photo credit: Victorrjr

Going “green” is big business today. Not only is going “green” an environmentally responsible approach for businesses of all sizes to take and one that is the current rage, but going “green” can leverage profit dollars to your bottom-line too.

First, what exactly do we mean by having your business go “green”? When we talk about “green”, we mean making a concerted effort to save our natural resources concerted action. Actions such as:

1. Saving on paper supplies – consider going digital for all of your internal office correspondence thereby saving on office supply costs and saving trees at the same time.
2. Lowing office energy consumption – lower your thermostat in the winter and raise it in the summer. Consider using an electronic programmable thermostat to lower your energy consumption when people are not in your office in the evenings and weekends.
3. Recycling drink bottles – get your employees to sort their lunch trash and recycle bottles and cans. Encourage the use of environmentally friendly alternatives to Styrofoam cups.
4. Using recycled paper – whenever possible use recycled paper in your print marketing materials saving trees and forests.
5. Using biodegradable alternatives – replace plastic packaging and plastic shipping materials with new biodegradable “plastic-like” alternatives. Many of these new alternatives do not cost more and warrant your consideration.
6. Driving less – drive less by consolidating the trips that you do need to make in your car saving fuel, mileage expenses, and decreasing air pollution in your city.
7. Using mass transit or considering car pooling – save money, conserve our natural resources, and lower air pollution all at the same time.
8. Buying Energy Star products – when you need new appliances or heating and cooling systems purchase those with the Energy Star label for increased efficiency and lower energy consumption. You’ll recover your initial investment and then start saving money in just a few years.
9. Stopping the Use Aerosols – use office and beauty products that are aerosol free. Consider letting your cleaning staff know to limit the use of aerosol based cleaning products in your office as well.
10. Limiting your travel by teleconferencing – not only will you minimize the pollution you would normally create in traveling but will make a significant savings on travel expenses improving your bottom-line significantly.

Although you may not be able to embrace each item in our list above, one of the biggest items that will leverage profit directly to your bottom-line is to increase your use of teleconferencing and decrease the amount of your travel both for long distance and in-town trips.

Teleconferencing provides many of the benefits of “being there” in person and now with the advent of Web conferencing (which is video with telephone conferencing combined and includes computer application sharing), putting in “face time” with a client just got significantly easier and less expensive.

When you as a business owner, do not have to pay for employee air travel, rental car expenses, hotel rooms, meals, long distance calls, mileage, and airport parking fees for even one less trip per month, the savings can be huge! Over the course of a year the potential savings and benefit to your profit can be so significant that you may change your employees to a very limited travel schedules.

What might be some of your actual cost savings? Here is just one example of actual travel expenses for an employee based in Washington DC to traveling to Groton, Connecticut for a three day business trip:

Air fare ;$400

Hotel for three nights ($120 per night) $360

Per Diem ($50 per day) $150

Airport Parking ;$50

Mileage to airport and back $20

Total Expense $980

This is just one example of a potential travel saving and is calculated at the government per diem rates. Your own company’s per diem reimbursement rate may even be higher. It is clear that not every trip can be replaced by teleconferencing, but what about the quick one day trips and meet and greet type contract reviews or routine sales calls. These can effectively be replaced by regular teleconferencing saving a business a huge amount of travel expenses over the year and leveraging a significant amount of profit to the bottom-line.

Before you comment “my clients need to have me in the same room”, consider trying out Web conferencing first. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that the positive statement you make as a “green” company resonates with your clients. Your clients may appreciate your efforts and willingly embrace your change to only occasional travel and more frequent Web and teleconferencing contact in their effort to help with your company’s “green” thrust.

Going “green” can help leverage money to the bottom-line. Just how much flow-through you get simply depends on you and the efforts that you are willing to take. Web and teleconferencing are easy to try, are fairly inexpensive to use, and can leverage the most profit to the bottom-line in the long run. Consider putting a “green” face on your business and improving your bottom-line in the process.

Amy Linley gives practical and usable advice regarding communication and meetings at AccuConference.

Find out more about our conference calling, web conferencing and video conferencing services from AccuConference.

photo credit: *mb**

When it comes to new construction techniques, grants are often a way to cut costs. Federal grants for green construction are plentiful with billions literally available.

A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a Federal agency. It is intended to carry out a public purpose or support or stimulate a purpose that is authorized by a law of the United States. Federal grants can be found and applied for electronically. The site Grants.gov is the central clearing house for Federal Grants.

There are twenty six different agencies that offer over 1,000 grant programs. The grants that apply to green construction are mostly offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The total amount of grants available exceeds $400 billion dollars. The grants offered by the feds fall into twenty one categories. The categories that have the most impact on green construction are Energy, Environmental Quality, and Health.

Most of the grants are directed toward specific geographical areas. Some of the major concerns of the grants include water quality improvement and the prevention of urban storm water runoff. Many of the grants are connected with the Leeds certification program. Leeds stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a program that is run by the United States Green Building Council and it establishes green construction standards and awards certificates to those that maintain these standards.

