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Meet Mark Havel, Program Associate
1. What drives your environmental work and activism?
33 percent interest in science, 33 percent appreciation of nature, 33 percent sense of responsibility, and 1 percent crippling desire to seem cool and interesting.
2. What was one of your most exciting and rewarding achievements?
I got a job at the Climate Action Reserve. Gary reads these, right?
3. Who is your hero?
Anyone who values ecosystem services and therefore considers environmental impacts when making decisions.
4. What are your favorite and frequently visited websites?
The total number is embarrassing, so here are a few highlights. I visit the Times and the BBC sites for news, CleanTechnica and Climate Progress for my climate change and alternative energy fix, and Serious Eats because food is great.
5. What was your most recent “That oughta be a law!” thought?
I probably think about national marriage equality (pro) and creationism in schools (anti) every day. Those seem like pretty easy laws to me.
6. What is a tip you’d like to share for leading a more sustainable life?
I think the first general step is moving away from an “out of sight, out of mind” mentality and considering the entire life cycle of the goods you consume. It’s a little tedious at first, but over time it’ll become second nature.
7. Please share a personal story that ties in with one of the Reserve’s protocol sectors
I had a great time composting my recycled refrigerator in a coal mine under a forest full of dairy cows last week. Sorry, I haven’t been on any oversights, so I got nothing. Can we get rid of this question?
8. What is your opinion of the Obama administration’s environmental record?
Not bad*, but should be better (*meme reference). It’s understandably difficult to crack down on corporate carbon emissions when the economy is in dire straits, and the new fuel efficiency standards are a pretty big deal. Still, there should have been a bigger effort to move the topic of climate change from political talking point to significant concern in the public sphere.
9. If you could spend one week in a natural area in the U.S., where would it be?
Hawaii. Nah, too easy. I’d say it’s a toss-up between the Great Basin Desert in Nevada and the temperate rainforests in Washington.
10. What is an environmental book that you think should be required reading in schools?
Parts of Hot, Flat, and Crowded by Thomas Friedman. The tone is a fairly informal and there are quite a few personal anecdotes, but it hits home on several key issues and, more importantly, it’s inspiring.
11. What is your favorite meal?
Dinner? The truth is that I go through phases of obsession with specific cuisines or dishes, usually based on what’s readily available in the community. When I lived in Houston, it was mostly Texas-style BBQ and Vietnamese. The Bronx was all Italian-American all the time. Living in LA, I will eat Thai street food or Mexican seafood any day of the week.
12. What is something about you that your professional peers would be surprised to learn?
I have a car and a TV. Seriously, Kristen is inexplicably and consistently surprised by that fact.
Check out our November newsletter for upcoming events, protocol updates and recently registered projects
Meet Heather Raven, Policy Coordinator
1. What drives your environmental work and activism?
My passion for severe weather which led me into the climate change path in the first place. My belief that human compassion for the welfare of others will lead people to make the right choices about the environment surrounding them. My belief that personal actions will make a difference in slowing climate change.
2. What was one of your most exciting and rewarding achievements?
It may not sound like a huge accomplishment, but graduating with my master’s degree in Climate & Society from Columbia was not something I had planned on doing: I received notice of the program early in 2006, applied just in the nick of time, and moved to NYC a few months later. It was a whirlwind adventure and exhausting one-year program that brought me to where I am today.
3. Who is your hero (or someone you admire greatly)?
David Suzuki, Canadian scientist and environmentalist, co-founder of the David Suzuki Foundation. I grew up watching David Suzuki’s television program The Nature of Things which was centered on environmental issues. He was one of the first environment-focused influences in my life and someone I still greatly admire to this day.
4. What are your favorite and frequently visited websites?
Facebook for keeping in touch with friends and family across the globe. National Weather Service (NOAA) because I’m a weather geek and they present the most accurate weather and severe weather updates. Wikipedia, not for official research, but to help answer all those useless trivia questions running through my head; you never know when those tidbits of info will come in handy.
