The Daily Tell

When people think of Malibu beaches, images of clear blue water and sunny sand come to mind. Unfortunately this pretty picture is just an imaginary image due to of mass pollution that has left parts of the Santa Monica Bay coast in disrepair. The City of Los Angeles used to treat the bay as a daily dump site, and the region is still slowly recovering from the damages.

Heal the Bay is a grassroots movement that has been working to improve the bay’s coastal environment. It uses research, education, advocacy initiatives and – as its most recent project demonstrates – community action to pursue its mission.

Recently, members of the organization got a helping hand from Cycdor volunteers as they cleaned up 50 pounds of trash at Zuma Beach in Malibu. Together, the Heal the Bay and Cydcor team combed Zuma Beach for plastic, Styrofoam, bottle caps and other debris.

"We are excited to partner with local businesses like Cydcor," said Natalie Burdick, Heal the Bay’s constituent development manager.

Cydcor is a California-based provider of outsourced, face-to-face teams. The 80 volunteers who helped with 2010 Heal the Bay demonstrate Cydcor’s commitment to community philanthropy.

"Their connection to the ocean and commitment to protecting it are important for building greater awareness and generating funds to support our efforts to make Southern California coastal waters and watersheds safe, healthy, and clean," Burdick said.

For their part, Cydcor volunteers felt cleaning Zuma Beach was a particularly meaningful experience because it struck close to home. "I feel very privileged to be part of an organization like Cydcor that has a passion for our environment and places emphasis on giving back to the community," said Austin Waggener, data management leader.

In addition to the Heal the Bay project, Cydcor partners with independent organizations across the country to help them accomplish their goals. Recently, the company donated 27 large boxes of items to American soldiers through the Any Soldier program.

The environmental group Heal the Bay was featured before on The Daily Tell.

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is giving back to the community in California through $1.2 million of grants designed to help dozens of disparate campaigns and nonprofit organizations that serve economically disadvantaged areas.

The endowments, which will aid 54 organizations that are giving back to society in a variety of ways – from battling teen pregnancy, to improving the performing arts – were approved by the foundation’s board this past November and were announced last week.

The foundation awarded a grant to the Bayview Hunters Point Foundation, a nonprofit human services agency, based in San Francisco. It aims to use the $150,000 grant to open a youth center and clinic that offers pregnancy prevention and mental health services.

On another note, two grants were given by the foundation to two music-oriented causes, also based in San Francisco. The Hewlett Foundation gave $100,000 to the EXIT Theatre, for the expansion of its four-venue, 250-seat "theatreplex," which provides constant opportunities for any willing actors and low cost rentals of performance areas to production crews. A $250,000 grant was given to the Music National Service Initiative as well, a national nonprofit with a team of 20 music teachers in four major cities – deemed a "musical Peace Corp" by the organization – to teach music full-time in hospitals, public schools, public schools and parks.

Adding an environmental aspect to the well-rounded set of endowments is a $250,000 grant to the Coalition for Clean Air, of Los Angeles, that will work to lessen the level of air pollution in Los Angeles and the Central Valley.

As the result of other Hewlett Foundation contributions to the RAND Corporation, a study published today revealed striking connections between two different fields: health and the environment. California’s pollution has caused more than $193 million in hospital care from 2005 to 2007, according to the report.

The University of New Hampshire, Durham, and the State of New Hampshire announced Tuesday that they will join forces to spark an initiative to drive green jobs in New Hampshire as a means to boost the state’s economy and reduce its carbon footprint.

The program, dubbed The Green Launching Pad, will aid companies both new and old in their process of shifting to or developing green jobs and adopting energy efficiency. At UNH, research will focus on engineering, energy efficiency and developing sound business models and practices for a green economy.

"We are focused on helping New Hampshire businesses get back to work today and ensuring that we are growing the jobs of the future right here in New Hampshire. This exciting partnership between the state and the University of New Hampshire will allow us to continue to grow new businesses and new jobs," Governor John Lynch said at the Durham campus Tuesday morning.

