Past Reports

February 20th, 2025 - Weekly Report

We felt the love as we enjoyed demonstrating in solidarity with Indivisible at our Valentine’s Day climate strike.  About 20 folks showed up for the action organized by David, including George, Ian, Carol, Karen, and Robin.  Casey was there in spirit.  We enjoyed the honking sounds of encouragement from passing cars on the freeway. We estimate that we conveyed our message – resist the people in power that are dismantling the civil services of our national government – to over 10,000 cars over the course of our 2-hour action on the pedestrian overpass.  Thanks, David, for organizing this impactful event, and thanks everyone for coming out.

On Sunday, the resistance continued.  Indivisible organized an action in front of Palo Alto’s Tesla dealership on El Camino Real.  Hundreds showed up – I estimate over 400 people!  We lined the sidewalks on both sides of the street and occupied the meridian.  We communicated the following messages to passing cars and people in the dealership:

What Do We Want?  ELON OUT! When Do We Want It? NOW!

Stand Up, Get Down, Tesla Get Right Out Of Town

Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum, Look Out Elon Here We Come

Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho, Elon Musk Has Got To Go

Boycott Tesla

Who’s Country? Our Country!

Tell Me What Democracy Looks Like. This Is What Democracy Looks Like!

The kind folks at the neighboring Volvo dealership brought out boxes of doughnut holes to keep us energized and encouraged – thank you, Volvo!  Many of our friends attended the rally – Hilary, Kat, Julie, Ian, Carol, LeeAnn, Robin, David and others. Ruth and the Raging Grannies put on a great show.  Even Joan Baez joined the Grannies in song – what a treat! Thanks, everyone for the great demonstration of community and solidarity!

This Friday, we celebrate Rick’s birthday with delicious vegan pizza while we plan our next actions including the BIG action to BUY NOTHING DAY (2/28.) Come join the celebration!

February 13th, 2025 - Weekly Report

We performed our theatrical slow march through downtown where we were greeted warmly by lunchtime diners and those we met on the street. We reminded a couple of banks and a law firm of their complicity in the climate crisis by their support of fossil fuel firms.  At the law firm, the receptionist gave us a smile and the thumbs up!  Kimberly wants to bring candy and encourage people to march with us next time. Let’s give it a try! Ingrid is eager to take the mic and lead us in chants and songs. Thanks to George, Rick, Karen, Patrick Casey, Kimberly, Ingrid and Brigitta for bringing your energy to the march. Yoohoo! Can’t wait for next month!

After our exciting but brief respite from the ongoing coup and our grief for the evisceration of our federal government’s civil service, we turned tearfully to review the loss of services and institutions we’ve counted out for most of our lives: USAID, health, food safety, education, science, weather, climate, financial protections, and on and on. We also are grieving for our trans and immigrant friends, family and neighbors who are under extreme duress. With this regime’s “Shock and Awe” strategy, chaos is the point, intended to demoralize and demobilize us. But mobilize we must.  David is initiating a fun resistance action this Friday that I describe below.

On Saturday, Rick and Matt attended a follow up meeting of the Intergenerational Climate Action group sponsored by Elders Climate Action. We heard inspiring talks from climate leaders of many different ages.  We listened to the amazing video narrated as if from the year 2050 produced by We, The Hopeful. Thanks, Rick, for organizing this important event.

Avroh and PASCC are organizing another Earth Day Rally on Friday April 18 from 5 to 6:30p.m., followed by a concert by the Climate Strikers!  There is a great line up of speakers and, depending on the size of the crowd, there may be a march, too. I hope so!

Scot encourages us to follow Vienna Teng, Saratoga native and Stanford CS grad turned musician and climate advocate. I joined her Patreon group and plan to attend her monthly climate talks. Thanks, Scot, for the great tip! 

Ingrid asked Matt to give a talk at Menlo Commons on our cultural shift in values.  Spiral Dynamics is a value systems framework that helps to understand how a society’s value system shift over time. Thank you, Ingrid, for platforming this important conversation. 

Matt gave presented his monthly Climate Moment to his business networking group. In this talk, he briefly summarized what has happened during the last 3 months with the climate – a wild ride.  Watch the video here.

David is organizing an anti-Trump action at the new pedestrian bridge over 101 near Adobe Creek Loop Trail THIS FRIDAY. We decided to join this action in solidarity. We made a 25-foot-long series of signs for the occasion: R-E-S-I-S-T-! Get more details and sign up for the action here: https://mobilize.us/s/KygDZ5  Thank you, David, for organizing this action!

See you at the overpass this Friday!

February 6th, 2025 - Weekly Report

George acknowledged that we are on unceded Muwekma Ohlone lands and reminded us of the importance of paying respect to elders both past and present.  Matt noted that ICE is conducting raids across Indian Country and Native American citizens are being urged to carry proof of citizenship to avoid being arrested. Our hearts go out to all those being victimized by the current administration.

Robin shared  a story about how giant kites are being used to assist cargo ships resulting in dramatic reductions in emissions.  Wind powered boats!  What’s old is new again. Thanks, Robin, for sharing.

Ian and Carol are very concerned for the safety of transgender peoples.  They note that passports are being denied to people who are having them re-issued with a gender that is different than the one assigned to them at birth. Also, they are alarmed that trans women are being transferred to men’s prisons. Thanks, Ian and Carol, for highlighting these important stories.

We next turned to heat. At the recent Council Retreat, Julia spoke about the need for our community to prepare to protect our most vulnerable residents during extreme heat events. Since our community enjoys moderate weather much of the time, we may be less prepared for extreme heat than a community like Phoenix that grapples with it much of the year. When extreme heat does strike, it may be accompanied by electrical power outages.  The very young and the elderly are both highly vulnerable to extreme heat. We all agreed that our community must identify our vulnerable community members and have measures to keep them cool and safe.

Diane gave us an update on the Heat Pump Water Heater Program. We are now over halfway to the goal of 1000 installations! Thanks, Diane.

Amy shared Municipal Good and Emission Guidelines: Best Practices and Recommendations published by the Center for Biological Diversity. These guidelines are a great source of inspiration for future actions. Thanks for sharing, Amy

Mimi is celebrating the release of Leonard Peltier by Biden on his way out of office. There was a celebration organized by the Leonard Peltier Support Group Silicon Valley, a truly joy-filled event.  Leornard will have many expenses reacclimatizing to society, including medical expenses. Please consider chipping in to help him out.  Thank you, Mimi, for sharing this great news with us!

The Make Polluters Pay – California campaign is off to a great start.  Nearly 500 people attended the first meeting. The recording  is linked here. If you want to get started on building support for the bill, please help circulate this petition to friends, family and neighbors. If you have not already, please fill out this survey to get regular updates and opportunities for supporting the bill. The next meeting is 2/24 at 5PM. You can register for the meeting here.

Amie and Palo Alto Forward encourage us to attend City Council on Monday, February 10th at 9:00 p.m. A 55-unit affordable teacher housing project will be heard by Council. The staff report is here under Agenda Item #15. Please support this project by attending the meeting and providing public comment. Also, write a letter of support to city council: city.council@cityofpaloalto.org.

This Friday we take to the streets for our monthly Climate March. Come join the action!

January 30th, 2025 - Weekly Report

After Matt acknowledged that we were occupying unceded Muwekma Ohlone land and encouraged everyone to be good stewards of the land,  Robin jumped in concerned about the effort to allow Trump to have a third term. Rick, an aging expert, asserted that the need to put a third term at the top of the concern list is low. He also reminded us of Napoleon who said that when your adversary is digging themself into a hole, let them do it.  Thanks, Robin and Rick.

Ingrid remarked on Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde’s moral courage when she addressed Trump in the National Cathedral. Ingrid noted that Matthew Sheppard, a gay man who was the victim of a hate crime, was interred by Bishop Budde at the cathedral. Bishop Budde exhibited model behavior by reminding Trump of his obligation to care for all people in the country. Thanks, Ingrid, for highlighting this brave act 

Brigitta, who is German, is reminded of Germany in 1933.  Then, the Catholic Church sided with Hitler. Now, she notes that the Pope has assigned a left-leaning Cardinal to the US.  She is grateful that the Catholic Church, too, is reminding the new administration of their obligation to care for everyone.  In the Pope’s words, "It is my hope that under your leadership the American people will prosper and always strive to build a more just society, where there is no room for hatred, discrimination or exclusion." Thanks, Brigitta, for raising this very good point.

George admits he is still in shock that we are going though this, and Pria is disappointed by a friend who lives in England who hopes that Trump will straighten out the UK, too. People in both the US and the UK have lost faith in the two dominant parties, neither of which works on behalf of the people but rather on behalf of corporations and monied donors.  Dems and Labour would be wise to reconnect with the working class and rebuild power to help people, not just corporations. Doing so would help the climate, too.  Thanks, George and Pria, for sharing this.