Although there are federal grants available, it is on the state and local level that the large majority of grants can be found. The green movement is a grassroots type of thing that appears to be strongest at the local level. Environmental concerns are often very local, and the problems that have been caused by the neglect of the environment are local as well. The pollution of waterways is a good example of this. grant programs exist that are directed at the Great Lakes or at Puget Sound, for example. States that are bordering these waterways usually offers these grants. The idea of environmental impact areas has led to the localities that border or are inside the impact area being the best source of funds for projects that will address the problems.

Private foundations like the Kresage Foundation are among the best sources of green construction grants. The Kresage Foundation has been offering grants under their Green Building Initiative Program. It is specifically geared toward the area of planning and design. While it is true that State, local, and private foundations are the major sources of grants that can be considered pure green building, the federal government is also a source. Research is the key to finding a grant for your project, so take the time to explore the various options mentioned above.

Zack Verde is with GreenBuildingCompanies.com – providing green building articles.

photo credit: tanakawho

If you want to start your own company it will take a little money to get started and on your feet. Banks put many things into consideration when you ask them for money for startup business loans. Here are five of the most important considerations when you want money from a bank for a loan for your new company.

1. When you want to get money from a bank the first thing they will consider with startup business loans is your credit. You should have a healthy credit score that looks great. If your credit is bad it tells a lender that you do not repay your debts and this may stop you from getting a line of credit.

2. Experience is a big factor when you are hoping for startup business loans. You should have years of experience in the line of work you want to start your own business and you should be able to convince the bank you are the right person to open the company. A bank may think you have the best idea ever but if they do not think you are skilled enough for the company to generate revenue or to manage the business they will not lend you any money.

3. Assets are another factor that lenders want to see. When you are trying to secure startup business loans you should have some assets worth money that the bank can secure if they feel they need it. If you have nothing worth any value and you are asking for money to begin your own business you will probably be turned away. Banks want to see you are serious and when you secure assets with the money they know you are.

4. Gather some money down for the startup business loans. The best way to show a lender that you are serious about your new company is by having a healthy chunk of money as a down payment. When you have 20% to 25% down payment for your startup business a bank is more willing to talk to you. A good size down payment may even make a bank look past your bad credit.

5. If all of the factors above do not fall in your favor you might try and find someone who can co-sign a loan with you. A lender will want to know if you have someone who will back you that you are good for the money. This person will need to have good credit but they can be considered as a silent partner in your endeavors. In most cases a friend or family member is the best person to ask to cosign startup business loans.

If you are looking for money for startup business loans you should consider many things. A bank will want to know that you are financially in a good position, qualified to run the business, why the business will do well and many more things. Securing a loan is important but you may need a down payment, good credit, assets, or even a co-signer.

Anthony Griswold creates articles about unsecured personal loans and start up business loans. All of his articles can be used as tools when seeking unsecured financing. Please visit the following link to learn more: unsecured lines of credit.

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To the surprise of many, the government tries to modify our behavior through monetary strategies and the same is true for promoting green construction. In this case, we are talking about funding a green project.

There are numerous sources for the funding of green project research and construction. They exist on the National, State, and local level. They include grants, tax credits, and loans. The important thing to understand when you begin a search for a source of funding is that the government and society in general is very anxious to assist you with your green project. We are not just waking to the global dangers. Our leaders are already wide awake and know that green construction is an essential element of the future health of our nation. They want to help, particularly on the state level.

The central clearing house for Federal Programs is the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA). This website based catalog gives information of all federal programs that supply funds to state agencies, local agencies, and non-profit organizations. They also list programs that are available to private developers and even individuals. This catalog can be accessed online and application made online as well.

There are over $400 billion dollars offered in over 1,000 Federal Grant programs. These programs are all listed and explained on the grant [dot] gov website. In addition to full information, application forms for the grants can be downloaded from the site, and the final submission can be entered there as well. Grants are not as easy to get as some people think, but they are possible. They also have the major advantage over loans and other funding sources because they do not have to be repaid in most cases.

There are several national green construction funding opportunities. One is the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Obviously, this office is interested in Energy Efficiency in building construction use and also of the use of renewable energy sources. They will provide funding for research and the demonstration of these two things in green construction. Green Communities is a five year and $555 million dollar initiative to build a total of 8,500 environmentally health houses for low income families.

There are also several Foundations dedicated to green construction funding. The Home Depot Foundation is one, and another is the Kresage Foundation. There is help available on the State and local level also. The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) is one example of a State level resource. There are also a large number of local based incentives as well. Green construction is an interesting meeting between those looking for funding and those agencies willing to provide it.

Zack Verde is with GreenBuildingCompanies.com – providing information on green construction.

photo credit: Mikey G Ottawa

About Green Fundraising

Fundraising Coordinators have been looking for something new for years that their groups can take and sell to raise money. Everyone, it seems, already has enough wrapping paper and frozen cookie dough and chocolate bars and they want something different, something they might actually use.

