SRCC GreenUp

The Transportation Issue

 

166 million miles are driven by Bay Area residents each weekday, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's new interactive website, "Vital Signs."

 

In this issue, we will hear from Bonnie DiGrazia, owner of Vanguard Automotive (a certified Bay Area Green Business) on auto maintenance and performance. 

 

We will also hear from Rebecca Woodbury, Management Analyst with the City of San Rafael, on ways to build a successful employee-commute program.  We found that many local employers are creating ways to make their workers' commutes less environmentally impactful.  For example, Autodesk offers discounts on electric vehicles and discounts on hybrid vehicles; monthly vouchers for bike commuters; and pre-tax transit vouchers for those taking public transit.  

 

Lastly, we will learn about planned development of EV charging stations throughout Marin from Dale Miller, President of the Golden Gate Electric Vehicle Association, and Mark van Gorder, Pacific Gas & Electric Company's Government Relations Representative for Marin and Napa. 

 

We anticipate commute programs will continue to flourish with the advent of SMART**(Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit). Last month, President Obama designated $20M to complete construction of SMART's extension to Larkspur. To receive SMART updates, visit Sonoma Marin Train to sign up or "Like" their Facebook Page.

 

Article with footnotes
Congratulations to the 2015 Green Business of the Year Nominees*
  • Agricultural Institute of Marin
  • Batteries Plus Bulbs San Rafael
  • City of San Rafael
  • Department of Cultural and Visitor Services: Marin County Fair
  • EO Products
  • Green River Financial Services
  • Lotus Cuisine of India
  • Marin Clean Energy
  • St. Vincent de Paul Society
  • Smart Receivables
  • SolEd Benefit Corporation
*Winner will be announced at the State of the City / Taste of San Rafael Dinner on March 19 at Peacock Gap
IN THIS ISSUE 

Meet the Ministry of Alternative Commute

 

What Can YOU Do to Lower GHG Emissions?

 

Smart Phone Apps to Try

 

Learn About the Green Committee / Sponsor an Issue

 

Electric Vehicles are Good for Business 

 

Latest Developments from PG&E

 

Green Resources and Announcements

 

SAVE THE DATE!  Wednesday, APRIL 8 

Monthly Networking Mixer at the San Rafael Airport followed by a Green Briefing: High Performance Energy Strategies for Business featuring Marin's Top Energy Experts

   
  Click Here to Learn More
 Today!   
Meet the Ministry of Alternative CommuteMinistry
Rebecca Woodbury, Management Analyst -
 

The City of San Rafael is one of the City's largest employers and its most recent greenhouse gas inventory showed that employee commute is responsible for approximately 26% of the City's total operational emissions. In 2012, the City convened an internal employee committee to develop a program to encourage alternative commuting and decrease single-occupancy vehicle trips among its employees. The committee immediately dubbed itself The Ministry of Alternative Commute and got busy developing a pilot program.

 

Click here to see full article 

 

Click here to visit TAM (Transportation Authority of Marin)

Green Commute Alternatives page

 

What Can YOU Do to  

Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions?vanguard

Bonnie DiGrazia, Owner

Vanguard Automotive Repair 

 

Owning a newer vehicle or even an electric vehicle still requires some attention from the owner.   

 

While government standards have changed requiring vehicles to be lighter in order to produce fewer Greenhouse Gas Emissions, it is still up to us to be responsible by following manufacturers' maintenance requirements.


Studies have shown up to 30% of the difference in miles per gallon (MPG) is due to driving habits alone.
 
Click here to see full article to learn more easy-to-adopt habits to reduce GHG emissions.

Vanguard offers Member-2-Member Discounts to Chamber Members!


   vanguard logo
Smart Phone Apps for Drivers, Ridesharing + Car sharing, Bus, Ferry, Biking and Walking Apps1
  • City Mapper (calculates route and time by various modes of travel)
  • ZipCar
  • Carma
  • Tripda
  • Coride.Co
  • Sidecar Ride
  • Getaround
  • DuetWaze Social GPS, Maps + Traffic (finds most efficient route in real time)
  • Plug Share (electric charging locations) Fuelzee (gas stations + prices)
  • AAA Mobile
  • Lyft
  • Uber
  • Shuddle (rideshare for kids)
  • 511 Transit
  • SF Next Bus
  • SF Bay Ferry Times
  • Map My Ride - GPS Cycling, Riding, Mountain Biking
  • Breeze (pedometer)
  • Moves (physical activity tracking)
  • Download Parkmobile app for iPhone/Android to easily pay for parking in Downtown San Rafael 
     
Learn About the Green Committeegreencommittee

The Green Committee's purpose is to provide useful news and tips on green business practices and promote the Chambers' green businesses. Learn more on the Chamber site.

