I’ve been writing about cutting carbons for months, tracking what is happening in Skagit County with the Cool Community Challenge and more recently the pilot project in Coupeville.  But I have a confession to make.  After being so righteous about my efforts to cut my carbons, I have to admit that my emissions shot up around Thanksgiving and it had nothing to do with roasting a turkey. 

I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in mid November.  I had 2 tumors the size of golf balls, one in my breast and one in a lymph node under my arm.  I was at the Women’s Pavilion in Everett when they found it.  The staff there took immediate action with a doctor’s exam, mammogram and ultra sound. I went back the next day for a biopsy.   They set up a meeting with an Oncologist and a Surgeon.  Then everybody went off for Thanksgiving weekend.  I was in shock.  I went home and soaked in a hot bath, totally abandoning my water conservation and energy efficiency efforts. 

I had  been so good about commuting by bike and bus or walking to run my errands.  Over the next few weeks I made the trip to Everett several times for tests and consultations.  My car was in shock, too and literally blew a gasket!  

A few weeks later I started chemo therapy and spent alot more time at home.  I lost my hair which made me more cold so I turned up the heat.  When I went to work I had to quit my bus commute for fear of the spread of germs while my immune system was compromised.  Instead I carpooled with a friend. 

Getting seriously ill increased my carbon emissions significantly.  But one thing that helped…my friends stuffed the freezer with good food which made it run more efficiently.  My sister and her husband flew out from North Carolina.  They spent a weekend cooking and cleaning for me.  It was awesome, but that meant guzzling  jet fuel and leaving behind a big carbon footprint. 

Some of you may have seen the article I wrote about my parents and their water conservation efforts that appeared in the Skagit Valley Herald on March 5.  We were experiencing a rare winter drought and Oak Harbor had called for a Stage I, voluntary water conservation.  My parents were coming from N.C. – more air travel.   They came to help me through my surgery, which went well.  The pathology report came back clean, no cancer in sight.  I was to continue with more chemo followed by radiation just to make sure and to reduce my risk of recurrence.

It was when my parents were visiting that I realized my mom needed more help than I did.  She couldn’t stand up for long.  She’d been loosing weight.  She complained of stomach aches and wouldn’t eat much at all.  Other family members had expressed concern but this was the first I’d seen of it.  As soon as my parents returned to NC my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.  It was too late for her.   The best we could do was try to make her final days comfortable.

As soon as I was able to fly, I headed east.  I’ve been living with my folks, helping take care of mom for the past month.  My folks had several water conservation methods.  They catch water in the shower as it’s warming up, then wash dishes with it in a tub and then empty the water onto the plants.   They have a rain barrel just outside the laundry room door that they use to fill the washing machine.  But since mom’s been sick we’ve laxed our water conservation efforts.  I could see my dad struggling with it.  But we’ve both learned that as “Green” as we’d like to be, there are situations that over ride our conservation ethics. 

It has taught me to be more lenient of people who are in different circumstances.  Families that struggle to reduce their travel time while their kids want to go, go, go!  Or older or injured people who aren’t comfortable on a bike.  We all do what we can.  Every little bit helps.  And sometimes, in certain situations we have to put that all aside, temporarily in order to help one another get through a difficult time.

In Skagit County it has proven to be true with over 100 households participating and over 650,000 pounds lost so far.  All the tally’s aren’t in yet and may never be, but still the average of all these households is over 5,000 pounds of carbon emissions.  Okay, Okay, it took more than 30 days but still it’s impressive when you take into account it was over the holiday season when most of our carbon footprints go up a few sizes.

On Thursday, March 4th Whidbey Island is going to start a LCD pilot project.  Coupeville will host the initial meeting at the Recreation Hall from 6:30-8:00pm.   Folks from all over Whidbey are encouraged to attend, get a Low Carbon Diet workbook and start loosing!   Cathy D’Almeida, Coupeville’s Sustainabiltiy Coordinator, and volunteer, Mary Ann Imkamp will be launching the effort.

