It’s a never-ending environmental endeavor.
Callie Ridolfi was drawn to environmental issues at a young age and she has continued her quest to help protect the planet into adulthood. While growing up in Colorado and skiing, hiking and exploring in the mountains, she would often spot old mine sites and became interested in how mining impacted adits and streams.
The longtime Mercer Island resident, who’s armed with a degree in environmental engineering, founded Ridolfi Environmental in Seattle more than 30 years ago and has taken on the role of lead climate guide for the League of Women Voters-sponsored Mercer Island Climate Action Now (MI CAN) group.
Ridolfi also left her imprint on the community as the founding director of the Mercer Island Farmers Market. Like that Island asset, she hopes that MI CAN will serve as a valuable resource for residents, she said.
She’s a member of the League of Women Voters Environmental Committee, which launched MI CAN last year over Zoom meetings. About 20 cities have climate guides for the League of Women Voters project, which is a partnership with King County.
“The idea (is) the League of Women Voters having the same footprint as the county and also consistent with the goals that the county has to reduce carbon emissions. I thought, well, this is a great opportunity to work on the local level here in my community,” said the 28-year Island resident.
The county updated its Strategic Climate Action Plan last year and has established a climate action tool kit to guide cities in developing their plans. MI CAN is working closely with the city in the sustainability realm and is engaging citizens on climate issues.
“We appreciate having the assistance of a locally-driven group when tackling an issue as large as climate change, and look forward to the benefit that added public engagement will bring to our city’s climate planning process,” said Ross Freeman, the city’s sustainability analyst.
Mercer Island is striving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent from current levels by 2030. One of Ridolfi’s main goals over the next year is apprising residents of that climate goal and pointing them toward steps they can take to reduce their emissions.
Referring to the county’s tool kit, Ridolfi said that residents can pitch in by signing up for Puget Sound Energy’s green power program, frequently sidelining their vehicles in favor of biking, walking and taking the bus, and purchasing an electric vehicle or e-bike. Reusing materials when constructing new buildings, composting waste and planting trees are other vital ways to make an environmental difference.
“We have champions that have already taken many of these steps,” said Ridolfi, beaming with pride when mentioning the Island’s monumental grasp on recycling and green power usage.
After rolling out MI CAN for Earth Day, 100 residents had taken the group’s five-minute Community Climate Survey at press time. Its website also features a household greenhouse gas estimator where residents can input information from their utility bill to witness their monthly natural gas usage.
Ridolfi is thrilled to be involved with MI CAN — it’s a project that’s kept her busy during the pandemic.
“We’re beginning to raise awareness and I feel like the more people find out about us and take the survey and maybe meet us at the farmers market, we’re going to begin to build momentum around this idea,” she said.
For more information, visit www.mercerislandcan.org
For city sustainability information, visit https://tinyurl.com/23r33b9h
