Per Capita Davis: It’s time to think about building decarbonization
“Decarbonization,” a word so new my computer keeps trying to spell check it to something else, defines what some have called the next frontier in California’s fight against the climate crisis. The focus for reducing greenhouse gas emissions has been largely dominated by discussions over…
Methodist church focuses on environmental stewardship
Davis United Methodist Church is offering three forums in April on the theme of environmental stewardship. These presentations will be on Sunday mornings April 7, 14, and 28 from 9:45 to 10:50 at the church, 1620 Anderson Road in Davis. April 7: Cool Climate Diet, with…
Home Energy Retrofit Saves Money and Energy for Happy Owner
Stephen Peithman had been warned that his West Davis home’s central air conditioner was ready to fail. But he didn’t do anything about it until two years later in April 2015 when he received a letter from PG&E alerting him to potential rebates for energy…
Home Heating and Cooling: Make a Plan Workshop Set for Jan 27
Sun Jan 27 1:00-4:30pm Davis Senior Center 646 “A” St Valente Room
Local real estate agent outfits own home with energy efficiency retrofits
Knocking on the front door and looking at one of the few windows that lined the front of the house, I didn’t know what to expect. Trees and vegetation surrounded the house, with ferns lining the covered walkway to the front door and leafy vines…
Solar “Power Pioneer” Proves Payback Period Has Decreased Dramatically
It’s not surprising that Sue Fields decided to put solar panels on her roof in 2010 — a relatively early time in the movement – she’s an environmental engineer after all. Sue freely admits she didn’t research all of the installers in the area or…
California Greenhouse Gas Emissions Are Trending Down, Let’s Keep It That Way
The bad news is that there is a 429 million-metric ton elephant in the room—the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) produced in California in 2016. (The 2017 total is still being calculated.) The good news is that elephant is getting smaller, shrinking a little each…
Per Capita Davis: One step forward, two steps back
It seems the news on most topics around the globe alternates between scary and hopeful. The Climate Crisis is no exception. I’m not sure if we are on a “one step forward, two steps backwards” trajectory or a “two steps forward, one step backwards” journey….
Buying or Leasing an Electric Vehicle? Get Money Back!
If you’re thinking about buying an electric vehicle (EV), don’t look at that sticker price just yet. Check out tax breaks and rebates first to capitalize on a sweet bit of cash back on your purchase (with some for leases, too). There are three main…
Tarah Brady: Cool Davis Intern Extraordinaire
Greetings! My name is Tarah Brady, I am a fourth-year Community Regional Development student at UC Davis. During my second quarter at UC Davis I was sitting at the arboretum when I received an email from my department internship coordinator about a student internship opportunity…
Summer 2018 Interns at Cool Davis
Sim Bun is a fourth year undergraduate student at UC Davis. Originally from San Jose, Sim plans on pursuing a master’s degree in Public and Urban Policy upon graduating from UC Davis. Using her knowledge as a Community Regional Development major, Sim currently works with…
Per Capita Davis: There are some positive signs for renewables
My inbox gets filled with articles and information that’s interesting and important, but which doesn’t rise to the level of a 900-word column. Here are three of those items. But will they vote? Back in May, the Conservative Energy Network sponsored a poll conducted by…
COOL SOLUTIONS: The Whole House Fan
The summer months in Davis are often pretty hot, and it can be a challenge to keep your home cool and comfortable. Most of us rely on air conditioners to maintain a desired temperature, but there are many other energy-efficient and inexpensive ways to cool…
Rooftop Solar: Partial Fixes for Partial Shade
Tis my delight, alone in summer shade / To pipe a simple song for thinking hearts. — William Wordsworth Wordsworth may have appreciated shade on a summer day, but solar panels do not. Most people know that solar panels produce little on a cloudy day….
Cool Davis Coalition Hosts Valley Clean Energy
Wed May 16th 4:30- 6:00pm at Bicycling Hall of Fame
Federal solar tariffs not a disincentive for Davis
On Jan. 22, President Trump issued his long-awaited ruling on the penalties to be imposed on the world’s solar module manufacturers who sell their equipment into the U.S. market. Effective Feb. 7, there is a 30-percent solar import tariff for crystalline-silicon solar cells and modules….
Per Capita Davis: A white roof is a cool roof
I don’t know how it could have happened, but somehow I missed every single one of the 100 episodes of “Bill Nye the Science Guy.” Most probably, this was because the show was aimed at children and aired during the daytime when I was at…
Why You Shouldn’t Burn Wood This Winter
Crossposted from the Davis Vanguard January 31, 2018. As winter settles in Yolo and Solano County, so does cooler temperatures, brisk mornings and often, the smell of wood smoke permeating the air. Many people associate cold weather with a crackling fireplace and a cup of…
100% Renewable Energy for CA with SB100
With the beginning of a new California Assembly session this month, Senate President Pro Tempore Kevin de Leon will likely focus attention on his bill SB100. The 100% clean, renewable electricity bill passed in the Senate last May would accelerate California’s current mandate to achieve…
Per Capita Davis: Tour the country for heartening energy-saving news
Crossposted from the Davis Enterprise Still engaged in an internal fight between optimism and pessimism about the climate crisis, I took an online tour around the country to see if We the People are all in on reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. Examples of what I found…
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