Greener By Day...

No Job Market? You're apparently looking in the wrong place...

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:34:00 +0000

From Cooler Planet, this article about the Top 9 Solar Jobs for 2010:

If you are thinking about a career change this year, the future of the solar can be your shining star. Those having knowledge and experience in any area of solar energy can easily reconstruct their resume and expand their options for employment in this growing field.

We are at the forefront of a booming industry and with the solar energy transition projected to create around 350,000 new jobs by the end of this year, the biggest problem has been finding workers to meet the increasing demand.

Those who do gather the information and experience they need to take advantage of this burgeoning industry will be well-paid and highly regarded. This solar energy revolution could be America’s best hope for the future of our labor force. Let’s take a look at some of the top jobs in the solar energy industry.

1. Urban Planner: Careers in this field are in huge demand. The skill set of urban planners who conduct contingency planning are badly needed in our pursuit to reduce our carbon footprint. Positions in Urban Planning are expected to rise by over 15% over the next 5+ years.

2. Solar Operations Engineer: Engineers in this position are faced with the task of designing new solar systems, then supervising and inspecting the structures during construction, which makes them the architects of the entire facility operation. They are also involved in monitoring and testing the correlation between old and new solar energy facilities.

3. Environmental Engineer: This position has some pretty big shoes to fill. The objective of these engineers is to prevent further deterioration of our planet by limiting soil erosion, global warming, acid rain and ozone depletion. The next 7 or so years should show employment opportunities in this field rise by as much as 25%.

4. Solar Lab Technician: Companies are seeking technicians with design, production, installation and testing skills involved with solar-energy technologies. With the increase of homes and commercial buildings investing in solar energy, so increases the need to find skilled professionals with the knowledge to get the job done.

5. Solar Power Installer: This is a relatively high-paying position within the solar energy spectrum of jobs and the opportunities abound. If you have a background in construction, you may want to look into some of these positions to install solar-thermal water heaters and solar panels on rooftops.

6. Wind Turbine Fabricator: Because wind is the leading source of alternate energy, these wind turbines are in higher demand than ever. And because they are garnering considerable financial support and tax rebates, wind farms are appearing everywhere. These jobs offer a great opportunity.

7. Energy Efficiency Builder: Our existing buildings are one of the greatest sources of greenhouse gas emissions, making them energy “guzzlers”. If you’re a skilled engineer, architect or retrofitter, your skills are in high demand to not only convert existing structures but also new buildings that are energy efficient.

8. Sustainability Systems Developer: In order to design, build and maintain the network required to support solar energy sources such as smart energy grids and wind farms, software developers and engineers are in high demand. This is a particularly golden opportunity for those with experience in web 2.0 applications and open source programming.

9. Solar Hot Water Installer: With a surge in the number of homeowners and business owners purchasing solar heating systems, the demand for professionals in this area is escalating with it, in both residential and commercial buildings. As the technological advances in this area escalate, so does the number of people required to fill these positions.

Looking for training? http://www.snrysolar.com/.

Education is the missing puzzle piece in the growth of solar. We need more qualified installers to grow a competitive market. We need a competitive market to increase customer interest. We need good instructors willing to step up and help Renew the Nation through solar.

Are you willing to step up?

Corporate Social Responsibility and Small Business

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:07:00 +0000

"Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) should underpin the actions of organizations and the MBA should adopt a stakeholder focus concerning all those affected by the actions of an organization, rather than just shareholder focus." -"MBA's Adapting to Changing Focus", Jeanette Purcell, Chief Executive, Association of MBA's

"The issues we are addressing - from clean water, to safe food, to sustainable and vibrant cities, to smarter work, to empowered communities - are not a choice between business strategy and citizenship strategy. They are both." -IBM Corporate Social Responsibility Plan 2008

"What does being a good corporate citizen mean? It means that we work hard to deliver attractive returns and exceptional value to our shareholders. At the same time, it means that every day, in every one of our operations around the world, we strive to do our part to make the world a better place." -TimeWarner Corporate Social Responsibility Plan

So, what does all this mean to the small or mid-size business? You're not TimeWarner. You're not IBM. You're business plan doesn't include global domination. You're happy to make a difference and do your part in your little corner of the community.

It means that, of all the organizations on the planet, YOU are in the greatest position to make a significant and meaningful impact on your community, on the people who work for you, and for your clients and customers.

Having a written Corporate Social Responsibility Plan is simply the way to keep track of it all and know if you're meeting your goals.

The problem is that many companies do tremendous good every day through great HR programs, or through philanthropic efforts, or through environmental stewardship, but they don't write any of it down nor do they share it with their clients and customers. This, in my opinion, is the saddest part. Don't you think your clients want to know the wonderful things you're doing? It should make them proud that a portion of the money they paid you for goods/services went to help a local shelter, or assisted one of your employees during their time of need.

People want to do business with people they like and trust. You do business with your suppliers because you like and trust them. What if you found out that the company that handled your pest control gave 10% of their profit last year to the American Lung Association? What if your child has asthma? Wouldn't you feel better about doing business with that vendor? Good corporate social responsibility strengthens relationships and builds integrity and value. And, at the same time, it benefits the community, the people, and the planet.

More and more companies are taking the time to put good deeds to paper and drafting their Corporate Social Responsibility Plans. Included in those plans are goals, benchmarks for success, policies, and action items to meet the goals. If you have 2 or 200 employees, you should have a plan.

As they say, A goal without a plan is just a wish.

It's time more small and mid-size businesses step beyond wishing for good results. It's time to make your wishes a reality with a good, well-thought out plan.

