Just in time for Earth Day

San Rafael, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/23/2014 -- Coleman Elementary in San Rafael, CA will launch its fifth year running Cool the Earth's Climate Action Program this month as part of its Earth Day program. For four years Tanya Burdick has lead the program at Coleman— students have taken over 4800 actions, saving approximately 3,500,000 lbs. of carbon. That is the equivalent of taking almost 300 cars off the road!

Cool the Earth's optimistic approach to addressing climate change through small, simple actions makes it a natural fit for elementary school kids. When Tanya heard about Cool the Earth from a friend at a nearby school, she immediately felt it was something she could get behind. "I really loved the idea of doing something that kids would get excited about and understand, and have fun at the same time," said Tanya.

This year a total of 15 Marin County schools will run the Cool the Earth program. With the recent drought, and the County goals of zero waste by 2025, as well as its pledge to implement the United Nations 21 action steps to sustainability, getting school kids engaged in small actions that reduce waste, as well as energy and water use, can have a huge impact county-wide.

Actions include everyday things like turning off lights when leaving a room, taking shorter showers, and walking or biking instead of taking the car. These are things every child can do at home, and as Carleen Cullen, Executive Director of Cool the Earth points out, "Who better to get parents to change their actions and behaviors —parents will do anything for their kids!"

It turns out, she is right. Starting with kids in their own homes creates a real difference. A Stanford Study found 34.6% of students and their families take 2 or more climate "saving" actions, and two-thirds of those families continue with that behavior creating real change at home, in the community and that adds up. For Cool the Earth and the Coleman kids, acting locally creates change globally.

ABOUT COOL THE EARTH
Cool the Earth is a nonprofit environmental organization that has worked with over one quarter million kids and their parents. Launched in 2007 by Marin County parents, Carleen and Jeff Cullen, who were inspired to take action after seeing the documentary film An Inconvenient Truth.

Visit us at http://www.cooltheearth.org, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/cooltheearth.org, or Twitter @CooltheEarth.

More on the Cool the Earth's program can be found here: http://www.cooltheearth.org/our-program/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Kentfield, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/17/2014 -- You may see a parade of over 35 cars driving through your town on Saturday April 26 — but you won't hear them, or smell their exhaust! That's because these cars are all electric vehicles (EVs), taking part in the first ever EV Rally in the North Bay. Shift to Electric 2014: Cool the Earth EV Rally is a multi-county event promoting EV driving to local communities and celebrating the love and benefits of driving and living the EV life.

Conceived by Carleen Cullen, founder and executive director of Cool the Earth (CTE) a non-profit in Marin County, Dale Miller, president of the Golden Gate Electric Vehicle Association, and Joe Keon, founder of the Ferrari Owners Group Charitable Foundation, Shift to Electric 2014 want to share positive solutions for climate change.

"The rally coincides with Earth Day, when most of us are thinking a little more about what we can do to take care of our planet and our kids' future," says Cullen. "Switching to an EV gets you the greatest bang for your buck."

This is an enthusiastic bunch! "Many people just don't know yet how great EVs are," says Dale Miller, president of the Golden Gate Electric Vehicle Association. "This rally is providing a way for more people to learn the secrets EV drivers already know." Shift to Electric 2014 is a celebration of EV drivers who have ushered in a new era of transportation free from fossil fuels, and a chance for them to demonstrate how much fun and how affordable EVs are to drive.

The one-day event kicks off in San Rafael at the new Target Store, and then stops in Greenbrae and Sonoma, wrapping up in Yountville at the beautiful and only LEED Platinum certified resort in California. At each location, the public is invited to check out the cars, chat with drivers and test drive the cars.

Everyone welcome – bring the kids!

April 26 Rally SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: Saturday April 26, 2014

-8:30-9:50: Rally will kick off with a launch event at the new Target Store in San Rafael, 125 Shoreline Parkway with test-drives of Nissan LEAF. Weaver' Coffee & Tea of San Rafael will be serving The Organic Blend Coffee which is Fair Trade & Certified Organic.

-10:00-11:30: Next stop will be Bon Air Shopping Center in Greenbrae, with test drives of the Nissan LEAF and others to learning all about green energy alternatives to charge your EV. Sungevity Solar will be offering free Popsicles from their solar powered Popsicle truck, and will offer big discounts on their solar systems.