While walking his dog earlier in the day, Matt noted a murder of crows making a lot of noise. Matt suspects it’s because the CDC stopped reporting on bird flu outbreak.  Notably there is also an outbreak of tuberculosis in Kansas City. Tuberculosis!  Wow, we really are going back to the 1930’s.  Meanwhile, the Senate is considering an anti-vaxxer to oversee public health!  Oh dear.

Ian noted that AI news summaries lie and cannot be trusted.  He hopes that everyone realizes that. He encourages people to seek trusted sources of information. Carol encourages us to look past the noise and the hype and stay focused on important issues like caring for all and protecting the climate. Thanks, Ian and Carol!

Fridays For Future Palo Alto endorsed the ban on artificial turf in Santa Clara County. Shamefully, the supervisors voted against the ban on Tuesday.  Artificial turf is terrible for the environment and for our kids health. Looking forward to the next steps we can take to ban these toxic products from our schools and neighborhoods.

What can we do?  We next turned to that question and created a list of focus areas:

1. Support the legal organizations like the ACLU, South Poverty Law Center, and Earth Justice that are fighting to preserve the institutions that can resist the Trump administration.

2. Support labor movements who organize and build grassroots power that can stand up to corporations.

3. Don’t eat meat and dairy, one of the biggest things an individual can do to lower GHG emissions.

4. Don’t drive a car. Walk, bike, and use public transportation. Use public commons rather than cars and fuels that are exacerbating climate collapse.

5. Build Community: share information and take action together.

Finally, Israel noted that the World Cup comes to Santa Clara in 2026. He thinks there will be opportunities for global recognition of our local climate activism. Thanks, Israel, for highlighting this opportunity!

This Friday looks like rain, in which case we will meet in the lobby of city hall.  See you there!

January 23rd, 2025 - Weekly Report

After Rick acknowledged that we were occupying unceded Muwekma Ohlone land, Robin shared her alarm that scientists have found plastic in Rocky Mountain rainwater. Yep, the toxic stuff is everywhere and embedded into all parts of our life.  Thanks, Robin, for sharing your concern.

We welcomed Kate, a sustainability and journalist student at Stanford. She is writing an article on local climate action and was interested in hearing about the various actions in which our group members are participating. We all agreed that the meeting was “on the record.” Thanks, Kate, for joining us. We are eager to read your article!  You may want to consider sending it to Palo Alto Online, the Daily Post and the Weekly, too.

Ingrid did 10 interviews in the past week for her upcoming book, Facing the Climate Future Together: Voices for Action and Advocacy. She reports she’s having wonderful conversations and making great progress. Thanks, Ingrid, for taking on this project!

Folake, who leads a non-profit for environmental stewardship and sustainability that focuses on health, environment and wellness, has turned her attention to hair products and their effects on the climate.  Thank you, Folake, for raising awareness about these harmful products!

George recounted that as a youth he imagined that if every human had a gravesite, the Earth would eventually become one big cemetery. He knew that this burial practice was unsustainable. Additionally, cremation uses fossil fuels equivalent to driving about 700 miles (535 lbs of CO2 pollution), which is also unsustainable.  Clearly, we need more sustainable end-of-life practices. Thanks, George, for raising this awareness.

Rick, who writes an amazing aging and climate newsletter and is author of his most recent book Here, Now, You, Hope, noted how a disproportionate number of victims of climate catastrophes, like fires, floods and heat, are elderly. He also quoted, “Some are guilty, all are responsible.” Thanks for your insights, Rick!

Margo, who is a photographer and language and art teacher, noted that underserved communities are also disproportionately victims of the climate crisis and is saddened by the LA fires, noting the loss of the schools in the black community of Altadena, who have long called that city home. Thanks, Margo, for joining us and for raising this important point.

Casey is looking forward to an upcoming talk by Ellie Cohen, CEO of The Climate Center, who will be sharing what we, as Californians, can do right at this moment in history.  “As goes California, so goes the world…”  I signed up! Thanks, Casey, for encouraging us to action!

Brigitta shared stories of her anti-war activism and her participation in the 1986 LA-to-DC nuclear disarmament peace march. She also worked at a non-profit helping the unhoused in LA for 10 years and then at another non-profit helping the mentally unwell for 10 years.  Thank you, Brigitta, for all your years of service!

Matt reflected on the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and wondered what he would say about the hundreds of California prisoners doing the dangerous work of fighting the LA fires for $5~$10 per day (per day, not per hour!)  We also acknowledged the teamwork of Martin and Coretta King, and that Palo Alto’s King Plaza is dedicated to both these great leaders. And, here is a quote from Dr. King:

Ingrid was delighted and amused that Japanese scientists and engineers have created toilet paper from  recycled diapers.   What goes around comes around? The means justifies the ends?  This doesn’t stink?  Thank you, Ingrid, for reminding us of how clever humans can be.

Cheryl and Mark encouraged us to endorse the petition to call on Santa Clara County to divest from fossil fuels. We are delighted to support this effort!  Thank you, Cheryl and Mark for promoting this action!

Next, we reflected on the powerful word “shame” and how we’ll use it.   We agreed that shame is useful when punching up, but should not be used to punch down.  We agreed that it’s okay to use shame when calling out the shameful behaviors of institutions when they perpetrate and perpetuate the climate crisis. We also agreed that it is acceptable to use this word to describe the shameful behavior of leaders in power who have decision-making control over whether we exacerbate or mitigate the climate crisis. Thanks, team, for this helpful conversation.

Meanwhile, our new (old?) president has taken a number of shameful actions that I suspect need venting this Friday.  Breathe deeply, and come Friday to share your feelings.

January 16th, 2025 - Weekly Report

First, we marched, and then we celebrated 157 weeks – 3 years! – of consecutive weekly climate actions.

The weather was perfect for our climate march through downtown. We received an unusually positive response, with cheers of encouragement along the way.  We speculated that the LA fires may have brought the climate crisis to the front of most people’s minds.  We appreciated all the heartfelt encouragement.

After the march, we headed over to NOLA for a celebratory lunch. Food, drink, weather and company were all delightful.  Thanks to everyone who came out, and thanks to everyone who has been party to our 3-year journey. We felt your presence and could not have done it without you, without all of you!  Thanks also to Roger and Spiritual Life Foundation for hosting the lunch. After the march and lunch, we all felt energized to keep up the momentum in 2025.  We feel our voices and presence are needed now more than ever!

Both Brigette and Timothy shared stories of how they have loved ones who have lost their homes and belongings in the fires.  Our hearts go out to them and to all of those who have been impacted by these horrific blazes.  It’s hard to imagine the pain they are going through, and we are thinking of you.  Thanks, Brigette and Timonthy, for sharing your stories.

Since banks in our community have pulled out of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), namely Bank of America and Citibank, we reminded them of that fact when passing by their branches on our march.  Here’s our protest in front of Citibank. Though we think it is shameful for these banks to have pulled out of the alliance, is it appropriate to use the “shame” in front of their offices?  Shame is a potent tool to bring attention to anti-social behaviors, like these bank’s financial backing of carbon polluters. But, the word can also backfire if used inappropriately. We will continue to reflect on the use of the word “shame” on our marches. Thanks, team, for raising this issue.

Ingrid is on a roll, interviewing many people for her upcoming book highlighting the voices of climate activists. I served as her inaugural interviewee to test out the recording tools.  I plan to make video excerpts of the interviews.  In this excerpt, I share my emotional journey as a climate activist (trigger warning – pretty heavy stuff):  https://youtu.be/jeJBlrzta7I Thanks, Ingrid, for taking on this important project!

We return to King Plaza this Friday. As we approach MLK Day, we can take the opportunity to reflect on the messages and assassination of this inspirational leader and resolve to keep his activism alive.

January 10th, 2025 - Weekly Report

Due to rain, we postponed our climate march to Friday 1/10 and instead met in the City Hall lobby where we shared our thoughts and concerns for the new year.  (Having taken a newsletter break last week, this edition is a special 2-week bonus edition.)

Ingrid, after acknowledging that we are occupying unceded Ohlone land, went on to update us on her effort to replace her community pool’s gas-burning water heater with an alternative heating system.  She is meeting with members of the Menlo Park community who have done replacements and hopes to get approval from her community board to move forward.  Thanks for making this effort, Ingrid!

Robin is alarmed that Morgan Stanley pulled out of the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA). All U.S-based major banks have since followed suit.  Oil industry representatives are thrilled.  As we veer into authoritarianism, we will increasingly see examples of “preemptive obedience” and “anticipatory compliance.” These U.S. banks are exemplifying those behaviors. Thanks, Robin, for pointing this out.

