| Action | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Creating a Healthy Block Club | SF - Planning - Green Connections Network |
The Green Connections Network is a map of 24 routes, totaling 115 miles of streets across the City that will be improved to better connect people to parks and open spaces. Green Connections aims to increase access to parks, open spaces, and the waterfront by envisioning a network of “green connectors.” The project aims to make the City more healthy, sustainable, and livable. |
| Becoming a Wise Buyer | SF - Consumer Responsibility |
Consumer responsibility is taking personal responsibility for the environmental costs and consequences of your consumption patterns and lifestyle. Check out these tips to help reduce consumer consumption, provided by SF Environment. |
| Eating Lower On the Food Chain | LA - Certified Farmers' Markets |
A Certified Farmers' Market is a location approved by the county agricultural commissioner where certified farmers offer for sale only those agricultural products they grow themselves. California Certified Farmers' Markets are operated in accordance with regulations established in 1977 by the California Department of Food and Agriculture. Find a Farmers' Market near you. |
| Eliminating the Use of Toxic Weed Killers and Fertilizers on Your Lawn | LA - Backyard Composting for Lawns |
The County of LA (LADPW) sells discounted backyard compost bins. Bins are sold at select workshops, where you can learn how to compost. See also The Growing Club which offers community lessons in composting every 2nd Saturday of the month. Organic compost acts as a soil enriching alternative to chemical fertilizers. Protect the health of yourself and your community as well as the health of the soil and water supply. |
| Creating a Community Vegetable Garden | 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. |
| Turning Appliances All the Way Off | SF - What's Your Watt? |
Learn which appliances use the most energy. The Watt’s Your Watt program provides resources to help San Francisco residents reduce their electrical consumption. |
| Eliminating the Use of Toxic Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizers in Your Garden | SF - Rescape California |
Learn more about integrated pest management techniques which allow you to solve your pest problems while minimizing the use of toxic or harmful chemicals. This resource provided by Rescape California. |
| Planting Trees | SF - Friends of the Urban Forest |
Friends of the Urban Forest helps individuals and neighborhood groups plant and care for street trees and sidewalk gardens in San Francisco. |
| Installing a Rain Barrel | Palo Alto - Rain Barrel Rebate |
The City of Palo Alto Public Works Department offers a number of Storm Water Rebates: Rain barrels are an inexpensive and effective way to reduce stormwater runoff and reuse it for landscape irrigation; purchase and install a rainbarrel and receive a $50 rebate. |
| Creating More Cool Blocks | Palo Alto - Transition |
The weekly Transition Café has been running for more than 3 years, and has provided a venue for people to talk about climate related concerns, along with a wide range of other topics. For the Transition Café, a topic is always announced in advance by the facilitator. Contact the Transition Café team to request scheduling a Cool Block Café through their program. |
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.”
