Eco-smart Business Awards: Here are some organizations that are using their heads while making a profit. 1. Sierra Nevada Brewery: Fuel cells and solar arrays are used to power the factory. "The overall energy efficiency of the installation is double that of grid-supplied power and air emissions are significantly reduced. Our fuel cells are further made sustainable by using the waste methane generated at our waste water treatment plant as a fuel source." http://www.sierranevada.com/environment.html  On Saint Patrick's Day, many bars offer GREEN BEER. Sierra Nevada offers "GREEN" BEER all year round! 2. Genetech: Ride the bus to work program pays employees to not drive their cars. This saves the employees the stress of fighting commuter traffic. Internet access is available for laptops. "By offering its employees commuter benefits—such as transit subsidies, rideshare services, shuttles to transit hubs, and bicycle facilities—Genentech enhances its ability to retain and recruit in the Bay Area and also demonstrates its commitment to better qualify of life." http://www.bwc.gov/campaign/sfemp.htm MORE BELOW: A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE ABOUT THE AWARD WINNING PROGRAM. 3. The County of Humboldt: A friendly email reminds government employees to turn off one half of the overhead lights during peak energy usage times. A flashing red orb in the message signals when there is a need to conserve. In a big office, this eliminates arguments about whether to turn off the fluorescents or not... We can all agree to do what the boss tells us to do. 4. Hybrid County Transit Bus in Eureka. "The GILLIG Hybrid is a variant of the Low Floor model that is powered by a clean diesel hybrid electrical propulsion system. It reduces emissions, saves on fuel and is smoother and quieter than a conventional bus, so it is environmentally and economically responsible while also being passenger and community friendly." http://www.gillig.com/New%20GILLIG%20WEB/hybrid.htm
Energy Businesses to watch: 1. BioWillie: Using the fame of Willie Nelson to promote biodiesel fuel. Good for the American Farmer, Smells good too... "All Americans understand the importance of reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Long or short haul carriers understand that every gallon we grow from our nation's crops reduces what we buy from foreign soil. Our American truckers are on the front lines -- making the decision to fuel up with BioWillie helps our local, state and national economy. In addition, there are clear environmental benefits." http://www.biowillieusa.com/ 2. Stirling Energy Systems: Solar engines that create electricity using heat pumps. NOT silicon chips. "World's Largest Solar Energy Farm to be built in Southern California." 
"On September 27, 1816, Robert Stirling applied for a patent for his Economiser at the Chancery in Edinburgh, Scotland. By trade, Robert Stirling was actually a minister in the Church of Scotland and he continued to give services until he was eighty-six years old. But, in his spare time, he built heat engines in his home workshop. Lord Kelvin used one of the working models during some of his university classes." http://www.stirlingenergy.com/ http://www.stirlingenergy.com/whatisastirlingengine.htm 3. Pacific Ethanol: Based in California's central valley, they convert grains into ethanol and sell the waste as cattle feed. Located close to consumers, they reduce the shipping costs of getting the ethanol from the distillery to the gas pump. Grown in America by American Farmers, no need for oil wars... like Iraq. http://www.pacificethanol.net/
eco-disasters: 1. Nuclear Metals: In Concord Massachusetts, this company made Depleted Uranium for US ARMY bullets. Now a superfund cleanup site. Then the bullets were used in Iraq War leaving a toxic dust over all battle zones. DU has been shown to increase miscarriages... classic gene-o-cide. http://www.epa.gov/NE/pr/2001/jun/010615.html 2. ENRON: Created imaginary power shortages in order to increase profits by buying energy at non-peak prices and selling it at peak prices. Eventual it lead to bankruptcy and jail for the CEO Jeffrey Skilling. (but not for Kenneth Lay, RIP) During the time the shell game was going on, they were the largest financial backers of George Bush's presidential campaign. WHEE! "It even gave its name to a rollercoaster ride in The Simpsons - "the Enron Ride of Broken Dreams" http://www.iofilm.co.uk/fm/e/enron_the_smartest_guys_in_the_room_2005.shtml http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSTWteJf4ug 3. MAXXAM/Pacific Lumber: Using junk bonds sold by Michael Milken (convicted felon-stock market fraud) Charles Hurwitz bought the Pacific Lumber Company, increased logging rates to maximum, cut down all the highly profitable trees, looted the pension fund and took the money to Texas. Then declared bancruptcy. Still on trial... stay tuned ! http://www.jailhurwitz.com/ Headwaters Forest Coloring Book: Truly a marvelous work of ART... http://www.jailhurwitz.com/pdfs/hfcb_cover.html
HEADLINE: Providing smooth commute for Genentech:
Nathan Byerly was awarded the Commute and Transportation Award by Acterra’s Business Environmental Awards. -
For Genentech, both what employees do while they are at work and how they get there matters.“Transportation itself can be very complicated for people,” said Nathan Byerly, the Employee Transportation Programs manager for Genentech. “We wanted to make it simple, easy and flexible.”
Enter seven full-time employees and a program dubbed gRide, which was recently honored by Bay Area nonprofit Acterra with the 2007 Commute & Transportation award.
Launched on Nov. 1, 2006, gRide now runs an intracampus shuttle, shuttles from Genentech’s South San Francisco campus to the Caltrain and BART stations, and three GenenBuses: one for the I-80 corridor, one for the Tri-Valley area and one for San Francisco. The GPS-enabled commuter coaches are equipped with Wi-Fi hot spots so employees can work or surf the Web on their way to and from work.
According to Byerly, the commute program grew out of Genentech’s 10-year master planning
session for 2006-16. Parking was becoming a big problem on the South San Francisco campus, and with limited real estate it was more cost-effective for Genentech to provide employees with alternative transportation than it was for the company to convert more of the campus to parking. “While it has that environmental aspect, it’s as much about the business bottom line,” Byerly said.About eight months into the operation, Byerly reports approximately 80 percent of Genentech employees are aware of the program. There are about 200 new riders each month and the Tri-Valley GenenBus went from zero to 75 riders in two weeks. Across the company, there is already a 25 percent participation rate in gRide; Byerly said Genentech wants to top 30 percent. Participants from the South San Francisco campus earn $4 for each day they travel via alternative transportation. The neat thing, Byerly explained, is that “alternative transportation” is anything besides driving alone to and from work. Employees can mix and match as they please.
The Business Environmental Awards were founded by Bay Area nonprofit Acterra in 1990 to recognize corporate sustainability. This year, the awards were judged over three months by a panel of 28 regional environmental and sustainability experts who conducted interviews, made site visits, and reviewed literature. Eleven awards were given to a field of more than 50 competitors.
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