Commonwealth Club-Climate One http://www.climate-one.org Climate One is a dialogue among prominent leaders from business, government and civil society who are illuminating the path toward a global, low-carbon economy. Achieving that vision will require new thinking. And new relationships that transcend traditional boundaries and organizations. We can get there from here. If we get going now. Feeder 2.3.8(1705); Mac OS X Version 10.8.3 (Build 12D78) http://reinventedsoftware.com/feeder/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss en-us All rights reserved podcast@commonwealthclub.org Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:41:57 -0700 Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:41:57 -0700 http://audio.commonwealthclub.org/audio/podcast/climate_one_logo.jpg Commonwealth Club-Climate One http://www.climate-one.org 144 144 The Commonwealth Club/Climate One Climate One is a dialogue among prominent leaders from business, government and civil society who are illuminating the path toward a global, low-carbon economy. Climate One is a dialogue among prominent leaders from business, government and civil society who are illuminating the path toward a global, low-carbon economy. Achieving that vision will require new thinking. And new relationships that transcend traditional boundaries and organizations. We can get there from here. If we get going now. environment, climate change, public policy, green, public radio, talk radio, news no The Commonwealth Club of California podcast@commonwealthclub.org no Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen (6/4/13) http://www.climate-one.org Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen


In the next decade, five billion more people should be able to access most of the world’s information through a mobile device. “The internet is going to wire up the entire world,” says Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google. “The change to people who have no information, no political freedom, no healthcare...is going to be extraordinary.” With this increase of technology comes privacy concerns, greater risks from cyber espionage, and important conversations on how to teach the next generation about data permanence and online privacy. “When you talk about privacy you need to also talk about security. The two concepts are deeply intertwined,” says Jared Cohen, Director of Google Ideas who points out the importance of parents talking to their children about digital privacy. A conversation with two architects of our digital future on innovation and the implications of a connected world.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on June 4, 2013

]]> Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:41:52 -0700 D314B5C8-8953-441A-B248-591E1B46E184 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation with Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen on innovation and the implications of a connected world. Google's Eric Schmidt and Jared Cohen In the next decade, five billion more people should be able to access most of the world’s information through a mobile device. “The internet is going to wire up the entire world,” says Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google. “The change to people who have no information, no political freedom, no healthcare…is going to be extraordinary.” With this increase of technology comes privacy concerns, greater risks from cyber espionage, and important conversations on how to teach the next generation about data permanence and online privacy. “When you talk about privacy you need to also talk about security. The two concepts are deeply intertwined,” says Jared Cohen, Director of Google Ideas who points out the importance of parents talking to their children about digital privacy. A conversation with two architects of our digital future on innovation and the implications of a connected world. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on June 4, 2013 no 1:06:23 Walmart. Emit Less. Live Better (5/6/13) http://www.climate-one.org Walmart. Emit Less. Live Better


Walmart and other large companies are pushing their suppliers to reduce packaging, waste and energy use to save companies money and reduce carbon pollution. The goals of zero waste and 100 percent renewable energy are big and audacious. According to Aron Cramer, CEO of Business for Social Responsibility such goals are also necessary. “We won’t be able to maintain economic growth if the environment starts to get in the way,” he says. Along with important steps towards a more sustainable supply chain Walmart has an emphasis on energy. “Energy efficiency has to go hand in hand with renewable energy,” says Andrea Thomas, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Walmart. To Walmart renewable energy is a business opportunity and she says they now in a position to start scaling. Aron Cramer agreed with the significance of renewables saying distributed energy could “be a business opportunity for retailers.” A conversation with two top executives on sustainable capitalism.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on May 6, 2013

]]> Wed, 05 Jun 2013 16:45:29 -0700 FE6A6DCE-D4F2-4213-8C0C-42CDE95446E3 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Two top executives from Walmart and BSR tackle the issues surrounding sustainable capitalism. Walmart. Emit Less. Live Better Walmart and other large companies are pushing their suppliers to reduce packaging, waste and energy use to save companies money and reduce carbon pollution. The goals of zero waste and 100 percent renewable energy are big and audacious. According to Aron Cramer, CEO of Business for Social Responsibility such goals are also necessary. “We won’t be able to maintain economic growth if the environment starts to get in the way,” he says. Along with important steps towards a more sustainable supply chain Walmart has an emphasis on energy. “Energy efficiency has to go hand in hand with renewable energy,” says Andrea Thomas, Senior Vice President of Sustainability at Walmart. To Walmart renewable energy is a business opportunity and she says they now in a position to start scaling. Aron Cramer agreed with the significance of renewables saying distributed energy could “be a business opportunity for retailers.” A conversation with two top executives on sustainable capitalism. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on May 6, 2013 no 1:06:46 Climate Correspondents (5/3/13) http://www.climate-one.org Environmental journalists representing Brazil, China, Nigeria and the Philippines tackle the climate news of a developing world. Climate issues have not always been news in these countries. In China it has taken a growing middle class and protests to bring attention to Beijing’s pollution issues, Lican Liu, water director at Greenovation Hub in China, tells the audience. Food and agriculture have also been impacted by climate change, says Michael Simire, Deputy Editor of the Sunday Independent in Nigeria, which has required an adjustment in the planting season in Nigeria. Imelda Abano, President of the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists, says this has undermined food prices in Philippines. Brazil’s home environmental issues typically revolve around the Amazon, says Gustavo Faleiros, Environmental Journalist and Knight Fellow, but this takes away from equally important urban environmental issues. A conversation with four international journalists on the trials and triumphs of environmental journalism in the developing world.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on May 3, 2013

]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 23:21:38 -0700 3EE5BF4C-AD78-4ADF-8D83-50DA4466E315 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Four international journalists discuss the trials and triumphs of environmental journalism in the developing world. Environmental journalists representing Brazil, China, Nigeria and the Philippines tackle the climate news of a developing world. Climate issues have not always been news in these countries. In China it has taken a growing middle class and protests to bring attention to Beijing’s pollution issues, Lican Liu, water director at Greenovation Hub in China, tells the audience. Food and agriculture have also been impacted by climate change, says Michael Simire, Deputy Editor of the Sunday Independent in Nigeria, which has required an adjustment in the planting season in Nigeria. Imelda Abano, President of the Philippine Network of Environmental Journalists, says this has undermined food prices in Philippines. Brazil’s home environmental issues typically revolve around the Amazon, says Gustavo Faleiros, Environmental Journalist and Knight Fellow, but this takes away from equally important urban environmental issues. A conversation with four international journalists on the trials and triumphs of environmental journalism in the developing world. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on May 3, 2013 no 1:03:37 Warrior Writers (5/3/13) http://www.climate-one.org The urgency of the climate crisis has compelled writers such as Bill McKibben and Antonia Juhasz to cross the line into advocacy. “Often facts can be disempowering” if it feels like there is nothing you can do, says Juhasz. “Understanding the direct human impact right now, the real facts, and the sense that you can do something about it” is what you need to get people to change she says. But convincing people is no longer the main battle, according to McKibben who says that “75% of Americans know that climate change is real and want something done about it.” The issue is making their voices heard against the influence of the resources of the fossil fuel industry. The answer to this, he says, is divestment. “We’re not going to bankrupt Exxon,” he says, “but we are going to start morally bankrupting them.” Juhasz agrees that “you can’t undermine the significance of the symbolism of divestment.” A discussion with two of the environmental movement’s leading communicators on speaking up and being heard.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on May 3, 2013

]]> Wed, 08 May 2013 22:11:47 -0700 3B80CDE8-E888-4940-BD48-5A71F5A3EA88 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Bill McKibben & Antonia Juhasz, two of the environmental movement’s leading communicators, discuss speaking up and being heard. The urgency of the climate crisis has compelled writers such as Bill McKibben and Antonia Juhasz to cross the line into advocacy. “Often facts can be disempowering” if it feels like there is nothing you can do, says Juhasz. “Understanding the direct human impact right now, the real facts, and the sense that you can do something about it” is what you need to get people to change she says. But convincing people is no longer the main battle, according to McKibben who says that “75% of Americans know that climate change is real and want something done about it.” The issue is making their voices heard against the influence of the resources of the fossil fuel industry. The answer to this, he says, is divestment. “We’re not going to bankrupt Exxon,” he says, “but we are going to start morally bankrupting them.” Juhasz agrees that “you can’t undermine the significance of the symbolism of divestment.” A discussion with two of the environmental movement’s leading communicators on speaking up and being heard. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on May 3, 2013 no 1:05:48 Water, Food & Energy with Marvin Odum (4/29/13) http://www.climate-one.org Climate change is “real” and requires action, says Marvin Odum, President of Shell Oil Company. But that doesn’t change his belief that “there is a pretty clear understanding that fossil fuels will be required for quite some time.” Biofuels are an option, says Odum, but corn ethanol is too carbon intensive and sugar cane biofuel from Brazil has more potential to become a viable fuel in America’s transportation fleet. Alternative energy sources aside, Odum says the most impactful thing that can be done over the next decade is “to drive natural gas in and drive coal out.” Odum joins Climate One founder Greg Dalton for a conversation on powering America’s future in a carbon constrained world.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 29, 2013

]]> Wed, 01 May 2013 17:53:09 -0700 65CEAF91-A2C0-4AED-94DA-F2008C3E0E48 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Climate change is “real” and requires action, says Marvin Odum, President of Shell Oil Company. Listen as he joins Climate One founder Greg Dalton for a conversation on powering America’s future in a carbon constrained world. Climate change is “real” and requires action, says Marvin Odum, President of Shell Oil Company. But that doesn’t change his belief that “there is a pretty clear understanding that fossil fuels will be required for quite some time.” Biofuels are an option, says Odum, but corn ethanol is too carbon intensive and sugar cane biofuel from Brazil has more potential to become a viable fuel in America’s transportation fleet. Alternative energy sources aside, Odum says the most impactful thing that can be done over the next decade is “to drive natural gas in and drive coal out.” Odum joins Climate One founder Greg Dalton for a conversation on powering America’s future in a carbon constrained world. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 29, 2013 no 1:19:38 Pipeline Paradigm (4/26/13) http://www.climate-one.org Are the Canadian tar sands and Keystone XL pipeline huge economic drivers or climate killers? Pipeline supporters such as Canadian diplomat Cassie Doyel say it’s better for America to get its energy from Canada than unfriendly nations. But Sam Avery, Author of The Pipeline and the Paradigm, warns that there’s enough carbon in the tar sands “to send Earth’s climate into an irreversible tailspin.” Dan Miller, Managing Director of the Roda Group, looks at the long term saying “as a price on carbon kicks in, and it starts to build over time, the tar sands will be the first things that will be knocked off the list.” Greg Croft, Lecturer at St. Mary’s College of California, points out that “the carbon problem is global and we haven't solved any problem on a global basis.” A conversation on matching energy supply and demand in a carbon constrained world



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 26, 2013

]]> Wed, 01 May 2013 14:04:44 -0700 5B4613B2-D1A5-4FB2-A4D0-2AB8B9AB4A2B Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Are the Canadian tar sands and Keystone XL pipeline huge economic drivers or climate killers? Join us for a conversation on matching energy supply and demand in a carbon constrained world. Are the Canadian tar sands and Keystone XL pipeline huge economic drivers or climate killers? Pipeline supporters such as Canadian diplomat Cassie Doyel say it’s better for America to get its energy from Canada than unfriendly nations. But Sam Avery, Author of The Pipeline and the Paradigm, warns that there’s enough carbon in the tar sands “to send Earth’s climate into an irreversible tailspin.” Dan Miller, Managing Director of the Roda Group, looks at the long term saying “as a price on carbon kicks in, and it starts to build over time, the tar sands will be the first things that will be knocked off the list.” Greg Croft, Lecturer at St. Mary’s College of California, points out that “the carbon problem is global and we haven't solved any problem on a global basis.” A conversation on matching energy supply and demand in a carbon constrained world This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 26, 2013 no 1:06:06 Global Meltdown: Christiana Figueres (4/17/13) http://www.climate-one.org These are tough days for international efforts to put a meaningful price on carbon pollution. It's a tough sell, and many clean-energy advocates say a global deal once dreamed about at Copenhagen will never happen. We have to think about “what have we learned and what is different” since Copenhagen says Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “I have news for everybody,” she says, “no, there is never going to be one agreement that solves climate [change].” In conversation with Greg Dalton, Figueres discusses the challenges facing negotiation including differences between developing and developed countries and the need for a strong foundation of national regulation before international agreements can be reached. But there is hope, she says, “we are moving toward a tipping point, a technological and economical tipping point...that will allow us to move into a completely different future.” A conversation on the challenges, successes, and goals of international climate change negotiations.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 17, 2013

]]> Mon, 22 Apr 2013 11:10:15 -0700 8257F70E-89DD-4BEC-B86C-3CABBA806A76 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation with Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, on the challenges, successes, and goals of international climate change negotiations. These are tough days for international efforts to put a meaningful price on carbon pollution. It's a tough sell, and many clean-energy advocates say a global deal once dreamed about at Copenhagen will never happen. We have to think about “what have we learned and what is different” since Copenhagen says Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. “I have news for everybody,” she says, “no, there is never going to be one agreement that solves climate [change].” In conversation with Greg Dalton, Figueres discusses the challenges facing negotiation including differences between developing and developed countries and the need for a strong foundation of national regulation before international agreements can be reached. But there is hope, she says, “we are moving toward a tipping point, a technological and economical tipping point...that will allow us to move into a completely different future.” A conversation on the challenges, successes, and goals of international climate change negotiations. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 17, 2013 no 1:02:51 Petropoly (4/5/13) http://www.climate-one.org The country's energy paradigm is caught between the slogans of “drill-baby-drill” and “oil is evil.” The real problem arguably is that the global oil market is controlled by the OPEC cartel that artificially fixes prices. That could explain why oil prices continue to rise even though the United States, the world’s largest petroleum consumer, is producing more and consuming less. “We can’t be fixated on bringing down the price of oil because that is not going to happen,” said Kate Gordon, Director of the Energy and Climate Program at Next Generation. Alternative fuels advocates say the only way that will change is with other fuels that can compete and give consumers choices for the first time since the early days of the automobile. “The concept of energy independence is misleading,” said Eyal Aronoff, Co-founder of the Fuel Freedom Foundation, “the question is about oil independence.” The most prominent alternative to oil right now in the U.S. is natural gas and Gal Luft, co-author of “Petropoly”, said that “when you look at big oil...they are becoming increasingly natural gas companies.” A conversation with three experts on changing America’s energy security paradigm.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 5, 2013

]]> Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:43:29 -0700 22D50CA6-EF45-418E-9980-390D686F5D73 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation with three experts on changing America’s energy security paradigm. The country's energy paradigm is caught between the slogans of “drill-baby-drill” and “oil is evil.” The real problem arguably is that the global oil market is controlled by the OPEC cartel that artificially fixes prices. That could explain why oil prices continue to rise even though the United States, the world’s largest petroleum consumer, is producing more and consuming less. “We can’t be fixated on bringing down the price of oil because that is not going to happen,” said Kate Gordon, Director of the Energy and Climate Program at Next Generation. Alternative fuels advocates say the only way that will change is with other fuels that can compete and give consumers choices for the first time since the early days of the automobile. “The concept of energy independence is misleading,” said Eyal Aronoff, Co-founder of the Fuel Freedom Foundation, “the question is about oil independence.” The most prominent alternative to oil right now in the U.S. is natural gas and Gal Luft, co-author of “Petropoly”, said that “when you look at big oil…they are becoming increasingly natural gas companies.” A conversation with three experts on changing America’s energy security paradigm. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 5, 2013 no 1:05:04 Senator Dianne Feinstein: Guns, Drones and Energy (4/3/13) http://www.climate-one.org The United States should restrain the use of guns on the street and drones in the air according to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. “I think we do need a national solution” says Senator Feinstein on gun regulation. The victims of Sandy Hook continue to drive her and she said, “every time I see those faces I say shame on us that we let this happen in this great country.” Drone use is “an enormous privacy question,” states Senator Feinstein. She discusses the need for nationwide drone operating criteria to address the increased use of drones within national borders as well as the importance of continued thorough congressional oversight of international drone use. Transitioning the conversation to the issue of climate change, Senator Feinstein says that “people don’t really understand. They think the earth is immutable. They think we can’t destroy it, that it’s here to stay, that it’s always been this way. It’s not so.” A conversation with California’s senior United States Senator on guns, drones, and carbon.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on April 3, 2013

]]> Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:43:27 -0700 029BDFA9-B694-4727-B701-CBC80FE40302 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation with California’s senior United States Senator on guns, drones, and carbon. The United States should restrain the use of guns on the street and drones in the air according to U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein. “I think we do need a national solution” says Senator Feinstein on gun regulation. The victims of Sandy Hook continue to drive her and she said, “every time I see those faces I say shame on us that we let this happen in this great country.” Drone use is “an enormous privacy question,” states Senator Feinstein. She discusses the need for nationwide drone operating criteria to address the increased use of drones within national borders as well as the importance of continued thorough congressional oversight of international drone use. Transitioning the conversation to the issue of climate change, Senator Feinstein says that “people don’t really understand. They think the earth is immutable. They think we can’t destroy it, that it’s here to stay, that it’s always been this way. It’s not so.” A conversation with California’s senior United States Senator on guns, drones, and carbon. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on April 3, 2013 no 1:08:15 Fracking California (4/2/13) http://www.climate-one.org Tempting oil reserves trapped in California Monterey shale are raising the possibility of a fracking boom in California. “People began to come to me...asking about what a mineral estate was and how come the oil company that owned the mineral estate could eject them from the surface of the land,” said Steve Craig, a farmer in Monterey County and former director of the Ventana Conservation and Land Trust. Bill Allayaud of the Environmental Working Group explained that California “had regulations about well casings but no regulations about fracking.” But this is changing, said Mark Nechodom, Director of California’s Department of Conservation, “in historical use of fracturing in California we had no evidence that there is any environmental damage...and therefore we had not required reporting. Now we are requiring reporting.” Dave Quast of Energy In Depth, maintained that there could be important benefits to fracking California’s oil, “onshore [American] oil developed under a very highly regulated regime is much preferable to getting it from Venezuela and some places that don’t have environmental protections,” he said. A conversation with four experts on the possibilities and risks of fracking California’s oil.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 2, 2013

]]> Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:40:51 -0700 0E35E8AB-468A-44AF-8260-2F62F6AFDAD7 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation with three experts on the fracking bonanza sweeping America. Tempting oil reserves trapped in California Monterey shale are raising the possibility of a fracking boom in California. “People began to come to me...asking about what a mineral estate was and how come the oil company that owned the mineral estate could eject them from the surface of the land,” said Steve Craig, a farmer in Monterey County and former director of the Ventana Conservation and Land Trust. Bill Allayaud of the Environmental Working Group explained that California “had regulations about well casings but no regulations about fracking.” But this is changing, said Mark Nechodom, Director of California’s Department of Conservation, “in historical use of fracturing in California we had no evidence that there is any environmental damage...and therefore we had not required reporting. Now we are requiring reporting.” Dave Quast of Energy In Depth, maintained that there could be important benefits to fracking California’s oil, “onshore [American] oil developed under a very highly regulated regime is much preferable to getting it from Venezuela and some places that don’t have environmental protections,” he said. A conversation with four experts on the possibilities and risks of fracking California’s oil. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 2, 2013 no 1:07:40 Fracked Nation (4/2/13) http://www.climate-one.org With a thriving natural gas market in the U.S., oil and energy companies are in a race for fracking rights across the country. The fracking bonanza has led to concern about the oversight of hydraulic fracturing practices. “We need to regulate,” said TJ Glauthier, former Deputy U.S. Secretary of Energy and a former board member of Union Drilling, “I think that natural gas has a very important role to play in a conversion to a cleaner economy and a cleaner future.” One notable result of the “shale gas revolution,” according to Mark Zoback, Professor at the Stanford University School of Earth Sciences, is that “CO2 emissions from coal are down 20% just in the last few years.” But higher than expected methane leakage could mean that “the actual lifecycle carbon impact of burning natural gas is actually worse than coal,” said Kassie Siegel, Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity. A conversation with three experts on the state of hydraulic fracturing and regulation in America.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 2, 2013

]]> Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:33:07 -0700 09A2EFF6-C4AC-498D-BCCE-74C4F190682F Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation with three experts on the fracking bonanza sweeping America. With a thriving natural gas market in the U.S., oil and energy companies are in a race for fracking rights across the country. The fracking bonanza has led to concern about the oversight of hydraulic fracturing practices. “We need to regulate,” said TJ Glauthier, former Deputy U.S. Secretary of Energy and a former board member of Union Drilling, “I think that natural gas has a very important role to play in a conversion to a cleaner economy and a cleaner future.” One notable result of the “shale gas revolution,” according to Mark Zoback, Professor at the Stanford University School of Earth Sciences, is that “CO2 emissions from coal are down 20% just in the last few years.” But higher than expected methane leakage could mean that “the actual lifecycle carbon impact of burning natural gas is actually worse than coal,” said Kassie Siegel, Senior Counsel at the Center for Biological Diversity. A conversation with three experts on the state of hydraulic fracturing and regulation in America. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on April 2, 2013 no 1:06:40 Tomorrowland (3/22/13) http://www.climate-one.org Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:51:38 -0700 6F5EB1F2-BDCE-44FF-9588-50806BC3864D Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Two experts discuss China’s new cities and sustainable development. “It’s essential for China to be on a low emissions growth pattern,” said Jian Lin, Chairman of The China Sustainable Energy Program. China’s cities are growing at a breakneck pace and city planners are struggling to keep up, “we are racing against time,” said Lin, “people just don’t wait until you figure out how to solve a sustainable design.” Ellen Lou, Director of Urban Design and Planning at SOM, says that the money the Chinese government spent on building out transit infrastructure “is one of the best things that they have done.” The question, she said, is “how do you make higher density livable?” Two experts discuss China’s new cities and sustainable development. no 1:07:07 Clean Communities (3/22/13) http://www.climate-one.org Mon, 25 Mar 2013 17:49:48 -0700 E41BE4DE-8DDC-46EF-9055-85A623FD8BC6 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Three leaders in sustainable building and development discuss Bay Area development goals. Coastal cities “are facing an existential threat that we are not prepared to deal with,” said Gabriel Metcalf, the Executive Director of San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR). The California Bay Area is wrestling with a challenge as it tries to develop sustainably to accommodate a growing population in a warming world. One way to deal with population rise and reduce emissions is to create “zones of high density” says Alex Mehran Jr., Senior VP and General Manager at Sunset Development. Carl Shannon, Managing Director at Tishman Speyer says “you have to find the right balance of economic desire and political will” to develop high density zones in traditionally suburban environments. The experts agree that the key to sustainable growth in the Bay Area is rebuilding for a more walkable and livable urban environment. Three leaders in sustainable building and development discuss Bay Area development goals. no 1:04:50 Game Change (3/19/13) http://www.climate-one.org “We are already paying significant economic costs” of climate disruption and they are “only going to increase,” says democratic strategist Chris Lehane. Republican strategist Steve Schmidt agrees that climate change is an economic concern but says it has to be addressed in a low cost fashion. “You need to grow the economy in order to protect the environment,” says Schmidt, “the fossil fuel economy and the energy companies have lifted more people out of poverty more than any other industry in the history of the world ever.” Lehane argues that “it has been the U.S. that has lead on global issues” and it is the U.S. that should lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Two seasoned political veterans discuss Keystone XL, the fossil fuel economy, and bridging the partisan divide on climate change.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 19, 2013

]]> Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:31:34 -0700 19B32309-4FB1-4CA0-ABB7-24C1B49B1CBF Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Two seasoned political veterans discuss Keystone XL, the fossil fuel economy, and bridging the partisan divide on climate change. “We are already paying significant economic costs” of climate disruption and they are “only going to increase,” says democratic strategist Chris Lehane. Republican strategist Steve Schmidt agrees that climate change is an economic concern but says it has to be addressed in a low cost fashion. “You need to grow the economy in order to protect the environment,” says Schmidt, “the fossil fuel economy and the energy companies have lifted more people out of poverty more than any other industry in the history of the world ever.” Lehane argues that “it has been the U.S. that has lead on global issues” and it is the U.S. that should lead in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Two seasoned political veterans discuss Keystone XL, the fossil fuel economy, and bridging the partisan divide on climate change. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 19, 2013 no 1:08:06 Bracing for Impact: Bay Area Vulnerabilities and Preparedness (3/18/13) http://www.climate-one.org "If we do not take the rational approach to this problem [of climate disruption] we are all facing really catastrophic impacts," said Ezra Rapport, Executive Director of the Association of Bay Area Governments. As the world warms Bay Area agencies are racing the clock to develop adaptation strategies to identify and manage risks. But with complicated and widely variable climate models it can be hard to agree on the numbers. Melanie Nutter, Director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment explained that “we as a city [San Francisco] don’t yet have an agreed upon risk scenario.” This is because “we are a very diverse region...there is no one dominant player,” said R. Zachary Wasserman, Chair of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, “we’re going to have to figure out how to do this together.” Leaders of Bay Area agencies discuss strategies to protect our built environment and adapt to challenges in the future.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 18, 2013

]]> Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:11:43 -0700 0637DC42-3113-4FA1-BFD2-CD31D650DCFC Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Leaders of Bay Area agencies discuss strategies to protect our built environment and adapt to challenges in the future. "If we do not take the rational approach to this problem [of climate disruption] we are all facing really catastrophic impacts," said Ezra Rapport, Executive Director of the Association of Bay Area Governments. As the world warms Bay Area agencies are racing the clock to develop adaptation strategies to identify and manage risks. But with complicated and widely variable climate models it can be hard to agree on the numbers. Melanie Nutter, Director of the San Francisco Department of the Environment explained that “we as a city [San Francisco] don’t yet have an agreed upon risk scenario.” This is because “we are a very diverse region…there is no one dominant player,” said R. Zachary Wasserman, Chair of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, “we’re going to have to figure out how to do this together.” Leaders of Bay Area agencies discuss strategies to protect our built environment and adapt to challenges in the future. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 18, 2013 no 1:04:14 Bracing for Impact: America’s Risks and Resilience (3/18/13) http://www.climate-one.org “The Bay Area will be here 200 years from now. It will look different. There will be some things that have changed...but you’re going to be here. Miami won’t be here 200 years from now,” said John Englander, author of High Tide on Main Street. Englander discusses how sea levels are rising putting coastal communities at risk for flooding, larger storm surges, and erosion. Drought, superstorms and other extreme weather events hit the U.S. hard in 2012. “We are seeing more extreme weather, and we likely will continue to see more extreme weather, and not only that but it will probably last longer,” says Angela Fritz, an Atmospheric Scientist at Weather Underground. A conversation on the impacts of climate change on communities in a warming world.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California March 18, 2013

]]> Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:08:13 -0700 DE6CF874-A608-4048-9149-937ADE768FA0 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation on the impacts of climate disruption and sea level rise on communities in a warming world. “The Bay Area will be here 200 years from now. It will look different. There will be some things that have changed…but you’re going to be here. Miami won’t be here 200 years from now,” said John Englander, author of High Tide on Main Street. Englander discusses how sea levels are rising putting coastal communities at risk for flooding, larger storm surges, and erosion. Drought, superstores and other extreme weather events hit the U.S. hard in 2012. “We are seeing more extreme weather, and we likely will continue to see more extreme weather, and not only that but it will probably last longer,” says Angela Fritz, an Atmospheric Scientist at Weather Underground. A conversation on the impacts of climate change on communities in a warming world. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California March 18, 2013 no 1:04:57 American Turnaround (3/12/13) http://www.climate-one.org No private investor in the world would put money into General Motors when it was going bankrupt, says former GM CEO Ed Whitacre. “The government did exactly the right thing” bailing out the company. The politically charged electric Chevy Volt made headlines during Whitacre’s tenure at GM, but in spite of the political hits the car took, Whitacre believed and still believes that “there’s a real future for electric vehicles.” To Whitacre, the Chevy Volt is an example of “a responsible corporation attempting to do the right thing and explore new technology.” As American manufacturing moves forward Whitacre believes we need to accept that “it’s a global economy” and adapt to it. A conversation with a global CEO on General Motors about his role in the 2009 bailout and the state of American manufacturing.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 12, 2013

]]> Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:14:55 -0700 F9C450EA-E965-4215-B1EF-DC9700612EF6 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation with a global CEO on General Motors about his role in the 2009 bailout and the state of American manufacturing. No private investor in the world would put money into General Motors when it was going bankrupt, says former GM CEO Ed Whitacre. “The government did exactly the right thing” bailing out the company. The politically charged electric Chevy Volt made headlines during Whitacre’s tenure at GM, but in spite of the political hits the car took, Whitacre believed and still believes that “there’s a real future for electric vehicles.” To Whitacre, the Chevy Volt is an example of “a responsible corporation attempting to do the right thing and explore new technology.” As American manufacturing moves forward Whitacre believes we need to accept that “it’s a global economy” and adapt to it. A conversation with a global CEO on General Motors about his role in the 2009 bailout and the state of American manufacturing. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 12, 2013 no 1:04:43 Borrowed Wheels (3/5/13) http://www.climate-one.org

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 5, 2013

]]> Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:31:11 -0800 70DF71F8-3A32-40A6-A442-F35738F0AFE2 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation on the new mobility society with Sidecar, Lyft, City CarShare, and a car sharing expert. As of 2013 car sharing has over a million participants in North America, says Susan Shaheen, Co-Director of the Transportation Sustainability Research Center at UC Berkeley. Are car sharing and ride sharing finally going mainstream? Panelists cite benefits such as reduced congestion and emissions. Certain car sharing startups like Lyft even give members the chance to earn some income on a car that might otherwise be sitting idle, says Kristin Sverchek, Head of Public Policy at Lyft and Zimride. To Sunil Paul, CEO of Sidecar, safety and trust are key to the ride sharing model, with 71% of Sidecar users claiming they feel safer using Sidecar than a cab. But hurdles are everywhere for this new business model and Rick Hutchinson, CEO of City Car Share, points out that innovative ideas are often hindered by slow moving insurance regulations and public policy. A conversation on the new mobility society. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 5, 2013 no 1:03:57 Sharing Economy (3/5/13) http://www.climate-one.org “The distribution centers of the future are our closets and garages,” says Andy Ruben, co-founder of sharing start-up Yerdle. Entrepreneurs like Ruben are tapping into social media circles as a way to connect members to a wealth of sharing options. “Data, in many ways, is the gateway drug to the sharing economy,” says Lisa Gansky, Author of “The Mesh”. Other entrepreneurs like Billy Parish, Co-Founder and President of Solar Mosaic, are “unlocking the ability of individuals to participate in the investment process.” Crowdfunding seems to be the next wave of the sharing economy with opportunities ranging from peer-to-peer investment and Solar Mosaic’s own solar investment projects. A conversation on the exciting possibilities of a growing sharing economy.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 5, 2013

]]> Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:29:24 -0800 6AD12D3D-A39A-49DB-8F8F-D2F0E0A68FD2 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The exciting possibilities of a growing sharing economy. “The distribution centers of the future are our closets and garages,” says Andy Ruben, co-founder of sharing start-up Yerdle. Entrepreneurs like Ruben are tapping into social media circles as a way to connect members to a wealth of sharing options. “Data, in many ways, is the gateway drug to the sharing economy,” says Lisa Gansky, Author of “The Mesh”. Other entrepreneurs like Billy Parish, Co-Founder and President of Solar Mosaic, are “unlocking the ability of individuals to participate in the investment process.” Crowdfunding seems to be the next wave of the sharing economy with opportunities ranging from peer-to-peer investment and Solar Mosaic’s own solar investment projects. A conversation on the exciting possibilities of a growing sharing economy. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 5, 2013 no 1:06:30 February: Living a Low Carbon Lifestyle http://www.climate-one.org

Living a Low Carbon Lifestyle features tips on living a low carbon lifestyle and what motivates individuals to make energy smart choices. Our guests include a reverend, a Stanford psychology professor, an environmentalist, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and drivers who love their electric cars. On the next Climate One.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California

]]> Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:45:45 -0800 58B95B04-5964-4CE2-BFC5-1781ACEDB9C8 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Living a Low Carbon Lifestyle features tips on living a low carbon lifestyle and what motivates individuals to make energy smart choices. Living a Low Carbon Lifestyle features tips on living a low carbon lifestyle and what motivates individuals to make energy smart choices. Our guests include a reverend, a Stanford psychology professor, an environmentalist, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and drivers who love their electric cars. On the next Climate One. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California no 52:59 Individual Matters (2/12/13) http://www.climate-one.org What matters more when addressing climate change: individual action, corporate action, or policy change? In all cases, the key to change is disrupting default behaviors. Target, Walmart, and American Airlines are all very good at using "nudges" to disrupt our behavior and get us to buy more stuff, says Gernot Wagner (Author, 'But Will the Planet Notice?'; Economist, EDF). "The trick,” he says, “is to use behavioral nudges on a policy level to move everyone in the right direction [for sustainable behaviors.]" Individual action matters too, says Christopher Jones (Co-Chair, Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference; Researcher, CoolClimate Network), once you take one small action you are far more likely to take another in an “on-ramp” to collective action. But “there are some decisions that matter more than others,” contends Glen Low, (Principal, Blu Skye). By reaching decision makers in corporations that have a lot of influence, such as Walmart, he says you can get “systemic change with a handful of people.” A conversation between experts on motivating change.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on February 12, 2013

]]> Wed, 13 Feb 2013 14:41:45 -0800 90B592EC-A9C4-48E9-87D5-288212D0CF89 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What matters more when addressing climate change: individual action, corporate action, or policy change? What matters more when addressing climate change: individual action, corporate action, or policy change? In all cases, the key to change is disrupting default behaviors. Target, Walmart, and American Airlines are all very good at using "nudges" to disrupt our behavior and get us to buy more stuff, says Gernot Wagner (Author, 'But Will the Planet Notice?'; Economist, EDF). "The trick,” he says, “is to use behavioral nudges on a policy level to move everyone in the right direction [for sustainable behaviors.]" Individual action matters too, says Christopher Jones (Co-Chair, Behavior, Energy & Climate Change Conference; Researcher, CoolClimate Network), once you take one small action you are far more likely to take another in an “on-ramp” to collective action. But “there are some decisions that matter more than others,” contends Glen Low, (Principal, Blu Skye). By reaching decision makers in corporations that have a lot of influence, such as Walmart, he says you can get “systemic change with a handful of people.” A conversation between experts on motivating change. no 1:04:42 Solar Flares (2/5/13) http://www.climate-one.org Through all the growing pains and political attacks, the U.S. solar industry is still moving ahead. But it still only accounts for 1 percent of all U.S. electricity. With the market driving down cost going solar “makes perfect economic sense,” says Marco Krapels.

Founders of three large solar firms and a banker talk about tapping the sun to create jobs, investment opportunities, and the shadow of China.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on February 5, 2013

]]> Wed, 06 Feb 2013 16:24:02 -0800 7B8A4AB3-4983-4B2D-B0B1-E6F5CE2EDD3A Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Founders of three large solar firms and a banker talk about tapping the sun to create jobs, investment opportunities, and the shadow of China. Through all the growing pains and political attacks, the U.S. solar industry is still moving ahead. But it still only accounts for 1 percent of all U.S. electricity. With the market driving down cost going solar “makes perfect economic sense,” says Marco Krapels. Founders of three large solar firms and a banker talk about tapping the sun to create jobs, investment opportunities, and the shadow of China. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on February 5, 2013 no 1:06:55 Driving Growth (2/4/13) http://www.climate-one.org An energy “renaissance” is happening in the U.S. and Rhonda Zygocki, Executive VP of Policy and Planning at Chevron, says it is “driven by innovation” and the natural gas and oil reserves trapped in slate. This renaissance is not without its issues and Fred Krupp, President of the Environmental Defense Fund, warns that “while the economic benefits [of fracking] are obvious, the environmental implications of not doing this right in some cases are equally obvious.” Krupp warns that the fragmented nature of the industry makes it resistant to change and regulation. Zygocki walks us through some of the innovations and changes Chevron is introducing for safer and more efficient energy production. To find a way to reduce emissions in the future “we need to look at solutions at scale,” says Zygocki who questions the ability of renewables such as solar to scale up in time. Krupp sees California as the future of renewable technology and says that there’s “nothing like a profit motive” to boost innovation. A conversation between Chevron and EDF on the issues surrounding the hydraulic fracturing industry and powering America’s economy.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on February 4, 2013

]]> Tue, 05 Feb 2013 17:18:41 -0800 18939633-DD1C-4F3E-A776-F4119BBDEB3A Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation between Chevron and EDF on the issues surrounding the hydraulic fracturing industry and powering America’s economy. An energy “renaissance” is happening in the U.S. and Rhonda Zygocki, Executive VP of Policy and Planning at Chevron, says it is “driven by innovation” and the natural gas and oil reserves trapped in slate. This renaissance is not without its issues and Fred Krupp, President of the Environmental Defense Fund, warns that “while the economic benefits [of fracking] are obvious, the environmental implications of not doing this right in some cases are equally obvious.” Krupp warns that the fragmented nature of the industry makes it resistant to change and regulation. Zygocki walks us through some of the innovations and changes Chevron is introducing for safer and more efficient energy production. To find a way to reduce emissions in the future “we need to look at solutions at scale,” says Zygocki who questions the ability of renewables such as solar to scale up in time. Krupp sees California as the future of renewable technology and says that there’s “nothing like a profit motive” to boost innovation. A conversation between Chevron and EDF on the issues surrounding the hydraulic fracturing industry and powering America’s economy. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on February 4, 2013 no 1:05:13 Generation Green (1/29/13) http://www.climate-one.org Social entrepreneurs and youth advocates are reaching out to schools across the country to engage the next generation in the climate dialogue. It’s not just about facts and numbers, but “comes down to telling the story right,” says Mike Haas, Founder of the Alliance for Climate Education. Engaged kids mean engaged families and entrepreneurs like Carleen Cullen, Founder & Executive Director of Cool the Earth, are building on this “symbiotic” relationship to educate communities. Skeptics might discourage some, but youth advocate Rosemary Davies says, “like with any idea there is going to be some resistance, but there is a consensus that climate change is real.” A conversation about how youth can build a better future, starting now.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on January 29, 2013

]]> Wed, 30 Jan 2013 12:50:09 -0800 0EAF8621-7E0A-44A3-A411-DE180BAF6287 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Social entrepreneurs and youth advocates are reaching out to schools across the country to engage the next generation in the climate dialogue. Social entrepreneurs and youth advocates are reaching out to schools across the country to engage the next generation in the climate dialogue. It’s not just about facts and numbers, but “comes down to telling the story right,” says Mike Haas, Founder of the Alliance for Climate Education. Engaged kids mean engaged families and entrepreneurs like Carleen Cullen, Founder & Executive Director of Cool the Earth, are building on this “symbiotic” relationship to educate communities. Skeptics might discourage some, but youth advocate Rosemary Davies says, “like with any idea there is going to be some resistance, but there is a consensus that climate change is real.” A conversation about how youth can build a better future, starting now. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on January 29, 2013 no 1:06:07 Clean Clothes (1/25/13) http://www.climate-one.org From organic cotton to recycled zippers many clothing brands are trying to establish their bona fides with consumers who care about the health of their bodies and the planet. To reduce impact, leaders of the $200 billion U.S. clothing industry are calling for collaboration between companies and a two-way dialogue with consumers. “No one company, no matter how big it is, can change the world itself on an issue this complex,” says Chip Bergh, CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. In efforts to reduce the footprint of the clothing industry, Patagonia and Levi’s are calling for conscious consumerism. “We want to encourage our customers to use [our product] as much as they can as long as they can,” said Rick Ridgeway, VP of Environmental Affairs at Patagonia, “capitalism based on growth is not sustainable.” Listen to a conversation between Levi’s and Patagonia on making America’s clothing industry more sustainable.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on January 25, 2013.

]]> Fri, 25 Jan 2013 15:23:34 -0800 CC7AB9F2-309A-4841-8610-A6C9D4C7992E Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A conversation between Levi’s and Patagonia on collaboration and making America’s clothing industry more sustainable. From organic cotton to recycled zippers many clothing brands are trying to establish their bona fides with consumers who care about the health of their bodies and the planet. To reduce impact, leaders of the $200 billion U.S. clothing industry are calling for collaboration between companies and a two-way dialogue with consumers. “No one company, no matter how big it is, can change the world itself on an issue this complex,” says Chip Bergh, CEO of Levi Strauss & Co. In efforts to reduce the footprint of the clothing industry, Patagonia and Levi’s are calling for conscious consumerism. “We want to encourage our customers to use [our product] as much as they can as long as they can,” said Rick Ridgeway, VP of Environmental Affairs at Patagonia, “capitalism based on growth is not sustainable.” Listen to a conversation between Levi’s and Patagonia on making America’s clothing industry more sustainable. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on January 25, 2013. no 1:03:51 Power Mix (1/15/12) http://www.climate-one.org Power Mix


Cheap natural gas is changing the energy mix in America. Energy companies are increasingly making the switch from coal to cheaper, cleaner natural gas to fuel their power plants. These companies “are paying far more attention to the price of natural gas than environmental regulations,” says Trevor Houser, partner at the Rhodium Group. Shrinking domestic markets have America’s coal industry looking overseas to surging economies in China and India. Bruce Nilles of the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign and Ross Macfarlane, Sr. Advisor at Climate Solutions, say developing these coal reserves would mean “game over” for global warming. Trevor Houser points out that the lower sulfur content of American coal could go a long way in reducing particulate pollution in China that drifts to the West Coast of the United States. Listen to a conversation between experts on the future of coal and natural gas.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on January 15, 2013

]]> Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:41:53 -0800 2485EB83-0B19-49CB-AD0E-13D6703DC3D2 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Cheap natural gas is changing the energy mix in America and the coal industry is looking overseas to India and China. A conversation between experts. Power Mix Cheap natural gas is changing the energy mix in America. Energy companies are increasingly making the switch from coal to cheaper, cleaner natural gas to fuel their power plants. These companies “are paying far more attention to the price of natural gas than environmental regulations,” says Trevor Houser, partner at the Rhodium Group. Shrinking domestic markets have America’s coal industry looking overseas to surging economies in China and India. Bruce Nilles of the Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign and Ross Macfarlane, Sr. Advisor at Climate Solutions, say developing these coal reserves would mean “game over” for global warming. Trevor Houser points out that the lower sulfur content of American coal could go a long way in reducing particulate pollution in China that drifts to the West Coast of the United States. Listen to a conversation between experts on the future of coal and natural gas. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on January 15, 2013 no 1:04:01 Lost In The Wash (1/11/13) http://www.climate-one.org Lost In The Wash



With everything from hand soap to glass cleaner labeled as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” consumers are suffering from green fatigue. We are just starting “to align our spending with our values,” says Dara O’Rourke, co-founder of Good Guide. Transparency is the name of the game and social media “hashtags” mean brands “don’t get to control the message anymore,” says O’Rourke, “I don’t think they get to tell us what to believe or not to believe.” The roundtable, including William Brent, Executive VP of Weber Shandwick, and Aron Cramer, President and CEO of BSR, points out that consumer behavior is critical to understanding (and reducing) the lifetime carbon footprint of a product. Listen to a conversation between experts on the next step towards a greener marketplace.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on January 11, 2013

]]> Fri, 11 Jan 2013 17:29:15 -0800 0927A6A2-B87E-437A-8AE4-145AFD24D2E0 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Listen to a conversation between experts on how to combat ‘green fatigue’ and the next step towards a greener marketplace. Lost In The Wash With everything from hand soap to glass cleaner labeled as “eco-friendly” or “sustainable” consumers are suffering from green fatigue. We are just starting “to align our spending with our values,” says Dara O’Rourke, co-founder of Good Guide. Transparency is the name of the game and social media “hashtags” mean brands “don’t get to control the message anymore,” says O’Rourke, “I don’t think they get to tell us what to believe or not to believe.” The roundtable, including William Brent, Executive VP of Weber Shandwick, and Aron Cramer, President and CEO of BSR, points out that consumer behavior is critical to understanding (and reducing) the lifetime carbon footprint of a product. Listen to a conversation between experts on the next step towards a greener marketplace. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on January 11, 2013 no 1:06:59 Congregation Power (12/12/12) http://www.climate-one.org Congregation Power

Rabbi Yonatan Neril, Founder and Executive Director, Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, Jerusalem
Reverend Sally Bingham, Founder, Interfaith Power and Light
Reverend Ng, First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco

“As a priest, if I’m going to start talking about what humans are doing to the planet...I need scientific backing. I need to be in close communication with the scientific community or I have no business making those remarks,” said Rev. Canon Sally Bingham. Leaders from many religious traditions are acting as stewards of creation by powering their congregations with clean energy and encouraging smart policies in their communities. Leaders of this movement contend that all major religions have a mandate to care for creation. “Being at the top of creation we have a particular responsibility to treat it with respect,” Rabbi Yonatan Neril says.

Religious leaders come together at Climate One to discuss how their faith impacts their approach to climate change and what they are doing about it. “Solar panels and solar energy is achievable,” Rev. Don Ng told us. Listen in to hear how communities of faith around the world are getting involved to build a more sustainable future.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on December 12, 2012

]]> Thu, 13 Dec 2012 09:54:03 -0800 22637E14-A704-4BE6-A754-4ED07607D7CD Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Religious leaders come together at Climate One to discuss their efforts to promote sustainability and clean energy in their communities. Congregation Power Rabbi Yonatan Neril, Founder and Executive Director, Interfaith Center for Sustainable Development, Jerusalem Reverend Sally Bingham, Founder, Interfaith Power and Light Reverend Ng, First Chinese Baptist Church, San Francisco “As a priest, if I’m going to start talking about what humans are doing to the planet...I need scientific backing. I need to be in close communication with the scientific community or I have no business making those remarks,” said Rev. Canon Sally Bingham. Leaders from many religious traditions are acting as stewards of creation by powering their congregations with clean energy and encouraging smart policies in their communities. Leaders of this movement contend that all major religions have a mandate to care for creation. “Being at the top of creation we have a particular responsibility to treat it with respect,” Rabbi Yonatan Neril says. Religious leaders come together at Climate One to discuss how their faith impacts their approach to climate change and what they are doing about it. “Solar panels and solar energy is achievable,” Rev. Don Ng told us. Listen in to hear how communities of faith around the world are getting involved to build a more sustainable future. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on December 12, 2012 no 1:07:25 James Hansen: Stephen Schneider Climate Science Communication Award (12/4/12) http://www.climate-one.org James Hansen: Stephen Schneider Climate Science Communication Award



Blurb: Dr. James Hansen, NASA climatologist, on communicating climate change to the next generation, human fingerprints on Superstorm Sandy, and inspiring action.



"I'm very disappointed [California] chose a half-baked system like cap-and-trade, with offsets," said NASA climatologist James Hansen. He prefers a carbon fee and dividend and, in the absence of a strong carbon price, says the risks of reaching climatic tipping points that could bring catastrophic consequences rise. He also said people spreading disinformation about climate change “are smart enough to know what they are doing” and perhaps should be sued "for crimes against humanity.”



Dr. Hansen is the recipient of the 2012 Stephen Schneider Award for Climate Science Communication, a $10,000 award in memory of the late great Stanford climate scientist and former member of the Climate One Advisory Council.


James Hansen joins Climate One founder Greg Dalton to discuss recent wild weather, communicating climate change to the younger generation, climate change in politics, human fingerprints on Superstorm Sandy, and inspiring action.



