Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | September 28, 2012

100 year old technology producing green power for Nevada

On Wednesday I had to opportunity to tour the hydroelectric plant owned by Truckee Meadows Water Authority (TMWA) in Verdi, Nevada. This plant, and three others, were built to supply the growing demand of Virginia City mining and the expanding population in the Reno area throughout the late 1800′s and early 1900′s. The Verdi plant was fully operation by 1912. So for over 100 years this small building has been pulling water from the Truckee River, churning it for energy, only keeping a fragment of the amount of water collected, and pushing it back out into the river. Very few fish are collected but with the help of the Army Corp of Engineers, a new screen is being developed.

TMWA purchased the plant from Sierra Pacific Power Company, after they sold the water division of their business, so they could retain their water rights on the river. Since then, TMWA has sold the electricity back to NV Energy at 7 cents kilowatt. When the Lake Tahoe basin falls below the natural rim the Verdi plant has to stop generating power. The plant also synchronizes its load amount in the Fall to accommodate for decreased water available from nearby reservoirs. When fully operational Verdi generates about 2.3 mega watts, equivalent to powering just under 2,000 homes. This is significant because the plant requires little maintenance, has no thermal loading or gas components and still uses original parts to generate energy. Small changes and updates in the controls have helped efficiency, but overall the 100 year old technology used to create clean energy has not changed.

I appreciate TMWA’s transparency not only with the tour and the Verdi plant, but as a group playing a part in energy efficiency and helping solve our global issues. Our tour group was about 20 strong and from all demographics and age groups, because energy does not effect a specific type of individual, it matters to us all.

Pat Nielson and Cameron were great tour guides. Pat was kind enough to give me a handout explaining the history and operation of the plant. So if you have any other questions about the capabilities that I didn’t share above please comment below. I hope this brief overview will help people look into and explore green energy alternatives.

If you’re interested in seeing the plant for yourself, get a group together and contact TMWA.

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Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | August 20, 2012

The Underwhelming Effect of the Tahoe Summit

The 2012 Tahoe Summit at Edgewood marked my second time at this event. My first experience was a bit of a whirlwind considering that I was a very nervous participant and did not have a great attention span for the wonderful speeches. This year I trucked up the road to hand out more resumes, meet more conservation groups and hear what is in store for Tahoe. The setup was great. Booths lined the pavement, refreshments were served and we had a great view.

This year’s theme (sponsored by Dean Heller) was Public/Private Partnerships. Besides Tom McClintock’s very direct and heated speech regarding the fall of the middle class and small governments ability to hinder developments, there was no eye opening information. If this event was to bring public and private groups together then where were the participants from large organizations throughout Tahoe? Why did we not hear from the ski resorts that line the lake, the various hotels, casinos, and small businesses that have a direct stake in the health of the economy? I walked away feeling good about wanting to work in the Tahoe area, wanting to buy a house and raise a family, but that was not the theme of the summit. There was no ground breaking argument to really push the idea and educate the audience on what to do next.

I guess I should look at this event as the “opening ceremonies” for the year to come. Last year’s event spawned the push to get the Regional Plan written and developed. Speeches and information intensely focused on water clarity, stewardship and UNR research. But, there lacked discussion on whether public/private partnerships are the answer to the lack of government funding. Or how much private organizations are able to participate, or what new sets of rules that allows these companies to operate by. We must understand what we are inviting into our lake. A blank check is not a way to solve our pressing problems and without strict control over the type of organization and their long term goals we will end up throwing away all the progress we have made thus far.

Many of you may disagree and I welcome the comments. As an MBA I may confuse the standard argument and the desire to maximize profits at any cost. But I am a different kind of MBA. To be sustainable we only take what will not deplete the starting balance. Unfortunately, we are over withdrawn and now need to work twice as hard just to get back even, let alone the extra needed to sustain our way of life. I find that many of the government, non-profit, volunteer groups and NGO’s need business sense on top of their deep desire to help the environment. The fundamentals are lost and with the Public/Private Partnership theme I needed to know what it was that would really make a difference. That way I could do what I do best: take the information and RUN!

