| Action | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Capitalizing on Neighborhood Treasures | LA - Office of Historic Resources |
Find out how you can get historic landmarks in your neighborhood preserved by LA Department of City Planning. Keep your neighborhood gems in their best shape so that they may be enjoyed for many years to come. |
| Installing Water-Saving Devices | SF - WaterWise House Call |
Request a free Water-Wise evaluation at your home, which will walk with you through your home and garden and provide information about your water use, point out potential water-savings measures, and help identify leaks that can cause increased water and energy bills. The technician can also provide water-efficient showerheads, faucet aerators, and standard toilet repair parts. |
| Bringing your Footprint to Zero | LA - City Plants |
City Plants is a public-private partnership between the City of Los Angeles (LA Board of Public Works and LADWP), local non-profit organizations, community groups, residents, and businesses. Through this partnership, City Plants is able to provide free shade trees for residents and property owners in the City of LA, along with important information on where to plant those trees to maximize energy efficiency in homes or businesses. |
| Sharing Tools with Neighbors | SF - Shareable SF |
Check out San Francisco's "Shareable" page, to find resources for sharing cars, food and all kinds of things. |
| Eliminating the Use of Toxic Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizers in Your Garden | LA - Native Plants |
The Theodore Payne Foundation sells native plants in order to promote, preserve and restore California landscapes and habitats. The staff are well educated and can help you make the most appropriate selections for your yard. |
| Reducing Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) | SF Moves |
"SF Moves" provides a comprehensive list of SF Transportation Resources. See also: SFMTA Muni Transit Planner |
| Creating a Community Vegetable Garden | SF - Community Gardens Program |
The SF Recreation and Park Departments supports and manages a program of 38 community gardens (and growing!) on city-owned property, where members can grow produce and ornamental plants for personal use. |
| Developing Alternative Heating Sources | SF – Residential PACE |
Residential PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) allows homeowners to access simple, affordable financing for home upgrades that save energy and water. Whether you’re looking to replace a broken furnace, add insulation to a chilly home, or install solar panels, Residential PACE is a smart – and simple way to make it happen. |
| Reducing Paved Surfaces on Your Property | Palo Alto -- Permeable Paving Rebates |
Standard paving materials (such as concrete and asphalt) used for driveways, patios, walkways, and parking lots prevent water from being absorbed in the ground. Thus, the water that falls on these materials becomes runoff that can cause flooding and pollute the Bay. Rebates are available for installing permeable paving materials. Rebates of $1.50 per square foot, up to $1,000 are available. |
| Planting Gardens Together | SF - Garden for the Environment |
Garden for the Environment (GFE) is a ½ acre teaching and demonstration garden located in the Inner Sunset. This link includes an extensive list of resources recommended for Bay Area gardeners. |
Our neighborhood. Our planet.
Resources
“Cities are the platform for change in our world today. The Cool Block links the challenges facing our planet to the intimate, personal, social scale of the city block. This program starts and ends with the premise and promise—that the individual, household, and neighbors are the way forward in the face of seemingly insoluble global problems.”
