The Palisadian-Post has partnered with locally founded environmental nonprofit Resilient Palisades to deliver a weekly “green tip” to our readers. This week’s tip was written by Sheda Morshed and Ryan Craig.
Happy New Year from Resilient Palisades. We wish all Palisadians a safe and happy 2022. While we continue to face some issues that we have little to no control over, why not focus on issues we can easily tackle in 2022? Here are five easy New Year’s resolutions with huge impacts for your family and our environment:
- Install Rooftop Solar before incentives are reduced. Resilient Palisades is working hard to create one of the first community microgrids in the U.S. in the Palisades. This will reduce emissions and make our community more resilient in the face of blackouts, brownouts and natural disasters. After a comprehensive RFP process, we have selected local installers offering group discounts and committing to the best equipment and service for Phase I: installing solar + battery storage on hundreds of additional Palisadian homes. Look for announcements in the coming weeks. If you’re not already on our mailing list, visit resilientpalisades.org/clean-energy-resilience-team and receive up to three no-commit proposals from our selected installers.
- Go Gas-Free in your Home or Condo Garden. Gas blowers, mowers and other small gas equipment are a dominant source of pollution in the Palisades. One hour of a gas blower pollutes as much as a 2017 Toyota sedan driven for 1,100 miles. In fact, California’s small gas engines are creating more smog than all passenger cars on the road! There’s a better way to beautify your garden, and the key to helping your gardener switch to clean, safe alternatives is in your hands. For more information, visit resilientpalisades.org/greengardens.
- Compost Your Food Waste. The EPA identifies rotting organic matter in our landfills as the third largest source of methane– a greenhouse has ~30 times more potent than carbon dioxide at warming our planet. Composting reduces or prevents the release of methane. Three easy options to divert your family’s food waste from landfills: Begin composting at home (including condos); have it picked up for a small fee; drop it at a neighbor’s compost pile. Visit our Zero Waste Team page at resilientpalisades.org/zero-waste-team to learn about upcoming composting workshops or to find a local drop-off location. Visit lacompost.org for pick-up and other resources.
- Shift to a Plant-Based Diet. It’s increasingly clear that transitioning to a plant-based vegan diet can help reverse the carbon intensive impact of animal agriculture. But most of us still have questions about a vegan diet. Where do we get our protein? How can we meet our own nutritional needs without animal products? Resilient Palisades’ Plant-Based Solutions team organizes informative community meetings with special plant-based experts and speakers. Our goal is to share ways in which we can adopt healthier diets that also protect our planet.
By thinking globally and acting locally here in the Palisades, we can make 2022 a better year for our community and the planet.
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