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Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | August 12, 2012

My National Clean Energy Summit Experience (NCES 5.0)

Last Tuesday I attended the National Clean Energy Summit 5.0 in Las Vegas. I drove the 8 hours from Carson City to Vegas for a few reasons. First and most important, it is incredibly important for me to continue my sustainability education far beyond my recent MBA graduation. This summit offered me a chance to meet new companies, learn about new developments in clean energy and to see how clean energy is making a difference in Nevada. Second, I knew sustainable, clean energy companies would exhibit at NCES 5.0 and it provided a good opportunity to meet companies, managers and students. This event would be a great place to look for employment and network. Third, this is the place where Senator Harry Reid, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, FedEx CEO Frederick Smith, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, US Rep Shelley Berkley and former President Bill Clinton can meet and express their love and concern for clean energy…all in one day!

There are a few important take-a-ways from the day that I would like to share with my readers. In the opening remarks Senator Majority Leader Harry Reid expressed his concern for the Moapa Paiute Tribe in North Las Vegas. The Reid Gardner facility has spewed particulates in the air for decades, harming the Native America people. Harry Reid has asked for closure of this facility and fully expects NV Energy to make false claims and fight back. Along with Harry’s conviction to closing the coal plant, he laid out all the dire conditions the US and the world face if we do not accept that global warming is a problem. The video below gives an introduction to the long road that lies ahead.

From grand applause and hugs from Harry Reid out came Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar. A few facts he shared with us included: – importing 46% of foreign oil – renewable energy has doubled in the US – the US is down 1 million barrels of oil a day – there are 31 commercial energy projects across the US – Nevada is a pioneer with 13 commercial sites – will be up to 10,000 megawatts by the end of 2012; opposed to a medium-sized nuclear plant producing 350 megawatts – there are plans to fast track the Moapa Tribe solar energy project, along with several other projects because the permits are ready.

As you can see Mr. Salazar covered a lot of information but all positive and all leading back to the importance of jobs, especially in Nevada.

As the day moved on I took note of Chris Paine’s description of his latest movie ‘Revenge of the Electric Car’. He noted that it took “disruptive technology” and “disruptive personalities” when heading into green energy. A few qualities I tend to exhibit (with no excitement from my husband). Paine introduced the CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk. He urged that we in the industry do not get complacent and suggested a revolutionary idea: we make oil and green energy subsidies the SAME. When it comes to the next great, green car, Musk stressed that electric cars have to be more compelling than gas cars. “If you make the car better then you don’t have to make the environmental argument.” He remarked on his astonishment as to why we are continuing this massive experiment on our oceans that we know we are going to run out of anyway. The desire to fix problems only when we have reached a point of no return is an amazing way to see and live life. That act has less reward and prestige but is worth everything in the long term.

Then came our sustainable lunch. The head chef of at the Bellagio made a quick presentation about their herb and tomato garden on the roof. I was unaware of lunch being part of the program so you could imagine my excitement when I didn’t have to enter the casino and look for a decent meal. The salad was amazing! Chicken and desert were decent but the lemon vinaigrette made the lettuce sing! Yum!

To finish out the day I wrote a question to ask the “Moving Money and Human Resources Toward a Clean Energy Economy” panel. As a recent graduate I wanted to know what resources are available for recent graduates in the energy field. This question hits close to home and I wanted to know why, as a Nevada graduate, staying in Nevada would provide good jobs and growing opportunity. While working at the Career Connections office at UNR I saw firsthand how many of our graduates would immediately move out of the state in search for better opportunities. During the panel my question was asked and as an answer I was directed to the Sustainability Department at the MGM grand. While I wanted a broader answer and was looking more at Northern Nevada I took this opportunity to make new contacts and share my experiences.

