The only hard part about a green behavior is trying it out long enough for it to become a habit. Then it is just as easy to do as whatever you were doing before. Those who were living in Marin in the mid-1970’s remember living through a long drought, and probably think back with a certain amount of pride to the stringent conservation habits we developed back then, and remember that it was not a painful sacrifice, but a good common cause. And we did it with humor and spirit.
Of course, being green can become yet another opportunity to beat ourselves, or someone else, over the head with expectations of perfection. No matter how dire we predict the future will be if people keep burying their heads in the sand, we can be sure that ranting statistical doom will only make them bury their heads deeper to avoid listening. Instead, if we live our eco-actions with joy, chances are others will follow our lead. Because conservation is fun, delicious and economical. Not exactly a hard sell!
If all of the 7000 Marin Sierra Club members did some fine tuning of our daily habits, the effect would be enormous. And if each member inspired others, who knows what kind of ripple effect there would be?
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Marin County Solar Energy Program
Solar calculator - Get a general idea of what it would cost to install solar panels without requesting a bid.
The Solar Living Institute
Promotes sustainable living through inspirational environmental education through workshops, etc. at their Hopland center.
TRANSPORTATION
Take the bus, ferry or shuttle
Golden Gate Transit Bus & Ferry Schedules
Walk or ride a bike! Two organizations make it easy to find routes and more information:
Marin County Bicycle Coalition
and Walk Bike Marin
Find a Carpool
eRideShare.com or RideshareOnline.com
Carpool kids to school with SchoolPoolMarin!
Transportation Authority of Marin
Have a car only when you need it.
See when Zip Cars will be available near you. Someone in the family in college? See if your university has Zip Cars.
Compare vehicle emissions and mileage.
Go electric!
North Bay Electric Auto Assn.
Plug in America
Alternative Fuel
Find a biodiesel station
GREEN VACATION TIPS
When deciding where to stay, choose accommodations close to the attraction. Even if it’s more expensive, it may be cheaper if it lets you skip renting a car.
When making a reservation, ask a few questions to see how green the hotel is. Your concern could have a big effect on future choices made by the management. Express a desire to stay at a hotel that has such features as low-flow showerheads, compact fluorescent lights, and recycling bins. Some boutique hotels not only have detailed energy- and water-saving programs but also pledge to use nontoxic cleaning supplies. Best Western recently broke ground for a LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) hotel near Denver. Still, green policies remain hit and miss. Many national chains, for example, leave it to local managers to decide what to do. So make sure to ask when looking for a reservation.
Some tricks for not needing a car at your destination. Doing without a car definitely takes more planning. Combining field trips may make it possible to rent a car for just a few days. If you rent a hybrid, you also can discover why owners love them. Passing on a car entirely doesn't mean you have to hoof it everywhere. Take the subway, hail a cab, or rent a tandem. You may cover less ground but have more fun. And you can bet the kids will remember that horse-drawn carriage ride more than squabbling over the backseat of their own car.
Judging a ‘Green’ destination can be tough. How do you find out whether a destination is truly sustainable? Development without limits is usually a warning sign that all is not green. Another rule of thumb: Look for destinations where local communities are directly involved in conservation efforts. Download this National Geographic booklet to help you separate the green and not-so-green spots:
Take a vacation without leaving town. Start by not telling everyone you'll be staying in town. To avoid the same-old same-old, consider decamping to a local hotel: It'll have a pool and still be cheaper than gas to get out of town. No shuttling between your home and the in-town hideaway, however, or you'll get sucked back into your everyday life. As for what to do, think how common it is for all of us to skip local sights that tourists come across the country to visit. Why not start by taking a gander at your home place with fresh eyes?
Mixing up the routine is why we take vacations. Maybe that's why it's called re-creation. Be sure to involve the whole family in planning your in-town adventure. Unplug from your usual rat race, recharge a bit, and spend real time with loved ones. It could be your best vacation ever.
