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Cohousing Can Help Reduce Global Warming
By
Stephen Baetge
Global
Warming is a subject of great concern, and many people are looking for ways
to reduce their “environmental footprint.” There is much discussion
about switching to compact fluorescent bulbs and hybrid automobiles. These
changes will help, but they are only part of the picture. There is very little
discussion of the enormous impact made by architecture and urban planning.
Tim Frank, a senior policy advisor to the Sierra Club on livable communities,
will talk about “Cohousing and Global Warming” on Monday, June 25.
The free presentation will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Fair Oaks Community
Library, 11601 Fair Oaks Blvd. in Fair Oaks.
As people work to fight urban sprawl, well-designed infill projects can make
a huge difference in reducing traffic, improving air quality, fighting global
warming and providing better housing and transportation choices for our neighborhoods.
Cohousing combines private homes with generous shared facilities, thus creating
the feeling of a small village where neighbors know and care about each other.
Cohousing can create socially vibrant and environmentally sustainable communities,
especially for seniors.
Frank will talk about the critical role that green building and good neighborhood
design can play in reducing our global warming emissions. Green building practices
employed in Orange-vale Cohousing will include shared walls, radiant floor heating
and passive solar heating and cooling. These techniques can reduce home energy
consumption dramatically, by more than 60 percent, as compared to a typical detached
single-family home.
Cohousing also creates a more self-reliant community that doesn’t require
numerous car trips. With onsite child care, shared common meals and a close-knit
community, people have less need to drive their cars. In addition, they are more
likely to carpool, to compost, to reuse and to recycle.
By supporting lifestyle and behavior changes that are good for the environment,
cohousing integrates social sustainability with environmental sustainability.
It has often been said that “community is the secret ingredient of sustainability.”
As an example, Dr. Kyle Christensen, chiropractor and former Orangevale resident,
says: “When we (my wife, six children and I) lived in a single-family home
in Orangevale, we drove the kids to several play dates every weekend. Since moving
into Nevada City cohousing over a year ago, we haven’t had to plan any
play dates.”
Frank has served as an environmental advocate and public affairs consultant for
more than 18 years, and he has worked with the Nature Conservancy, NRDC and the
Sierra Club. He has extensive experience in land use policy development and advocacy
and has represented clients on the local, state and national level. He also serves
on the core team developing the new neighborhood design standards for the U.S.
Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)
program.
The presentation will be sponsored by the Sierra Club (Sacramento Group) and
by ECOS (The Environmental Council of Sacramento). For more information, visit
www.OrangevaleCohousing.org or call (916) 967-2472.
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