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As you know, Greening Oakland Homes aims to help Oakland homeowners improve their carbon footprints. We are now looking for input, regarding your energy-saving priorities – and here’s note from our director, Laura Anderson:
You can make a difference for your family and even the world by “greening” your home. We’re Greening Oakland Homes, a new all-volunteer group that wants to help you do that. And we could use a little help from you, too.
First, here’s how we can help you. There’s more green information out there than most of us can handle. To help each other makes sense of it all, we’re setting up local fairs where you can get information about greening your homes from selected vendors, contractors, and government agents. Learn about ways to weatherize your home, use solar power, and save water. Find out how to get tax breaks and government rebates to help pay for it. No sales pressure or pitches, just information.
Here’s how you can help us help you. When we all do a little, we can make a big difference. Please take 5 minutes and fill out our survey. We want to know what green information you are most interested in, so we can be sure to provide it: here’s the survey link.
We spent under five minutes on this multiple-choice survey, and it’s a snap to take. There’s also a little room for comments. It is hard to know whether water heaters or solar energy devices matter more to you – and just have to find out, thanks!
Update: Results from the survey are pouring in, and you’re an opinionated group. We can’t wait to share everything, so stay tuned.
Well, Greening Oakland Homes is getting to the starting gate. A group of green-minded Oaklanders gathered last night and got organized for our first Green Fair, scheduled on March 6th.
With such a profusion of energy-saving opportunities, it helps that volunteers are bringing their contracting, engineering, selling, marketing, financing, policy-making and even personal experiences to bear.
This Green Fair is focused on helping homeowners discover:
- Where to begin – There will be auditors who can discuss home energy use and how to assess it properly. City and utility reps are getting lined up, who know all about financial incentives too.
- What to do – There will be a baker’s dozen of suppliers who can share their expertise (and do business) in heating and ventilation, plumbing, weather-proofing, solar energy and much more.
This inaugural homeowner event takes place at Montclair Women’s Club. The main room will be filled with experts and suppliers. A smaller side room will feature various educational talks, too. That way, attendees will have plenty of ways to learn and plan for home improvements.
Greening Oakland Home volunteers are motivated to create gatherings all over our city, so neighbors can explore what works or not. Plus it’s a nice, less scary way to learn what’s up.
And we’ll keep on sharing important resources online, right here.
Well, that Wednesday night meeting took place.
A great and passionate crew appeared, and got down to “brass tacks” about how to green homes. All the efforts are focused on learning what Oakland homeowners can do to improve their energy and resource use – what’s worked and who’s helped them.
It turns out there’s plenty to think about…leading to the first public gathering early next spring. You’ll have a great, in-person opportunity to meet neighbors and vendors.
But our group also agreed their efforts go beyond local greening faires. We will be sharing all kinds of green ideas right here, too.
It feels like Greening Oakland Homes is about to shift from first into second gear now.
Come help promote home energy and water conservation one neighborhood at a time! Next Wednesday night, December 9th, a group will gather to discuss an “energy sharing” faire in the spring.
Between now and then, there’s plenty of volunteer effort needed to share the best ways Oaklanders can reduce their homes’ energy and water usage.
We think it’s too difficult to try to go green on your own. We have even set a date already, next March 6th, to bring together Oakland residents, local contractors, funding sources, and the City of Oakland – all in one place.
We want to create this all-in-one opportunity for Oaklanders to speak directly to suppliers and contractors who can provide the materials and labor – as well as get information about how to make it more affordable through tax credits, incentives, City sponsored programs, etc.
Please email us now, at: Environment@MontclairAction.com. We’ll get right back to you, and share the all-secret meeting location. (Hey, it’s at someone’s home so we’re just protecting his/her privacy).
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