photo credit: Wonderlane

In today’s depressive stock market it is hard to find a silver lining. Green investing is a way to feel good about your stocks and mutual funds while having the potential to make a healthy return on investment. Socially responsible investing makes sense during the corruption on Wall Street and the search for alternative energy sources. Green investing is finally coming into the mainstream. People can do what’s right for the environment and build wealth too! Socially responsible investing has been around for decades and is now becoming popular. SRI already has $2.3 trillion in investments. SRI started by appealing to investors who wanted to avoid sin stocks, the stocks of companies that are involved in alcohol, tobacco, and gambling.

Today, Social Responsible Investing is an all encompassing term that generally means screening companies out that are abusive to the environment, practice poor labor relations, are not responsible to their communities and lack corporate integrity. SRI has evolved to serve in an advocacy manner. The new focus by consumers, business and government on sustainability and the environment has created its own category of SRI. Goldman Sachs, the darling of Wall Street, has already set aside $1.5 billion to privately invest in green companies. CalPERS; one of the country’s largest institutional investors, has set aside more than a billion dollars for green investments.

How do you catch the green investing wave? The most practical and probably most efficient way to put money to work in a SRI is via an SRI mutual fund. Other ways to invest are via an Exchange Traded Fund and by owning stocks individually. The latter way takes more time, expertise and is riskier as you are not diversified as well as a mutual fund.

Not all SRI funds are alike. For decades SRI has screened out companies that were considered socially or ethically unacceptable. Now green funds screen in companies that are making a positive impact. Today’s green funds include some surprising choices as more and more blue-chip companies are becoming green-chip companies.

How do they work? Imagine if you or I try and ask a CEO about changing her packaging for products or about ending abusive consumer practices. We would not get too far. But imagine a pot of $2 trillion dollars invested by SRI managers speaking about these things to CEO’s? For better or worse, having that much money under management gives them an open ear to management. This shareholder advocacy becomes a powerful force for improvement.

SRI aligns your money with your interests. In my opinion, companies that focus on doing right by the consumer, the environment, the marketplace and all other constituents tend to do better over the long term. It is those who focus on the short term and take shortcuts that tend to be disappointing investments. Sustainability is not just about us as humans on this earth but is also relevant to companies and investments.

In the past, being altruistic and investing was not as correlated as they can be today. You can put money to work, funding newer renewable energy technologies and have your money working in an area that is the next challenge for our country while offering a potential favorable return on your money. A major Wall Street firm recently put out a research report titled “Clean Energy: Sustainable Opportunities.” They predicted that annual clean-energy revenue opportunities could reach $500 billion by 2020 and a trillion annually by 2030. This is an exciting time indeed!

Larry Burke is an award winning professor, and author. He has taught Internet Marketing at Seattle University and Starting a Green Business at Maui College. He recently wrote a book Green Makes Sense and is publisher of the very popular Green Maui Guide website.

photo credit: h.koppdelaney

Environmental & Economic Benefits

The “green gold rush” is on. Global investment in renewable energy surged some 60 percent, to $148 billion last year. Investment in clean energy from wind, solar and biofuels rose three times faster in 2007 than predicted by the UN Environmental Program, with wind power attracting $50.2 billion, a third of all clean energy investments. Investment in solar energy soared by 254 percent to $28.6 billion last year. This “green gold rush” is propelled by the soaring fossil-fuel prices, and concerns over carbon dioxide emissions that fuel global warming.

The world is at an undeniable crossroad. Projections show three to four times more electrical power could be required over the next 50 years to support continued growth in population and economic output. Clean, renewable sources are the answer. “Unlike other major energy transitions, such as wood-to-coal and coal-to-oil, moving from oil to alternatives will be forced and rapid,” writes Charles Cresson Wood, President of Post-Petroleum Transportation, a consulting firm.

The Cost of Conventional Energy

In the last six years, uranium prices have moved from $7 a pound to $80 a pound. Coal has moved from $22 a ton delivered at the plant to $55 a ton, and natural gas has gone from $2 per million BTUs to $12 per million BTUs. Oil went from $20 a barrel to $145 a barrel.

As these dirty energy resources become more costly, so follows the delivered price of electricity jumping by 70 percent in the last six years in New Jersey and many other states. All analysts expect continued increases in electricity costs.

Americans Want Solar

94% of Americans say it’s important for the U.S. to develop and use solar energy. 72% favor extension of Federal tax credits for renewable technologies, and 77% of Americans want the government to make solar power development a national priority, according to the independent polling firm, Kelton Research, June 10, 2008. “These results are an undeniable signal to our elected leaders that Americans want job-creating solar power, now,” said Rhone Resch, President of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

“Solar development means job growth for Americans, by Americans, in an industry that will benefit America,” said Dr. Gerald Fine, President & CEO of SCHOTT North America. “Rather than rely on foreign sources for fuel, the U.S. can aspire to become the world’s leader in clean energy.”

General Electric, with a goal of investing $6 billion in renewable energy by 2010, already surpassed the $4 billion mark this July. GE says that within two years, renewable energy will make up almost a quarter of its total investments in energy, up from 10% in 2006. Investment banks Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs all plan to take advantage of global interest in renewable investments. Meanwhile, NYMEX, the New York-based stock exchange, recently formed a consortium of financial institutions to launch a Green Exchange to trade Renewable Energy Credits.

