Community involvement is necessary to make societal changes for the transition to true sustainability. Community-based sustainability initiatives have been effective in tackling local issues and changing societal behavior from the “bottom up”. [1]
Get Involved Brief Notes
Community involvement will be necessary to make the societal changes in the categories called for by scientists worldwide: (1) energy infrastructure, (2) short-lived pollutants (e.g., methane from animal agriculture, chlorofluorocarbons, etc.), (3) nature protection, (4) food / diet modification, (5) economic system revision, and (6) reigning in population growth [2].
Increased public participation in sustainability issues at the local level leads to broader public acceptance of resulting climate and sustainability initiatives [3].
“The most affluent countries are mainly responsible for the historical GHG emissions and generally have the greatest per capita emissions. [4]” These affluent countries generally have populations that are the least engaged with the climate issue [5].
Community-based sustainability initiatives have been effective in tackling local issues and changing societal behavior from the “bottom up”. [1] Opportunities to contribute in the Bay Area include recycling efforts, reduction in food waste and food delivery to those in need, and conservation of natural lands. [6, 7].
Citizen involvement can drive the needed shift in political priorities [8]. As pointed out by the recent climate article signed by over 11,000 scientists, “we need a carbon-free economy that explicitly addresses human dependence on the biosphere and policies that guide economic decisions accordingly. Our goals need to shift from GDP growth and the pursuit of affluence toward sustaining ecosystems and improving human well-being by prioritizing basic needs and reducing inequality.” [2]
Get Involved Resources
Education and Advocacy
Sonoma County Conservation Action
Climate Reality Leadership Corps
Preserving Lands:
Laguna de Santa Rosa Foundation
Sonoma County Agricultural and Open Space District
Maintaining Lands for Research and Education:
Sonoma State Center for Environmental Inquiry
Guides to Local and Regional Sustainable Organizations:
Sonoma County Conservation Action Guide
Sustainable City List of Bay Area Organizations
Social Media pages to follow
Sustainable SSU @sustainablessu Instagram / Facebook / twitter
Western Watersheds Project Instagram / Facebook / twitter
Climate Reality Project Instagram / Facebook / twitter / Linkedin / YouTube
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Nearby City Council Public Meeting Schedules:
Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Public Speaking:
Santa Rosa Toastmasters International
SSU Training in Natural Lands and Land Management Practices
Center for Environmental Inquiry
Get Involved Further Reading / Watching
General Information About The Need for Collective Political Action:
Article: Jensen, D., (2009). Forget Shorter Showers: Why Personal Change Does Not Equal Political Change, Orion Magazine.
General Information About The Need to Act On and Discuss Climate Change with Others:
Article: Lowrey, A. (2020). The Benefits of Performative Environmentalism Adds Up, Atlantic Magazine.
General Information About Community Engagement:
Article: Hussey, S., (accessed April 2021), Community Engagement Steps Up Participation in Climate Action, Bang the Table.
General Information about Water Issues In California, and the Difficulty of Community Involvement.
Film: Water & Power, a California Heist, National Geographic Films.
General Information about Changing the Economy for Climate:
Article: Mountford, H., S. Colenbrander, C. Brandon, E. Davey, J. Brand, and D. Erdenesanaa (accessed April 2021), Putting People at the Center of Climate Action, World Resources Institute.
General Information about A Multitude of Ideas for Overhauling the Economy Rapidly to Address Urgent Issues:
Silk, E., with revisions by K. Bamberger, (2020), The Climate Mobilization Victory Plan.
General Information About the Economic Value of Nature:
Article: Weston, P. (2021), Land could be worth more left to nature than when farmed, study finds, The Guardian.
General Information on Abuses of Our Current Economic System:
Short Film Series: Dirty Money. General Information About the Beauty of And Change Affecting Nature: Film: David Attenborough, A Life on Our Planet.
Get Involved Footnotes
[1] Hussey, S., (accessed April 2021), Community Engagement Steps Up Participation in Climate Action, in Bang the Table.
[2] Ripple, W., C. Wolf, T. Newsome, P. Barnard, W. Moomaw, (2020). World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency, BioScience, Volume 70, Issue 1, January 2020, Pages 8–12.
[3] California Air Resources Board and the Institute for Local Government (2010). How to Harness the Power of Your Community to Address Climate Change: A Local Officials Guide.
[4] Ripple, W., C. Wolf, T. Newsome, P. Barnard, W. Moomaw, (2020). World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency, BioScience, Volume 70, Issue 1, January 2020, Pages 8–12.
[5] Teng, C., written for Globescan, (2017). Three Major Pitfalls of Public Engagement on Climate Change and What to Do About Them.
[6] Sonoma County Conservation Action Guide (accessed April 2021).
[7] Sustainable City List of Bay Area Organizations (accessed April 2021).
[8]. Lowrey, A. (2020). The Benefits of Performative Environmentalism Adds Up, Atlantic Magazine.