In honor of election day (hope you’ve voted), here’s a second post of the day with our recent interview with Spreck Rosekrans discussing the Hetch Hetchy water system and San Francisco’s Measure F.
In Episode 83 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on November 3, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Bill Acevedo, chair of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Spreck Rosekrans, director of policy for Restore Hetch Hetchy, a non-profit organization that seeks to transform the Hetch Hetchy from a reservoir that imports water to San Francisco back to its natural state as a valley in Yosemite.
Rosekrans has been an environmental advocate for 25 years. Prior to joining Restore Hetch Hetchy, he was asked by the Sierra Club to examine whether Hetch Hetchy can be restored.
SFPUC and Hetch Hetchy system schematic
Originally a valley, akin to but smaller than the Yosemite Valley, Hetch Hetchy became a reservoir that supplied water to San Francisco after the City’s early 20th century earthquake and fire. Soon after, legislation was passed to forbid future reservoirs from being built in national parks. In fact, that actually launched the environmental movement, according to Rosekrans, who notes that’s also when the Sierra Club developed from simply an outing club into an environmental-political organization.
Hetch Hetchy Valley Restored, artist’s rendering
According to Rosekrans, through improved water management, which might include water recycling and capturing rainwater, San Francisco could eliminate its reliance on Hetch Hetchy water. But some, (including California Senator Dianne Feinstein) who are concerned about San Francisco’s sources of water and hydropower, are opposed to the restoration. Many of those opponents believe the Hetch Hetchy is San Francisco’s birthright, according to Rosekrans. Others see it as an iconic dam with symbolic value, making restoration seem radical. For their part, legislators don’t want to address the issue. As a result, Restore Hetch Hetchy is taking the issue to the people of San Francisco through Measure F, which seeks to create a public plan that would modernize San Francisco’s water system, including water recycling and groundwater banking (in which cities exchange water with agricultural districts). Measure F would also establish a task force, which would come back to voters in 2016 with specific programs and facilities that would be an alternative to Hetch Hetchy.
While the restoration of Hetch Hetchy Valley would be years in the making, Measure F is a critical component to the restoration effort. Do you support Measure F?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Rosekrans: Episode 83 of The Wendel Forum (27:52 mins; mp3)
Restore Hetch Hetchy’s Website: http://www.hetchhetchy.org
Measure F — Restore Hetch Hetchy’s Ballot Initiative: http://www.hetchhetchy.org/images/Reports/Ballot_Initiative.pdf
960 KNEW AM Radio website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Bill Acevedo’s online profile: http://www.wendel.com/wacevedo
Episode 82 – Elemental Herbs Brings Good to Body Care — Inside & Out
November 6, 2012
In Episode 82 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on October 27, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Bill Acevedo, chair of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Caroline Duell, the founder of Elemental Herbs, an organic body care company based on the central coast of California.
With a background in herbal medicine, Duell is a massage therapist and outdoor enthusiast who began making skin care products for her friends and family. Later, after success selling the products at farmers markets, she launched Elemental Herbs, a California certified B Corporation. That certification is to sustainable business what Fair Trade certification is to coffee – it measures a company’s commitment to operating a business responsibly and sustainably.
Caroline Duell, Founder of Elemental Herbs
Duell also runs a farm, from which she harvests some ingredients for her natural healing products such as All Good Goop, a moisturizer and salve. While Duell also gets ingredients from outside suppliers, she only partners with similar-minded businesses. In particular, she examines other companies’ employee benefits, utilities use, social benefits and transparency. Though not certified organic, all Elemental Herbs holistic products and remedies contain organic ingredients and are free of GMOs (genetically modified organisms).
The Elemental Herbs farm also offers a CSA (community supported agriculture) and serves as an education center, including offering courses about sustainable living. As a member of 1% for the Planet, one percent of all Elemental Herbs revenues is dedicated to fighting for social and environmental justice around the world. Organizations it supports include a local marine mammal protection organization, a local trail organization, Save Our Snow, which provides information about how global warming affects the planet’s snowfall, and cityWILD, which brings inner city kids into the mountains.
