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Past Event Agendas & Resources

Mon., Sept 12, 2005

Investing Your Values toward a Sustainable Economy

Session Overview and Agenda:

• Lisa Rosenau, Registered Investment Advisor for Financial Resource Associates, speaking about Socially Responsible Investing (SRI).
• Karsten Mueller, LEED accredited professional, and chair of the City of Santa Cruz Green Building Working Group, will be speaking about green building & real estate investing.
• Francesca Mello, CFO/COO, See Through Games (www.admcadiam.com), "You Are What You Do: Sustainability Ideas Into Action"
• Daniel Robin, Managing Director, Integrated Investments Int'l (www.in3in.com), overview of the current state of private equities for sustainable technologies, including renewable energy, bio-based materials, and other "clean technologies."

Program Agenda:

NETWORKING AND ARRIVALS; 6-6:30p; Speaker presentations will be followed by an interactive discussion of the main issues, technologies, potential solutions and opportunities.

Introductions and Themes, Daniel Robin, CSN co-founder:
1. Lisa Rosenau, Registered Investment Advisor for Financial Resource Associates, speaking about Socially Responsible Investing (SRI).

2. Karsten Mueller, LEED accredited professional, and chair of the City of Santa Cruz Green Building Working Group, speaking about green real estate investing, "Investing Your Values: Green Building and Smart Growth"

NETWORKING BREAK, 7:30-7:45p (approximate)

3. Francesca Mello, CFO/COO, and John O'Neill, CEO, See Through Games, an interactive art company dedicated to meaningful play (www.admcadiam.com), "You Are What You Do: Sustainability Ideas Into Action"

4. Daniel Robin, Managing Director, Integrated Investments Int'l (www.in3inc.com), Investing in Clean Technology and LOHAS Markets. Overview of the current state of investing in sustainable technologies, including renewable energy, bio-based materials, and other sustainable lifestyle and technology companies. What funds are available for what stage businesses, and how to get investors to "show you the money"?

• Clean Technology (cleantech.com) Investing and Venture Capital Sources
• LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (www.lohas.com) Markets and Investors
• "Cradle to Cradle" (www.mbdc.com) design and business model -- also our November 05 theme

Further Discussion and Next Steps: adjourn by 9:00pm

Themes and Discussion Questions:

We will explore the various types and trends in "values-based" investing, including short-term, smaller investments as well as "patient money" investments in early stage companies. This session will be of interest to entrepreneurs and inventors with sustainable products and services, and we will focus mainly on the investor's perspective. How do you "invest" your values? What do all investors look for? How can we include the social, environmental, ethical, financial and even spiritual dimensions of money?

As an investor or entrepreneur, how much risk can you tolerate? When are you willing to support an industry you don't like if there's a strong financial upside? What are some ways to "invest your values" without losing your shirt? What about mutual funds, community investing, currency markets, private debt, bonds, or even the gold market?

What's working, what isn't, and what are the most compelling success stories?

Which of these industries or which types of investments have the greatest potential for creating a sustainable economy?

Which can shift us most quickly and reliably toward patterns of restorative commerce?

Industries showing significant promise:

• Renewable Energy, especially solar, wind and biofuels
• Water Technologies
• Organic Food, Sustainable Agriculture, and "Healthy Aging"
• Green Building and Real Estate investing
• Corporate responsibility and shareholder activism ... and many others

Additional Themes: