A couple of events happening this weekend came across our radar over the last few days, and we thought you might be interested

Tonight in San Diego, the newly-formed Eco-Investment Club will hold a "Greenmeet" at the Hotel Solamar (downtown). International real estate investment strategist Gary H. London, of the London Group, will be speaking about his recently-published article “Green Economics as Applied to Development." Gary will be joined by Kyle Cross and Ruben Robles of Destino Real Estate; they will speak on "Wholesaling Green Propeties."

Tickets for the event are $25 for the general public, and $10 for club members — details and ticketing information are available at the Club's website. We're especially pleased to announce this event, as Eco-Investment Club founder Yeves Perez will soon be joining the Green Options writing team!

On the other coast, in New York City, Tomorrow Unlimited will present Jennifer Leonard, a designer and writer who co-authored Massive Change, and Sarah Rich, a solutions-based journalist who co-authored Worldchanging: A Users Guide to the 21st Century in a discussion entitled "Sustaining Change." Jennifer and Sarah will explore ideas about making the ideas of sustainability sustainable themselves for the long haul. They’ll also discuss ways their own thinking on sustainability has changed since completing their respective projects. In doing so, they’ll ask questions about the role of innovative design and technology in our global future, confront the trendiness of contemporary environmental thinking, and consider the importance of change itself for the long-term viability of the sustainable movement.

The discussion will take place at 12:30 pm on Saturday, and is just one part of Tomorrow Unlimited's Creators Series this weekend. Tickets to "Sustaining Change" are $10; an all-access VIP pass to all of the weekend's events is $50.

Our own Amy Stodghill won tickets to the "Sustaining Change" discussion, and will be reporting back on what she saw early next week.

Enjoy your weekend!

John Addison publishes the Clean Fleet Report (www.cleanfleetreport.com) and is the author of the 2008 book Save Gas, Save the Planet. Part One is available here.

Santa Monica goes beyond clean electricity to be a city that models clean transportation. Use of electric vehicles increases every year. The city has over 30 electric vehicles including battery-electric Toyota RAVs and light EV GEMs.

The city is now planning on two Phoenix sport utility trucks: one for the water department and one for the library. The Phoenix trucks have an impressive 130 mile range. Santa Monica will do a nightly trickle recharge at 220 volts, rather than use Phoenix’s fast recharge option.

Rick Sikes, Fleet Superintendent, showed me a wide range of clean vehicles. A total of 265 city vehicles run on natural gas, include heavy trucks and street sweepers. The city negotiated a favorable contract for CNG costing the equivalent of $2 per gallon. 21 city cars are hybrid.

Over 80% of the city’s 519 vehicles are either alternate fuel (alt-fuel) or electric. 100 of Santa Monica’s Big Bus fleet is liquid natural gas (LNG), which they state is 77% cleaner than diesel. LNG provides a 300 mile range. 88 buses run on B20 biodiesel. Only about 20 older buses run on standard diesel.

5 of the city’s fleet of Toyota Priuses were converted by Quantum to run on pure hydrogen. The city has a Proton electrolyzer that splits water (H2O) into hydrogen and oxygen. Because the city buys renewable energy for the electricity that runs the electrolyzer, resulting in the hydrogen Priuses producing no green house gases, on a “well to wheels” basis. Over the next few years the city fleet will get cleaner. Hydrogen can be mixed with CNG to make many of the existing vehicles run cleaner.

For jobs like parking enforcement and quick commutes inside the city, the zero-emission vehicles are perfect, as are the 70-mile range hydrogen Priuses.

Santa Monica commuters are encouraged to burn less oil than the national average. Only 69% drive solo vs. 76% as the national average. In Santa Monica, 19% carpool, 7% bus, 3% walk and 2% bike to work. The city is making progress. In 1993, the average vehicle ridership was only 1.1; by 2005, it had jumped to 1.4.

Rideshare programs are encouraged. Financial incentives work. The City of Santa Monica implements a mandatory “Parking Cash Out” Program, which is a State law requiring employers of fifty or more employees who lease their parking and subsidize any part of their employee parking to offer their employees the opportunity to give up their parking space and rideshare to work instead. In return for giving up their parking space, the employer pays the employee the cost of the parking space. The city provides this for its only employees, achieving an AVR of almost 1.8.

Santa Monica has the potential to be a model of clean transportation, energy efficiency and renewable energy for other cities around the world. Each year, Santa Monica shares its progress, demonstrates the latest vehicles, and showcases expert speakers. Include October 20 and 21, 2007, in your calendar for the Alt Car Expo.

John Addison publishes the Clean Fleet Report (www.cleanfleetreport.com) and is the author of the 2008 book Save Gas, Save the Planet.