Finally, Bill Clinton began his keynote speech and every seat in the room stood up and applauded with great happiness. The main focus was to change the dynamic and think of issues that can bring Republicans and Democrats in on the same things. With a dire economic situation we all need a reason to get up in the morning and curing the planet’s ailments can sustain our working class. “Money doesn’t solve our problems,” we need to move back to a stakeholder society where “sustainable economies require a balanced approach and are better in the long run.” Clinton expressed the research tying “individual well-being to group well-being” and “how cooperation gets lousy news coverage.”  He remarked on the incredible efforts in Costa Rica, their ability to have 92% hydro power, the choice to use electric cars and how they can influence Mexico and other bordering countries. Then Clinton expressed something that got a big chuckle out of the crowd. After visiting a solar thermal plant currently being developed in California he suggested that in green energy the best and brightest tattoo will determine how much DC succeeds. He said “these people get it.” “If you win a tattoo vote you’ll win DC! And I’m not kidding!”

In all I found the event to be worth the 16 hour drive. I made contacts with companies at the cusp of green energy and learned more about how companies are employing Nevada contractors and Nevada residents. While I didn’t leave with a job offer or a definitive opportunity, I hope to nurture my contacts and showcase my devotion to this amazing, country-wide transformation. Clinton expressed the need for more people to know and the necessity for outreach. I saw this as a critical point to the NCES conference. There was no way to network with attendees that did not exhibit. No business card catalog or list of attending companies. No Twitter #hashtag. No LinkedIn group to follow and discuss emerging issues. No job opportunity listings. In all it was a place where people listened to speakers, but no way to connect with your peers. I was lucky enough to have very nice people from Santa Barbara, UNLV and the Yerington Tribe sit next to me. All of which were wonderful to meet and share experiences with. Now imagine if we could triple that experience? We could become powerhouses in the industry and propel the public’s knowledge beyond the basic roof solar project.

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Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | July 16, 2012

Can Tahoe be saved?

When gambling is in decline, lake quality is deteriorating and transportation continues to be an issue-can we save the lake and its residents before we cause irreversible damage? I may pose this question in a threatening and hyper-hypothetical way but for those that have called Tahoe home for decades it is a very real problem that needs solid answers and commitment. Thanks to Steve Teshara and Sustainable Community Advocates I can share the following information regarding this massive, exciting regional plan.

Taken by Stallar, Summer 2011

While for some it may seem that this new proposal snuck up on us within the last year, but the truth is that this plan has been research and considered for about 8 years. The last regional plan was over 2 decades ago and as we all know, the Earth, type of tourist and type of resident in Tahoe has changed since then. Two weeks ago public hearings were held so residents, business owners and interested parties could give their opinion to the 5 provided alternatives to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) Regional Plan Update. But these public hearings were only a small sample compared to the large amount of comments mailed in.

Each Alternative was highly researched as educational trips were taken to places such as Monterey, Moss Landing and Livermore. These examples provided information regarding tourist accommodation, downtown development and various research programs that are empowering the community to do better for the Earth.  None of these towns are perfect and they still have very large problems that they are trying to solve but these areas are recognizing that something needs to be done and are coming together to do it.

One of the main complaints that the proposal is trying to solve is what to do with old, dilapidated buildings. The government can’t come through with funding to fix these structures and there is debate over how much private companies can and should invest into Lake communities. Another important issue is the environmental quality of the Lake and the overall transportation that is contributing to the decline in water quality. The proposal suggests walkable communities, but there also needs to be consideration for winter conditions, ski resort transportation and trips from one side of the Lake to the other. Our mountain roads are not great at supporting large buses for long distances.

With 66,000 permanent residents and 3 million tourists each year, there’s a need to enact stewardship beyond your personal preferences and desires. One company, group or organization cannot  fix the Lake. ALL companies, groups, organizations and INDIVIDUALS need to realize they play a part in this extraordinary plan. TRPA will continue the process of fine tuning the Regional Plan, with a strong lean towards Alternative 3, until December.

