Why Ecoroofs Are So Cool!

Matt Burlin is a big believer in maximizing urban space. You need a roof right? So why not really use it? Matt works with The City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Services to spread the word about initiatives, like Ecoroofs, that will make our city more efficient, more eco-friendly and more productive. In our session with him, Matt tells us the benefits of Ecoroofs, what they’re made out of and why they’re so rad.

SE: What exactly is an Ecoroof and why are they so stinkin’ cool?
MB: Basically an Ecoroof is a vegetated, sustainable roof alternative. It has vegetation, a soil system and it’s lightweight. It’s designed to be as self-sustaining as possible. The thing that makes an Ecoroof special, and what differentiates them from what people know as a “green roof,” is that the soil is very shallow. Ecoroofs are particularly lightweight, so they’re able to be adapted for home use more so than what are typically called roof gardens or green roofs, which have deeper soils, making them potentially heavy and in need of irrigation.

Because an Ecoroof is designed to be lightweight, and because the soil and plants used are designed appropriately, they function very well for storm water management and offer a lot of other benefits. What makes them cool is the fact that they bring roof space back into play. Typically roofs are out of sight and out of mind. They’re places we don’t really think about as far as their function or their potential. An Ecoroof takes advantage of these spaces that are otherwise “dead” within a built environment. And when you’re in a dense urban center, roof space actually takes up a good deal of area in an urban center. In this case, not using that is a lost opportunity.

SE: What are some of the materials you see typically used in an Ecoroof?
MB: It varies. The designs and materials can range from very simple to extremely complicated. There’s a rapidly growing industry of designers and products and raw materials where people are creating their own system. We’re seeing packaged materials now and tray systems and lots of other innovative products. The basic components often include the crucial waterproof membrane; root barrier membrane that prevents the roots of plants from getting to and damaging the waterproof membrane; a material that aids water run-off from the roof called a drainage layer; an element of growing media or soil; and, of course, the plants.

SE: What are some of the benefits to making this investment and bringing your roof alive?
MB: Our purpose at the Bureau of Environmental Services is to support the use of Ecoroofs as tools for storm water management. The real priority for us is the use of plants in the built environment on roofs, as well as on streets and sidewalks, to catch and retain storm water that would otherwise find its way into the sewer system.

In theory, there may also be some insulation benefits, but that function is still being researched—and would depend on what kind and how much soil is being used, the type of plants, etc.

SE: Why is it important to keep storm water out of the sewer system?
MB: Portland is a city that relies on “combined sewer.” That means all of the sewage that runs from our homes and buildings as well, as the storm water that comes off of those homes and buildings, all goes to the same place. At times, like when we have very large rain events, that mixture can exceed the capacity of the pipes and go right into the river. In terms of our bureau and the mission of our sustainable storm water division, we look at creating sustainable alternatives to keep that water on-site and keep it from going into the pipes and making the problem worse.

We promote Ecoroofs as a sustainable way to manage roof runoff. Portland has 12, 500 acres of roof space in the city. If you can imagine 20 sq. mi of roof space that is impervious—in other words the water has to find a place to go off of it—it gives a picture of how big a source of storm water runoff roofs are.

Sometimes when we get hit with those really big rain events, the pipe system gets hit with all that water at once and poses a pretty significant issue. It ends up compromising water quality in the Willamette River, as well as other smaller water ways. So anything that comes off streets—all the dust and oil from our cars and homes, is getting into the river with those types of events.

SE: Is that pretty typical of cities? To have a combined sewer system?
MB: It’s not necessarily typical, but it’s an option of how to design a sewer system in a city. Portland’s certainly not the only city with this kind of a system. I’m not sure whether all of them are following the same way of dealing with this problem as we are, but I know many of them are. This is one way of keeping the volume down on the combination of sewer and storm water.

SE: Are there any studies that show air quality improvements from having more Ecoroofs in a concentrated area?
MB: There are. There are a lot of benefits beyond what I mentioned earlier. The question here is what can plants do to lower pollution and raise air quality, because Ecoroofs are mostly made of plants and soil. We know that trees and vegetation help to breathe in contaminated and polluted air and help to clean that air of some pollutants, especially in urban environments. That philosophy or mentality is carried through with an Ecoroof.

The same goes for water quality. If you think about contamination in water, of temperature and even how water reaches a stream—when it runs off a surface in a built environment, it’s often a lot warmer than it should be, which has a negative affect on the water quality. Fish prefer to swim in cooler water. And having plants and soil to slow the water down lets it cool before it reaches the stream.

Ecoroofs also benefit pollenators and other insects and birds in areas like this that are urban, built environments. They very often provide safe haven for these birds and insects in an area that otherwise may not be green.

The last benefit that I’ll mention is that the Ecoroof prolongs the life of the roof. Studies show that when you use an Ecoroof, your roof will last up to twice as long, if not more than that. That’s a huge cost savings to the property owner. The waterproof membrane I mentioned before, is very susceptible to photo radiation over time in a conventional roof. So when it goes back and forth between cold and warm, it’s susceptible to that energy and heat change. It expands and contracts and expands and contracts, etc. That, over time, results in a failing roof—either peeling or cracks in the membrane, which causes leaks and the roof has to be replaced. That material is protected by the plants and soil of an Ecoroof, so the level of degradation for the waterproof membrane is of less concern.

