West Coast Clean Energy Economy: Opportunities for Investment & Accelerated Job Creation

The Pacific Coast Collaborative released a new report, "West Coast Clean Energy Economy: Opportunities for Investment & Accelerated Job Creation."  The report finds that there are several opportunities for accelerated job creation and investment by leveraging the potential of the clean economy through regional collaboration. See the press release as well as two-page and four-page summary sheets for more information.

Long Beach Enterprise Zone Puts Businesses on EZ Street

Businesses can dramatically reduce their California income/franchise taxes by choosing to operate in the Long Beach Enterprise Zone (EZ), which comprises over 70% of the city and includes most of the commercial/ industrial sections of the city. Operating a business in a Long Beach EZ can provide the business owners with hiring credits up to $12,480 per year (pre-overtime) for each “qualified” employee as well as sales/ use tax credits on technology, manufacturing, processing, R&D and pollution control equipment used exclusively in an EZ. For more info go to: http://lbbusinessjournal.com/business-tips/109-long-beach-enterprise-zone-puts-businesses-on-ez-sreet.html

Cities Face Mass Layoffs, Scare Resources in "Post-Redevelopment" Era

Municipalities across California are bracing for a new era of diminished resources as they rapidly disband redevelopment agencies, or RDAs, that were officially dissolved by the state on February 1. The agencies are facing widespread local government layoffs and service cuts… On top of the direct government jobs being lost, there are potentially thousands of indirect job losses from firms and individuals receiving contracts for services from redevelopment agencies. These include architectural firms, real estate appraisers, printers, marketing/public relations/communications companies, graphic designers, artists, research firms and a variety of consultants who conduct surveys and gather data. http://lbbusinessjournal.com/long-beach-business-journal-newswatch/90-12-02-14/360-cities-face-mass-layoffs-scarce-resources-in-post-redevelopment-era.html

Sustainable Small Business Award applications now being accepted

The California Air Resources Board is accepting applications through February 29 for its CoolCalifornia Small Business Awards to recognize small businesses from across the state that demonstrate sustainable business practices and climate leadership. The ARB will recognize winners at a public ceremony in Sacramento this spring and will feature their profiles on the CoolCalifornia.org website. Last year ARB recognized 23 small businesses that took a variety of actions to save money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For more info go to: http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/newsrelease.php?id=278

California's 'Clean Car' Rules Help Remake U.S. Auto Industry

With the passage of strict new auto emission and air pollution standards, California has again demonstrated its role as the U.S.’s environmental pacesetter. In an interview with Yale Environment 360, Mary Nichols, chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board, explains how her state is helping drive a clean-car revolution.
Click here for more info.

Solar Design to Shine in O.C.

The Solar Decathlon, the U.S. Department of Energy's biennial competition to design experimental solar-powered houses, will move from the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to the Orange County Great Park in Irvine in 2013. For more info go to: http://greensource.construction.com/yb/gs/article.aspx?story_id=168779606

UN Panel Hopes for "Ever-Green" Energy Revolution

A high-profile U.N. panel headed by the presidents of Finland and South Africa hopes to spark an "ever-green" energy revolution later this year in Brazil using a general roadmap it presented Monday on how world leaders could wean the world off fossil fuels. Its report links the world body's goals of reducing poverty and inequality to promoting the use of wind, solar and other renewable sources of energy to run the economies of nations rich and poor. http://greensource.construction.com/yb/gs/article.aspx?story_id=168554516

Port cuts its emissions; Ship diesel generators are being replaced by plug-in sites

The fourth phase of a Port of Long Beach pollution reduction program was put into action Monday. The Pier C container shipping terminal is the newest facility to be equipped with shore power, which allows ships to plug into electricity while docked - eliminating emissions from the ship's on-board diesel engines. "The port is now a role model for other ports around the nation - a role model that is proving that by working with its stakeholders, an agency can be a good corporate neighbor while remaining a powerful economic engine," said state Sen. Alan Lowenthal, who was part of a delegation of local officials to unveil the new docking device Monday. http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_19337208

