Climate Action Toolkit

GREEN YOUR COMMUTE
Explore the Marin Commutes website to discover alternative travel options in Marin:

• Earn up to $500 per year by commuting green! The Marin Commutes Rewards program allows anyone who lives or works in Marin County to earn up to $500 per year for logging eligible green trips. Wherever you’re going, you’ll be able to earn rewards for walking, biking, taking transit, carpooling, and vanpooling—even working from home! And you can log non-work-related green trips as well - like to the grocery store, a restaurant, the hardware store, or a movie theater.​
• Sign up for the Marin Commutes mailing list to learn about new travel options and to be eligible for prizes and incentives.
• Join a carpool or vanpool and connect with people who have similar traveling patterns. 
• The Marin Commutes Marin Emergency Ride Home (ERH) Program will reimburse you for rides home in case of emergency, such as a flat bike tire or an urgent need to return home. This is for anyone who works in Marin County and commutes by any means other than driving alone.
• Or don't commute at all and work at home! Here are some Tips for Remote Workers.

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TAKE PUBLIC TRANSIT

• When you plan your transit trips, use Google Maps or TransitApp (for smartphones).
• Do you have a Clipper Card? If not, get one. You get discounts on transit fares all over the Bay Area. If you are a Senior (65 or older) or Youth (5-18)  or Eligible low-income adult  you can get 50% off fares.
• TRAIN IT on the SMART TRAIN! Sit back and enjoy the views on the SMART train rather than driving. You can even take it to Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport. Or have lunch in Santa Rosa. Or take it to the Larkspur ferry terminal on the way to San Francisco!  Seniors (65 +) and Youth (18 and under) ride SMART for free!  
• SMART Connect is an on-demand shuttle that provides a connection from certain SMART stations to various destinations. The two shuttles serves the following areas:

--Sonoma County Airport SMART station to/from Sonoma County Airport (STS) Ride the free SMART Connect shuttle from the Sonoma County Airport SMART Station to the Sonoma County Airport Thursday-Sunday. On weekends, SMART Connect service area expands to include the area’s surrounding wineries, breweries, and other attractions.
--Larkspur SMART station to/from Larkspur Ferry Terminal: ride the SMART Connect shuttle from the Larkspur SMART Station to the Larkspur Ferry Terminal for free seven days a week. On weekends, the SMART Connect service area expands to include the Village and Town Center malls in Corte Madera.

TRANSIT TO PARKS
Marin Transit is helping everyone enjoy our federal, state, and local parks and open space- their routes will take you right to many trailheads and bike paths! Check out their Interactive Transit to Parks page to help you plan your next outdoor adventure using public transit!

- Choose to ride a bike or walk instead of driving 1-2 days a week. 

​- Have your child walk or bike to school and other local destinations rather than driving them. If your child has an E-Bike, please be aware of the risks. Review this article on how to prevent injuries and accidents, and things to consider when buying an E-Bike for your child.

- Check out the Ride & Drive Clean info page on E-Bikes.

- Consider checking out electric bikes at a local bike shop that specializes in them, such as The New Wheel (Larkspur), and Mad Dogs & Englishmen (Mill Valley).

- Check out the new Redwood Bikeshare program! Whether you’re running errands, visiting town, or riding recreationally, you can get a pay-as-you-go ebike and cruise Sonoma and Marin counties!

- Watch this helpful video on what to consider when buying an electric bike.​​

- For EVs, here is a car maintenance guide.

If you must fly: You can now see carbon emissions estimates when you search on Google Flights, based on the airline, plane, seat, and other factors. You can use a filter to search for "less emissions."

- Terrapass: Certified by 1) The Gold Standard, 2) Verra, 3) the Climate Action Reserve, or 4) American Carbon Registry. These standards require that offsets be real, permanent, quantifiable, never double-counted or double-sold, and independently verified. 

- Cool Effect: Cool Effect is a Marin-based organization. Certified by 1) The Gold Standard, 2) Verra, or 3) the Climate Action Reserve. Cool Effect does a deep due diligence on all projects to determine which projects are worth your support. They evaluate the implementation of the methodology and confirm that the project uses the majority of the proceeds from carbon for growth and not profit. Note: Metric tons: 1 ton = 2,205 lbs.

