TEDxRainier - Rob Harmon - Blue is the New Green: Water Footprints

Taking the true measure of our environmental footprint is something that Rob Harmon has been doing for years. Starting as an energy auditor in Massachusetts, Harmon went on to manage an international marketing effort in the wind energy industry and, in 2000, develop and launch the first carbon calculator on the Internet.

Harmon joined Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) in 1999, and is credited with developing their Green Tag program. In 2004, Rob was awarded the national Green Power Pioneer Award for his introduction of the retail Green Tag (Renewable Energy Certificates) and his ongoing efforts to build a thriving and credible Green Tag market in the United States. Rob also conceptualized and directed the development of BEF's national Solar 4R Schools program.

His latest venture is the creation of BEF's Water Restoration Certificate business line, which utilizes voluntary markets to restore critically de-watered ecosystems. He has published various articles, and recently contributed chapters to the book Voluntary Carbon Markets: A Business Guide to What They Are and How They Work. Rob left BEF in November 2010 to explore his next venture, http://www.ConvenientOpportunities.com .

TEDxRainier is an independently organized TED event held in Seattle Washington.

• Category

  Nonprofits & Activism

[David Morrill]

Elegant simplicity with a productive and equitable outcome. Very nice. Now what? What's your game plan to expand the concept?

[zacharytillman]

Great video, echoing previous comments. In addition, programs like these are bringing private & corporate investment into Ecosystem Markets - a business traditionally funded only through grants & mandatory mitigation. Products like these offer ordinary people and businesses the opportunity to offset their footprint & strengthen their brand AND catalyze true restoration on the ground.

[srankinh]

Rob and B.E.F. - Fantastic work! You've done an amazing job of breaking down very complicated streamflow/water rights issues facing the western U.S. and many other regions of the world. As someone who practices streamflow restoration, I can say first hand that we are very luck that you all have connected the dots and brought voluntary market streamflow restoration to these affected areas. Offering incentives to encourage people to change water management and do the right thing! Many Thanks!

[StevenParrett]

The streamflow restoration movement started in the early 1990's with the truly pioneering efforts of Clay Landry at PERC and Andrew Purkey with the Oregon Water Trust. Mr. Harmon's innovative efforts at the excellent Bonneville Environmental Foundation to re-market the work of numerous "Water Trusts" to the business community is helping raise money for and awareness of the issue. But neither the understanding of the environmental problem or the market-based solutions were "created" recently.

[Michael Laurie]

Rob, Great video and more importantly thank you for the important restoration work you are doing. In my 16 years of water conservation work I have long thought that water conservation was not enough. We need more water restoration work like you are doing. In the water conservation classes I teach around the country, I will tell people about your video.