PARSONS Blog

Seattle Hand-picked as Partner for Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge

meganhilfer — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 21:42:24 +0000

Mayor Mike McGinn joined former President Bill Clinton and U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu in Chicago today for the announcement that Seattle is one of three cities selected to be an early partner in President Obama’s Better Buildings Challenge. The Challenge aims to increase the energy efficiency of commercial buildings in the U.S. 20-percent by 2020.

Seattle’s connection to the Better Buildings Challenge began in February when the Mayor announced in the State of the City address that Seattle would accept the President’s challenge to increase energy efficiency in commercial buildings by 20-percent. Since then, a group of civic leaders have been working with the White House, U.S. Department of Energy and Clinton Climate Initiative to formalize the partnership. The Seattle 2030 District quickly emerged as the best local organization to partner with the Better Buildings Challenge because of the District’s complementary goals, many public and private partners, and robust set of tools to help building owners achieve energy efficiency.

The Seattle 2030 District, a collaboration of more than 40 civic leaders (including building owners and professionals, utilities, City of Seattle and King County) will be the local partner for the Better Buildings Challenge. The Seattle 2030 District aims to create the country’s first large-scale, high performance building district in the heart of Seattle. On Wednesday, the Mayor and Council jointly signed a letter becoming a Founding Member of the Seattle 2030 District.

“The Seattle 2030 District is a model of public-private collaboration that will save energy, generate local economic activity and pave the way for job creation in the green economy,” said McGinn. “The partnership with the Better Buildings Challenge will accelerate Seattle’s ability to meet our local energy efficiency goals and will showcase our work as a model for others around the country to follow.”

The Better Buildings Challenge is part of the Better Buildings Initiative that President Obama launched early this year to catalyze investment in commercial building upgrades and spur clean energy innovations that save money and energy. Partner cities will work with the U.S. Department of Energy on local projects that pilot new energy efficiency models, develop financing partnerships and test innovative technology.

“I am so proud that Seattle continues to lead the way in creating jobs and boosting the economy through energy efficiency,” said Senator Patty Murray. “Innovative efforts like the Better Buildings Challenge and the Seattle 2030 District are going to keep Seattle at the forefront of this critical and growing industry.”

The Seattle 2030 District began in late 2009, when Brian Geller of ZGF Architects — now the Seattle 2030 District’s Executive Director — convened a small group of private property owners, City staff and several local organizations to discuss the idea of a high-performance building district in downtown Seattle. By early 2011, the group had expanded to more than 40 partners and received a Climate Showcase Communities Grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency to seed the organization. To become a high performance building district, the 2030 District has set aggressive goals to reduce building energy use, water use and greenhouse gases, and members have agreed to work together to ensure the District meets those goals.

“Unico is proud to be a founding member of the Seattle 2030 District and will work with the District to achieve the President’s Better Buildings Challenge,” said Brett Phillips, Director of Sustainability at Unico Properties. “Unico is committed to making Seattle a model of economic and environmental success. We believe advances in energy efficiency will attract businesses, create jobs and protect vital natural resources, all necessary for sustained growth the prosperity.”

Today’s announcement further cements Seattle’s role as a national leader in energy efficiency. Last year, Seattle was one of only 25 communities nationally to receive a $20 million Better Buildings grant from the US Department of Energy to implement energy efficiency upgrades in six building sectors. Seattle’s grant program, Community Power Works, is leveraging the federal funding into nearly $100 million of local investment. The City is also a founding member of Emerald Cities Seattle, one of ten national pilot programs that bring together private enterprise, public agencies, community organizations and labor to help establish the energy efficiency sector and create a sustainable workforce.

The other two cities named as early partners of the Better Buildings Challenge are Los Angeles and Atlanta.

[City of Seattle press release]

About the Seattle 2030 District: www.2030district.com/seattle.

About the Better Buildings Challenge: www.betterbuildings.energy.gov/challenge.

White House press release here.

Join PARSONS at GoGreen Seattle with a special discount

meganhilfer — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:23:30 +0000

The sustainable business conference, GoGreen Seattle, is the place to be next week. And not just because PARSONS will be there…

On April 20th, GoGreen will feature a full day of inspiring keynotes, dynamic panel-style sessions and high-level networking. This one-day event will showcase over 60 statewide business leaders and their sustainability success stories to give attendees the opportunity to implement these best practices and create viable partnerships within our regional business community.

