The San Diego Microfinance Summit was held on April 28th at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace & Justice on the campus of the University of San Diego. The conference highlighted the local and international work of San Diego’s microfinance organizations.

Participating organizations included ACCIÓN San Diego, CDC Small Business Finance, Foundation for Women, Grameen Foundation, International Rescue Committee, La Maestra, Opportunity International, the Center for International Development at Point Loma Nazarene University, Project Concern International, San Diego State University College of Business Administration, the Ahlers Center for International Business at the University of San Diego, and VIA International.

Yeardley Smith, award-winning actor, novelist, and avid supporter of microfinance served as the Summit’s Keynote Speaker. As a donor and volunteer, Yeardly is partnering with Grameen Foundation on a special initiative geared toward expanding microcredit and related services to those living on less than a dollar a day. Yeardley will share her perspectives and experiences visiting with women in Haiti, both pre- and post-earthquake and address the impact of microfinance.

Attendees were able to enjoy fine dining from four different vendors, each who have been financed by one of the San Diego Microfinance Alliance’s partnering organizations. The marketplace consisted of over 25 different vendors sharing their goods and services in a farmer’s market style set-up. Each vendor had been a recipient of one or more microloans and has their goods to show for it. The marketplace provided an opportunity for participants to converse with local entrepreneurs, buy local products, and see the impact that micro-lending is making on our community.

Plan It Green participated as part of the planning committee and as an exhibitor. More information about local microfinance can be found at San Diego MicroFinance.

Janette Lampe, Corporate Events Manager at Kaiser Permante takes her green responsibilities seriously. That is why she reached out to Plan It Green to help her plan and execute her recent physician meeting with attention to social and environmental issues.

From selecting the Jacobs Center, a non-profit located in one of San Diego’s most ethnically diverse neighborhoods, to using compostable bags for to-go lunches, responsible planning was clearly evident to the 600+ San Diego physicians at their Quarterly Offsite Meeting on February 10, 2010.

“Throughout the entire planning process, we consider if our decisions are socially and environmentally responsible,” according to Ms. Lampe. The decision to hold the meeting at the Jacobs Center provided Kaiser an opportunity to support a facility that offers numerous programs for one of San Diego’s low-income neighborhoods. For example, many of the meeting wait-staff were participating in a Jacobs Center job training program.

“Working together with the Jacobs Center event team we helped create a lunch that was much more environmentally responsible than first planned,” said Lampe. Originally, each attendee was to receive a pre-packaged box-lunch complete with plastic-wrapped sandwiches, salad in plastic containers and forks. That soon changed. The plastic and cardboard were replaced with 100% compostable lunch bags, salad bowls and forks, and napkins made from recycled content. While pre-packaged lunches were replaced with a buffet style that allowed attendees to choose just the food they would eat.

Since most of the attendees remained at the Center for lunch they were able to use reusable plates, glasses, silverware and cloth napkins. “The new choices significantly reduced the amount of plastic and cardboard as well as potentially wasted food,” added Lampe.

Recycling containers were placed in highly visible locations that made it easy for both wait-staff and attendees to dispose of their empty aluminum cans and plastic yogurt containers. And funds earned from the collected aluminum and plastic went back to the Jacobs Center to support their programs.

Additional initiatives included: documents printed double-sided whenever possible, reusable signage, water glasses on table not pre-filled to save water, and centerpieces available for purchase from small local retailer.

The primary message of the film is to use the exploration of the broader context of the conundrum of consumption in the modern world to try and encourage us to give more star billing to “Reduce” as we use the “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle” mantra in our approaches to sustainability.

Plan It Green was able to watch the film, and hear a follow-on presentation by Annie Leonard who wrote and narrated the film. This special event was arranged by the San Diego Grantmakers and was held at the San Diego Hall of Champions.

Apparently we were not the first to see it. Indeed, this animated documentary about the life-cycle of material goods has been an internet phenomenon. It had been seen in 228 countries and territories and has had more than 7 million views to date.

Once the film was over we got to ask questions of Annie. What we found out was that Annie Leonard loves to talk trash. Using the same rapid-fire, fact-filled and humorous approach she used in her film, Annie was deftly able to connect the dots and explain the real social and environmental costs of how we make, use, and throw away stuff.

Of special note to event holders was Annie’s insight that whether we are talking about putting on an event or just considering a purchase of an item in general, the question shouldn’t just be on the quality of the items we purchase, but on the quantity of what we use. Indeed, this is something to ponder and reflect upon in planning for that next event.

More information and a chance to view the movie can be found at The Story of Stuff.

