Thanks to the great work of the E2 Climate Campaign (Bob Epstein and Diane Doucette), E2 received funding from the Hewlett Foundation to expand its business network in the Central Valley. On December 17, the E2 Climate Campaign traveled to the Central Valley with E2 member Rick Degolia and E2 Staff Christine Luong to kick-off the new Central Valley effort which will be focused on building more business support in the valley for clean energy policies.

Craig Scharton, CEO of the Central Valley Business Incubator, organized a series of presentations from several Central Valley clean energy entrepreneurs for our trip.

We met with business leaders throughout the day and had a very inspiring dinner session with John Bellizzi, Morgan Stanley; Philip Erro, Owner, Erro Farms; Brady Matoian, General Manager, OK Produce; Craig Scharton, CEO, Central Valley Business Incubator; John S. Shegerian, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO, Electronic Recyclers International, Inc.; Laura Fultz Stout, San Joaquin Valley Campaign and Outreach Associate, Coalition for Clean Air; and Mark Stout, Director of Renewable Technology Planning, Cleantech America, Inc.

Earlier that day, E2’s first member in the Central Valley, John Shegerian, opened a brand new, 125,440-square-foot Electronic Recyclers International, Inc. (ERI), electronic waste recycling facility in Fresno. E2 had the opportunity to tour the new plant, which boasts the largest electronic waste shredder in North America.

The new shredder can handle over 15,000 pounds of e-waste hourly. The seven-foot-wide and six-foot-long throat is capable of handling batch-fed consumer and commercial electronics scrap. John also announced a partnership with Brady Matoian of OK Produce to reduce the number of empty trucks on the road. When OK Produce trucks leave Fresno with produce deliveries, they will return with electronic waste for ERI. E2 commends members and friends like John and Brady for their entrepreneurial approach to resource management and efficiency.

If you are interested in learning more about or supporting our California Central Valley efforts, please contact Christine Luong, E2 Program Manager, at cluong@nrdc.org or (415) 875-6100.

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