These banks’ bad behaviors reminded Rick of Timonthy Snyder’s book On Tyranny.  Lesson 1. Do not obey in advance.  I suppose U.S. banks did not read the book. Thanks, Rick, for pointing this out.

Casey has inspired Ingrid to start interviewing people engaged in climate action for her upcoming book.  Our connector Rick is full of ideas of people for Ingrid to interview.  We may make brief videos from these interviews to post to social media.  Thanks everyone for your enthusiasm for this New Year’s project! Green mic Kadir would be proud!  Also, Kadir sends New Year’s greetings.

George encourages us all to stay attentive to our health.  Please monitor your media diet and make sure that you do not let the news overwhelm you. It is important to take self-care breaks.   Thank you, George, for highlighting this!

Folake joined us from Los Gatos where she is looking to help her community lower emissions and become more climate resilient.  She is interested in learning more about the heat pump water heater program we’ve implemented here in Palo Alto.  We can help!  Thanks, Folake, for your enthusiasm and commitment.

Israel, who is a big fan of the Climate Strikers!, joined us and shared his low-carbon ambitions for the new year.  Thanks, Israel, for your climate awareness.

David is still exuberant from the monies that have been allocated at COP 29.  After his travels through India, he knows how the funds are going to help those communities. He is particularly enthusiastic about biodigesters which are important for capturing agricultural methane, a very potent greenhouse gas that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.  Thanks, David, for highlighting this important success!

Mora kindly sent over details for a number of Reverand Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration events.  Please find them listed below.  Thank you, Mora!

Deb reports that court mediation has concluded, and 12 of the 14 ranches in Point Reyes National Seashore will cease operations within 15 months. Thanks, Deb, for sharing this fantastic news!

Diane updated us on the heat pump water heater program. She reports the rate slows down at the end of the year. The last two months have seen an install rate of 15~16 per month.  Hopefully, we will see the rate tick up now. Thanks, Diane!

This Friday marks three years of successive weekly climate actions.  Thanks to you all for making this happen!  We will celebrate by conducting our monthly climate march and having lunch together.  Looking forward to it!

December 20, 2024 - Weekly Report

Firstly, I would like to thank all members of our climate cadre who supported the Opportunity Center Holiday Party Event!  Thanks to everyone who volunteered, donated, performed and just came to hang out. You are all amazing – Ingrid, Carol, Brigette, George, Doug, Kimberly, Jaiveer, Sharon, Chris, Peter, Bill, and Dan. It was great to see Shawn and Israel there, too – The Climate Strikers! (aka The Mitchell Park Band) appreciate your enthusiasm for our music. Thanks to Sheana for inviting us and to the entire Opportunity Center crew for all the amazing work you do!

Thanks, Hilary, for encouraging us to take these important actions:

• Vote on Palo Alto Council Priorities for 2025  before 11:59 pm on Sunday, January 5.  We encourage you to vote for the Climate as your top priority, and Housing as your second priority because building more housing will improve air quality and reduce emissions.

• Sign this petition urging President Biden to reject all the current permits for new Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Export facilities.  By rejecting these permits, Biden can slow the process for LNG facility build-out, giving communities the chance to fight new export terminals.

Thank you, Aaryan, for the incredible work you are doing with your podcast! Aaryan attended the Intergenerational Climate Summit organized by Elders Climate Action.  He interviewed Rick before the summit and recently interviewed me. Watch those interviews here and here.  Thanks again, Aaryan!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week and enjoying time with friends and family.  Looking forward to seeing you Friday.

December 18, 2024 - Weekly Report

Rick shared a book entitled Our Moon by Rebecca Boyle, sparking a lively discussion about how our moon influences all aspects of life on our planet. Thanks, Rick, for this celestial conversation.

Coincidentally, Sachiyo stopped by and reported on her trip to the Baylands to observe King Tide. We now regularly see flooding alerts around the winter solstice. This year King Tide peaked at 9.5 feet in Palo Alto. We can expect higher tides in coming years as the Antarctic icesheets rapidly collapse and southern glaciers slip into elevating oceans.

George shared a couple copies of the book Culture Jam by Adbusters, the group that brings us Buy Nothing Day. This book is always a good reminder of how our incessant consumerism creates so much of the ecological damage causing climate and biodiversity collapse.  Thanks, George, for this important reminder—particularly during this season.

Ingrid wrote climate lyrics that we sang to Christmas carols.  Find a video clip of our performance here. Too much fun!  Thanks, Ingrid, for the lyrics, and thanks to all for raising your voices for our climate!

On Monday, Carol, Ian, George, Robin and I attended a screening of the film SLUDGE and listened to a panel discussion with Pat and others discuss the film and the effects of PFAS on our community.  Many remember these toxic “forever chemicals” from reporting on Teflon cookware.  Now, there are over 10,000 variations of these toxins, brought to you by the likes of DuPont, Dow, and 3M, and they have adulterated EV-ERY-THING. Panelist and Stanford pediatrician Dr. Lisa Patel poignantly points out that we have “crapped in our nest.” Notably, some companies have started to label their products “PFAS-free” – something to look out for. Encouragingly, Pat reports that our Hetch Hetchy water supply has very low levels of these toxins, so we can be grateful for that.

This Friday we join the Opportunity Center Holiday Party at 33 Encina Ave. (No meeting in King Plaza.) The Climate Strikers! will provide musical entertainment for partygoers starting around 10:30a.m.  There are volunteer opportunities at “The Store” to distribute gifts to clients starting at 9:45a.m, and in the kitchen to serve lunch staring at 12:30p.m.  If you would like to donate to the store, check out the list here. Looking forward to seeing you there.

December 11, 2024 - Weekly Report

We had a terrific turnout for our march. Thanks everyone for coming out!  We made sure to pass by Chase, Citibank and Gibson Dunn and remind them of their shameful complicity in destroying our one and only habitable planet. There sure is a high density of ecocidal maniacs in our downtown! Meanwhile, we were encouraged by many pedestrians, diners and even a few drivers.  In the spirit of the season, we sang our climate message to the tune of Deck the Halls, which put everyone into a Fa La La La La mood. Thanks again, all, for the festive march!

After the march, we celebrated that Palo Alto City Council unanimously passed a resolution objecting to the permit to build a quarry at Juristac.  Mimi, George and Matt, who all attended the city council meeting, expressed their joy for this vote and hoped that it marked a tipping point in the effort to prevent the desecration of this sacred land. Thanks, City Council!

Rick is excited that the recent intergenerational climate summit may be duplicated in Portland and Seattle.  Thanks, Rick, for your work with Elders Climate Action in getting this intergenerational movement rolling!

Diane highlights the  launch of the TECH Clean California incentive program for residents to replace methane gas-burning appliances with efficient, electric heat pump appliances.  There’s even an extra incentive if you buy an appliance that uses a refrigerant with a low global warming potential (GWP) – very cool!  Find the details here. Thanks, Diane, for promoting this new program!

David is also encourage us to take advantage of incentives for products – home appliances and vehicles –  that don’t use fossil fuel. Be sure to check out his article here.

As we are in the spirit for singing, this week let’s write more climate songs.  Ho, ho, ho – see you Friday!

December 5, 2024 - Weekly Report

Beautiful weather brought us back to the plaza on Friday, “Buy Nothing Day.” In the spirit of the season, we all expressed our gratitude for what keeps us going. I, for one, am so grateful for you, our climate cadre, as you keep me going, eagerly engaged in our Sisyphean effort to restore a habitable planet for future generations.

Many of us told moving stories of appreciation for loved ones in their lives. Casey expressed appreciation for her daughter and for nuanced conversations. Rick is grateful for his grandchildren. George and Ingrid are both grateful for our weekly climate salon and our friendship. 

We continued our conversation about values in the context of Spiral Dynamics, and how the Orange value system emerged during the Enlightenment after a long period of stagnation in the Blue value system marked by the Dark Ages.  But prescient philosophers like Dante and Machiavelli could see then the downsides of the Orange value system, one that puts scientific advancements and profits above people and planet.  The Green value system addresses these shortcomings.

Rick encourages us to carefully examine our dreams, as “they show us what we know but can’t see.”  Indeed, we must seek wisdom from all sources.  Thanks, Rick, for this insight!

On Monday, City Council passed a resolution objecting to the permitting of the quarry on Juristac that would desecrate Amah Mutsun land. We heard moving accounts about the importance of this land to native peoples for the past 10,000+ years. It is also important for wildlife and biodiversity. Many thanks to City Council for passing this resolution.

Avroh reached out to connect with Fridays for Future at the national level.  Thanks, Avroh, for joining the community!

David P. encourages us to take advantage of incentives to electrify your home while these benefits last.  It is important to act before the end of the year. Here is an article with details: link.  Thanks, David, for highlighting these opportunities!