5. What is a tip you’d like to share for leading a more sustainable life?
Don’t buy bottled water. Seriously. It’s no different than your tap water. If you have older pipes then just use a jug filter and keep water in your fridge. The plastic waste from bottles is astounding and unnecessary.
6. Can you share a personal story that ties in with one of the Reserve’s protocol sectors?
Growing up, I was always excited to help my dad take large items and waste to the local landfill and help my mom compost kitchen waste out in the backyard. As a child, the landfill was like a huge depository of other peoples’ lives and I was always fascinated with what was left there and what I would see next. Composting in the backyard was more of a gross fascination with rotting food and how waste broke down and actually could help our gardens. Both experiences (and thanks to my mom and dad!) taught me about how unnecessarily wasteful people can be and yet how some waste can be beneficial. To this day, I’ve recycled, reused, repurposed, and donated items to others as much as possible. I would compost organics, but I don’t think my landlord would approve.
7. If you could spend one week in a natural area in the U.S., where would it be?
The Mojave Desert. Deserts tend to be under-appreciated because the flora and fauna are not as obvious as when trekking through a forest. Learning about desert wildlife and spending more time in the desert has been such a pleasure since I moved to LA. I would love to spend more time exploring the desert and camping in Death Valley…in the late fall or early spring, perhaps.
8. What is your favorite meal?
I love a great plate of loaded nachos or cheese enchiladas, but I think Greek chicken souvlaki, rice, roasted potatoes, dolmades, and tzatziki sauce would beat those other two favorites.
9. What is something about you that your professional peers would be surprised to learn?
I hiked Mt. Whitney in one day, and yes, I bought the t-shirt to prove it. It only took me 21 hours with small breaks. Yeah, not planning to do that again. Physically and mentally exhausting, but yet so rewarding to have done it.
Climate Action Offsetter: NativeEnergy Leads the way with Reserve Offsets
written by NativeEnergy
When NativeEnergy signed on as the Offset Partner for the 2012 Climate Leadership Conference, we knew that we would need to use credible, high-quality offsets to mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the conference. We selected carbon offsets from a project verified to the Climate Action Reserve (CAR) U.S. Landfill Gas Protocol.
The consortium that puts on the conference – the Association of Climate Change Officers (ACCO), Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), The Climate Registry, and the U.S. EPA – are among the most prominent organizations in the United States addressing climate change. Given the stature of the consortium partners, you can imagine the emphasis they placed upon have offsets with “integrity, transparency, and . . . value,” qualities that CAR highlights. Ultimately, we selected a landfill gas offset project from Casella’s Clinton County, NY. This small, voluntary, community project fit the bill admirably.
The role of a conference offset partner can vary. Some conference producers simply offset venue operations, which are a relatively small part of the footprint—typically less than 10 metric tons. For the Climate Leadership Conference, we offset the venue and activities there, hotel stays for conference attendees, plus air and local travel. That footprint was approximately 219 tons, a substantial difference from simply offsetting venue operations. We also wanted to work with the partners to tell the story in a manner that would resonate with attendees. Using the same approach we took with ACCO at their Climate Change Leadership Summit in 2011, we developed materials with the headline “Who let the herd of bull elephants into the room.” The pachyderms vividly conveyed the footprint related to producing the event.
As we know, you can’t be a 21st-century institution and not have a carbon footprint. Add carbon footprints to death and taxes as an inevitable consequence of being.
The institutions we engage with—businesses, non-profit organizations, and events—are all thoughtful and deliberate actors. They are energy-efficient. They support renewable electric generation. They reduce waste; better still, they turn waste into raw material. Still, they have a footprint. Hence the role of carbon offsets. The projects we’ve brought to market—often verified to CAR standards—have provided an important resource to these institutions.
CAR’s work supports the development of credible projects that result in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions over and above business as usual. For a dozen years now, NativeEnergy has been working with responsible entities across the country to turn on new projects that mitigate climate change. In the aftermath of heat, drought, and humongous storms, our work and CAR’s have never been more important.
