Masthead 2012
Volume 2: Issue 8                                                                                  September 2012
In This Issue
BRSI Annual Celebration
Clean Energy Event
Southern Green Energy Living Expo
Upcoming Green Mondays
WNC's Abounding Assets
BRSI Volunteer Profile: Carolyn Keefe
BRSI Sponsor Profile: Build It Naturally

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Newsletter Team  

Editor/Design/Production:

Katie Cavert Ferell

Copy Editor:

Carolyn Keefe

 

Contributors:

Mike Benito

Jonathan Robert

Diane Stanton

Joan Walker

 

 

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Mission Statement:

 

The Blue Ridge Sustainability Institute drives knowledge into action, solving societal problems today for generations to come by harnessing world-class environmental, economic, and energy research to support collaborations among researchers, educators, entrepreneurs, government officials, and community activists.

 

BRSI's

Definition of Sustainability

 

The Blue Ridge Sustainability Institute is an advocate and catalyst for actions that make the earth more sustainable.  Sustainability means creating and maintaining conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling social, economic and environmental requirements of present and future generations. 

 

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Board of Directors

 

Paul Bellows
Chair
Retired Chief Operating Officer, Kilpatrick Stockton LLP

Patricia S. Smith
Treasurer 
Retired President, The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina
 
W. Louis Bissette, Jr.
Secretary 
Partner, McGuire, Wood & Bissette

John Ager 
Owner; Hickory Nut Gap Farm, Partner, Drovers Road Preserve

Becky Anderson

Consultant; Founder and Former Director, Hand Made in America 

DeWayne Barton 
Co-Director, Green Opportunities

Jack Haiden Britt

Blackwell Britt & Associates; Retired Executive Vice President of The University of Tennessee

Kitty Boniske 
Former Chair, International League for Peace and Freedom, Asheville Chapter

Robin Cape 
RLCape Consulting, Inc.

Susan Fox

Assistant Director of Research, Southern Research Station, US Forest Service

Pam Lewis 
Director of Entrepreneurship, Asheville/Buncombe Economic Development Coalition

Holly Jones

Buncombe County Commissioner; Director, YWCA of Asheville 

Randy Talley

President, The Green Sage


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 Sponsors: 

Funder_Logos_ProgressEnergy

purple cat 

BRSI Profile

 

We have an amazing collection of talented professionals who contribute their time and resources to the management and development of BRSI projects and programs. 

 

This month's featured member is:

 

Jonathan Robert

 

Advisor on Capacity Development

 

Thank you, Jonathan, for your contributions!

BRSI Sponsor Profile

 

We owe much appreciation to our sponsors who are instrumental to our existence and development. 

 

This month's featured sponsor is:

 

Build it Naturally

 

Thank you, Build it Naturally,

for your support!

 

BRSI Partners and Collaborators

 

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LEADERSHIP GROUP


Tim Ballard 
Energy Campaign Manager
 
Paul Bellows
Chair of Board of Directors

Lenny Bernstein 
Projects and Programs Director

Brandee Boggs 
Advisor of Collaborations

Sue Brown
Sustainable Tourism Advisor
 
Katie Cavert Ferrell
Communications Coordinator

Steve Cochran
Principal

Rebecca Efroymson
Senior Advisor on Natural Environments  
 
Michael Hull
IT and Web Developer
 
Carolyn Keefe
Copy Editor
 
Ed Mayer
 Sustainable Tourism Advisor

Bill Hargrove 
Senior Science Advisor

Tom Hatley 
Special Advisor on Rural Development
 
Carolyn Keefe
Copy Editor
 
Drew Kitt 
Special Advisor on Renewable Energy
 
Russ Martin 
Chair of Advisory Board
 
Teresa Matthews 
Manager of BRSI's Contacts
 
Jonathan Robert
Advisor on Capacity Development
 
Jon Snover 
Senior Advisor on Sustainability
 
John Stevens 
Executive Director
 
Sherry Vaughan 
Administrative Assistant
 
Susan Weidmann
Sustainable Tourism Advisor
 
 


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Click here for a 2012 schedule and topics

 

 

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ADVISORY COUNCIL

 

Russ Martin 

(Co-Chair) 

 

Jim Barton 

(Director of Smith Mill Creek Permaculture School)

 

George Briggs 

(Director of the North Carolina Arboretum)

 

Tom Byers 

(Retired, Former Western North Carolina Marketing Director, Self-Help Ventures Fund)

 

Robert Deutsch 

(Robert J. Deutsch, PA)

 

Susan Garrett 

(Green Jobs Director, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian   Ministry)

 

Neil Gurney 

(Partner, Integritive)

 

Dave Hollister 

(Owner, Sundance Power Systems)

 

