So, I’ve been so busy starting my climate resolutions, that I haven’t had a chance to write about them.  There are three main climate resolutions I have, but two have many parts to them (fun):

1) Get my solar panels installed

2) Catch up on the climate resolutions from 2017-2018 I haven’t finished.

3) Build Climate Steps into a formal organization, and reserve time for grant writing to support expanding our efforts.

Going Solar

I’ve already started this one – and pretty much momentum will carry the rest on. I’ve bought the panels and have the contract for installation, and today my roof was cleared for install. It’ll probably be put up in March. Wahoo!

Finish the 2017-2018 Climate Resolutions

So, I set a ton of NY Climate Resolutions for 2017, and 2018. And I got the majority done: 14 of the 21 in 2017; and 20 completed & 10 halfway completed out of 42 resolutions. But I still have some work to do. I need to save more of the planet. However, I’m not going to set new resolutions except the gigantic one below regarding expanding Climate Steps. Instead, I’m going to catch up on these:

• 2017: “I resolve to volunteer at least 4 times this year for environmental action.” but I only did one. Bad. Then in 2018 I resolved again to volunteer 4 times, plus do the other 3. And I only did 2 more! So I owe 5 volunteer projects on climate-related steps.
• 2017: Promise to join at least one protest. (Wound up with walking pneumonia instead.) Caveat: the protests must be in warm weather! I’ve had pneumonia twice now (2017, 2018) – enough!
• 2017-2018: Get my winter heating bills to $50/month. A roommate, plus a missing wall during renovation, shot that down. But should have no problem next year.
• 2017: “finish insulating one room and get at least two windows replaced – then by the end of 2017, get an energy audit.  Windows are replaced, now need to get an energy audit. Will after finish that one room.
• 2017-2018: Write 535 Congressmen, especially the worst. Did zip, so still a ways to go!.
• 2018: Call at least 5 Congressmen. Again zero last year. Need to get over my phone hesitation.
• 2017: Read Indivisible Guide.
• 2018: Read Project Drawdown, and talk about 10 different items from it here or on FB (partly done).
• 2018: I will buy my Dad a mini-turbine (or solar) for his barn way out in the middle of the field. 
• 2018: Renovate my kitchen 90% green/salvage/eco-friendly. Partly done – cabinets and stove from salvage! (Here’s my “new” 1955 GE stove being refurbished).
• 2018: Secretly give at least five LED light bulbs to elderly neighbors.
• 2017-2018: Bike to work, and for errands, 2-3 times a week – once it gets over 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
• 2018: Provide comments on at least three federal regulations that affect me directly.
• 2018: Start going vegan 2-3 days a week. (I’ve accomplished 3 meals a week, but not days… Must give up milk in cereal to do that.)
• 2018: Bring my own lunch to work 2-3 days a week. (I currently do one)
• 2018: Via Green Neighbors DC, show off environmental solutions for climate change at three farmer’s markets/neighborhood celebrations.  Two down, one to go! But we’ll want to do more than that, of course.
• Spend at least one full day doing something (aie, ill-defined, meaning less actionable) to support my Mom with her organic veggies/herbs or help her with running/marketing the Farmer’s Market in Henderson, E. Texas.  (Mom was too ill to do much Farmer Market wise this past year.)
• 2018: One week every month during May – November (the dates of our local farmer’s market), I will go completely plastic-, carton-free.  Whoa.  Mom broke her back last summer, so I wound up not even attempting.
• 2018: Triple the size of the Climate Steps FB group. With the help of Twitter, I did manage to double it. But now, for this to be a true definition of “triple” I need to get 3000 members. Help! (See other Climate Steps Resolutions directly below.)

Okay, so this is a long list! I swear I achieved so many climate resolutions in 2017 and 2018 – please read (and perhaps take some on yourself… ). So far, this totals to 20, including the solar panels. Ahhh, but see below.

Climate Steps – Growing the Support Needed

I formed Climate Steps two years ago at first to help people wanting to take action (including myself) discover the different ways in which they could.  But it’s time for another function as well – to help coordinate some actions – and I’ve been musing over several ideas. Now they’re resolutions.

1. Old goal – Share ideas on the website/FB/Twitter and help everyone encourage others (old and current goal).  Advance as follows:
   1. Add and beef up reference pages summarizing actions by type to at least six, including a page on Food, and Plastic.
   2. Build a resource page.
   3. Improve navigation to actual steps.
   1. Create personal action plan upload area on website – where people can create, upload and discuss their respective personal action plans.
   1. On Twitter, share weekly “Easy Climate Steps of the Week”; “Harder Climate Steps of the Week” ideas.
   2. Start area on Instagram where folks can post pictures under #ClimateSteps hashtag.
   3. Continue investment series with Hugh, and add in some other guest articles.
   4. Continue inviting as many interested people as possible to join Climate Steps in order to help make a bigger climate impact.
   5. Gather and share success stories.
2. NEW goal – COORDINATE ACTION.
   1. Create a ‘join-in-the-action’ 3-month action plan for Climate Steps members/followers to use as a guide – based on Arlene’s (a member of our FB group) idea.  And provide resources online to take this action.
   1. Work with Ben Gerhold, in Chicago, who contacted me to help build a smartphone app for people who want climate info when choosing which action to take! Ben is leading the design, but he’s roping in a team of scientists (me as environmental scientist; others as climate scientists) and developers. We are looking for ideas, so join the FB group and join the conversation! ALREADY STARTED!
   2. Figure out additional ways to help show priority actions on this website, drawing on Project Drawdown, and the Wynes and Nicholas 2017 paper, as well as those that help spread the word about climate action.

Any help people want to donate in reviewing how usable the site is, especially after 1 and 2b are created, would be great.  Feedback is always welcome.

3. NEW GOAL: Make Climate Steps an official organization so it can grow and provide more support:

• Register this organization as a non-profit,
• Trademark.
• Put up my strategic plan for review by any in group interested
• Write grants for further development, including a potential app.
• Recruit Board of Directors (which is required to register as a nonprofit)

Anything critical left out that you would like to see Climate Steps tackle over the next year? Let me know!

Okay – so the sum: 35 Climate Resolutions to take this year. Each step will help save a little bit of the planet, or help others help save the planet. My only personal resolution is to not spend too much time in front of the computer, and instead get lots of exercise.

Wish me luck. Hope you can use this list to come up with your own!