Here are a few things to consider when drafting your Corporate Social Responsibility Plan:

The Plan is all about your company. If it doesn't mesh with your company's mission and vision, then don't do it.
Your Plan should include People - Profit - Planet solutions. Include your HR plans, environmental stewardship, and community/philanthropic activity.
If your people aren't passionate about it, it probably won't work. Find out what drives your employees and forge your CSR Plan around that. If your employees love the holiday food drive, make it a formal part of your CSR Plan. If your employees are nature lovers, get involved with conservation programs.
It's not a "from the top down" program. Nor is it a "from the bottom up" program. EVERYONE needs to be included. Not just the boss and not just "Bill the Green Guy in Accounting".
Write it down. This is WRITTEN documentation of a firm's commitment to their employees, their community, the environment, and their financial sustainability with measureable goals and targets. As with all things worth doing, if it's not written down, it's probably not going to happen.
Someone needs to be in charge. If everyone is responsible, then no one is responsible. One person needs to take ownership and authority for the program. And that person must have the authority to make decision and drive change. It's great for the receptionist to be a part of the program, but if she's not authorized to tell the CFO that a policy needs changing, it won't happen.
Make the Plan known. Your company deserves recognition for all of your good deeds. Put it on the website, include it in proposals and in the company's annual report. Post goals throughout the office. Put out Press Releases when you surpass a goal.
Reassess your progress. Your CSR Plan is a living document. Set a date on the calendar to review your progress and be ready to make changes and up the ante. Be ready to re-set higher goals.
Celebrate your successes. Include in company newsletters. Do shout-outs at staff meetings. Tell your clients.

Start today. Don't wait until you get an RFQ asking for your CSR Plan. It'll be too late. Ask for help. Make it a priority.

Green Trends in North Florida

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:28:00 +0000

I had the honor of presenting to Jacksonville's Meninak Club on Monday, February 1st, on the state of the 'green' union. The topic was Green Trends in North Florida and the response was really satisfying. The members asked great questions that revealed interest and critique. Those are the best kinds of questions.
Included here are some insights that were shared during the presentation and some facts that are relevant to where we are in North Florida.

First, did you know that we have (as of today) 623 LEED Accredited Professionals in Jacksonville alone? This time last year, we were at about 160.

We have 20 LEED Certified projects, including 5 affordable houses and 2 City of Jacksonville buildings that achieved GOLD. Wow. (and Go, City of Jax!) This time last year, we had about 6 total.

Time did not permit sharing the following quotes, but I think it's important to point out that the perception in the area is still a bit conflicted. When asked how green building would affect individual organizations, the responses were all over the chart.

From an engineer: "That segment [green building] of our revenue has continued to grow very steadily over the last several years and we aren't seeing any change in that. So this is not new to us. We expect it will continue to be an increasing percentage of our business over the next year. However, with 'green building' submarkets, we are seeing a significant increase in energy and performance work and commissioning, which we think is reflective of tightening operational budgets and Owner's desires to spend less money on operations and utilities"

From a design professional: "We are currently working on a LEED registered project and we hope that in 2010 more business owners will look to sustainable design when considering building or renovating space. Our firm has always been focused on sustainable design practices so our goal is to educate clients about sustainability and introduce them to the concept of sustainable design."

From a university facilities professional: "We believe building green to be more costly and more time consuming per unit than previous non green building activity. So, new green buildings for us will simply consume more budget and more time than we are used to - it will be an adjustment"

Interestingly, the University quoted does not have any certified buildings to date, but they are highly receptive to learning more about how to incorporate sustainability on their campus projects while keeping within the budget and schedule. The experience of my colleagues in the area (and myself) is that the costs and schedule can (and should) be controlled when the team has the following: passion, education, and experience. This is true of any project, both institutional and otherwise. I was thrilled to have such an 'unvarnished truth' response from the university. Those are door openeners, not closers.

Upcoming trends were also covered, many of which are nation-wide, some of which may be regionally-specific. Here's my take:

We will see a departure from using the phrase "green" and hearing more about "high performance" projects. With more owners seeking out cost-saving strategies, the idea of high performance seems far more palatable. And, with a savvy design and construction team, green strategies always find their place.

With stimulus dollars making their way through the pipeline, more green jobs will present themselves. The solar energy market needs boots on roofs. Consultants that have expertise in sustainability are opening their own businesses and making a profit where larger, less-movable companies are still stuck doing business the same old way. Vendors and suppliers are setting their sights on R&D that will provide greener solutions and energy savings.

Retrofits and renovations are what's happening where new construction has stalled. Anyone in construction already knows this is happening. Weatherization programs funded by the government are getting homeowners talking about this, too.

Renewable energy will become more mainstream as education, supply and cost align. There still seems to be a disconnect between these three components which is halting the mainstream buying public from stepping into the renewable energy world. Most people understand that solar thermal hot water heaters are a 'no-brainer', but why doesn't everyone have one? As the level of understanding tightens up with costs (and the availability of qualified contractors to install. Read: green jobs) I expect there will be more renewable energy in the 'burbs.

Consumers will drive supply and consequently drive decreased costs. Duh. I know. Supply and Demand. But, as consumers are asking for more recycled products or energy saving strategies, more suppliers are scrambling to meet their needs and want to be the most competitive with pricing.

Social Responsibility Planning will become the next step beyong green building. Once your building is green, what do you do with your supply chain, your philanthropy efforts and procurement? Many firms are writing their CSR programs, especially small businesss which are best positioned to make some significant impact on a national scale. It's great that the Fortune 5's are measuring their impact, but what would happen it the massive number of small businesses do the same?

Lastly, how can we improve the quality of our environment TODAY Instead of listing a bunch of things you can do that everyone seems to already know about (like CFLs, aerated faucets, and rain barrels), we discussed bigger-picture concepts:

Remember that all decisions should be based on Triple Bottom Line decision-making that address People, Profit, Planet solutions.

Voice your concerns and then seek out information. You read an article about solar energy not being the solution? A neighbor wants PV panels on their house but the HOA said 'no'? Find someone that can help with information and knowledge. There are so many organizations that make it their business to help you (like USGBC, Sierra Club, NRDC, Green Team)... seek them out and get your questions answered.

Write down your goals and create the benchmark for success. You know that goals aren't real until they hit paper. So, sit down with your team at the office, or your team at home, and create your plan for social responsibility. Make it real and follow it throughout the year. A year from now, you can celebrate your successes and plan for the next year's goals.

Lastly, and in my opinion, most importantly, start with "THE ONE THING". It takes a while to establish a habit and the best way to do so is with one step. Choose one sustainable practice and commit to it. Do it diligently. Say no to water bottles. Bring reusable bags to the store every time. Choose the ONE THING and make it a habit.