Betty Huskins 

(President, Ridgetop Associates)

 

Jessica Ingram 

(Director, FLS Solar Technologies) 

 

Janell Kapoor

(Director, Kleiwerks International)

 

Yuri Koslen 

(Transit Project Manager, City of Asheville)

 

Paul Knott 

(Director, Center of Graduate Studies of Asheville, 

Lenoir- Ryhne University)

 

Lourdes Lorenz 

(Director of Integrative Healthcare, Mission Hospitals)

 

Rob Moody 

(EcoBuilders Founder)

 

Matthew Raker 

(Vice President, Entrepreneurship & AdvantageGreen)

 

Jeff Schmitt 

(Professor and Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Wake Forest School of Medicine)

 

Clarke Snell 

(Managing Director, The Nauhaus Institute)

 

Ron Townley 

(Former Director, LGS, Land of Sky Regional Council of Government)

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Looking Ahead!
 
BRSI Annual Celebration
 
"Celebrate our Past,
Sustain our Future" 
 
Friday, November 9, 2012
5:30-7:30pm
Asheville Chamber of Commerce
 
Sustainable Cocktail Party!
 Silent Auction! 
Live Music!
 
You can help make this event a success by donating a silent auction item!  If you own a business, please consider making a donation.
 
Please contact Katie to donate or for details! 
Upcoming Clean Energy Event:

2nd Annual Clean Energy in the Mountains
Bluegrass, Brews and the Latest News

 
September 6, 2012
5:30-8:30pm
Pisgah Brewing Company


Co-hosted by NC Sustainable Energy Association, FLS Energy, Evolve Energy Partnership and Pisgah Brewing Company

  
September 14-16, 2012
U.S. Cellular Center  
 

The Southern Green Living Expo is an annual event showcasing the Southern region's opportunities, knowledge and success in sustainable economics and conservative environmental stewardship. It will include products, services, information and a series of workshop presentations for everyone from individuals and homeowners to businesses, industry and government agencies. 

 

Tim Alexander, owner of Peak Productions, and Ned Ryan Doyle, Director of the former Southern Energy & Environment Expo, have developed this new Southern region event based on their combined decades of experience with home shows and sustainable economic development. The Expo will feature products and services to: enhance our quality of life, support local economies, develop clean regional energy, grow local agriculture, inspire creative endeavors, and promote the conservative use of our natural capital including our water, air and land for future generations.

 

Show Hours: 

Friday, 9/14, 11am-6pm

Saturday, 9/15, 10am-8pm 

Sunday, 9/16, 11am-5pm

 

For prices and info on attending or exhibiting in one of our booths, go to the website!
 
Upcoming BRSI Green Mondays 
September 24

NEW TIME! 4-5:30 p.m. 

 

Indoor Air Quality:

Bridging the Gap between Health, Energy and Sustainability 

 
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People spend about 90% of their time indoors. The health of your home and workplace affect your health. Good indoor air quality creates an efficient, comfortable and healthy environment. We are all susceptible to toxic chemicals and biological pollutants in the air due to building material offgassing, toxic cleaning products, poor ventilation and environmental conditions.

 

Come and learn how to recognize the issues, how to improve indoor air quality, and how efforts to improve health, energy, and sustainability in buildings go hand in hand. Join us for a lively discussion.

 

Panelists include:

  • Amy Musser, co-founder and principal at Vandemusser Design, will highlight big, common indoor air quality problems in existing homes and new construction and will give specific examples of how to resolve them.
  • Rick Bayless, owner of A Healthier Home, will cover the EPA Healthy Home guidelines and address the intersection of green building and human health.
  • Jennifer Woodruff, owner of Build it Naturally, will break some myths about green building and present new technologies in sustainable, non toxic interiors.
  • Jody Bradley, Public Relations at the Cherokee Indian Hospital, chairs the Green Hospital Committee and will share ways the hospital has successfully improved air quality, health and sustainability measures at the facility which serves over 11,000 members of the Eastern Band of Cherokees. 

 

Hosted by the Blue Ridge Sustainability Institute 

The goal of Green Mondays is to educate and engage the community and to spur action-oriented collaborations that address the community's sustainability concerns. 

 

BRSI Green Mondays are held in the Board Room of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce Building from 4-5:30p.m. Green Mondays are sponsored by Progress Energy, with support from the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, Lenoir Rhyne University Graduate Center, and Purplecat Networks.

 

Get connected at Green Mondays!

 All are welcome to come and participate! 
WNC's Abounding Assets
BRSI acknowledges those in the region who contribute to a positive, sustainable future.  This month, we feature:

 

You don't have to look far in Western North Carolina to see examples of the growing clean energy industry. Restaurants and hotels sport solar thermal water heating panels on roofs and high efficiency lighting in dining rooms. We've all seen the solar electric vehicle charging stations popping up throughout the region. More and more local news stories feature clean energy; whether it's the success of companies like First Light Solar, which was just named the top growing company in NC by Inc.500, or the many renewable energy and efficiency projects being undertaken by local governments throughout the region.