Do you care about the company policies, as well as the ingredients, of your skin care products?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Duell: Episode 82 of The Wendel Forum (26:47 mins; mp3)
Elemental Herbs website: http://elementalherbs.com
B Corporation website: http://www.bcorporation.net/
1% for the Planet website: http://onepercentfortheplanet.org/en/
960 KNEW AM Radio website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Bill Acevedo’s online profile: http://www.wendel.com/wacevedo
Episode 81 – Reel Green Media is Greening the Entertainment Industry
November 1, 2012
In Episode 81 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on October 20, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Bill Acevedo, chair of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Lauren Selman, founder of Reel Green Media, an environmental consulting and production company dedicated to greening the entertainment industry both on and off screen.
Lauren Selman of Reel Green Media
Reel Green Media started as a student project when Selman was at UC Berkeley. The company’s first movie project was Benjamin Bratt’s La Mission, which was filmed in San Francisco. Selman initially zeroed in on composting and recycling movie set waste. For example, the 80-person La Mission crew was going through as many as 500 disposable water bottles a day. Selman substituted water jugs. She then analyzed the energy used, including studying generators, transportation, hotel accommodations and caterers. In addition, she consulted on whether the products that appeared on screen were environmentally friendly and promoting a green lifestyle. In addition to movies, Reel Green Media now works on live events, such as the Golden Globes, the Emmys and the Oscars.
Selman also set out to reimagine beauty pageants, competing for the Miss Malibu title in a completely sustainable way with, for example, an all-organic dress and makeup. She won the pageant’s Miss Congeniality title and the People’s Choice Award and influenced the way other contestants approached sustainability.
Bill and Selman discuss how greening the entertainment industry requires re-thinking basic concepts. For example, it’s not always easy to quickly get things – such as compostable plates – to remote areas where movies often film. But studios are getting more on board with sustainable practices and both production structures and executives’ awareness is developing. That, Selman says, will have ripple effect to entertainment industry vendors.
Are you more likely to see a movie that used sustainable practices in filming?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Selman: Episode 81 of The Wendel Forum (27:41 mins; mp3)
Reel Green Media: http://www.reelgreenmedia.com
960 KNEW AM Radio website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Bill Acevedo’s online profile: http://www.wendel.com/wacevedo
In Episode 80 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on October 13, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Dick Lyons, co-founder of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Elliot Kallen, founder and CEO of Prosperity Financial, a San Ramon, Calif.-based money market fund with $200 million under management.
Elliot Kallen, CEO of Prosperity Financial, visits The Wendel Forum
Years ago, socially responsible investing meant simply avoiding investing in so-called sin products such as tobacco or the defense industry. Increasingly, though, socially responsible investing means more. While it can mean investing in green companies, the issue is somewhat muddy. For example, is it socially responsible to invest in a solar module product if the parts were made in China and the manufacturing process included toxic chemicals that ended up in the water supply?
Not surprisingly, therefore, everyone has a different opinion of what it means to be socially conscious. Generally, though, it means thinking about doing the right thing and considering every facet – from environmental issues to a company’s shareholder governance and charitable activities to the private activities (such as aiding the Nazis) of a company’s founder.
In addition, there are different approaches to socially responsible investing. For example, an investor can proactively support companies that are doing good things for society or devote a portion of a portfolio to green companies. Alternatively, an investor can simply seek the highest possible return on investments but then commit to donating 10 percent of those earnings to a socially responsible cause. Kallen recommends finding an advisor who will listen to your goals.
What does socially responsible investing mean to you?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Elliot Kallen: Episode 80 of The Wendel Forum (26:55 mins; mp3)
Prosperity Financial Website: http://www.prosperityfg.com
960 KNEW AM Radio website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Dick Lyons’s online profile:http://www.wendel.com/rylons
Episode 76 – Ben Lee Shares CircleUp’s Crowd Funding Model
October 9, 2012
In Episode 76 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on September 15, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Dick Lyons, co-founder of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Ben Lee, director of business development at San Francisco-based CircleUp, a crowd funding platform founded in April.
