Our Successes

Renewable energy isn’t just clean —  it’s resilient, too. After Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the renewable energy nonprofit Empowered by Light joined forces with solar company Sunrun and nonprofit organization GivePower to bring solar panels and solar-powered water purifiers to fire stations on the island. They quickly restored reliable power for emergency services and provided enough clean water for up to 2,000 people a day. Cater Communications joined the team, securing coverage in national outlets including Mother Jones, Grist, Sea Change Radio, and a viral NowThis video which was featured on Bernie Sanders’ Facebook page.

America’s oil dependence poses a clear national security threat. With the administration considering a rollback of fuel economy standards that keep our nation’s oil use in check, veterans of Operation Free asked Cater Communications to develop and execute a Veteran’s Day campaign to support strong national miles-per-gallon rules. The campaign was multi-layered, including social media and print news components. Cater carefully crafted a set of graphics and GIFs and drafted an op-ed that was placed in the Detroit Free Press, all of which were amplified with a package of social media tools including suggested posts for Twitter and Facebook.

Americans who care about national security, a strong economy, and healthy families also care about clean energy. Hundreds of conservative activists from across the country converged on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC this fall to participate in the third annual Conservative Clean Energy Summit. The event, hosted by the Christian Coalition and Young Conservatives for Energy Reform, grows momentum for conservative-led clean energy reform on the state and federal levels. Cater Communications developed and executed the event’s media and social media strategy, securing attendance and coverage by news outlets including PBS Newshour,NowThis, Reuters, CQ Roll Call, POLITICO’s Morning Energy, Bloomberg and more. The event’s official hashtag, #RightOnEnergy, appeared in more than 300 Tweets and received more than 1.7 million impressions.

No matter what’s happening inside the Beltway, communities around the country keep pushing for clean, efficient, locally controlled energy. Mark Ruffalo’s 100% campaign surprised Atlanta and Bay Area leaders with billboards and a movie trailer celebrating their efforts to promote 100% clean energy for 100% of the people. These surprises - orchestrated as part of the 100% campaign’s ONE100 Awards program - honored men and women of diverse ages, colors, and ethnicities for their leadership in moving their communities to a healthier, more equitable, more sustainable future. Cater Communications secured coverage about the surprises in TV, radio, print and online news outlets.

Months after the May release of its groundbreaking report predicting major disruption in the transportation sector by electric, shared, and autonomous vehicles, RethinkX’s role as the global media’s go-to resource on disruption, systems dynamics, and the future of transportation continues to grow. So far, Cater Communications has helped the think tank secure over 3,000 media stories in 80 countries with recent coverage including the Washington Post, Bloomberg, The New Yorker, Reuters, Fortune Magazine, National Geographic, The Guardian, Forbes, Marketplace, Quartz, NBC News, The Detroit News, and Fox News.

Despite Cassandra-like warnings about California’s ambitious climate change policies, the state’s economy has been booming, not busting. In fact, Next 10’s 2017 California Green Innovation Index shows that between the passage of key climate legislation in 2006 and 2015, California's GDP per capita grew at nearly double the rate experienced by the United States as a whole.

Despite this decoupling of economic growth from GHG emissions, the GII’s ninth edition —  produced by the nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank Next 10 and released by CaterCommunications — flagged a worrisome uptick in transportation emissions. The Index found the uptick threatens the state’s climate goals, requiring a new generation of climate policies designed to deliver steeper reductions. Cater Communications worked with Next 10 and Beacon Economics to edit and launch the report, securing coverage in over 75 outlets across California and the country, including The New York Times, Vox, Bloomberg, Wired, Fast Company, Politico, Axios, San Francisco Chronicle, KQED, The Sacramento Bee, LA Daily News, Mercury News, InsideClimate News, Grist, The Drive, E&E News and many others.

California business leaders know from experience that acting on climate change is good for business, growing jobs and the economy across the state. So as the legislature debated key climate bills this summer, a coalition of major California businesses spoke up. Cater worked with the Better World Group, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Ceres, Los Angeles Business Council, Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator, Sierra Business Council, and other business organizations to get their message out. In addition to releasing sign-on letters and producing social media collaterals, Cater Communications worked with partners on op-eds placed in outlets such as the Los Angeles Daily News, Press Telegram, Press Enterprise, Mercury News and the East Bay Times. Business voices were also featured in radio and print outlets including theMercury News, KPBS and KVCR.

The World Health Organization says that one in four people will be affected by mental or neurological disorders during their lifetimes. Journey’s Dream, a new nonprofit, serves as a portal to innovative and effective treatments, useful resources, and a supportive community for those struggling with mental illness. Inspired by devastating personal struggles with mental health and recovery, the Journey’s Dream team aims to empower, provide hope, and help chart pathways to health and well-being. The organization’s kickoff event, held at Soldier’s Field in Chicago, featured powerful testimony from celebrities and practitioners alike, and featured a moving performance by Jefferson Starship's lead singer Cathy Richardson. CaterCommunications developed and executed their media strategy, securing coverage by ABC7 Chicago, WILX-TV, WGVU-FM, the Naperville Sun, and Stories of Hope.

Since the Trump administration took office, popular money-saving fuel-economy and emissions standards have been under threat of a rollback. Cater Communications worked with leaders from military, business, consumer, finance, industry and technology sectors to make the economic and national security case publicly, in the media, and at agency hearings. We staffed the recent EPA hearing, to connect leaders with media including The New York Times, Bloomberg, Bloomberg BNA, Detroit News, Automotive News, Argus Media, Inside EPA and E&E News. We also testified on behalf of Maine auto dealer Adam Lee. Cater worked with leaders on op-eds including in USA Today, where Lee made the case for needing strong standards to stay competitive; in the Detroit News, by The International Council on Clean Transportation; in The Hill, by Consumers Union (the policy and mobilization division of Consumer Reports); and in CNBC, by the New York City comptroller.

The “glider” rule was intended to prevent the sale of old polluting engines in new chassis, disguised as new trucks. If left unchecked these engines would cause more than 12 billion dollars in health impacts over the next decade. Leaders of the trucking industry, like Cummins, Eaton, FedEX, and others, worked closely with the previous Administration to craft the rule and strongly support it. Recently EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt announced he intended to rescind it. Pat Quinn, executive director of The Heavy Duty Fuel Efficiency Leadership Group, which includes these and other businesses, testified at an agency hearing earlier this month and with the help of Cater was covered in the Washington Examiner, American Trucker, Trucking Info, Fleet Owner, Transport Topics, and more.

Energy-as-a-service is poised to grow into a $221 billion global business by 2020, according to Navigant Research. That’s the market that Dynamic Energy Networks (DEN) aims to tap. DEN announced its launch and strategic alliances with Schneider Electric and The Carlyle Group in November. The startup has established a platform to own and operate microgrids and distributed energy resources to provide predictable pricing and efficient, reliable energy to organizations and institutions such as campuses, hospitals, and the military. Cater assisted in the launch, developing DEN’s visual branding and securing coverage in high-profile industry publications.

The United States risks jeopardizing global power and national security if it fails to lead the world in the quest for cleaner and more efficient energy systems. Geopolitical lines of power are being redrawn now as major global players – except the United States – move aggressively and strategically to gain hegemony in this new energy landscape. That’s according to a new report from the CNA Military Advisory Board (MAB), a panel of the nation’s top retired generals and admirals. Advanced Energy and U.S. National Security warns that ceding U.S. leadership on advanced energy triggers serious national security risks. Cater Communications released the report, securing widespread coverage by top international, national and Beltway outlets, including Reuters, Bloomberg, the Financial Times, the Washington Examiner, The Hill, POLITICO’s Morning Energy, The Huffington Post and SNL Energy.

