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In This Issue:
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Help Ecology Action continue to provide innovative programs that benefit our environment by making a tax deductible donation now!
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Ecology Action Launches CasinoGreen Tribal Resort Energy Efficiency Program
- Gene Thomas, Technical & Administrative Manager, Energy Group
Ecology Action is excited to announce our newest energy efficiency program, CasinoGreen. Funded at $3.7M and implemented by Ecology Action in partnership with Nexant, CasinoGreen will work with 30 Native American-owned tribal casino resorts in PG&E's service area throughout California. CasinoGreen provides a complete package of multi-measure energy efficiency retrofits for these facilities while also offering design assistance, pre-qualified installation and quality control services, and $1.4M of direct incentives to offset customer costs. Most major building systems are eligible for subsidized retrofits and upgrades.
Until now, the Tribal Resort market has remained largely untouched by traditional publicly-funded energy efficiency programs. Why? In contrast with mainstream commercial businesses in major metropolitan areas, tribal casino customers have been considered “hard to reach” in the past due to cultural and geographic barriers. While we can’t change geography, Ecology Action’s research and outreach to the Tribal community thus far has showed us that Tribal communities have prominent motivations that are in harmony with energy efficiency casino projects. While Tribes view their primary involvement in the casino industry as a way to benefit the youth and the elders of the community, we also found that Tribes want to honor their tradition of protecting natural resources by reducing their environmental impact through efficiency measures. A focused, culturally sensitive approach at each facility will allow CasinoGreen to achieve significant energy savings while implementing a program that is also in line with Tribal values.
While most Tribal Casinos have already performed some energy retrofits, nearly all are still in need of comprehensive multi-measure upgrades. For example, Casinos tend to add facilities and infrastructure as they grow, resulting in heating and cooling systems manufactured at different times, which are unable to be synchronized for maximum efficiency. As Casinos tend to be in more drastic climates (hot in the summer and cold in the winter), the ability to control these systems to maximize efficiency at all times will result in tremendous energy savings. A systematic upgrade such as this, commonly called retrocomissioning, is just one example of a CasinoGreen efficiency measure. CasinoGreen will also help resort properties realize energy savings through comprehensive lighting, refrigeration, food service, motors, hot water, natural gas and HVAC measures.
For more information, please contact Michelle Morales, CasinoGreen Program Manager: 831-426-5925 ext. 106 or email Michelle now. |
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New Leaf to host Earth Day 2010 Community Day March 25th
Shop at New Leaf on March 25th and 5% of your bill will go towards Earth Day Santa Cruz!
- Anna Hirst, Communications Coordinator
Once again the County of Santa Cruz, the City of Santa Cruz, Ecology Action, Save Our Shores, local non-profits, and concerned citizens are working together to make Earth Day 2010 the premier environmental event for the greater Santa Cruz community, with educational information, activities for kids, live music and a focus on green businesses.
Help us raise funds for this amazing effort by shopping at New Leaf stores in Capitola, Downtown and on the Westside on March 25th. Earth Day volunteers will be on hand to answer your Earth Day questions and tell you how you can get involved.
Earth Day 2010 will take place on April 17th from 11am to 4pm rain or shine in the San Lorenzo Park and Benchlands behind the County building. Come join us for this fun-filled celebration!
For more information and a full schedule of Earth Day 2010 events, please visit www.ecocruz.org.
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Save the Date: BIKE WEEK 2010 is May 9th -16th
Grease your chains and spread the word!
- Nick Mucha, Program Specialist, Transportation Group
Ecology Action is proud to host the 23rd Annual Santa Cruz County Bike Week. The 2010 Spring Bike to Work/School Day events are expected to attract over 5,000 participants!
US Census American Community Survey Data shows a 132% increase in bicycle commute to work trips in the City of Santa Cruz and a 65% increase overall in Santa Cruz County from 2000 to 2008. The City of Santa Cruz has some of the highest bicycle to work commuter percentages in the country. Let’s keep it growing!
Sharing the calendar with the Amgen Tour of California, Stage 3 Finish in Santa Cruz will draw record levels of participation. On Saturday May 15th, Ecology Action will partner with the local organizers of the Amgen Tour on the annual Rail/Trail Day which allows participants to take the Roaring Railroad train to Felton and enjoy a CHP escorted ride down scenic HWY 9.
