Low-Carbon Diet

Be a part of the City of Davis global warming solution.

Form a Climate Action Group today and take the
30-day Low Carbon Diet Challenge!

The City of Davis is sponsoring a free leadership training seminar on Thursday, August 20th from 6:00 - 7:30pm during which you will learn how to engage your household and your community to take on the 30-day Low Carbon Diet challenge. The training will teach you how to calculate your personal carbon footprint, create a measurable personal action plan to reduce your footprint, and will provide you the tools to coordinate and facilitate your own climate action discussion group amongst your friends, coworkers, neighbors, classmates, family, or congregation members. No special skills or knowledge is necessary to form your own group.

The City of Davis needs your leadership in order to reach its goal of 500 households challenged by November 2009! All facilitators of the LCD program in this initial round will be provided a Low Carbon Diet workbook.
Thursday, August 20th, 2009
6:00 - 7:30 pm
City Community Chambers . 23 Russell Blvd

Questions and RSVPs:
Parks & General Services: 757-5656
Email: lowcarbondiet@cityofdavis.org

The Low Carbon Diet is a fun, accessible, easy to use guide that will show you, step-by-step, how to dramatically reduce your CO2 output in just a month's time. Each action has an assigned carbon savings value and the program is designed for team members to show support and accountability to one another. What could be better than to live in a building or neighborhood where the residents are working together to build a more sustainable and resilient community?

“I got to meet my neighbors and learn about the strategies they are employing. It helped me feel like this is a team effort and linked me to my community. Further, it made me feel less overwhelmed by the magnitude of the global climate challenge. This step-by-step program de-mystified the options and helped encourage me to do more.”
-Gwynn Benner, Davis LCD pilot participant.

This program was developed by Empowerment Institute (experts in community-based behavior change and sustainable living) and adapted for the City of Davis in partnership with the City's Department of Parks and General Services.

For more information please see City of Davis Low Carbon Diet

Dear Friends,

As you may know, the City of Davis has set aggressive GHG emission reduction targets and is working diligently to achieve those goals. The City ran a successful pilot program last Fall called the Low Carbon Diet which helped residents make the behavioral changes necessary to reduce residential carbon emissions by 5,000 lbs over the course of one year. We need all sectors of the community to engage on this issue and we are looking for early leaders from the environmental, non-profit sectors, and campus affiliated residents to help expand this carbon-reduction outreach program to our community.

You can help by becoming a Low Carbon Diet Facilitator. Facilitators initiate the formation of one "ecoteam" amongst friends, neighbors, associates, etc to run through the 30 day Low Carbon Diet program, which involves -4 meetings over a 4-6 week period. Facilitators then recruit and train two future leaders to take over and continue expanding the program.

We invite members from your organization to attend a facilitator training Thursday, June 25th from 6pm-7:30pm at the Parks & GS building (1818 5th St). This meeting will introduce the program and guide members on how to become effective program facilitators within your organization. Please RSVP by Monday, June 22 by emailing lowcarbondiet@cityofdavis.org or calling Kim Vincent at (530) 757-5656 x7023.

We will not meet our green house gas reduction goals without your help!
Please RSVP for the Low Carbon Diet Facilitator meeting by Wednesday, June 24 by emailinglowcarbondiet@cityofdavis.org or calling Kim Vincent at (530) 757-5656 x7023. We look forward to working with you and are happy to field any questions you may have!

Kimberly M. Vincent
Sustainability Intern
Parks and General Services
(530) 757-5656 x7023
kvincent@cityofdavis.org

Q1 What is the “Low Carbon Diet: A 30 day program to lose 5000 Pounds of CO2”?

A1. The Low Carbon Diet is a workbook designed to help households save energy and make a real, measurable difference in the fight against global warming. Using this workbook, the City's Sustainability Program is kicking-off a pilot project on October 12, 2008 to challenge households across the community to "lose" 5,000 pounds of carbon. This 30 day "Low Carbon Diet" is intended to raise awareness of the importance of reducing greenhouse gases (GHG) and to provide households with a menu of options to lose those carbon pounds. Each household will structure their diet according to what works for them. The City hopes to build on this pilot program to eventually engage thousands of Davis households to increase energy efficiency, reduce waste, and continue on a path toward a low carbon future for the community.

Q2 How will this First 100 Households pilot program work?

A2. The City has recruited 100 households from across the community to participate in this pilot program. The City hopes to learn which strategies work best in Davis so the program can be tailored for the next group of participants. The 100 households will be broken into support groups of 10. Each household will receive a complimentary Program Workbook from the City of Davis which shows households how to calculate their current CO2 “footprint”, select actions, and track progress along the way. Each of the 10 groups will have a volunteer leader who will provide support for their groups and help the City conduct a mid-point check in meeting with all households and gather results.

Q3 By participating in this program, will I have an impact on reducing green house gas emissions?

A3. This program begins to address one of the most consistent comments we hear from community members: "I want to do something (now), but I don't know what to do and if it will make any difference."

According to a recent inventory of local GHG emissions conducted by the City, about 23 percent of emissions within Davis are directly related to the energy we use in our homes. An additional 55 percent of CO2 emissions come from vehicle travel. The Low Carbon Diet shows how to make real change in residential energy use and transportation. When combined with the actions of other households, the results can be substantial and are critical in helping Davis meet its GHG reduction targets.

Q4 Why is this program important to the Davis community?

A4. As a recognized leader in the sustainable communities movement, Davis has an important role to play in showing how a community can organize, plan, and achieve the carbon reductions that all Californians (and US citizens) must if we’re to avoid the most severe consequences of climate change. Along with other GHG reduction measures being considered by the City, the Davis Low Carbon Diet Challenge is one action Davis can take to achieve real results.

If you are interested in participating, or have questions or suggestions please email lowcarbondiet@cityofdavis.org or call (530) 757-5651.