Subject: USGBC California Members Spring Forward into Mentorship Opportunities & Exclusive Offers!
Preview: Plus, an update for Advocacy Day and a committee re-launch 👀
🌸🌼 Welcome, USGBC California Members! 🌼🌸
We're thrilled to kick off this season with a burst of energy and enthusiasm, and what better way to do so than with a sneak peek at some upcoming events from our esteemed partners!
Stay tuned for more exciting updates and engagements as we embrace the spirit of renewal and growth together. Let's make this spring a season of inspiration, innovation, and endless possibilities!
MEMBER Spotlight:
Peter Marsh
Pete Marsh served 25 years as an active duty officer in the Coast Guard, including command tours afloat and ashore; and 10 years in defense contracting with Truestone LLC and the marquee technology consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. In the 2010’s, concerned about global warming, he transitioned into the renewable energy industry. He earned a California solar contractor's license and founded Vector Green Power and Materials, where he now designs and builds commercial and residential solar and battery systems.
Pete holds BS and MS degrees in Marine Science (US Coast Guard Academy) and Telecommunications Systems Management (Naval Postgraduate School).
Pete is a volunteer climate policy advocate with Citizens’ Climate Lobby and Business Climate Leaders, where he co-chairs BCL’s national Electricity Sector Action Team focused on federal Cashback Carbon Pricing . He also works locally to #ElectrifyYourHometown, the key strategy on the ground for phasing out fossil fuels, as co-chair of the Long Beach Sustainable Business Network. Pete and his wife Gail live in Long Beach, CA, near their two adult children and three granddaughters. They've also enjoyed living in New London, CT, Redding, CA, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle, WA.
Pete was a member of the USGBC Northern California and Redwood Empire chapters in the 2000’s and early 2010’s, and served as Green Project Management liaison between the NorCal chapter and Project Management Institute’s Bay Area chapter. He joined USGBC California (previously known as USGBC-LA) in 2021 after relocating to Long Beach, and is active in three committees: Green Schools, Building Decarbonization, and Green Homes. He’s pivoting his business from primarily about solar, which can generate onsite electricity for a third or a half of our buildings, to focusing on phasing out gas from existing buildings, which we need to do for all gas appliances.
Pete is also active in several climate advocacy NGOs, where he helps connect USGBC’s professional expertise to these advocates and their reach to constituents statewide: Citizens' Climate Lobby, where he leads the Long Beach Area chapter and the National Electrification Team; the Building Decarbonization Coalition; Rewiring America and its Power Forward coalition; American Institute of Architects Long Beach / South Bay Chapter and its COTE Committee; Climate Reality Project LA Chapter and its Green Building Committee; Climate action California Building Decarbonization team; 350.org; Elders Climate Action; and the Long Beach chapter of Abundant Housing LA.
One of Pete’s proud accomplishments is his recent mentorship to the Long Beach Unified School District’s student-led Green Schools Campaign: in August 2022 the District passed a Board Policy on Green School Operations, which commits to phasing out gas appliances and vehicles in accordance with the budgeted recapitalization plan, bringing the school’s operations to nearly zero emissions within less than 20 years.
You’re invited to an exclusive, members-only tour of the Long Beach Container Terminal!
Take a tour of the Long Beach Container Terminal, the nation’s greenest marine terminal with a goal of Zero Emissions by 2030, and USGBC-CA’s 2023 Sustainable Innovation Award “Project of the Year."
See containers transferred from ships to trucks and trains, all with electric cranes and vehicles, and see firsthand the largest battery exchange building in the world!
NOTE: This event is exclusive to USGBC-CA Members
Not a USGBC-CA Member and want to attend? Become a member today to RSVP for the Long Beach Terminal/LBCT Tour, and receive additional benefits exclusive to USGBC-CA Membership!
Agenda
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9:30 am: Guests arrive at LBCT via private vehicles
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9:30 - 10:15 am: Presentation in conference room
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10:10-10:30 am: Guests load onto bus (scheduled by USGBC-LA) for terminal tour
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10:30 - 11:30 am: Terminal Tour
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11:30 am - 12:00 pm: Guests depart via private vehicles
There are limited tickets available, so RSVP today to reserve your spot!
RSVP here (link)
Green Building Corps Internship Mentoring Opportunity
We'd like to invite you to participate in the USGBC California Mentorship Program! One of the benefits of our unique community is the opportunity to become a mentor through curated matchmaking and activities as part of the USGBC California initiatives.