Many of us attended the Bay Area Air Quality Management District meeting this week to encourage district leadership to uphold regulations on dangerous NOx gas emissions.  Thanks, everyone, for encouraging and participating in the large turnout 

Diane provided us with an update on the Heat Pump Water Heater program.  Find details below. Thank you, Diane, for keeping up the effort on this important program for our community.

This Friday we conduct our theatrical slow march through downtown Palo Alto. Come join us for the fun!

November 27, 2024 - Weekly Report

Undeterred by the atmospheric river, we met in the lobby of City Hall and popped out for a photo during a break in the rain. Now we have a good solution for our strike on a rainy day. Thanks, everyone, for coming out! 

We welcomed Jaiveer for the first time. He graduated with a Masters in Sustainability, Urban Environmental Policy and Planning, and is looking for a job that would benefit from his skills. Coming most recently from Seattle, he remarked on the effects of the recent storms up north. Also, he described the severe air pollution situation in New Delhi, India, where he is from originally.  Thanks, Jaiveer, for joining us and sharing your concerns.

Marie Louise encouraged us to check out Bioneers, which is a great source of information. I, for one, enjoy listening to their podcast and appreciate their focus on the interconnectedness of all life.  Thanks, Marie Louise, for highlighting this important organization.

Rick, Casey and Ingrid expressed deep concern for bill passed by the U.S. House that gives the Treasury Department unilateral authority to strip the tax-exempt status of nonprofits.  This bill, should it pass, will give the executive department this financial tool to wield against “domestic terrorists.” Given how Trump treats anyone who doesn’t agree with him, this fear is well founded. Thanks for raising this concern!

Ingrid and Carol are interested in replacing the gas water heater for their community pool and jacuzzi with a fossil free alternative.  That is such a great idea!  Thank you, Ingrid and Carol, for pursuing that.

Casey is enthusiastic about creating a website that focuses on “dark money” influencing climate politics. The site will educate using storytelling to call people to action.  Another fantastic idea – thank you, Casey!

George is reading Culture Jamming by Adbusters, the force behind the Buy Nothing Movement. He remarks how prescient they were and how we are now feeling so strongly about the effects of the fossil-fuel industries’ disinformation campaigns. Thanks, George, for reminding us of this important work.

Robin is concerned by the rate at which we are polluting the oceans with plastic and hopes that we find a solution to remove it. Thanks, Robin, for raising this concern!

Carol highlights that Palo Alto City council will consider a resolution to protect Juristac.  She encourages us to send a letter to City Council using this link: Ask Palo Alto City Council to Support Protecting Juristac - Green Foothills Also, she suggests showing up on Monday December 2 to tell City Council you support this resolution, item 19 on the Council Agenda.  Thanks, Carol, for informing us!

Andrea has a TIME SENSITIVE action for all of us in the Bay Air to take right now. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is reviewing their ruling on new pollution rules (NOx rules), and looking for community feedback. Please click on this link and send emails for Santa Clara board members. Thanks, Andrea, for highlighting this important action!

Please join us this Friday and share what you are most thankful for and how that informs your climate action.

Nov 19, 2024 - Weekly Report

We had a terrific turnout for our Peace Solidarity Rally. Thanks, Cherrill, and WILP for organizing the rally, and thanks to the FFF crew –  George, Pria, Carol, Ian, Rick, David, and Robin --  for showing up and standing strong for peace.  It’s much easier to promote cooperation and collaboration when bombs are being dropped. Let’s work to end the wars so we can get back to the business of restoring our planet.

Casey sent a very sweet message and wanted me to pass it along to all of you:  Thank you! In this long and difficult period of fighting fossil fuels, your commitment has helped me hold on to hope and persist. Thank you for your steadfast loyalty to the climate movement and for working to achieve the livable, thriving future we all deserve. There aren’t words to express how grateful I am to be fighting the good fight with you. Thank you, Casey. I appreciate your commitment and passion and that of our entire community.

Andrea has a TIME SENSITIVE action for all of us in the Bay Air to take right now. The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is reviewing their ruling on new pollution rules (NOx rules), and looking for community feedback. These rules are critical to meeting our regional climate goals and helping us improve air quality in the Bay Area (We currently have an F rating in Santa Clara Co. from the Am. Lung Assoc.) Please click on this link and send emails for Santa Clara board members. Thanks, Andrea, for highlighting this important action!

Sheana is looking for volunteers for “Friendsgiving” at the Opportunity Center on Wednesday November 27 from 11:45am to 2pm to help with cutting veggies, preparing plates, passing out drinks, and enjoying lunch with the clients.  I am planning on going—please let me know if you plan to attend so I can let Sheana know.

Weston, who is director at Liminal Space, is initiating an art installation project that will use waste plastic to build sculptures.  If you know of artists interested in such a project, please let me know so that I can introduce them to Weston. Check out all the amazing projects at Liminal Space: limi.space. Thanks, Weston, for all the amazing work you are doing!

David reports progress from COP29, the so called Finance COP.  The need is for $1 trillion a year to flow from the rich, developed counties to those countries suffering from the impacts of climate collapse and environmental degradation. The most recent draft text has half that amount, which is still 5 times the current commitment.  Democracy Now! reports that both rich and poor counties are unhappy with this draft. Hopefully that means they are close to a compromise!  Thanks, David, for keeping us posted.

Kimberly is excited about Twelve (https://www.twelve.co/), a startup that is eliminating carbon emissions from the global supply chain. Thanks, Kimberly, for sharing this!

It may be raining on Friday at noon in which case we meet INSIDE City Hall lobby. Among other things, I would like to have a discussion and value systems using spiral dynamics framework and debrief our Peace Solidarity Rally.

Nov 12, 2024 - Weekly Report

Thanks to everyone who participated in our election debrief.  We welcomed Marie Louise and Carol for the first time, and we welcomed back Casey, Mimi and Sheena to the group. After acknowledging that we occupy unceded territory of Muwekma Ohlone we reviewed our working-together agreements and briefly introduced ourselves. Then, we began our animated election debrief.

While our focus was on effective, impactful action in the coming months and years, we also expressed our feelings in the moment.  Those feelings spanned the gamut—shock, despair, anger, despondence, trepidation and hope.  One of our working together agreements is to take care of yourself.  I sensed that we all valued the opportunity to share our feelings with each other—a group catharsis of sorts.

In terms of climate action, we acknowledged that at the federal level we cannot anticipate much progress in the next four years. We are grateful to be living in a state, region and community where climate action is very much valued, and we committed to acting locally and setting an example here so that we can expand more broadly as the opportunities arise in the future. 

Mimi highlighted a local action to oppose mining at Juristac. At least six communities have resolved to oppose this mine, including neighboring Mountain View.  Learn more about this action here: https://www.protectjuristac.org/ Thank you, Mimi for sharing this.

Marie Louise made the point that engaging in war is inconsistent with preserving a healthy, habitable planet and urges us to call for peace in Ukraine and Gaza.  Martin Luther King, Jr. said in his famous Riverside Church speech, “The greatest purveyor of violence in the world: My own Government, I cannot be silent.”  We, while in King Plaza, resolved to take local action and join the Peace Rally at Town & Country on Friday 11/15. Thanks, Marie Louise, for highlighting this important effort.

Robin and Matt recalled attending demonstrations to oppose family separation during the last Trump presidency.  Also, Matt remembers mobilizing at SFO to oppose deportation of Muslim people. We fear that we are entering a time of even more egregious policies. We can prepare ourselves to mobilize on behalf of those who will be targeted and victimized by the incoming administration.

Back on the local front, Diane hopes we are all doing well in this challenging time and provided an update on the heat pump water heater program, including the new emergency water heater replacement program. See data below. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Council Member Lythcott-Hains suggested that our community create a neighborhood competition for home electrification. What a great idea!   Let’s figure out how to do that.  Thanks, Diane and Julie.

This Friday we will meet at noon on the corner of Embarcadero and El Camino in front of Town & Country Village.  See you there!

Nov 5, 2024 - Weekly Report

There was an election—more on that later.  Firstly, we marched through downtown Palo Alto on Friday! We enjoyed more participation from people downtown than in any of our previous marches.  At one point three pedestrians joined us in our climate rally chant!  We loved the energy and the encouragement.  We said “No Thanks” to fossil banks Chase and Citi. We told Gibson Dunn that Fossil Law has a Fatal Flaw. They heard us loud and clear!

Back in King Plaza, we acknowledged that we occupied unceded territory of Muwekma Ohlone. We welcomed and expressed our gratitude for the participation of long-time climate activist, first time marcher Jeralyn who admires our persistence – a critical ingredient in movement building. Thanks again for joining us, Jeralyn!