SE: What’s happening with Ecoroof Portland 2010? What’s on the agenda this year and how is it different than the 2009 event?
MB: This event is a follow-up to the 2009 Ecoroof Vendors Fair, and the purpose of both events is to attract and educate Portlanders who are interested in Ecoroofs. There are so many different levels of learning, but we’re trying to target property owners and developers in particular that want to incorporate Ecoroofs into their home or businesses and developments. Maybe they’re unfamiliar with the concepts around them or the process of bringing one to life. Because it’s a relatively new approach to addressing this problem locally, we’re really trying to connect people who are interested with local professionals.

There’s so many people involved—builders, designers, researchers, architects and engineers—and there’s a lot of specific skills that you have to rely on during construction. This is essentially a construction project, but it’s a bit different than a typical project because of these specific skills, which we hope to line up for these folks. It’s not exactly a conference, but over time we hope to collect the resources that make building an Ecoroof easier for these folks. This year, being our second year, what we’ve done is expand not only the title of the event, and make it more general, but also expand the programming and what we’re offering so that even people who just want to learn about Ecoroofs can come and have a great experience. That includes taking people out and showing them some of the projects in our area. That includes doing some live installations. We’re going to incorporate a lot of art and photographs that show the beauty and context of Ecoroofs. We’re also going to have a lot of our speakers talk in more tangible ways about Ecoroofs and how they lead of city and community development.

SE: Is the City of Portland still offering the incentive program that was so popular last year, that helps cover some of the costs of building an Ecoroof on their home or business?
MB: Yes we will. We offer an incentive for home and property owners in the city of up to $5 per square foot. That’s intended to help them choose an Ecoroof as a sustainable alternative to a conventional roof. We offer that twice a year—in December and June—and will be available until 2013.

SE: Are there any plans to expand that program outside of Portland proper?
MB: There’s not for us. We have no plan to expand outside of the city, because we can’t work outside of our jurisdiction. Indirectly though, there’s a broad Ecoroof community that’s all over the world, so through our outreach program and our webiste and online communications, we maintain an educational role in the industry.

Matt Burlin is the Outreach Coordinator for the City of Portland’s Bureau of Environmental Service’s (BES) Sustainable Stormwater Program. He’s also the BES Ecoroof Coordinator + Director of Ecoroof Portland 2010.

Ecoroof Portland 2010 takes place on March 12-13th from 10-6pm at the Leftbank Annex, located at 101 N Weidler. For more information on Ecoroof Portland 2010 and the work done by Portland BES, please visit their website. If you’re interested in being a vendor at Ecoroof Portland 2010, please visit the Social Enterprises website + download the application.

ReVisioning Value With Springboard Innovation Founder Amy Pearl

Amy Pearl is a woman on a mission to answer many of the questions that have plagued civilization since it came into existence. But Amy isn’t satisfied with just any old solution—she’s looking for innovative, effective, sustainable and just ways to overcome the greatest of humanity’s dilemmas (poverty, hunger, homelessness—just to name a few). After a successful career in the tech industry, Amy left to found Springboard Innovation, a non-profit that tackles these questions daily, supporting and creating organizations and programs that teach our global citizens how to apply critical thinking with dramatic results.

SE: What inspired you to found Springboard Innovation and the ReVisioning Value Conference?
AP: The inspiration to create the organization came about six years ago. I was an Intel, working with the Education Group and while our primary focus was on teaching and learning, using technology, I had met a number of education ministers and leaders from other countries. What I noticed was an interest in helping their people become better innovators and better problem solvers in order to solve their own community problems and move their countries forward.

We created an education program, at Intel, that was tangential to our primary focus—it was called design and discovery—and it related to a pre-engineering and problem-solving curriculum. And people really liked it, they wanted to see it used in other countries, but since it wasn’t core mission for our group, we had to keep it where it was.

I got more and more interested in this idea of teaching people to become better problem-solvers and more innovative. That was the beginning point—education and helping people who didn’t have those skills. After some time, and the nagging desire to do more within that scope, I left Intel and started the Springboard Innovation.

SE: Tell us about the concept of an intersection of purpose and profit—and how it plays out in the world.
AP: This is a very very interesting time. I had a conversation with a young man from Unitus’ non-profit and investment arm. He is building funds—so he goes around asks corporations and big businesses for money to invest in organizations that are driving social change through vehicles like micro-finance, which was popularized by Muhammad Yunus, who is a modern-day poster child for social innovation.

I said to him, “So you’ve been following this trend of micro-finance, right?” And he told me that they had, but that recently the market had become quite saturated. There are currently 120 channels out there for funding micro-finance operations—which is enormous. It’s astonishing. Micro-finance, a tool used to pull people up out of poverty, is getting, on average, a 30-40 percent return on the investor’s dollar—which is also incredible. It’s a really good case study for the idea of purpose and profit coming together. It’s a pervasive example of how you can serve the needs of the very poorest and still make a fantastic financial return on that investment.