The Market Speaks: Renewable Energy Finance Forum Wall Street
Over 600 senior executives attended the 5th annual Renewable Energy Finance Forum (REFF) held this June in New York City. “Each year, we have increasingly seen financial leaders on Wall Street recognize renewable energy companies as an important growth sector for the US economy,” said Michael Eckhart, President of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) who hosted the forum along with Euromoney Energy Events. “This new reality has helped launch renewable energy investing into mainstream financial arenas and continues to drive the momentum of the industry,” said Eckhart.

Top analysts forecasted the industry’s potential in the US, for solar power, wind power and bio-fuels. Speakers also drew attention to wavering political issues threatening the viability of renewable developments as Congress currently debates the extension of critical investment catalysts like the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit.

“Wall Street has shown us that the full forces of American innovation are ready to be deployed to meet our energy challenges. If government leaders can provide a stable long-term climate for investment, the renewable energy sector will see unprecedented growth, providing extensive economic opportunities and environmental benefits,” said John Geesman, Co-Chair of the ACORE Board of Directors and former Calif. Secretary of Energy.

GE Financial Services and ACORE released a report at the REFF weighing the long-term economic impact of wind development with the up-front cost of the production tax credit. The report found that the net present value of 2007 US wind development is worth $250 million more than the price tag for the tax credits, which was about $9 billion last year. According to the report, the tax credit pays for itself because of tax revenue received from wind projects, worker wages and other taxes. Once the PTC and ITC issues are behind the industry, the next big battle on Capitol Hill will be over a carbon-weighted policy like cap and trade, according to presenters.

“We simply need more energy. We’re not waiting around for governments to craft the perfect policies,” said Vivienne Cox, Executive Vice President of BP’s alternative energy business. “This is an important market, and we’re going to build a business around it.”
The US is currently the world’s fourth-largest solar power market after Germany, Japan and Spain. Japan is aiming for 30 percent of all its homes to have solar panels installed by 2030, bringing the number of installations to 14 million, according to Kyodo News. Japanese solar panel manufacturers, which include Sharp, account for half of the world output of solar power equipment.

Grid Parity

Grid Parity is the point at which Photovoltaic (PV) electricity costs the same or less than power derived from the electrical grid. PV Grid Parity is expected beginning 2012 in places where sunshine is plentiful, and 2018 in areas of the world with medium sun exposure, according to a study in June from iSupply Corp., an electronics industry analysis company.

Worldwide investments in the production of PV cells will rise to the same level as those for semiconductor manufacturing by 2010, due to booming demand for solar energy. Each PV factory will require an investment of $500 million or more, employ as many as 1,000 workers per site and generate annual revenue of $1 billion per year or more.

By 2010, as many as 400 production lines in the world that can produce at least 1 Megawatt (MW) of PV cells per year, will be in place, representing a four-fold increase in production lines from 2007. Factories capable of 1 Gigawatt (GW) of annual PV production will also be established in the future, to ensure continued strong delivery of PV cells to the market. PV cell production will become cheaper over time, with cell makers Q-Cells, AG, and REC Group expecting a reduction in PV system costs of 40 percent by 2010.

Tom Werner, chief executive of SunPower Corp., the largest North American solar panel manufacturer, sees Grid Parity for solar power in the US and elsewhere happening in about five years, or possibly as soon as 2010. “That’s actually more aggressive than what we would say previously, and that’s because the cost of electricity is going up faster than we had ever modeled,” Werner said at the Reuters Global Energy Summit this past June.

Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd., one of the largest of a growing number of Chinese solar companies, sees the same five-year timeline, thanks to increasing supplies of silicon that will help drive down costs.

The end of polysilicon shortages could cause PV costs to drop in half. “It takes about two or three years to add capacity,” says Travis Bradford, an industry analyst for the Prometheus Institute. The shortage has been severe enough to drive up silicon prices to more than 10 times normal levels, to $450 a kilogram, adds Ted Sullivan, an analyst at Lux Research.

The Business Case For Solar Now

Right now, in New Jersey, the average kilowatt of electricity is being sold to residents at the rate of 18 cents kwhr. If you purchase a 5 kw solar PV system for $40,000 that could generate about 8,000 kilowatts a year, and could easily last for 30 years (panels often carry a 25 year manufacturer’s warranty), your system would generate about 192,000 kilowatt hours over the 30 years, after subtracting 20% for rated age. Now, if you take the 192,000 kilowatt hours and divide it by $40,000, then each kilowatt costs you about 15 cents. Would you rather pay for your own clean, renewable energy system, that carries a 25 year warranty, or purchase dirty electricity coming from coal, nuclear or oil sources, at the rate of 18 cents?

I asked energy analyst, Charles Cresson Wood, if he thinks the price of solar electricity is at Grid Parity now with conventional electricity, when analyzed over 25 years, the typical warranty period of today’s solar panels. He replied, “When one realistically considers the trajectory of the costs for fossil fuels, then solar, wind and other renewables are less expensive over a time frame such as that which you mention.” The analysis is based on research done for his book Kicking The Gasoline & Petro-Diesel Habit.