Ben Lee of CircleUp
CircleUp provides an online mechanism for consumer products companies and retailers to reach out to a broad network of potential investors, who may fund the companies in exchange for equity. CircleUp, which affiliated with WR Hambrecht, takes a commission.
So far, they’ve received 600 applications; they’ve selected 10 companies and four – including a baby skin care brand and an organic food brand – have been successfully funded. CircleUp’s team serves as a curator for the investors. In evaluating companies, they look for businesses with $1 million to $10 million in annual revenue. Usually these companies are seeking to raise $500,000 to $2 million to launch new products and achieve the next stage of growth. The typical investment is $5,000 to $25,000 (while each company’s offer is different, these are generally in the form of preferred stock shares); CircleUp assists with larger transactions offline.
While CircleUp streamlines what can otherwise be a year-long funding process, raising money through the platform can still take several months. Although CircleUp selects companies and presents opportunities, investors must do their own due diligence. Like any private company investment, crowd funding is risky and the investment horizon may be three to seven years.
Lee says CircleUp’s goals include enhancing the ecosystem around consumer products, helping as many small consumer brands get financing as possible, and making sure CircleUp’s platform is a great experience for investors and companies.
Have you participated in crowd funding? What do you see as the biggest opportunities and challenges to this form of financing?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Lee: Episode 76 of The Wendel Forum (27:56 mins; mp3)
Circle Up Website: https://circleup.com
960 KNEW AM Radio website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Dick Lyons’s online profile: http://www.wendel.com/rlyons
Episode 75 – Gary Eberhart Discusses Solar Energy for Schools
September 25, 2012
In Episode 75 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on September 1, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Bill Acevedo, chair of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Gary Eberhart, who serves on the board of the Mt. Diablo Unified School District, which serves 32,000 children and adult students at 56 campuses, making it one of the largest school districts in California.
Amid decreasing budgets and increasing energy costs, the Mt. Diablo School District secured a $350 million bond from the community to add solar energy to 51 of the district’s schools. Eberhart and his fellow board members determined that purchasing a solar energy system through a bond program would be more cost-effective than buying power from a solar provider under a long-term purchase agreement. Specifically, Eberhart, who has served on the school board for 17 years, determined they could invest the estimated $220 million savings back into the schools over the system’s 30-year life expectancy. The bond measure was approved by 60 percent of the community.
Mt. Diablo’s 12.2-megawatt system is the largest program in the world for a school district and will meet 92 percent of the district’s energy needs. After a competitive selection process for the contractor, the installation took one year and all but a handful of the 51 systems are now up and running. The solar panels were installed primarily in parking lots and on playground structures, which Eberhart says look better and are easier to maintain than roof panels. The solar energy systems are also providing a unique educational tool for students, who can monitor energy and cost savings through real-time data.
Could your school district use solar energy?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Eberhart: Episode 75 of The Wendel Forum (27:43 mins; mp3)
Mount Diablo Unified School District Website: http://www.mdusd.org/Pages/default.aspx
Information about the Bond Program: http://mdusdmeasurec.org
Strategic Facilities Planning, Eberhart’s Company Website: http://www.strategicfacilitiesplanning.com
960 KNEW AM Radio Website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Bill Acevedo’s Online Profile: http://www.wendel.com/wacevedo
Episode 72 – Arlene Blum Discusses Flame Retardants
August 22, 2012
In Episode 72 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on August 11, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Dick Lyons, co-founder of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Arlene Blum, environmental health activist, mountaineer and author of Annapurna and Breaking Trail.
Environmental health activist Arlene Blum
Blum works tirelessly to ban flame retardants from electronics, furniture and baby products. Flame retardants, which only provide a two- to three-second delay if ignited, are similar to PCBs and DDTs, toxic chemicals that were banned decades ago. They pose serious, long-term health concerns because they alter hormone levels, damaging reproductive organs, impairing thyroids and changing DNA. These chemicals continuously migrate out of products. In the case of couches, for example, they emit toxic dust even when no one is sitting on the couch.