We are on the cusp of one of the fastest, deepest and most consequential disruptions of transportation in history. By 2030, the converging technologies of electric vehicles, autonomous vehicles and ride-hailing platforms will spawn a new business model that will end individual vehicle ownership, decimate the oil industry and restructure the global economy, all while saving consumers thousands of dollars each year. That’s the provocative finding of the landmark report from RethinkX, an independent think tank led by Tony Seba and James Arbib. Cater Communications worked with RethinkX to produce, design and release Rethinking Transportation, and build its Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter presence. The report garnered over 850 media stories in 50 countries including BBC World Service, the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Fast Company, NBC News, Reuters, The Telegraph, Time, NPR, CBC, The Huffington Post, VICE, CNBC, Edmunds, Business Insider and more. The report reverberated throughout the business and financial sectors, prompting op-eds from Australia to Atlanta, as well as generating attention in policy circles, including citations and interest from state legislatures across the country.

Ahead of this year’s America’s Cup in Bermuda, 11th Hour Racing organized the #EatLionfish Chefs’ Throwdown, where top chefs from around the world competed to produce the tastiest solution to the problem of invasive lionfish. Lionfish – which are visually intimidating, with up to 18 venomous spines – are native to the Indian and Pacific oceans, but have invaded the Caribbean and the Atlantic, where they have no natural predators. They are voracious, long-lived and fertile, and lionfish populations are exploding, destroying coral reef ecosystems and native fish. As water temperatures increase, so do lionfish populations.

Cater Communications worked closely with 11th Hour Racing and other partners to garner widespread coverage of the the event – which took place in Bermuda – including Reuters (TV and wire story), Associated Press, PBS Newshour online, Voice of America TV, Christian Science Monitor, The Leonard Lopate Show and Edible South Florida. The throwdown featured one chef from each of the countries participating in the America’s Cup and the debut of a lionfish-catching robot prototype. The winner of the competition was chef Chris Kenny (pictured above), representing the British team Land Rover BAR.

Mark Ruffalo’s 100% campaign joined forces with the nonprofit organization Soulardarity to surprise five Highland Park, Michigan residents with solar-powered lights for their homes and businesses. The residents received these lights as reward for their 100% leadership on clean energy and giving 100% to their community. Cater ensured these “surprise moments” were covered by NowThis, The Detroit News, the Detroit Free Press and the local Fox, NBC and ABC TV affiliates.

The Environmental Protection Agency released a final determination of fuel economy standards, closing its mid-term review without any changes. Consumer, business and academic leaders voiced strong support with the help of Cater Communications, underscoring the economic case for the standards and earning coverage in Christian Science Monitor, The Hill, The Detroit News, Consumer Affairs, Green Car Reports, Hybrid Cars, The Detroit Bureau and more.

In March, President Trump announced that his administration would reopen the mid-term review of these money-savings standards, which could result in a rollback of miles-per-gallon rules. Cater Communications released same-day statements and hosted a press call with consumer and business groups that earned coverage in The New York Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, NBC News, CBS News, Fox Business, CNN Money, Forbes, NPR, The Hill, Automotive News and more. In addition, Cater Communications placed op-eds for these leaders in newspapers across the country including Detroit News and Free Press.

California is home to the nation’s most ambitious climate change policies, but it’s also home to some of the world’s dirtiest oil. Two new reports from the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace document incredibly diverse oil fields, ranging from some of the world’s cleanest oil, to oil that rivals Canadian tar sands. Need to Know: The Case for Oil Transparency in California details how a lack of transparency in oil production could impede the state in meeting its climate goals, and highlights opportunities for the state to manage this risk. Drilling Down on Oil: The Case of California’s Complex Midway Sunset Field provides an up-close look at California’s largest, oldest, dirtiest and most productive oil field. Cater Communications released the reports, securing coverage from ABC Bakersfield, Politico, Energywire, Long Beach Press, Capitol News Radio, KPBS, Valley Public Radio and other outlets.

As President Trump reopened the mid-term review of fuel economy standards, California chose to double down on its clean cars program to the benefit of 13 other states – and 113 million Americans – that have also adopted it. Leading up to the California Air Resources Board hearing where this decision was made, Cater Communications worked to connect consumer, business and clean vehicle experts with media, resulting in coverage from the Associated Press, Bloomberg, NPR, ClimateWire, Greenwire, Environmental Leader and Morning Consult.

In support of California’s pioneering efforts to save consumers money, reduce health impacts of pollution and spur investment in advanced vehicle technologies, Cater Communications helped place op-eds by the Consumers Union’s Shannon Baker-Branstetter in the Sacramento Bee; pediatrician Dr. Afif El-Hasan in Fox and Hounds; and Nancy Pfund, man­ag­ing part­ner of the venture capital firm DBL Part­ners, in Automotive News.

The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization Next 10 commissioned research offering insight into three major issues facing the California legislature this year: the state’s transportation funding shortage, its housing crisis and the economic impact of climate change policies. As Gov. Jerry Brown prepared to sign SB 1, a $52 billion transportation funding package, Beyond the Gas Tax: Funding California Transportation in the 21st Century, produced by Beacon Economics, found that while SB 1 was necessary to address the transportation funding gap, California should consider a transportation funding system that does not rely on fossil fuel sales. Cater Communications released the report, generating coverage in outlets across the state including The San Diego Union-Tribune, Streetsblog, Southern California News Group, Los Angeles Daily News, NBC Bay Area, Southern California Public Radio, KPBS and the Silicon Valley Business Journal.

With over 100 housing bills before the state legislature, Next 10 commissioned Right Type, Right Place: Assessing the Environmental and Economic Impacts of Infill Residential Development through 2030, which found that a focus on infill housing could meet demand for housing while boosting the economy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and benefiting residents. The report was produced by UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment and the Terner Center for Housing Innovation, and released by Cater Communications. Stories appeared in top California outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, Southern California News Group, Mercury News, NBC Fresno, San Francisco Chronicle and Curbed LA.

Smart housing developments aren’t the only way California can boost its economy while cutting emissions. The Economic Impacts of California’s Major Climate Programs on the San Joaquin Valley, a study produced by UC Berkeley’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment and commissioned by Next 10, found that California’s climate programs have brought $13 billion in economic benefits to the state’s economically vulnerable San Joaquin Valley, supporting over 100,000 jobs. Cater Communications released the report, earning widespread coverage from the Los Angeles Times, Fresno Bee, Capital Public Radio, Valley Public Radio and others.

Stop Fooling CA, a social media campaign designed and executed by Cater Communications, acts as a watchdog for the oil and gas industry. Recently, we developed a video series that exposes the impacts of urban oil extraction on vulnerable communities in Los Angeles. The series, #BadNeighbors, captures the voices and stories of people living next door to oil drilling, putting human faces on the problem of health impacts. The hashtag was trending the day of the launch, and the five videos made over 5 million impressions, were viewed more than half a million times and were shared by more than 70 organizations. The series was also featured on KCET news and inspired pieces on CBS, FastCompany, NowThis and DeSmogBlog.

