http://www.cchange.net Covering the transformations to social, environment and economic sustainability Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:08:33 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Sea Change Radio covers the transformations to social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Change is accelerating in positive and negative directions: the clock is ticking in the race to see which will tip first—the problems or the solutions. Join Sea Change's Host, Alex Wise, as he provides in-depth analysis to help our audience understand possible remedies and potential pitfalls. Sea Change interviews sustainability experts including Paul Hawken, Stewart Brand, Bill McKibben, Van Jones, Lester Brown, and many others. Sea Change airs on over 30 radio stations around the country. Alex Wise clean Alex Wise awise@cchange.net awise@cchange.net (Alex Wise) 2007-2011 Making Connections for Sustainability Sustainability, Climate Change, Human Rights, Environment, Corporate Responsibility, Socially Responsible Investing, Accountability, Stakeholders, Clean Tech, Renewable Energy, Green Jobs, Wealth Divide http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/cwr-images-archive/SeaChangeRadioTAG_square144_sm.jpg http://www.cchange.net Weekly http://www.cchange.net/2010/10/05/van-jones-a-conversation-with-americas-green-jobs-guru/ http://www.cchange.net/2010/10/05/van-jones-a-conversation-with-americas-green-jobs-guru/#comments Wed, 06 Oct 2010 04:41:53 +0000 Alex Wise http://www.cchange.net/?p=2871 http://www.cchange.net/2010/10/05/van-jones-a-conversation-with-americas-green-jobs-guru/feed/ 0 alex wise,Barack Obama,center for american progress,ella baker center,ella baker center for human rights,environmentalists,green for all,Green Jobs,human rights,new york times bestseller,princeton university,social justice organizations This week on Sea Change Radio, host Alex Wise speaks with one of the leader's of a new generation of environmentalists, Van Jones. Jones is the founder of Green For All, an organization that advocates for green-worker training, (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Van-Jones-e1286328830257-150x150.jpg)This week on Sea Change Radio, host Alex Wise (http://www.cchange.net/about/alex-wise/) speaks with one of the leader's of a new generation of environmentalists, Van Jones (http://www.vanjones.net). Jones is the founder of Green For All (http://www.greenforall.org/), an organization that advocates for green-worker training, in addition to two social justice organizations,  the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights (http://www.ellabakercenter.org/) and Color of Change (http://colorofchange.org/). The author of  the New York Times Bestseller, The Green Collar Economy, Jones served under President Barack Obama as the Special Adviser for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation , and in 2009 was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Jones is currently a senior fellow at the Center For American Progress, where he leads their Green Opportunity Initiative and is a visiting fellow at Princeton University. Sea Change Radio talks with Jones about helping make the green jobs movement relevant for all people, identifying the problems with the process and his thoughts on the tactics of those working against progress. Alex Wise clean http://www.cchange.net/2010/05/26/keeping-pac/ http://www.cchange.net/2010/05/26/keeping-pac/#comments Wed, 26 May 2010 06:10:11 +0000 Alex Wise http://www.cchange.net/?p=2518 http://www.cchange.net/2010/05/26/keeping-pac/feed/ 2 cisco devries,Clean energy,francisco devries,Green Jobs,local governments,matt golden,PACE,pace program,property assessed clean energy program,recurve.com,Renewable,steve malloy This week on Sea Change Radio, we take an in-depth look at the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. PACE is an innovative financing model that helps local governments create green jobs, dramatically reduce carbon emissions and save property o... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/cisco-devries-e1274853008535-150x150.jpg)This week on Sea Change Radio, we take an in-depth look at the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program. PACE (http://www.pacenow.org/) is an innovative financing model that helps local governments create green jobs, dramatically reduce carbon emissions and save property owners money on their utility bills. We speak with President of Renewable Funding (http://www.renewfund.com/), Cisco Devries (http://www.renewfund.com/about-us/management#Francisco%20DeVries), the founder of the PACE program. We also get additional perspectives into the PACE program from two green energy entrepreneurs whose businesses have benefited greatly from California's adoption of PACE, Steve Malloy (http://www.youtilbill.com/Leadership.html) of YoUtilBill (http://www.youtilbill.com/) and Matt Golden (http://www.recurve.com/about/matt-golden/) of Recurve (http://www.recurve.com/). Alex Wise clean http://www.cchange.net/2010/01/20/a-hybrid-model-co-op-and-nonprofits-launch-energy-efficiency-company/ http://www.cchange.net/2010/01/20/a-hybrid-model-co-op-and-nonprofits-launch-energy-efficiency-company/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:18:23 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=2297 http://www.cchange.net/2010/01/20/a-hybrid-model-co-op-and-nonprofits-launch-energy-efficiency-company/feed/ 13 energy efficiency,energy savings performance contracts,energy service companies,Green Jobs,retrofits,triple bottom line Sea Change Radio Radio Co-Hosts Bill Baue and Kelsey Flynn talk to Tom Rossmassler, CEO of Energia, an innovative new energy efficiency company founded by two nonprofits -- Nuestras Raices and Nueva Esparanza -- and Co-op Power, a consumer cooperative. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/TomRossmassler1.jpg)Sea Change Radio Radio Co-Hosts Bill Baue (http://www.cchange.net/about/bill-baue/) and Kelsey Flynn (http://www.wrsi.com/Kelsey-Flynn/3222248) talk to Tom Rossmassler, CEO of Energia, an innovative new energy efficiency company founded by two nonprofits -- Nuestras Raices (http://www.nuestras-raices.org/en/home) and Nueva Esparanza (http://www.nuevaesperanzacdc.org/home/index.php?title=Main_Page) -- and Co-op Power (http://www.cooppower.coop/), a consumer cooperative.  And Kelsey profiles the Roots Up Green Jobs (http://www.nuestras-raices.org/en/green-jobs) program, run by Nuestras Raices and Co-op Power, which will train workers for Energia. Caulk and insulation -- Bill hadn’t quite realized what a key role these play in helping solve the climate crisis until he edited a report (http://www.ceres.org/Page.aspx?pid=1172) for Ceres (http://www.ceres.org/Page.aspx?pid=705) late last year on energy efficiency and real estate investors.  