California State Senator Mark Leno introduced several bills that would have both eliminated flame retardant chemicals and increased fire safety. Though they were sponsored by health organizations, firefighters and even the furniture industry, the manufacturing lobby successfully defeated those bills. Meanwhile, only food, drugs and pesticides are regulated by EPA. No other chemicals – not even asbestos – are regulated, even if they’re highly toxic and enter our bodies other than by mouth.
Blum is also the founder of the Green Science Policy Institute, which provides unbiased scientific data to government, industry and non-governmental organizations to facilitate informed decision-making about chemicals in consumer products. Through the organization, Blum taught a class at UC Berkeley about chemistry and policy.
How concerned are you about toxic chemicals used in furniture?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Arlene Blum: Episode 72 of The Wendel Forum (27:50 mins; mp3)
Arlene Blum’s website: http://www.arleneblum.com/
Green Science Policy Institute website: http://greensciencepolicy.org/
960 KNEW AM Radio website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Dick Lyons’s online profile: http://www.wendel.com/rylons
In Episode 71 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on August 4, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Dick Lyons, co-founder of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Victor Eyal, founder and CEO of UMA Solar, manufacturer and nationwide distributor of solar products.
After spending 12 years as pilot in the Israeli air force, Eyal founded UMA Solar 30 years ago. The company is focused on solar thermal (not electric) energy, which heats water in the way a garden hose laying on a lawn, heated by the sun, creates hot water.
Since the sun is Israel’s only natural resource, that country has been using solar energy since the 1950’s on almost every building, so much so that when children draw pictures of houses, they include solar water-heating systems, according to Eyal. When he came to the US, he noticed that solar thermal technology wasn’t being used and saw an opportunity to bring the products here.
Although solar thermal technology has been around for decades, it’s more recently been improved to efficiently heat water for homes and swimming pools. Specifically, in the last 20 years, the systems have evolved to include freeze protection, electronic controls, internet reporting systems and pumping systems. The design of collectors has also improved – materials now include copper, aluminum and low-iron black tempered glass, which allow high energy penetration and permit little energy escape.
Today, most countries surrounding Israel – from Turkey to Morocco – have similarly implemented solar water heating. It’s also “leaked into Europe,” Eyal explains, with large solar manufacturers hailing from Germany, France and Greece. Interestingly, China is by far the largest user of solar thermal systems.
In the US, states with government incentives are the biggest users of solar thermal energy. In those cases, commercial pools are increasingly heated with solar technology, now representing 20 percent of the solar thermal market. In fact, one of UMA’s flagship commercial projects was heating the pool in Atlanta used for past Olympic games. There are also industrial applications for solar-heated water, even if a company needs only to generate steam. In Israel, hospitals and factories use solar thermal technology.
How could you use solar thermal energy?
Post Links
Listen to the interview with Victor Eyal: Episode 71 of The Wendel Forum (27:18 mins; mp3)
UMA Solar website: http://www.umasolar.com/
960 KNEW AM Radio Website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Dick Lyons’s online profile: http://www.wendel.com/rylons
Episode 70 – Mark Dwight Discusses Manufacturing Locally
August 13, 2012
In Episode 70 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on July 21, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Bill Acevedo, chair of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Mark Dwight, founder of San Francisco-based Rickshaw Bagworks.
Mark Dwight of Rickshaw Bagworks visits The Wendel Forum Studio
After leaving his Silicon Valley tech roots, Dwight joined Timbuck2, where he fell in love with the bag business. When he moved to Rickshaw, he committed to making bags in a sustainable way, including minimizing waste and overstock.
Rickshaw bags are made with polyester recycled from beverage bottles and industrial plastic, and the company avoids materials that are noxious in their manufacture, use and disposal. Every Rickshaw bag features a gem tag with the letters PCQ, which stands for “passion, craft and quality,” and a five-pointed star, which represents Rickshaw’s five constituencies: employees, customers, business partners, shareholders and the community.
Bill and Dwight discuss how no business can be 100 percent impact-free and that sustainability starts at the bottom line. That is, businesses must be sustainable financially in addition to committing to environmental and social justice goals.