Long Beach and European Water Tech Firms Combine

A Long Beach-based water technology firm has combined with European water technology firm to form a new venture, it was announced on last Wednesday. The combination of APTwater Inc. and Rochem AG unites two of the industry's most advanced water technology companies “to deliver reliable, clean water from some of the most challenging resources in the industry,” according to a statement released by the firms. For more info go to: http://www.lbpost.com/news/staffreports/12744

Investors retain confidence in established electric vehicle players despite small market size

A flurry of high-profile transactions and announcements energized the electric vehicle sector last week, led by a $200 million Series C funding round raised by CA-based EV infrastructure developer, Better Place. The round took the total equity raised by Better Place to more than $750 million since it was founded in 2007. GE and UBS joined a glittering list of existing investors that includes HSBC Group, Morgan Stanley Investment Management and VantagePoint Capital Partners.

In the last week Clean Energy pipeline has tracked:
15 VC/PE deals ($239.2m),
11 M&A deals ($306.7m),
20 Project / Asset Finance deals ($2,601.9m),
4 Public Market deals ($309.0m)

For more info go to: http://www.cleanenergypipeline.com

Long Beach ports serve notice on impending older truck ban

The ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles served notice last November 7th that trucks with engines that date back to 2006 and older will be banned from entry to the respective Southern California cargo complexes’ marine terminals as of January 1, 2012. Consequently, the two ports said in a statement that they will also no longer be assessing a clean truck fee on the older trucks as of the first of the year. The ports said the PortCheck web site at www.pierpass-tmf.org that has functioned as an online payment point for the clean truck fees will remain open through January 1 for payment of billed and accrued fees. PortCheck will refund clean truck fees that were deposited in accounts but not spent, the ports said.

AQMD On the Air - James D. Boyd

James D. Boyd, Commissioner & Vice Chair of the California Energy Commission, discusses reaching the milestone of 50 years of public service and air quality and energy issues. Click link to watch video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzJBQWQf990

Obama Administration Plans for Greener Electronics

With millions of tons of used electronics going to landfills every year, electronic waste, or “e-waste,” is the fastest-growing waste stream in the U.S. When disposed of improperly, it is far more hazardous than most other trash, with toxic heavy metals and flame retardants that can leach into groundwater. A federal interagency task force is attempting to address these issues with a strategy designed to increase the environmental sustainability of the entire life cycle of electronic devices. For more info: http://greensource.construction.com/news/2011/11/111107-Greener-Electronics.asp

SBDC - 10 Tips for Going Green - And Saving Money

Being green is not only a competitive advantage for your business in the marketplace, but can also save you money. Here are 10 eco-friendly tips for cutting your costs.

Jamie Oliver Food Foundation's "Big Rig Teaching Kitchen" Combats Childhood Obesity in Long Beach

Long Beach is the second community that will be visited by the truck over the next year in partnership with The California Endowment’s statewide Building Healthy Communities plan to improve employment opportunities, education, housing, neighborhood safety, unhealthy environmental conditions, access to healthy food, and ultimately create places where children are healthy, safe and ready to learn. The Jamie Oliver Food Foundation’s “Big Rig Teaching Kitchen” makes its second 9-week stop in Long Beach, CA. For more information, please visit jamieoliver.com/foundation/

AQMD On the Air - Randall Lewis

Randall Lewis, Vice President of the Lewis Group of Companies, discusses environmentally sensitive and energy efficient residential and commercial development. Click link to watch video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t5vcaJSwsY

Community Development Forum to Focus on Building Healthy Cities

The Greater Long Beach Leadership Prayer Breakfast, set for October 6 at the Long Beach Hyatt Regency Hotel, will be followed by a complimentary Community Development Forum. The forum, featuring a panel of five, including Long Beach City Manager Pat West, will start at 10:00 am and conclude by noon. Those planning to attend the complimentary forum are asked to register online here.