Thanks again to our friends at Meninak for inviting the green building perspective and for all the tremendous work they do in our region. I hope my action items were well-received as this is a group of 'action' people. They will make things happen!

Speaking of which, have you started your "ONE THING" yet? Get to it!

Thanks Jacksonville Magazine

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:41:00 +0000

A quick shout out to Jacksonville Magazine for featuring the Greener By Day blog in their February issue.

http://www.jacksonvillemag.com/

They get a "green thumbs up" for including a full online version of their magazine on their website. Bookmark it and keep up to date on what's going in in Jax.

Also, they have a sister magazine, 904, which gives the skinny on business happenings in North Florida. Remarkably slick and reminds us that Jax is still pretty snazzy!

Thanks again, Jax Mag.

PR and Marketing in a Sustainable World

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 04:00:00 +0000

I have a new favorite book: "The New Rules of Marketing and PR" by David Meerman Scott.

Here's a quote:

"Instead of spending tens of thousands of dollars per month on a media relations program that tries to convince a handful of reporters at select magazines, newspapers, and TV stations to cover us, we should be targeting the plugged-in bloggers, online news sites, micro-publications, public speakers, analysts, and consultants that reach the targeted audiences that are looking for what we have to offer. Better yet, we no longer even need to wait for someone with a media voice to write about us at all. With social media, we communicate directly with our audience, bypassing the media filter completely. We have the power to create our own media brand in the niche of our own choosing. It's about being found on Google and Yahoo! and vertical sites and RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. Instead of writing press releases only when we have "big news" - releases that reach only a handful of journalists - we should be writing releases that highlight our expert ideas and stories, and we should be distributing them so that our buyers can find them on the news search engines and vertical content sites."

Can I get an AMEN? Agreed, agreed, agreed.

As Scott states, we are in a different world when we market our business, our services, and our products.

If you decided right now that you want to purchase a new coffee machine, what would you do? Raise your hand if you'd do a google search of "best coffee machines"? Or would you wait until the Sunday paper came out, thumb through the pages for a snazzy advert for small appliances? Better yet, would you hope that a flashy TV ad would come on and direct you to a store? I doubt it.

We get the information we need from the vast and rich knowledge available on the Internet. Through interactive websites, search engines, blogs, news sites and e-zines.

So, why are we still stuck with this idea that a PR campaign is not complete without a clip book filled with copies of media bits? How many trees have to die before we recognize that print advertisement is probably in the final stages before it's full transformation to online platforms?

Sustainable PR and marketing is the New Marketing. Green campaigns are social media campaigns. It is not presenting a clip book to your client to show you've done your job, but presenting your client with the attention of targeted BUYING customers. As a business owner, would you rather have ten newspaper clippings about your company or ten times as many buying customers on your phone?

One last quote from my new favorite book, the New Rules of Marketing and PR

Marketing is more than just advertising

PR is for more than just a mainstream media audience

You are what you publish

People want authenticity, not spin

People want participation, not propaganda

Instead of causing one-way interruption, marketing is about delivering content at just the precise moment your audience needs it.

Marketers must shift their thinking from mainstream marketing to the masses to a strategy of reaching vast numbers of underserved audiences via the Web.

PR is not about your boss seeing your company on TV. It's about your buyers seeing your company on the Web.

Marketing is not about your agency winning awards. It's about your organization winning business.

The Internet has made public relations public again, after years of almost exclusive focus on media.

Companies must drive people into the purchasing process with great online content.

Blogs, online video, e-books, news releases, and other forms of online content let organizations communicate directly with buyers in a form they appreciate.

On the Web, the lines between marketing and PR have blurred.

If you own your own company or are in a position to market your company, this book is required reading. I'm definitely incorporating these ideas into my marketing plan and into the plans I create and execute for my clients. Thankfully, Greener By Design Consulting's team has always seen the extreme benefit of social media management and the power of the Web. It's assuring to know that we are not alone and, quite possibly, absolutely correct!

When you read the book, it will either excite you or terrify you. Be cautioned, though. If you find the content too terrifying, or you are unconvinced, chances are you may fall flatly into the "left behind" category. Re-read with an open mind and remember that the Web isn't going away. It will continue to grow and change, grow and change. Will you grow and change with it?

Thanks to David Meerman Scott. Be sure to visit his website and follow his blogs: http://www.davidmeermanscott.com/

Happy Marketing!

Matisse and the Masters at R. Roberts Gallery

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:28:00 +0000

Greener By Design Consulting is proud to be working with R. Roberts Gallery on this exciting event that is just around the corner. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in North Florida for you to aquire works of the masters: Matisse, Chagall, Miro', Renoir, Dali, and Picasso.

"Can I really purchase a Picasso?" Yes...

"You're saying I can invest in a Renoir to pass along to my children" Absolutely...

"What do you mean 'payment plan'?" Call the gallery today to find out....

The event opens with previews on January 8th and closes with two very special events on January 16th and 17th. At 11am on Saturday, the 16th, the gallery is hosting a special children's event with the 81-year-old Pierre Henri Matisse. Bring your children to meet the step-grandson of Henri Matisse and invest in a legacy piece that will pass through generations. Imagine your child remembering the day she met the artist and then looking at the piece hanging on the wall. This is a story that will live through generations....

Public events begin at 6pm on Saturday and 1pm on Sunday.

If you're as amazed as we are about this incredible opportunity to aquire a Masterwork, RSVP for the Matisse and the Masters Show at R. Roberts Gallery. Make an appointment to see the works accompanied by the experts at the gallery and away from the crowds.

Call 388-1188 and ask for Heather or Jen or email heather@rrobertsgallery.com.

This is not to be missed! Visit the gallery next week: 3606 Saint Johns Avenue in Historic Avondale.

Visit the website: http://www.rrobertsgallery.com/ for a sample and follow us on Facebook: Greener By Design Consulting and R. Roberts Gallery.

