Climate action is thriving at state and local levels, despite federal roadblocks. We’ve added three new local initiatives to our Toolbox – explore the full articles and information sources by clicking on the summary titles below.
Congestion pricing reduces city traffic, emissions and pollution
Traffic jams aren’t just annoying — they cost the U.S. economy an estimated $74 billion in lost time this year alone. Beyond wasted hours, stop-and-go traffic pumps out more pollution, hitting low-income neighborhoods near busy roads the hardest.
Enter congestion pricing: a smart solution that charges drivers to enter crowded city zones during peak times, encouraging more walking, biking, transit use, or off-peak travel. Cities worldwide have seen success — London, Singapore, Milan and Stockholm cut pollution by up to 20% with congestion fees.
New York City started charging $9 to enter Manhattan’s core in early 2025. In 100 days, 6 million fewer cars entered, traffic speeds rose 15%, transit use increased, and local businesses welcomed 1.5 million more visitors. Other cities like Los Angeles and Boston are considering similar programs.
Electric trucks are cleaning up our ports and our air
Heavy-duty trucks make up just 7% of vehicles in California but produce 33% of nitrogen oxide and 20% of transportation greenhouse gases. These diesel trucks, especially those moving goods short distances at ports (called drayage trucks), cause serious pollution that harms nearby low-income communities.
Now, cities are acting. Oakland is deploying 30 hydrogen trucks. Long Beach is building a massive EV charging hub. Seattle offers rebates up to $180K per truck. California’s goal: 100% zero-emission drayage trucks by 2035. Virginia offers $200K to swap diesel for electric.
The shift to electric drayage trucks means cleaner air for communities exposed to 28% more nitrogen dioxide pollution than wealthier areas — and a big step against climate change.
Virtual Power Plants: local solutions for a smarter grid
As electricity demand rises — thanks to electric cars, new factories and massive data centers — so do energy costs, especially during peak hours when the grid is under the most strain. Building more power plants just to meet a few hours of peak demand each year is expensive and inefficient.
That’s where Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) come in. VPPs use smart technology to link together things like home batteries, electric vehicles, rooftop solar panels and smart appliances. They can reduce energy use during high-demand times — or even supply energy back to the grid — helping to keep the lights on and the costs down for everyone.
Not only do customers who participate in VPPs earn incentives, but all ratepayers benefit because VPPs reduce the need for expensive backup power plants. They also help lower carbon emissions: by 2035, VPPs could cut U.S. power sector emissions by 2% to 4%.
States and cities are stepping up: Massachusetts’ ConnectedSolutions VPP serves 100,000 customers and can cut up to 250 MW from peak demand; California and Maryland are requiring utilities to develop VPP programs; and local efforts in San Diego, Richmond, CA, and North Carolina are delivering no-cost solar and smart energy tech to underserved communities.