| Greetings!
I'm glad to share the latest news from the GCA staff and partners!
The Clean/Green team is preparing for our Cap-to-Cap trip in May. We have 20 traveling to Washington DC as part of our mighty team and look forward to a great trip. Registration for the trip is still open, and we would love to have you as part of our team and the delegation overall. (Click to register).
GCA staff has been ramping up for Energy Upgrade California™. I highly recommend checking out the program's web portal, a key piece of the new statewide program. The site provides tools and resources to property owners to help improve their energy and water efficiency, save money, and increase building comfort. For more info contact Jenifer Segar.
Be sure to mark your calendar for the upcoming events in the next few months. The Green California Summit will be a great opportunity for our region, as we'll host clean tech companies and organizations from across the state. Plans for a Clean Energy Sector Strategy Summit are also underway - save the date!
Be well and stay dry,
Julia
|
Local green leaders will receive "Legacy of Leadership" awards
|
| Valley Vision recently announced the 2011 "Legacy of Leadership" award recipients to be honored at May's Legacy Feast Celebration:
Scott Hanson, of Hanson McClain Financial Advisors is the Regional Social Equity Leader of the Year; Meg Arnold, CEO of the Sacramento Area Regional Technology Alliance (SARTA) is the Regional Economic Leader of the Year; and Larry Greene, Executive Director of the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District is the Regional Environmental Sustainability Leader of the Year.
Meg and Larry are key partners of GCA, and all three awardees are invaluable assets to the region through their innovative, collaborative, and boundary crossing leadership. Congratulations to Scott, Meg, Larry - we appreciate your hard work and dedication to the region! For more information about the Legacy Feast Celebration contact Chris Aguirre.
|
Sacramento City-University Partnership Presents in Washington DC
|
| On March 14th, Dean Steven Currall of UC Davis' Graduate School of Management, Dr. Bernadette Halbrook of Sacramento State, and Julia Burrows of Valley Vision/Greenwise represented the Sacramento region at the White House Conference Center. Just two cities - Sacramento and Phoenix - were asked to
 | |
Dean Currall, Julia Burrows, and the University of Arizona group
|
speak about how cities and universities can collaborate to promote urban sustainability. More than ten federal agencies were represented in the meeting which included formal presentations and Q&A time.
The participants have since learned that the meeting was reported to the President - with our institutions mentioned by name - by John Holdren, Director of the White House Science and Technology Policy. Valley Vision Managing Partner Julia Burrows is also following up with staff from the Council on Environmental Quality at the White House regarding the green schools initiatives in the region.
|
Sacramento among top in nation for Energy Star buildings
|
|
Sacramento ranks 8th among the U.S. cities in its number of Energy Star certified buildings, according to a recent announcement by  the EPA. This is the first time Sacramento has achieved a spot in the top ten, ranking 16th and 21st in the past two years. On a per capita basis Sacramento places even higher, ranking in 3rd among the top ten cities. The EPA reports the 168 Energy Star-labeled buildings in Sacramento save $19.1 million and enough electricity to power 6,900 homes. |
Another successful year for SMUD's Mow Down
|
| SMUD's annual Mow Down event takes place on Saturday at Sacramento State, but the reservations for lawn mower  trade-ins are already full. Since 1997, the program has exchanged 13,000 conventional gas mowers for cordless electric mowers, in an effort to improve local air quality. The program subsidizes the environmentally friendly mowers, with prices starting at $149 when the old mower is exchanged. This year nearly 1,600 people have registered. Some no-shows are expected, so you still have a chance to participate.
|
| UPCOMING EVENTS | Tonight! Sacramento Sustainability Forum
Date and Time: Thursday March 24, 6:30 PM
Location: SMUD Auditorium, 6201 S Street, Sacramento
Focus: This month's forum will focus on Nature & Consciousness. SSF is a monthly forum for connecting businesses, non-profits, government and interested citizens to promote sustainability, share insights and resources, and support movement toward a more sustainable future.
Register: Free to attend. Visit website to register & for more info.
SARTA's 2011 Tech Index Luncheon
Date and Time: Friday, March 25th, 10:30AM- 1:30PM
Location: Hyatt Regency, 1209 L Street, Sacramento
Focus: Speakers include Apple Computer Co-Founder Steve Wozniak, and CEOs at three Tech Index companies who will provide their unique perspectives on their companies' successes in our regional technology sector.
Registration: Tickets are going fast - Register today!
Cleaner Air Partnership Quarterly Luncheon
Date and Time: Thursday, March 31st, 11:30AM - 1:30PM
Location: Roseville Utility Exploration Center, 1501 Pleasant Grove Blvd, Roseville
Focus: Extracting fuel from organic materials and waste has great potential to reduce air pollution while promoting job creation and economic growth. The Cleaner Air Partnership's luncheon will feature speakers on Bioenergy: Brett Storey, Placer County; Gary Simon, CleanStart Program; Susan Brown, California Energy Commission. Registration: There is no charge to attend. Register today!
State of Regional Transit Breakfast
Date and Time: Friday, April 1st, 7:30 - 9:30AM Location: Sheraton Grand, 1230 J Street, Sacramento Focus:Awards for transit excellence will be presented to selected nominees that have made a significant and positive impact to public transit in the Sacramento region. Hosted by Sacramento Metro Chamber and the Sacramento Regional Transit District.
Tickets: $45; Register online.
Sacramento Green Drinks
Date and Time: Thursday, April 7th, 6:00 - 8:00 PM Location: TBDFocus: A casual monthly get together for professionals in the green or clean tech sector.
 Green California Summit and ExpoDate and Time: April 18-20th, 8:30AM - 5:30 PM Location: Sacramento Convention Center Focus: This annual statewide summit will highlight innovations in policy, practice, and technology that can support green growth. April 18 is a pre-Summit day with in-depth workshops and other special events. April 19 & 20 will feature keynote speakers, education sessions, and the expo showcase. Tickets: Registration required. Keynote speakers and expo are free to attend, but still require registration. Legacy Feast Celebration
Date and Time: Thursday, May 19th, 6:00 - 9:00 PM Location: California Museum for Women, History, and the Arts, 1020 O Street, Sacramento Focus: Valley Vision's annual event honors three deserving regional leaders during a fun and creative award ceremony, followed by a night of local food and wine. This is an event you don't want to miss! Tickets: To purchase a table contact Chris Aguirre. SAVE THE DATE! Clean Energy Sector Strategy SummitDate and Time: Thursday, June 9th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM Location: Sacramento State Alumni Center
Focus: The summit will include the presentation of the 12-month tactical plan for the region funded by the Regional Innovation Clusters of Opportunities Grant. Keynote speakers and more details to come! |
|