SE: How does the idea of creating social profit fit in with sustainability?
AP: Sustainability was defined, in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights back in 1948, as solving problems today in ways that don’t prohibit future generations from solving their problems. The notion of sustainability is to do things that are lasting and can be kept up in ways that provide options going forward. In terms of looking at social or environmental organizations, whether it’s building a wind turbine or designing a social program, if it’s designed well it will promote that on-going livability for both people and planet. It should also have a financial sustainability factor built into it as well, so that new strategy or service can be maintained. And all of this replaces that which is unjust.

The goal is to go upstream from the problem and get ahead of it. What is wrong with the system that it is actually allowing and maintaining issues like homelessness and hunger? What is the real root issue here? There is something that’s not at equilibrium in the status quo—something creating injustice. What we try to do is create organizations that, in order for them to be sustainable—and to sustain what we want to sustain in this world—have to get in front of the problem with a new kind of solution which is both effective and just. These are very deep problems. When we talk about social innovation, that discussion has to include environmental, financial and educational solutions.

SE: Can you give us a few examples of fresh, innovative solutions that you’ll be discussing at the ReVV Conference in April?
AP: There are some very interesting things going on around organizations developing finance tools. These tools are bringing in a lot of capital for those change organizations. Something I find very intriguing is that there are a bunch of organizations that are becoming for-profit organizations rather than non-profit organizations, and attracting substantial amounts of money to move the solutions ahead faster and farther.

That creates a new dynamic and opportunities for partnerships between money and what matters. And it hasn’t existed before to this degree. There’s a new interest on the investor’s side, even philanthropic investors, that says, “we want to make a difference AND make money.” There’s been a flip of circumstance. Now, change organizations have what the investors want—opportunities to make profit—whereas it used to be the other way around. Investors used to have the money and the change organizations were hoping for some sort of fixed charitable giving. It’s completely transformed the relationship between the two sides and it’s providing more capital to bring in expertise, funding for marketing and operations—which grants often don’t cover.

It’s also changed how we look at the questions:
•    How do you make an organization “investable?”
•    How do you create a world changing organization?

Taking these questions into account, some really exciting tools have come to the change community over the past few years that will be paradigm shifters and that we’ll be talking about at the conference.

Amy is the founder and executive director of Springboard Innovation, a Portland-based non-profit specializing in the support and creation of social change organizations and programs. She is also the founder of the new ReVisioning Value (ReVV) Conference, which will take place on April 26-27, 2010 in Portland, Oregon at The Gerding Theater at The Armory.

The ReVV Conference is a two-day conference geared towards educating citizens on social change and investment, and also including the community in finding solutions. Monday’s agenda is a full-day schedule of educational sessions with leading social investment experts. Tuesday focuses on putting that knowledge into action through workshops, and discussing and brainstorming solutions for local, national and international issues. Very Early Bird specials are good through February 1, 2010, so get your tickets today for major savings!

• $210 Very Early Bird Full Day Main Conference Only (Apr 26th – The Gerding Theater)
• $310 Very Early Bird Full Day Main Conference + Half-Day Workshop (Apr 26th + 27th)
• $199 Very Early Bird Half-Day Workshop Only (Apr 27th – Venue Pearl)

Additional conference registration information can be found at: http://www.revisioningvalue.org

Visit the Springboard Innovation website to learn more about Amy’s work: http://www.springboardinnovation.org

Grace Pae: Founder of Artemis Foods

When Grace Pae started Artemis Foods, people told her she was crazy. That fully integrating organic, local food into her catering business would never work because the price was too high to pay. But Grace has proved them all wrong + made going local, sustainable and socially responsible into a thriving business model famous throughout the region.

We’ve been so lucky to work with Grace + her team at Artemis Foods on many of our events. And even luckier to sit down with her to talk about the importance of a strong local community + how to grow a business all while saving the planet.

SE: What was your motivation for starting an organic, sustainable and socially responsible catering company?
GP: It was exciting to me to know that in doing my own business, I could set it up the way I wanted. Something I heard years ago, from a boss of mine, is that the opportunity to affect the landscape of our politics is real. Every time I can offer somebody an organic, sustainable meal, it takes sales away from the big giants that are processing food and using pesticides, and not being local. In my mind it’s somewhat of a political movement and I’m somewhat of an activist influencing people to eat this way. It’s exciting to think that every time we get an event, I’m making a difference in shaping our system.

SE: Why is it so important for businesses to be socially responsible?
GP: I think as business people, and especially for me as a chef, we have a role in shaping our community. Some people are really driven by financial profit. I met a couple of guys who wanted to start a fast casual food business, because they had MBAs from Harvard and Stanford, and supposedly that’s the best way to make money. But for me, I feel that as business owners, we are leaders and it’s important to be responsible. People told me when I started that I was foolish, that organic was more expensive, that people weren’t going to be willing to pay for it—but honestly we’re priced pretty competitively for what we do. I think that anyone in a leadership role should be responsible, but some people aren’t. They’re driven by what makes the fastest buck.

