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Events: National TeleSalons
All telesalons, listed in reverse chronological order. Listings updated with presentation slides where applicable. Addressing the Clean Water Challenge: Policy, Innovation...and Brewers (National Webinar) TeleSalonWednesday, May 8, 2013 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Webinar Replay Speaker Presentations: Karen Hobbs' PPT Cheri Chastain's PPT Matthew Nordan's PPT Water is essential for life itself and so much more, including many forms of business activity. While there is still plenty of fresh water in the world, it isn’t necessarily located where the demand is. California and the Colorado River Basin already face serious water supply challenges, exacerbated by climate change, deteriorating infrastructure and pollution. And more broadly, urbanization and conflicts between competing demands are putting pressure on water supplies. Please join us to learn how policy, innovation and business allies are coming together to address our water challenges. Matthew Nordan, vice president of Venrock, will frame the water resource situation and discuss the opportunities and challenges of accelerating water innovation and technology. Karen Hobbs, NRDC senior policy analyst, will introduce NRDC’s “Brewers for Clean Water” campaign which launched last month with 24 craft brewers from around the country to speak up for the importance of clean water and the Clean Water Act. Cheri Chastain, sustainability coordinator at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., will speak about her company’s initiatives to improve water use and engage in policy outreach on water issues. Game Changer: How the Sports Industry is Saving the Environment (National) TeleSalonWednesday, April 10, 2013 (2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Eastern)Webinar Replay PPT slides from: Allen Hershkowitz Scott Jenkins Jennifer Regan Mike Richter Few sectors are as culturally and economically influential as the $425 billion U.S. sports industry. All industries meet on a football field, hockey rink or basketball court as suppliers, sponsors and/or partners of sports. The world’s largest industries pay millions of dollars to affiliate with sports because they know that sport is hugely influential on the culture of the marketplace and society at large. Today the sports greening movement holds the potential to become one of the most influential collaborations in the history of the environmental movement. Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, Senior Scientist & Director of the NRDC Sports Project, will introduce how NRDC has become the leading environmental advisor to all major professional sports leagues, reaching millions of fans and hundreds of businesses about the importance of environmental stewardship. Scott Jenkins, Vice President of Ballpark Operations for the Seattle Mariners, will provide insight into implementing environmentally preferable practices at two of the nation's leading green stadiums -- Safeco Field and Lincoln Financial Field. Jennifer Regan, Global Sustainability Director for AEG, will discuss the impact AEG's leading environmental work is having across the sports industry, from the operations to the supply chain of some of the world's leading venues. Michael Richter, former NY Rangers goalie and now a partner with Environment Capital Partners, will share his perspective on working with stadiums, teams, athletes and fans on sustainable environmental solutions. Contact yli@nrdc.org with any questions. State of the States: Financing Clean Energy (National) TeleSalonWednesday, March 6, 2013 (4:00 PM - 5:00 PM Eastern)Webinar Replay, click here (Due to technical issues, the beginning of the call was not recorded) Dan Adler PPT Ken Berlin PPT Before clean energy can emerge at a truly competitive scale, the industry has one more hill to climb: financing. And, just as action at the State level has been a major driver of clean energy over the past decade, States are again playing a leading role in the development of ‘green banks’ and market-oriented initiatives that can make financing for clean energy and energy efficiency more efficient, more accessible and less expensive. At the March E2 Telesalon, join our panel of experts to get their unique insight into these trends: Richard Kauffman is the Chairman of Energy Policy and Finance for the State of New York and former Senior Advisor to Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu. Ken Berlin, Executive Vice President of the Coalition for Green Capital, helped Connecticut establish the first green bank. Dan Adler, President of CalCEF (and E2 member), is focusing attention on California’s own approach to ‘green banking’ and planning for investment of hundreds of millions of dollars of Carbon Auction proceeds under AB32. Invitations have been sent. Contact yli@nrdc.org with questions State of The Union: What's Next? (National Webinar) TeleSalonWednesday, February 13, 2013 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Webinar Replay - click here On Tuesday, Feb. 12, President Obama will deliver his State of the Union address, which is expected to touch on climate change, clean energy and other priorities of interest to E2 and its members. On Wednesday, Feb. 13, E2 members will have an exclusive and unique opportunity to hear directly from two top White House officials about what happens next with the President’s environment and energy priorities. Please join us in a conversation with Jon Powers, Federal Environmental Executive, and Rohan Patel, Associate Director for Public Engagement at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. This E2 webinar will be moderated by E2 communications director Bob Keefe, a former White House and Congressional reporter. Invitation has been sent. After The Storm: With Mayor Cory Booker of Newark, NJ (National) TeleSalonWednesday, January 9, 2013 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Webinar Replay Invitations have been sent.Dan Miller's PPT slides Dan Lashof's PPT slides Hurricane Sandy confronted the nation with the reality of climate change, proving beyond denial that Americans are not defended against rising seas, breached levees and the devastation of our basic systems. And Sandy was only the latest in a series of extreme weather events this year, including a drought that desiccated farm land throughout the nation’s breadbasket and reduced the flow of the Mississippi River to unnavigable shallows. In the face of enormous damage and mounting costs, will our leaders act aggressively to address climate change, and what are our policy options? Join us for a front line account of managing the hurricane response in the most heavily impacted state