Keith's Blog

San Francisco Victory Garden

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 11:24:52 -0500

The area in front of San Francisco's city hall doesn't exactly represent lush farmland but that doesn't prevent it from being a viable SF food source. For the first time since 1943, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Slow Food Nation founder Alice Waters and more than 100 volunteers planted the first edible garden in the City's Civic Center. This victory garden, which takes its name from from 20th Century wartime efforts, helps to address food shortages by encouraging citizens to plant gardens on public and private land.

Victory gardens continue to spring up in and around the City as food prices continue to rise and food sustainability becomes more of an issue. This Civic Center venture found its funding through various organizations including Slow Food Nation, CMG Landscape Architecture, City Slicker Farms, The Presidio Native Plant Nursery, Alemany Farms, Friends of the Urban Forest, Ploughshares Nursery, Urban Permaculture Guild, Coevolution Institute and many others.

Our salad bowl spins with the thought of the many crops being grown Amaranth, Snap Bean, Pole Bean, Dry Bean, Broccoli Raab, Ground Cherry, Chicory, Chinese Cabbage, Collards, Cowpea, Cress, Leeks, Okra, Bunching Onion, as well as Calendula, May Flowers, Sunflowers and many others.

Being realists, we thought that in this City that how will these crops survive with all the pesky homeless and veggie thieves but the city provides on-site security to guard against theft.

Best of all, we applaud that instead of having a "veggie sale" or the like, the food grown in the garden will be donated to those with limited access to healthy, organic produce through the local food bank’s meal program.

Photo credit: Naomi Starkman

Old School Green Meets Greenwashing at PCBC

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 11:21:33 -0500

Let's get right into it. As we walked into the immense PCBC exhibit halls last week both GE and Whirlpool proudly exhibited some of their Green appliances. Granted Whirlpool displayed what we would consider a green kitchen but Whirlpool only offers about 30 percent of Energy Star and other Green appliances. The percentage for GE remains even lower. We won't even discuss GE's overall environmental philosophy.

Being in the major appliance state of mind, we strolled over to Liebherr, makers of refrigerators and the first appliance company to remove CFC's completely from the production process back in 1993. It's no surprise to us that ALL of their models meet the Energy Star qualification, and their BioFresh compartments certainly add green value by preserving fruits and veggies (and the nutritional value) longer than normal fridges. The company also marked the first refrigeration company to comply with RoHS and also recovers and utilizes the energy released during production to heat the manufacturing environments. Yes, the company is based in Germany so hopefully US manufactures will chill with this philosophy.

Also on the old school route, Maze Nails only recently started promoting their "greeness" but they have been making nails with 96 percent recycled content (62% post consumer, 34% pre) for 160 years. Nails aren't the most glamorous aspect of green building but we know that these guys hit the nail on the head.

We saved the best (or most outrageous) for last. Tucked away in the corner of PCBC we strolled past Green Mountain Soapstone and we probably would have kept right on strolling if not for placard sitting on their soapstone counter which proclaimed "Voted #1 Green Product 2008 New England Home Show". We didn't attend that show but if this product claimed the #1 prize then we would hate to see the #5 prize. First of all, this soapstone comes from the ground and last time we checked, the earth wasn't producing more soapstone. Second, they mine it in Brazil (claiming they use fair labor practices) which isn't exactly light on the carbon footprint scale. Need we continue? They claim it's chemical free to manufacture and items such as Icestone aren't (they should check that IceStone has Cradle to Cradle certification) but don't insult us but claiming this soapstone to be a green product.

Excuse us while we polish our green granite counter tops.

The Unexpected and Questionable Green Products at PCBC

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:42:02 -0500

As we walked into the mammoth PCBC (Pacific Coast Builder Conference) at the Moscone Center we couldn't help but notice the hanging banners with the words - Power. Forward. Sustain. Of course we could see Power and Forward, as we wouldn't expect Weakness and Backward but then - Sustain. That omnipresent word like Green that has seeped into the mindset of builders and developers. Or has it? Is it part of the green spin or are things starting to move forward in a powerfully sustainable direction? We decided that "both" loomed as the right answer. For this installment, we decided to cover some of the unexpected and the questionable lower profile "green" products. Sorry about the " " around the green but you'll see where we go with this idea.

We totally got buzzed about something so innocuous that we almost walked passed it because it didn't have a bunch of Green banners proclaiming its greenness. This Verve living system offers what they called a living control system which in simple terms operates like a whole house lighting system. We've seen these before but this one operates on battery free, self sustaining technology or what they call energy harvesting radio frequency technology. Pretty scientific for us but the little gizmo works in a panel that reduces the power so that certain switches can come on at certain levels and times. The systems extends bulb life and new homes don't need copper wiring installed if they use this system. We even like the parent control which operates like the driver's control when it comes to locking and unlocking car doors. We're locked for this system.

Falling into our questionably green sector we wanderer around the heating area where Greenwood Wood-fired Hydronic Furnaces displayed a giant green (as in the color) furnace. This highly efficient furnace efficiently creates heat for a nice hydronic system that we had to take notice. It operates at a high 85% efficiency level so not much heat escapes like with old furnaces or even hot water heaters. Even better, the system burns wood completely so the smoke, creosote and ash remain minimal. Here's our problem - you still have to burn wood. That's like driving a Prius or the like. Good as it is - you're still using petroleum.

In the same toasty section the Radiant Gas Fireplaces by Valor showed some green heat. The system uses an electronic ignition system instead of a typical pilot light which saves on fuel and CO2 emissions. These fireplaces heat a single room instead of the whole house and do so with minimal BTU use. As much as they want to convince us that there use of natural gas presents one of the cleanest of the fossil fuels - we still have to look ourselves in the fireplace glass door and say that's still a fossil fuel.