Dwight is also the founder of SF Made, a nonprofit organization that promotes local manufacturing. Since its founding two years ago, 350 San Francisco manufacturers, including Anchor Brewing, have become members of SF Made. Dwight established the organization as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization (as opposed to a 501(c)(6) trade organization for for-profit companies) so it can receive tax-deductible donations. The City of San Francisco even awarded a grant to SF Made to promote local economic development. SF Made has served as a model for other communities launching similar geographic branding programs.
Does it matter to you to buy local?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Mark Dwight of Rickshaw Bags: Episode 70 of The Wendel Forum (27:34 mins; mp3)
Rickshaw Bags Website: http://www.rickshawbags.com/
SF Made Website: http://www.sfmade.org/
960 KNEW AM Radio Website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Bill Acevedo’s Online Profile: http://www.wendel.com/wacevedo
In Episode 68 of The Wendel Forum (originally aired on June 30, 2012, on 960 KNEW AM radio), show moderator Bill Acevedo, chair of Wendel Rosen’s sustainable business practice group, welcomes Councilmember Damon Connolly of San Rafael and Councilmember Tom Butt of Richmond.
San Rafael City Councilmember Damon Connolly serves as Chairman of the Board for the Marin Energy Authority
Connolly is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Marin Energy Authority (MEA). The MEA is the not-for-profit public agency formed by the County of Marin and several Marin cities and towns in 2008. MEA administers the Marin Clean Energy program.
MEA is the first operational example of a Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program in the state of California. In California, Community Choice Aggregation was developed through legislation (AB 117) in 2002 as a response to the rolling blackouts of several years ago (remember Enron?). It’s a system that allows cities and counties to aggregate the buying power of individual customers within a defined jurisdiction in order to secure alternative energy supply contracts.
MEA’s program is a hybrid to traditional utility models, which might include a municipal utility or privately-owned utility (such as PG&E in Northern California). In MEA’s model, the public agency purchases or produces the energy, but a third-party energy company handles distribution and maintenance of the energy transmission infrastructure.
In 2002, California addressed base renewable energy goals through SB 1078, which set the Renewables Portfolio Standard (RPS). These goals were expanded in 2011 under SB 2. California, under the RPS program, requires investor-owned utilities, electric service providers and CCAs to increase procurement from eligible renewable energy resource to 33% of total procurement by 2020.
MEA’s plan is considerably more ambitious than the state requirement. They plan to get to 100% renewable procurement in the next 10 years. Today they are at 28% (8% more than the current RPS requirement). The program is getting a tremendous response from new renewable energy suppliers, and MEA has initiated an “Open Season” procurement process to manage proposals.
So, how does it work?
When a community joins, all of the residents are included in the CCA program. If they do not want to participate in it, however, they are free to opt out. If they choose to participate, the MEA offers two plan levels – a “Light Green” and a “Dark Green” option. The first delivers energy to customers with 50% coming from renewable energy sources. The latter offers energy to customers that is 100% sourced from renewable energy. The dark green plan costs the average customer $5-10 more per month and currently includes 8% of their customer base.
The City of Richmond is one of the latest cities to join the MEA. So how did a city in Contra Costa County get involved in a program from Marin? City Councilmember Tom Butt explains that Richmond’s General Plan 2030 includes multiple environmental goals, including offering a CCA toRichmond residents and businesses. When analyzing how best to go about implementing a CCA, the City decided it just didn’t make sense to reinvent the wheel, according to Butt. MEA, as a clear leader in the space, was a logical partner. As Richmond comes online, the MEA expects to add about 30,000 new customers – a significant influx of new customers, which will give MEA even more purchasing power with energy producers going forward.
Would you pay $10 more on your energy bill each month to know that the energy was made up of 100% renewable sources such as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass?
Post Links:
Listen to the interview with Councilmembers Connolly and Butt: Episode 68 of The Wendel Forum (27:18 mins; mp3)
Marin Energy Authority: http://www.marinenergyauthority.org/
960 KNEW AM Radio website: http://www.960KNEW.com
Bill Acevedo’s online profile: http://www.wendel.com/wacevedo
Dick Lyons
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