All About Electric Vehicles |
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December 2 & 9, 6:30pm-7:30pm |
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Are you curious about electric vehicles (EVs) and interested in learning more? The City is proud to host two virtual EV events to answer any questions you might have. EV 101 is an engaging overview and Q&A covering:
● Available and upcoming EV models
● Charging at home and on the road
● Financial incentives and tax credits
● Long-term savings and environmental benefits
EV 201 will dive deeper into specific topics, focusing on finding the right EV model and options for you. Join one (or both) of these virtual workshops to learn how electric vehicles can benefit you and the planet!
EV 101: A Brief Introduction to Electric Vehicles (EVs) — Thursday, December 2, 6:30pm. Register here.
EV 201: Finding the Right EV for You — Thursday, December 9, 6:30pm. Register here.
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Receive a $100 Gift Card!
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Sunday, December 5, 10:00am-1:00pm |
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The City hosted two Cool Block leader trainings this month, and we are excited to welcome an incredible new group of block leaders! Cool Block is a program for residents that focuses on three main themes: community building, sustainability, and disaster preparation, and resilience. If you are interested in any of these topics, please join us for the FINAL TRAINING on Sunday, December 5th to learn how Cool Block works and how to successfully bring it to your neighborhood! All block leaders who participate will receive a $100 gift card to a local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) vendor to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables of your choice!
Note: If you did not attend a Cool Block Information Session but are interested in becoming a Block Leader, please email [email protected].
Register for the training here.
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Council Sustainability Committee Meeting |
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Wednesday, December 1, 6:30pm |
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The Council Sustainability Committee will be holding its next meeting on Wednesday, December 1 at 6:30pm. This virtual meeting will cover the following topics:
● Pandemic travel patterns and post pandemic opportunities
● Sea level rise planning and regional collaboration efforts
● Sustainability Action Plan 4 status update
● Carbon Neutral Target Date Discussion
Please join us on Zoom to listen in or provide comments. Instructions for how to attend the meeting, including the associated staff memos, can be found in the agenda packet, which will be posted under the event on the City calendar here by November 24 at 6:30pm. You can learn more about the Sustainability Committee here.
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Electrify Your Life - Coming Soon!
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Interested in going electric to save money and help the planet, but not sure where to start? The City will soon launch its newest resource called Electrify Mountain View. This online platform will offer personalized recommendations on how to electrify all aspects of your life. At no cost, you will be able to learn about actions such as driving an EV, installing solar power or a heat pump water heater, and cooking with an induction stove. To sign up to be notified about the upcoming launch, visit MountainView.gov/Sustainability.
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Happy Thanksgiving - Sustainability Style
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Here are a few tips to help you enjoy a sustainable Thanksgiving and reimagine what Black Friday can look like. |
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Buy local and plant-based:
Look for some of your favorite holiday veggies at the farmer’s market and try swapping in a few plant-based dishes. You don’t have to make the whole meal plant-based, but dishes like mashed potatoes, stuffing, and gravy are easy to make without meat or dairy. Even trying one new plant-based dish will have a positive impact. Check out some holiday recipe ideas here.
Reduce your waste:
When planning for holiday meals, take stock of what you already have and see what you can find hiding in your cupboards. This can save time and money at the grocery store. Whenever possible, try making dishes from scratch to cut down on packaging waste. Finally, store leftovers in reusable containers (ideally glass) and offer leftovers to your guests.
Be COVID conscious:
If you’re planning on traveling or gathering with family or friends during the holidays, be sure to check on the latest Santa Clara County Public Health Covid-19 updates and vaccine information. You can find out more here.
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Reimagine Black Friday:
Black Friday is typically a hectic day of shopping, but there are many other ways to celebrate this year. You can opt to be outside by going on a scenic walk or hike, or try another outdoor adventure. Here are some ideas for local outdoor activities. If you are planning to shop, consider choosing small businesses and brands that promote strong ethical and environmental practices. You can also support initiatives such as Reclaim Collaborative’s Redistribution Pledge. The goal of the initiative is to redistribute a percentage of sales from Black Friday weekend to Black and Indigenous-led environmental organizations.
