CoolMom Quarterly News -Fall
October-December 2009
350 Seattle Center, International Day of Climate Action
700 plus attend 350 event in Seattle, one of the biggest events in the world! On October 24th, over 5200 events took place in over 181 countries around the world highlighting the number 350, the number scientists believe to be the safe upper limit of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In Seattle, over 700 like minded environmentalists stood together atop the Fisher Pavilion in Seattle Center in honor of the number 350 and to voice their concerns about climate change. Leaders in the environmental community, including Congressman Jim McDermott and City Council President Richard Conlin spoke on behalf of climate change action encouraging citizens to take local action to reduce their carbon footprint.
Take the pledge for climate change. Those that attended took a written pledge, both adult and child alike, stating they would do at least 3 things to affect climate change. Some of those pledges included driving less by taking the bus, carpooling or riding their bikes, buying less stuff, buying more local and organic foods, and using less hot water by turning down their water heaters to 120 degrees or less.
To read the full story check out 350 Seattle Center and please let your Senators know that you want a strong Clean Energy and Jobs bill by April. Call them today!
*******Senator Cantwell: (202) 224-3441 and Senator Murray: (202) 224-262*********
To See the West Seattle 350 International Day of Action Event, click here
Want to learn more about 350? Go to 350.org and learn the FAQs
CoolMom Gets the Exclusive for City's Carbon Calculator
CoolMom helping families reduce their carbon emissions by 1 ton in 1 year. CoolMom is teaming up with the City's Office of Sustainability and Environment to reduce families' carbon footprint by one ton in one year. The city's carbon calculator is user friendly and even uploads your electric and utilities information into the computer after input of your account number. After the calculator counts up a families current carbon emissions, the family then can create an action plan with the goal of reducing their carbon emissions by one ton in one year.
Cool Mom benefits. This one ton challenge speaks directly to CoolMoms' mission of reducing our carbon footprint and directly affecting climate change. As CoolMom signs up City of Seattle residents to take the one ton challenge, CoolMom can receive $20 per 1 ton challenge action plan. The goal is for CoolMom to sign up 750 families/residents totaling $15,000 by April 2010!
Calling all City of Seattle CoolMom members. CoolMom is needing Carbon Calculator Captains to commit to helping sign up other City of Seattle CoolMom members, friends, and neighbors. The Carbon Calculator Captains would commit to signing up at least 10 people/families to take the one ton challenge by creating an action plan using the carbon calculator. Those interested in becoming a Carbon Calculator Captain please contact Terri at terri@coolmom.org.
Future Possibilities. The City of Seattle is hoping to replicate their Carbon Calculator to include cities across the nation. If CoolMom is successful in helping the city, this may be a great opportunity to spread the word about CoolMom as well!
CoolMom Green Tips
Try these on and reduce your carbon footprint
This months CoolMom tip is more like a New Years Resolution of sorts. The tip is to change your lifestyle by doing three things that can make a large impact on your carbon emissions. These things can include weatherizing your home, reducing your car miles, and purchasing locally grown and produced products throughout the year. Make a New Years Resolution to benefit not only your wallet, but the future of your children. Reduce your carbon emissions by one ton by the end of 2010!
Educate Yourself
What does one ton of carbon look like?
a. one large cargo ship container b. 1/2 of a cargo ship container
c. 1/16 of a cargo ship container d. 1/8 of a cargo ship container
see the answer below.
Advocacy
It Takes a Community
CoolMom in Washington, D.C. that is! Terri Glaberson,
Executive Director of CoolMom traveled to D.C. to represent
CoolMom. On October 21 and 22, Terri met with both Senator Cantwell and Murray about the need for a strong climate bill this year. She also met with Representative Baird and several staffers from many Congressmen's offices to discuss the important work of CoolMom and the vital work that they have done on climate change legislation. The highlight of the trip was meeting with Senator Cantwell and her chief of staff Amit Ronen and handing Senator Cantwell a handful of CoolMom letters and artwork. She was so excited about them that she hung them in her office and the next day during a coffee reception she singled out Terri to explain to the group about CoolMom. CoolMom made an impression and later on in December Terri was invited to an invite-only Clean Energy Forum in Seattle by Senator Cantwell herself! [the full story can be found here]
Update on the Clean Jobs and energy bill. CoolMom has the latest on the American Clean Energy and Security Act and ways you can support the bill.
Coal Free Northwest Rally. CoolMom's co-founder Kristy Royce helped rally the troops in September during the rally and then testfied at the hearing for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. Over 85 people unanimously testified in support of a strong clean energy plan.
CoolMom Sends Murals to D.C. CoolMom artist Naomi Mittet created two colorful murals that were sent to D.C. in early December. The murals were a collaboration of Naomi's art, some CoolKids art work and the sewing expertise of Amy Eby, West Seattle CoolMom. The CoolMom murals were a part of a large display of over 100 murals gathered in front of the White House to convey a message from families that climate change legislation is vital to the future of our children. These murals were then taken to our State Senators' offices in hopes they will display them proudly.