MORE TIPS FOR LIVING GREEN
The Green Life - Sierra Club National page full of ideas.
Ask Mr. Green - Sierra Club National answer man for all things green.
GET GREEN IDEAS FOR YOUR INDUSTRY OR INTEREST - Watch specific episodes of The Lazy Environmentalist.
EDUCATORS
Terrain for Schools
Lower your school’s energy costs.
SEND YOUR IDEAS!
Make this page even more useful.
If you know of a site that should be here, if you find a link on this page is broken, or if you visit a linked site, and find that it is not accurate, please let us know.
Keep cloth shopping bags in your car and get in the habit of bringing them into the store. Light-weight mesh produce bags are also available. Rinse and reuse any plastic bags you do use.
Buy energy saver light bulbs. But still turn them off when you're not in the room!
Drink tap water. Marin’s water is better regulated than bottled water. You can always install a filter if you want. Fill your own reusable bottle instead of using plastic. Get info on MMWD water.
Take a walk around your neighbor-hood & meet your neighbors! Stronger community relationships make for a happier life. A walk might result in carpools, movie nights, pot lucks, equipment sharing, and all sorts of other things that are good for the planet and you.
Power down your computer when you walk away from it. You can pick up right where you left off.
Get a smart power strip to plug in your electronics like WattStopper and Smart Strip .
Turn off the water while you lather up in the shower or brush your teeth. You'll feel free to spend more time massaging your scalp or gums.
Turn down the thermostat at night. You'll sleep better in a cool room.
Dance to raise your body temp! Fun!
Stop burning wood. There are healthier ways to heat your home and create romance in your life.
FOOD & FARMERS MARKETS
If you don't grow your own, buy your produce at farmers' markets and at stores working to provide organic local produce to their customers. Tell your grocery store how important it is to you and how much you appreciate their effort. At the grocery store it is very easy to buy foods out of season that come from far away. Plan meals that feature what's really tasty right now. You'll have the freshest, most flavorful, well-rounded and healthy food possible.
At the farmers' markets, notice where the farmers are coming from and choose to buy from the closest farms.
Fortunately locally grown foods taste infinitely better than foods that have to travel from great distances in refrigerated transport, and small farmers can grow varieties for taste rather than for how easily they can fit in a box or how well they tolerate abuse. Children who get to eat fresh local vegetables in season are much more enthusiastic and healthy eaters, and those who get to help grow their own are the most enthusiastic of all.
People who shop at farmers' markets have many more healthy social exchanges, leading to overall well being!
There are currently fifteen farmers markets in Marin County!! Some are year round, some are seasonal. Check out the schedule and locations of farmers' markets near you. This link also gives markets in Sonoma County.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Can you be a green carnivore?
A 2006 report from the UN says, ‘The livestock sector emerges as one of the top two or three most significant contributors to the most serious environmental problems, at every scale from local to global.’
Delicious alternatives abound:
Marin Vegetarian Education Group
Marin Organic
Other good food links: Recipes for seasonal eating from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle -- KingsolverFind Fair Trade Certified coffee, tea, sugar, rice, or fruit at these stores. Used coffee grounds have lots of uses: Click here and here for ideas.
Sustainably harvested seafood guide.CLOTHES
When it comes to buying clothes, the greenest and often hippest purchases are vintage. For great finds, shop at used-clothes boutiques, online stores, or at prominent antique shows like California’s Vintage Fashion Expo.If you have to buy new, look for eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, hemp, or recycled anything. Buy classic styles (not trends!) so that your purchase doesn't, in a year, end up in the landfill. And make sure your choices are well-made and durable so they don't fall apart after only a few months of wear.
Avoid clothes that require dry cleaning. Many clothes can be safely hand-washed in cold water even if they say "dry-clean-only." Learn more about dry cleaning chemicals.