At about the same time, he heard about Energia, a new energy efficiency company with a twist: it’s a for-profit, founded by two nonprofits and a consumer cooperative.  And it’s filling in the gap between big companies doing big energy efficiency projects, and smaller companies focusing on single-family homes.  In the middle are multi-family units and smaller businesses that are underserved in the current marketplace for energy efficiency retrofits. Bill happens to know the new CEO, Tom Rossmassler, who was in his communications course last year at the Marlboro Sustainability MBA (http://gradschool.marlboro.edu/academics/mba/) program in Vermont.  So he invited Tom to join him and Co-Host Kelsey Flynn for an interview at the WMUA studios in Amherst.  Tom described how Energia fits into the world of energy service companies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_service_company) (or ESCOs), which are most often associated with big outfits like Siemens (http://www.usa.siemens.com/entry/en/), Honeywell (http://www51.honeywell.com/honeywell/), or Johnson Controls (http://www.johnsoncontrols.com/publish/us/en.html), which often enter into energy savings performance contracts (http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/financing/espcs.html) with big institutions, companies, or municipalities. Kelsey Flynn also recently profiled the Roots Up Green Jobs program from Nuestras Raices and Co-op Power that Tom mentioned in the interview on her Sustainable Valley (http://wrsi.com/pages/4791101.php) segment on WRSI.  Roots Up is a program for low-income students just finishing their GED, who are paid to go to school to learn about energy conservation, energy efficiency, and how to install solar hot water systems.  As part of a larger Holyoke/Springfield grant, Pathways Out of Poverty (http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eoeeapressrelease&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Eoeea&b=pressrelease&f=090528_pr_pathways&csid=Eoeea), the program has received funds to expand the work to include youth from the Springfield area. The program particularly targets youth who have little education or work experience, and few options for getting onto a successful career ladder. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/LynnBenander.jpeg)Kelsey spoke with Co-op Power founder Lynn Benander (http://www.cooppower.coop/index.php/contact-us/155), as well as Roots Up participants Yamil Brillos and Josh Vargas. Bill Baue clean 29:30 http://www.cchange.net/2009/10/21/the-next-generation-in-green-jobs-and-energy-efficiency-rebroadcast/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/10/21/the-next-generation-in-green-jobs-and-energy-efficiency-rebroadcast/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:20:51 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=2030 http://www.cchange.net/2009/10/21/the-next-generation-in-green-jobs-and-energy-efficiency-rebroadcast/feed/ 0 carbon emissions,deep energy retrofit,Green Jobs,home performance,residential energy efficiency,weatherization assistance program Energy efficiency and retrofits are in the news.  This week, the Obama Administration released it Recovery through Retrofits report. National Resources Defense Council Building Energy Policy Manager Lane Burt applauded the report's findings that "retro... Energy efficiency and retrofits are in the news.  This week, the Obama Administration released it Recovery through Retrofits (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Vice-President-Biden-Unveils-Report-Focused-on-Expanding-Green-Jobs-And-Energy-Savings-For-Middle-Class-Families/) report. National Resources Defense Council (http://www.nrdc.org/) Building Energy Policy Manager Lane Burt (http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/lburt/about/) applauded (http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/lburt/obama_administration_beats_the.html) the report's findings that "retrofitting homes and developing a residential energy efficiency industry can save money, slash carbon emissions, and create jobs right now." Here in the Pioneer Valley where we produce Sea Change Radio, the Western Mass Green Consortium (http://www.westernmassgreenconsortium.org/)is sponsoring Project Retrofit (http://www.earththrives.com/component/content/article/51-press/156-western-mass-green-consortium.html) to promote deep energy retrofits.  And Sea Change Co-Host Bill Baue (http://www.cchange.net/about/bill-baue/) was busy these past few weeks editing a report due out soon from Ceres (http://www.ceres.org/page.aspx?pid=705) on how investors can support energy efficiency in their real estate portfolios. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/AdinMaynard.jpg)This week, we dig into the Sea Change archives (http://www.cchange.net/archives/) for a show featuring an interview Baue conducted with Adin Maynard (http://www.mycozyhome.org/about), Director of Operations at Cozy Home Performance (http://www.mycozyhome.org/), about the company’s participation in the Weatherization Assistance Program (http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/) for low-income homeowners and its move into deep energy retrofits for mid- and upper-income homeowners. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/PatriciaMoss-150x150.jpg)The show also features an interview by Co-Host Francesca Rheannon (http://www.cchange.net/about/francesca-rheannon/) with Patricia Moss, Project Manager of  Groundwork Springfield (http://www.groundworkspringfield.org/), and the Green Team (http://www.groundworkspringfield.org/node/7) of teens and young adults working in green jobs. Bill Baue clean 28:30 http://www.cchange.net/2009/09/09/viewpoint-van-jones-first-victim-of-far-right-fight-against-climate-policy/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/09/09/viewpoint-van-jones-first-victim-of-far-right-fight-against-climate-policy/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:51:17 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=1945 http://www.cchange.net/2009/09/09/viewpoint-van-jones-first-victim-of-far-right-fight-against-climate-policy/feed/ 0 climate policy,Green Jobs,Sea Change ViewPoint,Van Jones Co-Host Francesca Rheannon brings us the Sea Change ViewPoint that digs deeper into the controversy behind Van Jones' resignation as Special Advisor on Green Jobs for the White House Council on Environmental Quality. - (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/FrancescaRheannon.