Welcome to your new Green Life in 2010

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:01:00 +0000

I found a really great article in last year's National Geographic Green Guide describing the day in the life of someone that pulls in all the pieces of a newly-converted environmentally conscious person. (Italicized and bracketed comments are mine). Here's the highlights:

7:00am: Read the morning paper online. Reading a year's worth of newspapers on your computer saves 520 pounds of paper, or about three trees per year. (And, no stepping outside in your bathrobe frightening the neighbors)

7:15am: Shower with a low-flow showerhead. Because low-flow showerheads reduce water consumption, they can save up to 10% on water-heating costs. (Alert: money saver!)

8:25am: Pack your lunch in reusable containers. Containers and packaging make up one-third of municipal solid waste, more than any other category. (Again, a money saver. No purchasing baggies or expensive, often-unhealthy, restaurant food for lunch.)

8:45am: Brew a cup of eco-friendly coffee at home and pour into a reusable mug. Because conventional coffee is grown on clear-cut land and requires loads of chemical fertilizers, each household that switches to organic, shade-grown coffee helps protect more than 9,000 square feet of rain forest. Plus, Americans toss out 16 billion disposable paper cups per year. (Eco-friendly coffee is often a better quality brew as well. If you're a coffeehouse addict, purchase their coffee and brew it at home.)

8:50am: Power down before you leave the house. TVs, stereos, chargers, and most appliances with clocks drain energy when they're plugged in - even if they're not on. Its called "standby power" and it accounts for 5% of residential energy, costing US consumers over $4 billion per year. Plug them into power strips that you can switch off easily.

9:00am: Carpool to work. According to the California Air Resources Board, approximately 50% of air pollution comes from automobiles. (Depending on where you work, this can either be really smart or rather difficult. Weigh your options and make changes elsewhere if carpooling is not viable.)

9:30am: At work, fire up your laptop. Laptops require much less energy than desktops. (When your firm makes a change in their technology, suggest laptops all around. Don't forget to donate your used computers to a non-profit or to a school.)

11:00am: Print on both sides of the page, single-space your files and decrease the size of margins. Americans use 5.4 million tons of office paper every year. You use four times less paper when you print single-spaced and on both sides. Save even more by shrinking the margins to .75 inches from the standard inch. (Again, your mileage may vary on this one, depending on layout requirements and readability. But, at the very least keep a basket near the copy machine for accidents and overruns to be used as scratch paper.)

3:30pm: Schedule a conference call with a client instead of a face-to-face meeting. Conference calls cost a fraction of site-to-site travel and save a significant amount of energy. Replacing one cross-country trip with a conference call saves 0.4 metric tons of carbon dioxide and enough energy to power 7,000 hours of videoconferences. (With programs like Skype and the availability of webconferencing, you can still experience face-to-face. Invest in a really good quality web-cam and highest speed connection to make it work at highest efficiency. If your best client is on the fence, spring for a webcam for them, too. Low cost gift for them and it shows your commitment to reducing your carbon footprint.)

5:55pm: Plug your computer into a power strip and switch it off at the end of the day. Over the course of one year, you'll save 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, and reduce standby power loss. (And the boss will love you for working to reduce their energy bill.)

6:00pm: Text your partner to say you're on your way home. Text messages sent from a cell phone use 30 times less energy than sending an email from a desktop computer. (Before you start the car, though... Don't text and drive!)

6:15pm: Bundle your evening errands to save gas and reduce pollution. Starting a car with a warm engine emits one-fifth the pollution created by starting a cold engine. (And you can get to your dinner and movie quicker by effectively planning your time.)

6:20pm: At the gas station, tighten your gas cap. In the US, 147 million gallons of gas evaporate every year from cars with gas caps that are damaged, loose or missing. Make sure your gas cap is tight by turning it until it clicks three times. (My dad told me that I had to tighten the cap or the car would explode. In retrospect, I think he was trying to scare me into doing it. But, since he isn't an 'environmentalist', I'd say it was probably a cost-saving measure. What doesn't evaporate, stays in the tank to work for you.)

6:25pm: At the ATM, say no to a receipt. It takes two billion feet of paper to create receipts for the eight billion ATM transactions that occur each year in America - most of which end up as litter. (Really... are you going to write it down when you get home anyway?)

6:30pm: Take canvas bags to the supermarket. In the US, we use 11 million plastic shopping bags every hour. The trick to using your own bags is to put them back in the car as soon as you've unpacked your groceries - they won't do any good if you leave them at home. (Target offers a $0.5 discount if you bag your items in a recycled bag. Hey, 5 cents is 5 cents.... good for them.)

7:15pm: Before you head to dinner and a movie, print the tickets from your desktop. Movie tickets printed at home are easier to recycle than the paperboard used to print tickets at the theater. (And breeze by the line! That's my favorite part!)

8:00pm: Eat dinner at a restaurant that serves locally grown, organic food. Check gengreenlife.com for a list of eateries and food stores that sell environmentally friendly vittles in your zip code. Or, if you eat at home, choose the right burner and don't preheat the oven until you're ready to cook. If the circumference of the burner is larger than the size of your pan, you're leaking unused heat into the air. The longer an oven is turned on but not used, the more energy it wastes. There's no need to preheat if you're cooking foods for longer than 20 minutes. (Ahh, our grandmas would be so proud of our frugal methods! She don't care what we call it... green, sustainable, eco-friendly. She calls it frugal. And she's right.)

-Kate Hanley, National Geographic Green Guide

One other great idea I found was to create a "Going Green" kit and give as gifts to clients, customers, friends, and family:

Reusable tote bag
Stainless steel water bottle
Travel coffee mug
BYO-lunch supplies - an insulated carrier, untensils, and aluminum foil (instead of plastic wrap)
Compact fluorescent light bulb

Brainstorm for other items to include in your Kits and share the sustainability!

Have a great week!

Greening in the New Year

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:36:00 +0000

We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day. ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

In only a few days, we will ring in 2010. Many of us will marvel at what we accomplished, but most of us will fret over that which was left on the table. We will labor over the goals which were set and just narrowly missed, or those that seemed so lofty even eleven months ago that we knew there would be miles to go as the year closed.

For those of us that greeted 2009 with the desire to make significant progress towards a more sustainable future, we are now faced with an equally daunting task in 2010. How do we save the planet this decade?

Ouch. That's a big pie right there. Pollution. Carbon emissions. Energy. Waste. Those are big. Naysayers would pipe up to say that we can't make a big enough impact to cause significant change.

