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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.

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In these rough economic times, anyone making the choice to be a consultant should first investigate a segment that is not already filled with rampant competition. Consider how many business coaches are out there. There is a lot of turnover in coaches and consultants, so why not avoid the businesses that lack serious promise? One of the best areas of consultant is the exploding needs of emerging Green businesses.

The problem is that most businesses are busy making business happen. Going Green is often relegated to paultry offerings such as installing CFL bulbs or more technical thermostat. Other firms feel like they are participating in Green transition by attending seminar and Green events. Others show their Green commitment by writing a check to various Green programs. None of these ideas are effective and honest when there are so many lacking issues that reside in their operation.

Due to the constant pressures of business, the smart move is hire a professional who knows how to evaluate, suggest, and implement a series of Green improvements. So far, most Green consultants are self-educated and not well-rounded in their knowledge of the subject. The Green consultant should be trained in all areas of environmental issues that affect business. This will allow the consultant to act as the outsourced Green adviser to the company. This allows this person to bring the best information to the company in a fashion that fits the company’s needs.

One of the first steps is the Green Awareness training. This allows the in-house workers to buy into the Green program. Most projects leave out the “home team” when so many of the practical issues go unaddressed. Green Awareness training gets the whole office or company on the same page and makes an immediate impact on the Green program. The Green Awareness training leads into the Green Management which is a twelve month guided process to earning the company’s GCI Green Building certification. Month by month, new ideas for Greening the office are introduced allowing the company to earn the requisite 100 points needed for GCIC Green Building certification.

Know how to Go Green also means knowing where to find the resources to turn suggestions into actions. It is important to know that Going Green is not done in a week, a month, or a year. This evolution is still in its early stages. We are going to see new ideas, new products, and new issues as time passes. One time fixes are not appropriate for this monster issue. A Green consultant will be learning and constantly increasing what they know. Innovations are still coming out every day, so the need for serious consultants will not soon diminish.

Green consultant training is being offered through the only source that can offer this trademark certification. The Green Business League and joined with Green Clean Institute to offer training for aspiring Green consultants. Find out more at Green Clean Consultant website and download an overview and application, but do it soon since classes are expected to fill up. Classes are planned for Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Tampa, and Philadelphia.

Michael Richmond is the director of the Green Clean Institute, and chief adviser for the Green Consultant.

photo credit: peterbarabas

Here’s the problem! No one really knows what “Green” stands for. Just ask around, and you will hear answers about saving the earth, using less oil, installing CFL bulbs, or installing Green roofs on a building. None of these are Green issues in the truest sense of the word, and that is where you education is going to start. Not only are most cleaning services ignorant, Corporate America is woefully ignorant while giving lip service to the need for environmental issues.

How about “Carbon Offset?” Are they real or a scam? Where does the money go when you purchase Carbon offsets? Do they detract from Green Awareness by corporations, or are they really a good idea? You see, there is a lot to learn about the issues that impact business.

Does having Green Seal products make a Green cleaning service? What are the hot issues that make a product Green, and how easy is it to lie to the public about the Green value of a cleaning product? Greenwashing is a new term for firms representing themselves or their products as Green but could not pass an impartial Green review. Once again, knowing is better than being told. With the growing volume of Green demands, it is crucial to know how to define a Green anything.

How do you measure a Green building, and what are the real issues that most buildings are violating daily? Is the Green Office created by the janitorial service, participating in a local Green festival that gives out CFL bulbs, or because they are working on a LEED certification? Might there be a measure of tokenism in attending a Green conference or giving money to the World Wildlife Foundation?

Listen! There is a lot of misunderstandings about Green right now, and it is not only confusing customers, it is impacting your business. Green Seal and LEED have made all these issues so complicated that most people have become the ignorant tail of a much larger agenda controlled by the architects, engineers, and power operations. Green is being hijacked, and it is time to bring this thing back to its roots. The need for professional Green consultants is immense, and we will eventually see a number of self-appoint Green consultants stepping forward who do not have the training, credentials, or background to stand in this vacancy.

To be a Green Consultant™, the aspiring entrepreneur must do more than “read up” on the subject. There will be six Green Consultant ™ training sessions in early 2009. The will be held in: Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Tampa, Philadelphia, and again in Chicago. This is a federal trademark and the only legitimate source for this designation is offered through the Green Clean Institute in concert with the Green Business League. Classes are limited in size and require four days of intensive training onsite.

This training opens the door to one of the most explosive careers in the Green marketplace, and hundreds of Green Consultants work to build the largest Green Business network in the United States. Advanced enrollment is required, and classes will fill quickly. Training assignments prior to class assures that everyone will start on an equal par, and benefit from a powerful training program. A business plan is mapped out for all candidates to follow to create a great and profitable business within the first 90 days of the completion of training.

Those who should attend are anyone who has a Green passion and wants to make a tremendous difference in the business community. There are no guarantees, but this is likely the business career of the decade.

Michael Richmond is the director of the Green Clean Institute, key trainer for the Green Consultant program, and chief adviser for the Green Business League.