Solar Is A Better Choice

Energy consultant Jim Harding estimates the operating cost per kilowatt-hour for a new nuclear plant will be in the region of 30 cents for its first dozen years, only dropping to 18 cents after construction costs are paid down. With distributed solar at the low end of this bracket and dropping, and with concentrated solar and wind power estimated at 14 cents per kilowatt-hour, energy companies are backing away from their proposals for new nuclear facilities. Of the seventeen currently in the planning stage, Moody’s Investor Service only expects one or two to be on line by 2015.

Cap-And-Trade System

A cap-and-trade provision would make it costlier to emit carbon into the atmosphere and discourage the burning of fossil fuels. The economics of solar and other cleaner energy sources would be even more competitive.

According to Amory Lovins, physicist and author, reducing carbon emissions would be cheaper and safer if nuclear was rejected in favor of alternatives that are sustainable. Investing in the nuclear option would suck up capital that would be spent more cost-effectively on renewable energy, efficiency and conservation. In contrast to the vast money pit required by nukes, every dollar invested in energy efficiency programs returns three dollars in electricity savings to utility customers.

While debates on disposal of radioactive waste, vulnerability to terrorist attacks, and large-scale use of fresh water required to run nuclear plants continue, it’s tough to argue with the numbers. If the debate is between a clean, renewable source such as solar, which can reach utility scale in some parts of the country, and a more expensive form of power that Wall Street investors won’t even touch, then the nuclear defenders may be running out of arguments. The bottom line is that nuclear costs two to 10 times more than its clean competitors.

Incentives For Renewables

There is not yet a national program in place, except for a 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) limited to a maximum of $2,000 for homeowners, with no limit for business. This applies to both solar PV and domestic solar hot water systems. The ITC will expire at the end of 2008, unless Congress passes an extension, which it is slated to do, by many political analysts.

Currently 25 states offer various incentives for homes and businesses. In New York, a rebate of approximately 50% is available for a solar PV system. New Jersey’s incentive program is going through a transition after offering an average of 60% rebates for the past seven years.

The plan is to move into a performance-based incentive, called the Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs), which pays the solar PV system owner annually based on the number of kilowatts produced by the system. A residential rebate of $3.00 per watt for solar PV systems, starting in 2009 till 2012 with incremental decreases is planned. That rebate would be close to 40% of the system cost.

For detailed information on specific state rebates, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.

Power Purchase Agreements & Leases

The use of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and similar leasing instruments to finance residential and commercial solar power installations is taking off. The commercial solar PPA market has already been active in California and New Jersey.

The Atlantic City Convention Center has awarded Pepco Energy Services, a 20-year PPA to install one of the largest single roof-mounted solar arrays in the US. Under the 20-year contract, Pepco will build, own, operate and maintain the 2.36-Megawatt solar array for the Convention Center. Construction is planned for completion by December 31, 2008. Jeanne Fox, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities states, “This is an example of the kind of initiatives we hope to see as we transition to the sale or trade of SRECs to pay for solar projects.”

Last year, half of all the commercial solar installs in the US were PPAs, and this year that number is running between 60 and 80 percent, according to Jon Guice, researcher at AltaTerra, in Palo Alto, CA, a green energy consultancy group.

Sun Run, one of the first PPA-based residential distributed power companies in California, offers a standard agreement providing electricity at 13.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for 18 years, according to Nat Kreamer, Sun Run’s CEO. “If you do a 30-year look-back, residential electricity rates in California have risen an average of 6.7 percent per year,” he says. They offer various up-front payment options, so that an increased payment would result in delivered electricity decreases.

“We found the sweet spot for customers is up to $10,000 for prepayment, and that they want flexible options for reassigning the contract when they move, and not a big buy-out at the end,” Kreamer says. “At the end of the term, customers can renew their contracts for a year at a time, or buy out the system at a fraction of the installed cost.”

Another form of financing for residential solar systems that requires less or no up-front payments, is leasing. David Arfin, vice president of customer financing at Solar City of Foster City, CA states that, “The big difference is with a lease: there is no money down, and in most cases homeowners are saving money from day one.” Solar City leases typically run for 15 years, after which time homeowners can purchase the system for 20 to 30 percent of the cost of the installed system. Leases can be extended for five-year increments.

“With a PPA, the residential host agrees to pay for certain kWh produced on his or her roof, and they have a variable payment depending on what is produced and used. With our lease, there is a fixed payment every month, but they still get the benefits of whatever excess power is generated,” said Arfin. “It’s sort of like the difference between leasing a car by the mile or by the week,” he adds.

A Home Equity Line of Credit is the most profitable choice for credit-worthy NJ homeowners to finance a solar system. Their monthly loan payment will be comparable to the savings on their current electric bill. After factoring in rising electric rates and the SRECs, the homeowner can get extra income from their solar purchase.

The fact is, unless you own your own electric generating system, or have a set price agreement with a PPA or PPL, you are leasing your power from a utility company with no control over its future cost.

Clean Power Finance has tools and loan products to make the purchase of home solar power systems more affordable. Clean Power Finance tools assist with completing the rebates, and match multiple funding options. Everything is done online.