on the eastern seaboard. Mayor Cory Booker will talk to us about the challenges of devising policy responses to climate change in Newark, NJ, while continuing to grapple with the city’s economic challenges, and the imperative for state and federal action. E2 member Dan Miller, working with climate scientists including James Hanson, will describe the latest scientific projections on the severity and rate of climate alterations, and outline one policy response which would require Congressional action. The Director of NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air Program, Dan Lashof, will present a plan to curb carbon emissions from the largest U.S. emitters without having to go through Congress. Please join us for this program that will frame E2’s advocacy work for 2013. E2 Live Post-Election Panel: What Next for Energy and Environmental Policy? TeleSalonTuesday, November 13, 2012 (12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Eastern)As part of the E2 Washington Forum on November 13, we are hosting a live webinar discussion with three leading analysts of American politics to examine what the election outcomes mean for energy and environmental policy. Did the voters provide a signal on energy and climate? How will energy issues play into the deficit debate? Panelists include: William Galston, senior fellow at Brookings Institution and former policy advisor to President Clinton Chris Frates, correspondent for National Journal, covering the intersection between money, politics and policy Steven Mufson, reporter for the Washington Post, covering energy and other financial news
Congressional Gridlock: Facing the Fiscal Cliff (National) TeleSalonTuesday, October 16, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Webinar Replay Blog Post - It's A Slope, Not Cliff A Closer Look at Ryan's 'Sequestration' Proposal The big debate post-elections will be around the deficit, and whether Congress can come to agreement to avoid the "fiscal cliff" created by across-the-board program cuts (sequestration) slated to take effect on January 1. How does sequestration work? What is the impact on defense and non-defense budgets? What is the risk of "going over the cliff"? What are the pathways to avoid that result? What are the implications for areas of E2 policy focus: clean energy incentives, DoD energy initiatives, EPA regulation of clean air/clean water, national oceans policy? On the October 16 webinar, you will hear from experts at the independent Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, and at American University, who will put sequestration in context and offer their outlook on the 'fiscal cliff' and implications for the 2013 budget debate. For background on sequestration from CBPP, click on these links: Sequestration Basics, Misguided Fiscal Cliff Fears, First Round of Deficit Reduction Is Already Law Kicking the Oil Habit: Biofuels and the Department of Defense (National) TeleSalonWednesday, September 12, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Playback of the Webinar (click here)
Join E2 for our September webinar to hear three expert viewpoints on the biofuels/defense nexus – with perspectives from the military, Congress and the biofuels industry – and to hear about E2’s ongoing media and advocacy campaign to defend military biofuels initiatives. The U.S. is critically vulnerable to supply disruptions and price spikes in the global oil market. Increased domestic production cannot rescue us from this liability. Our addiction to oil is warping our domestic agenda and dictating our foreign policies and military engagements. The only way out is to develop alternatives to oil. As the world’s largest consumer of energy, the U.S. Department of Defense is moving aggressively to address this vulnerability and diversify energy supplies by shifting away from oil toward domestic and sustainably produced advanced biofuels. The military’s commitment to the development of these fuels, as both an investor and a significant customer, is critical to the nascent biofuels industry. Yet, despite the national security imperative to develop alternatives to oil, some members in Congress have risen up in opposition to the military’s alternative fuels initiatives. Invitations have been sent. Contact Ying Li (yli@nrdc.org) with any questions. It Happened in Rio: The Crowd Leads While Governments Follow TeleSalonThursday, July 12, 2012 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)Rio+20, the global environmental conference in Brazil last month, has been called “a failure of epic proportions” and “nothing more than a political charade” – but that is wrong. While the pace of international climate and sustainable development negotiations can seem frustratingly slow, local and sub-national governments and businesses around the world are taking action. In addition to the 50,000 people present in Rio, hundreds of thousands more participated virtually to make their voices heard. Countries, communities and companies worldwide announced hundreds of individual commitments to instigate real change on climate, oceans, and cities - regardless of any United Nations document. NRDC President Frances Beinecke reported on this in an op-ed in the New York Times last week. Join us for a first-hand account of the global groundswell for action from The Climate Registry and E2 members who were there. Speakers will include:
Extreme Weather: The Worst Case Scenario Is More Likely Than You Think (National) TeleSalonWednesday, June 6, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Webinar Replay, click here (Due to technical problems during the call, only the second half of the webinar was recorded.) Dr. Jim Hansen's slides Dr. Drew Westen's slides According to Dr. James Hansen -- renowned climate scientist and advocate for action on climate change -- the probability of extreme heat waves has increased by about 4000% in the last 50 years, far outstripping the range of natural weather fluctuations. As a result, extreme heat waves like those in Texas in 2011 and Moscow in 2010 can now be said to be 'caused' by global warming, and weather events of increasing intensity are becoming the norm. Yet despite growing costs resulting from these events, the political will to address global warming is still lacking. Join us for this webinar to hear from Jim Hansen; Drew Westen, researcher in political decision making and climate change communications; and Dan Lashof, Director of NRDC's Climate and Clean Air Program, as they discuss extreme weather, public perception, and the prospects for effective policy to address climate change. A Tale of Two Cities: Innovating to Reach Net Zero Waste TeleSalonWednesday, April 4, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Link to Webinar