Fresh & Easy Opens Two More Stores in Long Beach

It just got that much easier to shop at Fresh & Easy in Long Beach, as on Wednesday the grocery chain tripled its citywide presence by opening stores in Downtown and Bixby Knolls.“Fresh & Easy has been a wonderful presence in Long Beach, creating good jobs with comprehensive benefits and bringing fresh food to new neighborhoods,” a Fresh & Easy press release quotes Mayor Bob Foster as saying. For more info, go to: http://www.lbpost.com/life/staffreports/12386

Groundbreaking Set for Alamitos Bay Marina Building Project

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine and City Councilmember Gary DeLong invited the community to a groundbreaking ceremony for the first phase of the Alamitos Bay Marina Rebuild Project on Saturday, September 17 at 11:30 a.m.  The Alamitos Bay Marina was built in the 1950s and 1960s. Its wooden dock and gangway facilities, parking lots, and the restroom buildings have deteriorated and are in need of significant renovation. Concrete docks will replace the deteriorated wooden docks, which will extend their lifespan and lower maintenance costs, while maintaining the Marina's unique character.

Los Angeles County Labor Force Press Release (August 2011) Data

The Employment Development Department (EDD) released the employment and unemployment statistics, available on the EDD Internet site at www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov

Sizing the Clean Economy:
A National and Regional Green Jobs Assessment

The “green” or “clean” or low-carbon economy—defined as the sector of the economy that produces goods and services with an environmental benefit—remains at once a compelling aspiration and an enigma. Read full article here.

LA is the Green Jobs Capital

Los Angeles has more green jobs than any region in the US, and they are expected to double that number the next 30 years. The Californians for Clean Energy and Jobs Network released a report showing that the number of green jobs in LA is likely to reach 433,000 by 2040.  The study also shows that the green job sector has grown three times as fast as the rest of the region’s economy in the last 15 years. It now accounts for about 178,500 out of about 4.5 million workers employed in LA. This is only about 4.5 percent of total private sector employment, but still more than ten times more than those in petroleum and coal products production. The report also shows that green jobs, with their higher skills requirements, pay workers a 50 – 100 percent premium over average jobs. For the full report go to http://www.brookings.edu/metro/clean_jobs_profiles.aspx

California Solar Schools to Save $1.5 Billion

California’s Solar Schools Initiative is expected to save over $1.5 billion in the next 30 years. The California Solar Schools Initiative, in partnership with SunPower, helps K-12 and higher education campuses finance and install solar panels on their buildings. The Initiative also aims to teach students about renewable energy jobs. All solar panels installed in the program have monitoring systems that allows students to collect real-time information on energy usage at their schools. According to SunPower, 90 solar arrays will be installed at schools. Schools in the Sam Ramon Valley Unified School District will be getting almost 80 percent of their power requirements from solar energy with an expected savings of $2 million in energy costs. For more info, visit: http://inhabitat.com/solar-powered-schools-in-california-will-save-the-state-1-5-billion/

One Million School Lunch Trays Recycled

Schools in 11 California school districts have hit the 1 million landmark of recycled lunch trays in the state’s largest volunteer lunch tray recycling effort. According to Long Beach Unified School District, which is participating in the program, recycling an estimated 7 million foam lunch trays a year will save as much as $1 million. Students clean and stack their trays, which are then collected and delivered by P&R Paper to Dart Paper Corporation for reprocessing into items like picture frames and interior moulding. Dart and P&R are heading up the program. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, every school lunch produces about 67 pounds of trash a year, translating to 40,000 pounds of lunch waste a year from an average-sized middle school. For more info, visit: http://www.ecoseed.org/living-green-article-list/article/6-living-green/10121-california-school-cafeterias-recycle-one-million-food-lunch-trays-monthly

Ryder, Coke, GE Among 6 Firms Joining Obama's Green Fleet Program

Six companies that collectively manage nearly 1 million vehicles have joined President Barack Obama's new program aimed at making the nation's largest private fleets more fuel efficient. In joining the National Clean Fleets Partnership, Coca-Cola, Enterprise Holdings, General Electric, Osram Sylvania, Ryder and Staples will identify, test, adopt and share fuel reduction strategies and technologies.