James Hansen, Head, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies; Adjunct Professor, Columbia University's Earth Institute; Author, Storms of My Grandchildren



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on December 4, 2012

]]> Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:06:48 -0800 34803B96-9294-4620-9E90-526323900A40 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Dr. James Hansen, NASA climatologist, on communicating climate change to the next generation, human fingerprints on Superstorm Sandy, and inspiring action. James Hansen: Stephen Schneider Climate Science Communication Award Blurb: Dr. James Hansen, NASA climatologist, on communicating climate change to the next generation, human fingerprints on Superstorm Sandy, and inspiring action. "I'm very disappointed [California] chose a half-baked system like cap-and-trade, with offsets," said NASA climatologist James Hansen. He prefers a carbon fee and dividend and, in the absence of a strong carbon price, says the risks of reaching climatic tipping points that could bring catastrophic consequences rise. He also said people spreading disinformation about climate change “are smart enough to know what they are doing” and perhaps should be sued "for crimes against humanity.” Dr. Hansen is the recipient of the 2012 Stephen Schneider Award for Climate Science Communication, a $10,000 award in memory of the late great Stanford climate scientist and former member of the Climate One Advisory Council. James Hansen joins Climate One founder Greg Dalton to discuss recent wild weather, communicating climate change to the younger generation, climate change in politics, human fingerprints on Superstorm Sandy, and inspiring action. James Hansen, Head, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies; Adjunct Professor, Columbia University's Earth Institute; Author, Storms of My Grandchildren This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on December 4, 2012 no 1:15:59 Political Science (12/4/12) http://www.climate-one.org Political Science


Blurb: Michael Mann, Katharine Hayhoe, and Bill Anderegg tackle the political nature of climate science and their experiences as ‘climate warriors.’



Michael Mann warns that "we can't allow science to be killed. We can't allow the scientific agenda to be set by those that have vested interests to not have the truth be unveiled." Over the past decade climate science has become increasingly politicized. Today many candidates claim the science is unsettled and scientists are the targets of smear campaigns. Climate scientists who have taken on public roles cope with personal threats, hacking attacks and assaults on their professional integrity. "We are not in this because we value people's opinions of us. We are not in this because we want to receive pleasant emails in the morning. We are in this because this is the truth and we have to tell it," said evangelist climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe.


Michael Mann, Katharine Hayhoe, and Bill Anderegg discuss their experiences as climate scientists in a field under the magnifying glass of politics, economics and amplified emotions



Michael Mann, Professor of Geosciences, Penn State; Author, The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars
Katharine Hayhoe, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas Tech University
Bill Anderegg, Doctoral Student, Stanford



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on December 4, 2012

]]> Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:06:11 -0800 7BEF3FF8-08C5-46E5-BAB5-F008A7B1C69C Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Today many candidates claim the science is unsettled and scientists are the targets of smear campaigns. Climate scientists who have taken on public roles cope with personal threats, hacking attacks and assaults on their professional integrity. Political Science Blurb: Michael Mann, Katharine Hayhoe, and Bill Anderegg tackle the political nature of climate science and their experiences as ‘climate warriors.’ Michael Mann warns that "we can't allow science to be killed. We can't allow the scientific agenda to be set by those that have vested interests to not have the truth be unveiled." Over the past decade climate science has become increasingly politicized. Today many candidates claim the science is unsettled and scientists are the targets of smear campaigns. Climate scientists who have taken on public roles cope with personal threats, hacking attacks and assaults on their professional integrity. "We are not in this because we value people's opinions of us. We are not in this because we want to receive pleasant emails in the morning. We are in this because this is the truth and we have to tell it," said evangelist climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe. Michael Mann, Katharine Hayhoe, and Bill Anderegg discuss their experiences as climate scientists in a field under the magnifying glass of politics, economics and amplified emotions Michael Mann, Professor of Geosciences, Penn State; Author, The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars Katharine Hayhoe, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Texas Tech University Bill Anderegg, Doctoral Student, Stanford This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on December 4, 2012 no 1:05:30 Carbon Math (11/9/12) http://www.climate-one.org Carbon Math



Bill McKibben, Founder, 350.org, Author, Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet
John Hofmeister, CEO, Citizens for Affordable Energy; Former President, Shell Oil Company



Activist Bill McKibben and former president of Shell Oil Company John Hofmeister come together at Climate One to discuss the current state of the rhetoric around energy and the technology behind it. While both McKibben and Hofmeister agree that the world needs better energy alternatives, they disagree on the timeline.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on November 9, 2012

]]> Fri, 09 Nov 2012 15:13:46 -0800 5D2D0A29-8D2A-4678-B519-988260956753 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Activist Bill McKibben and former president of Shell Oil Company John Hofmeister come together at Climate One to discuss the current state of the rhetoric around energy and the technology behind it. Carbon Math Bill McKibben, Founder, 350.org, Author, Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet John Hofmeister, CEO, Citizens for Affordable Energy; Former President, Shell Oil Company Activist Bill McKibben and former president of Shell Oil Company John Hofmeister come together at Climate One to discuss the current state of the rhetoric around energy and the technology behind it. While both McKibben and Hofmeister agree that the world needs better energy alternatives, they disagree on the timeline. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on November 9, 2012 no 1:10:24 GMO: Label or Not? (10/25/12) http://bit.ly/dSHahr GMO: Label or Not?


Jesus Arredondo, Principal and Founder, Advantage Government Consulting LLC
Kent Bradford, Ph.D., Director of the Seed Biotechnology Center, University of California, Davis
Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group
Jessica Lundberg, Lundberg Family Farms
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator


Proposition 37 on the upcoming California ballot is a high-stakes food fight with national implications. The measure would bring California, and by extension the United States, in line with the various GMO disclosure requirements already in place in Europe, Australia and Japan. Advocates for GMO labeling say consumers have a right to know if they are eating "Frankenfood." Food companies, led by Monsanto, Cargill, and General Mills, along with other critics, say disclosure would be misleading and alarm consumers.


A Reuters story recently reported the proposition “could upend the U.S. food business from farm to fork if it prompts makers of popular foods to dump GMO ingredients.” What do we know about the safety of food with GMO ingredients? How would labeling impact the national food system? How much would it cost? Polls indicate voters favor GMO disclosure, but opponents, led by Monsanto, have a hefty war chest. Join a lively debate about one of the most controversial issues in the upcoming election.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on October 25, 2012

]]> Fri, 26 Oct 2012 09:53:59 -0700 333E6566-93E7-4E44-BC34-E85E51F0BDA3 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Proposition 37 on the upcoming California ballot is a high-stakes fight with national implications. Advocates for labeling say consumers have a right to know if they are eating GMO. Food companies say labeling would be misleading and alarm consumers. GMO: Label or Not? Jesus Arredondo, Principal and Founder, Advantage Government Consulting LLC Kent Bradford, Ph.D., Director of the Seed Biotechnology Center, University of California, Davis Ken Cook, President, Environmental Working Group Jessica Lundberg, Lundberg Family Farms Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator Proposition 37 on the upcoming California ballot is a high-stakes food fight with national implications. The measure would bring California, and by extension the United States, in line with the various GMO disclosure requirements already in place in Europe, Australia and Japan. Advocates for GMO labeling say consumers have a right to know if they are eating "Frankenfood." Food companies, led by Monsanto, Cargill, and General Mills, along with other critics, say disclosure would be misleading and alarm consumers. A Reuters story recently reported the proposition “could upend the U.S. food business from farm to fork if it prompts makers of popular foods to dump GMO ingredients.” What do we know about the safety of food with GMO ingredients? How would labeling impact the national food system? How much would it cost? Polls indicate voters favor GMO disclosure, but opponents, led by Monsanto, have a hefty war chest. Join a lively debate about one of the most controversial issues in the upcoming election. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on October 25, 2012 no 1:10:24 Tear Down that Dam? (10/15/12) http://www.climate-one.org Tear Down that Dam?


Susan Leal, Former General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
Mike Marshall, Executive Director, Restore Hetch Hetchy
Spreck Rosekrans, Director of Policy, Restore Hetch Hetchy
Jim Wunderman, CEO, Bay Area Council
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator


A measure on the San Francisco ballot asks voters to consider a two-phase plan that could lead to draining the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Leaders on both sides of the debate will tackle this thorny issue and look at other regional water issues in the age of climate disruption.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on October 15, 2012

]]> Tue, 16 Oct 2012 15:18:18 -0700 F6588728-F399-4E08-81D3-620392020650 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A measure on the San Francisco ballot asks voters to consider a 2 phase plan that could lead to draining the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Leaders on both sides of the debate tackle this thorny issue and look at other regional water issues in the State. Tear Down that Dam? Susan Leal, Former General Manager, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Mike Marshall, Executive Director, Restore Hetch Hetchy Spreck Rosekrans, Director of Policy, Restore Hetch Hetchy Jim Wunderman, CEO, Bay Area Council Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator A measure on the San Francisco ballot asks voters to consider a two-phase plan that could lead to draining the Hetch Hetchy reservoir. Leaders on both sides of the debate will tackle this thorny issue and look at other regional water issues in the age of climate disruption. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on October 15, 2012 no 1:12:03 Energy and the Election (10/9/12) http://www.climate-one.org Energy and the Election


Donnie Fowler, Founder and CEO, Dogpatch Strategies
Bob Inglis, Former Republican U.S. Representative, South Carolina
Bill Reilly, Former Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Tom Steyer, Managing Partner, Farallon Capital
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator


High gasoline prices, hydraulic fracturing and the Keystone XL Pipeline have kept energy in the headlines. How will that play this election cycle? What national policies should be pursued to advance American competitiveness? How is natural gas changing energy politics in America? Are Democrats sanctimonious and Republicans delusional about climate change, or is this unfair stereotyping? South Carolina Representative Bob Inglis lost a 2010 primary election after saying his party needs to stop denying mainstream climate science. What lessons can be draw from that, and what does it augur for bipartisan action on carbon pollution? Join us for a conversation on powering America's future.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on October 9, 2012.

]]> Thu, 11 Oct 2012 17:23:21 -0700 D8BEFA7C-34E9-4A34-86E9-4183483077BA Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One High gasoline prices, hydraulic fracturing and the Keystone XL Pipeline have kept energy in the headlines. How will that play this election cycle? Join us for a conversation on powering America's future. Energy and the Election Donnie Fowler, Founder and CEO, Dogpatch Strategies Bob Inglis, Former Republican U.S. Representative, South Carolina Bill Reilly, Former Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Tom Steyer, Managing Partner, Farallon Capital Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator High gasoline prices, hydraulic fracturing and the Keystone XL Pipeline have kept energy in the headlines. How will that play this election cycle? What national policies should be pursued to advance American competitiveness? How is natural gas changing energy politics in America? Are Democrats sanctimonious and Republicans delusional about climate change, or is this unfair stereotyping? South Carolina Representative Bob Inglis lost a 2010 primary election after saying his party needs to stop denying mainstream climate science. What lessons can be draw from that, and what does it augur for bipartisan action on carbon pollution? Join us for a conversation on powering America's future. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on October 9, 2012. no 1:09:49 Clean Money (9/28/12) http://www.climate-one.org Clean Money



Dennis McGinn, President, American Council on Renewable Energy
Clint Wilder, Author, Clean Tech Nation
John Bohn, CEO, Renewable Energy Trust


The funding outlook is cloudy for parts of the clean energy sector. Production tax credits for wind energy may expire at the end of the year, and some members of Congress are taking aim at military spending on innovative biofuels as Pentagon budget cuts loom. Since the Solyndra disaster, there's been vigorous debate about what level of risk government should take with taxpayer money. Yet many major advances in American energy and transportation – from jet engines to interstate highways and nuclear power – involved public-private partnerships.


Can government and business partnerships around clean fuels be forged in the current political climate? What technology areas are most promising? What policies are having the most impact? Join a discussion about getting the money flowing so clean energy can flow.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 28, 2012

]]> Wed, 03 Oct 2012 15:14:34 -0700 6C36DCD9-C909-4EF1-B998-CC21DA3AEBD6 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The funding outlook is cloudy for parts of the clean energy sector. Can government and business partnerships around clean fuels be forged in the current political climate? What technology areas are most promising? Clean Money Dennis McGinn, President, American Council on Renewable Energy Clint Wilder, Author, Clean Tech Nation John Bohn, CEO, Renewable Energy Trust The funding outlook is cloudy for parts of the clean energy sector. Production tax credits for wind energy may expire at the end of the year, and some members of Congress are taking aim at military spending on innovative biofuels as Pentagon budget cuts loom. Since the Solyndra disaster, there's been vigorous debate about what level of risk government should take with taxpayer money. Yet many major advances in American energy and transportation – from jet engines to interstate highways and nuclear power – involved public-private partnerships. Can government and business partnerships around clean fuels be forged in the current political climate? What technology areas are most promising? What policies are having the most impact? Join a discussion about getting the money flowing so clean energy can flow. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 28, 2012 no 1:04:21 Green New Deal (9/17/12) http://www.climate-one.org Green New Deal


Michael Grunwald, Senior National Correspondent, Time; Author, The New New Deal
Nancy Pfund, Managing Partner, DBL Investors


Is the Obama stimulus package working to create promised jobs? What is politics and what is truth?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 17, 2012

]]> Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:10:04 -0700 97E388EA-E581-44EC-AB55-601EDB586376 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Is the Obama stimulus package working to create promised jobs? What is politics and what is truth? Green New Deal Michael Grunwald, Senior National Correspondent, Time; Author, The New New Deal Nancy Pfund, Managing Partner, DBL Investors Is the Obama stimulus package working to create promised jobs? What is politics and what is truth? This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 17, 2012 no 1:04:25 Building Green Cities (9/7/12) http://www.climate-one.org Building Green Cities
David Gensler, Executive Director, Gensler
Craig Hartman, Design Partner, SOM
Michael Deane, Chief Sustainability Officer, Turner Construction
Phil Williams, Vice President, Webcor Builders


How are some of the largest building design and construction firms meeting client goals for more efficient resource utilization and cleaner built environments?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 7, 2012

]]> Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:59:42 -0700 A8686A4F-8EFC-417B-8C52-4AE89A425F62 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One How are some of the largest building design and construction firms meeting client goals for more efficient resource utilization and cleaner built environments? Building Green Cities David Gensler, Executive Director, Gensler Craig Hartman, Design Partner, SOM Michael Deane, Chief Sustainability Officer, Turner Construction Phil Williams, Vice President, Webcor Builders How are some of the largest building design and construction firms meeting client goals for more efficient resource utilization and cleaner built environments? This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 7, 2012 no 1:09:21 Building Innovation (9/7/12) http://www.climate-one.org Building Innovation
Gary Dillabough, Managing Partner, Westly Group
Ann Hand, CEO, Project Frog
Kevin Surace, Founder, Serious Energy


Cleantech entrepreneurs are changing the way buildings are designed and manufactured, saving time, costs, and energy -- but they face many challenges.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 7, 2012

]]> Mon, 17 Sep 2012 15:57:15 -0700 F46C4479-1634-4AD3-9D76-47B03BFE338A Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Cleantech entrepreneurs are changing the way buildings are designed and manufactured, saving time, costs, and energy -- but they face many challenges. Building Innovation Gary Dillabough, Managing Partner, Westly Group Ann Hand, CEO, Project Frog Kevin Surace, Founder, Serious Energy Cleantech entrepreneurs are changing the way buildings are designed and manufactured, saving time, costs, and energy -- but they face many challenges. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on September 7, 2012 no 1:09:21 EV Riders (8/20/12) http://bit.ly/JeIcsm EV Riders


John Kalb, Founder, EV Charging Pros; Owner of a BMW ActiveE
Andrea Kissack, Senior Editor for Quest, KQED
Felix Kramer, Founder, CalCars; Owner of a Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF


What makes electric cars so appealing to drive? Is range anxiety really a serious concern? Climate One asks three Bay Area electric vehicle owners what it’s like to be ahead of the curve of the transportation frontier.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on August 22, 2012

]]> Wed, 22 Aug 2012 16:24:28 -0700 B7328FBC-8373-4BDF-8E44-3C358AFB9A53 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What makes electric cars so appealing to drive? Is range anxiety really a serious concern? Climate One asks three Bay Area electric vehicle owners what it’s like to be ahead of the curve of the transportation frontier. EV Riders John Kalb, Founder, EV Charging Pros; Owner of a BMW ActiveE Andrea Kissack, Senior Editor for Quest, KQED Felix Kramer, Founder, CalCars; Owner of a Chevy Volt and Nissan LEAF What makes electric cars so appealing to drive? Is range anxiety really a serious concern? Climate One asks three Bay Area electric vehicle owners what it’s like to be ahead of the curve of the transportation frontier. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on August 22, 2012 no 1:03:13 Story Wars (7/10/12) http://bit.ly/JeIcsm

Carrie Armel, Researcher, Stanford; Co-Chair, Behavior, Energy and Climate Change Conference
Jon Else, Cinematographer, Last Call at the Oasis; Professor of Journalism, UC Berkeley
Jonah Sachs, Co-founder, Free Range Studios; Author, Story Wars
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator


What's more powerful in shaping human perceptions--facts or stories? Where does the truth lie, and how will we know it?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on July 10, 2012

]]> Thu, 19 Jul 2012 11:03:03 -0700 86535793-6AB7-4F54-B206-6A86C861061C Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What's more powerful in shaping human perceptions--facts or stories? Where does the truth lie, and how will we know it? Story Wars Carrie Armel, Researcher, Stanford; Co-Chair, Behavior, Energy and Climate Change Conference Jon Else, Cinematographer, Last Call at the Oasis; Professor of Journalism, UC Berkeley Jonah Sachs, Co-founder, Free Range Studios; Author, Story Wars Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator What's more powerful in shaping human perceptions--facts or stories? Where does the truth lie, and how will we know it? This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on July 10, 2012 no 1:08:03 Richard Muller: Skeptical Climate Science (6/21/12) http://bit.ly/JeIcsm Richard Muller, Professor of Physics, UC Berkeley
In conversation with Greg Dalton, Found of Climate One, moderator


Physicist Richard Muller challenges scientific data used in deductions about global warming, and comes to his own conclusions on a variety of energy issues.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on June 21, 2012

]]> Tue, 26 Jun 2012 11:24:38 -0700 32D28A43-3114-4419-AB18-F05AD63FE998 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Physicist Richard Muller challenges scientific data used in deductions about global warming, and comes to his own conclusions on a variety of energy issues. Richard Muller, Professor of Physics, UC Berkeley In conversation with Greg Dalton, Found of Climate One, moderator Physicist Richard Muller challenges scientific data used in deductions about global warming, and comes to his own conclusions on a variety of energy issues. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on June 21, 2012 no 1:05:15 Nuclear Revival? (6/11/12) http://bit.ly/JeIcsm Nuclear Revival?



Jim Boyd, Former Commissioner, California Energy Commission
Marv Fertel, CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute
Joe Rubin, Reporter, Capital Public Radio/Center for Investigative Journalism
Greg Dalton, Climate One founder, moderator


"For the first time in 30 years, two new nuclear plants are in the works in the US. But in light of the Fukushima plant disaster in Japan, along with shifting energy markets, is there a future for nuclear power?"


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on June 11, 2012

]]> Mon, 18 Jun 2012 10:36:42 -0700 658F7037-E806-427B-962C-462813922D97 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One "For the first time in 30 years, two new nuclear plants are in the works in the US. But in light of the Fukushima plant disaster in Japan, along with shifting energy markets, is there a future for nuclear power?" Nuclear Revival? Jim Boyd, Former Commissioner, California Energy Commission Marv Fertel, CEO, Nuclear Energy Institute Joe Rubin, Reporter, Capital Public Radio/Center for Investigative Journalism Greg Dalton, Climate One founder, moderator "For the first time in 30 years, two new nuclear plants are in the works in the US. But in light of the Fukushima plant disaster in Japan, along with shifting energy markets, is there a future for nuclear power?" This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on June 11, 2012 no 1:07:47 Innovation Power (6/4/12) http://bit.ly/JeIcsm Innovation Power


Dan Adler, President, California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF)
Jeff Byron, Vice Chair, Clean Tech Open; former Commissioner, California Energy Commission
Matt Scullin, Founder & CEO, Alphabet Energy, Inc.
Cathy Zoi, Partner, Silver Lake Kraftwerk; former CEO, Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection


"What's on the horizon for clean tech? What are the barriers to innovation and what role should the government play? Climate One speaks to Dan Adler (President, California Clean Energy Fund), Jeff Byron (Vice Chair, Clean Tech Open; former Commissioner, California Energy Commission), Matt Scullin (Founder & CEO, Alphabet Energy, Inc.), and Cathy Zoi (Partner, Silver Lake Kraftwerk; former CEO, Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection) on innovation in the clean tech world.”



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on June 4, 2012

]]> Tue, 12 Jun 2012 11:01:54 -0700 C4D0F72A-7A88-4211-A95E-ADA7420F5830 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What's on the horizon for clean tech? What are the barriers to innovation and what role should the government play? Innovation Power Dan Adler, President, California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF) Jeff Byron, Vice Chair, Clean Tech Open; former Commissioner, California Energy Commission Matt Scullin, Founder & CEO, Alphabet Energy, Inc. Cathy Zoi, Partner, Silver Lake Kraftwerk; former CEO, Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection "What's on the horizon for clean tech? What are the barriers to innovation and what role should the government play? Climate One speaks to Dan Adler (President, California Clean Energy Fund), Jeff Byron (Vice Chair, Clean Tech Open; former Commissioner, California Energy Commission), Matt Scullin (Founder & CEO, Alphabet Energy, Inc.), and Cathy Zoi (Partner, Silver Lake Kraftwerk; former CEO, Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection) on innovation in the clean tech world.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on June 4, 2012 no 1:03:52 Green Myths Busted (5/21/12) http://bit.ly/JeIcsm Green Myths Busted


Diana Donlon, Cool Foods Campaign Director, The Center For Food Safety
David Friedman, Deputy Director, Union of Concerned Scientists
Betsy Rosenberg, Radio Host, On The Green Front

Concerned citizens who seek to reduce their individual impact on climate change are often misguided in their choices. Transportation? Household energy use? Food? Where can the individual make the greatest impact? Our panel of experts pokes holes in current myths and reveals how we can truly create change.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on May 21, 2012

]]> Tue, 22 May 2012 11:44:05 -0700 6743E4B7-290C-4A7C-9B56-40C579A6ABA5 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Concerned citizens who seek to reduce their individual impact on climate change are often misguided in their choices. Where can the individual make the greatest impact? Our panel of experts reveal how we can truly create change. Green Myths Busted Diana Donlon, Cool Foods Campaign Director, The Center For Food Safety David Friedman, Deputy Director, Union of Concerned Scientists Betsy Rosenberg, Radio Host, On The Green Front Concerned citizens who seek to reduce their individual impact on climate change are often misguided in their choices. Transportation? Household energy use? Food? Where can the individual make the greatest impact? Our panel of experts pokes holes in current myths and reveals how we can truly create change. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on May 21, 2012 no 1:06:11 Steve Coll: ExxonMobil and American Power (5/8/12) http://bit.ly/JeIcsm Steve Coll: ExxonMobil and American Power


Steve Coll, Author, Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power; former Managing Editor, The Washington Post
In Conversation with Greg Dalton, Climate One, The Commonwealth Club


ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond said in 2000 that there was "no convincing scientific evidence" that carbon dioxide would disrupt the Earth's climate. Nine years later, CEO Rex Tillerson changed course and announced support for a carbon tax if it was revenue neutral and did not increase the size of government.



ExxonMobil's maneuvers on pricing carbon are just one theme running through Steve Coll's book Private Empire. He writes that ExxonMobil spends more money lobbying Congress than any other corporation and in some countries its influence towers above the US Embassy. Within the energy industry, it is regarded as a highly efficient and profitable corporate machine with strong safety standards and relatively low rates of accidents and spills.



Join us for the inside story of one of the world’s most secretive and powerful companies as told by a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on May 8, 2012

]]> Wed, 09 May 2012 09:40:12 -0700 287D6EB9-D129-458C-A669-1032E5D0E0E0 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Join us for the inside story of one of the world’s most secretive and powerful companies as told by a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist. Steve Coll: ExxonMobil and American Power Steve Coll, Author, Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power; former Managing Editor, The Washington Post In Conversation with Greg Dalton, Climate One, The Commonwealth Club ExxonMobil CEO Lee Raymond said in 2000 that there was "no convincing scientific evidence" that carbon dioxide would disrupt the Earth's climate. Nine years later, CEO Rex Tillerson changed course and announced support for a carbon tax if it was revenue neutral and did not increase the size of government. ExxonMobil's maneuvers on pricing carbon are just one theme running through Steve Coll's book Private Empire. He writes that ExxonMobil spends more money lobbying Congress than any other corporation and in some countries its influence towers above the US Embassy. Within the energy industry, it is regarded as a highly efficient and profitable corporate machine with strong safety standards and relatively low rates of accidents and spills. Join us for the inside story of one of the world’s most secretive and powerful companies as told by a Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on May 8, 2012 no 1:07:39 Crash Course (4/24/12) http://www.climate-one.org Crash Course

Chris Martenson, Ph.D., Futurist; Author, The Crash Course
Tom Van Dyck, Senior Vice President, RBC Wealth Management

In the midst of all the doom and gloom about the economy, where's the hope for building resilience back into family and community finances? Which personal choices will make a difference in regaining prosperity? Join two experts speaking about where we've been and where we're headed.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 24, 2012

]]> Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:26:54 -0700 CC028803-C65E-4082-9254-AD44AA45D1F0 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One In the midst of all the doom and gloom about the economy, where's the hope for building resilience back into family and community finances? Which personal choices will make a difference in regaining prosperity? Crash Course Chris Martenson, Ph.D., Futurist; Author, The Crash Course Tom Van Dyck, Senior Vice President, RBC Wealth Management In the midst of all the doom and gloom about the economy, where's the hope for building resilience back into family and community finances? Which personal choices will make a difference in regaining prosperity? Join two experts speaking about where we've been and where we're headed. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 24, 2012 no 1:04:59 Covering Electric Cars (4/23/12) http://www.climate-one.org Covering Electric Cars

Chelsea Sexton, EV expert featured in Who Killed the Electric Car?
Katie Fehrenbacher, Senior Writer, GigaOM
Ucilia Wang, Contributor, Forbes

What's driving electric car sales? Who's buying, and which manufacturers understand how to market to these buyers? Does VC capital and government funding help or hinder progress? Listen in as three experts debate the issues.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 23, 2012

]]> Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:19:03 -0700 FE6D383E-E02B-444D-A409-38CA75490E59 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What's driving electric car sales? Who's buying, and which manufacturers understand how to market to these buyers? Does VC capital and government funding help or hinder progress? Listen in as three experts debate the issues. Covering Electric Cars Chelsea Sexton, EV expert featured in Who Killed the Electric Car? Katie Fehrenbacher, Senior Writer, GigaOM Ucilia Wang, Contributor, Forbes What's driving electric car sales? Who's buying, and which manufacturers understand how to market to these buyers? Does VC capital and government funding help or hinder progress? Listen in as three experts debate the issues. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 23, 2012 no 1:03:59 Power Poll (4/19/12) http://www.climate-one.org Power Poll

Donnie Fowler, Clean Tech Strategist
Loren Kaye, President, California Foundation for Commerce and Education
Dave Metz, Pollster, FM3

"When Americans step into the voting booth, what influences their decisions on energy issues? Join us as we explore public attitudes underlying America’s energy future.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on April 19, 2012.

]]> Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:19:45 -0700 E52FABF7-72D1-448E-B2BA-91171F086C6F Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One "When Americans step into the voting booth, what influences their decisions on energy issues? Join us as we explore public attitudes underlying America’s energy future.” Power Poll Donnie Fowler, Clean Tech Strategist Loren Kaye, President, California Foundation for Commerce and Education Dave Metz, Pollster, FM3 "When Americans step into the voting booth, what influences their decisions on energy issues? Join us as we explore public attitudes underlying America’s energy future.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on April 19, 2012. no 1:04:07 Water World (3/29/12) http://www.climate-one.org Water World


Laurent Auguste, CEO, Veolia Water Americas
Jonas Minton, Water Policy Advisor, Planning and Conservation League
Jason Morrison, Program Director, Pacific Institute


Wild weather and growing population are increasing stress on global fresh water supplies. Scientists project more extremes of both too much and not enough water in some places and times. In the United States, aging infrastructure is in need of upgrade, but cash-strapped governments have little appetite for big-ticket items these days. And then there’s the need to adapt California’s water capture and storage systems to the climate-driven "new normal." Is there a global water crisis? What role should corporations and governments play in stewarding water resources in the American West and in a growing and thirsty world? Join us for a look into the future of the essence of life.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on March 29, 2012

]]> Fri, 30 Mar 2012 10:08:06 -0700 12818527-FCDD-4763-9C84-98F902F878D6 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Wild weather and growing population are increasing stress on global fresh water supplies. What role should corporations and governments play in stewarding water resources in the American West and in a growing and thirsty world? Water World Laurent Auguste, CEO, Veolia Water Americas Jonas Minton, Water Policy Advisor, Planning and Conservation League Jason Morrison, Program Director, Pacific Institute Wild weather and growing population are increasing stress on global fresh water supplies. Scientists project more extremes of both too much and not enough water in some places and times. In the United States, aging infrastructure is in need of upgrade, but cash-strapped governments have little appetite for big-ticket items these days. And then there’s the need to adapt California’s water capture and storage systems to the climate-driven "new normal." Is there a global water crisis? What role should corporations and governments play in stewarding water resources in the American West and in a growing and thirsty world? Join us for a look into the future of the essence of life. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on March 29, 2012 no 1:10:37 Speaking Youth to Power (3/26/12) http://www.climate-one.org Speaking Youth to Power


Abigail Borah, student, SustainUS.org
Tania Pulido, Green For All Fellow; Brower Youth Award winner
Adarsha Shivakumar, Stanford student, litigation plaintiff


From courtrooms to diplomatic enclaves, youth advocates are clamoring to make their voices heard. Climate Progress dubbed 21-year-old college student Abigail Borah the “Durban Climate Hero” by for her appeal for faster action at a recent UN climate conference. Other advocates are filing suits claiming the U.S. and state governments have a legal responsibility to protect the atmosphere for future generations. Join us for a conversation with youth trying to build a cleaner future starting now.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 26, 2012

]]> Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:39:19 -0700 DC99B847-B8EE-4841-8AE3-6C7FE17A0EAE Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One From courtrooms to diplomatic enclaves, youth advocates are clamoring to make their voices heard. Join us for a conversation with youth trying to build a cleaner future starting now. Speaking Youth to Power Abigail Borah, student, SustainUS.org Tania Pulido, Green For All Fellow; Brower Youth Award winner Adarsha Shivakumar, Stanford student, litigation plaintiff From courtrooms to diplomatic enclaves, youth advocates are clamoring to make their voices heard. Climate Progress dubbed 21-year-old college student Abigail Borah the “Durban Climate Hero” by for her appeal for faster action at a recent UN climate conference. Other advocates are filing suits claiming the U.S. and state governments have a legal responsibility to protect the atmosphere for future generations. Join us for a conversation with youth trying to build a cleaner future starting now. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 26, 2012 no 1:05:41 Going Local (3/23/12) http://www.climate-one.org Going Local



Dan Rosen, Founder and CEO, Solar Mosaic
Michael Shuman, Author, Local Dollars Local Sense
Andrew Swallow, Founder, Mixt Greens; Author, Mixt Salads: A Chef's Bold Creations



After decades of globalization there’s a new current pulling the other direction. Local food caught on and now people are thinking about buying other products from another county instead of another continent.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 23, 2012.

]]> Mon, 26 Mar 2012 14:34:18 -0700 60C803A0-E81A-431D-B6CC-C413B2ECCB6D Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One After decades of globalization there’s a new current pulling the other direction. Local food caught on and now people are thinking about buying other products from another county instead of another continent. Going Local Dan Rosen, Founder and CEO, Solar Mosaic Michael Shuman, Author, Local Dollars Local Sense Andrew Swallow, Founder, Mixt Greens; Author, Mixt Salads: A Chef's Bold Creations After decades of globalization there’s a new current pulling the other direction. Local food caught on and now people are thinking about buying other products from another county instead of another continent. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 23, 2012 no 1:05:32 GM CEO Dan Akerson (3/7/12) http://www.climate-one.org GM CEO Dan Akerson

Dan Akerson, Chairman and CEO, General Motors


THaving posted the most profitable year in it history, General Motors seeks to drive technology toward a cleaner future. GM CEO, Dan Akerson says the “new GM” wants to be
part of environmental solutions not the problem. He also talks about the Chevy Volt, climate-driven business risk, and funding of the controversial Heartland Institute.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 7, 2012

]]> Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:13:23 -0800 9AD7D0C0-64B5-4DC9-B31D-260586B7F767 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The American auto industry is adding jobs and helping spur sluggish economic growth. Can the Chevy Volt overcome its battery problems and drive the “new GM” into the future? Join us for a talk about the future of personal mobility with GM's CEO. GM CEO Dan Akerson Dan Akerson, Chairman and CEO, General Motors THaving posted the most profitable year in it history, General Motors seeks to drive technology toward a cleaner future. GM CEO, Dan Akerson says the “new GM” wants to be part of environmental solutions not the problem. He also talks about the Chevy Volt, climate-driven business risk, and funding of the controversial Heartland Institute. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 7, 2012 no 1:04:41 Covering Carbon (3/02/12) http://www.climate-one.org Covering Carbon


Felicity Barringer, Reporter, The New York Times
Marc Lifsher, Reporter, Los Angeles Times


California’s scheme to reduce carbon pollution is forging ahead even though Washington DC and other states have hit the brakes on similar efforts. How is the state’s main climate law (AB 32) holding up in a national political environment hostile to any environmental regulations? How well is the mainstream news media covering the complex and murky world of carbon trading? Is the media giving people who deny basic climate science too much voice? We’ll discuss the news media and energy markets and politics with leading reporters on the beat.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 2, 2012.

]]> Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:13:38 -0800 551E9697-61F5-4632-9E5A-9430A31BE461 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One How is the state’s main climate law (AB 32) holding up in a national political environment hostile to any environmental regulations? We’ll discuss the news media and energy markets and politics with leading reporters on the beat. Covering Carbon Felicity Barringer, Reporter, The New York Times Marc Lifsher, Reporter, Los Angeles Times California’s scheme to reduce carbon pollution is forging ahead even though Washington DC and other states have hit the brakes on similar efforts. How is the state’s main climate law (AB 32) holding up in a national political environment hostile to any environmental regulations? How well is the mainstream news media covering the complex and murky world of carbon trading? Is the media giving people who deny basic climate science too much voice? We’ll discuss the news media and energy markets and politics with leading reporters on the beat. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on March 2, 2012. no 1:05:13 From Durban to Rio (2/29/12) http://www.climate-one.org From Durban to Rio


Tom Heller, Executive Director, Climate Policy Initiative; Professor, Stanford Law School
Marc Stuart, Co-Founder, EcoSecurities
Mark Schapiro, Senior Correspondent, Center for Investigative Reporting


None of the experts gathered for this Climate One conversation expect much to come from the United Nations climate change negotiations.That’s not to say they think action has stalled. Rather, the panel, which included an international environmental lawyer, a clean energy investor, and a muckraking journalist, say to expect countries to continue investing in clean energy and carbon-cutting projects within their borders.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on February 29, 2012

]]> Fri, 02 Mar 2012 10:48:25 -0800 9514052F-25CA-43C5-A2E7-4159A3B00463 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Developing and industrialized countries are slowly crawling together toward a new treaty to reduce greenhouse gases. Our panel of experts say to expect countries to continue investing in clean energy and carbon-cutting projects within their borders. From Durban to Rio Tom Heller, Executive Director, Climate Policy Initiative; Professor, Stanford Law School Marc Stuart, Co-Founder, EcoSecurities Mark Schapiro, Senior Correspondent, Center for Investigative Reporting None of the experts gathered for this Climate One conversation expect much to come from the United Nations climate change negotiations.That’s not to say they think action has stalled. Rather, the panel, which included an international environmental lawyer, a clean energy investor, and a muckraking journalist, say to expect countries to continue investing in clean energy and carbon-cutting projects within their borders. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on February 29, 2012 no 1:04:23 Cruising 55 (2/13/12) http://www.climate-one.org Cruising 55


Shad Balch, Environment and Energy Communications, General Motors
Roland Hwang, Director of Transportation Programs, NRDC
Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board
Chris Paulson, VP of Strategy, Coda Automotive


Have regulators, environmentalists, and automakers reached détente on the need to boost the fuel efficiency of America’s vehicle fleet? If one judges by the bonhomie displayed on stage by California’s top climate official, a transportation advocate, and two auto-industry executives during this Climate One panel, the answer is a resounding yes.The panel convened two weeks after the California Air Resources Board unanimously approved new rules that will require nearly 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles to be on the road by 2025.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on February 13, 2012

]]> Fri, 24 Feb 2012 10:51:18 -0800 5D77F568-59A0-49C3-8680-D26473DA278D Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Have regulators, environmentalists, and automakers reached détente on the need to boost the fuel efficiency of America’s vehicle fleet? Cruising 55 Shad Balch, Environment and Energy Communications, General Motors Roland Hwang, Director of Transportation Programs, NRDC Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board Chris Paulson, VP of Strategy, Coda Automotive Have regulators, environmentalists, and automakers reached détente on the need to boost the fuel efficiency of America’s vehicle fleet? If one judges by the bonhomie displayed on stage by California’s top climate official, a transportation advocate, and two auto-industry executives during this Climate One panel, the answer is a resounding yes.The panel convened two weeks after the California Air Resources Board unanimously approved new rules that will require nearly 1.5 million zero-emission vehicles to be on the road by 2025. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on February 13, 2012 no 1:04:11 Power Plays: Media Roundtable (2/3/12) http://www.climate-one.org Power Plays: Media Roundtable


David Baker, Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle
Dana Hull, Reporter, San Jose Mercury News
Cassandra Sweet, Reporter, Dow Jones


Clean energy has boomed in recent years, but to guarantee its continued growth investors need stable, long-term policy support, according to three of the Bay Area’s leading energy journalists.The panel also warns consumers to brace themselves for higher energy prices, predicting that California drivers could be paying $5 per gallon for gas as early as this summer.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on February 3, 2012

]]> Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:21:52 -0800 5DC65A5A-1157-4AE7-8500-CDCDC65D438D Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Clean energy has boomed in recent years, but to guarantee its continued growth investors need stable, long-term policy support, according to three of the Bay Area’s leading energy journalists. Power Plays: Media Roundtable David Baker, Reporter, San Francisco Chronicle Dana Hull, Reporter, San Jose Mercury News Cassandra Sweet, Reporter, Dow Jones Clean energy has boomed in recent years, but to guarantee its continued growth investors need stable, long-term policy support, according to three of the Bay Area’s leading energy journalists.The panel also warns consumers to brace themselves for higher energy prices, predicting that California drivers could be paying $5 per gallon for gas as early as this summer. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on February 3, 2012 no 1:08:48 Sun Spots (1/30/12) http://www.climate-one.org Sun Spots


David Hayes, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Interior
John Laird, Secretary, California Resources Agency
David Festa, West Coast Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund
Michael Hatfield, Director of Development, First Solar


Can large solar farms and the California desert co-exist? Yes, says this expert panel, which includes state and federal policymakers, California Resources Agency Secretary John Laird and Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes; an environmental advocate, David Festa, with the Environmental Defense Fund; and a project developer, Michael Hatfield, with First Solar. All agree that the Obama administration is on the right track with its commitment to bring relevant stakeholders together early in the process and in its preference for reviewing projects on a landscape scale.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on January 30, 2012

]]> Thu, 02 Feb 2012 10:35:33 -0800 CFF926A0-DAD1-4264-B7E8-0196F3772291 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Can large solar farms and the California desert co-exist? Yes, says this expert panel, which includes state and federal policymakers. Sun Spots David Hayes, Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Interior John Laird, Secretary, California Resources Agency David Festa, West Coast Vice President, Environmental Defense Fund Michael Hatfield, Director of Development, First Solar Can large solar farms and the California desert co-exist? Yes, says this expert panel, which includes state and federal policymakers, California Resources Agency Secretary John Laird and Deputy Interior Secretary David Hayes; an environmental advocate, David Festa, with the Environmental Defense Fund; and a project developer, Michael Hatfield, with First Solar. All agree that the Obama administration is on the right track with its commitment to bring relevant stakeholders together early in the process and in its preference for reviewing projects on a landscape scale. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on January 30, 2012 no 1:06:07 Wild Weather (12/13/11) http://www.climate-one.org

Chris Field, Director, Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science
Dave Friedberg, Founder & CEO, The Climate Corporation
Karen O'Brien, Professor of Sociology and Human Geography, University of Oslo
Michael Oppenheimer, Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs, Princeton


2011 has been marked by extreme weather. In the U.S. alone, a record dozen disasters caused more than $1 billion in damage. This, and the release last month of a special UN report on extreme weather, was the backdrop for this Climate One panel featuring three leading climate scientists. Chris Field, Professor of Environmental Earth Sciences, Stanford University, is Co-Chair of the IPCC working group that produced the extreme weather report. He says the report reached three main conclusions: that extreme weather events are increasing; that losses are increasing; and that there’s a lot we can do about it: “smart things that don’t necessarily cost a lot that can be protective of assets and protective of lives.” What the extreme weather events tell us, says Michael Oppenheimer, Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs, Princeton University, is that “the climate is changing, and we have to learn how to deal with that. The good news, as Chris said, is that there are a lot of specific examples where we have been successful. We’re falling behind right now. But, at certain places, at certain times, people have done a very good job.” One area acutely threatened by climate change is food production, where decades of steady gains could be reversed. Chris Field notes that global food production has increased by a predictable 1% to 2% per year over the past 50 years. But, he warns, “I see food security at the heart of a perfect storm.” One proven hedge against this uncertainty is resiliency, says Karen O'Brien, Professor of Sociology and Human Geology, University of Oslo. “A lot of people think of resilience as going back to what it was before, but it’s also about being adaptive, being able to deal with these changes that are coming in a way that has a short- and long-term perspective.” The reality of extreme weather is forcing impacted individuals – whatever their personal beliefs about climate change – to acknowledge that something is amiss. “What we hear a lot from farmers, for example, is that they don’t really think about climate change by reading headlines about climate change forecasts,” says Dave Friedberg, Founder and CEO, The Climate Corporation. “They think about climate change when they’ve had a significant loss two, three years in a row. I think the psychology of risk and the psychology of loss is such that you don’t necessarily think about it unless it is something you can relate to, or there’s an experience you’ve had associated with it.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on December 13, 2011

]]> Fri, 16 Dec 2011 10:44:43 -0800 C5686743-E9E8-47CC-B393-2116F645D27C Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One 2011 has been marked by extreme weather. In the U.S. alone, a record dozen disasters caused more than $1 billion in damage. This, and the release last month of a special UN report on extreme weather, was the backdrop for this Climate One panel. 2011 has been marked by extreme weather. In the U.S. alone, a record dozen disasters caused more than $1 billion in damage. This, and the release last month of a special UN report on extreme weather, was the backdrop for this Climate One panel featuring three leading climate scientists. Chris Field, Professor of Environmental Earth Sciences, Stanford University, is Co-Chair of the IPCC working group that produced the extreme weather report. He says the report reached three main conclusions: that extreme weather events are increasing; that losses are increasing; and that there’s a lot we can do about it: “smart things that don’t necessarily cost a lot that can be protective of assets and protective of lives.” What the extreme weather events tell us, says Michael Oppenheimer, Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs, Princeton University, is that “the climate is changing, and we have to learn how to deal with that. The good news, as Chris said, is that there are a lot of specific examples where we have been successful. We’re falling behind right now. But, at certain places, at certain times, people have done a very good job.” One area acutely threatened by climate change is food production, where decades of steady gains could be reversed. Chris Field notes that global food production has increased by a predictable 1% to 2% per year over the past 50 years. But, he warns, “I see food security at the heart of a perfect storm.” One proven hedge against this uncertainty is resiliency, says Karen O'Brien, Professor of Sociology and Human Geology, University of Oslo. “A lot of people think of resilience as going back to what it was before, but it’s also about being adaptive, being able to deal with these changes that are coming in a way that has a short- and long-term perspective.” The reality of extreme weather is forcing impacted individuals – whatever their personal beliefs about climate change – to acknowledge that something is amiss. “What we hear a lot from farmers, for example, is that they don’t really think about climate change by reading headlines about climate change forecasts,” says Dave Friedberg, Founder and CEO, The Climate Corporation. “They think about climate change when they’ve had a significant loss two, three years in a row. I think the psychology of risk and the psychology of loss is such that you don’t necessarily think about it unless it is something you can relate to, or there’s an experience you’ve had associated with it.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on December 13, 2011 no 1:04:40 Dr. Richard Alley, Winner of the Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication (12/6/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr The Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication


Dr. Richard Alley, Professor of Geosciences, Penn State


The event is a moving tribute to the late Stanford University climatologist Stephen Schneider, as Richard Alley is honored as the inaugural winner of the Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. Alley, the Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University, is also host of the PBS documentary "Earth: The Operators Manual." Alley and Climate One’s Greg Dalton talk about the challenges confronting scientists who carry on Schneider’s legacy of communicating climate science to the public and policymakers. The intent of the PBS series and companion book, Alley says, is to present both the risks and opportunities presented by climate change, and to use different messengers to tell the story. “We’re hoping to communicate more, not only the imperatives of doing something, but the amazing opportunities that are out there,” he says. The good news is that we have the tools we need to get started. “The first place to start is that we know we can get there without game-changers. This is the wonderful thing. If you can get a hundredth of a percent of the sun’s energy, that’s all of humanity’s energy. If you can put a wind farm on the windiest 20% of the plains and deserts of the world, that is far more than humanity’s energy needs.” And it helps if that message isn’t coming solely from him: “‘Climate change matters to you,’ I can say that. But why now have an admiral in the U.S. Navy say it, because climate change matters to them.” He also doesn’t want to prescribe policy solutions. “I would like very much to bring forward what we know, why it matters, and what opportunities are attached to that knowledge. And then stop and say, ‘It’s yours,’” he says. That handoff invariably involves asking policymakers, and the public, to grapple with the tricky concept of scientific uncertainty. Fortunately, Alley says, Stephen Schneider excelled at explaining uncertainty, using techniques that Alley has made his own. “You have to say: ‘This is what we know. And this is as good as it can get. And this is as bad as it can get.’ And make that very clear to people,” he says. And though his inbox is sometimes the target of skeptics’ screeds, Alley’s preferred response is to engage. “There may be bad people out there, but I don’t talk to them,” he says. “Even the ones who call me names, when you can actually sit down with them, they care. Usually they’re arguing about things that are not really what they care about. What they really care about are their grandkids.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on December 6, 2011

]]> Wed, 07 Dec 2011 12:06:52 -0800 B16B3AA6-91E7-4C25-8E9F-B7B81D7A522A Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The event is a moving tribute to the late Stanford University climatologist Stephen Schneider, as Richard Alley is honored as the inaugural winner of the Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. The Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication Dr. Richard Alley, Professor of Geosciences, Penn State The event is a moving tribute to the late Stanford University climatologist Stephen Schneider, as Richard Alley is honored as the inaugural winner of the Stephen H. Schneider Award for Outstanding Climate Science Communication. Alley, the Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University, is also host of the PBS documentary "Earth: The Operators Manual." Alley and Climate One’s Greg Dalton talk about the challenges confronting scientists who carry on Schneider’s legacy of communicating climate science to the public and policymakers. The intent of the PBS series and companion book, Alley says, is to present both the risks and opportunities presented by climate change, and to use different messengers to tell the story. “We’re hoping to communicate more, not only the imperatives of doing something, but the amazing opportunities that are out there,” he says. The good news is that we have the tools we need to get started. “The first place to start is that we know we can get there without game-changers. This is the wonderful thing. If you can get a hundredth of a percent of the sun’s energy, that’s all of humanity’s energy. If you can put a wind farm on the windiest 20% of the plains and deserts of the world, that is far more than humanity’s energy needs.” And it helps if that message isn’t coming solely from him: “‘Climate change matters to you,’ I can say that. But why now have an admiral in the U.S. Navy say it, because climate change matters to them.” He also doesn’t want to prescribe policy solutions. “I would like very much to bring forward what we know, why it matters, and what opportunities are attached to that knowledge. And then stop and say, ‘It’s yours,’” he says. That handoff invariably involves asking policymakers, and the public, to grapple with the tricky concept of scientific uncertainty. Fortunately, Alley says, Stephen Schneider excelled at explaining uncertainty, using techniques that Alley has made his own. “You have to say: ‘This is what we know. And this is as good as it can get. And this is as bad as it can get.’ And make that very clear to people,” he says. And though his inbox is sometimes the target of skeptics’ screeds, Alley’s preferred response is to engage. “There may be bad people out there, but I don’t talk to them,” he says. “Even the ones who call me names, when you can actually sit down with them, they care. Usually they’re arguing about things that are not really what they care about. What they really care about are their grandkids.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on December 6, 2011 no 1:02:52 Dan Miller: Boom or Bust? (11/18/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Boom or Bust?