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/VanJones1-150x150.jpg) Co-Host Francesca Rheannon (http://www.cchange.net/about/francesca-rheannon/) brings us the Sea Change ViewPoint that digs deeper into the controversy behind Van Jones (http://www.ellabakercenter.org/page.php?pageid=16&contentid=100)' resignation as Special Advisor on Green Jobs (http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/09/03/10/Van-Jones-to-CEQ/) for the White House Council on Environmental Quality (http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/ceq/). A version of this ViewPoint first appeared as the weekly commentary (http://www.csrwire.com/csrlive/commentary_detail/1113-Extreme-Right-Wing-Weather-Blows-Van-Jones-Off-The-Deck) that Sea Change Media (http://www.seachangemedia.org/) writes for CSRwire (http://www.csrwire.com/). Bill Baue clean 6:09 http://www.cchange.net/2009/09/09/a-summer-of-sea-change-radio/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/09/09/a-summer-of-sea-change-radio/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:42:47 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=1928 http://www.cchange.net/2009/09/09/a-summer-of-sea-change-radio/feed/ 0 http://www.cchange.net/2009/08/19/urban-agriculture-sprouting-farms-on-rooftops-and-empty-lots/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/08/19/urban-agriculture-sprouting-farms-on-rooftops-and-empty-lots/#comments Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:36:39 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=1550 http://www.cchange.net/2009/08/19/urban-agriculture-sprouting-farms-on-rooftops-and-empty-lots/feed/ 2 Green Building,Green Jobs,organic farming,rooftop greenhouses,urban agriculture Sea Change Radio returns for a second week’s coverage of the 35th Annual Conference of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA.) Sea Change Co-Host Bill Baue speaks with Gardening the Community (GtC) Director Ippy Amatul-Wadud and her sister Qa... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Ippy3.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Alice-150x150.jpg) Sea Change Radio returns for a second week’s coverage of the 35th Annual Conference of the Northeast Organic Farming Association (http://www.nofa.org/index.php) (NOFA.) Sea Change Co-Host Bill Baue speaks with Gardening the Community (http://gardeningthecommunity.blogspot.com/) (GtC) Director Ippy Amatul-Wadud and her sister Qamaria about this project (http://www.nofamass.org/programs/gtc/index.php) of NOFA Massachusetts (http://www.nofamass.org/index.php) that teaches youth about organic farming in the city.  And he also speaks with Top Sprouts (http://topsprouts.com/main/index.php) co-founders Alice Leung and Akshay Kolte (http://topsprouts.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=52&Itemid=55) about their startup company that puts greenhouses atop downtown buildings (http://topsprouts.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=44). Last week’s show (http://www.cchange.net/2009/08/12/growing-food-growing-community/) featured keynoter Will Allen (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/magazine/05allen-t.html) of Growing Power (http://www.growingpower.org/) in Chicago singing praises to inner-city youth for teaching him the value of bridging generations by connecting to the land.  This week, we speak with some of those inner-city youth who are seeding a love for urban agriculture. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Qamiria3-150x150.jpg)Bill caught up with sisters Ippy and Qamaria Amatul-Wadud of Gardening the Community in the exhibition tent at the NOFA conference, where the youth team tabling for GtC stood out in their orange t-shirts.  Ippy and Qamaria’s enthusiasm shone brighter than their shirts, as they described their passion for urban gardening.  Amidst the din of the crowds, Bill asked Qamaria to explain what Gardening the Community does -- and what her favorite aspect of the program, based in Springfield, Massachusetts, is.  The commitment to biking (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/gtc-bike-150x150.jpg)as transportation to and from the gardens, Qamaria responded without skipping a beat, as it avoids driving cars and burning fossil fuels! Next, Bill spoke with Ibtihaj, or Ippy, the nickname she goes by.  She piggybacked on her sister’s comments, describing in depth what it means for her to be director of Gardening the Community. Last week, Sea Change Co-Host Francesca Rheannon invited presenters Abby Youngblood of Just Food (http://www.justfood.org/jf/) in New York City and Scott Kellogg of the Rhizome Collective (http://archive.rhizomecollective.org/) in Austin, Texas for an interview in the nearby WMUA studios, where we produce Sea Change.  At the end of the interview, they touched on the issue of rooftop greenhouses.  At about the same time, Bill was in the exhibition tent chatting with (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Akshay-150x150.jpg)Akshay Kolte about Top Sprouts, a startup company he’s co-founding with Alice Leung to put greenhouses on rooftops in Boston and throughout New England.  The brief interview left Bill hungry for more information on Top Sprouts, so he arranged a phone interview with Kolte and Heung. The team described how the idea to launch Top Sprouts(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/TopSprouts-150x150.jpg) got planted in their heads.  They also discuss the potential for stimulus funding to support rooftop greenhouses in the future, as well as their intention of engaging with the US Green Building Council (http://www.usgbc.org/)urging them to add points to LEED certification (http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19) for rooftop greenhouses.  Finally, they touch on the social justice aspects of urban agriculture, affirming their intention to make rooftop greenhouses available for low-income housing, Bill Baue clean 29:30 http://www.cchange.net/2009/07/08/the-next-generation-in-green-jobs-and-energy-efficiency/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/07/08/the-next-generation-in-green-jobs-and-energy-efficiency/#comments Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:18:41 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=1372 http://www.cchange.net/2009/07/08/the-next-generation-in-green-jobs-and-energy-efficiency/feed/ 2 Green Jobs,Renewable Energy Sea Change Radio explores on-the-ground work in green collar jobs and energy efficiency retrofits.  Francesca Rheannon speaks with Patricia Moss, Project Manager of  Groundwork Springfield, and the Green Team of teens and young adults working in green ... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/PatriciaMoss-150x150.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/AdinMaynard.jpg) Sea Change Radio explores on-the-ground work in green collar jobs and energy efficiency retrofits.  Francesca Rheannon speaks with Patricia Moss, Project Manager of  Groundwork Springfield (http://www.groundworkspringfield.org/), and the Green Team (http://www.groundworkspringfield.org/node/7) of teens and young adults working in green jobs.  And Bill Baue speaks with Adin Maynard (http://www.mycozyhome.org/about), Director of Operations at Cozy Home Performance (http://www.mycozyhome.org/), about the company's participation in the Weatherization Assistance Program (http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/weatherization/) for low-income homeowners and its move into deep energy retrofits for mid- and upper-income homeowners. Following up on last week’s interview (http://www.cchange.net/2009/07/01/boosting-employment-with-green-jobs/) with Bob Pollin (http://www.peri.umass.edu/staff/#c128) of the Political Economy Research Institute (http://www.peri.umass.edu/) on two new reports on green jobs (http://www.peri.umass.edu/green_prosperity/) and the clean energy economy (http://www.peri.umass.edu/economic_benefits/), this week we explore what’s happening with on-the-ground work.  Sea Change Radio Co-Host Francesca Rheannon visited the Spanish American Union (http://www.lacasahispana.org/) in Springfield, Massachusetts, home of Groundwork Springfield.  There, she met with Project Manager Patricia Moss and Green Team members.   (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Groundwork1-150x150.jpg)Moss starts by sharing her definition of sustainability, especially in the context of urban environmentalism. She then goes on to relate the genesis of Groundwork Springfield as a pilot program of the broader Groundwork USA (http://www.groundworkusa.org/) network.  Moss laments how federal stimulus (http://www.recovery.gov/) funding is not making its way to Groundwork Springfield. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/GreenTeam2-150x150.jpg)Green Team member Cristina Manship describes the "What's Buggin You (http://www.groundworkspringfield.org/node/5)?" project, supported by a $20,000 EPA environmental justice grant (http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/ba101350cde255eb85257359003f5338/1b0e88fd44614f14852575850055c320!OpenDocument), that educates on the dangers of over-the-counter pesticides, and she shares what she has learned about leadership.  Green Team leader Jalil Harrell discusses the challenges for young men getting jobs. In the second half of the show, Adin Maynard of Cozy Home Performance discusses the company's participation in the Weatherization Assistance Program, which has received a boost in funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act  (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.00001:)(ARRA.)  He also points out that the American Clean Energy and Security Act (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.02454:)  (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.02454:)(ACES) supports renewable energy about twice as much as energy efficiency, despite the fact that energy efficiency uses "shovel-ready" technology and provides a significantly higher return on investment.  Finally, Maynard describes deep energy retrofits, which Cozy Home is set to pilot in partnership with Western Massachusetts Electric Company (http://www.wmeco.com/) (WMECO.) Bill Baue clean 28:30 http://www.cchange.net/2009/07/01/boosting-employment-with-green-jobs/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/07/01/boosting-employment-with-green-jobs/#comments Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:35:47 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=1349 http://www.cchange.net/2009/07/01/boosting-employment-with-green-jobs/feed/ 3 bob pollin,Clean Energy economy,Climate Bill,Green Jobs,stimulus “If you spend money on clean energy project, what happens in terms of effects on employment?”  That's the question Bob Pollin of the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts seeks to answer in a pair of new reports... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/BobPollin.jpg) “If you spend money on clean energy project, what happens in terms of effects on employment?”  That's the question Bob Pollin (http://www.peri.umass.edu/staff/#c128) of the Political Economy Research Institute (http://www.peri.umass.edu/) (PERI) at the University of Massachusetts seeks to answer in a pair of new reports in its Green Economics (http://www.peri.umass.edu/green_economics/) program. The Stimulus Plan (http://www.recovery.gov/) passed this spring and the Climate Bill (http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1633&catid=155&Itemid=55) that passed in the House (http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1697:house-passes-historic-waxman-markey-clean-energy-bill&catid=155:statements&Itemid=55) last week both hitch their wagons to creating a clean energy economy, with green jobs doing the heavy pulling.  The question is, will building a clean energy economy also boost employment, particularly for lower-income workers?  Bob Pollin and his PERI colleagues propose some answers in two new reports.  (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/GreenProsperity1.jpg)Green Prosperity: How Clean-Energy Policies Can Fight Poverty and Raise Living Standards in the United States, commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council (http://www.nrdc.org/) and Green For All (http://www.greenforall.org/), looks at how clean energy investments will impact lower-income workers. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/EconomicBenefits.jpg)The Economic Benefits of Investing in Clean Energy: How the Economic Stimulus Program and New Legislation Can Boost U.S. Economic Growth and Employment (http://www.peri.umass.edu/economic_benefits/), commissioned by the Center for American Progress (http://www.americanprogress.org/), takes a broader look at how clean energy investments will impact the economy. The reports look at both energy efficiency measures, such as building retrofits, public transportation, and smart grid, as well as clean energy such as solar, wind, and biomass.  They calculate that for every $1 million invested in these areas, 16.7 jobs are created. The PERI researchers then factor in the estimated 5.3 jobs lost in the fossil fuel sectors, for a net of 11.4 jobs gained per $1 million invested. With estimated investment of $150 billion flowing from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.00001:) (ARRA) and the American Clean Energy and Security Act (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.02454:)(ACES), this translates into a net of about 1.7 million new green jobs across the economy.  