Next week we look at the old school green products and some crazy ridiculous greenwashing at PCBC.

San Francisco Fryer Oil Skirmish

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 10:20:27 -0500

As if there isn’t enough bio-diesel controversy over the food for fuel debate now we have a little skirmish arising here in San Francisco. When we walk by any San Francisco restaurant (particularly the ones that have that delish yet oh so bad for you fried cuisine) we can smell where this fuss originated – the fryers. Yes, it’s that oh so wonderful french fry grease that companies like Blue Sky Bio-fuels and Got Grease work with to create biofuel. To us this method makes much more sense to reuse old oil and grease than to the create fuel directly from real food.

In this case the grease skirmish remains between the City of San Francisco and the private sector. Both Got Grease and Blue Sky pick up grease (usually for free) from small restaurants, but now the City jumped into the fryer and collects it as well. The fact that the City collects the oil isn’t a problem but the fact that the City has been using health inspectors to secure oil from the restaurants smells like burnt oil to us. Apparently a letter from the City exists that says something to the effect of “The City has been so busy collecting restaurant oil that we haven’t had time to write up violations.” Should we call this mess “Greasefellas”?

We’re all about promoting recycling of oil and grease but this slippery slope of “socialist” thinking doesn’t exactly scream fair competition. Apparently the City uses taxpayer dollars to pick up grease from Google and Stanford University which aren’t exactly in San Francisco. Also, the City ships the grease to Nevada. That’s not what we hoped the City would do to lower its carbon footprint. Aren’t there enough biodiesal plants in the Bay Area?

Hopefully free market conditions will prevail because we don’t want this controversy to impact our thinking when we head out for fish ‘n’ chips.

Stop the Spray or Mothra Might Ruin the Economy

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 11:55:13 -0500

In California, and San Francisco in particular, we see almost as many Obama for president placards in home and business windows as we see Stop the Spray signs. It seems like the precursor for a B-grade sci-fi film with the storyline pitting the the government versus this evil moth. But this isn't Mothra we're talking about, its the Light Brown Apple Moth (LBAM).

The situation involves not just the local governments but the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and CDFA (California Department of Food and Agriculture) that claim that the LBAM will cause major destruction of crops in California. The feds think that we must take swift action or suffer the economic impact of quarantines, which they estimate will cost CA millions of dollars.

Something curious happened on the way to this economic thinking. To date, the LBAM has caused ZERO crop damage. The economic damage has been due only to quarantines imposed on the Golden State by Canada and Mexico. When the Feds sprayed Santa Cruz and Monterey counties last fall the counties recorded over 640 health problems. This number represented only the reported cases, and conservative estimates of actual health impacts by local agencies put the number of cases at ten times the number of reports claimed.

It gets better. But of course numerous unbiased, third party agencies have tested the safety of this spray, right? In a word, NO. The Feds have waived all safety tests and environmental impact reviews due to the "emergency status." The "inert" ingredients (which in pesticide speak means that the pesticides, though chemically active, are not targeting the moth in this particular cocktail of chemicals) of the spray that was used last year in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties contain known carcinogens, mutagens and endocrine disrupters.

It's not like this moth has been part of a recent invasion but most entomologists including Dr. James Carey, a professor of entomology and invasion pest biology from University of California - Davis, contend that the little critter has been in Cali for at least 30 years.

This moth resides in New Zealand and as of 2003, they manage to control it by natural predators. We don't have the space to cover this whole story but we have to think why do they want to spray this "agent orange for moths" over urban areas like San Francisco and Oakland. We're sure that the babies and pets will react well to the days and weeks of poison sprayed over our fair metropolises.

Maybe the best thing that will happen (aside from the the governemnet coming to its senses) is for Mothra to eat everyone in Washinston who greenlighted this order. Maybe then they would be right to spray.

Photo credit - veganreader.com

City Speaks with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Alice Waters

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 10:44:50 -0500

Back in the day before "sustainable" and "organic" represented the trendy food terms, Alice Waters created her restaurant Chez Panisse as a place for her friends and her friend's friends to eat. Last week, she spoke with San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome who took time off from trying to balance the city’s budget while turning the city Green to act as host for the San Francisco City Speaks forum.

The discussion, which focused around good, sustainable, fair food brought about several issues and illustrated that people and companies continue to “Greenwash” especially where food is concerned. It’s not just saying that your company or business is green or sustainable but rather as Waters said, “ I look for people who really share the same values.” Are you listening Wal-Mart? Newsom seemed kind of cynical at first then they delved in the more meatier topics such as the philosophy behind the book Fast Food Nation where Waters disgustedly mentioned that in the fast food world you’re sort of eating the advertising and that food should be the same wherever you go. The fast food giants portray that Coke and fries as something good for you. And fast food should be fast and cheap and be eaten 24/7. Isn’t that the right of every given American? What Waters mentioned and we have lost sight of is that food is precious and it’s important to respect the land where it comes from as well as the farmers who grow it.

In Berkeley, she brought about her Edible Schoolyard program to MLK Middle School, a curriculum that connects students directly in planting, harvesting and cooking their own food. Waters believes that with kids (and adults) if they grow it, and cook it then they will eat it. Try that with your chicken nuggets. The forum also raised awareness of the trend of victory gardens, where people grow their own food. We can’t think of any food source more organic and sustainable. It’s just a case of coming full circle back the way it used to be when people learned how to grow and farm and cook. If food prices continue to rise, then we must be able to depend on ourselves. We don’t think that relaying on a heavily subsidized 99 cent hamburgers would be the best way to move forward.

Onward victory garden, onward.

