The Rocky and Rewarding Road to

Sustainability Partnerships

“A Community Investment”
April 8 2008
 "The Rough and Rocky but Rewarding Road
to a Sustainability Partnership"

Special Guest Speakers

Admiral Secretary Senator

Hering Marin Kehoe

Workshop Sessions

Purpose Focus & Building Case Study:

Motivation Structure Field Station
(1) (3) (5)

Measuring to Sustainability
Turning Talk into
Manage & & Strategic
Reality
Sustain Planning
(2)
(4) (6)
 Agenda

1:00 - Introductions
1:05 - Admiral Len Hering
1:35 - Secretary Rosario Marin
2:05 - Senator Kehoe
2:35 - Purpose Focus and Motivation
2:55 - Turning Talk into Reality
3:15 - Building the Structure
3:40 - Measuring to Manage and Sustain
4:00 - Building a Sustainable Field Station
4:20 - Sustainability and Strategic Planning
4:30 - Adjournment
Introductions
 Admiral Len Hering
Commander, Navy Region Southwest
 Rosario Marin
Secretary, State and Consumer
Affairs Agency
Christine Kehoe
California State Senator
 San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership
Development Timeline

Build an Effective Strategic Plan

Prepare and Sign the Charter Organizational Structure & Metrics Future

Oct 2005 Nov 2006 Jan 2008 Apr 2008 2009…

 San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership
Development Timeline

Prepare and Sign the Charter

Oct 2005 Mar 2006 Nov 2006

Initiate Dialogue Establish Guidelines Sign & Celebrate

Build Team Build Charter

 San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership
Development Timeline

Build an Effective Organizational Structure

Dec 2006 Feb 2007 Oct 2008

Membership Management Manage Committes Check to Modify

Logo, & Web Site Annual Meeting

 San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership
Development Timeline

Strategic Plan & Metrics Future

Nov 2008 Jan 2008 Mar 2008 2009…

Prepare for BoD Metrics Task Order Educate & Empower Community

Elect & Empanel BoD Make Org. Sustainable

Purpose, Focus and Motivation

Josh Gelfand

Eco Investment Network International, Inc.

www.ecoinvestmentclub.com
 What is the California Center for
Sustainable Energy (CCSE)?

We are an independent, nonprofit,

mission driven organization working
to create a sustainable
energy future.

We are your guide on the journey to

a sustainable lifestyle.
13
 Our Purpose: to help the community
achieve the Triple Bottom Line
• Help Green Your World

• Put Green in Your Pocket

• Teach Green Living

• People - Planet - Profit

14
 Find Purpose by answering the W’s

• Why – do we need this organization?

• What – void are we filling?

– will we accomplish?

• Who – should be involved?

• When – will we begin and achieve our

objectives?

15
 WHY?

16
 WHAT?

17
 What is Sustainability?
Sustainability means living and working
as if you really believe there is a
tomorrow

www.energycenter.org
18
 What is Sustainability?
• Sustainability is a characteristic of a process or state that
can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely. Wikipedia

• A concept that balances the interconnectedness of the

environment, economy and the quality of life and that
recognizes the importance of the stewardship over each: SD
Regional Sustainability Partnership Charter

• Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the

ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Brundtland Commission, USEPA

• Managing finite resources today for an infinite

tomorrow.
SDRSP Vision statement

19
 What?
• What void are we filling?
– Disjointed sustainability and environmental
community
– Need to open lines of communication
between sustainability stakeholders
– Need a hub of resources and information
“Educate and Empower”
 WHO?

21
 WHO?

• Who is the leadership?

• Who are the members?

• Who is the target?

 WHEN?

23
 Keep our focus through the C’s
• Consistency

• Clarity

• Communication

24
 Consistency
• Message must be continuously fed from
the top down to keep everyone on the
same page

• Requires leadership and commitment,

which is especially challenging in a
volunteer organization

25
 Clarity
• Messaging must be concise

• Everything must have a clear definition to

keep membership on the same page

26
 Communication
• Regular meetings, emails and
conversations must be consistent

• It is the responsibility of the leadership to

keep committee members and
stakeholders involved and constantly
aware of progress

27
 Guidelines for success…T.I.P.
• Transparent
– Open and available information and resources
• Inclusive
– Vital to keep enthusiasm and membership
involvement
• Proactive
– Don’t just talk the talk – WALK THE WALK!

28
 We all must be Leaders!
• We cannot serve the needs of our energy
future by being risk averse in a world full of
risk!