Of these, 870,000 green jobs require only a high school degree, almost three-quarters of which offer advancement opportunities. Next week, we'll hear on-the-ground reports from the green job pastures.  Sea Change Co-Host Francesca Rheannon visits the Spanish American Union (http://www.lacasahispana.org/) in Springfield, Massachusetts to speak with Patricia Moss, project manager of Groundwork Springfield (http://groundworkspringfield.org/), part of the Groundwork USA (http://www.groundworkusa.net/) national movement for communities to foster economic development through green jobs that help heal the environment.  The program is particularly geared toward youth employment (http://groundworkspringfield.org/node/7), and Francesca speaks with several of the young adults employed through the program.  We'll also hear from Adin Maynard, director of operations at Cozy Home Performance (http://www.mycozyhome.org/), which is embarking on a pilot project with the local utility for deep energy retrofits. Bill Baue clean 28:55 http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/03/climate-bill-pass-or-fail/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/03/climate-bill-pass-or-fail/#comments Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:58:07 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=908 http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/03/climate-bill-pass-or-fail/feed/ 2 carroll muffett,center for american progress,Clean Tech,Climate Change,climate policy,Climate Progress,Green Jobs,Greenpeace,joe romm,Renewable Energy,Sustainable Innovation,Sustainable Public Policy The Waxman-Markey Climate Bill is making its way through Congress, and stirring up controversy within the environmental movement between those who support it as a necessary first step, and those who think it's fatally flawed. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/joeromm-140x150.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/carrollmuffett-150x150.jpg) The Waxman-Markey Climate Bill (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c111:H.R.+2454:) is making its way through Congress, and stirring up controversy within the environmental movement between those who support it as a necessary first step, and those who think it's fatally flawed.  Sea Change Radio talks with both sides.  Joe Romm (http://climateprogress.org/about/), editor of the ClimateProgress.org (http://climateprogress.org/) blog and a senior fellow (http://www.americanprogressaction.org/experts/RommJoseph.html) at the Center for American Progress, favors passing the Bill.  Carroll Muffett (http://members.greenpeace.org/blog/carroll_muffett) of Greenpeace (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/) says the bill fails to address key issues in solving the climate crisis. HR 2454: The American Clean Energy and Security Act (http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:h.r.02454:). A draft (http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090331/acesa_discussiondraft.pdf) of the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill, as it's better known, was released by the Energy and Commerce Committee on March 31st (http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1560). Greenpeace immediately greeted it as a “good first step, but improvements needed (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/press-center/releases2/waxman-markey-bill-a-good-firs).” ClimateProgress blogger Joe Romm agreed, grading the bill a B+ (http://climateprogress.org/2009/03/31/waxman-markey-energy-global-warming-bill/). By the time the Bill came out of Committee (http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1630:energy-and-commerce-committee-passes-comprehensive-clean-energy-legislation&catid=122:media-advisories&Itemid=55), however, it had undergone significant changes – changes that Greenpeace (and a broad coalition of environmental organizations (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/press-center/releases2/broad-coalition-criticizes-cli)) lambasted for “failing to impose necessary reductions (http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/press-center/releases2/climate-change-legislation-fai)” And Romm downgraded the Bill to a B- (http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/13/waxman-markey-deal-renewables/). Despite the Bill’s flaws, though, Romm supports it, and criticized Greenpeace (http://climateprogress.org/2009/05/17/greenpeace-attack-waxman-markey-european-trading-scheme/) for its attacks on the Bill. Sea Change Radio spoke first with Joe Romm.  The conversation started with discussion of the problems in the Bill.  Despite these problems, Romm considers passage of the Bill essential for solving the climate crisis.  He sees US climate policy as a multi-stage process, with this Bill as a starting point.  As climate science gets stronger, future emissions reduction targets can be strengthened.  Romm also discusses the role of emissions allocations, defending the shift from a regime of 100 percent auction of allocations as promised by Barack Obama on the campaign trail to a percentage of free allocations. Romm and other supporters of the Waxman Markey bill argue that the first order of business is to get the knobs in place that can then be ratcheted up in the future to tighten controls on greenhouse gas emisisons. They say, if we spend all of our time arguing over what the settings are, we'll never get the knobs on the climate console. Romm is no starry-eyed optimist, however.  Even if the Waxman-Markey Climate Bill becomes law, he predicts a mere 10 to 20 percent of averting disaster.  He says that "the human race does not have many examples of instances where the world collectively got together and transformed itself before something bad happened." To hear the complete interview with Romm, click here (http://www.cchange.net/2009/06/03/joe-romm-on-waxman-markey-climate-bill/). Bill Baue clean 29:41 http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/30/the-green-jobs-debate/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/30/the-green-jobs-debate/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:22:23 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=824 http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/30/the-green-jobs-debate/feed/ 1 bob pollin,Climate Change,Community Economic Engagement,david johnson,Green Jobs,Green Living,greenbiz,Labor Rights,marc gunther,Renewable Energy,Sustainable Innovation,Sustainable Public Policy Green jobs are all the talk nowadays, which has predictably led to healthy debate.  