Hundreds of scientists and thousands of supporters gathered in Boston’s Copley Square outside of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) conference in reaction to recent Administration attacks on evidence-based decision-making and its embrace of “alternative facts.” The rally featured prominent scientists speaking about the importance of scientific research in forming policies. Cater Communications assisted in messaging, conducted extensive outreach, arranged interviews and prepped experts for media engagement. The rally earned coverage in more than 300 media outlets, including the AP, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Economist, The Guardian, Gizmodo, BBC News, The Daily Mail, Mashable, Scientific American, ABC News, U.S. News & World Report, Vox, The Hilland Christian Science Monitor. The New York Times live-streamed the rally.   

The International Council on Clean Transportation – the independent research organization that uncovered the VW emissions scandal – released a new report showing that the EPA overstated the cost of efficiency technologies needed to meet federal fuel economy standards for cars and light-duty trucks by as much as 40 percent, leading to exaggerated industry cost claims. Cater Communications released the findings, which earned coverage in The New York Times, The Washington Post, NY Daily News, Reuters, Forbes, ClimateWire, The Drive, Inside EPA, Ars Technica, Green Car Congress, HybridCars.com, Green Car Reports and more.

When the Netherlands decided to hold a VIP conference with California leaders focused on clean energy business and investment opportunities, it called Cater Communications. Cater worked with the Consulate of the Netherlands to produce the event, tending to details big and small; from designing the layout, managing vendors, developing graphics and signage and facilitating presentations, to building a social media presence and providing on-the-ground support the day of the event. The summit, called Climate Is Big Business, featured California Gov. Jerry Brown, Dutch Minister for the Environment Sharon Dijksma, Secretary of CalEPA Matthew Rodriguez, as well as thought and business leaders including Amory Lovins, Andrew Steer and Adair Turner.

Empowered by Light, a nonprofit that helps remote communities throughout the world develop renewable energy projects, recently announced plans to return to Nepal with partner Empower Generation to take on two new projects: installing a solar system to light and power an isolated ranger outpost in UNESCO World Heritage site Chitwan National Park; and providing local women with tools and training to sell low-cost, clean energy technologies to communities living around the park. The two organizations also released a stunning 20-minute film, Bufferzone, that details the unique challenges facing the region, and highlights the role renewable energy plays in protecting endangered species and boosting economic development. Cater Communications released the announcement and the new video, securing thousands of video views and coverage in multiple outlets, including EcoWatch, CleanTechnica, Planet Experts, Sea Change Radio, Eyes on Conservation, The Revelator and TGEink.

There may be restrictions on where and how Big Tobacco can advertise, but the industry still has many tricks up its sleeve to get people hooked. That’s why the American Lung Association in California asked Cater Communications to create and execute a promotional campaign to call attention to the ways Big Tobacco is intentionally marketing its products to children. Cater created seven unique ads and launched a targeted online and outdoor advertising campaign in Fresno, California. Cater ran ads on Google Adwords, across social media and in the Fresno Bee, in conjunction with physical placements inside of buses and on two full-sized billboards in the Fresno area.

The New York Energy Democracy Alliance called on Gov. Cuomo to fill at least one of the three open seats on the Public Service Commission with a “People’s Commissioner” committed to serving the best interests of the people and the environment of New York. Working with Cater Communications, EDA’s “People’s Commissioner” campaign earned significant media coverage across the state, including an op-ed and editorial cartoon placement in the Albany Times Union and multiple TV, radio and online news stories.

Hundreds of scientists donned white lab coats and rallied outside the American Geophysical Union annual meeting in San Francisco to remind the incoming Trump administration that science does not bend to political agendas. Bearing hand-made signs with messages including “Ice has no agenda… it just melts,” the researchers made it clear they won't tolerate political interference in their work. Joined by citizen groups from across the Bay Area, the scientists reaffirmed their commitment to help vulnerable communities address climate change. The next day, the Trump transition team announced it would not require the Energy Department to identify all employees who have worked on climate issues.

Cater Communications was pleased to assist ClimateTruth.org and the Natural History Museum with the Stand up For Science rally, which received significant coverage, including the Associated Press, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post, Buzzfeed, and Mashable, along with dozens of other outlets. It was also featured on ABC World News Tonight and CNN.

A post-election poll conducted by the Republican firm Public Opinion Strategies found 75 percent of Drumpf voters support action to accelerate the deployment and use of clean energy, including wind, solar, efficiency, and community-renewable projects. The Conservative Energy Network released the results at the National Press Club, earning coverage in national and state-level media outlets.

The second annual Conservative Clean Energy Summit highlighted strong support among conservatives for renewables and efficiency. The September event, hosted by Young Conservatives for Energy Reform and the Christian Coalition, featured themes of economic strength, national security, and family health. Senators including Chuck Grassley, Lindsey Graham, Dean Heller, Cory Gardner, and Mark Kirk spoke at the Conservative Clean Energy Summit, as did Reps. Mark Sanford, David Young, Chris Gibson, and Tom Reed. TTwenty-five outlets covered and/or attended the event, including national news outlets like Reuters, Washington Examiner and Politico; state outlets including Virginia News Connection and Florida News Network; and radio stations across Michigan and Florida.

Ceres’ Insurer Climate Risk Disclosure Survey Report and Scorecard found, since the last report two years ago, that the largest insurers – those with more than $5 billion in direct written premiums – are increasingly accounting for climate change risk to their clients and investments. Forbes, Insurance Journal, International Business Times, Insurance Business, Hartford Courant, Hartford Business, Business Insurance, MarketWatch, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Sustainable Brands, GreenBiz, and Triple Pundit covered the news.

California is the first state in the nation to set energy efficiency standards for computers and monitors. Californians will save up to $373 million each year, while saving enough energy to power 350,000 homes annually. Cater Communications worked with tech firms, small businesses, schools, and efficiency experts to place op-eds and build a drumbeat of support for the pioneering rules, which were the result of years of negotiations among industry leaders, consumer advocates, and environmental groups.

Cater also worked with consumer groups and the California Delivers coalition to earn coverage in Reuters, Venture Beat, the Associated Press, San Francisco Chronicle, The Mercury News, The Sacramento Bee, The San Diego Union-Tribune, the Daily Bulletin, and many other outlets.

In just four years, electric vehicle (EV) sales are hitting numbers it took hybrids a full decade to reach, according to the Consumer Federation of America's second annual survey and report on electric cars and trucks. Younger Americans are especially interested in EVs, and that demographic bump paves the way for sustained future growth. Coverage included Washington Examiner, Green Car Reports, Consumer Affairs, Vox, Motley Fool, Michigan Radio, and Cars.com.

As for the biggest car buying state – California – it just hit a major milestone. The Golden State saw its 250,000th electric vehicle sold in November. A PEV Collaborative release on the achievement quoted Air Resources Board Chair Mary Nichols saying, “Californians can take pride in driving the nation toward a zero-emission future. A widespread shift to zero-emission vehicles is technologically feasible and economically sensible. It will clean our air and protect our climate.” LA Daily News, Capitol Public Radio, KPBS, Clean Technica, HybridCars.com, Green Car Congress, Inside EVs, and Electrek are among the outlets that covered the story.

In a powerful reminder of the hidden cost of driving gas-powered cars, the American Lung Association of California looked at 10 states and found petroleum-powered vehicles are responsible for $37 billion in health and climate costs each year. If drivers in these 10 states were to switch to emission-free vehicles by 2030, the states would collectively save $13 billion in health costs annually. Stories appeared throughout these states and nationally, including in Wired, Fortune, TakePart, The Drive, Fleet Owner, Greentech Media, Gas2.0, Sacramento Bee, San Diego Union-Tribune, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Press Enterprise, Fresno Bee, Connecticut Post, and NJ Spotlight.

