phone415-977-0380 fax415-977-0381emailsuscon@suscon.org 121 Second Street 6th Floor San Francisco, CA 94105 www.suscon.org

L E T T E R F R O M T H E Executive Director

MilestonesNonprofit Org.

U.S. Postage

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San Francisco, CA

Permit No. 735

Sustainable Conservation Stewardship CouncilReleases Key Manure Management Guide The National Dairy Environmental Stewardship Council, acoalition of national dairy waste management experts led bySustainable Conservation, recently released acomprehensive guide to help dairy farmers across the nationturn manure into profit while protecting the environment.“Cost-Effective and Environmentally Beneficial DairyManure Management Practices” details ways dairies cancapture the agricultural and economic value of manurenutrients while reducing the impact of manure on airquality, water quality and global warming. Visit our Dairieswebpage to read the report: www.suscon.org/dairies.

Collaborative Workgroup Publishes CriticalDevelopment Recommendations As a founding member of California Environmental Dialogue(CED) – a policy collaborative of California business,environmental and government agency leaders –Sustainable Conservation is proud to announce CED’scompletion of its most recent policy statement titled,“Economic Growth & Habitat Protection”. In it, CED putsforth seven recommendations for the healthy developmentof communities. The core strategy is to guide growth toappropriate areas while protecting natural areas, workinglandscapes and wildlife habitat. To download a copy of thedocument, or for more information about CED, visit theorganization’s website at www.cedlink.org.

SustainableConservationpartners withagriculture,business andgovernmentleaders to findpractical waysthat the privatesector can protectclean air, cleanwater and healthyecosystems.

Restoration on Private LandsWe help land-owners be goodstewards of theenvironment byfacilitatingrestoration projectsand speciesprotection.

SustainableAgricultureWe promote theadoption ofinnovative farmingpractices so thatfarmers can protectthe environment,boost their bottomlines and keep theirland.

SustainableBusinessWe stop pollution atthe source byworking proactivelywith business andregulatory agenciesto solve problemsthroughcooperation, ratherthan litigation.

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BridgeBridgeB e c a u s e t h e e n v i r o n m e n t i s e v e r y o n e ’ s b u s i n e s s .

Dear Friends,

THE

Fall 2005

When I filled up my car last week, I stared in disbelief at the fuel pump: a whopping$3.15 a gallon. The price of gasoline has risen 38% since January of this year and 74%since 2000. And, experts are predicting higher prices to come, as China, India and othernations need more oil to fuel their energy-intensive growth and as US policymakers resistfuel efficiency and renewables.

The rising global demand for energy shows up in higher prices at local gas stations. Italso shows up in greater environmental problems around the globe: air pollution that

contributes to asthma and otherailments, greenhouse gas emissionsthat contribute to global warming,and sprawl-related loss of wildlifehabitat.

Sustainable Conservation hasbeen working to address these kindsof environmental problems since ourearliest days. For example, ourConservation Tillage project promotesa set of agricultural methods thatreduce particulate air pollution andon-farm energy use. Our MethaneDigester program converts dairyfarms’ methane (a potent greenhousegas released by cow manure) intoelectricity. Our work within California

Environmental Dialogue develops new ways to provide long-term protection for habitatthreatened by growth.

In addition to expanding these programs, we now are directly addressing the root causeof so many environmental problems: fossil fuel use. As you’ll read inside this issue of TheBridge, Sustainable Conservation is taking a leadership role in the development of biofuels.These renewable, environmentally friendly fuels are derived from plant sugars, starches oroils; cow manure; and other organic substances. Biofuels can replace petroleum-based fuelsin vehicles and machinery, requiring few or no engine modifications when blended withtraditional fuels. Biofuels pollute less, can be made locally and cost about the same toproduce.