For this action on your Action Plan, you can pledge to get an EV and earn a reduction of 100% of the carbon pounds for the gas vehicle you are replacing (see your Carbon Footprint Report). Or, you can get a Plug-in Hybrid for 50% credit, since it still has a gas backup engine.

Visit Ride and Drive Clean to learn more about purchasing and leasing EVs.

- EV Buying Guide (Consumer Reports)
- Do I Need to Buy A Charging System? Most people do not need to install a charging system and can plug right into the wall.

- EV Charging 101
 - Use PLUGSTAR's vehicle comparison tool to evaluate vehicle features, cost, and incentives based on your personal criteria.

- Attend one of Ride and Drive Clean's frequent online events to learn more about the models available and to get your questions answered: Ride Drive Clean Webinars. 

- Charging locations: Plug Share (website); ChargePoint (app)

​- EPA's Electric Vehicle Myths: learn about common misconceptions about electric vehicles. ​
- Check out this VICE article that addresses the issue: Is It Good for the Environment to Replace My Used Car With an Electric Vehicle?

- NPR Article: Their batteries hurt the environment, but EVs still beat gas cars. Here's why.
- MIT Climate Portal Article: Are electric vehicles definitely better for the climate than gas-powered cars?

- You might also want to LISTEN to this podcast- "Are Electric Cars Really Better for the Climate?"

2) MCE Instant Rebate offers up to $3,500 if you are income-qualified.
3) Sign up for the Ride and Drive Clean EV Discount Campaign, which they run several times per year. 

4) Dealers. The dealers also provide cash/finance discounts at varying amounts. There are great leasing deals available.

NEW REBATES! On July 13, 2026, Governor Newsom signed SB 168, a bill creating California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) instant rebate program. Any Californian buying their first new electric vehicle can walk into a dealership and receive an instant rebate as follows:
--$3,500 off new electric vehicles with an MSRP up to $50,000
--$1,750 off used electric vehicles sold for up to $25,000

1) PGE Pre-Owned EV Rebate offers a $1,000-$4,000 rebate based on income. The standard rebate of $1K will expire on September 1, 2026. Submit application within 90 days of purchase. (Cannot be stacked with the MCE Instant rebate).
2) MCE Instant Rebate offers up to $2,000 if you are income-qualified. (Cannot be stacked with the PGE rebate).
3) Ride Drive Clean's Pre-owned EV Campaign. Ride Drive Clean periodically offers special deals on buying a pre-owned EV. Sign up for notifications. 

NEW REBATES! On July 13, 2026, Governor Newsom signed SB 168, a bill creating California’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) instant rebate program. Any Californian buying their first new electric vehicle can walk into a dealership and receive an instant rebate as follows:
--$3,500 off new electric vehicles with an MSRP up to $50,000
--$1,750 off used electric vehicles sold for up to $25,000

1) Lower electricity rates. If you have an EV, you can change to MCE's residential EV rate (EV2). This lowers your energy costs if you charge your EV and use electricity during off-peak times of the day when rates are lower. EV2 rates apply to your household’s entire electricity usage, not only to your EV charging

2) MCE Sync. Earn a $50 Sign-up Bonus and $10 per month cash back by getting the MCE Sync app to help you automate your EV charging at home to use the least expensive and cleanest energy on the grid. The average EV driver can save up to $160 or more annually with MCE Sync.
3) PGE Rebate for PGE-approved EV Charging Equipment:
-- Standard Rebate: Applicants may qualify for a rebate up to 50% of the purchase price of one option from the eligible EV charging equipment after installation. To be eligible for the Standard option, the applicant must: 1) Purchase and install one of the eligible EV charging equipment options and 2) Submit an application within 180 days after the purchase of eligible EV charging equipment.
--Rebate Plus: Income-eligible applicants may qualify for one of the following rebates: 1) Up to $2,000 for installation of an eligible EV charger or 2) Up to $5,000 for a panel upgrade and installation of an eligible EV charger. To qualify, the applicant must have received the PGE Rebate Plus rebate for the purchase of a Pre-Owned EV.

2) Does your gas car fail the SMOG test? You may be eligible for up to $2,000 to retire your car through the Consumer Assistance Program. Or, if you are income-qualified, you may be eligible for assistance even if your car passes SMOG.  Learn more here.