JOIN THE CHAPTER!
USGBC Chapters allow people to join USGBC as individuals.
USGBC National allows corporate members to join at the national
level. Corporate members also join local chapters as individuals to enjoy benefits in their
region.
Joining the local chapter connects you with green building experts in your area to share strategies, resources, best practices, tour projects, networking and more.
How to Join USGBC Redwood Empire Chapter as individual members:
1. Go to www.usgbc.org
2. Click join a Chapter
3. Register with a Log-in
4. Select the Redwood Empire Chapter
5. Select membership type
6. Pay by check or credit card
It's that simple!
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MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Now scheduled at alternating locations in Sonoma County
at Sonoma Mountain
Village in Rohnert Park;
Marin County at Fireman's Fund in Novato;
and
in Napa at the Gasser Foundation
on the 3rd Wednesday
of each month from 5:30-7:30p.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
USGBC-REC
Membership Meeting
Guest speaker: Leslie Sheridan of Planet Cents
Wednesday, Aug 18
5:30-7:30 pm
Gasser Foundation
North Entrance
Napa, CA
Build it Green
Green Home Retrofitting and Remodeling
Tuesday & Wednesday
Aug 24 - 25
Santa Rosa, CA
Build it Green
Green Building
Professional Training
Tuesday & Wednesday, Aug 31-Sept 1
San Rafael, CA
USGBC-REC
Membership Meeting
Wednesday, Sept 15
5:30-7:30pm
Fireman's Fund
Novato, CA
Sonoma County Fall
Home Show
Chapter Booth
Friday-Sunday, Sept 17-19
So. Co. Fairgrounds
Santa Rosa, CA
USGBC-REC
Educational Event
Tuesday, Sept 21
Best Practices
Email Marketing
AM session 10am--noon
PM session 1-3pm
Redwood Credit Union
Santa Rosa, CA
West Coast Green
Thursday-Saturday
Sept 30-Oct 2
Fort Mason Center
San Francisco, CA
USGBC-REC
Membership Meeting
Wednesday, Oct 20
5:30-7:30pm
Sonoma Mountain Village
Rohnert Park, CA
USGBC-REC
Educational Event
Tuesday, Oct 20
Best Practices
Sustainable Landscape
AM session 10am--noon
PM session 1-3pm
Fireman's Fund
Novato, CA
Leadership in
Sustainability Awards Dinner
Saturday, Nov 13
Friedman Center
Santa Rosa, CA
USGBC-REC
Membership Meeting
Wednesday, Nov 17
5:30-7:30 pm
Gasser Foundation
Napa, CA
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This newsletter is published quarterly.
If you have news, suggestions or items to share please contact us.
Contact information:
info@usgbc-rec.org
1300 Valley House Drive,
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
707-664-6250
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Sign up to receive this newsletter directly.
Join Our Mailing List!
We maintain a private mailing list within the Chapter.
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The Redwood Empire Chapter has long understood how the environmental and sustainable movement can
revitalize and energize our economy and culture. As the leading voice in education, advocacy and the
transformation to sustainability, the Chapter provides networking, educational classes, and activities
throughout the Redwood Empire Region of Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino, Del Norte and Humboldt
Counties. |
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Sonoma County Takes Action
USGBC-REC President
Prudence Ferreira  |
The County of Sonoma took bold action to ensure the survival of the local innovative energy efficiency program and filed suit in federal court on July 26th against Fannie Mae,Freddie Mac, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The federal court action is an effort to reverse recent federal regulatory actions which have jeopardized the future of the groundbreaking Sonoma County Energy Independence Program known as SCEIP. In the meantime, the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors decided to keep SCEIP open for business despite pressure from the FHFA.SCEIP is the nation's largest property assessed clean energy program and, to date, has helped over 1,044 property owners fund energy and water efficiency improvements on their homes and businesses through property assessments.As the USGBC chapter representing Northern California, the Redwood Empire Chapter hosts valuable networking events and sponsors relevant best practice educational events and education to benefit members and the community. A volunteer team of dedicated board and committee members works on behalf of the Chapter. If you are interested in joining this great group of professionals in Advocacy, Education, Emerging Green Professionals, Events, Marketing, Membership or Sponsorship, please contact our Chapter Coordinator, Kari Danskin. She'll forward it along to the appropriate committee. Please join us at monthly membership meetings featuring dynamic speakers and interesting topics to learn first-hand about the Chapter and its members. Members meeting cost is $10 which helps support the goals, mission and services provided by the non-profit USGBC-Redwood Empire Chapter. Networking, refreshments, wine and beverages are served. Consider inviting a first-time guest to join in, at no charge!See you soon at a Chapter Event! |
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Chapters and Branches
USGBC-REC Vice-President
Bob Massaro  |
The USGBC is organized throughout the United States into
regional chapters. A chapter ties together geographic areas.
