Partnerships for Sustainability Two Case Studies for Communicators

Partnerships for Sustainability Two Case Studies for Communicators Christina Ragsdale, MA, APR Communications Office Manager Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District

Communications Solutions �Communications plays a key role in building & leveraging partnerships (improved outcomes with fewer resources) �District has a long history of entrepreneurial solutions – Incentive programs, Cleaner Air Partnership, etc. �Two NEW examples from Sacramento � Home Energy Conservation Program � Farm to Fork to Fuel

Home Energy Conservation �NEED: - 76, 000 substandard homes – high energy use - Low-income households spend 14% of their income on energy vs. 3. 5% by other households �SHARED INTERESTS: - Helping low-income homeowners (comfort/cost) - Reduction of energy use/GHG emissions - Neighborhood stabilization

How we came together �Air District wanted to find a way to weatherize large numbers of homes – Reduce energy use/GHG �All parties wanted to address homeowners who would not/could not access programs offered by utilities �Other parties wanted to assist/protect at-risk residents or prevent point-of-sale regulations

Partners: �Sacramento Metropolitan AQMD �Sacramento Association of REALTORS �Rebuilding Together Sacramento �Sacramento Habitat for Humanity �UC Davis Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering

How it works: �Habitat developed manual, training program �Teams of volunteers install basic energy efficiency materials in homes – takes about two hours �Homeowners are given instructions in energy-saving practices

Business Plan & Fundraising �Conducted focus groups (customers/supporters) �Drafted Business Plan �SAR added to original funding to a total of $100 K (= 500 homes)

Outcomes & Next Steps: �As of January 2014, over 200 homes completed �REALTORS doing outreach and fundraising campaign in Spring 2014 �District meeting with Sacramento Regional Foundation to present business plan and request funds in 2014 �HEC Program received Regional Clean Air Award in May 2013

How you can begin �Reach out in your region – All of our partners are national organizations �We are willing to share our Manual and Plan �Test with potential recipients donors and volunteers �Develop a pilot program, then GROW!

Farm to Fork to Fuel (to Farm!) Air District Goals (shared by others) � Become a center for local fuel production (economy) � Reduce VMT to haul waste and import fuel � Reduce Methane emissions from food waste decomposing in landfills or compost operations � Expand already healthy market for natural gas fuel � Develop broad public and leadership support and demand for “Farm to Fork to Fuel” concept

Food Waste – The 3 rd Largest Carbon Emitter � “Food Wastage Footprint” 2013 UN report estimated that the carbon footprint of wasted food was equivalent to 3. 3 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year �If it were a country, it would be the world’s third largest emitter – after China and the US

Partners �Clean Cities Sacramento �Clean World �Atlas Disposal/Re. Fuel �GRAS (Green Restaurants Alliance of Sacramento) �Sacramento Convention & Visitor’s Bureau (Farm to Fork Festival)

How it works: - Burns so clean it generates carbon credits - Eliminates all GHG emissions from landfill - Replaces 1 million gallons of diesel fuel/year - Significant cost-saving

Awards & Recognition �Succeeded in Farm to Fork Leadership billing the first Festival Week in September 2013 as “The Largest Zero Waste Event in the Country” �Clean World and its partners won the Energy Vision Leadership Award and named the International Bioenergy Project of the Year (Renewable Energy World Power Engineering Awards) November 2013 �Clean World received 2013 Governor’s Environmental & Economic Leadership Award (for Atlas Digester)

What’s Next? �Already implementing local food waste drop-off’s �Farm to Fork to Fuel to Farm will grow in Year 2

Opportunities for you �Look for partners who share business goals and outcomes with you �Don’t be afraid to reach out �Use data from others as support and benchmarks �Funding can be available in unexpected places �Report and celebrate successes

Questions? Christina Ragsdale, MA, APR 916 -874 -4810 cragsdale@airquality. org