• We must be consistent over long term in word

and deed and speak candidly about choices
consumers and organizations make!

• We must clarify for consumers, industry and

government the choices that provide for a
sustainable future and those that do not!

29
30
 Please make your voice heard…
• Demand that government make climate
change mitigation and adaptation a
priority.

• Support and encourage actions to reduce

greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to
coming changes.

31
 What must you do?
• Educate yourself!

• Get involved!

• Discuss, Debate and Influence!

• Vote!

• www.energycenter.org

32
 For More Information:
• Josh Gelfand

• (619) 726-8143

• thegelfand@gmail.com

• www.sdrsp.org
 Turning Talk into Reality
• Drivers
• Dialogue
• Ground Rules
• Charter Development
• Celebrating Success
 Why Collaborate ?
Drivers
Ed Pinero
White House Office of the
Federal Environmental

• Federal Initiatives Executive (OFEE)

– Executive Orders 13423, 13352

– Energy Policy Act of 2005
– Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)
• State of California Legislation &
Executive Orders
• Individual Agency/Departmental
policies
• Industry Standards
World Drivers
 San Diego Region

California yesterday (1960)

– 15.8 million residents
California today
– 34.8 million resident
California tomorrow (2040)
– 58.7 million residents

The Challenge
– Sustain our smart growth initiatives
 21st Century Changes
New Vision, Solutions, and Partnerships
“A time for…..
Government

Corporations

Community

…to reinvent themselves”

 Partnership Benefits
Walking the same path….
• Maximizes operational • Enhances security
efficiencies • Improves Health & Safety
• Eliminates redundancies performance
• Adds flexibility and • Reduces environmental
responsiveness impacts
• Reduces and avoids costs • Gets the most out of their
• Improves product quality people
and contract delivery • Improves organizational and
• Overcomes resource infrastructure efficiency
limitations • Improves resource
• Enhances decision making utilization
• Improves regulatory • “Does more with less”
compliance
 Benefit of Business Participation

Quantifiable and Intangible

Tier 4:
Tier 2: Tier 3:
Benefits to
Enhanced Enhanced
Tier 1: Productivity,
Customer Image, Goodwill,
Optimize Business Economy and
Satisfaction Community
Costs Environment
(Externalities)

Most Tangible to Least Tangible

 Partnering for Success

Partnering helps you leverage the resources,

knowledge, creativity, assets and personal
energies of yourself and stakeholders to help
better achieve your organizational goals.
 Begin With a Dialogue

•Dialogue is a disciplined and interactive process of

speaking, listening and inquiring among peers that:

1)Expands collective knowledge

1)Turns unproductive debate into focused outcomes

1)Helps form new approaches to solving complex

(environmental) issues

1)Identifies existing partnerships and forums

1)Initiates Leadership
 Leadership Characteristics
9 Long term perspective & a global mindset
9 Passion for sustainability
9 Influence & persuasion rather than
command & control
9 Tenacity
9 Optimism & positive action
9 Capacity for innovation
9 Integrated thinking
 Elements for Success

• Focus on the end-goal

• Create conditions such that partnering
becomes comfortable
• Understand the other parties involved
• Appreciate and respect each others
differences
• Celebrate partnering milestones
– Promote and advertise success
Promote Partnerships
 The Charter Experience
Challenge: Lessons Learned:
• To be sensitive to
stakeholder perspectives • To manage expectations
• To be meaningful while • To establish an end point
avoiding too much detail • To be patient
Process: • To celebrate the event!
• We facilitated
collaborative sessions
• We documented issues
and ideas
• We initiated a 6 month
process- participant
turnover
 Celebrating Success: San Diego
Regional Sustainability Partnership

44 Organizational Members
 Building the Structure
• Committees
• Communications
• Goals
• Board of Directors
 Committees
• Create Structure
• Volunteers
• Keep Focused
• Look for Opportunities
• Socialize
 Create Structure
• Core focus
– Support, or Sustainability?
• Strengths and Weaknesses
– What Political challenges exist?
– Is the timing right?
• Allows for an Efficient use of
resources
• Provides Accountability
 Volunteers
• Individual attributes
– Do they have the right skills?
– Committed and Responsible?
– Team Players?
• Leadership must
– Motivate
– Praise
– Advertise for conscripts
– Respond to Inquiries
 Keep Focused
• Chairperson Skills
• Use an agenda
• Divide content from process
• Appoint a Secretary
• Only track actions
• Stay on time
• Meeting Norms
 Look for Opportunities
• Network
• Stay in touch with Members
• Track events
• Scour the internet
• Probe outside your circle
 Socialize
• Fun is important
• Builds trust
• Rewards others Show
real interest
• Free lunch helps!
 Communications