Replay: https://e2.webex.com/e2/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=106075602&rKey=3a1401a3a17e3d4f Darby Hoover's PPT Ron Gonen's PPT Maria Gotsch's PPT Cities are getting serious about garbage. After years of burning or burying waste, or paying to transport it out of state, municipalities are adopting Net Zero Waste goals and looking for innovative solutions to reuse, recycle and reduce waste. California cities have taken the lead with policies and practices that others are now considering. New York has recently issued a RFP for waste-to-energy/waste diversion projects, targeted at new entrants with new technologies and approaches. Successful waste management strategies depend on supportive policy frameworks, innovative approaches, and available funding. Darby Hoover, Senior Resource Specialist at NRDC, will discuss how San Francisco’s comprehensive Zero Waste program is advancing toward the goal of diverting 100% of waste away from landfills by 2020. Ron Gonen, Co-founder of Recyclebank, will provide insight into opportunities for entrepreneurs, highlighting the work of leading young companies in reuse, recycling and producer responsibility. Maria Gotsch, CEO and President of the New York City Investment Fund, will discuss the role that NYC Investment Fund can play in funding entrepreneurs who want to get into this space in New York. E2 Webinar - Playing by New Rules: How Carbon Emissions Standards Will Promote Innovation (National) TeleSalonTuesday, April 3, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Link to Replay: https://e2.webex.com/e2/lsr.php?AT=pb&SP=EC&rID=106020067&rKey=e8aa7b7475f01f20 Joe Goffman's Webinar Slides Electricity generation continues to be the largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S. On Tuesday, the EPA released its proposal for the first-ever national limits on carbon dioxide pollution from power plants -- a very important step forward in the battle to head off climate change. Though the U.S. was unable to achieve comprehensive federal climate policy, EPA’s regulations on power plant and transportation emissions are important measures towards achieving the same objectives. The new standards are expected to spur investments in cleaner, safer and more efficient power; unleash American technological innovation; and protect Americans’ health and save lives. Please join NRDC’s Director of Climate Programs David Hawkins, who led NRDC's multi-year effort on this work; Joseph Goffman, Senior Counsel to the Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation at US EPA; and Jeff Williams, Director of Climate Consulting at Entergy Corporation, to discuss EPA’s new carbon standard for power plants, its implications for power generation today and in the future, and its potential to stimulate innovation and investment in cleaner, more efficient energy. Why Are We Watering Concrete? Managing Rainfall to Protect Our Water Supply (National) TeleSalonWednesday, February 8, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Click Here for Webinar Replay Our urban and suburban communities are an ever expanding acreage of impervious surfaces – roads, rooftops, parking lots – which cause trillions of gallons of rain water to run down our gutters instead of seeping in to the earth and replenishing our aquifers. On its way, this water can be contaminated with anything from motor oil to pesticides to fertilizers, all of which end up in our rivers, lakes, beaches, and drinking water supplies. Cities nationwide are beginning to incorporate green infrastructures – green roofs, permeable pavement and rain gardens – to reduce polluted stormwater runoff and improve fresh water supplies. Philadelphia has taken the lead with a plan to develop a comprehensive green infrastructure network with first-of-its-kind financing mechanisms that leverage private capital. Meanwhile, in regions like coastal southern California, where fresh water supply is a perennial problem, green infrastructure strategies are being used to reduce water pollution, replenish local aquifers, and increase local water supplies, in the process reducing the amount of energy expended to supply water from distant, energy-intensive sources. Please join Jon Devine, NRDC Water Program; Erin Williams, Philadelphia Water Department; and Robert Wilkinson, Bren School of Env. Science & Mgmt. at UC Santa Barbara, to discuss the new opportunities in urban water management. Invitation have been sent. Please contact Ying Li (yli@nrdc.org) with any questions. GeoEngineering: Should We Deliberately Manipulate Global Climate? (National) TeleSalonWednesday, January 11, 2012 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Webinar Play Back David Goldston's PPT David Keith's PPT As worldwide carbon emissions continue to grow, there is increasing debate about “geoengineering” – purposely manipulating the earth’s climate either by limiting the solar radiation reaching earth or removing carbon from the air. Some technologies that might be used have not been widely studied, and their potential usefulness and damaging side-effects are not well understood. Should the nations of the world take measures to deliberately manipulate global climate? Who would manage this process, and what might the unintended consequences of such manipulations be? And if successful, what implications would these technologies have for clean energy development and policy? Please join David Keith, President of Carbon Engineering and Gordon McKay Professor of Applied Physics at SEAS, and David Goldston, Director of Government Affairs at NRDC, for a program that will explore a new level of human intervention in the environment. Invitations have been sent. If you have any questions, please contact Ying Li at yli@nrdc.org Regulation Is Not a Four-Letter Word (National) TeleSalonWednesday, November 2, 2011 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Click Here for Replay of the Telesalon Join us on November 2 for an unconventional look at regulation and its role in market transformation. David Goldstein, NRDC’s Energy Co-Director and MacArthur Fellow, starts from the perspective that regulations are an essential part of making markets work. Standards ensure desirable characteristics of products and services. When products and services meet expectations, we tend to take this for granted. However, when standards are absent, we soon notice. David Szczupak, Executive Vice President Global Product Production, Whirlpool, provides a ‘real world’ example of how industry and government, working together, have developed energy efficiency standards that benefit business, the environment and the consumer. He will share how these regulations have changed the way Whirlpool approaches R&D and has helped to