Dan Miller, Managing Director, The Roda Group


Climate change “is going to dominate our world in the next century. It’s a very big risk, but it’s also a tremendous opportunity, if we make the right choices,” says Dan Miller. Miller, Managing Director at the venture capital firm The Roda Group, notes here that climate change is also treated much differently than other global threats. We spend billions on counterterrorism, to combat AIDS and other infectious diseases, to prevent a nuclear reactor meltdown, “but these kinds of risks have very low probabilities of actually affecting you. Yet we still worry about them a lot and are willing to take government action to combat them.” “Climate change, on the other hand, if we don’t address it, has the likely outcome that it will have catastrophic effects for nearly everyone,” he says. After reciting a depressing list of climate change impacts that are likely to or are already damaging the Earth’s natural systems – among them sea-level rise, drought, wildfires, melting permafrost, collapse of ice sheets , ocean acidification – Miller asks the salient question: “Why do we not act? Why, when we know the problem is huge, do we totally ignore it?” Evolutionary psychology offers some answers, he says. He identifies the factors working against action on climate change: CO2 and other planet-warming pollutants are invisible; the challenge is unprecedented; the causality is complex; the impacts are unpredictable and indirect; and all of us are complicit. Once one acknowledges the reality of climate change, there is a corresponding obligation to act, Miller says. He adds that individual action begins with asking our children for forgiveness, before moving on to reducing your carbon footprint, and believing, learning and engaging. What can countries do? Miller offers four recommendations: move to 100% carbon-free electricity in 10 to 20 years; keep tar sands and oil shale in the ground; expand R&D into geo-engineering, especially carbon capture and storage; and put a price on carbon. Miller’s preferred carbon-pricing vehicle is a so-called Clean Energy Dividend. A carbon fee would be added upstream, at the mine, power plant, refinery, or factory – enough to gradually raise the price of gasoline by $1 per gallon. Then, the federal government returns 100% of the proceeds on a per capita basis to citizens via a monthly check, with parents receiving one-half shares for up to two children.“That would drive a new economy of renewable energy and energy efficiency. I think most people would like it. I think conservatives would like it. It doesn’t raise any money for the government,” says Miller.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on November 18, 2011

]]> Tue, 22 Nov 2011 14:35:54 -0800 8C02B5F8-DADE-4296-AE59-57A5674D3B3C Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Managing Director at the venture capital firm The Roda Group, Dan Miller says climate change “is going to dominate our world in the next century. It’s a very big risk, but it’s also a tremendous opportunity, if we make the right choices.” Boom or Bust? Dan Miller, Managing Director, The Roda Group Climate change “is going to dominate our world in the next century. It’s a very big risk, but it’s also a tremendous opportunity, if we make the right choices,” says Dan Miller. Miller, Managing Director at the venture capital firm The Roda Group, notes here that climate change is also treated much differently than other global threats. We spend billions on counterterrorism, to combat AIDS and other infectious diseases, to prevent a nuclear reactor meltdown, “but these kinds of risks have very low probabilities of actually affecting you. Yet we still worry about them a lot and are willing to take government action to combat them.” “Climate change, on the other hand, if we don’t address it, has the likely outcome that it will have catastrophic effects for nearly everyone,” he says. After reciting a depressing list of climate change impacts that are likely to or are already damaging the Earth’s natural systems – among them sea-level rise, drought, wildfires, melting permafrost, collapse of ice sheets , ocean acidification – Miller asks the salient question: “Why do we not act? Why, when we know the problem is huge, do we totally ignore it?” Evolutionary psychology offers some answers, he says. He identifies the factors working against action on climate change: CO2 and other planet-warming pollutants are invisible; the challenge is unprecedented; the causality is complex; the impacts are unpredictable and indirect; and all of us are complicit. Once one acknowledges the reality of climate change, there is a corresponding obligation to act, Miller says. He adds that individual action begins with asking our children for forgiveness, before moving on to reducing your carbon footprint, and believing, learning and engaging. What can countries do? Miller offers four recommendations: move to 100% carbon-free electricity in 10 to 20 years; keep tar sands and oil shale in the ground; expand R&D into geo-engineering, especially carbon capture and storage; and put a price on carbon. Miller’s preferred carbon-pricing vehicle is a so-called Clean Energy Dividend. A carbon fee would be added upstream, at the mine, power plant, refinery, or factory – enough to gradually raise the price of gasoline by $1 per gallon. Then, the federal government returns 100% of the proceeds on a per capita basis to citizens via a monthly check, with parents receiving one-half shares for up to two children.“That would drive a new economy of renewable energy and energy efficiency. I think most people would like it. I think conservatives would like it. It doesn’t raise any money for the government,” says Miller. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on November 18, 2011 no 1:06:52 Sun Up (11/17/11) http://www.climate-one.org Sun Up

Dan Shugar, CEO, Solaria
Tom Dinwoodie, CTO, SunPower

In the wake of the collapse of solar panel maker Solyndra, the solar industry has received front-page treatment for the first time. Unfortunately, most of the coverage has been negative and ill-informed. In danger of being lost, industry veterans Dan Shugar and Tom Dinwoodie tell this Climate One audience is the good news – that solar is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. Dan Shugar, CEO, Solaria, offers a sense of the scale of the growth. “Solar is, for the last 10 years, the fastest-growing energy technology,” he says, recording 69% annually compounded growth, 10 years in a row. “Last year, our industry manufactured, shipped, and installed for homes, businesses, and power plants 17 gigawatts of power. That’s the daytime equivalent of what 17 nuclear power plants put out,” he says. Tom Dinwoodie, CTO, SunPower, adds that even assuming a slower annual growth rate, say 15%, solar could supply 100% of the United States’ electricity requirement by 2040. “In the last three years, if you just look at North America, there’s been three times more wind and solar installations, in megawatts installed, than coal,” says Dan Shugar. Dinwoodie and Shugar also address two recent events that have buffeted the industry – German firm SolarWorld’s WTO complaint alleging that Chinese state support has facilitated the flooding of the market with low-cost panels, and the bankruptcy of Solyndra. Yes, the SolarWorld dumping complaint has divided the industry, says Dinwoodie. But “you’ll see demand in the world pick up as a result of these low costs, and there will be more a supply-demand balance in the future.” Overlooked in media coverage of the issue, Dan Shugar adds, is that China maintains a 17% import duty on foreign panels. “We think having a conversation and trying to level the playing field would be the right way to go about equalizing that,” he says. On Solyndra, Dinwoodie says the firm “is basically a victim of the success of the solar industry.” Remember, adds Dan Shugar, that Solyndra’s loan guarantee, even at $535 million, represented just 2% of the Department of Energy loan guarantee portfolio. The real issue, he argues, is that “in a capital-starved economy, which is what we are now, it’s very difficult to get loans for proven manufacturing entities.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on November 17, 2011

]]> Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:11:42 -0800 9874DFC2-21EE-4AA6-9601-E7B74AB69A94 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One California continues to be bullish on solar power, but the sun still supplies a tiny fraction of the state’s electricity. What does that mean for U.S. companies and consumers? Sun Up Dan Shugar, CEO, Solaria Tom Dinwoodie, CTO, SunPower In the wake of the collapse of solar panel maker Solyndra, the solar industry has received front-page treatment for the first time. Unfortunately, most of the coverage has been negative and ill-informed. In danger of being lost, industry veterans Dan Shugar and Tom Dinwoodie tell this Climate One audience is the good news – that solar is one of the fastest-growing industries in the United States. Dan Shugar, CEO, Solaria, offers a sense of the scale of the growth. “Solar is, for the last 10 years, the fastest-growing energy technology,” he says, recording 69% annually compounded growth, 10 years in a row. “Last year, our industry manufactured, shipped, and installed for homes, businesses, and power plants 17 gigawatts of power. That’s the daytime equivalent of what 17 nuclear power plants put out,” he says. Tom Dinwoodie, CTO, SunPower, adds that even assuming a slower annual growth rate, say 15%, solar could supply 100% of the United States’ electricity requirement by 2040. “In the last three years, if you just look at North America, there’s been three times more wind and solar installations, in megawatts installed, than coal,” says Dan Shugar. Dinwoodie and Shugar also address two recent events that have buffeted the industry – German firm SolarWorld’s WTO complaint alleging that Chinese state support has facilitated the flooding of the market with low-cost panels, and the bankruptcy of Solyndra. Yes, the SolarWorld dumping complaint has divided the industry, says Dinwoodie. But “you’ll see demand in the world pick up as a result of these low costs, and there will be more a supply-demand balance in the future.” Overlooked in media coverage of the issue, Dan Shugar adds, is that China maintains a 17% import duty on foreign panels. “We think having a conversation and trying to level the playing field would be the right way to go about equalizing that,” he says. On Solyndra, Dinwoodie says the firm “is basically a victim of the success of the solar industry.” Remember, adds Dan Shugar, that Solyndra’s loan guarantee, even at $535 million, represented just 2% of the Department of Energy loan guarantee portfolio. The real issue, he argues, is that “in a capital-starved economy, which is what we are now, it’s very difficult to get loans for proven manufacturing entities.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on November 17, 2011 no 1:05:47 The Great Disruption (11/7/11) http://www.climate-one.org The Great Disruption

Paul Gilding, Professor, Cambridge University Program for Sustainability Leadership
Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute

Growth as we’ve known it is over, say Paul Gilding and Richard Heinberg. “The idea that we can keep on growing the economy up against the physical limits of the Earth” – water, oil, and land – “is not physically possible,” says Gilding, author, The Great Disruption. “We’re in a trap really. If we grow the economy, then we’ll hit those limits again. Prices will go up. Oil prices will go up. Food prices will go up. And the economy will go down,” he says. “If we don’t grow the economy, we’re going to drown in debt. We’re going to take a while to find our way out of this morass that we’ve dug ourselves into.” Richard Heinberg, author, The End of Growth, has written that it took decades for nominal GDP to recover after the Great Depression. But the fallout of the Great Recession, he says, will be much worse. “I don’t think we’ll ever see growth the way we experienced during the decades of the 20th century.” “We have to create an economy that exists within nature’s limits,” he says. “We’ve been borrowing from the past, by way of fossil fuels. We’re also borrowing from future generations, by way of debt – all so that we can consumer as much as possible right now.” Gilding highlights one industry, solar, for which projections are increasingly optimistic. Globally, the industry is growing 40% each year, he notes, and every time the industry doubles, the price per watt falls by 20%. By 2020, he expects solar to be cheaper than coal. That’s not to say that energy incumbents will be easily swept aside. Oil firms are using every known trick, and developing more, to secure new deposits, Heinberg says: “We’re getting better and better at scraping the bottom of the barrel.”“They are fighting tooth and nail,” says Paul Gilding. “They are going to do whatever it takes to defend their cash. It’s up to government to overcome that, and to have the courage to stare them down and to enforce the change.” Such a stand is underway in Gilding’s native Australia, where parliament just passed legislation placing a price on carbon. Yes, the legislation is a compromise, with some carve-outs for energy-intensive industries, says Gilding, but “the key thing is that we’re going to cross that dreaded line that you haven’t crossed yet, which is that we’re saying nationally: you have to deal with the issue.” “I think our country has a larger capacity for denial,” says Richard Heinberg, an understatement that draws laughs. “I think we’re going to have to hit the wall before we see fundamental change.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San francisco on November 7, 2011

]]> Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:57:01 -0800 2AA75E8B-DC9B-48C5-B1F2-9F4DB040E1F0 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Are the 40-year-old Club of Rome ideas about limits of growth finally gaining traction? What lies beyond growth? Join us for a conversation with two visionary thinkers about the economic road ahead The Great Disruption Paul Gilding, Professor, Cambridge University Program for Sustainability Leadership Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow, Post Carbon Institute Growth as we’ve known it is over, say Paul Gilding and Richard Heinberg. “The idea that we can keep on growing the economy up against the physical limits of the Earth” – water, oil, and land – “is not physically possible,” says Gilding, author, The Great Disruption. “We’re in a trap really. If we grow the economy, then we’ll hit those limits again. Prices will go up. Oil prices will go up. Food prices will go up. And the economy will go down,” he says. “If we don’t grow the economy, we’re going to drown in debt. We’re going to take a while to find our way out of this morass that we’ve dug ourselves into.” Richard Heinberg, author, The End of Growth, has written that it took decades for nominal GDP to recover after the Great Depression. But the fallout of the Great Recession, he says, will be much worse. “I don’t think we’ll ever see growth the way we experienced during the decades of the 20th century.” “We have to create an economy that exists within nature’s limits,” he says. “We’ve been borrowing from the past, by way of fossil fuels. We’re also borrowing from future generations, by way of debt – all so that we can consumer as much as possible right now.” Gilding highlights one industry, solar, for which projections are increasingly optimistic. Globally, the industry is growing 40% each year, he notes, and every time the industry doubles, the price per watt falls by 20%. By 2020, he expects solar to be cheaper than coal. That’s not to say that energy incumbents will be easily swept aside. Oil firms are using every known trick, and developing more, to secure new deposits, Heinberg says: “We’re getting better and better at scraping the bottom of the barrel.”“They are fighting tooth and nail,” says Paul Gilding. “They are going to do whatever it takes to defend their cash. It’s up to government to overcome that, and to have the courage to stare them down and to enforce the change.” Such a stand is underway in Gilding’s native Australia, where parliament just passed legislation placing a price on carbon. Yes, the legislation is a compromise, with some carve-outs for energy-intensive industries, says Gilding, but “the key thing is that we’re going to cross that dreaded line that you haven’t crossed yet, which is that we’re saying nationally: you have to deal with the issue.” “I think our country has a larger capacity for denial,” says Richard Heinberg, an understatement that draws laughs. “I think we’re going to have to hit the wall before we see fundamental change.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San francisco on November 7, 2011 no 1:04:32 Energy Innovation: Overhaul or Tweak? (11/3/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Energy Innovation: Overhaul or Tweak?

Severin Borenstein, Co-director, Energy Institute, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
Richard Lester, Director, MIT Industrial Performance Center
Dan Reicher, Executive Director, Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, Stanford


America’s innovation engine is the envy of the world, yet it struggles to deploy new technology at the scale commensurate with its economic might. This panel of experts from three of the nation’s leading universities says that the U.S. risks falling behind if it refuses to address the technical, financial, and political barriers slowing energy innovation. Richard Lester, Director, MIT Industrial Performance Center, lays out what he calls the three waves of energy innovation: energy efficiency in this decade; the scaling of low- or de-carbonized energy supply technologies beginning in 2020 and running through about 2050; and breakthroughs we don’t even know about today, or may know about but are in the lab stage, but that can take decades to mature. Dan Reicher, Executive Director, Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, Stanford University, is especially bullish on the promise of Lester’s first wave, energy efficiency. “It is the low-hanging fruit, and it’s also the low-hanging fruit that grows back. We don’t use it up,” he says. Reicher says that energy efficiency and other low-carbon technologies are needlessly held back because we ignore one or more critical criteria: technology, policy, and finance. And even when easy efficiency gains are there to be had, such as in new cars, says Severin Borenstein, Co-Director, Energy Institute, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, we are slow to act. “The technologies are getting better, but gasoline, for the most part, remains cheap. When you ask people how much they need to save to drive a smaller car, it’s a lot more than most people are willing to give up,” he says. These difficulties and more – think our broken political system – have convinced Richard Lester that a new approach, one not dependent upon raising the price of energy, is necessary. “It may be time for a shift in the policy debate to focus less on what is certainly the key requirement of increasing the price of energy to reflect these costs and focusing more on the other half of the equation, which is figuring out how to reduce the cost of the things that we actually want, which are low-carbon energy technologies and efficiency,” he says. Dan Reicher shares Lester’s concern about our broken politics, particularly as it is manifested in the GOP focus on the bankruptcy of Solyndra. “We may be demanding that anything that we put money into has got to show very reliable, very quick success. And not allow for what innovation requires, which is placing bets,” he says. Severin Borenstein urges policymakers to ramp up funding for basic science research, in part because he is pessimistic that existing renewable energy technologies will be sufficient. “The technologies that are going to solve this problem don’t exist yet,” he says, adding that “most of the technologies that exist don’t have the potential to be cost-effective with fossil fuels.” “We can’t take our eye off the price on carbon,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on November 3, 2011

]]> Thu, 03 Nov 2011 16:17:10 -0700 091541BE-0E49-4806-A9C3-8AEEBB412FE1 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One These three experts of the nation’s leading universities says that the U.S. risks falling behind if it refuses to address the technical, financial, and political barriers slowing energy innovation. Energy Innovation: Overhaul or Tweak? Severin Borenstein, Co-director, Energy Institute, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Richard Lester, Director, MIT Industrial Performance Center Dan Reicher, Executive Director, Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, Stanford America’s innovation engine is the envy of the world, yet it struggles to deploy new technology at the scale commensurate with its economic might. This panel of experts from three of the nation’s leading universities says that the U.S. risks falling behind if it refuses to address the technical, financial, and political barriers slowing energy innovation. Richard Lester, Director, MIT Industrial Performance Center, lays out what he calls the three waves of energy innovation: energy efficiency in this decade; the scaling of low- or de-carbonized energy supply technologies beginning in 2020 and running through about 2050; and breakthroughs we don’t even know about today, or may know about but are in the lab stage, but that can take decades to mature. Dan Reicher, Executive Director, Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, Stanford University, is especially bullish on the promise of Lester’s first wave, energy efficiency. “It is the low-hanging fruit, and it’s also the low-hanging fruit that grows back. We don’t use it up,” he says. Reicher says that energy efficiency and other low-carbon technologies are needlessly held back because we ignore one or more critical criteria: technology, policy, and finance. And even when easy efficiency gains are there to be had, such as in new cars, says Severin Borenstein, Co-Director, Energy Institute, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, we are slow to act. “The technologies are getting better, but gasoline, for the most part, remains cheap. When you ask people how much they need to save to drive a smaller car, it’s a lot more than most people are willing to give up,” he says. These difficulties and more – think our broken political system – have convinced Richard Lester that a new approach, one not dependent upon raising the price of energy, is necessary. “It may be time for a shift in the policy debate to focus less on what is certainly the key requirement of increasing the price of energy to reflect these costs and focusing more on the other half of the equation, which is figuring out how to reduce the cost of the things that we actually want, which are low-carbon energy technologies and efficiency,” he says. Dan Reicher shares Lester’s concern about our broken politics, particularly as it is manifested in the GOP focus on the bankruptcy of Solyndra. “We may be demanding that anything that we put money into has got to show very reliable, very quick success. And not allow for what innovation requires, which is placing bets,” he says. Severin Borenstein urges policymakers to ramp up funding for basic science research, in part because he is pessimistic that existing renewable energy technologies will be sufficient. “The technologies that are going to solve this problem don’t exist yet,” he says, adding that “most of the technologies that exist don’t have the potential to be cost-effective with fossil fuels.” “We can’t take our eye off the price on carbon,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on November 3, 2011 no 1:05:31 William Clay Ford, Jr. (10/27/11) http://www.climate-one.org William Clay Ford, Jr.

Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Co.

It might sound strange coming from the scion of a family whose name is synonymous with cars, but Bill Ford is worried about a world with too many automobiles. “Even if we clean up our cars, 4 billion clean cars is still 4 billion cars,” he tells this Climate One audience. “Most everybody has been focused on CO2 and fossil fuels and the effect that has on us politically and environmentally. That’s absolutely an appropriate focus,” says William Clay Ford, Jr., Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Co. “But I have started to realize that there is this other looming issue lurking out there that nobody was focused on, and that’s what I started calling ‘global gridlock.’” In a world of 4 billion cars, “How are they going to move? How are we as mobility providers going to provide solutions, and not be part of the problem?,” he asks. His answer, to a large degree, is technology. Ford gives an example. His company is testing a fleet of demonstration vehicles outfitted with vehicle-to-vehicle information technology. Say you are about to enter an onramp for the freeway. Five miles ahead of you, another car rolls to a halt in stop-and-go traffic. You would receive an alert about the traffic jam and be given an alternate route to save time and prevent a larger back-up. Climate One’s Greg Dalton asks if Ford and other automakers feel threatened by the increasingly popular trend of urban car-sharing such as Zipcar. Without hesitating, Ford says: “I think it’s a great opportunity. People don’t have to own cars; they want to have access to cars.” Beyond giving customers access to mobility, Ford stresses his company’s commitment to changing the way cars are fueled. It is investing in R&D in compressed natural gas, hydrogen, fuel cells, and biofuels. But “we are making big bets on electric,” he says, with an all-electric Focus coming later this year and a plug-in model next year. Ford says that his company is also committed to improving the fuel economy of every model it makes. Four years ago, the company set a goal of being the fuel economy leader in every model category. Ford is investing in a suite of technologies, Bill Ford says, because “we really don’t know how the world is going to break out.” He adds: “Until this nation has an energy policy, which we desperately need, all of this is going to be sub-optimized.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 27, 2011

]]> Fri, 28 Oct 2011 09:56:01 -0700 C06D6D10-B0B3-4FD7-AD19-F41C2F2C65EA Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Join us for a conversation with an American icon about the move toward electric cars, government regulations, new technologies and environmental stewardship. Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Co. It might sound strange coming from the scion of a family whose name is synonymous with cars, but Bill Ford is worried about a world with too many automobiles. “Even if we clean up our cars, 4 billion clean cars is still 4 billion cars,” he tells this Climate One audience. “Most everybody has been focused on CO2 and fossil fuels and the effect that has on us politically and environmentally. That’s absolutely an appropriate focus,” says William Clay Ford, Jr., Executive Chairman, Ford Motor Co. “But I have started to realize that there is this other looming issue lurking out there that nobody was focused on, and that’s what I started calling ‘global gridlock.’” In a world of 4 billion cars, “How are they going to move? How are we as mobility providers going to provide solutions, and not be part of the problem?,” he asks. His answer, to a large degree, is technology. Ford gives an example. His company is testing a fleet of demonstration vehicles outfitted with vehicle-to-vehicle information technology. Say you are about to enter an onramp for the freeway. Five miles ahead of you, another car rolls to a halt in stop-and-go traffic. You would receive an alert about the traffic jam and be given an alternate route to save time and prevent a larger back-up. Climate One’s Greg Dalton asks if Ford and other automakers feel threatened by the increasingly popular trend of urban car-sharing such as Zipcar. Without hesitating, Ford says: “I think it’s a great opportunity. People don’t have to own cars; they want to have access to cars.” Beyond giving customers access to mobility, Ford stresses his company’s commitment to changing the way cars are fueled. It is investing in R&D in compressed natural gas, hydrogen, fuel cells, and biofuels. But “we are making big bets on electric,” he says, with an all-electric Focus coming later this year and a plug-in model next year. Ford says that his company is also committed to improving the fuel economy of every model it makes. Four years ago, the company set a goal of being the fuel economy leader in every model category. Ford is investing in a suite of technologies, Bill Ford says, because “we really don’t know how the world is going to break out.” He adds: “Until this nation has an energy policy, which we desperately need, all of this is going to be sub-optimized.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 27, 2011 no 1:04:12 US Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) (10/26/11) http://www.climate-one.org US Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR)


America should wean itself from foreign oil and invest in clean energy technologies and infrastructure. Join us for a broad conversation about what Congress could do to promote electric cars, create jobs and spur development of biofuels from forests and agricultural lands.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 26, 2011

]]> Thu, 27 Oct 2011 11:20:31 -0700 CEE92EC4-6EF2-446D-AD02-09AB81EC65E0 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One America should wean itself from foreign oil and invest in clean energy technologies and infrastructure. Join us for a conversation about what Congress could do to promote electric cars, create jobs and development of biofuels from agricultural lands. US Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) America should wean itself from foreign oil and invest in clean energy technologies and infrastructure. Join us for a broad conversation about what Congress could do to promote electric cars, create jobs and spur development of biofuels from forests and agricultural lands. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 26, 2011 no 1:08:09 Beyond Petroleum: Lessons from the Gulf of Mexico (10/21/11) http://www.climate-one.org Beyond Petroleum: Lessons from the Gulf of Mexico


Bill Reilly, Co-Chair, National Oil Spill Commission
Bob Graham, Co-Chair, National Oil Spill Commission


More than a year after oil stopped gushing into the Gulf, the co-chairs of the commission tasked with investigating the Deepwater Horizon oil spill appear together in this Climate One panel to assess the nation’s response to the disaster. Bill Reilly and Bob Graham commend the Obama administration for overhauling regulation of the offshore oil industry, and praise the oil industry for initiating internal reforms, but they blast Congress for doing next to nothing to respond to the spill. Former EPA Administrator Bill Reilly says that the administration and the oil industry have heeded the call for reform. “The systemic reforms that we recommended are underway, certainly in the Interior Department under the direction of Michael Bromwich at BOEMRE and Secretary Salazar. They’ve issued any number of new rules on safety and environmental management that are long overdue, I think, and very defensible, very professional, and very appropriate.” Less expected has been the aggressive push by the oil industry to take control of its own conduct. “Very promising, and to some extent surprising, has been the response of industry,” says Reilly. “Frankly, industry has done more than Congress to respond to our report,” he says. Asked by Climate One’s Greg Dalton to grade the government and industry implementation of commission’s report, former U.S. Senator Bob Graham says: “Probably, in both places, it would be ‘incomplete.’ The actions that have been taken at the executive level in the federal government are very encouraging.” As for Congress, Graham is less than impressed. “The Congress would not get a very good grade because they have essentially done nothing, and in some instances have gone backward.” Reilly and Graham express frustration that the five Gulf states have been unable to reach agreement to settle monetary damages and fund restoration. “We’re still waiting to see what the final settlement looks like, where the money goes,” says Reilly, but “one hopes it goes to restoration when it’s finally allocated.” Graham and Reilly also want money dedicated to monitoring potential health impacts of the spill for residents and those who consume Gulf seafood. “To fully assess the health implications of this event, and the environmental implications, we’re going to require an extended period of time and a substantial investment in research,” Graham says. Graham and Reilly also agreed that we need to reduce the demand for oil – and hence the need for more drilling – altogether. “I don’t see the United States engaged in any serious thinking about what its economy is going to be in the post-oil era,” Graham says.This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 21, 2011


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 21, 2011

]]> Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:21:58 -0700 8520D683-0E1C-47F5-80CB-F09047ADD291 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One How much safer is offshore oil drilling 18 months after the Deepwater Horizon sank on Earth Day 2010? The president’s commission found systemic problems with industry practices and regulatory oversight. Beyond Petroleum: Lessons from the Gulf of Mexico Bill Reilly, Co-Chair, National Oil Spill Commission Bob Graham, Co-Chair, National Oil Spill Commission More than a year after oil stopped gushing into the Gulf, the co-chairs of the commission tasked with investigating the Deepwater Horizon oil spill appear together in this Climate One panel to assess the nation’s response to the disaster. Bill Reilly and Bob Graham commend the Obama administration for overhauling regulation of the offshore oil industry, and praise the oil industry for initiating internal reforms, but they blast Congress for doing next to nothing to respond to the spill. Former EPA Administrator Bill Reilly says that the administration and the oil industry have heeded the call for reform. “The systemic reforms that we recommended are underway, certainly in the Interior Department under the direction of Michael Bromwich at BOEMRE and Secretary Salazar. They’ve issued any number of new rules on safety and environmental management that are long overdue, I think, and very defensible, very professional, and very appropriate.” Less expected has been the aggressive push by the oil industry to take control of its own conduct. “Very promising, and to some extent surprising, has been the response of industry,” says Reilly. “Frankly, industry has done more than Congress to respond to our report,” he says. Asked by Climate One’s Greg Dalton to grade the government and industry implementation of commission’s report, former U.S. Senator Bob Graham says: “Probably, in both places, it would be ‘incomplete.’ The actions that have been taken at the executive level in the federal government are very encouraging.” As for Congress, Graham is less than impressed. “The Congress would not get a very good grade because they have essentially done nothing, and in some instances have gone backward.” Reilly and Graham express frustration that the five Gulf states have been unable to reach agreement to settle monetary damages and fund restoration. “We’re still waiting to see what the final settlement looks like, where the money goes,” says Reilly, but “one hopes it goes to restoration when it’s finally allocated.” Graham and Reilly also want money dedicated to monitoring potential health impacts of the spill for residents and those who consume Gulf seafood. “To fully assess the health implications of this event, and the environmental implications, we’re going to require an extended period of time and a substantial investment in research,” Graham says. Graham and Reilly also agreed that we need to reduce the demand for oil – and hence the need for more drilling – altogether. “I don’t see the United States engaged in any serious thinking about what its economy is going to be in the post-oil era,” Graham says.This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 21, 2011 This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 21, 2011 no 1:02:38 Beyond Petroleum: Navy Seals Leading the Charge (10/21/11) http://www.climate-one.org Beyond Petroleum: Navy Seals Leading the Charge


Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Energy & Installations
Jeremy Carl, Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University


The U.S. military has ambitious plans to reduce its dangerous dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. Can the buying power of the Pentagon drive innovation in new energy technologies and create markets? This conversation explores how the U.S. Navy and other military branches can align their intellectual and financial capital to accelerate and broaden the transition to cleaner sources of electricity and transportation fuels for American forces and the American economy.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 21, 2011

]]> Tue, 25 Oct 2011 10:19:44 -0700 9B32C95B-6BC0-4F0F-AF87-155F79BD1ECF Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The U.S. military has ambitious plans to reduce its dangerous dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. Can the buying power of the Pentagon drive innovation in new energy technologies and create markets? Beyond Petroleum: Navy Seals Leading the Charge Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Energy & Installations Jeremy Carl, Research Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University The U.S. military has ambitious plans to reduce its dangerous dependence on oil and other fossil fuels. Can the buying power of the Pentagon drive innovation in new energy technologies and create markets? This conversation explores how the U.S. Navy and other military branches can align their intellectual and financial capital to accelerate and broaden the transition to cleaner sources of electricity and transportation fuels for American forces and the American economy. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 21, 2011 no 1:04:51 Saltworks and Beyond (10/18/11) http://www.climate-one.org Saltworks and Beyond

Peter Calthorpe, Principal Architect, Peter Calthorpe Associates
David Lewis, Executive Director, Save the Bay
Jack Matthews, Mayor, San Mateo


The debate over Saltworks, a proposal to build 12,000 homes on former salt ponds in Redwood City, is a harbinger of coming development fights in the age of climate change. In this October 18 Climate One debate, architect Peter Calthorpe argues that the need for housing in the San Francisco Bay Area is so great that infill development alone can’t meet demand; conservationist David Lewis counters that developing one of the region’s last unprotected wetlands is not worth the cost. “This is not a site for housing,” says Lewis, Executive Director, Save the Bay. “This one area in Redwood City was held onto by the Cargill Salt Company because they wanted to develop it,” he says. “They have no entitlement to develop it. The city’s general plan says it should remain as open space. It’s a priority area for acquisition by the federal wildlife refuge.” “I do have some concerns about it,” says Jack Matthews, He concedes that the development, as planned, seems isolated. Peter Calthorpe, Principal Architect, Calthorpe Associates, argues that Saltworks needs to be assessed not as a stand-alone development project but as a response to regional pressures. “The larger context is that for a very long time we’ve been building more jobs than housing—particularly in the west side of the Bay, in Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. The jobs housing balance has been so askew that we have people commuting from outside the nine-county Bay Area. We’ve been pushing housing way to the periphery.” Citing the Association of Bay Area Governments, Calthorpe says the region will need 72,000 new housing units to keep up with expected demand. There is no way to satisfy demand by only building transit-oriented development along El Camino Real, the region’s main north-south artery, he says. Calthorpe challenges David Lewis to answer how the region can reach a jobs-housing balance without employees moving to sprawling developments in Tracy or Livermore or Gilroy, if projects such as Saltworks aren’t built. “When you push housing farther and farther to the periphery because you don’t want to face up to the challenge in these jobs-rich areas, the environmental footprint, carbon emissions, VMT [vehicle miles traveled], energy consumption, and land consumption—because we all know it’s lower density once it gets out there – all of that, in many cases, is on pristine habitat or farmland.”We do it by building on already developed land and re-configuring our cities, Lewis answers. Saltworks “should have been dead on arrival in the beginning because it’s not the right place,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 18, 2011

]]> Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:16:42 -0700 6D013149-9738-4E5B-9D96-01BC952BBF84 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Is DMB Associates' proposal to build 12,000 homes on Cargill's salt ponds in Redwood City an example of smart growth, or just dirty old development? Where else can the Bay Area add needed homes while creating resilient communities? Saltworks and Beyond Peter Calthorpe, Principal Architect, Peter Calthorpe Associates David Lewis, Executive Director, Save the Bay Jack Matthews, Mayor, San Mateo The debate over Saltworks, a proposal to build 12,000 homes on former salt ponds in Redwood City, is a harbinger of coming development fights in the age of climate change. In this October 18 Climate One debate, architect Peter Calthorpe argues that the need for housing in the San Francisco Bay Area is so great that infill development alone can’t meet demand; conservationist David Lewis counters that developing one of the region’s last unprotected wetlands is not worth the cost. “This is not a site for housing,” says Lewis, Executive Director, Save the Bay. “This one area in Redwood City was held onto by the Cargill Salt Company because they wanted to develop it,” he says. “They have no entitlement to develop it. The city’s general plan says it should remain as open space. It’s a priority area for acquisition by the federal wildlife refuge.” “I do have some concerns about it,” says Jack Matthews, He concedes that the development, as planned, seems isolated. Peter Calthorpe, Principal Architect, Calthorpe Associates, argues that Saltworks needs to be assessed not as a stand-alone development project but as a response to regional pressures. “The larger context is that for a very long time we’ve been building more jobs than housing—particularly in the west side of the Bay, in Silicon Valley and the Peninsula. The jobs housing balance has been so askew that we have people commuting from outside the nine-county Bay Area. We’ve been pushing housing way to the periphery.” Citing the Association of Bay Area Governments, Calthorpe says the region will need 72,000 new housing units to keep up with expected demand. There is no way to satisfy demand by only building transit-oriented development along El Camino Real, the region’s main north-south artery, he says. Calthorpe challenges David Lewis to answer how the region can reach a jobs-housing balance without employees moving to sprawling developments in Tracy or Livermore or Gilroy, if projects such as Saltworks aren’t built. “When you push housing farther and farther to the periphery because you don’t want to face up to the challenge in these jobs-rich areas, the environmental footprint, carbon emissions, VMT [vehicle miles traveled], energy consumption, and land consumption—because we all know it’s lower density once it gets out there – all of that, in many cases, is on pristine habitat or farmland.”We do it by building on already developed land and re-configuring our cities, Lewis answers. Saltworks “should have been dead on arrival in the beginning because it’s not the right place,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 18, 2011 no 1:04:19 Daniel Yergin: On Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World (10/13/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr On Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World


Daniel Yergin, Executive Vice President and Chairman, IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates; CNBC Global Energy Expert; Author, The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World


Bullish on technology’s ability to tap previously unreachable oil and gas, energy analyst Daniel Yergin tells this Climate One audience to expect the age of fossil fuels to continue well into this century. Yergin is author of The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning history of the oil age The Prize. A pivotal year for Yergin is 2004 when, he says, the world woke up to the surge in energy demand in emerging markets, notably China. After Yergin’s opening remarks, Climate One’s Greg Dalton reads a 2010 statement from International Energy Agency Chief Economist Fatih Birol expressing concern over rising global oil demand and urging a transition from oil. Yes, the statement was reasonable, Yergin says, we will run out of oil someday. But “we’ve run out of oil – and I don’t say this facetiously – five times.” Referring to the oil shocks of the 1970s, Yergin says, “There are people in this room who know very well that we were going to fall off the oil mountain – and production is now up 30%. We haven’t used up half the world’s oil; we’ve maybe used up 20% of the world’s oil.” Keeping up with demand isn’t just about making new discoveries, Yergin says. Also important are extensions and additions to existing oil fields, prolonging the life of oil plays thought to be exhausted. “It’s technology,” he says. “There’s a tendency to think that technology stagnates, that where you are is where you are going to be. But, in fact, the industry is basically run by scientists and engineers who are trying to push the technology along.” During the audience Q&A, Yergin is asked if he agrees fossil fuel subsidies needed to be reduced to level the playing field for renewables entering the market. “The subsidies question is very complex, and it really depends upon definition,” he says. Jobs are being created in the renewable industry, he says, “but I think the thing we’ll probably see in the next month or so is the fact that in the last three or four years – and this seems counterintuitive – a lot more jobs have actually been created in the conventional energy industry than in the green industry. That doesn’t mean that’s going to be the case five years or 10 years from now when those industries are much more mature.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 13, 2011

]]> Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:40:14 -0700 2B535D7B-9060-47DF-9BC2-B442C267B62D Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Bullish on technology’s ability to tap previously unreachable oil and gas, energy analyst Daniel Yergin tells this Climate One audience to expect the age of fossil fuels to continue well into this century. On Energy, Security and the Remaking of the Modern World Daniel Yergin, Executive Vice President and Chairman, IHS Cambridge Energy Research Associates; CNBC Global Energy Expert; Author, The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World Bullish on technology’s ability to tap previously unreachable oil and gas, energy analyst Daniel Yergin tells this Climate One audience to expect the age of fossil fuels to continue well into this century. Yergin is author of The Quest: Energy, Security, and the Remaking of the Modern World, sequel to the Pulitzer Prize-winning history of the oil age The Prize. A pivotal year for Yergin is 2004 when, he says, the world woke up to the surge in energy demand in emerging markets, notably China. After Yergin’s opening remarks, Climate One’s Greg Dalton reads a 2010 statement from International Energy Agency Chief Economist Fatih Birol expressing concern over rising global oil demand and urging a transition from oil. Yes, the statement was reasonable, Yergin says, we will run out of oil someday. But “we’ve run out of oil – and I don’t say this facetiously – five times.” Referring to the oil shocks of the 1970s, Yergin says, “There are people in this room who know very well that we were going to fall off the oil mountain – and production is now up 30%. We haven’t used up half the world’s oil; we’ve maybe used up 20% of the world’s oil.” Keeping up with demand isn’t just about making new discoveries, Yergin says. Also important are extensions and additions to existing oil fields, prolonging the life of oil plays thought to be exhausted. “It’s technology,” he says. “There’s a tendency to think that technology stagnates, that where you are is where you are going to be. But, in fact, the industry is basically run by scientists and engineers who are trying to push the technology along.” During the audience Q&A, Yergin is asked if he agrees fossil fuel subsidies needed to be reduced to level the playing field for renewables entering the market. “The subsidies question is very complex, and it really depends upon definition,” he says. Jobs are being created in the renewable industry, he says, “but I think the thing we’ll probably see in the next month or so is the fact that in the last three or four years – and this seems counterintuitive – a lot more jobs have actually been created in the conventional energy industry than in the green industry. That doesn’t mean that’s going to be the case five years or 10 years from now when those industries are much more mature.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 13, 2011 no 1:08:01 Red Alert: China Time, China Scale (10/12/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Red Alert: China Time, China Scale


Peter Greenwood, Executive Director of Strategy, China Light and Power Group
Stephen Leeb, Co-author, Red Alert
Alex Wang, Visiting Professor, UC Berkeley School of Law
Julian Wong, Attorney, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Former Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy


The four China watchers assembled for this Climate One panel debate the motives for, and the implications of, China’s domestic climate action, particularly its abundant clean energy investments. Stephen Leeb, co-author, Red Alert, is the panel’s contrarian. “I don’t think China does anything with the world’s interest at hand; I think they do everything with China’s interest at hand. Climate change is very much a mixed bag for them. Much more important to them is the issue of resource scarcity.” Leeb was suspicious of the intent of China’s renewable energy investments. China, he says, aims to control the solar market to the detriment of foreign players, including the United States. Julian Wong, an attorney with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, agrees with Leeb, up to a point. Yes, energy is a pivotal issue in China’s economic growth, he says, and scarcity issues are “high in the minds of China’s leaders.” He also cites the increasing importance of environmental protection in preventing unrest. “Ultimately, this Communist Party is in power as long as the people allow it to be. If you are getting protests by citizens, by residents, on very fundamental needs, that’s going to get the attention of leaders.” Alex Wang, a visiting professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law, emphasizes the importance of the environmental protest movement, citing events this summer at a chemical plant in the city of Dalian and at facilities operated by Jinko Solar. “People are getting more wealthy. They are getting better educated about environmental issues, and they realize that is impacting their health, their children’s health,” he says. Counter to Stephen Leeb, Peter Greenwood, Executive Director of Strategy, China Light and Power Group, says we should vaunt not vilify China’s investments in wind and solar. “It’s not actually, necessarily, a bad story for the rest of the world. Wind turbine prices have fallen in the last couple of years by about 20%. A lot of that is due to the efficiency and scale of Chinese manufacturing,” he says. “What does that do? It means that wind projects that were previously uneconomical become economical. Sites that were previously not feasible become feasible. Subsidies that might otherwise have to be paid by Western and other governments can perhaps operate at lower levels. That’s a beneficial story.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 12, 2011

]]> Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:37:35 -0700 469BC607-AFE6-4D20-9DBD-DF49387B20A4 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The four China watchers assembled for this Climate One panel debate the motives for, and the implications of, China’s domestic climate action, particularly its abundant clean energy investments. Red Alert: China Time, China Scale Peter Greenwood, Executive Director of Strategy, China Light and Power Group Stephen Leeb, Co-author, Red Alert Alex Wang, Visiting Professor, UC Berkeley School of Law Julian Wong, Attorney, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati; Former Advisor, U.S. Department of Energy The four China watchers assembled for this Climate One panel debate the motives for, and the implications of, China’s domestic climate action, particularly its abundant clean energy investments. Stephen Leeb, co-author, Red Alert, is the panel’s contrarian. “I don’t think China does anything with the world’s interest at hand; I think they do everything with China’s interest at hand. Climate change is very much a mixed bag for them. Much more important to them is the issue of resource scarcity.” Leeb was suspicious of the intent of China’s renewable energy investments. China, he says, aims to control the solar market to the detriment of foreign players, including the United States. Julian Wong, an attorney with Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, agrees with Leeb, up to a point. Yes, energy is a pivotal issue in China’s economic growth, he says, and scarcity issues are “high in the minds of China’s leaders.” He also cites the increasing importance of environmental protection in preventing unrest. “Ultimately, this Communist Party is in power as long as the people allow it to be. If you are getting protests by citizens, by residents, on very fundamental needs, that’s going to get the attention of leaders.” Alex Wang, a visiting professor at the UC Berkeley School of Law, emphasizes the importance of the environmental protest movement, citing events this summer at a chemical plant in the city of Dalian and at facilities operated by Jinko Solar. “People are getting more wealthy. They are getting better educated about environmental issues, and they realize that is impacting their health, their children’s health,” he says. Counter to Stephen Leeb, Peter Greenwood, Executive Director of Strategy, China Light and Power Group, says we should vaunt not vilify China’s investments in wind and solar. “It’s not actually, necessarily, a bad story for the rest of the world. Wind turbine prices have fallen in the last couple of years by about 20%. A lot of that is due to the efficiency and scale of Chinese manufacturing,” he says. “What does that do? It means that wind projects that were previously uneconomical become economical. Sites that were previously not feasible become feasible. Subsidies that might otherwise have to be paid by Western and other governments can perhaps operate at lower levels. That’s a beneficial story.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 12, 2011 no 1:10:00 Drop In, Scale Up? (10/6/11) http://www.climate-one.org Drop In, Scale Up?


