Celebrate Earth Day, John Muir’s Birthday, and the 2013 Cool Davis Awards

Cool Davis celebrated John Muir’s Birthday and Earth Day with a slideshow talk by Kim Stanley Robinson.  While eleven young folk enjoyed a Nature’s Theater adventure with Jeff Falyn and Lyndsay Dawkins outside, 180 adults gave their full attention to Robinson’s thoughtful and provocative observations of Muir’s life and his political effectiveness.

For the second half, local performer John Swann led the audience in new lyrics for a familiar song:

“This land is my land, this land is our land;  From Yosemite Valley, to the Farralon Islands;  From the redwood forests, to the Bay and Delta; The care of this land is in our hands!” 

Each verse of the song introduced another visionary Eco-hero being honored this year by Cool Davis.  Dan Wolk and Lucas Frerichs introduced the Eco-heroes who model how to incorporate sustainable practices into their civic and everyday lives and walk lightly with less impact on the environment. Acting out of personal conviction, they are doing “the right thing” for themselves, our community and our planet.

Read more about Dani Lee, the Sustainability Manager for UC Davis Dining Commons who has worked wonders educating students and staff, diverting 85% of waste to compost, buying local produce and much more.

Robyn Waxman started a series of public farms and piloted coursework incorporating agriculture into ordinary life, and she is a vegetarian who composts, and grows her own food.

Diane Swann shows us how to reduce our transportation print by bike commuting to her work in Sacramento.

The Cool Davis 2013 Climate Solution Awards go to local businesses or organizations for exemplary efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  As they model ways to reduce their environmental impact, they become leaders in creating options to conserve resources, reduce fossil fuel dependence, and stabilize the climate.

Davis Bike Collective founded by Jason Moore and others helps hundreds of people maintain their bikes each year.

Judy Corbett’s 30-year-old, award-winning non-profit Local Government Commission promotes livable communities that include healthy, engaged people, a healthy environment, a more sustainable economy, and an equitable society.

Lauren Norton’s new organization, the Davis Flea, shows people ways to reuse and repurpose items that might otherwise be tossed in the landfill.

MAK Design & Build and Davis Energy Group have both received certification for Partners for a Greener Davis.  Cool Davis is pleased to highlight to the community the efforts these businesses have made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by implementing measures to reduce water, energy, solid waste and water pollution. They serve as worthy models for others to follow and were therefore recognized with a Cool Davis 2013 Climate Solution award.   Ellen Moriarty of MAK Design & Build  and Mardelle Moreno-Wilbur of Davis Energy Group received the certificates.

Three businesses including Davis Energy Group,  Physical Edge, UC Davis Student Housing and UC Davis Dining Services: Segundo, Tercero, Cuarto have been certified for the Sacramento Area Sustainable Business program (under BERC = Business Environmental Resource Center).   Cool Davis is pleased to highlight to the community the voluntary actions each business has taken in the areas of Energy and Water Conservation, Pollution Prevention, Solid Waste Reduction, Green Building and/or Transportation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Mardelle Moreno-Wilbur of Davis Energy Group, Dani Lee of UC Davis Dining Services, and Mat Moore of Physical Edge received the certificates.

The afternoon ended with a reception of birthday cakes (including vegan and gluten-free cakes), trail mix, and veggies with hummus which guests munched as they visited the Cool Davis, Tuleyome, May is Bike Month, and Sierra Club tables for information and steps to action.

Watch for Earth Day and the Cool Davis Awards next year in May.