SCOCO INSIGHTS - DECEMBER 2020

Give, Celebrate, Simplify, and Be Grateful.
STAY CONNECTED:
Support SCOCO This Holiday Season
2020 has been a year of unique challenges. Nonetheless, this predicament has provided a critical opportunity for us to connect as a community on a deeper level. Now more than ever, Sustainable Contra Costa remains committed to fostering connections and environmental collaboration that creates healthy, resilient communities throughout Contra Costa County.

From pivoting our in-person workshops and events to online formats (like our popular Sustainability LIVE show and memorable virtual Awards Gala) to generating actionable content to help you live a cleaner and more sustainable lifestyle, we are proud of our accomplishments both in spite of and because of the limitations of this year.

More than ever, though, we need YOUR financial support. As you consider where you would like to give back to the community this holiday season, we urge you to think of SCOCO. Your support during this time is more essential, and every dollar makes a difference.
One of the most effective ways to help SCOCO is to reach out to your own networks with a Peer-to-Peer campaign. Click here to share your passion for Sustainable Contra Costa with your friends and family. You can also donate from your phone by texting LOVESCOCO to 44-321. 

A few more reminders:

  • If you need to use Amazon, don't forget to use Amazon Smile, and your purchases will support Sustainable Contra Costa.
  • If your employer offers a matching donation program, remember Sustainable Contra Costa.
  • Become a Sports Basement Basementeer, and you'll receive 10% off every item every day, while 10% of profits are donated back to SCOCO!
Celebrate the Festive Season With a New Recipe
Whether you are celebrating a winter holiday this year or just looking for an activity to do with your household, why not try out a new recipe? Here are some recipes from end-of-year holidays celebrated around the world. 
 
1. Hanukkah will be celebrated this year from December 10th to December 18th. An important food in Jewish cuisine, challah is a light, braided bread served on Shabbat and major holidays. If your bread has the right amount of gluten development and rising time, you may even be able to pull apart the braided strings as you eat it. Here is a comparison of four different challah variations. 

  • 2. Kwanzaa occurs each year from December 26th to January 1st. For an excellent meal to keep you warm and sate your hunger, try out Red Red, or African Stewed Black-Eyed Peas. This tomato-based soup, enjoyed widely throughout Ghana, has a smooth and meaty texture from black-eyed peas...
Sustainability News We Can Celebrate
It’s been a rough time for our country and for the environment, but positive things are happening too. As the young activist Greta Thunberg reminds us, small actions from many like-minded people cause big changes to happen. While some things may be out of our control, determined individuals are making great strides in sustainability every day. Here is a sampling of local and global progress we can feel good about:

843 (and counting) households are participating in the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge! Homes across the county are taking big and little sustainable actions that contribute to making our community cleaner and healthier. Learn more at cleanercontracosta.org.

Phillips 66 oil refinery will convert to a renewable fuels plant Under the new “Rodeo Renewal” project, Phillips 66 San Francisco crude oil refinery will take raw materials like used cooking oils, fats, greases, soybean, and other vegetable oils and convert them into renewable gas, diesel, and jet fuel by 2024. This will result in 50% less carbon dioxide, 75% less sulfur dioxide, and fewer local emissions and make Contra Costa County a world leader in clean energy...
From The Mountains To The Sea
Two recent headlines show how bad plastic pollution has become. Treehugger.com, whose motto is “Sustainability for All,” published in its November 23, 2020, newsletter the story, “Microplastics Found Near the Top of Mount Everest”. Another article in the New York Times published in November tells a similar story with a different geography: “These Items In Your Home are Harming America’s Sea Animals”.

The first article discusses what researchers found when analyzing snow samples on the path to the peak of Mount Everest,

It makes sense that the highest concentrations were found around Base Camp where hikers spend the most time. But researchers also found microplastics just below the summit — as high as 8,400 meters (27,690 feet) above sea level.

