Emerging Trends Session I
Policy for the Growing Bioeconomy: Advanced Technology Commercialization
Moderator: Brendan Jordan, Program Manager for Biomass Programs, Great Plains Instituteams, Biomass Institute
David Glassner
David Glassner is the director of process technology at Natureworks LLC, a wholly owned business unit of Cargill that is the first company to offer a family of commercially available polymers derived from 100 percent annually renewable resources. The company makes makes proprietary, corn-based plastic resins. NatureWorks applications include rigid packaging and films, including containers for bakery, dairy, deli, meat, produce, disposable serviceware, cold drink cups and cutlery; water, milk and juice bottles. Ingeo fibers are used in fiberfill applications including pillows, comforters, mattress pads, blankets and apparel sold in North America, Asia and Europe.
In October of 2005, Wal-Mart announced that it will transition 114 million fresh produce grocery packages to NatureWorks® PLA. Other major addoptions include retailers such as Auchan in France, Del Haize in Belgium, water bottle launches in North America and a growing development of non-woven applications. Glassner will discuss policies for funding demonstration and commercialization of advanced biomass technologies.
Deron Lovaas
Deron Lovaas is the vehicles campaign director at the Natural Resorces Defense Council. He currently directs the “Break the Chain” oil security campaign and was the chief lobbyist on the federal Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) reauthorization bill. A graduate of the University of Virginia, he has worked in the field of environmental policy and advocacy for more than a decade, in positions such as the director of the Sierra Club's Challenge to Sprawl campaign and as a specialist in transportation and air-quality planning at Maryland's Department of the Environment. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and publications, most recently "Taking the High Road to Energy Security" in In Business magazine, "From Gas Crisis to Cure" on tompaine.com and NRDC's “Securing America: Solving Oil Dependence Through Innovation.”
Mark Lindquist
Mark Lindquist, Energy Policy Specialist, has worked for the Minnesota Project to advance renewable energy since January 2004. His primary responsibilities with the Minnesota Project include supporting community wind development and the Midwest Ag Energy Network. Mark brings experience in natural resources and community and economic development planning. He has worked as a planner for the Southern region of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources in New Ulm, Minnesota and the Southwest Regional Development Commission, in Slayton, Minnesota. Mark has earned a Masters of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota and a Bachelor of Arts in History from St. Johns University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Mark works out of his remote office in New Ulm, Minnesota, where he and his family live.
Jetta Wong
Jetta Wong joined the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting environmental sustainability, in July 2005. She is a policy analyst who works with EESI’s Agriculture and Renewable Energy program. Jetta’s responsibilities include: writing BCO: Bioenergy, Climate Protection, Oil Reduction; monitoring the reauthorization of the Farm Bill and implementation of its existing energy provisions; working as the primary EESI researcher on three organization projects studying effective marketing incentives for biopower, biofuels and biobased products; and advocacy related to the Renewable Fuels Standard.
She has worked for Mercy Corps in Uzbekistan helping rural residents explore the use of biogas digesters and as the Environmental Coordinator for ReCellular, where she instituted a company-wide Environmental Management Policy and promoted and expanded recycling programs. She has a B.S. in Natural Resources and the Environment from the University of Michigan and has studied agriculture and sustainable development in Costa Rica and Brazil.