Let's Refuel America Program

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:31:36 -0500

It’s not often that we venture into Colma but when we do we thought that it would serve as the base for this post. For those not familiar with the city, Colma contains the highest per capita cemeteries in the USA and its said that Colma has "1,500 above ground residents and 1.5 million underground". Besides dead bodies, Colma also contains a slew of auto dealerships. We passed the slew of auto retailers and noticed the the Serramonte Chrysler Jeep Dodge and their Let’s Refuel America program.

Let’s get this straight. Chrysler announces this “good” news about gas prices. The Chrysler web site states, “As fuel prices continue to rise, the Let's Refuel America Program helps providing stability to the cost of fuel with a simple solution - locking in the price of unleaded or diesel fuel at $2.99/gallon for three years.” So we just have to buy a new car and off we save at the pump.

That’s just great. There’s just a few things (see car list) that really ticks us off. The Serramonte Chrysler Jeep Dodge the features vehicles including:

Chrysler 300 C Executive Series LWB
MPG: 15 / 23

Chrysler Aspen Limited 4x2
MPG: 13 / 19

Chrysler Crossfire Limited - coupe
MPG: 15 / 23

Chrysler PT Cruiser Base
MPG: 21 / 26

Notice anything? None of these vehicles even come close to 30 mpg. Instead of Chrysler spending their coin on this petroleum subsidy why don’t they create some hybrids, electric vehicles, or even some autos that get 40 + mpg?

Maybe Hummer will sponsor a $1.99 a gallon program soon. That will get America rolling. Meanwhile, in Colma, the dead will be rolling in their graves if this continues to be the way America and the rest of the world deals with the continuing oil shortage.

Film Review- A Convenient Truth: Urban Solutions from Curitiba, Brazil

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 30 May 2008 12:49:50 -0500

When discussing the world most progressive “eco” cities one might toss out San Francisco for it various green initiatives (such as banning plastic bags), New York City for its effective subway system, or Munich with it’s use of alternative energy especially solar but after watching this recent documentary “A Convenient Truth: Urban Solutions from Curitiba, Brazil” some people may change their green tune. The film highlights the surprisingly progressive sustainable city and using urban examples to highlight various topics into well paced film.

Bay Area based and first time director Giovanni Vaz Del Bello neatly divides the film down into four areas of innovation: Transportation, Recycling, Affordable Housing and Urban Parks. Convenient Truth shows how convenient the transportation remains in this million plus city. Their progressive mayors like Jamie Lerner, city planners and designers determined that the city should revolve around people, not cars. From the cost-effective yet expansive bus system (with the notable bus station tubes) to the pedestrian-only walkways, then documentary highlights how effective, people friendly and sustainable changes can be made with minimal or no cost.

Cinematographer Maria Terezinha (who also produced) captures energizing city images that encompass the film’s other topics. When cities like New York City often can’t afford to keep their recycling program going, A Convenient Truth shows how Curitiba offers programs that not only clean most of the cityscape but have created a subset of employment based around recycling all while keeping within the city budget.

The film addresses social justice with a section about low-cost urban housing and finally how city parks have not only beatified the city but have increased property values (and thus property taxes) as well as prevented floods that used to ravage the city. The film makes interesting parallels toward New Orleans (and hurricane Katrina) as well as some Bay Area eyesores that could get a clue from the solutions found in Curitiba. Although the film suffers slightly from low production value and the sound quality wavers the docu-feature offers an interesting topic of a city that most people know little if anything about.

First 100% Off-Grid Green Building in San Francisco

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:47:56 -0500

In San Francisco, some well financed and publicized condo projects like the Arterra spend big marketing dollars to push its LEED – NC status (wonder why they didn’t shoot for LEED on its other project the Hayes?) while the EcoCenter at Heron’s Head Park LEED certified facility opened in relative obscurity.

This landmark youth education facility and environmental center sits smack in the Bayview Hunters Point neighborhood right next to the former PG & E power plant. Of all the areas in SF this area truly needs the Green building support. We’re psyched to report that the EcoCenter marks the first 100% off-grid green building in San Francisco, and boasts features that set the bar high for green building.

Some of the condo and office developers should take a look at this baby with its solar panels and a wind tribune that will meet all electricity demands of the building, not to mention the wastewater treatment system that utilizes a series of wetland cells and ultraviolet sterilization lamps to treat wastewater and recycle treated water for landscape irrigation, as well as the Green living roof that will reduce building needs for heating and cooling, provide retention of storm water on site for reuse, and encourage wildlife habitat.

Those of you more into the engineering will appreciate the Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) that will provide high-energy efficiency and strength in the walls and roof as well as seismic support and fire resistance. We couldn’t be happier to see how they used native landscaping (what no lawn?) to conserve water, eliminate synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, and encourage education around native plant propagation. Really, is that so hard?

The EcoCenter, designed by Toby Long Design and Clever Homes, and built by the LORAX Development team, came to fruition with funding by various grants from SF Environment, the Coastal Conservancy, and numerous foundations, including the Stewardship Council, the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund, the Live Oak Fund of Horizons Foundation, Mitchell Kapor Foundation, Walter & Elise Haas Fund and Flora Family Foundation.

Even more impressive than the grant list or the green building attributes remains the fact that it will bring Green awareness to an area sorely lacking in education about the environment. Visitors and local youth can learn about clean air and water, safe energy, healthy food, non-toxic homes and schools, open space restoration, and equitable education and employment.

Now that’s something to publicize.

First LEED Certified MedSpa

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 16 May 2008 11:15:19 -0500

Relaxation!

Fashion!

Celebrity!

Botox!

Booze!

Interiors!

Green!

