How to Combat Climate Change One Community at a Time
In California, an experiment is underway which may change how communities act on climate. Three cities are collaborating in an effort to enlist residents to work on implementing climate solutions. Dubbed the Cool Block program, community climate leaders seek to take on climate change from the bottom-up—focusing on what residents can do to make a real difference.
This innovative program highlights the power of local governments, communities, and city leadership. The three primary goals of the program are to get households to act on climate, connect with fellow residents in their community, and to grow the local and green economies.
What makes the program particularly attractive is that it offers clear actions that residents can take. All too often residents want to take climate action, but simply don’t know where to start. The Cool Block plan offers 112 steps that families can take, and connects these actions to some benefits for the community.
Climate change solutions must start with communities. Mayors and community leaders must work with local organizations and residents to find simple and effective ways to develop and implement climate solutions. Find out how to connect with climate leaders by joining Path to Positive Communities!
Palo Alto to tackle climate change, block by block
By Jacqueline Lee | San Jose Mercury News | March 3, 2016
Palo Alto will be part of a three-city experiment to get residents to work block by block on sustainability and climate change goals in their daily lives.
Climate change often is discussed broadly, but the Cool Block pilot program takes a “bottom-up” approach, said Sandra Slater, the Northern California director of the Cool City Challenge, an initiative of the Empowerment Institute.
The program’s goal is to get households to take action on climate change, be more socially connected with each other and work on growing the green economy.