• Branding
• Platforms
 Branding
• Acronym
• Logo
• Mission
• Vision
 Platforms
• Web Site
• Listserv, or Email
• Newsletter
• Discussion Board
• Pictures and Video
 Goals
• Guidance & Organization
• Short Term & Long Term
• Tangible
• Deliver and Report
 Guidance & Organization
• Categorization
– Be specific
• Strategic Management
• Provide examples
• Simple format
• Has it been vetted?
 Short Term, Long Term
• Short
– Motivate
– Create momentum
– Examples: membership list, meet regularly,
generate meeting minutes, create a web site
– Build discipline
• Long term
– Sustaining the organization
– Examples: fund raising, secure 501 (c) (3),
Develop a Case Studies database
 Tangible
• What have you done for me lately?
• Perception is Reality
• Its hard to argue with Results
• Creates Credibility
 Deliver and Report
• Deliver results or reconfigure
• Generate a report
 Board of Directors
• Member, or Board
• Utilize the Network
• Standard Operational Procedures
• Vote and Empanel
• Transition
 Summary
• Committees are critical to success
• Communicate the Message
• Establish & Achieve Goals
• Board of Directors can elevate the org.
Document Examples
Vision: “To advance a sustainable future in the San Diego Region.”
Mission:
Share Sustainability information with our membership, the public, private
1
sector, government, and other non-profits.
Build working relationships between Sustainable minded
2
organizations.
3 Encourage Sustainable behaviors in and outside the Partnership.
4 Measure the Region’s progress toward a sustainable future.

Strategic Categories:
1 Membership: number of participants/meeting, volunteers, subcommittees, etc.
2 Outreach: activities, workshops, conferences, etc.
3 Communication: website, newsletter, discussion board, etc.
4 Management: number of meetings, participants, assignments, etc.
5 Products: best practices, case studies, etc.
6 Sustainability: goals related to the metrics for that area

Goal Criteria:
1 Meaningful to the Partnership
2 Consistent with the Partnership’s vision, and mission
3 Does it help Communicate sustainability concepts
4 Will it help influence/change behavior to be more sustainable
5 Does it bring other Sustainability groups in the region together
6 Understood by all committee members
7 Attainable within a year
8 Realistic and challenging
9 States what, who, where
10 Measurable
 Goal
Examples
 Goal
Examples
Goal Category %Comp Target Date Lead(s) Phone
Retain 30 active and diverse members
in effective workgroups. Brand/Marketing 66% July Don Wells 619-237-6210
Recommend Mission/definition
submitted to BofD Brand/Marketing 25% March Don Wells 619-237-6210
Clarify and approve purpose & key
message points for all written
materials, press releases, slide
shows, blogs, Web sites, etc Brand/Marketing 0% April Barbara Burton 858-454-0708
Develop an effective marketing plan for
partners and the public across
appropriate platforms and vehicles Brand/Marketing 0% July Barbara Burton 858-454-0708
Develop effective fund-raising
strategies Brand/Marketing 0% July
Establish an effective newsletter. Public Relations 0% Quarterly Mary Montgomery 619-544-3610
Create and coordinate partnership and
public events Public Relations 0% On-going
Develop a compelling, dynamic
website Web/Digital 0% April Jeffrey "JP" Pohlmann 619-594-8026
Develop and deploy a we based forum Web/Digital 0% April Jeffrey "JP" Pohlmann 619-594-8026
Develop Partner Discussion Board Info Management 0% June Andrea Calbow 619-321-6715
Develop a SDRSP archive for historical
reference Info Management 0% June Andrea Calbow 619-321-6715
Develop a searchable case studies
database. Info Management 0% 3rd Q
Develop relationship with each SDRSP
committee to provide commuinication
& marketing support Communication 0% May Don Wells 619-237-6210
Measuring Success to Manage
• Why Measure?
• How to Start
• Planning the outcome
 SDRSP Metrics Task Force

• Develop measurable sustainability goals

and benchmarks, which can be used in
programs and initiatives
• Identify a coordinated sustainability vision
for the region
Why Measure Sustainability
™ Set Effective Priorities
™ Continuously Improve
™ Encourage Innovation
™ Enable Accountability
™ Allow for Strategic Planning and Goal-
Setting
™ Communicate Results of Programs and
Services

