Community members have established a series of citizen-led discussions about Menlo Park’s responses to a changing climate. Different guest hosts will provide short overviews on a variety of environmental issues affecting the city and host the discussions. The goal is to prompt deep dialogue, gather new ideas, and ensure multiple voices are represented in proposed solutions. Members of local environmental nonprofits and Menlo Park’s Environmental Quality Commission, working as private citizens, are designing these sessions and will be at each one to help guide discussions and collect feedback.
Electric Home Tour – Oct 2023
Electrifying our home appliances and transportation is an essential component of the strategy to create safer homes and healthier air, and reduce the negative impacts of global warming. We have lined up experts to help you understand the importance of making an electrification plan for your home, and you’ll hear from neighbors who’ve made the switch to electric cooktops, heating/cooling, water heaters, vehicles, and solar.
Getting Into Hot Water: Heat Pump Water Heater Workshop – July 2023
Wondering what’s so great about heat-pump water heaters and why many people are converting from polluting gas-powered devices? View the replay of this free webinar to learn about the many benefits of this tried and true technology and how to affordably get one installed in your home.
Lesson Learned from the Storms – May 2023
Our May session focused on lessons learned from the recent storms (and multiple power outages) and how to prepare for future ones. This session was produced in partnership with MPC Ready, a volunteer-based organization that helps build disaster-prepared, and climate-change-ready, households and neighborhoods through advocacy, education, training, resources, organization, and support.
Panel: How to Get Youth Involved in Climate Action – March 2023
The March session was a panel discussion hosted by new Menlo Park City Councilmember Maria Doerr and included Erica Woll, a Science Teacher at Sequoia Union High School District; Lily de la Espriella who manages youth-focused education programming for the environmental nonprofit Acterra; and three local youth environmental leaders: Elisabeth Floyd, Amala Raj, and Sarah Weintraut.
Electrify Your Home – Jan 2023
This session was led by Tom Kabat and talked about how to make an electrification plan so all your appliances and your EV can all fit on your existing electric panel and how to harvest the many thousands of dollars of incentives currently available.
Environmental Justice and Safety Element – Oct 2022
This session was led by Juanita Croft from the Belle Haven Community Development Fund, Pam D Jones, with Belle Haven Empowered, and Client Resilient Communities.
Climate Preservation – Sept 2022
The kickoff session featured an overview of the city’s progress on the Climate Action Plan, with discussions about priorities and key actions.