A Legacy That Will Shape Acterra’s Future |
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August is Make-A-Will Month — and this year, it carries special meaning for everyone at Acterra. We recently received the largest gift in our 56-year history: a transformational unrestricted estate gift from James (Jim) Guthrie, a Bay Area architect who was born in Los Angeles in 1948, studied at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and spent his life building things — structures, friendships, and a quiet legacy of generosity.
Jim loved classic cars. He had seven at the time of his passing, each one a piece of history he had chosen to preserve. He played golf weekly with neighbors and friends. He had a big smile and a welcoming spirit that people remembered long after they met him. He was, by all accounts, a generous man with a big heart.
Somewhere along the way, Jim decided that a healthy planet was worth investing in — not just during his lifetime, but beyond it. He included Acterra in his estate plans, and this June we received the result of that quiet, generous decision.
We didn't know Jim well. That's often how planned gifts work — someone watches from a distance, decides they believe in what you're doing, and acts on that belief in the most permanent way they can. We are humbled and grateful.
This gift will shape Acterra's work for years to come. Our FY2027–2030 Strategic Plan sets ambitious goals: diversify our revenue, build operational infrastructure, grow our financial reserves, and deepen our work in frontline communities. Jim's gift moves us meaningfully toward all of them — at once. Here's how we're investing it: - A portion is going into Acterra's endowment — building the permanent, compounding foundation that will support this organization long after any of us are here. - A portion is going into rolling CDs — a conservative, accessible investment that generates modest returns while keeping funds available as we grow. - A portion is going into operating reserves — giving us the cash cushion to bridge contract payment gaps, respond to opportunities without scrambling, and make decisions from a place of stability rather than scarcity.
For a 56-year-old organization that has spent much of its mission working contract to contract, this is a turning point. It doesn't solve every challenge. But it changes the conditions under which we do our work.
If you've ever thought about including a cause you love in your own estate plans, August is the moment to act on that intention. It doesn't require great wealth — just the decision to say, in writing, what matters to you.
Jim knew what mattered to him. And we are forever changed by it.
Rest in peace, Jim. 30 August 1948 – 28 August 2025.
Learn more about planned giving at acterra.org/donate. |
From Gas to Green:
One Marin Home’s Six-Year Electrification Journey |
What does it really take to turn a home into an all-electric, low-carbon household? For our 马林·格林居家之旅 (happening on August 29th, 11 AM - 3 PM) host 法布里斯·弗洛林和他的妻子菲利斯答案并非一蹴而就。他们的电气化之旅始于2019年，目标很简单：一步一步地用清洁电力取代化石燃料。 “作为长期的环保主义者，我们非常重视气候变化，”法布里斯说。“为了帮助地球降温，我们决定尽自己的一份力，在生活中用清洁电力取代化石燃料——一次更换一件电器。” 在接下来的六年里，这份承诺彻底改变了他们的家。他们改用100%可再生能源电力，购买了电动汽车和电动自行车，安装了太阳能电池板和家用蓄电池，并将燃气热水器、暖气炉、灶台和洗衣设备全部更换为电动设备。2024年，他们迈出了最后一步，彻底关闭了燃气服务。
“通过为我们的家通电，我们 我们的碳排放量减少了75%。“仅仅六年时间！”法布里斯说道。“我们也 降低了我们的能源账单 我们正朝着在未来几年内实现碳中和生活方式的目标稳步迈进。” |
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| 一个旨在提供舒适和更清洁生活方式的家
在所有变化中，这对夫妇新添置的电磁炉灶具迅速成为他们的最爱。
“We both love our new induction range, which is not only faster and more precise than gas but also safer since there’s no open flame, and no harmful emissions,” Fabrice says.
