Carolyn is a founder and CEO of San Diego EarthWorks, the non-profit corporation that produces the annual EarthFair in Balboa Park. Under her leadership since its founding in 1990, the EarthFair has become the largest annual environmental fair and Earth Day celebration in the world, involving 400+ volunteers, 200+ exhibitors, and 50,000 participants each year.

    Carolyn was also instrumental in securing EarthWorks a $200,000 grant from the California Coastal Conservancy for a study of the Rose Creek Watershed. EarthWorks completed this work in July, and has just received a $150,000 follow-on grant. The ultimate goal of this work is to cleanup and restore this important part of our natural heritage.

    Other accomplishments include the creation of EarthWork’s annual GreenBuilt Tour, where participants can tour homes and businesses to inspect and learn about environmentally superior building materials and features including: solar power systems, non-toxic paints and materials, carpets and flooring and insulation made of recycled materials, energy and water efficient appliances and fire smart and water smart landscaping.

    Carolyn was a also a founder of the Earth Day Network, organizers of national and international outreach efforts for Earth Day each April.

“Cut to the Chase”

Carolyn writes a column called “Cut to the Chase” that runs in the San Diego Daily Transcript and the San Diego Earth Times. “Cut to the Chase” dissects the local political scene, while presenting the latest thinking on growth, the environment and our region’s quality of life.

    You have to wonder about where most candidates stand on issues important to San Diego and our quality of life. Carolyn has been on the record for years… check it out.

Community Service

Carolyn is a past Chapter Chair of the San Diego Sierra Club, and has taken a leave of absence from her current position as Chair of the club’s Political Committee in order to run for City Council.

    Carolyn serves on the Boards of Move San Diego and Rollable Communities, both non-profit organizations dedicated to improving our region’s accessibility through how we design and build our cities and the transportation infrastructure required to support them.

    She was appointed by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors to serve on the Interest Group committee for the County’s General Plan 2020 update, which will shape how growth is accommodated in unincorporated areas of the County for next 20 years and beyond.

    Carolyn played a key role in the coalition that achieved the closure to cars of the northern section of Sorrento Valley Road, for inclusion in Torrey Pines State Park.

    Carolyn also manages several local computer networking email lists related to sustainability, community participation and the environment.

Peacemaker: from Opposition to Coalition

Carolyn is a recipient of the San Diego Mediation Center’s 1999 Peacemaker Award. In addition, she has received Certificates of Special Congressional Recognition in both 1998 and 1999 from Congressman Brian Bilbray, and a Certificate of Recognition from Susan Davis and the California State Senate in 1999.

    This award and certificates were in recognition of her volunteer efforts negotiating and building coalitions between developers, community members and environmentalists who signed winning ballot measures Propositions K and M. These propositions led to:

• The preservation of Carmel Mountain
• The eventual dedication of more than 4,000 acres of highly endangered and prized coastal mesa and canyon habitats
• The environmentally-preferred routing of State Route 56
• The establishment of two new balanced communities in the areas east of Torrey Pines State Park.

    These two new communities east of Torrey Pines State Park will also include state-of-the-art stormwater and pollution prevention design as well as funding for measures to reduce traffic and improve public transportation planning.

    In 1998, Carolyn negotiated terms leading to Pardee Home's Living Smart environmentally-friendlier building options.

City of San Diego Planning Commission

Carolyn currently serves on the City of San Diego’s Planning Commission. The Planning Commission, staffed by volunteer appointees: recommends changes in the city’s General Plan and community plans; makes recommendations on the Capital Improvements Budget, rezonings and related land use matters; and has final approval on subdivisions as well as many permit types. This includes voting on condo conversions and alcohol conditional use permits. In short, almost all important land-use decisions come before the Commission.

    (It’s been said that serving on the Planning Commission is as close as you can come to being on the City Council without actually being on the City Council. Without the pay, of course.)

    While on the Commission, Carolyn has been an unrelenting stand for accountability and fairness. She intervenes in the go-along-get-along rubber stamp forces at City Hall.

    For example, although it is Council policy that utility lines be placed underground in new developments, waivers are typically granted when asked for. Carolyn opposes granting such waivers.

    A few of the Commission actions that Carolyn played a principal role in include:

• Initiation and support of the update of City of San Diego Street Design Manual to allow options for narrower (safer) and more people-friendly streets and streetscape options.
• The addition of six acres of dedicated parkland in City Heights, along with increasing buffers from 10 feet to 20 feet between the Central Police Facility and the Auburn branch of Chollas Creek, as recommended in the Chollas Creek Enhancement Plan.
• The defeat of an inappropriate Conditional Use Permit to sell alcohol near college dorms.
• Convinced City Development Services to stop using out-of-date police response times during project review.
• Solar power initiation for La Jolla Bishop’s School: after inquiring during a Planning Commission hearing, her follow-up with a local solar provider confirmed it was feasible and they agreed to incorporate it.
• (June 2004) 4 utility poles will be undergrounded between Bayard and Cass on the south side of the alley. Due to Carolyn’s persistence over undergrounding, the PC turned down a waiver request supported by staff.
• (Sept 2004) Won demands for better traffic control and parking facilities in new commercial development, and additional buffers for existing deer trails, at Towne Center Corporate Plaza, University City.
• (December 2004) Neil Good Day Center Conditional Use Permit: Established new conditions for operation and enforcement and eventual replacement of facilities for homeless addicts.

    Of course, you don’t have to take our word for it; the hearings are televised on cable each Thursday that the Commission meets. Tune in, and see Carolyn in action.

Business Owner

    Carolyn and her husband Chris Klein have been the owners and operators of Earth Media, Inc., a California corporation, since 1993. Earth Media offers services in the areas of publishing, web design, event production, and general management and consulting.

Personal Background

    Raised in Los Angeles, Carolyn moved to San Diego to attend UC San Diego. She graduated from Revelle College in with a degree in Computer Science, and a minor in music. She has been a member of the La Jolla Symphony Chorus since 1975. Carolyn lives in Pacific Beach with her husband and six cats.