Tips for Encouraging Your Membership to Take Action

1. Tips for Encouraging Your Membership to Take Action Palo Alto Non-Profits Go Green April 14, 2009

2. Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth • The problem of climate change • The power of individual action • Effective approaches • Acterra programs Topics for Today 2

3. The problem we face Climate Change Basics • Greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane) trap • Sun’s heat within the atmosphere • Earth heats up and climate patterns change -- colder/hotter some places, more intense storms, etc. • Sources of greenhouse gases: burning fossil fuels, deforestation, livestock waste (methane) • Negative feedback loops: • Melting tundra emits even more methane • Albedo effect: heat energy reflects from white ice, • is absorbed by dark ocean water Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth

4. Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth A Planetary Emergency “We are in imminent peril. We have at most 10 years—not 10 years to decide upon action — but 10 years to alter fundamentally the trajectory of global greenhouse emissions and take significant actions to reduce them. “If not, we will hit a critical tipping pointafter which it becomes impractical to make further changes. We are then locked into disastrous effects including major coastal flooding and droughts.” -- Jim Hansen, NASA’s chief climate change scientist 4

5. California Impacts of Climate Change Climate change affects us because… We have limited water We depend on Sierra snow for water storage Our population is growing into wilderness areas California is a coastal state

6. California Impacts • Climate change will cause • Droughts • Reduced Sierra snow pack • Wildfires • Sea level rise Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth

7. The Path to Climate Stabilization “Business as Usual” 3 2.6 2.5 Electricity end-use efficiency Building, business efficiency 2 Gigatons of carbon emissions 1.8 Passenger vehicle efficiency 1.5 Other transport efficiency Renewables 1 Embracing Change Carbon emission capture & storage 0.5 0 1970 1990 2010 2030 2050 After Pascala & Socolow

8. The power of individual action Can one person make a difference?

9. A stable climate Technology Policy Change how people Consume and creates a demand for new technologies Change how People Vote and creates Support for Policy Change Change how People think about the environment Change how People act towards the environment Behavior Change

10. Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth Individuals Make a Difference • The U.S. generates 25% of the world’s carbon emissions • 50% of U.S. emissions are directly caused by individuals • Our buying decisions indirectly affect the other 50% • You can reduce your carbon output by changing: • Your car and airplane travel • What you eat • How much electricity and gas you use 10

11. Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth How do we compare? • A U.S. household produces 55,000 pounds of CO2 in a year • A German household: 27,000 pounds • A Swedish household: 15,000 pounds • We can do better 11

12. US Energy Consumption by Sector Source: Energy Information Administration

13. The Opportunity Our actions make a difference • Our homes are a big source of wasted energy • People are learning: saving energy means saving money AND curbing climate change. • We can help people make changes. Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth

14. Leveraging individual actions to create a collective tipping point. How do we get more people started? Effective solutions

15. What Works, What Doesn’t Information is not enough to create behavior change Effective public health & conservation programsleverage individual actions to create a tipping pointthat changes behavior of many people. Think about -- Changes in smoking habits -- The growth of recycling Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth

16. Making it “Cool” to Change • Specific, easy steps -- Suggest very specific things to do. • Measurable results -- Demonstrate specific savings in money,energy and CO2 reductions. • Written pledge -- Strengthens commitment to new behavior. • Visible prompts -- Reminders for new behaviors. • Incentives -- Public recognition may foster completion of goals. • Peer support -- Behavior change is more likely when peers make a shift together. • Bandwagon effect -- Change social norms through visible signs of participation. This encourages others to join in the effort.

17. Give people specific tasks to do -- install energy efficiency devices And specific habits to build -- identify new conservation habits Proven Strategy #1: Specific Steps Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 17

18. Measurable results Start with a baseline measurement of current energy use. Make a record of savings -- by individuals and of your group as a whole. Focus on high-impact changes for even better results. Proven Strategy #2: Count it Up Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 18

19. Written Pledge Strengthens commitment to new behavior Palo Alto’s free bag for a signed pledge How can you incorporate a signature into your program ? Proven Strategy #3: Commitment Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 19

20. Use prompts as reminders for new behaviors “Shut off your engine -- Children breathing here” Harness the power of the aggregate Show how it all adds up -- think of a barn-raising! Proven Strategy #4: Make it visible Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 20

21. Saving money is one incentive But the amounts may be small Example: Carpool lanes and hybrid stickers Public recognition may be another perk. Be careful not to shame those who don’t participate or follow through Proven Strategy #5: Incentives Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 21

22. Tap the power of social support groups Think of Weight Watchers, AA,Team-in-Training, Toastmasters Why they work Support network for trying new things Accountability to others Fun and community building Proven Strategy #6: Peer Support Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 22

23. Change social norms In times of uncertainty, people look around at others for what to do Classic experiment in Times Square Visible signs of participation encourage others to act Recycling bins out on Tuesday morning Brown lawns during a drought Use your own mug Green gifts for your hostess Proven Strategy #7: Social Norms Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 23

24. Green@Home -- for volunteers & residents ACTerraGREEN -- for organized groups Acterra’s CO2 reduction programs

25. How Green@Home Works Education AND action -- using proven social marketing strategies Face-to-face info sharing is most effective method Leverages volunteer power to offer free service Volunteers Help residents install simple energy-saving devices Work with residents to create a customized energy saving plan Become advocates for behavior changes Builds community through neighbor-to-neighbor approach Creates bandwagon effect with lawn signs