The program was founded by UNH professor Ross Gittell, Jesse DeVitte, founder and CEO of New Hampshire-based Borealis Ventures, and Richard Ober, vice president of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation.

George Hurtt, natural resources professor at UNH, aided in developing the model.

Every year, the program will solicit submissions and ideas from companies and individuals with ideas for green products, technologies and programs, and award up to $90,000 to those approved.

"This will make it possible for even more companies to create the technologies that will reduce pollution, reduce energy costs and provide new sources of energy," Lynch said.

In 2009, UNH announced a program to cut carbon emissions in half by 2020. The university receives 85 percent of its power for electricity from the methane gas produced at a nearby landfill rather than use purified natural gas, which is both expensive and harmful to the environment.

In 2010, many Americans said that going green was a top resolution for the year, and Environmental Leader said that business owners were taking up pledges to cut energy consumption in offices this year.

Energy-efficient practices in commercial buildings might really help reduce overall consumption; the latest report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that commercial buildings consumed more than 6,500 trillion Btu of energy, with electricity accounting for 55 percent and natural gas 32 percent.

Now, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is lending a hand to environmentally friendly efforts with co-founder Henry Kravis‘ recent announcement that the company will extend its Green Portfolio Program. KKR has even hired Elizabeth Seeger from the Environmental Defense Fund to manage the expansion of the program, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The New York Times reports that the program works by evaluating companies’ performances in five key eco-friendly areas. It monitors greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption, waste generation, use of forest products and chemical use.

KKR claims the program has already eliminated 25,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, and saved participating companies $16.4 million in energy bills. More specifically, it has reduced paper use by more than 3,000 tons for Printmeda, resulted in a 4 percent improvement in fleet efficiency for U.S. Foodservice, and more, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Earlier this week, Henry Kravis said, "The Green Portfolio Program highlights that environmental performance and business performance can go hand-in-hand. We are very excited about the momentum to date and the fact that we have taken this effort global in such a short period of time."

With the expansion of the portfolio program, 20 percent of KKR’s total global portfolio will go green this year.

Sergeant Erich Pfiefer of the Green Police has a very important message to share with sports fans this Super Bowl Sunday. In a commercial to be aired during the game (now available on YouTube), he reminds people they should use one napkin per sandwich. "One equals one," he deadpans in his short shorts as Switchfoot sings a cover of Cheap Trick’s “Dream Police” – with the simple switch of a lyric to “Green Police.”

The Green Police’s humorous delivery has a serious underlying message. "If everyone followed this rule, more than one billion pounds of napkins could be saved from landfills each year," Pfiefer says. Audi’s Green Police campaign is geared to remind Americans that even simple eco-friendly practices can make a big difference in the nation’s conservation efforts.

The campaign is also part of a plan for Audi to show that tree huggers and the auto industry don’t have to be at odds. The Audi A3 TDI was recently named the 2010 Green Car of the Year. The vehicle receives this honor because it boasts fuel efficiency and energy-saving LED running lights while still maintaining the luxuries of a sports car.

"We consider the Green Car of the Year title one of the most important industry accolades," said Johan de Nysschen president of Audi of America. In an effort to promote their green car and general green practices, Audi is sponsoring the Green Police ads to be run at this year’s Super Bowl.

But the Green Police are not merely Audi’s imagined environment patrols – the auto industry leaders may have drawn inspiration from some real-life squads. In New York, a green police squad operates under the State Department of Environmental Conservation. This green police is an eco-task team that surprises city-dwellers with impromptu environmentalist lectures and issues fines in favor of pro-sustainability.

Moreover, the real-life Green Police have a global reach. The Ministry of Environmental Protection in Israel considers the national Green Police to be the main arm of green enforcement and waste deterrence.

Similarly, the UK’s environmental agency set up a Green Police force – complete with bright green jackets – that has the right to demand access to company property, view power meters, and demand bills from business owners who may not know they’re being watched.