Ed Dineen, CEO, LS9
Alan Shaw, CEO, Codexis
Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme


Next-generation biofuels are on the verge of a breakthrough but aren’t ready to displace conventional fuels, three Bay Area biofuel company CEOs say in this Climate One talk. The CEOs insist that their fuels must compete on price with conventional gasoline or diesel, with or without government support, or a price on carbon, which means they have to scale up, fast. For biofuels to scale, all agree, they must be drop-in fuels. Meaning, says Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme, “a fuel that fits directly into the existing infrastructure without modification.” “You’ll not replace mass transportation, internal combustion engines, in our lifetime – not at mass scale,” says Alan Shaw, CEO, Codexis. “What drives it is a liquid transportation fuel. We need an alternative to that. We’re still in the very early days. And that’s because the technology is not ready to be deployed at scale.” Ed Dineen, CEO, LS9, says “for the type of technologies we’re practicing” – second-generation biofuels – “I think three years you’ll start to see plants be established. And once the initial plants get established, and we learn the technology, the acceleration will pick up,” he says. “The bigger issue is the capital intensity of these plants,” he adds. “If we see a world of $150 [per barrel] crude, I think that’s going to accelerate the pace of this technology,” he says. Agreeing with Jonathan Wolfson, Shaw says that “the key driver of economics here is feedstock costs” – in this case, sugars. Promisingly, he says, the second-generation cellulosic sugars that he and fellow panelists’ are developing run about a tenth the cost of their first-generation predecessors. The larger price competition, biofuels pitted against conventional crude, would be a fairer one, Wolfson says, if the two sides were evenly matched. “There is one thing people forget, which is that the big integrated oil companies have had 100 years to bury subsidies in all kinds of places. People are talking about Industry should stand up, and We should all be dependent on alternative and renewable fuels meeting parity with petroleum. But the truth is parity isn’t parity because of all these hidden subsidies.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 6, 2011

]]> Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:55:25 -0700 FF00EF65-2826-4B8F-AD5F-E883AA06706A Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Next-generation biofuels are on the verge of a breakthrough but aren’t ready to displace conventional fuels, three Bay Area biofuel company CEOs say. The CEOs insist that their fuels must compete on price with conventional gasoline or diesel. Drop In, Scale Up? Ed Dineen, CEO, LS9 Alan Shaw, CEO, Codexis Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme Next-generation biofuels are on the verge of a breakthrough but aren’t ready to displace conventional fuels, three Bay Area biofuel company CEOs say in this Climate One talk. The CEOs insist that their fuels must compete on price with conventional gasoline or diesel, with or without government support, or a price on carbon, which means they have to scale up, fast. For biofuels to scale, all agree, they must be drop-in fuels. Meaning, says Jonathan Wolfson, CEO, Solazyme, “a fuel that fits directly into the existing infrastructure without modification.” “You’ll not replace mass transportation, internal combustion engines, in our lifetime – not at mass scale,” says Alan Shaw, CEO, Codexis. “What drives it is a liquid transportation fuel. We need an alternative to that. We’re still in the very early days. And that’s because the technology is not ready to be deployed at scale.” Ed Dineen, CEO, LS9, says “for the type of technologies we’re practicing” – second-generation biofuels – “I think three years you’ll start to see plants be established. And once the initial plants get established, and we learn the technology, the acceleration will pick up,” he says. “The bigger issue is the capital intensity of these plants,” he adds. “If we see a world of $150 [per barrel] crude, I think that’s going to accelerate the pace of this technology,” he says. Agreeing with Jonathan Wolfson, Shaw says that “the key driver of economics here is feedstock costs” – in this case, sugars. Promisingly, he says, the second-generation cellulosic sugars that he and fellow panelists’ are developing run about a tenth the cost of their first-generation predecessors. The larger price competition, biofuels pitted against conventional crude, would be a fairer one, Wolfson says, if the two sides were evenly matched. “There is one thing people forget, which is that the big integrated oil companies have had 100 years to bury subsidies in all kinds of places. People are talking about Industry should stand up, and We should all be dependent on alternative and renewable fuels meeting parity with petroleum. But the truth is parity isn’t parity because of all these hidden subsidies.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 6, 2011 no 1:03:38 Truckin' (10/5/11) http://www.climate-one.org Truckin'

John Boesel, CEO, CALSTART
Mike Tunnell, Director, Environmental Affairs, American Trucking Associations
Alan Niedzwiecki, CEO, Quantum Technologies


In August, the Obama administration announced the first-ever fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks and buses. The three experts convened at this Climate One panel say that the trucking industry is ready to meet the new rules, which require semi-trucks to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2018. “What’s exciting now is that we have some decent public policy in place,” says John Boesel, CEO, CALSTART. “The engineering talent that was dedicated to cleaning up the criteria emissions is going to be applied to helping reduce our dependence on oil and cut greenhouse gas emissions. I think we’re going to see a lot of innovation in this space.” The new rules “will encourage fleets over this short term to develop best-available technology that is there today. It won’t really be technology forcing,” he says. At the same time, he adds, fleets will be looking at alternative fuels, especially natural gas, when they make economic sense. Mike Tunnell, Director of Environmental Affairs, American Trucking Associations, agrees, pointing out that with diesel prices hovering in $3 to $4 gallon range, “fleets are beginning to look more, in America, at alternative fuels and natural gas in an effort to cut some of the fuel costs.” But, he cautions, there is a flip side: the upfront costs for equipment are higher, and fuel availability becomes a concern. Climate One’s Greg Dalton picks up on the supply worries later, asking if fleet operators are concerned energy firms might not meet California’s Low-Carbon Fuel Standard, which aims to reduce the carbon intensity of California’s transportation fuels by 10% by 2020. “There will be some concerns,” says John Boesel, “but this is a regulation that will encourage them to be more innovative and more creative than they have been in the past.” David Mazaika, Chief Operating Officer, Quantum Technologies, says that plenty of examples, including hybrid buses now in service, prove that the fuel standards can be met. “It certainly can be done; the industry just needs to focus on that. Now, with the new legislation, there are some targets out there that the industry can focus on and really strive to meet.” “The technology is out there to be able to support these types of levels,” he says. “It will be a wide spectrum – everything from aerodynamic improvements to hybrid-drive systems and different fuels.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 5, 2011

]]> Fri, 07 Oct 2011 10:50:59 -0700 B44070CA-6BA0-4C99-8F77-B0F0DB79F285 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One In August, the Obama administration announced the first-ever fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks and buses. The three experts convened at this Climate One panel say that the trucking industry is ready to meet the new rules. Truckin' John Boesel, CEO, CALSTART Mike Tunnell, Director, Environmental Affairs, American Trucking Associations Alan Niedzwiecki, CEO, Quantum Technologies In August, the Obama administration announced the first-ever fuel efficiency standards for heavy-duty trucks and buses. The three experts convened at this Climate One panel say that the trucking industry is ready to meet the new rules, which require semi-trucks to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2018. “What’s exciting now is that we have some decent public policy in place,” says John Boesel, CEO, CALSTART. “The engineering talent that was dedicated to cleaning up the criteria emissions is going to be applied to helping reduce our dependence on oil and cut greenhouse gas emissions. I think we’re going to see a lot of innovation in this space.” The new rules “will encourage fleets over this short term to develop best-available technology that is there today. It won’t really be technology forcing,” he says. At the same time, he adds, fleets will be looking at alternative fuels, especially natural gas, when they make economic sense. Mike Tunnell, Director of Environmental Affairs, American Trucking Associations, agrees, pointing out that with diesel prices hovering in $3 to $4 gallon range, “fleets are beginning to look more, in America, at alternative fuels and natural gas in an effort to cut some of the fuel costs.” But, he cautions, there is a flip side: the upfront costs for equipment are higher, and fuel availability becomes a concern. Climate One’s Greg Dalton picks up on the supply worries later, asking if fleet operators are concerned energy firms might not meet California’s Low-Carbon Fuel Standard, which aims to reduce the carbon intensity of California’s transportation fuels by 10% by 2020. “There will be some concerns,” says John Boesel, “but this is a regulation that will encourage them to be more innovative and more creative than they have been in the past.” David Mazaika, Chief Operating Officer, Quantum Technologies, says that plenty of examples, including hybrid buses now in service, prove that the fuel standards can be met. “It certainly can be done; the industry just needs to focus on that. Now, with the new legislation, there are some targets out there that the industry can focus on and really strive to meet.” “The technology is out there to be able to support these types of levels,” he says. “It will be a wide spectrum – everything from aerodynamic improvements to hybrid-drive systems and different fuels.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 5, 2011 no 1:02:04 Jeremy Rifkin, President, Foundation on Economic Trends (10/3/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Jeremy Rifkin


President, Foundation on Economic Trends; Author, The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power Is Transforming Energy and Changing the World


The world is doomed to repeat four-year cycles of booms followed by crashes if we don’t get off oil, Jeremy Rifkin warns in this Climate One talk. The solution, what he calls the Third Industrial Revolution, is the “Energy Internet,” a nervous system linking millions of small renewable energy producers. For Rifkin, author of the new The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power Is Transforming Energy and Changing the World, a seminal event occurred in July 2008, when the price of oil hit $147 a barrel. “Prices for everything on the supply chain went through the roof, from food to petrochemicals. Purchasing power plummeted all over the world that month. An entire economic engine of the Industrial Revolution shut down,” he says. “That was the great economic earthquake,” he goes on. “The collapse of the financial markets 60 days later was the aftershock. Our world leaders are still dealing with the aftershock, and have not gone to the nub of the crisis.” The reason this is happening now, Rifkin says, is that the “world is made out of and moved by fossil fuels.” “Every time we try to re-grow the economy at the same growth rate we were growing before July 2008, the price of oil goes up, all of the other prices goes up, purchasing power goes down, and it collapses.” This is a wall we can’t go beyond under the current energy regime, he says. “We’re in this wild gyration of four-year cycles, where we’re going to try to re-grow, collapse, re-grow, collapse.” The solution is a plan based on five pillars, which is being implemented in the European Union: 1) Renewable energy targets: such as the EU’s 20% by 2020 mandate 2) Green buildings: over the next 40 years, Europe plans to convert its 191 million buildings into energy-efficient, micro power plants 3) Energy storage: batteries, flywheels, and hydrogen used to smooth the intermittency of renewables 4) “Energy Internet”: create a central nervous system so that buildings can talk to the grid and sell or store power depending on prices 5) Plug-in electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. “This is power to the people,” he says. “This is the democratization of energy.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 3, 2011

]]> Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:34:36 -0700 9165C456-1326-46EC-8CE1-5C8A0AF823B0 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The world is doomed to repeat four-year cycles of booms followed by crashes if we don’t get off oil, Jeremy Rifkin warns in this Climate One talk. The solution is the “Energy Internet,” a system linking millions of small renewable energy producers. Jeremy Rifkin President, Foundation on Economic Trends; Author, The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power Is Transforming Energy and Changing the World The world is doomed to repeat four-year cycles of booms followed by crashes if we don’t get off oil, Jeremy Rifkin warns in this Climate One talk. The solution, what he calls the Third Industrial Revolution, is the “Energy Internet,” a nervous system linking millions of small renewable energy producers. For Rifkin, author of the new The Third Industrial Revolution: How Lateral Power Is Transforming Energy and Changing the World, a seminal event occurred in July 2008, when the price of oil hit $147 a barrel. “Prices for everything on the supply chain went through the roof, from food to petrochemicals. Purchasing power plummeted all over the world that month. An entire economic engine of the Industrial Revolution shut down,” he says. “That was the great economic earthquake,” he goes on. “The collapse of the financial markets 60 days later was the aftershock. Our world leaders are still dealing with the aftershock, and have not gone to the nub of the crisis.” The reason this is happening now, Rifkin says, is that the “world is made out of and moved by fossil fuels.” “Every time we try to re-grow the economy at the same growth rate we were growing before July 2008, the price of oil goes up, all of the other prices goes up, purchasing power goes down, and it collapses.” This is a wall we can’t go beyond under the current energy regime, he says. “We’re in this wild gyration of four-year cycles, where we’re going to try to re-grow, collapse, re-grow, collapse.” The solution is a plan based on five pillars, which is being implemented in the European Union: 1) Renewable energy targets: such as the EU’s 20% by 2020 mandate 2) Green buildings: over the next 40 years, Europe plans to convert its 191 million buildings into energy-efficient, micro power plants 3) Energy storage: batteries, flywheels, and hydrogen used to smooth the intermittency of renewables 4) “Energy Internet”: create a central nervous system so that buildings can talk to the grid and sell or store power depending on prices 5) Plug-in electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. “This is power to the people,” he says. “This is the democratization of energy.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 3, 2011 no 1:10:24 Big Green (9/28/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Big Green


Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club
Felicia Marcus, Western Director, Natural Resources Defense Council
Karen Topakian, Board Chair, Greenpeace USA


It would not seem a fruitful time to be on the frontlines in the fight to protect the environment in the United States, with the EPA under daily attack and climate legislation stalled. But the three environmental leaders participating in this Climate One panel note that many fronts exist outside of Washington, with at least one formidable adversary, utilities operating coal fired-power plants, forced to play defense. Until recently, says Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club, “every single conversation was about, Will we get 60 senators to pass comprehensive climate legislation – when that really represented just the tip of the iceberg, part of the conversation about climate change.” Brune and fellow panelists Felicia Marcus, Western Director, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Karen Topakian, Board Chair, Greenpeace USA, agree that D.C. politics will force environmental groups to play defense in the near term. They also stress that building grassroots support and presenting a positive vision of the future will be critical. “We’re trying to create a future in which we have clean energy, clean communities, and clean food. We have to deal not just with playing defense; we have to create a vision of the future that people are for,” says Marcus. Over the next three to five years, the Sierra Club will, as Brune puts it, focus on getting real and getting local. “It’s hard to motivate people around an issue where they get the moral imperative, but they don’t really understand what it is that you’re trying to do, and how your solutions will address the problems you’re identifying,” he says. For the Sierra Club, this means a return to its roots, a focus on the grassroots, says Brune, with the most visible manifestation of that effort its Beyond Coal campaign. Recently buttressed by a $50 million donation from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the campaign aims to force the retirement of one-third of the nation’s 600 coal-fired power plants over the next five years. Greenpeace likewise aims to retire old, dirty coal plants, says Karen Topakian. Its goal is 150 plants taken offline by 2015. “We’re making it tangible to people,” she says. “If you start talking about fuel in a way that’s abstract, people don’t get it.” “We are in alignment in fighting dirty fuels, and then creating an opening for clean fuels,” adds Felicia Marcus. “We’re at a place where we can use [clean energy] as a way to create and talk about a future that is at some level complex but at another much more clear to the average person.” For example, she says, NRDC is “doubling down” on an issue it has focused on for 30 years: “the very low-glamour, high-value issue of energy efficiency.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 28, 2011

]]> Wed, 28 Sep 2011 17:29:41 -0700 68874716-9DB8-4892-9393-60041C898992 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Three environmental leaders participating in this Climate One panel note that many efforts to protect the environment exist outside of Washington, with at least one formidable adversary, utilities operating coal fired-power plants, forced to play defense. Big Green Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club Felicia Marcus, Western Director, Natural Resources Defense Council Karen Topakian, Board Chair, Greenpeace USA It would not seem a fruitful time to be on the frontlines in the fight to protect the environment in the United States, with the EPA under daily attack and climate legislation stalled. But the three environmental leaders participating in this Climate One panel note that many fronts exist outside of Washington, with at least one formidable adversary, utilities operating coal fired-power plants, forced to play defense. Until recently, says Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club, “every single conversation was about, Will we get 60 senators to pass comprehensive climate legislation – when that really represented just the tip of the iceberg, part of the conversation about climate change.” Brune and fellow panelists Felicia Marcus, Western Director, Natural Resources Defense Council, and Karen Topakian, Board Chair, Greenpeace USA, agree that D.C. politics will force environmental groups to play defense in the near term. They also stress that building grassroots support and presenting a positive vision of the future will be critical. “We’re trying to create a future in which we have clean energy, clean communities, and clean food. We have to deal not just with playing defense; we have to create a vision of the future that people are for,” says Marcus. Over the next three to five years, the Sierra Club will, as Brune puts it, focus on getting real and getting local. “It’s hard to motivate people around an issue where they get the moral imperative, but they don’t really understand what it is that you’re trying to do, and how your solutions will address the problems you’re identifying,” he says. For the Sierra Club, this means a return to its roots, a focus on the grassroots, says Brune, with the most visible manifestation of that effort its Beyond Coal campaign. Recently buttressed by a $50 million donation from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the campaign aims to force the retirement of one-third of the nation’s 600 coal-fired power plants over the next five years. Greenpeace likewise aims to retire old, dirty coal plants, says Karen Topakian. Its goal is 150 plants taken offline by 2015. “We’re making it tangible to people,” she says. “If you start talking about fuel in a way that’s abstract, people don’t get it.” “We are in alignment in fighting dirty fuels, and then creating an opening for clean fuels,” adds Felicia Marcus. “We’re at a place where we can use [clean energy] as a way to create and talk about a future that is at some level complex but at another much more clear to the average person.” For example, she says, NRDC is “doubling down” on an issue it has focused on for 30 years: “the very low-glamour, high-value issue of energy efficiency.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 28, 2011 no 1:06:30 Carbon & Courts II: Cap and Trade: Fixable or Fatally Flawed? (9/14/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Carbon & Courts II: Cap and Trade: Fixable or Fatally Flawed?


Edie Chang, Office of Climate Change, California Air Resources Board
Brent Newell, General Counsel, Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment
Bill Gallegos, Executive Director, Communities for a Better Environment
Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate Projects, Natural Resources Defense Council


It might be the only reference to Star Wars you’ll ever hear at Climate One. Reaching for an analogy to drive home the impact of a shrinking cap on carbon emissions in California, Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate Projects, Natural Resources Defense Council, asks the audience to remember the trash compactor scene from the original Star Wars.“This is the cap for Chevron. That cap is coming down on them year after year after year. And they have to figure out what they’re going to do,” she says. “In the trash compactor, there’s no out. They’re in it. And that’s what we’re finding. These regulated facilities are realizing that the cap is not changing.”“The problem with Kristin’s analogy,” interjects Brent Newell, General Counsel, Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, to big laughs, “is that R2-D2 actually stopped the trash compactor. And they got out.” Replace R2-D2 in the analogy with political meddling and market manipulation and the two poles of this spirited Climate One exchange on the future of California’s cap-and-trade program come into focus. Eberhard and Edie Chang, Office of Climate Change, California Air Resources Board, argue that a regulated cap-and-trade system, coupled with renewable energy targets and improved fuel economy standards, will dramatically reduce carbon emissions and give communities relief from harmful localized pollutants. Newell and Bill Gallegos, Executive Director, Communities for a Better Environment, argue that regulators at CARB are choosing not to use their authority under AB 32 to target pollution at major industrial facilities, usually sited next to neighborhoods home to low-income people of color. After reiterating that environmental justice groups firmly support AB 32, Bill Gallegos says that the lawsuit these groups filed to force CARB to scrap the cap-and-trade system was a last resort. “We wanted to ensure that, as we’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions, let’s get the other stuff that is really choking people and killing them right now. We had a chance to do something good and, unfortunately, the Air Resources Board has not seized that opportunity,” he says. In response to Newell and Gallegos’ concern about local sources of pollutants, Edie Chang says, “We’re also initiating a rulemaking to ensure that the seventeen largest industrial sources in the state are going to have to implement the cost-effective greenhouse gas reductions. Programs like that will make sure that localized communities experience air-quality benefits.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 14, 2011

]]> Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:22:56 -0700 4867F852-D88F-4D34-82E3-4C17030FAAFE Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One This Climate One panel debates the impact of a shrinking cap on carbon emissions in California. Carbon & Courts II: Cap and Trade: Fixable or Fatally Flawed? Edie Chang, Office of Climate Change, California Air Resources Board Brent Newell, General Counsel, Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment Bill Gallegos, Executive Director, Communities for a Better Environment Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate Projects, Natural Resources Defense Council It might be the only reference to Star Wars you’ll ever hear at Climate One. Reaching for an analogy to drive home the impact of a shrinking cap on carbon emissions in California, Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate Projects, Natural Resources Defense Council, asks the audience to remember the trash compactor scene from the original Star Wars.“This is the cap for Chevron. That cap is coming down on them year after year after year. And they have to figure out what they’re going to do,” she says. “In the trash compactor, there’s no out. They’re in it. And that’s what we’re finding. These regulated facilities are realizing that the cap is not changing.”“The problem with Kristin’s analogy,” interjects Brent Newell, General Counsel, Center on Race, Poverty and the Environment, to big laughs, “is that R2-D2 actually stopped the trash compactor. And they got out.” Replace R2-D2 in the analogy with political meddling and market manipulation and the two poles of this spirited Climate One exchange on the future of California’s cap-and-trade program come into focus. Eberhard and Edie Chang, Office of Climate Change, California Air Resources Board, argue that a regulated cap-and-trade system, coupled with renewable energy targets and improved fuel economy standards, will dramatically reduce carbon emissions and give communities relief from harmful localized pollutants. Newell and Bill Gallegos, Executive Director, Communities for a Better Environment, argue that regulators at CARB are choosing not to use their authority under AB 32 to target pollution at major industrial facilities, usually sited next to neighborhoods home to low-income people of color. After reiterating that environmental justice groups firmly support AB 32, Bill Gallegos says that the lawsuit these groups filed to force CARB to scrap the cap-and-trade system was a last resort. “We wanted to ensure that, as we’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions, let’s get the other stuff that is really choking people and killing them right now. We had a chance to do something good and, unfortunately, the Air Resources Board has not seized that opportunity,” he says. In response to Newell and Gallegos’ concern about local sources of pollutants, Edie Chang says, “We’re also initiating a rulemaking to ensure that the seventeen largest industrial sources in the state are going to have to implement the cost-effective greenhouse gas reductions. Programs like that will make sure that localized communities experience air-quality benefits.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 14, 2011 no 1:06:23 Carbon & Courts I: Atmospheric Trust (9/14/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Carbon & Courts I: Atmospheric Trust


Phil Gregory, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy
Pete McCloskey, Former Congressman
David Takacs, Associate Professor, UC Hastings College of the Law


With climate legislation dead in Congress, and the international climate talks years from resolution, some proponents of climate action are turning to the courts in the hope that judges will compel governments to act. This Climate One panel brings together three attorneys who are pursuing climate action through a novel concept: atmospheric trust litigation. In May, Our Children’s Trust filed the first atmospheric trust suits, with young people named as the plaintiffs. The strategy couples lawsuits, which have now been filed in all 50 states and in federal courts, with the mobilization of youth. Phil Gregory, Principal Attorney, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and co-counsel for the federal suits, explains the strategy. “You have to say to the courts, you, the judge, need to declare that there’s a problem here, and that the government, the sovereign, is not doing enough to protect the trust.” Gregory insists that that aim of the suits is not to turn judges into policymakers. “What we want the court to do is not itself institute a regulation, or not itself say, this is what you must do, this particular act, but you, the state agencies, you, the federal departments, need to come forward with a plan that works,” he says. David Takacs, Associate Professor, UC Hastings College of the Law, concedes that atmospheric trust is a novel application of the public trust doctrine. “Part of why the atmosphere has never been considered a public trust resource is because we’ve never had to think about climate change or the atmosphere as being a renewable resource,” he says. “Nonetheless,” he continues, “if you look at what the public trust doctrine actually says, the atmosphere is no different than those other resources [water, wildlife, and land] in terms of how fundamental it is to human life for present and future generations.” Retired California Congressman Pete McCloskey notes that these suits will require judges to make a leap. But judges have done so before in our history when politicians weren’t ready to act, he says, citing the Supreme Court’s role in desegregating schools. “Never trust the government to adhere to the doctrine of the public trust,” he says. “You’ve got to force them. It’s going to be the courts that take the lead. And it’s going to be the young people that force politicians to act.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 14, 2011

]]> Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:15:20 -0700 7F29B87C-B83F-44BC-BAA9-2D3BC2A50201 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Some proponents of climate action are turning to the courts in the hope that judges will compel governments to act. This Climate One panel brings together three attorneys who pursue climate action through a novel concept: atmospheric trust litigation. Carbon & Courts I: Atmospheric Trust Phil Gregory, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy Pete McCloskey, Former Congressman David Takacs, Associate Professor, UC Hastings College of the Law With climate legislation dead in Congress, and the international climate talks years from resolution, some proponents of climate action are turning to the courts in the hope that judges will compel governments to act. This Climate One panel brings together three attorneys who are pursuing climate action through a novel concept: atmospheric trust litigation. In May, Our Children’s Trust filed the first atmospheric trust suits, with young people named as the plaintiffs. The strategy couples lawsuits, which have now been filed in all 50 states and in federal courts, with the mobilization of youth. Phil Gregory, Principal Attorney, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy and co-counsel for the federal suits, explains the strategy. “You have to say to the courts, you, the judge, need to declare that there’s a problem here, and that the government, the sovereign, is not doing enough to protect the trust.” Gregory insists that that aim of the suits is not to turn judges into policymakers. “What we want the court to do is not itself institute a regulation, or not itself say, this is what you must do, this particular act, but you, the state agencies, you, the federal departments, need to come forward with a plan that works,” he says. David Takacs, Associate Professor, UC Hastings College of the Law, concedes that atmospheric trust is a novel application of the public trust doctrine. “Part of why the atmosphere has never been considered a public trust resource is because we’ve never had to think about climate change or the atmosphere as being a renewable resource,” he says. “Nonetheless,” he continues, “if you look at what the public trust doctrine actually says, the atmosphere is no different than those other resources [water, wildlife, and land] in terms of how fundamental it is to human life for present and future generations.” Retired California Congressman Pete McCloskey notes that these suits will require judges to make a leap. But judges have done so before in our history when politicians weren’t ready to act, he says, citing the Supreme Court’s role in desegregating schools. “Never trust the government to adhere to the doctrine of the public trust,” he says. “You’ve got to force them. It’s going to be the courts that take the lead. And it’s going to be the young people that force politicians to act.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 14, 2011 no 1:04:31 Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior (9/19/11) http://www.climate-one.org Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior


California reservoirs are at healthy levels this year, but the state’s water system remains in crisis. Projected changes in the Sierra snowpack and precipitation patterns, along with a growing population, present challenges for hydrating the state’s citizens and economy. How will the federal government help the state secure future water supplies by aiding ambitious projects such as the restoration of the California Bay Delta and the San Joaquin River? How will it keep rivers healthy and balance the water needs of humans and ecosystems?


Prior to joining the Obama administration in 2009, Ken Salazar was a U.S. Senator from Colorado active on issues including renewable energy, food and fuel security, and the concerns of ranchers and rural Americans. Join us for a conversation with Secretary Salazar about fresh water, fishing and farming, and other resource concerns in California and the American West.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 19, 2011

]]> Mon, 19 Sep 2011 11:20:55 -0700 88AAAB78-5091-4146-9776-8716D970A001 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One California reservoirs are at healthy levels this year, but the state’s water system remains in crisis. Join us for a conversation with Secretary Salazar about water, fishing and farming, and other resource concerns in California & the American West. Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior California reservoirs are at healthy levels this year, but the state’s water system remains in crisis. Projected changes in the Sierra snowpack and precipitation patterns, along with a growing population, present challenges for hydrating the state’s citizens and economy. How will the federal government help the state secure future water supplies by aiding ambitious projects such as the restoration of the California Bay Delta and the San Joaquin River? How will it keep rivers healthy and balance the water needs of humans and ecosystems? Prior to joining the Obama administration in 2009, Ken Salazar was a U.S. Senator from Colorado active on issues including renewable energy, food and fuel security, and the concerns of ranchers and rural Americans. Join us for a conversation with Secretary Salazar about fresh water, fishing and farming, and other resource concerns in California and the American West. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 19, 2011 no 1:04:39 Ecosystem Services (9/12/11) http://www.climate-one.org “Humanity needs nature to thrive.” For Peter Seligmann, who delivers that line, and Jib Ellison, who shares the stage with him at this Climate One panel, the abundant services provided by nature too often go unrecognized. So what are those services?, asks Climate One’s Greg Dalton. In basic terms, replies Seligmann, CEO, Conservation International, ecosystem services are what we get from the natural world. He assigns those services to one of four categories: provisions – food, freshwater, and medicine; regulating – climate, flood control on coasts; supporting: the soil and nutrient cycles; and cultural – the places we live, the places that shape our belief systems. All of them are essential for people, he says, but “we’ve lost track of the relationship that we have with nature and ecosystem services because we don’t think about our foods coming from a forest or a farm; it comes from the supermarket. There’s a real disconnect now.”Jib Ellison, CEO, Blu Skye, a sustainability consultancy, emphasizes that business is just as indebted to the natural world. “If you think about all the goods and services that you can buy in a store, all of it ultimately is coming from somewhere down the line out of nature.” “The big companies in the world with visionary leaders are realizing,” he says, “that the security of supply to serve their customers is at risk.” The grave threat to natural systems around the globe has convinced both men of the need for environmentalists to preach beyond the converted, and to engage with business, including giants such as Wal-Mart. “What I’ve always felt,” Seligmann says, “is that if the environmental community focuses on the fifteen percent of the world that are true, ardent environmentalists we’re losing, losing, losing. We’ve got to make the tent big enough for everybody. Over time, that creates trust.” An absolutely critical element to get us there, says Ellison, is transparency on costs. “The sustainable economy is only going to come under one condition: When the lowest-priced good –the lowest-priced T-shirt at Wal-Mart – is lowest priced precisely because it does the least harm,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 12, 2011

]]> Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:43:16 -0700 800507F4-44F0-4B08-9A9D-58CAF96626B4 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One “Humanity needs nature to thrive.” For Peter Seligmann, who delivers that line, and Jib Ellison, who shares the stage with him at this Climate One panel, the abundant services provided by nature too often go unrecognized. So what are those services? “Humanity needs nature to thrive.” For Peter Seligmann, who delivers that line, and Jib Ellison, who shares the stage with him at this Climate One panel, the abundant services provided by nature too often go unrecognized. So what are those services?, asks Climate One’s Greg Dalton. In basic terms, replies Seligmann, CEO, Conservation International, ecosystem services are what we get from the natural world. He assigns those services to one of four categories: provisions – food, freshwater, and medicine; regulating – climate, flood control on coasts; supporting: the soil and nutrient cycles; and cultural – the places we live, the places that shape our belief systems. All of them are essential for people, he says, but “we’ve lost track of the relationship that we have with nature and ecosystem services because we don’t think about our foods coming from a forest or a farm; it comes from the supermarket. There’s a real disconnect now.”Jib Ellison, CEO, Blu Skye, a sustainability consultancy, emphasizes that business is just as indebted to the natural world. “If you think about all the goods and services that you can buy in a store, all of it ultimately is coming from somewhere down the line out of nature.” “The big companies in the world with visionary leaders are realizing,” he says, “that the security of supply to serve their customers is at risk.” The grave threat to natural systems around the globe has convinced both men of the need for environmentalists to preach beyond the converted, and to engage with business, including giants such as Wal-Mart. “What I’ve always felt,” Seligmann says, “is that if the environmental community focuses on the fifteen percent of the world that are true, ardent environmentalists we’re losing, losing, losing. We’ve got to make the tent big enough for everybody. Over time, that creates trust.” An absolutely critical element to get us there, says Ellison, is transparency on costs. “The sustainable economy is only going to come under one condition: When the lowest-priced good –the lowest-priced T-shirt at Wal-Mart – is lowest priced precisely because it does the least harm,” he says. no 1:06:16 Blessed 350: Paul Hawken & Bill McKibben (9/8/11) http://www.climate-one.org In this Climate One conversation, two of the most influential environmentalists of the past 30 years share the same stage for just the second time in their long careers in public life. Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org and author of Eaarth, and Paul Hawken, entrepreneur and author of Blessed Unrest, talk about the ailing economy, the economy we must build to succeed it, and the forces that stand in the way. Climate One’s Greg Dalton opens by asking Hawken and McKibben how the United States ended up mired in recession. “We get into this predicament by artificially stimulating consumption for the past 40 years,” replies Hawken. The bursting of the credit bubble should tell us, he says, that consumerism, our longtime economic crutch, won’t get us out of this mess. McKibben agrees. Since the end of World War II he says, “the basic animating force of that economy was the task of building bigger houses farther apart from each other. It’s a project that ended up being environmentally ruinous, and socially ruinous, too.” And yet those ruins give us something to build upon. “The economy we’re moving towards looks less to growth than to durability and resilience and security. The trajectory will be more in the direction of local, instead of the ever-expanding outward globalism that’s relied on an endless supply of cheap fossil energy to make it possible.” “My only real worry,” he says, “is that climate change is happening so fast that it may knock the props out from under the whole thing before we can get to where we need to go.” The way forward is studded with challenges, Hawken says. First among them, the fear that individual actions won’t, by themselves, be enough. Small acts are rational and helpful, he says, but in the doing you don’t step back and ask: What do we really need to change? “What we need to change,” he answers, “is the system. And the system cannot change until there is a manifest crisis that is shared.” The problem, McKibben explains, is that the fossil fuel industry is actively working to block systemic change. “Most people understand that climate change is an incredibly serious problem about which we need to do something,” he says. “Our problem is far and away caused by the fact that the fossil fuel industry, which is the most profitable industry on Earth, has all of the financial means at their disposal to keep us from taking action.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 8, 2011

]]> Thu, 15 Sep 2011 10:33:13 -0700 5EF78116-1C44-4116-82EE-6D2CB1106EE7 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One In this Climate One conversation, two of the most influential environmentalists of the past 30 years share the same stage for just the second time in their long careers in public life. In this Climate One conversation, two of the most influential environmentalists of the past 30 years share the same stage for just the second time in their long careers in public life. Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org and author of Eaarth, and Paul Hawken, entrepreneur and author of Blessed Unrest, talk about the ailing economy, the economy we must build to succeed it, and the forces that stand in the way. Climate One’s Greg Dalton opens by asking Hawken and McKibben how the United States ended up mired in recession. “We get into this predicament by artificially stimulating consumption for the past 40 years,” replies Hawken. The bursting of the credit bubble should tell us, he says, that consumerism, our longtime economic crutch, won’t get us out of this mess. McKibben agrees. Since the end of World War II he says, “the basic animating force of that economy was the task of building bigger houses farther apart from each other. It’s a project that ended up being environmentally ruinous, and socially ruinous, too.” And yet those ruins give us something to build upon. “The economy we’re moving towards looks less to growth than to durability and resilience and security. The trajectory will be more in the direction of local, instead of the ever-expanding outward globalism that’s relied on an endless supply of cheap fossil energy to make it possible.” “My only real worry,” he says, “is that climate change is happening so fast that it may knock the props out from under the whole thing before we can get to where we need to go.” The way forward is studded with challenges, Hawken says. First among them, the fear that individual actions won’t, by themselves, be enough. Small acts are rational and helpful, he says, but in the doing you don’t step back and ask: What do we really need to change? “What we need to change,” he answers, “is the system. And the system cannot change until there is a manifest crisis that is shared.” The problem, McKibben explains, is that the fossil fuel industry is actively working to block systemic change. “Most people understand that climate change is an incredibly serious problem about which we need to do something,” he says. “Our problem is far and away caused by the fact that the fossil fuel industry, which is the most profitable industry on Earth, has all of the financial means at their disposal to keep us from taking action.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 8, 2011 no 1:11:10 Canada’s Oil Sands: Energy Security, or Energy Disaster? (8/30/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Canada’s Oil Sands: Energy Security, or Energy Disaster?


Cassie Doyle, Consul General, Canada; Former Canadian Deputy Minister of Natural Resources
Jason Mark, Earth Island Institute
Carl Pope, Chairman, The Sierra Club
Alex Pourbaix, President of Energy and Oil Pipelines, TransCanada


The 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline would carry heavy crude oil from Alberta to America’s Gulf Coast refineries. In this Climate One debate, a panel of experts argues for and against the controversial pipeline. For Alex Pourbaix, President of Energy and Oil Pipelines, TransCanada, the pipeline builder, and Cassie Doyle, Canada’s Consul General in San Francisco, the merits of the project are clear: America would bank a stable, secure supply of crude from a friendly neighbor. Why would the United States opt to buy crude from anyone other than Canada if given a choice?, asks Pourbaix. “To suggest that those other countries are more responsible environmental citizens than Canada begs comprehension. It is far more compelling to be getting your oil needs from Canada, rather than getting it from other countries such as Libya, Nigeria, or Venezuela,” he says. Cassie Doyle downplays the environmental impact of processing the Alberta oil sands’ heavy crude. “We assume that the oil sands production is static when it comes to environmental performance. When, since 1990, we’ve seen a 30% improvement in the carbon intensity per barrel.” Sierra Club Chairman Carl Pope and Jason Mark, Editor of the Earth Island Journal, dismiss both claims – that Keystone XL crude will stay in the United States and can be extracted without exacerbating climate change – as implausible. “This is really an export pipeline. It’s not really an import pipeline,” says Pope. “The United States is going to be used as a transit zone and a refining zone. We’re going to take the environmental risks.” Jason Mark faults the State Department environmental review for not acknowledging the pipeline’s contribution to climate change. “The U.S. State Department said that this pipeline would have ‘no significant environmental impact.’ As a journalist, that felt to me like the classic example of the headline writer not actually reading the story.” Mark highlights what is, to him, the even larger issue. “Is the United States going to be complicit in burning megatons more carbon dioxide that’s going to fuel run-away climate change?” We have a choice, he says, “Do we continue to make investments that leave us on the path of a carbon-intensive economy? Or, when do we make the hard decision that says we’re going to stop using oil?”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on August 30th, 2011

]]> Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:47:47 -0700 4A09C0DC-5FA7-44AE-92F2-535C2F8D4777 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline would carry heavy crude oil from Alberta to America’s Gulf Coast refineries. In this Climate One debate, a panel of experts argues for and against the controversial pipeline. Canada’s Oil Sands: Energy Security, or Energy Disaster? Cassie Doyle, Consul General, Canada; Former Canadian Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Jason Mark, Earth Island Institute Carl Pope, Chairman, The Sierra Club Alex Pourbaix, President of Energy and Oil Pipelines, TransCanada The 1,700-mile Keystone XL pipeline would carry heavy crude oil from Alberta to America’s Gulf Coast refineries. In this Climate One debate, a panel of experts argues for and against the controversial pipeline. For Alex Pourbaix, President of Energy and Oil Pipelines, TransCanada, the pipeline builder, and Cassie Doyle, Canada’s Consul General in San Francisco, the merits of the project are clear: America would bank a stable, secure supply of crude from a friendly neighbor. Why would the United States opt to buy crude from anyone other than Canada if given a choice?, asks Pourbaix. “To suggest that those other countries are more responsible environmental citizens than Canada begs comprehension. It is far more compelling to be getting your oil needs from Canada, rather than getting it from other countries such as Libya, Nigeria, or Venezuela,” he says. Cassie Doyle downplays the environmental impact of processing the Alberta oil sands’ heavy crude. “We assume that the oil sands production is static when it comes to environmental performance. When, since 1990, we’ve seen a 30% improvement in the carbon intensity per barrel.” Sierra Club Chairman Carl Pope and Jason Mark, Editor of the Earth Island Journal, dismiss both claims – that Keystone XL crude will stay in the United States and can be extracted without exacerbating climate change – as implausible. “This is really an export pipeline. It’s not really an import pipeline,” says Pope. “The United States is going to be used as a transit zone and a refining zone. We’re going to take the environmental risks.” Jason Mark faults the State Department environmental review for not acknowledging the pipeline’s contribution to climate change. “The U.S. State Department said that this pipeline would have ‘no significant environmental impact.’ As a journalist, that felt to me like the classic example of the headline writer not actually reading the story.” Mark highlights what is, to him, the even larger issue. “Is the United States going to be complicit in burning megatons more carbon dioxide that’s going to fuel run-away climate change?” We have a choice, he says, “Do we continue to make investments that leave us on the path of a carbon-intensive economy? Or, when do we make the hard decision that says we’re going to stop using oil?” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on August 30th, 2011 no 1:05:13 Power Down (7/22/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Power Down


The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham, President, The Regeneration Project
Chris King, Chief Regulatory Officer, eMeter
Gregory Walton, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Stanford University


Energy underpins our civilization. It’s hardly surprising that convincing people to use less of something so tied to their comfort and survival is challenging. Smart policy has given California a head start, but it’s not enough. We need to dig deeper to reap energy savings, say these three experts convened by Climate One. “I think there’s a downside in focusing too narrowly on money,” says Gregory Walton, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Stanford University. Instead, Walton and his team focus on creating the sense that saving energy is a community movement. We need to reach a point where saving energy becomes the social norm, he says, as is the case with wearing seat belts and recycling. “There’s a psychological transformation that happens,” Walton says. “It’s the same behavior, the same experience, but it comes to feel very different by virtue of its social need.” There are still other levers to pull. “I have a bit of an advantage, in that most religions can use guilt,” jokes Rev. Sally G. Bingham, President and Founder, California Interfaith Power & Light. “Sometimes it works. But mostly our congregations that are cutting their energy use are doing it for the right reasons,” she says. “Fairly often a congregation will begin this process for money saving reasons, but also because they feel they are doing the right thing” Chris King, Chief Regulatory Officer, eMeter, says customers need better information. “There’s this strong desire for more information and ability to do something,” he says. “What they really want to know: How much energy does each of my appliances use?” It’s helpful to know that electricity consumption spiked when I plugged in my toaster, he says, but without comparing it to the total, the bigger picture is lost. A better solution is to give customers a monthly breakdown for electricity use by all appliances, which he says can be done with up to 90% accuracy using a combination of the smart meter and algorithms.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on July 22nd, 2011

]]> Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:54:44 -0700 AF24EFD3-9C3C-4EB1-9631-E57D51C8334F Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Smart policy has given California a head start on energy efficiency, but it’s not enough. We need to dig deeper to reap energy savings, say these three experts convened by Climate One. Power Down The Rev. Canon Sally G. Bingham, President, The Regeneration Project Chris King, Chief Regulatory Officer, eMeter Gregory Walton, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Stanford University Energy underpins our civilization. It’s hardly surprising that convincing people to use less of something so tied to their comfort and survival is challenging. Smart policy has given California a head start, but it’s not enough. We need to dig deeper to reap energy savings, say these three experts convened by Climate One. “I think there’s a downside in focusing too narrowly on money,” says Gregory Walton, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Stanford University. Instead, Walton and his team focus on creating the sense that saving energy is a community movement. We need to reach a point where saving energy becomes the social norm, he says, as is the case with wearing seat belts and recycling. “There’s a psychological transformation that happens,” Walton says. “It’s the same behavior, the same experience, but it comes to feel very different by virtue of its social need.” There are still other levers to pull. “I have a bit of an advantage, in that most religions can use guilt,” jokes Rev. Sally G. Bingham, President and Founder, California Interfaith Power & Light. “Sometimes it works. But mostly our congregations that are cutting their energy use are doing it for the right reasons,” she says. “Fairly often a congregation will begin this process for money saving reasons, but also because they feel they are doing the right thing” Chris King, Chief Regulatory Officer, eMeter, says customers need better information. “There’s this strong desire for more information and ability to do something,” he says. “What they really want to know: How much energy does each of my appliances use?” It’s helpful to know that electricity consumption spiked when I plugged in my toaster, he says, but without comparing it to the total, the bigger picture is lost. A better solution is to give customers a monthly breakdown for electricity use by all appliances, which he says can be done with up to 90% accuracy using a combination of the smart meter and algorithms. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on July 22nd, 2011 no 56:44 Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council (6/16/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council


The fact that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is so readily embraced by progressives can conceal that his message is an inherently conservative one. Listen to Kennedy talk for an hour and you’ll hear the words “free market” invoked more often than in any Milton Friedman tome. “Show me a polluter, and I’ll show you a subsidy,” Kennedy is fond of saying, as he does here. The market is flawed, he says, by polluters who “make themselves rich by making everyone else poor” – externalizing their costs and internalizing the profits. Kennedy, Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council, was in San Francisco to promote The Last Mountain, a new film that features his efforts to end mountaintop removal coal mining in West Virginia. If dirty fuels were forced to cover their full costs, Kennedy says, not only could they not compete in the market, renewable energy would win. “Right now, we have a marketplace that is governed by rules that were written by the incumbents – coal, oil, and nukes – to reward the dirtiest, filthiest, most poisonous, most destructive, most vindictive fuels from hell, rather than the cheap, clean, green, wholesome, safe, and patriotic fuels from heaven,” he says, to the loudest applause of the night. How did we get here? “Our democracy is broken,” Kennedy argues, with a campaign finance system “which is a system of legalized bribery.” And the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision will only hasten the decline. “The Citizens United case is the end of civilization, the end of democracy, with a 100-year-old law that said corporations cannot contribute to federal political candidates or officeholders. The Supreme Court just wiped that out, and we have a tsunami of corporate wealth that is now flooding into the political process.” Even so, Kennedy remains optimistic. “We built, in this country, more wind and solar last year than all the incumbents combined. That is a critical milestone in the adaptation of disruptive technologies,” he says. “Nobody notices it because the other one is so dominant in the market.” This is going to happen with clean energy, he says, not because government tells it to, but because the market is going to drive it there. “We can produce electric cars that cost six cents a mile to drive over the life of the car versus an internal combustion car that costs 60 cents. How long can they maintain that?”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on June 16, 2011

]]> Mon, 20 Jun 2011 15:46:11 -0700 90BC81FD-25F3-4139-AECB-CBA2371F6FA8 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Progressives' acceptance of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. can conceal his inherently conservative message. The market is flawed, he says, by polluters who make themselves rich by making everyone else poor- externalizing their costs and internalizing the profits. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council The fact that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is so readily embraced by progressives can conceal that his message is an inherently conservative one. Listen to Kennedy talk for an hour and you’ll hear the words “free market” invoked more often than in any Milton Friedman tome. “Show me a polluter, and I’ll show you a subsidy,” Kennedy is fond of saying, as he does here. The market is flawed, he says, by polluters who “make themselves rich by making everyone else poor” – externalizing their costs and internalizing the profits. Kennedy, Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council, was in San Francisco to promote The Last Mountain, a new film that features his efforts to end mountaintop removal coal mining in West Virginia. If dirty fuels were forced to cover their full costs, Kennedy says, not only could they not compete in the market, renewable energy would win. “Right now, we have a marketplace that is governed by rules that were written by the incumbents – coal, oil, and nukes – to reward the dirtiest, filthiest, most poisonous, most destructive, most vindictive fuels from hell, rather than the cheap, clean, green, wholesome, safe, and patriotic fuels from heaven,” he says, to the loudest applause of the night. How did we get here? “Our democracy is broken,” Kennedy argues, with a campaign finance system “which is a system of legalized bribery.” And the U.S. Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision will only hasten the decline. “The Citizens United case is the end of civilization, the end of democracy, with a 100-year-old law that said corporations cannot contribute to federal political candidates or officeholders. The Supreme Court just wiped that out, and we have a tsunami of corporate wealth that is now flooding into the political process.” Even so, Kennedy remains optimistic. “We built, in this country, more wind and solar last year than all the incumbents combined. That is a critical milestone in the adaptation of disruptive technologies,” he says. “Nobody notices it because the other one is so dominant in the market.” This is going to happen with clean energy, he says, not because government tells it to, but because the market is going to drive it there. “We can produce electric cars that cost six cents a mile to drive over the life of the car versus an internal combustion car that costs 60 cents. How long can they maintain that?” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on June 16, 2011 no 1:07:34 Crops, Cattle and Carbon (6/14/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Crops, Cattle and Carbon


Cynthia Cory, Director of Environmental Affairs, California Farm Bureau Federation
Paul Martin, Director of Environmental Services, Western United Dairymen
Jeanne Merrill, California Climate Action Network
Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture


Making California’s farms more energy efficient, and ensuring that farmers can adapt to a warmer planet, will be a decades-long challenge, agrees this panel of experts gathered by Climate One. That a serious conversation on the linkages between agriculture and climate change even exists in California is largely thanks to passage of the state’s landmark climate change law, AB32. Cynthia Cory, Director of Environmental Affairs, California Farm Bureau Federation, says the way to sell this new reality to her members, most of them family farmers, is to focus on the bottom line. “What they think makes sense, is energy efficiency,” she says. Jeanne Merrill, Policy Director, California Climate and Agriculture Network, elaborates on what AB32 could mean for farmers. The proposed carbon trading system, currently under development by the California Air Resources Board, would enable a farm, she says, “to reduce its own emissions, voluntarily, by being part of the carbon market.” Still other opportunities await farmers. A cap-and-trade system would generate revenue, a portion of which, her organization argues, “should go for the key things that we need to assist California agriculture to remain viable when temperatures rise and water become more constrained.” Paul Martin, Director of Environmental Services, Western United Dairymen, says farmers should be guided by a three-legged stool of sustainability: ethical production, scientific and environmental responsibility, and economic performance. His distilled message: “We need organic food because people want it. We need grass-fed because people want it. We need natural because people want it. And we need conventional because people want that kind of food.” California’s new Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary, Karen Ross, is encouraged that food had finally entered the policy debate, and expresses optimism that young people will carry it forward. “There’s a renewed interest in where our food comes from, how it’s produced, and who is producing it.” She highlights the role of cities in shaping a more sustainable food policy. “It’s the real intersection of agriculture, food, health, and nutrition,” she gushes. “Cities are saying, ‘We can do something about this.’ It’s about identifying open plots for community gardens. It’s about making sure access to nutritious, locally grown food is available. It’s about understanding what it takes to help those farmers on the urban edge, or right in our local communities.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on June 14, 2011

]]> Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:45:13 -0700 196D67E1-5BD1-4DCD-8B2E-0E86923AF71E Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Making California’s farms more energy efficient, and ensuring that farmers can adapt to a warmer planet, will be a decades-long challenge, agrees this panel of experts gathered by Climate One. Crops, Cattle and Carbon Cynthia Cory, Director of Environmental Affairs, California Farm Bureau Federation Paul Martin, Director of Environmental Services, Western United Dairymen Jeanne Merrill, California Climate Action Network Karen Ross, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture Making California’s farms more energy efficient, and ensuring that farmers can adapt to a warmer planet, will be a decades-long challenge, agrees this panel of experts gathered by Climate One. That a serious conversation on the linkages between agriculture and climate change even exists in California is largely thanks to passage of the state’s landmark climate change law, AB32. Cynthia Cory, Director of Environmental Affairs, California Farm Bureau Federation, says the way to sell this new reality to her members, most of them family farmers, is to focus on the bottom line. “What they think makes sense, is energy efficiency,” she says. Jeanne Merrill, Policy Director, California Climate and Agriculture Network, elaborates on what AB32 could mean for farmers. The proposed carbon trading system, currently under development by the California Air Resources Board, would enable a farm, she says, “to reduce its own emissions, voluntarily, by being part of the carbon market.” Still other opportunities await farmers. A cap-and-trade system would generate revenue, a portion of which, her organization argues, “should go for the key things that we need to assist California agriculture to remain viable when temperatures rise and water become more constrained.” Paul Martin, Director of Environmental Services, Western United Dairymen, says farmers should be guided by a three-legged stool of sustainability: ethical production, scientific and environmental responsibility, and economic performance. His distilled message: “We need organic food because people want it. We need grass-fed because people want it. We need natural because people want it. And we need conventional because people want that kind of food.” California’s new Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary, Karen Ross, is encouraged that food had finally entered the policy debate, and expresses optimism that young people will carry it forward. “There’s a renewed interest in where our food comes from, how it’s produced, and who is producing it.” She highlights the role of cities in shaping a more sustainable food policy. “It’s the real intersection of agriculture, food, health, and nutrition,” she gushes. “Cities are saying, ‘We can do something about this.’ It’s about identifying open plots for community gardens. It’s about making sure access to nutritious, locally grown food is available. It’s about understanding what it takes to help those farmers on the urban edge, or right in our local communities.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on June 14, 2011 no 1:04:58 Salmon Odyssey (6/3/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Salmon Odyssey


Phil Isenberg, Chair, Delta Vision Task Force
James Norton, Filmmaker, Salmon: Running the Gauntlet
Jonathan Rosenfield, Ph.D., Conservation Biologist, The Bay Institute