grow their business. The Global Energy Challenge: Sustainable Energy for the Developing World (National) TeleSalonThursday, October 13, 2011 (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM Eastern)Meeting the global energy challenge is one of the most pressing issues of our time. In the next 20 years, energy consumption is expected to rise by 40 per cent, mostly in developing countries. Energy investments are critical to alleviating poverty for the 1.6 billion people who still live without electricity and more than 2 billion people who continue to cook with firewood and charcoal. And, as emerging economies rapidly industrialize and their populations grow, the requirements for more sophisticated infrastructure and conveniences will only increase. How can we meet the demand for universal access to modern, clean energy without leading to climate destruction? What role can the private sector play in addressing those needs? We are pleased to have Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Chairman of the IPCC, with us to address the question of how to meet the energy needs of developing countries in a sustainable manner, and what strategies and solutions are available to do so. Adam Wolfensohn, Managing Director at Wolfensohn & Co., will provide an investor’s perspective on the opportunities and challenges of investing in and building those energy solutions. Jake Schmidt, NRDC International Climate Policy Director, will report on international efforts and US government programs designed to encourage the deployment of clean, affordable energy programs which may be at risk in the current economic and political environment. We hope you’ll join us for this special telesalon. Invitations have been sent. Contact Ying Li at yli@nrdc.org with any questions. Mission Critical: Clean Energy and the U.S. Military (National) TeleSalonWednesday, September 7, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)A new and formidable leader has emerged in the push for clean energy. The U.S. Department of Defense is setting aggressive objectives to reduce its fossil fuel dependence and invest in low carbon renewables and energy efficiency technologies. Leaders of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines say our current fuel mix is a national security threat, making Americans vulnerable overseas and at home. Furthermore, the DOD warns that global warming is a threat multiplier which will heighten geopolitical instability and create both military and humanitarian challenges beyond the armed services’ capacity to respond. In a time of Congressional gridlock, the U.S. military says we must face this issue now. Join us for a telesalon to hear from E2 member Lt. General Norman Seip (Air Force, retired); Jonathan Powers, Special Advisor on Energy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army; and Gavi Begtrup, Policy Advisor to Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, about the role the military is playing to move America toward a clean energy economy, and how Congress is responding. Invitations have been sent. Please contact e2@nrdc.org with any questions. E2 TeleSalon: Attack on our Energy and Environmental Security (National) TeleSalonWednesday, July 27, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)In the rush before the August Congressional recess, the House of Representatives has unleashed the latest in a wave of attacks, pushing forward bills to undermine environmental protections such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act, and even demonizing energy efficient light bulbs. Though the Senate has so far been able to resist the most damaging provisions, many of these are reappearing from the House as policy riders on must-pass spending authorization bills. On July 27th Marc Boom, E2’s Federal Legislative Advocate, and Scott Slesinger, NRDC’s Legislative Director, will provide an update on these challenges as they are unfolding, and discuss what to expect when Congress returns in the fall and how E2 members can play a strategic role in pushing back against these attacks. Contact Kevin Levy (klevy@nrdc.org or 415-875-6100) with any questions. Natural Gas in the Mix: Finding the Balance (National) TeleSalonWednesday, June 1, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)CLICK HERE FOR REPLAY RECORDING With the expansion of the shale gas industry, the debate around natural gas has taken on new dimensions. President Obama has identified shale gas as a major new domestic energy source, reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Natural gas is cleaner burning than other fossil fuels, and thus has a transitional role in our energy future. However, natural gas production also has significant environmental and public health impacts, which can include significant toxic air and water pollution for surrounding communities. On the May National TeleSalon, E2 members will hear from Kate Sinding, Senior Attorney and Deputy Director of the Urban East Program at NRDC, Briana Mordick, NRDC Oil and Gas Science Fellow, and Susan Harvey, a consultant and former oil and gas regulator for the state of Alaska, who will speak on environmental and health concerns around natural gas development, the current regulatory approach, and proposed technical and regulatory solutions. If E2 members have additional follow-up questions, feel free to contact Briana Mordick (bmordick@nrdc.org) or Kate Sinding (ksinding@nrdc.org). Nuclear Energy - What Now? (National) TeleSalonWednesday, May 4, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)The incident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is provoking questions around the world about nuclear energy. The U.S. nuclear fleet, responsible for roughly 20% of total domestic electricity production, includes at least 31 plants of identical or similar design to the Fukushima plant. What implications does the catastrophe in Japan have for the safety of our current nuclear power plants? Under what circumstances does nuclear make sense in our future energy portfolio, economically and environmentally? What are the options, risks and trade-offs for replacing aging nuclear plants, either with new versions of nuclear or with a combination of fossil fuel and renewable power? How will these energy decisions play out in Washington, DC in the near future? This E2 Telesalon, featuring Christopher Paine, Dr. Thomas Cochran, and Matthew McKinzie of the NRDC Nuclear Program, will summarize what happened and what is continuing to unfold at Fukushima, and address the viability for nuclear energy going forward. Congressman Jerry McNerney (D-CA), a math PhD with more than 20 years experience in the clean energy field, will give a Capitol Hill perspective on the nuclear issue and the decisions