The Borrower’s Guide to Financing Solar Energy Systems: A Federal Overview provides information to assist both lenders and consumers in financing solar electric and thermal systems, with descriptions of special mortgage programs for energy-efficient homes. The free brochure is online at www.nrel.gov/docs/fy99osti/26242.pdf

For Super Big Renewable & Efficient Ideas The Dept of Energy will make up to $10 billion dollars in loan guarantee authority, available for projects employing energy efficiency, renewable energy and advanced transmission and distribution technologies that constitute New or Significantly Improved Technologies. It’s limited to 80% of total Project Costs, and requires a non-refundable minimum application fee of $18,750 to be considered.

Breaking news: Vice President Al Gore has begun a campaign that is so ambitious, it could be game-changing. He is challenging our nation to produce 100% of our electricity from renewable energy within 10 years. Al Gore noted, “To those who say 10 years is not enough time, I respectfully ask them to consider what the world’s scientists are telling us about the risks we face if we don’t act in 10 years.”

To learn how you can get involved in the Solar solution, and energy efficiency, a course is being offered at Brookdale Community College, in Lincroft, NJ on Tuesday nights from 7-9pm Sept. 23 through Oct. 7, 2008 and again in January 2009.For scheduling, call: 732-842-1900.
For more information go to http://www.bized.com

Cathy Sims, editor and publisher of the biz.ed Guide since 1986

photo credit: thingermejig

If you own a small business, you know that profits depend upon two things: income and expenses. Energy costs can be a significant expense and many business owners are taking a new approach to energy to both lower their costs and move to a more sustainable green approach. With the right information you can improve your company’s financial performance by reducing energy costs and energy waste while protecting the earth’s environment.

Businesses need energy. Whether you are a tenant or you own your building, you typically need lighting; heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC); power for office equipment; and other services to stay in business. How can you create an energy plan? Here are some ideas.

Contact your utility company. Ask if they offer free or inexpensive energy audits and/or rebates for energy-efficiency upgrades. Undertaking a comprehensive energy efficiency program, with the assistance of a professional if needed, can yield impressive savings. A useful website is Energy Crossroads, created by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab), a member of the national laboratory system supported by the U.S. Department of Energy through its Office of Science. The site (http://eetd.lbl.gov/einfo-links.html) provides links to dozens of agencies that provide resources for energy conservation.

You can take action yourself. There are many reliable, high-return, low-risk, strategies that you can implement with little cost. Some are very simple, while others may take some investment.

LIGHTING

• Turn off lights and other equipment when not in use. Even “vampire energy loss” from computers and equipment in passive or standby mode can account for significant energy loss.

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), wherever appropriate. CFLs cost about 75% less to operate, and last about 10 times longer.

• Adjust lighting to your actual needs and use free daylight.

• Do not “over-light.” Too much light can be counterproductive, and it costs a lot more.

• Install switch plate occupancy sensors to automatically turn on lights when rooms are occupied, and off when people leave.

• Upgrade fluorescent lamp units to T8 (1″ diameter) tubes with solid-state electronic ballasts. These are more efficient than older T12 (1.5″ diameter) tubes with magnetic ballasts.

• Install Energy Star exit signs. These long-lasting exit signs can reduce lamp replacement and can save up to ten dollars per sign annually in electricity costs while saving up to 500 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions.

• Purchase Energy Star qualified products for your business. You’ll have the most efficient computers, printers, copiers, thermostats, ceiling fans, refrigerators, televisions, windows, and other equipment and appliances.

WATER

• Fix water leaks. Even small leaks add up to many gallons of water wasted each month.

• Use water-saving faucets, showerheads, toilets, and urinals.

• Install an insulation blanket on water heaters, and insulate at least the first three feet of the hot water “out” pipe.

• If buying a new water heater, consider a “tankless” water heater to reduce standby costs and waste.

• Set water temperature according to your local board of health code-usually between 110 and 120 degrees.

• Landscape using plants native to your region that require minimal watering and possess better pest resistance. If local code allows, consider diverting gray water for watering.

HVAC

• Maintain your HVAC system with an annual maintenance contract. Your system may last years longer and use less energy when properly serviced.

• Regularly change or clean HVAC filters during peak cooling or heating season.

• Control the amount of direct sun passing through windows according to the season and local climate. During cooling season, block direct heat gain from the sun shining through glass on the south side of the facility. Solar screens, solar films, and even old-fashioned awnings and vegetation can help. During heating season, these same south-facing windows can contribute solar heat gain during the day.

• Install an Energy Star qualified programmable thermostat to automate your HVAC system. A programmable thermostat can optimize HVAC operation based on your schedule, and can be overridden for unscheduled events.

• Use fans. Moving air can help delay or reduce the need for air conditioning, and a temperature setting of three to five degrees higher can feel as comfortable with fans. Fans can improve comfort and save energy year round.

• Plug leaks with weather stripping and caulking. You don’t need air-and heat-escaping through your leaky building.

THE NEXT STEP: GREEN POWER

Green power is electricity produced from renewable resources including solar, wind, low-impact biomass, geothermal, and low-impact hydro. If you want to be proactive about becoming a green facility, check out the Green Power Partnership, a voluntary program offered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Green Power Partnership (http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/) supports the development of green power by offering expert advice, technical support, and resources.

For instance, do you know what fuel is used to generate the electricity used by your business? The EPA does. In just a few minutes you can enter your ZIP code and your power supplier and find out what mix of fuel is used by your supplier: non-hydro renewables, hydro, nuclear, gas, coal, or oil. The answer may surprise you.