With panoramic views of the ocean, over 86,000 make Santa Monica their home. On the edge of Los Angeles, Santa Monica is a desirable place to work and live. Residents want to keep it that way and make the city a model of sustainable living.

Santa Monica plans to be the nation’s first “Net Zero” city. Through energy efficiency, solar and other renewable energy, the city envisions generating clean energy that matches its total energy consumption.

Santa Monica currently has over 60 buildings with solar power. Other residential and commercial buildings are in the process of installing solar roofing.

The Civic Center Parking Structure will have 250 kW of PV. Where the city government does not use solar power, the city has contracted with Electric America to supply the City with 100% renewable electricity. Electric America has the flexibility to use a mix of renewable sources including geothermal, wind, biomass power plants, and solar.

Solar Santa Monica launched a two year program on January 1, 2007. The voluntary program will start with 50 residential and commercial buildings. With the benefit of what is learned from these 50 projects, the program will be made available to all. The 50 buildings will include 30 to 35 residences, 5 to10 business and 5 municipal buildings.

Susan Munves estimated that over 20 years, $1.4 billion is the probable investment required to achieve being a “Net Zero” city. This is likely to be less than the current utility electric costs. The city will only invest a small part of that investment. The city’s primary role is facilitating and project management. Santa Monica’s 20 year plan would eliminate electricity produced by coal and natural gas power plants, and all the resulting greenhouse gas emissions.

Stuart Cooley, Energy Efficiency Engineer for the city, explained that a detailed GIS database was developed of all the roofs of the city. Aerial photography was used to identify over 100MW of available rooftops on the 17,500 roofs in the city. With future solar PV technology, the roofs could represent even more solar energy potential.

Solar Santa Monica makes it easy for citizens to participate. To prevent excess expensive solar power from being installed, the city offers energy audits and identifies solutions from efficient fluorescent lighting to energy saving appliances to cut usage. The city is prequalifing “preferred partners” to install efficiency upgrades. Prepackaged PV and solar thermal systems are offered to residents and include preferred pricing, streamlined purchasing, permitting, installation and financing.

For commercial properties, Solar Santa Monica will provide comprehensive energy assessments for both the property owners and the leasing businesses. Proposals will be delivered with energy bill analysis, system specifications and pay-back analysis. Tax advantages will be detailed. Preferred financing sources will be offered.

Thanks to all of the writers who submitted entries into Green Options' "The Lighter Side of Green" contest. Given the time frame for entries, and our pre-launch status, we were happy with the response we received. Thanks to all of you that took the time (and exercised your patience) in providing your response to the entries: rest assured that we considered your votes when we chose a contest winner.

The winner of the "Lighter Side of Green" is…. drum roll please…

Wendy Laird, author of "There is Nothing Funny About Environmentalism."

Wendy will receive the $100 prize, and a one-month starter contract as Green Options' resident humor writer. We hope that you're looking forward to her contributions as much as we are!

Again, many thanks to all of you who participated in the contest! This was only our first — we'll have many more!

In the blockbuster documentary An Inconvenient Truth, former vice president Al Gore argued that addressing the climate crisis isn't simply a matter of political will — it's a moral obligation. Rabbi Warren G. Stone, a prominent Jewish environmental leader, addresses this same theme in an essay entitled "A Jewish Response to Climate Change," published Tuesday on PlanetSave.com. In the essay, Stone argues for environmental stewardship as an obligation of his faith, and observes that addressing climate change involves recognizing one's responsibility to future generations:

Who is responsible for responding to the challenge of global climate change? We tend to think that it is the scientist, the statesman and the environmentalist upon whom this responsibility lies. But climate change is an urgent moral and spiritual issue for all peoples of our world. We are witnessing its impact right now, and we can for see the havoc it will wreak on the health and survival of further generations. The future will bring environmental refugees in numbers unknown in previous ages. As a result of climate change and habitat destruction, a myriad of species now faces a silent genocide.

As a Rabbi and religious leader, I am concerned about our common future, the quality of life for our families and the threatened species of our world, including our own. I join fellow religious leaders in that concern. It is not enough to care about climate change, forest devastation and environmental threats to clean water, air and seas. It is incumbent upon every religious leader, religious institution and person of faith to serve as beacons to our communities, illustrating by our actions and example our spiritual commitment to our earth and it’s threatened and limited resources.

Stone also points to the efforts of his own congregation, as well as organizations such as the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (CEOJL). His examples provide compelling illustrations of faith in action, and set a high standard for believers of all faiths. Let's hope his message resonates throughout the faith community.

PlanetSave.com: "A Jewish Response to Climate Change"

Treehugger: "How Many Jews Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?"