Hmmph. Them thar's challenge words....

Let's play a numbers game here. So, according to Google's data, there were 304,059,724 people in the US in July of 2008. For ease of crunching, let's assume we're at around 305,000,000 right now.

If half of us gave up disposable cups: Average cup weighs 5g each. 152,500,000 people not using 5g of waste a day. 762,500 kilograms out of the landfill each day. 278,312,500 kg out of the landfill a year.

Hmmmph. No impact, eh?

According to the 2007 census, there are 111,162,259 households. Again, let's round to 112,000,000 for ease of math. If each household goes to the grocery store once a week and bags their groceries in 6 plastic bags what could we save? 52 weeks x 6 bags = 312 bags per household a year. In the US alone, we're using around 34,944,000,000 bags a year. *cringe* So, if we all brought our six reusable bags to the store each week, we'd divert literally TONS of trash from the landfills.

Seeing a trend here?

Do ONE thing in 2010. You don't have to change everything about your lifestyle, nor give up some of the luxuries of life. But you can do just one thing. Choose one thing and stick to it throughout the year. Here is a list of suggestions:

Bring reusable bags to the grocery store every time you shop.
Say no to bottled water completely. Carry your reusable bottle and fill up at water fountains. (Umm, this one saves you money! Hello!)
Avoid seafood that is over farmed or unsustainable.
Use a coffee mug from home every day at work.
Never put paper in the trash. Recycle it (or hold onto it until you can get it into a recycle bin).

Make this your New Year's resolution and then make it a habit in your household. Share the habit with friends and family and impress it upon your children. Change the next generation and ensure these habits are carried into the future.

That's impact right there, boys and girls. As was said so beautifully, be the change you wish to see. Don't wait for someone else to do it first. And certainly don't use that sad old excuse that one person can't make a difference. You know it ain't true. If the numbers don't convince you, let the stories of Ghandi and Dr. King remind you.

Have a wonderful New Year and go out there and make a difference!

Merry Christmas from GBD

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 22:32:00 +0000

Decking the Halls - The Sustainable Way

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:53:00 +0000

Here we are again, preparing for the holiday season. I'm always chuffed to watch the news and read magazines that provide their top ten list of ways to 'go green' at the holidays. The lists are diverse and thought-provoking. Some suggestions are costly, some are free. I'm a big fan of the free options (because there is NO excuse not to implement them), and I love having philosophical debates over the others. (Are they really green? What is the synergy with other environmental issues? What will Grandma think if we do it?)

Also, the economy is in a relatively bad way right now. (If I could figure out a way, I'd send the economy a Get Well Card. Maybe with a little kitten 'hanging in there'.) So, my thoughts this year are of the various shades of green - the green of our planet and the green of those ever-disappearing dollars in my wallet. Very often, sustainability is good for your budget. Let's focus on those right now.

Here is a list of some of the things that may work for you this year:

Virtual Holiday Cards: I know Miss Manners and Emily Post's descendents are currently engaged in symposiums on the etiquette of virtual holiday cards but I still fully support the sustainability of the option. One: I don't spend half a dollar per card to mail them. Two: I don't purchase another completely disposable product. Three: I save a little piece of my sanity by not stressing over gathering snail mail addresses for every last cousin, colleague, and classmate.
Reused Fake Christmas Trees: OK, stay with me on this one. I've had the same fake tree for over ten years now. It was given to me by someone that decided they no longer wanted to 'deal with the trappings of Christmas'. Instead of driving to a lot of tree lots and spending $50 each year, I go to my garage and pull out my old box and reuse my fake tree. I save money. That's green. I don't drive my car around to numerous tree lots. That's totally green. Fake trees need no water. That's super green.
Just Saying NO to malls: It's been said over and over and I will say it as well: WHEN did Christmas become a battle of how much money we can spend on people? Who purchases a Mercedes for their wife on Christmas morning? Scale back, people. Just scale back. Set a limit and stick to it. Don't let the ads get to you. Those marketing people are super clever. Be wary.
Walking through the neighborhood to look at lights: For those of us that live in Florida, there is no reason to get in your car and drive through your own neighborhood to look at holiday lights. Put on your walking shoes and enjoy a leisurely walk with your family. Maybe stop and speak with your neighbor. Crazy? No, really. Before parents drove their kids around on Halloween, there was this remarkable trend of walking through your neighborhood. Save the gas, spend some time with your family, meet your neighbors and go for a walk.
LED really is a good option: Yes, they cost more. But, aren't you the one standing next to me in the aisle at Walgreens buying new lights each year? Let's buy a higher quality of lights this year and NOT go back each year because the junky lights we bought last year seemed to short out in the box between January and November. How about this year I meet you in the Walgreens aisle on the day after Christmas, pick them up at 50% off and set a sustainable trend for next year?
Reusable bags instead of wrapping paper: My mother introduced me to the concept of grabbing up all the gift bags after the unwrapping occurs and saving them until the next year. Buy the pretty ones once and be that 'frugal' person that collects them and stores them until next year. We have one bag that has been gifted to every person in our family. It's a topic of conversation and a standing joke. And a GREAT example of reuse.
No disposables: Isn't this the time of year to pull out the pretty dishes? If you don't have enough, tell your in-laws they can't come. (OK, so that's not REALLY an option. But doesn't it always sound appealing?) If you absolutely must buy disposables, please buy the ones that are compostable. Maybe borrow from your neighbor? We always have one neighbor that goes away for the holiday. We borrow their pretty dishes and watch their house while they're away. Win-win.
Holiday lights need to be on a timer: Raise your hand if you sometimes forget to turn off your lights? Me, too. Buy a timer. Preferably on sale the day after Christmas.
Web cam instead of travel: This is a tough one, but in today's economy, more people are sacrificing the flights out of town and staying home. That does not mean you can't have a meaningful, quality conversation with your Grandma in Pennsylvania. All she needs is someone to show her how to log onto Skype and smile at the little red light on the camera. When was the last time you sat down for an hour and just talked to your dad in Wisconsin? A web cam encourages that. (I know this for a fact. It's how I met my husband.) :-)
Embrace a true, old fashioned Holiday: Turn off the lights and all the electronic devices. Sit by a crackling fire (lit by gathered branches from your back garden ), light a candle, and illuminate your tree. Tell stories. Sing a song. Talk to each other. Enjoy the energy savings, but more importantly, enjoy the time you spend with your family and the memories you'll recall for years. Recently, my three children, my husband and I organized a campfire in the yard. $1 on marshmallows. $0 on gathered firewood. $0 on blankets from the closet. Two hours of singing and storytelling: Priceless. They're still retelling the stories from that night.

