SCOCO Insights Newsletter (432)
Action of the Month: Reduce Your "Foodprint" -- Eat Less Red Meat
There are so many great reasons to reduce your intake of red meat. Heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and certain types of cancer are often linked to a high meat diet. Some people boycott meat because of ethical considerations over animal treatment, p
Read more…Update On Plastic Pollution
When it comes to plastic pollution, how are we doing? We recently found two great websites that examine the environmental impacts of plastic: Planet or Plastic? is a National Geographic series on the global plastic trash crisis; The Ocean Cleanup is
Look Who's Taking Action: High School Student Melanie
Action of the Month: Support Central Contra Costa’s Last Plastic Straw Campaign
The Central Contra Costa Last Plastic Straw campaign is continuing to gain momentum! This month, consider taking action to help stop the use of single-use plastic straws in Contra Costa by participating in the campaign.
Actions you can take:
- Refuse pl
Sheltering Your Garden from the Summer Sun and Wind
The hot, windy days of our East Bay summers have many gardeners taking steps to lessen sun and heat damage to vegetables. Temperatures above 95 degrees Fahrenheit stop many warm-season vegetables from growing. Winds wick moisture from both plants and
Read more…Dine & Dance Under The Redwoods - A Great Success!
Dear Friends,
Thank you very much for joining us at “Dine & Dance Under The Redwoods” to in celebration of Sustainable Contra Costa’s 10th anniversary. I feel so much gratitude for everyone’s participation in this fun and beautiful party honoring |
Action of the Month: Go Deep Green!
Sunscreen Safety
Summer is upon us, and with it comes the need to slather on the sunscreen when heading outside. Did you know that many sunscreens are made with UV-blocking ingredients that protect our skin but can damage coral reefs? One such ingredient, Oxybenzone,
Save Money and Save the Planet.. What Are You Waiting for?
Did you know that if you install a solar system, your cost of electricity from solar will be about one-half of the cost from your power company? And if you have a larger house with higher usage, solar cost can be one-third of what you are currently p
Read more…The Many Faces of Irrigation
Irrigation is the artificial application of water to plants in areas where there is insufficient rainfall, which definitely applies to our area of the country! There are various long-term systems that will supply water to your landscaping throughout
Read more…Bring Life Back To Your Soil
Cool Fact: did you know that one mere teaspoon of healthy alive soil contains around a billion bacteria, several yards of fungal tubes, several thousand protozoa and a few dozen nematodes? This soil microbiome works in harmony with plants and trees a
Read more…Conserve Energy: Drive An EV
From SCOCO volunteer Jimmy Weir:
Recently, my wife and I determined it was time to buy a new car. Our research confirmed an
electric vehicle (EV) would serve our transportation needs. We found the website plugincars.com
useful, with general informati
Move Your Money: Dump the Bank and Join a Credit Union
Save Water: Plant native, drought-tolerant plants
Did you know that in California, we use an average of 30-60% of our water outdoors? Cutting water use in the yard or garden has the potential to make a big impact on your overall water use. For this year’s Community Resilience Challenge, consider mak
Read more…Grow Your Own Fruit and Preserve The Extra
Photo by Inma Ibáñez on Unsplash
Growing your own food is a Resilience Challenge category, and who doesn't love fruit? If you’d rather not eat fruit that was grown with toxic chemicals, picked before it was ripe, shipped hundreds or even thousands of
Read more…The Resilience Challenge Is Coming! Will You Join Us In Collective Action?
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When in Drought, Get a Grip on Drip
After the heavy flooding and storms in 2017, Governor Jerry Brown declared California’s five-year drought officially over last April. As a result, coverage of water conservation in the media waned, water districts cut back on rules and restrictions,
Read more…Ring in Spring with Local Honey!
With trees in blossom and the longer daylight hours, you may find yourself reaching for the lighter layers and shorts to welcome spring at your door. Although the weather may still be a bit chilly for that, you can certainly start to celebrate this s
Read more…Creating a Pollinator-Friendly Environment
One of the most rewarding sights to see in one’s garden is pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds fluttering from plant to plant. Pollinators play an important role in ecosystems, and are responsible for the growth of most flowers an