SE: How do you stay competitive? That’s still an argument that is used against the natural and organic movements—both from the business community and the average consumer.
GP: What you see when people start doing something differently—and for some eating organic and locally is different from their normal routine—is an education lag. There needs to be education on how to do these things and I find in running my business that I can fill that role. For instance in Winter and Spring, it’s harder to get local foods. A lot of people don’t want to eat butternut squash, they don’t want to eat kale. There is an education piece that comes with the transition.

If you buy organic foods in season, they’re priced very comparably. If you went and bought local apples from the store, they’re priced better than strawberries. But a lot of people are stuck on having strawberries on their fruit platter, even though they’re more expensive right now. So the way I stay competitive is to stay in season. I watch what my competitors are doing, but I respond to my clients.

For instance, when the recession hit last fall, we came up with a menu that was simpler and provided choices that were more readily available, so that people could meet their budget and use our service.

SE: What is the overall corporate philosophy for Artemis?
GP: Our corporate philosophy is to be thoughtful about what we’re doing. Being thoughtful about the actions you take, coming from a chef’s perspective, is very important. How are you preparing the food? Is it going to please everybody? You have to be thoughtful cooking the food, but also in buying the product.

That goes all the way down to our office supplies and the equipment we use. We try to be thoughtful about how we recycle things and what we purchase—it’s important as consumers to think about where our dollars are going when we buy things. Ask yourself: Where did this come from? How is it packaged? How will I use it? Where will it end up when I’m done with it? Consider the full cycle in all your purchases whether you’re buying food or office supplies or a vehicle.

Our vehicle is a Bio-Diesel Sprinter and I bought it new four years ago at $36,000. Could we have bought a different van? Yes, we could have, but it was important to me to at least lessen our pollution as we’re driving around. It’s about being as thoughtful as possible when you make your choices.

SE: Getting back to the local component—why are relationships with local growers and the wider Portland community so important to you?
GP: I believe that eating is all about community. On the business side, I think that local relationships are important because there is a synergy that comes along with working that way. If I’m able to work with a client by discounting their event or working with their budget, it’s going to be a client I believe in and deserves that support. And I feel like there’s a synergy that comes back around with that in other ways. So business-wise, I think that it’s important to work with groups I support and feel are doing important work.

I’ve also realized, in getting so many requests for support, that my focus on what I can do is going to remain local to Portland and the Northwest. Being focused on our local and regional community—buying from those farmers and supporting the local community is our priority. Our community is only going to be as strong as the citizens can make it.

SE: You spoke about thoughtfulness earlier, can you give us some details about your sustainability plan and the processes you have in place?
GP: Like I said, we’re trying to be as thoughtful as possible with the choices we make. So if we can buy paper with recycled content in it, we do. We also compost our food waste, we recycle as much as we can and we constantly have stuff going to Goodwill or a shelter. We want to make sure that if it’s something somebody can use—whether it be leftover food or equipment—that it gets used or disposed of in the most sustainable way possible.

We also purchase green tags from Bonneville Environmental Foundation to offset our carbon use. Every year we go online, where they have a carbon calculator (for both personal and business use), and answer a round of questions—How many employees do you have? How many of them bike or take public transit? How many miles did you drive?—that determine your business’s carbon footprint. Then we purchase our green tags and the money goes toward development of green power.

The other thing I believe is really important is to offer a living wage to our employees. And we also offer them dental and medical benefits as well—which is all pretty unusual for food service. In being sustainable, I have to do the things that are going to allow me to stay in business and part of that is retaining good staff.

—Grace Pae is the founder and owner of Artemis Foods Catering Service. She is an advocate for organic, local food production. Artemis also provides the outstanding menus for most of Social Enterprises events—helping us support non-profits doing great work in our community and beyond.

Kids Without Borders: Building Bridges A World Away

(Left to Right) Barry Childs (Africa Bridge), Joe Vithayathil (Fox 12), Oliver Muggli (Front Row) and the Amani Marimba Band

In 2004, a fourth grade class at Willamette Primary School in West Linn, Oregon got a visit from Africa Bridge Executive Director Barry Childs. Little did Childs know that his presentation was going to set a very special little boy, named Oliver, on an incredible life path. Over the next five years Oliver would stay involved with fundraising and activities Africa Bridge was doing in Tanzania, helping to raise thousands of dollar for school supplies, medicine, school house construction and uniforms. The fact that the children his class and school were helping were on the other side of the world didn’t matter. Oliver felt a connection to them and understood the importance of giving these children the same opportunities he had access to here in the States.

Today Oliver Muggli is a robust and energetic fourteen years old, but he is not your typical teenager. Your typical teenager doesn’t devote their idle hours to making a documentary video project for a non-profit organization helping to rid Tanzania of poverty and educate their children. Your typical teenager doesn’t form a marimba band especially for a fundraising gala and give up a Saturday night at the movies to perform. And your typical teenager doesn’t drag themselves out of bed during summer vacation for a 5am television promotion in the rain.

“Kids in Tanzania need help,” said Oliver Muggli. “More than we do here. They need medical aid, they need supplies, they need money for farming. They need help to survive and that’s more important to me than playing a video game or something.”

