ACTERRA: Action for a Healthy Planet
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Acterra is a leader in it's field! They're innovative, imaginative, and incredibly resourceful and efficient. Their programs are diverse—ranging from home energy audits to habitat restoration with native plants. Acterra's "Be the Change" environmental leadership program has trained dozens of people to take action in their community. Every one of their programs has had a huge impact on the communities they serve.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
our local communities. Its work has led to a significant reduction in carbon emissions.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
meeting the fabulous, highly motivated, and energetic people involved.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
devoted, friendly, and helpful.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
spread its programs to other communities without having to depend on city funding.
Ways to make it better...
I had more time to volunteer!!
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
resources (as with most nonprofits) and taking its carbon reduction programs to the next level.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
Acterra has lots of great projects that change our world. Their Green at home volunteers showed me how to save electricity in my home without sacrificing comfort at all. One of their many other projects involve bringing a local open space back to native plants, which took many years, and it is gorgeous now!
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
local open space lower electricity bill
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When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
Great values, great people, great work, big impact on environmental issues in the community. I like their focus on engaging small groups of people to bring about community wide change
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
in action in the community
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
the people, their values and their expertise
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
passionate, extremely knowledgeable, community focused
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
turn global warming on its head in Silicon Valley
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
Acterra has been wonderful at helping our town plan ways to address home energy use. We initially hoped their existing Green@Home program would work for us, but quickly realized we wanted to customize it in various ways for our town. They have been very open to such changes, and very helpful in sorting out how to go about it. They've also helped us figure out the best ways to get funding for our initiatives. Five stars!
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Bay Area towns like Palo Alto where their Green@Home program is helping residents conserve energy.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
their flexibility and experience driving social change.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
very experienced.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
help Bay Area communities become much more sustainable.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
What a fabulous mix of relevant, current programs focussed on SOLUTIONS! What can each of us do in our local community to achieve sustainability? Leadership development, Stewardship of our natural resources in open space and parks, awards for for local businesses doing the right thing, and of course ways each of us can reduce our greenhouse gas emissions!!!
Photos
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
my daily life.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
The great people associated with it.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
dedicated, fun, inspiring!
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
change the world, from the grassroots up!
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
Acterra provides a variety of activities to help motivate environmental awareness and responsibility. We enjoyed a moonlight hike through the Arastradero Preservee to the top of a hill. There we heard an astronomy talk and admired the stars. Acterra clearly deserves a prize. Florence and Rolf Beier
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
environmental behavior throughout this area
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Not change anything.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
The people involved and the hikes.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Dedicated, friendly, helpful
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Clean up the watershed and wetlands.
Ways to make it better...
They had more activities further north on the Peninsul
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Passivity and ignorance about environmental issues.
One thing I'd also say is that...
I hope they win this contest.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
Acterra is an outstanding organization whose mission is to bring people together to create local solutions for a healthy planet. They provided and helped organize a campaign we had at our church to educate our parishioners on how to reduce their carbon footprint. They are a terrific resouce.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
the campaign they created and organized for our church
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
keeping doing just what they are doing
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
how knowledgeable and helpful they were
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
knowledgeable and helpful
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
reach more people and do more good
Ways to make it better...
I cannot think of a way it could have been better
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
getting the word about about who they are and what they can do for you or your organization
One thing I'd also say is that...
that I hope many people hear about Acterra and support their outstanding work
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
Acterra is a fantastic organization doing the needed work in home energy efficiency (through their Green @ Home program), their restoration activities, group and corporate green challenges (ACTerraGreen program), their Leadership Program (Be The Change), and several others. As a volunteer and donor, I have been amazed by the accomplishments and progress that this organization has made. They are a 38 year-old nonprofit organization bringing people together to create local solutions for a more healthy planet.
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
greening our communities and towns in the Bay Area.
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
ask more people to support their mission with financial and volunteer support. I would move the organization to a more central and accessible location.
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What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
working with their programs and other volunteers to make energy efficiency happen.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
fabulous and effective. This tight-knit team of leaders has the ability to solve local challenges for todays environmental crisis.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
Expand its programs to reach other communities not just in the Bay Area, but beyond. This nonprofit has the right mix of priorities and practices to build a movement of local efforts that would transform our economic downturn into an opportunity for renewal and progress across the nation.
Ways to make it better...
I had more time to volunteer.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
getting the word out beyond the "choir" of people who are already practicing environmental stewardship / conservation.
One thing I'd also say is that...
they have a great Board of Directors and a hundreds of longtime supporters who will see the organization through any obstacle.
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
Acterra's mission is focused on teaching people how to make small, sustainable changes to their lives which collectively will have a huge impact on the environment. Their stewardship program focuses on restoring native plants at the Arastradero Preserve in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as educating local middle and high school students on the importance of being good stewards of the Earth. The youth are taken to one of several local parks to plant pollinator gardens, or they are brought to the preserve to understand how difficult it is to reverse poor environmental decisions of the past. As someone who has volunteered with the stewardship program, I know that restoring the local ecosystem is never-ending, back-breaking work. Most of the invasive plants in the area will take years, if not decades, to erradicate. And yet, even in the face of this enormous task, the staff are committed to restoring the habitat and using their work as a focal point for educating the community on the importance of protecting our habitat. By focusing on both repairing the damage done to the environment and preventing future damage, Acterra's programs provide a holistic approach to ending and reversing climate change.
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The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Verna
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2009
Acterra has given me the chance to learn and practice the kind of life that I want to pass on to my children, grandchildren, and friends. Acterra through its many sustainable, environmental programs that I have taken advantage of has taught me over the years how to live a simple but fulfilled lifestyle with a small footprint on the earth. I have been knee deep in San Francisquito Creek and the baylands pulling out junk and non-native plants with my kids and learning about numerous sustainability programs from Bay area environmental leaders through "Be The Change"(an environmental leadership education program). These programs are but a few that I have taken advantage of from Acterra to support my community and the earth. My most recent involvement has been with a program called "Green @ Home" that goes into local homes and conduct an energy audit to help residents reduce their carbon footprint and save money on their utility bills. Acterra, in my estimation, is the penultimate environmental program that truly "acts locally for global benefit".
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Encouraging businesses and cities to be green and environmentally sustainable, including youth, families, seniors in volunteer efforts in their communities, educating future environmental community leaders, encouraging local food growth, consumption and preparation,
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
I would have quarterly meetings with participants to get their input as to how programs are running and for creative suggestions.
More feedback...
What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...
the recognition of my value as an individual who can be helpful to my community as a volunteer.
The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...
Friendly, dedicated, warm, fun filled, bright creative people.
If this organization had 10 million bucks, it could...
provide a million homes with solar energy, create elementary and high school environmental education classes, pay its staff a comfortable, living wage
Ways to make it better...
I had more input into the process of the organizational decisions.
In my opinion, the biggest challenges facing this organization are...
Fund raising as always, promotional efforts, staying ahead of the curve environmentally,
One thing I'd also say is that...
Acterra has been a tremendous influence in my life and that of my family. Acterra is family!
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2008
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