Results Become the Focus

 What is an Effective Metric?
• Representative
• Reflects Drivers
• Publicly Available
• Understandable
• Relevant
• Comparative
• Quantifiable
• Time-based and Normalized
• Unbiased and Validated
• Transferable
 Metrics Task Force
Structure
Regional
RegionalPlanning
Planning
Agencies
Agencies

Non-Governmental
Non-Governmental SDRSP
SDRSPCommittee
Committee
Organizations
Organizations &&Advisory
AdvisoryPanel
Panel

Metrics
Metrics
Task Force
Task Force

Government &&
Government Economic
Economic
Academic
AcademicCommunity
Community Development Agencies
Development Agencies

Scientific
Scientific
Community
Community
Sustainability Metrics Process
Data Collection
Benchmarking
& Scorecard

Community Stakeholder
Outreach Surveys

Metrics
Selection

Following the metrics lifecycle closely helps to structure metrics

development effectively and to communicate value to stakeholders
 Work Plan
• Identify metrics development framework
• Collate existing regional metrics data
• Identify new metrics
• Establish a “benchmark” for evaluating
progress
• Propose deliverables
– Issue Sustainability Scorecard in 2009
– Develop Metrics Tool
External Benchmarking Surveys
Design Framework
• What is the framework for
design?
• What is the framework for
evaluation?
• What are the stakeholder
boundaries?
• What sectors are captured?
Organization/Operation/Executi
on
• What is the formative process?
• How is data managed?
• What is the communication
process?
• What is your Quality Assurance
process?
Measuring Results
• Have you/your organization
published any
documents/reports on
measuring sustainability?
• What are the lessons learned?
Cities & Organizations in Survey
• Pasadena, CA • Portland, OR
• San Mateo County • Chicago, IL
• Long Beach, CA • Denver, CO
• Bay Area Alliance • Boston, MA
• Sustainable Silicon Valley • Omaha, NE
• Green Valley Initiative • Seattle, WA
(Riverside/SB Counties) • Navy, USMC
• Riverside, CA • Regional Agencies
• Santa Monica, CA • University Research
Activities
External Associations in Survey
• Global Reporting Initiative
• Global Environmental Management Initiative
• International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives
• World Business Council for Sustainable Development
• Zero Waste International Alliance
• California Air Resources Board
• California Water Resources Board
• Western Climate Business Association
• Dow Jones Sustainability Index
• Airports Council International – North America
INTERCONNECTED MEASURES
 Environment Indicators
Air Indicators Awareness Indicators
• CO2 emissions from • Number of environmental
transportation education programs for
community
• CO2 emissions by source • Number of environmental
(fugitive, stationary) education programs at K-
• CO2 emissions relative to 12 level and universities
1990 levels • Percent of population that
• Air quality: CO, SOX, O3, perceives pollution as a
NOX (Greenhouse priority
Gases)
• Days per year that air
quality standards are met
 Resource Indicators
Energy Indicators Hazardous Material
• Average annual Indicators
residential electricity • Manufacturing workers
consumption per pound of toxic
chemicals released into
• Total energy the air
consumption: • Toxic chemicals released
– Consumption from or transferred
non-renewable • Total area of
sources contaminated sites
– Consumption from • Hazardous waste
renewable sources generated
• Gasoline consumption
per capita
 Resource Indicators
Recycling Indicators Water Indicators
• Percentage of solid waste • Residential water
recycled consumption
• Percent of recyclable • Commercial water
consumption
products actually recycled
• Gallons of water used
• Average post-consumer daily per person
recycled content of office • Water resource depletion
paper purchases rates
• Interaction with SDRSP • Water consumption
Committee versus total annual
precipitation
 Economic Indicators
Economic Performance
• Economic value generated
• Financial risks and opportunities
• Financial assistance and incentives from government
Market Presence
• Wage ratio ranges to minimums
• Local based suppliers
• Local hiring: line to management
Indirect Economic Impacts
• Infrastructure public benefit investment
• Other indirect impacts & extent
The Sustainable Seattle Model
 Sustainable Santa Monica
City Plan Goal Areas
• Resource Conservation • Housing
• Environmental and • Open Space and Land Use
Public Health • Community Education and
• Transportation Civic Participation
• Economic Development • Human Dignity

Goals represent commitments for both municipal

operations and the community as a whole
 Resource Conservation
Goals: Decrease consumption of non-local, non-renewable,
non-recyclable energy, water, materials and fuels
and promote renewable resource use
Indicators
System Level
• Energy consumption
• Water consumption
• Solid Waste generation and diversion
• GHG Emissions
• Ecological Footprint
Program Level
• LEED Certified Buildings as % of New Construction
 Housing
Goals: Provide a mix of affordable, livable and green housing
types for people of all socio-economic, cultural and household groups