Like we said, Oliver Muggli is no normal teenager–he’s extraordinary and so is his documentary video. When we heard about it, we knew we had to share it with you. Check it out below.

So if you’re worried about the next generation being too consumed with video games and trashy reality TV shows to make a difference, remember that Oliver is extraordinary, but he is not alone. There are thousands of children all over the world striving to make something of themselves and effect positive change. Oliver is fortunate. He’s had the opportunity to be educated and thrive, but he believes (and we agree) that a solid education should be extended to every child in this world–not just a privileged few in developed nations.

“It’s a different mindset,” said Oliver. “I guess we’re a bit spoiled here. It’s a given that we get to go to school, so it becomes a bit of a chore. But when going to school could save your life in the future–and kids in Africa know that because so many of them don’t get to go to school–then it’s worth it.”

So thanks Oliver! Thank you for reminding us of the powerful spirit the young embody and that it is a gift that needs to be nourished.

We hope you’ll help support that spirit and give children a world away the same opportunity for an education that our own kids get here in the States. It only takes $25 to send a child in Tanzania to school for an entire year. That’s five lattes!

There’s still time to purchase tickets to the Africa Bridge Harvest Gala on Saturday, August 29. Visit http://www.africabridgegala.com to reserve single seats for $75 each or a table for $700. Oliver and his marimba band, Amani, will be playing, along with the great Obo Addy and Sébé Kan. The organic gourmet meal by Charles Stilwell + Devil’s Food Catering will be to die for. And Lisa MacCallum from the Nike Foundation, will be speaking, as well as Africa Bridge Founder Barry Childs. It’s a night you don’t want to miss! We hope to see you there, but if you can’t make it this year and would like to support the work being done by Africa Bridge with a donation, visit: http://africabridge.org/support-us.html

It’s Almost Party Time…

There’s something magical about the organic rhythm of an African drum beat that forces you to dance. We were taking a stroll down Hawthorne Avenue in Southeast Portland and became entranced by a street performance connected to Hawthorne Day. Young and old alike were gathered on the street corner, held captive by the group’s musical powers–and it got us really excited for the Africa Bridge Harvest Gala coming up on August 29th.

We aren’t the only ones ready to feast on Charles Stilwell + Devil’s Food Catering’s African-infused delectables, move to the soulful sounds of Obo Addy and Sébé Kan and get inspired by Africa Bridge founder, Barry Childs, and The Nike Foundation’s managing director, Lisa MacCallum. Our friends at ReTree International– partner to Africa Bridge and local crusader against deforestation worldwide–are pretty stoked as well. We wanted to share some of the words ReTree’s Ed Buursma wrote about why ReTree International supports the work Africa Bridge does in Tanzania and why we all should too.

Dear Friends,

“As you probably know, ReTree has been involved in an annual tree planting program in Tanzania since 2005.  Our partner in this effort is an organization called Africa Bridge, which is headquartered right here in West Linn.

In 2005 AB president Barry Childs invited ReTree to begin a tree planting program in the villages in SW Tanzania where Africa Bridge was active in trying to improve the lives of the people there, particularly the children. Not only were they struggling with the effects of poverty, but they were dealing with the impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, which has ravaged families and left many children orphaned due to the high rates of this disease.  AB has worked hard with the people there and made tremendous strides in all areas- health, education, economy, agriculture, etc.

When Africa Bridge arrived less than 50% of the children in the Rungwe district were in school; now over 90% attend. Farming cooperatives have improved agricultural and economic conditions.  Clean water sources have been developed and a new medical dispensary is being finished; just a few examples of their work.  What they have done there has been impressive and most importantly, rather than imposing solutions, AB has involved the local population in developing and implementing solutions to these problems.  The locals have enthusiastically embraced this partnership.  ReTree’s part of this effort has been to develop a tree planting program with schoolchildren and last January we completed our 4th annual planting project.  I can personally attest to the good work that AB has done in Tanzania having travelled there with my family twice in recent years to participate in the tree planting and I’ve witnessed what is happening.

Obviously work like this requires funding and both Africa Bridge and ReTree have been generously supported over the years by folks like yourselves.  On August 29 Africa Bridge is hosting a Gala, or Ngoma, to celebrate their work there and to raise funds to continue these efforts.  Please share [the details] with anyone you know who may be interested.  I urge you all to consider attending this wonderful event so AB can continue doing the incredible work they have been so successful with.  As I said, I have seen first hand what has been accomplished and it’s truly impressive.  It’s so important in these tough economic times to keep this vital work going.  And this sounds like a great end-of-the-summer party!”

Ed Buursma

ReTree International

Join us for a night of festive celebration and inspiring dialogue on how to uplift humanity out of poverty–one child at a time. The Africa Bridge Harvest Gala takes place Saturday, August 29th, at 5:00pm on Nelson Farms, Sauvie Island. Visit http://www.africabridgegala.com/registration to get your tickets today!