Sustainable Conservation is proud to be working toward practical and lasting solutionsto the costly human and environmental impacts of fossil fuel dependence. We believe thatbiofuels are an important part of the global solution. While higher energy prices – gasoline,natural gas and electricity – may sting us individually, and may raise the cost of somegoods and services, they provide very strong incentives to switch to biofuels and otherrenewable fuel sources. So, next time your neighbor complains about the price of gasoline,tell them about biofuels … and Sustainable Conservation!

Getting ourNewsletter by E-mailIf you prefer toreceive ournewsletter by e-mail, please senda message tosuscon@suscon.orgwith “Newsletter”in the subject line.You will receivesubsequent issuesas an e-mailattachment. Youcan also downloadour newsletter fromour website atwww.suscon.org.

Ashley Boren, Executive Director

Auto Recycling Project Hits TVIn July, KGO-TV (ABC, San Francisco, Channel7) aired a compelling story about SustainableConservation’s Auto Recycling Program,reaching approximately 125,000 peoplethroughout the Bay Area. The three-minutesegment showcased Sustainable Conservation,our staff and the partnership we are part of toimprove the business practices of autorecyclers and health of the San Francisco Bay.You can watch the clip from our website:www.suscon.org.

Fueling the Future with Renewable Energy

“Switching to biomethane improves air quality, reduces greenhouse gasemissions, improves water quality and strengthens rural economies.”

Allen Dusault, Director of Sustainable Agriculture program – Sustainable Conservation

Biofuels 101BIOGAS & RENEWABLE ELECTRICITYDid you know? Harnessing the

methane from approximately 20% of California’s cows couldpower all of the existing fleets ofnatural-gas-powered vehicles inthe state.

Source: Primarily cow manure. Can also be derivedfrom decomposing plant matter and landfillwaste.

Replaces: Biomethane replaces compressed naturalgas or diesel. Renewable electricity replaceselectricity from fossil fuels, natural gas,hydropower and nuclear power.

Use: Biomethane powers cars, trucks, buses andfleet vehicles. Renewable electricity powershomes and industrial facilities, including heatingand cooling systems, appliances, and lighting.

BIODIESELDid you know? Biodiesel blended

with petroleum-based diesel canreduce emissions of carbondioxide – a chief greenhouse gas –by up to 80%. It’s also non-toxicand completely biodegradable.

Source: Soybean, sunflower, safflower and canolaoil. Can also be produced from used cookinggrease.

Replaces: Diesel.Use: Powers automobiles, including cars, trucks,

buses and fleet vehicles.

ETHANOLDid you know? California is the

leading consumer of ethanol inthe US, using over 900 milliongallons annually. But, we don’tgrow any crops to produce thisrenewable fuel.

Source: Sugar beets, sugar cane and other high-sugar crops.

Replaces: Gasoline.Use: Powers automobiles, including cars, trucks,

buses and fleet vehicles.

n response to our unceasing reliance on oil,crippling surges in energy costs and mountingconcerns about global warming, Sustainable

Conservation is part of the movement in California todevelop a promising solution with a complement ofexciting environmental and economic benefits:biofuels.

These renewable fuels – including biomethane,biodiesel, and ethanol (see “Biofuels 101” sidebar) –are derived from cow manure, vegetable and animaloils, food crops and other organic material. They’regenerally no more expensive to produce thanpetroleum-based fuels, and for many vehicles onlyminor engine modifications are needed. Biofuelssignificantly reduce air and water pollution, and couldgreatly enhance California’s economic health bycreating a new energy industry right here at home.

Sustainable Conservation has made significantprogress over the last year in advancing biofuels as analternative to petroleum in California, promoting itscompelling environmental, economic and energybenefits. There’s still a tremendous amount of work tobe done. In the coming months, we will continue tobuild productive partnerships with business,agricultural and government leaders to overcome thekey technical, market and regulatory hurdles neededto make biofuels a reality in California and beyond.

