|
Thank you for subscribing to the Marin County Sustainability Team quarterly newsletter.
April is Earth Month! Now is a great time of the year to do some spring cleaning, and get inspired to accomplish your sustainability goals in 2024 by attending a local Earth Day event.
In this edition you can find information on upcoming Earth Day events, an open-to-the-public induction cooking event, new funding opportunities for replacing wood-burning heating devices with heat pumps, and other rebate program updates.
As always, you can find information on our programs at our website, or you can contact us with questions about our programs for your home sustainability projects.
Follow us:
 This year we're lucky to have multiple communities in Marin sponsor Earth Day events! Here are the different Earth Day events happening across Marin County:
Climate Fest - San Geronimo Valley
When: Saturday, April 20 12pm - 3pm
Where: San Geronimo Valley Community Center, 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd, San Geronimo
Live music, aerial performances, interactive climate booths, food for sale, and art show.
Earth Day Fairfax: Our Home - Fairfax
When: Saturday, April 20 10am - 1pm
Where: Bolinas Park, Fairfax
Tabling in Bolinas Park with the Fairfax Climate Action Committee, Fairfax Open Space Committee, Parks and Recreation Committee, Community Emergency Preparedness Committee, Town Council representatives, and others!
Earth Day Mill Valley - Mill Valley
When: Sunday, April 21 11am - 2pm
Where: Mill Valley Recreation Center, 180 Camino Alto, Mill Valley
Earth Day Mill Valley is a family-friendly event, featuring fun activities and green exhibits for all ages.
Earth Day Appreciation: A Celebration of Our Love for Mother Nature - Novato
When: Sunday, April 21 12pm - 4pm
Where: Unity in Marin Campus, 600 Palm Drive, Novato
Fun for the whole family! An entire free outdoor event: a celebration of nature and love of the earth and natural systems with an emphasis on recycling, repair, reuse and the Resilient Neighborhoods program.
 To honor and celebrate Earth Day 2024, the City of San Rafael is scheduling community events from April 20 through April 23.
Earth Day Cleanup at Pickweed Park
When: Saturday, April 20 10am - 12pm
Where: 50 Canal Street, San Rafael
Join District 1 Councilmember Maika Llorens Gulati in this community litter cleanup in the Canal, Spinnaker, and Baypoint Lagoons neighborhoods.
Participants must sign a volunteer agreement. Visit event page for more details.
Downtown and West End Village Earth Day Clean & Green
When: Monday, April 22 10am - 2pm
Where: 1000 4th Street, San Rafael
Join other awesome volunteers and business members in sprucing up Downtown and the West End Village for Earth Day.
Participants must sign a volunteer agreement. Visit event page for more details.
Climate Change Action Plan Forum: Building a Diverse Climate Workforce in the North Bay
When: Tuesday, April 23 5pm - 6:30pm
Where, Transportation Authority of Marin, 900 Fifth Avenue, San Rafael
Join Sustainable San Rafael, the City of San Rafael and an engaging group of panelists from the Ecological Workforce Initiative, MCE, and Conservation Corps North Bay / Fire Foundry to discuss the opportunities and challenges with creating an equitable climate workforce to meet the needs of the future.
Space limited. Register here.
 The third annual Marin Green Home Tour has been scheduled for Thursday, October 24, 2024 from 6pm-8pm. This free, virtual tour will highlight several Marin homes that feature energy efficiency and electrification upgrades, water conservation strategies, sustainable building materials. The tour will also promote resources that both renters and homeowners can take advantage of to save energy and make their homes more comfortable.
If you know of a home that you think should be featured in this year’s Marin Green Home Tour, please let us know at energy@marincounty.org. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
Be sure to check out the 2022 and 2023 Green Home Tours on YouTube. The technology and resources shared in the past tours are still relevant today, and can help to plan your own home upgrades.
 The Eco-Friendly Garden Tour is a public outreach and education program that promotes sustainable landscaping practices by showcasing inspiring gardens throughout Sonoma and Marin counties. The Tour highlights Russian River-Friendly and Bay-Friendly landscaping best practices, and supports Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper certified professionals by featuring their personal or client’s gardens.
The 2024 Eco-Friendly Garden Tour will take place on Saturday, May 18th from 10am-4pm. The tour is self-guided and free to attend. Registration is required.
Register here.
 Resilient Neighborhoods is a free program that offers 5 online sessions where you will learn how to create a low-impact household, adopt more sustainable lifestyle practices, strengthen your community, and prepare for climate-related emergencies.
The weekly summer sessions are starting on June 13 (every Thursday) and June 18 (every Tuesday). Reserve your spot today!
 Cleaner Heat, Cleaner Air: Bay Area’s Clean HEET Program.
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (Air District) Clean HEET Program is currently accepting applications to help up to 300 Bay Area homeowners replace their qualifying wood-burning devices with electric heat pumps! Qualifying wood-burning devices include existing, operational, freestanding wood stoves and wood-burning fireplace inserts used for indoor heating.
Learn more about how you can help reduce harmful particulate matter, improve local air quality, and stay warm with cleaner heating at www.baaqmd.gov/woodsmokegrant today!
 Join us on Thursday, May 16th, 2024, at 4:00 PM for an open house event filled with the latest trends and innovations in induction cooking. Hosted by the Counties of Marin, Sonoma, and Napa, the event will be located at the Ferguson Showroom in San Rafael. This in-person gathering promises to be an unforgettable experience for food enthusiasts and home cooks alike!
Induction cooking has revolutionized the way we prepare meals, offering faster, safer, and more precise cooking methods. Sign up to:
- Enjoy live demonstrations from a duo of induction expert chefs
- Get tips for sustainable summer entertaining
- Indulge in food and drinks, as well as generous tastes from the demonstrations
- Learn about incentives, rebates, and much more!
Don't miss this opportunity to experience the future of cooking firsthand!
Register here.
 Ready to drive electric? Register for the Mill Valley Earth Day EV and Ebike Show on May 21 from 11-2. Our partner Ride and Drive Clean will showcase a variety of EVs and Ebikes and you'll have the chance to learn from EV owners about their experience buying and driving electric.
 The Corte Madera Police have sent out a notice about the difference between e-bikes and electric motorbikes, and how they can be legally used on public roads.
Read the notice here.
 Our friends are Rewiring America want to make sure that you capitalize on your tax return if you purchased an EV or did an electrification project last year.
They have new guides available for tax season:
|
