Climate Action Now!

Climate Action Now! (CAN!) is a San Francisco-based, grassroots organization focused on creating a more sustainable environment by designing and building organic gardens in schools, businesses, and private residences — among other projects. Founded in 2011 and embracing a solutions-based approach, the organization tackles a series of pressing issues, including climate change, consumption choices, carbon sequestration, and organic gardening. As an organization, CAN! believes everyone deserves to have access to clean drinking water, safe open spaces, nutritious organic food and healthy, meaningful work — and its community initiatives support those values. Ultimately, CAN! works to create social change that facilitates sustainability, from reforestation efforts to the installation of a series of pollinator gardens. Its work also extends to removing pavement throughout San Francisco, restoring the local watershed, and limiting residential water consumption.

Teens have long been a pivotal anchor for the work CAN! does throughout San Francisco. The organization actually grew out of a teen field trip program at the San Francisco Botanical Garden and the California Academy of Sciences. Since, CAN! has continued to engage, educate, and empower over 2,500 San Francisco students annually. In addition, the organization employs 10 local teens who replace impermeable cement across the city with sustainable pollinator gardens. Its most recent project of note involves a massive reforestation effort along the two-mile medians of Sunset Boulevard, which connects Golden Gate Park to Lake Merced. The project involves planting thousands of trees and native coastal scrub, and installing irrigation for recycled water, as part of an effort to shore up the city’s deteriorating tree canopy. CAN! Is leading the urban forestry project, which is being completed alongside local investment projects and in concert with other local organizations, including the California Native Plant Society.

For more information:

Planting trees to fight pollution and racism in Bayview Hunters Point – KALW Public Media / 91.7 FM Bay Area, March 2023