Some still debate about whether climate change is really happening or just a myth.   However, most people are coming to the realization that the actions we need to reverse climate change are going to make the world a better place no matter what side side of the debate you’re on.   And in many cases it can save us money which is becoming critical in this economy.  We have much to lose AND alot to gain?  Consider this:

I take the bus or carpool to reduce the cost of my commute, get my old car to last a few more years, and get a cleaner environment in the bargin.  I’ve enjoyed visiting with friends on my way to work.  In warmer months I get in shape by taking a bike-bus combo.  I don’t need a gym membership and I saved over $700 on my commute last year.

Now what about energy savings?  In the last 2 years I replaced old appliances with a new Energy Star refrigerator and front loading washer and dryer, changed a dozen old fashioned light bulbs to CFLs and put up insulating curtains, “insider” storm windows and outlet sealers and weatherized my doors.  I also hang my clothes to dry, inside or out, most of the year.  It’s a little early to tell exactly how much all these energy efficiency steps have saved but my energy bill has gone down even as the rates have gone up. 

I’ve been pretty good at reducing garbage for a long time but this past year we put in a compost demonstration site at work.  We have 3 worm bins now that gobble up the coffee grounds and food waste from our lunch room (anything from a plant) and create great fertlizer for organic gardening.  We were able to reduce the weight of our lunch room trash by 25%.  In Oak Harbor if you increase your recycling and composting to reduce your trash from a 65 gallon roll cart to a 35 gallon roll cart, you could save $323 a year.   (For info on reducing waste visit: www.wastewise.wsu.edu)

It all adds up to great savings.  If you cut your carbons and save say $1,000 a year, you could make an investment in more insulation or a solar hot water heater and move steadily toward a carbon zero lifestyle.  

The Low Carbon Diet workbook gives you an idea of how many carbons you can cut by making specific changes, but it doesn’t tell you how much money you can save.  In my experience it’s a significant chunk of change. 

Some might say it’s  ”pie in the sky” idealism but my grandmother, who lived through the Great Depression, would say it’s common sense.   I hope to see you in Coupeville for the launch of Whidbey’s  Low Carbon Diet pilot project.  Want to carpool?  Meet at Albertson’s at 6:00pm by the glass recycling bin.

One of the first things I wrote on it was the Jan. 9th gathering in Anacortes of the Cool Community Teams.  I’ve been writing about my experience with this campaign and how over 100 households participated in the Cool Community challenge.  These households joined a team of people who aimed to cut thier carbon footprint by at least 5,000 pounds in just 2 months using the book the Low Carbon Diet as their guide.  That’s particularly challenging over the holidays when we travel more, shop more, trash more and use more energy to heat our homes and light up our dark landscape with holiday cheer.  But even though they haven’t gotten a complete tally, the Skagit County Cool Community Campaign has already dropped over 600,000 pounds of carbon on the Low Carbon Diet!  I’m hoping we do this on Whidbey in 2010.  If you’re interested please call me at 279-4762 or visit: http://www.skagitbeattheheat.org/

There’s another wonderful event planned for February 6th.  Sound Waters is a very successful conference put on by the WSU Beach Watchers.  It fills up the Coupeville High School with over 500 people from on and off the island.  This is their 15th year and the line up is phenomenal.  You can choose between classes on birds or bats, kelp or kayaking, plastics or pioneers, renewable energy, rain gardens, recycling, compost, climate change or dozens of other topics.  It’s not to be missed.  For more information and on-line registration visit: www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/soundwaters

On March 20th there’s the Whidbey Gardening Workshop at the Coupeville High School.  For anyone interested in growing anything, this is the place to be.  There will be classes on rain gardens, native plants, noxious weeds, pruning, planting, soils and how to encourage, and in some cases discourage wildlife.  Visit: http://www.island.wsu.edu/Gardening/WGW.html