Using EPA resources can help your business lower the costs of buying green power, reduce your carbon footprint, and demonstrate community leadership. Buying green power is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve the environmental performance of your business.

Thomas Hauck Communications Services provides writing and editing solutions for businesses and nonprofits. Visit us at http://www.thomashauck.net/ for information on how THCS can impact your bottom line.

photo credit: technicolorcavalry

Solar Is Our Future: Crafting Your Own Green Collar, Solar Business

Starting a home based solar energy business has many rewards and challenges. Starting a business is a big responsibility that includes commitment, professionalism, training, and self-discipline. It involves careful consideration, such as what type of competition you’ll encounter and the demand for the solar rental service you can expect. Start searching for your next dream job.

Due to this commitment, the Department of Energy will be more than willing to give out grants for something like a home-based, solar energy business. Steven Chu, the new Secretary of Energy has pledged to make the Department of Energy’s services more available to the common person. This means that anymore who want to run a business from home promoting the use of solar energy should be able to work their way through the bureaucracy well.

The change in attitude related to renewable, solar energy just offers way more options to a person, who may have lost their job during this economic downturn, to get a let up and start their own, work from home business.

Most of the grants and funding work is done through the Office of Science Grants and Contracts Division. The Office of Science Contracts would make an assessment on whether or not the work from home solar energy business would be viable enough to be worthy of a government subsidy. The DOE has launched what they call the Solar America Initiative. Many new renewable energy initiatives will establish many new forms of energy all from off grid places by twenty-fifteen.

There are other options and ways to start your own solar energy business besides getting the whole business operation up and running by yourself. You can look for other established or emerging companies that have inexpensive ways to become affiliated with them. To be a sales associate in most organizations doesn’t take a lot of work. You may need to pass a test to show you are qualified and know a little about solar energy but that is usually it.

You do not need to be a college graduate or a seasoned sales executive. More often than not, a person with passion and drive can really make a difference. There are opportunities in the renewable energy industry for those who believe in solar power and wish to promote alternate ways to help the U.S. produce electricity.

If you are required to pay a fee to become involved in a business opportunity, it may mean something is fishy. Good business opportunities, especially targeting the home-based entrepreneur, show not fees or additional costs to join. You should be on the lookout if they do. A reputable company will not ask new associates to pay for a “welcome kit” or sample products. The primary objective is about creating a team, a collective of passionate people all doing good by referring U.S. homeowners to exciting aspects of renting a solar energy system for their home.

Obviously the idea of a home based solar energy business that promotes the renting of a solar system versus having to buy one is a super way to offer renewable energy and one great idea that will get us all closer to moving off the grid for good.

A green collar, solar job was talked about so much during the 2008 presidential election. A green collar job would revive the solar manufacturing base in this country and provide opportunity to people who otherwise might not be able to make a good living or who may have recently lost a job. A small business is the lifeblood of the economy for many communities so when a green collar job is a part of a small business, it is a winning combination.

The exciting aspect of solar energy is the potential for growth. The renewable energy industry is still in its infancy. With less than 2.three percent of the U.S. home solar energy market is tapped currently. Renewable energy has a long way to go and much growth to tap into. What’s more, solar power makes up three fifths of a percent of the total renewable share, and yet, solar power has the greatest potential of all renewable types for rapid, exponential growth.

There are also several websites that promote the idea of home based renewable energy. Many of these websites have connections to private equity and venture capital firms who would consider investing in a solar energy company, but the truth is that there is such a calling for something innovative like a home based solar company that large upfront investments are not necessary in many ways.

Home based solar energy companies would fit nicely in the scheme of the President’s Advanced Energy Initiative. Dr. Chu, who was referenced earlier, stresses the need for a strong partnership with the private sector related to the growth of solar.

As a professor at Stanford, Chu has written on the benefits of renewable energy for home usage and how it will help ease our way off fossil fuels. Chu has called for a revolution in alternative fuels and he says there is no better time than now to confront challenges like global warming. This is why 2009-2010 would be a great time to start up a home based solar energy business.

At Solargies, our mission is to spread the use of renewable energies as simply as possible. We provide U.S. homeowners the option to rent a solar electric system. We also offer entrepreneurs a no cost method to build their own solar energy business. Lost your job recently? Why not create a whole, renewable one. Learn more about Daniel at http://www.EcoCrews.com

photo credit: Paul Lowry

The most important fundamental step to launching a successful PR campaign is to target the right audiences. The one question every business owner will ask is simple, “Show Me The Money”. As a PR professional you want to ensure that you are directing all of you’re PR campaigns on profitable paths.

Many times PR pros can benefit from hot trendy markets. This is an ideal opportunity to create a demand for products and services offered in PR campaigns. The task here is to find solutions to implement products and services that will add value to hot trendy markets. Therefore increasing a demand and revenue earnings.

Exploring some of these hot trillion dollar markets could put your PR campaigns on a fast track:

1. Target Multicultural Market – A $1 trillion dollar buying power predicted by 2010. When targeting this market consideration of cultural perspective and media stereotypes are vital. Conducting market research and consumer insights will be a primary element and bilingual promotions should be incorporated.