Thanks to all who worked to get out the vote on Tuesday.  Clearly, the result is stunning and catastrophic for advancing action on preserving a stable climate and a habitable planet. As we continue the fight to defend our democracy and protect those most vulnerable to otherization – women, people of color, gender non-conforming, non-Christians, etc. – during the next four years of extreme right-wing rule at the federal level, we can still make progress on climate at the local, regional and state levels.  I am grateful that I live in Palo Alto, in the San Francisco Bay Area, and in California, all of which are leaders on climate and can continue to serve a leadership role with our encouragement. So, let’s muster the courage and do it!

Speaking of local action, Debbie and Pat are organizing a pre-screening of the movie SLUDGE before the city council meeting that will review progress on the city’s Sustainability and Climate Action Plan (S/CAP) on Monday December 16.  Prior to the screening, the Climate Strikers! (aka The Mitchell Park Band) will perform in King Plaza. More details soon. Thanks, Debbie and Pat, for organizing this event!

At COP29, Davd L. is focusing on redirecting fossil fuel subsidies towards climate adaptation. Currently, we subsidies the fossil fuel industry with US$7 trillion a year!  Why are we giving money to the industry that is making our planet uninhabitable?  Rather, we could be using that money to build resiliency and prepare society for the challenges that are already “cooked” in.  Thanks, David, for tackling this central issue.

This Friday we will do an election debrief, collect our thoughts, and develop a plan for the coming weeks, months and years.

October 30, 2024 - Weekly Report

After we acknowledged that we are on unceded Muwekma Ohlone land, Robin recounted a tragic story in Jeff Goodell’s The Heat Will Kill You First about the young family who went hiking in Mariposa County near Yosemite in 2021 and succumbed to heat. Here’s NPR’s reporting on this heart-breaking story.. Thanks, Robin, for keeping us alert to the dangers of heat.

Kimberly rode the electrified Caltrain from Redwood City to SF. She was amazed with how quick (35 minutes) and quiet the new trains are. Also, she is excited about the prospects of using limestone to lower ocean acidity levels while drawing CO2 out of the air. Here’s a report on a field test of this technique. Here’s a few other ocean geoengineering techniques being considered. Thanks, Kimberly, for this geoengineering update.

Matt is preparing a talk on AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Current) collapse.  Most climate simulations modeled the AMOC as much more stable than can be substantiated by the paleo record. In February 2024, a University of Copenhagen study suggests a likely collapse in just 34 years, by 2057.  Some assert There is No Planet B.  I assert that we are now living on Planet B. It’s a whole new world, folks.

David S. encourages us to reduce our waste, not only our fossil fuel pollution, but all waste.  Try to “Buy Nothing.” Whenever possible, borrow. He encourages us to check out Palo Alto Library’s Library of Things. Thanks, David, for promoting this amazing resource.

On Saturday, Rick and I attended the Multigenerational Climate Summit in Cupertino. It was an amazing event attended by passionate climate activists of all ages.  The highlight of the summit for me was envisioning a future in which we assist our community members to retreat from vulnerable areas, like our Bayshore wetlands, provide them nearby affordable housing located near mass transit and services, and restore the wetlands into powerful carbon sinks. Those in our vision group were very excited about creating this future! Here’s a video of Weston summarizing our vision.  Thanks to Rick and Elders Climate Action for organizing this summit.

David L. crossed the Kazakhstan desert and reached the Caspian Sea! Soon he will be in Baku for COP 29.  Thank you, David, for sharing your inspirational journey with us!

Bill highlights an MSNBC report on a climate tech conference underway in San Jose this week. Notably, the Department of Energy is providing $250,000 grants to tech startups to move them along the path to commercialization. Thanks, Bill, for highlighting this!

The Opportunity Services Center sent the Climate Strikers! (aka The Mitchell Park Band) a lovely thank you card signed by the OSC community. Thank you all for the opportunity to support your event! 

Speaking of the Opportunity Center, thanks to George, Kimberly and Robin for donating personal hygiene supplies, which we dropped last Friday.  The center is still in need of supplies, so please consider bringing something this Friday, which I will drop off after our march.

Debbie and Pat invited the Climate Strikers! to perform at an upcoming event at City Hall, a screening of the film Sludge on Tuesday 11/12.  More details soon. Thanks, Debbie and Pat, for the opportunity to support this event!

This Friday we march!  Join us in King Plaza at noon.

October 23, 2024 - Weekly Report

David S. joined us for the first time. Having worked at the Palo Alto library since 1997, he has encyclopedic knowledge of Palo Alto. He has watched in horror how packaging went from recyclable glass, metal and paper to unrecyclable plastic, plastic, plastic. He told his personal story of how wars over oil have affected him. Thank you, David, for sharing. We look forward to having you join us again soon.

Malou stopped by to encourage us before heading off for a workout. She is disturbed by melting glaciers and crazy 100-degree days in October.  Stop by anytime, Malou, and let us know what’s on your mind.

Deb shared her enthusiasm for e-biking and how she goes as far as Sunnyvale on bike paths—outstanding! Also, she continues to wait for the decision on the fence removal at Pt. Reyes National Seashore. Thanks, Deb, and keep us posted.

George recounted how he became an environmentalist in elementary school when he asked his teacher where oxygen came from. The teacher didn’t know so reached out to a Stanford professor who said that 80% comes from oceans and 20% from forests.  He knew then how important maintaining the health of those ecosystems is to preserving life on our planet. Also, he heard of people killing themselves by running their car in a closed garage. He wondered how many cars it would take to kill ourselves with our finite atmosphere. We didn’t know back then, but we do know now, and it is far fewer than are already on the road. Thanks, George, for your years of environmentalism.

Matt proudly toted all the rally signs, supplies and snacks on his new bike trailer.  Getting around in Palo Alto on bike is very manageable, even with a load!

Sheana is looking for bathroom supplies for the Opportunity Center. Please call her at (831) 276-4563 if you can help. Thanks, Sheana, for letting us know how we can help.

David L.  biked across Kazakhstan and will reach the Caspian Sea this week enroute to Baku for COP 29.  Having David attend the conference makes us feel represented. Thank you, David, for your inspirational work!

Amie at Palo Alto Forward says vote Yes on D and Yes on 5. Thank you, Amie, for all your work to lower emissions and create affordable housing in our community.

David P. hosted a no-natural gas open house to show neighbors how to go electric. Thanks, David, for setting a great example for our neighbors!

Deb encourages us to follow the work of Josie Iselin who dedicates herself to restoring bull kelp forests off the coast of California. Thanks, Deb, for raising awareness about #helpthekelp

Rick is encouraged by State Senator Josh Becker’s record on pro-climate policy and asks that we consider voting for him. Thanks for the tip, Rick!

Maria points out that our mutual friend, Joan Michelson of Electric Ladies Podcast, published an article in Forbes on how climate change is reshaping global security. Sorry it is behind a paywall, but just in case: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanmichelson2/2024/10/18/how-climate-change-is-reshaping-global-security-and-the-military/. Not behind a paywall is my interview of Joan here. Thanks, Maria, for sharing this article.

Amy reports that West Hollywood just signed Plant-based Treaty, and Ian wonders if Palo Alto should also join this treaty. Thanks, Amy and Ian, for raising this as a possible action.

I am encouraged by everyone’s enthusiastic climate and peace action. Keep it up! I look forward to hearing more of your stories this Friday.hat we can both contribute and what we can bring back to our communities, San Mateo and Palo Alto, respectively. Thanks, Rick, for being the great connector.

Ray, who normally attends the concurrent anti-war, anti-genocide rally at Town and Country with his partner and that action’s organizer Sandra, invited us to consider holding our action in that space on an upcoming Friday.  Great idea! Although some in our group have reservations about intermingling anti-genocide and anti-ecocide actions, Greta has been quite clear that we cannot create the collaborative spaces necessary to address the climate crisis while we are inflicting harm on our neighbors, brothers and sisters.  In fact, on Friday at her 318th weekly climate strike, Greta joined Fridays for Future Milano for their action – I think I see her peaking out over the “D.”   Thanks, Ray, for the kind invitation to collaborate!

Deb mentioned resistance to an apartment building project proposed at the current site of Mollie Stone’s.  Building high-density, affordable housing near services and mass transit, in this case the Cal Ave train station, is one of the best ways to keep people out of cars, and is a definite must-have remedy for both the housing and climate crises. Thanks, Deb, for bringing this to our attention.