Monthly meetings - join us in the Chamber conference room, second Wednesdays from 9:30-11:00 am. Contact Committee Chair Chris Yalonis to be added to the Committee Email List or with any questions.  

    

Sponsor an issue of GreenUP! You can reach more than 1,500 Chamber members and influential local business people for as low as $95 per ad. We have a limited number of sponsorship slots, so get in touch with the GreenUP! editor now to reserve your space in the next issue.
 

Electric Vehicles are Good for BusinessEVs 

Dale Miller, President

Golden Gate Electric Vehicles Association

  

The dramatically increasing number of electric cars on the road in Marin is creating new opportunities for Marin businesses. Drivers switch to electric cars because the cars are fun to drive, they want to save money, they want to reduce their carbon footprint, and they like the styling.

  

As long as gas prices are more than 75 cents per gallon, electric vehicles cost less to drive than gas cars. Because EVs don't require oil changes, tune-ups, or smog checks, maintenance costs are much lower than for gas cars. When gas prices were close to $4 per gallon, it was estimated that the cumulative effect of each EV driver spending his or her savings at local businesses contributed nearly $10,000 annually to the Marin economy.

  

Marin businesses can benefit financially both by attracting EV drivers
as customers and by using EVs for their business needs. 

Latest Developments from PG&Epge
Mark van Gorder, Government Relations Representative -
Marin and Napa 
 

PG&E has asked state regulators for permission to build an estimated 25,000 electric vehicle chargers at sites across its service area in Northern and Central California. If approved, this program would be the largest deployment of EV charging stations in the country. The utility expects that the program will take about five years to complete following approval by the California Public Utilities Commission.

  

More than 60,000 plug-in electric vehicles are currently registered in PG&E's service area, which represents more than a fifth of all EVs in

the United States. The Governor's Office has called for 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles in California by 2025 to help meet the state's ambitious goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. To support that plan, industry models suggest that PG&E's service area will need about 100,000 Level 2 chargers in public locations by 2020.


      
  
Green Investing has Sustainable, 
Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) 
 at its core. The science of SRI has been meticulously honed by  
professional investors since 
the early 70's. Individual investors have 
access to this accumulated knowledge 
through mutual funds and  
exchange traded funds -- 
there is no need to spend inordinate amounts of time developing specialized expertise. 
  • Strong Green Fund Performance
  • Fossil Fuel Divestment
  • De-Funding Big Tobacco
  • Sustainable Female Corporate Leadership  

  
Green Resources + AnnouncementsResources
Please see the Chamber Website for a Complete Green Event Listing

Marin School of Environmental Leadership + Strategic Energy Innovations  

Calling all local businesses: seeking internship opportunities for highschool juniors attending the Marin School of Environmental Leadership.  See Google Recruitment form here. Call Emily Quinton, Associate Project Coordinator at 415-507-2242 

  

Green Committee Meeting

2nd Weds of Every Month, 9:30am - 11:00am

SR Chamber Board Room

454-4163

 

Weds, April 8

San Rafael Airport

400 Smith Ranch Road

5:00-7:00 pm - Networking Mixer

6:00 pm - Introductions + Tour of the Airport's Solar Farm

6:30-8:00 pm - Energy Briefing / Q&A

 

Good to Know! Whole Foods Local Producer Loan Program

Whole Foods is providing low-interest loans to help local producers flourish. Additional Details and Application can be found @

   

Renaissance Marin Small Business Program at Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center

Program Orientation Dates and Food Business Incubator Orientation

1115 Third Street

Find details and RSVP

 

Venture Greenhouse 2.0 Accepting Applications!
- Venture Greenhouse recently expanded its business acceleration program to include innovative business models in a variety of market segments, such as clean technology, energy, software, medical, consumer products, transportation and internet. Impact and sustainable strategies will continue to be a strong component of the program.
- Entrepreneurs will receive an intensive 12-month curriculum, expert mentors, access to angel and VC funding sources, discounted professional services, MBA intern teams and executive coaching. The cost is $250 per month per company (one founder) plus a 1% equity stake. 

- Click here Venture Greenhouse for more information

 

Make the Pledge!  National Mayor's Challenge for Water Conservation 

by the Wyland Foundation - April 1-30, 2015