Environmental stewardship builds so much more than energy savings. It can save money. It creates memories. It builds relationships. It shifts paradigms. It relives the past.

Sustainability is about people, planet, and profit. I encourage you to enjoy a beautifully sustainable holiday season.

EPA and Greenhouse Gases

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:53:00 +0000

First: Did you know that there's a climate summit thing going on? http://en.cop15.dk/

Second: Did you know that the EPA has officially stated that Greenhouse Gases Threaten Public Health and the Environment? See below...

EPA: Greenhouse Gases Threaten Public Health and the Environment / Science overwhelmingly shows greenhouse gas concentrations at unprecedented levels due to human activity

Release date: 12/07/2009

Contact Information: Cathy Milbourn, Milbourn.cathy@epa.gov, 202-564-7849, 202-564-4355; En español: Lina Younes, younes.lina@epa.gov, 202-564-9924, 202-564-4355

EPA: Greenhouse Gases Threaten Public Health and the Environment

Science overwhelmingly shows greenhouse gas concentrations at unprecedented levels due to human activity

WASHINGTON – After a thorough examination of the scientific evidence and careful consideration of public comments, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced today that greenhouse gases (GHGs) threaten the public health and welfare of the American people. EPA also finds that GHG emissions from on-road vehicles contribute to that threat.
GHGs are the primary driver of climate change, which can lead to hotter, longer heat waves that threaten the health of the sick, poor or elderly; increases in ground-level ozone pollution linked to asthma and other respiratory illnesses; as well as other threats to the health and welfare of Americans.
“These long-overdue findings cement 2009’s place in history as the year when the United States Government began addressing the challenge of greenhouse-gas pollution and seizing the opportunity of clean-energy reform,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “Business leaders, security experts, government officials, concerned citizens and the United States Supreme Court have called for enduring, pragmatic solutions to reduce the greenhouse gas pollution that is causing climate change. This continues our work towards clean energy reform that will cut GHGs and reduce the dependence on foreign oil that threatens our national security and our economy.”
EPA’s final findings respond to the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision that GHGs fit within the Clean Air Act definition of air pollutants. The findings do not in and of themselves impose any emission reduction requirements but rather allow EPA to finalize the GHG standards proposed earlier this year for new light-duty vehicles as part of the joint rulemaking with the Department of Transportation.
On-road vehicles contribute more than 23 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions. EPA’s proposed GHG standards for light-duty vehicles, a subset of on-road vehicles, would reduce GHG emissions by nearly 950 million metric tons and conserve 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the lifetime of model year 2012-2016 vehicles.
EPA’s endangerment finding covers emissions of six key greenhouse gases – carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride – that have been the subject of scrutiny and intense analysis for decades by scientists in the United States and around the world.
Scientific consensus shows that as a result of human activities, GHG concentrations in the atmosphere are at record high levels and data shows that the Earth has been warming over the past 100 years, with the steepest increase in warming in recent decades. The evidence of human-induced climate change goes beyond observed increases in average surface temperatures; it includes melting ice in the Arctic, melting glaciers around the world, increasing ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, acidification of the oceans due to excess carbon dioxide, changing precipitation patterns, and changing patterns of ecosystems and wildlife.
President Obama and Administrator Jackson have publicly stated that they support a legislative solution to the problem of climate change and Congress’ efforts to pass comprehensive climate legislation. However, climate change is threatening public health and welfare, and it is critical that EPA fulfill its obligation to respond to the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that determined that greenhouse gases fit within the Clean Air Act definition of air pollutants.

EPA issued the proposed findings in April 2009 and held a 60-day public comment period. The agency received more than 380,000 comments, which were carefully reviewed and considered during the development of the final findings.

Information on EPA’s findings: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/endangerment.html

So, there you go. I don't like to make environmental responsibility a political thing. There's enough of a mess out there for it NOT to be a political issue. As my kids say, "Climate change, blah blah blah... Pollution's still bad, right?"

Yeah, it's still bad. So, whatever we can do to decrease our impact on the environment is a good thing. You can't look out at all the cars on the road and say that's healthy. Bulldozing trees isn't really a good thing. More green space is good. Smart building design and construction is good. If the EPA studies state that we should be gentler on the planet, I'm a fan of that.

So, read up on it and know what's going on. Knowledge is always a good thing!

Cha cha cha changes...

Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:28:00 +0000

As you've probably already noticed, the blog has experienced some significant changes. First of all, I am no longer with Breaking Ground Contracting Company. I am now part of an exciting venture called Greener By Design Consulting, LLC, which will assist firms with reaching a deeper shade of green through their marketing, public relations, branding, strategy and business development. Feel free to contact me for more details...

In the meantime, this blog, Greener By Day, will focus on finding that deeper shade of green for you on a daily basis. I will still keep an ear to the ground for initiatives and activities around our global community and get that information right to you.

If you find it before I do, shoot it over to me. Let's make this sustainable conversation interactive, innovative, meaningful and relevant!

Ellen
ellen@greenerbydesignconsulting.com

GreenBuild Tuesday Update...

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Quick caveat: The Starbucks in the West Building had no line this morning. Things have changed since this afternoon. I'd like to think it's due to my post alerting our thousands of green building readers to its location. So, there's a line now. I've forewarned you.

The Corporate Sustainability session this morning was great! I will go to any session that has Harvey Bernstein from McGraw Hill Construction speaking. He always rolls out great statistics. This morning he shared with us the 2009 Greening of Corporate America SmartMarket Report and compared the numbers to the 2006 report of the same name. Very exciting stuff...

61% of polled big corporations have staff dedicated to sustainability issues.