Highlight:

According to Packaged Facts and the Selig Center for Economic Growth located at the University of Georgia, “African American consumers will swell to $1 trillion by 2010. The national share of buying power for African Americans will increase to 8.6% by 2010 from 8.4% in 2005, per Selig. Hispanic buying power is projected to rise to 9.2% from 8.1%; Asian American buying power will rise to 4.9% from 4.4%, while American Indian buying power will stay steady at 0.6%.”

2. Target Baby Boomers – A buying power of over $2.1 trillion dollars. There are over 78 million baby boomers and every eight-seconds a baby boomer turns 60, totaling 11,000 baby boomers turning 60 a day. Targeting this audience requires a vast knowledge of cultural values. Implementation of product and service value is primary and referral networks are key elements to building strong client loyalty. Support groups and tradeshow affiliations recommended.

Highlight:

This is the first generation in their golden-haired years that marketers can primarily reach most through email and cell phones.

3. Target Green Industry – The green market is valued at $227 billion dollars per year and expected to reach $1 trillion dollars by 2020. Environmental friendly approach introduced with product or service offerings is the best solution to approach this market. Direct implementation of environmental friendly practices in everyday business is strongly encouraged.

Highlight:

Environmental friendly business practices include carpooling, telecommuting, bicycling, recycling, organic purchasing, public transportation, and alternative energy sources.

4. Target Alpha Moms – Holding the power to make 80% of the family purchases and a yearly buying power the same as Great Britain, spending $1.7 trillion dollars a year! Online marketing a resourceful solution to reach this target audience. Product or service offerings should emphasis in-depth detail of features and benefits. Production of quality product or service offerings a constant demand for this market. Strong peer influence and networks trendy practice.

5. Target Mobile Market – Today the worldwide mobile data market is worth 100 billion dollars and by 2015 the mobile content market is predicted to be worth $1 trillion dollars. Today mobile websites offer an opportunity to reach 1.8 billion consumers through cell phones. Targeting this market is setup to be the largest circulation to reach consumers in the world.

CR “Cataunya” Ransom is the Co-founder and Chief Marketing Officer of Mosnar Communications, Inc. in metro Atlanta, Georgia.
CR consults clients and speaks to audiences relating to global marketing and public relations practices. CR is the creator of the Mega Powerhouse Marketing system http://www.megapowerhouse.com

photo credit: René Ehrhardt

It seems like everyone is It  going green these days. The travel and tourism industry is no different. I’m sure you’ve noticed this trend in advertising and travel industry marketing. As crazy as it may sound, these are two areas where you may not think about green living, but enough people are becoming more aware of its implications to make going green with travel SEO a growing trend.

In other business niches, the idea of going green means big profits, which is another reason why so many hotels are embracing the notion of green travel marketing.

Unfortunately, there are a small number of people out there who don’t believe in global warming and the only reason that companies are going green with their online tourism marketing campaign is to get more money. All it takes is one trip to an exotic land to change their minds.

It’s those of us who believe in the harmful effects of climate change that online travel marketing ads geared towards green tourism is truly geared towards. The travel companies know that these people believe in their own personal responsibility to do what they can to protect the planet.

The internet marketing of tourism related to green tourism shouldn’t be confused with other types of vacations such as an adventure travel. These usually do harm to the environment. Eco-tourism on the other hand must satisfy a number of different criteria that pertain to both the traveler and the well being of the host community. Online tourism marketing, such as travel SEO, is normally built around much of these criteria, as well.

For those interesting in this type of vacation, online tourism marketing, like travel SEO, has begun to notice the idea of going green by providing different vacation options for people interested in protecting the planet. While not every vacation can be a green one, that doesn’t mean you can’t choose to depart on one every now and then. It is important to work within the boundaries you can manage. Pay attention to the different ads of internet marketing of tourism for ideas which may suit you.

For the traveler who online travel marketing is focused on, the main motivation of eco-tourism is always the observation and appreciation of both the local ecology and the local culture. It must always include educational and interpretation features. As the internet marketing of tourism describes, it must benefit the host community by being organized for small groups by local businesses.

It must always minimize the impact on both the natural and cultural environment, and generate income for the host land. Hopefully, you and your group will come away with an increased awareness of the need for conserving the community’s natural and cultural assets.

Online travel marketing companies know and understand this better than you may think. Why do you think there is such an increase lately in travel SEO? They are looking to help their customers and make a profit at the same time. It’s a win-win situation for everybody involved.

Search engine optimization is a specialty of Brandon Thomas. He has been providing SEO services and conducting internet marketing for the last ten years. In this article, Brandon discusses online tourism marketing.

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.

photo credit: mahalie

Yes folks, it is the topic of the times, the trendy buzzword and the cover of nearly every magazine this last year. Everyone is talking green, but have you changed now that you have all the information?

Meetings and events leave a heavy footprint. We are aware that our industry has to change the way we do business. We must realize this is not a fringe movement any longer – it is real and it is here to stay. This is a perfect opportunity to stand out in the industry especially if you are an independent meeting planner. Are you marketing yourself as a green planner? If not, why not?

What Does Green Planning Mean Anyway?