Mary Ryan Barthel, Founder & President of Blooms From The Heart is asking for your help.

She wants you to clean out your shelves, dust out old vases and donate (and recycle!) them for a good cause. Blooms from the Heart sends a message of caring and compassion to those in need by recycling flowers from events, venues and businesses and delivering the re-purposed arrangements to San Diego area hospitals, senior homes, hospice centers and other facilities where they can be enjoyed.

Blooms From The Heart partners with San Diego area event planners, venues, businesses and individuals to collect flower arrangements, loose blooms or plants that might otherwise be discarded. The flowers may be from an event, gala or celebration, or business décor or product due to be replaced.

Collection of flowers following an event is done at the event venue or event planner’s place of business the day after the event and the flowers are transported to the Blooms From The Heart staging center. Flowers from other sources are picked up at the business location on a pre-determined schedule. Flowers can also be dropped off at the staging center. The flowers should be in good condition with at least 4 days of healthy life remaining.

Blooms From The Heart volunteers quickly and lovingly repurpose the recycled flowers as needed, breaking large arrangements into smaller ones or arranging loose blooms in vases or other containers.
The new arrangements are then delivered to local hospitals, hospice centers, senior care facilities, homeless shelters, rehabilitation centers and other facilities where they can be enjoyed. Blooms From The Heart partners with administrators, management and staff of these facilities to coordinate the deliveries. The recipients include the elderly and sick or terminally ill patients, those who have been abused, left homeless or otherwise forgotten, homebound individuals and others in need. Blooms From The Heart strives to send a message of caring and compassion with every single bloom delivered.

Interested in helping? Find out more by visiting: Blooms From The Heart

(Photos: Dale Frost) www.portofsandiego.org/

It will be in San Diego through mid-January, and is docked at the Grape Street Pier. It is available for private charter and can carry 149 passengers.

It is available for private parties and charters.

Those not having an event, and just wishing to cruise the bay aboard Hornblower Hybrid can select from a series of cruises offered during the month of December. The two-hour bay cruises are from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m on Saturdays, with boarding at 4:30 p.m. Cost is $30 for adults and $15 for children. The happy hour cruises are from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m, with boarding at 4:30 p.m., on December 4, 12 and 17. Cost is $40 for adults and $35 for children.

(Photos: Dale Frost) www.portofsandiego.org/

After San Diego, the ferry heads to Newport Beach. Hornblower Hybrid will return to San Francisco where it serves as a ferry for passengers visiting Alcatraz Island.

Hornblower intends on locating at least one hybrid in New York, where it operates the franchise for Statue of Liberty tours. The company also plans to eventually base a hybrid boat in San Diego.

For more cruise information, please visit Hornblower.com.

(Photos: Dale Frost) www.portofsandiego.org/

A sold-out crowd of nearly 500 guests gathered downtown at The US Grant on Saturday to help Coastkeeper celebrate its most successful fundraising benefit to date. Honorary Event Chair County of San Diego Vice Chairwoman Pam Slater-Price, Master of Ceremonies Bill Menish and gala attendees celebrated San Diego’s inland waterways and helped raise more than $100,000 for Coastkeeper’s programs that are helping protect San Diego’s precious watersheds and marine resources.

Coastkeeper recognized Hubbell and Hubbell Architects with the Coastal Champion Business Award for its commitment to innovative design that protects valuable natural resources. Coastkeeper also presented the Coastal Champion Youth Award to Mara Bickett and Becky Deller for Fish for Thought, an environmental art project that raises awareness about the negative impact of trash on oceans and
marine life. And the Coastal Champion Community Honorees included Margarita DÍaz with Proyecto Fronterizo de EducaciÓn Ambiental for her work to improve and protect beach and coastal health in Mexico and the United States, and Dr. Tony Haymet, Director at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, for his leadership and impact in the scientific and education communities regarding climate change and water management issues.

Many local community activists, concerned citizens and elected officials were on hand to pay tribute to honorees, including San Diego’s Mayor Jerry Sanders, Congresswoman Susan Davis, State Senator Christine Kehoe, State Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore Lori SaldaÑa and City Councilmembers Sherri Lightner and Marti Emerald, among many others from around the county. Guests enjoyed a
gourmet dinner of organic food from sustainable vendors, including event wine sponsor ONEHOPE Wine, as Coastkeeper made an effort to green the event as much as possible this year. Attendees danced to the music of Zapf Dingbats, and joined in exciting live and silent auctions and the Ocean Gallery, which
featured work from local artists.

More coverage and pictures along with ways you can support Coastkeeper can be found at San Diego Coastkeeper Gala.