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Mountain View Resident EV Testimonial |
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Mountain View EV owners shared what they love about driving electric. Mark bought his first electric vehicle in 2010. After visiting a Nissan LEAF test-drive station, he was impressed with the car’s comfort, quick acceleration, and easy handling. Mark shared the following about his experience owning an EV for over 10 years:
“When I originally bought an EV, my first thought was that I’d be helping the environment. But that thought got replaced by other thoughts: (1) This car is so fun to drive! (2) This car costs so much less to drive than my gas car! (3) This car costs almost nothing to maintain! After 10 full years, I’ve been able to see that the LEAF is extremely reliable. Hardly anything has gone wrong, and the maintenance is pretty much limited to checking the battery and rotating the tires. Today, there are more and more EVs out there, and there are enough chargers to handle everyone’s needs. I look forward to some future day when people look at each other and ask, ‘You mean people used to put liquid dinosaurs into their fuel tanks to make cars go?!’”
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Share Your Ideas on
"Collaborate Mountain View"
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We want to collaborate with you to make Mountain View the most sustainable city it can be! "Collaborate Mountain View" is designed to make that collaboration fast and easy, to keep you informed, and solicit your input on sustainability projects. We recently updated the site to include information and resources on our newest sustainability programs, including plant-based eating and electric vehicles! We invite you to check out the platform and provide your thoughts and ideas. A few options include sharing your ideas for our next plant-based eating event, taking our plant-based eating fall challenge, or writing about an action you’ve taken that reduces your impact on the planet.
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A National Win for EV Infrastructure |
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On Friday, November 5th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill, the first of two major pieces of infrastructure and climate legislation being considered this year. The infrastructure bill includes $39 billion to modernize public transit and $7.5 billion to expand the nation’s network of electric vehicle chargers. The funding has the potential to more than triple the number of EV charging stations across the country - a big win for current and future EV drivers!
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Business Environmental Awards - Applications Now Open
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Acterra's prestigious, long-running Business Environmental Awards program is seeking applications for their 2022 awards in two categories:
● Spare the Air Leadership Award, sponsored by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
● Sustainable Food Systems Leadership Award
If you have a compelling product, technology, or innovation that demonstrates sustainability leadership in the Bay Area in one of these categories, Acterra invites you to apply. The deadline to apply is December 10, 2021. More information on the program and how to apply can be found here.
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Simple Steps to Conserve Water |
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The Mountain View City Council recently declared a Stage 1 water shortage emergency condition due to the ongoing drought in California. Below are ideas for actions you can take to conserve water:
● Check for leaks
● Switch to a water-efficient showerhead (Look for a WaterSense label to verify savings)
● Choose California natives and water-wise plants over lawns and non-natives
● Reduce your meat consumption (A single pound of beef takes about 1,800 gallons of water to produce.)
Taking even one of these actions to conserve water will have a positive environmental impact. Learn more about water-saving tips, programs, and available rebates here.
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Give Us Your Input about City News and Information |
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The City of Mountain View recently launched a survey to find out how you stay informed about City news and information. Your input will help improve how information is provided to the community through the City website,
newsletter. Weigh in through the online survey,
The survey runs through 5:00pm Friday, December 17th.
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SVCE Heat Pump Water Heater Rebates |
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Are you ready to electrify your home? SVCE is offering up to $2,000 in rebates to customers who replace their gas or electric resistance water heater with an efficient, electric heat pump version, decreasing harmful emissions in your home and community! View SVCE’s Heat Pump Water Heater Buyers Guide here.
An additional $3,000 in rebates is available for qualifying electric panel upgrades and income-qualified customers. Visit SVCE's website here to reserve your rebate.
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Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) has launched a free online resource to help Mountain View residents make easy, informed choices about switching to all-electric living.
The eHub features information on how change starts with clean electricity, how driving electric is the biggest single action you can take to stop pollution while saving money, and how you can improve your indoor air quality at home with efficient, electric appliances. Visit the new eHub here.
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Income qualified residents who own a model year 2004 or older vehicle can receive up to $9,500 to retire their old vehicle and purchase or lease a new or used electric vehicle. Funding is available for electric vehicle charging equipment as well. You can also get a pre-loaded Clipper card (up to $7,500) for turning in your old vehicle. Incentive options vary depending on income and zip code.
Check if you are eligible for the Clean Cars for All program and apply here.
For additional information about this program, please contact (855) 256-3656 or [email protected].