In the post-World War II boom, previous generations prioritized cheap electricity and economic development over salmon. On the West Coast, huge dams blocked rivers and sprawl fragmented habitat. If wild salmon are to survive, in California and elsewhere, we must acknowledge that well-intentioned human ingenuity has failed and that tough choices wait, says this panel of experts.“We overestimated our ability to mitigate the impacts of that dam construction,” says James Norton, writer and producer of Salmon: Running the Gauntlet. Fish ladders, hatcheries, barging – all have been deployed in an attempt to work around Mother Nature. “It’s turned out to be much more complicated than that, and it’s never really worked,” he says. The complications don’t end there. In trying to sustain a commercial salmon fishery even as dams killed fish and sprawl chewed up habitat, salmon and fisherman both lost. The result: commercial fishing is “remnant industry,” Norton says, with 30,000 jobs lost on the West Coast in past 20 years. To Norton, the lessons of this troubled history are clear. “I’d get out of the business of managing complex ecosystems. We’ve learned, over the last 150 years, there’s no appropriate surrogate for the natural productivity of these systems. We’ve learned that abundance – true abundance – is the default condition of these places. It’s not something that we tease out of them by being really clever.”For Phil Isenberg, Chair, Delta Stewardship Council, it’s all about our establishing priorities. He notes that in California demands for water and ecosystems are on equal footing, which should work to the benefit of salmon. “We have fought since before WWII the question of whether the human use of water is always more important than anything else. At least in California, the answer is No, it’s not.” Jonathan Rosenfield, a conservation biologist with The Bay Institute, cautions against pitting salmon against people or jobs. “It doesn’t need to be framed in terms of either farmers in the Central Valley have water, or we have salmon.” We do, he says, need to heed the message sent by the salmon’s decline. “Salmon are a hardy, adaptable, incredibly creative species that have survived for millions of years, through several ice ages, in every watershed up and down this coast. The fact that we can’t maintain them in the system says that we have way, way overreached any semblance of balance between human use and what our ecosystems need.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on June 3rd, 2011

]]> Mon, 06 Jun 2011 16:38:06 -0700 DD1A70FD-8857-46F4-BD30-738C0E7EE33A Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One If wild salmon are to survive, in California and elsewhere, we must acknowledge that well-intentioned human ingenuity in the form of dam construction has failed. Tough choices await, says this panel of experts. Salmon Odyssey Phil Isenberg, Chair, Delta Vision Task Force James Norton, Filmmaker, Salmon: Running the Gauntlet Jonathan Rosenfield, Ph.D., Conservation Biologist, The Bay Institute In the post-World War II boom, previous generations prioritized cheap electricity and economic development over salmon. On the West Coast, huge dams blocked rivers and sprawl fragmented habitat. If wild salmon are to survive, in California and elsewhere, we must acknowledge that well-intentioned human ingenuity has failed and that tough choices wait, says this panel of experts.“We overestimated our ability to mitigate the impacts of that dam construction,” says James Norton, writer and producer of Salmon: Running the Gauntlet. Fish ladders, hatcheries, barging – all have been deployed in an attempt to work around Mother Nature. “It’s turned out to be much more complicated than that, and it’s never really worked,” he says. The complications don’t end there. In trying to sustain a commercial salmon fishery even as dams killed fish and sprawl chewed up habitat, salmon and fisherman both lost. The result: commercial fishing is “remnant industry,” Norton says, with 30,000 jobs lost on the West Coast in past 20 years. To Norton, the lessons of this troubled history are clear. “I’d get out of the business of managing complex ecosystems. We’ve learned, over the last 150 years, there’s no appropriate surrogate for the natural productivity of these systems. We’ve learned that abundance – true abundance – is the default condition of these places. It’s not something that we tease out of them by being really clever.”For Phil Isenberg, Chair, Delta Stewardship Council, it’s all about our establishing priorities. He notes that in California demands for water and ecosystems are on equal footing, which should work to the benefit of salmon. “We have fought since before WWII the question of whether the human use of water is always more important than anything else. At least in California, the answer is No, it’s not.” Jonathan Rosenfield, a conservation biologist with The Bay Institute, cautions against pitting salmon against people or jobs. “It doesn’t need to be framed in terms of either farmers in the Central Valley have water, or we have salmon.” We do, he says, need to heed the message sent by the salmon’s decline. “Salmon are a hardy, adaptable, incredibly creative species that have survived for millions of years, through several ice ages, in every watershed up and down this coast. The fact that we can’t maintain them in the system says that we have way, way overreached any semblance of balance between human use and what our ecosystems need.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on June 3rd, 2011 no 1:10:09 Sustainable Urbanism (5/25/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Sustainable Urbanism


Stuart Cohen, Executive Director, TransForm
Mike Ghielmetti, President, Signature Development Group
Ezra Rapport, Executive Director, Association of Bay Area Governments


Infill development is hard. Even in California, one of the few states to have given local officials guidance on how to plan for growth, building smart, sustainable projects close to transit is a challenge, says this panel of experts.“People say, ‘We can’t do enough infill.’ There are too many obstacles to doing it right,” says Stuart Cohen, Executive Director, TransForm. “But those are obstacles we have control of. I am hopeful for the future, but we need to create a vision for the future that people can believe in. Infill development, if done right – and it’s a big if – can actually enhance our communities.” Mike Ghielmetti, President, Signature Properties, a Bay Area developer, describes a process riddled with uncertainty and risk. Will city council members be in office and planning officials their jobs over the five to 10 years it may take to build a project? Who will pay for schools and parks? Does the project site contain historic buildings? Is the site contaminated? Despite the challenges, “We have to push this vision forward,” Ghielmetti says. “We have to figure out a way to accommodate growth, so that we can provide housing for all levels of society. We can provide for new jobs and economic vitality.” Realizing that California could not meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals under AB32 without tackling emissions from cars, lawmakers, in 2008, passed SB375. The law directly confronts emissions from transportation by forcing cities to plan for growth that reduces miles driven and clusters new development near existing transit and services. Ezra Rapport, Executive Director, Association of Bay Area Governments, says the process outlined in SB375 should help reduce uncertainty and insulate planning decisions from local political considerations. Under the law, 18 metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) will set regional 2020 and 2035 GHG reductions targets for cars. Each MPO will then prepare a Sustainable Communities Strategy that demonstrates how the region will meet its greenhouse gas reduction target. Rapport says those plans will remove some of the project-by-project uncertainty. “The election cycle is obviously paramount in all politicians’ minds,” he says. “But when they’re sitting on the city council, talking about the plan for growth that will take place over the next 10 to 20 years, they’re not really challenged in their election cycles by those decisions.” “In my point of view, if a project is properly planned, and it has community buy-in, and it’s continually refreshed, you will get support,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 25th, 2011

]]> Tue, 31 May 2011 16:08:06 -0700 6E4C7817-4E5A-44F5-87DE-E3BFFC3C5EEB Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Infill development is hard. Even in California, one of the few states to have given local officials guidance on how to plan for growth, building smart, sustainable projects close to transit is a challenge, says this panel of experts. Sustainable Urbanism Stuart Cohen, Executive Director, TransForm Mike Ghielmetti, President, Signature Development Group Ezra Rapport, Executive Director, Association of Bay Area Governments Infill development is hard. Even in California, one of the few states to have given local officials guidance on how to plan for growth, building smart, sustainable projects close to transit is a challenge, says this panel of experts.“People say, ‘We can’t do enough infill.’ There are too many obstacles to doing it right,” says Stuart Cohen, Executive Director, TransForm. “But those are obstacles we have control of. I am hopeful for the future, but we need to create a vision for the future that people can believe in. Infill development, if done right – and it’s a big if – can actually enhance our communities.” Mike Ghielmetti, President, Signature Properties, a Bay Area developer, describes a process riddled with uncertainty and risk. Will city council members be in office and planning officials their jobs over the five to 10 years it may take to build a project? Who will pay for schools and parks? Does the project site contain historic buildings? Is the site contaminated? Despite the challenges, “We have to push this vision forward,” Ghielmetti says. “We have to figure out a way to accommodate growth, so that we can provide housing for all levels of society. We can provide for new jobs and economic vitality.” Realizing that California could not meet its greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals under AB32 without tackling emissions from cars, lawmakers, in 2008, passed SB375. The law directly confronts emissions from transportation by forcing cities to plan for growth that reduces miles driven and clusters new development near existing transit and services. Ezra Rapport, Executive Director, Association of Bay Area Governments, says the process outlined in SB375 should help reduce uncertainty and insulate planning decisions from local political considerations. Under the law, 18 metropolitan planning organizations (MPO) will set regional 2020 and 2035 GHG reductions targets for cars. Each MPO will then prepare a Sustainable Communities Strategy that demonstrates how the region will meet its greenhouse gas reduction target. Rapport says those plans will remove some of the project-by-project uncertainty. “The election cycle is obviously paramount in all politicians’ minds,” he says. “But when they’re sitting on the city council, talking about the plan for growth that will take place over the next 10 to 20 years, they’re not really challenged in their election cycles by those decisions.” “In my point of view, if a project is properly planned, and it has community buy-in, and it’s continually refreshed, you will get support,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 25th, 2011 no 1:02:45 Peter Calthorpe, Founder, Calthorpe Associates; Author, Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change (5/25/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Peter Calthorpe, Founder, Calthorpe Associates; Author, Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change

It’s a love story gone horribly wrong. Big cars, ever-bigger homes, distant suburbs – all of it kept afloat by cheap oil. If this American arrangement ever made sense, it certainly doesn’t now, Peter Calthorpe says. Tragically, we’re perpetuating this failed system in much of the country, ignoring a cheaper, greener alternative: urbanism. “It’s better than free,” says Calthorpe, founder of Calthorpe Associates and author of Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. “It costs less money to build smart, walkable, transit-oriented communities than it does to build sprawl. It takes up less land, it uses less energy, it uses less infrastructure, less roads … less of everything.” For Calthorpe, the ruptured housing bubble revealed a broken system but offers a chance to rethink how we build. “The real estate recession was a sign not just of perverse bank financing,” he says, “it was also a manifestation that we’d been building too much of the wrong stuff for too long, specifically large-lot, single-family subdivisions.” Why did we overbuild? “Habit and inertia,” Calthorpe says. “There’s tremendous institutional inertia” – banks, homebuilders, and zoning. “We have land-use maps that dictate low density in many areas and single use in most areas.” Calthorpe dismisses the notion that every American yearns for a piece of suburbia. Households with kids represent just 24 percent of the total, he says. The rest – singles, empty nesters, young couples – have different needs. “There are a whole range of needs out there and lifestyles that the one-size-fits-all subdivision just doesn’t satisfy,” he says. Calthorpe gives an example from his firm’s work, Stapleton, the nation’s largest redevelopment project. There, 12,000 units are going up on 4,500 acres – four times the density of the typical suburb – at the site of Denver’s old airport. “People spend more dollars per square foot for a smaller house and a smaller lot,” Calthorpe says, “but it’s in a walkable community; they’re willing to make that trade.”Change will require hard choices. Calthorpe challenges environmentalists to accept that infill alone won’t be able to meet the demand for housing; in some areas, projects cited near transit, for instance, building on greenfields may be necessary. We must also be willing to partner with developers. Development can help pay for a lot of the things we need, Calthorpe says: levees, transit extensions, flood control projects, parks, open space, and schools. “Quite frankly, the Bay Area should be thankful that we have the growth to deal with because it’s what we can use to repair so much of what we’ve misdesigned,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 25th, 2011

]]> Tue, 31 May 2011 16:06:04 -0700 8E3BE5C8-1907-4607-B134-3D1ED404F1D8 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One It’s a love story gone horribly wrong. Big cars, ever-bigger homes, distant suburbs – all of it kept afloat by cheap oil. If this American arrangement ever made sense, it certainly doesn’t now, Peter Calthorpe says. Peter Calthorpe, Founder, Calthorpe Associates; Author, Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change It’s a love story gone horribly wrong. Big cars, ever-bigger homes, distant suburbs – all of it kept afloat by cheap oil. If this American arrangement ever made sense, it certainly doesn’t now, Peter Calthorpe says. Tragically, we’re perpetuating this failed system in much of the country, ignoring a cheaper, greener alternative: urbanism. “It’s better than free,” says Calthorpe, founder of Calthorpe Associates and author of Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change. “It costs less money to build smart, walkable, transit-oriented communities than it does to build sprawl. It takes up less land, it uses less energy, it uses less infrastructure, less roads … less of everything.” For Calthorpe, the ruptured housing bubble revealed a broken system but offers a chance to rethink how we build. “The real estate recession was a sign not just of perverse bank financing,” he says, “it was also a manifestation that we’d been building too much of the wrong stuff for too long, specifically large-lot, single-family subdivisions.” Why did we overbuild? “Habit and inertia,” Calthorpe says. “There’s tremendous institutional inertia” – banks, homebuilders, and zoning. “We have land-use maps that dictate low density in many areas and single use in most areas.” Calthorpe dismisses the notion that every American yearns for a piece of suburbia. Households with kids represent just 24 percent of the total, he says. The rest – singles, empty nesters, young couples – have different needs. “There are a whole range of needs out there and lifestyles that the one-size-fits-all subdivision just doesn’t satisfy,” he says. Calthorpe gives an example from his firm’s work, Stapleton, the nation’s largest redevelopment project. There, 12,000 units are going up on 4,500 acres – four times the density of the typical suburb – at the site of Denver’s old airport. “People spend more dollars per square foot for a smaller house and a smaller lot,” Calthorpe says, “but it’s in a walkable community; they’re willing to make that trade.”Change will require hard choices. Calthorpe challenges environmentalists to accept that infill alone won’t be able to meet the demand for housing; in some areas, projects cited near transit, for instance, building on greenfields may be necessary. We must also be willing to partner with developers. Development can help pay for a lot of the things we need, Calthorpe says: levees, transit extensions, flood control projects, parks, open space, and schools. “Quite frankly, the Bay Area should be thankful that we have the growth to deal with because it’s what we can use to repair so much of what we’ve misdesigned,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 25th, 2011 no 1:02:12 Edward Humes: Wal-Mart; Force of Nature or Greenwashing? (5/16/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Wal-Mart: Force of Nature or Greenwashing?


Edward Humes, Author, Force of Nature


Greg Dalton, Vice President of Special Projects, The Commonwealth Club; Founder, Climate One - Moderator


Wal-Mart is not a sustainable company, says author Edward Humes. But the mega-retailer is making money by investing in sustainability. The story of how Wal-Mart made the pivot toward green is well told by Humes, author of Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Mart’s Green Revolution. The unlikely hero is Jib Ellison, an elite river guide-turned sustainability consultant. Through connections, Ellison wrangled a meeting with then-Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott. Ellison’s message for Scott: Wal-Mart’s practices are riddled with waste and it’s costing you money. The retort: Prove it. A series of early successes won over Scott and, it’s not a stretch to say, changed the direction of the company. Wal-Mart added auxiliary generators to its 7,000-truck fleet. Fuel savings netted the company hundreds of millions of dollars. Next, someone suggested that a toymaker reduce the size of the box holding a toy truck. One year, and 497 avoided shipping containers later, Wal-Mart had saved $2.5 million on fuel and materials. “That was an early proof of concept that doing something that was lowering the footprint and more sustainable – baby steps, obviously – had a big return,” he says. Executives now asked, “‘What if we go across all of our products and start looking for those kinds of opportunities,’” says Humes. “And it began to snowball. It stopped being a hippy proposition that some river guide came up with, and started being more of a no-brainer business proposition.” When Climate One’s Greg Dalton asks the inevitable question about greenwashing, Humes is ready. “It sounds like we’re up here singing Wal-Mart’s praises.” But, he goes on, “this isn’t a chorus of ‘Wal-Mart is fabulous.’ It’s a very specific change in the way they’ve decided to do business, which is to try and be more sustainable because it makes economic sense to do so.” Humes credits Lee Scott and Wal-Mart for giving peers cover to follow their lead. “They made it safe for other companies to have the same conversation about sustainability because they’ve shown maybe it’s not so crazy and risky after all. I think they are a large reason why sustainability is even a word that big businesses talk about.” For Humes, the stakes are too high to quibble over Wal-Mart’s motivations. “I think they’ve been pretty careful about saying, ‘We’re not a green company.’ They never will be a green company. They’re an out-sourced, big-box retailer that wants you to buy ever-more amounts of stuff,” he says. But “if you’re driving 60 miles-an-hour towards oblivion and slow the car down to 20 miles-an-hour, is that a good thing? I think it is.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 16th, 2011

]]> Wed, 18 May 2011 15:50:21 -0700 DDB52FFE-1479-4107-AEEF-ACEC8C0895D6 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Wal-Mart isn't a sustainable company, says author Edward Humes, but the mega-retailer is investing in sustainability. Humes, author of Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Mart’s Green Revolution, describes Wal-Mart's pivot toward green. Wal-Mart: Force of Nature or Greenwashing? Edward Humes, Author, Force of Nature Greg Dalton, Vice President of Special Projects, The Commonwealth Club; Founder, Climate One - Moderator Wal-Mart is not a sustainable company, says author Edward Humes. But the mega-retailer is making money by investing in sustainability. The story of how Wal-Mart made the pivot toward green is well told by Humes, author of Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Mart’s Green Revolution. The unlikely hero is Jib Ellison, an elite river guide-turned sustainability consultant. Through connections, Ellison wrangled a meeting with then-Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott. Ellison’s message for Scott: Wal-Mart’s practices are riddled with waste and it’s costing you money. The retort: Prove it. A series of early successes won over Scott and, it’s not a stretch to say, changed the direction of the company. Wal-Mart added auxiliary generators to its 7,000-truck fleet. Fuel savings netted the company hundreds of millions of dollars. Next, someone suggested that a toymaker reduce the size of the box holding a toy truck. One year, and 497 avoided shipping containers later, Wal-Mart had saved $2.5 million on fuel and materials. “That was an early proof of concept that doing something that was lowering the footprint and more sustainable – baby steps, obviously – had a big return,” he says. Executives now asked, “‘What if we go across all of our products and start looking for those kinds of opportunities,’” says Humes. “And it began to snowball. It stopped being a hippy proposition that some river guide came up with, and started being more of a no-brainer business proposition.” When Climate One’s Greg Dalton asks the inevitable question about greenwashing, Humes is ready. “It sounds like we’re up here singing Wal-Mart’s praises.” But, he goes on, “this isn’t a chorus of ‘Wal-Mart is fabulous.’ It’s a very specific change in the way they’ve decided to do business, which is to try and be more sustainable because it makes economic sense to do so.” Humes credits Lee Scott and Wal-Mart for giving peers cover to follow their lead. “They made it safe for other companies to have the same conversation about sustainability because they’ve shown maybe it’s not so crazy and risky after all. I think they are a large reason why sustainability is even a word that big businesses talk about.” For Humes, the stakes are too high to quibble over Wal-Mart’s motivations. “I think they’ve been pretty careful about saying, ‘We’re not a green company.’ They never will be a green company. They’re an out-sourced, big-box retailer that wants you to buy ever-more amounts of stuff,” he says. But “if you’re driving 60 miles-an-hour towards oblivion and slow the car down to 20 miles-an-hour, is that a good thing? I think it is.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 16th, 2011 no 1:04:45 Charge It (5/12/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Charge It?


Rob Bearman, Director, Global Alliances, Utilities and Energy, Better Place
Mike DiNucci, VP of Strategic Accounts, Coulomb Technologies
Jay Friedland, Legislative Director, Plug In America
Jonathan Read, CEO, ECOtality


Consumers are ready for electric vehicles. Entrepreneurs and policymakers just need to hustle to work out the kinks in the nationwide networks that will charge the cars, says this panel of experts assembled at Climate One. Automakers see a chance to free their customers from expensive oil, says Mike DiNucci, VP of Strategic Accounts, Coulomb Technologies: “Car companies see a golden opportunity to re-set that paradigm, and become more sustainably connected to their customers.” One company working to re-set the driving experience is Better Place, which plans to sells consumers miles through a network of charging and battery-swapping stations. “Better Place’s philosophy is we sell miles. The customer, the driver, should never have to think about kilowatt-hours. They should never have to plan, or have a timer at their charge spot,” says Rob Bearman, Director, Global Energy Alliance. Jonathan Read, CEO, ECOtality, says his company is working with utilities to develop real-time charging rates as low as $0.05 or $0.06 per kilowatt-hour during off-peak evening hours. “We’re always going to be competing between two minds: home charging and the price of gas. The consumer is always going to be making value judgments in between there. It’s our job as private-sector entrepreneurs to figure what is the tipping point” – at what point will consumers ditch gas cars for electricity, and how will they decide whether to charge in public or at home. Jay Friedland, Legislative Director, Plug In America, who has driven an electric Toyota RAV4 for a decade, says he’s confident consumers will get the price signals. He pays the equivalent of $0.75 per gallon to drive his EV, he says, cheaper than a gas-powered car by a factor of five in California, where gas is averaging over $4 per gallon. “EVs consumers will certainly get the pricing signal that comes from the utility, which is: If I get a bill, and my bill is high because I’ve been charging during the day time, and I know I can get cheap electricity at night, I’m going to go with the cheap electricity,” he says. Friedland and Rob Bearman both emphasize that EVs aren’t just cleaner and cheaper to drive; they are an important part of what Friedland calls a “virtuous cycle” – all-electric cars powered by renewable energy, stored and distributed, in part, by batteries. “Electric vehicles have the promise of taking cars off oil, and electric vehicle batteries have the promise of making the grid more renewable. As far as a cleantech solution that spans a lot of sectors in the cleantech industry, electric vehicles are really powerful,” says Rob Bearman.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 12th, 2011

]]> Mon, 16 May 2011 16:05:30 -0700 DEB4D445-9C8C-4640-B518-E7203FC11D1D Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Consumers are ready for electric vehicles. Entrepreneurs and policymakers just need to hustle to work out the kinks in the nationwide networks that will charge the cars, says this panel of experts assembled at Climate One. Charge It? Rob Bearman, Director, Global Alliances, Utilities and Energy, Better Place Mike DiNucci, VP of Strategic Accounts, Coulomb Technologies Jay Friedland, Legislative Director, Plug In America Jonathan Read, CEO, ECOtality Consumers are ready for electric vehicles. Entrepreneurs and policymakers just need to hustle to work out the kinks in the nationwide networks that will charge the cars, says this panel of experts assembled at Climate One. Automakers see a chance to free their customers from expensive oil, says Mike DiNucci, VP of Strategic Accounts, Coulomb Technologies: “Car companies see a golden opportunity to re-set that paradigm, and become more sustainably connected to their customers.” One company working to re-set the driving experience is Better Place, which plans to sells consumers miles through a network of charging and battery-swapping stations. “Better Place’s philosophy is we sell miles. The customer, the driver, should never have to think about kilowatt-hours. They should never have to plan, or have a timer at their charge spot,” says Rob Bearman, Director, Global Energy Alliance. Jonathan Read, CEO, ECOtality, says his company is working with utilities to develop real-time charging rates as low as $0.05 or $0.06 per kilowatt-hour during off-peak evening hours. “We’re always going to be competing between two minds: home charging and the price of gas. The consumer is always going to be making value judgments in between there. It’s our job as private-sector entrepreneurs to figure what is the tipping point” – at what point will consumers ditch gas cars for electricity, and how will they decide whether to charge in public or at home. Jay Friedland, Legislative Director, Plug In America, who has driven an electric Toyota RAV4 for a decade, says he’s confident consumers will get the price signals. He pays the equivalent of $0.75 per gallon to drive his EV, he says, cheaper than a gas-powered car by a factor of five in California, where gas is averaging over $4 per gallon. “EVs consumers will certainly get the pricing signal that comes from the utility, which is: If I get a bill, and my bill is high because I’ve been charging during the day time, and I know I can get cheap electricity at night, I’m going to go with the cheap electricity,” he says. Friedland and Rob Bearman both emphasize that EVs aren’t just cleaner and cheaper to drive; they are an important part of what Friedland calls a “virtuous cycle” – all-electric cars powered by renewable energy, stored and distributed, in part, by batteries. “Electric vehicles have the promise of taking cars off oil, and electric vehicle batteries have the promise of making the grid more renewable. As far as a cleantech solution that spans a lot of sectors in the cleantech industry, electric vehicles are really powerful,” says Rob Bearman. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 12th, 2011 no 1:08:55 Pole Position (5/12/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Pole Position

Forrest Beanum, Vice President of Government Relations, Coda Automotive
Oliver Kuttner, CEO, Edison2
Bill Reinert, National Manager, Toyota
Michael Robinson, VP for Environment, Energy and Safety Policy, General Motors
Dan Sperling, Member, California Air Resources Board; Professor, UC Davis

Fifteen years have passed since a major automaker has attempted to market an electric vehicle. Within five years, rare will be the auto showroom that lacks one. But before EVs dominate the market, industry, policymakers, and consumers will have to grapple with some unresolved questions, says this panel of industry giants and start-ups. Those questions are a primary reason why “in pure electric cars, there’s very little first-mover advantage,” says Bill Reinert, National Manager, Toyota, “when you’re out there trying to figure out where the infrastructure’s going to go, and how the tow service works, and what happens when the charger doesn’t charge your car.” Dan Sperling, member, California Air Resources Board, disagrees that carmakers should avoid positioning themselves as a leader in the EV race. Yes, there are technology and scaling challenges, he says, but being first “does create a hallo for the entire company, which Toyota understands better than anyone – what the Prius did.” Michael Robinson, VP for Environment, Energy and Safety Policy, General Motors, is coming to see the benefit of that green hallo. His company has sold 2,000 units of its extended-range electric car, the Chevy Volt, since it went on sale in late 2010. Half of those sales have come in California, Robinson says, and 90% of total sales have been to Prius owners. Oliver Kuttner, CEO, Edison2, says carmakers need to figure out how to design electric cars to be lighter and more efficient. “If we were to re-think the way a car is built, and built the car in a more efficient way, like an airplane,” you could downsize the battery – the most expensive piece of an EV, costing upwards of $10,000 to $15,000 per car. During the Q&A, an audience member asks if automakers might be underestimating the demand for EVs. “Absolutely,” responded Forrest Beanum, Vice President of Government Relations, Coda Automotive. He cites Coda’s reading of independent studies finding that 40% of consumers want to own or drive an electric vehicle. What might make the difference this time is that carmakers appear to want EVs to succeed. It might seem counterintuitive, says GM’s Michael Robinson, but “we’re actually pulling for one another to be successful. We want the technology to be successful.” Dan Sperling agrees. “We’re way ahead of the regulatory process. We’re way ahead of the market process. Standardization issues are a challenge. This is a big adventure – and hugely important. We have to make this successful,” he says.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 12th, 2011

]]> Mon, 16 May 2011 15:02:46 -0700 86679E5B-9950-47F1-8E0A-EA4C96E588E7 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Before electric vehicles dominate the market, industry, policymakers, and consumers will have to grapple with some unresolved questions, says this panel of industry giants and start-ups. Pole Position Forrest Beanum, Vice President of Government Relations, Coda Automotive Oliver Kuttner, CEO, Edison2 Bill Reinert, National Manager, Toyota Michael Robinson, VP for Environment, Energy and Safety Policy, General Motors Dan Sperling, Member, California Air Resources Board; Professor, UC Davis Fifteen years have passed since a major automaker has attempted to market an electric vehicle. Within five years, rare will be the auto showroom that lacks one. But before EVs dominate the market, industry, policymakers, and consumers will have to grapple with some unresolved questions, says this panel of industry giants and start-ups. Those questions are a primary reason why “in pure electric cars, there’s very little first-mover advantage,” says Bill Reinert, National Manager, Toyota, “when you’re out there trying to figure out where the infrastructure’s going to go, and how the tow service works, and what happens when the charger doesn’t charge your car.” Dan Sperling, member, California Air Resources Board, disagrees that carmakers should avoid positioning themselves as a leader in the EV race. Yes, there are technology and scaling challenges, he says, but being first “does create a hallo for the entire company, which Toyota understands better than anyone – what the Prius did.” Michael Robinson, VP for Environment, Energy and Safety Policy, General Motors, is coming to see the benefit of that green hallo. His company has sold 2,000 units of its extended-range electric car, the Chevy Volt, since it went on sale in late 2010. Half of those sales have come in California, Robinson says, and 90% of total sales have been to Prius owners. Oliver Kuttner, CEO, Edison2, says carmakers need to figure out how to design electric cars to be lighter and more efficient. “If we were to re-think the way a car is built, and built the car in a more efficient way, like an airplane,” you could downsize the battery – the most expensive piece of an EV, costing upwards of $10,000 to $15,000 per car. During the Q&A, an audience member asks if automakers might be underestimating the demand for EVs. “Absolutely,” responded Forrest Beanum, Vice President of Government Relations, Coda Automotive. He cites Coda’s reading of independent studies finding that 40% of consumers want to own or drive an electric vehicle. What might make the difference this time is that carmakers appear to want EVs to succeed. It might seem counterintuitive, says GM’s Michael Robinson, but “we’re actually pulling for one another to be successful. We want the technology to be successful.” Dan Sperling agrees. “We’re way ahead of the regulatory process. We’re way ahead of the market process. Standardization issues are a challenge. This is a big adventure – and hugely important. We have to make this successful,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on May 12th, 2011 no 1:08:47 Dr. Tim Flannery: A Natural History of the Planet (5/4/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Tim Flannery

Professor of Science, Maquarie University; Chair, Copenhagen Climate Council; Author, Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet


Greg Dalton, Vice President of Special Projects, The Commonwealth Club; Founder, Climate One - Moderator


Tim Flannery doesn’t do pessimism. Flannery explains the source of his optimism, a major theme of his new book, Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet, in this Climate One conversation at the Hoover Theatre, in San Jose. It stems from what he says is a popular misunderstanding of what natural selection actually is. “This is not a ‘survival of the fittest world,’” he says, referring to the phrase used as shorthand for Darwin’s perceived worldview. “This is a world where evolution has spawned extraordinary interrelationships, interactions, and co-evolutionary outcomes.” Over the last 10,000 years humanity has built what Flannery describes as a “super-organism” – a level of organization similar to that of ants, termites, or bees. And the glue that holds the super-organism together is the division of labor, interdependence. “That means,” says Flannery, “that the survival of the super-organism becomes all-important to us. We can’t afford to back up the planet.” And as “we form this one great super-organism, where we are all interconnected, we gain the capacity to deal with environmental challenges.” And for the biggest environmental challenge of all, climate change, Flannery sees reason for hope where others despair. Take COP15, the momentous United Nations climate change conference convened in Copenhagen in December 2009. Conventional wisdom holds that COP15 was a failure. Flannery disagrees. “I think it is self-evident it wasn’t a failure,” he says. The meeting was the setting for the largest-ever gathering of heads of state. Countries accounting for 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions made reduction pledges. Flannery sees progress across the map. China is a global leader in wind and solar energy, and is preparing to launch regional carbon cap-and-trade systems. India has enacted a small tax on coal and recently launched an aggressive energy efficiency trading scheme. South Korea is spending 2% of GDP on green growth. The European Union raised its 2020 emissions reduction target from 20% to a minimum of 25%. The United States is halfway to reaching its goal of reducing emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020. “The job now for us,” Flannery says, “is to knuckle down and make sure that our countries carry their fair share of the burden. We need to have hope. We need look at things over the right time scale. And we need to re-gather the energy that’s required to carry this further.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Historic Hoover Theatre in San Jose, CA on May 4th, 2011

]]> Mon, 09 May 2011 15:03:42 -0700 F32D1E63-E722-4232-994F-847CE8386308 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Tim Flannery doesn’t do pessimism. Flannery explains the source of his optimism, a major theme of his new book, Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet, in this Climate One conversation at the Hoover Theatre, in San Jose. Tim Flannery Professor of Science, Maquarie University; Chair, Copenhagen Climate Council; Author, Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet Greg Dalton, Vice President of Special Projects, The Commonwealth Club; Founder, Climate One - Moderator Tim Flannery doesn’t do pessimism. Flannery explains the source of his optimism, a major theme of his new book, Here on Earth: A Natural History of the Planet, in this Climate One conversation at the Hoover Theatre, in San Jose. It stems from what he says is a popular misunderstanding of what natural selection actually is. “This is not a ‘survival of the fittest world,’” he says, referring to the phrase used as shorthand for Darwin’s perceived worldview. “This is a world where evolution has spawned extraordinary interrelationships, interactions, and co-evolutionary outcomes.” Over the last 10,000 years humanity has built what Flannery describes as a “super-organism” – a level of organization similar to that of ants, termites, or bees. And the glue that holds the super-organism together is the division of labor, interdependence. “That means,” says Flannery, “that the survival of the super-organism becomes all-important to us. We can’t afford to back up the planet.” And as “we form this one great super-organism, where we are all interconnected, we gain the capacity to deal with environmental challenges.” And for the biggest environmental challenge of all, climate change, Flannery sees reason for hope where others despair. Take COP15, the momentous United Nations climate change conference convened in Copenhagen in December 2009. Conventional wisdom holds that COP15 was a failure. Flannery disagrees. “I think it is self-evident it wasn’t a failure,” he says. The meeting was the setting for the largest-ever gathering of heads of state. Countries accounting for 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions made reduction pledges. Flannery sees progress across the map. China is a global leader in wind and solar energy, and is preparing to launch regional carbon cap-and-trade systems. India has enacted a small tax on coal and recently launched an aggressive energy efficiency trading scheme. South Korea is spending 2% of GDP on green growth. The European Union raised its 2020 emissions reduction target from 20% to a minimum of 25%. The United States is halfway to reaching its goal of reducing emissions 17% below 2005 levels by 2020. “The job now for us,” Flannery says, “is to knuckle down and make sure that our countries carry their fair share of the burden. We need to have hope. We need look at things over the right time scale. And we need to re-gather the energy that’s required to carry this further.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Historic Hoover Theatre in San Jose, CA on May 4th, 2011 no 1:01:32 Senator Dianne Feinstein, Member, United States Senate (D-CA) (4/27/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Senator Dianne Feinstein, Member, United States Senate (D-CA)

In conversation with Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One at The Commonwealth Club

In this Climate One conversation at the Mark Hopkins Hotel, in San Francisco, Senator Dianne Feinstein touches on some longtime pursuits – national security experience and protecting the California desert from development. She also pledges to investigate the safety of the US nuclear fleet, protect children from toxins, and continue to shield California’s coastline from oil drilling. Feinstein is clear that clean energy is California’s future. “Energy is the largest source of new jobs for this state,” she says, citing an estimate placing the number at 100,000 additional jobs. Those new energy jobs – such as building large solar thermal power plants – should not be located, however, in the state’s undeveloped desert. “There is plenty of land in the desert that is disturbed that can be used. I think all of these [solar] companies are essentially finding other places to build, where there is no real environmental challenge to things that are endangered like desert tortoises,” says Feinstein. A trickier problem, especially in the wake of the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear complex, is how to ensure the safety of, and store spent fuel from, America’s nuclear reactors. Insufficient attention has been paid to the full nuclear fuel cycle, Feinstein says. “I believe very strongly that we need either regional or centralized nuclear fuel storage. It’s asking for trouble to keep hot rods in spent pools for decades and dry casks right along the side of nuclear reactors. I think they should be moved right away.” She also pledges quick action on plant safety. “I’m going to try to push as far and as fast as I can push to see that we really take a good look, a real examination, of all the facilities,” says Feinstein. Feinstein warns against the danger posed by exposure to chemicals, especially for infants. Of particular concern is Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor, which, she says, is added to the inside of canned goods and baby bottles. “I become very interested in chemicals that are added that we know very little about,” says Feinstein. Though a proponent of greater energy efficiency (in the Q&A, Feinstein cites her decades-long quest to boost fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles as her proudest Senate achievement) Feinstein says now is not the time to raise the gas tax. “I’d go slowly on that. We have very long commutes for workers in this state,” she says. “This is not the time, when gasoline is this high, with the nation trying to pull itself out of recession. We need to keep gasoline below the $4 mark right now,” Feinstein says. She blamed speculators for the high prices: “Demand is down, and supply is even – so what can it be?” She reaffirms that oil companies should not look to California’s coast for additional supply. “The people of California have spoken through initiative. They don’t want oil drilling off the coast.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 27, 2011

]]> Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:09:40 -0700 B7C1FB34-541C-407C-AD27-4D3CDBB3BAB5 Commonwealth Club of California In this Climate One conversation at the Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco, Senator Dianne Feinstein touches on some longtime pursuits – national security experience and protecting the California desert from development. Senator Dianne Feinstein, Member, United States Senate (D-CA) in conversation with Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One at The Commonwealth Club In this Climate One conversation at the Mark Hopkins Hotel, in San Francisco, Senator Dianne Feinstein touches on some longtime pursuits – national security experience and protecting the California desert from development. She also pledges to investigate the safety of the US nuclear fleet, protect children from toxins, and continue to shield California’s coastline from oil drilling. Feinstein is clear that clean energy is California’s future. “Energy is the largest source of new jobs for this state,” she says, citing an estimate placing the number at 100,000 additional jobs. Those new energy jobs – such as building large solar thermal power plants – should not be located, however, in the state’s undeveloped desert. “There is plenty of land in the desert that is disturbed that can be used. I think all of these [solar] companies are essentially finding other places to build, where there is no real environmental challenge to things that are endangered like desert tortoises,” says Feinstein. A trickier problem, especially in the wake of the disaster at the Fukushima nuclear complex, is how to ensure the safety of, and store spent fuel from, America’s nuclear reactors. Insufficient attention has been paid to the full nuclear fuel cycle, Feinstein says. “I believe very strongly that we need either regional or centralized nuclear fuel storage. It’s asking for trouble to keep hot rods in spent pools for decades and dry casks right along the side of nuclear reactors. I think they should be moved right away.” She also pledges quick action on plant safety. “I’m going to try to push as far and as fast as I can push to see that we really take a good look, a real examination, of all the facilities,” says Feinstein. Feinstein warns against the danger posed by exposure to chemicals, especially for infants. Of particular concern is Bisphenol A (BPA), a known endocrine disruptor, which, she says, is added to the inside of canned goods and baby bottles. “I become very interested in chemicals that are added that we know very little about,” says Feinstein. Though a proponent of greater energy efficiency (in the Q&A, Feinstein cites her decades-long quest to boost fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles as her proudest Senate achievement) Feinstein says now is not the time to raise the gas tax. “I’d go slowly on that. We have very long commutes for workers in this state,” she says. “This is not the time, when gasoline is this high, with the nation trying to pull itself out of recession. We need to keep gasoline below the $4 mark right now,” Feinstein says. She blamed speculators for the high prices: “Demand is down, and supply is even – so what can it be?” She reaffirms that oil companies should not look to California’s coast for additional supply. “The people of California have spoken through initiative. They don’t want oil drilling off the coast.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 27, 2011 no 1:04:13 Measure What? (4/15/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Measure What?


Michel Gelobter, Chief Green Officer, Hara
Eric Olson, Senior Vice President, Advisory Services, BSR
Glen Low, Principal, Blu Skye


Forward-thinking companies are coming to realize that sustainability isn’t just good for their bottom lines; it makes it easier to win over customers and compete in the market, say three corporate greening experts. As new tools such as carbon accounting software become more sophisticated and widely adopted, the panelists say, benefits will accrue not only to more efficient companies but to customers better able to trust companies’ green claims. First, says Eric Olson, Senior Vice President, Business for Social Responsibility, companies need to figure out whether they should they be listening to their customers, or leading them. Olson leans toward the latter. “There is a school of thought that says what we are talking about is so complex that what consumers want is for us to solve the problem for them,” he says. “They’re not going to sit down and ask for fair trade coffee – they don’t even know what that is. But they do know that they want a product that doesn’t have practices behind it that they wouldn’t believe in,” he adds. In a relatively recent shift, companies aren’t making green strides just because regulators forced them to. “Sustainability leadership about five years ago was very compliance oriented. Sustainability leadership today is about competitive advantage. It’s about innovation,” says Glen Low, Principal, Blu Skye, a sustainability consultancy. In a rapidly changing landscape, smart companies that pivot toward efficiency now, be they small firms or industry giants, will be big winners, says Michel Gelobter, Chief Green Officer, Hara.“There are a lot of companies, like a Wal-Mart, that are taking pretty aggressive actions right now,” he says. “The biggest value of scale is the size of the bets that you can win. The best use of large capital is winning big-risk bets. There’s a history of very big industries emerging from these kinds of pivotal moments.” Sustainability represents one of those pivotal moments, he says. All the positioning among agile companies looking to gain a green edge has led to a relatively new development, says Eric Olson: companies influencing policy in a progressive direction. These companies, Olson says, are clamoring for Congress to act, by stating: “We need a level playing field. We need incentives. We need long-term, predictable signals around the cost of energy sources in order to be as competitive as we should be.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 15th, 2011

]]> Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:01:37 -0700 EE5F12E4-DBA7-481A-9C2F-B98D092FE865 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Forward-thinking companies are coming to realize that sustainability isn’t just good for their bottom lines; it makes it easier to win over customers and compete in the market, say Michel Gelobter of Hara, Eric Olson of BSR, and Glen Low of Blu Skye. Measure What? Michel Gelobter, Chief Green Officer, Hara Eric Olson, Senior Vice President, Advisory Services, BSR Glen Low, Principal, Blu Skye Forward-thinking companies are coming to realize that sustainability isn’t just good for their bottom lines; it makes it easier to win over customers and compete in the market, say three corporate greening experts. As new tools such as carbon accounting software become more sophisticated and widely adopted, the panelists say, benefits will accrue not only to more efficient companies but to customers better able to trust companies’ green claims. First, says Eric Olson, Senior Vice President, Business for Social Responsibility, companies need to figure out whether they should they be listening to their customers, or leading them. Olson leans toward the latter. “There is a school of thought that says what we are talking about is so complex that what consumers want is for us to solve the problem for them,” he says. “They’re not going to sit down and ask for fair trade coffee – they don’t even know what that is. But they do know that they want a product that doesn’t have practices behind it that they wouldn’t believe in,” he adds. In a relatively recent shift, companies aren’t making green strides just because regulators forced them to. “Sustainability leadership about five years ago was very compliance oriented. Sustainability leadership today is about competitive advantage. It’s about innovation,” says Glen Low, Principal, Blu Skye, a sustainability consultancy. In a rapidly changing landscape, smart companies that pivot toward efficiency now, be they small firms or industry giants, will be big winners, says Michel Gelobter, Chief Green Officer, Hara.“There are a lot of companies, like a Wal-Mart, that are taking pretty aggressive actions right now,” he says. “The biggest value of scale is the size of the bets that you can win. The best use of large capital is winning big-risk bets. There’s a history of very big industries emerging from these kinds of pivotal moments.” Sustainability represents one of those pivotal moments, he says. All the positioning among agile companies looking to gain a green edge has led to a relatively new development, says Eric Olson: companies influencing policy in a progressive direction. These companies, Olson says, are clamoring for Congress to act, by stating: “We need a level playing field. We need incentives. We need long-term, predictable signals around the cost of energy sources in order to be as competitive as we should be.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 15th, 2011 no 1:04:48 Cell Power: Sprint CEO Dan Hesse (4/15/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Cell Power: Sprint CEO Dan Hesse


Dan Hesse, CEO, Sprint Nextel


Sprint wants to be recognized as the green leader in the wireless industry, says CEO Dan Hesse in this return visit to Climate One. Hesse warns against the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile and announces the release of the fourth phone in Sprint’s green series, the Samsung Replenish. “As we meet here today,” Hesse says, “the innovative power of the wireless industry is under serious threat” by the proposed AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile. Much had already been written about the possible implications of the move for consumers and pricing, he says, “but to my surprise, very little attention had been paid to its potential impact on the wireless industry’s ability to foster innovation” – including innovation in the green space. “Wireless technology helps consumers by providing new ways to reduce, re-use, and recycle,” says Hesse. Take telecommuting. Just 3.9% of Americans regularly work outside the office, he says, even though wireless technology gives them access to the same information at their office desks. Hesse says Sprint is also working to address one of the industry’s lingering dilemmas: waste. Just 10% of mobiles phones are recycled each year in the United States, he says, meaning some 140 million phones end up in landfills. In 2008, Sprint set a goal to recycle 90% of the phones it sells. The new Samsung Replenish “is as green as we could make it,” says Hesse – energy-efficient, housed in recycled plastics, and made from 82% recyclable materials. In an effort to “take green really mainstream,” Hesse says, Sprint is lowering the monthly rate for the Replenish by $10 per month. The green moves and others – including connecting ECOtality’s Blink electric vehicle charging network, purchasing wind energy for its corporate headquarters, and upgrading the energy efficiency of its network – are done to improve the company’s brand, Hesse says, but also to motivate employees. “The thing about green is your people want to make it. They’re excited and love the fact that this is what we’re really focusing on, and that we have made it to a goal they care about,” Hesse says. “I’ve had zero pushback in getting people aligned and wanting to do it.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 15th, 2011

]]> Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:56:23 -0700 6BFA313B-9A40-4239-929D-B03978A7F892 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Sprint wants to be recognized as the green leader in the wireless industry, says CEO Dan Hesse. Hesse warns against the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile and announces the release of the fourth phone in Sprint’s green series, the Samsung Replenish. Cell Power: Sprint CEO Dan Hesse Dan Hesse, CEO, Sprint Nextel Sprint wants to be recognized as the green leader in the wireless industry, says CEO Dan Hesse in this return visit to Climate One. Hesse warns against the proposed merger of AT&T and T-Mobile and announces the release of the fourth phone in Sprint’s green series, the Samsung Replenish. “As we meet here today,” Hesse says, “the innovative power of the wireless industry is under serious threat” by the proposed AT&T acquisition of T-Mobile. Much had already been written about the possible implications of the move for consumers and pricing, he says, “but to my surprise, very little attention had been paid to its potential impact on the wireless industry’s ability to foster innovation” – including innovation in the green space. “Wireless technology helps consumers by providing new ways to reduce, re-use, and recycle,” says Hesse. Take telecommuting. Just 3.9% of Americans regularly work outside the office, he says, even though wireless technology gives them access to the same information at their office desks. Hesse says Sprint is also working to address one of the industry’s lingering dilemmas: waste. Just 10% of mobiles phones are recycled each year in the United States, he says, meaning some 140 million phones end up in landfills. In 2008, Sprint set a goal to recycle 90% of the phones it sells. The new Samsung Replenish “is as green as we could make it,” says Hesse – energy-efficient, housed in recycled plastics, and made from 82% recyclable materials. In an effort to “take green really mainstream,” Hesse says, Sprint is lowering the monthly rate for the Replenish by $10 per month. The green moves and others – including connecting ECOtality’s Blink electric vehicle charging network, purchasing wind energy for its corporate headquarters, and upgrading the energy efficiency of its network – are done to improve the company’s brand, Hesse says, but also to motivate employees. “The thing about green is your people want to make it. They’re excited and love the fact that this is what we’re really focusing on, and that we have made it to a goal they care about,” Hesse says. “I’ve had zero pushback in getting people aligned and wanting to do it.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 15th, 2011 no 1:02:01 Nuclear Power: Setting Sun? (4/8/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Nuclear Power: Setting Sun?