On April 23-25 Oak Harbor hosts the Holland Happening with a parade and street fair, carnival rides and other special events to celebrate spring.  The tulips are blooming in the Skagit Valley and we all shake off winter and get some sun on our cheeks.  Visit: http://oakharborchamber.com/calendar-of-events/

The 3rd annual North Whidbey Green Living Fair will be held on May 8th at the Oak Harbor campus of Skagit Valley College.  The theme for this year’s fair is Clean Energy and Andy Wappler will be the keynote speaker.  Theme rooms feature displays and information on Recycling, Gardening, Green Building and Fitness.  Outside the Like2Bike campaign will feature a kid’s bike rodeo, beater bike give-away and a bike repair and maintenance clinic.  For more information or to join our volunteer crew email: carolyn.batchelor@skagit.edu

June 4-5 is the Relay for Life event when people walk around the track at North Whidbey Middle School for 24 hours.  Cancer doesn’t sleep, so why should we?  Everyone knows someone who has struggled with cancer. This event raises money to help support them, fund research, and provide treatment.  You can sign up to walk a lap or make a contribution.  Visit:  http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=21944 for more information.

July just seems too far away right now but I’d also like to mention the  Sustainable Living Workshops that take place at Oak Harbor City Hall each 2nd Tuesday from 5:30-6:30.  We’ll have speakers (in this order starting in Feb.) on Energy Efficiency in older homes, Water Conservation, Rain Barrels, Renewable Energy, Orcas and Puget Sound water qualtiy, Growing Food for the Hungry, Responsible Yard Care, Island Biking, Returning Salmon, Recycling at School and Work, and Preserving Key Habitat on North Whidbey.  These seminars are free and open to the public.  They will also air on our local government access channel 10 for a month after.  For more information visit: http://www.oakharbor.org/ or call 279-4762.

Nothing will change your financial future faster  and improve the planet quicker than the decisions you make about transportation.  Most Americans work 2 to 4 months a year just to pay for their car!  There’s the obvious initial expense of buying a car or truck.  Then there’s the license tabs and registration, insurance, gas, oil, maintenance, parts and repairs, parking and cleaning.  It all adds up!

Besides the expense of owning and operating a personal vehicle, there’s devastating damage to our environment.  We pump 1,300 million tons of CO2 into our air each year.  That’s about 7 tons per driver.  Every 2 weeks our automobiles drip enough oil to match the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska.  Oil and other automotive toxins pour into Puget Sound everyday with each rain that washes the pollutants off our streets and into our storm drains. 

The automobile makers spend about $14 billion a year to convince us to buy another new shiney, sporty, sexy new car or truck.  The Federal Highway Administration says there are 241 million cars and trucks on the road in the US.  That’s 30 percent of the world’s automobiles.  (We only make up about 5 % of the world population.)  To fuel this frenzy we use 8.2 million barrels of oil a day.  About as much as Saudi Arabia can pump out of the ground.  That accounts for about 30% of the greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries that causes Climate Change putting our future and life as we know it at serious risk.

So, the first step is changing how you drive.  Let’s start with idling.  It takes less than a minute for a modern car to warm up.  Anytime your car is idling in traffic or waiting at a take out window longer than 30 seconds you are wasting gas and polluting the air.  This is especially noticable at schools when parents are lined up to pick up their children.  The kids are collecting outside in a cloud breathing thick smog.  It is actually better for your engine to turn it off and restart it than to idle. 

When you’re driving, ease in and out of starts and stops.  It will save your brakes, take less gas, cause fewer accidents and save you money.