但对法布里斯来说，可持续生活远不止于他的家。他的电动自行车已成为他最喜欢的环保举措之一，也给他带来了意想不到的个人益处。
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“每天骑电动自行车让我更健康、更快乐，”他说。“我锻炼得更多了，而且在我挚爱的马林岬角美丽的丘陵地带骑行，加深了我与自然的联系，也让我的内心更加平静。” 从小事做起，然后坚持下去。 法布里斯给那些觉得绿色环保理念难以实现的房主们的建议是什么？从简单的事情开始。 他建议：“先从一些容易实施且成本不高的小事做起。”他指出，LED照明和可再生能源电力是两个切实可行的入门选择。之后，房主可以逐步进行更大的项目，例如安装热泵、太阳能电池板、蓄电池或电器。 “一旦你发现可持续生活有多么简单，你就会受到启发，采取更大的行动，”他说。“绿色家居是一个终身的过程！” That philosophy is at the heart of why Fabrice and Phyllis are opening their doors for this year’s Marin Green@Home Tour. Rather than simply showcasing the finished result, they want visitors to see how their home evolved over time — and learn that electrification doesn’t have to happen all at once.
“带人参观我们的全电住宅，能很好地向人们展示他们如何在短短几年内也能省钱、节能并减少碳排放，”法布里斯说。“通过了解我们如何一步步实现家庭电气化，而且没有花费巨资，参观者可以获得所需的信心和知识，从而在自己的生活中也做到这一点。”
想看看全电动住宅在现实生活中是什么样子吗？ 请加入我们 马林·格林居家之旅 在 8月29日星期六，上午11点至下午3点。 Visit Fabrice and Phyllis’s home and explore the technologies and everyday choices that helped them create a cleaner, more efficient home — one step at a time.|
照片由 Fabrice Florin 拍摄，由 GreenChange.net 提供。 |
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绿色家居可持续生活展示：参观贝尔布朗住宅
9月17日，星期四，下午6:30
帕洛阿尔托 （具体地点将告知注册者）
和 加入 Acterra，参加每月一次在帕洛阿尔托 Bell-Brown 住宅举办的 Green@Home 聚会！这项免费的社区活动让您有机会参观电气化住宅，了解可持续升级改造，并获得让您的家更环保的实用技巧。
Visitors will see climate-friendly features including an all-electric ADU (exterior only), induction cooktop, heat pump HVAC system, heat pump water heater, EV charging setup, and other energy- and water-saving improvements. Guests can ask questions, hear the family’s firsthand experience, and learn about appliance choices, contractor insights, and available rebates and incentives.
每月名额有限，请尽早注册，加入我们，共同探讨如何创造更可持续的未来。
本次活动由帕洛阿尔托市赞助。 和 |
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| 2026年半岛和南湾绿色居家之旅
Saturday, October 10, 11 AM - 3 PM
Exact home locations will be shared with registrants
和 Acterra is inviting you to explore real homes across San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and hear directly from homeowners who have made the switch to cleaner, more energy-efficient living. This free, community-powered event offers a chance to see what electrification looks like in practice and learn from people who have been through the process themselves.
Tour hosts will share their experiences, including why they chose to electrify, what they learned along the way, and how they approached costs, rebates, contractors, and installation. Whether you’re considering your first electric upgrade or planning a larger home renovation, the Green@Home Tour is an opportunity to get practical ideas, ask questions, and learn from your community.
The 2026 tour is made possible with support from WestLight Energy 和 硅谷清洁能源. 和 |
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Want to Be Part of the Tour? Interested in sharing your own electrification journey? If you’ve upgraded your home with electric appliances, solar panels, battery storage, energy-efficient improvements, or other sustainable solutions, Acterra is looking for homeowners to join the 2026 Peninsula and South Bay Green@Home Tour as hosts. Opening your home gives neighbors an opportunity to see these solutions in real life and learn from your experience. You can share what inspired your upgrades, what you’ve learned along the way, and the rebates, incentives, contractors, or resources that helped make your projects possible. If you are interested in participating as a host, please complete the application form at https://bit.ly/tour-host-form-2026 |
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Eligible Menlo Park Residents: Get Up to $2,000 Toward an Electric Vehicle |
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| The City of Menlo Park, in partnership with Acterra, is making electric vehicles more affordable for eligible residents. Qualified applicants can receive a $2,000 rebate toward the purchase or lease of a new or used EV.