On today's Sea Change Radio, Co-Host Francesca Rheannon talks with GreenBiz Senior Writer Marc Gunther about his controversial article, "The Phony Green Jobs Debate. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/marcgunther1.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/bobpollin.jpg)Green jobs are all the talk nowadays, which has predictably led to healthy debate.  On today's Sea Change Radio, Co-Host Francesca Rheannon talks with GreenBiz Senior Writer Marc Gunther about his controversial article, "The Phony Green Jobs Debate."  Bob Pollin of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, author of a report criticized by Gunther, responds.  To end the show, Rhennon speaks with David Johnson about Transition Towns. When Sea Change Radio -- under our old name Corporate Watchdog Radio -- talked with economist Bob Pollin about the report he co-authored, Green Recovery – A Program to Create Good Jobs and Start Building a Low-Carbon Economy, he said that a $100 billion green economic recovery program would create two million jobs nationwide in such industries as building retrofitting, mass transit and freight rail, smart grid, wind power, solar power and advanced biofuels.  But environmental economics reporter Marc Gunther, formerly of FORTUNE magazine, thinks these claims may be downplaying the costs of transitioning to the green economy, especially the toll it may take on employment in conventional energy sectors. Gunther thinks the environmental movement needs to level with the public -- and he's gotten some flack from environmentalists for the recent Phony Green Jobs Debate article. After Marc Gunther posted the article, Pollin wrote him to dispute Gunther's claim that we can't forecast the costs to the economy of shifting employment to green jobs. Gunther published Pollin's comments and replied to them . After hearing this ad from the Blue-Green Alliance on green jobs, we talk with both Marc Gunther and Bob Pollin about the costs and benefits to jobs of the transition to a green economy. QUESTION TO LISTENERS: What most motivates you to make changes in your carbon footprint: fear of the long term consequences of climate change or economic benefits right now? Tweet us with your answer @cchange. Or leave a longer answer in our comment section. Transition Towns: As some ponder the role of government investment in creating green jobs, others aren't waiting for government to provide the stimulus for the transition to a low-carbon society. They are joining a grassroots movement called Transition Towns . Featured in the April 16 issue of the New York Times Sunday Magazine, Transition Towns was started in the UK four years ago by ecological designer Rob Hopkins. The Transition Towns (TT) movement isn't about creating a more sustainable industrial, globalized society. Rather, it's about building resilient communities in the face of the shock of declining oil supplies, climate disruption, and the unraveling of industrial society as a result. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/davidjohnson.jpg) TT's goal is to put new systems in place to make local communities as self-sufficient as possible. It's process is to marshall the collective wisdom of those communities in an on-going, democratic, self-organizing evolution. And it focuses on practical efforts that can be accomplished now, but also help set up the conditions for a more profound transformation in the future. One example is the mass planting of nut trees in the small British town of Totnes--which now is the so-called nut tree capital of the world.  Recently, TT trainers came to Amherst, MA to put on an awareness raising workshop for people interested in making their own community a Transition Town. Sea Change Radio spoke with TT trainer David Johnson. He got involved in the TT movement in his native Britain, but has moved to Portland OR to help build the movement there.   Bill Baue clean 28:36 http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/15/wangari-maathai-peace-and-environmental-justice-taking-root/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/15/wangari-maathai-peace-and-environmental-justice-taking-root/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:31:09 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=779 http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/15/wangari-maathai-peace-and-environmental-justice-taking-root/feed/ 1 Alan Dater,Alternative Economic Models,Climate Change,Community Economic Engagement,Green Jobs,Green Living,lisa merton,Local Living Economies,marlboro college graduate school,nobel peace prize,Renewable Energy,Social Entrepreneurs Francesca Rheannon and Bill Baue of Sea Change host an intimate chat with Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai about the links between environmental justice, women's empowerment, democratic governance, and sustainability at the Marlboro College Graduate Scho... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/lisamertonalandater-150x133.jpg) (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/wangarimaathaifrancescabill21-150x130.jpg)Francesca Rheannon and Bill Baue of Sea Change host an intimate chat with Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai (http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2004/press.html) about the links between environmental justice, women's empowerment, democratic governance, and sustainability at the Marlboro College Graduate School (http://gradcenter.marlboro.edu/), where Baue teaches.  Maathai is touring (http://www.greenbeltmovement.org/events.php) the US promoting her new book, (http://www.amazon.com/Challenge-Africa-Wangari-Maathai/dp/0307377407), as well as the documentary, TAKING ROOT: The Vision of Wangari Maathai (http://takingrootfilm.com/index.htm).  