After a planned technical review of fuel economy standards, the Obama Administration confirmed the fleet-wide average goal automakers first agreed to back in 2009. Ceres, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union (the policy arm of Consumer Reports) and CALSTART say maintaining robust fuel-economy standards help American automakers stay competitive around the world, generate and protect jobs, and insulate consumers from gas-price spikes. Coverage included USA Today, Detroit News, BNA Bloomberg, Detroit Free Press, Green Car Reports, Fleet Owner, The Hill, Consumer Affairs, Washington Examiner, Cars.com, Clean Technica and more.
 
Ceres’ transportation program leader, Carol Lee Rawn, joined industry analysts Alan Baum and Dan Lauria in making the case for strong fuel-economy standards in the Wall Street Journal and Midwest Energy News. Their analysis underscores how strong fuel economy standards protect automakers, supplier profits, and jobs from volatile fuel costs – whether gas prices spike or drop.

The New York Energy Democracy Alliance – whose members include community-based organizations, grassroots groups, and policy experts – is working to accelerate the State’s efforts to chart a clean energy future, and ensure it benefits all New Yorkers, especially low-income and working class households and communities of color. From op-eds to television interviews to online news coverage, Alliance members are keeping the pressure on Albany to do the right thing. And from media guidance to branding work, Cater is excited to help the Alliance put a human face on energy policy.

Methane – a primary component of natural gas – is one of the most potent greenhouse gases. Across the country, natural gas extraction, transportation, and storage are leaking huge amounts of methane and other chemicals. This is taking a toll on the climate and the health of millions of Americans – especially those in vulnerable communities. Stop Fooling CA, a social media campaign created and managed by Cater Communications, launched a micro-campaign, #CAMethProblem, to draw attention to California’s little-talked-about methane problem. In collaboration with partners from Environment California and with support from equity partners, SFC created a series of 6 videos, reaching more than 2.6 million Californiansthrough Facebook and Twitter.

The Solutions Project’s Mark Ruffalo joined Wahleah Johns of Native Renewables to deliver Navajo-made solar trailers to power the camp where Native Americans and their allies have spent months fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline. What began as one Native American tribe’s stand to protect water and sacred sites on their land has become a historic gathering of members from every North American tribe. Cater Communications helped generate widespread coverage including television outlets CNN, HLN, and MSNBC; the Associated Press; dozens of newspapers; and celebrity-centric outlets like People and Entertainment Weekly, as well as a heartfelt opinion piece Mark Ruffalo published in The Guardian. A few weeks later, the Army Corps of Engineers denied an easement and threw the pipeline’s future into question. Stay tuned.

The Solutions Project launched the Fighter Fund to provide rapid-response grants, targeting situations where up to $15,000 invested at the right time can make all the difference. These action grants, supported in part by actors Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio, help community-based groups on the front lines fight for clean energy and climate justice. Outlets ranging from Fast Company to Inside Philanthropy to Politico’s Morning Energy picked up the story.

This August, the Administration issued the strongest fuel-economy rules in U.S. history for heavy- and medium-duty diesel trucks, with widespread support from industry. Cater Communications worked with the Heavy Duty Leadership Group, whose members include major industry leaders and fleet owners Cummins, Eaton, FedEx, PepsiCo, Wabash and Waste Management, to weigh in on the standards leading up to and on the day of release. Coverage included the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Bloomberg, Reuters, USA Today, Washington Examiner, Scientific American, Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, Trucks.com, Fleet Owner and more.

Also weighing in were 11 natural food companies and retailers, who wrote to EPA and NHTSA asking for strong heavy-duty fuel-economy standards. General Mills, Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s and nine other signers are all members of Ceres’ BICEP, which asked Cater Communications to amplify the letter with a media alert and a DC-targeted ad campaign. The effort garnered attention in Politico, Washington Examiner, Trucks.com and other outlets, and ads designed and placed by Cater ran full-page in Politico and in banners on The Hill’s website.

Finally, CALSTART released an in-depth report on America’s heavy-duty supplier network ahead of the standards’ release. It found that the U.S. has a rich, nationwide network of high-efficiency suppliers producing and developing products that can meet strong fuel-economy and emissions targets. Coverage appeared in the Washington Examiner, E&E News, Trucks.com, FleetOwner, TruckingInfo.com, NGT News and Green Car Congress.

At key moments in the public debate, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) weighed in with strong consumer support for both light- and heavy-duty miles-per-gallon standards. Coverage included New York Times, Washington Post, CBS News, Morning Consult, Detroit News, TruckNews.com, Consumer Affairs, AutoBlog.com and Environmental Leader.

A CFA report, also released by Cater, analyzed all 1,094 current model year vehicles offered by major automakers and found that Americans shopping for new cars and trucks have more fuel-efficient options than ever, thanks to national fuel economy standards. CFA found that these vehicles are meeting and beating rising miles-per-gallon standards – and, as result, consumers are saving money. NBC TV produced a package broadcast on more than 70 stations across the country. Forbes, Consumer Affairs, E&E News (syndicated to Scientific American), POLITICO, Detroit Bureau, Edmunds.com and many other outlets also wrote about the report. Additionally, it caught the attention of the Auto Alliance, auto manufacturers’ main trade group in Washington, which tweeted about it.

“After all, the auto industry is expected to break sales records this year, for the second year in a row. American families are being offered a wide-range of vehicles with fabulous features and performance at ever-increasing levels of fuel efficiency at affordable prices.”

So said Chuck Frank, a Chicago auto dealer for almost three decades, in an op-ed in the Detroit News, with the help of Cater Communications.

He continued: “Put simply: the standards are working… Despite all of the sales records being broken, we are now hearing an old, familiar complaint from automakers and dealers. ‘We can’t meet the standard,’ they say. ‘It’s too expensive, and we can’t develop the technology.’ Baloney.”’

Former Indianapolis mayor and veteran, Greg Ballard, and General Richard Zilmer (ret). urged the country to continue reducing our dependence on oil with strong fuel economy standards, because over-dependence on oil puts us at risk.

“Over-reliance on oil ties our nation to far-flung conflicts, sends our troops into harm’s way, and endangers them once they’re in conflict zones,” said Gen. Zilmer, who led our Marine forces in Iraq from 2006 to 2007, in The Hill.

“Despite known ties between the global oil market and terrorism, we continue to rely on oil to fuel our transportation industry, inadvertently funding our enemies and putting the lives of our men and women in uniform in harm’s way,” wrote Mayor Ballard in Midwest Energy News.

Our senior Washington director, Aaron Huertas, moderated a panel discussion at the National Building Museum on climate change and the built environment. C-SPAN covered the panel live. Aaron's opening remarks focused on what he asks climate scientists to emphasize when discussing their research, including local effects of climate change and the differences between past, natural warming and today's rapid, industrially driven climate change. Earlier this summer, the American Chemical Society named Aaron's science communication blog a "must read."