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Go GreenPrime - Power Your Home with 100% Renewable Energy! |
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Mountain View residents who receive their electricity from Silicon Valley Clean Energy (SVCE) can upgrade their service at any time to GreenPrime, SVCE’s 100% renewable, carbon-free energy service. GreenPrime energy is primarily sourced from wind and solar farms in California. For a typical resident customer, it costs less than $5 per month to switch to 100% renewable energy through GreenPrime. When you upgrade, you are supporting clean, locally-sourced energy projects that move us towards a clean energy future!
Learn more and upgrade to GreenPrime here.
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Say No to Single-Use Accessories
Did you know that Americans use more than 36 billion disposable utensils and 142 billion straws each year? That’s a lot of waste! A new state law will help reduce the amount of these unnecessary foodware accessories generated by restaurants and other food vendors.
Beginning January 1, 2022, food facilities may only provide disposable foodware accessories (utensils, straws, stirrers, etc.) and condiments packaged for single-use if they are requested by a consumer. These items cannot be packaged or bundled together, and cannot be proactively offered to customers except for drive-through orders. City staff will be developing educational materials and conducting outreach to help make food facilities aware of these new requirements. You can do your part by only requesting the items you really need.
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Master Composters Wanted!
Are you interested in learning composting best practices that promote healthy gardens, healthy soil, and healthy lives, and sharing that knowledge with others? The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCEE) of Santa Clara County is seeking individuals committed to learning, becoming leaders in our communities, and contributing to improving lives. For more information, visit UCEE’s Master Composter Initial Training website. If interested in signing up, complete the online interest form and then wait for UCEE staff to contact you in January about your application.
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Too Much of a Good Thing
If holiday shopping has left you buried in boxes that don’t fit in your recycling cart, please don’t trash them! Extra cardboard can be flattened and cut or folded to be no larger than 3’x3’. Bundle all extra cardboard by tying or taping it together, and place it next to the recycling cart. Please take large amounts of cardboard to the Mountain View Recycling Center.
Residents with curbside cart service may also leave up to two extra bags or boxes of recycling next to their recycling split cart on collection day. Keep containers and paper/cardboard in separate bags or boxes. No plastic bags, please! If you regularly have extra recycling, order a larger or second cart by contacting Recology at 650-967-3034 or [email protected].
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Dirty Dozen Item of the Month: Food and Liquids
The “Dirty Dozen” are 12 types of items that can mislead anyone trying to recycle right. These items seem recyclable, but actually contaminate the process. Keep these items out of your recycling cart.
Food and liquids left in containers contaminate other recyclables. Please pour out liquids, scrape out food and rinse containers if needed before recycling them. Placing a liquid-filled plastic bottle in your recycling cart will prevent it from being recycled, as the mechanical sorting equipment will send it to the glass sorting line due to its density. It causes costly delays to pull these bottles out, empty them, and place them with other plastics, so they get discarded. Please remove food from all recyclable containers and put it into your food scraps cart before placing them into the recycling cart. Learn more about the Dirty Dozen here.
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More Virtual Activities + Resources |
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Young Professionals Winter Happy Hour |
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Acterra is hosting a virtual happy hour to build connections among young professionals who are interested in working in the environmental field. The event will focus on making new connections, learning how to get involved in Acterra’s Young Professionals Group, and finding out what events are coming up in the New Year. Games and holiday-themed drinks will also be included! Find out more here.
When: Thursday, December 9th, 5:30pm-6:30pm
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Caminata Naturalista: Grandes Mareas en Cooley Landing |
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¡Acompáñanos para una mañana de caminata en Cooley Landing durante una de las mareas más altas del año! Los participantes van a aprender sobre las mareas reales y la ecología de este parque tan especial. Esta caminata será conducida en español. Los participantes pueden esperar caminar aproximadamente 3 millas por sendero relativamente plano que probablemente esté lodoso o inundado. Después de la caminata, repartiremos bebidas calientes y botanas. Regístrate aquí.
Cuando: Sábado, diciembre 4, 10:30am-12:30pm
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Burrowing Owl Restoration Opportunities |
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Did you know we have a burrowing owl habitat in Shoreline Park? We've been planting native plants there to help increase the population of the burrowing owl's prey base, and, thus, the burrowing owls, a California Species of Special Concern.
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The City of Palo Alto Utilities put together some great guides on how to save energy in various home situations.
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Want to stay updated on more Sustainability news and local events? Like us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram!
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Subscribe to this newsletter here.
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Read previous newsletters here.
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