Bike to Work/School Day is taking place on Thursday, May 13th. Free breakfast for all participants! Check www.bike2work.com for free breakfast locations, details and updates.
Bike to Work is now on Facebook! Connect with the cause via Facebook: Bike2Work Santa Cruz
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Local Desalination and Alternatives: Attend the Forum!
- Kirsten Liske, Vice President, Pollution Prevention / Zero Waste Group
The public is invited to attend a community forum co-sponsored by Ecology Action and numerous other community groups entitled “Desalination and the Alternatives: It’s Up to the Community,” on Thursday, March 18, at 6:15p.m., at Live Oak Elementary School, 1916 Capitola Rd in Santa Cruz. Attendees will learn about the desalination plant planned by the Santa Cruz Water Department and Soquel Creek Water District and explore alternatives to desalination. Current local water plans include a desalination plant as an element to serve Santa Cruz and Live Oak residents in dry years, and Soquel District customers in all other years.
Moderated by former Assemblymember John Laird, panelists will include Debbie Cook, former Mayor of Huntington Beach and Board President of Post Carbon Institute; Bill Kocher, Director, of Santa Cruz Water Dept.; Heather Cooley of Pacific Institute and author of Desalination, With a Grain of Salt; and Rick Longinotti, author of Alternatives to Desalination.
Attendees will be polled on their opinions regarding water supply options. For more information, contact Rick Longinotti of Transitions Santa Cruz at longinotti@baymoon.com or (831) 425-0341. Or visit http://transitionsc.org/ |
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Ecology Action's LodgingSavers Program Helps The InterContinental Hotel San Francisco Achieve LEED Certification
- Darren Nix, Program Manager, Energy Group
The InterContinental Hotel, San Francisco has recently achieved their goal of becoming the first Five-Star luxury hotel in San Francisco that is Gold LEED certified by implementing a large scale lighting retrofit and two retrocommissioning projects with the help of the Ecology Action's LodgingSavers Program.
LodgingSavers Energy Efficiency Specialists worked with the InterContinental Hotel for a large-scale lighting retrofit as well as an assessment of their building automation system. It was found that their HVAC system, which was relat ively new, could benefit immensely from the optimization and calibration of various sensors and controls as well as the installation of a new waterside economizer. This resulted in not only the enhanced controllability of the system, but better performance, guest comfort and substantial energy savings. Because of the implementation of these energy saving measures, the InterContinental San Francisco Hotel reduced its energy consumption by 763,215 kWh—an estimated annual savings of $94,000 with LodgingSavers rebates totaling $61,056.
Ecology Action's LodgingSaver Program delivers multi-measure comprehensive retrofits and retrocommissioning to lodging facilities in PG&E’s service area. For more information about the LodgingSavers Program, please visit www.lodgingsavers.org |
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Sentinel Groundbreaking Ceremony, March 19th
- Anna Hirst, Communications Coordinator
Ecology Action, along with our partners Cruzio and developer Joe Appenrodt, are thoroughly excited to announce that we have finally found a new home in downtown Santa Cruz. Work begins in March of 2010 to renovate the iconic Sentinel Building into a high tech, green mecca for Santa Cruz, affectionately known as the New Sentinel Building.
Please join us at a kick-off ceremony for the transformation of the Sentinel Building from Santa Cruz County’s historical hub of information to a green, high-tech building featuring LEED certification, ultra high-speed fiber Internet, onsite parking and more.
Friday, March 19 at 10:30am
207 Church Street
Downtown Santa Cruz
For more information about the new building, including space available, visit http://newsentinelbuilding.com/.
Please consider using alternative transportation to get to this event.
Bike, Walk, or ride the Bus (visit http://www.scmtd.com/ for bus schedules and routes).
Should you need to drive, please park in the lot adjacent to the Santa Cruz County Library.
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Land Trust Santa Cruz to Host Conservation Blueprint Forums
- Kirsten Liske, Vice President, Pollution Prevention / Zero Waste Group
What lands will we protect for future generations? What are our most important local conservation priorities? Ecology Action encourages you to participate in the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County's Blueprint process, which will combine comprehensive scientific analysis with extensive community input to identify the highest priorities for conservation in the county. Share your ideas about how we can work together to protect our county's quality of life and maintain our precious land, water and wildlife at four Community Forums around the County in April and May.
You can find out more about the Conservation Blueprint process and forums at www.conservesantacruz.org or call the Land Trust at (831) 429-6116.
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