You have the ability to participate and remain active in these huge decisions affecting the Basin – periodically check into http://www.tahoefuture.org/getinvolved/ and remain part of the conversation.

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Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | June 22, 2012

I’ve been away for a while…

and Go Skateboarding Day brought me back! So if you’ve seen my LinkedIn page or Facebook you’re probably familiar with all the endeavors I wrapped myself in. I completed my graduate assistantship at the University of Nevada, Reno, I completed my Master in Business Administration degree in Sustainability, I finished my internship at Sierra Business Council in Truckee and now I have time to return to THE ISSUES! (applause applause)

But before I do I’d like to divulge some of the life lessons I’ve learned in the past 10 months. First, screw jobs that make you unhappy. Because in the end your employer is probably unhappy (whether you’re the cause or not), your co-workers are unhappy (and who needs to be around grumpy people) and if the actual labor sucks then what’s left? I know Nevada is not the easiest place to apply the mentioned methods but I’m done working for people who constantly bring you down to make themselves feel better. Or who are so unhappy with their lives they find a way to suppress your happiness. I drove to Truckee (an hour drive just getting there) once a week, to work for free (well class credit!) but I continued to do it and loved every minute because the work was interesting and the people valued the work I put in. So in turn I yearned to make a difference and still volunteer with them because I enjoyed it so much.

The same applied to my UNR job. I loved the people I worked with, we would laugh and laugh and laugh and still get work done! We would still be there for students and employers and provide excellent service. But everyone knew they were in a place that valued them as people, not objects.

I also learned that people are devious! Not like I didn’t know this could occur before but I didn’t think it applied to “professional” educational groups where young people could just come together and share their experiences but in reality people were there just trying to snake your job. I didn’t think it applied to wedding planning. That manufacturers would flat our lie that their Anjolique wedding dress didn’t have manufacturing issues and refuse to fix it, thereby costing me. Or that companies realize that this is a once in a lifetime day so they are well aware of how to screw you over because you’ve never done it before and if you end up doing it again they could care less if you remember them.

I also took a long hard look at what career would make me happy. Most would think, well duh action sports, snowboarding, ski resorts, but when you look at it long term, when you start to think about the sustainability of industries, of the type of companies involved, you end of up asking yourself serious questions that don’t have an answer.

School, classmates, group projects and a few professors brought my patience to a whole new level. I can happily report that I made it through my MBA without a single cheat, without a single slack and without missing a single assignment. Which I did not realize until three weeks before graduation that that was a rare feat. School is a completely different atmosphere than life and jobs and I’m proud to say that I have completed everything I wanted to with my educational goals. I hope to encounter people in the real world who know how to make powerpoints and embrace technology. Excuses are the ultimate reason anyone is ever held back from anything.

I am no longer scared of losing sleep after I have kids. Three jobs and 12 MBA credits will make you lose sleep. You have to answer to bosses and professors and show what you have accomplished regardless of your circumstances. Kids care what you do and how you treat them, but they don’t need a 50 page report. They want food, sleep and someone to play with. When I’ve spent the last 10 months staying up until 3am and then getting up for work at 7am I think kids will be far more fun! On another note television at 2am is priceless!

…and most of all, I learned who is truly by my side. There are those in your life that will be gung ho about your new ideas, dreams and plans. But when things get tough, or don’t go as planned, you’ll be able to weed out who will stick around in your life for the long-term. I was lucky enough to marry that person a few weeks ago and that is what life is all about.

But you’ll never know for sure how things play out and what life turns into if you sit by the sidelines. For now I’m working on new deck designs, throwing out a few decks to the kids around town and promoting a brand that has great values and staying power. I’m volunteering to help the energy watch program, continuing the geotourism effort and hoping to spend my time on Nevada’s energy issues. Energy issues aren’t going to go away, skateboarding and snowboarding are only getting stronger and the world of entertainment is endless with possibilities. So stay tuned!

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Posted in Entrepreneurship

Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | February 1, 2012

Feast or Famine for the Lake Tahoe area!