For clothes you already own that require dry cleaning, look for alternative dry cleaners that don't use PERC. EXERCISE
Rethink your exercise regime. What if, as in olden days, your physical workout was a natural part of your daily life. In other words, instead of driving to the store and then walking on a treadmill in a gym, you walk or bike to do your errands. The packages you carry or pull home will help build muscles. Use your muscles to dig up your lawn and plant a vegetable garden!
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Watch & Share:
'Story About Stuff' video
Why We Must Ban Plastic Bags
Patronize Green Businesses
FOOD SCRAP COMPOSTING
Marin Sanitary Service customers are encouraged to put all food scraps in their green yard waste containers, now picked up on weekly basis. More information.
RECYCLE
Can you recycle it? Find out here.
What does your trash collector accept?
Mill Valley
Sausalito
San Rafael
Novato
Dispose of old pills responsibly by taking them to a local independent or CVS pharmacy.
Keep hazardous electronics waste out of the landfill: San Rafael Novato
Recycle your working Refrigerator & Freezer
(click on 'rebate pickup' & put in zip code)
CA Integrated Waste Management Board
RE-USE
Not ready for the trash heap? Items in usable condition should never go into the landfill. Instead make a tax-deductible donation to the local Goodwill, Salvation Army or charity consignment store of your choice. Clothes in good condition can be resold thru a number of consignment shops throughout Marin. Visit the shops to see the styles they carry, and choose the one that matches yours.
Donate your old shoes.
Find the closest drop off location for Soles4Souls.org charity.
Donate your old eyeglasses so someone else can see!
Swap books, music, DVDs, and video games for ones you want.
Post your item on Marin Max, IReuse, craigslist or ebay.
Medical equipment re-use service -- free to anyone who needs it. Walkers, toilets, crutches, canes, etc. Donate for deduction.
REDUCE
Stop the amount of stuff coming into your life in the first place! Avoid all the clutter in the first place through simple living, aka voluntary simplicity.
Visit the library. Do you really need to own every book you read?
Easy One Step Catalog Reduction
Shop only to replace a worn item, and buy used items whenever possible.
Purchase Recycled Products
If you reduce, re-use and recycle chances are you can't fill a whole garbage can every week. Call your trash collector and make sure you have the smallest can possible. You'll save money!
GARDEN
Get the facts on pesticides and herbicides
Planning a garden? Check out these water wise gardens for inspiration.
Choose native plants
Native Plant Nursery
Native Seeds
Alternatives to invasive garden plants
Creating a beautiful and healthy Bay-Friendly garden
Save our threatened gardening heritage by planting heirloom seeds.
Marin Master Gardeners Programs
(including how to compost)
WATER CONSERVATION
Set irrigation settings right for the season
Water conservation tips from CaWCR
A handy tool for fine tuning water conservation from H2ouse.
Water Waste Prevention
Stop or report the practice of hosing down hard surfaced areas, significant run-off from irrigation, and leakage.
Build your own rain barrel! Why let that winter rain go to waste?
ENERGY CONSERVATION
Consumer Energy Center
ENERGY STAR Federal program.
PG&E Flex Your Power
Incentives/rebates, technical assistance, retailers, product guides.
BUILD/ REMODEL/DESIGN
Except for energy upgrades, of course the most environmentally friendly choice is to simply maintain your property as is. But if you are set on doing something, here are some good resources.
Marin County Green Bldg/Biz Programs
Considering bamboo flooring? Things to know.
Construction Waste Recycling and Salvage
California Materials Exchange
Ohmega Salvage, Berkeley
Other Bay Area Salvage Yards
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable Fairfax
Sustainable Mill Valley
Sustainable Novato
Sustainable San Rafael
CLEANING
Buy non-toxic brand products or it's very easy to make your own simple and effective household cleaning solutions using such inexpensive ingredients as vinegar, washing soda, liquid castille soap, reusing your containers. Saving money, your health & the environment.