Indicators
System Level
• Availability and distribution of affordable housing
• Affordable housing for special needs groups

Program Level
• % of new housing units in non-residential zone districts
• % of new units within ¼ mile of transit / open space / grocery store
• % of new and rehab units that meet “green” building requirements
 What Gets Measured Gets
Managed…
• One size does not fit all
• Map metrics to partnership mission
• Select metrics that have meaning
• Utilize data already collected
• Avoid over measurement
• Be consistent from year to year
• Use metrics to motivate behavior---do not collect
data for data’s sake
 For More Information:
• Dave Meyer

• (858) 514-8822

• dmeyer@brncld.com

• www.sdrsp.org
"It was nuclear winter. It was like Armageddon.
It looked like the end of the world."
Mitch Mendler, a San Diego firefighter

Demonstration Project:
Sky Oaks Field Station

1
Field Stations Program:
New Opportunities and Challenges

Matt Rahn, Ph.D.

Executive Director
 Our Mission:
• To support teaching, research and education on
the ecosystems of southern California by
collecting, understanding, and sharing
environmental data

• In keeping with this goal, the stations are

managed for the long-term preservation of
native fauna and flora

98
 Our Goal:
• To work with faculty, researchers, students, and
community members to collaborate with us so
that we can make lasting contributions to
understanding and sustaining natural systems
and processes

• To apply this information to regional issues

– Sustainable Development

99
 The Importance of Information:
• Legacy of Data

• Current Research

• Future Research Potential

100
A Network of Four Field
Stations:

101
 Sky Oaks Biological Field Station
1600 Acres Northeast San Diego County
17 miles north of Warner
Chaparral Springs
Pine Forest 1,183 m (3,880 ft) to 1,829
Coast Live Oak Woodland m (6,000 ft)
Coastal Sage Scrub

102
 Resource to the Region
• Regional Planning
– Watershed, habitat
• Land Use Change
– Monitoring of habitats and biodiversity
• Water and Air
– Ozone, water quality
• Public Safety & Homeland Security
– Wildfire
• Community Outreach
– Tours, art, science, cultural center
• Workforce Training
103
 HPWREN-Wireless Sensor Network
largest wireless network for sensing the environment in the U.S.

ROADNet
FSML

104
Early-Warning Environmental Network

Wildfire
Visual Sensing & Analysis

Earth Quakes

Flooding & Water Quality

Sound 105
Pollution Air Pollution, Santa Ana Winds
Classroom Learning: Carbon Flux in the Classroom

Walt Oechel

Doug Deutschman

106
 SDSU Researchers
Biology Department Ecology

Environmental Sciences Civil Engineering

Geography Department Environmental Engineering

Geology Department Anthropology

 Universities at SMER
CSU Los Angeles CSU Pomona
CSU Northridge CSU San Marcos
UC Riverside UC San Diego
UC Irvine UC Davis

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

European Forest Institute, Finland
Michigan State University
Mira Costa Community College
Grossmont College
Vanderbilt University
University of Oregon
109
Field Stations Web Usage

110
Coyote Fire
2003
112
Sky Oaks Aerial Photo
114
115
Core Building Floor Plan

First Story Second Story

 Building Requirements
• Fire Resistive Materials

• Sustainable Products/Green Building

• Leed Certification

• Demonstration Project
Daily Output Per Edtek Cogen
Unit
•12kwh/day electrical power System
•27.6kwh/day thermal power

•80 gallons of 185 degree

water/day

•Programmable two axis sun

tracking

•800:1 collection ratio with dish

•2400:1 within condenser prism

array

•Stainless steel heat exchanger

 For More Information:
• Dave Rosenberger

• (858) 822-8359

• drosenberger@lswsd.com

• www.sdrsp.org

119
 For More Information:

• 619-594-0580

• mrahn@sciences.sdsu.edu

• http://fs.sdsu.edu

• www.sdrsp.org
120
 Sustain. & Strategic Planning -
Elaine
• Definition, Mission, Key Strategies, Goals,
Objectives
• Rewarded with Accomplishments
• Build a sustainability Partnership in your
town
• Conclusion
 For More Information:
• Elaine Rosenberger

• (858) 344-7469

• emrbanker@aol.com

• www.sdrsp.org

122
Questions?