In the second half of the show, Rheannon and Baue speak with the filmmakers, Alan Dater and Lisa Merton (http://takingrootfilm.com/production-team.htm) of Marlboro Productions (http://www.marlboroproductions.com/index.html). In her native Kenya, Wangari Maathai saw that deforestation was devastating the environment. Good arable land was eroding, streams were getting polluted or drying up and the women had to go further to find ever-scarcer firewood. So in 1977, she founded the grassroots Green Belt Movement (http://greenbeltmovement.org/index.php). Over the past 32 years, it's planted 35 million trees, bringing back whole ecosystems with it and revitalizing villages. The program has been carried out mainly by women in those villages. By hiring them to plant the trees, it gave them the means to care for their children and protect their environment. The corrupt regime of Daniel Arap Moi sought to stop her, arresting her numerous times and even jailing her. In 1991 she was beaten while planting trees on public lands and suffered a head injury. But she fought on and earned world acclaim for her actions and her courage. In 2004 Maathai became the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize for “her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.” She's in the US to promote her new book, CHALLENGE FOR AFRICA and a new film about her, TAKING ROOT, which aired recently on the PBS program, Independent Lens (http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingroot/index.html). Taking a break from her tour of major cities, Wangari Maathai visited the filmmakers near their home in Vermont for a public talk.  Sea Change Co-Hosts Francesca Rheannon and Bill Baue  sat down for an intimate chat with Wangari Maathai at the Marlboro College Graduate School, where Baue teaches. The story of Wangari Maathai, and the Green Belt Movement, is captured vividly in the documentary, TAKING ROOT.  The film won a bunch of awards in 2008.  Rheannon and Baue spoke with filmmakers Alan Dater and Lisa Merton of Marlboro Productions from their home studios.  The interview started with the question, what inspired them to tell the story of Wangari Maathai's vision in film? Bill Baue clean http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/08/closing-the-climate-feedback-loop-with-everyday-citizen-opinions/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/08/closing-the-climate-feedback-loop-with-everyday-citizen-opinions/#comments Wed, 08 Apr 2009 20:58:53 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=759 http://www.cchange.net/2009/04/08/closing-the-climate-feedback-loop-with-everyday-citizen-opinions/feed/ 2 Alternative Economic Models,Carrick McCullough,Clean Tech,Climate Change,Colin McCullough,Community Economic Engagement,corporate governance,Green Jobs,Green Living,Lars Klüver,nell minow,OurRenewableNation Lars Klüver of the Danish Board of Technology talks about the World Wide Views on Global Warming project he directs that will gather opinions of everyday citizens in 45 countries globally in September 2009 to feed into negotiations at the United Nation... Lars Klüver (http://www.tekno.dk/subpage.php3?page=sekretariatet/person.php3&toppic=om_os&id=1&language=dk) of the Danish Board of Technology (http://www.tekno.dk/subpage.php3?page=forside.php3&language=uk) talks about the World Wide Views on Global Warming (http://www.tekno.dk/subpage.php3?article=1497&toppic=kategori11&language=uk&category=11) project he directs that will gather opinions of everyday citizens in 45 countries globally in September 2009 to feed into negotiations at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (http://en.cop15.dk/) (COP15) in Copenhagen in December 2009.  And Colin and Carrick McCullough of OurRenewableNation.org (http://www.ourrenewablenation.org/index.htm) talk about their "cross-country eco-video adventure" where they will visit, video, and interview folks advancing sustainability solutions -- as well as everyday folks on their thoughts about climate change and this shift toward renewable energy.  Finally, this week's Sea Change ViewPoint comes from Nell Minow (http://www.thecorporatelibrary.com/info.php?id=62) of The Corporate Library (http://www.thecorporatelibrary.com/) with commentary on first steps on toxic assets. Last year at a monthly get-together here in Amherst, Sea Change Co-Host Bill Baue met Dick Sclove, and the two chatted over a beer or two.  Sclove worked for years with a nonprofit that coordinated community consultations around the world, and now he's senior advisor to World Wide Views on Global Warming.  That's an initiative spearheaded by the Danish Board of Technology to gather input to COP15 -- the United Nations Conference on Climate Change happening in  Copenhagen in December 2009.  WWV is coordinating community consultation meetings in 45 countries two months before the conference to gather opinions from everyday citizens on what kinds of climate change policy they'd like to see enacted at COP15.  Baue recently spoke with WWV director Lars Klüver from his office in Denmark. Klüver has agreed to coordinate with Sea Change Radio to cover the events of September 26, and continue following up with interviews of WWV participants around the world. On the day of producing this episode of Sea Change Radio, the New York Times ran an article (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/business/energy-environment/08greenoil.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper) on big oil companies expressing skepticism about the shift to renewable energy.  On the other end of the spectrum, the McCullough family is full of optimism.  They're gearing up to embark on what they're calling a "cross-country eco-video adventure" to visit, video, and interview folks working hard to make the transition to  renewable energy a reality -- no matter what big oil says.  They're heading out from central Massachusetts in early May, and you can follow their progress on the web at OurRenewableNation.org (http://www.ourrenewablenation.org/index.htm).  Sea Change Radio Co-Host Bill Baue spoke with Colin and his nine-year-old son Carrick, who has been nominated for the President's Environmental Youth Award (http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/peya/index.html). The McCulloughs have agreed to send dispatches from the road to Sea Change Radio with interviews of folks working on renewable energy and everyday folks' views on how to tackle climate change. Bill Baue clean http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/25/seeding-the-solidarity-economy/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/25/seeding-the-solidarity-economy/#comments Wed, 25 Mar 2009 21:03:49 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=729 http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/25/seeding-the-solidarity-economy/feed/ 0 Alternative Economic Models,center for popular economics,chilo villarreal,Climate Change,Community Economic Engagement,emily kawano,Fair Trade,forum on solidarity economy,Green Jobs,Green Living,human rights,Labor Rights The Center for Popular Economics (CPE) recently hosted the first Forum on the Solidarity Economy at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst -- home of Sea Change Radio.  CPE Executive Director Emily Kawano explains the theory and practice behind the s... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/solidarityeconomy.gif)The Center for Popular Economics (http://www.populareconomics.org/) (CPE) recently hosted the first Forum on the Solidarity Economy (http://www.populareconomics.org/ussen/node/99) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst -- home of Sea Change Radio.  CPE Executive Director Emily Kawano (http://www.populareconomics.org/bios/kawano_e.htm) explains the theory and practice behind the solidarity economy, and discusses strategies and next steps for the US Solidarity Economy Network (http://www.populareconomics.org/ussen/) in cultivating a socially and environmentally sustainable economy.  And Chilo Villarreal (http://www.ruralco.org/aboutus/board.html) of the Coalición Rural (http://www.ruralco.org/index.html) in Mexico illustrates solidarity economy concepts through story.   Finally, the News Analysis examines the business of water. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/emilykawano.jpg)As our existing economy collapses under the weight of its own unsustainable growth, what economic forms will replace this failed system?  Policymakers bend over backwards to prop up a the broken status quo, while idealists around the world envision more equitable and ecological alternatives.  The solidarity economy -- that's one such vision.  Last week, these visionaries traveled from around the world to the Forum on the Solidarity Economy here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, hosted by the Center for Popular Economics.  This week, after the dust had settled, Center for Popular Economics Executive Director Emily Kawano visited us in the WMUA studios.  Sea Change Host Bill Baue opened the conversation by asking Emily, what is a solidarity economy, and what role can it play in helping fix the current economic breakdown? Kawano identifies three priorities for advancing the solidarity economy by focusing on leverage points where the current economic system is failing or has gaps: housing, finance, and cooperatives. (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/chilovillarreal.tiff)The colorful wrap draped across her back immediately caught the eye of Sea Change Host Bill Baue at the Forum on the Solidarity Economy.  When he saw her later in an empty classroom, he jumped at the chance for an interview.  She introduced herself as Altagracia Villarreal -- but everybody knows her as Chilo.  Since 1995, she's served on the board of the Coalicion Rural, a collaboration between 17 organization in Mexico.  Its partner in the US, the Rural Coalition, is made up of 70 to 80 organizations throughout the country.  He opened by asking Chilo how she defines solidarity economy, and later asked Chilo to describe a specific example that illustrates the solidarity economy in action, and she answered in both Spanish and English.  You'll hear her Spanish underneath her English response. Bill Baue clean 29:30 http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/11/building-green/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/11/building-green/#comments Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:01:47 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=657 http://www.cchange.net/2009/03/11/building-green/feed/ 2 Alex Wilson,Climate Change,Community Economic Engagement,Erin Gorman,Fair Trade,Green Building,Green Jobs,Green Living,human rights,Karl Frisch,Labor Rights,Local Living Economies BuildingGreen.com founder Alex Wilson discusses the history, current state, and future of the green building movement. Erin Gorman, CEO of Divine Chocolate USA, welcomes the move by Cadbury to source Fairtrade cocoa from the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative in ... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/alexwilson-150x150.jpg) BuildingGreen.com (http://www.buildinggreen.com/) founder Alex Wilson (http://www.buildinggreen.com/about/staff.cfm) discusses the history, current state, and future of the green building movement. Erin Gorman, CEO of Divine Chocolate USA (http://www.divinechocolateusa.com/), welcomes the move by Cadbury to source Fairtrade cocoa (http://www.csrwire.com/News/14719.html) from the Kuapa Kokoo (http://www.kuapakokoogh.com/) cooperative in Ghana that owns Divine, and Bama Athreya of the International Labor Rights Forum (http://www.laborrights.org/) also applauds (http://www.laborrights.org/stop-child-labor/cocoa-campaign/1971) Cadbury's move.  And Karl Frisch (http://www.karlfrisch.com/) of Media Matters (http://mediamatters.org/) brings us the ViewPoint on how the mainstream media is dropping the ball on covering climate change. Alex Wilson founded BuildingGreen in 1985, when the green building movement was in its infancy.  As executive editor of Environmental Building News (http://www.buildinggreen.com/articles/), the bible of green building, Wilson has provided the information that has formed the building blocks of the movement.  In November 2008, Wilson received the Leadership Award for Education (http://www.buildinggreen.com/press/leadership_award.cfm) from the US Green Building Council (http://www.usgbc.org/), whose board he served on from 2000 until 2005, the crucial period when the organization created the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) (http://www.usgbc.org/leed/) certification. Wilson launches the conversation with a primer on green building and its history, starting with an explanation of LEED.  He then compares indigenous structural design, such as the Anasazi, who oriented their dwellings toward the sun to capture solar energy, compared to design that developed in the age of cheap fossil fuel, which abandoned age-old principles of efficiency.  Wilson points out, however, that the Anasazi  civilization collapsed due to reliance on unsustainable water use -- a fate our current culture may share with them. Wilson highlights solutions, such as green roofs (http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2009/1/30/Integrate-Food-Production-and-Green-Building/) and urban agriculture which integrates into the built environment (http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2009/1/29/Growing-Food-Locally-Integrating-Agriculture-Into-the-Built-Environment/), citing the example of City Farm (http://www.resourcecenterchicago.org/70thfarm.html) in Chicago.  He then proposes the idea of passive survivability (http://www.buildinggreen.com/live/index.cfm/2008/10/14/On-the-Path-to-Passive-Survivability), the notion of designing our buildings to survive the kinds of challenges that will become more prevalent as the climate changes, such as power outages and water shortages.  The beauty of this idea is that it's exactly the kind of design we need to achieve sustainability. Bill Baue clean