SBI Sustainable Resource Network

We have submitted a paper to the Energy Master Plan group, and to Assemblyman Upendra Chivukula, Chairman of the Utilities Committee in the NJ Assembly, concerning the potential for small hydro.

This paper is available here: DevelopingSmallHydroinNJ.pdf.

The part of this paper that addresses the issue of the REC market remains disputed by the Board of Public Utilities, on the grounds that the supply and/or utilization of energy in NJ has nothing to do with the RECs issued, and that reclassifying small hydro from Class II to Class I would “swamp” the market for RECs even if none of this energy were generated or used in NJ. This is an important issue, and will likely be addressed in a revised version of the paper.

Incubating Environmental and Clean Technology Start-Ups

Growing demand for clean technology and environmental solutions is creating opportunities for incubators to attract new businesses and increase revenue. Discover the advantages of forming an environmental incubator or developing a clean tech or green focus for an existing incubator.

Outline (PDF)

Audio:
http://sustainablebusinessincubator.com/network/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/Env&CleanTechIncubators.mp3

From the membership list of Earth Share of NJ:

American Littoral Society
A membership organization dedicated since 1961 to the protection of all coastal habitats including beaches, estuaries, rivers, wetlands and their wildlife.
www.littoralsociety.org

Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions
A statewide non-profit organization that works with citizens and local officials to promote the public interest in long-term natural resource protection and sustainable development.
www.anjec.org

Clean Ocean Action
Clean Ocean Action is a coalition-based organization that uses research, education, and citizen action to stop ocean pollution off the NJ/NY coast.
www.cleanoceanaction.org

Clean Water Fund
We all live downstream… Neighborhood-based action, education programs which join citizens, businesses, government for sensible solutions ensuring safe drinking water, pollution prevention, resource conservation.
www.cleanwaterfund.org

Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey

Works to protect New Jersey’s rare and imperiled wildlife and the habitats they depend on through research, education, habitat restoration, and community outreach. www.conservewildlifenj.org

Eastern Environmental Law Center
The clinic, funded predominately from contributions, empowers citizens to promote public health and protect New Jersey’s environment through legal and technical advice, strategy and representation.

El Comite De Apoyo A Los Trabajadores Agricolas (CATA)
CATA is a farmworker organization that, for twenty-seven years, has faciliated farmworker organizing efforts so that they can achieve social, economic, and environmental justice.
www.cata-farmworkers.org

Environmental Education Fund
The Environmental Education Fund provides information and materials to educate citizens on healthy living and what constitutes a clean environment – air, water, soils, energy, transportation.
www.njenvironment.org

Flat Rock Brook Nature Association

Protects the lands under their supervision as a natural plant and animal sanctuary. Provides a natural environment for trail walks, nature study and other activities. www.flatrockbrook.org

Friends of Liberty State Park

Coordinate activites and programs to benefit the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of park users and to protect, improve and beautify this great urban state park. www.folsp.org

Great Swamp Watershed Association
Committed to improving community awareness of environmental issues and protecting the places you love and the water you drink in the communities we serve.
www.greatswamp.org

Greater Newark Conservancy
Support NJ’s urban communities in creating environmentally safe neighborhoods through grassroots education, training, community organizing, preservation, improvement of open space, revitalization, beautification and job training.
www.citybloom.org

Green Faith (AKA Partners for Environmental Quality, Inc.)
GreenFaith is an interfaith coalition that inspires people of diverse spiritual, religious backgrounds to deepen their relationship with nature and take action for the earth.
www.greenfaith.org

Hackensack Riverkeeper
Through advocacy, education, action and enforcement, Hackensack Riverkeeper promotes Clean Water, Open Space and Smart Growth in the Hackensack River watershed and Newark Bay Complex.
www.hackensackriverkeeper.org

Isles, Inc.
ISLES, Inc. enables urban residents to learn about and value the environment through hands-on improvements and education projects in schools, parks and neighborhoods.
www.isles.org

Monmouth Conservation Foundation
To acquire, preserve and protect the opoen lands, historic areas and parks of Monmouth County, NJ for all residents to enjoy.
www.monmouthconservation.org

Morris Land Conservancy
Preserves northern NJ’s open spaces through its Preservation, Stewardship and Education programs, emphasizing critical watersheds, scenic & historic landscapes, wildlife habitat and important recreation areas.
www.morrislandconservancy.org

New Jersey Audubon Society
Conservation, education, and research efforts foster environmental awareness among NJ citizens to protect wildlife/plants, especially threatened and endangered species, and promote natural habitat preservation.
www.njaudubon.org

New Jersey Conservation Foundation
New Jersey Conservation Foundation protects lands through acquisition and stewardship, strong land use policies and strategic partnerships.
www.njconservation.org

NY – NJ Trail Conference
A coalition of 10,000 individual and 100 organizational members dedicated to protecting and promoting a 1,650-mile network of foot trails throughout greater metropolitan New York.
www.nynjtc.org

Pinelands Preservation Alliance
The Pinelands Preservation Alliance preserves the last remaining open space between Boston and Virginia.
www.pinelandsalliance.org

Save Barnegat Bay
A not-for-profit environmental group working to conserve undeveloped natural land and clean water throughout the Barnegat Bay watershed.
www.savebarnegatbay.org

