Meeting the Challenge of Sustainable Community

Robert Girling,
Professor, School of Business and Economics,
Sonoma State University

Like no previous generation, business and community leaders today are becoming aware of the challenges to the environment and are increasingly concerned and motivated to seek ways to benefit the community and protect the environment. One can meet some of the leading Bay Area companies at the Sustainable Enterprise Conference that will be held on May 13 at Sonoma Mountain Village in Rohnert Park. Panama Bartholomy, Deputy Director of Efficiency and Renewable Energy at the California Energy Commission and Assemblyman Jared Huffman will lead off with an update on California’s energy outlook while Jeff Mendelsohn, New Leaf Paper Founder and CEO, will offer a business perspective on how product innovation is transforming the paper industry. The Conference is jointly presented by Sonoma State University, The Green MBA at Dominican University of California, Presidio School of Management and The Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy.

The Sustainable Enterprise Conference addresses questions about how companies can meet the needs of employees and communities while creating environmentally sustainable solutions. The idea of the corporation that cares only about the bottom line and profit maximization has become as outdated as the typewriter.

Climate change is the biggest issue that affects us all.

So just what does this mean for business? The cost of doing business and the environment are interdependent. Raw materials are becoming harder to access and more costly to obtain - the use of fossil fuel energy creates untenable sources of risk to our security and health. Global and local ecosystems can no longer absorb the byproducts and toxic wastes of processes like deep ocean drilling, mountain top removal and gas fracking and the implications are especially disturbing when we consider nuclear waste products.

So what can business do?

Codding Enterprises the builders of Sonoma Mountain Village or SOMO is among the leaders in companies that are transforming the North Bay economy. Built on the former site of a bustling electronics factory, this 200-acre site is undergoing a transformation into a One Planet sustainable community that will allow residents of 1900 new homes to live within their fair share of the earth’s natural resources.  

One Planet Communities have the ambitious goal of reducing their ecological footprint by at least 80%, which would make them some of the greenest neighborhood developments in the world. The idea behind One Planet Living rests on a set of principles including zero carbon, zero waste, development of a sustainable transportation network with a walkable urban design favoring bicycles and shuttles as well as local and sustainable materials and food. SOMO is planning for 100 percent renewable energy by 2020, a ninety-eight percent reduction in solid waste as well as recycling its wastewater. The One Planet Living program also includes access to local and sustainable food, preservation of natural habitats and wildlife, adherence to fair trade, and a goal of supporting the health and happiness of the entire community.

When fully built up the site will have extensive gardens and parks with edible landscaping along walking paths.

Already the Sonoma Mountain Business Cluster, a business incubator with over 25 start-up businesses is providing mentoring, resources and space for start-ups with a focus on sustainable and socially relevant technologies. Among the companies in the Sonoma Mountain Business Cluster is Azonde Corporation a manufacturer of solar powered wireless water monitor systems and CSFS, which produces steel-frame panelized construction out of recycled steel. And a recent graduate is West Coast Solar Energy which designs and installs commercial and residential solar power systems.

Sonoma Mountain Village is set to generate 4,414 jobs upon completion with a projected payroll of $265 million dollars. Several companies are already onboard which include DC Power, a leading full service wholesale distributor of renewable energy products including solar, wind and solar powered water pumps and Comcast are among the companies that have located in the SMV community.

Sonoma Mountain Village was recently awarded the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award (GEELA) for best comprehensive land use plan in California and has been recognized by the United Nations as an exemplary model of sustainable development.

Sonoma Mountain Village is just one of the many forward thinking, profitable and socially responsible businesses that will be highlighted at the 2011 Sustainable Enterprise Conference. The 2011 conference program provides insights for organizations and individuals seeking the latest information on how innovation and sustainability will drive the economy while preserving resources needed for a prosperous future. Workshops and panels throughout the day will provide case studies, organizational tools and lessons learned from leaders that have benefited from implementing sustainability strategies.

As part of their commitment to community Sonoma Mountain Village generously hosts the Sustainable Enterprise Conference. Visit www.sustainableeneterpriseconference.com to learn more and to register for the conference.