In 2006, only 16% of companies considered themselves to be on the cutting edge of corporate sustainability, incorporating green issues into their procurement and annual reports. In 2009, this number had increased to 30%. More importantly, innovative firms that incorporate sustainability into the fiber of their companies increased from 2% to 7% this year. Remember, these are big corporations... Fortune 500s. The firms that can enact positive change on a global level when they make a move.

This year, 50% of polled companies offer green products and cite that resource-saving features of those products.

Energy savings and customer needs are the primary drivers to these initiatives.

In 2006, 31% of CEOs believed that sustainability would provide market differentiation. This year, that number is up to 61%.

Food for thought. It's encouraging to see larger organizations making sweeping change but remember that small business has the power in numbers to enact similar change. When I compared the sustainability initiatives of companies like Siemens, Owens Corning, and CB Richard Ellis with the initiatives of Breaking Ground, I was satisfied to see that our small business is, and had many years ago, incorporated similar initiatives and measurables. Many of our initiatives are loftier and and far more audacious.

My point is that big companies SHOULD be making sweeping change. They have the resources and people to make it happen. What can small business do today to affect change? Think about what Breaking Ground has done.... What can YOU do?

Challenge your people. Challenge yourself.

Greenbuild 2009: Day One

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:55:00 +0000

Today is the first official day of Greenbuild 2009. Yesterday was check-in day, expo opening, and chapter events. Today begins the numerous education sessions and activities closing with Al Gore and Sheryl Crow. I expect a long, highly rewarding day.

A few updates to yesterday's comments. The closest Starbucks is actually in the West Building of the Convention Center. :-) Much closer than the location in the sports arena. No line either! Good to know.

The numbers are definitely beginning to swell so we shall see if the planning and coordination meets the needs. It is rumored that attendance is slightly down this year but that is probably to be expected.

The diversity of attendees is gratifying. No longer are we a ground concentrated with architects, engineers and contractors. We have far more policy makers and developers, government entities and financial people, and literally young and old from near and far which represents a goal that extends beyond green building.

In yesterday's chapter forum, the issue of social equity was discussed quite often and really brought to light the need to pursue diversity from all perspectives. I met with the Emerging Green Builders national committee and was very impressed with their passion. They are such wonderful champions of social equity and will inspire us to embrace the knowledge and experience of numerous backgrounds.

The forum closed with Scott Horst, Senior VP of LEED for USGBC, who presented a very inspirational speech on the 'purpose' of USGBC and finding the 'purpose' beyond the organization. He reminded us that the organization, USGBC, is a vehicle to promote a greater message of environmental stewardship and market transformation. Future generations will not remember US Green Building Council, but they will remember what we did to change the planet.

So, with that, I am inspired to jump into the education sessions and learn how we can continue to transform our market and change the planet. Nothing like BHAGs to start your day.

Make it a "green" day!

Welcome to Green Build 2009

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:04:00 +0000

Here we are again at Green Build! This year, we're in warm, sunny Phoenix, AZ. Quite a change of pace from the last two years of the bitter cold in Chicago and Boston. I'm not sure how I feel about it. Coming from the swampy heat of Jacksonville, FL, the cold at Green Build is often a welcome change of pace.

I expect in the evening hours, we'll appreciate the brisk of 50F instead of the bite of 20F.

So, a few updates from Day One. The Convention Center is accessible, well-marked, and extremely well organized. Looking back on the dismal days of the Chicago conference, I'm actually grateful for the organizational nightmare that was that convention. It's as if the convention organizers are determined to excel each year beyond our expectations so that the memories of Chicago are blurred by the satisfaction of subsequent years.

They're doing a fine job.

A few things to know (if you are reading this before you arrive):

First, the closest Starbucks is in the United Airlines Center (the sports arena) across from the Hard Rock Cafe. Exit the Convention Center, take a left. Go to the light, take a right. It's in the bottom floor. Can't miss it. Hey, it was important to me.

Second, the light rail system is very nice and easy to navigate. Keep in mind, though, it is not a complex route; therefore it doesn't take you many places. Basically, your options are anything on South Central. If you want to go there, great. If not, take the rail to the closest point on Central and then foot it the rest of the way.

Third, registration is on the lower level. Come in to the North Building and take the escalators downstairs. Not that you'll be hurting to find a "green shirt" to guide you in the right direction. They're eager (nearly aggressive) to assist. If you have already printed out your bar code, registration will take you about 6 seconds. I checked in Monday evening and the entire process from getting on the escalator to receiving my messenger bag was 3 minutes. Granted, it was Monday night and the crowds had not arrived yet. But, still... That's not too bad. Be prepared with your Photo ID and it will progress even faster. I highly encourage you to print out that bar code.

The overall dress code is getting far more casual this year. Many people in tshirts and jeans. A few in business suits and ties are looking disappointed. I'd bet they're going to change at lunch time.

The expo is, again, HUGE. It's in an L-shape so it doesn't appear as overwhelming, but don't be fooled. It is. Plan some time to cover it completely.

The bookstore is AWESOME! Lots of good titles, lots of good merchandise. They were setting it up when I arrived and a quick scan was impressive. Keep an eye out for this cool kids book called "Me and Green". :-) Much better take-home gift for your kids than a Green Build T-shirt that they probably will only wear to do yard work. Pick up the book and transform the next generation.

There's a number of restaurants within walking distance and a small food court in the convention center. I anticipate the food court will be inundated at lunch so it might not hurt to consider venturing out.

That's it for now. More updates to come as we venture forth and hit the education sessions.

Have a "green" day!

Mayor's Environmental Advisory Committee

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 01:46:00 +0000

Did you know...

The City of Jacksonville's Mayor, John Peyton, regularly meets with members of various environmental groups to discuss the needs of the North Florida region in terms of land use, stewardship, smart growth, conservation, green building, and overall sustainability?

I was pleased to learn that this is the case after receiving an invitation from the Mayor's office to participate on behalf of the US Green Building Council's North Florida Chapter. As many of you know, I serve as the current Vice Chair of the chapter, was chair of the Public Advocacy Committee and briefly served as Regional Representative to the Florida/Carribean Council. Needless to say, my passion for green building was tied closely to legislation and municipal ordinances. After nearly two years of committed focus on assisting with the Sustainable Building Ordinance, I am pleased to say it passed and Jacksonville is now among many other cities embracing green building and offering incentives to those pursuing a third-party certification.