No matter where in the world football fans are, they can enjoy the Super Bowl and the hilarious Green Police Audi ads soon to debut. But be careful about grabbing an extra napkin for those Buffalo wings.

The U.S. Department of Labor announced $150 million in grants Wednesday for green jobs training, using money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The Pathways out of Poverty grants will fund training programs designed to help underserved populations realize economic self-sufficiency through employment in the renewable energy or energy-efficiency sectors.

"Green jobs present tremendous opportunities for people who have the core skills and competencies needed in such well-paying and rapidly growing industries as energy efficiency and renewable energy," said Secretary of Energy Hilda L. Solis.

The Labor Department will distribute of 38 grants earmarked for work-readiness, basic skills and occupational skills training; referral and recruitment services; supportive services to help unemployed people overcome barriers to employment; and other services. The training programs will offer certifications, as well as on-the-job training leading to employment.

These new grant come under a larger American Recovery and Reinvestment Act measure passed in February designed to promote employment and energy efficiency. Congress approved a total of $500 million under the Recovery Act to support workforce development programs geared toward careers in the energy efficacy sector.

"These Pathways Out of Poverty grants will help workers in disadvantaged communities gain access to the good, safe and prosperous jobs of the 21st century green economy," said Solis.

Unemployment remains elevated nationwide, even after the economy grew in the last few months of 2009. The unemployment rate stayed unchanged in December at 10 percent after peaking at 10.2 percent in October. Rising fuel costs could help make the employment situation even worse in the coming months as firms continue to cut costs.

Governor Edward G. Rendell of Pennsylvania announced this week that Greek solar panel producer Heliosphera will build a manufacturing facility at the Philadelphia Navy Yard in a partnership that is expected to create 400 new jobs and attract millions of dollars from private investors.

The agreement came after a $49 million offer from the state, coordinated by the governor and funded by various grants and loans. Rendell said the project would support Pennsylvania’s green economy and help establish the state as a leader in solar technology and development.

"This was a very competitive project and Heliosphera’s decision to locate this exciting facility at the Navy Yard speaks volumes about Pennsylvania’s efforts to build a competitive economic climate," said Rendell.

Pennsylvania currently has more than 1,300 solar projects underway that are expected to bring the state’s total solar capacity to almost 60 megawatts once completed, enough power to support 7,200 homes. This will multiply the state’s solar capacity 15 fold within the space of two years.

At his announcement, the governor urged state lawmakers to raise alternative energy standards enacted in 2004 by passing a bill that would increase the share electric companies must obtain from solar energy to 3 percent by 2026, up from 0.5 percent by 2020.

"Solar is the fastest-growing source of electric generation in the world. With this and other solar projects underway across the state, we’re making a statement that we intend to be a leader in that growth," said Rendell.

Rendell was first elected as governor in 2002, and won reelection in 2006. His Going Greener II environmental initiative was passed by Pennsylvania voters in 2005, and called for $625 million in spending for environmental cleanups, open space preservation and alternative energy development.

Energy supplier Constellation Energy agreed to acquire the Criterion wind project in Garrett County, Maryland, in a partnership that could power 23,000 households using renewable energy resources, chief executive, chairman and president Mayo Shattuck announced this week.

Under the partnership, Constellation Energy will develop, construct, own and operate the $140 million, 70-megawatt Criterion wind project, currently owned by Clipper Windpower, and purchase 28 of Clipper’s 2.5-megawatt Liberty wind turbines. The Criterion project gained approval in 2008 from the state of Maryland under wind development laws passed the previous year.

"These projects have the potential to produce high-paying construction jobs while increasing and diversifying energy supply in the state of Maryland," said Mayo Shattuck.

The deal is set to close in the first quarter of 2010, and Constellation Energy expects to begin commercial operation of the wind energy project in the fall of 2010. The nonprofit Old Dominion Electric Cooperative agreed to purchase energy and renewable energy credits produced by the wind power facility.

