Sunnyvale Cool Green Letter April, Part II

SunnyvaleCool Newsletter
Earth Month Edition
April, 2010
 
 
The City of Sunnyvale has opened applications for residents interested in joining the Council Advisory Committee for the Land Use and Transportation Revision and the Climate Action Plan.  The update of the general plan and the climate action plan will have a huge impact on our city's quest for environmental sustainability. http://sunnyvale.ca.gov/Departments/Community+Development/Planning+Division/General+Plan+Update/LUTE.htm
 
A wide selection of Earth Month events, offered by  Sunnyvale City government and local non-profits, are providing excellent opportunities to learn how to be part of the solution to our various and urgent environmental challenges and enjoy our community at the same time. The events at the Charles Street Garden and Full Circle Farm last weekend were fun, informative and well-attended.  Our Los Altos neighbors host a climate change presentation tomorrow.  The City of Sunnyvale and the Sunnyvale Chamber host an Earth Day Celebration Saturday at Plaza del Sol.  (See below) And  KQED and KTEH are  broadcasting environment-related films this month including  Food, Inc., Dirt, and Earth Days (all must sees).  KQED's Earth Celebration 2010 offerings at:  http://www.kqed.org/science/earth/?tmod1 
 
Acterra's Green @ Home program has received stimulus funding through the City of Sunnyvale to train and schedule volunteers to conduct free basic energy-efficiency audits.  Two trainings will be held on the Peninsula this month, one in English and one in Spanish.  Details below under "Upcoming Events." Please consider becoming a trained volunteer to help your fellow-residents save energy and money and shrink their household carbon footprint.  Let's help our city get the maximum bang for the buck.
 
 
 
Upcoming Events --new item asterisked
 
GreenTown Los Altos Presentation--Global Climate Change in the Decades Ahead: Fact vs. Fiction, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 7:30 PM, Los Altos Library, 13 South San Antonio Road.  Stanford University Professor Dunbar will discuss the current state of climate change and what we can expect in the future. This scientific perspective is based on his research in the Antarctic, the global ocean and the Americas, as well as his participation in the 2009 UN Copenhagen Climate Conference.  Free.  For more information: http://www.greentownlosaltos.org/drupal/events
 
Earth Day Celebration, Saturday April 24, 10-2, Plaza del Sol.
 
*Dialog:  A Sustainable 2050, Part II--How to Save the World with Dr. Nancy Glock-Grueneich; 1023 Corporation Way, Palo Alto, CA;  networking--6:30 PM, presentation--7 PM; $20 http://conexions.org/events/how-%E2%80%9Csave-world%E2%80%9D-dr-nancy-glock-grueneich To register:  sschoenfeld@conexions.org 
 
 
Acterra two-part Green @ Home Volunteer training:  both Wednesday, April 28 and May 5, 5:30-9:45 PM, Peninsula Conservation Center.  Learn to conduct free basic home energy audits and install basic home retrofits.  Please email greenathometraining@acterra.org or call 650-962-9876 ext. 353 to register.
 
 
Acterra's two-part Spanish language Green @ Home Volunteer training:  Thursdays,  both April 29 and May 6, 5:30-9:45 PM.,  Redwood City.   Para registrarse y mas detalles llame a Elizabeth Sarmiento  (elizabeths@acterra.org) al 650-962-9876 extensión 354.
 
Bay Area Schools Environmental Conference, Saturday, May 1, 8 AM-5 PM, Dolce Hayes Mansion, 200 Edenvale Avenue, San Jose. $20 if register before April 23, $60 at the door. http://www.sanjoseca.gov/esd/gogreen/GoGreenSchoolConference.asp
 
Bike to Work Day, May 13.  http://bikesiliconvalley.org/btwd
 
Santa Clara County Affordable Housing Tour, May 15, 8 AM-1 PM.  See examples of local affordable housing and discover why it is important to our community.  Ideal for elected officials, staff, community leaders, and residents. Specifics to follow.
 
National River Clean-up Day, Saturday, May 15, 9 AM-noon, various local locations.  http://www.cleanacreek.org/.  Sponsored by the Creek Connections Action Group, a consortium of public agencies and nonprofit organizations. This year's event in Sunnyvale will focus on picking up litter and debris from the Sunnyvale East Channel and areas around Baylands Park. Open to all, but may not be suitable for young children. Youth under the age of 18 must have parental approval and anyone age 16 and under must be accompanied by an adult. To register or receive further information on the Sunnyvale events, call the City of Sunnyvale's Environmental Outreach division at (408) 730-7717, TDD (408) 730-7501 or send an email to wpcp@ci.sunnyvale.ca.us. Registered participants will receive additional instruction on the morning of the event. Gloves, pickup sticks, safety vests, trash and recycling bags will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to wear long pants, sturdy shoes, hats, and bring sunscreen.
 
City of Sunnyvale Budget Workshop, Thursday, May 20, 8:30 AM on, Council Chambers.

The Great Race for Clean Air, August 1-September 30. Registration  May 16-July 15.  Companies compete for the greenest commutes during August and September.
 
Sunnyvale Chamber of Commerce Art and Wine Festival, Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6, Downtown Sunnyvale.  If interested in helping festival-goers get their discards in the appropriate recycling, compost, or trash bins, please contact barbf53@aol.com
 
Action IdeasActerra's Green@Home program is looking for volunteer Kit Managers to restock and maintain the tool kits needed for HouseCalls and provide their home as a pick-up/drop-off location.  A great job for people who wish to volunteer from home.  If you live in Sunnyvale and would like to become a Kit Manager, please contact greenathometraining@acterra.org.
 
The Santa Clara Valley Water District offers rebates for high-efficiency toilets and washing machines:  http://www.valleywater.org/programs/rebates.aspx
 

Check it out; pass it on!
Short "Four Years Go" video:  http://www.fouryearsgo.org/

 
Something to think about
A post by Kacey Fitzpatrick, leader of GreenTown Los Altos:

Gap between Americans' conservation attitudes & actual behavior
http://ardwinna.forestry.yale.edu/emailmarketer/link.php?M=1594&N=20&L=15&F=THere are the Yale study findings:In January 2010, we released our latest report: Americans' Actions to Conserve Energy, Reduce Waste, and Limit Global Warming. In brief, we found that there is a significant gap between Americans' conservation attitudes and their actual behaviors. For example:* 88 percent of Americans say it is important to recycle at home, but only 51 percent "often" or "always" do* 81 percent say it is important to use re-usable shopping bags, but only 33 percent "often" or "always" do* 76 percent say it is important to buy locally grown food, but only 26 percent "often" or "always" do* 76 percent say it is important to walk or bike instead of driving, but only 15 percent "often" or "always" do* 72 percent of Americans say it is important to use public transportation or carpool, but only 10 percent say they "often" or "always" do