Many of us grew up watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas” and got the message about not giving in to crass commercialism and mass consumerism. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or other holiday this winter, there’s a whole manufacturing system
Haven't joined the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge yet? Now is the time to get sustainable! This free website (available in both English and Spanish) provides a list of actionable steps you can take to save water, energy, waste and money. When we work
In 2020, we published “A Just Enough Thanksgiving” during the height of the Covid pandemic. Although folks may be ready for larger gatherings and a more plentiful holiday season, being sustainable is always relevant. Simplifying your menu, bringing o
When most appliances break down, you need to replace them immediately since you likely have just one washer, dryer, stove, or dishwasher. Refrigerators are different. Nearly a quarter of American homes have two or more fridges. Sometimes the extra f
Read more…Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream put their cows on a seaweed diet as of May this year. Why is that important? And will Cherry Garcia now taste fishy? How about Chunky Monkey? Carbon dioxide is the most commonly occurring greenhouse gas. However, methane gas
Calling all Volunteers!
In addition to delicious local and sustainable food prepared and served by students from Mt. Diablo High School, Sunrise Bistro, Pacific Catch Westcoast Fish House (yummy poke samples from sustainable seafood!), we'll also enjoy tastes of wines from
Meet our 2002 Winners:
Kaitlin Roach, Rising Star
Kaitlin Roach is the founder and president of the Miramonte Climate Action Club. She has a deep passion for the environment and is constantly looking for ways to help our community reduce its carbon
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The average U.S. household uses 300 gallons of water daily, with about 30% going to lawns and gardens. In hot, dry areas like the Bay Area, the percentage of household water that is used outdoors is well over 50%. This varies widely by region and ty
This August, get to know your home's energy usage by completing a Home Energy Audit! Make sure to check out (pun intended) the BayREN Home Energy Efficiency Toolkit available at any County library branch and find out how to increase your energy eff
Read more…Photo by PHÚC LONG on Unsplash
There are so many different types of lettuce on the market these days. You can whip up a crisp Caesar salad with Romaine lettuce, a tangy wedge salad with iceberg lettuce, or an artisanal salad with a nifty head of hydro
Read more…Can you make your commercial airline flight carbon-free? Probably not. There is much work being done on potential hydrogen and electric powered aircraft, but in the meantime you may be able to offset the carbon emissions from your flight by purchasi
Read more…Looking for something to do this summer? Check out the Summer Bike Challenge!
The Summer Bike Challenge is a county-wide activity with prizes and fun events that lasts through August! To participate, visit 511 Contra Costa’s challenge website, regi
Read more…It's Plastic-Free July, and we're thinking about what we wear. Two-thirds of our clothing contains a synthetic fiber that is the bane of environmentalists, and yet the fashion industry promotes it as being sustainable. Apparel companies like J. Crew
Ask a home performance professional what energy measures you should take to maximize comfort and efficiency, and you will probably hear, “It depends.” It depends on the characteristics of the house, the behavior of the people inside it, and, of cours
It seems that fire season comes earlier each year, so it's never too early to prepare your home and community.
Common sense tells us that the risk of wildfires is heightened during periods of extreme heat and amid the worsening drought. However, in
Read more…Today, we are facing many complex challenges. We have all experienced challenges from more extreme weather - bigger storms, droughts or fires - to health, economic or social challenges like we experienced in the recent pandemic. These often can seem
Anxiety over climate change can affect the psychological wellbeing of kids, just as it can for adults. As much as we want to shield our kids from unpleasantness and reassure them that their world is stable and secure, it’s impossible to ignore the re
Read more…Swimming pools use a fairly high amount of water and energy. So if you are thinking of installing a pool, you might consider joining a community pool instead. If you already have a pool, you can enjoy it and still claim bragging rights for a sustaina
