Helping his city win the CoolCalifornia Challenge was nice, but David Sawhill of Claremont knows the real prize is acquiring habits that improve our environment.

“It’s not about the number of people participating; it’s about encouraging your neighbors to make a difference, even if it is a small difference,” says the 36-year-old. “My environmental impact is what fuels me every day as I think about the future of my children.”

Seeing the documentary “An Inconvenient Truth” some 12 years ago spurred David and his wife to begin making lifestyle changes, including changing their diets — they are nutritarians — and switching to energy-efficient lightbulbs.

“The first year, my wife and I traded in both of our cars to get one hybrid vehicle,” he says. “We moved closer to work to have less of an impact on the environment.” His wife drives to work. David bikes. But he doesn’t go it alone. He hitches a baby trailer to the back and pedals his 4-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter to school before heading to teach at the local high school.

Now, his passion for living a greener life is rubbing off on his daughter.

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