-12:00-2:30: Next stop is the art-centric Cornerstone Gardens in Sonoma (http://www.cornerstonegardens.com, 23570 Arnold Drive), with more EV test drives.

-3:30-5:00: The rally will culminate with the Finish Line Reception for drivers and their passengers at Bardessono, California's first and only LEED Platinum certified resort. (http://www.Bardessono.com, 6526 Yount St., Younvtille.) The beautiful Bardessono is ranked #3 on Trip Advisor's Top 25 Best Hotels in the US.

Tickets to attend the reception are available at s hifttoelectricrally.com --

About Shift to Electric 2014: Cool the Earth EV Rally
The Shift to Electric 2014 Rally is sponsored by a grant from the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM), which has designated funds collected through Measure B for events to promote EV driving. The event is also made possible by generous support from each of the rally stop host locations. Proceeds from the rally will fund Cool the Earth's free program for K-8 Schools, and donations can be made through the Cool the Earth website (cooltheearth.org). To register to drive an EV in the Rally or find out more specifics about the scheduled Rally Stops open to the public, http://www.shifttoelectricrally.com

About Cool the Earth
Cool the Earth teaches kids the basic science of climate change and inspires them to take actions with their schools and families to reduce their carbon footprint. Cool the Earth is a nonprofit environmental organization launched in 2007 by Marin County parents, Carleen and Jeff Cullen, and has worked with over one quarter million kids and their parents. Visit us at http://www.cooltheearth.org www.cooltheearth.org, or on Facebook or Twitter @CooltheEarth.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

Just for Kids!

San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/27/2014 -- Cool the Earth's Climate Action Program today launched its 2014 enrollment campaign. The free, ready-to-roll, climate action program educates K-8 students and their families about climate change, inspiring them to take simple actions to reduce their carbon footprint at home, at school, and in their communities. Parents or teacher volunteers run the program for each school.

Cool the Earth uses positive messages and makes it fun and easy to implement with rewarding results. Based on the "trickle up," theory, where children learn and then are empowered to lead their families in behavior changes at home and in their communities, the 6-week program creates real change.

According to a 2013 Stanford University study, through the CTE program, families took more personal actions to reduce their carbon footprint, considered the environment when making purchases, and 38% went on to take civic action. Trickle up meets trickle down.

Developed with busy parents and teachers in mind, the ready-to-roll toolbox includes all of the program materials and collateral they need to easily get started:

- Kick-Off Assembly: This spirit-filled event is where it all begins!
- Timeline and Action Calendar
- Action Coupons: Take an action, turn in a coupon, and get a reward.
- Action Goal Banner: See how all those actions add up to make a big difference.
- Program Enhancements: Further ways to engage students and inspire action.

Cool the Earth's Climate Action program highlights pragmatic solutions to address climate change that leave kids and parents feeling empowered and inspired. Since 2007 Cool the Earth has worked alongside over a quarter million children from almost 500 schools to save over 2 million pounds of carbon.

"We are so excited to kick-off the 2014 program," said Carleen Cullen, Cool the Earth founder and executive director. "Worry about climate runs deep, yet action is still shallow. I know some people who can help change this and they weigh about 60 pounds, stand only 3 feet tall, and are missing some teeth! Who better than kids to show their parents how to begin? Little is huge."

"The CTE program went really well, " said parent Heidi Rhymes from Petaluma, CA. "Parents who considered themselves pretty green were deeply challenged by their kids (particularly the younger ones) to do even better – turn off lights, bike to school, pick up trash, etc. I was impressed with the positive feedback we got throughout the program from the kids, families and the administrators."

The Climate Action Program is inspiring kids and families across the country to take positive steps to help slow climate change. When you bring together families, hope, and action, the result is big change, and it begins at home.

About Cool the Earth
Cool the Earth is a nonprofit environmental organization that has worked with over one quarter million kids and their parents. Launched in 2007 by Marin County parents, Carleen and Jeff Cullen, who were inspired to take action after seeing the documentary film An Inconvenient Truth.

Visit us at http://www.cooltheearth.org, or on Facebook, or Twitter @CooltheEarth.

More on the Cool the Earth's program can be found here: http://www.cooltheearth.org/our-program/

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm