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Photo courtesy romleys		Cities to Volunteer Emissions Data Pacific Grove and Rohnert Park are two California cities among 30 urban centers nationally that will take part in a voluntary report on their greenhouse gas emissions and other climate change data. The project is being done in a partnership between ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which is a private organization representing 385 institutional investors worldwide. It collects climate change data from more than 3,000 major corporations globally and has assembled the largest corporate greenhouse gas emissions database in the world. The responses from US cities will be published in the first CDP Cities Report and the ICLEI Local Action Network Report in January 2009.

Development at Lake Mission Viejo, California		Developers Must Consider Climate Change Developers in California cannot ignore climate change when planning building projects. Under a 1970s environmental law, a California court upheld California’s right to pursue greenhouse gas emissions cuts. The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) was invoked by a Riverside Superior Court judge to reject a golf course and luxury resort project citing that its environmental study failed to analyze climate change effects. This ruling is the latest development in an effort by environmentalists and California Attorney General Jerry Brown to connect land-use planning with emissions cuts.

Mission Bay brownfield site near San Francisco. Photo courtesy CalEPA		Greening Brownfields The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has provided $500,000 to 16 projects nationwide for technical assistance in greening brownfields. In California projects include redeveloping a former lumber mill in Humboldt County to a green mixed-use commercial, residential and recreational development. Humboldt says the $50,000 in EPA assistance will help it incorporate LEED Neighborhood Development principles in the project.

Photo courtesy PieterMusterd		Universities On Track with Bike Shares At UC Berkeley students can pay a $15 membership fee per semester and check out a bike for 24 hours at a time during weekdays. Along with the bike comes a lock, a light, a map, safety tools and directions on use. The university’s Green Bike Share Project is among 61 free and low-cost bike rental programs at US colleges and universities listed by Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Berkeley’s program won first prize for a project to improve student life in the Big Ideas @ Berkeley competition.

Photo courtesy Arup/Cody Andresen		De Anza Goes for Platinum The Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies at De Anza Community College has earned a coveted LEED Platinum rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Kirsch Center the first community college building in the U.S. to receive the elite rating. Many of the green technologies used in the building are exposed for teaching students about the building. The center includes classrooms, a resource center, offices and open study areas. “It’s a building that teaches,” Pat Cornely, executive director for the Kirsch Center told the Cupertino Courier. “If you walk through this building, I don’t need to teach you; the building does.”

Moscone Center Solar Installation. Photo courtesy SF Public Utilities Commission		A Green Light for San Francisco’s Solar Rebates San Francisco will now have the highest local solar subsidy in the nation. Households can apply for up to a $6,000 rebate, and businesses for $10,000. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said he expects the city to become the “Berlin of Solar Power.” Germany is the world’s leader in installed solar. San Francisco expects to up its current 770 solar installations to 10,000, producing 50 megawatts of power over the next ten years. Newsom claims that between state and national rebates, a $20,000 solar installation can now be reduced to $4,000 out of pocket.

		So Long, Plastic Bags The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to support the LA City Bureau of Sanitation’s recommendation to adopt a policy that forbids the use of plastic carryout bags by 2010. The ban would apply to all supermarkets and retail establishments, unless the state imposes a 25-cent fee per bag. A ban on Styrofoam© packaging used at city events and facilities was also endorsed. Styrofoam and plastic bags not only threaten marine life, they clog landfills and waste energy. Only about five percent of plastic bags are recycled, and it costs taxpayers in California over $25 million a year to dispose of the 19 billion plastic shopping bags used each year. Plastic bags littering downtown 29 Palms. Photo courtesy N.Panter

Teamsters rallying for green jobs and clean air in Oakland. Photo courtesy International Brotherhood of Teamsters.		Teamsters Go for Green The International Brotherhood of Teamsters has announced it is leaving the ANWR coalition and would no longer support oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Teamsters general president Jim Hoffa made the announcement at an Oakland summit on good jobs and clean air saying, “We must find a long-term approach that breaks our dependence on foreign oil by investing in the development of alternate energy sources like solar, wind and geothermal power.” Hoffa also said that by investing in green energy solutions, the nation will reap the benefits of curbing its dependence on oil through a revitalized economy with the creation of millions of new jobs in a rapidly growing industry.

		Building Gateways to the Green Economy From October 8-9, the Pasadena Convention Center will be the site of the Green California Community Colleges Summit, an event that will focus on the full range of strategies and technologies that can be brought to the challenges of creating sustainable campuses as well as the effort to train "green collar" workers who help to build a vibrant new industry in California. Get more information

		Worldwide Outlook on Cleantech A new report on the Cleantech market, Cleantech: Current Status and Worldwide Outlook, says that this sector, whose current global market is about $284 billion a year and expected to grow to over $1.3 trillion by 2017, is the third largest venture capital investment category, behind biotech and software. More than one-third is now attributable to renewable energy sources. The report also targets other cleantech segments and technology areas, such as agriculture, materials, recycling and manufacturing. For information contact rsmith@mrgco.com.

Ninety percent of the occupied spaces in the newly LEED certified FTB buildings receive natural daylight and have outdoor views helping to reduce energy use needed for indoor lighting. The buildings also "utilize sunshades, screens and double-pane window glazing to reduce heating and cooling needs. Photo courtesy Department of General Services		LEED Plaques for Three New Green FTB Buildings A US Green Building Council plaque has been affixed to three new Franchise Tax Board buildings, meaning they have been awarded a LEED Silver green building certification for their energy efficient, environmentally friendly design and construction. The plaques were unveiled during the FTB’s annual “Green Fair.” The one million square-foot expansion project includes the California Building, which serves as the campus’ town center, along with the four-story Sacramento Building and the three-story San Francisco Building that connect two existing buildings at the southern end of the site. The expansion project also includes a warehouse and a central plant. “These Franchise Tax Board buildings are shining examples of how the state of California is designing, constructing and maintaining its buildings in order to minimize their environmental footprints, cut operating costs, and provide healthier places to conduct state business,” said DGS Director Will Bush. To date, 13 state buildings are LEED certified To see California’s Green Building Directory, please visit http://www.greenbuildings.dgs.ca.gov.

		Governor as Obama’s “Energy Czar”? Saying he’s “through with acting” and would like to be “traveling around the world…promoting the energy (independence), renewable, solar, windmills and all those kinds of things, protecting the environment, protecting our oceans,” Governer Schwarzenegger said in an interview with ABC News that he could see a possible future as “energy and environment czar” for Barack Obama, should the senator be elected president. Although the Governor endorses John McCain as the presidential nominee, he did not rule out working for Obama.

		Who’s the Greenest of them All? Researchers at UCLA, using criteria such as whether residents own hybrid vehicles and the number of LEED building certifications, determined that the two greenest cities in California are Berkeley and Albany. The study, “Green Market Economy,” authored by Matthew Kahn and Ryan Vaughn, looked at 349 California cities and found that 5.2 percent of registered vehicles in Berkeley are hybrids, while 2.48 percent in Albany are hybrids. El Cerrito came in third at 2.3 percent hybrids. The state average is only .76 percent. Berkeley’s Mayor Tom Bates added that his city also boasts a high concentration of homes going solar and more than 100 “green-certified” businesses. UCLA Professor Matthew Kahn, co-author of the study told the Contra Costa Times, “My students have a lot of interest in ‘green’ products – solar panels, LEED buildings, fuel-efficient cars – and who actually buys these things.” Berkeley Mayor Tom Bates grees Al Gore in front of a CalCars Prius Hybrid plug-in electric vehicle.Photo courtesy californiaprogressreport.com.

		New CARB Scoping Plan Hundreds of Californians turned out for the first public meeting on the recently released draft scoping plan put out by the California Air Resources Board. This was CARB’s first public input workshop on AB 32, the Climate Protection Act, which calls for dropping global warming pollution to 1990 levels in the next 12 years.

Photo courtesy kids-vs-global-warming.com		Young Eco-Warriors Recognized In its annual worldwide quest for young people taking a lead in environmental issues, Action for Nature (AFN) this year recognized 11 “young eco-warriors for remarkable global conservation achievements.” Two California teenagers who are working to solve environmental problems. Thirteen year-old Alec Loorz of Ventura decided to do something about his friends who were denying the existence of global warming. He developed a website and presentation and began speaking at schools and then organized local young people into 20 Kids vs. Global Warming action teams. Sixteen year-old Andrew Leonard of Redwood City, who makes annual visits to family in China, realized how bad the pollution is there applied for and received a grant from the Disney corporation to establish the Global Partners: China-USA project, a joint ecological partnership between schools in Beijing and America.

		Governor and Senator Release Water Plan With a goal of breaking a long-standing stalemate over water, U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger have proposed a $9.3 billion bond measure to the Legislature. The Safe, Clean, Reliable, Drinking Water Supply Act of 2008 would update California’s water system by increasing storage, improving conveyance, protecting the Delta’s ecosystem and promoting greater water conservation. After two years of drought and the driest spring in recorded history, water reserves are extremely low. The Delta ecosystem is near collapse. In June, the Governor issued an executive order declaring a statewide drought. Sacramento Delta’s ecosystem near collapse would be helped by watershed protection provision in the new bond measure. Photo courtesy California Department of Water Resources

		Sun Power for Blythe Prison A 13-acre solar panel field will provide energy to Ironwood State Prison in Blythe, expected to save the state $50,000 a year in energy costs and generate 2.4 million kilowatt-hours during its first year of production. The system, according to Harry Franey, California Department of Corrections chief of energy management and sustainability, is the largest and most advanced solar energy project at DCS. Built and funded by SunEdison, it will serve as a model for 10 other prison projects. Photo courtesy California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

		Affordable Housing to get $50 Million Boost The California Housing Finance Agency is providing a $50 million financing boost to green and transit-oriented apartments being built or planned in San Jose, Salinas and Santa Cruz. Photo courtesy CaHFA

.		Green Collar Job Boom Potential A report from the American Solar Energy Society, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Economic Drivers for the 21st Century, asserts that by 2030 one out of every four U.S. workers will have jobs in renewable energy or energy efficiency. The report holds that 8.5 million U.S. jobs are already generated by these industries. The 40 million jobs that could be created in these two sectors are not just engineering-related, but also include those in manufacturing, construction, accounting and management. Photo courtesy New Republic

Tango Electric Urban Car, made in USA		CARB Rules Could Roll Back Clean Cars A complex system of incentives created in 1990 for automakers to quickly introduce alternative power vehicles helped spawn innovation and new technology. But it could actually let car makers deliver less than the required amount of cleaner-running vehicles in California. The special credits operated by the state Air Resources Board allow car manufacturers to make less than the state-mandated number of efficient cars. The state is requiring manufacturers to produce more than 800,000 zero, or near-zero, emission vehicles by 2011 and an additional 1.26 million by 2015. But with manufacturers sitting on CARB authorized credits, this number could be a lot smaller. Recently, the Air Resources Board created changes to phase-in restrictions on the use of credits. All this may be a moot point, as demand for ultra-clean cars will put its own pressure on auto manufacturers to produce them.

		California Getting Behind Clean Chemicals The California Department of Toxic Substances Control will begin to lay out a framework for the development and use of “green” chemicals. A report to be produced by the agency will list 818 ideas for encouraging innovation in finding nontoxic substitutes for many chemicals in use by industry. About 80,000 compounds are used commercially in the U.S. Many accumulate in the human body. They spread throughout the environment, using water, air and food to migrate. Their effects are largely unknown. It is estimated in a report presented to state legislators by UC Berkeley researcher Michael P. Wilson, PhD, Green Chemistry: Cornerstone to a Sustainable California, that exposure to toxic industrial chemicals costs Californians $2.6 billion a year in lost wages and medical expenses. The recommendations will be sent to the Governor in July.

		First Certified Green Library in U.S. The U.S. Green Building Council gave a LEED Bronze certification to San Jose’s West Valley Branch Library, making it the first library in the world to attain the distinction. The library, which opened in May, was designed to use 30 percent less energy and 50 percent less irrigation water than standard buildings. Among other green features is the preservation of mature redwood trees, drought tolerant landscape and the use of recycled products in construction. Twenty percent of the building materials were manufactured locally. Photo courtesy City of San Jose

		O.C. Water Purification System Wins Award Orange County in Southern California will be awarded a prestigious Stockholm Industry Water Award during the 2008 World Water Week in Stockholm. The award honors the world’s largest water purification plant for groundwater recharge. The system diverts highly treated sewer water, which is currently discharged into the ocean, and purifies it through a series of advanced techniques. The cleaned water is returned to the groundwater basin to increase water supply and quality. Other dry regions, such as Singapore, are already emulating O.C.’s large-scale wastewater purification system. Image: O.C. Water Purification manifold system. Photo courtesy American Association of Environmental Engineers

		The Economics of Ecosystem Preservation A new report assesses the potential cost of mass extinctions and deteriorating ecosystems. The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity was released at the Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn, Germany in May. In it the report’s authors propose that world markets don’t properly value natural resources that are crucial to human life. By 2050, according to the report, up to 11 percent of the ecosystems that still remained after 2000 would be lost, primarily due to agriculture and development, as well as climate change. A sobering fact from the report is that forests, often called the “lungs of the planet,” have completely disappeared from 25 countries, and another 29 have lost more than 90 percent of their forest cover.

		USGBC Re-launches Web Portal If you weren’t able to attend USGBC’s annual Greenbuild Conference & Expo, you can now access many of its presentations at the newly re-launched Greenbuild365 website (www.greenbuild365.org). Some highlights of the website include a catalog of third-party-reviewed green building courses, both core LEED offerings and others that extend beyond the LEED certification program; and Green Bytes - short videos, podcasts and articles on education case studies, best practices and green building information.

Aerial view of the Los Angeles aqueduct crossing ephemeral wash. Photo: Robert Webb, USGS.		Squeezing the Last Drops in LA Under a controversial $2 billion, proposed multiyear plan to curb water usage in Los Angeles, the city may finally move closer to water recycling and other water conservation programs already in effect in other Southern California communities. The plan, a response to shrinking water resources, would have wide ranging effects on water consumers. Restrictions on lawn watering and car washing, financial incentives and building code changes to encourage high-tech conservation equipment in homes and businesses, money invested in programs to capture rainwater, reclaiming and cleaning wastewater and other water saving technologies would be implemented.

		New Rewards for Green Manufacturers Manufacturing companies that lower their carbon footprint and reduce water and energy use can now qualify for insurance premium reward incentives through Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company. A leader in “green insurance,” Fireman’s Fund says environmentally friendly practices can translate into increases in profits. Sustainable practices lead to higher employee productivity, reduced absenteeism, improved product safety and lower energy bills – and these companies are better risks to insure.

Shanghai smog. Photo: stelzer		California to Help China Cut Emissions In a United Nations agreement, California will share ideas and research on curbing greenhouse gas emissions with China. California’s top environmental official, Cal EPA Secretary Linda Adams, signed the agreement saying, “I think it will help show them they can indeed reach set targets and move forward on environmental protection and maintain a strong economy as California has.” This follows the 2005 environmental agreement signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger with the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau to help improve air and water quality there.

		Green Building Codes Almost Complete The only green building rating system that will be accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the National Green Building Standard has been submitted to ANSI for approval and will become the benchmark for green homes, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The standard defines what green practices should be incorporated into home construction on a national scale and how homeowners should maintain and operate their green homes. The rating system ensures uniformity in everything from the size of electrical outlets to testing medical devices. To get to this point, NAHB volunteers and the International Code Council attended four public hearings and considered 3,000 public comments submitted for consideration.

		Butte College to Host Sustainability Conference From June 4-6, Butte College – a national leader in sustainability in community colleges – will host THIS WAY TO SUSTAINABILITY, a conference on the built environment. Topics in the program, which includes pre-conference sessions on June 4, will include energy, design, financial strategies, green building and tours to local sustainable businesses, including the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. Details are available online. Click here for details. Butte College was founded in 1967 and is situated on a 928 acre wildlife refuge nestled within the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California. Its Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, staff, and students are working honor the College’s legacy of existing in balance with nature by committing themselves to Sustainability Education and to partnering with students, community, and the living biosphere to envision and create a healthy and prosperous world for present and future generations.

		Greening the Range Livestock foraging has caused a host of environmental problems, from land erosion to air pollution. Now a new generation of environmentally-oriented ranchers is working to find more sustainable grazing methods. Seventy-five ranching organizations in California joined with environmental groups and federal and state agencies in signing onto a strategy to enhance the state’s rangelands while protecting its ecosystems. A number of organizations are working on the problem, including the World Wildlife Fund, the Audobon Society, The USDA’s Grasslands Reserve Program, the California Cattlemen’s Association and The Nature Conservancy.

		EcoMoms for Healthy Schools First there were soccer moms. Now there are EcoMoms, a new term describing a potent environmental force putting its muscle behind the green schools movement. The EcoMom Alliance is a network of mothers interested in all aspects of environmentalism as it relates to their children.