 

Rapid growth in the clean energy industry is happening across North Carolina. A recent report by the Interstate Renewable Energy Council showed that NC solar photovoltaic capacity doubled during 2011, increasing by 45.5 megawatts or 114%. NC is a national leader in renewables, ranking 11th in the nation in total installed solar PV capacity and capacity installed.

 

The North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) is an organization that has played a pivotal role in forwarding change in the clean energy arena. Founded in 1978, NCSEA is a 501�3 nonprofit membership organization of individuals, businesses, government, and nonprofits working to ensure a sustainable future by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy through education, public policy, and market intelligence research.  

 

NCSEA plays a pivotal role in developing and advocating for clean energy policies and programs that make clean energy more affordable and accessible. NCSEA has assisted in or led the passage of over 70 clean energy related bills, most notably the NC Renewable Energy Tax Credit and Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard. NCSEA is the state's go-to organization for reliable research and information on many facets of the clean energy industry and political landscape. NCSEA also offers a suite of services to help its member businesses get the information and visibility they need to succeed.

 

"On September 6 at the Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, NCSEA will be hosting Clean Energy in the Mountains: Bluegrass, Brews and the Latest News.   Please come join us to learn more about the work we do.   To view our publications, sign up for our events, or sign up for our newsletter, please go to  www.energync.org. We meet our constituents where they are and want your voice to be heard," said Joan Walker, WNC's Outreach Representative for NCSEA. Please feel free to contact Joan Walker at joan@energync.org. 


Meet Jonathan Robert: 
Advisor on Capacity Development 

 

 The Blue Ridge Sustainability Institute is proud to introduce Jonathan Robert as the newest member of the BRSI Leadership Group. Jonathan has taken on the important role of Advisor on Capacity Development to help implement strategies to ensure our organization remains fiscally sustainable while we do the essential work of building sustainability in the Western North Carolina region. He will be working with the Development Committee on grant writing, events, and other fundraising efforts to strengthen the important work of BRSI.

 

Jonathan brings to this position an extensive background in non-profit management and consulting along with a passion for the natural environment and a keen understanding of how society can live in tune with the biosphere for the benefit of all. He served as Executive Director of a social justice nonprofit in Athens, Georgia, for a number of years before moving to Asheville two years ago to start his own non-profit consulting company, Kickdown Consulting.

 

Jonathan has worked with several local organizations, including the Asheville Grown Business Alliance, Wild South, and Advantage West Economic Group, to create strategies for integrating sustainability solutions into the local living economy. Jonathan, who is a firm believer in the principles of design science and whole systems thinking as advanced by the great thinker Buckminster Fuller, seeks to develop solutions that create a world that works for 100% of humanity in the shortest possible time through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or disadvantage to anyone. 


BRSI Sponsor Profile: 

 

 

Build it Naturally is WNC's premier green building supply store, focusing exclusively on sustainable and non-toxic building materials. This includes flooring, countertops, non-toxic paints, finishes, stains, cabinetry, plywood, tile, insulation, cleaners, adhesives, and more. Build it Naturally keeps high standards in order to maintain integrity and stand out among the rest. Mike Benito, Store Manager, noted, "We strive to offer the most sustainable, durable, and unique items available. We are not exclusively high end. We offer a wide range of design styles for the economic budget as well as premium options. Let us help create your home or business interiors with environmental integrity."

 

Well, how could we resist? BRSI received consultation and bamboo flooring from Build it Naturally to enhance the sustainability of the BRSI office space and to provide a healthier, more productive working environment for the many volunteers, staff and community members who frequent the space.

 

Build it Naturally and Blue Ridge Sustainability Institute create a powerful partnership. Together we have a mission with an effort to help promote, educate, and encourage people to be aware of alternative initiatives and products that create a more sustainable and healthy environment for ourselves and future generations. New technologies and constant innovations make it an important priority for the sustainably conscious community to stay informed. Such a large portion of the green and sustainable living movement is a slow process of educating the public about why the standard is not good enough for our future. Making this information easily accessible to the public will make these necessary changes happen at a faster pace. Please feel free to contact Build it Naturally or Blue Ridge Sustainability Institute to learn how you can make a difference in creating a healthier, more sustainable future.


Thank you Build it Naturally for your continued support of BRSI and sustainability in the region!

BRSI's monthly newsletter Knowledge Into Action  is made possible by a generous donation from the 

James McClure Clarke Fund

 

Thank you for your dedication to sustainability in Western North Carolina!  

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