Locals know all too well that September can often be the hottest month – especially in La Mesa and the rest of the eastern reaches of the county.
With that in mind, it’s important for both residents and businesses in La Mesa to do all they can to survive the heat. Not doing so can lead to a number of issues, some of which can include health-related problems.
Recently, La Mesa got some good news in the form of financial assistance from the state of California.
The San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative at the University of San Diego, teaming with UC San Diego, is a recipient of $750,000. La Mesa was one of three cities (along with San Diego and Chula Vista) to receive a piece of the pie and help in the face of increased risk from higher temperatures here and elsewhere.
“The Extreme Heat Action Plan will address the impacts of increasing temperatures in La Mesa’s urban environment and include strategies to keep the city cooler,” La Mesa Environmental Sustainability Manager Hilary Ego said.
“This includes exploring opportunities to promote the use of ‘cool’ pavement using reflective paint, increasing shade structures at public facilities, planting trees, and energy efficiency.
“These will mitigate the urban heat island effect and reduce heat-related illnesses, lower energy consumption and costs, and improve air quality.”
Egp said that the city of La Mesa adopted a Climate Action Plan in 2018, which includes actions the city can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the categories of energy, transportation and land use, solid waste, water, and green infrastructure.
“The CAP was updated in 2024 to reflect the most recent data, policies, programs, and introduced climate change adaptation strategies,” Ego said.
“This includes strategy recommendations for La Mesa to prepare for the impacts of climate change, such as extreme heat, flooding, wildfire, and drought.”
With the calendar now displaying September, locals know some hot days are here for the foreseeable future.
Ego noted there are a number of ways residents can keep cooler before temperatures begin to cool down later in the fall. These include:
Using ceiling or standing fans Checking for air leaks around windows and doors to prevent cool air from escaping and warm air from entering Keeping curtains, blinds and shades closed during the day to block the sun’s rays Setting thermostats to a higher, but still comfortable temperature Minimizing heat-generating activities like cooking on a stovetop or using the clothes dryer Opening windows on cool nights to take advantage of natural ventilation.Residents can also check out a free DIY Energy Saving and Sustainability Toolkit that includes free tools to identify energy savings and items to install, such as weather striping insulation and LED lightbulbs.
For more information and to check out a free toolkit, visit: cityoflamesa.gov/diytoolkit.
Finding a local business to cool off at has many advantages
While you might be focused on things you can do at home to stay cooler, some such practices don’t always give you the full comfort you want.
One option to look at is finding a nearby place of venue that offers, among other amenities, air conditioning.
For example, heading out of the heat and into the air-conditioned La Mesa Branch Library can make your day more enjoyable. It can also lead you to make better food choices in your daily life.
La Mesa Branch Library’s Seed Library is a good place for young and old to learn about improving food choices. (Photo by Sara Nielsen)“La Mesa Library is committed to supporting sustainability and a healthy community in many ways,” said branch manager Cassie Koldewyn.
“We host a Seed Library, so that library users can select from seeds for fruit, vegetable, and water-wise ornamental plants to help support access to fresh food and healthy gardening practices.
“We partner with the Master Gardener Association of San Diego County to host free classes on summer gardening each year. We also have an upcoming event, ‘Cooking Around the World,’ to teach teens healthy cooking recipes for a variety of cuisines on Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m.”
According to Koldewyn, the San Diego County Library has become the first in California to be designated a “Certified Sustainable Library” through the Sustainable Libraries Initiative.
“La Mesa Branch is also certified by the San Diego Green Business Network, which ensures we are practicing good environmental stewardship by utilizing things like LED lighting on timers, recycled paper, and energy efficient and water-saving appliances,” Koldewyn said.
“Importantly, we care for our environment and community by operating as a Cool Zone. We are open seven days a week, during peak heat hours. Everyone is welcome to come in and take advantage of our air-conditioning, free drinking water, public restrooms, and of course, programs and resources.
“This ensures that anyone who might not have access to effective cooling for their own home is safe from dangerous temperatures by coming into the library.
The La Mesa Branch Library Clothing Swap is right around the corner. (Photo by Cassie Koldewyn)“In addition to acting as a Cool Zone, we partner with the City of La Mesa to bring the community programs like the Sustainable Saturday Clothing Swap on Sept. 6,” Koldewyn added. “Join us from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and select new-to-you clothes and accessories for all ages and sizes. You can also donate a bag of clean, good-condition clothing that you no longer use for the swap.
“Helping to prevent used clothing items from ending up in the landfill and giving folks a chance to refresh their family’s wardrobe is our goal.”
The library said that they are also hosting their annual City Cycling series with the City of La Mesa and San Diego Bike Coalition on Nov. 1 at 10 a.m., where participants can learn everything they need to know to bike confidently, including practicing navigating city streets through the Village and supporting residents interested in using alternative transportation, including bikes and e-bikes, which helps reduce the number of cars and traffic and ensuring rider safely.
Bringing in younger participants
As with any initiative La Mesa and other cities try and put in place, getting young people on board is important.
“Our Seed Library is very popular with our youngest gardeners, but we’re also launching a new program, After School Craft on Tuesdays at 4 p.m. for kids to exercise their imagination,” Koldewyn said.
She added that they are are focused on using recycled and repurposed items to create fun and engaging crafts to ensure that they are supporting their commitment to sustainability.
“And as this year’s Summer Learning program wraps up, we had over 1,200 people sign up to participate in activities like, ‘Spend 20 mindful minutes outside,’ ‘Visit a park,’ and ‘Read outside’ to encourage readers of all ages to enjoy our beautiful city and appreciate and engage with our environment,” Koldewyn said.
“La Mesans of all ages are invited to engage with free library programs and resources, to support their efforts to live sustainably.”
When it comes to doing all it can to help the environment and make life better for its residents, La Mesa is making sure it keeps the heat on challenges in the Jewel of the Hills.
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