As I took a stroll around Truckee yesterday I realized a few things about my business, the Sierra’s and the economy in general. I had been pondering this since I first began writing a fiscal management question for the Lake Tahoe Community College and its glaring realization hit me yesterday. We all know the Sierra’s are lacking in snow and compared to what we received last year it’s panic time. When the white stuff falls like clockwork every year it is hard to imagine when a lack there of leaves a crushing blow to the local businesses, schools and residents.

Enter the 2011/2012 winter season! By having my business online I can get by, sure skateboard decks are going to be non-existent because its winter and snowboard sales are slow moving. But I have supplemental income to get me by. On my trek around Truckee yesterday I saw business owners and store workers that did not have that luxury. They patiently waited for someone to walk into their store and purchase an item. Or they embraced the warmth of the sun and relaxed outside – something I’m sure they would rather do in June.

I realized it is all part of the game. It’s sad to portray our life that way but there is no other example of blatant difficulty, followed by ease that I can think of. Life goes through waves. Our finances, moods and progression all go through up and down periods. We enter a feast or famine lifestyle that is driven by our needs, the country’s needs and external forces out of our control. As many of us are tightening our belts it is important to be mindful when our lives begin to pick up.  If we consumed and spent at an average rate regardless of the economic situation, we would have steady growth. While that doesn’t make for an amazing business news headline it sustains your family, business and well-being.

The lack of economic development around Lake Tahoe has been difficult to manage as the town boomed during high economic peaks. So what can be done to maintain part of that expansion long term? The point is to manage the high points to sustain you through the low. Through reinvention and determination we can all come out on top and grow stronger by having sound spending and business practices.

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Posted in Entrepreneurship

Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | January 28, 2012

I’m disappointed by the X-Games….

…NOT by the riders, but by ESPN! Year after year the X-Games go to Aspen, they set up the pipe, the runs, the snowmobiling course and other redundant activities. They have the same tired announcers. The same tired dialog and catch phrases, “comin’ in hot!” It’s no wonder the athletes are pushing themselves beyond the brink! If it wasn’t for them X-Games would have died years ago. The network relies, and even pushes, these athletes to step it up, to crank it one more spin and give that extra flip, regardless of the consequences. Just so they can say, “You saw it first on the X-Games!” Ah who cares!

As long as ESPN keeps giving us stale announcers, stale catch phrases that old people should not use and meaningless commentary between runs the X-Games will not last. There’s greater awareness about the lengths these athletes go to after Sarah Burke’s death. And as I watch McMorris cleanly complete a backside 1440 triple I realized that himself, Horgmo and Toots had to carry that entire competition. They had to make it interesting, and casual fans (the ones ESPN always hopes to attract) won’t find a “simple” 1080 interesting anymore.

Sad but true! ESPN needs to step their game up and progress with the riders. It’s an honor for boarders to compete on a national, televised level like what ESPN can provide, but ESPN needs to give back to what’s been carrying this competition for the last 5 years! Until then I’ll just catch the parts I want on YouTube…again, sad but true!

Congrats to McMorris!

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Posted in Entertainment, Snowboarding

Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | January 10, 2012

Stallar Skate & Snow on manufacturing with a green purpose

…taken from Stallar Skate & Snow’s “A small business’ involvement in healthier environment products and practices.” A white paper on manufacturing with a green purpose.

Executive Summary

Socially responsible actions are not new to Stallar Skate & Snow. While the company is small, it aims to take on big projects throughout the Carson City, Reno and Lake Tahoe area. The company’s founding goal was to produce products at a fair so any child or teenager could participate. With the extreme price of lift tickets, resort food, and fuel; equipment cost should not be the only reason a person cannot get on the hill or to the skate park.  Our goal is to bring the price of equipment back to a reasonable level and help those who couldn’t otherwise afford it.