Ingrid expressed her dismay of how the reporting on the recent hurricanes failed to make the connection to climate change. Matt noted how a meteorologist became emotional on live TV when reporting how quickly Hurricane Milton intensified from category 1 to 5.  Robin shared how one reporter while describing the evacuation – lines and lines of cars filled with family, pets and whatever possession fit – broke down weeping. It reminded Robin of Steinbeck’s recounting of dustbowl refugees fleeing Oklahoma for California in their overpacked vehicles in The Grapes of Wrath. The dustbowl, too, was a man-made climate catastrophe caused by the extermination of the Great Plains ecosystem. Recall how Hurricane Katrina forever changed the lives of millions of people. We have just had back-to-back “Katrinas” create millions more climate refugees. And there’s much more to come – we are just getting started. Thanks, Ingrid and Robin, for sharing your insights.

After acknowledging that we are occupying colonized lands once populated by the Ohlone People, Matt expressed his appreciation for everyone who attended the climate strike. It has been a heart-breaking couple of weeks, and the like-minded company is welcome.  Thanks, everyone!

Shelley and Maria noted the recent vitriol directed at meteorologists reporting on the recent climate disasters in the US, back-to-back major category hurricanes in the South and intense heatwaves in the Southwest. Actually, I see this as a hopeful sign.  Recalling the five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance – recognizing that denialists are moving into anger is progress as they work through the grief of losing the stable, habitable planet that we enjoyed only 3 decades ago. Most people I know are working through the bargaining phase – maybe if I recycle more, or don’t have kids, or get an EV, or have a meatless Monday – things will be okay. This moment calls for grace as we all help each other work through the grief stages towards acceptance. Having worked through them all myself, I recognize the attractiveness of the earlier stages!  Thanks, Shelley and Maria, for sharing your observations.

Rick makes the point that if the election is close, it will be stolen – again. he highlights how Al Gore “lost” the 2000 presidential election by 537 votes. A later full recount proved Gore actually won.  Watch Climate Town’s Rollie Williams’ hilarious video recounting that sordid history here. Notably, Rollie makes the point that sending personalized letters is one of the best ways to activate voters. So, write or call, and let’s make sure this election is not close!  Thanks, Rick, for sounding the alarm. (Sigh—just imagine if a climate champion won in 2000 instead of a Texas oilman.)

George, who is a member of Extinction Rebellion, encourages those interested to attend the upcoming virtual open house on Saturday, October 26 at 11AM. Love and Rage! Thanks, George, for highlighting this.

On Indigenous People’s Day, The Climate Strikers! (aka Mitchell Park Band) performed at the Opportunity Center’s Fall BBQ Event. Thanks, Sheana, for inviting us to perform! It was great to see Eugene at the event, as well.  The band agreed to donate all our recent tips to the center. Please contact Sheana (831-276-4563) if you can donate anything:  clothes, food, supplies or cash. Check the concert here.

This Friday, let’s discuss the WWF Living Planet Report and consider collaborating with the anti-war rally.

Keep Up the Fight and See You Friday!

October 11, 2024 - Weekly Report

Our perfect Fall weather was a spirit-lifting antidote to an emotionally heavy week beset by climate tragedies and outrageous climate denial.  Deb kicked us off with good news. Her years-long project to bring down the elk fence in Point Reyes National Seashore and restore the natural habitat there is nearing its end – the final judgement is imminent, and she is optimistic. She informed us that this park is the most biodiverse of any national park, making the restoration of this land just that much more important. Thanks, Deb, for sharing this important development.

Speaking of biodiversity, World Wildlife Foundation just released their 2024 report: WWF Living Planet Report. Find a video summary here.  Find the report here. Be sure and read the executive summary on page 6 under the title: Nature is being lost – with huge implications for us all. In California, we are experiencing this loss firsthand; the first example the summary presents is the climate-change-induced pine bark beetle infestation that ravages California, turning forest into tinder. As a kid, I collected pine bark beetles with my entomologist uncle as they destroyed my grandparent’s pine grove, so I have been exposed to climate change my entire life.

Rick and Matt reported on the upcoming Multigenerational Design Future Retreat to be held in Cupertino on Saturday, Oct. 26. We look forward to attending, Rick as an elder and Matt as a mid-lifer, interacting with Cupertino youth, and learning what we can both contribute and what we can bring back to our communities, San Mateo and Palo Alto, respectively. Thanks, Rick, for being the great connector.

Ray, who normally attends the concurrent anti-war, anti-genocide rally at Town and Country with his partner and that action’s organizer Sandra, invited us to consider holding our action in that space on an upcoming Friday.  Great idea! Although some in our group have reservations about intermingling anti-genocide and anti-ecocide actions, Greta has been quite clear that we cannot create the collaborative spaces necessary to address the climate crisis while we are inflicting harm on our neighbors, brothers and sisters.  In fact, on Friday at her 318th weekly climate strike, Greta joined Fridays for Future Milano for their action – I think I see her peaking out over the “D.”   Thanks, Ray, for the kind invitation to collaborate!

Deb mentioned resistance to an apartment building project proposed at the current site of Mollie Stone’s.  Building high-density, affordable housing near services and mass transit, in this case the Cal Ave train station, is one of the best ways to keep people out of cars, and is a definite must-have remedy for both the housing and climate crises. Thanks, Deb, for bringing this to our attention.

Ingrid expressed her dismay of how the reporting on the recent hurricanes failed to make the connection to climate change. Matt noted how a meteorologist became emotional on live TV when reporting how quickly Hurricane Milton intensified from category 1 to 5.  Robin shared how one reporter while describing the evacuation – lines and lines of cars filled with family, pets and whatever possession fit – broke down weeping. It reminded Robin of Steinbeck’s recounting of dustbowl refugees fleeing Oklahoma for California in their overpacked vehicles in The Grapes of Wrath. The dustbowl, too, was a man-made climate catastrophe caused by the extermination of the Great Plains ecosystem. Recall how Hurricane Katrina forever changed the lives of millions of people. We have just had back-to-back “Katrinas” create millions more climate refugees. And there’s much more to come – we are just getting started. Thanks, Ingrid and Robin, for sharing your insights.

After acknowledging that we are occupying colonized lands once populated by the Ohlone People, Matt expressed his appreciation for everyone who attended the climate strike. It has been a heart-breaking couple of weeks, and the like-minded company is welcome.  Thanks, everyone!

Shelley and Maria noted the recent vitriol directed at meteorologists reporting on the recent climate disasters in the US, back-to-back major category hurricanes in the South and intense heatwaves in the Southwest. Actually, I see this as a hopeful sign.  Recalling the five stages of grief – denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance – recognizing that denialists are moving into anger is progress as they work through the grief of losing the stable, habitable planet that we enjoyed only 3 decades ago. Most people I know are working through the bargaining phase – maybe if I recycle more, or don’t have kids, or get an EV, or have a meatless Monday – things will be okay. This moment calls for grace as we all help each other work through the grief stages towards acceptance. Having worked through them all myself, I recognize the attractiveness of the earlier stages!  Thanks, Shelley and Maria, for sharing your observations.

Rick makes the point that if the election is close, it will be stolen – again. he highlights how Al Gore “lost” the 2000 presidential election by 537 votes. A later full recount proved Gore actually won.  Watch Climate Town’s Rollie Williams’ hilarious video recounting that sordid history here. Notably, Rollie makes the point that sending personalized letters is one of the best ways to activate voters. So, write or call, and let’s make sure this election is not close!  Thanks, Rick, for sounding the alarm. (Sigh—just imagine if a climate champion won in 2000 instead of a Texas oilman.)

George, who is a member of Extinction Rebellion, encourages those interested to attend the upcoming virtual open house on Saturday, October 26 at 11AM. Love and Rage! Thanks, George, for highlighting this.

On Indigenous People’s Day, The Climate Strikers! (aka Mitchell Park Band) performed at the Opportunity Center’s Fall BBQ Event. Thanks, Sheana, for inviting us to perform! It was great to see Eugene at the event, as well.  The band agreed to donate all our recent tips to the center. Please contact Sheana (831-276-4563) if you can donate anything:  clothes, food, supplies or cash. Check the concert here.

This Friday, let’s discuss the WWF Living Planet Report and consider collaborating with the anti-war rally.

October 4, 2024 - Weekly Report

The heat wave gave us a brief break on Friday making for a comfortable march. Once again, we experienced a range of reactions -- from fist bumps and applause to diverted gazes.  One person joined us in our climate chants for a while!  We made sure to make people in and around Chase, Citi and Gibson Dunn aware of those organizations’ complicity in climate collapse.   Fossil Banks, No Thanks! Fossil Law, Fatal Flaw!  Great job marchers!   As the next march will be right before the election, we decided on our next sign message: VOTE FOR CLIMATE.

Rick continues to prepare for the upcoming multigenerational Future Design Retreat organized by the NorCal chapter of Elders Climate Action. He will look for collaboration between that group and our monthly climate march.  Thanks, Rick!

