It’s Easy Being Green – In Your Home!

There are lots of ways you can make a difference for climate protection in our community, just by taking small actions right in your home. Here are some ways for you to be part of the community solution to climate change.

Verde Teams - Groups of neighbors can form Verde Teams and join together to implement energy and water saving tools in their households. Verde Teams that successfully complete the program will receive a contribution of up to $300 that to be used to support a nearby school’s environmental club or garden program, toward purchase of an energy-efficient appliance for their congregation, or support local non-profit CityTrees. It's a great way to get your neighborhood activated for energy and water savings! Here is additional information.

Green@Home - Redwood City and non-profit Acterra have teamed-up to provide a great way for households to make climate-friendly choices. With the help of trained volunteers, the Green@Home program offers home energy audits, FREE! You'll gain a great set of recommendations for how to improve your household's energy efficiency.

Redwood City Water Conservation - California is in its third straight year of below-average rainfall and snow pack, a drought declaration has been in effect since summer of 2008, and water cutbacks are imminent. What can you do to save water, and money? Redwood City’s renowned Water Conservation Program offers a great variety of free water-saving tools and programs. And be sure to log on and get your water allocation target, to ensure your previous conservation efforts are recognized in the event of water rationing.

Redwood City’s 10 Gallon Challenge is a great way to make a commitment to save water. If every person in our community pledges to use just 10 gallons less water per day, we will achieve incredible water savings. Many of you are already doing a lot to save water, from installing high efficiency toilets to monitoring and adjusting your sprinkler system, and from fixing leaking faucets to installing low water-use landscaping, and more. Take the 10 Gallon Challenge today and you’ll save even more!

Energy Use Reduction - There are many tips and ideas to save energy in your home on the web. Pick and choose the tools that are right for you - take a look at EnergySavers from the US Department of Energy; ClimateSmart from PG&E; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Climate Change Page; or the Peninsula Cool Campaign which includes a great "carbon calculator you can use to help plan your home energy reduction.

Taste and a Talk is an educational and networking series on green building topics, that meets on the first and third Thursday of every month, from 5 – 6:30 in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1017 Middlefield Road. Everyone, from homeowners to architects to contractors, is welcome to join in for light refreshments, relaxed conversations, and short presentations on how to build and maintain quality, high-performance, low carbon output homes. It’s a good resource for homeowners planning a major or minor remodel, or any household projects. Previous topics included Healthy Air in the Home, Beautiful and Healthy Paints and Finishes, Best Practices for Health and Safety, Building Products that Promote Clean Air, and Healthy Home Improvement; DIY Panel.

Use a Certified Green Gardener to save water and maximize sustainable landscaping practices. The Bay Area Green Gardener Program educates and certifies residential landscapers in resource efficient and pollution prevention landscape practices. Certified Green Gardeners utilize practical, sustainable landscaping skills to reduce water use, to select the most appropriate plants including California natives, to build nutrient-rich soils by promoting plant's natural cycles, and to prune selectively and properly to compliment the natural form and needs of the plant. They are also trained in integrated pest management and the use of alternatives to pesticides and herbicides. Read more about the Certified Green Gardener program, and see a list of Certified Green Gardeners.