Other contributions include skate and snowboard donations to bring in participants for fundraisers such as Sierra Nevada Journeys and For Pet’s Sake. Stallar Skate & Snow products are auctioned off to fund those various projects. I also participated in an environmental and economic development roundtable in South Lake Tahoe. My enthusiasm was well received and I was asked to speak about stewardship at the Lake Tahoe Summit with various California and Nevada government officials.

While I feel there is still much more to do, these are big contributions for a small, one-person company. Many businesses run on a win or lose basis. Our philosophy is that we all win or we all lose; life, business and Earth are all connected.

Needs and Opportunities

Many problems plague the action sports community. Rapidly changing climate such as wind, intense snow fall or heat, and lack of precipitation can decrease participation in all sports. Throughout the industry there has been a lax attitude in how products are made and discarded. The snow and skate industry will be dramatically affected if change is not made. Regardless of where the past blame lies there is a need to enact the revolutionary mindset that developed the sports in the first place.

The United States economy will prosper if we keep jobs in America and decrease overseas operations. With the unemployment rate hovering around 9% the need to employ willing and able Americans is top priority. With changing operations to acquire raw materials from U.S. factories and manufacturing products domestically there is a greater assurance that products are made fairly and stimulate the dire economic situation. The current economic state has also led to children not being able to participate in certain activities due to cost. This hurts our local economy as parents are restructuring vacations and low-income children are at a greater participation disadvantage.

Making sustainable snowboard products is difficult. Not only do they need to function, they need to look good. In fact, the skate and snowboard industry has increased interest to the point that fashion, who’s who, and competitions have taken over the deeper meaning of the sport. This means more people want to participate at a significantly reduced cost including shipping and environmental toll. Due to severe weather conditions we need to ask ourselves, “should we engage in making our world the best planet, or do we let conditions affect our ability to skate and snowboard anywhere in the world?” We will not be able to pass on to our children our love of sports if we neglect to take care of our environmental contribution. With over eight million participants in the 2009/2010 season ski resorts, equipment companies, clothing companies, skiers and snowboarders have the power and resources to better the planet.

To read the entire report click here!

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Posted in Environment, Skating, Snowboarding

Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | January 9, 2012

What a break!

Oh how I’ve missed blogging! But I’m back and hopefully (depending on the intensity of the spring semester) I won’t have to write another post like this!

So many of you know Tahoe has had zero and I mean ZERO snow! Ski resorts are churning out the man-made edition hoping to please visitors that booked their vacation months in advance. Whistler keeps sending me updates about their accumulation, which normally wouldn’t be bragging but in this case is getting annoying!

January 6th, 2012

Kudos to where ever is getting snow, or any kind of precipitation, it looks like a dry and fire prone summer for Northern Nevada and Northern California.

I’ve also spend most of the semester working on a sustainability plan for Stallar Skate & Snow. This will post tomorrow…

So please check back for all things skateboarding and snowboarding as well as small business, the environment and just some random things I’d like to share!

Thanks everyone for sticking with me while I went MIA!

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Posted in Skating, Snowboarding

Posted by: Stallar Lufrano | October 6, 2011

A tool for good or bad? YouTube Ads


Today’s email:

Your YouTube account StallarSkateSnow might be eligible to earn revenue from the playbacks of your videos.

Making money from your videos is easy. Here’s how it works: First sign into your YouTube account. 

If your account is enabled, we may place ads next to the videos you submit for monetization. You will earn a share of the revenue from the ads as long as you meet the program requirements.

Thanks and good luck!

The YouTube Team

Huh? So this is why we are stuck with those annoying commercials before we can watch our selected video, and that’s why I have to keep clicking the little red X on the pop-ups that obstruct our view!

So is this a tool for better or worse?

I would say it’s for worse since you don’t know what type of ads will be featured in your video. You may not agree with the company that has millions to spend on bugging your viewers. As a small business I think it’s better to keep things clean and simple for our small audience. They will appreciate this from us!

So what do you think? Is YouTube helping businesses succeed through advertisements and getting the word out, or just another annoying pop-up we have to click out of?

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Posted in Entrepreneurship | Tags: ,

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