The Allison Street Climate Club
Taking Neighborhood Action, Together
Make it fun. Make it engaging. Share the leadership. Members of the Allison Street Climate Club have been meeting regularly since 2019 to talk about sustainable living choices and are now mentors in the Ashland Climate Collaborative’s Neighborhood Climate Action Network.
Photo: Electric vehicle show-and-tell fun after neighborhood meeting on electrification.
Inspiring Change Through Community
The Allison Street Climate Club began with a simple yet powerful idea: neighbors could make a meaningful difference in addressing climate change through collective learning and action. Sonya Daw, a science writer and editor for the National Park Service, was inspired by Project Drawdown, a nonprofit curating scientifically validated strategies for reducing carbon emissions.
“The formal structure of the club was born after the pandemic, when we formed a core team. We also doubled down on the idea that if it’s not fun, people won’t come. So we try to make it interactive and include time for chatting before and after. There’s usually an element of happy hour, and people can bring food to share if they want.”
– SONYA DAW
Photo: Club costumes in the 2019 Ashland Halloween Parade.
Building Momentum
The club’s early efforts were both creative and impactful. Members marched in Ashland’s annual Halloween parade wearing costumes crafted entirely from plastic waste, carrying signs about reducing plastic use.
At Christmastime, the group made gift boxes out of calendar pages and included City of Ashland postcards with ideas for local climate actions.
After one meeting discussing water conservation, they gave away a red bucket as a door prize to collect water as it warms in the shower.
“We always made it clear that we’re all learning together—there are no experts, and all questions are welcome. We try to focus on the passions of the club members, or what’s happening right now in our community. That might mean water conservation or wildfire readiness in the summer months.”
– MELODY NORAAS
Photo: Rich soil resulting from worm-composting.
Expanding Beyond Individual Action
The club’s focus has been intentionally broad, covering topics from home electrification to emergency preparedness.
Sonya herself electrified her home by replacing natural gas appliances. Other members have taken diverse actions, including adopting Firewise landscaping techniques, collectively recycling their e-waste, adding solar panels, and implementing composting systems.
“All of us have families and friends in other places. They know how invested I am in topics like reducing single-use plastics and water conservation. I believe it’s part of my role to go out and share what we’re doing and talking about with other people and communities, too.”
– MELODY NORAAS
A Unique Approach to Learning and Action
The club’s growth reflects its welcoming ethos. What started with just four or five people has now grown to consistently welcome 12-15 participants monthly. While some come and go, they’ve created a framework that invites participation as people are ready, deliberately keeping discussions non-partisan and interactive.
And it’s easy.
Anyone interested in joining can simply show up. As the club’s welcoming attitude suggests, there’s room for everyone in the crucial conversation about our shared future.
“It’s about walking your own talk. Creating community around climate action and encouraging each other is crucial. Individuals need community, and it’s easier to take action when you’re part of a group.”
– SONYA DAW
Photo: Visual aid to guide a discussion about food waste.
A Vision for the Future
Looking forward, Sonya has hopes for scaling their model throughout Ashland and in other communities. “I would love to see more Neighborhood Climate Action Clubs,” she says.
When former Ashland High School science teacher Jim Hartman heard about the club, he approached to ask about the logistics, what was working, and what resources would be helpful for other groups. After designing the pilot program for the Ashland Climate Collaborative, Allison Street Climate Club joined the network and now uses a number of the monthly themes as inspiration for their own neighborhood gatherings.
Photo: Making gift boxes from calendar pages to share with neighbors.
A Model of Community Resilience
The Allison Street Climate Club proves that meaningful environmental action starts locally—with neighbors talking, learning, and supporting each other.
Their model has offered a blueprint for broader community engagement through the Neighborhood Climate Action Network, which now has several groups actively meeting throughout Ashland.
“Other takeaways we’ve learned: people can only take in so much information. Don’t carry on talking for too long. Break into smaller groups and do something, like touring the neighborhood or doing a hands-on activity. It doesn’t have to be complicated, and that’s the beauty.”
– MELODY NORAAS
Story Credits
Members
Sonya Daw, Melody Noraas, Pam and Daniel Greenblatt, and other residents on Allison Street in Ashland
Author
Rachel Koning
Photography
Personal photos shared courtesy of the Allison Street Climate Club members