At this year’s annual Exxon shareholder meeting, CEO Rex Tillerson got a question from a recent chemistry graduate whose grandfather, James F. Black, first warned company executives about climate change risks nearly 40 years ago. Anna Kalinsky asked Tillerson if the company would reconsider its membership in organizations like the American Legislative Exchange Council, which contradict the research her grandfather and other Exxon scientists have done over the years. Tillerson said no, but working with ClimateTruth.org and Cater Communications, Anna was able to challenge the company’s thinking and underscore the value of scientific research in outlets including the BBC, Grist, Dallas Morning News, Reuters and Democracy Now.

Joining the inter-generational effort to hold Exxon accountable, Claudia Black-Kalinsky –  Anna’s mother and James Black’s daughter - worked with ClimateTruth.org and Cater Communications to author and place an op-ed for the Guardian, arguing the company should finally heed his warnings and stop funding groups that reject climate science and block climate policy. “Instead of confusing the public on climate change,” she wrote, “Tillerson should channel the company’s incredible resources – including its scientists and lobbying muscle – to solving it.” The op-ed was shared more than 4,000 times online, including by Elon Musk on Twitter, and generated more than 400 comments.

A pioneering partnership among six San Francisco Bay Area hospitals is harnessing technology to improve healthcare for the region’s most vulnerable patients. The PreManage ED system facilitates collaborative treatment for patients who typically turn to emergency rooms as their first point of contact for healthcare, sometimes as often as three times per week. The hospitals, operated by Sutter Health and Alameda Health Systems, are using technology to ensure that emergency departments, community health clinics and social service agencies can share health records, care plans and other relevant patient data in real time, to deliver comprehensive, cost-effective care and improve patient access to services. Working with communications firm Message LA, Cater helped plan and execute PreManage ED’s launch, which earned coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle, Kaiser Health News, Healthcare Informatics, Modern Healthcare, Hospitals and Health Networks Magazine, Healthcare IT News, Public News Service, KGO-AM and several other outlets.

When global energy leaders flocked to San Francisco for the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM) in June, the California Clean Energy Fund hosted 100 cleantech entrepreneurs from around the world to showcase today’s greatest innovations in clean energy technology. Cater Communications executed an outreach strategy that included connecting with dozens of clean energy organizations and companies, creating ads for CEM materials and securing media placements in top-tier publications such as New York Times, Bloomberg Television, KQED Forum, Fortune and the San Francisco Chronicle.

With a 1,378 percent increase in just five years, solar energy generation is undergoing explosive growth in California. So are clean cars: clean vehicle adoption has increased 244 percent in just two years. These are a couple of the findings from Next 10’s 2016 California Green Innovation Index, which tracks key economic and environmental indicators at the international, national, state and regional levels. The eighth annual Index was compiled by Beacon Economics and released by Cater Communications on behalf of non-partisan organization Next 10. The report found unexpected parts of California, such as the Inland Empire, leading the state in terms of growing the clean economy and generating solar energy. The Index, which identifies California as a global leader in growing its economy without increasing its per capita greenhouse gas emissions, received national and state-wide coverage in The Atlantic, San Diego Union-Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Sacramento Bee, KPCC, Los Angeles News Group, Sacramento Business Journal and The San Bernardino Sun.

Strong national fuel-economy and emissions standards provide a cost-effective “insurance policy” against future fuel price shocks for automakers, and maintaining the standards is in the economic interest of automotive suppliers, regardless of whether gas prices rise or fall. That’s the finding of a policy brief commissioned by Ceres and produced by independent automotive industry analysts. Cater Communications helped release the report, which was cited in outlets nationwide including the Detroit News, Bloomberg and The Car Connection.

Faced with high housing costs, California’s low- and middle-wage workers are packing up and moving out of state. This is perhaps the most important takeaway from a series of reports commissioned by non-partisan organization Next 10 and produced by Beacon Economics, which analyzed California's housing market, net migration and employment by income. The reports were released by Cater Communications and generated coverage in the Los Angeles Times, KQED, Southern California Public Radio (KPCC), the San Diego Union-Tribune and other outlets. Using Next 10’s groundbreaking Compare 50 tool, which compares U.S. states across 150 indicators, the reports caution that despite high rates of job growth, California could face a shortage of workers as people are forced out of state by rising housing prices.

Fuel economy standards are dramatically lowering global oil use. And that’s good news for the U.S. economy, according to a report on oil market futures from the International Council on Clean Transportation, Cambridge Econometrics and Pöyry Management Consulting. Cater Communications helped release the report ahead of a Carnegie Endowment for International Peace event on oil, and it was cited in Bloomberg News and The Car Connection. Cater Communications also developed an infographic demonstrating where oil-use reductions are coming from.

Hundreds of conservative activists from across the country came to Washington this fall for the Conservative Clean Energy Summit, hosted by the Christian Coalition and Young Conservatives for Energy Reform. Republican Senators Lindsey Graham, John McCain, Chuck Grassley, Rob Portman, Tim Scott, Dean Heller, and Richard Burr spoke at the Capitol Hill event, as did Rep. Chris Gibson. Also participating: CNA Military Advisory Board members Gen. Ron Keys and Lt. Gen. Richard Zilmer, clean energy business leaders and key Republican pollsters. Cater Communications provided strategic guidance, organized and moderated panels and managed media outreach. In attendance: Reuters, The New York Times, POLITICO,  E&E Publishing, TGE Ink and The New Yorker.

Ahead of high-stakes global climate negotiations in Paris, Cater Communications helped The Solutions Project and Stanford University professor Mark Jacobson release 139 country-level roadmaps to get to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Jacobson presented his research at a Congressional hearing, speaking alongside ambassadors and diplomats. Cater’s outreach to Beltway, national and international press generated coverage in The New York Times, Scientific American, the San Francisco Chronicle,  Fast Company, Public News Service, Inside Climate News, and more than a dozen international outlets in Croatia, Poland, South Africa and other countries.

The ocean doesn’t care what party you belong to, and local leaders in red and blue states alike understand that rising seas and increased coastal flooding mean growing risks for people, homes and businesses. In October, more than 30 coastal mayors and other elected leaders, including an equal number of Republicans and Democrats, gathered for the Rising Tides summit in New Hampshire. State Sen. Nancy Stiles (R-Hampton) and Mayor Bob Lister (D-Portsmouth) hosted the event, with organizational help from the Union of Concerned Scientists and the World Resources Institute. Cater Communications managed the summit’s radio tour, securing 10 in-district interviews for elected officials in Alabama, Florida, New York and Rhode Island.

From fighting clean air laws to causing oil spills, the oil and gas industry has been busy in California this year -- and so has the public education campaign Stop Fooling CA (SFC). When the oil industry was caught dumping chemical-laden wastewater into unlined pits without permits, SFC joined with Clean Water Action to launch the #WaterNotOil campaign. When Phillips 66 painted a rosy picture of its proposed rail spur to San Luis Obispo, SFC worked with ForestEthics and created new websites to tell the rest of the story. When the oil industry deployed front groups and ramped up lobbying efforts to try to derail SB 350, SFC fought back with infographics, editorial cartoons, and a press release. And when documents revealed that Exxon knew about climate science for decades but continued to promote doubt about it, SFC’s brief video highlighting the company’s inconsistencies was re-tweeted by Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Klein and Bill McKibben, reaching more than 2.7 million people.

Farmers fuel the future. Ahead of the Paris climate talks, Cater Communications secured a national story on PBS showcasing rural America’s growing leadership in renewable energy. The piece highlighted several clean energy projects spearheaded by the 25x’25 Alliance and its partners in Iowa and Indiana.