		Should Global Warming be Taught in Schools? If State Senator Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto, has his way, climate change will be a science topic taught in California’s public schools. A bill he introduced that is making its way through the state legislature is generating a fair share of controversy, as a vocal group of opponents say the science on global warming isn’t clear. Proponents, though, say that introducing what is and isn’t known about the subject is crucial. Simitian’s law would mandate that global warming be covered in all California high school science textbooks.

		Los Angeles on the Green Edge Los Angeles is firmly on the leading edge of climate change initiatives with a new mandate passed by two City Council committees which will require major commercial and residential developments to meet a “standard of sustainability.” Under the proposed ordinance, privately built projects over 50,000 square feet will be required to cut their energy and water use and reduce their overall environmental footprint by incorporating low-emission paints, recycled materials, solar energy production and other aspects of green building. Los Angeles will be the largest city in the US to mandate green building in the public and private sectors.

		Bay Area Detention Facility Going Solar Solano County Detention Facility in the San Francisco Bay Area will be saving over $1 million in energy costs over the next 20 years thanks to a new 746-kilowatt solar array being installed near its Claybank Adult Detention Facility. Under an arrangement with Honeywell, electricity produced by the panels will be sold to the county for use in the detention facility. In addition to reducing costs, the new array will deliver substantial environmental benefits, cutting carbon dioxide emissions by more than 14,500 metric tons over the course of the contract. With this solar installation, the county will bring its power generation capacity to more than one megawatt through renewable energy technology. After the 20-year agreement expires, the county can continue purchasing electricity from Honeywell or acquire ownership of the panels.

		Renewable Energy Gets $10 Billion Pledge from Investors: CalPERS Leads the Charge At a recent United Nations investor summit on climate risk, the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), which is the largest pension fund in the nation, joined state treasurers, comptrollers and other players from 11 states in pledging to invest $10 billion in green technology over the next two years. The group was urged by Mindy Lubbar, president of Ceres and director of the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR) to pressure companies to disclose their risks associated with climate change, such as greenhouse gas emissions. In a related move, CalPERS was congratulated by the Nature Conservancy for taking leadership in sustainable forestry. CalPERS voted to adopt a far-reaching forest investment policy that requires certified sustainable forest management, directing $10-15 billion towards environmentally friendly forest projects. The move positions the retirement fund to profit from the global market in forest carbon credits.

		Green Brings More Green in Real Estate A new report by the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego shows that not only are more developers building environmentally friendly buildings, but that tenants are willing to pay more to rent them. The study, titled simply Does Green Pay Off?, reports that customers are willing to pay an average of $2.45 per square foot extra for renting, or an average of $15 per square foot extra for buying a LEED certified green office building. The study also found that lower energy bills offset the higher rentals and purchase prices. According to the report, Los Angeles is the leading metro area of green building in the US as of the second quarter of 2007 with 100 buildings totaling over 26 million square feet. San Francisco came in number five, with 30 buildings totaling almost 12 million square feet.

The proposed Sunlight Powerlink would cut through parks and protected areas such as the Anza-Borrego Desert state park. Photo courtesy California State Parks		Nix on Long Line for California The first government analysis of the proposed Sunlight Powerlink, a 150 mile long electrical transmission line which would bring electricity from the Imperial Valley desert to San Diego, says it would result in at least 50 “significant, unmitigable” impacts to people and the environment and suggests that local electricity generation would be better. Powerlink is the first phase of a plan by the San Diego Gas and Electric company and its parent company, Sempra Energy to extend the line north to expand the California market for power from its coal-fired Mexico power plant. The 7,000 page report also considered nearly 100 alternatives to the project with input from over 1,300 different organizations and individuals. Micah Mitrosky, conservation organizer for the Sierra Club's San Diego Smart Energy Solutions campaign, said, "This proposal would devastate the [Anza-Borrego Desert State] park, wreak havoc on local communities, and unravel efforts to reduce global warming greenhouse gases." He suggested San Diego Smart Energy 2020 as a “smarter alternative to boost our local green energy economy and free our region from depending on imported fossil fuels.”