Enter green fundraising. Green fundraisers work exceptionally well as they are capitalizing on people’s newfound desire to save the planet. Most people wonder what they, as one person, can do to save the planet and green fundraisers offer them products to help do just that.

Green Fundraiser Options

Green fundraisers offer groups a wide variety of products all designed to help them raise as much money as possible by allowing them to present products that people actually want to their customers. As was stated previously, most people want to do something to help the planet. Green fundraisers offer products ranging from reusable shopping bags, to trees, to organic foods. All of which help to improve the environment and enrich people’s lives.

The organic foods can be purchased “dry” meaning they come as premixed powders that only need water and eggs to be transformed into delicious goodies. Or, a fun twist on the healthy fundraiser is to have a bake sale where you sell organic breads and fruits.

Reusable shopping bags can completely eliminate plastic bag waste which is one of the top contributors to pollution in the world.

Tree fundraisers tend to be some of the most successful green fundraisers. People can instantly identify with the numerous benefits they will receive from purchasing the tree. And, their low cost makes the purchase an easy one.

Your Group and Green Fundraising

A fundraising coordinator looking to offer their group the best fundraiser available should look into green fundraisers. Though not many companies currently offer green fundraising ideas and options, the ones that do tend to be incredible helpful. Green fundraisers are perfect for schools and other organizations that have been told they can not or do not want to sell unhealthy food items such as candy and cookie dough.

Jordan Gottlieb

http://www.go-green-fundraising.com

Learn more about Green Fundraising.

Learn more about Healthy Fundraisers. Learn more about Tree Fundraisers

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With everyone and their mother jumping onto the Green Movement bandwagon, words like Organic, Natural, Safe, are tossed around like water balloons at a county fair. If you’re the one catching the balloon, make sure it doesn’t unexpectedly go SPLAT all over you. The key to successfully navigating the New Green World and knowing whether you are purchasing safe, healthy and nutritious products is having a solid understanding of how to read the labels, and what the words Organic and Natural really mean.

Fertilizer Increases Yields

Widespread, frequent and excessive use of synthetic organophosphate fertilizers began in the 1930s, when such fertilizers became affordable and accessible to the masses. Food production quickly increased as a result of fertilizer use. Unfortunately, the effects of widespread organophosphates would not be realized for many years. It takes much longer for synthetic chemicals to break down, and by the 1950s and 1960s, phosphates from the overuse of fertilizers clogged streams, lakes, rivers and deltas, causing algal blooms and other environmental problems.

Silent Spring Arouses Concern

The publication of Silent Spring in 1962, focused attention on the toxicity of chemical pesticides, and by extension, the practices of chemical companies producing synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers. Before Carson’s book, the general public was not well aware of such problems with modern agricultural practices. Once published, the book sparked a movement by government officials and the public to ban DDT and scrutinize production, labeling and distributing of pesticides and fertilizers.

Silent Spring marked the beginning of awareness for government officials about the harmful nature of broad, indiscriminate use of synthetic chemicals. Baby steps were taken in the direction of better pesticide and herbicide regulation. Until pressured in the 1970s and 1980s by environmental groups and everyday grocery-shoppers, there were few regulations in place to prevent wholesale dumping of synthetic fertilizer and pesticides all over the food marketed to consumers. European farmers led the way in bringing natural farming methods and organic farming mainstream.

Government Takes Over Organics

The USDA began its Organic labeling program in 2002. The program has different levels, all of which can be confusing if you don’t read the fine print. The Green Movement trend has exploded exponentially since 2006, when An Inconvenient Truth, a film about global warming featuring Al Gore was released. Suddenly, everyone wanted on the Green bandwagon and now the wagon is mighty crowded. Green is the new Gold. Green business practices or at least the insinuation of green business practices, results in higher revenues for multi-national companies.

Safe, Natural Products

With Green becoming little more than a marketing label, how can consumers know what is really safe to eat, or nutritious for the body? When growing your own produce, how can you tell if a fertilizer is helpful or harmful? Just as synthetic chemical companies marketed heavily to farmers, companies producing clothing, food, and cosmetics clamor to have the official organic seal on their products. They claim everything possible to be Natural. To cut the wheat from the chaff, several resources explain the mysteries behind the labels and marketing claims and help consumers make beneficial and healthy choices.

The Mayo Clinic website debunks some of the myths about organic versus natural versus nutrition in food products: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/organic-food/NU00255

The website www.safe-fertilizer-reviews.com contains information, reviews and survey results about natural fertilizers-or fertilizers that are not man-made.

The USDA website with information on the Organic Program is: www.ams.usda.gov/nop
There, you can read the fine print.

Proactive Consuming

The key to finding, purchasing and growing the healthiest produce with the least impact on the earth is understanding the meaning of natural and organic, and using that knowledge when making product purchasing decisions. Together, as earth-conscious consumers, we can make sure that the Green Business Claims made by mass-marketers are truly beneficial to health and to the earth.

Natural Fertilizer Guy started the website http://www.safe-fertilizer-reviews.com in order to provide gardeners, homeowners and landscapers with the tools and information they need to make informed, environmentally responsible purchases for gardening.

