California Center for Sustainable Energy

Earlier this month CCSE had a terrific guest speaker, Oakland-based architect Michelle Kaufmann, who presented her ideas about designing sustainable homes to a packed workshop audience, which you can read more about in this newsletter. I was especially taken by her emphasis on simplicity. Kaufmann pursues simplicity in design, construction, materials and lifestyle. At CCSE, part of our role is very similar - to provide the expertise and knowledge you need to make your sustainability decisions simpler.

Energy issues are complex, complicated and intertwined with almost every aspect of life. That’s why CCSE is involved in a wide range of community-based initiatives from home energy efficiency and renewable energy to clean transportation and urban landscaping. All of these programs are about making changes and learning to take responsibility for individual actions that affect the overall environment, locally and globally, and can add to the greater societal well-being. We want to help you focus on sustainable actions that are the most significant and to disregard things that are less important.

“Simplicity is about subtracting the unnecessary, and adding the meaningful.”

- Michelle Kaufmann, architect

We believe that CCSE has the responsibility to help others live more sustainably by leading by example. We pledge to

• Work to reduce consumption and waste by implementing recycling and composting programs

• Use the most energy-efficient office equipment and practices complemented by on-site, renewable energy generation

• Utilize water-efficient technologies and practices, as well as implement water education for staff and visitors

• Encourage staff and visitors to carpool, adjust schedules and use public transportation to reduce traffic and emissions

• Implement green building practices to reduce our building’s environmental impact

• Measure our carbon footprint and reduce emissions

The scope and intensity of activity surrounding sustainability has increased in recent years. At the turn of the century, only a few people and organizations were providing leadership for sustainability. Since then, the number of such people and organizations – in the public and private sector – has greatly improved.

Efforts to increase sustainability are achieving positive results; and the results are encouraging others to imitate and improve on what they have accomplished. At CCSE, our core mission is to provide objective, balanced, expert information and assistance to help everyone find the right sustainability path among the many options. We promise to help you make the best decisions by making complex issues simpler to understand and by helping you take meaningful actions.

Continue reading June's newsletter.