In this Issue: West Coast Office | Campaign Tackles Drought | New Business Wins | Staff Retreat | Green Canary

EnviroMedia’s West Coast Office Moves Into New Digs

On August 3, our office in Portland, Oregon moved to its permanent home in the iconic White Stag Building. The building is over 100 years old and is part of a block of buildings on the banks of the Willamette River, which house the Portland presence of the University of Oregon. It is located on Portland’s MAX light rail line — one of the most highly acclaimed public transportation systems in the country. The White Stag Block recently underwent extensive renovations and earned LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The council’s certification guidelines emphasize five key areas: sustainable site development; water savings; energy efficiency; materials selection; and indoor environmental quality.

The White Stag Block includes features such as showers and storage facilities for bicycle commuters, a 10,000-gallon storm water retention tank that captures water which is filtered and piped to low-flow bathroom fixtures, energy-saving heating equipment, energy-efficient lighting and daylighting to reduce the buildings’ energy consumption. Green housekeeping products and techniques protect human health and the environment, and the complex even has an Education Program to explain its green features and to promote more sustainable behaviors among the buildings’ users.

We see the selection of this exceptional space as part of our ongoing commitment to “walk the walk” when it comes to being green. Stay tuned for news about our upcoming grand opening event, and be sure to make a note of our new address:

24 NW 1st Avenue, Suite 275
Portland, OR 97209

Phone: 503-327-8031
Fax: 503-719-4391

Our new West Coast office is conveniently located just steps away from the Skidmore Fountain stop on Portland’s MAX light rail line.

Water IQ® Campaign Tackles Exceptional Drought

As this issue of Change hits your Inbox, many of our clients in central and south Texas are experiencing the worst drought since the 1950s. The National Drought Monitor shows almost all of this area in “exceptional drought,” which is as bad as it gets. Oppressively hot, dry weather and below-normal rainfall has led to a record-breaking number of days at or above 100 degrees and the hottest 30-day period in Austin since records began in 1898.

Most area springs have dried up, aquifer levels are extremely low and Austin’s Lake Travis is so low that law enforcement officials are finding automobiles that were reported stolen in the 1970s and 80s, and dumped in the lake.

At times like this, it’s imperative that central and south Texans do everything they can to conserve water. For water-saving tips, see the Water IQ site for the Lower Colorado River Authority. Water IQ is a registered service mark of the Texas Water Development Board.

New Business Wins: Immunizations and Obesity Prevention

EnviroMedia is pleased to have been selected by the Texas Department of State Health Services to work on two accounts promoting public health. DSHS’ Immunization Branch is committed to educating Texans on the importance of getting and staying current on vaccinations. EnviroMedia will develop a campaign for new mothers to remind them of the immunization schedule for their babies and the importance of staying on the schedule. The campaign will include television and radio spots in English and Spanish as well as online banner ads, Web site development, online videos and outreach in the four focus markets.

For DSHS’ Division of Family and Community Health, EnviroMedia will develop a toolkit with materials for tweens and teens who have been identified as overweight or obese by FITNESSGRAM to educate them on healthier choices, physical activity and diabetes. EnviroMedia will design a toolkit with six lessons and visual aids for the targeted students. School nurses and administrators will be educated on the lessons through a sell sheet, Web site and Webinar.

EnviroMedia Staff Retreat Opens with a Wink and a “Nudge”

On July 10, our staff met on the shores of a less than overflowing Lake Travis for our annual staff retreat. This year’s featured speaker was John Balz, who researched and wrote part of the bestselling book Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by University of Chicago professors Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein. The authors define a “nudge” as a small feature of the environment that influences behavior. This was a perfect fit for us, as we’ve been “nudging” since we started our business in 1997. We just didn’t know that’s what it was called.

After a great lecture and some teambuilding exercises, we retired to a large (and happily air-conditioned) party boat on the lake.

Green Canary Sings about Authenticity for New Climate Clients

Last year, Green Canary Sustainability Consulting took flight as our new subsidiary company. We help corporations get their sustainability programs in order, before they begin mass marketing — and potentially greenwashing. To date, we’ve helped industry leaders in both the tech and construction materials sector by reviewing their plans and helping them educate their employees about climate change and potential future regulations. We’ve also partnered with engineering firms to provide greenhouse gas emission measurement and reporting for a major utility. As Congress considers final passage of the American Clean Energy & Security Act this year, this little bird may get busier.