From Meaning to Action — KSR to MLK — Meeting the Moment Together.

On behalf of the Board, Staff and volunteers of Cool Davis – I wish you a meaning-filled and action-packed New Year.  As January has unfolded, I am so grateful to live in a City and County where people consistently come together to support, encourage and collaborate.

For those of you who joined us in person or online in November for the gathering with author Kim Stanley Robinson (video link) you might recollect this reference to finding meaning in the face of the difficult realities.   Though Stan was referring to how to encourage young people who are looking at a devasting future – his words were deeply important to all of us who are working hard to turn that future around.

As Cool Davis’s Executive Director, I find meaning every day in the work that so many people are doing.  Your voice matters!  Whether you are a scientist, engineer or policy maker who is bringing to reality a new way forward, or if you just completed the next thing on your personal list to zero emissions in your life, your work matters!

Despite the difficult news of this last month with —

  • 1000s of homes demolished by wildfires in urban neighborhoods in Los Angeles,
  • 2024 as the next in a decade of the hottest years on record,
  • Crossing the1.5 C threshold for minimum increase in average global temperature set in the Paris accords or
  • The return of leadership that opposes our work, exiting those accords yet again,

I hope you will join us in sharing the meaningful work ahead, honor the ongoing action and celebrate the strong, creative and committed voices leading us forward.

On January 20th there were many voices competing for our time and attention.  I was especially glad to attend the Davis Martin Luther King Day celebration at the Vets Memorial Center (video here).  There we heard some very direct words from newly sworn Mayor Bapu Vaitla and Yolo Climate Commission Chair NJ Mvondo.  If you weren’t there, I encourage you to take time to listen and reflect on their call to action!

For Cool Davis’s part we choose to celebrate the positive work done every day to address the climate crisis. 

Together we can make this a meaning-full year!

Join us in supporting the actions of so many in people and organizations in the community like:

  • Participants who participated in the December, Make a Plan webinar, who are working now to replace fossil fuel based appliances and home systems.
  • Over 800 households in Davis and many more throughout Yolo that purchased/leased electric vehicles this year to reduce their emissions!
  • Yolo County Board of Supervisors, staff and Climate Commission, who completed the County Climate Action & Adaptation Plan with an audacious goal of carbon neutrality by 2030.
  • Valley Clean Energy, that has set a 2030 goal for 100% renewable electricity while continuing to reduce rates below PG&E rates (see VCE article in this newsletter).

Let’s elevate collective action on climate now!

  • We are grateful for continued support from the City of Davis for our general climate education work and our Make A Plan and Ride Cool activities for 2025.
  • We are grateful for our partner Tree Davis as we embark on Climate Ready Neighborhood work this spring!
  • We are excited about growing new partnerships with the emerging Yolo Resilience Collaborative, and engaging households with Yolo Energy Programs and a new partner, DeColores in 2025.

Cool Davis couldn’t do what we do without the volunteers and donors contributing to our work.

  • Hundreds of donors contributed over $100,000 in 2024 helping to fill the unexpected gaps in public funding in 2023. Your donations now can help us with our next steps to transform our programs in 2025. Connect with Cool Davis Board members sharing their stories of commitment in this newsletter.
  • Volunteers put in hundreds of hours serving as advisors, campaign champions, leading committees, analyzing data, crafting communications and taking care of administrative tasks! As we ramp up programs, we are seeking more volunteers for 2025! Check out opportunities to volunteer. Join us for an orientation soon!
  • One place we are seeking volunteers the committees of our board of directors. We especially are looking for folks with a passion for our mission, commitment to bring in the resources to sustain and grow our programs and who reflect the geography, age and cultural diversity of the communities we serve.  Contact the board at board@cooldavis.org for more information.

Every day we recommit, to going as fast and far as we can, along with you, to meet this moment!

Chris Granger

Executive Director