by Kathy & Thom Gottberg  (12/31/09)

   “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” so said Charles Dickens in his classic novel, Tale of Two Cities.  He could have been writing about 2009 in the Coachella Valley, the State of California or the entire country.  There is no doubt that while 2009 was an incredibly exciting time for all things green and sustainable, that optimism met with equal challenge in nearly every category of life as we know it.

            However, it is likely that much of the progress or changes that have been made or that are looming on the horizon would not have been initiated if the county had not been forcibly pushed in that direction.  For that reason, even the challenges of 2009 can be seen in a positive light and may contain the seeds of what will not only bring us out of the current economic difficulties, but provide the fuel to rocket our economy into prosperity for the future, and return our country as a world leader.

#1 Mary Bono-Mack Signs Green Legislation—In June our local Republican Congresswoman, Mary Bono-Mack, took a bold step forward for the future of green by supporting the American Clean Energy & Security Act.  Not only did she vote in favor of the bill when voting in the House of Representatives, she also voted in favor of its initial draft while serving on the House Energy and Commerce committee.  Called, “the most important energy and environmental bill in our nation’s history,” Bono-Mack showed bravery and commitment to the green cause by standing up for this important legislation.  While Bono-Mack traditionally takes a much more conservative voting stance, her willingness to go against her party line is representative of much more than mere change of heart.

#2 Coachella Valley Energy Summit where Valley Mayors Signed Sustainability Pledge—During this valley-wide event held in March of 2009 local leaders discussed the current state of energy, water conservation, air quality and the state of green jobs both locally and  the state.  Of great concern were the new State Environmental Laws of AB 32 and 375, which affect every municipality.  The finale of the meeting was a “Sustainability Pledge” signed by nine valley mayors or city representatives committing to “green” action steps. This event was a clear signal that all Coachella Valley cities must get on board with sustainability—ready or not!

#3 Augustine Band Of Cahuilla Indians Goes Solar—In February of 2009 the small Augustine Band introduced the first major solar farm on an Indian nation found anywhere in the country—right here in the CV.  Tribal Chairperson Mary Ann Green had the vision and the commitment to make it happen and with the help of grants and rebates, built an impressive solar farm to help offset the energy use of her casino.  Although none of the larger casinos in the valley have yet matched or exceeded her actions, her determination represents a shift in thinking even within neighboring tribal nations.

#4 Palm Springs Hires Sustainability Manager—In the middle of summer 2009, Palm Springs followed through with their goal to be a “model for sustainable practices” by hiring Michele Mician as Sustainability Manager.  In spite of a challenging economy and dwindling city resources, Palm Springs was willing to stay the course and make sustainability a necessary part of every day life within the city.  In addition to a citizen-based Sustainability Commission, and the 2^nd Annual “Your Sustainable City” event, Michele’s presence represents a commitment on the part of Palm Springs to “walk the talk.”

#5 GreenZone opens In Palm Desert—Another small but significant event occurred in the Coachella Valley in the summer of 2009 when the first privately owned commercial building in the desert was green-renovated and leased exclusively to businesses focused on sustainability.  Property owner Bernard White spent significant time and financial resources to “green” his building to a high standard with the belief that all commercial buildings in the future will be required by prospective business tenants to be both health-promoting and energy efficient.  Mr. White represents a trend of not if, but when, all private property owners will find it more than just a good idea to go green—they will find it both necessary and profitable as well.

#6 USGBC—IE Opens Coachella Valley Branch—The first meeting of the local branch of the US Green Building Council met in October of 2009 marking the beginning of a strong and dedicated local group.   With over 30 LEED registered buildings at the present time and a number of buildings already LEED Certified, the Coachella Valley is clearly an example of green design, practices and building.   With a strong base of members and interested individuals, this group shows tremendous potential for the green building movement here in the Coachella Valley.

#7 Coachella Valley Economic Partnership (CVEP) Blueprint Goes Green—In October the Valley’s Annual Economic Summit sponsored by CVEP presented their much-anticipated Blueprint for the future.  Best of all, a large portion of the success map proposed by the Blueprint concerns making the Coachella Valley a destination for Clean Technology/Energy Companies.   By taking a strong stance on working together and promoting green jobs and industry, CVEP is another strong indicator that the leaders and municipalities of our valley recognize both the value, and the necessity of going green.

#8 Indio International Tamale Festival Goes Zero Waste—in December of 2009, the City of Indio committed to taking their largest citywide event green—by going to a Zero Waste Event.  Winning an award from the state in 2008 for taking such a step, Indio did it again in 2009 in spite of the economy.  When a huge, citywide event like the Tamale Festival goes green, it is an exemplary example to all city-sponsored events.  Hopefully in the future every city in the CV will do something similar.

#9   First Coachella Valley “Habitat for Humanity” House Goes Green—In May the Serrato Family moved into their green home in Palm Desert that was built to a high level of sustainability under CA Green Builder Standards.  This home, three years in the making, demonstrates that even nonprofits recognize the high value of a home with low water and energy costs. Hopefully this action demonstrates that nonprofits will continue to take steps to be energy efficient and green no matter what other actions they take.

#10 First Stimulus-Sponsored Green Collar Workshop Held In The CV—20 students graduated from a “green collar” job solar installation workshop in December taught in partnership by Renova Energy Corp, UCR Extension and Workforce Development.  This workshop was clear evidence of Federal and State Stimulus money at work to benefit local residents.  Students ranged in age from 18 to 72, both male and female, and taught students valuable skills related to solar installation and management.  Now that the first classes have been approved and complete, there are many more in the pipeline bringing not only funds to the valley, but a new educated workforce in an exciting and growing clean energy field.

            Tracking and reporting on the “best”, green news in the valley is obviously subjective.  Still these stories represent a change where “the rubber meets the road” as well as a change in mind and heart.  May 2010 be a continuation of that change, with a significant improvement in all other aspects of our country as well.  We at Coachella Valley Green look forward to those and other unfolding stories in 2010.