Obo Addy’s Circle of Life is Filled With Rhythm + Soul For Humanity

World renowned Ghanaian drummer, Obo Addy, can tell you a little (OK, a lot!) about the power of music. In his native Ghanaian culture, music holds a sacred place in all of life’s events. More importantly to note, there is always purpose behind the choice of song, rhythm or dance. They say that music is the “Universal Language” because it can convey the spirit of a moment to any who will lend an ear. With that in mind, think of what we learn about our fellow human beings by listening to their song, taking on its emotional graces and opening our minds to life experiences that are vastly different than our own.

If we apply that knowledge to our world view, the picture quickly becomes intensely more vibrant. We have to live and act with intent. No longer can we run our businesses or make our products with only profit in mind. Even when grocery shopping, we have to look at where our food comes from, what went into it and whether the community who grew it is getting a fair shake. We have to look at the whole picture, just as a drum master would look at his/her ensemble. Each instrument serves an important role and the well being of the whole is entirely dependent on the well being of each individual—otherwise the song will never sound as sweet as it should. Unfortunately, there are many communities on our planet whose songs are not being sung. They are struggling to survive and humanity isn’t thriving as a result. Each little thing we do should serve a cause and set up a positive result—whether it’s a spectacular drum solo or a young girl finishing school—healthy, happy and on her way to success in life.

So when we see an organization like Africa Bridge working in the world, providing holistic, positive change for entire communities in Tanzania, we have to believe that the power of music, the power of change and the power of the human element is strong in the world. Now it’s up to us to spread the word. Maybe our contribution won’t be as grand as Obo Addy’s stellar global performances that expose thousands to new sounds and soul, but it still counts toward a more prosperous and healthy humankind.

The Obo Addy Drummers and Dancers will be performing at the Africa Bridge Harvest Gala, August 29, 2009 at Nelson Farms on Sauvie Island. It’s going to be a night of amazing music and you’ll get to hear the inspiring story behind the work being done by Africa Bridge in Tanzania. To join us at the Africa Bridge Harvest Gala register online at: http://www.africabridgegala.com/event_registration or call 503.226.2377.

Where’s Our Hallelujah Chorus? It’s With The Girls.

It might be raining men, but we’ll say hallelujah when girls and women receive equity in the developing world. We sometimes forget—since we live in a society where, for the most part, girls and women are respected, revered and given the same level of opportunity as their male counterparts—that life is not so grand for our sisters in developing nations.

Despite extensive evidence that an empowered female population results in more stable, developed and successful communities, girls are frequently denied education, a public life, civil rights and the opportunity to be economically viable in developing regions worldwide. Adolescence has been identified as a make or break life stage for a girl and that’s why The Nike Foundation has honed in on girls as the gatekeepers to prosperity. Check out www.girleffect.org and find out for yourself (in 2mins or less) why investing in girls can change the world.

Wonder woman Lisa MacCallum, Managing Director of The Nike Foundation (NF), is convinced that it won’t be technology saving the planet from despair—it will be an adolescent girl, given all the opportunity in the world to live her dreams. Consider these startling facts:

• 75% of HIV-infected youth in Africa are female.
• 70% of the world’s out-of-school youth are girls.
• 500 million women on our planet can’t read or sign their name.
• 25-50% of girls become mothers before the age of 18 in developing countries.
• Pregnancy is the leading cause of death worldwide for girls ages 15-19
• When a girl in a developing nation receives just seven years of school, she will marry four years later and have 2.2 less children on average. (That’s a standard American family less, by the way).
• If given an economic opportunity, she will also reinvest 90% of her income back into her family, as opposed to 30-40% for men.

Still not convinced that investing in girls will provide a necessary tipping point?

Lisa would remind you that there are over 600 million adolescent girls in the developing world alone That’s 600 million chances to change the world and a large percentage of those girls are being denied that opportunity. Families are making short term economic decisions when it comes to their girls. In a rural environment she will be pulled out of school to marry (for a dowry) to an older man. In an urban environment, she will likely have to rely on a sugar daddy to pay her school fees and other things… in exchange for sex. When a girl reaches adolescence and the only asset she has is her body…. That has dire consequences for things like HIV infection rates and as a result the health and prosperity of the next generation.

Change that picture to include a girl who is educated, connected to her community, entrepreneurial, engaged and committed to doing her part to uplift her community and we would easily change the course of history for the better. Operating humanity with only 60% of our human potential engaged and productive just doesn’t make sense. But that’s what we’re doing right now. Is anyone really surprised that things aren’t as they should be?

So what can we do? Give a girl a fish? Or teach her to fish? You’ve probably already guessed the correct answer (teach her to fish!) and that’s just what The Nike Foundation is throwing all of their energy into. It’s a multi-pronged effort. First they look at affecting the girls directly through programs that educate, provide basic needs, give financial opportunity and encourage economic participation—while also tapping into the talents and insights of communities in developing regions through involvement in program development and implementation. The Nike Foundation also invests in a tremendous amount of research to understand what investments work for girls and why and also to measure investment impact. Finally and critically, NF is working hard to get girls more specifically on the agendas of governments, NGOs and businesses and as a result encourage the significant levels of investment and focus this untapped opportunity represents.

