December 13th, 2009
California’s economy might see green light
By Dean Calbreath, San Diego Union Tribune

Next 10 founder F. Noel Perry predicts that growth will pick up speed thanks to federal stimulus programs as well as other states adopting California-style environmental standards. “While green jobs alone will not solve the state’s current unemployment challenges, over time these jobs could become a larger portion of total jobs in the state,” Perry said.

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December 22nd, 2009
In Santa Cruz County, green companies are poised for growth
By Jondi Gumz, Santa Cruz Sentinel

Green jobs, which represent a sliver of employment in California, offer the potential for building a more sustainable economy, according to a new report from Next 10, an independent Silicon Valley think tank. Next 10 founder F. Noel Perry noted green jobs grew 5 percent from 2007 to 2008 as the recession set in, while overall jobs shrank 1 percent.

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December 27th, 2009
The Oh Decade: Decade of crisis obscured gains in the ‘green’ sector
By F. Noel Perry (special to the Bee), Sacramento Bee

California has been ahead of the green trend for decades. Our ambitious green energy policies are the goose that continues to lay golden eggs. Now is the time for a renewed effort to secure California's place in the world's coming green technology revolution. The oh decade was a tough one, but we can recover. We just need to continue doing what we know works in order to ensure that the next decade does not become a much more dangerous "uh-oh" than the last.

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December 3rd, 2009
Governor: Backup plan on global warming needed
By Wayatt Buchanan, San Francisco Chronicle

In addition to environmental impacts, the report included two studies that show California could face enormous financial consequences without any adaptation strategies. A study done by UC Berkeley and the nonprofit Next 10 research organization found that $2.5 trillion of the state's $4 trillion in real estate assets are vulnerable to climate change.

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November 10th, 2009
So You Think You Can Balance the Budget?
By R.M Schneiderman, The New York Times

Now here’s your chance: a new online tool courtesy of the Concord Coalition and Next 10, two nonpartisan groups. Among other things, users can decide whether to pass the current health care legislation and increase American troop levels across the globe. The best part: In this game, there are no real world political ramifications. But beware, for the fiscal 2009-year alone, federal budget deficits totaled $1.4 trillion.

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November 10th, 2009
Balance the Federal Budget Yourself
By David Wessel, The Wall Street Journal

Deficit warriors The Concord Coalition, a national group, and Next 10, a California group, are offering a new do-it-yourself on-line tool to balance the federal budget. Called the Federal Budget Challenge, the Web site leads users through a series of policy choices ranging from health care to national defense to tax deductions.”

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October 14th, 2009
New Poll Shows Support for Constitutional Reform
By Mark Evitt, The Annenberg Digital News

Results of a Field Poll released suggest that while Californians may be open to reforming California's constitution, there is little agreement on what specific reforms need to be made or how to make them. Next 10, a non-partisan group that sponsored the Field Poll survey, plans to develop a website to educate voters about the range of reform proposals put forward so far.”

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October 14th, 2009
Californians want to change state Constitution
The Central Valley Business Times

A majority of Californians sees the need for making fundamental changes to the state Constitution and would support calling a constitutional convention to develop the reform proposals, according to a new Field Poll. Major funding for the survey was provided by Next 10, “an independent, nonpartisan organization that educates, engages and empowers Californians to improve the state’s future. Next 10 was founded and is funded by venture capitalist and philanthropist F. Noel Perry.”

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October 14th, 2009
Field Poll finds Californians want state government overhauled
By Susan Ferriss, The Sacramento Bee

Frustrated California voters think a state government overhaul is needed, but a majority believe it shouldn't be so easy for them to change the state's constitution at the ballot box, a new Field Poll has found. The poll, which contacted 1,005 registered voters, was partially funded by Next 10, a Palo Alto-based nonprofit group focused on environmental policy and the state budget.

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October 1st, 2009
The California Experiment
By Ronald Brownstein, The Atlantic

Busted budgets, failing schools, overcrowded prisons, gridlocked government—California no longer beckons as America’s promised land. Except, that is, in one area: creating a new energy economy. But is its path one the rest of the nation can follow? “I unequivocally believe we are a model for the rest of the country,” says F. Noel Perry, the founder of Next10, a nonpartisan Silicon Valley–based think tank, whose “California Green Innovation Index” studies have tracked these trends.

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September 1st, 2009
Redding residents talk about improving state government
By Scott Mobley

If California's government is dysfunctional, blame the legislators, not the system. Cork McGowan, chapter services consultant for the California Teachers Association, said spending mandates in past initiatives have put legislators in straightjackets and made it almost impossible for them to govern. McGowan blamed under-informed voters for many of the state's problems and urged everyone to take the Next 10 California Budget Challenge.

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August 31, 2009
Santa Clara University/California College of the Arts
U. S. Department of Energy- 2009 Solar Decathlon

Learn about Team California's REFRACT house, and hear more from the team about how it was designed and what their vision is for the home.

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June 18, 2009
Simulation lets you tweak state budget
San Francisco Chronicle, Matthai Kuruvila

A series of forums in Emeryville, Oakland and Pleasant Hill will let people take their own whack at the budget. The simulation, created by the Palo Alto nonprofit Next Ten, will include all the data from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget revision in May, which followed the failure of several state ballot measures. The simulation will also include an array of proposed revenue measures.

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June 17, 2009
Web site makes California budget mess a game
San Francisco Chronicle, Tom Abate

Think you know how to balance the state budget? An interactive Web site gives every Californian a chance to try. The Budget Challenge is the brainchild of Next Ten, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization in Palo Alto founded by venture capitalist F. Noel Perry. Next Ten first unveiled the game in 2005 and recently updated it to reflect the current budget crisis.

