Resilient Neighborhoods Celebrates 10 Years

Ten years ago, when Tamra Peters first persuaded a group of neighbors to join her in taking household actions against climate change, few people knew much about the seriousness of the threat, and even fewer knew that individuals can play an important role in preventing and preparing for climate change.

That was then—and now, thanks to Peters’ efforts in founding and running Resilient Neighborhoods, more than 1,500 people in Marin have graduated from the program and reduced their carbon emissions by a remarkable 8.5 million pounds. In addition, those households have prepared emergency plans, put together their earthquake stashes and go bags, and connected with their neighbors so that they know who is likely to need help in an emergency. Resilient Neighborhoods is fiscally sponsored by Sustainable Marin.

To celebrate everything that these participants and the organization have achieved in the past decade, Resilient Neighborhoods will be hosting an event for its 10th anniversary on Sunday, December 6, 4:00-5:15pm (via Zoom). In recognition of the commitment of the County to addressing the causes and impacts of climate change, the event will honor retiring Marin County Supervisor Kate Sears and welcome incoming Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters. Program graduates will speak about the empowering experience of taking everyday actions to reduce their carbon footprint, and Marin native Lucy London, a talented young singer and climate activist, will sing.

Peters, whose passion for the environment has powered the organization and inspired its participants since the beginning, will speak at the event. In addition to celebrating the achievements of the past decade, she will unveil the new directions Resilient Neighborhoods is taking both to adapt its model to COVID and to serve more members of the Marin community.

Resilient Neighborhoods has always offered its five-session program to participants free of charge, thanks to donors and supporters. The new program that Peters will announce, CPR for the Planet, will be offered for free as well. This event is a fundraiser as well as a celebration, with the organization hoping to raise $10,000 at the event, and $25,000 by the end of 2020, with the support of a generous donor offering a challenge matching grant.

Resilient Neighborhoods runs on a shoestring budget thanks to the commitment and goodwill of dozens of people, from Peters herself to her team of volunteer community Ambassadors and other volunteers. It’s a highly effective organization that delivers an outsized impact—which it quantifies through multiple tools.

The organization is soliciting one-time donations or recurring monthly donations to help continue and expand its mission of helping households and neighborhoods to prevent and prepare for climate change, and take action to be ready for public safety power shutdowns, wildfires, and other emergencies.

To register for the event, please visit www.resilientneighborhoods.org/anniversary.html.