Yes, most of this list refers to the Brit series Ab Fab but if Eddy and Patsy turned in their smokes and cocktails for organic and sustainable munchies then they too would be excited for the opening of the Epi Center MedSpa, the first LEED certified MedSpa in the country. (Another LEED spa exists in D.C. but it isn’t a MedSpa). So, because fictional characters from a long ago Brit TV series couldn’t check out this just opened San Fran based spa, we decided that we had to do it.

In we ventured, bypassing the various creams, packs, rubs and treatments we instead focused our attention to the flooring. It took years off of our faces (or rather our feet) to see the eco-friendly options like the Toscana Stone Designer Marble and Quartz line from EuroStone. Yes, it comes from Italy but the tile comes from an engineered material made of the more than 90% recycled marble chips gives the floor that luxe look. In the treatment room dahhling, we found the floating cork tiles (these from Nova Distinctive Floors) to die for because they not only represent a renewable resource but Nova makes this floor from re-manufactured cork top. That’s double Green in our book. We kept our eyes down to find the Sisal Carpet Tile in the treatment hallway and waiting area. This agave based material makes an earth friendly alternative to synthetic fibers and even absorbs whatever noise that dares to enter the spa. Even in the non-public areas they installed Sisal Twist Broadloom Carpet that contains post consumer, recycled content backing, made by recovering mineral residuals from the paper recycling industry.

You might think that we only stared at the floor. Not us. We gazed upward at the ceilings suggested by Organic Architect Eric Corey Freed which sourced Homasote, a fiberboard made of recycled newspaper. Freed even helped apply the water based stain which gives it a chocolaty warm feeling.

We could and did continue to admire the spa's overall green handiwork of architect Justin Martinkovic, from the FSC certified wood veneers to the EcoSmart Fire.

We did consider the Green aspects of the actual beauty and medical products. They do offer some organic facials with ingredients such as 100% organic fruit and spicy masks. But then we saw a slew of Chemical Peels on the menu. That sounds painful and not so Green. Oh well, we’ll have to report on the treatments in the near future. But for now, we’re tingly just walking though the Green space.

Lettuce eat Green

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 09 May 2008 10:31:18 -0500

Restaurants here in San Francisco open, and close, almost as often as the fog rolls in so we don’t usually pay an extreme amount of our precious attention to another restaurant du jour. Mixt Greens recently opened but they don’t qualify for new kid on the block status nonetheless they do deserve green props. Thus we direct our attention to their third installment of the Mixt Greens empire.

This third location, located in SoMa, just opened and used zero-VOC paints to improve the air quality, and we could definitely smell the food and not the fumes. They even used recycled paint to cover their ceiling. We didn’t find any bamboo or cork for the flooring but something better as they used an unfinished concrete floor with 50% flyash content. That high fly ash content along with the fact that the floor will last a long time (plus it’s easy to clean) makes that choice a no-brainer.

Although the dining area contains a slew of other green items (FSC certified wood, recycled steel, 3- compartment trash station) we most enjoyed the table tops made from 100% raw materials derived from recycled household materials such as milk and detergent bottles.

We won’t go into their menu with locally sourced, mostly organic, free range, items but they do promote a mostly sustainable philosophy. If we got on their case for anything, perhaps it would be the lack of a bike rack anywhere near the eatery or the fact that they carry Coke with some of their organic drink choices. How abut carrying the Mexican Coke in the glass bottles with real cane sugar instead of the GMO corn syrup? Maybe that will change but hopefully we’ll be seeing the forth installment of Mixt Greens soon.

Ecocity World Summit 2008

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 02 May 2008 11:28:31 -0500

The 7th International Ecocity World Conference just concluded here in San Francisco and if a positive aspect exists about globalization, it could be seen at this conference. A buzz existed in what felt like a combination of the World Cup (the passion), the U.N. (the international flavor) and something like Greenpeace (the Green aspect).

We ran into a potpourri of organic architects, city planners, NGO leaders, and other interested in sustaining the earth as we know it. The speakers ranged from keynote speaker Jaimie Lerner, former mayor of Curitiba Brazil co-founder of the IPPUC, Parris Glendending (Former Governor of Maryland and President of Smart Growth Leadership Institute and Janet Larsen, Director of Research for the Earth Policy Institute and advocate for Lestor Brown's Plan B. Larsen mentioned how Plan A refers to as “business as usual” and most of us can see that that plan isn’t working. Plan B doesn’t just refer to the U.S. Countries like Algeria who depend on their oil revenue can see the oil-less future and continue to create solar and thermal alternatives to power their future. Imagine an oil country funding alt energy sources.

Even beyond the large scope of the noted speakers, we appreciated the little aspects that the conference offered such as the organic lunches served in totally compostable containers, the organic fair trade coffee and tea. We didn’t see any bottles or cans of Coke.

Like any conference, we did find little hitches in the program. During some of the Academic Sessions, although interesting seemed haphazardly bracketed. We sat in on one session of Historic Places, Ecotourism and Ecodesign figuring that the session would encompass sustainable tourism but turned out to more about urban planning and sustainability of historic cities (by Sevgi Yucesan), followed by Edgard Antunes Dias Batista who proposed the first Brazilian national bicycles route, and finally Suzana Gueiros who spoke about the protection of the Amazon Rain Forest. The topics seemed somewhat disjointed. We appreciated the passion of the speakers but they might consider offering some degree of empowerment to the audience. It’s not good enough to hear gloom and doom about, say the Amazon rainforest, but not have anything to do about it.

Maybe we’re nitpicking but we’re excited for next year's conference because it’s on with the sustainability show.

San Francisco Carpet Recycling

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:04:49 -0500

The other day when we had some carpet replaced (with Green Label certified of course) in our home-office the carpet installers generously offered to take the old carpet away for only $60. When we asked where they would take the used carpet they unfortunately mentioned something about a dump (or was that landfill?) That didn’t exactly sit well with us. We did a little checking and found SF Carpet Recycling.

This Bayview based collection site for post consumer carpet and carpet pad accepts used carpet for the purpose of recycling. After removing the carpet and padding from our vehicle the friendly employees use a Star Trek looking light spectrometer to determine the material. We just had a few rolls but on a busy day, they recycle 30,000 pounds.

Much of the carpet they collect feeds the "cradle to cradle" process where it eventually becomes new carpet all over again. It’s a no brainer to as recycling post consumer carpet saves money, avoids growing the garbage in the landfill, and reduces the need for virgin oil in the carpet manufacturing process.

Carpet currently makes up between three and five percent of landfill waste and much it remains there for an extremely long time. Not only can we help divert the carpet from the landfill but we are helping the environment. According to the 2006 CARE Annual Report for every 10 million pounds of post-consumer carpet recycled

• 50,000 cubic yards of landfill space is saved

• 70 million pounds of GHG emissions are avoided (CO2 equivalents)

For those of you looking at the bottom line, when you request (or bring yourself) that your old carpet be brought to SF Carpet Recycling, then you will save money too as there prices offer a significant savings as opposed to disposing of unwanted carpet at a refuse facility.

Ecolicious event at San Fran W Hotel

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:59:58 -0500

Maybe due to the fact that we got suckered by a couple of good April Fools jokes and the fact that this Ecolicious event offered organic cocktails caused us to check out this so called green event. Just how green would it be? Would this be a legit eco event or just eco spin? Would the organic cocktails help sway our decision?

The Ecolicious event at San Francisco’s XYZ bar in the W hotel kicked off what they refer to as “A Daily Cocktail Hour with Eco-Friendly Cocktails and Organic Bar Bites.” The scene casually mixed eco-chic hipsters, greenies, and others just looking for free booze. Yes, the lemon drop type drink (organic Square One vodka, we hope organic fresh lemon juice and not local or organic champagne), although puckering tasty, left us wondering if this drink should be classified as organic. Maybe it would be semi-organic but that sounds like something the FDA would make up to confuse eco barflies. The biodynamic wines and organic beers did sway us to think that the event had its heart in the right glass.

With our other hand, we tasted XYZ exec chef Paul Piscopo’s organic snacks such as the Asiago Cheese Pizza with Organic Spring Onion & Asparagus and Crisp Polenta with Boquerones & Piquillo Peppers. Where is the cheese from? Can you even get organic Asiago cheese? Again, we’re big pizza fans but the snacks offered a bit of a quandary for us. Is this semi-organic pizza or the full deal?

All the drinking and eating aside, some of the Ecolicious proceeds will benefit Save the Bay foundation during April so we’re not encouraging anyone to drink excessively (even organic cocktails) but if you must do so, then do it this month.

Living Green Exhibit - 15 City Tour

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 10:47:50 -0500

San Francisco’s Union Square may be noted for it’s abundance of shopping, hotels, tourist joints and even outside movies but a Green Home? Don’t call your Green Real Estate agent quite yet. The temporary green home occupied the prime real estate last week as part of the Better Homes and Gardens & Green Works Living Green exhibit.

The green traveling exhibit offered surprisingly educational and eye-catching examples of various water savings devices, energy star appliances, sustainable countertops, flooring, and furniture. Even though we didn’t stick around to hear the speakers (some of whom we know) the lineup offered an impressive array of green builders, designers and other knowledgeable types in the green industry.

Of course, here in SF these green exhibit folks basically speak to the choir (which doesn’t mean that we don’t listen) but we discovered that when this traveling green exhibit previously set up shop in some southern and eastern cities where formerly non-green local denizens eagerly took to these Green products and demos. This education typifies the stuff that we like to hear. This whole Green movement isn’t about Cali although some people may think otherwise.

We pretty much like the moving Green house exhibit concept with friendly people answering questions about the products. Heck they even printed the program booklet on recycled paper (not sure of the recycled content).

We had a small issue with the Green Works natural all-purpose cleaner bottles all over the place. Yes, the cleaner comes from the makers of Clorox. Yes, Green Works cleaners minimize the use of petrochemicals (99% petrochemical free). And yes, (or should we say Ruff?) that they do not use animals to test the safety and efficacy of Green Works natural cleaning products. But why do they have to use corn-based ethanol as one of their main ingredients? Maybe it’s because we just blogged about bio-fuels, the whole food for fuel thing and the controversy of corn based anything that’s got us so riled.

Okay, everyone has their issues.

Sustainability on the Slopes: Kirkwood Ski Resort

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 10:56:34 -0500

Even though the calendar displays spring, a lot of us aren’t ready to hit the beach just yet. In fact, we’re still hitting the slopes. Is it possible to think sustainably when we strap on our bindings? There’s no way around the fact that snowboarding and skiing (much like golf) aren’t sustainable but the world just can’t wipe out all the ski resorts. So we decided to check out the sustainability of some resorts.

Kirkwood, sits in a remote area of South Lake Tahoe, where people like the no-frills, laid back atmosphere but about their sustainability? To their credit their recently implemented a carpool network (the first in the region) that allows members to connect with other like-minded skiers and riders. Kirkwood’s “K-pool” saved about 13% in driven vehicles during one of their busiest days and takes hundred of cars off the road each week. Other resorts have picked up on the idea and will implement a similar system next season.

The fact that Kirkwood sits outside any regional power grid offers energy challenges. Thankfully, they haven’t resorted to purchasing those not so green RECs; instead they purchase a small amount of energy directly from local homeowners’ solar panels. Unfortunately, they must rely heavily on diesel (and even though they have purchased more efficient Tier 2 Engines) they still remain diesel based. The thought of all that diesel doesn’t exactly make us warm and fuzzy.

