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Dave Bowden
TV Producer-Director-Writer
Profiles of sustainably-oriented programs
The Power of Tomorrow
This half-hour program was broadcast nationally in 2004. The show examines the growing role of sustainable energy technologies and practices in three different sectors of the American economy.
Energy efficiency and advanced solar energy features are demonstrated at the McStain Discovery House, an exemplary Green Built home in Loveland, Colorado.
Clean-burning biofuels are profiled by the innovative Blue Sun Biodiesel company's partnership with farmers to produce low-emission, high-quality diesel fuels for the transportation industry. Biodiesel also fuels the City of Denver's schoolbus and wastewater truck fleets.
The final segment highlights a family that owns a Toyota Prius, has retrofitted their home with solar energy features, and taken many steps to lower their ecological "footprint".
"How to Build a Better House":
The U.S. Department of Energy's Million Solar Roofs Initiative.
This inspirational ten-minute video provides consumers and businesses with a solid understanding of the many common-sense approaches to powering and heating buildings with solar energy.
Describing simple practices like passive solar design that use building orientation and thermal mass to capture the heat of the sun, leading engineers and solar consultants also explain the workings of active solar technologies, such as photovoltaics and solar thermal systems.
The story profiles two Colorado homeowners who have these systems installed. They offer an enthusiastic perspective on how solar saves money, increases homeowner's comfort level and reduces their dependence on fossil fuels.
"We All Live Downstream"
Greenpeace USA
Dave directed and photographed this Greenpeace documentary about the environmental group's 3 month journey down the Mississippi River highlighting water quality and toxic waste issues.a
Starting at pristine Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, Bowden shows in detail how the river grows steadily more polluted as it winds through the American heartland. Continually assaulted by a plethora of industrial facilities, pesticide-laden agriculture runoff, and partially treated sewage, the river empties into the Gulf of Mexico creating a "dead zone" of many hundreds of square miles. Bowden shot 350 tapes in and around dozens of chemical plants and Superfund sites, speaking with aggrieved local residents tired of the lack of government help in monitoring the plants and cleaning up their neighborhoods. Some of Dave's footage was used in PBS Frontline's "Who Killed Calvert City", by Mierendorf Productions, which profiled a small Kentucky town almost totally dependent on large petrochemical plants for employment, but whose residents downwind of the industrial park were experiencing high rates of a rare colon cancer.
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Network Associate Richard Eidlin, a longtime developer of energy-related conferences, organized a series of programs on clean energy and sustainable development during 2006.
The Bringing Distributed Generation & Energy Efficiency Technologies to Colorado's Commercial Real Estate Industry' seminar was held in June. Hosted by the Holland & Hart Law firm, the State Office of Energy Conservation & Management and the Metro Denver Economic Development Council, the seminar brought together commercial property developers, REIT fund managers, real estate attorneys, architects, engineers and others involved in designing and building commercial buildings. Among many topics, the event offered information on the economic benefits of designing high performance and energy efficient buildings. Several energy savings projects, including ProLogis' corporate development and Denver Place were profiled.
The Apollo Alliance presentation at the Orrick Law firm in San Francisco was the place to be on October 11th as dozens of leading Bay Area clean energy technology firms, eco-entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and attorneys gathered to learn about the business community's role in supporting Apollo. Describing the mission of the Alliance, President Jerome Ringo said "Apollo is focused on creating an 'affirmative investment' agenda that directs capital towards clean energy technologies. At both the state and federal level, we're working to put in place policies that will help mainstream clean energy, while creating good jobs and improving our environment."
Setting the theme for the event, OrrickPartner Mitch Zuklie described why 'policy matters' and how the Apollo Alliance's advocacy work is critical to establishing a level playing field for clean energy. He applauded Apollo's role in bringing together diverse stakeholders such as business, labor and environmental organizations, all committed to supporting legislation that will further a clean energy agenda at the state and federal level.
Other speakers highlighted a number of California Apollo led market-development initiatives, including a Green Manufacturing Summit, and a campaign to develop and implement Sustainability Plans for the campuses of regional Community Colleges.
The Sustainable Opportunities Summit, Boulder, Colorado was the premier event comprising the first Sustainable Opportunities Week in Colorado. The Summit demonstrated that companies large and small are capturing the power of markets by turning a profit with sustainable practices and products. A series of outstanding keynote speakers included leaders from Merrill Lynch, Sun Microsystems, Ford Motors, and the CleanTech Venture Network. Attendance at the Summit included over 200 entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, corporate leaders, and students. The Summit was presented by the University of Colorado Leeds Business School and CORE, a trade association for sustainable businesses.
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