California Clean Tech Open

Bobby Markowitz Practice Judge

September 25, 2008 / Palo Alto, CA

"Start-Up In A Box" Prize Packages Totaling $600,000

The California Clean Tech Open invites any team with a bright idea and the drive to start a company to compete for one of six "start-up in a box" prize packages. The competition strives to provide the winner in each category with all the business essentials necessary to help take their idea from concept to business.

Sustainability Criteria

California Clean Tech Open urges all contestants to incorporate sustainability into their business plans. Contestants accomplish this by incorporating environmentally beneficial choices into every business decision, from materials usage, to choice of vendors to employee impacts. Start-ups that adopt sustainable practices from the very beginning will gain advantage over their competition by reaching more markets, strengthening their brands and devising innovative design and manufacturing methods.

To win the California Clean Tech Open, contestants must effectively address sustainability criteria. They should be able to explain how their business will apply technology and innovative business models to solve relevant environmental problems in ways that avoid creating more serious problems as their businesses grow.

Friday, October 17, 2008 6:24:27 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)      Comments [1]  

Rocky Mountain Institute Open House

 

RMI National Solutions Council Salon

with Amory B. Lovins

    Chairman and Chief Scientist, Rocky Mountain Institute

Portola Valley, California / Sunday, October 12, 2008

 

Linda Yates, Co-Founder of Strategos, and Paul Holland of Foundation Capital are building a state of the art, net zero energy/fossil fuel-free home. Their LEED Platinum luxury home is currently under construction as it joins together green experts from across the board. This open-house was a highly memorable event held at the Yates-Holland home, where they had a variety educational check points set up on the construction site itself - each dileneating the role that every green expert is playing in the design and development process of what is considered a model project for green builders everywhere. We are doing the rainwater harvesting system, which is a highly innovative and ground-breaking design that converts their old swimming pool into a 40,000 gallon cistern that will hold rainwater for fire protection, landscape irrigation, and emergency purposes. BRAVO Yates and Holland!!

 

Thursday, October 16, 2008 8:09:11 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)      Comments [2]  

2008 West Coast Green Conference

While we were very impressed with this year's conference, as members of the green community, we were disappointed that neither Al Gore or Jerry Brown made mention of water as a "hot topic" green issue - their focus was energy.

“Why not spend $700 billion for solar, for efficiency, for conservation?” Vice Presideant Gore asked the audience. “Why not?”

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 8:04:20 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)      Comments [0]  

Back from ARCSA

 

2008 Annual Conference

Water - The New California Gold Rush

September 16-18, Santa Monica, CA

The American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (ARCSA) is the United States' only non-profit organization focused solely on educating professionals and the public about the benefits of conserving water through rainwater, and its annual conference is one of the best opportunities there are to learn about the latest trends in rainwater harvesting and to network with others in the field. This year, Santa Monica, CA was chosen to host the national conference due to its forward-thinking initiatives that encourage the collection and reuse of rainwater. Entitled “Water – The New California Gold Rush”, the conference included landscape architects, designers, engineers, home builders, state environmental leaders, city and county code, building enforcement officials, and do-it-yourselfers.

 

Bobby was honored to be a featured speaker at the 2008 ARCSA Conference, which was held September 16th, 17th, and 18th. He focused his presentation on the integration of rainwater systems as an essential element for landscape irrigation and aesthetically designing and incorporating rainwater systems. Other presenters included experts from Australia, namely microbiologists and component purveyors, as well as nationally recognized experts in all aspects of this burgeoning rainwater industry as water continues to become the “Gold” of the 21st century.

 

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 7:24:01 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)      Comments [0]  

Master Gardener's Tour

2008 Water-Smart Garden Contest

Professional Winners

 

Jim and Carolyn Bowen's Garden

Bobby Markowitz - Water Smart Regional Winner, Santa Cruz County

Landscape architect Bobby Markowitz will be touring through his award winning 1.5 acre Japanese Garden watered solely with rainwater.  We would love for all to make it!!

This was a self-guided tour of 22 private gardens on the Monterey Peninsula & Santa Cruz County.

 

Friday, August 08, 2008 10:01:33 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)      Comments [1]