Objective of the Mentorship Program: The USGBC California Mentorship Program is designed to connect established professionals with students, recently graduated and/or emerging professionals to increase knowledge of the green building industry, aid mentees in achieving their professional goals and promote diversity, equity and inclusion across the industry.
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Format of Meetings: The first meeting will be held at the Mentor Meet & Greet Session (date TBD). Subsequent ‘catch-ups’ can be via phone, video calls, or coffee date when possible, but should be in a mutually agreeable location and format.
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Progress Reporting: Throughout the year, USGBC California staff will send surveys to program participants to determine if the relationship is mutually beneficial, if it’s working well, and if there is anything that needs to be changed or addressed.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor please fill out this form or email elizabeth@usgbc-ca.org for more information.
2024 California Green Building Advocacy Day Update
Thank you to all who joined us for the Advocacy + Policy Virtual Information on March 20th. We had over 20 members join us to hear about the Advocacy + Policy workplans for USGBC California and USGBC-National and obtain more information about Advocacy Day 2024. We are excited with how interested the membership is in advocacy and policy matters locally and statewide and discussed various interests (e.g., green schools, zero waste, climate resilience, etc.) that members would like to remain abreast of at the Advocacy level. This is great intel to have preceding Advocacy Day 2024 in Sacramento this April. We also hope all members will consider participating in our '30-day Statewide Advocacy Campaign' beginning Monday, April 8th. More info below!
USGBC California “30 Days of Advocacy” Campaign
On April 8th, as part of the launch of USGBC California, the Advocacy + Policy Team kicked off our ‘30 Days of Advocacy’ Campaign in which USGBC California and USGBC National have joined forces to promote a month-long advocacy activities around high-performance buildings and climate action across the state, in parallel with California Green Building Advocacy Day taking place on April 17, 2024.
Please support us remotely by sending a letter to your State Representative via this link and don't forget to join us virtually on May 8th at 12Noon PT for Beyond Advocacy Day: Unlocking Key Insights for Action.
Exclusive USGBC California Member Benefits
from Partner Organizations
GBI Benefits
USGBC California is proud to be an organizational member of the Green Building Initiative. Through our membership, USGBC California members receive discounts for GBI trainings and services. Up to three USGBC California members can register with this link to earn a Green Globes Professional (GGP) or Guiding Principles Compliance Professional (GPCP) credential with the discount code USGBC-LA-GGP. These complimentary credential trainings are being offered on a first come, first served basis. Additionally, any early career professionals can register from that same page for GBI’s Green Globes for Emerging Professional (GGEP) credential using the discount code MEMGGEP.
Please join GBI for a special in-person event prior to the California Green Building Conference, on May22nd: “When Rigor Meets Accessibility: Exploring Certification and Decarbonization with GBI’s Green Globes”. Register here.
From our friends at ILFI:
The USGBC California community receives 10% off passes to attend the Living Future Conference (May 7-9, Atlanta GA), the leading event in regenerative buildings, using partner code: USGBC LF24
From our friends at The Climate Registry:
USGBC California community receives 10% off passes to attend the Climate Leadership Conference (May 21-23, Cleveland, OH), launched in 2011 to continue the legacy of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Leaders program, which recognized companies for setting and achieving greenhouse gas reduction goals. Use partner code: USGBC-LA-10) for All-Access Conference Passes.
Verdani Partners Webinar
Description: The urgency to align with the Paris Agreement goals and mitigate climate change has made decarbonization a cornerstone for businesses and real estate. In our webinar on Thursday, April 18th, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. PST, the Verdani team details this pivotal topic exploring ways to decrease your carbon footprint, from setting reduction targets to pursuing building electrification and renewable energy strategies.
Target Audience: Real estate ESG professionals, architects, and building engineers aiming to implement decarbonization strategies and reduce environmental impact.
Register for the Decarbonization (Building Electrification + Renewable Energy) Webinar!
IWBI
It’s always important to take a moment and celebrate LIFE and that of our friends and colleagues.
So in that spirit…Happy Birthday! We celebrate you all:
March & April Birthdays
Natasha Patel
Mark Fuller
Claus Best
Sean Kuang
Joel Martinez
Lena Shapiro
Michael Gevertz
Bryan Garcia
Emily Fuller
Susan DiGiulio
Renee Drake Wilson
Kate Diamond
Lizabeth Taing
Nick Grimm
Richard Jung
Roman Esquivel
MaryJane McLeod