Summer is one of my favorite times of year to enjoy Alameda, from festivals, picnics, and beach days to backyard barbecues and walks along the shoreline. It’s also a season when our energy and water use tends to go up. The good news is that a few simple choices can help keep you comfortable, save money, and reduce your carbon footprint without sacrificing summer fun. Following are some easy ways to make this a climate-friendly summer in Alameda.
Air conditioning is one of the biggest contributors to summer electricity use. Even small adjustments can lower your electric bill while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Try these simple strategies:
- Close blinds or curtains during the hottest part of the day.
- Open windows in the early morning and evening to let in cooler air.
- Use ceiling or portable fans instead of air conditioning when possible. They use much less electricity than air conditioners.
- Set your thermostat a few degrees higher.
- Check and replace or clean your air conditioner filter when dirty so it runs more efficiently.
Summer is the perfect time to leave the car at home. Every mile not driven in a vehicle helps reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Instead:
- Walk to neighborhood stores, restaurants, parks, festivals, and theaters. No need to hunt and pay for parking—and you get some exercise.
- Ride your bike for errands and fun activities. Again, fresh air and exercise are side benefits.
- Take the ferry to San Francisco and enjoy the beautiful bay views.
- Combine errands into one trip instead of making several separate trips. Drive in a clockwise fashion for even more efficiency (you can turn right on red and there’s no waiting to turn left against oncoming traffic).
- Take the bus instead of driving.
- Carpool to outings.
Summer barbeques and picnics can be climate-friendly too. Ideas include:
- Serve more vegetarian dishes. They have a lower carbon footprint than meat dishes, especially beef, which has a very high carbon footprint.
- Grill locally grown produce. Check out the year-round farmers’ market in Alameda at Haight Avenue Webster Street on Tuesdays and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- Use reusable plates, cups, napkins, and utensils. It is better for the environment and it elevates the atmosphere of your event.
- Provide iced tap water or homemade lemonade in a thermos or pitcher, instead of offering bottled water.
- Set up clearly labeled recycling, compost, and garbage bins for guests to sort their trash properly.
Water conservation is important as well. Some suggestions include:
- Water gardens early in the morning to prevent evaporation that occurs in the heat of the day.
- Fix leaky faucets. Check out the Home Depot website for six steps to fix a leaky faucet.
- Run only full loads in dishwashers and washing machines to save water, energy, money, and emissions.
- Turn off the faucet when shaving, brushing teeth, and shaving legs.
- Install a rain barrel and use the saved water to water your garden.
Reducing single-use items is also critical, as their production and shipment create more greenhouse gas emissions than reusable items. Cut back on single-use items:
- Carry a reusable water bottle instead of drinking bottled water. (Sorry, I have to re-emphasize this one, as bottled water has a high carbon footprint due to shipping the water and producing the plastic bottle.)
- Drink your on-the-go coffee or tea beverage in your own reusable cup.
- Use reusable shopping bags.
- Bring reusable containers for leftovers from restaurants.
If you’re traveling this summer:
- Explore destinations closer to home. We have a lot of cool places to visit in the Bay Area. My husband and friends like to go to Napa and Sonoma Valley for wine tasting, Moss Landing for whale watching, and Santa Cruz for its beautiful nature.
- If you must fly to your summer destination, select direct flights when possible—they use less fuel.
- Stay at hotels with sustainability programs. Take advantage of towel-reuse programs by hanging them up instead of tossing them on the floor to be laundered after only one use.
- Respect nature areas by leaving no trace.
Summer is an excellent time to support local wildlife. You can:
- Plant native flowers that attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
- Leave a shallow dish of water for pollinators and birds (refresh it regularly to discourage mosquitoes).
- Don’t use pesticides. They kill helpful insects and can also harm birds that eat the insects.
- Plant native trees and bushes that provide food and shelter for birds and insects.
Enjoy the rest of your summer to its fullest in our wonderful town! By making a few simple choices, we can help protect the climate and the environment, conserve water, and support nature while enjoying ourselves at this wonderful time of the year. Small actions add up!
Joyce Mercado is the author of Save the Planet in Your Spare Time: A Climate Protection Handbook for the Busy Person, a member of Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA), and a past president of the Rotary Club of Alameda. Her columns are collected at alamedapost.com/Joyce-Mercado. She can be reached at [email protected].