It’s a world-changing mission – an inspiring vision they’re putting out there, which is exactly why we’re bringing Lisa to speak at the Africa Bridge Harvest Gala on Saturday, August 29th, 2009. Africa Bridge started in Tanzania with the primary purpose of uplifting children (though they consequently affect entire communities) out of poverty through education, financial skills and economically-based village cooperatives, which administer micro-loans to their community members.

It’s The Girl Effect at work in the world, proving it’s power and saving the planet one Tanzanian village at a time.

We can’t wait to hear Lisa MacCallum share her powerful vision at the Africa Bridge Harvest Gala and we know you won’t want to miss it. Join us for a night of inspiration + celebration!

Read more on The Girl Effect at:
http://www.girleffect.org

For more on Lisa MacCallum and The Nike Foundation, visit: http://www.nikefoundation.org

To join us at the Africa Bridge Harvest Gala register online at:
http://www.africabridgegala.com/event_registration or call 503.226.2377.

Good Morning! This is Your Wake Up Call. It’s Time To Change The World.

Africa Bridge Founder Barry Childs in Tanzania 2006

There are things we’d rather not have sticking around. Toxic chemicals, radioactive waste, all those plastic water bottles + bags—just to name just a few. On the other hand, truly sustainable and BENEFICIAL endeavors—now those are ideas we can get behind for the long haul. We recently became involved with one such endeavor and you’re going to flip when you hear how such a simple concept is drastically changing lives in the best possible ways.

In 1998 Africa Bridge Founder Barry Childs returned to Tanzania after an almost 40 year absence. Childs spent his youth in the African nation, but left for the West at 17. Upon his return, he was overwhelmed by the beauty of the land and the spirit of the people, but also shocked by the poverty that marred both. While on this trip, he had a wake-up call—literally, at 3 a.m.—and decided in the wee hours of the morning that he was going to do something about it.

Do something about it he certainly did! It all started with the children, as Childs explained in a recent interview with us.

SE: What is the mission of Africa Bridge? What do you hope to accomplish when you start working with a village?

BC: What we’re really focused on is children and we want to do things that are sustainable by the communities where we work,” said Childs. “We started creating these co-ops—income generating cooperatives—that support the families of the most vulnerable children. The problem is not that the kids have no place to go—they do—the problem is that the families that take them in cannot afford to feed the kids properly, clothe them, send them to school, etc. So if we find a way to enrich the families, the families find ways to take care of the kids.

SE: So how do you make that happen? What is the process?

BC: We create a co-op, put capital into the co-op, and the co-op—not Africa Bridge—gives micro-loans to families that take kids in. And then when they pay back the capital with interest, more families can come into the co-op. We teach them to be more effective farmers, dairy farmers, or run piggeries, or grow maize or potatoes—or whatever—and then we support them for two years to make sure it’s working well and then move on to another community.

In addition to that, the other big problem is that there are just so many kids, orphans in this area, I want to say one in three—they’ve got government support, they just don’t have the resources to support that many kids. And the kids need social work and legal support, so we’ve trained people in the community to provide social support and paralegal support and that’s really exciting. So basically, we’re helping the community to take care of the problem and then we can move onto another community. That’s sort of the crux of what we do.

SE: Can you talk a little more about the micro loan concept, which has become internationally renowned for uplifting people in developing communities out of poverty, and how it differs from the American credit system?

BC: What you’ve probably heard most about is the Gramin Bank, and the founder of that got the Nobel Prize. And that is actually a bank. I think the key concepts of that, which make it different, are that most people receiving credit through microloans are—they don’t have any money. They’re mostly women and they don’t have any collateral. Our [Western] basis for giving credit is mostly to men who have money, and they have collateral. They’re sort of totally opposite.

The interesting thing is that in general the microloans are paid back much more effectively. The default rate worldwide on microloans is less than five percent. In fact in the communities where we’ve given microloans, we’ve only lost one or two, and we’ve recovered just about everything. It’s wonderful. And the way we actually do micro-loans is different than the way you hear most in the press about.

We actually create a co-op in a village. Then we teach them how to be bankers, how to account for money, how to be better farmers—and then we actually give them the capital amount, a grant, so we actually give them the money and then THEY issue the micro-loans. So people aren’t paying the money back to Africa Bridge, they’re paying it back to their community. And as the capital is paid back, more people can come in. So as the capital expands, the potential expands and so does the whole community.

SE: So Africa Bridge doesn’t actually “recover” any of their capital? The money that’s invested stays in the community?

BC: Yes. It’s a revolving fund. So that fund just keeps revolving in the community and keeps on going in perpetuity. So, do you remember how I was telling you that we train them to do the social work? So the farmer who takes the capital starts a cash crop of potatoes. She harvests them, and every time they harvest they pay back the money. So they don’t pay back the money every month, they pay back when they harvest a crop. They pay back capital and interest. The capital goes back into the capital fund. Half the interest goes into the capital fund. The other half of the interest goes into the social work fund. So the money keeps revolving and generating money to support social work and the co-op. It’s a very organic way of running the program.

Organic? Sustainable? Life Changing? We like the sound of that. So much so, that you’ll be hearing a lot more about the projects going on in Tanzania from us over the summer. Come and hear from Barry Childs at their annual celebration on Sauvie Island in Portland, Oregon – The Africa Bridge Harvest Gala is Saturday, August 29th. Buy tickets today! Stay tuned for Africa Bridge success stories and future plans. Childs has embarked on a six-week trip to Tanzania and we’re sure he’ll have lots to share when he returns!