As part of the US Environmental ProtectionAgency’s (USEPA) National Clean Diesel

Campaign, we received a $100,000 grant this year todemonstrate special blends of California-grownbiodiesel in farm equipment can produce immediateand cost-effective reductions in a number of harmfulpollutants, especially nitrogen oxide (NOx). TheUSEPA grant is a vital next step in garnering supportfor biodiesel from a number of key stakeholders inthe state who have been cautious about widespreadadoption of the fuel because of its potentiallyharmful NOx byproducts. Sustainable Conservationis conducting our demonstration project at the RedRock Ranch and neighboring farms in the SanJoaquin Valley. The valley is home to the dirtiest airin the country – and many residents, includingminorities and children, suffer from adverse healtheffects associated with fossil fuel emissions.

While much recent attention on biodiesel has beenpaid to its creation from used cooking oil, we areusing this innovative project to show that specialbiodiesel crops such as canola and sunflower can begrown locally. The aim is to avoid outsourcing theraising of traditional biodiesel crops such assoybeans to the Midwest, which will add to localfarmers’ bottom lines and fuel California’s economy.In addition, we are partnering with local farmers tocreate a self-sustaining system for growing seedcrops, extracting seed oils, and producing biodieselright on their farms – or transporting to centralizedfueling stations for wider use.

In collaboration with a diverse group ofenvironmental, transportation and dairy

organizations, we recently released a ground-breaking report on the promise of cow power, orbiomethane. “Biomethane from Dairy Waste: ASourcebook for the Production and Use ofRenewable Natural Gas in California” detailseffective and economical technologies for convertingthe methane generated from cow manure intonatural gas to power automobiles. It also providesrecommendations for applications and markets for

the fuel. Having been featured on National PublicRadio, as well as in the Fresno Bee and other localand national news outlets, the report willundoubtedly serve as a go-to guide as Californiaincreases its biomethane capabilities.

The state is home to over 1.7 million cows thatproduce 13 billion pounds of manure each year,which if not managed properly, can result in seriousgroundwater contamination and natural releases ofpotent greenhouse gases.

Allen Dusault, Director of our SustainableAgriculture program, states, “As natural gas pricescontinue to rise, biomethane fuel is becoming cost-competitive with natural gas and diesel, and is muchcheaper than hydrogen. Switching to biomethaneimproves air quality, reduces greenhouse gasemissions, improves water quality and strengthensrural economies.”

The biomethane report falls on the heels ofSustainable Conservation’s work promoting the

use of methane digesters, proven and simpletechnology used to capture methane from manure toproduce electricity, on dairy farms across California.As a result of the hard work with our dairy partnersthis year, 12 digesters are now operating or underconstruction, which help divert more than 400,000tons of manure from 36,000 cows. The electricitygenerated from the digesters offsets $1.6 million inenergy costs to dairy farmers who use the renewableenergy to fuel day-to-day operations. The digestersalso generate enough electricity to run 2,000 homes.

With a number of agricultural and technologypartners, Sustainable Conservation is

researching how California can not only grow butincrease yields of high-sugar crops such as sugarbeets and sugar cane in a sustainable manner toproduce ethanol – a renewable fuel that burnscleaner than gasoline or diesel. Raising our ownethanol crops here at home could boost the state’seconomy while reducing our oil-dependence.

I Highlights of Sustainable Conservation’s Pioneering Work

L E T T E R F R O M T H E Executive Director

Milestones

Sustainable Conservation Stewardship CouncilReleases Key Manure Management Guide The National Dairy Environmental Stewardship Council, acoalition of national dairy waste management experts led bySustainable Conservation, recently released acomprehensive guide to help dairy farmers across the nationturn manure into profit while protecting the environment.“Cost-Effective and Environmentally Beneficial DairyManure Management Practices” details ways dairies cancapture the agricultural and economic value of manurenutrients while reducing the impact of manure on airquality, water quality and global warming. Visit our Dairieswebpage to read the report: www.suscon.org/dairies.

