march 2024 newsletter

SAVE WATER AND MONEY FROM THE WATER CHAMPIONS!

Paul Mann and Jenna Payne, his fiancé, were living through the triple whammy of Covid lock-down, drought and wildfires when they started reconsidering their water use. First came the outdoor shower to go along with their hot tub. Paul used an on-demand hot water heater for the shower and repurposed its gray water for their vegetable and herb garden. Then they decided to capture the rains (once the drought broke) with three 1000-gallon rain barrels. “All of a sudden we could [water] our whole fruit orchard, as well as the plants,” he said.  

Next they added two more gray water systems and had enough ‘extra’ water for their neighbor.  The result was a reduction of their annual water usage by 63-70%. From 507 gallons/day to 190 gallons/day for 8 people - that’s 23 gallons per person! Not bad for do-it-yourself home improvements. Over time they integrated a Flume leak detection system and an irrigation controller.  “We didn’t have to change anything in our behavior,” he noted, “You don’t have to give up the luxury of water.”

They were so thrilled with their results that they decided to take it on the road and founded Water Champions. Since then, they have been helping others by designing water systems and providing guidance in navigating the water use rebates at state and local levels. 

Marin County provides up to $1000 rebates for rainwater harvesting and other incentive programs.  They have great tips and rebates for water efficiency devices.  Homeowners can enjoy kickbacks of up to $125 on laundry-to-landscape systems, which cost an average $500 to buy and install, but if you do it yourself it costs less than $100 in parts and a little of your time.  The County also offers discounts on Flume detectors and a new program that helps people calculate their indoor usage online. They also have discounts on Flume detectors and a new program that helps people calculate their indoor usage inline with Marin Water.

Sonoma County also has a robust incentive program. “Sonoma is quite revolutionary for the country,” Paul remarked.  “It is one of the leaders in the US for policy and rebates.” Sonoma partners with the Goldridge Resource Conservation District, which has landed State water grants for incentives in rural West Sonoma.  Paul went on to point out that Sonoma County offers rebates of up to $5000 for rainwater harvesting, for those who live off Salmon Creek. Participants in the program receive 2 free 5000-gallon catchment tanks, the rebate, plus the free design schema - worth about $2500. Participants are also provided with a list of approved installers who provide free estimates.

Paul believes, “We need policies that require new construction and remodels to have alternative sources of water. Along with policies, we need rebates and incentives that are greater than what we have now.  We need to make it affordable. There is federal and state money that municipalities can apply for. But it has to become a priority; not just during droughts. Water conservation needs to be a mandate and a mantra.”

They also both are expanding their Water Literacy Services with the launch of a new venture called Nova Academy, where they are teaching an on-line course on how to sell, design, and install these solutions.  Find out more at  www.waterchampions.com   or call 866-3waters.

Fun fact: the 3 in Water Champions phone number (above) stands for: 1 - gray water,
2 - rainwater and 3 - storm water (permaculture).

ACTION: KEEP SOLAR AFFORDABLE - FROM SOLAR RIGHTS ALLIANCE

Last year, the California Public Utilities Commission approved PG&E’s request to reduce net metering -  the amount of money that rooftop solar owners could earn by selling back the energy generated. This led to a plummet in annual rooftop solar installations across the state. PG&E also wants to make it difficult for apartment owners and schools to put in rooftop solar. A rash of bills are now before the legislature to remedy these moves. Marin County’s own assemblyman, Damon Connelly has introduced a bill that would ban solar taxes and require the CPUC to revise their net metering decision to align with the state's actual clean energy goals.  

Legislation being introduced in 2024:

• AB 1999 (Irwin) would stop the big Utility Tax by capping it at $10/month and prohibiting it from rising any faster than inflation. 

• AB 2619 (Connolly) would ban solar taxes and require the CPUC to revise their net metering decision to align with the state's actual clean energy goals. 

• SB 1374 (Becker) would restore the right of renters, farmers, and schools to make and consume their own solar energy, a right that the state took away from these folks last year.

• AB 2256 (Friedman) would require the CPUC to include all the benefits of rooftop solar when deciding how much credit solar users get.

• AB 2054 (Bauer-Kahan) would ban former CPUC commissioners from being employed by the companies they regulate for ten years after their term ends.

• SB 938 (Min) would prohibit private utilities from lobbying with ratepayer funds.

• AB 3118 (Wallis) would make rooftop solar the "official state energy" of California.

This article has details about each bill. Contact your legislators here.

DONATE TO WENDI’S CLIMATE WALK - SHE’S WALKING TO THE END OF THE EARTH TO SAVE THE EARTH

Many of you know that I have done a number of Climate Rides to fundraise for Sustainable Marin and Safe Routes to Schools.   This spring I am launching a Climate Walk to raise funds for Sustainable Marin.

I will be walking 65 miles along the final route of the Spanish Camino.   Last year I walked 100 miles along the coastal Camino, ending at the church in Santiago.  But that is actually not the end of the Camino.  The route continues on to Finesterre – translated to the End of the Earth.  In pre-Christian times, they believed that this was actually the end of the earth as they would gaze out at the horizon and see a drop off.   “Thar be Dragons thar.”  

Today we face our own dragons as we gaze into the future and see what Climate Change would wrought if we don’t change our ways. 

