PlacerSustain Progress Report -- First Sixteen Months of Operation
A SUMMARY REPORT OF PLACERSUSTAIN
ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS
FROM
MAY 2010 TO OCTOBER 2011
PlacerSustain (PS) started in the Fall of 2009 when we began holding monthly discussion forums and other activities. We became a California Non-Profit in May of 2010, and tax exempt status was subsequently approved by the IRS. Notable activities and accomplishments during the first 16 months include:
1. Submittal of a Placer County Sustainability Action Plan proposal for discussion with Placer County representatives.
2. Submittal of a Placer County Energy Independence Initiative proposal for discussion with Placer County officials.
3. Formation of an Energy Independence Working Group to bring the community together around energy issues, and support the then emerging mPower program.
4. Hosting over 16 monthly public Discussion Forums, including:
a. General Discussion meetings at the PlacerArts Building in Auburn, the Roseville Utility Exploration Center, Sierra College, Sierra Vista Community Center in Colfax, the Loomis Train Depot, and the Shepherd of the Sierra Church.
b. A presentation by Jeff vonKanael of the Sacramento News and Review.
c. A presentation by Supervisor Jennifer Montgomery.
d. A joint meeting of the Sierra College Sustainability Forum and the PlacerSustain monthly Forum on Zero Waste.
e. A Proposition 23 Town Hall Meeting at the Blueline Gallery in Roseville.
f. Green Building at the Dream Theater Performing Arts Center in Roseville in the model green building structure built by Kevin Kemper, with a building tour.
g. A sustainable business practices meeting and tour at the United Natural Foods, Inc. facility in Roseville.
h. A Recycle / Reuse Forum and Tour at the Restore and Reuse Facility in Roseville.
i. The Loomis Energy Fair with PG&E, Energy Upgrade California, mPower, and Sierra CACT
j. A Local Food Movement Coordination Forum in Auburn.
k. PlacerSustain Workshop at the 2011 Placer Farm Conference
l. Energy Forum with Solar Sonoma and PG&E.
m. Resource Conservation Forum with the Placer County Resource Conservation District
n. Sustainable Loomis formed as a PlacerSustain working group.
o. [Over 500 people have attended PlacerSustain discussion forums thus far and our email distribution list exceeds 350 people and organizations]
p. [Plus a number of additional special purpose meetings]
5. Submittal and Adoption of Sustainable Economic Development Policy by the Placer County Economic Development Board calling for, among other things, the development of a Sustainable Economic Development Collaborative Network in Placer County, A County Energy Independence Initiative, and a Local Food/Health/Wellness Initiative.
6. Assistance in the adoption of the Sustainable Loomis Action Plan and Recommendations
7. Launch of a Loomis Energy Conservation and Alternative Energy project in the Downtown Area, and coordination with the Energy Upgrade California residential program.
8. Participation in the Sierra Leadership Institute Energy and Climate Action Project Development Training resulting in the ongoing development of a Placer County Communities Energy Pilot project.
9. Launch of the PlacerSustain website, featuring blogs, discussion forums, knowledgebase, Facebook Integration, and more. During the period of October 2010 to the present over 500 articles have been posted and more than 6,000 visitors have come to the site who generated more than 26,000 pageviews. Over 225 people have registered as Members on the website.
10. The co-hosting of coordinating meetings with the Placer County Economic Development Department on the development of a Sustainable Economic Development collaborative network.
11. The formulation of recommendations on the expansion of local food and health networking.
12. The development and publication of Sustainable Community Organizing Principles and Action Framework.
13. The Publication of a list of sustainability project and action proposals that have been discussed at PlacerSustain events.
14. Outreach to the Placer People of Faith inter-faith council.
15. The Publication of Community Sustainability Web Portal Features.
16. The Development and publication of a Grass Roots Sustainability Initiative Campaign Approach.
17. Facilitation of the development of a Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Farm/Garden.
18. Creation of a consulting services agreement between PlacerSustain and the Town of Loomis to support the Shed to Shed energy project.
19. The creation of a PlacerSustain You Tube Channel [See featured video on Energy Fair: http://www.youtube.com/user/PlacerSustain?feature=mhee]