The scientists believe that the tiny plastic particles come from the equipment climbers use and then dispose of on the mountain.

The New York Times article focuses on the more well-known effect of plastics in the ocean on sea life. This includes plastics found in the bellies of whales and sea birds and straws caught in the nostrils of sea turtles. There is plenty of evidence of harm, but more research is needed to determine the extent of the damage to sea life...
Gift Guide: Holidays 2020
This holiday season, it's more important than ever to support local and sustainable businesses. This year has been so tough for small businesses, with so many closing due to the pandemic. When your dollars stay local or support a responsible business, the whole community benefits. Here are some gift ideas crowd-sourced from our board members, volunteers, and friends!

Give the gift of some greenery and clean air with a plant friend from Knots and Found. This woman-owned, small business boasts a huge selection of plants for any kind of environment and offers a wide variety of fun and cute ceramic pots to house a plant in. House plants can have so many benefits.

Holiday Gift Collective pop-up is a collection of seven local, all-female artisans just in time for the holidays. Many of the vendors, such as Hollie's Homegrown and Planet Renu have some neat sustainable gifts this year!

Hydroflask insulated mugs - perfect for hot chocolate! Or an Arts & Crafts Busy Box to keep young ones happy indoors on rainy days. Check out lots of cool items at Earth Hero, an eco-friendly online marketplace with products that are sourced, manufactured, and shipped in a way that protects our planet’s future.

K9 Kitchen in Lafayette has amazing and high-quality selection of toys, food, treats, and products for cats and dogs. A small, local, woman-owned business. 

There's just something endearing about handmade gifts! If you're not too crafty yourself, check out Etsy for a huge selection of cute gifts. 

Poshmark is a wonderful place to search pre-owned items as well...
Sustainable Leaders in Action

Enjoy the December newsletter from our youth team, Sustainable Leaders in Action (SLIA). Made up of both high school and college students, SLIA works together to promote the Cleaner Contra Costa Platform and to educate youth on how to live a more sustainable lifestyle and encourage cleaner living in our communities.

Upcoming Events
You can find virtual and remote-learning options for many wonderful events. Here are a few...  

The FREE BayREN Home Upgrade Workshop will provide you with information and contacts to make your home more energy efficient, with rebates up to $5,000! Local contractors, building scientists, and financing experts will provide you with the critical information you'll need to get your project started. Learn how you can make home improvements that will lower your energy use, conserve water and natural resources, and make your home more comfortable.

Wednesday, December 9th
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.
Online event
FREE

The election was a narrow win for Mother Nature, and now it’s time to raise our voices and demand action on the climate crisis. There is still much work to do to create a future of environmental justice and sustainability. Where do things now stand on issues such as oil drilling in Contra Costa, refinery transitions to biofuels, electric vehicles, and more? Advocates from 350 Contra Costa will discuss upcoming environmental issues and policies at the state and local levels. Join us to learn how to bring about the future we envision.

Wednesday, December 9th
7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
Online event
FREE

It's time to connect with others, save resources and money in the home, and create a healthier Contra Costa for the future! In this webinar, Sustainable Contra Costa will help you start Teams through the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge. You can work together with friends, family, and community organizations to save resources and money in the home AND fight climate change.
Invite friends and come learn how we can work together to create a more resilient Contra Costa.
This is a FREE virtual event, but you must register.

Wednesday, December 16th
6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Online event
FREE, but registration required
Please take a moment to support Sustainable Contra Costa. Donate to help us engage thousands of residents of Contra Costa in new and exciting ways to help them reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Together we can make a difference!
 

We also encourage you to shop locally when you can, but if you need to use Amazon, don't forget to use Amazon Smile, and your purchases will support 
Sustainable Contra Costa! AmazonSmile is now available in the Amazon app.



We are so grateful to our sponsoring Partners. Please thank and patronize these businesses and organizations!
SUSTAINBLE CONTRA COSTA sustainablecoco.org