About NativeEnergy
NativeEnergy is an expert provider of carbon offsets, renewable energy credits, and carbon accounting software. With NativeEnergy’s Help Build™ offsets, businesses and individuals can help finance the construction of wind, biogas, solar, and other carbon reduction projects with strong social and environmental benefits. Since 2000, NativeEnergy’s customers have helped build over 50 projects, reducing more than 2.5 million tons of greenhouse gases, and the company has over 4 million tons under contract. All NativeEnergy carbon offsets undergo third-party validation and verification. Learn more at www.nativeenergy.com.
Meet Gillian Calof, Operations Director
1. What drives your environmental work and activism?
Growing up on a farm in rural Canada I was surrounded by the natural environment and countless species of birds and other wildlife. My family has always been active in our community volunteering for many different organizations so a career in nonprofit environmental work was a natural fit for me.
2. What was one of your most exciting and rewarding achievements?
Completing my Masters degree in Nonprofit Administration was a very rewarding achievement, but nothing compares to the enriching experience of having two healthy and happy boys.
3. Who is your hero (or someone you admire greatly)?
I greatly admire Margot Feuer, one of the three inspiring women who fought for the preservation of the Santa Monica Mountains. She campaigned and lobbied Congress to protect the mountains and open space in the Los Angeles area.
4. What are your favorite and frequently visited websites?
The Daily Grail – it’s an alternative source for news that highlights thought-provoking articles in the area of science, history and science fiction. I also visit www.mlb.com as I am a huge baseball fan!
5. What was your most recent “That oughta be a law!” thought?
My most recent “That oughta be a law” thought was more a, “I wish they’d enforce the law” moment. Gas powered leaf blowers are banned in Los Angeles but their use is widespread. The dust and other airborne particles they spread are detrimental to our health.
6. What is a tip you’d like to share for leading a more sustainable life?
Plan your meals in advance so that you shop with focus and waste less food.
7. Can you share a personal story that ties in with one of the Reserve’s protocol sectors?
I once had an internship with a company that surveyed electricity usage at hog and dairy farms in Ontario, Canada. I visited over 30 farms that summer and became intimately familiar with their operation and challenges. I also met some of the nicest, friendliest people.
8. If you could spend one week in a natural area in the U.S., where would it be?
I’d hike and camp in the Desolations Wilderness in the South Lake Tahoe area. It has some of the most beautiful alpine lakes, waterfalls and scenery!
9. What is an environmental book that you think should be required reading in schools?
I like the idea of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson being read in schools. It marks an age of awareness and of the human potential to damage our natural environment.
10. What is your favorite meal?
My favorite meal is a BBQ shared with our neighbors.
11. What is something about you that your professional peers would be surprised to learn?
For our first dance at our wedding my husband and I recreated the 1984 Saturday Night Live ‘Men’s Synchronized Swimming’ sketch. Yes, we had our first dance in a pool.
Coal Mine Methane Project Protocol Version 1.1 Now Available
Meet Derik Broekhoff, Vice President of Policy
1. What drives your environmental work and activism?
40 percent force of habit, 10 percent sublimated idealism, 30 percent worrying about the world my daughter will inherit, 20 percent a deeply conservative streak concerning preservation of the natural world.
2. What was one of your most exciting and rewarding achievements?
Arriving in Yosemite shortly after midnight, pitching a tent in Camp 4, immediately hiking halfway up to Yosemite Falls to see it in the moonlight, getting up early the next morning to hike up Half Dome, scaling to the top even though the cables were down, stumbling into Camp 4 for dinner.
3. Who is your hero (or someone you admire greatly)?
Bond. James Bond.
4. What are your favorite and frequently visited websites?
The Atlantic.com – To keep tabs on the chattering class.
Ars Technica – To learn about what hackers are up to, gadgets, and the occasional deep dive on climate science, astronomy, and subatomic physics.
Realclimate.org – An antidote to the peanut gallery that attaches itself in comments to every article written on climate change.
Unfccc.int – Just kidding!
5. What was your most recent “That oughta be a law!” thought?
Glass-Steagall
6. What is a tip you’d like to share for leading a more sustainable life?
Don’t cut switchbacks.