Pope Francis’ visit to America was historic on many levels, not the least of which was his climate change appeal to Catholic congressmen, many of whom challenge the scientific consensus. Cater Communications worked with the national nonprofit organization Interfaith Power & Light (IPL) to amplify the call to action for moral reasons. IPL's founder and president, the Rev. Sally Bingham, greeted Pope Francis upon his arrival at the White House and later spoke to thousands at a climate rally on the National Mall. As IPL chapters around the nation held vigils in the Pope’s honor, IPL deacon Jerry Kotas flew to Washington to serve at Mass with the Pontiff. Cater secured an op ed in the Denver Post from Deacon Kotas, as well as coverage in The Huffington Post, the Guardian, Mother Jones, Al Jazeera, The Denver Post, Voice of America, Colorado Public Radio, Good Day Colorado, and the Public News Service among others.

In the heart of the world's largest energy storage cluster, San Francisco-based CalCharge is working to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced battery technologies. Cater Communications helped CalCharge announce its first Southern California members at the Energy Storage North America conference in San Diego in October. On the list: Southern California Edison, CalCharge’s first utility member; and UC San Diego, home to a pioneering microgrid and the Sustainable Power and Energy Center. The event scored coverage in EnergyWire, San Diego Business Journal, KPBS, CleanTechnica, and AltEnergyMag.

Cater Communications worked with the California Clean Energy Fund, Kevala and Stop Fooling CA to create and release an online interactive map showing the ways Volkswagen’s diesel scandal has hit California’s disadvantaged communities especially hard. The story scored coverage in POLITICO, the New York Times, Grist, San Jose Mercury News, Triple Pundit, CleanTechnica, Capitol Television News Service, and radio stations across the state, and Cater worked with Danny Kennedy of the California Clean Energy Fund and Sara Chandler from Greenlining to place an op-ed in Fox & Hounds.

As California moves to divest employee pension funds from coal assets, Jeremy Leggett - chairman of the Carbon Tracker Initiative, a think tank focused on aligning capital market actions with climate reality - traveled from the UK to Sacramento to share his expertise. Accompanied by the California Clean Energy Fund’s Danny Kennedy on a tour supported by Cater Communications, Leggett spoke with the California Energy Commission, held an interactive digital forum about investment opportunities in the clean-energy economy and met with reporters. Stories appeared in ClimateWire, Grist and KGO, and Cater worked with Leggett and Kennedy to place an op-ed in the Sacramento Bee.  

Biotech firm Genentech’s new 255,000-square-foot building in South San Francisco is highly energy-efficient and comfortable, thanks to Berkeley Lab’s FLEXLABTM. The building - the first to be tested at FLEXLAB - will consume about 30 percent less energy than a typical office building, while maximizing employee comfort. Cater Communications partnered with Genentech and Weber Shandwick to publicize the building’s ribbon-cutting event, attended by Gov. Jerry Brown and Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. Coverage appeared in The San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Business Times, and GreenBiz.

Loose nukes, rogue actors, terrorist groups vying for power, and the modernization of existing nuclear arsenals — these are all part of a new age of nuclear insecurity that also offers unprecedented opportunity for innovation. That’s the groundbreaking approach pioneered by N Square, an organization dedicated to nuclear security in this dangerous new age and supported by the nation's largest peace and security funders. Cater Communications has helped N Square reach target audiences through private meetings, salon dinners and pop-up labs in Maine, San Francisco and Chicago. When N Square challenged gamers to save the world in real life by designing a game to engage players in nuclear security issues, Cater Communications secured coverage in VentureBeat, Polygon and Popular Technology Radio, and helped generate widespread social media buzz.

Industry leaders and top consumer experts care about making trucks cleaner and more fuel-efficient. Working with Cater Communications, they called for more stringent standards. Frito Lay and other CALSTART members joined vehicles expert Jack Gillis of the Consumer Federation of America to talk to journalists about the issue, generating coverage in The Wall Street Journal, ClimateWire, and Fleet Owner.

The Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle,  ABC 7 News in Los Angeles and many other California outlets covered the launch of Next 10’s Transit Scorecard, which ranks transit stations across California based on a series of metrics such as walkability. Cater handled media outreach, and worked with Next 10 to place an opinion column in the San Diego Union-Tribune. Next 10 and Cater also garnered wide radio coverage and an MSNBC feature about the report California Innovation and Meeting the Water Challenge, which highlighted a surge of venture capital investment in water technologies as California strives to meet conservation goals.

To encourage re-adoption of California’s historic Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Cater Communications worked with Ceres, California Treasurer John Chiang and other top business leaders to highlight its economic, consumer and security benefits. Cater placed an opinion column in the Sacramento Bee and a letter to the editor in the San Jose Mercury News, while encouraging the San Francisco Chronicle to editorialize in favor of strong standards.

Regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants through market-based mechanisms can go hand in hand with economic benefits. That’s the conclusion of a new report from the economic consulting firm Analysis Group, which examined the experience of states participating in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, providing valuable lessons for states across the country now evaluating their options under the EPA’s Clean Power Plan. Cater Communications generated media coverage that reached a wide range of key stakeholders, including pieces in the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Times, Bloomberg Business, Washington Post, Forbes, Politico, ClimateWire, SNL Energy, Platts, Inside EPA, Bloomberg BNA, Penn Energy, Baltimore Sun, Boston Globe, Hartford Business Journal, and Albany Times Union.

Actors Mark Ruffalo and Leonardo DiCaprio joined New Yorkers from all walks of life and every political persuasion to launch The Solutions Project’s 100% campaign to make clean energy more accessible and affordable for 100% of the people. Cater Communications contributed to messaging efforts and handled media outreach. In addition to coverage by the New York Observer (video + article), the Chicago Sun-Times/SPLASH magazine, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and The Tavis Smiley Show, AP video and wire stories were picked up by top-tier international, national, and state-level outlets across 100% of the country.

Next 10’s Green Innovation Index went international in 2015, measuring how the Golden State’s innovative clean energy economy matches up against the world’s top greenhouse-gas-emitting nations. Coverage generated by Cater Communications included the International Business Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Europa Press and GreenBiz Italia, as well as amplification by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Australia’s Climate Council.

When the Obama Administration released draft rules to increase fuel economy for heavy-duty trucks, major fleet owners, manufacturers and suppliers including FedEx, PepsiCo, Eaton, and Cummins supported the move. Cater Communications led the effort to get these business voices heard in major national outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and Bloomberg.

Pope Francis made history this June with his highly anticipated encyclical, "Laudito Si", calling on the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics to take action on climate change. One of the first to identify climate change as a moral issue, national non-profit Interfaith Power & Light has been active in uniting all faith groups to take concrete action to reduce carbon emissions for over 15 years. Cater Communications worked with IPL to amplify the Pope’s message beyond the Catholic community, receiving coverage by major outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Guardian, The Hill, Newsweek, and International Business Times. IPL leaders were also featured guests on programs including The Diane Rehm Show, Thom Hartmann Program, and Interfaith Voices.

Supporting passage of the nation’s first energy efficiency standards for computers, the Consumer Federation of America and other top consumer experts provided hard evidence of consumer dollars saved when computers stop guzzling energy. Cater Communications worked to generate coverage including a strong editorial in favor of the standard by The San Francisco Chronicle, as well as stories on KPIX-TV, KGO-AM, KCBS-AM, KPBS-FM and Capital Television News Service featuring CFA’s Mark Cooper. The Sacramento Business Journal published an opinion column by the Consumer Federation of America and Consumer Action.