GoGreen ‘09 Conference Line-Up Announced!

Business Owners Get Their Green On at GoGreen ‘09
40 Business Leaders Share Secrets and Value to Building a Sustainable Business

Social Enterprises, Inc. is thrilled to announce the full-day itinerary and speaker line-up for the second annual Go Green Conference, which will take place in Portland on Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at the Gerding Theater in the Pearl District. Go Green ‘09 will present the regional business community with the unique opportunity to learn from over 40 local business leaders, who will share their expertise on a variety of sustainability topics, aimed at giving business owners and professionals new ideas and strategies for increasing sustainability in all areas of the workplace.

GoGreen ‘09 will offer participants concrete steps and solutions for making their business more sustainable through interactive panel-style sessions with valuable Q&A opportunities during each topic.

Featured Conference Topics/Sessions for 2009:

• Portland’s Best Sustainable Business Showcase: Learn from Portland’s 2009 BEST Business + Oregon’s 100 Best Green Companies Award Winners
• Electric Vehicles: Investment, Implications and Economic Opportunities for Business
• Social Media and Your Sustainable Message: Maximize Outreach through Online Forums
• Writing Your Sustainability Plan: Develop a Framework and Process to Advance Sustainable Objectives
• Authentic Storytelling in the Age of Green washing: An Interactive Dialogue and Discovery of Fact, Contradiction and Possibility
• Improve Your Sustainability Credentials: Opportunities for Continuing Education and Certification
• Oregon on the Leading Edge: Public and Private Initiatives Creating Economic Opportunities
• Carbon Footprint Analysis: Tools for Measuring and Reducing Your Company’s Environmental Impact
• Growing Green Ideas: Develop Solid Business Plans to Increase Funding Opportunities
• Trendsetters: Business Culture Shift to Sustainability

Featured 2009 speakers include Governor Ted Kulongoski, Kate Brown/Oregon Secretary of State, Jeff Cogen/Multnomah County Commissioner, Susan Anderson/Director, Bureau of Planning & Sustainability, Rob Bennett/Director, Portland+Oregon Sustainability Institute, Scott Marshall/Associate Dean, Portland State University, Nik Blosser/Founder, Celilo Group, Carrie Farrar/The Standard, Marsha Willard/Founder, AXIS, Inc, Ruta Stabina/University of Oregon Sustainability Leadership, Charlie Allcock/Portland General Electric, Mark Perry/Nissan Americas, Anne Weaver/CEO, Elephants Delicatessen, Sarah Hall/Wells Fargo, Scott Davis/From the Rooftops, Mark Brady/Oregon Economic Community Development Department, Josh Skov/Principal, Good Company, Colin Sears/Portland Development Commission, Alison Sokol Blosser/Sokol Blosser Winery, Gary Hirsch/On Your Feet, Mike Mercer/Northwest Earth Institute, Clark Brockman/SERA Artchitects, Michael Jung/Silver Springs, Chris Enlow/KEEN and Jason Graham-Nye/Founder, gDiapers to name just a portion of the line-up.

Eco-entrepreneurs Ericka Dickey, Founder of Social Enterprises, Inc. and Stephanie Knight, Founder of Greenlemonaide started the Go Green Conference series because they saw a need for knowledge and idea sharing regarding the best and latest sustainable business practices. They wanted to create an event that would have a sizeable positive impact for businesses like their own, the local community and the environment. The result is a learning laboratory with leading experts, committed eco-minded business owners and green community activists to forge a new business model which looks upon the green line and the bottom line as equally important.

Full-Day Registration is $150 for a full day pass, $125 with the purchase two or more.

We hope you will join us!!

Living Future + Bouquet of Hope = Fantastic Week of Events

It is so nice to finally rest after 4 straight back-to-back days of events by Social Enterprises last week May 6, 7, 8 and 9th. Living Future ‘09, Cascadia’s annual conference, was at The Nines this year. Gina Franzosa and her team created a magnificent conference program kicked off by a fascinating keynote by Janine Benyus ~ a natural sciences writer, innovation consultant, and author of six books, including Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature. Learning all about Biomimicry was something that everyone should invest in. The Nines was a beautiful venue and the conference went off without a hitch!

On Saturday, May 9th ~ The Bouquet of Hope burst forth on the scene and left many of us with tears in our eyes after Sister Cathie Boerboom’s “stories” about the homeless and abused women she helps every day at Rose Haven (over 100 each week in Portland). The School of Oregon Ballet Theater and Aaron Meyer’s performance, amongst the MOST amazing event set by PDXGabe Designs and our Fete de le Fleur competitors ~ Swanky Tables (winner!), Starflower, Quince Flowers & Events and Anna Mara Flowers ~ was a sight to behold. Thank you Jasmine Photography for a most fabulous photo gallery of this event. HUGE KUDOS to the amazing Social Enterprises team and most particularly to Mai Tram Tran, who I now cannot live without!!!!