The Romero Institute, formerly the Christic Institute, is a California nonprofit that focuses on environmental issues, such as power sources, water usage, and transportation. It opposes nuclear energy, hydrogen power, and biofuels. ¹ It recommends low-flow home faucets, washing dishes only when a sink or dishwasher is completely full, and stopping buying bottled water. ² It encourages investing in electric vehicles and asks people to lobby for more public transportation and to use it when it’s available.  ³

Energy Advocacy

Nuclear Energy

In December 2021, Let’s Green CA! (a project of the Romero Institute) was one of more than 100 groups that co-signed an open letter opposing the nuclear power production tax credits offered in H.R. 5376, the U.S. House of Representatives proposal for the Build Back Better Act. The groups identified nuclear power as one of several “unproven and unnecessary technologies” and “harmful energy sources” that “would extend demand for fossil fuels.” ^{4 5}

Biofuels, Carbon Capture, and Hydrogen

In addition to nuclear power, the Romero Institute considers biofuels and hydrogen power unnecessary and unproven. The institute argues that hydrogen power and the development of biofuels will allow for continued pollution and will harm the communities near these power plants. The Institute also calls for an end to carbon capture equipment because it believes the equipment will allow the continued use of oil and gas instead of a full switch to weather-dependent sources such as wind and solar. ⁶

Further Impact

The Romero Institute argues government investment in these power sources will extend the life of oil and gas power, slow the transition to weather-dependent energy, and fail to “reverse the climate crisis.” The Institute suggests that Black people and poor people are impacted the most by power production, and that continuing with oil and gas power will disproportionately harm these communities. The Institute also suggests investing in alternative fuel sources such as nuclear, biofuel, and hydrogen are not in line with “climate justice” and that investments in those fuels should instead be moved to wind and solar power plants. ⁷

Green Power Project

As part of the Romero Institute’s Green Power Project, it created a list of practical steps that can be taken in order to “go green.” This included practices for transportation and water usage. ⁸

Transportation

The Institute supports more public transportation and investment in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. It suggests that people should use public transportation when possible and they should lobby their local elected officials to invest more tax-dollars into public transportation options. It also states that people should invest in hybrid and fully electric vehicles, while organizations such as churches, schools, and offices should invest in electric vehicle charging stations to incentivize the use of electric vehicles. ⁹

Water Use

The Institute suggests that people take showers instead of baths, use dishwashers only when they are full, limit handwashing, and only drink filtered tap water instead of water bottles. The Institute claims water bottles are 10,000 times more expensive than water from the tap and are more dangerous since they are subject to fewer government health regulations. ¹⁰

1. Asian Pacific Environmental Network, et al . . . Letter to U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee for December 14, 2021. “Dear Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, and Committee Members . . .” Accessed July 11, 2024. https://unitedfrontlinetable.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/No-False-Solutions-in-BBBA-Letter-to-Senate-20211214-FINAL.pdf
2. Going Green. Accessed July 11, 2024. https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/romero-institute/uploads/general/resources/Going-Green-Handout_Greenpower.pdf?mtime=20171114180514
3. Going Green. Accessed July 11, 2024. https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/romero-institute/uploads/general/resources/Going-Green-Handout_Greenpower.pdf?mtime=20171114180514.
4. Asian Pacific Environmental Network, et al . . . Letter to U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee for December 14, 2021. “Dear Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, and Committee Members . . .” Accessed July 11, 2024. https://unitedfrontlinetable.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/No-False-Solutions-in-BBBA-Letter-to-Senate-20211214-FINAL.pdf
5. “Who We Are.” Let’s Green CA! Accessed July 11, 2024. https://greencal.org/about
6.  Asian Pacific Environmental Network, et al . . . Letter to U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee for December 14, 2021. “Dear Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, and Committee Members . . .” Accessed July 11, 2024. https://unitedfrontlinetable.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/No-False-Solutions-in-BBBA-Letter-to-Senate-20211214-FINAL.pdf
7.  Asian Pacific Environmental Network, et al . . . Letter to U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee for December 14, 2021. “Dear Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senate Finance Committee Chair Wyden, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow, and Committee Members . . .” Accessed July 11, 2024. https://unitedfrontlinetable.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/No-False-Solutions-in-BBBA-Letter-to-Senate-20211214-FINAL.pdf
8. Going Green. Accessed July 11, 2024. https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/romero-institute/uploads/general/resources/Going-Green-Handout_Greenpower.pdf?mtime=20171114180514.
9. Going Green. Accessed July 11, 2024. https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/romero-institute/uploads/general/resources/Going-Green-Handout_Greenpower.pdf?mtime=20171114180514.
10.  Going Green. Accessed July 11, 2024. https://s3-us-west-1.amazonaws.com/romero-institute/uploads/general/resources/Going-Green-Handout_Greenpower.pdf?mtime=20171114180514.