How to Use the Book

The Cool Block is both a book and a program. The book offers a vision of what is possible for our cities and planet, and information about what can be achieved, based on decades of experience with furthering pro-social behavior change and community engagement. The program puts this information into action to increase the quality of life for residents of a block, while also contributing to the viability of our planet’s life-support system. The program consists of nine meetings over 4 1/2-months, co-led by a group of neighbors living on a block or in a building.

The Introduction and Part 1 provide the context for the program. Parts 2 through 7 provide the community engagement and behavior change tools needed to create a Cool Block.

  • Part 2 offers precise instructions to the Cool Block leaders initiating the program on their block or in their building.

  • Parts 3 to 7 outline the program journey itself – eight topics described in Chapter 10 to 17. You will select from a menu of 112 action recipes those that support your desire to live a low carbon and environmentally sustainable lifestyle, increase your disaster resiliency, and enhance the livability of your block.  

How to Get The Cool Block Book

The Cool Block Book will be published for general availability in Fall 2017.  If you are a participant in the Cool Block Pilot, a pilot version of The Cool Block book will be provided to you by your team leader, as part of your Team-Building Meeting.