FEBRUARY POLL RESULTS ARE IN. While we had fewer people reporting on their efforts with February’s challenges, the results are still compelling: 9,825 Lbs of CO2 --that’s 4.91 tons--will be saved from entering the earth’s atmosphere this year. This is equivalent to planting 393 trees or removing one car from the road for a year. Congratulations to those who adopted one challenge or more, keep up the good work! Click here for a graph and more details about February Poll Results. If you made a change from the February challenges list, but didn’t report it and want to, visit: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=888113385009

MARK YOUR CALENDARS, Join the Step It Up Rally on Saturday April 14th, 1pm – 3pm, at Mitchell Park in Palo Alto! Have you heard? The Step It Up campaign is a National Day of Climate Action that has inspired almost 1000 separate but simultaneous rallies in 50 states to send the message: “Step It Up Congress: Cut carbon 80% by 2050”. We think you’ll enjoy this unique opportunity to join together as a community on behalf of the earth. Check this column in coming weeks for more details.

AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE: SMALL CHANGES COUNT! If your family has managed only one or two challenges so far, and you’re feeling overwhelmed or guilty about all the other challenges you just can’t take on now, we want you to know its okay, and that you’re not alone. This primary goal of this campaign is to engage you in a quest to discover which changes in energy habits resonate the most with your family and how you can work toward making those changes permanent. Changing lifestyle habits is hard. If all you can do is use more CFLs or take shorter showers, congratulations, you’ve ACTED and that is important! If you find yourself increasingly thoughtful about other ways you can save energy, and asking more questions about how you are living on the earth, congratulations, you’re AWARE and SEEKING other ways to act. To the Peninsula Cool Team, your participation on any level is a cause for celebration. Keep it up!