When I signed up to participate in the Resilient Neighborhoods program to cut my carbon footprint, I did so with the knowledge that I would be called on to make sacrifices in my lifestyle. I was prepared to do so because I deeply believe in the necessity for change if we are to survive on this planet. The wonderful surprise was that each change I made actually improved the quality of my life as well. Some of the most significant changes were as follows:
- I moved to a diet that reduced meat consumption, particularly beef and found that I slept better, had more energy and generally better health.
- I used the services of BayREN to recommend and act as an advocate in the utilization of a variety of water efficient plumbing services. In the past, there have been many instances where, out of ignorance, I had been persuaded to make unnecessary, overpriced and poor-quality changes.
- Following the recommended steps, one at a time, I have finally tackled emergency preparation, though critical, a task that seemed to always be pushed into the future.
And it was fun!!
Michelle Meyers is a resident of the Contempo Marin community in San Rafael, and a recent graduate of the Resilient Neighborhoods program. You can learn more about Resilient Neighborhoods and sign-up for their free 5-session Climate Action workshops here.