In short, it is a responsible way of doing business by integrating environmental and sustainable decisions during each phase of the planning process. It includes making choices to conserve energy and natural resources, reduce waste, reuse and recycle goods and use earth-friendly products. By planning events with this enhanced awareness our industry will have an extraordinary environmental and ecological impact all over the world. And that’s a big deal!

Times are evolving rapidly in this direction and event planners, venues, suppliers and participants are beginning to respond. Those of us who are traveling on the green path and changing our decision making process are ahead of the pack. Now is your chance to be leader of the pack. Or are you a part of the herd?

What You Can Do Starting Now?

The audience for Perspective is a bit more enlightened than most. We are fortunate to live in an area that is among the top five greenest places in the United States. It is easy to find green businesses in the Bay Area, however, many of us plan events outside this Emerald City (great and unintentional pun). We have and will run up against naïve and unwilling clients, vendors, suppliers, etc. in other parts of the country and world. What can we do?

I can give you 10 easy specific steps to begin today but instead, I challenge you to go further than bulking up on your condiments and shampoos or using both sides of a piece of paper. (Don’t get me wrong, those are very important too!). Instead, I dare you to go further and investigate this emerging movement and discover what part you will play. If you want to stand out as a green planner, do nothing less than the following five suggestions:

1. Create Standards. Establish environmental standards in writing and get buy-in from your clients, the organization’s management and/or your clientele. Share your standards with every supplier, vendor, speaker, and your participants. Know exactly where you will draw the line with minimal guidelines.
2. Get and Stay Educated. Keep informed and up-to-date with what is new in our industry. What hotels are utilizing green practices or what cities have the best transportation record, etc. The number of businesses going green is changing rapidly. Keep up! Buy books, read magazines, listen to the experts and ask them for guidance. Make informed choices!
3. Choose Wisely. Make every choice dependent on the environmental impact. Think about the consequence before you finalize any decision. Ask yourself, what is the legacy of this decision? Give priority to destination cities, venues, vendors and suppliers who are developing, implementing and are innovating environmental and sustainable practices. If you are locked into a particular venue for example, bring your standards with you. Ask them to make changes at least while your group is there.
4. Build Green Partnerships.Work closely with everyone you do business with and ask them to green up their practices or find someone who does. Make sure everyone involved with your event is on the same page. Bring people on board and train them if necessary. If their practices are substandard with your standards and guidelines, help them do to better. Set examples that create permanent change. Be in harmony with all parties!
5. Share your Success and Sell you Success. Tell everyone involved – your participants, speakers, and the media about your successes. You will be surprised. Green efforts are contagious. And they are a great marketing tool too!

Each meeting is unique and requires working with different businesses and people at each juncture. Each event brings with it distinctive challenges and solutions. Be creative and encourage involvement and follow your standards. If you start today, before you know it, it will become second nature to make the right choices.

Oh yeah, have fun with it and be proud of your efforts no matter how big or small. Every green decision is a good one!

For a list of the latest hospitality industry green resources go to http://www.successfuleventplanning.com/green_planning.html.

Ms. Kilkenny, author of The Complete Guide to Successful Event Planning, is currently speaking at conferences and conventions, teaching workshops and seminars, writing articles, as well as consulting on greening up the hospitality industry. She can be reached at eventresults@aol.com, 415-868-1415. http://www.successfuleventplanning.com

photo credit: frozenchipmunk

My family recently decided to upgrade our kitchen and replace our old out-dated cabinets and we were considering going “green.” We thought one factor might keep us from doing our part to help reduce our carbon footprint, and that was the cost associated with going the environmentally friendly route. These questions arose: If there is such a thing as “green cabinets,” where would we find them and how much would they cost compared to standard cabinetry?

We eventually located a manufacturer of cabinetry that did not add as much to the greenhouse effect as most cabinets may. To our surprise, the cost of upgrading our kitchen cabinetry with low impact cabinets wasn’t too much more than traditional cabinets. Once we began to research going green, we realized how important it is to do our part…and how not considering environmentally friendly products adds to the greenhouse effect.

In fact, we found a lot of information that suggested if we chose not to go green, we’d end up paying more in the long run. As it turns out, we’d pay a little extra now and benefit considerably more in the future because of the unseen pay-off. What I mean by pay-off is specifically the benefits green products produce as a by-product, so to speak.

New cabinetry puts out formaldehyde continually, especially within the first year. Formaldehyde can be toxic, is an allergenic, and is carcinogenic–that is, it can cause cancer. Because formaldehyde resins are used in many construction materials (including cabinets), it is one of the more common indoor air pollutants. At concentrations above 0.1 ppm (parts per million) in the air, formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and mucous membranes, resulting in watery eyes. Formaldehyde inhaled at this concentration may cause headaches, a burning sensation in the throat, difficulty breathing, as well as triggering or aggravating asthma symptoms.

Just the costs associated with any health problems that may arise from being exposed to formaldehyde can offset the premium price of environmentally friendly cabinetry. If someone develops cancer as a result, the extra cost is priceless, in my opinion. Any time away from work, school and free-time because of any illness that may be a result of exposure to formaldehyde can eventually add up to a lot of money. Unexpected medical bills, a few days away from work and missing a test at school may not have immediate or direct costs associated with them, but must be considered as hidden expenses that can possibly be attributed to formaldehyde exposure. If you’re following this, and if it turns out these costs are a direct result of such exposure, the choice of going green adds to paying for itself.

