City of Walnut Creek
Home MenuSustainable Living: Actionable Tips
There has never been a more impactful time to figure out how you can live more sustainably. We encourage you to share this information with your friends, family, and co-workers, and remember that we all have the power to make a difference, especially if we work together!
Here are the top 5 sustainable actions that you can take to make a significant impact today:
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1. Drive less. Transportation is responsible for the most city-wide climate pollution. Use alternatives such as public transportation, walking, and biking. And when you do drive – consider carpooling, bundling trips, and driving an electric vehicle. |
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2. Choose electric at home. Natural gas appliances in homes are the second-largest source of city-wide climate pollution. Switching to electric appliances such as heat pumps and induction burners improves air quality and health. You can also boost your impact by opting into MCE's Deep Green Program as a clean alternative for your electricity. |
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3. Compost and reduce food waste. Learn about your local waste-sorting system, compost food scraps in your green organics cart, and buy only what you need so food doesn’t get thrown out. Also, check out the free compost hub in Walnut Creek to get nutritious soil for your garden! |
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4. Eat more plant-based and locally sourced food. Plant-based diets reduce water use, land use, energy use, and climate pollution. You can also reduce emissions by buying from local farmers’ markets, like those in Shadelands and Downtown Walnut Creek. |
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5. Buy less and reuse more. When possible, get clothing, furniture, and other items secondhand or take broken items to a repair shop. You can also get items repaired for free at local repair cafes or fix-it pop-ups. |
You can also check out our Incentives & Rebates pages for more financial tools to help you achieve your sustainability goals, whether you’re a resident or a business.
Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge:
Interested in learning about more sustainable actions you can take? The Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge is a free website that provides resources on how to take action and allows you to track your household’s impact.
Join with family, friends, or neighbors and compete for quarterly prizes, or host your own friendly competitions to see who can reduce their greenhouse gas emissions the most.