Jacques Besnainou, CEO AREVA Inc.
Lucas Davis, Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley
Jeff Byron, Former Commissioner, California Energy Commission


This panel agrees that nuclear power, despite offering the promise of carbon-free electricity and safer next-generation reactors, is challenged by steep upfront costs and where to store spent fuel. Jeff Byron, formerly a member of the California Energy Commission, says the Fukushima tragedy offers the nuclear industry and its regulators a sobering learning opportunity. “The Nuclear Regulatory Commission just can’t go ahead and rubber-stamp license renewal applications,” says Byron. Uncertainty over how to proceed has put the United States in a bind, he adds. The US nuclear fleet is aging, with every reactor at least 30 years old. “We really want to retire them,” Byron says. “We’re extending the license of every one of these existing plants well beyond their intended design life. These are 50-year-old designs. I wouldn’t get on a 50-year-old aircraft if you paid me.” Lucas Davis, an energy economist based at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, warns against the prohibitive expense required to replace all of those aging plants. “If you look at lifetime costs, including waste disposal at the end, the levelized cost of nuclear, with updated cost and fuel numbers, is about $0.10 per kilowatt-hour compared to $0.05/kWh for natural gas. That’s a big gap,” he says. Despite the obstacles, Jacques Besnainou, CEO of US-based AREVA Inc., insists that policymakers maintain nuclear in the energy mix. ”I’m not saying nuclear is the solution. But there is no solution without nuclear energy,” he says. Lucas Davis agrees, offering that he’d welcome to be proved wrong on the question of costs. “Get in there and prove to us that you guys can build reactors on budget and an on time. That would change everything. But, to be fair, for 60 years the industry has been saying that costs are going to come down and the empirical evidence on it is pretty mixed,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 8th, 2011

]]> Mon, 11 Apr 2011 15:39:37 -0700 1D9A09B7-017D-4481-951C-9858E7AF043E Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One This panel agrees that nuclear power, despite offering the promise of carbon-free electricity and safer next-generation reactors, is challenged by steep upfront costs and where to store spent fuel. Nuclear Power: Setting Sun? Jacques Besnainou, CEO AREVA Inc. Lucas Davis, Professor, Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Jeff Byron, Former Commissioner, California Energy Commission This panel agrees that nuclear power, despite offering the promise of carbon-free electricity and safer next-generation reactors, is challenged by steep upfront costs and where to store spent fuel. Jeff Byron, formerly a member of the California Energy Commission, says the Fukushima tragedy offers the nuclear industry and its regulators a sobering learning opportunity. “The Nuclear Regulatory Commission just can’t go ahead and rubber-stamp license renewal applications,” says Byron. Uncertainty over how to proceed has put the United States in a bind, he adds. The US nuclear fleet is aging, with every reactor at least 30 years old. “We really want to retire them,” Byron says. “We’re extending the license of every one of these existing plants well beyond their intended design life. These are 50-year-old designs. I wouldn’t get on a 50-year-old aircraft if you paid me.” Lucas Davis, an energy economist based at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, warns against the prohibitive expense required to replace all of those aging plants. “If you look at lifetime costs, including waste disposal at the end, the levelized cost of nuclear, with updated cost and fuel numbers, is about $0.10 per kilowatt-hour compared to $0.05/kWh for natural gas. That’s a big gap,” he says. Despite the obstacles, Jacques Besnainou, CEO of US-based AREVA Inc., insists that policymakers maintain nuclear in the energy mix. ”I’m not saying nuclear is the solution. But there is no solution without nuclear energy,” he says. Lucas Davis agrees, offering that he’d welcome to be proved wrong on the question of costs. “Get in there and prove to us that you guys can build reactors on budget and an on time. That would change everything. But, to be fair, for 60 years the industry has been saying that costs are going to come down and the empirical evidence on it is pretty mixed,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 8th, 2011 no 1:04:58 Energy Policy: What’s Next? (4/5/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Energy Policy: What’s Next?


T.J. Glauthier, Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy
James Sweeney, Director, Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, Stanford
Tony Knowles, Chair, National Energy Policy Institute; Former Governor, Alaska


The United States does not have a national energy policy. In this panel convened by Climate One three experts long involved in the US energy debate conspire to shape their own. The plan: steadily increasing the cost of gasoline at the pump, replace diesel with liquefied natural gas for heavy trucking, harvest cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities, and boost the production of shale gas.“These are not new issues,” says former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles. “Unfortunately, I think Tom Friedman said it best: ‘Our national energy policy is more the sum total of our best lobbyists, rather than our best wisdom.’”
Politics, not science or economics, has shaped our energy policy, Knowles says. A proposal recently put forward by the California Secure Transportation Energy Partnership, where Stanford University’s Jim Sweeney is a member, would add a penny per month to the state’s gas tax for 10 years. Tony Knowles cited a similar proposal recommended by the National Energy Policy Institute, which would increase the federal gas tax by $0.08 per gallon each year for 20 years with the goal of reducing oil consumption by 1.5 million barrels per day. Knowles and T.J. Glauthier, a former Deputy Secretary at the US Department of Energy, advocate for retrofitting the country’s heavy trucking fleet to run on domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG). “We’ve got truck stops all over the country. If we spent some money helping build out the natural gas refueling parts of those truck stops, and provide some help to trucking companies for the conversions, there’s a huge benefit,” says Glauthier. Jim Sweeney, Director of Stanford’s Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, emphasizes the abundant opportunity that exists for consumers to save money with energy efficiency improvements. We just have to get the incentives right. “People talk about those as the ‘low-hanging fruit.’ Unfortunately, some of that fruit has been low-hanging for decades now and hasn’t been picked, which means there’s a reason,” he says. Knowles and Glauthier also recommend that shale gas be a part of the energy mix. “It’s great for the American public, it’s great for the energy sector, to have natural gas supplies that are much larger, and they’re all domestic,” says Glauthier.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 5th, 2011

]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:00:18 -0700 24511C76-0152-417F-9DA7-82536519A681 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The United States does not have a national energy policy. In this panel convened by Climate One, three experts long involved in the US energy debate conspire to shape their own. Energy Policy: What’s Next? T.J. Glauthier, Former Deputy Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy James Sweeney, Director, Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, Stanford Tony Knowles, Chair, National Energy Policy Institute; Former Governor, Alaska The United States does not have a national energy policy. In this panel convened by Climate One three experts long involved in the US energy debate conspire to shape their own. The plan: steadily increasing the cost of gasoline at the pump, replace diesel with liquefied natural gas for heavy trucking, harvest cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities, and boost the production of shale gas.“These are not new issues,” says former Alaska Governor Tony Knowles. “Unfortunately, I think Tom Friedman said it best: ‘Our national energy policy is more the sum total of our best lobbyists, rather than our best wisdom.’” Politics, not science or economics, has shaped our energy policy, Knowles says. A proposal recently put forward by the California Secure Transportation Energy Partnership, where Stanford University’s Jim Sweeney is a member, would add a penny per month to the state’s gas tax for 10 years. Tony Knowles cited a similar proposal recommended by the National Energy Policy Institute, which would increase the federal gas tax by $0.08 per gallon each year for 20 years with the goal of reducing oil consumption by 1.5 million barrels per day. Knowles and T.J. Glauthier, a former Deputy Secretary at the US Department of Energy, advocate for retrofitting the country’s heavy trucking fleet to run on domestic liquefied natural gas (LNG). “We’ve got truck stops all over the country. If we spent some money helping build out the natural gas refueling parts of those truck stops, and provide some help to trucking companies for the conversions, there’s a huge benefit,” says Glauthier. Jim Sweeney, Director of Stanford’s Precourt Energy Efficiency Center, emphasizes the abundant opportunity that exists for consumers to save money with energy efficiency improvements. We just have to get the incentives right. “People talk about those as the ‘low-hanging fruit.’ Unfortunately, some of that fruit has been low-hanging for decades now and hasn’t been picked, which means there’s a reason,” he says. Knowles and Glauthier also recommend that shale gas be a part of the energy mix. “It’s great for the American public, it’s great for the energy sector, to have natural gas supplies that are much larger, and they’re all domestic,” says Glauthier. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 5th, 2011 no 1:04:05 Jim Rogers: Duke of Energy (4/5/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Duke of Energy


Jim Rogers, Chairman and CEO, Duke Energy


Outside of the Oval Office, one of the most influential voices in the energy debate is Jim Rogers, Chairman and CEO of Duke Energy. Here Rogers talks about the future of energy policy in the United States in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Rogers says Duke Energy will continue to pursue new nuclear power, despite movements by some governments to rethink their nuclear strategy. “With respect to Japan,” he says, “we will pause. We will learn. And that will make us stronger and better in the future.” Rogers emphasizes the safety record of US nuclear plants and the fact that nuclear plants supply 70% of America’s carbon-free electricity. “If you’re serious about climate legislation, you have to be serious about nuclear because of the role it plays in providing zero greenhouse gases, 24/7,” he says. Rogers emphasizes that Duke Energy is investing in advanced coal, solar, wind, and energy efficiency, in addition to nuclear. “From an investor’s perspective, and from our customers’ perspective, developing a portfolio is a smarter way to move forward than making a bet on any single fuel,” he says. Even though today’s Congress appears incapable of tackling climate change, Rogers says he is making decisions now in anticipation of the day a future Congress acts to limit carbon. A critical first step is junking old, dirty coal plants. Rogers notes that the United States electricity mix includes 300,000 megawatts (MW) of coal; 100,000MW comes from plants more than 40 years old and never retrofitted to remove sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, or mercury. “In my judgment those plants should be shut down, and will be shut down over the next decade,” Rogers says. Many of those obsolete coal plants will be pushed into retirement when greenhouse gas rules being drafted by the US Environmental Protection Agency come into force. Rogers prefers that Congress, not the EPA, show companies the way forward. “My hope, and the reason I don’t oppose [the EPA] doing it, is they act, and you see their rules – very limited because the Clean Air Act wasn’t written to do this. It will become obvious that Congress has to act. And maybe it will force Congress to do its job,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 5th, 2011

]]> Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:54:18 -0700 0080B470-C6BE-4264-8DA5-13BD666684B1 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Outside of the Oval Office, one of the most influential voices in the energy debate is Jim Rogers, Chairman + CEO of Duke Energy. Here Rogers talks about the future of energy policy in the United States in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Duke of Energy Jim Rogers, Chairman and CEO, Duke Energy Outside of the Oval Office, one of the most influential voices in the energy debate is Jim Rogers, Chairman and CEO of Duke Energy. Here Rogers talks about the future of energy policy in the United States in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. Rogers says Duke Energy will continue to pursue new nuclear power, despite movements by some governments to rethink their nuclear strategy. “With respect to Japan,” he says, “we will pause. We will learn. And that will make us stronger and better in the future.” Rogers emphasizes the safety record of US nuclear plants and the fact that nuclear plants supply 70% of America’s carbon-free electricity. “If you’re serious about climate legislation, you have to be serious about nuclear because of the role it plays in providing zero greenhouse gases, 24/7,” he says. Rogers emphasizes that Duke Energy is investing in advanced coal, solar, wind, and energy efficiency, in addition to nuclear. “From an investor’s perspective, and from our customers’ perspective, developing a portfolio is a smarter way to move forward than making a bet on any single fuel,” he says. Even though today’s Congress appears incapable of tackling climate change, Rogers says he is making decisions now in anticipation of the day a future Congress acts to limit carbon. A critical first step is junking old, dirty coal plants. Rogers notes that the United States electricity mix includes 300,000 megawatts (MW) of coal; 100,000MW comes from plants more than 40 years old and never retrofitted to remove sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, or mercury. “In my judgment those plants should be shut down, and will be shut down over the next decade,” Rogers says. Many of those obsolete coal plants will be pushed into retirement when greenhouse gas rules being drafted by the US Environmental Protection Agency come into force. Rogers prefers that Congress, not the EPA, show companies the way forward. “My hope, and the reason I don’t oppose [the EPA] doing it, is they act, and you see their rules – very limited because the Clean Air Act wasn’t written to do this. It will become obvious that Congress has to act. And maybe it will force Congress to do its job,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on April 5th, 2011 no 1:06:23 Ted Danson: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them (3/22/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Ted Danson: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them

Ted Danson, Actor; Environmentalist; Author, Oceana

In the mid-1980s, actor Ted Danson was walking along a Santa Monica beach when he noticed a sign: “Water polluted, no swimming.” "Trying to explain that to my kid was hard," he says. Already wealthy and famous from playing Sam Malone on “Cheers,” Danson decided then to use his celebrity to raise awareness about the plight of the world’s oceans. “It sunk in that there is a lot that has come before us, there is a lot that will come after us, and that this time were are here is not just about us. It’s about stewardship,” he says. At Climate One, Danson talks about his life in activism and the manifold threats to oceans, the subject of his new book, Oceana. “No one disagrees that we’re headed in the direction where we could conceivably commercially fish out our oceans – no more fish, jelly fish soup – if we do not stop fishing destructfully and wastefully,” he says. Danson shares a statistic that points to one culprit: rampant overfishing by big boats. Ninety percent of the world’s fishermen are small-scale operations, harvesting from the sea as they have for millennia, he says. These fishermen account for 10% of the global take. The other 90% is harvested by the remaining 10% of boats, commercial-scale trawlers, some with nets big enough to snare a 747. Once the nets are hauled up to the boat, “a third of what the world catches is thrown overboard dead or dying because it’s not the fish they’re after.” The situation is dire, but Danson cautions against despair. He published Oceana, he says, to leave those concerned about the oceans feeling hopeful and empowered to act. “When you show up en masse in an email, you literally change policy around the world,” he says. “And it’s the best feeling. To not be overwhelmed by headlines, and to know you are doing something about it. You will know, in your children or grandchildren’s lifetime whether you succeeded. And that’s cool. That’s exciting. That’s not overwhelming or depressing.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on March 22nd, 2011

]]> Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:10:25 -0700 79C0235B-843C-47AE-AD46-17ECED09FE8D Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Celebrated actor Ted Danson has devoted himself to heading off a global catastrophe: the destruction of our oceanic bio-systems and the collapse of fisheries. Danson talks about the manifold threats to oceans, the subject of his new book, Oceana. Ted Danson: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them Ted Danson, Actor; Environmentalist; Author, Oceana In the mid-1980s, actor Ted Danson was walking along a Santa Monica beach when he noticed a sign: “Water polluted, no swimming.” "Trying to explain that to my kid was hard," he says. Already wealthy and famous from playing Sam Malone on “Cheers,” Danson decided then to use his celebrity to raise awareness about the plight of the world’s oceans. “It sunk in that there is a lot that has come before us, there is a lot that will come after us, and that this time were are here is not just about us. It’s about stewardship,” he says. At Climate One, Danson talks about his life in activism and the manifold threats to oceans, the subject of his new book, Oceana. “No one disagrees that we’re headed in the direction where we could conceivably commercially fish out our oceans – no more fish, jelly fish soup – if we do not stop fishing destructfully and wastefully,” he says. Danson shares a statistic that points to one culprit: rampant overfishing by big boats. Ninety percent of the world’s fishermen are small-scale operations, harvesting from the sea as they have for millennia, he says. These fishermen account for 10% of the global take. The other 90% is harvested by the remaining 10% of boats, commercial-scale trawlers, some with nets big enough to snare a 747. Once the nets are hauled up to the boat, “a third of what the world catches is thrown overboard dead or dying because it’s not the fish they’re after.” The situation is dire, but Danson cautions against despair. He published Oceana, he says, to leave those concerned about the oceans feeling hopeful and empowered to act. “When you show up en masse in an email, you literally change policy around the world,” he says. “And it’s the best feeling. To not be overwhelmed by headlines, and to know you are doing something about it. You will know, in your children or grandchildren’s lifetime whether you succeeded. And that’s cool. That’s exciting. That’s not overwhelming or depressing.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on March 22nd, 2011 no 1:02:59 Cloud Power: Microsoft + Google (3/11/11) http://bit.ly/dSHahr Cloud Power: Microsoft + Google (3/11/11)


Rob Bernard, Chief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft
William Weihl, Green Energy Czar, Google
Greg Dalton, Climate One Founder, Moderator


Arch rivals Microsoft and Google find common cause at Climate One promoting the energy efficiency of the cloud. Efficiency alone won’t solve the climate crisis, Rob Bernard of Microsoft and Google’s William Weihl say, but smart IT can reduce emissions, help green the grid, and save money companies and consumers money. “The very simple thing is that we can save money by using less electricity. So by investing engineering effort, investing capital in making our systems more efficient, we save money in the end,” says Weihl, Google’s Green Energy Czar. Google and Microsoft operate power-hungry data centers around the globe, so they have good reason to promote energy efficiency, but Weihl and Rob Bernard, Microsoft’s Chief Environmental Strategist, insist that their efficiency gains will be shared as IT becomes ever-more integrated into the global economy. “I would actually bet that as a percentage of global electricity use that information and communication technology will use a higher percentage over time. But in the process it will make the entire economy more energy efficient. So, yes, that 2% will grow, but the other 98% will shrink, and shrink faster,” says Weihl. Bernard cites an example. Stanford researcher Jonathan Koomey, had, he says, looked into the carbon footprint and energy use resulting from the switch from CDs to digital music. “Even in the worst case, it was a 40% to 50% reduction in the amount of energy,” Bernard says. During the Q&A, an audience member asks Bernard and Weihl what can be done to overcome the barriers holding up even bigger efficiency gains. “Most energy efficiency work I would say actually is a no brainer. But people don’t seem to have brains,” Weihl says. One big problem, he says, is the disjointed decision-making practiced at many companies. “If you focus people on total cost of ownership, lifetime cost – capital, plus operating cost – and get everybody to think in those terms, not just in terms of their own budget, you can make a lot of progress,” he says. Bernard agrees. “More and more when I go and talk to customers, the challenge is much if not more governance and behavior than it is technology,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on March 11th, 2011

]]> Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:05:23 -0700 28054514-B19E-4A54-BAD0-F242F1F34ACF Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Arch rivals Microsoft and Google find common cause at Climate One promoting the energy efficiency of the cloud. Rob Bernard of Microsoft and Google’s William Weihl say smart IT can reduce emissions, help green the grid, and save money. Cloud Power: Microsoft + Google (3/11/11) Rob Bernard, Chief Environmental Strategist, Microsoft William Weihl, Green Energy Czar, Google Greg Dalton, Climate One Founder, Moderator Arch rivals Microsoft and Google find common cause at Climate One promoting the energy efficiency of the cloud. Efficiency alone won’t solve the climate crisis, Rob Bernard of Microsoft and Google’s William Weihl say, but smart IT can reduce emissions, help green the grid, and save money companies and consumers money. “The very simple thing is that we can save money by using less electricity. So by investing engineering effort, investing capital in making our systems more efficient, we save money in the end,” says Weihl, Google’s Green Energy Czar. Google and Microsoft operate power-hungry data centers around the globe, so they have good reason to promote energy efficiency, but Weihl and Rob Bernard, Microsoft’s Chief Environmental Strategist, insist that their efficiency gains will be shared as IT becomes ever-more integrated into the global economy. “I would actually bet that as a percentage of global electricity use that information and communication technology will use a higher percentage over time. But in the process it will make the entire economy more energy efficient. So, yes, that 2% will grow, but the other 98% will shrink, and shrink faster,” says Weihl. Bernard cites an example. Stanford researcher Jonathan Koomey, had, he says, looked into the carbon footprint and energy use resulting from the switch from CDs to digital music. “Even in the worst case, it was a 40% to 50% reduction in the amount of energy,” Bernard says. During the Q&A, an audience member asks Bernard and Weihl what can be done to overcome the barriers holding up even bigger efficiency gains. “Most energy efficiency work I would say actually is a no brainer. But people don’t seem to have brains,” Weihl says. One big problem, he says, is the disjointed decision-making practiced at many companies. “If you focus people on total cost of ownership, lifetime cost – capital, plus operating cost – and get everybody to think in those terms, not just in terms of their own budget, you can make a lot of progress,” he says. Bernard agrees. “More and more when I go and talk to customers, the challenge is much if not more governance and behavior than it is technology,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, San Francisco on March 11th, 2011 no 1:01:18 Generation Hot (3/9/11) http://www.climate-one.org Generation Hot


Mark Hertsgaard, Author, Generation Hot
Scott Harmon, Sustainability Advisor to Boy Scouts of America
Alec Loorz, Founder, Kids-vs-Global-Warming.com
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator


The climate change debate in America appears hopelessly stuck. If the US is to have any chance to break the stalemate, young people must get involved and force their voice to be heard, says this panel of activists convened by Climate One. For Alec Loorz, the 16-year-old founder of www.Kids-vs-Global-Warming.com, change will come because his generation and those that follow demand it. What’s needed, he says, is “revolution” one that “ignites the compassion in people’s hearts so that they realize that the way we are doing things now is not right and it doesn’t live with the survival of my generation and future generations in mind.” Loorz is organizing the iMatter march, planned for this spring, which aims to mobilize 1 million young people in all 50 states on the same day. “Youth have the moral authority to say to our parents, our leaders, and our teachers, ‘Do I matter to you? Does my future mater to you?” he says. Mark Hertsgaard, author, Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth, welcomes the activism of youth because the forces arrayed against them are so powerful. Oil companies “are the richest business enterprise in the history of humanity. It is not surprising that they have enormous political power,” but, he says, “the only way that you overcome that kind of entrenched money power is through sustained and very determined people power.” Scott Harmon, sustainability advisor to Boy Scouts of America, is mobilizing youth by harnessing the power and reach of the world’s largest youth organization: scouting. Scouts may march, Harmon said, but even more important is “to get them educated. I want to get their hands dirty doing projects that teach them about the solution.” He wants youth to do two things: wake up the parents and, when they enter the workforce in five or ten years, force their companies to become more sustainable. “We’re not going to get it done in our generations, even your generation probably [to Alec Loorz], so we better get the next generation, and the one behind that ready, otherwise we’re really toast,” he says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 9, 2011

]]> Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:02:25 -0800 7FDA8483-A1F4-4B4B-95A9-EDE3ED25F81F Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The climate change debate in America appears hopelessly stuck. If the US is to have any chance to break the stalemate, young people must get involved and force their voice to be heard, says this panel of activists convened by Climate One. Generation Hot Mark Hertsgaard, Author, Generation Hot Scott Harmon, Sustainability Advisor to Boy Scouts of America Alec Loorz, Founder, Kids-vs-Global-Warming.com Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator The climate change debate in America appears hopelessly stuck. If the US is to have any chance to break the stalemate, young people must get involved and force their voice to be heard, says this panel of activists convened by Climate One. For Alec Loorz, the 16-year-old founder of www.Kids-vs-Global-Warming.com, change will come because his generation and those that follow demand it. What’s needed, he says, is “revolution” one that “ignites the compassion in people’s hearts so that they realize that the way we are doing things now is not right and it doesn’t live with the survival of my generation and future generations in mind.” Loorz is organizing the iMatter march, planned for this spring, which aims to mobilize 1 million young people in all 50 states on the same day. “Youth have the moral authority to say to our parents, our leaders, and our teachers, ‘Do I matter to you? Does my future mater to you?” he says. Mark Hertsgaard, author, Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth, welcomes the activism of youth because the forces arrayed against them are so powerful. Oil companies “are the richest business enterprise in the history of humanity. It is not surprising that they have enormous political power,” but, he says, “the only way that you overcome that kind of entrenched money power is through sustained and very determined people power.” Scott Harmon, sustainability advisor to Boy Scouts of America, is mobilizing youth by harnessing the power and reach of the world’s largest youth organization: scouting. Scouts may march, Harmon said, but even more important is “to get them educated. I want to get their hands dirty doing projects that teach them about the solution.” He wants youth to do two things: wake up the parents and, when they enter the workforce in five or ten years, force their companies to become more sustainable. “We’re not going to get it done in our generations, even your generation probably [to Alec Loorz], so we better get the next generation, and the one behind that ready, otherwise we’re really toast,” he says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 9, 2011 no 1:03:25 American Wasteland (3/7/11) http://www.climate-one.org American Wasteland


Jonathan Bloom, Author, American Wasteland
Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change
A.G. Kawamura, Former Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator


The ubiquity of food in the United States blinds the mind to a tragic fact: much of it is wasted. Exact numbers are elusive, but estimates suggest that at least a quarter and as much as half of the food produced in this country is never consumed. A panel of food experts convened by Climate One says that much of the waste is unnecessary. Lest consumers think most of the waste ends up in supermarket or restaurant trash bins, Jonathan Bloom, author, American Wasteland, cites a study from New York State, which found that households account for 40% of wasted food. “In terms of the American consumer’s psyche, we’ve gotten to this point where we see beautiful food everywhere – the rise of food TV and glossy magazines – everywhere we turn, it seems, we’re constantly seeing images of food that looks pretty. Appearance trumps taste,” he says. “We have tremendous inefficiencies on both sides, pre-harvest and post harvest,” says A.G. Kawamura, former Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture. If prices collapse, he says, a farmer might not be able to afford to pay for the fuel and labor needed to harvest a crop. Fortunately, he says, groups such Farm to Table are partnering with farmers to offset the cost of a second or third harvest to prevent food from wasting in the field. For Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change, the primary driver of waste in the food system is how we think. “It’s really changing our consciousness about what is waste and what is not. That’s the first step in combating this problem,” he says. There are reasons to be optimistic that the system is evolving, he says, citing the food separation and composting efforts underway in San Francisco and Sonoma County. Also encouraging, he says, is the increased interest in “food sovereignty.” Everything from families and communities planting and tending gardens to consumers “mining” trash bins at supermarkets and restaurants for green waste to feed to backyard chickens. “I’m thankful that we have a system of abundance,” says A.G. Kawamura. “Can we make it a system of efficiency? We’re lucky we don’t have a system of scarcity.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 2, 2011

]]> Thu, 10 Mar 2011 15:02:04 -0800 51D02B6E-1DD8-40FF-858D-8340022185E4 Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The ubiquity of food in the United States blinds the mind to a tragic fact: much of it is wasted. Exact numbers are elusive, but estimates suggest that at least a quarter and as much as half of the food produced in this country is never consumed. American Wasteland Jonathan Bloom, Author, American Wasteland Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change A.G. Kawamura, Former Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator The ubiquity of food in the United States blinds the mind to a tragic fact: much of it is wasted. Exact numbers are elusive, but estimates suggest that at least a quarter and as much as half of the food produced in this country is never consumed. A panel of food experts convened by Climate One says that much of the waste is unnecessary. Lest consumers think most of the waste ends up in supermarket or restaurant trash bins, Jonathan Bloom, author, American Wasteland, cites a study from New York State, which found that households account for 40% of wasted food. “In terms of the American consumer’s psyche, we’ve gotten to this point where we see beautiful food everywhere – the rise of food TV and glossy magazines – everywhere we turn, it seems, we’re constantly seeing images of food that looks pretty. Appearance trumps taste,” he says. “We have tremendous inefficiencies on both sides, pre-harvest and post harvest,” says A.G. Kawamura, former Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture. If prices collapse, he says, a farmer might not be able to afford to pay for the fuel and labor needed to harvest a crop. Fortunately, he says, groups such Farm to Table are partnering with farmers to offset the cost of a second or third harvest to prevent food from wasting in the field. For Michael Dimock, President, Roots of Change, the primary driver of waste in the food system is how we think. “It’s really changing our consciousness about what is waste and what is not. That’s the first step in combating this problem,” he says. There are reasons to be optimistic that the system is evolving, he says, citing the food separation and composting efforts underway in San Francisco and Sonoma County. Also encouraging, he says, is the increased interest in “food sovereignty.” Everything from families and communities planting and tending gardens to consumers “mining” trash bins at supermarkets and restaurants for green waste to feed to backyard chickens. “I’m thankful that we have a system of abundance,” says A.G. Kawamura. “Can we make it a system of efficiency? We’re lucky we don’t have a system of scarcity.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on March 2, 2011 no 1:02:30 EVs + Smart Grid. People Power: Rethinking Electricity http://www.climate-one.org People Power: Rethinking Electricity

Dian Grueneich, Former Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission
Mark Duvall, Director of Electric Transportation and Energy Storage, Electric Power Research Institute
Ted Howes, Partner, IDEO
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator

The utility-consumer relationship is primed for a fundamental overhaul. Armed with information, formerly passive consumers will take charge of their energy future, say a panel of experts convened by Climate One. “A lot of the more forward-thinking utilities are starting to think about the ratepayer as a customer. That for them is a big innovation,” says Ted Howes, formerly a Partner at the design and innovation firm IDEO. Utilities are struggling, he says, to prepare for the complexity that comes with the new two-way relationship. “Oftentimes, utilities are taking it from a fundamentally technology-centered standpoint, not a human-centered standpoint,” he says. Mark Duvall, Director of Electric Transportation and Energy Storage Electric Power Research Institute, agrees that the customer relationship must change, but emphasizes the importance of the utility and the grid in a decentralized energy future in which many more consumers generate their own power. “If you decide that you’re going to build a zero-net energy home, put a lot of solar energy on the home, that doesn’t mean you don’t need the electric grid. In fact, you could say you need it more,” he says. Dian Grueneich, formerly a Commissioner with the California Public Utilities Commission, adds that the electrical utility sector will innovate much faster if nimble green tech start-ups are able to scale new technologies. “There hasn’t been much innovation or technology change in 100 years. That tells you there is a business opportunity.” What we haven’t seen, she adds, is for these technology innovators to master the arcane world of publicly-regulated utilities serving millions of customers. “You may have the best product in the world, but a state commission can kill your business plan overnight.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on January 13., 2011.

]]> Tue, 18 Jan 2011 11:02:16 -0800 958316E0-5458-4376-BB73-E3942213084B Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The utility-consumer relationship is primed for a fundamental overhaul. Armed with information, formerly passive consumers will take charge of their energy future, say a panel of experts convened by Climate One. People Power: Rethinking Electricity Dian Grueneich, Former Commissioner, California Public Utilities Commission Mark Duvall, Director of Electric Transportation and Energy Storage, Electric Power Research Institute Ted Howes, Partner, IDEO Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator The utility-consumer relationship is primed for a fundamental overhaul. Armed with information, formerly passive consumers will take charge of their energy future, say a panel of experts convened by Climate One. “A lot of the more forward-thinking utilities are starting to think about the ratepayer as a customer. That for them is a big innovation,” says Ted Howes, formerly a Partner at the design and innovation firm IDEO. Utilities are struggling, he says, to prepare for the complexity that comes with the new two-way relationship. “Oftentimes, utilities are taking it from a fundamentally technology-centered standpoint, not a human-centered standpoint,” he says. Mark Duvall, Director of Electric Transportation and Energy Storage Electric Power Research Institute, agrees that the customer relationship must change, but emphasizes the importance of the utility and the grid in a decentralized energy future in which many more consumers generate their own power. “If you decide that you’re going to build a zero-net energy home, put a lot of solar energy on the home, that doesn’t mean you don’t need the electric grid. In fact, you could say you need it more,” he says. Dian Grueneich, formerly a Commissioner with the California Public Utilities Commission, adds that the electrical utility sector will innovate much faster if nimble green tech start-ups are able to scale new technologies. “There hasn’t been much innovation or technology change in 100 years. That tells you there is a business opportunity.” What we haven’t seen, she adds, is for these technology innovators to master the arcane world of publicly-regulated utilities serving millions of customers. “You may have the best product in the world, but a state commission can kill your business plan overnight.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on January 13., 2011. no 1:02:53 EVs + Smart Grid. Horsepower: Accelerating EVs into the Fast Lane http://www.climate-one.org Horsepower: Accelerating EVs into the Fast Lane

Anthony Eggert, Commissioner, California Energy Commission, Transportation Lead
Diane Wittenberg, Executive Director, California EV Strategic Plan
Diarmuid O'Connell, Vice President of Business Development, Tesla Motors
Marc Geller, Co-founder, Plug-In America
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator


Born before the Model T, revived and then extinguished a decade ago by GM, the electric vehicle is poised to dominate the global car industry, says this panel of transportation experts convened by Climate One. “The demand for these vehicles is greater than the supply,” says Marc Geller, Co-Founder, Plug in America. “Through this year it would appear that Nissan and Chevrolet have all but sold out of their first 35,000 vehicles, with the Leaf and the Volt. There are customers who are ready for electric and plug-in hybrids for many different reasons, but it’s really an issue of getting the cars to market.” Manufacturers are responding, says Diarmuid O’Connell, Vice President of Business Development, Tesla Motors, because this time there is a market, and money to be made. “This is hardly a philanthropic endeavor that we’ve taken on,” he says. One potential obstacle to widespread adoption of EVs is their (for now) higher upfront cost. Anthony Eggert, former Commissioner at the California Energy Commission, stresses the low lifetime cost of owning an EV. “You really want to look at total cost of ownership. It’s not just the initial purchase price of the vehicle, which is going to be higher,” he says. Diane Wittenberg, Executive Director, California EV Strategic Plan, agrees. “An average conventional vehicle, to drive 100 miles, costs about $6 in fuel; with pure electric, it would be about $2. Most people don’t know that off the top of their heads. It’s an education challenge,” she says. Manufacturers must also contend with customer fears that EVs will leave them stranded. “We should be clear when we’re speaking about charge time,” says Marc Geller. “We act as if these vehicles are actually driving 24/7, as if they’re all in taxi fleets. Most people’s cars sit 22 hours a day.” During the Q&A, a member of the audience asks how policymakers plan to replace sales tax revenue lost when drivers fill up with electricity rather than gas. “These vehicles will eventually have to pay their fair share of road taxes, to be able to use the system,” says Anthony Eggert, “but the actual impact to the collection of road taxes is likely to be negligible for the next 5 plus years.“ “That would be a high-class problem, as far as I’m concerned,” responds Tesla’s O’Connell. “Let’s hope that we’ll be solving that problem within five years.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on January 13, 2011

]]> Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:58:46 -0800 B7883676-0C5C-45F3-8CC4-B05E179EBBFC Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Born before the Model T, revived and then extinguished a decade ago by GM, the electric vehicle is poised to dominate the global car industry, says this panel of transportation experts convened by Climate One. Horsepower: Accelerating EVs into the Fast Lane Anthony Eggert, Commissioner, California Energy Commission, Transportation Lead Diane Wittenberg, Executive Director, California EV Strategic Plan Diarmuid O'Connell, Vice President of Business Development, Tesla Motors Marc Geller, Co-founder, Plug-In America Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, Moderator Born before the Model T, revived and then extinguished a decade ago by GM, the electric vehicle is poised to dominate the global car industry, says this panel of transportation experts convened by Climate One. “The demand for these vehicles is greater than the supply,” says Marc Geller, Co-Founder, Plug in America. “Through this year it would appear that Nissan and Chevrolet have all but sold out of their first 35,000 vehicles, with the Leaf and the Volt. There are customers who are ready for electric and plug-in hybrids for many different reasons, but it’s really an issue of getting the cars to market.” Manufacturers are responding, says Diarmuid O’Connell, Vice President of Business Development, Tesla Motors, because this time there is a market, and money to be made. “This is hardly a philanthropic endeavor that we’ve taken on,” he says. One potential obstacle to widespread adoption of EVs is their (for now) higher upfront cost. Anthony Eggert, former Commissioner at the California Energy Commission, stresses the low lifetime cost of owning an EV. “You really want to look at total cost of ownership. It’s not just the initial purchase price of the vehicle, which is going to be higher,” he says. Diane Wittenberg, Executive Director, California EV Strategic Plan, agrees. “An average conventional vehicle, to drive 100 miles, costs about $6 in fuel; with pure electric, it would be about $2. Most people don’t know that off the top of their heads. It’s an education challenge,” she says. Manufacturers must also contend with customer fears that EVs will leave them stranded. “We should be clear when we’re speaking about charge time,” says Marc Geller. “We act as if these vehicles are actually driving 24/7, as if they’re all in taxi fleets. Most people’s cars sit 22 hours a day.” During the Q&A, a member of the audience asks how policymakers plan to replace sales tax revenue lost when drivers fill up with electricity rather than gas. “These vehicles will eventually have to pay their fair share of road taxes, to be able to use the system,” says Anthony Eggert, “but the actual impact to the collection of road taxes is likely to be negligible for the next 5 plus years.“ “That would be a high-class problem, as far as I’m concerned,” responds Tesla’s O’Connell. “Let’s hope that we’ll be solving that problem within five years.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on January 13, 2011 no 1:02:56 Why Family Dinners Matter: How Every Concern Crosses Your Dinner Plate http://www.climate-one.org Why Family Dinners Matter: How Every Concern Crosses Your Dinner Plate


Laurie David, Producer, An Inconvenient Truth; Author, The Family Dinner
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One


We are at risk of losing a cherished and nourishing tradition, the family dinner, says author and activist Laurie David. Producer of An Inconvenient Truth and author of the just-released The Family Dinner, David says a host of pressures and dangers threaten the family dinner. The culprits are familiar: long commutes; TV, phones, and video games; more women in the workforce; school events and extra-curricular activities scheduled during dinnertime; and the microwave. Despite the challenges, David says family dinner must again become routine, for the good of our children and our environment. “Family dinner can help tremendously with three of the biggest problems we face today: our national health crisis, our difficulty connecting with each other through the fog of technology, and our urgent need to take better care of our environment,” David says. Home-cooked meals are not only better for us, she says, but by gathering the family around one table, they create memories, and help kids develop self-esteem, resiliency, patience, listening skills, vocabulary, and empathy. “Our grandparents knew it, and most of our parents, too, that frequent family dinner can help protect kids from everything a parent worries about – from drugs to alcohol to poor self-esteem, low school grades, and poor nutrition,” she says. David admits it’s not easy to goad kids into leaving their computers or TVs for a sit-down meal at home. But, during the conversation with Climate One founder Greg Dalton and audience Q&A, David offers some helpful tips. One: get kids involved in the cooking. Another: prepare what David calls “participation food” – meals, such as soups, that kids can add to by tossing in ingredients at the dinner table. “We should think of family dinner as the most important activity our kids and our family can do,” David says. “It’s a nightly dress rehearsal for adulthood, a safe, dependable place to practice cooperation, patience, and manners, kindness and gratitude, and share stories.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on November 3, 2010

]]> Mon, 15 Nov 2010 12:33:59 -0800 why-family-dinners-matter-how-every-concern-cross Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One We are at risk of losing a cherished and nourishing tradition, the family dinner, says author and activist Laurie David. Producer of An Inconvenient Truth and author of The Family Dinner, David says a host of pressures threaten the family dinner. Why Family Dinners Matter: How Every Concern Crosses Your Dinner Plate Laurie David, Producer, An Inconvenient Truth; Author, The Family Dinner Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One We are at risk of losing a cherished and nourishing tradition, the family dinner, says author and activist Laurie David. Producer of An Inconvenient Truth and author of the just-released The Family Dinner, David says a host of pressures and dangers threaten the family dinner. The culprits are familiar: long commutes; TV, phones, and video games; more women in the workforce; school events and extra-curricular activities scheduled during dinnertime; and the microwave. Despite the challenges, David says family dinner must again become routine, for the good of our children and our environment. “Family dinner can help tremendously with three of the biggest problems we face today: our national health crisis, our difficulty connecting with each other through the fog of technology, and our urgent need to take better care of our environment,” David says. Home-cooked meals are not only better for us, she says, but by gathering the family around one table, they create memories, and help kids develop self-esteem, resiliency, patience, listening skills, vocabulary, and empathy. “Our grandparents knew it, and most of our parents, too, that frequent family dinner can help protect kids from everything a parent worries about – from drugs to alcohol to poor self-esteem, low school grades, and poor nutrition,” she says. David admits it’s not easy to goad kids into leaving their computers or TVs for a sit-down meal at home. But, during the conversation with Climate One founder Greg Dalton and audience Q&A, David offers some helpful tips. One: get kids involved in the cooking. Another: prepare what David calls “participation food” – meals, such as soups, that kids can add to by tossing in ingredients at the dinner table. “We should think of family dinner as the most important activity our kids and our family can do,” David says. “It’s a nightly dress rehearsal for adulthood, a safe, dependable place to practice cooperation, patience, and manners, kindness and gratitude, and share stories.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on November 3, 2010 no 1:01:21 Science As A Contact Sport http://www.climate-one.org Science As A Contact Sport

Ben Santer, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Noah Diffenbaugh, Professor, Environmental Earth System Science, Stanford Uninversity
Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator

Confronted with overwhelming evidence of a warming planet, scientists have a duty to leave the laboratory and engage the public, say two leading climatologists. This Climate One program, titled “Science as a Contact Sport,” is a tribute to the late Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schneider, whose last work was a book of the same name. Ben Santer, a researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Noah Diffenbaugh, Professor, Environmental Earth System Science, Stanford University, comment on Schneider’s legacy: cutting-edge research complemented by unmatched communications skills. Despite the need, Santer and Diffenbaugh say, Ph.D.s are not likely to receive communications training during their formal studies. Santer says he learned on the job; Diffenbaugh says he was trained only to communicate with other scientists. The omission is particularly worrisome with attacks against climate science, and its practitioners, ascendant. The attacks leave scientists no choice but to defend the integrity of their work and reputations, say Santer and Diffenbaugh. “We’re in a challenging position as climate scientists,” Diffenbaugh says, “in that there’s a very charged political atmosphere out in the real world. In some ways, it’s the path of least resistance to dump the information on the world, and then do it again for the next paper.” Santer and Diffenbaugh both describe a moral duty to speak out, as publishing alone hasn’t persuaded policymakers to act or silenced skeptics. “When I started off as a climate scientist,” Santer says, “I believed that if you did the best possible science, it would be good enough. Ultimately, people would do the right thing if the science was credible, if it was compelling, if the physical evidence was consistent, coherent. But it’s not.” As a result, he says, “part of our job, too, is to demystify, to speak truth to power when people try to demonize climate science and climate scientists. You can’t just be a bystander.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on November 3, 2010

]]> Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:19:53 -0700 science-as-a-contact-sport Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One How are the venomous personal attacks on climate scientists impacting their work? Is the scrutiny causing them to be even more cautious than they are by nature? A chilling effect? What needs to be done to make scientists better public communicators? Science As A Contact Sport Ben Santer, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Noah Diffenbaugh, Professor, Environmental Earth System Science, Stanford Uninversity Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator Confronted with overwhelming evidence of a warming planet, scientists have a duty to leave the laboratory and engage the public, say two leading climatologists. This Climate One program, titled “Science as a Contact Sport,” is a tribute to the late Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schneider, whose last work was a book of the same name. Ben Santer, a researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Noah Diffenbaugh, Professor, Environmental Earth System Science, Stanford University, comment on Schneider’s legacy: cutting-edge research complemented by unmatched communications skills. Despite the need, Santer and Diffenbaugh say, Ph.D.s are not likely to receive communications training during their formal studies. Santer says he learned on the job; Diffenbaugh says he was trained only to communicate with other scientists. The omission is particularly worrisome with attacks against climate science, and its practitioners, ascendant. The attacks leave scientists no choice but to defend the integrity of their work and reputations, say Santer and Diffenbaugh. “We’re in a challenging position as climate scientists,” Diffenbaugh says, “in that there’s a very charged political atmosphere out in the real world. In some ways, it’s the path of least resistance to dump the information on the world, and then do it again for the next paper.” Santer and Diffenbaugh both describe a moral duty to speak out, as publishing alone hasn’t persuaded policymakers to act or silenced skeptics. “When I started off as a climate scientist,” Santer says, “I believed that if you did the best possible science, it would be good enough. Ultimately, people would do the right thing if the science was credible, if it was compelling, if the physical evidence was consistent, coherent. But it’s not.” As a result, he says, “part of our job, too, is to demystify, to speak truth to power when people try to demonize climate science and climate scientists. You can’t just be a bystander.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on November 3, 2010 no 1:00:32 Proposition 23: Job Killer or Creator? http://www.climate-one.org Proposition 23: Yes or No?

Bob Epstein, Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs
Nancy Floyd, Manging Director, Nth Power
Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers
Tom Tanton, President, T2 & Associates
Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator

The night before an election that would decide the fate of California’s landmark climate change law, a panel of energy experts convened by Climate One debates whether AB 32 would catalyze or cripple the state’s economy. The measure before voters, Proposition 23, would suspend AB 32 until California achieves four consecutive quarters of unemployment below 5.5%. Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers and Technology Association, and Tom Tanton, President, T2 & Associates, argue that with California suffering 12.4% unemployment, now is not the time to burden business with additional regulation. “There’s a lot of pain and very little gain,” in pushing ahead with the law, Tanton says. Stewart agrees: “Do we want to go forward and have a growing economy and hold off on AB 32,” he asks, “or do we hobble the California economy and make it more difficult to employ the 2.3 million Californians who are out of work?” Nancy Floyd, Founder and Managing Director, Nth Power, and Bob Epstein, Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs, counter that cleantech is the fastest growing job sector in California and critical to maintaining the state’s competitive edge globally. Floyd says that 500,000 green jobs have already been created in California, and that her venture firm alone had invested $200 million in 35 companies in the state. Epstein takes issue with claims by Stewart and Tanton that California’s climate change rules would subject the state’s businesses to onerous regulations and uncertainty. “This legislation lays out a 10-year plan. For an oil company, they tell you every place you need to be for 10 years.” Win or lose on Nov. 2, Epstein says the fight over Prop 23 has succeeded in mobilizing interests – environmentalists, venture capitalists, utilities, and tech firms – with a stake in the green economy. “What you have done, by bringing Prop 23 to the table, is you united a community that really needed to be united,” he says.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on November 1, 2010

]]> Tue, 02 Nov 2010 10:57:47 -0700 proposition-23-job-killer-or-creator Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Is AB 32, California’s law limiting carbon pollution, a job killer or job creator? Proposition 23: Yes or No? Bob Epstein, Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs Nancy Floyd, Manging Director, Nth Power Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers Tom Tanton, President, T2 & Associates Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator The night before an election that would decide the fate of California’s landmark climate change law, a panel of energy experts convened by Climate One debates whether AB 32 would catalyze or cripple the state’s economy. The measure before voters, Proposition 23, would suspend AB 32 until California achieves four consecutive quarters of unemployment below 5.5%. Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers and Technology Association, and Tom Tanton, President, T2 & Associates, argue that with California suffering 12.4% unemployment, now is not the time to burden business with additional regulation. “There’s a lot of pain and very little gain,” in pushing ahead with the law, Tanton says. Stewart agrees: “Do we want to go forward and have a growing economy and hold off on AB 32,” he asks, “or do we hobble the California economy and make it more difficult to employ the 2.3 million Californians who are out of work?” Nancy Floyd, Founder and Managing Director, Nth Power, and Bob Epstein, Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs, counter that cleantech is the fastest growing job sector in California and critical to maintaining the state’s competitive edge globally. Floyd says that 500,000 green jobs have already been created in California, and that her venture firm alone had invested $200 million in 35 companies in the state. Epstein takes issue with claims by Stewart and Tanton that California’s climate change rules would subject the state’s businesses to onerous regulations and uncertainty. “This legislation lays out a 10-year plan. For an oil company, they tell you every place you need to be for 10 years.” Win or lose on Nov. 2, Epstein says the fight over Prop 23 has succeeded in mobilizing interests – environmentalists, venture capitalists, utilities, and tech firms – with a stake in the green economy. “What you have done, by bringing Prop 23 to the table, is you united a community that really needed to be united,” he says. no 1:01:36 Calories and Carbon http://www.climate-one.org Calories and Carbon

Ken Cook, Founder and President, Environmental Working Group
Whendee Silver, Professor of Ecology, UC Berkeley; Marin Carbon Project
Helene York, Director, Bon Appetit Management Company Foundation
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator


Grappling with the carbon impact of our food system is not easy. Faced with such uncertainty, Ken Cook’s simple advice is apt: “Eat lower down the food chain – better for you, better for the planet.” Cook, founder and president of the Environmental Working Group, joins Whendee Silver, professor of ecology, U.C. Berkeley, and Helene York, director, Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation, for a discussion on calories, carbon, and the way forward. The panelists stress how far we’ve come in such a short time. “There was a time, not too long ago, that if you went into an organic restaurant, or tried to shop for organic produce, you really wondered whether the food had been harvested, or maybe had escaped,” Cook says. Helene York agrees, sharing the experience of Bon Appétit, which serves 100 million meals each year. Over two years, her 500 chefs reduced the amount of meat served by 20%. But, York emphasizes, they did so without scrimping on taste. “The real key,” she says, “is to offer alternatives that our guests want to eat. They look good. They taste good. They’re at a reasonable price point, and they’re appetizing.” Whendee Silver, who specializes in carbon number-crunching, stresses the importance of education. Researchers are valiantly attempting to assess the life-cycle cost of food, she says, but it is very hard to compare, say, the carbon impact of grass-fed versus feedlot beef. “There are big gaps in the data. Right now, many of the life-cycle analyses that we’re working with have pretty significant uncertainties,” she says. Despite the challenges, we can transition to grass-fed beef and seasonal, local produce, the panel says. “We have to be thoughtful as consumers about it. But I think people want straight-forward cues,” Cook says. “Take grass-fed beef. It’s more expensive to produce in many cases. But make that investment and that sector is going to start to grow.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 21, 2010

]]> Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:55:21 -0700 calories-and-carbon Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Improving our eating habits is one of the best ways to reduce our environmental and carbon footprint, while also trimming our waistlines. How do we get the biggest bang for our dietary bucks? Calories and Carbon Ken Cook, Founder and President, Environmental Working Group Whendee Silver, Professor of Ecology, UC Berkeley; Marin Carbon Project Helene York, Director, Bon Appetit Management Company Foundation Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator Grappling with the carbon impact of our food system is not easy. Faced with such uncertainty, Ken Cook’s simple advice is apt: “Eat lower down the food chain – better for you, better for the planet.” Cook, founder and president of the Environmental Working Group, joins Whendee Silver, professor of ecology, U.C. Berkeley, and Helene York, director, Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation, for a discussion on calories, carbon, and the way forward. The panelists stress how far we’ve come in such a short time. “There was a time, not too long ago, that if you went into an organic restaurant, or tried to shop for organic produce, you really wondered whether the food had been harvested, or maybe had escaped,” Cook says. Helene York agrees, sharing the experience of Bon Appétit, which serves 100 million meals each year. Over two years, her 500 chefs reduced the amount of meat served by 20%. But, York emphasizes, they did so without scrimping on taste. “The real key,” she says, “is to offer alternatives that our guests want to eat. They look good. They taste good. They’re at a reasonable price point, and they’re appetizing.” Whendee Silver, who specializes in carbon number-crunching, stresses the importance of education. Researchers are valiantly attempting to assess the life-cycle cost of food, she says, but it is very hard to compare, say, the carbon impact of grass-fed versus feedlot beef. “There are big gaps in the data. Right now, many of the life-cycle analyses that we’re working with have pretty significant uncertainties,” she says. Despite the challenges, we can transition to grass-fed beef and seasonal, local produce, the panel says. “We have to be thoughtful as consumers about it. But I think people want straight-forward cues,” Cook says. “Take grass-fed beef. It’s more expensive to produce in many cases. But make that investment and that sector is going to start to grow.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 21, 2010 no 1:06:34 The Climate Fix? http://www.climate-one.org The Climate Fix?