Kirkwood put together a comprehensive recycling program but we would like to see something more out of the box. Maybe they can add some alt fueled snowcats or the like. We understand that biodiesal freezes at around five degrees so maybe there is some other solution. And even though the resort region contains relatively few condos and commercial structures, the new ones currently being constructed lack any Green focus (such as LEED or Green Point Rated). It’s not much to ask to swap out the bathroom paper towels and urinals for the much greener XLerator Electric Hand Dryer and McDry Non-Water-Using Urinal options.

We like most of the blue slopes as well as some choice black diamond runs but Kirkwood needs to catch up with us as their sustainability effort currently resides on the bunny slopes.

Biofuels: Energy, Food and People

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:28:35 -0500

Is it going to come down to a choice between eating or driving? Is that what are future holds? If it does, it looks like the driving contingent may win (or in other words many others will lose…or starve). That’s a distorted overview of last weeks’s EcoNow presentation that highlighted the current and future state of biofuel. Actually we like the term that one of the speakers Eric Holt-Giménez used - “agrofuels” rather than “biofuels” because “bio” means “life” which certainly doesn’t represent these alt fuels.

The event held in Berkeley (where else?) gave Tad Patzek, Professor of Geoengineering at UC Berkeley, Miguel Altieri, Professor of Agroecology at UC Berkeley, Eric Holt-Giménez, Executive Director of Food First/Institute for Food and Development Policy, and Judith Mayer, Project Coordinator of the Borneo Project a chance to educate or frighten the audience into what’s happening with agrofuels, whether it’s ethanol, B20, or something else that makes our cars go.

Although the four speakers came at the topic from various angles ranging from food for fuel which causes food prices to rise to the big corp. ethanol monopoly, the program offered an educating, yet frightening look at where the alt fuels will take us.

The speakers showed off power points and sometimes confusing slides to get us to realize how serious the situation is in places like the Amazon or Borneo where vast hectares of soybeans or oil palms continue to replace rainforest. Patzek pointed out how the supposed fuel du jour crop (swatch grass) actually needs to be fertilized like conventionally grown corn.

A lot of government and media rhetoric surrounds the notion that we need to become less reliant on foreign sources of fuel. It appears that the southern hemisphere supplies about half our corn used for ethanol. And that number continues to rise. Oh, and so does the price of corn for eating. Last time we checked a map, the southern hemisphere didn’t include the USA.

Gimenez pointed out the win-win for ethanol. Yes, win-win if your name happens to be Monsanto or BP. With ethanol subsidies standing at $1.38 per gallon (one-half the wholesale market price, which doesn’t exactly scream fair market value) Monsanto, ADM and Cargill, and others are creating what he calls a “Green Desert” of poverty in Brazil, Argentina and other South American countries, while they clean up with big profits. But let’s not just blame the chemical, petroleum, and pharmaceutical companies. We loved Miguel Altieri’s “Green Fuel Mafia” slide which displayed many of the usual suspects (Monsanto, BP, etc) but also WWF and Conservation International who have been paid lots of money to promote biofuel and a green fuel.

With all the gloom and doom and 1984 biolfuel talk, we’re glad that we could sip on some Petite Syrah from Parducci winery, which represents the first winery in the US to achieve carbon neutrality and won the Governor’s Environmental & Economic Leadership Award from the State of California just to help us enjoy the evening.

Y2E2 at Stanford University

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 11:28:24 -0500

It is possible to learn something in school. It's even more possible to learn about sustainable building if you happen to be a student at Stanford or walk through the campus. In another push toward collegiate sustainability Stanford University proudly unveiled the Y2E2 (or for those less technical the Jerry Yang and Akiko Yamazaki Environment and Energy Building). Yes, the same Jerry Yang of Yahoo! fame.

The design engineers project the Y2E2 to use 56 percent less energy and 90 percent less potable water for fixtures than a comparable "dirty building." How will it do that? From foundation to rooftop, the building offers various energy recovery and on-site power generation, as well as passive and active systems.

From top to bottom, Y2E2 has an array of sustainable features that fall under five categories: load reduction, passive systems, active systems, energy recovery and on-site generation. These five approaches are expected to slash the building's power consumption by more than half. The four large atriums which serve as central light wells made us glow bask much of interior in natural light. Although not as glamorous, the nifty light shelves catch additional light and reflect it into the building.

As for on-site generation, that refers to the three different kinds of solar panels mounted to the south-facing roof—including a system that tracks the sun. The system will probably generate but about two percent of the building's total energy usage but will serve for educational purposes. Even beyond operational sustainability features, Y2E2 used a substantial amount of fly ash, a byproduct of coal burning, as a replacement for cement in the concrete for the basement walls and all the floors. Doing that produced 15 tons less carbon dioxide.

We didn't overlook the fact that they used plentiful amounts of recycled steel. Finally, we even like the carpet. What carpet? They left most of the floors uncarpeted which saved tons of raw materials.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Boora Architects

Ab Fab and Green

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 11:05:30 -0600

Daahling you look fab and Green. That’s what people may be saying after experiencing treatments in San Francisco’s eco chic Epi Center MedSpa. Yes, the whole concept sounds soooo Los Angeles to us too. Some of us don’t even get the whole mani-pedi thing so it might take a little coaxing to have some lipo or botox thing even at this truly green spa. A facial might not be for all of us but we’re positively glowing when it comes to the soon to be certified LEED interior.

