Registration opens at 8:00 am.

Note: each session will include 10 minutes of audience Q&A with panelists. 

9:00 – Welcome

Tina Neuhausel – President, Sustainable Contra Costa

Mark Westwind – SEC Co-Producer, Sustainable Contra Costa

9:30 – Contra Costa’s Green Economy

Gary Craft – Craft Consulting Group
The 2008 Contra Costa Green Economy Industry Cluster Study identified emerging green business sectors and outlined a series of recommendations for supporting the creation of more green jobs. How are we doing?

Jody London - Sustainability Coordinator for Contra Costa County
Meet the County’s new Sustainability Coordinator. What’s the vision for involving and supporting businesses in achieving the County’s greenhouse gas reduction and energy efficiency goals? What’s happening now? What’s in the works?

Oscar Dominquez – Contra Costa Small Business Development Center
What’s happening in the business community? Where/what is the start-up activity in areas of sustainability? Who’s creating green jobs?

Manuel Alsono – Executive Director, Earth Team
Earth Team is a nonprofit environmental education service provider founded in 2000.  Its Sustainable Youth Internship program seeks to innovate environmental education by supporting college and career preparedness for at-risk students from Title 1 public high schools in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Perspectives on our youth and their engagement with sustainability?

Discussion: 
What/where are the challenges and obstacles to creating a more sustainable economy?
Where are the points of leverage for change?
Where are the business and civic opportunities?
Where are the “”green jobs”” and how can we create more?
How can we inspire and support our youth in pursuing careers in “”sustainable”” fields?

Audience Q&A

10:30 – Break, Networking, Exhibits

10:45 – The Business of Energy

From energy conservation to energy generation, how can businesses decrease costs and/or generate new revenues?

The Business of Solar – Peter Cairns, Golden Gate Power
New initiatives and strategies for business owners.

Kelly Knutsen – California Solar Energy Industry Association (CALSEIA)
For nearly forty years, CALSEIA has put in place solar policies and programs that have made California one of the biggest and most successful solar industries in the world. Discussion: the impact of renewable energy on local economies, how the SMB sector is underserved and how this is being addressed.

Ben Bradford – Intech Energy
Intech Energy is an energy solutions and technology provider delivering cutting-edge software and professional energy engineering services to commercial buildings, utilities, and governmental markets.

Discussion:
What/where are the challenges and opportunities?
Where are new business opportunities?

Audience Q&A

 11:45 – Lunch, More Networking and Exhibits

Buffet lunch provided by the Sustainable Hospitality Academy @ Mt. Diablo High School

12:30 – Keynote Speaker:  Ilaria Mazzoleni
on Sustainable Design in Architecture and New Product Development

Ilaria Mazzoleni is a professional designer, founder of IM Studio Milano/Los Angeles, and a faculty member at the California Institute for the Arts. Her professional and academic investigation relates to sustainable architecture on all scales of design with a research focus on biomimicry, where innovation in architecture and design is inspired by the processes and functions of nature. Read more about Ilaria

Biomimicry is an approach to innovation that seeks sustainable solutions to human challenges by emulating nature’s time-tested patterns and strategies. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies—new ways of living—that are well-adapted to life on earth over the long haul. – The Biomimicry Institute

Sustainable design is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment, and services to comply with the principles of social, economic, and ecological sustainability. (Source: Wikipedia)

1:15 – Applying Sustainable Design

Beyond Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Heather Hopkins, Sustainable Design Specialist
New product design: rethinking everything!
Applying design for environment (DFE) and Upcycle principles

Beyond LEED – Ryan Hopkins, Sustainable Design Specialist
What’s coming with the sustainable design revolution in architecture?
Reimaging design, rethinking building materials
What’s the real ROI on Green Building?

Discussion:
Who’s doing what and where?
Where are new business opportunities?
How can we stimulate local innovation?

Audience Q&A

2:00 – Break, Networking, Exhibits

2:15 – The Business of Sustainability

No one these days seriously denies the need for sustainable business practices. Even those concerned about only business and not the fate of the planet recognize that the viability of business itself depends on the resources of healthy ecosystems—fresh water, clean air, robust biodiversity, productive land—and on the stability of just societies. – Harvard Business Review

Making the Case for Sustainable Capitalism – Oren Wool, Sustainable North Bay
Sustainable capitalism encourages us to generate financial returns in a long-term and responsible manner, and calls for internalizing negative externalities through appropriate pricing. How do we transition away from single bottom-line capitalism to a more sustainable economic model? Are the alternatives truly viable? Who’s doing what locally/regionally?

Micro-lending for Microenterprises - Diana Chavez, Working Solutions
Supporting microenterprise growth as a strategy to strengthen the local economy, create jobs, and build strong communities. How does micro-lending work? What’s happening in Contra Costa County?

Alternative Business Structures - Pete Tormey, Antero & Tormey
Based on the principle of the “”triple bottom line,”” the Benefit Corporation (B Corp) as a form of business is becoming more popular as an alternative to the traditional profit-only business structure. What are B Corps? What are the benefits and drawbacks? What other “”alternative”” business structures are legal in California? Are any of these models more suitable for a sustainable economy?

Audience Q&A

 3:00 – Sustainable Business Practices

Panel led by Darien Louie, East Bay Economic Development Alliance
Inspiration, ideas, and plans for the future. Best practices and lessons learned for businesses of all size.

William Acevedo – Wendel Rosen Black & Dean
Bill chairs the firm’s Green Business Practice Group.

Running a Successful B Corp – Mike Hannigan, Give Something Back Office Supplies 
One of the largest distributors of recycled paper in California. Learn about all of their sustainable solutions including the management of their fleet of delivery trucks. In addition, the company has donated over $6 million dollars in profits back to amazing non-profits across the Western region while offering competitive prices and superior service.

Running a Successful Green Business – Pello Walker, Daily Digital Imaging
Daily Digital Imaging is a successful commercial printing company and Certified Green Business in Pleasant Hill.

Audience Q&A

4 to 5-ish pm – Networking/Reception

Join us for a networking reception featuring a selection of handcrafted beers from Calicraft Brewing Company in Walnut Creek.

Taste the best of California in a bottle of Calicraft beer!