Mayor Nickels gives shout out to CoolMom in Copenhagen. In
conference proceedings on December 17, Mayor's from around the world
shared best practices to reduce carbon emissions. Discussing the best
ideas of citizen engagement, Mayor Nickels sang the praises of four
efforts in Seattle--CoolMom, SCALLOPS, Seattle Climate Partnership and
Seattle Climate Action NOW. What an honor for CoolMom to be mentioned at such an important event.
CoolMom in Action
Holiday Toy Swap 'n' Sales, a Huge Success. CoolMom hosted two Holiday Toy Swap 'n' Sales this year. The Greenwood/Ballard group and the West Seattle group organized two successful used toy sales by collecting gently used toys from the community and reselling the items at local churches in their neighborhoods.
Highlights from the sales included some very happy customers, eco-friendly wrapping and gift giving ideas, community giving back to both WestSide Baby and Family Works, and the overall satisfaction of reducing families cost during the holidays both monetarily and in carbon emissions.
The story of the Home Energy Audit. by Audrey Querns, honorary CoolMom
I
contacted Charlie Rogers after hearing him interviewed on KUOW, the local NPR
station. Our house is old - built in 1918, and it's always had a stale
old house smell that has bothered me - especially when I was pregnant.
We’d had our ducts cleaned, and that made a difference, but the smell was
still there. When I heard Charlie
talk on the radio, he mentioned that a lot of people are basically breathing
the air from their basement, and a light bulb went came on in my head:
THAT's the old house smell! I emailed him that same day. read more...
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Upcoming Events
Clean Green Demo, January 6, 7-8:30 pm. Hosted by CoolMom and Bridge Park Independent Retirment Living Center, 3204 SW Morgan Street. details here
2010 Legislative Workshop, January 9, 9:30 am - 2:15 pm. Hosted by Washington Environmental Council at Seattle Pacific University, Gwinn Commons. You’ll hear from legislators, environmental lobbyists, and others regarding the community's Environmental Priorities. This year's Enviromental Priorities are: Safe Baby Bottle Act, Working for Clean Water, Sustain Environmental Protections in the Budget. Register here prior to January 8, 2010. Cost is $20 with lunch and $10 without lunch.
1Sky's Climate Precinct Captains. These motivated and engaged folks are needed to ensure a strong federal climate bill in the first few months of 2010. You can be one of them. You will receive in depth information on actions happening and ways to participate in spurring on a strong clean energy and jobs bill. To particpate contact 1sky.org.
Lobby Day in Olympia, January 26, 8:45 am - 6:00 pm. Join the states leading conservation groups and hundreds of citizen lobbyists as they engage their elected legislators with their powers of persuasion to push for the passage of the Environmental Priorities Coalitions legislative priorities. Buy tickets here.
P-Patch Projects in Your Neighborhood. To create a community P-Patch in your neighborhood, check out the details here.
Neighborhood Appreciation Day 2010, February 6. Neighbor Appreciation Day is a grassroots celebration. People and organizations organize block parties, open houses, award ceremonies, potluck dinners, and work parties to recognize and encourage caring neighbors.*The West Seattle CM group will be having a work party event at C&P Coffee on California in West Seattle.
Save the Date for Climate Day for Kids, April 17, at the Olympic Sculpture Park. Last years event was great fun, so stay tuned for further details.
More great events listed @ WSBlog, EOS Alliance, and Seattle Green Drinks has a calendar of events for environmental causes and activities. Check out Washington Clean Technology Alliance for a list of environmental clean tech events.
Green Up Your Reading Here are a few resources that enlighten
Seattle's Sightline Daily Blog, Sustainababy: Growing Up Green by expecting mother Anna Fahey looks at pregnancy and motherhood through the lens of sustainability policy—or, rather, reexamines sustainability policy through her newly acquired “pregnancy lenses.” Beyond myriad personal choices about "green" diapers, bottles, or toys, she finds that pregnancy and the prospect of parenthood shed new light on big policy priorities from food, air, and water quality to climate, energy, and economic security.
Readers from across the region are invited to chime in with their experiences of growing green babies. Sightlines question for CoolMom members: What are the hardest issues you’ve found between parenting and sustainability?
Books
Non-fiction book recommendation, The Green Parent: A Kid-Friendly Guide to Earth-Friendly Living by Jenn Savedge "The Green Parent is an excellent guide for parents! I've dog-eared many pages in this book and always keep it close at hand." -Kathleen Ridihalgh, www.greatgreentips.net
And, for the kids...10 Things I Can Do to Help My World, by Melanie Walsh. This provides some simple ways that kids can help the environment and make a difference.
In the Movies...For those Movie folks, you might want to check out "Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood". This 67 minute film pushes back against the wholesale commercialization of childhood, raising urgent questions about the ethics of children's marketing and its impact on the health and well-being of kids. CoolMom groups can get a loaned copy from the Wallingford Neighbors group.
Answer to Educate Yourself:
d. approximately 1/8 of a 96'x48'x40' cargo ship container
see also the actual 27'x27'x27' cube of "carbon dioxide" built by a teacher and his students here.
back to where I left off
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