Sustainability Blog
Our blog focuses on innovation and real stories of businesses, community organizations, local governments and devoted citizens doing their part to enhance San Diego’s quality of life. We also highlight new research and emerging sustainability trends from around the globe, and engage you in the issues of the day.
Equinox Center Volunteer Kyle Klinger’s report from RETECH, 2010
RETECH 2010 took place Feb 3-5, 2010 in Washington, D.C. and was a who’s who of those highly involved in revolutionizing energy as we have known it. The conference was organized by the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) and provided a platform for over 250 industry-leading speakers to share their knowledge and insights with attendees on each of the key technologies (wind, solar, hydro, ocean, geothermal, and biomass/ biofuels/ waste energy), plus cross-cutting sessions on markets, finance and policy. Attendees included industry, government, scientific, and policy leaders to help lay the foundation for the transformation of America that will increase energy security, combat climate change, and provide economic growth and jobs.
Renewable Energy (RE) is being compared to the Information Technology boom that surrounded the internet. As Carol Browner, Advisor to President Obama for Climate and Energy, explained in her speech at RETECH, “This is our generation’s shot to the moon” – meaning, the country that leads in clean energy technology will lead the 21st century.
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Property Assessed Clean Energy, or PACE, has taken off like wildfire since the concept was first introduced in Berkeley, Calif.
in October ‘07. PACE allows private property owners to pay for energy
efficiency and renewable energy projects through an addition to their
property tax bill, overcoming the high upfront costs that prevent most
property owners from investing in such retrofits.
PACE financing has the capacity to be transformative: property
owners realize immediate savings on their utility bills with minimal
money down; local green jobs are created through increased demand for
retrofitting goods and services; and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are
dramatically reduced. With America’s building stock responsible for approximately 40 percent of its demand for energy,
these kinds of improvements have the potential to get us significantly
closer to our GHG reduction targets. Recognizing the potential of this
model, Scientific American magazine recently named PACE one of the top 20 ideas that can change the world.
States around the country are recognizing the potential of PACE. Over
the past 18 months, 16 states have adopted legislative changes to allow
municipalities to use property taxes as a vehicle for private property
improvements of this kind. In California, PACE financing can
even be used for water conservation improvements. While many states and
municipalities are just beginning the process of designing their
programs, several cities and counties around the country already
offer PACE financing to their residents, or are well on their way.
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The San Diego Regional Quality of Life Dashboard was initiated in 2009 by the Equinox Center to shine a spotlight on the questions that truly matter to San Diegans: Will our businesses have access to resources such as energy and water so they can continue to provide economic opportunities to all of the region's inhabitants? Do our residents have ample access to natural areas and outdoor recreation opportunities? Does our transportation network allow us to move easily from our homes to jobs, schools and other destinations? Simply, is our quality of life improving?
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As Eleanor Roosevelt said “the future is literally in our hands to mold. But we can’t wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow is now.”
On a daily basis, Equinox Center is asked for the latest on sustainability: What is our water use? Will we have enough energy? How fast is the ocean rising?
However, I am sometimes asked “What do you mean by vibrant communities?”
And I must admit, it is the facet of our work that focuses on community that I find to be the most pressing and the most compelling.
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The 10 University of California campuses expect to save $36
million in annual utility costs after a series of green initiatives
that include replacing 500 energy-intensive computer servers at UC San
Deigo with 270 servers that require about half the electricity.
The server replacement will save the university $680,000 by slashing
energy consumption by 7.9 million kilowatt-hours per year, according to
projections released by the 1,200-acre campus, home to more than 27,000
students.
http://www.ecampusnews.com/news/top-news/?i=62211;_hbguid=2af4c235-07d3-4e57-8cb3-a3f5739bc988&d=top-news
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As part of a dedication to maintain sustainability on campus, San Diego
State’s Associated Students funded the third and last installment of a
124-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array. A ceremony was held last week in
recognition of the changes at the Aztec Aquaplex, which is now
completely run by solar energy.
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Equinox Center Intern, Kari Chan, reviews her visit to the Girl Scout Environmental Sustainability Program and highlights some of their sustainability initiatives.
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The subject of trash is probably not the first topic that comes to mind when you think about the things you’d like to spend your time learning about. I imagine most of us would rather forget or ignore how and where our sometimes smelly waste gets disposed. But the fact is, each of us generates numerous pounds of waste per day (we’ll be telling you exactly how much in our soon-to-be released Dashboard!) that has to be managed, and how we take care of it affects our quality of life in myriad ways.
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Last week Equinox Center co-hosted an on-line discussion forum focused on water supplies and water pricing with the Voice of San Diego, an independent on-line news source. The virtual panel of expert economists from our region posted provocative statements and responded to reader questions and comments, and to each other.
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In partnership with CleanTECH San Diego, the University of
California, San Diego plans to develop and construct a smart grid
system for the San Diego region...
The system will allow homeowners to have better control over when their
appliances are using (purchasing) electricity and will also create new,
green jobs in the region.
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