Climate Pledge
Let’s Come Together
and Turn the Tide on Climate Change
Ruby Slipper acknowledges climate science and is committed to reducing our greenhouse gases. We think of future generations, the beautiful land, the boundless sea, the intricate ecosystems, all the creatures — great and small — and we pledge to do what we can to keep our planet habitable. Read on to see a few of our passion projects and favorite organizations.
SOCAN
Southern Oregon Climate Action Now is a grassroots, volunteer, non-profit organization of residents in Southern Oregon who care about climate change and have joined forces to take bold action against it. Through volunteer projects, they focus on reducing the impacts of Global Warming across Southern Oregon.
Founder Erin O’Kelley Muck took the 2020 Master Climate Protector course, a comprehensive 10-week training that covered climate change science and the impacts on key sectors of energy, transportation, agriculture, water, and health. In addition, Ruby Slipper Designs is a member of Businesses Taking Action, which explores the relationships between local businesses, consumers, and ecosystems, to create a sustainable community for the future.
Carbon Offsets
Our organization has reduced our carbon footprint with Cool Effect, and is carbon-neutral-certified. Through their projects, we cancel out a portion of our emissions that cannot otherwise be reduced. Their projects include planting trees, wind energy, methane capture, clean-burning cookstoves, and protecting habitat / avoiding nature loss.
Cool Effect also offers guidance on other ways we can all help, in areas like commuting, air travel, food waste, fast fashion, red meat, electricity, and shipping. With just a few lifestyle changes, we can reduce our carbon, improve quality of life, and make sure the planet stays cool and clean for generations to come.
Ecochallenges
Ecochallenge inspires people to take responsibility for the earth. During a challenge, we collectively take action, learn, share reflections, and track successes — all the while collecting points and competing across teams.
Ruby Slipper founder Erin O’Kelley Muck leads a handful of ecochallenges throughout the year — Plastic Free in July, the People’s Challenge in October, and the wildcard challenge every April for Earth Month. Contact her to join our team, the Siskiyou Climate Crew.
Tia Lehua’s Kokua ~ Litter Pickup Crew
In our small town of Ashland, Oregon, we are inspired by our friend Tia, who tirelessly advocates for multiple issues. Keeping waterways and nature trash-free is one that is dear to her heart.
As a young girl on Maui, Tia would collect trash from the beaches. She and a school friend single-handedly started a recycling program at their high school, using homemade chicken wire bins to collect cans.
On Tia’s birthday, friends surprised her with a litter pick up crew. We roam our town frequently, stopping along the roads and scouring Emigrant Lake for trash. To date, we have collected a staggering amount of trash — tires, shoes, cigarette butts, syringes, plastic, aluminum, glass, and more. We hope for a day where collectively, our community cares more holistically about the earth.
Let’s Go Green USA!
Coming soon, Let’s Go Green USA! This one-page site will include the Top Ways to Cut Carbon and Move the Dial NOW!
Overwhelmed with info? Crazy busy? We get it. This site cuts through the noise with the top things Americans can do to STOP contributing massive amounts of carbon. Such as…
Switching to Electric Landscaping Tools
Did you know that small gas-powered lawn equipment like mowers and leaf blowers pollute at a crazy high rate?
1 hour of mowing is equal to driving 300 miles (the same as driving from L.A. to Vegas). Leaf blowers are even worse. 1 hour is equal to driving 1100 miles (from L.A. to Denver!). The solution is to go electric!
Check back for tips like this and more, coming Winter 2022.
Go Electric!
In 2020, Ruby Slipper went electric! It’s very fun to drive around in the Ruby Mobile — plus it feels great to be helping the environment in this way!