Next consider what you’re driving.  The average fuel economy in the US is 20.2 miles per gallon.  Shocking!  (In Europe it’s 35 mpg.)  It’s because so many people drive SUVs or large trucks which average 18 mpg.  Look around.  There are several cars that get excellent gas mileage even without investing in a Hybrid.  A Honda Civic gets 36 mgp on the highway and 25 in town.  A Toyota Matrix wagon gets 33 on the highway and 26 in town.  Now let’s do the math.  If your car gets 35 mpg, you’d spend $884 less on gasoline every eyar than if it got 20 mpg.  Check out your vehicles fuel efficiency at www.epa.gov/greenvehicles and find a greener ride at www.greenercars.org

Better still, leave the car at home.  Have you ever taken the bus?  Island Transit is a great bus system.  There is no fare.  The drivers are friendly and helpful.  You can get the schedule at www.islandtransit.org  And they connect with ferries and other bus lines around Whidbey.  I’ve been taking the bus to work about 4 days a week for over a year.  Even though my car gets 30 mpg I can save $650 a year in gas alone by taking the bus.   I spend less on oil, parts and maintenance, too.

Carpooling is another way to cut the cost of transportation.  If you share your ride with one friend you cut your costs in half.  Take two and you’re really reducing your financial and environmental burden.  Carpooling and taking the bus allow time to relax with friends going to and from work.

Friends of mine ride bikes to work and for fun all year round.  The more cyclists we have on Whidbey the stronger our lobby for bike lanes or bike paths.  It’s a great way to stay fit and costs a fraction of the expense of a car.   Don’t forget your helmet, wear bright clothing, lights and reflectors and use the appropriate hand signals when moving through traffic.   http://www.be-safe.org/css_com/bicycle/rules.html 

There are bike clubs in the Seattle area and Skagit County which offer group rides, bike maintenance workshops and other fun outings.  Visit http://www.cascade.org/Home/ or http://www.skagitbicycleclub.org/  I especially like their spring Tulip Pedal.  Look for more about Like2Bike Whidbey when Bike to Work month rolls around in May.  And the Tour de Whidbey is a great way to get the family involved and it benefits the Hospital Foundation.  For more information visit: http://www.whidbeygen.org/whidbeygeneralhospitalfoundation/tourdewhidbey

So green your ride, green your planet and green your wallet all at once!

There is merit in working alone or in a small group, but there is real power in drawing together a roomful of like-minded folks with a common goal.  As I found in my Cool Community Team, we have inspired, taught and supported each other through our efforts.  I’m looking forward to hearing from the other teams, too.

Since Oct.  I’ve lost roughly 10,000 pounds in carbon emissions, double what I was expecting.  My success was due in great part to my partner, Beno, who closed off our large fireplace, made insiders (indoor storm windows) and caulked the air leaks in our house.  I got my car tuned-up, insulated our outlets and switches and plugged our stereo, TV, computer and printer into a power strip.  Most of the other things were small behavioral changes.  These efforts didn’t cost much or take alot of time but they’re making a big difference in our carbon footprint.

I know others that participated in the Cool Community Campaign found significant ways to cut their carbon.  One couple finally bought a new, more efficient furnace.  I’m sure that wasn’t cheap.  Some bought carbon offsets for their air travel.   Others made big lifestyle changes like taking the bus to work or starting a worm bin.  One woman I know gave up her car.  Now that’s committment.  I applaud these efforts. You are all an inspiration. 

I saw a sign in front of a fitness center today that said, “The average American gains 7 pounds over the holidays.”  I’m pretty sure they’re thinking of calories, but it’s  true for carbon, too.  Our garbage increases 25% between Thanksgiving and New Years.  We travel more, use more energy with festive lighting and entertaining.  We buy more stuff and send it to loved ones all over creation.  We give ourselves a temporary exemption from whatever discipline we’d been practicing.  But the key to “sustainability” is to make our lifestyles “sustainable”, that means everyday of the year, year after year. 

So it got me thinking about what gifts I give my family and friends.  How I wrap them (if I wrap them).  What kind of holiday foods I serve and where they come from.  If it’s a special occasion shouldn’t we serve the best, local fare available to celebrate and support our community?  Shouldn’t it promote good health?  I’ve been more conscientious as I move through the holidays.  I haven’t practiced everything I’ve preached but I get a little closer each year.

Last weekend I was out on the front lawn.  My 5 year old  neighbor came over to see what I was doing.  I had a large ring, some twine and a lot of evergreen branches I’d gathered on walks with my dog.  I told him I was making a wreath and he asked, “Why don’t you just go to Wal-Mart and buy one?”  I said I didn’t want to spend that much time.  He said it wasn’t far away and it would be easy.  Meanwhile I was wrapping the twine around the evergreens lashing them to the ring.  In a few moments I had a wreath and topped it with a big red bow.  He turned his argument around saying, “You don’t need to drive to Wal-Mart to get a wreath?”

We can find most of what we need close to home.  It makes me grateful for the bounty of our agricultural lands, forests, waters, and  the strength and creativity of our community.   Someone told me today that already the sun rose 3 minutes sooner than it did the morning before, so I’m grateful for the return of the light, too! 

Bring a little light into these dark times.  Give hope to your loved ones.  Be an inspiration to others.  Send your positive thoughts and prayers to our political leaders as they wrestle with controling our carbon emissions, but at the same time,  see how much you can lose.   Have a great holiday and a happy, healthy New Year.

Look at the Conference in Copenhagen last week.  People from all over the world gathered to take on a huge common goal, to significantly reduce our global carbon emissions by 2050. 

The spotlight was focused on this event and the pressure was on.  I hope the pressure doesn’t let up just because the conference is over.  I’ve heard many commentators discuss the failings or successes of the conference.  Personally, I’m thrilled that it took place at all and that so many key players were at the table.  Whatever our political leaders hammer out, I know that real change takes place from the bottom up.

Our Cool Climate Team has met twice now.  We’ve shared ideas, books and resources for water conservation, waste reduction and even giving up your car.  Most often we talk about energy efficiency.  We get excited about promising new technology that use solar, wind or cow power.

I have a friend who converted his diesel truck so it runs on pure cooking oil.  He eats at the local diner once a week and they slip him a big vat of chicken grease out the back.  He pours it directly into his truck. So as long as there’s fried food, he’ll have “free” fuel and a large following of dogs chasing after him.

At our last meeting someone brought in a can of spray insulation that seals off leaks where plumbing comes in under the sink.  I’ve heard that stuff also keeps out rodents.

They also had some foam outlet insulators.  I had just put some in the night before.  It was easy enough for even a tool klutz like me.

You get a packet of 8 at the hardware store for a few bucks.  Then all you need is a screw driver and about 15 minutes.  You unscrew the face plate off the outlets and switches on the exterior walls of the house, slip these insulated foam covers in and replace the face plate.  Voila!

We’re so dazzled these days with all the latest gadgets that we forget some of the most common sense steps we can take to reduce our carbon footprint.  I’ve heard some reports from other cool climate teams that are also discovering low cost, low-tech ways to cut carbon.

Linda was amazed that someone in her group wore long johns all winter inside and out which made it comfortable to turn down her thermostat.  Linda asked, “Do you have them on right now?”  Her team mate pulled up her pant leg to display her silk long johns.

The Anacortes American team wrote that they’ve taken several steps at work like replacing ordinary bulbs with CFLs.  But what caught my eye was the mention of using thermoses instead of leaving a coffee pot on all day, a brilliant idea.  Now I make a thermos of tea for myself in the morning.

I’ve been using a tea cozy more, too.  If I cook something that requires bringing it to a boil and then letting it simmer, I let it boil, then turn the stove off and wrap it in my tea cozy.  Last week I made a big pot of soup, boiled it and tucked it into my laundry basket surrounded by towels.  After walking the dog for an hour I came back and it was done.

At least half of my group didn’t use their dryers anymore.  At our last meeting our hosts showed their indoor clothes rack that holds an entire load of laundry and when not in use, folds compactly into a closet. Others had strung up a clothes line in the basement. Since that meeting I put my clothes on a rack in the guest room.  It takes more time, but zero carbon.