The Epi Center MedSpa will open its doors in April to commemorate both its 10th anniversary and Earth Day. We’re impressed with the project and the creative Green help, namely SF based Organic Architect Eric Corey Freed, (who’s now part of the literati with recently released Green Building and Remodeling for Dummies), Eco-Fabulous founder and style guru Zem Joaquin who served as the “green style police,” and lead architect Justin Martinkovic.

Even though the spa isn’t quite finished we can see the Greenness with the fact that the construction team lacks the surgeon looking masks that can be seen on many construction jobs to protect from toxic substances and dust. Why? The air scrubber being used (see photo) maintains the healthy air quality on the site and keeps dusts and dangerous particles, the HEPA filter for tiny particles, and a charcoal filter for fumes and odors. Enough filters for ya?

Besides the whole clean air thing, the spa will includes eco creativity. We like that instead of using wood or bamboo panels the crew utilized recycled newspaper panels that they stained, sanded and cut into the ceiling panels. They went cradle to cradle by using carpet from Bentley Prints and natural tapped rubber for the cushions, which do not off gas and biodegrade. And even though they used marble, the fact they used recycled marble flooring and countertops, gave us reason to smile. Thank goodness that the powers that be decided on water filters versus those annoying unsustainable small plastic water bottles that so many spas offer.

Maybe now we feel a little better about that tuck.

Green Home Requirement in San Mateo County

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:11:19 -0600

Here in the Bay Area, it’s not just Berkeley who’s showing Green Big Brother mentality. Green home building will be required from all new homes built in the unincorporated region of San Mateo County. The county supes last week voted to add sweeping green regulations to green construction requirements to take effect later this year.

The new regulations will cover homes and industrial projects. The Green commercial and industrial buildings can pass under the LEED system while residential projects can be gauged under Build it Green's “Green Point Rated” system. Green Point Rated, a residential Green rating system created by the Berkeley-based non profit, uses various point categories to achieve certification. For example, installing a range of Energy Star appliances is worth nine points and using low VOC paints and wood-coatings can garner six points. Homeowners can combine various point categories, as long as they add up to the magic 50 point barrier.

To be fair, this program does have its costs. Homeowners will have to pay a specialized green building inspector to verify their project for the county which will set them back about $800 to $1000, and for commercial owners it will cost from $2500 to $3500. Applicants will also be required to post a $5,000 bond prior to receiving a building permit, which will be released when the 50 points are verified.

Although we like this program, it does have shortcomings such as that homeowners don’t have much incentive to obtain more than 50 points. Many people find the same issues with LEED rating system. People may think, “Why should I try for 60 points if it’s just going to cost more”? Home and commercial building owners may try for more points without considering the up-front cost but it wouldn’t be a bad scenario if the County of San Mateo offered further incentives for higher points.

Kimball Office Showroom Opens Green in San Francisco

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 10:13:48 -0600

Without much fanfare Kimball Office opened their new San Francisco FiDi showroom with a quiet green splash. Although they haven’t achieved LEED-CI status yet they hope to gain Gold certification soon.

The architectural and design team over at Huntsman Architectural Group created a Green space that we noticed as we stepped in. The design team reused stair posts to create the dramatic floor and 100% of the architectural wood elements are FSC certified. We even like the fact that they baked the oak instead of using chemical stain to achieve the deep, rich color. It not often that we’re giddy about stepping into a bathroom but theirs has a gray (recycled) water system that reuses used sink water for the low flow toilet. Their low-flow fixtures reduce their water consumption by a whopping 75%.

As Kimball sells office furniture it only makes sense for them to sell low or no toxic furniture. About half there display represents green furnishings which we would like to see closer to 100%.

Even so, the SF Kimball Office represents just another in a growing line of green Kimball Office showrooms as their one in Jasper, Indiana rates Gold, Chicago gained Silver and their Big Apple location will hopefully garner a Gold certification.

OpenEco 2008 in San Francisco

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 11:11:24 -0600

What do you get you when you put four experts in a San Francisco energy camp called OpenEco 2008? You get something between a bar brawl and poetry recital. Actually the opening segment for last month's Sun Microsystems sponsored-UCSF based-camp began with Dave Douglas, VP of Eco Responsibility at Sun Microsystems leading a spirited discussion panel of L. Hunter Lovins (tough to miss in her black cowboy hat), president and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions; Ted Nordhaus, Chairman of the Breakthrough Institute; Michael Shellenberger, President of the Breakthrough Institute; and Adam Werbach, Founder and CEO of Act Now.

Even when you get a panel of so-called experts there tends to be disagreements. In fact, when asked about all the controversy among what to do about the energy crisis and sustainability and alt energy Adam Werbach blurted, “First thing that we need to do is to kill all the experts,” which got a laugh but also made a good point. Lovins showed some lovin’ for her case that innovation comes with healing. In her case, she argued that investing in sustainability rather than armies would work in places like Afghanistan where she’s off to teach, not how to shoot an M-16 but of course, sustainability. Like political pundits, the talk shifted to taxes (like a carbon tax) versus subsidies. We, like most of the crowd pondered the thought of adding a “carbon tax” to various products and services. But we all know how much this country loves its taxes. But then what about subsidies? It’s no shock that dirty energy like coal and oil look relatively cheap because of the subsidies. Green foodie Michael Pollen of Omnivore's Dilemma fame, dedicated numerous book pages talking about corn and soy subsidies, and here the group and audience did the same. That subsidized corn ends up as high fructose corn syrup in so many cheap processed foods. We don’t see any spinach subsidies. Balance the energy scale. We think that it’s time for more Green energy subsidies (not just solar). People don’t want their dirty energy taxed so we need to make clean energy cheap.

We agreed with several audience members pointed out still many people don’t care that much about global warming because of their personal problems and that global warming needs to be made “more personal.” We have to overcome the “Why should people believe in sustainability, what’s in it for them?” mentality. All of this debate in hour? You betcha.

