We’re in a food crisis, a housing crisis, a plastic crisis, an energy crisis, and a government and social crisis, because no one has a vision to stop them.
This is how we can stop emissions, lower warming, and survive the day. With community actions that build resilience, and that we're capable of starting now.
We’re going to save 50-70% on food, getting fresher and more nutritious ingredients, delivered right to our block (☁️ cutting 5-15% of emissions).
Solar panels don’t protect us from outages, if they’re tied to the meter (as most are).
They don’t protect us from price increases either. Utilities are offering less for solar payments (like in California and North Carolina) while raising prices, as more electric demand comes on the grid – from EVs, electric heat pumps, water heaters, cooking, and all-electric households.
As demand increases, outages increase too — leaving utilities to decide which communities keep power and which lose it, at our most vulnerable times.
We’re going to get resilient and affordable energy in our homes, that keeps the lights on during outages, cuts our electric bills, and eliminates home emissions.
Solar thermal heating systems, for water heating and space heating, work without electricity. That means you pay no bills for them, and they keep working during outages. (They also require 3x less space, due to increased efficiency.)
ℹ️ Solar thermal heating systems are used from Canada to Denmark to the Mediterranean and Australia, working in cold and warm climates.
Direct solar appliances, like refrigerators, solar attic vent fans, and slow cookers, can run off direct connections from solar panels — meaning they lower your electricity bill, and keep working during outages when you need them.
Non-electrical appliances like tubular skylights (indoor lighting, by bringing outdoor light through the roof) and drying racks don’t require power at all. They work through outages, and you don't pay any bills for them.
Dedicated battery kits for lights, fans, and charging devices. Some items are best suited for batteries — meaning you won’t pay electric bills for them, and they’ll keep working during outages. By only using batteries for the devices that require them (rather than all home needs), you can invest in smaller-sized systems that save money-up front, and every time you need to replace them.
‼️ Avoid lithium-ion battery kits. Other options are more durable and better long-term.
Insulating our homes reduces our electricity bills and vulnerability during outages.
We’re going to live healthier, in homes we can afford, while storing carbon.
We’re going to do it by making homes denser — through attached ADUs that expand existing walls, and by building dense on vacant lots.
We’re going to do it through land trusts, CDFIs, and community partners, who provide low-interest rates and rent-to-own models — building equity in housing while we pay for it.
And we’re going to do it with natural materials grown in America — making our homes healthy to live in too.
These homes store carbon, too.
A house made from natural materials (e.g. straw, wood) stores 15 tons of carbon.
Building 35 million homes per year like this, to meet the global housing shortages, will meet our 2030 carbon goals — and begin our path to lowering temperature rise.
Politicians don’t represent us today.
Because we don’t choose them.
We’re going to start picking the candidates ourselves – before they even run.
Instead of politicians coming to our communities – to seek votes, fundraise, etc.
We’re going to assemble in our communities, and choose the candidates to run ourselves.
We’re going to ask for nominations for races from our neighbors and community members.
We’re going to assemble the list of nominees.
We’re going to vote on who we as the community want to run and represent us. Then we’re going to help our chosen candidates to run – helping them collect signatures, meet filing deadlines, and jumpstart their campaigns.
Because we chose them to.
If a race is larger, like a district or state-wide (or the presidency), we will connect with community members and field nominations across the voting area — to get communities involved and engaged across the field, and ensure candidates we choose come from and are decided by all of us.
A single native tree can store 10,000 gallons of stormwater.
We are going to protect our yards, homes, and communities by planting native plants and trees — this will protect us from heat, humidity, and tick populations too.
Go to a native plant nursery on the map below, say you want native plants and trees in your yard and community, and start getting involved.
‼️ Consider trees that will grow up to roof height to provide shade on your home, while allowing sunlight for solar thermal heating and direct solar appliances on the roof.