South Branch Watershed Association
SBWA protects water resources through river monitoring, stream clean ups, environmental education programs, well-water testing and providing public information about water related issues.
www.sbwa.org

Stony Brook Millstone Watershed Association
Environmental education, water monitoring, nature reserve, stream bank restorations, wetlands research, GIS Center Protecting this place you call home in central New Jersey since 1949.
www.thewatershed.org

Surfrider Foundation
Protects and preserves the world’s oceans, waves and beaches through conservation, activism, research and education. Activities include water quality monitoring, environmental education and grassroots activism.
www.surfrider.org

Wetlands Institute, The
Pioneers education, research and conservation efforts to promote appreciation and understanding of the vital role wetlands and coastal ecosystems play in the survival of life.
www.wetlandsinstitute.org

Plus:

WOOD DALE, ILLINOIS (August 23, 2007) — AAR CORP. (NYSE: AIR) announced today that it has purchased Renewable Energy Credits (RECs), equivalent to 100% of the Company’s purchased electricity used across their North American operations, through 2010. This landmark purchase of RECs is the largest to date by an aviation services company among Partners in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Green Power Partnership.An REC purchase ensures that the amount of electricity a company or an individual uses is replaced onto the power grid with renewable electricity. AAR is purchasing 27,500,000 kilowatt hours (KWh) of RECs per year from an array of clean generation sources across the United States that includes wind, biomass and low-impact hydroelectric. These clean resources generate electricity without producing carbon dioxide or other harmful pollutants.

“With the purchase of these RECs, we are taking a major step forward with our environmental initiatives and the support of cutting-edge clean power technologies,” said David P. Storch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AAR. “In addition, we are reducing the overall amount of power consumed by our North American operations and adopting a greener operating model.”

Based on a national average emissions rate, the U.S. EPA estimates that AAR’s green power purchase of more than 27 million kilowatt hours is the equivalent to avoiding the emissions of more than 3,000 passenger cars each year, or the equivalent amount of electricity needed to power 1,700 average American households annually.

“America is shifting to a ‘green culture,’ with more and more businesses understanding that environmental responsibility is everyone’s responsibility,” said Marcus Peacock, EPA’s Deputy Administrator. “The EPA commends AAR CORP. for making a long-term commitment to protecting the environment.”

By buying green power in amounts that exceed the EPA’s purchase requirements, AAR also becomes a member of the Green Power Leadership Club. This distinction is given to organizations that significantly surpass the basic purchase requirements to be included in the Green Power Partnership. AAR will also be listed on the EPA’s 100% Green Power Purchaser list, which is scheduled for its next quarterly update in October.

AAR has chosen Colorado-based Renewable Choice Energy as its supplier of RECs. Renewable Choice Energy is a leading national provider of renewable energy that is building the market for clean and renewable sources of energy.

AAR is also expanding its commitment to energy efficiency by utilizing high efficiency fluorescent lights in its U.S. facilities. Other green initiatives including reducing energy consumption, conserving water and recycling scrap material, are designed to provide long-term environmental and financial benefits. In addition, employees are encouraged to read and post on “Green Voices,” AAR’s internal green blog.

About AAR
AAR is a leading provider of products and value-added services to the worldwide aerospace and defense industry. With facilities and sales locations around the world, AAR uses its close-to-the-customer business model to serve airline and defense customers through four operating segments: Aviation Supply Chain; Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul; Structures and Systems and Aircraft Sales and Leasing. More information can be found at www.aarcorp.com.

About EPA’s Green Power Partnership
EPA’s Green Power Partnership is a voluntary program that encourages organizations to purchase green power as a way to reduce the environmental impacts associated with their electricity use. The Green Power Partnership currently has hundreds of Partners voluntarily purchasing billions of kilowatt hours of green power annually. For additional information please visit www.epa.gov/greenpower.

About Renewable Choice Energy
Based in Boulder, Colo., Renewable Choice Energy www.renewablechoice.com promotes the development of clean alternatives to fossil fuels. Renewable Choice connects renewable energy producers with forward-thinking consumers including Fortune 500 companies, cities, universities and residential consumers across the country. As a pioneer in wind power development, Renewable Choice Energy has helped develop many industry standards and best practices, and is the leading supplier to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified green building projects.

Original press release: http://www.aarcorp.com/news/AARCleanSource082307.htm

The Incubator’s July 18 “stakeholder meeting” was outstanding, with a wide spectrum of individuals from business, government, and academia coming together to offer ideas, suggestions, and support to the Incubator project. More details on this will follow, but the steering committee plans to move forward with a full feasibility study, with strategic partnerships with other incubators and nonprofits, and has reached an agreement to sign up its first full client, HydroCoil Power.

In our view, the meeting on July 18 was highly successful both in endorsing the concept of the Sustainable Business Incubator and in brainstorming issues, tasks, and opportunities for the team to pursue.

The attached Stakeholder Meeting Notes (Word document) focuses on the key outcomes of the stakeholder meeting on the Sustainable Business Incubator. We have attempted to make this report action-oriented, with specific dates and responsibilities assigned wherever appropriate and possible. Please note that the table is a distillation of the proceedings of the meeting on July 18, 2007 and is therefore limited in detail. If you feel that there are any omissions or mistakes in the document, please let us know and we will attempt to resolve such issues. We thank you for your participation and look forward to your continued involvement.