"Changing surface colors in 100 of the world’s largest cities could save the equivalent of 44 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide — about as much as global carbon emissions are expected to rise by over the next decade."  US Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu

With this single concept, Emerald Cities™ has succeeded in developing Emerald Cool Pavement coating; an Ultra High Performance Solar Reflective coating for asphalt and cement that can cool up to 50 degrees and also reduce smog by 15%.  This product was developed specifically to seal and preserve deteriorating asphalt with a solar reflective surface that will reduce urban heat with the help of Lawrence Berkeley National Labs (of which Steven Chu is the former director).  Through research conducted by MIT, nano-engineered concrete technology also makes this product a state-of-the-art UHPC (ultra high performance thin concrete). This is green product which is the "first of its kind" developed for use on roads, parking lots, cross walks, school yards and decorative public surfaces. It also earns LEED credits and generates Carbon Offset Credits with every installation.

Cool pavements benefits are not limited to heat island reduction. There also are a number of ancillary benefits which have been established by the EPA. Cool pavements can create improvements in water quality through reduced toxicity and heating of runoff into the water table; and polymer permeable pavement coatings have been shown to significantly reduce the noise of city streets and freeways.

Environmental and Health Benefits are proven: • Reduces surface heat of asphalt up to 50°F • Helps clean the air; reduces smog 15% (NOX) • High Performance Thin Cement; long term durability • Non-Toxic, applied with rollers; anyone can do it • Protects and preserves the service life of asphalt • Coated surfaces are open to use within 4 hours • LEED Green Certified under Section 7.1 (USGBC) • Carbon Offset Credits under UNFCCC & CCX • Available in All Colors The first “Cool Schools” Solar Reflective Cool Pavement in the United States will be installed at Scottsdale Unified School District, Cochise Elementary School. Teal Blue (photo) has been selected to match the school’s color theme. Charter Schools, UC Davis and other participating schools are to be announced shortly.

In marketing the “Emerald Cool Coatings” it is evident that many of the cities who need to take this action have no money for financing green projects at this time. “The mandate to reduce emissions combined with lack of funding for new projects puts most cities in a very difficult position,” comments Sheri Roese, Director of the US Project Office in Phoenix, Arizona. “Through what we are now calling “Emerald Green Bonds,” Nations Trust Ltd. is committed to assisting municipalities to leverage energy savings and carbon offset credits into private sector revenue bonds in order to get these projects done. Given the economy, this concept represents a creative new way forward.”

Emerald Cities™ USA Ltd. operates as a socially responsible company with a vision that conserving nature’s resources is not only good business, but contributes technology that will provide jobs and prosperity to ensure the future of the common good for all citizens.  Our financial associates espouse this vision, and the company is formed under the principles of “The Triple Bottom Line”.


Ed Doyle, Director  760 766 6495 
California Development Director
eMail: ed@emeraldcitiesusa.com
www.emeraldcoolpavements.com

By all accounts and enthusiastic reports from participants, the fantastic celebration in support of school gardens that took place at Palm Springs High School last Sunday, December 12th was... well, fantastic! 

Yolanda Rustad, the brilliant conceptrice of the event and tireless community mover is not risk adverse, and wanted THE most iconic, food garden and grow-your-own-eats American family there is : the Dervaes family hailing from Pasadena. AND THEY CAME!

We organizers were all so busy buzzing around that day, that the best report of the event actually comes from the pictures and blog of our guest speakers!




We're thinking that this may be the first of a series of school garden fiestas... and some of the teachers involved are nudging us in that direction. One observation that everyone made was how hardworking, committed, smart and focused the STUDENTS are.  It was a joy for all of us to see them in action in the weeks leading up to and on the day of the event. 

Thank you to PSUSD Lorri McCune, Ricky Wright, Wanda Grant, and the school garden teachers Cathy Liss, Beth Ann Thornhill, and especiially Stephen Smith who, as one of the co-conspirators-organizers put so much energy into making this happen. Check out his PSHS organic garden blog.

And finally thank you to Leslie and Ward Riggens, the other nucleus of co-conspirators-organizers.  They are the owners of Village Market Square and voluntereed their time, energy, organizational skills and professional competency to getting this event off the ground, so to speak. They are also gifted with a great sense of humor, big hearts, and very generous community members.