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June 16, 2009
Go forth and be heard
Contra Costa Times, Josh Richman

Assemblywoman Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, will hold three budget summit meetings around her 14th Assembly District later this week, partnering with the nonprofit Next 10 so constituents can tackle the “California Budget Challenge” simulation and decide how to grapple with the state’s $24 billion deficit.

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June 10, 2009
Clean energy will stimulate Calif. Economy
By Jason Dearen Associated Press Writer

A more aggressive use of clean energy would help California emerge from its multibillion-dollar budget deficit by creating jobs and lowering energy costs, according to a University of California study released Wednesday. The study determined that moving half of California's electric power needs to renewable energy sources such as wind, solar or biomass would help create half-a-million jobs over the next 40 years.

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May 6, 2009
Non-profit designs CA budget challenge
By David Louie

The challenge for a political science class at De Anza College is to close the state's budget deficit. The process wasn't easy as they decided to increase spending for education. Using wireless clickers, the De Anza College students participated in an exercise created by Next 10, a non-profit group from Palo Alto trying to teach people about the budget process.

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April 21, 2009
Betcha they’re gonna raise taxes
Contra Costa Times, Josh Richman

Students at Palo Alto’s Gunn High School tomorrow will use the “California Budget Challenge” online simulator and handheld instant-response devices to come up with a balanced state budget and see how their choices will affect the state five years into the future — all inside of an hour.
The California Budget Challenge is a free online educational tool from Next 10, an independent, nonpartisan group aimed at educating, engaging and empowering California’s to improve the Golden state’s future through a deeper understanding of the issues.

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April 2, 2009
California Budget Challenge launches 2009 edition
By Lisa Vorderbrueggen

It took California’s legislature three long months of intense negotiations to resolve this year’s budget standoff. Now Californians can try their hand at solving the Golden State’s budget woes in just 15 minutes.

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April 1, 2009
KFBK-AM Sacramento, Radio interview
The nonpartisan “California Budget Challenge” (next10.org/challenge) is a free online educational tool from Next 10 that lets users try to balance California’s books and see how their choices will affect the state five years into the future.

listen...

April 1, 2009
Online Budget Game Increases Awareness of May Special Election Ballot Measures.
California Chronicle

Over 80,000 people have taken the California Budget Challenge and created a budget, which reflects their values and vision for the future. "Californians have tremendous power at the polls," added Perry. "With that power comes the responsibility to be fully informed about the issues. The Budget Challenge shows voters how their decisions fit into the larger picture of California´s finances."

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March 31, 2009
Balance the budget yourself
Sacramento Bee, Daniel Weintraub

Next 10 has updated its California Budget Challenge, the online game where you can try your hand at balancing the budget with a selection of cuts and tax hikes...As always, it really brings home the tough choices that legislators, and the public face in trying to close the budget gap.

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January 26, 2009
California's energy efficiency an economic boon
David R. Baker, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer

The 2009 California Green Innovation Index conducted by the public policy group Next 10 tracks how the state's economy has grown over the past three decades. Cutting energy bills let California consumers and companies spend their cash on other things, and helped create 1.5 million jobs, according to the report.
"If California had not moved as forcefully to decrease energy consumption over the last three decades, we would be in a much more precarious economic position right now," said F. Noel Perry, venture capitalist and founder of Next 10. "Imagine where the country could be if it were as efficient as California."

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January 26, 2009
California adding green jobs; leads nation in energy efficiency
Matt Nauman, San Jose Mercury News

A surprising number of the green jobs — 20 percent — were manufacturing jobs, the report notes, with the growth spread fairly evenly across diverse segments of clean-technology, including advanced materials, transportation, air and environment, and green building.
The report was issued by Next 10, a Palo Alto non-profit that focuses on the intersection of the economy and the environment. It was founded and funded by F. Noel Perry, a former venture capitalist. The research was conducted by Collaborative Economics of Mountain View.

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January 26, 2009
California shows 'green' emerging as contributor to growth
Marla Dickerson, Los Angeles Times

Note to President Obama: Energy efficiency and clean technology can help jump-start the U.S. economy.
That's the message of a report released today by Next 10, a nonprofit research group in Palo Alto, which says California's experience underscores how the green sector is emerging as a key component of growth. Among the findings: Green-collar jobs are growing faster than statewide employment. Clean-tech investment in the state hit a record last year, despite steep stock-market declines. California leads the nation in patent registrations for green technology. Efficiency measures pioneered here over the last three decades have created 1.5 million jobs.

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January 26, 2009
Growth In California Green Cos Outpaced Other Types Of Cos
Cassandra Sweet, Dow Jones Newswires

Growth among California companies that provide environmentally friendly products, and jobs at such companies, have outpaced growth of other types of companies and jobs, according to a study released Monday.
The growth in green jobs in California is due to stringent environmental laws and regulations, such as building efficiency standards; decoupling, or separation, of utilities' revenues from the electricity and natural gas they sell; and the state's climate change and low-carbon fuel laws, said F. Noel Perry, a venture capitalist and founder of Next 10.

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January 26, 2009
California’s Green Innovations: Steady Momentum, Plenty Work to Do
GreenBiz Staff, Green Biz

California has a long way to go and a lot more work to do to reach its greenhouse gas reduction goals, but the latest California Green Innovation Index shows the state has momentum on its side on a number of topics.
The 2009 Index, the second annual report of its kind by Next 10, shows the progress California has made on a number of fronts related to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions: renewable energy, transportation, clean tech investments and more.

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