The afternoon breakout sessions provided so many topics of the green, alt, sustainable, etc. nature and brought about issues such as credibility. Who do you believe as far as issues relating to the country, globe or even the neighborhood? Did someone utter Fox “Green” news? Do we have some cred here at Green Options? At least you’ve read this far.

RECs are a Wreck

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 12:40:56 -0600

Has the world gone Green PR mad? Don’t get us wrong, we love the fact that Green is trendy but when we got this press release a couple days ago stating:

INTEL BECOMES LARGEST PURCHASER OF GREEN POWER IN THE U.S.

Company Tops EPA Green Power Partner List, Vows to Drive for Greater Efficiency While Spurring Growth in Renewable Market

We're sorry, we had to jump on the Green soapbox. Intel announced that it purchased 1.3 billion kilowatt-hours a year of renewable energy certificates as part of a multi-faceted approach to reducing its impact on the environment. That’s great. We’re sure that Intel has its green heart in the right place. But the fact is that they purchased RECs. In the release they state: “Renewable energy certificates, or RECs, are the “currency” of the renewable energy market and are widely recognized as a having credible and tangible environmental benefits.”

We might ruffle a few feathers but RECs are essentially a subsidy for clean-energy producers. Most of us realize that subsidies come from governments but in this case they come from us – consumers or in this case – Intel. According to one noted London Carbon Trader “It’s important to note that IN NO WAY does buying a REC mean that there’s going to be any more clean energy built, or any carbon reductions done. It just gives extra money to whoever has already produced it.”

Our London carbon trader mentioned to us that in the long term, RECs have the potential to encourage new entrants into the clean energy world. If wind power cost as much to produce as coal then that would be a no brainer but it’s not. Coal remains much cheaper. But RECs in no way guarantee the new production of green energy. Our London Carbon Trader says, “It should be very, very, very emphasized is that in no case should a REC be automatically be used, or thought to represent in any way, as a reduction in carbon emission (though there’s a potential argument to be made in the case of a bonafide “additional-REC”).

What’s happening is that people or companies such as Intel are feeling good about themselves for buying RECs without really knowing whether or not there $ is making any environmental impact or if it going into the Trust Fund or Stock Bonus of Renewable Energy Company X’s CEO.

Anyone or any company wanting to make a difference mitigating carbon might:

a) Invest in renewable, energy-efficiency, and/or carbon reducing projects locally or internationally (that often have quick payback periods anyway)

b) Invest in companies that implement such projects

c) Buy carbon offsets, whether VER or CER, from a project with REAL additionally – meaning that without the carbon element the project wouldn’t have happened in the first place

d) Tell your local politician you want the US to join an international carbon trading (i.e. cap-and-trade or carbon tax) regime for post-2012, so that the world can reduce the most carbon at the cheapest cost.

We know this remains a complicated issue but we didn’t want anyone to have anyone’s good green intentions wrecked over RECs.

Bay Area Solar Rebates

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 13:43:53 -0600

Normally, we live for the present. We’re not about events, deals, and projects that will hopefully start sometime in the future. We’re not big fans of Chevrolet announcing that in three years they plan to unveil the electric powered car the Volt. That’s great; in three years one of us may plan to get married or buy Microsoft. Maybe we should announce that now. That being said, the neighboring Bay Area counties (San Francisco, Marin and Berkeley) recently concocted plans to offer rebates of up to $5,000 for installing solar panels if homeowners use a local contractor. Coupled with state and federal incentives, that could cut in half the $21,000 cost for an average household. Because San Francisco knows that it’s not just about solar, the City will also cover up to 90 percent of the costs of making apartment buildings more energy-efficient, and will pay residents $150 to replace old appliances.

Those crazy green radicals in neighboring Berkeley will finance the cost of solar panels for homeowners who agree to pay the money back through a 20-year property tax assessment. Nearby Marin County offers a $500 rebate to homeowners who install solar systems.

For those who think that these rebate ideas only reside on the West Coast should know that Baltimore offers at least $2,000 toward closing costs for people who buy new homes close to where they work. They call the program the "Live Near Your Work" program. Pretty crazy, huh?

As for San Francisco’s program, the loan part of the program would need to be approved by voters as a ballot initiative, while the refund part would need the support of the Board of Supervisors, San Francisco's never shy for publicity city council. If this program succeeds then we’ll give them all the Green pub that they can handle.

Oil Spill Training Day

Keith Rockmael (Keller Williams Commercial) — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 10:53:24 -0600

Finally we got our chance to remove ourselves from in front of computers, green festivals, and green buildings to volunteer for the recent Cosco-Busan Oil Spill. Granted this last training session will allow us to take part as official Disaster Service Worker Volunteers but at this point the San Francisco city officials have or will soon re-open the local beaches.

Some Greenerati members, along with 300 some odd volunteers sat through a well organized session that included educational, safety and informational elements. Although the training did offer lots of interesting info, it certainly could have been condensed into a session about one-half as long. City officials + training equals a long, repetitive session.

Various leaders from the city public works department, parks and wildlife, and various other official types conducted the training. They discussed, among other things, the various elements of the IFO-380 that spilled into San Francisco Bay about 10 days ago. They made a point of declaring that it is not a question of is the oil toxic but rather how toxic is it. How little did we know about the Liquid Density, Vapor Pressure and Flash Point of this oil. The crowd enjoyed the show and tell fashion show of how to get into and get out of the Ghostbusters-looking Tyvek suit, gloves and booties used by volunteers to clean up the oil. We hope that the oil doesn’t cause any more damage but if it does then we’re just itching to jump into our white hazmat suits and do some clean-up.