Cool Petaluma trained its first cohort of readers just over a year ago. They enthusiastically rallied their neighbors and continued to take action together to improve their lives and consume less resources.
why is this important? We all recognize that individual actions taken privately don’t move the needle. But collectively these individual actions taken publicly can create waves of change. increase. So expand your personal work by sharing your experiences. As we enter the new year, here are two of his stories that will resonate with you.
Carol Larson was one of the first to lead this new travel block in January 2022. Larson has lived in the same house in the Cherry Valley area for 48 years. One of her favorite things about her block is the lovely mix of her longtime residents and young families. Not only did she work to bring her neighbors together, but as she improved her own home, she was able to share her results with the community.
“After the heat wave in September, we seniors decided that we could no longer rely on the beach (air conditioning),” explains Larson. As an aside, extreme heat generally results in the highest mortality rate of all weather-related hazards. As the earth continues to warm, it is wise to plan for hotter days, not only for comfort but also for safety. Instead, we have added a new electric heat pump that does both heating and cooling very efficiently.
“We didn’t know how it would affect PG&E’s bill, but we decided to follow it anyway,” says Larson. “Well, it brought the bill down a lot! It was already low because we have solar panels, but in November the bill (when we had a freezing night) totaled him to $43.79!”
Permits for the new system require an energy rating for the home and the good news is back. The only additional recommendations were to add new weatherstripping around the exterior doors and replace the old water heater. This is the perfect time to plan a highly efficient heat pump water heater. Larson is thrilled with the results and excited to share her positive experience with others.
At the Oak Hill Neighborhood, team leader Mary Lindsay enjoyed watching her rainwater tank fill and overflow this winter. Lindsay first featured her Daily Acts material on greywater and stormwater collection systems last spring at her Cool Petaluma Local Resource Expo in Lagunitas. She wasn’t cut out for her DIY project, so she hired a local installer. First she installed a greywater system that delivers laundry water to the dry trees in her backyard. They then installed a rainwater collection system and Lindsey received a rebate of her 50 cents per gallon of tank through Sonoma County’s program. Last but not least, they dug a rain garden. This is a depression planted in the soil that allows the site to absorb water and prevent polluting or erosive stormwater runoff.
Lindsay was surprised by the results. “The amount of water collected from the roof is amazing! Our two 530-gallon tanks filled up well before the recent storm.”
she is right A 1,000-square-foot roof can collect 600 gallons of water for every inch of rainfall! Instead, it seeps into the ground slowly,” says Lindsay. “And they look cute!”
Both of these stories are great examples of how saving resources can bring comfort and beauty to our lives at the same time.
If you’re ready to jump in and create something more comfortable and beautiful in your life, check out Cool Petaluma’s website for information on Team Leader Training, which they plan to launch a new cohort in February and March. please.
Natasha Juliana is Campaign Director for Cool Petaluma. Her contact is her natashaj@coolpetaluma.org. For information on how to participate, please visit coolpetaluma.org.