Joanie Parsons will moderate a session titled “Marketing & Branding | Creating Behavior Change” at 4pm, with an introduction by Kerri Strand, Customer Solutions Sustainability Manager for UPS. The panel features:

Greg Smith, Dealer Principal, Stadium Nissan
Eli Reich, Founder and Owner, Alchemy Goods
Rae Anne Rushing, President and CEO, Rushing

Space is limited, register here now. Use discount code PARSONS to get $25 off (only valid on new registrations).

GoGreen ’11 takes place on Wednesday, April 20 at The Conference Center (8th and Pike, 3rd floor) from 8:30am to 5pm. The event will be followed by a networking reception. Click here for more details.

Inspiring speaker line-up for Cascadia’s annual green building unconference

meganhilfer — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:29:08 +0000

Cascadia Green Building Council’s Living Future 2011 to explore the cities of tomorrow with a line-up of world-class speakers

Vancouver, BC is host city for this year’s event, which takes place April 27-29, 2011

With the theme, “Our Children’s Cities: Visualizing a Restorative Civilization”, the Cascadia Green Building Council’s fifth annual Living Future unConference will invite pioneering green building practitioners and thought leaders to lay the foundation for a future that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. Focused on proven, practical, ambitious and visionary strategies that address whole earth impacts, Living Future will offer attendees a unique opportunity to learn about and help shape the next generation of green building practices and strategies.

“Even as it addresses some of the most daunting global issues of our time, Living Future continues to be a uniquely dynamic and energizing event,” says Jason F. McLennan, CEO of the Cascadia Green Building Council. “In 2011, we will dig into the lessons learned from recent accomplishments of the green building movement – including the certification of the world’s first Living Buildings. Conference goers will have the opportunity to apply these practical lessons to a vision of sustainability at the city scale.”

This year’s three-day event, which sold out the past two years, opens on Wednesday, April 27^th with a keynote address by eco-entrepreneur Majora Carter. Carter, president of the Majora Carter Group and founder of South Bronx Greenway, will share her experiences on how affordable and effective sustainability strategies have the power to transform a community’s self-image while rejuvenating the environment around us.

McLennan, recognized as one of the sustainability movement’s most influential leaders, will push the boundaries of green design as the Thursday plenary speaker. McLennan’s latest book, ZUGUNRUHE – The Inner Migration to Profound Environmental Change, is intended to catalyze deeper, more meaningful connections to the environmental movement.

Singer, songwriter and environmental activist Sarah Harmer takes the stage on Thursday evening for inspiration and entertainment during the Big Bang Dinner and Award Ceremony. Harmer’s influence through her work with Protecting Escarpment Rural Land – in addition to her music – has earned her numerous accolades, including Time Magazine’s best debut album of the year.

On Friday, Margaret J. Wheatley takes the podium to offer insights on how to accomplish work that needs to be done, sustain relationships and willingly step forward to serve in these troubling times. Wheatley is an author, speaker, organizational expert and President Emerita of The Berkana Institute, which works in partnership with a rich diversity of people to strengthen their communities by leveraging the wisdom and wealth already present in their people, traditions and environment.

The early registration deadline has been extended to January 31^st. For more information on Living Future and to register, visit http://cascadiagbc.org/living-future/11.

About Cascadia

The Cascadia Green Building Council is a 501(c) (3) non-profit in the US and is incorporated as a nonprofit in British Columbia. Cascadia’s mission is to lead a transformation towards a built environment that is socially just, culturally rich and ecologically restorative. Cascadia is one of three original chapters of the US Green Building Council and, as a chapter of the Canada Green Building Council as well, is the only international chapter in North America. It is the originator of the Living Building Challenge, authored by Jason F. McLennan. www.cascadiagbc.org

For Holiday Gifts, Shop Local in Seattle

meganhilfer — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 19:24:23 +0000

Alexandra Ferguson pillows made from 100% post-consumer recycled water bottles, available at NuBe Green.

Holiday shopping can be a stressful experience for many reasons. Will she like it? Is someone else getting him the same thing? What do you get the person who has EVERYTHING? Where should I shop? If you’re like me, you are probably beginning to tire of the same old warehouse-like department stores. With streamlined gifts and packaged sets, many times these selections feel somewhat impersonal.

