Are you interested in getting more involved with local climate protection efforts?  Here are some groups that are working locally and their contact information.

Citizens Climate Lobby
Mountain View group: mtviewccL@gmail.com

This is the local branch of a national organization that is primarily focused on getting Congress to enact a tax on carbon-based fuels.

Silicon Valley group:
Contact: Suds Jain, chair
sudsjain@mail2web.com

350.org, Silicon Valley Group
Contact: Pierre Delforge
pedelforge@gmail.com

350.org is an international organization, 350.org, founded by Bill McKibben about 8 years ago, to raise awareness that we need to keep the carbon dioxide level in Earth’s atmosphere to no more than 350 parts per million if we want to maintain a stable climate.  Unfortunately, recent measurements have found CO2 levels already at 400 ppm — and rising.  350.org has thus called for an international divestment campaign, asking individuals and institutions to remove their investments from fossil fuel companies.

The local 350.org group has a divestment subcommittee, a group working to stop fracking in California, another working to protest the proposed KXL pipeline, and a public outreach group. The local group’s website is www.350siliconvalley.org. To tap into the activities, contact Pierre Delforge and ask to become a member of the Googlegroup, or sign up on the website.

Sierra Club, Loma Prieta Chapter – Cool Cities Teams
One of the largest chapters of the national Sierra Club, our local area LP chapter has created a city-by-city network of activists from Daly City to Los Gatos.  Each group works on issues at their local city council which can reduce CO2 emissions, such as supporting solar energy, encouraging electric vehicle chargers or increasing urban density.  Go to their webpage to find contact names and emails for people in your town:  lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/cool_cities/teams

Acterra
Acterra’s Green@Home program offers several ways to help people protect the climate by reducing energy use at home.  Acterra trains volunteers who visit homes to install basic energy-saving devices and show residents energy-saving techniques.  In addition, people who live in Santa Clara County can have a free on-line analysis of their utility bills, followed by phone support or in-home visits, depending on the situation.  To volunteer, contact Lisa Dorn at lisad@acterra.org or to do an on-line analysis, go to

www.acterra.org/programs/greenathome/santa_clara_county.html

— Debbie Mytels