This time of year I get muddy pants whenever I walk my dog in the woods. So I started saving one pair of pants exclusively for dog walking.  Now I don’t have to wash my other pants as often.  Recently I started hanging my once worn shirts outside on the porch overnight.  They smell fresh in the morning.  I’m sure my grandmother knew all these tricks.

Since I started keeping a record of all my driving, the date, the miles, the reason, I decided to reduce Webster’s carbon paw print.  I found a park walking distance from home where she can play in a big field while I do laps around it.  We still go to the woods on the weekends.  We’ve cut driving the dog down to 10 miles a week instead of 30-40.

So far I’ve cut my carbon footprint by:

Taking my car for a tune up and inflating the tires properly = 1,500 pounds Making and installing “Insiders” indoor storm windows = 800 pounds

Adding insulation and sealing air leaks = 1,000 pounds

I replaced an old fridge and washer with Energy Star models = 1,000 pounds Reducing solid waste, junk mail, recycling, composting, worm bin and shopping for less packaging (I did this already but I’ve improved a little) = 100 pounds Taking 5 minute showers and installing low flow showerheads = 500 pounds Reducing laundry loads and using cold water = 100 pounds

Eliminating the use of the dryer = 260 pounds/load

Installing a power strip for TV, stereo, etc. = 100 pounds

Installing CFL bulbs in 16 light fixtures = 1,600 pounds

Wearing long johns and sweaters and turning down the heat = 900 pounds Cutting Webster’s carbon paw print by 75% = 1,000 pounds

Driving at 55 and easing in and out of stops whenever possible = 1,100 pounds Buying Green Power from PSE =800 pounds

I plan to get a live tree for Christmas and planting it afterward = 25 pounds My total= 10,785 which is pretty good but I know I can do better.

Do your own calculations at www.empowermentinstitute.org Get tips on Green Living at www.skagitbeattheheat.org and click on Living Well Living Green guide.  Or attend my presentation on how to reduce waste over the holidays come to my presentation at the Burlington Library Dec. 3 at 7pm.

Our cool climate team got together last weekend and reported on calculating our carbon footprints. Some folks had trouble finding the information required. We coached each other on calling our utility companies, looking at on-line accounts, consulting utility bills, and determining gas mileage. Most of our team had completed the assignment. Some were shocked at what they found. Even though most of us thought of ourselves as pretty green, there was still plenty of room for improvement.

I hadn’t checked my gas mileage for years so decided to do it again just out of curiousity. I’m keeping a notepad on my dashboard and logging how many miles I drive and where. I don’t drive much. I take the bus to work 4 or 5 days a week. I live in town so I can walk or bike to do most of my errands. Most of my driving was to go on longer trips or occasionally haul things around. I estimated my car use and mileage for the carbon calculator and was satisfied with my results.

But wait! I share my house with a man and a dog. I had to add theirs to mine for a total household equation. The man works at home most of the time. But while I’m at work the two of them go out for long walks in the big woods.

Webster was a 7 month old stray when they brought her to the shelter.  We got her last winter and tried to walk her around the neighborhood on a leash. However, she’s a hound dog and if you’ve ever known a hound dog you know they have to run. If she doesn’t get out and race through the woods for at least an hour everyday, she goes crazy and drives us crazy, too. Trying to keep her on a leash is like trying to hold on to the Tazmanian Devil. 

When the man of the house left for a week, I took over dog duty and began to realize how much driving my dog requires. We drive her the shortest distance to a trailhead where we can let her loose and still it’s at least 4 miles a day. On the weekends we take her and ourselves on different trails for variety which might double the distance. It adds up to 30-40 miles a week!   Short trips are the hardest on your car and the most polluting for the environment. Could we teach our dog to ride a bike? Maybe we should get an electric bike with a trailor for the dog.

Then I started wondering where her food comes from. I checked the dog food bag. The ingredients were corn, wheat and meat biproducts. It was distributed by a company in Tennesee. She recently enjoyed some locally smashed pumpkins  and occasionally scores some local seafood on beach walks. But the bulk of her meals come from far away fields and cost alot of carbon to get to her bowl.

