Marlborough’s Change Climate Change club (CCC) witnessed its first win in December. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed the Existing Building Energy and Water Efficiency ordinance (EBEWE) into law on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2016. The club partnered with the National Resources Defense Council (NDRC), which is an organization that lobbies for protection of the environment through data and science, to help get the bill passed.

Last year the CCC asked Marlborough students to write letters to city councilmen to pass the bill. Clara ’18, founder and president of the Change Climate Change club, said that the NRDC continually gave the club updates about ways that they could support the passage of the ordinance.

The EBEWE ordinance will make the annual energy and water use of large buildings in Los Angeles public via a website. Managers will be able to compare the energy efficiency of their building to that of other, similar buildings. In addition, the ordinance requires buildings to take action at least once every five years to reduce their environmental impact.

According to the ordinance, the purpose of the EBEWE is to reduce energy and water consumption in both new and existing buildings in Los Angeles. Supporters hope the efficiency improvements will help the environment by reducing the amount of greenhouse gas and pollutants from buildings in Los Angeles.

Nevins said that she had the opportunity to meet with these councilmen and petition for the bill. She said that she thinks young people taking action to help the environment will ultimately lead to a better future, as we are the next generation to inherit the world.

“We represent the youth voice,” Clara said. “The council wants to hear from young people and make sure the ordinance matters to young people.”