Sustainable Marin’s mission is to make Marin County more sustainable by catalyzing local climate-based non-profits, conveying and discovering and enacting sustainable best practices within communities, collaborating with town and city government councils and empowering citizens to participate in establishing sustainable policies. SM does this by developing and supporting Sustainable Chapters and by providing fiscal sponsorship and technical and operational support to aligned individuals, projects, programs and organizations that recognize themselves in this mission - prioritizing social, environmental, and economic justice.

Your donation supports Sustainable Marin’s ongoing efforts. As for the Camino walk, I am financing the trip myself, so 100% of your tax-deductible donations go to Sustainable Marin and the chapters and projects SM fosters. 

Thank you, in advance, for your generous contribution! Every bit counts!

With gratitude,

Wendi Kallins, President Sustainable Marin

COMMUNITY LEADERS NEEDED

Sustainable Marin is partnering with 350Marin in tracking Climate Action Plans throughout the county and developing policy initiatives. 350Marin will be monitoring the CAPs and recommending policies. Sustainable Marin is building a network of volunteers to write letters and show up at hearings in support of those policies. SM is also recruiting team leaders in every community to help to organize these volunteer networks in their respective communities, for this effort.  

To get involved, sign up here.

Marin County’s Sustainability Team has an interactive map that shows how your town is doing overall, by category: Energy, Transportation, Waste and Water.  Check out how your town measures up by visiting: Marin County Sustainability Team Tracker.

IN THE NEWS:

Painted Bins Wins Community Service Award from California Parks and Recreation Society
Article in Corte Madera Chronicles (Town Newsletter)

On Saturday, February 10th the California Parks and Recreation Society recognized Kathy Huber their Community Service Award for her coordination of the Painted Bins Project in Corte Madera.

Painted Bins is an initiative that uses children’s art to create awareness, while information retrieved through QR codes informs the public about the importance of diverting food waste from the landfill. More information can be found here.

Painted Bins are generating wonderful proactive ecological literacy momentum since they initially launched the program in Neil Cummins Elementary School in Corte Madera in Spring 2022. This year’s goal is to have the program adopted by:

• 11 Schools, where they project that 600 students will have created Painted Bins posters since the program inception,

• 4 Marin County communities with 18 compost bins installed,

• AND, Painted Bins will hold 4 Art Shows Receptions to celebrate the student artists, schools, families and communities.

Remember to RSVP by April 4, 2024 to get tickets to attend TRASH BASH, the Painted Bins’ Fundraiser to celebrate the student artists.

FEATURED EVENT

Resilient Neighborhood’s Free Online Climate Action Workshops

Join a Climate Action Workshop and become part of the solution to create a greener and more sustainable future. Resilient Neighborhoods offers this online workshop to residents of Marin who want to connect with others to learn practical and affordable ways to make a positive impact on the planet and build resilience in their homes and communities.

You and your climate action team will learn how to make smarter shopping choices, reduce waste, conserve water and energy, switch to renewable energy sources, save money on utility bills, and prepare for climate-related emergencies. The workshop is free of charge and meets virtually five times over ten weeks.

More than 2,000 people in Marin have already reduced over 13 million pounds of CO2 emissions through the program! Don't miss out on this opportunity to make a difference. Choose from workshops starting on March 28 or April 3. Sign up today at www.resilientneighborhoods.org and be part of a global effort to create a cleaner and healthier planet.

OTHER EVENTS

Tuesday, Mar 12 - 5:30pm – 7:30pm - The Bioneers at Marin Green Drinks at Lotus Cuisine of India 812 4th St, San Rafael. Guest speakers are Nazshonnii Brown-Almaweri and Genie Cartier who will be talking about the upcoming 35th Annual Bioneers Conference! (map) - (Register)

Wednesday, March 20, 5 - 6pm (Online) - EV 102: New EV Owner Workshop presented by Ride and Drive Clean - Do a deep dive on charging, help you plan an EV road trip, and review incentives. Join us and we’ll help make your transition to driving electric smooth sailing.(Register)

Thursday, March 21, 12pm – 1pm (Online) - New Sustainability Rules and Responsibilities: How Businesses Can Thrive in a Shifting World presented by Microsoft - (Register)

Tuesday, March 26 - 4 - 5:15pm - Multisolving: Actions that protect the climate while improving health, equity, and biodiversity at the same time. Presented by Elders Climate Action - (Register)

Wednesday, March 27, 5:30 - 7pm (Online) - Mariner Cover Workshop hosted by the Town of Corte Madera for residents to discuss shoreline vulnerabilities and better understand residents’ concerns and priorities - (Zoom Meeting Link)

Wednesday, March 27, 4pm – 5pm (Online) - Our Climate & Democracy Are at Stake: How We’ll Win the 2024 Election presented by Food & Water Watch - (Register)

Wednesday, April 3, 4-5pm (Online) - Better Banking, Presented by Green America. Learn about Wall Street's role in the climate crisis, your bank account's carbon footprint, identifying fossil fuel investments, finding community-minded banks, and switching institutions, with speakers Rev. Amy Brooks Paradise, Leigh Evans, and a surprise guest urging moral financial choices - (Register)

Sunday, April 21 - 11am-2pm - Earth Day Mill Valley - Mill Valley Community Center - (Directions)

Sunday, April 21 - 12-4pm - Earth Day Novato - Unity in Marin - (Directions)

For more events, see the Green Change Events Calendar and the Ride Drive Clean Events Calendar