Jessie pledged to …

Encourage 1x month at least 1 person to ride a bike, bus, or walk

Reduce air travel emissions

Pre-cool my home during summer to avoid peak usage and rates

Eat a meatless meal 3x per week

Connect with community members about sustainable affordable housing advocacy

Change my investments to be socially responsible and fossil free

Plant or adopt a fruit producing or climate ready shade tree

… by Earth Day 2024

Made progress or completed all my pledges except greening finances :-)

Did not fly anywhere; diversifying my ride with my kids was challenging over the winter but have plans to purchase a hybrid 3rd row car for carpooling, and will also use our long tail e-bike now that it’s better weather.

I did most of my thinking around food. We stopped eating beef and pork, and went mostly vegetarian and local. We expanded our home organic garden. I was very influenced by watching the Netflix series, “You Are What You Eat.” It covered a lot that I hadn’t already learned about the negative impacts of some types of fish farming and most types of meat farming.

We’ve been enjoying even more plant-based foods as a family this year as a result. Our kids’ current favorite is kale pesto. Looking forward to fava season! We very much enjoyed growing luffa for the first time, and have replaced our sponges with them, as well as gave them away during the holidays. Super fun for the kids to peel … sparked many conversations with passers by who wondered what in the world they were.

I slowly converted our lawn to the hearty and drought tolerant “silver carpet,” taking small plugs from another area of yard. It’s holding up great to the kids running around on it! I’m very pleased. It was free to do since we already had some in the yard, and it spreads easily. No more mowing!

Thank you for challenging us to do better for ourselves, our neighbors, and the environment. — Jessie Nakahara and family

Mark pledged to …

  • Reduce air travel emissions
  • Install a whole house fan
  • Get my attic insulated
  • Give up or significantly reduce high impact foods
  • act on climate injustices
  • Plant or adopt a fruit producing or climate ready shade tree

… by Earth Day 2024

  • Major compost generation here at home. Substantial reduction in electricity consumption. All lawn removed.
  • We need to consider the consumption-based carbon footprint of replacement and disposal of old appliances
  • We’re also doing induction cooking. Works great!
  • The pledge is a thoughtful analysis of a broad spectrum of realistic measures that people can undertake.
  • Woodland is working to coalesce residents who care about climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Carol pledged to …

  • Pre-cool my home during summer to avoid peak usage and rates
  • Open windows to cool my home at night during summer months
  • Continue my vegetarian diet and eat in season locally
  • Volunteer with a climate or resilience organization
  • Make a donation
  • Learn about and act on climate injustices

… by Earth Day 2024

  • I gained ground in each category
  • I’m driving a lot less and walking more. Trying to be as responsible as possible about my energy use.
  • I live in an apartment, so a lot of the choices are not my own, but I encouraged my daughter and son-in-law to get rooftop solar on their house!