Roger Pielke, Professor, University of Colorado


What’s the most efficient way to minimize the impacts of climate change? Public policy? Massive funding of new technology? Buying off emerging countries that will soon emit most of the world’s carbon pollution? Pielke, who is affiliated with The Breakthrough Institute, is critical of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He’ll explain why and offer his take on the state of climate science.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francicso on October 15, 2010

]]> Thu, 21 Oct 2010 15:33:13 -0700 the-climate-fix Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What’s the most efficient way to minimize the impacts of climate change? Public policy? Pielke, who is affiliated with The Breakthrough Institute, is critical of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Climate Fix? Roger Pielke, Professor, University of Colorado What’s the most efficient way to minimize the impacts of climate change? Public policy? Massive funding of new technology? Buying off emerging countries that will soon emit most of the world’s carbon pollution? Pielke, who is affiliated with The Breakthrough Institute, is critical of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He’ll explain why and offer his take on the state of climate science. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francicso on October 15, 2010 no 1:00:45 Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton http://www.climate-one.org Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator

In just her third appearance before a US audience as secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton touts the potential of American innovation to further public diplomacy and to help tackle a host of global challenges. Before a sold-out Commonwealth Club crowd of 1,500, Clinton comments on global flashpoints – Afghanistan, Iran, and Mexico – while addressing climate change and clean energy. Clinton repeatedly stresses the need to leverage the creativity of Silicon Valley with work underway at her department. “Innovation is one of America's greatest values and products,” she says, “and we are very committed to working with scientists and researchers to look for new ways to develop hardier crops or lifesaving drugs at affordable costs, working with engineers for new sources of clean energy or clean water to both stem climate change and also to improve the standard of living for people.” In the Q&A, Climate One founder Greg Dalton asks Clinton if the State Department would reconsider granting a permit for the controversial Alberta Clipper Pipeline. Clinton concedes that while a final decision had not been made, the project is likely to go ahead: “We're either going to be dependent on dirty oil from the Gulf or dirty oil from Canada. And until we can get our act together as a country and figure out that clean, renewable energy is in both our economic interests and the interests of our planet.” Clinton also comments on Senate’s failure to act on climate change. “I don't think it will come as a surprise to anyone how deeply disappointed the President and I are about our inability to get the kind of legislation through the Senate that the United States was seeking,” she says. Clinton closes with advice for Ellie, a 10-year-old who expresses concern for the future environment. “I think that there is a lot that you can do, because it's been my experience that young people are much more environmentally conscious and committed to protecting the world you're growing up in than some of us older people are,” she says. “I'm out of politics, as you all know. So speaking as a private citizen,” she adds, to laughter, “I think people running for office should be asked to explain their positions on what they're going to do.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 15, 2010

]]> Fri, 15 Oct 2010 21:11:24 -0700 secretary-of-state-hillary-rodham-clinton Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One With a bruised economy and developing countries on the rise, can the U.S. lead the world in the 21st century? Join us for a conversation with Sec. of State Clinton at the intersection of diplomacy, innovation and the prospects for a clean and safe future. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One, moderator In just her third appearance before a US audience as secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton touts the potential of American innovation to further public diplomacy and to help tackle a host of global challenges. Before a sold-out Commonwealth Club crowd of 1,500, Clinton comments on global flashpoints – Afghanistan, Iran, and Mexico – while addressing climate change and clean energy. Clinton repeatedly stresses the need to leverage the creativity of Silicon Valley with work underway at her department. “Innovation is one of America's greatest values and products,” she says, “and we are very committed to working with scientists and researchers to look for new ways to develop hardier crops or lifesaving drugs at affordable costs, working with engineers for new sources of clean energy or clean water to both stem climate change and also to improve the standard of living for people.” In the Q&A, Climate One founder Greg Dalton asks Clinton if the State Department would reconsider granting a permit for the controversial Alberta Clipper Pipeline. Clinton concedes that while a final decision had not been made, the project is likely to go ahead: “We're either going to be dependent on dirty oil from the Gulf or dirty oil from Canada. And until we can get our act together as a country and figure out that clean, renewable energy is in both our economic interests and the interests of our planet.” Clinton also comments on Senate’s failure to act on climate change. “I don't think it will come as a surprise to anyone how deeply disappointed the President and I are about our inability to get the kind of legislation through the Senate that the United States was seeking,” she says. Clinton closes with advice for Ellie, a 10-year-old who expresses concern for the future environment. “I think that there is a lot that you can do, because it's been my experience that young people are much more environmentally conscious and committed to protecting the world you're growing up in than some of us older people are,” she says. “I'm out of politics, as you all know. So speaking as a private citizen,” she adds, to laughter, “I think people running for office should be asked to explain their positions on what they're going to do.” <strong>This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 15, 2010 </strong> no 1:11:10 In the Balance: Energy, Economy and Environment http://www.climate-one.org In the Balance: Energy, Economy and Environment


Part of The Chevron California Innovation Series


Raj Atluru, Managing Director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Ralph Cavanagh, Energy Co-director, Natural Resources Defense Council
Cathy Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association
Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers and Technology Association
Virgil Welch, Special Assistant to the Chairman, California Air Resources Board
Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator


The low-carbon economy is California’s future. But this panel of energy experts convened by Climate One disagrees on how fast that transition will take, and how it will impact the economy. Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers and Technology Association, and Cathy Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association, repeatedly stress that California could be more business friendly, and that green jobs alone won’t pull the state out of recession. “We all see a clean energy future,” Stewart says. “The question is: When do we get there? How fast do we get there? And at what cost?” “We cannot lose sight of the fact that we are not in a good state in California,” says Reheis-Boyd. “I can tell you my members are making some very difficult choices about where to invest their next dollar.” We have to get the rules right, the remaining panel members say, but they see no trade-off between environmental and economic good. “I think the energy history of California over the last 30 years is how to do both well,” says Ralph Cavanagh, Energy co-director, Natural Resources Defense Council. “Nobody is satisfied with 12.4% unemployment, but I don’t think the answer is doing less of what we already know we do better than anyone else. I think it’s speeding up.” For Virgil Welch, Special Assistant to the Chairman of the California Air Resources Board, it’s also about maintaining California’s global competitiveness. “The policies that we as a state are working on are not just what we need to do for our energy and environmental needs, but they’re critical to driving us towards where the global economy is heading, which is clean energy.” As long as California’s maintains its forward-thinking policy framework, green innovators will call the state home, says, Raj Atluru, Managing Director at the venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson. “California has succeeded over the last century because of its innovation. We’ve innovated in entertainment, flight, defense, communications, PCs, the Internet. Our bet, at our firm, is that the next wave of innovation is going to be the green jobs economy. ”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 12, 2010

]]> Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:19:05 -0700 in-the-balance-energy-economy-and-environment Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The low-carbon economy is California’s future. But this panel of energy experts convened by Climate One disagrees on how fast that transition will take, and how it will impact the economy. In the Balance: Energy, Economy and Environment Part of The Chevron California Innovation Series Raj Atluru, Managing Director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson Ralph Cavanagh, Energy Co-director, Natural Resources Defense Council Cathy Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers and Technology Association Virgil Welch, Special Assistant to the Chairman, California Air Resources Board Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator The low-carbon economy is California’s future. But this panel of energy experts convened by Climate One disagrees on how fast that transition will take, and how it will impact the economy. Jack Stewart, President, California Manufacturers and Technology Association, and Cathy Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association, repeatedly stress that California could be more business friendly, and that green jobs alone won’t pull the state out of recession. “We all see a clean energy future,” Stewart says. “The question is: When do we get there? How fast do we get there? And at what cost?” “We cannot lose sight of the fact that we are not in a good state in California,” says Reheis-Boyd. “I can tell you my members are making some very difficult choices about where to invest their next dollar.” We have to get the rules right, the remaining panel members say, but they see no trade-off between environmental and economic good. “I think the energy history of California over the last 30 years is how to do both well,” says Ralph Cavanagh, Energy co-director, Natural Resources Defense Council. “Nobody is satisfied with 12.4% unemployment, but I don’t think the answer is doing less of what we already know we do better than anyone else. I think it’s speeding up.” For Virgil Welch, Special Assistant to the Chairman of the California Air Resources Board, it’s also about maintaining California’s global competitiveness. “The policies that we as a state are working on are not just what we need to do for our energy and environmental needs, but they’re critical to driving us towards where the global economy is heading, which is clean energy.” As long as California’s maintains its forward-thinking policy framework, green innovators will call the state home, says, Raj Atluru, Managing Director at the venture capital firm Draper Fisher Jurvetson. “California has succeeded over the last century because of its innovation. We’ve innovated in entertainment, flight, defense, communications, PCs, the Internet. Our bet, at our firm, is that the next wave of innovation is going to be the green jobs economy. ” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 12, 2010 no 1:03:24 Solar Surge? http://www.climate-one.org Solar Surge?

John Woolard, CEO, BrightSource Energy
Karen Douglas, Chairman, California Energy Commission
Lisa Hoyos, California Director, Apollo Alliance
Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator

A “perfect storm” of policy and incentives has made 2010 a banner year for solar in California, but for the boom to continue in the state and the rest of the United States, major obstacles need to be cleared, according to a panel of experts convened by Climate One. Karen Douglas, Chair of the California Energy Commission, BrightSource Energy President and CEO John Woolard, and Lisa Hoyos, California State Coordinator, Apollo Alliance, caution that the absence of a coherent, stable, and long-term national clean energy policy is holding back the industry. “One of the challenges in US policy is that … it’s been, ironically, perpetual and long term for fossil fuels, but short term and extended sporadically for renewables,” Woolard says. “We need a longer time horizon … at least five, more likely ten years, is reasonable.” Douglas agrees: “It’s terribly damaging to extend a policy and then reverse the policy. If you do that too many times, developers feel burned.” We also need to be able to deliver the clean energy to the grid. Woolard notes that over the past decade US regulators have sited 12,000 miles of natural gas pipelines but only 600 miles of power lines. “It’s like running interstate commerce without highways and rails,” Woolard says. If you can get projects financed and approved by regulators, it will mean jobs, Hoyos says. “Clean energy jobs are growing ten times faster than any other sector of our economy in this state,” she says. “We need to fully put our energy behind opposing Proposition 23 so we can continue to realize the benefits of AB 32, which is expected to generate in the next ten years over $104 billion in investment and other economic opportunities.”

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 8, 2010

]]> Mon, 11 Oct 2010 15:24:33 -0700 solar-surge Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A “perfect storm” of policy and incentives has made 2010 the year for solar in California, but for the boom to continue in the state and the rest of the U.S., major obstacles need to be cleared, according to a panel of experts convened by Climate One. Solar Surge? John Woolard, CEO, BrightSource Energy Karen Douglas, Chairman, California Energy Commission Lisa Hoyos, California Director, Apollo Alliance Greg Dalton, Climate One - Moderator A “perfect storm” of policy and incentives has made 2010 a banner year for solar in California, but for the boom to continue in the state and the rest of the United States, major obstacles need to be cleared, according to a panel of experts convened by Climate One. Karen Douglas, Chair of the California Energy Commission, BrightSource Energy President and CEO John Woolard, and Lisa Hoyos, California State Coordinator, Apollo Alliance, caution that the absence of a coherent, stable, and long-term national clean energy policy is holding back the industry. “One of the challenges in US policy is that … it’s been, ironically, perpetual and long term for fossil fuels, but short term and extended sporadically for renewables,” Woolard says. “We need a longer time horizon … at least five, more likely ten years, is reasonable.” Douglas agrees: “It’s terribly damaging to extend a policy and then reverse the policy. If you do that too many times, developers feel burned.” We also need to be able to deliver the clean energy to the grid. Woolard notes that over the past decade US regulators have sited 12,000 miles of natural gas pipelines but only 600 miles of power lines. “It’s like running interstate commerce without highways and rails,” Woolard says. If you can get projects financed and approved by regulators, it will mean jobs, Hoyos says. “Clean energy jobs are growing ten times faster than any other sector of our economy in this state,” she says. “We need to fully put our energy behind opposing Proposition 23 so we can continue to realize the benefits of AB 32, which is expected to generate in the next ten years over $104 billion in investment and other economic opportunities.” This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on October 8, 2010 no 1:04:47 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: Green Light or Red Light Ahead? http://www.climate-one.org Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: Green Light or Red Light Ahead?

With an election approaching that will decide his successor and the fate of his landmark legislative achievement, California’s climate law known as AB 32, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers a full-throated defense of his legacy. Schwarzenegger’s aim, he says, is to shed a spotlight on “forces willing to sacrifice this country’s environmental future for private gain” by pushing Proposition 23. “Oil companies like Valero and Tesoro and Frontier and Koch Industries are blatantly trying to manipulate the will of the people and the public good,” he says. “They are creating a shell argument that this is about saving jobs. Does anyone really believe that these companies, out of the goodness of their black-oil hearts, are spending millions and millions of dollars to protect jobs?” Asked by Climate One founder Greg Dalton if he welcomes Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman coming down on his side on Prop. 23, Schwarzenegger replies, “Yes, I welcome anyone who comes to our side and helps. I hope she uses some of her billions of dollars that she has and put it into the campaign to fight Prop. 23.” Schwarzenegger repeatedly stresses that California’s future rests on its ability to lead the transition to a clean energy economy, and that doing so would not negatively impact the state’s economy. Since 2005, he says, jobs in the greentech sector have grown ten times faster than the California average and are the single-largest source of new job growth in the state.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on September 27, 2010

]]> Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:18:46 -0700 governor-arnold-schwarzenegger-green-light-or-red Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One When Californians choose a successor to Gov. Schwarzenegger this November, will the state stay the course on clean energy or take a new approach? Join us for a conversation with the governor about his trip to China, his own record on sustainability. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: Green Light or Red Light Ahead? With an election approaching that will decide his successor and the fate of his landmark legislative achievement, California’s climate law known as AB 32, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers a full-throated defense of his legacy. Schwarzenegger’s aim, he says, is to shed a spotlight on “forces willing to sacrifice this country’s environmental future for private gain” by pushing Proposition 23. “Oil companies like Valero and Tesoro and Frontier and Koch Industries are blatantly trying to manipulate the will of the people and the public good,” he says. “They are creating a shell argument that this is about saving jobs. Does anyone really believe that these companies, out of the goodness of their black-oil hearts, are spending millions and millions of dollars to protect jobs?” Asked by Climate One founder Greg Dalton if he welcomes Republican gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman coming down on his side on Prop. 23, Schwarzenegger replies, “Yes, I welcome anyone who comes to our side and helps. I hope she uses some of her billions of dollars that she has and put it into the campaign to fight Prop. 23.” Schwarzenegger repeatedly stresses that California’s future rests on its ability to lead the transition to a clean energy economy, and that doing so would not negatively impact the state’s economy. Since 2005, he says, jobs in the greentech sector have grown ten times faster than the California average and are the single-largest source of new job growth in the state. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on September 27, 2010 no 1:08:42 Salt, Oil and Carbon http://www.climate-one.org Salt, Oil and Carbon



Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Nancy Sutley, Chair, Council on Environmental Quality, the White House
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One


A new national oceans policy will require a patchwork of federal agencies to collaborate on managing the country’s oceans and lakes for the first time, according to Jane Lubchenco, Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. They told a Climate One audience the creation of a National Oceans Council should help streamline and centralize the fractured system that had existed before. “What we have is a whole new dimension of collaboration,” says Sutley. The pair’s enthusiasm for the new reforms was tempered by the dire state of the oceans and the manifold threats that promise to degrade them further. Lubchenco notes that the acidity of the oceans has increased by 30% in the past 100 years. That is compromising the ability of calcium carbonate-shelled creatures to make shells, she says, threatening the “rainforests of the sea” – coral reefs – and placing in jeopardy the base of the marine food web. How will the BP oil disaster affect the health of the Gulf of Mexico? Lubchenco says it will take years to really know. Of the 4.9 million barrels that gushed into the deep ocean, Lubchenco says ¼ was burned, skimmed, or captured; ¼ evaporated; ¼ was dispersed, naturally or by chemicals; and the last ¼ collected as sheen on the surface, in tar balls, or washed ashore. Lubchenco remains concerned about the very dilute but still toxic oil that remains below the surface. “Dilute does not mean benign,” she says.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 8, 2010

]]> Tue, 14 Sep 2010 15:34:43 -0700 salt-oil-and-carbon Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A new national oceans policy will require a patchwork of federal agencies to collaborate on managing the country’s oceans for the first time, according to Jane Lubchenco, and Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Salt, Oil and Carbon Jane Lubchenco, Administrator, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Nancy Sutley, Chair, Council on Environmental Quality, the White House Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One A new national oceans policy will require a patchwork of federal agencies to collaborate on managing the country’s oceans and lakes for the first time, according to Jane Lubchenco, Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. They told a Climate One audience the creation of a National Oceans Council should help streamline and centralize the fractured system that had existed before. “What we have is a whole new dimension of collaboration,” says Sutley. The pair’s enthusiasm for the new reforms was tempered by the dire state of the oceans and the manifold threats that promise to degrade them further. Lubchenco notes that the acidity of the oceans has increased by 30% in the past 100 years. That is compromising the ability of calcium carbonate-shelled creatures to make shells, she says, threatening the “rainforests of the sea” – coral reefs – and placing in jeopardy the base of the marine food web. How will the BP oil disaster affect the health of the Gulf of Mexico? Lubchenco says it will take years to really know. Of the 4.9 million barrels that gushed into the deep ocean, Lubchenco says ¼ was burned, skimmed, or captured; ¼ evaporated; ¼ was dispersed, naturally or by chemicals; and the last ¼ collected as sheen on the surface, in tar balls, or washed ashore. Lubchenco remains concerned about the very dilute but still toxic oil that remains below the surface. “Dilute does not mean benign,” she says. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 8, 2010 no 1:09:08 Cradle to California http://www.climate-one.org Cradle to California


William McDonough, Architect and Author, Cradle to Cradle
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One


American architect McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart started the Cradle to Cradle revolution in manufacturing and design. Now they want to drive that integrated thinking deeper into the heart of capitalism. How? By creating a startup in Silicon Valley. The Green Products Innovation Institute, which McDonough and Governor Schwarzenegger christened last spring, aims to transform the “making and consumption of things into a regenerative force for the planet.” The institute will certify products to inform consumers and encourage corporations to use cleaner and more sustainable materials and processes. Does the world need another green seal of approval? McDonough says it’s about much more than that. He’s thinking big about architecture, manufacturing and transportation. And with his track record, he has the ear of captains of industry as well as activists including Brad Pitt. Join us for a conversation with one of the leading lights of the sustainability movement.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 7, 2010

]]> Wed, 08 Sep 2010 15:11:25 -0700 cradle-to-california Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One American architect McDonough helped start the Cradle to Cradle revolution in manufacturing and design. Does the world need another green seal of approval? McDonough is thinking big about architecture, manufacturing and transportation. Cradle to California William McDonough, Architect and Author, Cradle to Cradle Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One American architect McDonough and German chemist Michael Braungart started the Cradle to Cradle revolution in manufacturing and design. Now they want to drive that integrated thinking deeper into the heart of capitalism. How? By creating a startup in Silicon Valley. The Green Products Innovation Institute, which McDonough and Governor Schwarzenegger christened last spring, aims to transform the “making and consumption of things into a regenerative force for the planet.” The institute will certify products to inform consumers and encourage corporations to use cleaner and more sustainable materials and processes. Does the world need another green seal of approval? McDonough says it’s about much more than that. He’s thinking big about architecture, manufacturing and transportation. And with his track record, he has the ear of captains of industry as well as activists including Brad Pitt. Join us for a conversation with one of the leading lights of the sustainability movement. This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on September 7, 2010 no 1:06:16 Spin It Green: The Story of Marissa Muller http://www.commonwealthclub.org The evolving status of women in the world today will be explored at The Commonwealth Club throughout the month of August in the series The Ascent of Woman.

Through speakers, panels, films and art, we will examine this transformational period in women's history, this dramatic shift from the expectation of our mothers' choices, to how we work and live today in ways that reach out through our families and communities to reverberate throughout the nation.

The Ascent of Woman series will illuminate women's lives today, where women are redefining what a 'woman's place' will be.

Women Changing the Way We Eat

Spin It Green: The Story of Marissa Muller

Marissa Muller, Solar-Powered Bicycle Pioneer

After graduating from business school in Spain, Muller returned home to California and worked with her family in building her vision: a solar powered electric bike. During her 1,000-mile solo adventure on the roads of California, she visited 14 high schools, offering a seminar on solar and electric vehicles, and sparking a dialogue with the students to start brainstorming ways to combat our energy and environmental challenges. Though the ride is over, her goal of reaching 1,000 clean ideas is ongoing. Meet this amazing young woman and hear her message of clean power.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on August 19, 2010

]]> Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:41:10 -0700 the-ascent-of-woman-seriesspin-it-green-the-stor Commonwealth Club of California After graduating from business school in Spain, Muller returned home to California and worked with her family in building her vision: a solar powered electric bike. no 59:48 Power Shift: The U.S. Navy and Global Energy Reform http://www.climate-one.org Power Shift: The U.S. Navy and Global Energy Reform


Ray Mabus, Secretary of the U.S. Navy


Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One


Within 10 years, the United States Navy will get one-half of all its energy needs, both afloat and ashore, from non-fossil fuel sources,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus says. He believes that the US military can jump-start the clean energy revolution. “If we can begin to get this energy from different places and from different sources, then I think you can flip the line from ‘Field of Dreams’: If the Navy comes, they will build it. If we provide the market, then I think you’ll begin to see the infrastructure being built, the price per kilowatt-hour come down.” The Navy’s carbon footprint is vast – it consumes about 1 percent of all the energy used in the United States – and last fall announced an ambitious plan to slash fuel use and carbon emissions by buying hybrid vehicles, moving away from petroleum, and constructing energy efficient buildings.


Mabus also serves as President Obama’s point person for recovery in the Gulf. Work is needed, he says, to modernize the technology by which oil companies respond to spills, and to update the legal structure under which they operate. “Obviously, the cap that was placed on oil companies, which was $70 million, did not anticipate anything remotely like this incident. The legal structure … needs to be updated to take into account realities as they exist today,” Mabus says. Asked by Climate One’s Greg Dalton what an appropriate dollar figure for the liability cap might be, Mabus replied: “I’m not sure there needs to be a cap.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on August 16, 2010

]]> Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:00:37 -0700 power-shift-the-us-navy-and-global-energy-refor Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Within 10 years, the United States Navy will get one-half of all its energy needs, both afloat and ashore, from non-fossil fuel sources,” Navy Secretary Ray Mabus says. He believes that the US military can jump-start the clean energy revolution. no 1:00:30 Rep. Ed Markey: Cap and Fade? http://www.climate-one.org Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA)


Undaunted by the death of climate legislation in the Senate this summer, U.S. Representative Edward Markey (D-MA) vows to reintroduce comprehensive legislation next year and guarantees its passage within a few years. “We have a responsibility to the rest of the world,” Markey says, “most of the CO2 which is up there is red white and blue.” Markey, chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, concedes that events in the spring, including the health care reform push and Deepwater Horizon disaster, conspired to distract attention nationally from the importance of climate legislation. But its demise was assured, he says, when Republican Senate leaders used the threat of filibuster “as a way of engaging in obdurate, obstinate opposition to this legislation passing – and time was their friend.” Markey also urges Californians to defeat Proposition 23. “You cannot lose this issue out here. It’s an imperative for you to beat back these two Texas oil companies. If you win here, I think we can win everywhere. If they lose here, they can lose everywhere.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on August 13, 2010

]]> Mon, 16 Aug 2010 11:15:00 -0700 rep-ed-markey-cap-and-fade Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Now that the U.S. Senate has punted on an economy-wide climate bill, the future of any legislation limiting carbon pollution is in doubt. Join us for a conversation with a Washington insider who has a leading role in America's ongoing energy saga. no 1:06:32 After BP: Climate Progress? http://www.climate-one.org After BP: Climate Progress?
Joe Romm, Editor, Climate Progress
Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress


It is “morally unconscionable” for the fossil fuel industry, and the politicians who carry their water in Congress, to stand in the way of action on climate change, says Climate Progress blogger Joe Romm. A Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress and former US Department of Energy official, Romm says California voters have an opportunity this November to defeat the forces seeking to delay action on climate change by rejecting an attack on AB 32. “There isn’t anything more important Californians can do than kill Proposition 23 by as large a margin as possible to send a message. Anybody who wants to save the climate in this country, who wants to pass legislation, is going to have to transform politics in this country so that there is a political cost to trying to destroy the climate. ” Confronted by such a grave threat, we need to act now, he says. Which means we can’t wait for technologies yet to be invented. More R&D funding for clean energy would be wonderful, he says, but “We need to deploy every last piece of low-carbon technology we have today if we’re to give the next generation a fighting chance.”


This program was recorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco at The Commonwealth Club on July 19, 2010

]]> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:57:16 -0700 joe-romm-after-bp-climate-progress Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Does the oil sloshing around the Gulf of Mexico improve or impede the chance of major energy legislation getting through Congress this year? Romm gives his insight into the urgency of the climate crisis and the hope for technology to solve it. no 1:06:16 Shai Agassi: A Better Model? http://www.climate-one.org Shai Agassi: A Better Model?

Founder and CEO, Better Place

In conversation with Greg Dalton, Founder, Climate One

INFORUM’s Next 21st Century Visionary Award

Shai Agassi wants to tip a $3 trillion market – the market for miles. Agassi, the CEO and Founder of Better Place, said he plans to end oil’s stranglehold on the global economy by offering consumers access to miles in electric cars that will be cheaper,and more convenient, than the gasoline-powered cars they replace. Most large and startup automakers are scrambling to make electric cars but Better Place is taking a decidedly different, and risky, approach. It is partnering with Renault and China’s Chery to deliver electric cars with batteries that can be swapped at new robot-powered stations. By taking the battery out of the up-front purchase price and essentially leasing it to drivers as a monthly service, he aims to offer electric cars that are at least $3,000 to $5,000 less to purchase than a comparable gas car and will be cheaper to drive each mile. “The price of oil keeps going up, the price of batteries keeps going down, the life of batteries is improving,” Agassi said. A few cars are on the road now in Tokyo and dozens are slated to be tested in Israel later this year. Will battery swapping take off? Will it flop? Or will it be just another niche? Agassi forwards his bold vision for the arrival of electric cars for the mass market.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on July 12, 2010

]]> Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:25:36 -0700 shai-agassi-a-better-model Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Influential investors seem to be betting on the electrification of vehicles. What infrastructure is needed to make this viable on a national scale? Find out what Better Place CEO Agassi, once called the "Steve Jobs of clean energy," has to say about it. no 1:04:59 Hot, Wet and Uncertain http://www.climate-one.org Hot, Wet and Uncertain


Wieslaw Maslowski, Research Professor, Naval Post Graduate School
Will Travis, Executive Director, Bay Area Conservation and Development Commission
Andrew J. Gunther, Executive Director, Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration
Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club VP, Founder of Climate One, Moderator


What do scientists predict the Earth will be like in a few decades? While imperfect and complex, computer models using historic data and forward projections suggest deterioration of agricultural land, crumbling bridges and flooded roads, and population shifts away from low-lying cities such as Miami and Amsterdam. How fast will Arctic ice melt? What does that mean for the rest of the world? What are governments and businesses doing in the Bay Area and elsewhere to prepare for new water patterns that paradoxically may bring too much water at times in some areas and drought in others? Join experts for a discussion of what the past and present can tell us about our future.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club of California on July 9, 2010

]]> Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:24:55 -0700 hot-wet-and-uncertain Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What do scientists predict the Earth will be like in a few decades? How fast will Arctic ice melt? What does that mean for the rest of the world? What are governments & businesses doing in the Bay Area and elsewhere to prepare for new water patterns that? no 1:09:13 America’s Climate War http://www.climate-one.org America’s Climate War


Eric Pooley, Deputy Editor, Bloomberg BusinessWeek


Why is the national conversation about America’s energy future so polarized? Who are the true believers, power brokers and climate-change deniers working the halls of power in Washington? The political story of global warming includes colorful characters from activists chaining themselves to bulldozers and powerful lobbyists in the West Wing of President Obama’s administration. Pooley had extensive access to Al Gore in writing his new book, The Climate War. He offers his take on the forces battling it out in the big climate change showdown. Join him for a conversation about villains, heroes and the fight to save the earth.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on June 24, 2010

]]> Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:09:14 -0700 americas-climate-war Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Why is the national conversation about America’s energy future so polarized? Author Eric Pooley had extensive access to Al Gore in writing his new book, The Climate War. He offers his take on the forces battling it out in the big climate change showdown. no 1:06:03 Merchants of Doubt http://www.climate-one.org Merchants of Doubt


Erik Conway, Historian, California Institute of Technology


What do tobacco and fossil fuels have in common? A handful of scientists were able to obscure the truth about both threats to public well-being, according to author Conway. “Doubt is our product,” one tobacco executive reportedly said. Oil and coal companies borrowed a page from that playbook and have used it effectively to cast a cloud over climate science. The result? Opinion polls show that a falling percentage of Americans think climate change is urgent and, as the economy faltered, it has plunged as a national priority. Conway, an expert on the history of carbon dioxide measurement and climate science, offers a peek into the campaign against the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the global scientific consensus that human activity is adversely impacting the Earth.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco at The Commonwealth Club on June 11, 2010

]]> Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:57:15 -0700 merchants-of-doubt Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What do tobacco and fossil fuels have in common? A handful of scientists were able to obscure the truth about both threats to public well-being, according to author Conway. “Doubt is our product,” one tobacco executive reportedly said. no 1:01:52 Corporate Sustainability: A Sprint or Marathon? http://www.climate-one.org Corporate Sustainability: A Sprint or Marathon?


Dan Hesse, CEO, Sprint



When every company claims to be a green leader, how can consumers know which ones really are? Hesse will share his insights on why sustainable growth is sound business and can offer a competitive edge in an industry expanding rapidly around the world. What are the energy and environmental impacts of the global wireless revolution? Sprint has introduced eco-friendly phones and placed in the top 20 of Newsweek magazine’s 2009 Green Rankings of 500 U.S. corporations. How is it going to stay ahead of the green curve?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco on June 8, 2010

]]> Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:39:18 -0700 corporate-sustainability-a-sprint-or-marathon Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One When every company claims to be a green leader, how can consumers know which ones really are? Hesse will share his insights on why sustainable growth is sound business and can offer a competitive edge in an industry expanding rapidly around the world. no 1:06:55 Drill, Baby, Spill http://www.climate-one.org Drill, Baby, Spill


Jim Boyd, Vice Chair, California Energy Commission
Michael Brune, Executive Director, Sierra Club
Dan Miller, Managing Director, The Roda Group
Catherine Reheis-Boyd, President, Western States Petroleum Association


What impact will the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico have on America’s energy supply? With the environmental and economic damage mounting daily, California has backed away from plans to drill off the West Coast. Will the United States also change course and shelve recently announced plans to erect a new generation of offshore oil rigs? As Alaskan supplies fall, will California import more oil from the Middle East? Or turn to Canadian tar sands? Will the oil spill drive investment and policies to spur biofuels? Oil on the shores of Louisiana will change the energy equation in ways we are just starting to understand. Join us for a town hall conversation about how to safely and cleanly fuel our future.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on May 18, 2010

]]> Thu, 20 May 2010 17:23:59 -0700 drill-baby-spill Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What impact will the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico have on America’s energy supply? Will the oil spill drive investment and policies to spur biofuels? Oil on the shores of Louisiana will change energy policy in ways we are just starting to understand. no 1:08:52 Reporter's Roundtable http://www.climate-one.org
Are electric cars ready for prime time? And is California hitting the brakes on its climate legislation? Our reporter's roundtable discusses all these issues and more with environmental reporter Todd Woody and Craig Miller of KQED's Climate Watch.

This program was recorded live on May 13, 2010

]]> Fri, 14 May 2010 10:25:05 -0700 reporters-roundtable Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Are electric cars ready for prime time? And is California hitting the brakes on its climate legislation? Our reporter's roundtable discusses all these issues and more with environmental reporter Todd Woody and Craig Miller of KQED's Climate Watch no 21:46 National Ocean Policy: Working to Protect Our Oceans and Resources http://www.climate-one.org National Ocean Policy: Working to Protect Our Oceans and Resources


Sarah Chasis, Director of Ocean Initiative, Natural Resources Defense Council
Julie Packard, Executive Director, Monterey Bay Aquarium
Michael Thuss, Director and Member, Texas Water Conservancy Association
Warner Chabot, CEO, California League of Conservation Voters; Former Vice President, the Ocean Conservancy – Moderator


The United States has ocean areas larger than any country in the world. The White House is considering a national policy to address the environmental and economic challenges that face our oceans, coastal states, communities, jobs and waterways. Join our distinguished panel to discuss this historical planning for the sustainability and health of our nation’s oceans and resources — for now and future generations.


This program was recorded at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on May 13, 2010

]]> Fri, 14 May 2010 10:00:28 -0700 national-ocean-policy-working-to-protect-our-ocea Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The United States has ocean areas larger than any country in the world. The White House is considering a national policy to address the environmental and economic challenges that face our oceans, coastal states, communities, jobs and waterways. no 1:04:54 Youth Grabbing the Wheel: Young Leaders Speak Up on Driving Down Carbon http://www.climate-one.org Youth Grabbing the Wheel: Young Leaders Speak Up on Driving Down Carbon


Jason Bade, 19, Stanford Student; Co-director, Green Youth Alliance; California Climate Champion
Gemma Givens, 19, UC Santa Cruz Student; Member, Indigenous Environment Network
Shreya Indukuri, 16, Harker Upper School Student; Co-founder SmartPowerEd.org
Alli Reed, UC Berkeley student; Real Food Challenge


What would the move to a clean-energy economy look like if your kids were driving? Business and policy leaders often talk about preserving natural resources for future generations, and yet youth are rarely part of the conversation. In fact, they usually are on the margins or not even in the room.


This program was recored in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on May 4, 2010.

]]> Wed, 05 May 2010 16:34:27 -0700 panel-youth-leaders-grabbing-the-wheel Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Hear from three youth advocates working to change policy and lifestyles while building new models that work. Business, government and civil society leaders join the audience while the kids take the stage. no 1:04:13 Cap and Charade? http://www.climate-one.org Cap and Charade?


Michael Shellenberger, Breakthrough Institute
Kristin Eberhard, Legal Director, Western Energy and Climate, Natural Resources Defense Council
Larry Goulder, Chair, Department of Economics, Stanford


Would capping and trading carbon pollution create a prosperous clean energy economy? Or would it be a boondoggle for Wall Street and scammers in developing countries? While touted as a market-based way to put a price on carbon, cap and trade has been parodied by Jon Stewart as the superhero Cap N’ Trade and is increasingly questioned by environmentalists and regulators. Yet the state of California and many companies have a lot invested in a cap-and-trade system. Will it die a slow death? Should it? What would be a better way to create a global price for greenhouse gases?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 22, 2010.

]]> Mon, 26 Apr 2010 16:58:56 -0700 panel-cap-and-charade Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A town hall conversation about cap and trade with a fervent skeptic, a true believer and you. no 1:07:58 Vinod Khosla: Forecast or Invent Our Energy Future? http://www.climate-one.org Forecast or Invent Our Energy Future?


Vinod Khosla, Founder, Khosla Ventures; Former CEO, Sun Microsystems


Predictions of peak oil and resource scarcity are driving investments in new energy and technologies. What will determine the winners and losers? What policies are needed to drive innovation and send proper price signals? Are incremental solutions such as hybrid vehicles helpful, or does the climate challenge require huge breakthroughs at the system level?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 20, 2010.

]]> Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:28:46 -0700 vinod-khosla-forecast-or-invent-our-energy-future Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A leading clean tech investor gives his view on what the United States needs to do to create a prosperous and more sustainable economy. no 1:00:38 Global Warring with Cleo Paskal http://www.climate-one.org Global Warring


Cleo Paskal, Consultant, U.S. Department of Energy
Associate Fellow, Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, London


The changing climate now has the attention of military establishments around the world. Last year, for example, the CIA created a group focused on tracking the national-security implications of desertification, rising sea levels, population shifts and heightened competition for natural resources. What will the opening of the Arctic mean for Russian access into North American waters? Will China's lack of clean, fresh water undermine its global ambitions? Will India's increasingly erratic monsoon affect its economic growth? These and other pressing questions will be answered.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on April 13, 2010

]]> Mon, 19 Apr 2010 14:46:34 -0700 cleo-paskal Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The changing climate now has the attention of military establishments around the world. no 1:03:55 Fossil Fuels + Dependence = Security Risks? http://www.climate-one.org Fossil Fuels + Dependence = Security Risks?


Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, United States Navy, Retired


What do military officers think about the United States’ reliance on oil? One group of retired brass concluded that it threatens economic stability and national security. Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn (retired) says the 12 people studied scientific data and energy models for more than a year and concluded that the Pentagon should clearly integrate energy and climate change into its strategy and operations. What's that mean?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 29, 2010.

]]> Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:14:04 -0700 fossil-fuels-+-dependence-=-security-risks Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Beefing up the country's electric grid, pushing energy efficiency, driving toward electric military vehicles and pursuing renewable fuels. Why? Because, they say, it would reduce the burden on soldiers overseas and make the country stronger. no 1:02:39 Is Your God Green? http://www.climate-one.org Is Your God Green?


Reverend Sally Bingham, Interfaith Power and Light
Senior Rabbi Stephen Pearce, Temple Emanu-El


What would Jesus say about climate change? What does the Torah say about stewardship of God's creation? Leaders from different religious traditions discuss how their respective philosophies and scriptures guide their approach to today's energy challenges. They'll also address how congregations around the country are getting involved in the movement to build a cleaner energy future.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on March 23, 2010.

]]> Wed, 24 Mar 2010 18:27:05 -0700 is-your-god-green Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Join us for a conversation at the intersection of faith, light and power. no 1:04:09 Geo-engineering: Global Salvation or Ruin? http://www.climate-one.org Geo-engineering: Global Salvation or Ruin?


Ken Caldeira, Professor, Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution
Albert Lin, Professor, UC Davis School of Law
David Whelan, Chief Scientist, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems


Should humans address man-made rising temperatures and sea levels by tinkering further with Mother Nature? A lively debate about such geo-engineering burst into the mainstream recently with reference to Caldeira’s work in the final chapter of the popular book SuperFreakonomics. Now this panel takes a measured look at the good, bad and ugly of what could and should be done. What is technically feasible? How could such tactics be tested? What are the risks? How would such a program be governed? Does the mere mention of geo-engineering take the steam out of efforts to reduce carbon pollution and create a moral hazard?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 23, 2010.

]]> Wed, 24 Feb 2010 15:40:18 -0800 geoengineering-global-salvation-or-ruin Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Our three panelists share distinct perspectives on the passionate discussion about geo-engineering. no 1:10:23 After Copenhagen: What Now? http://www.climate-one.org After Copenhagen: What Now?


Emily Adler, Partnership Director, Alliance for Climate Education
Louis Blumberg, Director, California Climate Change, The Nature Conservancy
Tony Brunello, Deputy Secretary for Climate Change and Energy, California Natural Resources Agency
Leslie Durschinger, Managing Partner, Terra Global Capital
Caitlin Grey, Student, Alameda High School
Dan Jacobson, Executive Director, Environment California
AG Kawamura, Secretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture
Bruce Klafter, Head, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability, Applied Materials
Sally Osberg, President and CEO, The Skoll Foundation
Amy Luers, Environment Manager, Google.org
Nancy Skinner, Chair, Natural Resources Committee, California State Assembly


What are the prospects for a global climate treaty in 2010? With world leaders still arguing over how fast to reduce carbon pollution and who will pay for the clean up, we convene a panel of experts who attended the UN climate summit in Copenhagen. Was that a success, a bust or a little of both? We’ll have firsthand reports and backroom insights.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on February 2, 2010.

]]> Wed, 03 Feb 2010 14:40:44 -0800 after-copenhagen-what-nowafter-copenhagen-what Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The panel will also address the possibility of U.S. domestic climate legislation and the political and industrial jockeying around that part of the energy puzzle. no 1:04:53 Chris Martenson: Oil, Water and Climate http://www.climate-one.org Chris Martenson: Oil, Water and Climate


A former employee of the International Energy Agency told the Guardian newspaper recently that figures about worldwide oil supplies are exaggerated. That supported what peak oil adherents such as Martenson have been saying for years. In addition to oil, he discusses how the intertwining effects of the economy and environment will coalesce to shape a future radically different from the past.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 26, 2010.

]]> Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:15:54 -0800 chris-martenson-oil-water-and-climate Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One A scientist and former executive for a Fortune 300 company, Martenson puts together the macro-trends that will shape our finances and our relationships to our natural and social environments in the years to come. no 1:04:25 The King of Coal, Prince of Wind? Dave Freudenthal, Governor of Wyoming http://www.climate-one.org The King of Coal, Prince of Wind?

Dave Freudenthal, Governor of Wyoming

With America’s largest deposits of coal and uranium, Wyoming sends massive amounts of energy to California and the rest of the country. Governor Freudenthal is trying to chart a new path for an extraction state where half the people don’t believe global warming is real. He’s looking to cleaner ways of using coal and believes natural gas is a winner, for fueling transportation or generating electricity. Wind power also holds promise, while getting it to market without trampling on endangered species and testy landowners is a challenge. Can California technology and innovation help illuminate the way? Join us for a special opportunity to discuss America’s energy future with the down-to-earth chief executive of this powerhouse state.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on January 21, 2010

]]> Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:36:28 -0800 the-king-of-coal-prince-of-wind-dave-freudenthal Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Governor Freudenthal is trying to chart a new path for an extraction state where half the people don’t believe global warming is real. He’s looking to cleaner ways of using coal and believes natural gas is a winner... no 1:05:00 Panel: Scaling Up Solar Power in California http://www.climate-one.org Sun Up: Scaling Solar Power in California


Bob Epstein, Founder, Environmental Entrepreneurs
Mike Peevey, Chair, California Public Utilities Commission
Mike Splinter, CEO, Applied Materials
Nancy McFadden, Senior Vice President, PG&E


Solar power is surging in popularity as a renewable energy source, yet still remains a small part of California’s overall energy supply. How will this situation change, in light of a state plan calling for a massive scaling up of renewable sources by 2030? What factors are driving the ongoing decrease in the price of photovoltaic systems, and what technology, project financing and policy will enhance the availability and affordability of residential, commercial and utility scale solar power?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on January 12, 2010.

]]> Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:48:43 -0800 panel-scaling-up-solar-power-in-california Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One This panel of experts discusses the bright future for sun energy in the Golden State. no 58:26 Climate One in Copenhagen http://www.climate-one.org Climate One in Copenhagen

Segment One

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor, California Huang Ming, Founder and CEO, Himin Solar (one of China's largest renewable energy companies)

Segment Two

Rajendra Pachauri, Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Caio Koch-Weser, Vice Chair, Deutsche Bank

As the tumultuous climate negotiations in Copenhagen near the end, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says it is embarrassing that the US does not have a national climate policy as do many of the 192 countries meeting here. He says sub-national actors such as states and cities can act as "laboratories of action" on climate change as they have on many other issues. Huang Ming, a former petroleum engineer turned clean energy entrepreneur, says that shaping popular culture and thinking is as important as the policies being discussed in Copenhagen. In a light moment he and the governor discuss heating hot tubs with solar energy.

Rajendra Pachauri says India and other countries are doing a lot at the local level to reduce carbon pollution.
"We don't need to wait for leadership at the top," he says, urging a grassroots movement to spur deadlocked negotiations among countries here trying to reach a global climate framework.

He believes rich countries do have a moral obligation to address the carbon pollution their economic development has created.

Among the most contentious issues in Copenhagen is the question of transferring funds from wealthy countries to help less developed nations reduce future pollution and deal with changes already happening. Koch-Weser, a former official with the World Bank and German Finance Ministry, says that financial markets can leverage taxpayer money to reach the $65 billion to $100 billion a year in financing that developing countries say they need to cut a deal. He also says electric cars in the future will be "built in China not Stuttgart or Detroit" because China's automotive technologies will leapfrog industrialized countries.

]]> Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:27:10 -0800 climate-one-in-copenhagen Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Climate One travels to Copenhagen to host a timely program on the issue of Climate legislation. Included in this discussion is Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and Rajendra Pachauri of The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. no 58:59 James Letz: The Future of Cars and the Auto Industry http://www.climate-one.org The Future of Cars and the Auto Industry


James Lentz, President/COO, Toyota, USA, Inc.


Toyota is known for creativity and a commitment to sustainable development, but is it enough in today's ultra-competitive globalized car industry? Come hear the unique perspective of industry veteran Lentz, who launched the innovative Scion brand in 2001, on what automakers are doing to ensure vehicles are a benefit, not a burden, to society and what future designs may be on the horizon.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on November 17, 2009.

]]> Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:39:41 -0800 james-letz-the-future-of-cars-and-the-auto-indust Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Car buyers are looking for the best deal, the safest wheels, and greener vehicles. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from an industry leader who is helping determine whether those buyers get what they want. no 1:05:28 India: Deal Maker or Deal Breaker? http://www.climate-one.org India: Deal Maker or Deal Breaker?


India plays a critical role in the global climate chess game. It’s hard line stance has been softening slightly recently as the Copenhagen negotiations approach.
What is India’s approach to the international negotiations? What are the prospects for reforming its electricity sector? How is clean technology faring in India now?
These questions are addressed by Varun Rai, a Research Fellow at Stanford University’s Program on Energy and Sustainable Development, and Alexis Ringwald,
a co-founder of Valence Energy and a co-organizer of the Climate Solutions Road Tour in India.


This program was recorded at The Commonwealth Club of California in San Francisco on October 6, 2009

]]> Fri, 13 Nov 2009 12:46:05 -0800 india-deal-maker-or-deal-breaker Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One India plays a critical role in the global climate chess game. It’s hard line stance has been softening slightly recently as the Copenhagen negotiations approach. What is India’s approach to the international negotiations? no 30:35 Lester Brown: Saving Civilization Is Not a Spectator Sport http://www.climate-one.org Saving Civilization Is Not a Spectator Sport


Lester Brown, President, Earth Policy Institute


Brown sees concern in the merging of world food and energy economies. Putting corn ethanol in gas tanks and grain-intensive food (beef) into more human bellies will drive up commodity prices and exacerbate fresh water scarcity. Though he believes the Earth is under stress, Brown is hopeful, in part because for the first time since the Industrial Revolution we have begun investing in energy sources that can last forever.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on November 10, 2009

]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:01:16 -0800 lester-brown-saving-civilization-is-not-a-spectat Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Brown also will comment on how the melting glaciers of Tibet could affect the price of a bagel in California. no 1:07:37 David Orr: Confronting Climate Collapse http://www.climate-one.org Down to the Wire: Confronting Climate Collapse


David Orr, Professor, Environmental Studies and Politics, Oberlin College


Due to our refusal to live within the Earth’s natural limits, we now face a multitude of problems that will have a severe negative impact on human civilization. Orr, an expert on environmental literacy and ecological design, further argues that political negligence, an economy driven by insatiable consumption and a disregard for future generations are only adding to our plethora of environmental challenges.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California, on November 11th, 2009.