The rebate can also be combined with other available incentives, including the state’s $3,500 MyFirstEV rebate.
Funding is limited, so eligible residents are encouraged to apply soon. |
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Improve Air Quality & Use Renewable Energy |
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Bay Area SunShares is back this Fall!
SunShares makes it easy for homeowners to get solar and storage by providing discounts with pre-vetted installers from your community. Sign up for the limited-time SunShares discount starting September 1st! |
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州立法动态综述 With Appropriations Committee decisions now in the books, the legislative session is nearing the home stretch. In good news, AB 2748 (Quirk-Silva), which would have weakened requirements for EV-Ready infrastructure in affordable housing, died in Senate Appropriations. Unfortunately, SB 1282 (Becker) which would have advanced bi-directional charging standards for EVs, died in Assembly Appropriations. 和 Below is a list of active bills which Acterra supports that are reaching floor votes. Please express your support by contacting your Assemblymember or State Senator. - SB 868 (Wiener): Reducing interconnection requirements for portable solar generation devices (“balcony solar”)
- SB 222 (Wiener and others) permit streamlining for heat pumps
- SB 913 (Becker) directs the Public Utilities Commission to make better use of distributed energy resources such as rooftop solar, vehicle-to-grid.
- AB 2313 (Berman), incentivizing homeowner electrification decisions instead of replacement of gas lines
- AB 1761 (Rogers) Requires public disclosure of the way a particular portion of a customer’s energy bill from a load serving entity is calculated.
- AB 1857 (Aguiar-Curry): Would prevent unlawfully restrictive covenants when grocery stores go out of business
Essential Food Programs Receive State Funding Two food access programs that had been on the chopping block received last-minute funding after significant public outcry and strong legislative response. The final 2026–2027 state budget successfully reserved $15 million for the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), which funds Market Match (a program to lower the cost of healthy food for residents of lower income). And $15 million of the state budget was secured for the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program, a federal program that was suddenly ended by the Trump administration. The LFPA program helped small growers to sell more fresh produce to food banks and other institutions. Thank you to everyone who took the time to support these campaigns. These are crucial wins but will only sustain the programs temporarily, so look out for future calls to action. |
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认可的活动
2nd Annual Waves & Watts Saturday, August 29, 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM A fun, family-friendly morning dedicated to keeping ourselves - and our oceans - healthy! Waves & Watts brings the community together with games, hands-on activities, and simple ways to create a cleaner, healthier future for our neighborhoods and our planet. Come connect, learn, and make waves for change! 在此注册. 和 Grass to Garden Transformations Saturday, September 5, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM 东帕洛阿尔托社区花园（东帕洛阿尔托市德米特街230号） You will learn different methods for removing existing plant material, how to prep the space for new plants, you will be introduced to a variety of native California plants and where to acquire them, and the maintenance needed after installation. 在此注册.
Farm to School Innovator Series: Sourcing Locally with Shared Purchasing
Wednesday, September 16, 1:30 - 2:45 PM
Discover how school districts can work together to buy from local farmers using shared purchasing “piggyback” contracts. Plus, get inspired with ideas to celebrate Farm to School Month this October. 请在此注册。 和 Coastal Cleanup Day
Saturday, September 19, 10 AM - 12 PM
East Bay Locations
Join the 42nd Annual Coastal Cleanup, California’s largest annual volunteer event. Help remove trash and plastic pollution from beaches and waterways throughout the Park District, and earn a Coastal Cleanup patch or sticker. Special prizes will be awarded for the most unusual trash collected. 在此注册.
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你也可以加入 气候行动圈 - 加入 Acterra 的每月捐赠社区 - 每月只需捐赠 5 美元起，即可支持持续的气候行动。 |
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