Natural fertilizers and Seaweed fertilizers are Natural Fertilizer Guy’s area of expertise. Each fertilizer reviewed on the site has been tested by Natural Fertilizer Guy, and has proved to increase plant growth as much, if not more than conventional, synthetic fertilizers.

For more information on natural fertilizers and seaweed fertilizers, please visit http://www.safe-fertilizer-reviews.com

photo credit: Wonderlane

Social and environmental issues play a greater role in consumer and B2B choices than ever before. The “Green” movement was on the fringes of mainstream culture just a few years ago. Today, global warming, eco-sensitivity, fair trade and sustainability are issues that can have a tremendous impact on businesses of all sizes. A relatively new marketing model — the triple bottom line — offers businesses of all sizes an opportunity to create sustainable businesses that benefit people, the plan and corporate profits.

While the traditional marketing model’s success is typically judged by increased revenue, there is a new approach adopted by companies who want to become sustainable businesses. The triple bottom line – economic, social and environmental – creates a framework for marketers to use their knowledge of customer attitudes about sustainability and environmental issues to inform and influence a company’s external communications and executive-level decision-making. As communicators within an organization, technology marketers play a lead role in the triple bottom line process, acting as the touch point between the business and its customers.

What Is the Triple Bottom Line?

The triple bottom line refers to an accounting model in which environmental and social considerations are measured along with financial performance. The concept shifts corporate responsibility from shareholders’ profits to stakeholders’ interests. In other words, the triple bottom line focuses on anyone who is affected by an organizations decisions, rather than focusing on investors.

Because it includes social, economic and environmental considerations, the triple bottom line’s goal is sustainability. Socially, a triple bottom line organization is characterized by fair business practices that benefit many stakeholders while exploiting none. Economically, the “profits” from the triple bottom line, including clean air, improved safety, clean water, etc., are shared by the society, as well as internal corporate profits that keep the business running. Environmentally, a triple bottom line organization works to reduce its carbon footprint and be responsible for the entire life cycle of its products.

Pros and Cons of the Triple Bottom Line

In addition to the apparent ecological benefits of sustainable corporate practices, proponents of the triple bottom line cite the following arguments:

- Untapped market potential, such as eco-tourism, offer profitable business opportunities

- Providing sun ovens and wind-powered generators create triple bottom line opportunities

Many organizations agree that social and environmental concerns are very important, but they disagree with the ‘Triple Bottom Line’ as the way to improve these conditions for the following reasons:

- Business best serves society when it is engaged in its core competency (i.e. making widgets). The triple bottom line diverts business from its core competency.

- Wealthy nations are concerned with the social and environmental issues while the rest of the world is more concerned with starvation.

- Businesses should not be forced to be stewards of the environment.

Conclusion

While the green movement continues to gain momentum, many businesses have voluntarily adopted triple bottom line models for sustainability. As consumers and other stakeholders become more aware of the impact of an organization’s business practices on their daily lives, the demand for greater corporate responsibility will grow and more companies will adopt practices to support the triple bottom line.

http://www.mclellancreative.com

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Once the areas major agricultural product, hemp is making a comeback in the Altiplano area of Granada, Spain. Until the late nineteen sixties industrial hemp growing formed the backbone of this wholly agricultural area of Spain. Towards the end of the Franco era, with the invention of nylon and the mechanisation of agriculture most of the population was forced off the land to find work on the coast and major cities.

With the advent of the eco-age the interest in industrial hemp is being revived as it is a major constituent of eco-bricks, a vital component of sustainable housing.

Hemp comes from the Anglo Saxon word ‘haemp’ and is the popular name for plants of the cannabis genus. Hemp usually refers to the strains of the plant cultivated exclusively for industrial use as opposed to cannabis which is associated with pot and similar drugs.

Hemp has a huge variety of uses but continues to be overshadowed by the cannabis connotation of illegal drugs, with which it is often confused. However hemp can legally be grown, under licence, in many countries, including the European Union countries and Canada.

Cannabis sativa L. is the variety primarily grown for industrial purposes, it is a fast growing plant and has been cultivated for many thousand of years being used to make rope, clothing, paper, hemp oil and medicines. Growing hemp improves the condition of the ground and reduces ambient contamination. It is a robust plant that requires neither herbicides nor pesticides during its cultivation.

Hemp as an industrial material has a ten thousand year history. The first recorded use of hemp was as a cloth fabric, found in China as far back as 8000BC.C. Circa 4000B.C. hemp started to be used, again in China, to make ropes and as food. 2000 years later, the Chinese hemp oils and medicine were in use. By 1000B.C. its use had spread to India and Greece where the first instances of hemp paper were found.

By the 6th century hemp was being used in Europe in some amazing ways, in France a hemp reinforced bridge was built and it is still in use today. The hemp fibre also found uses in sailmaking, caulking materials, fishing nets and lines. In later years hemp was used to make a variety of foodstuffs including butter and beer. By the 15th century Renaissance painters were using hemp canvases.