The next step in the Low Carbon Diet, after calculating your carbon footprint, is reducing garbage. So last week, just before I took it out to the street, I weighed my garbage. Just a pound for me, mostly plastic. I have a compost pile, worm bin and a large cart for recyclables. I’m trying to reduce the flow of junk mail and to shop wisely so I don’t bring home extra packaging.

My dog’s waste however, outweighed mine. Pet waste has horrific bacteria and pathogens that are harmful to wildlife and human health.  I pick up her poop, bag it and collect it in a larger plastic bag which I tie shut and add to my garbage can each week. Her contribution more than doubled mine and smelled much worse. A scientist I know has been experimenting with treating pet poop so it’s less toxic and can be composted. But he has yet to attain the desired results. I’m cheering him on.

Other cool climate team mates struggled with different members of their households. One had asked his teenage son to take 5 minute showers. When he checked back later his son said he wasn’t taking shorter showers but he was taking fewer of them.

Some team mates said they don’t use their driers anymore, even in winter. They just hang their clothes on a line in the basement or on a rack in the guest room. That’s where mine are now.  Group guilt is a powerful tool.

A retired couple in our group who have a very green lifestyle realized their air miles added significantly to their carbon footprint. They considered traveling by train or buying carbon offsets. Figuring our carbon calculation got us all thinking, considering small changes we can make that will add up to a big difference.

So even though my dog has a significant carbon paw print I can think of a few ways she helps reduce mine. She loves to reduce waste and cleans the floor at the same time. She makes sure I stay in shape for walking and biking. And I can keep the heat low because after dinner each night she climbs into my lap and keeps me warm. 

Calculate your own carbon footprint at www.empowermentinstitute.org

For more information on this Cool Community Campaign, visit:

At the Cool Climate Cafe we heard presentations from Anacortes’ Mayor Maxwell, representatives from Padilla Bay Reserve,  North Cascades Institute, Skagit Beat the Heat and WSU Climate Stewards.  They talked about climate change and how it might affect us here in the near future.   The Mt. Vernon Cafe’ had a cool band called the Home Grown Tomatoes, which I heard was fantastic, like their name.  In Anacortes we had a great spread of local food donated by the deli and grocers in town.

Displays and information on energy efficiency, renewable energy and other cool topics were around the sides.  There was alot of cheerful chatter as the room filled.   High School students sat together at two long tables.  Just their presence reminded us that its their future we’re talking about.  I sat with a few friends in the back.  We decided to work together as a team.  Between the 2 Cafe’s 20 or so teams were formed representing well over 100 households. 

All of us are using the Low Carbon Diet, a book by David Gershon.  As with most diets, the first step was to measure our current weight or in this case, calculate our carbon footprint.   I sat down Sunday with my laptop and went to the website, www.empowermentinstitute.net/lcd

There are alot of carbon calculators out there but it was important for all of us to use the same one.  This one asked for an average of the last year’s kWt use which is printed on my power bill, the amount of garbage we throw out each month, the amount we drive with both our cars and their gas mileage, and it included air travel.  As it turned out my carbon footprint was less than the average German but more than the average Swede.  It was less than a 1/3 of the average American. 

Living in temperate Western Washington means I don’t use alot of energy on heating and cooling.  I bought new Energy Star appliances last year to replace some that were over 20 years old.  I counted 19 CFL bulbs in use at our house and we use a clothesline whenever weather permits.  I usually take public transit to work and I fly once a year to visit family.  Pretty “green”, huh?  Or so I thought.

The next step was to come up with an action plan.  How would I loose 5,000 pounds when I was already so “green”?  The Low Carbon Diet book has a check list.  As I went down the list I was surprised to find how much weight I could loose by getting my car tuned up and properly inflating my tires.  Adding weather stripping and storm windows helps, alot, too.  But the shocker was how much weight I could loose by reducing my trash.  That’s especially challenging over the holidays when Americans throw away 25% more garbage.  (I’m offering a workshop on a Waste Free Holiday at Oak Harbor City Hall, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 5:30-6:30pm for ages 8 and up.  At 7:00 pm Janet Hall will give a presentation called the Truth About Trash.   Call me for info 2 279-4762.)

Each week our team will address certain areas where we could loose weight.  I’ll keep you posted on how our diet is going.  If you want to shed a few pounds, follow along with our team.   

Also, check out www.theGreenestHouse.com, a reality TV show series made in Bellingham that shows 2 families competing for an  electric car.  Fun and frantic with lots of how-to info and resources all of us could use.

By Maribeth Crandell

It’s that time of year when we all start thinking about scary stuff.  Spiders, bats, glowing pumpkins that look possessed.  I’ve come across some scary stuff in my time, grizzlies, rattlesnakes, my mom when she’s upset…  But I’ve learned how to handle these threats.  The one big fear that persists is climate change.  I am haunted by dreadful images of polar bears on melting ice; sea level rise overtaking major cities; our local glaciers (our drinking water reservoirs) dwindling.

One thing that helps alleviate fear is a better understanding.  Last year I took an excellent class offered through the WSU-Skagit and Island County Extension called Climate Stewards. Expert scientists from the region made presentations and offered clear explanations.  The news can be overwhelming but my fellow classmates, and I,  community educators and concerned citizens, have since been offering workshops at the local libraries, creating community gardens, installing solar panels and publishing a Living Green resource guide. For more information visit: www.skagitbeattheheat.org   But wait, there’s more! 

The group has joined with others to launch a Cool Community Campaign.  On Oct. 24, the International Day of Climate Action, they will hold a Cool Climate Café.  There will be a morning Café at the Skagit PUD in Mt. Vernon from 9:30 to 11:30 and an afternoon Café in Anacortes at the Fidalgo Senior Center from 1:00 to 3:00.  They’ll offer short presentations and then ask folks to join a Cool Community Team to take the Low Carbon Diet. 

The Low Carbon Diet, is an easy to follow workbook written by David Gershon.  It offers tips on how to loose 5,000 pounds in 30 days.  Now that’s a heck of a diet.  The group has a goal to get at least 100 households involved in cutting 5,000 pounds of carbon emissions each.  That’s half million pounds, a significant reduction. 

Some groups are already forming teams from Deception Pass State Park, the City of Anacortes, Skagit County, Soroptimists International, Anacortes Ace Hardware, American Association of University Women, Northwest Clean Air Agency, the Samish Tribe, the Anacortes American and others.  A grant paid for the first 100 copies of the workbook.

Our planning team is working through the Low Carbon Diet now so we can speak from experience when we host the Cool Climate Café.  I thought I was pretty green already but I found I could do more.  In the first chapter on reducing waste, I pledged to try harder to “Precycle”, shopping with more attention to reducing packaging.  To reduce the amount of junk mail I get I contacted DirectMail.com to get off their mailing lists.  The Low Carbon Diet workbook along with the new Living Green guide gives us lots of ways to cut carbons.  The cool thing about this effort is that even if all the world’s best scientists got it wrong (which seems unlikely) these carbon cutting changes are still a good idea.  It will save us money, make us healthier and reduce pollution.  So don’t just stand there!  Do something!

Meet us at the Cool Climate Café on Oct. 24 for refreshments and presentations.  Get together with friends and neighbors and form a Cool Community Team.  And if you cannot make it on Saturday, but are interested in joining a team, contact Susan Wood: swood@padillabay.gov 

NEWSFLASH:  There will also be an event on South Whidbey at Bayview Corner at 3:00pm.  Bring an umbrella for a photo shoot to be sent to 350.org.  Photos will be taken of groups in 179 countries on Oct.24 and sent to our political leaders before the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change in December.  For more about their global efforts to curb climate change visit: www.350.org