David Hochschild, who co-chairs the SF Solar Task Force, and Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting announcing San Francisco’s solar incentive program on the solar rooftop of Project Open Hand.		Largest Urban Solar Incentive Program in the US San Francisco has come up with the only solar incentive of its kind in the US, providing direct financial incentives as well as a long-term loans and rebates to homeowners and businesses who want to install solar power. The package of proposals was announced by the San Francisco Solar Task Force, along with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Assessor-Recorder Phil Ting. The Solar Incentive (Rebate) Program is an ordinance that makes available $2-5 million per year over ten years for solar incentive payments. The Solar Loan Program is a ballot measure that creates a loan program that homeowners can use to finance the remainder of their solar installations after state and local rebates. The average residential solar rooftop installation in San Francisco costs approximately $20,000. The proposed local incentive payment - $3,000-$5,000 for residential properties, and up to $10,000 for commercial properties - along with state and federal rebates, would help cut the total cost to the customer almost in half. This direct incentive model is based on the successful state program in California that has doubled the number of rooftop solar energy systems to 32,000 in just two years.

		All the Right Pieces What do you get when you mix four cities, a national laboratory and a major university? The perfect conditions for an emerging green corridor. That’s what’s happening in Northern California. The mayors of Richmond, Emeryville, Oakland and Berkeley got together with the chancellor of UC Berkeley and the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to unveil their vision for the East Bay Green Corridor. The Green Corridor Statement of Principles says: “As new green technologies emerge and become commercialized, our jurisdictions will cooperate to create conditions that spark new companies, incubate their growth and give them the opportunities to expand in the region…” The East Bay could become one of the nation’s green economic engines.

		Architects Say: “Walk the Walk” The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has just launched a campaign to “educate, promote and encourage sustainable design among consumers, business owners and architects” called “Walk the Walk.” It is an effort to inform the marketplace about the benefits of more energy-efficient homes and buildings. AIA has a stated goal of making all buildings carbon neutral by 2030. To help achieve its goal, AIA offers toolkits: “Sustainbility 2030” and “50 to 50.”

Nonroad vehicles produce millions of tons of greenhouse gases. Photo courtesy Flickr, yuan2003		California Asks EPA to Regulate Non-road Vehicles Among the major overlooked sources of greenhouse gas emitters are non-road vehicles, engines and equipment. California, joining other states, government agencies and national environmental organizations, has petitioned the US Environmental Protection Agency to adopt standards. Announcing the petition at a news conference, California Attorney General Jerry Brown said, “Millions of industrial machines in mines, on farms and construction sites spew massive quantities of unregulated greenhouse gas pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency has not regulated the emissions from these vehicles and engines - just like it has failed to curb greenhouse gases from cars, ocean-going vessels, and aircraft.” Non-road vehicles mentioned in the petition were responsible for 220 million tons of carbon dioxide in 2007, equivalent to 40 million cars. According to the Air Resources Board, there are about 17.8 million non-road vehicles and machines in California.

Photo: Melissa De Ciero		Green Chemistry for California Dealing with toxic waste before it is generated is the goal of a Green Chemistry Initiative, which is similar to measures adopted by the European Union and the Canadian government to encourage greater manufacturer responsibility. And it lays out a framework for California to become a leader in the development of alternatives to toxic chemicals. California Secretary for Environmental Protection Linda Adams has directed the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to lead the initiative, which could have far-reaching effects on the state. “Our Cal/EPA team will be working in partnership with business and environmental groups on green chemistry for a healthier California,” said Maureen Gorsen, the director of DTSC. “This initiative will provide a scientific basis and economic opportunity for environmentally safe products.” Implementing green chemistry means that manufacturers consider public health and environmental effects of those products at the design phase and develop new products that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. About 80,000 compounds, most of which have not been studied for toxic effects to health or the environment, are in commercial use in the US.

Photo courtesy Environmental Protection Agency		New Law to Disclose Buildings’ Energy Efficiency Data Helping forward the intent of his Green Building Initiative, Executive order S-20-04, the Governor has signed into law AB 1103 (Saldaña, D-San Diego), which will require that energy efficiency scores in existing commercial buildings be disclosed when the buildings are put up for sale or lease, or when they are financed or refinanced. Nonresidential buildings account for nearly 40 percent of the energy consumed in California, according to Saldeña. With AB 1103, the Energy Star national energy performance rating system will be used as a benchmark to assess how efficiently a building uses energy relative to similar buildings nationwide. “This information will help motivate building managers to make their buildings more energy efficient,” Saldaña said, according to the California Chronicle. “It will also help them to establish investment priorities and to take advantage of energy investment opportunities offered by utilities and governments.” By 2009, with a go-ahead from building owners or operators, electric utilities will have to provide automated billing information for nonresidential buildings in a format that is compatible for uploading onto the Energy Star system. In 2010, the benchmarking data and scores generated by the Energy Star system must be disclosed.