Today industrial hemp is used to make a staggering variety of products ranging from medicines, body care products, building and insulating materials, clothing, textiles, food, fuel, livestock food and bedding, plastics and paper.

In the building industry hemp bricks, because of their sustainability and excellent insulation properties, are being used to construct external and internal walls of ecological homes. In this area of Spain the external walls of an eco house will consist of a eco-bricks, manufactured in Guadix with the proprietary name of Cannabric®.

Cannabric® derives its properties from industrial hemp fibres (cáñamo). The hemp bricks are made up of industrial hemp fibres, slaked lime and a mixture of innert mineral materials. The bricks combine the functions of a load bearing wall that is fire-resistant and does not require the addition of thermal or acoustic insulation.

The most important component of the eco-brick is industrial hemp which has a very low thermal conductivity (0.048W/m²k) producing a brick with vastly superior insulation properties against both cold and heat. The mineral component of the bricks gives them their mechanical strength. Being a solid brick, with a high specific heat, it has the optimal thermal properties to protect against heat.

These characteristics make hemp bricks the ideal choice in areas of southern Europe where there are extremes in temperature through summer and winter.

The mechanical strength of the block starts with formation of insoluble hydrates. The strength increases over time with the carbonation of the free lime, (a constituent of slaked lime) by moisture and carbon dioxide present in the air. Another important factor in the progressive curing of the eco-bricks is the gradual petrifaction of the industrial hemp by the lime and minerals present in the bricks.

Due to its unique composition the hemp bricks allow the transpiration and diffusion of water vapour between the inside and outside of the building equalising humidity within the building thus avoiding humid and cold areas and minimising condensation on the inside wall surfaces.

Slaked lime acts as the binder, basically holding the brick together, but it has other uses. The slaked lime acts as a filler protecting the brick against water entry via the external surfaces exposed to rain and snow. On the other hand it provides a protection for the industrial hemp fibres against fungal and parasite attack.

The hemp bricks when laid endwise are used for the construction of external walls thirty centimeters thick. The internal walls built with hemp bricks are thinner being half the thickness. The delightful, popular cave homes of this area of Andalusia are naturally ecological in that they are re-developed from ancient derelict cave houses. As far as practical re-cycled materials are utilised and, as such, their environmental impact and carbon footprints are minimal.

It is ironic that this area of Spain, the Altiplano, until the late nineteen sixties, was renown as an industrial hemp growing area. The hemp growing era came to an end with the introduction of nylon, farm mechanisation and the growing freedom of movement coinciding with the end of the Franco regime. The combination of these factors threw large numbers of agricultural workers out of work. As a result the village populations sufferred a catastrophic decline with those leaving migrationg to the Costas and principal cities in search of employment.

As a result of these traumatic changes in demographic the remaining population was mainly aged, the villages incomes dropped to near poverty level and many empty houses fell into disrepair.

Most of the land workers who moved away lived in cave houses which are now being revitalised by the growing demand for eco-properties.

Les Edwards runs a real estate business specialising in cave houses and country properties in the Altiplano region of Granada Province in Spain. To learn more about estate agents and rural property in Spain go to: http://www.spanish-inland-properties.com

photo credit: x-eyedblonde

In some parts of the Northeast, the skyrocketing cost of oil could cause residential winter heating bills to climb as high as $7,000. Oil reached $145 a barrel in late May, and many analysts are predicting $150-200 per barrel oil within two years. With heating oil averaging $4.71 a gallon, natural gas rates headed for a 20 to 30 percent rise. Add that to electricity bills up, some municipalities are shifting to four-day work weeks, and moving aggressively into renewable energy & energy efficiency.

Utah made headlines in July by becoming the first to put most state employees on a four-day week of 10-hour days. About one-third of the state’s 3,000 government buildings will be closed on Fridays, with expected savings on heat and air conditioning to hit $3 million a year. Commuters will also save on gasoline. Utah’s Governor Jon Huntsman said, “The reaction from the public has been very much a willingness to give this a go.”

Energy efficiency is happening in all sectors. Behavior is changing rapidly in light of higher prices; SUV and light truck sales have dipped 30-60% (depending on the brand) over the last year. Small car sales are up. Total “vehicle miles traveled” dipped for the first time since 1979. Yet, in the 1970s after the oil embargo prompted conservation habits for about a decade, U.S. Americans returned to wasteful ways, as oil prices dropped, ignoring past lessons.

The difference this time is that higher prices are prompted mostly by fundamental supply and demand issues. Peak oil production is either already here, or will be sometime between 2010-2015 at the latest. When global peak oil production is reached, prices will be far higher than today’s.

In order to lessen our dependence on oil, and keep our economy moving, energy efficiency is essential. This past July, U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman met with the energy ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries, plus China, India and South Korea, to discuss ways to enhance global energy security while simultaneously combating global climate change. The G8, which includes Canada, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK and the US, established the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC). It states that energy efficiency is one of the quickest, greenest and most cost-effective ways to address energy security and climate change while ensuring economic growth.

