 Last summer, I had a delightful conversation with Kathren Murell Stevenson that significantly altered the course of my life. Kathren shared her exciting journey with Resilient Neighborhoods, from joining in summer of 2023 to her appointment as Executive Director in spring of 2024. Kathrens enthusiasm ignited a spark within me. While I've always strived for an environmentally conscious lifestyle, I realized I could—and should—do more. Intrigued, I immediately researched the organization. The website resonated deeply, and the timing felt incredibly fortuitous. I promptly enrolled in their five-week online workshop. This decision was especially poignant as my daughter, Wren, had recently expressed her growing concern about the climate crisis, coupled with a sense of helplessness. She voiced the frustration felt by many young people—awareness of the problem, but a lack of direction on how to address it. The workshop proved transformative. Meeting weekly on Zoom with other Marin County families, we collaboratively tackled actionable steps towards reducing our carbon footprint. The provided resources, including an online handbook and toolkit and the structured Action Plan were invaluable; it was like organizing a chaotic collection of sticky notes into a focused, achievable list. The points system, which visually represented our progress in lowering our carbon emissions, added a layer of gamification that made the process engaging and motivating.  For Wren, the impact was profound. Her initial anxiety began to dissipate as she actively participated, charting her own behavioral changes. She embraced the opportunity to make a difference, sharing her newfound commitment with the group each workshop session. Wren's newfound agency was inspiring: "I'm choosing to drive my mom's electric car instead of our gas guzzler, and I'm being much more mindful of my purchases. I even signed up to volunteer with our local emergency response group. Before, I didn't realize how impactful my choices could be," she shared. Initially, our family's actions might have seemed insignificant - small steps in a vast landscape. However, the collective effort and the long-term commitments we outlined in our Action Plan instilled a sense of empowerment and hope.  Months after completing the workshop, I contacted Kathren again. I felt a strong desire to get more involved. It was perfect timing – they were seeking someone with my skillset, and I was eager for a career change. I felt like I'd been rewarded for actively participating in the Action Plan!
As the Interim Community Engagement Director, I now collaborate with Kathren and Jennifer Hammond to spread the critical message of Resilient Neighborhoods throughout our community. The journey from curious participant to active leader has been enriching; for me, it is a testament to the ripple effect of individual commitment and the power of collective action.
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Erin Kidwell, a Marin County resident and Software Engineering Executive, is consciously doing her part to be part of the climate change solution, but not long ago, she was feeling overwhelmed - almost helpless. In early 2024, Erin joined Resilient Neighborhoods’ Climate Action Team the “Banana Slug Solutionaries”. “I was seeking a program, a group of others similarly motivated, so it didn’t feel like it was just me. I found that in my RN cohort. We were a group of people, incrementally moving to change. It was amazing, and I felt better,” Erin shares. Erin began to make small changes at home, optimizing her family’s energy use by signing up for Clean Energy, shifting to efficient appliance purchases, and deciding to join her neighborhood emergency response program. “The workshops are amazing! There is a whole range of solutions offered, from turning off lights, to adding solar, and everything between. There are tangible things that are specific to my socio-economic status or my ability or desire,” Erin explains. Then, Erin’s life pivoted after learning one local fact - The average person in Marin County produces 4 pounds of trash a day. “I was doing more little things, buying more in bulk, eliminating single use plastics, not using paper towels – all relatively small in terms of my lifestyle changes. But then I started to think about my neighbors, and what they were doing.” Relying on refill stations along her infrequent work travels to South Bay and Oakland, she learned her favorite station was closing. Thinking, “How hard can it be?”, she opened her own pop-up refill, eco, zero-waste station at the Marin County Farmers Markets – called Marin Refill. After being asked by numerous farmers’ market patrons if she operated a brick and mortar, Erin took Refill Marin into the local collaborative, The Hut, in Larkspur. Easily accessible by passersby on foot, bicycle and commuters allows Marin residents to get refills, reusable paper towels, toilet paper, soap - all the things that you otherwise would be buying in single use containers, most days of the week. “It works in life that most things are created from need or necessity. I saw a need, and now I am just filling the gap until a better solution comes.” You can find Refill Marin at: Marin County Farmers Market: Saturday 9am -2pm. The Hut: Thursday, Friday and Saturday 12pm – 5pm.
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