The wind project is one of several renewable energy projects Constellation Energy is currently pursuing. The company completed a 1-megawatt solar panel project, and built a 300-kilowatt solar system for the Maryland Environmental Service within the last year.

"Constellation Energy remains committed to pursuing clean, green energy generation and conservation projects in Maryland," said Mayo Shattuck.

Constellation Energy Group is an energy supplier based in Baltimore and founded in 1903. It operates 35 power plants in 12 states through the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, its regulated utility in Central Maryland. The company runs traditional fossil fuel and nuclear power plants in addition to renewable energy facilities. Mayo Shattuck became chief executive of the company in 1994.

This year, air pollution from energy plants could cause an estimated 43,300 asthma attacks. It might lead to 1,710 emergency room visits. Worse, it could cause more than 150 deaths. These alarming statistics from the American Wind Energy Association emphasize the need to reduce power plant air pollutants in the United States – a goal that Duke Energy Generation Services is committed to achieve.

Recently, Duke Energy Generation Services launched its Campbell Hill project, using 66 wind turbines to produce electricity to power approximately 30,000 homes in the area annually. With Campbell Hill now on line, Duke Energy has now expanded its wind power in commercial operation to 733 megawatts.

The North Carolina-based energy corporation is committed to reducing energy supply costs and increasing reliability, while reducing environmental impacts, including carbon footprint. Their wind energy initiatives in the past year include a commitment to build a 51 megawatt Kit Carson Windpower Project in Colorado and 200 megawatt Top of the World Windpower Project in Wyoming, as well as starting commercial use of wind power in areas of Pennsylvania and Texas.

Their wind energy initiatives offer a unique benefit to society; in spite of widespread acknowledgement of the dangers of global warming and air pollution, not many energy companies are developing projects that harness wind power.

"There’s a big difference between talking about combating climate change and actually doing something about it," said Wouter van Kempen, president of Duke Energy Generation Services. "By adding 362 megawatts of wind power in just one year, Duke Energy is showing it’s serious about generating electricity from renewable resources."

According to the American Wind Energy Association, development of just 10 percent of the wind potential in the 10 windiest U.S. states would provide more than enough energy to reduce total U.S. emissions of CO2 by almost a third and help contain the spread of asthma and other respiratory diseases aggravated or caused by air pollution.

"Through [these projects], Duke Energy intends to show that renewables can play an even bigger role in our country’s energy future," says van Kempen.

While wind energy projects and other renewable energy initiatives are growing rapidly, one company in Montana has introduced a relatively new concept to wind energy projects – an entirely community-owned wind farm.

National Wind – in partnership with local landowners and Billings, Montana-based Montana Wind Resources – announced Monday the launch of Judith Highlands Energy, Montana’s first utility-scale and community-owned wind farm, likely one of the largest projects of its kind ever to be developed in Montana.

Judith Highlands Energy will develop wind projects of more than 500 megawatts in the central-Montana counties of Judith Basin, Wheatland, Golden Valley, and Fergus, launched through a series of phases – each 100 or more megawatts – over the next five to eight years.

The project currently involves the use of more than 50,000 acres, which the companies said is almost entirely adequate to suit the land requirements of the project’s first phase.

In addition to pursuing sustainable and environmentally friendly sources of energy, the project will also help to improve the local economy, the companies reported.

"Not only will this project help Western States reach their Renewable Portfolio Standards, it also has the likelihood of providing substantial economic benefits to Montana," said Montana Wind Resource CEO Rhyno Stinchfield. "We need more developments like this across the state because community-owned wind projects can add significantly to the local economy."

In fact, according to the Department of Energy’s Wind Powering America Program, 1,000 MW of installed wind capacity in Montana could bring the region $1.2 billion in cumulative economic benefits, reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2.9 million tons, and save more than 1,200 million gallons of water each year.

A recent report from Harvard University found that Montana is the second-best state in the country in terms of wind potential, following Texas.