Meanwhile, financial support for the federal assistance “weatherization” program here in the US, which helps low-income families be more energy efficient, has dramatically declined. President Bush proposed eliminating the program entirely. An Energy Dept spending bill before the Senate, would provide $201 million for the fiscal year beginning in October ($40 million less than was supplied in 2007), while winter heating costs have soared. Bush, and GOP presidential candidate John McCain, and Republicans in Congress have touted drilling as the primary short-term solution to rising energy prices, despite the fact that opening offshore areas to production wouldn’t lower gasoline prices until about 2030 — if it does at all.

Currently, the average price for natural gas on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) shows an increase of 33% this year. New Jersey customers will pay another 18% based on an increase requested by NJ Natural Gas to take effect this coming October, and another 15% or more expected next year. Between 2002 and 2007, the price of natural gas nearly doubled, according to the NJ Board of Public Utilities (BPU), with corresponding increases in the price of electricity and heating fuels in New Jersey.

To address the steadily rising prices of energy, New Jersey created an Energy Master Plan. Its primary goal is to maximize energy conservation and energy efficiency. Reducing energy consumption through conservation and efficiency is the most cost-effective way to help lower utility bills, increase reliability, and lower the state’s contributions to global warming and other air pollutants. Reductions of energy use by at least 20% by 2020, as Governor Corzine has directed, would yield annual electricity savings of 20,000 GWh per year and annual heating savings of 119 trillion BTUs, and result in substantial cost savings, thereby promoting economic growth in the state.

Actions to this goal include the following:

- Redesign and enhance the State’s current energy efficiency programs in all sectors of the economy to achieve desired results, while remaining cost-effective. This redesign emphasizes a whole-building approach to energy efficiency.
- Increase energy efficiency in new buildings with a statewide building code, which will make new construction at least 30% more energy efficient than buildings under current code by July 2009.

The market is willing to pay premiums for Energy Star buildings, says Stuart Brodsky, from the EPA’s Energy Star program, as identified in the CoStar study. “The business case for energy efficiency is indisputable,” he said. Green-built buildings have higher prices per square foot but have lower operating costs. Energy Star buildings are selling for an average of $61 more per square foot than conventional buildings. LEED buildings are selling for an average of $171 more per square foot, the study found. Operating costs are 10-20 percent lower in Energy Star-rated buildings, improving operating income significantly. The study also revealed that green buildings achieve higher rents and have higher occupancies.

New Jersey currently offers several programs in the way of incentives for energy efficiency:
Cool & Warm Advantage Programs – Cash rebates for energy efficient heating and cooling equipment (e.g., central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, boilers or water heaters).
New Jersey for Energy Star – Offers rebates on ENERGY STAR clothes washers, room air conditioners and dehumidifiers.
New Jersey Energy Star Homes – Rebates for energy-efficient new home construction that target Smart Growth Areas. Energy Star Homes are at least 15% more energy efficient than conventionally built homes.
New Jersey Comfort Partners – Improves energy affordability for income-eligible households. If you qualify, a contractor will assess the energy savings opportunities and install the measures at no cost. Personalized customer energy education and counseling is also provided.
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPWES), administered by New Jersey’s Clean Energy Program, uses a whole house approach to energy-efficiency, lowering energy costs by up to 30 percent or more. This program covers renovations only, not new construction. Participating contractors are accredited through the Building Performance Institute (BPI), a national resource for building science technology that sets standards for assessing and improving the energy performance of homes.

Where To Start
Call in an expert that can show you the “biggest bang for your buck” when it comes to paying for energy efficiency upgrades. A specially trained and certified technician will conduct a Comprehensive Home Assessment, which has two phases.

Phase one consists of the technician taking inventory of, and reporting on, the current conditions in your home, including the following:
- Health & safety check (carbon monoxide levels, moisture, and indoor air quality problems)
- Overall comfort level (cold/hot spots, indoor air quality stuffiness/stale odors)
- Air infiltration rates
- Insulation levels
- Heating and cooling systems efficiency
- Domestic hot water system efficiency
- Major appliances
- Lighting

Certified technicians use a number of diagnostic tools during the first phase of your Comprehensive Home Assessment. Some of the tools they use are:
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) Analyzer: important health and safety tool
- Blower Door: measures the air tightness of a home and assists in identifying areas where air leakage is occurring

Phase two consists of contacting a BPI certified contractor to receive pricing on the proposed improvement work. They test carbon monoxide levels and potentially dangerous gases in the home before and after performing energy improvements. You will receive a detailed plan with recommended measures, costs and payback analysis. Many owners use home equity loans to finance the upgrades.

Low-interest financing or cash incentives are available through HPWES utilizing participating BPI accredited contractors. These financial incentives are for improvement packages of $2,500 or more. The more energy savings measures you install, the greater the incentive you will receive. A tier system breaks down the incentive level you can receive based on the comprehensiveness of work performed. (Visit www.njcep.com, enter “Tier” in the Search field, then select “Financial Incentives.”)