26. HouseCall Upgrades

27. Additional HouseCall Actions Review utility bill Energy Audit: Measure energy usage throughout house and identify opportunities for savings Suggest additional upgrades or conservation habits Discuss resources and handouts with resident Complete customized energy saving plan Ask resident for signed commitment to next steps

28. Current Locations: Menlo Park Palo Alto Redwood City Sunnyvale Cupertino Green@Home: 2008-09 Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth

29. What is ACTerraGREEN? A group program to help everyone save energy For people who want to make changes, but don’t know where to start A simple, effective campaign Lasts 4 to 6 months The ACTerraGREEN Campaign 29 Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth

30. How Does ACTerraGREEN Work? • Your Green Team plans a launch event • Monthly “challenges” & surveys engage participants • Website & E-mail group offer detailed action steps, suggestions, and feedback • Survey results & outreach activities keep participants connected Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth

31. The Invitation and Pledge Launching an ACTerraGREEN Campaign requires: A Green Team An invitation describing the campaign and encouraging everyone to sign up A pledge event to show how many people are committed to participate Peninsula School families added rocks to this jar, showing how many pledged to participate

32. Website & E-mail Group A customized website describes monthly challenges and other resources A community e-mail group to share results, ideas and news

33. About Monthly Challenges • One-time actions,such as swapping all your • incandescent bulbs for compact fluorescents. • Repeated actions that become habits over time, • such as using personal water bottles instead of buying • bottled water.

34. Monthly Challenges ACTerraGREEN provides written info each month on topics like: • Winter heat • Things you plug in • Your consumer footprint • Holidays • Transportation • Water

35. Monthly Surveys & Results • Surveys are • Conducted on-line* • Once a month • Take just a minute • Anonymous • Totaled up to produce • graph of community results (at right) * Non-computer users may request paper copies

36. ACTerraGREEN Outreach Activities Ideas some communities have used: Hand out free CFLs Cookie baking demonstration: toaster vs. conventional oven “Don’t Idle” driveway education Screen “An Inconvenient Truth” or “Hoot” Host a “Green Tea” to socialize and share ideas Organize a carpool initiative Provide a Home Greening Kit: Kill-a-Watt meters, indoor/outdoor thermometers, caulking guns, etc. Speakers to discuss specific environmental topics

37. Benefits to Your Community Group • Brings people together around the common goal to fight climate change. • Gives your staff an opportunity to engage in social change on a first-hand basis. • Allows you to serve as a model for other communities interested in “going green.”

38. Some Successes So Far • Peninsula School: • 75% of families participated (about 162 families) • Participants took over 1500 actions to reduce home energy use • Las Lomitas & La Entrada Schools: • 265 families • Over 2500 actions to reduce their home energy use • Actions in first four months saved 120.6 tons of CO2 • – equivalent to planting 9,647 trees or taking 22.1 cars • off the road. • Now providing campaigns at: • Six churches & synagogues in Silicon Valley • Genencor, Palo Alto • Skoll Foundation, Palo Alto • -- and more!

39. Get Involved: ACTerraGREEN To start an ACTerraGREEN campaign, Contact Ellen Wilkinson at Acterra: EllenW@acterra.org (650) 962-9876, ext. 353 Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth

40. “Be the change” you want to see” in the world.” -- Mahatma Gandhi”

41. Replace a 100W incandescent bulb with a 26W compact fluorescent bulb of the same brightness Save $68 over the life of the bulb Prevent release of 490 pounds of CO2 Equivalent to not burning 25 gallons of gas in your car Action: Lightbulbs Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 41

42. Change the heater temperature to 68° when people are home and 55°- 58° when house is empty. For cooling, set it to 75°- 78° when people are home and OFF when people are away. You’ll save 1,400 lbs of CO2 /year. Action: Turn Down Your Thermostat Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 42

43. Change the heater temperature to 120° You’ll save 150 lbs of CO2 /year. Action: Turn Down Water Heater Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 43

44. Set up a clothesline - save 260 Lbs of CO2 per load. You may save over 3,120 lbs CO2 /year. Action: “Solar” Clothes Dryer Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 44

45. Livestock sector responsible for 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions, a higher share than transportation. Switch from a meat-eating to a plant-based diet, save 1.5 tons of CO2 a year — that’s 50% more than the 1 ton you would save by replacing your regular sedan with a Prius! Skip meat one day a week, and prevent up to 428 lbs. of greenhouse gases annually. Action: Eat Less Meat Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 45

46. Burning a gallon of gasoline generates 20 lbs CO2 A tuned-up engine can improve fuel efficiency by 30%. Properly inflated car tires can save 3-5% more gasoline, too. Make an appointment for a tune-up. Learn to check your tire pressure regularly. You’ll save 1,500 lbs of CO2 /year ! Action: Tune Up Your Car Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 46

47. You may save over 2,000 lbs CO2 /year. Action: Drive Less Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 47

48. 20% of the energy used in California goes to pump, heat or treat water. Install a low-flush toilet. Rebates may be available. Call Santa Clara Valley Water District for a FREE “water wise” check up. -- www.valleywater.org/conservation -- SCVWD also offers rebates for water saving irrigation systems. Action: Reduce Water Usage Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 48

49. Household chemicals -- Pollute water & poison wildlife -- May be affecting human health Concerned about your products? visit Environmental Working Group www.ewg.org for a list of products & practices -- Cosmetic safety database -- Guide to pesticides in produce Action: Use Fewer Chemicals Acterra Action for a Sustainable Earth 49