Next, we turned our attention to our unseasonably hot weather and the horrific flooding from Hurricane Helene. Now, Florida is experiencing its second *major* category hurricane in as many weeks, Hurricane Milton.  When presenting how quickly Milton intensified, a Florida meteorologist wept on live TV.  It’s becoming harder to deny our collective loss and grief.  Hoping the best for our Floridian sisters and brothers.

Casey published the monthly Elders for Sound Democracy newsletter.  As you can imagine, the big push now is to Get-Out-The-Vote (GOTV)!  Thanks, Casey, for this amazing edition.

Matt presented his Climate Moment talk. This month he focused on how the water content in the air increases as temperatures rise. Warm moist air coupled with the now wobbly jet stream brings the moisture into contact with cold Arctic air leading to severe rainfall events and flooding, which we are seeing around the world every day.  We live in a much wetter world than before.

The Climate Strikers! are looking forward to performing at the Fall BBQ for the Opportunity Center on Monday October 14 from 12:30PM to 2PM. Thanks, Tasheana, for inviting us to perform! Please contact Tasheana (831-276-4563) if you can donate clothes, food, or supplies. 

September 25, 2024 - Weekly Report

Rick shared his excitement for our upcoming First Friday Climate March through downtown Palo Alto that we will perform this Friday 10/4.  It will be warm, so plan to wear your white t-shirt.

Eugene checked in and was delighted to partake in our snacks.  Matt brought a big pot of lentil vegetable stew, so we all enjoyed a hearty lunch.  Thanks for stopping by Eugene!

Ingrid was impressed with Jane Goodall’s appearance on Stephen Cobert’s show and her get-out-the-vote efforts encouraging people to vote for candidates who will stand up to and fight the forces that are destroying our habitable planet. At 90 years old, Jane is keeping up the fight! Thanks, Ingrid, for sharing this inspiration!

Robin watched Jane Fonda’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s show.  Jane is a long-time climate activist, and at 87 years old she is still fighting for what is right! Robin says that Jane’s enthusiasm for Harris is infectious, and she plans to cast her ballot for Kamala. Thanks for sharing your enthusiasm, Robin, and thanks, Ingrid, for circulating this video. 

After noting the perfect Fall day, Pam shared how she takes opportunities to discuss with strangers the things she does to lower her environmental impact. For example, when she picks up food, she will decline straws and/or utensils and say that she is “minimizing my trash.” That will start a conversation about the things they are doing in their lives to do the same—a great strategy for positive social reinforcement. Thanks, Pam, for sharing your technique!

Matt did a land acknowledgement noting that we are on land formerly occupied by and stolen from the Muwekma Ohlone people. He suggested that we include a land acknowledgment at each action. Here are examples of land acknowledgments, including one from Stanford.

Ron stopped by. He was not feeling well. We hope he is feeling better.

Robin noted in the Sierra Club’s latest editorial, a shift in language, and a call for abolitionism, “Abolish Fossil Fuels.”  This editorial marked an increased urgency in the Sierra Club’s tone on the climate crisis and a more direct call to address the root cause of climate collapse, the burning of fossil fuels.  One of the points the article makes is the importance of home electrification.  Thanks, Robin, for sharing this important article.

Speaking of home electrification, the City of Palo Alto with co-sponsors 350 Silicon Valley Palo Alto and Palo Alto Student Climate Coalition (PASCC) organized an amazing event to help residents learn how we can take advantage of the many city and community programs to electrify our homes and lifestyles. Great to see so many of our climate friends there!  If you missed it, you can see the tablers in this video, including Diane, Kat and Lawrence.  And, yes, that’s the Climate Strikers! providing the soundtrack.  Thanks, everyone, for a great event

Kathy and Craig both encouraged us to attend Bike Palo Alto this Sunday 10/6 at Fairmeadow Elementary School from 1PM to 3PM. Register here: https://bikepaloalto.org/ After that event, wheel over next door to the Mitchell Park Bowl. You will likely catch the Climate Strikers! rehearsing for their upcoming gig.

Tasheana invites the entire community to attend the Fall BBQ at the Opportunity Center on Monday October 14 from 12:30PM to 2PM.  She also encourages those who can to donate. You can donate money here, or contact Tasheana (831-276-4563) if you can donate clothes, foods, or supplies.  And, yes, the Climate Strikers! will provide musical entertainment at the BBQ.  Thanks, Tasheana, for everything you are doing!

Brian checked in from Northern California celebrating the demolition of the last dam on the Klamath River.  Brian is looking now towards the restoration of the salmon runs on the river.  Thanks for the wildly great news, Brian!

Diane updated us on the HPWH program. See details below. CPA launched the emergency heat pump water heater program on September 12, with a goal to do 100 emergency gas water heater replacements (with heat pumps) with this Pilot program, and a commitment to restore hot water within 2 business days (option to do work on nights and weekends for a premium). Also, they’ll be starting google ads and promoting the program more. Find out more here: Switch to a Cleaner, Smarter, Safer Water Heater – City of Palo Alto, CA Thanks, Diane, for your herculean efforts to raise awareness of this great alternative to gas water heaters!

Tomara Hall,  who is running for Santa Clara County Board of Education, contacted us to start a dialogue. She is interested in promoting youth activism that supports anti-racism, implicit bias awareness, and privilege checking.  We hope to learn more about her positions on climate activism and mental health awareness. Action is the best antidote to depression, so we appreciate her focus on youth activism. Tomara, thank you for reaching out and best wishes on your campaign!

Kimberly is hosting an educational workshop on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Everyone here is welcome to participate in this in-person event at Kimberly’s house in Redwood City. You will be some of the first to participate in this dynamic simulation of what it takes to build a sustainable world.  Please respond to this email to RSVP.

Keep Up the Fight and See You Friday!

September 25, 2024 - Weekly Report

We enjoyed the company of many first timers—Stephanie, David, Mogli and Deb. Thank you all for coming and sharing your stories! 

Stephanie recounted how her father inspired her to become an environmentalist after he himself was inspired by Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring.  Being an educator, she noted the dramatic shift in environmental awareness of her students, even at the 4th grade level. Thanks for sharing your experiences, Stephanie!

Deb noted that “nearly 100%” of young people are concerned about the climate crisis. She is worried that Harris’ climate lip service without concrete proposals and plans will cause young voters to become disaffected and disengaged.  It is truly a shame that those in power and seeking power still neglect to provide hope for young people.  Thanks for raising this important point, Deb!

Mogli became very concerned for the climate when the Supreme Court elected oilman George W Bush as president instead of the candidate who actually won the election, Al Gore. W then proceeded to select another oilman as VP, and they embarked on a war for oil in Iraq. The Supreme Court certainly played a pivotal role in the viability of the life-support systems on our spaceship Earth. Thanks, Mogli, for sharing this important history lesson.

David, after a career as a public servant, worked with his union to divest retirement funds from institutions – banks, oil companies, and insurance companies – that finance the fossil fuel industry and its pollution.  He was dismayed how little members cared about how their investment dollars were being deployed, caring only that the dollars grew and grew.  Thanks for sharing this poignant story, David.

Meanwhile, Robin is excited about the Sierra Club’s efforts to coerce CALPERS to divest from fossil fuel companies. She is also happy about bill AB2008 which will provide incentives for renewable energy sources in hard to decarbonize industries. Thanks for updating us, Robin, on the policy pushes.

Ingrid shared her good climate news and was excited about the rate at which Pakistan is installing solar panels to offset high electricity cost.  Bill McKibben even noted this development in his newsletter. Inexpensive solar panels have become an obvious alternative to paying high electricity costs. Thanks for shining a light on this, Ingrid.

Rick updated us on the planning for the upcoming multigenerational climate retreat. He is the “Story Teller” and was eagerly collecting our many stories.  Thanks, Rick, for your work to inspire all generations to climate action!

We next held a lively debrief of the city council climate council forum. We in Palo Alto are lucky to have so many climate champions running for council.  People expressed enthusiasm for Katie, Pat and George.  And then there was Henry, in a class all his own.  We just imagined the transformative leadership role that the City of Palo Alto could play if we were to enact his ideas—stop polluting our neighbors with lead and return the airport to wetlands under the leadership of ducks, underground CALTRAIN and convert suicide alley into a green linear park, create an urban forest along San Antonio, convert Stanford Shopping Center into 10,000 living units embedded in flora and within walking distance of one of the regions largest transit centers.  Henry can sure dream big, and we like his dreams!   Given the enthusiasm I’ve heard for Henry’s ideas, I created this brief highlight reel of his comments at the forum. Enjoy:  https://youtu.be/1iSQ2qtQ2mo?si=teKZ-W9_HqmV7PPi  Thanks again to 350 SV Palo Alto and all the sponsors who organized this important conversation.