Here are some tips for shopping local to find that one-of-a-kind gift:

Check out Only in Seattle. This website divides eclectic Seattle into its respective neighborhoods and showcases some awesome local businesses. From cafes to boutiques, Only in Seattle directs you to the best spots to snag a bottle of handmade perfume or a fun piece of vintage furniture for that special someone.
Shop at NuBe Green — both in store and online. NuBe is your one-stop shop for gifts, clothing, jewelry and household accessories that are guaranteed to be made in the U.S. from recycled, upcycled or organic materials, including some great finds from Seattle artisans. And a bonus for this weekend: NuBe is celebrating the Pike n’ Pine Holiday Celebration with 30% off all bags and free pics with Santa. Go to the NuBe blog for more info.
And if you haven’t already, sign up for Groupon and LivingSocial. Both sites offer amazing daily deals on great local restaurants, stores and experiences, and have expanded to offer travel deals if you want to get away this winter.

It is important to support our local businesses — especially during the holidays. Our local treasures are what keep Seattle’s neighborhoods alive and thriving.

Happy Holidays!

This post was contributed by our fabulous intern, Brittany Birkett, whose favorite local coffee shop/hidden treasure is Cafe Allegro in the U. District.

There’s more to bottled water than meets the eye

laurenswezey — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 09:28:40 +0000

Yesterday, I was walking down the bottled drink isle at the grocery store and saw the lovely bottles of Fiji Water on the shelf. The hibiscus flowers decorating the container were so tantalizing. And then there’s the name. Fiji! It must be paradise, I thought to myself, and this water must be soooo pure! Well, guess what? It turns out that there’s a back story to Fiji water. It just so happens that the Luxembourg-owned company pays substantial taxes to the Fiji government, which is a military dictatorship. And then there’s the carbon footprint of shipping water from Fiji. I don’t need an expert to calculate it for me. It’s obviously huge. Of course, don’t forget the actual dollar cost of this water ($2 to $4 for a liter) compared to our excellent tap water. So next time you’re shopping at the market and you’re intrigued by fancy water bottles with exotic names, remember, there’s always a back story.

Plastic Diet: Just say no to packaged produce

laurenswezey — Mon, 29 Nov 2010 21:06:59 +0000

The day before Thanksgiving I was shopping for lemons at Whole Foods. Normally, Whole Foods is pretty good about offering most produce items in bulk rather than selling all of the prepackaged stuff (of course, baby greens have always been the exception). But lately, it seems like more and more produce is being prepackaged in sealed bags. For instance last Wednesday, the store was selling baby potatoes and green beans in sealed packages. Now why do they have to package potatoes? I don’t get it. All of this over-packaging is so wasteful and burying our world in garbage. Plastic bags are bad enough, but at least they can be recycled. What really bothered me were the lemons in plastic netting. I detest those plastic net bags that surround items, such as citrus, avocados, and onions. They can’t be recycled and they’re useless for anything else. I could have purchased lemons in bulk that day, but they weren’t organic (I was using the rind in cooking, so I only wanted organic). I was so annoyed that I had to make a bad decision because of someone’s silly notion that prepackaging lemons is a good idea. Prepackaging also makes you buy more than you need, which is doubly annoying! Of course Whole Foods is better than most conventional grocery stores when it comes to packaging. So should I not complain because they’re better than most? No! We all need to put pressure on these stores to make changes. Otherwise, our children will inherit a world buried in plastic! After I finish this entry, I plan to get on the Whole Foods website and send a note. If all of this over-packaging bothers you, I encourage you to speak out too. If you want to learn more about why you should avoid plastic, read my previous blog on The Plastic Diet Pledge.

Fashion Recycling with the Goodwill Glitter Sale this Weekend

meganhilfer — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 00:09:23 +0000

This perfect party accessory can be yours this weekend!

One of my favorite fashion events is coming up this weekend: the annual Goodwill Glitter Sale. Why do I schedule my life around this event? Not only do I usually find some amazing sparkly steals (black sequin dress for $20, gold evening bag for $10 and fancy brooch for $30 to name a few), but it is equally exciting and exhausting to be in the middle of the madness as hundreds of women rush in when they unlock the doors at 9am on Saturday.

