ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Evans Law Firm, Inc. Represents Watershed Alliance of Marin and Friends of Muir Woods Park Challenging Coastal Subdivision
Personal Commitment: Changing Habits To Save The Planet
Empowering The Young On Earth Day 2021 And Beyond
The Firm’s Commitment
Evans Law Firm, Inc. has a broad plaintiffs’ law practice that includes representation of environmental groups and causes. Currently, the firm represents Marin Watershed Alliance and Friends of Muir Woods Park in an action under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) to ensure that a proposed development on the Marin coast does not adversely impact water quality or endangered species such as the northern spotted owl and coho salmon. Our law firm practice in this CEQA case and others reflects its founder Ingrid M. Evans’s personal commitment to environmental causes. This Earth Day we want to share some wisdom and concrete action steps we all can take to save the planet.
Personal Commitments: Earth Day 2021 And Beyond
As the world slowly starts to return to “normal” we know we can’t go back to business-as-usual. The coming disasters of climate change and environmental destruction demand urgent action. It really is a matter of life or death for future generations. This year the voices of the youngest and oldest of activists can be heard:
“The eyes of all future generations are upon you. And if you choose to fail us, I say – we will never forgive you.”
– Great Thunberg, age 14
“The conservation of nature, the proper care for the human environment and a general concern for the long-term future of the whole of our planet are absolutely vital if future generations are to have a chance to enjoy their existence on this earth.”
– HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021)
The world needs more activists like Greta, now 16, and the late Prince Philip, who died at age 99. His funeral on Saturday ended with the “Action stations!” bugle call. The “all hands on deck!” alarm was a fitting reminder of Philip’s naval service, and also his very intentional send off to all of us for action in saving our planet.
Ingrid M. Evans and the rest of us here at Evans Law Firm, Inc. know that only an “all hands on deck” approach can save our planet and us. Instilling that ideal in the next generation is the most important step any of us can take. They have to do a better job than we did about climate change and pollution.
Ingrid shares one important lesson with her own child and other young people: good habits can make a real difference. Teaching young people to do a better job than we have done is critical. As Greta Thunberg put it, “All we have to do is wake up and change.” Here are a few ideas:
SAVING OUR OCEANS
#take10leavenone
Ingrid’s #take10leavenone campaign encourages young and old beachgoers with a simple job every time they’re on the beach:
~~ take 10 pieces of trash when you leave a beach and leave none behind ~~
Share Ingrid’s #take10leavenone message with young people. Imagine what we could accomplish if everyone left the beach every time with #take10leavenone!
SAVING OUR PLANET
Lots of Ingrid’s friends have shared some wonderful ideas with her on good practices. Here are some practical ideas to lower your carbon footprint and reduce greenhouse emissions:
EATING:
- Consider a little less meat in the family’s diet. Raising livestock generates as much greenhouse gas emissions as all cars and trucks combined.
- Shop at Farmers’ Markets and buy only fruits/veggies/eggs/milk/cheese/chicken that are in season and local (there are major carbon emissions in transporting food).
- Shop at a coop like Rainbow Coop (also available on Instacart if you like home delivery) if you can’t find everything you need at Farmers’ Markets.
HOME HEATING AND ELECTRICITY:
- OhmConnect: If you haven’t already signed up for this, it is a NO BRAINER. Basically it works like this – when the grid gets overused, the utility company must switch to a power plant that uses dirty energy. They can foresee when this is going to happen so they text you (generally the day before) when they are going to have to turn on the plant (it’s called a OhmHour). You minimize the electricity used in your home during that hour (only have lights on in the rooms where you are, wait until later to do laundry, run the dishwasher, etc) and you earn points/cash back.
- org: Sign up to switch your electric bill for your home (and/or business) over to clean power (you can do 33%, 43% or 100% renewable energy).
- Solar Panels: Look into adding solar panels to your home.
- Lights: Use more natural light (open curtains and try to avoid using lights during the day). Check to make sure all of the lightbulbs in/outside our house are energy saving bulbs.
- Hang dry clothes when possible.
TRANSPORTATION:
- Car: if you need a new car, consider a used electric car (“used” is important because approximately 20% of a cars carbon footprint is from factory to owner – i.e. production, shipping etc).
- Ride a bike to work or use public transportation. If you can, continue to work remotely as we return to “normal” after the pandemic.
HOUSEKEEPING IDEAS
- As new appliances are needed, switch to EnergyStar.
- The City of San Francisco will switch your toilets / shower heads / faucets to low flow FOR FREE.
- Turning your thermostat down just 1 degree can make a difference.
- Consider solar panels.
- When cooking, try and have your oven do double duty – by cooking two dishes at once.
- Use a tank water heater system as a tankless system takes time for the water to heat prior to use.
- Use LED lights.
- You don’t have to use water to rinse out recyclables.
- Re-use plastic containers to keep leftovers; just add a tape label so you know what’s in the container.
- Make sure your home is well-insulated and the heat may never come on in our mild climate.
- Plant drought tolerant landscaping and consider a grey water system for watering your yard.
CLOTHING
- Shop at thrift stores or Goodwill for some things as the apparel industry is one of the biggest consumers of water!
- Consider eco-friendly clothing brands. This blog has a useful list of some brands: https://www.buzzfeed.com/whitneyjefferson/eco-friendly-clothing-brands?utm_term=.pcmBvx16gk#.ocEGQNY92p.
CHILDCARE
- Use cloth or compostable diapers like Earth Baby.
- Use compostable/biodegradable wipes by Eco by Naty or Green Works.
- Re-use children’s clothing whenever possible for younger siblings or friends’ children.
- Chocolates are available in compostable wrappers (Alter Eco) or you can buy in bulk (wrapped in recyclable foil) at Rainbow Coop.
AVOID PLASTICS!!
- Chlorinated plastic releases harmful chemicals into the ground, which can then seep into groundwater, nearby surface water sources and the world’s ecosystem.
- In addition, the amount of plastic in our oceans threatens wildlife and humans both.
- Make a pledge not to use single-use plastic! Use reusable water bottles/tap water with filtration system.
INVOLVE YOUR CHILDREN IN ALL YOUR STEPS TO REDUCE CARBON
- Have your child help with composting and recycling.
- Plant vegetables and tomatoes in the yard and have fun watching the plants grow and picking.
- One mother whose child felt overwhelmed by climate change worries, channeled her daughter’s anxiety into a bake sale to raise money for an organization fighting for change.
- Educate your children on the reality of climate change, the importance of recycling and the dangers of waste.
Contact Us
Ingrid M. Evans and Evans Law Firm at (415) 441-8669, or by email at <a href=”mailto:info@evanslaw.com”>info@evanslaw.com</a> represents plaintiffs in elder abuse cases, consumer cases, and environmental cases brought under CEQA and other statutes intended to protect our environment.
