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Many suggestions for reducing our personal energy use, such as driving a hybrid, using compact fluorescent lights, and flying less, are described on this site. But to create a positive future for our children and all life by protecting the climate, it is important to consider actions that both impact our personal energy use as well as those that impact the energy use of the broader community. Both entail becoming more energy efficient and switching from fossil fuels to renewables. Such individual actions are essential but insufficient. We've got to change the economic and social system so that the least expensive consumer choices are also those that protect the environment and benefit the common good. Currently, the opposite is true.
Here's a list of suggestions for saving energy and choosing renewables in your personal life and collective actions to encourage systemic changes that benefit our communities and the planet.
Collective Actions
The list below focuses on strategies for collective actions for climate protection to emphasize their importance, and because those that focus on personal actions such as using compact fluorescent bulbs are already relatively well known. Whether you have a little or a lot of time, everyone can do something.
Learn and reflect, talk and listen
- Talk to others about climate protection-talk is not cheap
- Join or form study groups; help educate others
Business
- Develop a company Environmental Management System
- Form a water and energy efficiency task force
- Make a pledge to reduce GHG emissions, meet a target, set a new target; encourage other companies to do the same
- Adopt policies to require suppliers and vendors to adhere to energy efficiency practices
- Ask your bank to favor projects that emit fewer GHGs
- Make presentations to groups like the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club about how businesses can save money, lower energy bills, and protect the climate
- Join the California Climate Registry
- Lobby your industry to change its practices; encourage GHG accounting
Schools
- Help schools reduce their energy use, and measure and reduce their GHG emissions
- Encourage your district to have all its schools participate in energy-saving programs
- Help school building and remodeling demonstrate the highest standards for energy and water efficiency
- Green your fleet (applies to business and government, too.)
- Create programs that offer staff and students incentives for walking, bicycling, riding the bus, etc.; enact parking fees (This applies to all sectors on this page.)
Government
- Thank jurisdictions for joining Cities for Climate Protection, and encourage others to do so
- Help elect people who will protect the climate
- Encourage walkable, mixed use development with nearby public transportation, stores, schools, etc.-to minimize sprawl and the need to drive
- Adopt green building guidelines and codes, and reward development teams who follow them
- Reward efficiency and conservation among utility users
- Develop local control over your energy system and make the shift to energy efficiency and renewable power
- Encourage public entities to mandate a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) of at least 20% renewable electricity
- Help eliminate government subsidies for fossil fuel and increase subsidies for efficiency and renewable energy
- Encourage the U.S. government to ratify the Kyoto Protocol
- Change the tax system to reward actions that protect the climate, and penalize those that don't
Speak up
- Write letters to the editor of newspapers and to elected representatives
- Make presentations
- Ask people for money and give it to groups making a difference
- Encourage others, especially young people, to speak up
Climate Change
- Climate Protection Campaign - The Climate Protection Campaign works with government, business, and youth in Sonoma County to reduce greenhouse gas emissions causing climate change. We offer practical, science-based solutions for significant greenhouse gas reductions.
- Safeclimate.net - Where you can take action to reduce your impact on global warming. Calculate your carbon footprint and actions you can take in your personal life.
- Go Carbon Neutral - Help to spur the renewable energy market by purchasing "wind certificates" or "green tags," which offset your consumption of non-renewable energy.
Energy
- PG&E Rebates and Energy Efficiency - PG&E offers tools to evaluate the energy efficiency of your home.
- Energy Star - Energy Star is a government-backed program guaranteeing energy efficiency standards for appliances, home building, lighting, heating and cooling, and more.
- Solar Sebastopol - Solar Sebastopol is a local first-of-its-kind program to encourage more solar energy on residential, business, and public properties in Sebastopol. Their goal is to install 1 megawatt of solar power production by year-end 2005. That's equivalent to solar photovoltaic (PV) systems on about 500 average-size homes. Seven solar companies serving West Sonoma County are featured on this website.
Driving
- Safe Routes to School - Safe Routes to Schools is a popular program spreading across Canada and the U.S. designed to decrease traffic and pollution and increase the health of children and the community. The program promotes walking and biking to school through education and incentives that show how much fun it can be.
- Biofuels 4 Schools - Local changemaker "Betty Biodiesel" teaches young people about the environmental benefits of biodiesel and vegetable oil-powered vehicles.
- Government of Canada Climate Change - These tips will help you to reduce emissions, increase fuel efficiency, and save you money.
- About Hybrid Cars - A comprehensive site about hybrid cars, with daily news, blogs, and interactive tools.
- Environmental Protection Agency Fuel Economy Ratings - Find the most fuel-efficient car on the market to meet your driving needs.
Solid Waste and Recycling
- Sonoma County Waste Management Agency - Offers information and local resources for recycling, composting, less toxic pest management, household toxics, and green building. This information provided for residential and business needs.
- Stopwaste.org - StopWaste.Org is the Alameda County Waste Management Authority and the Alameda County Source Reduction and Recycling Board operating as one public agency. This site has examples for reducing waste throughout your home, including recycling, composting, gardening, and green building. The website also includes resources for business and industry, local government, and schools.
Water and Landscaping
- Water Saver Home - Developed by the California Urban Water Conservation Council and the Environmental Protection Agency, this website offers information on how to be water efficient in your home. The website includes a virtual home tour, top 5 actions to reduce water use, a water budget calculator, and a garden guide.
- Bay Friendly Landscaping - Bay-friendly is a holistic approach to gardening and landscaping that works in harmony with the natural conditions of the San Francisco Bay Watershed. Bay-Friendly practices foster soil health, conserve water and other valuable resources while reducing waste and preventing pollution.
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