Cash incentives range from $250 to $5,000. Or you can choose the low-interest financing option available to help pay for home improvements. The rates are either 5.99% or 3.99% depending on the level of upgrades you install. There are no application fees or closing costs, and the loans do not require a down payment.

To participate in this program, first you sign a contract for program-eligible work with a participating BPI accredited contractor. The program requires a copy of the contract before the work starts and provides your contractor with a Work Scope Approval form. Make sure your contractor has received approval from the program prior to starting the work. When the work is finished, your BPI contractor will perform some final testing to make sure the installation went well and that your house is safe and healthy. Then you both sign the Certificate of Completion, indicating the work has been done satisfactorily.

If you selected the cash incentive, a check will be sent to you directly. You make arrangements to pay your contractor in full under the terms of your contract. If you choose the low-interest unsecured loan, you apply for it through Energy Finance Solutions (EFS) before the work starts, to make sure you qualify. EFS offers low-interest loans ranging from $2,500 to $20,000. The process is quick. You can call EFS to find out if you pre-qualify for the loan at 1-888-264-4367 or visit www.energyfinancesolutions.com. Additional assistance may be available when homeowners meet certain income eligibility requirements.

By upgrading your home’s energy efficiency, you’ll increase your physical comfort, save energy, reduce your carbon footprint, and lower your monthly utility bills. Your house will increase its value in the marketplace. For every one dollar you save on energy, you increase the market value by $20 according to EPA studies.

Basic Things To Do On Your Own
- Fluorescent bulbs can save up to $30 per bulb
- Low-flow showerheads use just two gallons of water per minute, instead of five or six
- Change furnace/air conditioner filters regularly and unblock and clean ventilation registers
- Seal air leaks around windows with silicone caulk
- Weather-strip around doors
- Hot water heater set at 1200
- Close chimney dampers when not in use!
- Open shades during day in winter, shut at night
- Install a digital thermostat – raise the temperature for summer, lower it for winter,
- Dress for the season, even when you’re indoors

For more information go to http://www.bized.com

Cathy Sims, BA in Social Sciences, publisher and editor of the Biz.Ed Guide since 1986

photo credit: Neville_

SIn addition to the recent attention that elevated it to the American mainstream, the Green Jobs Industry has been a developing field for the past few decades. Patrick Heffernan’s 1976 study Jobs for the Environment – The Coming Green Collar Revolution informed congress on the importance of environmental awareness in business and government. Alan Durning’s book Green Collar Jobs first introduced the term to America. Focusing on the post-logging towns of the Pacific Northwest, his work examines the shift from an economic dependence on the natural resources of the land to an awareness of environmental and ecological preservation. This opened the doors for the green collar industry and such fields as sustainable forestry, natural resource conservation, and ecological restoration. And, in 2006 Dr. Raquel Pinderhughes of San Francisco State University defines green collar jobs as “blue collar jobs in green businesses – that is, manual labor jobs in businesses whose products and services directly improve environmental quality,” finally offering a concrete definition of the term.

Today, with environmental awareness at an all-time high, we are seeing an increase in employment opportunities across the board. Scientists are needed to analyze, protect, and monitor the environment and society’s interaction with it. Builders and urban planners are needed to design and construct environmentally friendly neighborhoods, parks, recreation areas, and housing and commercial developments. The field of alternative and renewable energies have opened the doors to students of engineering, technicians, analysts, and environmental management looking to “green” their career paths.

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) has stated that there are 8.5 million jobs in the solar energy field. Educators ranging from middle school earth science teachers to environmental biology professors are providing much needed instruction and preparation to an enthusiastic generation eager to repair the planet in the fields of environmental management, natural resource conservation, and forest preservation. Organic and sustainable farming, one of the oldest green professions, is still an ever growing field as people are becoming more aware of environmentally responsible farming practices.

So, even if your interests and education don’t involve years of study in agronomy or geology, water conservation or landscape architecture, you can still find a career that lets you “go green.”

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER

Professional Field

Environmental engineers are finding work in the fields of urban planning, green building, solar, wind, and hydroelectric energy farms and plants. These environmentally educated engineers conduct building site appraisals, work with architects and planners on construction projects, work with environmental policy makers, work as technicians and electrical engineers, and use their knowledge of the effects and control of pollutions working for large plants and manufacturers.

Environmental engineers, along with their technical and analytical expertise, focus on environmental compliance issues and work with managers and executives on the adherence to federal regulatory practices.

So whether a student has a background in science or technology there are an abundance of jobs in the green-collar industry that can help the environment.

University Education

For most high level engineering positions, an advance degree is required. However, individuals with environmental engineering degrees can find work with a bachelor’s degree. Core courses at most university programs emphasize math, physics, and the natural sciences.

Job Outlook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) environmental engineers will see a 10-25% increase in the job market over the next decade.

Engineering salaries have always been above the average for the U.S. work force, and as the demand for environmental engineers in new “green” fields grows, these salaries will as well.