Photo courtesy Practical Action		Governor Signs, and Vetoes, Waste Bills According to Californians Against Waste,the 2007 legislative session had mixed results when it comes to waste prevention and recycling. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill, CAW-sponsored AB 548 (Levine), that would have required multifamily apartment owners to provide recycling services to their tenants, expanding recycling opportunities to their tenants. The Governor cited significant costs as a deterrent. He also vetoed AB 48 (Saldana) that would have prohibited the sale in California of electronic devices that contain certain hazardous materials, including lead and mercury, consistent with the European Union's RoHS (Reduction of Hazardous Substances) directive by 2010. According to CAW, this would have been in line with a policy already in place in the state on computer monitors and televisions, and which the Governor expanded earlier in the week by adding lighting products (AB 1109). He did, however sign several important bills relating to recycling and hazardous waste. AB 1109 (Huffman) creates a strategy to increase energy efficiency and reduce hazardous waste in lighting, expected to reduce CO2 emissions by more than six million tons over ten years. Under SB 966 (Simitian), programs will be set up at local levels for disposal of unused or expired pharmaceutical drugs. Senator Padilla’s Beverage Container Recycling Funding Legislation, SB 1021, will use unclaimed bottle bill deposits to help fund multifamily recycling programs.

		Saving Gallons by the Millions: Clean Cities Report There are almost 90 Clean Cities coalitions throughout the U.S., and they are on track to displace 3.2 billion gallons of gasoline by 2020. This will exceed their established goal by 700 million gallons. According to the Clean Cities Annual Metrics Report 2006 by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), 375 million gallons of gasoline was displaced in 2006 by Clean Cities coalitions. Clean Cities is a government-industry partnership sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Program. With more than 5,400 stakeholders, Clean Cities' mission is to reduce petroleum consumption in the transportation sector. The numbers added up fast. According to the report, 71 percent of the 2006 gasoline displacement came from the use of alternative fuels. The use of E85, a blend of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline, grew substantially in 2006, largely because the number of E85 stations doubled – from 436 to 995 – in the year. Coalitions reported acquiring almost 44,000 hybrid electric vehicles in 2006. HEV use accounted for the displacement of approximately 9 million gallons of gasoline. Idle reduction efforts displaced 8.4 million gallons in 2006, including 1.2 million gallons from truck stop electrification. Almost 2 million gallons were saved by reducing the number of miles traveled.

		A “Green Vision” that Will Be Hard to Top San Jose is the tenth largest city in the United States, the third largest in California. If all goes according to its new 15-year plan, “Green” Vision,” San Jose will also be the world center of clean tech innovation. By 2022, the city intends to have 25,000 clean tech jobs, to reduce per capital energy use by 50 percent, to receive 100 percent of its electrical power from renewable sources, to have built or retrofitted 50 million square feet of green buildings, and to divert 100 percent of waste from landfills and convert landfill waste to energy. It will also recycle or reuse 100 percent of its wastewater, and have a general plan with measurable standards for sustainable development. All of its public fleet vehicles will be running on alternative fuels, 100,000 new trees will have been planted and 100 percent if its streetlights will be zero emission lighting. To top it off, by 2022, San Jose the vision includes 100 miles of interconnected trails.

		A Good Idea from the UK Schools in the UK have a £5,000 (about $10,000) incentive to integrate sustainability into their curriculums and their school cultures. Grants will be issued to schools with the best plans to involve faculty and pupil leadership teams. In a survey by the National College for School Leadership, it was found that less than 15 percent of school leaders felt their school is addressing sustainability effectively in key areas such as energy and water, travel and waste. However, schools have also found that students themselves are “passionate and active in driving sustainability agendas, once they are given a voice and the opportunity to do so.” The research found that school leaders need to be “outward looking” to achieve a sustainable school and to “join up with the community.” Ninety-eight percent of UK school leaders in the survey said that sustainability is important or very important to them. Nevertheless, NCSL’s director says, “none of us know the answer of how best to lead a truly sustainable school…ultimately our aim…is to support school leaders to explore and share effective practice in this critical area…”