that will be made at the federal level to determine the future direction of U.S. energy generation. Water in the 21st Century: Threats and Solutions for a Vital Resource (National) TeleSalonWednesday, April 6, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)Referred to by CEOs as the “oil of the 21st century” and by the President as one of the nation’s "grand challenges,” water is increasingly viewed as one of the nation’s most significant environmental challenges of the 21st century. Clean water - essential to people, wildlife, ecosystems, and economies - is increasingly scarce in many regions of the United States. Swelling demand is currently depleting aquifers, draining rivers, harming crops and threatening fish and other wildlife. Pollution further compounds the scarcity problem by diminishing the utility of water theoretically available to people and the environment. Unfortunately, these challenges will only be exacerbated by climate change: climate models suggest that global warming will increasingly affect patterns of freshwater availability and the frequency of both floods and drought in the coming decades. To address these problems, NRDC has launched a new, national water program to ensure safe and sufficient water for people and the environment. Program Director David Beckman and senior NRDC water experts Jon Devine, Steve Fleischli, Barry Nelson and Ed Osann will summarize the key water challenges facing the country and discuss durable solutions that we can implement now and in the future. This TeleSalon will also preview key findings of a new NRDC report to be released later this year examining the impact of climate change on water resources in a dozen U.S. cities, plus present recent NRDC analysis on which U.S. counties are most at risk in the coming decades for water stress and consequential effects on human activities and the environment. Invitations have been emailed to E2 Members and friends. Contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) with any questions. Alternative Fuels 101: The Good, the Bad, and the Enormous Implications (National) TeleSalonWednesday, March 2, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)CLICK HERE FOR REPLAY RECORDING There may be wide acknowledgment that the United States needs to wean itself off imported fossil fuels, but alternatives are not all created equal. The existing and potential market for non-traditional liquid fuels has spurred a range of emerging options to meet the growing demand. E2's March TeleSalon will feature a discussion on biofuels, coal-to-liquid technology, tar sands, and the varying environmental implications of each. Join us for a conversation led by Judith Albert (E2 Executive Director), featuring Mary Solecki (E2 Advanced Biofuel Industry Consultant), Brian Siu (NRDC Energy Policy Analyst), and Liz Barratt-Brown (NRDC Senior Attorney) to hear about this complex and consequential topic, and how E2 is taking a leading role in advancing positive policy outcomes. Leveraging the Landlord-Tenant Relationship to Advance Energy Efficiency Retrofits in Commercial Buildings (National) TeleSalonWednesday, February 23, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)A special mid-month E2 TeleSalon highlighted new efforts by NRDC's Center for Market Innovation (CMI) to accelerate energy efficiency retrofits in commercial buildings - and the savings and jobs that come with them. Yerina Mugica, CMI Associate Director, profiled a newly launched initiative that could serve as a model for tenant-led retrofits. The project is a collaboration among key stakeholders including Johnson Controls Inc, Jones Lang LaSalle, and Goldman Sachs, as well as large commercial tenants and building owners. The effort focuses on incorporating energy efficiency measures into the process of renewing a lease or moving into a new space. By focusing on integrating efficiency into the lease signing and tenant “fit out” process, we have a tremendous opportunity to explore innovative financing and strategies for ensuring that both tenant and landlord benefit from the improved efficiency measures. This webinar also featured an effort led by Mayor Bloomberg’s office to develop energy-efficiency lease language, working together with NRDC and other partners. Steven Caputo, Policy Advisor from the Mayor’s Office of Long Term Planning and Sustainability, described how such language can build retrofit demand by addressing the “split incentive” problem, which frequently arises when the owner pays for retrofits while the tenant enjoys the energy savings through lower utility bills. Participants had the opportunity for questions following the presentation. Better Transportation Policy: Opportunities at Federal and State Level (National) TeleSalonWednesday, February 2, 2011 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)CLICK HERE FOR REPLAY RECORDING The transportation sector is responsible for about a third of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States and has shot up significantly over the last couple of decades. Fortunately, smarter policies to reduce the pollution from our transportation activities are readily available. As the reauthorization of the enormous federal transportation bill – the nation’s largest non-Defense discretionary spending program at $40-50 billion yearly – looms ahead, E2 and NRDC will be pushing for major improvements to steer us toward cleaner transportation infrastructure while setting reduction goals for emissions. At the same time, recent studies reveal the huge opportunities for states to take actions on their own. Better coordinated plans at the state level to reduce vehicle miles traveled, repair and maintain existing infrastructure, relieve wasteful traffic congestion, spur public transportation ridership, and link high-quality transit service with land-use planning would yield significant reductions in transportation-related pollution - and make better economic sense. E2 members will hear from Aaron Klein (Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury) along with NRDC's Federal Transportation Policy team of Deron Lovaas (Director) and Colin Peppard (Deputy Director) about these issues and how E2 will be able to help in 2011. Briefing from Frances Beinecke on BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Commission Report TeleSalonWednesday, January 19, 2011 (2:00 PM - 2:45 PM Eastern)Recording Available Here The much awaited report by the National Commission on the BP Deepwater Oil Spill and Offshore Drilling was released on January 11th. This report is based on the culmination of 8 months of examining the accident, considered the worst oil spill in U.S. history, and has resulted in a set of recommendations designed to prevent a disaster of