Climate Action Toolkit

- Do I really need it? If not, don't buy it.

- Can I get it from a company with a better sustainability rating?

- Can I get it from a company that uses fair trade practices?

- Can I get it with less packaging and unwanted plastic?

- Will it be durable and energy efficient?

- When you no longer want it, is it biodegradable?

- Can it be resold, repurposed, or recycled?

Check before you buy:

- Good On You — Sustainability ratings for clothing and beauty brands.

- Environmental Working Group — offers databases such as Skin Deep (personal care) and Guide to Healthy Cleaning, scoring thousands of consumer goods on health hazards, ingredient safety, and environmental impact.
- Commons: Brand Ratings — Commons carbon experts independently evaluate and rate brands on sustainability through the Commons Sustainable Brands Program. 

- TIP: Household paper products: NRDC did a study on the best and worst toilet paper, paper towel, and facial tissue- what grade does your brand get?

B Corp Directory: Features businesses certified by B Lab that meet high standards of verified social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
California Green Business Network: A statewide program and coalition of local government agencies, cities, and utilities that helps small and medium-sized businesses operate more sustainably and profitably.

- Learn to make treasures from trash - take a class at ARTT in San Rafael!

- Below are some common online platforms to post or buy all sorts of stuff for free or for sale to help recirculate usable goods and keep them out of the landfill:

     -Facebook Marketplace

    - Nextdoor

    - Freecycle 

​    - Trashnothing.com 
    - Craigslist
- Join the Nextdoor group, Marin Trade Circle. This group is a community space for local neighbors to barter and trade services, items, and skills — no money required, just mutual respect, trust, and creativity. 

- Visit a local consignment or thrift shop!

- Eileen Fisher - Renew: Buy previously worn clothes from Eileen Fisher at this website.

- The North Face - "Re-Made": You can shop for North Face outdoor clothing that has been "Re-Made".

- The North Face - Renewed Trade-In Program encourages people to mail or drop off unwanted North Face clothing and footwear at North Face Retail and Outlet stores. 

- Patagonia Previously Worn Clothes: Trade In or Buy Used!
- REI Re/Supply: Members shop and trade in used.
- Anthropologie Nuuly: Anthropologie owns Nuuly, a clothing rental service, and it has a section on the Anthropologie sale site where you can buy clothing that was previously in rotation at Nuuly and is now available for purchase.

- Many of our graduates love the website ThredUp, an online consignment & thrift store offering high-quality items. (But remember, it's always a good thing to shop locally when possible!).

- Another tip from one of our participants- buy clothes and other items from unclaimed airport baggage. See this CNN story on the store.

DONATE
- Click here for a great list of places to donate : learn what you can donate to them here. Thanks to Canal Alliance for this great list!
- Bloom Marin. For over 20 years, Bloom has been supporting women, men, and children by providing a two-week high-quality wardrobe at no cost to enhance their ability to secure employment and actively engage in community life.
-If you have textiles that aren’t wearable anymore and can’t be donated, Goodwill in San Rafael accepts them for rag-making or insulation.
- Urban Ore is right across the bridge in Berkeley. They accept used construction materials like toilets, windows, and doors, and resell them.

- Do you have medical equipment you no longer need? Donate previously owned medical equipment to Marin Medical Equipment Recyclers (open on Wednesdays 11am-2pm). Or visit them if you need any medical equipment!
- ARTT in San Rafael, and SPARE in San Anselmo, repurpose all kinds of items, including art supplies, school/office supplies, media items, fabrics, textiles, and more! 

​- Click here for upcoming Reuse Alliance Repair Fairs and Workshops in Marin!

- Check out the Repair it Don't Toss it page for local repair services and do-it-yourself resources.

- Visit Tony's Shoe & Luggage Repair in Mill Valley, Joseph's Shoes & Repair in Novato,  Marelli Brothers in San Rafael for very inexpensive repairs. Narain's in Berkeley specializes in repairing outdoor gear. 

- Sierra Club- Plastic-Free Kitchen: First steps in getting PFAS “forever chemicals” out of your diet.

- Click here for tips on storing fruits and vegetables without plastic!

- Zero Waste Chef Blog: a local Bay Area chef offers practical tips on using less plastic at home. 

- Sustainable Exchange-San Rafael: Located at 1406 4th Street in San Rafael. Certified fairtrade, sustainably handmade eco-essentials, artisan gifts & refillery. They supply high-quality local & regionally-made handmade bath and beauty products, as well as products made in-store. They also sell clothing, accessories, cleaners, oils, lotions, indoor/outdoor gear, and gifts.
- Hohm Pantry- Downtown Novato: Hohm Pantry is a community-rooted herb shop and low-waste refillery dedicated to sustainable living and everyday wellness. They offer thoughtfully sourced bulk herbs and spices, staple food products, oils and vinegars, teas, tinctures, and refillable home and body care essentials—all chosen to support the community and a lighter footprint on the Earth.
- Refill Marin at Ground - Tiburon: Offers a refillery for home goods and more.

- Black Mountain Organics: Local, organic, beauty, and household products with no plastic packaging. (shampoo bars, sunscreen, tooth powder, cleaning supplies, and more!)​
- Many grocery stores have bulk bins that help you go plastic-free! Here's how: Bring your reusable container(s) to the store, go to customer service to get the "tare weight," fill them up with any bulk item, and take them to the checkout! The weight of your container will be subtracted from your purchase.

• Brothers Farmers Market– Novato
• Harvest Market – Novato
• Good Earth Natural Foods – Fairfax and Mill Valley
• Nugget Market – Corte Madera, Novato, Tiburon
• Whole Foods Market – Mill Valley, Novato, San Rafael
• Sprouts - San Rafael

LAUNDRY DETERGENT 
-  There are many alternatives to laundry detergent in plastic bottles. However, we have learned that many of the alternatives (like eco-pods and laundry sheets) contain polyvinyl alcohol film (PVOH), a type of plastic. There is some disagreement about how harmful PVOH is in small amounts, but if you want to completely avoid plastic and/or the potential of shedding microplastics, use laundry detergent powders, such as Meloria, which do not contain any plastic polymers and are recommended by Zero Waste Marin.

- How to Stop Microfiber Pollution

- Add a MicroFiber filter to your washing machine.

• Use Laundry bags or balls (like Guppyfriend or Cora Ball). They capture shed fibers in the drum before the water drains and/or reduce the friction that sheds the fibers.
• Products like PlanetCare, Filtrol, and CLEANR attach to your drain hose and can filter ≥ 90% of fibers—even as small as 50 microns in size and have a higher capture rate than the bags and balls.

Avoid big box stores or buying online! Support your local hardware store, pet store, groceries, gifts etc! 
- Resilient Neighborhoods is actively compiling a list of local businesses in Marin County that offer various products or services. Click here for our list of local businesses.
- A list of Marin County certified green businesses can be found at Marin Green Businesses.