My family has come to realize that we really need to change the way we think about our carbon footprint, being as environmentally friendly as our situation allows and doing what we can to find green products that are as effective as non-green products.

As a small business owner, I can appreciate how thinking “locally” can be more productive for the surrounding community and eventually for my own family. What I mean by that is nothing more than what goes into the local economy eventually comes back around to my individual family and friends. The ways that is true are endless and go round and round.

Being green allows us to take ownership of our local economy and encourages a smaller overall carbon footprint. How can that be bad? Yes, maybe a bit more expensive, but in the long run most definitely worth the investments of money and time.

One of the articles that convinced us can be found at evergreencabs.com/articles/costofgoinggreen.htm

Czach H.

photo credit: ralphbijker

Author and renowned consumer advocate, Debra Lynn Dadd, has been a pioneer in everything green, natural, and healthy for over two decades. Culminating from her many years of research and analysis are seven books and a comprehensive website overflowing with the greenest of green data and nearly 1,000 links to websites that sell green products. She is a master in her field and has been crowned “The Queen of Green” by the NY Times. Here Debra talks about her new book, “Really Green,” a simple guide that takes the hype out of today’s sizzling green market and presents her creation: the very first green standard not based on the technical and financial sights of green business, but , to quote her, “…that which is inspired by the wisdom of Nature.”

Q: Debra, I’ve read your new book Really Green and I found it to be intelligent, informative and inspiring, yet very simple to read. And, I came away simply feeling good about myself and my own efforts to go green. Through your book, I was given a new understanding of what more I could do to benefit health and the environment. Tell us what your book is about.

A: I am in contact with people every day who want to live green-they want to do the right thing. In talking with them, I realized that most people don’t know the basics of green. I could talk about recycling, for example, but they don’t know the difference between the word “recycled” and the word “recyclable.” They don’t know that recycled refers to the material used in a product and recyclable indicates that they can recycle the product. The most common question I am asked is “How do I know if this product is really green?”

My book, Really Green, is the answer to this question. It covers all the basics anyone needs to know to tell the difference between products with real environmental and health benefits and those with misleading green hype. It covers everything from defining biodegradable to how to identify greenwashing. But most importantly, it outlines the basic principles that define green products, so anyone can have confidence they can recognize a green product when they see one.

Everyone I show this book to wants it. They say, “Thank you for writing this book! We need this!”

Q: So, tell the world what “green” really means?

A: In the broadest sense, green includes any product, service, or activity that is supportive of life, both human and otherwise. So this would include everything from helping the environment to human health and social issues. “Green” is the umbrella that encompasses everything in these fields, including organic, recycled, biodegradable, fair trade, and other life-supporting practices.

Q: By what do we measure green? Is there a standard for what is really green?

A: Well, actually there is a green standard. It doesn’t have to be just opinion. Life itself is making green products every day-apples, trees, butterflies…. All we need to do is look at nature to see that a green product would be made from resources that are rapidly renewable, taken sustainably, made with efficient use of resources, locally produced, and other practical guidelines. There can be no more solid and true foundation for what constitutes a green product. Yet there are also various shades of green. A product doesn’t have to be 100% green to make a difference. Every small step is worth taking.

Q: Some think even the smallest green steps are too expensive. Don’t green products cost more?

A: When I was choosing a printer for Really Green, I thought I would have to strike a balance between the price of the book and the shade of green. I wanted to keep the price under $10. But by staying firm to my green integrity, I found a printer who could print the books on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with nontoxic inks (and wind power, too!) for the same price per book as virgin paper, toxic ink, and fossil fuel energy. So I’ve learned that green products don’t always have to cost more.

Q: What excited me the most about your book was to learn that I am not this thing called a “consumer.” I got that the one thing that is important in the green movement is that we simply come back to being human. How can we become more human in living and less consumer?

A: Our whole consumer identity of having our lives revolve around the buying of things is not our natural state. We don’t have to buy our lives, we can live our lives. Consumers rely on others to provide for them, as humans we can think for ourselves, feel for ourselves, create for ourselves, and act from caring about the well-being of all life. We can cook our own dinners, tend our gardens, learn healing arts, and entertain each other. It’s about remembering we have our own ideas and skills and abilities and taking joy in using them.

Q: Finally, with all the years you’ve been an advocate for health and the environment, why did you choose to write this book now?

A: Actually, quite suddenly, I felt a new urgency-we all need to go green right now! This past winter I spent some time in San Francisco, where I lived for most of my life. Amazingly, in December, the camellias were blooming, the fruit trees were blossoming, and the fields were yellow with mustard flowers. None of these things are supposed to happen until February. I was walking in Golden Gate Park and I saw this cherry tree in bloom. “What is this?!!?!” I was shocked. I lived in Northern California for 47 years and I know when the flowers bloom. I have never seen these flowers out of season. The earth is changing. I can see it with my own eyes in my own life.

This is more than a book to me–it’s a mission. I feel called to do this at the deepest level of my being. The Earth is calling all of us.

Really Green by Debra Lynn Dadd can be ordered online at http://www.dld123.com/reallygreen

Joyce White is a writer and the founder of Wordistry, a company that provides a variety of support services to writers.