]]> Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:50:46 -0800 david-orr-confronting-climate-collapse Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Yes, we’re in trouble. Yet there is hope. Orr is working on creating a sustainable oasis around Oberlin College, in the heart of the Rust Belt, that incorporates clean energy, eco-friendly buildings and green jobs. no 1:03:38 Stephen Schneider: What’s Science Got to Do with Climate Change? http://www.climate-one.org What’s Science Got to Do with Climate Change?


Stephen Schneider, Professor of Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies, Stanford


Greg Dalton, Founder, Climate One


What risks does the changing climate pose to the global economy and how can we manage those risks? Rather than betting so much on a cap-and-trade regime for carbon pollution, Schneider says policymakers should fund more research to invent our way to a greener economy.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on November 3, 2009.

]]> Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:55:37 -0800 stephen-schneider-whats-science-got-to-do-with-c Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Schneider says that negotiators in Copenhagen need to cut a climate deal with real bite, “Targets without teeth solve nothing.” no 1:04:55 Henry N. Pollack, Ph.D: A World Without Ice http://www.climate-one.org A World Without Ice: Man’s Impact on Climate Change


Henry N. Pollack, Ph.D., Professor of Geophysics, University of Michigan


It has taken just three centuries for human growth and rising industrial economies to bring the delicate relationship between ice and humans to a dangerous precipice. Ice carved Earth’s landscape to its present state – the sharp Alpine peaks of Europe, the vast Great Lakes of North America, the majestic valleys of Yosemite National Park and the deeply incised fjords of Norway. But as the climate-change debate becomes more heated, are we at risk of losing these precious formations?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 27, 2009.

]]> Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:44:44 -0800 henry-n-pollack-phd-a-world-without-ice Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One As the climate-change debate becomes more heated, are we at risk of losing these precious formations? no 59:31 Tim Flannery: Now or Never http://www.climate-one.org Tim Flannery

Chairman, Copenhagen Climate Council; Author, Now or Never: Why We Must Act Now to End Climate Change and Create a Sustainable Future


Greg Dalton, Founder, Climate One - Moderator


One of the world's leading scientists and notable climate experts offers a pragmatic roadmap of the environmental challenges we face in dealing with climate change and the potential solutions toward sustainable living. Rather than looking backward and assigning blame, Flannery offers a powerful argument for immediate action and highlights some of the advancements made by wind-energy companies and automobile manufacturers to create electric cars that could end the reign of oil.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on October 21, 2009.

]]> Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:35:06 -0800 tim-flannery-now-or-never Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Flannery argues that we are approaching the point of no return, he believes there is hope that steps can be taken to avoid the worst effects of climate change. no 1:01:41 EPA + You = A Greener Future. Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency http://www.climate-one.org EPA + You = A Greener Future

Lisa Jackson, Administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

After winning higher auto fuel economy earlier this year, what are the EPA’s next big priorities? In her first visit to California as the country’s chief environmental regulator, Jackson will lay out her vision for cleaning up America’s air, water and land. What are her plans on toxics, mining and other hot-button issues? And with climate legislation winding through Congress, what is her view on a national renewable fuel standard and other drivers moving toward a clean energy future? How does she plan to “sell” environmentalism in minority communities? Join us for an evening with President Obama’s top green advisor.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco as part of Climate One at The Commonwealth Club on September 29, 2009

]]> Fri, 02 Oct 2009 11:31:52 -0700 epa-+-you-=-a-greener-future-lisa-jackson-admini Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One After winning higher auto fuel economy earlier this year, what are the EPA’s next big priorities? In her first visit to California as the country’s chief environmental regulator, Jackson lays out her vision for cleaning up America’s air, water and land. no 1:06:53 Arnold Schwarzenegger: California - Carbon = A Cleaner World? http://www.climate-one.org Arnold Schwarzenegger: California - Carbon = A Cleaner World?


Governor of California


Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will soon convene a global summit of governors from developing countries to advance the transition to a clean-energy economy. Before that happens, he visited Climate One for a discussion of California's role managing greenhouse gases, promoting green jobs and developing clean technology. Join us at the intersection of policy, politics and carbon for a conversation with the governor.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience in San Francisco as part of Climate One at The Commonwealth Club

]]> Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:36:02 -0700 arnold-schwarzenegger-california-carbon-=-a-cle Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will soon convene a global summit of governors from developing countries to advance the transition to a clean-energy economy. Today he visits Climate One for a discussion of California's role managing greenhouse gases. no 1:09:18 Hopenhagen: Seth Farbman, Jon Krosnick, Adam Werbach - Public Support for a Deal in Copenhagen http://www.climate-one.org Hopenhagen: Seth Farbman, Jon Krosnick, Adam Werbach - Public Support for a Deal in Copenhagen

Adam Werbach, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi S
Seth Farbman, Managing Director, Ogilvy & Mather
Jon Krosnick, Professor of Communication and Political Science, Stanford University
Greg Dalton, Founder, Climate One

What do people around the world think about the threat of climate change and the promise of a new clean economy? Are they informed about the international negotiations in Copenhagen? If clean energy doesn't become a kitchen table issue, will the negotiations succeed?

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club on September 15, 2009.

]]> Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:59:34 -0700 hopenhagen-seth-farbman-jon-krosnick-adam-werba Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Some of the world's biggest advertising companies are putting aside their rivalries to collaborate on a new global campaign - Hopenhagen - about the hope of a green and prosperous future. Will they have any impact? Experts discuss what's at stake. no 1:09:07 Auden Schendler: Getting Green Done - Hard Truths from the Front Lines of the Sustainability Revolution http://www.climate-one.org Getting Green Done: Hard Truths from the Front Lines of the Sustainability Revolution

Auden Schendler, Executive Director of Sustainability, Aspen Skiing Company; Author, Getting Green Done

What does the mechanic say when you ask him to put french fry oil in his $250,000 tractor? How do you actually make sustainability happen? Schendler will give us a peek under the hood of the green movement – what it means, in the trenches, to implement actual solutions to climate change.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on April 7, 2009.

]]> Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:25:54 -0700 getting-green-done-hard-truths-from-the-front-lin Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One no 59:17 Woody Tasch: Slow Money - Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered http://www.climate-one.org Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Mattered

Woody Tasch, Chair and President, Slow Money; Author

Tasch is the chairman and president of Slow Money, a new nonprofit intermediary dedicated to catalyzing the flow of capital to enterprises that support the values that underline slow money, Tasch explains how we can “slow down” the flow of money to support soil fertility and local communities.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on August 27, 2009.

]]> Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:25:08 -0700 woody-tasch-slow-money-investing-as-if-food-fa Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Tasch draws on three decades of experience working along the boundaries of venture capital, social investing and philanthropy. no 59:19 Panel: Carbon Exchange 101 - controlling emissions and boosting the economy http://www.climate-one.org Carbon Exchange 101

Eileen Tutt, Deputy Secretary for Climate Change and Environmental Justice, Cal EPA
Lawrence Goulder, Professor of Environmental and Resource Economics, Stanford University
Josh Margolis, CEO, Cantor CO2e
Greg Dalton, Vice President, The Commonwealth Club – Moderator

Could carbon exchange be the best route to controlling emissions? Some argue that the cap-and-trade approach lets companies buy the right to pollute, while others see a way to encourage clean industry while boosting the economy.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on September 20, 2009.

]]> Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:23:42 -0700 panel-carbon-exchange-101-controlling-emissions Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Is carbon exchange politically feasible in the United States? How does it compare to a carbon tax? Join a panel of experts to break down the details of this complicated scheme. no 59:07 Gill Friend: The Truth About Green Business and the Potential for Jobs and Prosperity http://www.climate-one.org The Truth About Green Business: The Potential for Jobs and Prosperity


Gil Friend, Founder/CEO, Natural Logic, Inc.; Author, The Truth About Green Business


Running a profitable business that takes care of the environment, provides meaningful jobs, and helps the community is an oxymoron, right? Not so fast. Friend suggests that green business practices are good for business and the world.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at the Commonwealth Club of California on August 18, 2009

]]> Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:52:21 -0700 the-truth-about-green-business-the-potential-for Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Hear from one of the leaders in the field explain how we can change the world by greening business. no 1:04:40 World Bank: Driving Incomes Up, Carbon Down http://www.climate-one.org World Bank: Driving Incomes Up, Carbon Down


Katherine Sierra, Vice President for Sustainable Development, World Bank Group
Awais Khan, Lead, Clean Tech Venture Capital Practice, KPMG
Greg Dalton, Founder of Climate One at The Commonwealth Club


Are the world’s poor going to get shafted in the clean economy, just as they did in the dirty one? The World Bank is at the center of the great 21st-century challenge of reducing carbon while creating opportunity in emerging economies. When are those priorities in alignment? When do they conflict? How does the World Bank’s efforts relate to private capital and entrepreneurs?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on July 28, 2009

]]> Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:25:54 -0700 world-bank-driving-incomes-up-carbon-down Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The World Bank is at the center of the great 21st-century challenge of reducing carbon while creating opportunity in emerging economies. When are those priorities in alignment? When do they conflict? How does the Bank’s efforts relate to private capital? no 1:05:55 Curtailing Suburban Sprawl in California http://www.climate-one.org Curtailing Suburban Sprawl in California


Ted Droettboom, Joint Policy Director, Association of Bay Area Governments
Laura Hall, Principal, Hall Alminana, Inc.
Paul Campos, Vice President and General Counsel, Northern California Home Builders Association


As California’s population has grown, so too has the state’s thirst for expansion and elbow-room. As a result, Californians are spending more time in their cars than ever before. Longer commutes equate to higher greenhouse gas emissions, with roughly 40 percent of the state’s current overall emissions resulting from the transportation sector. Panelists will discuss recent state legislation that was passed to curtail suburban sprawl, as well as the impact legislation will have on individual citizens and the state.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club in San Francisco on July 7, 2009

]]> Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:54:13 -0700 curtailing-suburban-sprawl-in-california Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One As California’s population has grown, so too has the state’s thirst for expansion and space. Panelists discuss a recent state law that passed to curtail suburban sprawl, as well as the impact legislation will have on individual citizens and the state. no 1:06:29 Chevron + Sierra Club: Drilling for Common Ground http://www.climate-one.org Chevron + Sierra Club: Drilling for Common Ground


Dave O’Reilly, CEO, Chevron
Carl Pope, Executive Director, The Sierra Club
Alan Murray, Deputy Managing Editor, The Wall Street Journal – Moderator


Chevron and the Sierra Club both see renewable fuels as a growing part of our future. Yet as the world transitions to a low-carbon economy, they have different views on how that change should occur and who should bear the costs. Higher taxes? Voluntary conservation and efficiency? Government mandates? In their first-ever public conversation, O’Reilly and Pope discuss balancing energy and the environment in the 21st century.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on June 10, 2009

]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:41:13 -0700 chevron-+-sierra-club-drilling-for-common-ground Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Chevron and the Sierra Club both see renewable fuels as a growing part of our future, yet they have different views on how that will occur. In their first public dialogue, O’Reilly and Pope discuss energy and the environment in the 21st century. no 1:05:04 The Road to Copenhagen: Are We on Track? http://www.climate-one.org The Road to Copenhagen: Are We on Track?


Bill Reilly, Chairman, Climate Works Foundation; Former Administrator, EPA
Larry Schweiger, President, National Wildlife Federation; Board Member, Al Gore’s Alliance for Climate Protection
John Bryson, Retired CEO, Southern California Edison; Co-founder, National Resources Defense Council
Greg Dalton, Vice President, Commonwealth Club of California


In six months more than 180 nations will gather in Copenhagen to hammer out one of the most far-reaching international treaties since the post-war order was established nearly 70 years ago. The Obama administration is taking a proactive approach. Environmentalists and businesses are weighing in. Is the world on track to make a deal? What will it look like? How is California helping set the agenda?


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on June 9, 2009

]]> Tue, 09 Jun 2009 10:33:46 -0700 the-road-to-copenhagen-are-we-on-track Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One In six months more than 180 nations will gather in Copenhagen to hammer out one of the most far-reaching international treaties since the post-war order was established nearly 70 years ago. Is the world on track to make a deal? no 1:09:37 Rethinking Buying and Building: A New Sustainability Chain http://tickets.commonwealthclub.org/ Rethinking Buying and Building: A New Sustainability Chain


Andy Ball, CEO, Webcor Builders
Beth Springer, EVP, Clorox
Dave Steiner, CEO, Waste Management, Inc.
Greg Dalton, Vice President, Commonwealth Club, moderator


Companies and consumers are being asked to think more about the full life-cycle of the products they make and buy. Whether making consumer goods or constructing skyscrapers, companies are coming around to such a cradle-to-cradle mentality. This panel, which includes the CEO of the country’s largest recycler, $14 billion Waste Management, will discuss innovations in design, materials and marketing that are convincing people and companies that being green is good for business and the planet.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 12, 2009

]]> Mon, 18 May 2009 15:08:07 -0700 cl1wealthfromwastepodcast Commonwealth Club of California This panel, which includes the CEO of the country’s largest recycler, $14 billion Waste Management, will discuss innovations in design, materials and marketing that are convincing people and companies that being green is good for business and the planet. no 1:07:04 Clean Coal: Myth, or Reality? http://www.commonwealthclub.org/ Clean Coal: Myth, or Reality?


S. Julio Friedmann, Carbon Management Program Leader, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Ray Lane, Managing Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
Bruce Nilles, Director, Beyond Coal Campaign at Sierra Club
Joe Lucas, Senior Vice President, American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity
Jeff Goodell, Author, Big Coal – Moderator


Coal-fired power plants are the largest U.S. emitters of CO2 and human-generated mercury, yet our nation is poised to build many new coal plants in the future. Panelists will discuss new technologies for carbon capture and storage and IGCC, and the implications of energy policy decisions on the health of our economy and our planet.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on April 28, 2009

]]> Thu, 30 Apr 2009 15:51:31 -0700 clean-coal-myth-or-reality Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Coal-fired power plants are the largest U.S. emitters of CO2 and human-generated mercury, yet our nation is poised to build many new coal plants in the future. Our panelists look at the reality and myths involved in the coal industry and "Clean Coal". no 1:07:27 Change in Your Palm: The Borneo Rainforest http://www.commonwealthclub.org/ Biologist Birute Mary Galdikas discusses the connection between Indonesian rainforests and climate change.
In conversation with Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club Vice President, founder of Climate One


Deforestation in Indonesia, driven largely by large palm oil plantations, has caused that country to become the
third largest emitter of greenhouses gases in the world. Galdikas, who studied under anthropologist Louis Leakey, has
been studying orangutans in Borneo for nearly 40 years. She urges people to be aware of the impact palm oil, and biofuels,
are having on one of the world’s largest carbon sinks.


This program was recorded at The Commonwealth Club on April 27, 2009

]]> Wed, 29 Apr 2009 11:27:43 -0700 change-in-your-palm-the-borneo-rainforest Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Biologist Birute Mary Galdikas discusses the connection between Indonesian rainforests and climate change. no 24:09 Climate Security http://www.commonwealthclub.org Andrew Vincent Alder, Senior Fellow, Institute for Environmental Security
Holmes Hummel, Lecturer, Climate Policy, University of California, Berkeley
Tom Spencer, Vice Chair, The Institute for Climate Security
Greg Dalton, Vice President, The Commonwealth Club, Moderator


What is the geopolitical context in which the “Carbon Quad” – The United States, European Union, China and India –
are posturing regarding a global deal to reduce carbon pollution? What is the potential impact of the dwindling snow pack in the Tibetan plateau?
How does water stress factor into the climate equation internationally and in California? A fast and furious roundtable explores these issues and
touches on the lessons of the European Union Emission Trading Scheme, which is something of a model for the United States.

]]> Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:34:59 -0700 commonwealth-clubclimate-one Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One What is the geopolitical context in which the “Carbon Quad” – The United States, European Union, China and India – are posturing regarding a global deal to reduce carbon pollution? no 32:05 Clean Tech for California: Winners of the Third Annual California Clean Tech Open 2008 http://www.commonwealthclub.org Clean Tech for California: Emerging Winners


Jennifer Billock, Founder, Over the Moon Diapers – Air, Water, and Waste Winner
Tuyen Vo, Founder and CTO, Viridis Earth – Energy Efficiency Winner
Michael Looney, CEO and President, BottleStone – Green Building Winner
Allen Bronstein, Founder and CTO, Focal Point Energy – Renewables Winner
Donnie Foster, CEO and President, Power Assure – Smart Power Winner
Fraser Smith, CEO, ElectraDrive – Transportation Winner
Betsy Rosenberg, Founder, EcoTalk - Moderator

Meet the winners of the Third Annual California Clean Tech Open 2008. This statewide competition focuses on keeping California the leader in commercialized green technologies. Learn about the progress that the six winning companies have made as they move their innovations from the lab into the marketplace, as well as the biggest challenges and opportunities for turning clean-technology concepts into viable business models.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 2, 2009

]]> Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:38:59 -0800 clean-tech-for-california-winners-of-the-third-an Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Meet the winners of the Third Annual California Clean Tech Open 2008. This statewide competition focuses on keeping California the leader in commercialized green technologies. no 1:00:12 Two Billion Cars: Dan Sperling, Founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies; Board Member, California Air Resources Board. http://www.commonwealthclub.org Driving Toward Sustainability


Dan Sperling, Founding Director, Institute of Transportation Studies; Board Member, California Air Resources Board


By 2020, the number of cars on the planet will double to two billion. Without big changes to our cars, fuels and personal habits, the carbon footprint from transportation will rise above its current 25 percent of total emissions. Can we break the cycle of “shock and trance?” Join energy expert Sperling as he reveals what is at stake if we refuse to move quickly, and what opportunities exist if we act now.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on February 12, 2009

]]> Thu, 19 Feb 2009 11:30:45 -0800 dan-sperling-founding-director-institute-of-tran Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One By 2020, the number of cars on the planet will double to two billion. Join energy expert Dan Sperling as he reveals what is at stake if we refuse to move quickly, and what opportunities exist if we act now. no 1:04:36 Letter To President Obama: Path to a Greener Future. Linda Adams (CalEPA), Carter Roberts (World Wildlife Fund), Jim Wunderman (Bay Area Council of Businesses) http://www.commonwealthclub.org Letter to President Obama: A Path to a Greener Future


Linda Adams, Secretary, California Environmental Protection Agency
Carter Roberts, CEO, World Wildlife Fund U.S.
Jim Wunderman, President and CEO, Bay Area Council
Greg Dalton, Vice President Commonwealth Club

Can President Obama heal the economy and turn it green at the same time? He says yes, he can – by pumping investment into modern infrastructure, renewable fuels and new technologies. Can he and his cabinet really do all that and also uphold promises to protect national parks, balance the needs for food and energy, and create new jobs? Perhaps he can if he develops a clearly defined roadmap that tackles today’s multi-faceted and intertwined problems of national and energy security, global poverty, and climate change. A leading policymaker, advocate and businessperson discuss what Obama should do to realize his vision for America, and what that means for California.

]]> Fri, 13 Feb 2009 10:58:15 -0800 panel-letter-to-president-obamaa-path-to-a-green Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Can President Obama heal the economy and turn it green at the same time? A leading policymaker, advocate and businessperson discuss what Obama should do to realize his vision for America, and what that means for California. no 1:09:03 Panel: How Green is Your City? The SustainLane U.S. City Rankings http://www.commonwealthclub.org How Green is Your City? The SustainLane U.S. City Rankings.


Appearing with me will be the ever-entertaining Director of the Department of the Environment for San Francisco, Jared Blumenfeld--abandon your notions of a staid city bureaucrat--and Ian Kim from the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, which is leading up a "green collar" jobs program for the city.


This panel talks about the future of green cities, local jobs, economic development and clean tech in the 21st century, with representatives from the #2 city (San Francisco) and #5 city (Oakland) out of the largest 50 US cities profiled in How Green is Your City?

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on May 2, 2009

]]> Wed, 02 May 2007 16:07:49 -0700 panel-how-green-is-your-city-the-sustainlane-us Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One This panel talks about the future of green cities, local jobs, and clean tech in the 21st century, with representatives from the #2 city (San Francisco) and #5 city (Oakland) out of the largest 50 US cities profiled in How Green is Your City? no 1:01:10 Alan Weisman, Author of "The World Without Us" http://www.commonwealthclub.org Alan Weisman, Author of "The World Without Us"


Alan Weisman's reports from around the world have appeared in Harper's, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic Monthly, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, Orion, Wilson Quarterly, Vanity Fair, Mother Jones, Discover, Audubon, Condé Nast Traveler, and in many anthologies, including Best American Science Writing 2006.

In this far-reaching narrative, Weisman explains how our massive infrastructure would collapse and finally vanish without human presence; what of our everyday stuff may become immortalized as fossils; how copper pipes and wiring would be crushed into mere seams of reddish rock; why some of our earliest buildings might be the last architecture left; and how plastic, bronze sculpture, radio waves, and some man-made molecules may be our most lasting gifts to the universe.

]]> Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:55:25 -0800 alan-weisman-author-of-the-world-without-us Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One In this 2007 program author Alan Weisman talks about his book titled The World Without Us which looks at how the world would change without a human presence. no 1:10:25 Cars: Clean Them or Crush Them. International Council on Clean Transportation, Clean Air Initiative (Asia), and UC Berkeley http://www.commonwealthclub.org Cars: Clean Them or Crush Them?


Kate Blumberg, Research Director,International Center for Clean Transportation
Cornie Huizenga, Vice-Chair, Clean Air Initiative, Asia Center
Michael O’Hare, Professor, Goldman School of Public Policy, UC Berkeley
Lee Schipper, Project Scientist, Global Metropolitan Studies, UC Berkeley
Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club Vice President, Moderator


The number of cars in the world may double in twenty years to 2 billion if the emerging middle
class in India and China get their hands on a new set of wheels. The global economic recession is causing some
countries to invest in rail and other cleaner modes of transportation. At the same time, the recession prompted China to
to relax regulations on autos to boost its economy.


What are the consequences for global climate and quality of life in Asia?
What are the alternatives for personal mobility? Will Asian cities choose the problematic western model?
How can the US improve its transportation policies and technologies? Is the answer cleaner cars or fewer cars?


This program was recorded at The Commonwealth Club on January 22, 2009

]]> Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:04:58 -0800 cars-clean-them-or-crush-them Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The number of cars in the world may double in twenty years to 2 billion if the emerging middle class in India and China get their hands on a new set of wheels. no 51:30 Getting Your Green Dream Job. Nick Ellis, CEO, Bright Green Talent. Liz Maw, Executive Director, Net Impact. Jeff Horowitz, Founder, Avoided Deforestation Partners. Peter Beadle, CEO, Green Jobs. Joel Makower, Executive Editor, GreenBiz.com; Author, Strategies for the Green Economy – Moderator http://www.commonwealthclub.org Getting Your Green Dream Job


Nick Ellis, CEO, Bright Green Talent
Liz Maw, Executive Director, Net Impact
Jeff Horowitz, Founder, Avoided Deforestation Partners
Peter Beadle, CEO, Green Jobs
Joel Makower, Executive Editor, GreenBiz.com; Author, Strategies for the Green Economy – Moderator

Want a green job? INFORUM will tell you how to get it. In an increasingly green society, eco-friendly jobs are popping up everywhere. You don’t have to be an eco-expert to take advantage of this new market. Whether you’re just entering the workforce or looking to transition into a green career, our panel of experts will give you the ins and outs of finding a green-collar job. Following the panel discussion, INFORUM’s job fair features a wide variety of businesses, organizations, government sectors and schools that can help you take the next step in the green job market.


The companies and organizations tabling at the job fair portion of the program are: Bay Area Air Quality Management District; Beautiful Communities; California Environmental Associates; California Public Utilities Commision; CleanTech Human Capital; Global Footprint Network; GoodGuide; Green Career Central; Green Jobs Network; Green MBA; ICF Jones & Stokes; Presidio School of Management; Saatchi & Saatchi S; San Francisco Department of the Environment; SF State University – Graduate Business Programs; Solar Living Institute; SolarStaff Inc; Solar Richmond; Sustainable Spaces; The Cassillon Group; TransForm; USGBC NCC - Emerging Green Builders.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on January 26, 2009

]]> Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:06:40 -0800 panel-getting-your-green-dream-job Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One INFORUM hosts a panel to discus job opportunities in the coming Green Economy. no 1:05:13 Climate Countdown: Can The World Cut A Deal? The Nature Conservancy, California Resources Agency http://www.commonwealthclub.org/INFORUM

Tony Brunello, Deputy Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, California
Louis Blumberg, Director, CA Forest and Climate Policy, The Nature Conservancy
Aimee Christensen, Founder and CEO, Christensen Global Strategies
Greg Dalton, Vice President, The Commonwealth Club; Founder, Climate One – Moderator


In 2009, the world will try to craft the next comprehensive environmental treaty. To move forward, there must be multi-lateral consensus on the priorities in the global climate crisis. Recently, the UN Climate Change Conference convened 11,000 people from nearly 190 nations to focus on these challenges. How will governments, business and civil society come together to create plans for action and real solutions? What part will the U.S. play in the next protocol? This panel of insiders will give you the scoop and update you on what you need to know about the U.N.'s negotiations on climate change.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on January 15, 2009

]]> Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:20:01 -0800 panel-climate-countdown-can-the-world-cut-a-deal Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One This panel produced by INFORUM and Climate One, two divisions of The Commonwealth Club, focuses on climate change policy after the UN's Climate Change Conference in Poland this year. no 1:06:20 Panel: Climate Change and Government-Local Policy Directions For Addressing Climate Change http://www.commonwealthclub.org
Panel:
MICHEL GELOBTER, President, Redefining Progress; Board Member, Natural Resources Defense Council

DAVID R. BAKER, Markets and Energy Writer, San Francisco Chronicle

SEVERIN BORENSTEIN, Director, UC Energy Institute;

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 27, 2007

]]> Tue, 27 Mar 2007 13:02:31 -0700 panel-climate-change-and-governmentlocal-policy Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One This panel discussion recorded in March 2007 focuses on how government policy changes can address the problem of climate change. no 1:09:52 Todd Paglia, Executive Director, ForestEthics http://www.commonwealthclub.org Todd Paglia Executive Director, ForestEthics,
THE NEW ENVIRONMENTALISM: USING CORPORATE POWER FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 29, 2007

]]> Thu, 29 Mar 2007 12:52:21 -0700 todd-paglia-executive-director-forestethics Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One This March 2007 program features Todd Paglia who is Executive Director of ForestEthics, speaking on "The New Environmentalism, Using Corporate Power for Social Change". no 59:02 Energy Efficiency Unplugged. Chevron, NRDC, Wall Street Journal, Draper Fisher Jurvetson http://www.commonwealthclub.org Energy Efficiency Unplugged


Jim Davis, President, Chevron Energy Solutions
Ralph Cavanagh, Co-director, Energy Program, Natural Resources Defense Council
Tim Draper, Founder and Managing Director, Draper Fisher Jurvetson
Alan Murray, Deputy Managing Editor and Executive Editor Online, The Wall Street Journal – Moderator


Can we “save” our way to energy independence? Many energy companies contend the cheapest energy is unused energy. Changes in the construction and management of buildings help companies conserve, but is this a comprehensive strategy? What can we do in our personal lives to conserve, rather than consume? Turning off lights, pumping up tires and using the dishwasher’s “energy saver” mode are small, simple steps. Will they actually make a difference, or do we need more efficient technology to spur meaningful change? Join a panel of experts to discover what companies and consumers can do to become more energy efficient.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on January 13, 2009

]]> Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:47:02 -0800 panel-energy-efficiency-unplugged Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Climate One presents a panel on energy efficiency and conservation, with some lively debate on the intersection of the free market and government regulation. no 1:01:30 Stewart Brand, Co-founder and President, Long Now Foundation http://www.commonwealthclub.org City Planet


Stewart Brand, Co-founder and President, Long Now Foundation


Brand will discuss how increasing urbanization is accelerating economic development with remarkable speed. The consequences will be profound, he believes. Are we prepared? Brand has focused on such subjects as digital media, education and architecture. He’s perhaps best known for founding the Whole Earth Catalog.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on June 14, 2007

]]> Fri, 16 Jan 2009 13:04:08 -0800 stewart-brand-cofounder-and-president-long-now Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Founder of the Whole Earth catalog and President of the Long Now Foundation, Stewart Brand discusses issues of economics and environment in this program from June of 2007. no 1:04:30 Panel: Solar Power Update-California's Moment In The Sun http://www.commonwealthclub.org
DAVID EDWARDS, Managing Director, ThinkEquity Partners LLC
MICHAEL HALL, Chief Marketing Officer, Borrego Solar
MARTIN ROSCHEISEN, CEO, Nanosolar, Inc., J.P. ROSS, Director of Programs, Vote Solar
ARNO HARRIS, CEO, Recurrent Energy, Inc. – Moderator,

This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 21, 2007

]]> Wed, 21 Mar 2007 12:10:25 -0700 panel-solar-power-updatecalifornias-moment-in-t Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Representatives from California's Solar Power industry participate in a panel discussion on the progress of solar technology. no 1:07:32 James Howard Kunstler, Author of "The Long Emergency" & "The Geography of Nowhere" http://www.commonwealthclub.org Author, The Long Emergency,


James Howard Kunstler is an author, social critic, public speaker, and blogger. He is best known for his books The Geography of Nowhere (1994), a history of American suburbia and urban development, and the more recent The Long Emergency (2005), where he argues that declining oil production is likely to result in the end of industrialized society as we know it and force Americans to live in localized, agrarian communities.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience at The Commonwealth Club on March 19, 2007

]]> Fri, 09 Jan 2009 12:05:03 -0800 james-howard-kunstler-author-of-the-long-emergen Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One This March 2007 program featured James Howard Kunstler speaking about Peak Oil and his book "The Long Emergency" no 1:05:50 Sherry Boshert, Author of "PLUG-IN CARS: HOW TO GET ONE AND WHY" http://www.commonwealthclub.org Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:54:50 -0800 sherry-boshert-author-of-plugin-cars-how-to-ge Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One Plug-in Hybrid car technology is explained by author Sherry Boshert early in 2007. no 59:55 Brent Plater, Golden Gate University Environmental Law and Justice Clinic; RACE AGAINST TIME: The 2008 GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year http://www.commonwealthclub.org RACE AGAINST TIME: The 2008 GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year
Brent Plater, Golden Gate University Environmental Law and Justice Clinic

]]> Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:58:57 -0800 brent-plater-golden-gate-university-environmental Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One RACE AGAINST TIME: The 2008 GGNRA Endangered Species Big Year no 1:05:39 Gary Hirshberg, President and CE-Yo, Stonyfield Farm http://www.commonwealthclub.org Wed, 20 Feb 2008 16:52:26 -0800 gary-hirshberg-president-and-ceyo-stonyfield-fa Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One no 58:40 Panel: Winners of the Clean Tech Open http://www.commonwealthclub.org

Progress Report from the Winners of the Clean Tech Open Winners tell their stories and display their products and technologies

]]> Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:40:31 -0800 clean-tech-panelwinners-of-the-clean-tech-open Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One no 1:04:44 Peter Barnes, Tomales Bay Institute, Co-Founder of Working Assets http://www.commonwealthclub.org

Peter Barnes, Tomales Bay Institute, Co-Founder of Working Assets

]]> Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:30:23 -0700 peter-barnes-tomales-bay-institute-cofounder-of Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One no 57:49 David Deppen, Environmental Architect-Anatomy of a Green Building http://www.commonwealthclub.org ANATOMY OF A GREEN BUILDING



Dave Deppen, Environmental Architect

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on March 27, 2008

]]> Fri, 28 Mar 2008 17:43:50 -0700 david-deppen-environmental-architectanatomy-of-a Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One no 1:02:54 Jay Inslee & Bracken Hendricks, authors of "Appollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy" http://www.commonwealthclub.org Jay Inslee is a Representative in the United States House of Representatives, representing the First District of the State of Washington, in the Seattle area. He is a recognized leader in Congress on energy issues and is the prime sponsor of the New Apollo Energy Act, a comprehensive plan to build a clean energy economy in America.


Bracken Hendricks is a Senior Fellow with the Center for American Progress where he works on issues of climate change and energy independence, environmental protection, infrastructure investment, and economic policy, with a focus on broadening progressive constituencies and message framing.

Congressman Jay Inslee and Bracken Hendricks from the Center for American Progress discuss clean energy in the US, based on their new book Apollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on

]]> Sat, 29 Mar 2008 12:06:21 -0700 jay-inslee-bracken-hendricks-authors-of-appoll Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The Club welcomes Jay Inslee & Bracken Hendricks, authors of "Appollo's Fire: Igniting America's Clean Energy Economy", to discuss their plan for a sustainable energy future. no 1:04:24 Adam Werbach, CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi; Former President, Sierra Club; Commissioner, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission http://www.commonwealthclub.org Adam Werbach CEO, Saatchi & Saatchi; Former President, Sierra Club; Commissioner, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission


A lot has happened since Adam Werbach declared environmentalism dead in a speech to The Commonwealth Club three years ago. In 2007, Werbach's sustainability agency Act Now helped Wal-Mart engage its 1.3 million employees in one of the largest grassroots sustainability movements to date - the Personal Sustainability Project. In January 2008, Act Now was acquired by Saatchi & Saatchi, a hothouse for world-changing ideas with over 7,000 employees in 84 countries. Together they aim to become the sustainability agency of record for the world's leading corporations. Their purpose: help companies grow their businesses and preserve the planet through strategy, product and supply-chain innovation, workforce engagement and marketing. The mission: create a consumer revolution for social change.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on April 10, 2008

]]> Fri, 11 Apr 2008 11:47:54 -0700 adam-werbach-ceo-saatchi-saatchi-former-presi Commonwealth Club of California/Climate One The Club hosts Adam Werbach to discuss his initiative called the "Birth of Blue". no 1:04:56 Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defese Fund http://www.commonwealthclub.org Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defese Fund


Fred Krupp discusses his new book Earth: The Sequel - The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming.



The Environmental Defense Fund helped reduce acid rain in the 1990s by using market forces, and last year it played a role in the buyout of Texas utility TXU that reduced the number of planned coal-fired power plants. The advocacy group's president, Fred Krupp, believes business-friendly approaches such as carbon cap-and-trade systems are the best way to fight global warning.



His new book, Earth: The Sequel, highlights the entrepreneurs, scientists, and even a former bus driver on the Trans-Alaska pipeline, who are betting on the free market to create new wealth and build a post-carbon economy.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience on April 23, 2008

]]> Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:37:24 -0700 fred-krupp-president-of-environmental-defese-fund Commonwealth Club of California The Club's Environment and Natural Resources Member-Led forum brings Fred Krupp to the Club to discuss his book Earth: The Sequel - The Race to Reinvent Energy and Stop Global Warming. no 1:06:35 Renewable Energy for California: Challenges and Solutions http://www.commonwealthclub.org
Paul Douglas, Renewables Portfolio Standard Program Manager, California Public Utilities Commission
Roy Kuga, Vice President of Energy Supply, PG&E
Diane Fellman, Director of California Regulatory Affairs, FPL Energy
Carl Zichella, Regional Director for California, Sierra Club
Cliff Chen, Energy Analyst, Union of Concerned Scientists - Moderator

How fast should electric power companies change their game plans? Al Gore has challenged the nation to produce 100 percent of its electricity from renewable energy and truly clean carbon-free sources within 10 years, and the California legislature has directed the state's investor-owned utilities to generate 20 percent of their electricity from renewable energy by 2010. So, how are we doing so far? Only a small proportion of the utilities' contracts for clean energy have resulted in visible construction. What is causing the delay, and what are the solutions?

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on October 21, 2008

]]> Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:12:32 -0700 renewable-energy-for-california-challenges-and-so Commonwealth Club of California no 1:04:18 John Hofmeister, Founder and Chief Executive, Citizens for Affordable Energy; Former President, Shell Oil Co. http://www.commonwealthclub.org
John Hofmeister, Founder and Chief Executive, Citizens for Affordable Energy; Former President, Shell Oil Co.

Big Energy is feeling the heat as skyrocketing oil costs and climate-change buzz fuel criticism from consumers and the media. But recently retired Shell chief Hofmeister will give a major speech addressing how the goals of consumers, the environmental movement and energy companies are actually closely aligned. He has just founded the not-for-profit nationwide membership association Citizens for Affordable Energy. This public-policy advocacy firm aims to promote sound U.S. energy security solutions for the nation, including a range of affordable energy supplies, efficiency improvements, essential infrastructure, sustainable environmental policy and public education on energy issues. Don't miss this groundbreaking event.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience on October 16, 2008

]]> Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:03:17 -0700 john-hofmeister-founder-and-chief-executive-citi Commonwealth Club of California Former CEO of Shell Oil and Founder and Chief Executive of Citizens for Affordable Energy, John Hofmeister comes to the Club's Climate One forum to discuss US Energy strategy. no 1:12:39 Rob Dunbar, Professor of Earth Science, Senior Fellow, Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies http://www.commonwealthclub.org

Rob Dunbar, Professor of Earth Science, Senior Fellow, Stanford’s Woods Institute for the Environment and Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies


Dunbar takes a fresh look at the controversy surrounding the global warming crisis. He discusses unprecedented changes in the environment, focusing on air-sea interactions, tropical marine ecosystems, polar climate and the transfer of chemicals between organisms and environments.


This program was recorded in front of a live audience on October 8, 2008

]]> Thu, 09 Oct 2008 14:08:35 -0700 rob-dunbar-professor-of-earth-science-senior-fel Commonwealth Club of California Stanford University's Ron Dunbar is Professor of Earth Science and speaks to the Club about climate change issues. no 1:10:59 Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google http://www.commonwealthclub.org
Eric Schmidt, CEO, Google

Would “Drill, Baby, Drill” be part of Google’s vision for green energy? Yes, but not drilling for oil. CEO Schmidt says punching down into the Earth to capture natural and clean geothermal energy could help move the United States away from its dependence on petroleum. Google’s new energy plan also calls for a bold move into solar and wind power. It would cost $2.7 trillion through 2030. However, Schmidt says it would generate $2.1 trillion in energy savings. It would also create hundreds of thousands of jobs. And help fight global warming.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on October 1, 2008

]]> Thu, 02 Oct 2008 14:02:50 -0700 eric-schmidt-ceo-google Commonwealth Club of California The Commonwealth Club's Climate One Initiative and INFORUM welcomes Google CEO Eric Schmidt who discusses Google's new energy initiative. no 1:03:03 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California http://www.commonwealthclub.org Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California

In signing a landmark climate change law two years ago, Governor Schwarzenegger put California ahead of the parade to a low-carbon economy. “The global warming debate is over,” he declared. Public awareness has surged since then, but most of the hard work still lies ahead. How will California meet its goal of reducing emissions of greenhouse gases 25 percent by 2020? Will offshore oil drilling be resumed? Who will pay for the transition to sustainable energy? Will California’s energy and environmental laws become part of a national plan under a new president? The governor will provide an update and his vision of the road ahead.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on September 26, 2008

]]> Sat, 27 Sep 2008 14:03:43 -0700 arnold-schwarzenegger-governor-of-california Commonwealth Club of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger comes to the Commonwealth Club's Climate One forum to discuss California's leading role in the fight against Climate Change and the creation of the Green Economy. no 1:05:52 Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Director General, Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi http://www.commonwealthclub.org/ Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri, Chair of the Nobel Peace Prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Director General, Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi

Mary Nichols, Chair, California Air Resources Board (CARB)

Ray Lane, Managing partner of venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins

Greg Dalton, Commonwealth Club Vice President, founder of The Club's Climate One Initiative



PANEL: Leading a transformation to a global low-carbon economy

Dr. Rajendra Kumar Pachauri, Mary Nichols and Ray Lane will address questions concerning California’s leading role in the fight against dangerous climate change. What is the state of science on the causes and impacts of global warming? Can California consumers, corporations and policymakers facilitate systemic change and spur others to act? What are the costs and what are the opportunities? What role does innovation play?

“California's culture of innovation is helping to drive the world towards more sustainable ways of producing, consuming and being,” comments Greg Dalton, Club VP and Director of The Club’s new Climate One Program, who orchestrated the program. “The changes are profound and promising. And yet leading environmental scientists such as R.K. Pachauri say we all need to do more, much more.”

Pachauri, chair of the IPCC since 2002, is also the director general of the Energy and Resources Institute in New Delhi, devoted to researching and promoting sustainable development. Selected by The United Nations Development Program as a Part Time Adviser in the area of Energy and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, Pachauri holds an M.S. in industrial engineering, a Ph.D. in industrial engineering, and a Ph.D. in economics from North Carolina State University.

Nichols, appointed chair of CARB by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2007, also served as CARB chair under Governor Jerry Brown. Her history includes serving as assistant administrator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Air and Radiation, Secretary for California's Resources Agency, and Director of the University of California, Los Angeles Institute of the Environment. Considered one of California’s first environmental lawyers, Nichols has paved the way for greater air quality. She has her Juris Doctorate degree from Yale Law School and a Bachelor’s degree from Cornell University

Lane, Managing Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, has sponsored several investments for the firm in clean and alternative energy including Ausra (solar concentrator), Fisker Automotive (plug-in hybrid car), Th!nk NA (electric car), Luca Technologies (biologically enhanced gas recovery from fossilized hydrocarbons). Before joining KPCB, Lane was President and Chief Operating Officer of Oracle Corporation, the second-largest software company in the world. Lane received a Bachelor's degree in mathematics and an honorary Ph.D. in Science from West Virginia University (WVU).

]]> Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:04:27 -0700 dr-rajendra-k-pachauri-chair-of-the-nobel-peace Commonwealth Club of California The Commonwealth Club's Climate One Initiative brings Dr. R.K. Pachauri to San Francisco to speak with Green leaders about how California's landmark AB32 legislation can pave the way for the Nation and the World to limit carbon emissions. no 1:07:33 Panel: Climate Change and Computers http://www.commonwealthclub.org Bill Weihl, Green Energy Czar, Google

Chris Geiger, Municipal Toxics Reduction Coordinator, San Francisco Department of the Environment

Subodh Bapat, Vice President and Distinguished Engineer in the Eco Responsibility Office, Sun Microsystems

The digital age is improving the quality of our lives in many ways. But with advanced technology comes greater energy consumption and an impact on our environment. Bill Weihl, Google’s “Green Energy Czar,” and other energy experts will address the environmental impact of the digital age. The panelists will also explore how computers contribute to and can help solve today's most urgent environmental challenges.



Bill Weihl leads Google’s efforts in energy efficiency and the development and deployment of renewable energy. He is also a board member of the Climate Savers Computing Initiative, a coalition of businesses and consumers committed to manufacturing and purchasing power-efficient computing products. According to Mr. Weihl, “The collective voice of our members, from companies to state governments, sends a strong message to manufacturers and retailers that there is real demand for energy- and cost-efficient computing solutions.”



As Vice President and Distinguished Engineer in Sun's Eco Responsibility Office, Subodh Bapat works across every business unit at Sun to drive greater energy efficiency into the company's products, from microprocessors, to hardware, to software. Bapat holds 16 patents and has served in numerous CTO positions throughout Sun. According to Bapat, "Technology is part of the solution to global warming, but it is also part of the problem. Computers are mapping global hot spots and allowing us to avoid auto emissions by ordering goods online -- but computers are also contributing to climate change because they use energy. With 12 million new people getting online each week, computing must become more eco friendly."



Chris Geiger has over twenty-two years of experience working on environmental issues. Geiger helped San Francisco become the first city in the nation to enact a law that requires the city to take public health and environmental stewardship into consideration when purchasing products. Geiger manages the Green Purchasing and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program for the City and County of San Francisco Department of the Environment. He has worked to find innovative ways to get 27,000 City and County employees to purchase SF Approved green products, such as computers that meet or exceed the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Silver standard.



This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 6, 2008

]]> Tue, 06 May 2008 16:04:40 -0700 climate-change-and-computers-panel Commonwealth Club of California The Club's Environment & Natural Resources Member Led Forum convenes a panel of experts to discuss issue relations to computer technology and Climate Change. no 1:08:05 Rick Wagoner, Chairman and CEO, General Motors http://www.commonwealthclub.org Rick Wagoner, Chairman and CEO, General Motors

Can GM Really Be Green Motors?


“We are looking forward to hearing what Rick Wagoner has to say on energy diversity and security,” comments Greg Dalton, Club VP and Director of The Club’s new Climate One Program, who orchestrated the program. “A lot of Californians want to know if US automakers are finally turning the corner on the role of cars as a major source of global warming.”


Wagoner has held numerous high level posts at General Motors. Before becoming its CEO and Chairman in 2003, he was president and chief executive officer of what? A division?. Prior to this, he was its executive vice president of North American operations and chief financial officer. In his early years at GM, Wagoner helped bring the company back from a $30 billion loss over a three year period in 90’s. He is GM’s youngest CEO in history and was named executive of the year by Automotive Industries in 2001. He landed his first job at GM straight out of Harvard Business School as an analyst in their treasury department.


Wagoner holds an economics degree from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on May 1, 2008

]]> Fri, 02 May 2008 14:04:05 -0700 rick-wagoner-chairman-and-ceo-general-motors Commonwealth Club of California General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner addresses The Commonwealth Club's Climate One forum about his efforts to remake GM into a Green company. no 1:04:56 Panel: Climate Change after Bali http://www.commonwealthclub.org RENO L. HARNISH III, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific
Affairs

DIANA FARRELL, Director, McKinsey Global Institute

KEN CALDEIRA, Scientist, Carnegie Institution Department of Global Ecology

Bush Administration Assistant Secretary of State and Climate Change authority Ambassador RENO L. HARNISH III headlines a panel of experts who will examine the next steps in addressing the crisis. This comes on the heels of last week’s conference in Honolulu that made global headlines. Later this year, Harnish will lead the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC 2008), which will bring together government, civil society and private business leaders to deliberate the benefits and costs of a major and rapid scale-up in the global deployment of renewable energy technology. WIREC will specifically look at developing an overall policy towards reducing greenhouse gas intensity globally. The Honolulu event followed the much-publicized negotiations in Bali in December, which ended with an 11th hour, worldwide consensus on a roadmap for reducing carbon emissions. What happens next? Many tough issues are at stake, including which countries should reduce carbon emissions the most and how much they should rely on either market forces or government regulation.



Commonwealth Club V.P Greg Dalton who orchestrated this event said, “We are honored to assemble such a high profile and esteemed group to explore these critical and timely issues. Our hope is that this discussion will generate some viable solutions in this ongoing global dialogue.”



Ambassador Harnish previously led U.S. policy on scientific and environmental cooperation with the new independent states of the Soviet Union and was Environment, Science and Technology Counselor for the U.S. Embassy in Rome. Diana Farrell directs the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), an economics research arm of the international consulting giant. Ken Caldeira does extensive research on climate change at the Carnegie Institution Dept. of Global Ecology and is an op-ed contributor for the New York Times.

This program was recorded in front of a live audience on February 7, 2008

]]> Thu, 07 Feb 2008 12:42:33 -0800 climate-change-after-bali Commonwealth Club of California Climate One brings together a panel of experts to discuss the Climate Change issue after the Bali accords no 1:10:32 Fighting Climate Change: Sinking Carbon and Raising Living Standards http://www.commonwealthclub.org FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE

LARRY BRILLIANT, Executive Director, Google.org
ANDREA GARDNER, Sustainable Solutions Manager, CH2M Hill
AD MELKERT, Undersecretary of the United Nations, Associate Administrator, United Nations Development Programme
NANCY PFUND, Managing Director, JPMorgan
GREG DALTON, Vice President, Commonwealth Club-Moderator

SINKING CARBON AND RAISING LIVING STANDARDS

While many Californians consider buying hybrid cars and unplugging
their computer, most of the world's 6 billion people covet having any
kind of car and can only dream of having a laptop one day. Yet
fighting global climate change will require lifestyle changes by
everyone. How can that happen without slamming the world's poor, who
are most vulnerable to the health and weather effects of global
warming? How can California's innovation in climate policy and
technologies help by decoupling carbon emissions from GDP growth?


This program was recorded live on November 27, 2007

]]> Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:04:44 -0800 fighting-climate-change-sinking-carbon-and-raisi Commonwealth Club of California The Commonwealth Club's Climate One forum hosts a panel discussion of experts on the human costs of climate change and best to work on the problem. no 1:03:18