7. Please share a personal story that ties in with one of the Reserve’s protocol sectors (ie story about your experiences composting, enjoying a forest, recycling your refrigerator)
I used a worm bin to compost food scraps for a while. Then my housemate’s Siberian husky tore the plastic liner off in the middle of winter and the worms froze to death. One of the Reserve’s composting projects is near an airport and for safety reasons they have a dog to chase birds away. Dogs will be dogs; sometimes that’s bad, sometimes it’s good… I’m sorry, what was the question?
8. If you could spend one week in a natural area in the U.S., where would it be?
Three Sisters Wilderness in Oregon. Reasonably remote, great hiking, you can bag an easy peak, lava beds!
9. What is an environmental book that you think should be required reading in schools?
The World Without Us. Very imaginatively conveys the full breadth of human impact on the natural world – and is strangely uplifting.
10. What is your favorite meal?
Tuna Helper® without the tuna, after a hike up Half Dome.
11. What is something about you that your professional peers would be surprised to learn?
Like Paul Ryan, I can say I ran a marathon in 3.5 hours or less. Unlike Paul Ryan, I actually did.
Making Your Office a Lean, Green, Emissions-Cutting Machine
Blog Action Day 2012: The Power of We
Reserve staff riding public transportation in downtown Los Angeles
We get excited to read about company sustainability initiatives. We love culling through these articles to learn how companies are going green and to inspire change in our own office. And while Fortune 500 companies, such as Google, UPS, Chevrolet and Disney pursue large-scale ambitious projects, small nonprofits can make an impact in cutting emissions, too! Here are some of our green initiatives at the Climate Action Reserve:
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Flex Your (Purchasing) Power
We like to purchase the greenest options available – such as FSC certified paper, office supplies made from recycled or biodegradable materials, and natural and botanical cleaners. Our coffee is organic, fair trade and shade grown. Our pens are made from biodegradable, compostable corn plastic.
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Sustainable Operations Policies
We got rid of our fax machine a few years ago and use an electronic online based fax service called myfax.com. All outgoing and incoming faxes are electronic documents.
In addition to reducing our usage of resources (such as limiting printing to strictly necessary items), reusing available materials (such as packaging materials), and recycling everything that’s recyclable (paper, batteries, equipment), we are also excited to embark on composting food waste in the office via a worm-free, bug-free, odorless system.
We also allow our staff to work from home one day a week to reduce transit impact on the environment.
Speaking of transit impact, we are pleased to report that we have extremely high rates of ridership in the local public transportation system. Downtown Los Angeles is a difficult area to traverse via automobile during rush hour, with its one-way streets, congestion, honking, and pedestrians. So, instead of offering staff a reserved parking spot or full reimbursement of parking costs, we partner with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to offer discounted bus/rail passes to our staff.
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Green Meetings and Events
When holding meetings and events, we use online webinar programs to the maximum extent possible. This allows our audience to participate without requiring any air and ground travel, and results in higher participation rates, reduced costs and much reduced emissions.
- Measure and Offset
As a Member of The Climate Registry, we adhere to their rigorous General Reporting Protocol to measure our carbon footprint. For our emissions inventory, we measure our office electricity usage, heating and cooling, air and ground travel for events, and travel to and from the office during the weekday commute. Upon determining our annual emissions inventory, we purchase and retire carbon credits, called Climate Reserve Tonnes, through a blind trust to offset our emissions.
We also measure and offset the emissions associated with our annual conference, Navigating the American Carbon World (NACW). Our conference is the largest carbon conference in North America, drawing approximately 600 leaders in business, environment, government and academia. We partner with a leading carbon offset retailer (TerraPass in 2011 and 2012) to calculate the travel for attendees, electricity and air conditioning usage for conference facilities and event-related occupied guest rooms during the duration of the conference.
The efforts of the organization to minimize our impact on the environment are successful because of the involvement and support of our staff. We’re always looking for additional ideas on improving our sustainability profile and we’d love to hear about green initiatives at your workplace! Thanks for reading, sharing and supporting the Power of We.