this nature from occurring in the future. E2 Members will have the opportunity to hear directly from Frances Beinecke, President of NRDC and one of seven members of the Commission, on a specially convened conference call to include questions from participants. Additionally, see Frances' op-ed in the Huffington Post. Email invitations have been sent for this members-only event. Please contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) with any questions. E2 Member Conference Call Briefing on Federal Tax Package TeleSalonThursday, December 16, 2010 (10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Pacific)Jim Presswood, NRDC's Federal Energy Policy Director, will brief national E2 members on the current tax package that is likely to pass through Congress. Several very important tax credits for renewable energy and energy efficiency are part of the debate, and E2 members are placing calls to select House members to specifically include the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit (48C) and eliminate wasteful support for corn ethanol and liquid coal technology. This conference call will last 30 minutes and is available to E2 members only. Conference line information will be emailed to registered attendees on the afternoon of Wednesday, December 15. Please contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) with any questions. E2 Monthly TeleSalon: Creating Sustainable Neighborhoods, Cities, Suburbs and Metropolitan Regions (National) TeleSalonWednesday, October 6, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)Over the next 25 years, the US will gain 70 million additional residents, 50 million new and replacement homes, and 78 billion square feet of new and replacement commercial and other nonresidential building space. Fully half the built environment we will have then is not yet on the ground. How we organize and support this activity has tremendous consequences for our environment, economy and social fabric, which is why NRDC just adopted Fostering Sustainable Communities as one of its institutional priorities for the next five years. On the October National TeleSalon, E2 members will hear from Shelley Poticha, Director of the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), about how her agency is emphasizing sustainability in its programs and how the exciting federal Partnership for Sustainable Communities among HUD, EPA and the Department of Transportation is for the first time coordinating the agencies' activities for environmentally responsible community-building. Kaid Benfield, Director of NRDC's new Sustainable Communities Initiative, will explain the goals and diverse strategies of NRDC's sustainability agenda, including how the organization is working with the private sector and with state, local and federal government on demonstration projects, incentives, major state and local planning initiatives, and comprehensive federal transportation legislation to create green jobs, equitable urban revitalization, and clean, walkable neighborhoods. Email invitations have been sent to E2 members. Contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) with any questions. July Monthly TeleSalon (National) TeleSalonWednesday, July 7, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)There will be no July monthly TeleSalon. Enjoy the summer break. The Business Case for Better Chemical Regulation (National) TeleSalonWednesday, June 2, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), originally enacted in 1976, is the major law for regulating the safety of most chemicals used in commerce in the U.S. However, the content and enforcement of this law has proven to be highly ineffective. At the time of the bill's writing, 62,000 chemicals already on the market were grandfathered in and exempted from review for their effects on health or the environment. Since that time, due to unusually high legal hurdles and barriers to agency action in the law, the EPA has issued regulations restricting the use of only five of those 62,000 chemicals. Since 1976, another 22,000 chemicals have been added to the TSCA inventory, most with little or no information about their impacts on health or the environment. Moreover, the scientific understanding of the potential for chemicals to affect human health and the environment has advanced in many respects since the enactment of TSCA, little of which is reflected in how chemicals are currently regulated. Household cleaners, paint, furniture, carpets, building materials, toys and baby products are but a few examples of things we have daily contact with that should carry the certainty of safety, but downstream goods producers often lack that knowledge. As a result, consequences stretch from human health problems to environmental degradation to costly recalls, a lack of consumer confidence in the marketplace, and a diminished bottom line for companies. We can do a lot better and there are currently efforts underway in Washington DC to address the shortfalls of TSCA. E2’s June TeleSalon will feature three experts on this issue: Dr. Sarah Janssen and Daniel Rosenberg of NRDC’s Public Health Program and Andy Igrejas, National Campaign Director for Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families, all of whom are deeply involved in the reform effort and will speak to the science, policy, and politics it will take to overhaul this important law. Sustainable Food and Farm Innovators (National) TeleSalonWednesday, May 5, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)E2's May TeleSalon will feature four individuals who have made outstanding contributions to sustainable food and farming and earned a 2010 Growing Green Awards from NRDC. The awards, which recognize extraordinary efforts that advance ecologically integrated farming practices, are chosen by an independent panel of experts and span four categories: Food Producer, Business Leader, Thought Leader, and Water Steward. This year's winners, Russ Lester, Karl Kupers, Fred Kirschenmann, and Mike Benziger, are prime examples of forward-thinking innovators who have put the principles of sustainability at the heart of their operations and can speak to the challenges and the benefits of their respective efforts. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Contact Tommy Hayes at thayes@nrdc.org for more information. Green Con-Men, Eco Poodles, and the Climate Bill TeleSalonWednesday, April 7, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)The Senate is about to introduce a climate and clean energy bill that is the product of months of negotiation. As a result, stake holders from opposing flanks in this debate are ramping up their rhetoric in an effort to capture the hearts and minds of the American public. On the one hand, certain industries and climate change deniers are assailing the scientific consensus on the causes of global warming, pointing to apparent discrepancies among researchers as evidence of "Climategate". On the other hand, activists working to promote an aggressive climate bill view the concessions made in the Senate to the coal, nuclear and oil industries as betrayals to the cause, accusing those who support it of being the lapdogs of industry polluters. Join us for a candid and pragmatic discussion of the criticisms being leveled at the current climate policy effort in Congress. Dr. Stephen Schneider, renowned Stanford climate scientist and author of the recently released book "Science is a Contact Sport", will address the effort to undermine popular acceptance of the scientific consensus on climate change. Bob Deans, Federal Communications Director for NRDC, will discuss the challenges and strategies for playing both offense and defense on climate messaging, and Dave Hawkins from NRDC's climate center will explain the rationale for supporting a carbon bill that includes concessions to carbon-intensive industries. Why Did Eight E2 Members Fly Into a Blizzard (National) TeleSalonWednesday, March 3, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)E2's March monthly TeleSalon will feature an update on the state-of-play regarding climate and energy legislation and personal accounts of the situation in Washington. E2 members who participated in the recent February 9-11 advocacy trip to DC will share their impressions of the high-level meetings held with Senators and Administration officials, where the delegation focused on job creation, passing a comprehensive climate and clean energy bill, and international competitiveness. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Contact Tommy Hayes at thayes@nrdc.org with any questions. Monthly TeleSalon: Creating a National Ocean Policy (National) TeleSalonWednesday, February 3, 2010 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)The U.S. has never had a comprehensive strategy for managing some of our most valuable national assets: our coasts and oceans. There is no oceans equivalent to benchmark resource management laws such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act - but that may be about to change. Through a June 2009 Memorandum, President Obama laid out a plan for the development of a national ocean policy to protect and maintain ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes ecosystems and to help sustain the huge economic benefits we enjoy when they are healthy. A coordinated, holistic approach to ocean management has tremendous implications for our nation's fisheries, coastal tourism, and also emerging uses, including offshore renewable energy. E2 will hear from Mike Boots, Associate Director for Land and Water Ecosystems at the President’s Council on Environmental Quality, about the Administration’s commitment to improve ocean resource governance through the first-ever National Ocean Policy, and how this new framework will function. Sarah Chasis, Senior Attorney and Director of NRDC's Oceans Initiative, will discuss why this initiative is important from both an environmental and economic standpoint and the opportunities E2 will have to engage in the process as it moves forward. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Please contact Tommy Hayes at thayes@nrdc.org with any questions. Monthly TeleSalon: A View from the Obama Administration - What Copenhagen Means for the U.S. TeleSalonWednesday, January 6, 2010 (8:30 AM - 9:30 AM Pacific)The Copenhagen climate conference ended on December 18 with an agreement for real reductions in carbon pollution by the world's biggest emitters, a transparent international reporting framework, and billions of dollars of assistance to those nations most threatened by climate change. Through his personal involvement in the negotiations, President Obama helped forge the agreement between all but five of the 192 nations present. This marks a turning point in the combat against our greatest environmental threat, but there is still enormous work ahead. How will the Copenhagen agreement affect the policies and economy of the United States? What are the next steps for the U.S. in leading the fight against global warming? Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Center on Environmental Quality (CEQ) will give us the Obama Administration's perspective on these issues, and David Doniger, Policy Director of NRDC's Climate Center and veteran of several international climate meetings, will give us his analysis of what was really achieved in Copenhagen. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Contact Tommy Hayes at thayes@nrdc.org or 415-875-6100 with any questions. Monthly TeleSalon: Eye on the Global Clean Energy Economy (National) TeleSalonWednesday, December 2, 2009 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)On November 16-20, E2 member Ro Khanna, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce, is leading a high level trade mission to India to promote American renewable energy and energy efficiency products. Ro will brief us on the objectives and results of the trade mission, his observations on the demand for American clean technology products abroad and how the Administration is supporting the growth of this export sector. A critical backdrop to the emerging domestic and international clean energy economy is the upcoming Climate Conference in Copenhagen, occurring just a week after this TeleSalon. We will hear from Kathleen Frangione, Professional Staff of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Senator John Kerry (D-MA), who will discuss the impact of the Senate bill on the international negotiations and the perspective of the Foreign Relations Committee on the U.S. role in those negotiations. Jake Schmidt, International Climate Policy Director at NRDC, will tell us about the progress and challenges in achieving a strong international agreement in Copenhagen, and the impact of the U.S global warming legislation on the international process. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Please contact Tommy Hayes at thayes@nrdc.org or 415-875-6100 with any questions. Monthly TeleSalon: Clean Energy and Manufacturing - Staying Competitive and Bringing Jobs Back to the Midwest (National) TeleSalonWednesday, November 4, 2009 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is a key player in the climate and clean energy debate in the Senate, representing the interests of Mid-western manufacturing states, which are critical to the passage of a bill. Senator Brown is the author of the IMPACT Act, which promotes domestic production of American renewable and clean energy products, and he supports border adjustments for products entering the US from countries with no restrictions on their carbon emissions. Senator Brown will discuss these policies and the imperative to revive manufacturing and bring clean energy jobs to the Mid-West. David Goldston, Director of Government Affairs at NRDC, and David Hawkins, Director of NRDC's Climate Programs, will discuss the shifts in the climate bill, both political and substantive, in the wake of the recent alliance between Senators John Kerry and Lindsey Graham, and efforts to broaden the tent of supporters for the bill. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Please contact Tommy Hayes, E2 Program Associate, at (415) 875-6150 or thayes@nrdc.org with any questions. First Look at Draft Senate Climate Bill (National) TeleSalonThursday, October 8, 2009 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)The much-anticipated Senate Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, companion bill to the House American Clean Energy and Security Act, has now been released, initiating a daunting process of analysis and negotiations to produce legislation that will pass a Senate vote. What is in the bill, how does it compare to ACES, what are the Senate committees with authority over the bill, what regional and ideological challenges does the bill face, and what is the schedule for moving it forward? Please join us for a national E2 TeleSalon featuring David Goldston, Director of Government Affairs at NRDC, and David Doniger of NRDC's Climate Center, who will address these questions, as well as discuss their ongoing advocacy efforts and the importance of E2's business voice as this process moves forward. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Please contact Tommy Hayes at thayes@nrdc.org or (415) 875-6100 for more information. Next Hurdle for Climate Legislation - An Inside View on the Senate Process (National) TeleSalonMonday, July 27, 2009 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)The American Clean Energy and Security Act, the most far-reaching and transformative piece of climate legislation to date, recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives and now faces a serious test as it heads to the Senate. Getting a companion bill through the Senate will require that the concerns of multiple stakeholders from different regions and economic sectors are addressed. If we are to accomplish the dual tasks of growing the clean energy economy while avoiding the worst consequences of climate change, the business community must be vocal in providing support for this bill. Bettina Poirier, who works under Environment & Public Works Committee Chairwoman Senator Barbara Boxer, is the highest-level Hill staffer in charge of shepherding this legislation through the Senate process. She will discuss the current status of the Senate climate and energy bill, the process of moving it forward, obstacles it will likely encounter, plus the role E2's business leaders can play in its advancement. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Please contact Tommy Hayes (thayes@nrdc.org) or April Mo (amo@nrdc.org) at (415) 875-6100 with any questions. Cap 2.0: Defining Next-Generation Climate Legislation TeleSalonWednesday, February 18, 2009 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)America and the world have reached a crucial juncture on climate change. Quickly passing comprehensive climate legislation that combines a firm cap on global warming pollution with significant incentives for investing in clean technology - a "cap-and-invest" program - can help to ensure, and even hasten, economic recovery. Rick Duke, Director of NRDC's Center for Market Innovation, will provide a policy briefing on NRDC's recommendations, dubbed "Cap 2.0," to confront climate change and meet necessary emissions reductions at the lowest long-term cost. Done right, a cap-and-invest strategy such as Cap 2.0 will create millions of jobs, make America more secure and restore the United States to a position of world leadership in technology and innovation. This event is for E2 Members only and invitations will be emailed in early February. Please contact Tommy Hayes, E2 Program Assistant, at (415) 875-6100 or thayes@nrdc.org with any questions. Climate Policy 101 - Learn the Carbon Basics (TeleSalon) TeleSalonWednesday, December 17, 2008 (10:30 AM - 11:30 AM Pacific)Please join E2 for a holiday bonus - a basic primer in the language and components of climate policy! Congress will take swift and significant action on climate legislation in 2009 and E2 members will be in a position to shape this policy by providing a real world economic perspective to legislators and to the Administration. Your input will be most valuable if you're familiar with the basic language, components and choices to be made in formulating a national carbon bill, if you know the cast of characters who will lead this process in Washington, DC, and if you understand the politics that will affect the process. Dr. Holmes Hummel, a recent Science Fellow in the office of Congressman Jay Inslee (D-WA) and lecturer for the Energy Resources Group at UC Berkeley, will walk us through her excellent and concise presentation on climate policy, which will provide you with a strong foundation in the issues that will dominate the debate in the coming months. NRDC's Antonia Herzog, Senior Program Advocate in NRDC's Climate Center, will brief us on how Congress and the Administration will interact to create a carbon "cap and invest" system for the United States. Invitations have been emailed to E2 members. Please contact Tommy Hayes, E2 Program Assistant, at (415) 875-6100 or thayes@nrdc.org with any questions. Post-Election Update (National) TeleSalonThursday, November 6, 2008 (1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Pacific)During this election year, we've all worked hard to ensure that climate change is a top priority of the next President and the new Congress. And we've been pleased that the environment has played a significant role in so many campaigns. But after the votes have been counted, the outcomes determined, and the victory speeches delivered, what do we have to do to make the new energy economy a reality? On Thursday, November 6th, Wesley Warren, Director of Programs at NRDC, will lead a post-election conversation on how E2's advocacy efforts will change with the incoming President and Congress. Wesley will discuss what our priorities will be and how this will affect E2 and NRDC efforts to enact strong environmental legislation. Invitations have been emailed. Please contact Tommy Hayes, E2 Program Assistant, at (415) 875-6100 or Thayes@nrdc.org with any questions. |
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