Thread by @ClaraJeffery

1/ I set some personal ecological goals this past year, here’s how I’m doing...

2/ so frustrated with all the trash in SF and on the beaches, I pledged to do more than just complain #onhere and to @SF311. So do a bimonthly pickup of a few blocks, at least once a month beach clean/hike, adopted 10 storm drains. Can feel Sisyphean but maybe 60% accomplished?

3/ pledged to turn backyard into bird and pollinator zone. Birds, mission accomplished (though hope they take to my bird houses). Pollinators, maybe 40%? Just planted a ton. Need butterfly puddler, insect/bee habitat hotels.

4/ Travel: we switched to plugin hybrid. Cut rideshares by 90%. Commute by foot or by transit, which has been awesome and typically faster. Signed up for flying offsets personally and about to institute company program. Idk, 70%?

4a/ next car, if we have one, will be all electric.

5/ home energy usage: made some repairs, including new windows, which has been big. Switched to the 100% renewable package from @CleanPowerSF for us and HOA. Got a cool new white fancy-material roof that drastically cut power usage. But need solar panels. So, 50%.

6/ plastic. Man this is daunting. We recycle and compost and use reusable bags. But we also get take out a lot, and a lot of that comes in plastic. I stopped carrying back lunch to desk, but dinner still a challenge. A lot better than most Americans but 30% on my goal.

7/ so goals going forward: some I mentioned, like solar panels. More bat/bee/butterfly habitats. Seed bombing empty lots etc. Attending or tracking SF planning projects on transit, green space, etc.

And obviously expanding @MotherJones and @ClimateDesk reporting.

8/ Not everybody can do what I’ve done or planned. Some are expensive. But everybody can do more even as we push for government and industry changes, which are the big movers. But having more skin in the game combats helplessness and informs the fight for a liveable future.

9/ and if anybody has done the hard research on solar lease vs buy in SF, please share your spreedsheet with me. 👋

10/ one of my very best family rules is that if we go to a public park or beach or hike, we must collect and dispose of at least 3 pieces of trash. Sometimes a lot more, sometimes we struggle to find it. But it’s fun and a good lesson for kids.

11/ back from watering sidewalk area I seed bombed yesterday 😂 to get to MEAT: we’re down to a few meals a month of red meat. At least 50% of meals are meatless.

But we could do way better on actual cooking. (Also sorry guys but meal kits are eco disaster. Worse than takeout.)

12/ speaking of seed bombing, somebody has been doing good work at the vacant lot left by that horrible fire at 22nd and Mission