To get to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan from Kazakhstan, David will have to bike to the north through Russia, to the south through Iran, or take a ferry across the Caspian Sea.  Given visa considerations, will it be the latter? We will see.  Keep us posted and bon voyage, David!

Kimberly is excited about the possibility of geoengineering the ocean to absorb more CO2, a controversial technique that is getting mainstream media attention.  That the conversation around geoengineering is becoming mainstream is, in itself, notable.  Here is a Yale article discussing these techniques: https://e360.yale.edu/features/mcdr-marine-carbon-dioxide-removal  Thanks for wading into this issue, Kimberly!

The 350SV Palo Alto team reminds us to check out the Clean Air at Home in Palo Alto event at the community center in Mitchell Park.  Hope to see you there!

It’s Climate Week in NYC!  We will discuss the amazing actions by Summer of Heat that are highlighting the heinous role Citibank plays in financing climate collapse.  Come join our Climate Week action!

September 19, 2024 - Weekly Report

Rick kicked us off by giving an update on the upcoming multigenerational climate summit at which he will be “the story teller.”  We were lucky to have him share some sample stories with us. Thanks, Rick, for supporting this important summit!

Robin is excited about a new technology that will break down old plastic and make it reusable for new plastic products.  It would be great to not have to use fossils to make new plastic. Thanks, Robin, for sharing this exciting development. 

Ingrid is excited about a new grid level battery that can provide power to 85,000 homes.  Grid level storage kept power on in California during this summer’s heat waves – it’s wonderful that this technology continues to advance. Thanks for sharing the great news, Ingrid!

George is excited about the new electric trains.  In fact, Caltrain is having a launch party in Palo Alto this Saturday, Sept 21, from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.  More details here: https://www.caltrain.com/news/caltrain-celebrate-full-electrification-weekend-launch-party-and-free-rides Thanks, George, for sharing your enthusiasm about this exciting development!

We next turned to the election.  Sheena really hopes to avoid another Trump presidency, sharing a scary story about a run-in she had with some Trump supporters.  Ingrid is eager to send out the hundreds of letters that she prepared to encourage turnout in swing state. Casey continues her work with Elder’s Climate Action to activate voters.  David organized a counter-demonstration at the Trump rally in El Camino Park on Friday, which received nearly as much media attention as the Trump rally itself, even though we were outnumbered 10-to-1.  Matt was happy that the Daily Post picked up his climate message.  Thanks, everyone, for all your GOTV efforts!

On Monday, Palo Alto City Council studied the expansion of the Palo Alto Airport.  91 members of the public commented. Avroh spoke on behalf of PASCC.  It was great to see Om, Aiden, Rebecca, Andrea, Carol, Ian and others there as well. Council members had lots of questions and concerns about the planned expansion, which will need to be addressed for the next study session.  Here is a video of the  session: https://youtu.be/0UZwnZW9slg  Here is a searchable transcript with timestamps: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xqYy4IbYEUR9kexEx1-7uhgGdu89SXgZTu88nMBNRn8/edit?usp=sharing Thanks to EVERYONE for raising your voices to ban airport expansion and preserve our valuable wetlands.

Kadir reports that he will be attending a conference in China on Passive Homes, net-zero energy homes. David just completed his tour thru Xinjiang, China and is now biking through Kazakhstan to promote e-bikes. Thanks to both Kadir and David for your amazing international work!

The candidate climate forum is this Thursday, September 19, 7-9PM. Register to attend live at First Presbyterian Church Palo Alto https://bit.ly/cccf24live  –or on Zoom at https://bit.ly/cccf24Zoom Hope to see you there!

This Friday we strike in solidarity with the Pay Up & Phase Out Global Climate Action.

September 12, 2024 - Weekly Report

Our First Friday Climate March through downtown was another rousing success!  In solidarity with the Summer of Heat campaign – daily actions at Citibank’s HQ in NYC – marchers Ingrid, Rick, George, Tian and Matt purposefully “visited” the Citi branch on Ramona and told them Fossil Banks, No Thanks! From the looks on the faces of the branch employees, we think they got the message.  Learn more about the Summer of Heat campaign here: https://www.summerofheat.org/ Thanks to all the marchers. We are looking forward to the next march on Friday October 4.

On University Ave., we passed by the law firm Gibson Dunn, which is always is near the top on the list of the worst law firms defending the polluting practices of fossil fuel companies. Cleverly, Ingrid formulated a chant for the occasion: Fossil Law’s a Fatal Flaw.  Our chant caught the attention of the receptionist. Hopefully, the attorneys on the higher floors could hear us, too.

After the march, Ingrid shared information about several climate-related talks she is organizing at Menlo Commons:

• Monday September 16, 2 PM: Book discussion, The Heat Will Kill You First

• Friday, September 27, 2 PM: Dr. Caroline Winterer, “When Weather Changed the Course of History”

• Monday November 11, 2 PM: Matt Schlegel, “De-Growth for the Health of Our Planet”

Thanks, Ingrid, for keeping climate in the conversation within your community!

Andrea reminds us that the candidate climate forum is next week, Thursday, September 19, 7-9PM. Register to attend live at First Presbyterian Church Palo Alto https://bit.ly/cccf24live  –or on Zoom at https://bit.ly/cccf24Zoom Thanks, Andrea, for promoting this important forum!

Great news!  Amanda informs us that the Emergency Replacement Program for heat pump water heater replacement is now operational!  Most people don’t think to replace their water heater until it fails, and haven’t made preparations for a heat pump option.  This new program accommodates those people providing a temporary gas replacement until the infrastructure for the heat pump is in place.  This option should accelerate uptake on the HPWH program.  Thanks, Amanda, for the good news!

Speaking of the HPWH program, Diane provided us with a monthly update. Hoping to see an uptick in adoption in the coming months. Find the updates in the table below. Thanks, Diane, for tracking this!

  Join us Friday for climate conversation and plentiful snacks!

September 5, 2024 - Weekly Report

Ingrid kicked off our discussion by sharing her enthusiasm for sustainable cloth made from oyster shell and recycled plastic. Check out the clothes here: https://jettylife.com/pages/oystex  Thanks, Ingrid, for this option for sustainable clothing!

Pria shared her dismay for the decline and poor health of Orca populations in the Pacific Northwest. Since Resident whales eat primarily salmon, she decided to stop eating salmon herself.  Thanks, Pria, for caring about our marine life cousins.

Rick is interested in getting good information about sustainable fisheries.  Eating as low as possible on the food chain is always a good bet, and Rick has a taste for sardines.  Let us know if you found a source that you like, Rick!

The food conversation continued, and we discussed various recipes for red quinoa, chickpeas and hummus, nut butters and more – we are eager to share recipes with each other.  I started a recipe document to capture ideas.  Please feel free to add your favorites: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EOBcLs0Yq7zYIVF66p_IvUPQTFqGHhIOjJmApadnzjE/edit?usp=sharing

The conversation next turned to extreme weather as Robin pointed out we have extreme heat here in the west while the east coast is experiencing unusually cool weather.  All the weather patterns that created our stable climate for millennia have become chaotically unstable causing increasingly more unusual and extreme weather. The huge rainstorm in the Sahara Desert has climatologists scratching their heads, as does the lack of organized tropical storms in the Atlantic Ocean.  Chaos does not permit organization! Thanks, Robin, for highlighting extreme weather.  For Yellow Dot’s latest weekly update, check this out:  https://youtu.be/t52wDOQ0kSg?si=ejLrmi6iHp82dP50

Kimberly is excited about the Arctic Ice Project, an initiative to increase albedo on polar ice to counter the decrease in albedo from ice loss.  And, not a moment too soon! Both Arctic and Antarctic Sea ice area have decreased rapidly in the last year with August 2024 extent only slightly greater than the record low set in 2023. We need ice to reflect the sun’s heat, and hope Arctic Ice Project can help. Thanks, Kimberly, for highlighting this important project.

Rick is encouraged by how the City of Richmond won a $550,000,000 settlement from Chevron.   Other cities are planning to use the same playbook to go after big polluters in their communities. Check out more here: https://flip.it/d7_ixn  Thanks, Rick, for highlighting this momentous win!

Christine wants to make sure we are aware of upcoming Climate Protection Working Group meetings. Thank you so much, Christine!  Here are links to the details:

• https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Events-Directory/Public-Works/September-Climate-Protection-Working-Group-Meeting

• https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Events-Directory/Public-Works/October-Climate-Protection-Working-Group-Meeting

• https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/Events-Directory/Public-Works/October-30-Climate-Protection-Working-Group-Meeting

We meet at King Plaza this Friday at Noon and then head out for our slow march through downtown. Come and join the fun. 

Finally, Ruth from the Raging Grannies shared that they will be demonstrating Friday at 3PM in Lytton Plaza.  Be sure to stop by and support them.