California, the largest state in the U.S. by population has the most chapters
with eight spread throughout the state. After many years of expansion via
chapters, the USGBC has decided that it will no longer certify new chapters.
The real opportunity for growth and development lies with the creation of
branches. A chapter can have as many branches as their board members deem
suitable. The Redwood Empire Chapter is the most northern chapter and its board
has established the goal of having one branch in each of its seven counties.
The REC Chapter serves Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Lake, Mendocino,
Del Norte and Humboldt counties. The first Redwood Empire Chapter Branch was recently established in Napa County. Please join us as we host this month's Membership Meeting in Napa on August 18th!
Chapter branches provide a wonderful opportunity for localized networking,
support, collaboration, and yes, camaraderie. What does it take to start one?
Dedicated leaders and people all interested in actively participating and
supporting the branch. The networking and community connections created provide
invaluable local benefits.
The Redwood Empire Chapter has six additional opportunities to create new branches. If you are interested in starting a branch in Sonoma, Marin, Lake,
Humboldt, Mendocino or Del Norte Counties, please contact our Chapter
Coordinator by phone at (707) 664-6250 or by email at info@usgbc-rec.org.
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Home Star
Helping our Economy
by Tony Watson
USGBC-REC
Have you heard about the HOME STAR Program? HOME STAR is proposed new legislation to create jobs in existing industries by providing strong short-term incentives for energy efficiency improvements in residential buildings. The program will move quickly, with a minimum of red tape, and will act as a bridge to long-term market development of existing industries. This initiative establishes a $6 billion rebate program to encourage immediate investment in energy-efficient appliances, building mechanical systems and insulation, and whole-home energy efficiency retrofits. HOME STAR will rapidly create jobs in both construction and manufacturing, while saving families money on their energy bills. It will build on current state programs and existing industry capacity for performing both retrofits and quality assurance, using federal standards and incentives as a common platform to lower program costs and increase consumer awareness. The proposed
legislation would give homeowners rebates for energy efficiency retrofits.
HOME STAR would create about 168,000 jobs, help homeowners save money and lead
us down a path toward energy independence. The bill would also be a big boost to many companies currently struggling to maintain jobs in the construction trade industry.Learn more about the HOME STAR Coalition and join the more than 2,600 companies signed in support of the legislation. To read the full legislation, click here. |
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Striving for Sustainability
by Lorraine Alexander
USGBC-REC Education Chair
We watch the daily news and sorrowfully listen to the gloomy details of the
worst environmental disaster in history, the Gulf oil leak. We take notice of
reports related to health risks and dangers associated with lead paint, and the
new EPA law requiring contractor certification for safe handling of this toxic
contaminant. We witness continuous change in building codes, as cities raise
the bar for higher standards in indoor air quality, energy savings, and water
conservation. We see media attention on many sustainable issues, ultimately
giving us a deeper and richer understanding of the choices we make and how it
affects our global health.
The past few decades have brought accelerated growth and a rapid need for
building, causing swift movement and hasty decisions in our built environment.
In our haste, we have contributed to hazardous and unhealthy choices.
With this adverse reality comes hope. More than three decades ago the green
movement was well underway; finally our awareness now begins. A long awaited
turning point has arrived with the opportunity to craft positive future. We now
understand the dire need to change the way we build. We recognize the
consequences of poor choices and the need for thoughtful design, new improved
systems, and sustainable materials for our buildings. Gradually, we have
learned that we are all part of one huge ecosystem, the planet earth.
The global environmental movement, ridiculed by many for years, has now morphed
into mainstream. Famous movie stars, politicians, and the media have pushed the
green scene smack into the limelight. It's now cool, hip, healthy, and simply
smart to go green.
Read the full article here |
US Green Building Council Redwood Empire members consist of leaders in regenerating
and sustaining healthy buildings and communities.
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