This year marks the 27th anniversary of the Goodwill Glitter Sale, which features racks and cases of glamorous Goodwill bargains. Quality merchandise is collected year-round for the sale, including gowns, men’s formalwear, jewelry, shoes and handbags.

All proceeds from the sale support Goodwill‘s free job training and education programs, which help low-income people with barriers to employment get the skills and support they need to achieve economic self-sufficiency through work.

Tips from this Goodwill Glitter Sale gal: If you want access to the best jewelry selection, arrive early (I will be in line by 8:30 on Saturday morning, coffee in hand). Wear spandex or other tight-fitting clothing since there are no dressing rooms. Leave your large handbag at home — it is going to be crowded. Happy shopping!

When: Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 13 and 14, 9am-6pm

Where: Seattle Goodwill, Dearborn St. Store – 1400 South Lane St.

Get the inside scoop via the Glitter Sale Insider blog and by following @GlitterSale_Gal on Twitter.

E-waste is BAD for the planet. Check out why

laurenswezey — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:49:10 +0000

By now, many of you have probably heard about or viewed The Story of Stuff by Annie Leonard. The 2007 animated video, which exposes the real costs of our use-it and toss-it consumer-driven culture, has now been viewed over 12 million times by people in 223 countries and territories. Talk about viral! Since then, Leonard has created The Story of Stuff website, published a book on The Story Of Stuff, which delves further into the issues discussed in the video, and has produced four additional films. Her latest project, The Story of Electronics co-produced with the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, takes an 8-minute look at why our “Designed-for-the-Dump” world of electronics is toxic to people and the planet. All of you early adopters are probably cringing at the idea that someone might prevent you from getting the latest and greatest phones and computers. That’s not what anyone wants. But we can’t continue buying more and more electronics and then just dumping all of this toxic e-waste around the planet. First, we need responsible manufacturing (get rid of the toxins, please!) and then we need manufacturers to take responsibility for recycling their own products—using certified recyclers that don’t dump e-waste in other countries. For more information about how to recycle your electronics responsibly, visit the Electronics TakeBake website. In Washington State, check out E-Cycle Washington. And please, watch out for fake recyclers!

Californians say NO to Texas oil companies and dirty energy

laurenswezey — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 19:14:36 +0000

Climate 2030: A National Blueprint for A Clean Energy Economy

Whew! After months of nasty campaigns and millions of dollars spent by both the “Yes” and “No” sides, California voters defeated Proposition 23—which would have prevented California’s climate law, AB32, from being enacted until unemployment fell below 5.5 percent (it’s now about 12 percent). The “Yes on 23” group claimed that AB32 would kill jobs when it’s enacted in 2012. The proposition, which was mostly funded by Texas oil companies Valero and Tesoro, raised the hackles of environmentalists around the country, not only because the effort to defeat AB32 came from oil companies outside the state, but because the bill, which seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2020, is considered one of the world’s most ambitious laws to combat global warming. Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Silicon Valley giants, such as Google’s Sergey Brin, poured millions of dollars into the “No on 23” campaign. And guess what? The one sector in which jobs are actually growing in California is clean energy. So I say mind your own business, Texas (and hurray for the SF Giants!).

Trick or Treat for UNICEF

meganhilfer — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 19:43:19 +0000

Beyond the candy and the costumes (Should I be a ghoul? A ghost? GaGa?), Halloween is about giving back. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, which has raised $160 million in an effort to bring health care, clean water, nutrition, education and emergency relief to children in need all over the world.

How it started

Sixty years ago, Mary Emma Allison was watching a parade of children dressed in costumes representing countries around the world when it struck her that she could raise money for UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund) in the same way children collect candy at Halloween. How much difference could she make? Just one penny could buy 20 glasses of milk. Instead of just donating to UNICEF, Mary Emma started Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, providing children with empty milk cartons to collect coins in addition to candy.

Doing good while gathering goodies

In 1950, trick-or-treaters carried empty milk cartons to collect donations, but these days you will find them carrying little orange boxes. When you answer the knock on your door this Sunday, drop some spare change into that orange box. Parents, pick up boxes at any Toys”R”Us or Babies”R”Us store nationwide. You can also visit UNICEF’s website to learn more about how you can contribute to this long-standing Halloween tradition, as well as download the iPhone app here and like UNICEF on Facebook.

Help America’s kids help kids the world over.

This post is brought to you by Parsons intern, Britt Reynolds.