This event is guaranteed to educate and excite your palate! Chocolatier William Gustwiller will be pairing his delicious chocolate truffles with artisanal cheeses and wine. Starting with the highest quality chocolate, Will uses all-natural ingredients and organic spices to create unusual and exotic flavors.

Eclipse Chocolat is located on El Cajon Boulevard in University Heights just a few blocks east of Highway 163. The cost is $20 which will be paid at the event. Attendance is limited to 40 people so please call Eclipse Chocolat at 619 504-5310 to make your resevation now.

This is a two-day conference which will be held at the UCSD Price Center on October 23rd and 24th. The event brings together experts on San Diego’s regional energy, natural resources, transportation, green business, job training, sustainable living and building, and other important green ideas.

On both Friday and Saturday panels will be held on a wide range of relevant green topics – from implementing home energy retrofit programs, to smart grids and smart meters, to learning which local San Diego LEED / Sustainable Communities programs are pushing the limits on green building – anyone who’s interested and involved in greening San Diego will find plenty to catch their attention.

The conference represents a collaborative civic effort among dozens of groups and individuals including San Diego EarthWorks, Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, San Diego Gas & Electric, U.S. Green Building Council - San Diego Chapter, San Diego Workforce Partnership, 10News Sustain San Diego, San Diego Business Journal, California Center for Sustainable Energy, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego Foundation, CleanTECH San Diego, San Diego State University College of Extended Studies, University of San Diego Go Green, School of International Relations and Pacific Studies, University of California, San Diego, San Diego Green Business Network, San Diego Regional Sustainability Partnership, San Diego Canyonlands, Citizen’s Climate Lobby, Move San Diego, Walk San Diego, San Diego Roots Sustainable Food Project, and the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Tickets are still available for either or both days of the conference. The Friday seminars are more geared towards business and government, while Saturday has more public interest sessions including an “International Day of Climate Action”. Saturday also includes a green vendor exhibition.

Prices are as follows:

Friday & Saturday (Breakfast and Lunch included)
$100 if purchased before September 25
$125 if purchased after September 25
$135 if purchased at the door

Single Day:
$60 if purchased before September 25
$65 if purchased after September 25
$75 if purchased at the door

Half-day prices are available

For those interested in networking, they can join speakers and other attendees Friday evening from 6 - 8pm at the UCSD Price Center Ballroom East for a conference reception. The cost for the reception is $20 and includes appetizers and a no host bar.

Plan It Green is happy to support this event. More information can be found at Bright Green Future.

Plan It Green was the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce’s green event planning partner for this year’s Rob Machado Surf Experience and Green Expo held on September 26th and 27th at Seaside Reef and its parking lot.

The centerpiece of the event was an all-ages surf triathlon with longboard, shortboard and paddling categories. It was an open division, winner-take-all contest with a $500 cash prize for first place.

The green part of the expo featured environmentally friendly exhibits. Vendors demonstrated products such as biodegradable surf wax and nontoxic sunscreen. There was also a surfboard-shaping contest using environmentally friendly boards.

Plan It Green helped identify vendors such as a biodisposable food service products, a solar generator, and shuttle transportation from Sun Diego Charters who ran their buses on biodiesel.

San Diego Coastkeeper is hosting it’s annual Ocean Gala this year on October 24th, 2009. This year the Director of Events for SDCK invited us to join their event planning committee to help guide them to greening up the event.

In years past the event has been hosted at the historic and traditional Hotel Del Coronado. However, after the decision to create a green event, their venue options led them to the newly remodeled US Grant, downtown San Diego. This move to a new venue has offered not only the exclusive environment of the Presidential Ballroom for this special fundraising event, but as part of their efforts to acknowledge greener options; The US Grant has created a delicious and sustainable menu to honor the green iniative.

Aside from the venue, the planning has included all printed materials to be on recycled papers and all inks are soy based. The decor committee has also created a great centerpiece of succulents and other drought tolerant plants. You’ll just have to be at the gala to see the final product!  Click here for some additional details regarding the Eco-Elements of this very special event.

Other green details are coming together quickly through the packages for the live and silent auction. Some of the pakages that you could bid on are Eco-Tours/Whitewater Rafting, The Green Gourmet, Green My House, solar for your home, Surfing Goes Green, and so much more! Plan It Green has even secured a brand new acoustic guitar, hand-autographed by Keith Urban himself just this past week while on his latest tour! Thank youCapitol Records!

Please visit San Diego Coastkeeper’s oceangala.org for all the details! If you’d like to donate an item for the auction for the gala on October 24th, please click here.