Give us an event idea for the 350.org movement on October 24th.

What should we do in Bellingham on October 24th to help build awareness on the 350.org's National Day of Climate Action? Give us your ideas here.

In order to unite the public, media, and our political leaders behind the 350 goal, we're harnessing the power of the internet to coordinate a planetary day of action on October 24, 2009. We hope to have actions at hundreds of iconic places around the world - from the Taj Mahal to the Great Barrier Reef to your community - and clear message to world leaders: the solutions to climate change must be equitable, they must be grounded in science, and they must meet the scale of the crisis. In order to unite the public, media, and our political leaders behind the 350 goal, we're harnessing the power of the internet to coordinate a planetary day of action on October 24, 2009.

We hope to have actions at hundreds of iconic places around the world - from the Taj Mahal to the Great Barrier Reef to your community - and clear message to world leaders: the solutions to climate change must be equitable, they must be grounded in science, and they must meet the scale of the crisis.

If an international grassroots movement holds our leaders accountable to the latest climate science, we can start the global transformation we so desperately need.

Improve Your Vehicle's Fuel Efficiency

There are countless ways to boost your car's mpg for those times that you need to drive. In this month's Stay Cool e-newsletter, we listed three simple steps you can take that will have a big impact on your gas gauge and reduce your impact on the planet - stop idling for more than 30 seconds, check your tire pressure and reduce your highway cruising speed.

Got any other vehicle efficiency tips to share with the cool crowd? Post them here.

Have you turned down the heat?

Most water heaters have a factory setting of 140°F but temperatures of 120°F or even 115°F are plenty hot for the average household (more info). For every 10°F reduction in your water heater setting you can save between 3%-5% in your home energy use.

Have you adjusted your hot water heater temperature? Do you have tips or advice for other members of the cool crowd? Comment here to share your info.

Are you eating seasonally?

Don’t forget to eat local and seasonal this winter. Keep in mind that fresh foods like tomatoes or avocados have to be shipped in, often from thousands of miles away. There are still regional products available at the grocery store, from apples to winter squash. And a greater variety of local produce is just a few months away.

Post your recipes, ideas and tips on eating fresh, local food year-round.

"Green" Holiday Gift Ideas

Lisa:
I always stuff my packages with sprigs of holly, rather than crushed paper, before mailing. There's no paper to recycle (or throw away), and the family always uses the holly to decorate their home.

Another anecdote, when my son was young, we spent one year making beads of FIMO (sp?) dough and strung necklaces and bracelets as gifts for the aunts and grandmothers. When his grandmother died, I inherited a little box (Christmas card box, of course) that held the necklace and bracelet she'd received that year: Now I have them to wear as mementos of both my mother in law and my son.

Jessie:
You can make your own holiday cards with recycled paper (as in making your own paper), Wrap presents in recycled paper (newspaper), Save boxes, wrapping paper, and ribbons for next year. Avoid those ridiculous sticker labels by just writing on the wrapping paper.

Megan:
Decorate a tree outside rather than chop one down to decorate inside
Give to excellent non-profits such as RE Sources (a gift membership for someone else?)
Use the Viva La Dishes program for holiday parties instead of paper plates
Stay local for the holidays instead of traveling far away
Use LED Christmas lights
Go for a wintery walk instead of shopping at the mall
Purchase gifts from local artisans and stores
Purchase food from local vendors for holiday meals and parties

Marj:
Giving used items can be "special" rather than "cheap" if presented properly. For example, I just gifted a friend with some 1927 publications on the natural history of Mt. Rainier. She may have seen them on my bookshelf in the past. I know Mt. Rainier is a special place to her so I thought she might enjoy having the pamphlets, and said as much in her birthday card. If the item is particularly interesting to the person, it doesn't need to be new!

Doug:
I promote make-your-own cards in paper making class with elementary school students.
I also plan to make Ann some tables for the greenhouse using re-used building materials.
We got a Rowan a big train track set at a consignment shop plus legoes and other scores saved from garage sales.

Lee:
Purchase items that have easily recyclable packaging.
Use newspaper for gift wrap.
Make greeting cards from recycled paper.
Ask people what they would like or need instead of buying things they might not like or need.
Try to buy used items, if possible, or even better - items that include recycled content.

Katie:
I have a tradition of giving my parents a calendar including pictures I take of my outdoor adventures throughout the year. I get it printed at Copy Source here in Bellingham. It's a personal, useful, meaningful and locally produced gift. It's the only thing my mom requests from me year after year.

What do you know about efficient home heating?

Hopefully you've got all those air leaks in your house sealed up by now. The next step is to be more efficient with heating your home. You can reduce the energy needed to heat your home up to 20% simply by turning the thermostat down 10°F - 15° when you are asleep or out of the house. The most effective and convenient way to save energy this way is to install a programmable thermostat. When used properly, programmable thermostats can save you about $150 per year.

What has your experience been with heating your home? Have you come across good resources or services that you'd like to share with the cool crowd? Do you have products you'd recommend? Did you turn the heat down and notice a difference in your energy bill? We're curious to know your thoughts.

There's also more information and links on the ImCool.info site under the "Heating your home" category.

What do you know about weatherizing?

Now that the temperatures are getting colder, it's time to find and seal those air leaks in your home.

What has your experience been with weatherizing? Have you come across good resources that you'd like to share with the cool crowd? Do you have products you'd recommend? Know of techniques that did or didn't work? We're curious to know your thoughts on the subject.

There's also more information and links on the ImCool.info site under the "Weatherize your doors and windows" action.

What do you know about compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs?

A good number of community members that the be cool team encounters tell us that they're already using CFLs. It is an obvious energy saving choice and many people have caught on.

We may know they're good to use, but lots of us still have questions about CFLs. Where can we throw them away? Are they safe? Do they malfunction in damp places? When should you turn them off for maximum efficiency?

We've got CFL information on the ImCool.info site under the "Change your bulbs" action, but we're curious to know your thoughts on the subject. Have you come across good resources that you'd like to share to help the cool crowd become more informed about CFLs?

Here's one story to get us started - the EERE's answer to when you should turn off your lights.

Have you been buying local food?

Is there a farm stand you're particularly excited about? A great place to pick berries? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Iain's as cool as a glacier!

Iain recently visited Glacier Bay National Park. He brought back information about the National Parks Conservation Association's Do Your Part for Climate Friendly Parks program. It's the first interactive online program in the country that provides national park visitors with the tools to understand and reduce their carbon footprints, thereby protecting our national parks from global warming. You can find more information at DoYourPartParks.org.