse. During the semester, students conducted action research including site visits, surveys and interviews to collect community input on how to improve service without increasing costs. Students collected over 200 surveys and found that riders were most concerned about the frequency of buses, and safety. The students recommended removing certain bus stops, splitting bus routes, consolidating routes to increase frequency, and adding shelters and benches, and installing cameras to improve safety. Transportation planners used their findings to inform the first phase of the COA.

This spring, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and The City of Oakland have engaged 10th and 12th grade students from the Skyline High School Green Academy as co-researchers to generate data-driven proposals to increase sustainability of International Boulevard in the Fruitvale Area. Students have worked with planners and scientists to review the Oakland Environmental Climate Action Plan, and gather current climate emission data using the GLOBE CAP scientific protocols, including aerosol emissions and temperature monitoring. Students have developed creative solutions focusing on different themes such as alternative energy, waste management, and transportation to improve the environmental, social, and economic health of Fruitvale. 

More than three dozen educators, students, civic clients, and community partners from around the world collaborated in this Y-PLAN “Mini” during the 2015 Y-PLAN Global Conference. After Mr. Hamilton introduced the project, teams engaged in community mapping of the site, conducted informal surveys, analyzed their data, participated in brainstorming charrettes, created visual displays, and planned their pitches. The afternoon culminated at City Hall, where teams presented their visions for a sustainable, child and family friendly plaza to Mr. Hamilton. Teams of global Y-PLAN participants envisioned a greater youth friendly plaza with enhanced recreational, cultural, and art installations.