Consumer Federation of America polling found that consumers expect gas prices to rise by 80 percent in the next five years, so it’s no wonder 86 percent of respondents say miles-per-gallon ratings will be an important factor they consider when shopping for their next vehicle. Cater Communications worked to place stories in national outlets including NBC News, Time magazine and The Washington Times.

American Lung Association in California launched its Doctors for Climate Health campaign, highlighting 32 doctors from across the state who support AB 32, California’s pioneering climate and clean air legislation. Cater Communications produced 32 custom social media graphics for the campaign, showcasing each doctor and their climate concerns.

In the midst of California’s historic drought, Clean Water Action discovered that the oil industry is illegally contaminating hundreds of wells with chemical-laden wastewater in oil-rich Kern County. The sassy and satirical social media campaign Stop Fooling CA started the influential #WaterNotOil hashtag campaign, which reached millions of Facebook and Twitter users and caught on with high-profile voices such as actor Mark Ruffalo and EarthWorks.  

In March, CNA Military Advisory Board (MAB) members traveled to Texas, Florida and Minnesota to highlight the urgent need to act on climate change for the sake of America’s national security. The MAB and Cater Communications worked closely with partners on the ground, including Young Conservatives for Energy Reform and the British Consulates in Houston and Miami, to set up meetings with key leaders and generate coverage. In addition to five TV stories in Texas and one in Minnesota, coverage included radio stories, print articles, and op-ed placements in the Austin American-Statesman, the Miami Herald, and the St. Cloud Times.

Leaders from the clean fuels industry gathered at the California State Capitol to discuss the state’s innovative Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) as part of CALSTART’s exclusive annual Clean, Low-Carbon Fuels Summit. Cater Communications coordinated opportunities for reporters to get exclusive access to these leaders as the California Air Resources Board prepared to re-adopt LCFS. The event was attended by Inside Cal-EPA, Reuters, ClimateWire, Sacramento Business Journal and other news outlets.

Cater Communications worked with the National Association of State Energy Offices and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships to develop compelling messaging, graphics and sample strategic communication plans designed to help families and businesses reduce energy use during winter peak months. Officials used this positive, action-oriented campaign to help consumers take control of their energy use, save energy and money, and stay warm all winter. 

To protect California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard, Cater Communications worked with partners to publish a series of compelling op-eds to tell the story of success around the state’s pioneering clean fuels standards. Cater worked with Anaergia’s CEO to place an op-ed with the Los Angeles News Group, collaborated with San Diego investor Paul Zorner on an op-ed for the San Diego Business Journal, and worked with national security expert Leo Goff of the CNA Military Advisory Board to place an op-ed in Sacramento’s Capitol Weekly. 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory launched the world’s most advanced energy efficiency test bed, FLEXLAB, the brainchild of Berkeley Lab energy efficiency experts. Cater Communications spearheaded the launch, securing extensive coverage in The Guardian, The San Francisco Chronicle, FOX News, San Jose Mercury News and many other outlets.

During the largest march for climate action in history, The Solutions Project leaders and colleagues Mark Ruffalo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Edward Norton, Leilani Munter, Marco Krapels, Brandon Hurlbut, Sarah Shanley Hope and Jon Wank supported frontline indigenous community leaders at the head of the 60 block and over 200,000 person-strong protest calling for 100% clean energy for 100% of America. Cater Communications was on the ground with the team, live blogging and providing real-time strategic media outreach and communications support. Coverage included an op-ed by Mark Ruffalo in The Huffington Post, and appearances on Fox News, CNN and The Daily Show.

In the face of repeated attacks on California’s pioneering AB 32 clean energy standards, Cater Communications worked with partners to fight back with targeted op-eds and news stories, making the economic case for ongoing action in Los Angeles News Group, San Diego Union Tribune, San Jose Mercury News, Desert Sun, Businessweek and many other outlets.

When an Analysis Group assessment found states are well positioned to implement the EPA’s Clean Power Plan, Cater Communications designed and executed a successful release strategy, including the development of original icons and infographics. The assessment earned coverage in dozens of national publications including National Geographic, Salon, E&E TV, Breaking Energy and Forbes. It also generated buzz on social media, including a post from Nat Geo and USA Today’s Wendy Koch.

Energy efficiency projects, sparked by DOE’s national laboratories, are boosting economies in states across the country. Cater Communications worked with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to develop an interactive touchscreen app that tells these stories. The custom app debuted at National Lab Day on Capitol Hill.

Despite their position on the economic front lines of climate change, most insurance companies show a profound lack of preparedness in addressing climate-related risks and opportunities. Cater Communications supported the release of a Ceres report ranking the nation's 330 largest insurance companies on what they are saying and doing to respond to escalating climate risks. The report earned coverage in The New York Times, Reuters, Bloomberg, Insurance Journal and The Wall Street Journal.

In one of the most heated and expensive ballot initiative battles in years, California voters headed to the polls armed with in-depth nonpartisan information thanks to Next 10’s pioneering website, California Choices. Cater Communications created buzz and drove voters to the site through a mix of opinion columns, editorial outreach and electronic and other media engagement.

When polling from the Consumer Federation of America found that three-quarters of U.S. consumers favor requiring manufacturers to increase the fuel efficiency of large trucks, Cater Communications worked to place stories in national outlets including U.S. News & World Report, National Journal and ClimateWire.

When the Iowa Supreme Court issued a landmark decision allowing third-party power purchase agreements for solar energy, Cater Communications worked with the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL), to generate widespread coverage of this win for Iowa consumers. Highlights included an editorial cartoon in Iowa City Press-Citizen, interviews with the statewide Radio Iowa network and KFJB-FM and an op-ed in the Cedar Rapids Gazette.

As part of a post-election effort to build Republican support for clean energy action, Cater Communications secured targeted media opportunities for Young Conservatives for Energy Reform President Michele Combs and CNA Military Advisory Board member Lt. General Richard Zilmer, USMC (Ret.), during their November trip to Michigan. Coverage included an article in MLive.com and interviews with WGVU-TV, the Frontlines of Freedom radio show, the Michigan Talk Network and Michigan’s Big Show.

As California’s Title 20 rulemaking process for plug-in digital devices moves forward, state and national consumer groups are weighing in to support greater energy efficiency. Working with the Consumer Federation of America and Consumer Action, Cater Communications placed op-eds in the Sacramento Bee and Fierce Energy calling for California Energy Commission action and applauding the veto of a bill that would have hamstrung the process.

When Californians sped past a major mile-marker – buying more than 100,000 plug-in cars since 2010 – Cater Communications helped generate significant coverage for the Plug-In Electric Vehicle Collaborative and its members in The New York Times, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and San Jose Mercury News.

In the midst of an historic drought, educating Californians about the state’s coming trillion-gallon water gap is no small task. The nonpartisan nonprofit group Next 10 tapped Cater Communications to publicize its new online tool, The California Water Challenge, and build a strong user base. We engaged the U.S. Drought Monitor in our efforts and executed a media campaign that earned publicity in some of the state’s top electronic outlets (KQED, KPBS, ABC7, KPIX) and reached more than 120,000 Twitter accounts.

Working with local partners and NCEL, Cater Communications helped get the word out about the grand opening of Iowa’s largest solar farm — a project of Farmers Electric Cooperative and Eagle Point Solar. The event featured bipartisan political, agricultural, business and military leaders. It earned widespread TV, radio, print and online news coverage throughout the state and nation. The Des Moines Register, the state’s top newspaper, published an op-ed by CNA Military Advisory Board member Gen. Ronald Keys, Air Force (Ret.), to coincide with the event.