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECT

Professional Field

Sustainable Architects are finding themselves in high demand as the push for “greener” building practices reaches from the commercial industry to the residential one. Sustainable Architects work closely with Urban Planners and Parks and Recreation professionals to develop sustainable environments for living, business, and recreation.

University Education

Most architectural schools are integrating “green” building practices into their curriculum and degree programs. Sustainable architecture courses are found in sustainable design programs, urban planning programs, and, as they become more prevalent in the world of academia, sustainable architecture programs.

Job Outlook

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) initiative set forth by the U.S. Green Building Council has given rise to new guidelines for the implementation of “green” standards for construction companies. Sustainable Architects will be in high demand as communities, new and old, want to follow the green trend and bring their properties up to these new standards.

The U.S. Green Building Council reports that the U.S. green building industry has a sales volume of more than $5 billion dollars in the last two years and currently sits at $12 billion. More money being spent translates into more opportunities.

URBAN / LAND USE PLANNERS

Professional Field

One of the biggest facing the green revolution is the conversion of the urban landscape to an acceptable environmental sustainability. As epicentres of resource use (and misuse) and wastefulness, the urban landscape in the U.S. needs to be designed (and repaired) from an environmental and ecological point of view. Environmentally educated planners dedicated to reconfiguring our communities around resource efficiency and decreased waste will be essential.

University Education

Many Urban Planning and Public Policy programs are adding sustainable design and planning to their curriculum. Along with the natural and social sciences, students are receiving educations in engineering and architecture to aid them in the new green Urban Planning field.

Job Outlook

According to the BLS, employment for Urban Planners is expected to grow at a rate of 15% over the next decade. This is driven by the need to preserve existing urban communities and to provide them with ways to become more “green” conscious and energy and resource efficient. Also, the largest sector of this industry will deal with the development of new, environmentally sound, urban communities.

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWYER

Porfessional Field

Finally, a law practice which receives applause rather than disdain from the general public. Law students are finding this “green” legal field readily available in their university’s curriculum and the professional field very welcoming. The “greening” of the nation has seen the enactment of dozens of federal policies, several congressional acts, and countless corporate and business regulations. When a corporation or large business fails to comply with federal green regulations, an environmental law group steps in to ensure the future compliance of the group. It is the job of environmental law students to work as policy pushers and consultants to make sure corporations, states and cities, and the general public adhere to these new green initiatives.

University Education

Many law schools across the country are now offering J.D. degrees with concentrations in environmental law. Programs are now becoming interdisciplinary, with courses offered in the natural and social sciences in such areas as conservation, ethics, policy, and national and global issues.

Job Outlook

With corporations across the U.S. seeking guidance about the ecological impact of their actions – from land use to pollution control – the need for environmental lawyers and corporate consultants is expected to increase at a rate of 25 percent over the next decade (EPA).

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST

Many fields of environmental science are now in high demand. Environmental Scientists can be found in “green” fields of business ranging from agriculture to education, and from energy to building. They often work as consultants in the development of wildlife parks, and as researchers in new forms of biofuel production and pollution control.

University Education

They take the training they acquired at the university level in the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, ecology, geology, forestry) and apply to the working world, all the while focusing on environmental conservation and protection. For research and higher level manager positions, an advanced degree is usually required. However, environmental scientists with bachelor’s degrees are finding an abundant amount of opportunities available.

Job Outlook

According to the BLS, the employment of Environmental Scientists is expected to increase at a rate of 25 percent over the next decade, a rate much higher than the national average. Currently, 43% of all Environmental Scientists work for local, state, or federal governments (BLS). Many work for consulting firms, or as private consultants.

TOP PROFESSIONS IN THE FIELD

Conservation Biologist

Conservation biologists focus on the protection and restoration of biodiversity in various ecosystems on the planet. They develop environmental planning and management practices to maintain the wildlife and resources of the earth’s natural ecology.

Hydrologist

Hydrologists use science and math backgrounds to improve and solve water quality issues. They work with natural bodies of water to improve aquatic ecosystems, and also with man made reservoirs to improve the quality of drinking water and irrigation for farming.

Toxicologist

Toxicologists study the causes and effects of harmful toxins, and how we can better protect ourselves from the exposure to poisons. Toxicologists study how we are exposed to toxicants, the levels it takes to harm us, and how to reduce or eliminate the effects of toxins. They study the effect of toxins in drinking water, agricultural products, household cleaners, and many other everyday products.

Ecologist

Ecologists study the relationship between the environment and actions that affect it, including weather, pollution, climate change, human interference, and industrialization. Ecologists work in a range of environmental fields including forest preservation, wildlife science and protections (especially working with endangered species restoration), park and woodlands development, and water and natural resource conservation. The main goal and responsibility of all ecologists is environmental preservation and sustainability.

You’re hearing about it a lot during this election campaign: green collar jobs. Both presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, are talking a lot about alternatives to fossil fuel and the need for Detroit to more aggressively develop more fuel efficient autos. The world can slowly march forward as more college students choose environmental science careers – something enabled by universities adapting to current needs. Learn more on JobMonkey, a free career website.