For more info go to: https://www.greenbiz.com/news/2011/07/07/ryder-coke-ge-among-6-firms-joining-obamas-green-fleet-program

General Motors Deal Hints at a Future for Natural-Gas Powered Cars

Natural-gas powered passenger cars may be going mainstream in the US. General Motors signed an agreement with Vancouver-based Westport Innovations Inc. (WPT.TO) to develop natural gas engine controls, emissions and performance strategies.

For more info: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/07/idUS294404799920110707

Free GHG Measuring Tool for Cities and Counties

Assisting California’s local governments to meet their goals of saving energy and addressing climate change is a powerful new tool for measuring greenhouse gas emissions. Developed by ICLEI-Local State Governments for Sustainability USA for the Statewide energy Efficiency Collaborative (SEEC), the new web-based application will be provided at no charge. It will allow local government staff without any prior experience to conduct detailed community-wide GHG inventories. Identifying emissions sources is a main part of creating a climate action plan. SEEC is a new alliance between statewide nonprofit organizations and California’s investor owned utilities.

To access the tool, local government staff can register at http://californiaseec.org/tools-guidance/seec-community-inventory-tool.

A Vision for Clean Energy, Clear Skies, and a Growing Economy in Southern California AQMD On the Air - Powering the Future

AQMD, in partnership with the California Air Resources Board and the Southern California Association of Governments, has released “Powering the Future: A Vision for Clean Energy, Clear Skies, and a Growing Economy in Southern California.” Through this brochure, AQMD and partners are initiating a public dialogue regarding a collaborative approach to transitioning to broad use of clean energy in cars, trucks, factories and other sources.

Click link to watch video:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OomBvk7i4ZU

CAL-ADAPT

Cal-Adapt is an online resource designed to provide a view of how climate change might affect California at the local level. Here you can work with visualization tools, access data, and participate in community sharing to contribute your own knowledge. Click here for more info.

Portman-Shaheen Energy Savings and
Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2011

Bipartisan energy efficiency strategy proposed by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), which contains a broad package of low-cost tools that would reduce barriers for businesses, homeowners and consumers looking to adopt off-the-shelf energy efficiency technologies that will save them money. With a host of mature technologies already in widespread use — such as better insulation, computer-controlled thermostats, and more efficient electric motors — energy efficiency is the cheapest and fastest approach available to improving our nation’s energy infrastructure and our economy’s energy independence. Click here for more info.

Long Beach Unveils 'Bicycle Business District' Program

The city of Long Beach just announced the launch of an experimental two-year pilot program designed to encourage short distance bike trips within the city limits. Funded through the LA County Department of Public Health's RENEW initiative, the Long Beach Bike-Friendly Business Districts program works by isolating four areas of the city--The East Village Arts District, 4th Street Retro Row, Bixby Knolls and Anaheim Street's Cambodia Town--and providing free bicycles and cycling gear for local businesses in those areas--to use, say, for local deliveries, or to run to the post office. In return, these businesses will offer discounts to cyclists every Saturday.

Click here for more info.

Regional Economic Forecast Project, Economics, CSULB

Yearly report on National Economic Outlook, Regional & Housing Forecast, and Long Beach Outlook. Click here for access reports.

Engage 360

The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) introduced Engage 360, a new brand name and web portal for statewide use to increase consumer awareness of and participation in energy-saving activities. For Small Business office and workstation tips to reduce energy check out: engage360.com

Energy Upgrade California

Energy Upgrade California is a one-stop-shop for home improvement projects that lower energy use, conserve water and natural resources, and make homes healthier and more comfortable. To plan upgrade projects, locate participating contractors, and find rebates and incentives, go to https://energyupgradeca.org/overview

Sustainable Infrastructure Project Rating System

ASCE is in the process of rolling out a new sustainability rating system for civil engineering projects. It is called the Sustainable Infrastructure Project Rating System (SIPRS) and it will rate projects on the "triple bottom line" of their environmental, social, economic attributes.

New National Awards Program in the US Recognizing Achievement and Leadership in Responding to Climate Change

The Climate Registry (The Registry), the Pew Center on Global Climate Change (Pew Center) and the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO) announced that they will jointly sponsor a new national awards program with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to recognize exemplary corporate, organizational and individual leadership in response to climate change.