Collaborative Workgroup Publishes CriticalDevelopment Recommendations As a founding member of California Environmental Dialogue(CED) – a policy collaborative of California business,environmental and government agency leaders –Sustainable Conservation is proud to announce CED’scompletion of its most recent policy statement titled,“Economic Growth & Habitat Protection”. In it, CED putsforth seven recommendations for the healthy developmentof communities. The core strategy is to guide growth toappropriate areas while protecting natural areas, workinglandscapes and wildlife habitat. To download a copy of thedocument, or for more information about CED, visit theorganization’s website at www.cedlink.org.

SustainableConservationpartners withagriculture,business andgovernmentleaders to findpractical waysthat the privatesector can protectclean air, cleanwater and healthyecosystems.

Restoration on Private LandsWe help land-owners be goodstewards of theenvironment byfacilitatingrestoration projectsand speciesprotection.

SustainableAgricultureWe promote theadoption ofinnovative farmingpractices so thatfarmers can protectthe environment,boost their bottomlines and keep theirland.

SustainableBusinessWe stop pollution atthe source byworking proactivelywith business andregulatory agenciesto solve problemsthroughcooperation, ratherthan litigation.

BridgeBridgeB e c a u s e t h e e n v i r o n m e n t i s e v e r y o n e ’ s b u s i n e s s .

Dear Friends,

THE

Fall 2005

When I filled up my car last week, I stared in disbelief at the fuel pump: a whopping$3.15 a gallon. The price of gasoline has risen 38% since January of this year and 74%since 2000. And, experts are predicting higher prices to come, as China, India and othernations need more oil to fuel their energy-intensive growth and as US policymakers resistfuel efficiency and renewables.

The rising global demand for energy shows up in higher prices at local gas stations. Italso shows up in greater environmental problems around the globe: air pollution that

contributes to asthma and otherailments, greenhouse gas emissionsthat contribute to global warming,and sprawl-related loss of wildlifehabitat.

Sustainable Conservation hasbeen working to address these kindsof environmental problems since ourearliest days. For example, ourConservation Tillage project promotesa set of agricultural methods thatreduce particulate air pollution andon-farm energy use. Our MethaneDigester program converts dairyfarms’ methane (a potent greenhousegas released by cow manure) intoelectricity. Our work within California

Environmental Dialogue develops new ways to provide long-term protection for habitatthreatened by growth.

In addition to expanding these programs, we now are directly addressing the root causeof so many environmental problems: fossil fuel use. As you’ll read inside this issue of TheBridge, Sustainable Conservation is taking a leadership role in the development of biofuels.These renewable, environmentally friendly fuels are derived from plant sugars, starches oroils; cow manure; and other organic substances. Biofuels can replace petroleum-based fuelsin vehicles and machinery, requiring few or no engine modifications when blended withtraditional fuels. Biofuels pollute less, can be made locally and cost about the same toproduce.

Sustainable Conservation is proud to be working toward practical and lasting solutionsto the costly human and environmental impacts of fossil fuel dependence. We believe thatbiofuels are an important part of the global solution. While higher energy prices – gasoline,natural gas and electricity – may sting us individually, and may raise the cost of somegoods and services, they provide very strong incentives to switch to biofuels and otherrenewable fuel sources. So, next time your neighbor complains about the price of gasoline,

Getting ourNewsletter by E-mailIf you prefer toreceive ournewsletter by e-mail, please senda message tosuscon@suscon.orgwith “Newsletter”in the subject line.You will receivesubsequent issuesas an e-mailattachment. Youcan also downloadour newsletter fromour website atwww.suscon.org.

Ashley Boren, Executive Director

Auto Recycling Project Hits TVIn July, KGO-TV (ABC, San Francisco, Channel7) aired a compelling story about SustainableConservation’s Auto Recycling Program,reaching approximately 125,000 peoplethroughout the Bay Area. The three-minutesegment showcased Sustainable Conservation,our staff and the partnership we are part of toimprove the business practices of autorecyclers and health of the San Francisco Bay.You can watch the clip from our website:www.suscon.org.