When CalCharge, an initiative designed to accelerate the development of the energy storage sector in California, announced the completion of a cooperative research agreement with SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Cater Communications helped secure media coverage, including a story on ABC7.

Bridging the Partisan Divide over Climate Change might seem like an impossible task, but it’s the subject of Morrow Cater’s TED talk, and it’s getting a lot of attention. Morrow is Cater Communications’ founding principal. Challenging conventional liberal wisdom, she draws on her long experience working with leaders across the political spectrum and across the country, including courageous conservatives who refuse to let politics trump science.

Our nation's highest-ranking retired military leaders identified climate change as a "catalyst for conflict" in CNA’s recently released Military Advisory Board report, "National Security and the Accelerating Risks of Climate Change." Working with a bipartisan team of experts, Cater Communications helped develop and execute a multi-dimensional launch landing coverage in Wall Street Journal (which included video and radio), Daily Caller, Foreign Policy, National Review, NBC, The New York Times, E&E, Platts, The Guardian, Climatewire and The Week, among others.

In the heart of the world's largest energy storage cluster, Cater Communications helped CalCharge — a public-private partnership accelerating development, commercialization and adoption of new energy storage technologies — announce its first members to a packed audience at a high-profile Department of Energy event. The impressive lineup of members ranged from multinational giants like Duracell and Volkswagen, to cutting-edge startups. Stories appeared in San Francisco Chronicle, KQED, Silicon Valley Business Journal, ClimateWire and Greentech Media, among other media outlets.

Cater Communications worked with UCSF and its partners to launch the Brain Health Registry — a groundbreaking online project designed to speed the path to cures for brain disease — and shattered initial registration goals. The project kicked off with an eye-catching San Francisco Bay swim event at the historic Dolphin Club. Coverage included front page stories in Huffington Post, San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Examiner, as well as pieces in San Jose Mercury News and other outlets.

Energy: A Conversation with Conservatives, produced by Cater Communications and released by Young Conservatives for Energy Reform, is being posted on Young Republican websites around the country. From business leaders to military generals, and from the head of the Christian Coalition to President Reagan’s Secretary of State, these right-leaning voices eloquently explain why clean energy matters for our economy, our national security and the American way of life.

To help keep methane-producing food out of landfills, Marin Sanitary Service — a family-owned recycling and waste hauler — launched a pioneering public/private partnership with Marin County’s wastewater treatment plant to produce electricity from food scraps and wastewater using anaerobic digestion. Stories appeared across the Bay Area, including KRON4, CBS SF and North Bay Public Media.

Cater Communications worked with The Heavy Duty Fuel Efficiency Leadership Group — an alliance of top truck fleets, engine manufacturers and technology suppliers — who urged the Administration to move forward with a schedule for big truck fuel economy improvements. Analysis by the Consumer Federation of America found that improving truck fuel economy would save businesses and consumers money, which helps drive economic growth. When President Obama announced a schedule for new big truck fuel economy standards, Cater helped Con-way Inc., Waste Management, Cummins Inc., Eaton Corporation, Wabash National Corporation as well as CFA to earn coverage in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Associated Press, Reuters, Bloomberg BusinessWeek and many others.

When former Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter engaged leaders from beyond the Beltway to provide President Obama with a plan for curbing climate change in the face of Congressional inaction, he asked Cater Communications to handle the project’s public release. Powering Forward: Presidential and Executive Agency Actions to Drive Clean Energy in America, earned coverage in The Washington Post, Politico, The Hill,Associated Press, Reuters, the National Journal, and other top outlets.  

In a series of op-eds, media interviews and events with hundreds of conservative activists, entrepreneurs and community leaders, Young Conservatives for Energy Reform is calling for Republican leadership on climate change and clean energy. In a Breaking Energy op-ed, YCER President Michele Combs encouraged Congress to pass the bipartisan Shaheen-Portman energy efficiency bill. She also traveled to Washington, DC, to participate in an energy event featuring Sen. Rob Portman (R) to discuss clean energy from a conservative perspective. 

To harness growing demand for greater energy choice and control, Cater joined with the bipartisan National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) to work with influential leaders from both parties in Iowa and Wisconsin to advocate for on-site clean energy. Highlights include creative social media tools, July 4th op-eds in The Courier and the Appleton Post-Crescent, columns in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Des Moines Register, and radio interviews praising a recent Iowa court ruling that clears the way for more distributed solar energy. 

From the Statue of Liberty to Kennedy Space Center to Mesa Verde National Park, some of America’s most treasured places are threatened by sea level rise, increased flooding and wildfires, and other side effects of climate change. When the Union of Concerned Scientists rolled out its well-received report on the subject—National Landmarks at Risk—UCS asked Cater Communications to reach out to local media in five states. Cater secured coverage in dozens of outlets in Virginia, Florida, Colorado, New Mexico and Hawaii.

Cater Communications developed and executed a robust marketing and communications strategy to help Silver Bullet Water Treatment promote the widespread adoption of its innovative clean technology in Denver and Washington, DC. The services we provided were wide-ranging, dynamic and effective. They included producing a suite of marketing material (video/brochure/web copy/other); securing meetings with potential customers at federal and state government agencies; executing a wildly successful Washington DC launch; and generating substantial coverage in Real Estate Bisnow, Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal, Environmental Leader, The Georgetowner, The Hill Rag, The Green Economy magazine, and other priority news outlets.

On politically paralyzed Capitol Hill, Cater launched a multi-media report showing Americans from across the political spectrum getting on with the business of building a clean energy future. 

At the historic heart of America’s auto industry, Detroit has not always been eager to embrace more efficient cars. But Cater worked with the president of the Michigan Automobile Dealers Association to engage national and key Detroit media through radio tours and a column touting electric vehicles in the elusive Detroit News. 

Cater organized five grassroots tours with Young Conservatives for Energy Reform and CNA Military Advisory Board members in Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, and South Carolina. Retired generals explained the economic and national security benefits of reducing fossil fuel dependence.

To prevent a key report on California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard from being framed as an “us vs. them” story, Cater positioned it as a release of newly available market trends and data by leading industry analysts. 

As leaders in the Northeast were negotiating changes to the nation’s first effort to put a mandatory price on carbon, Cater spearheaded Businesses for a Clean Economy’s work explaining the economic benefits of setting strong pollution limits. 

Cater Communications worked closely with the nonpartisan, nonprofit group Next 10 to create and publicize research that drives people to take a fresh look at California’s growing clean energy economy and the forces that influence it. 

Cater Communications worked with the Consumer Federation of America to highlight the growing demand for electric cars and other clean vehicles. When eight states announced an agreement to put millions more zero-emissions vehicles on the road, Cater and CFA made a splash in news outlets across the country.

Cater launched CalCharge’s Battery University at San Jose State. It’s the world’s first master’s degree program in advanced energy storage technology, and Bill Gates took to Twitter to call it a “great idea.” 

Cater’s Stop Fooling California, an online and social media campaign, has reached more than 2 million people, exposing Big Oil’s efforts to derail California’s clean energy and clean fuel standards. 
 

Cater spearheaded the strategic release of America’s Power Plan, a project curated by the Energy Foundation and Energy Innovation, which engaged electricity sector leaders in VIP conversations around the country.