Go Jacksonville!

As you can imagine, I was thrilled to receive the invite to participate.

Among those organizations represented:

US Green Building Council North Florida
The Jacksonville Arboretum
Greenscape
St. Johns Riverkeeper
North Florida Land Trust
The Trust for Public Land
The River Alliance
Sustainable Jacksonville
Sierra Club
Timucuan Preserve
The Public Trust
Museum of Science and History

The format was a round table discussion with Mayor Peyton leading the conversation which addressed the master plan for the Riverwalk, the Stormwater Fee program, stimulus money, Reality Check, and the City's commitment to conservation measures on an administrative level. Derek Igou, COJ's Sustainability Officer, and Vince Siebold with the Environmental Quality Division, were also on hand to offer insight.

The bottom line is there's a lot of great things happening in the City yet we still have far to go.

As was stated at the meeting, with so little in the way of budget and available money, the best thing we can do right now is plan for a sustainable future. What should the plan look like for when the cash is flowing again? How do we plan for smart growth and low impact development before development ramps up again?

What do we need to do right NOW to ensure future development is executed responsibly?

The Mayor's Environmental Advisory Committee is meeting again in July to continue this conversation and keep up the momentum.

So, what do we need the City to know and what what we can provide for them so that they can execute our plan for environmental stewardship, smart growth and green building?

Let's start talking!

Ellen

Breaking News: Jacksonville's Sustainable Building Ordinance

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 01:30:00 +0000

It's passed!

The Ordinance was voted on this evening at the City Council meeting and I have it on good authority that it was approved!

*applause*

Thanks to all the hard working people that have dedicated so much time, expertise, passion, and knowledge to this cause.

We also commend the City of Jacksonville, their City Council, and the COJ leadership that had the vision to see how important sustainability is to Jacksonville.

Now, it's time to spread the word about how this ordinance can benefit developers and those considering LEED certification.

THIS is the carrot we've all been hoping for.... This is the incentive we've needed to assist our clients in making the right, green decision on their building projects.

Remember: fast-track permitting is a good thing. Time is money. Saving time means saving money. Help your clients save money by saving time and achieve the added benefit of saving the planet.

It's a good day in J-ville!

Jacksonville Sustainable Building Ordinance

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:09:00 +0000

After over a year of hard work by dedicated members of Jacksonville's Environmental Protection Board, the Environmental Quality Division of the COJ, the US Green Building Council of North Florida, and many, many more concerned citizens of our City....

The Sustainable Building Ordinance will be voted on tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14th, by the City Council!

Join us at 5pm for the City Council Meeting and support the City's sustainable efforts.

For more information, www.coj.net

GreenBuild Update

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:46:00 +0000

What a difference a year makes.

No lines. Well, no unreasonable or infuriating lines.

Check in was uneventful (therefore brilliant)!

There hasn't been any seating issues.... yet. (The breakout sessions begin this afternoon.)

The expo is huge and roomy.

And the opening plenary was inspirational.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Wow. Just wow. He is the type of person that reminds you that simplicity is genius. That we cannot get bogged down in the weeds of doing right. That tinkering with the process and logistics of social responsibility should not be the focus. That simply making the decision to change is enough. Yesterday, I may not have believed that. Today, I think I do.

And, like all people of greatness, he ended with one simple action - help. Help change the world. Just help. That's simple, right?

I swear, I really believe it is.

So that was our action item from the most reverend Archbishop. And I pass that along to you. Please help. Find your passion, whatever it is and help make the change.

OK, to change gears for a brief moment. I would be remiss if I painted the rosiest picture of Greenbuild so I will mention a few little details that have caused some frustration.

Dear USGBC Planning Committee: If you're going to start a whisper campaign of LEED 2009 changes and LEED v.3 and what's going to happen, and how it's going to change, and when it will all come together, can you PLEASE not schedule an 8-hour course for $500 called "LEED 2009 Technical Review"? One might think, at a session such as that, you would be releasing all the super-secret-squirrell information on what is happening with LEED 2009. Wouldn't you?

We did.

Let's just say that it wasn't. So, you have to imagine that the room was full of people a little disgruntled over the misperception.

Now, the good news from that bit is that they are doing a specialty update session to cover both LEED v.3 and GBCI's plan for the AP exam. Which is great. And, I'll be there.

But it would have been REALLLLLY nice to know this before we came to Boston (and saved the $500 on the LEED 2009 Technical Review).

So, on the whole, good. With little bits of 'eh'. I'm optimistic about the remainder of the week.

Stay tuned!

GreenBuild 2008

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:18:00 +0000

We're off to Boston, MA!

This week, Mary, Catherine, and I will be in Boston for the USGBC Greenbuild International Conference and Expo to gather up as much green building information as we can possibly stuff into three minds.

As always, Sustainabuild will keep you up to date on what's going on, what good info there is, what innovations, updates, announcements there are, and we will make sure to pass it along to you, our faithful readers.

We expect to learn more about the LEED v.3 (or LEED 2009) updates. We plan on learning the fate of the LEED AP exam. We will be scouring the expo floor for innovations in materials and technology to enhance our green building efforts. We will hear about USGBC's Strategic Plan for the next 5 years and where the organization's focus will be.

Keep an eye out throughout the week for updates!

Green Overload

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 16:34:00 +0000

I read the following Editor's Note today in ED+C Magazine (Environmental Design + Construction) and was so relieved to see Michelle Hucal, editor of the magazine, voicing the concerns that so many of us in the sustainable design and construction industry struggle with every day.

How do we look ourselves in the mirror every day, doing what we do, and then purchase a bag of Funions?

In other words, we embrace sustainability; we recycle, reduce, and reuse; we shop local; we eat organic; we encourage fair trade. We live the lifestyle we teach. But, sometimes.... just sometimes.... we buy the irresponsible product. Oh, the guilt.

Here's some wonderful insight from a woman, as she says, "with an extensive social network of green-minded professionals" that still buys artificial snack foods because they taste so good. Thanks, Michelle, for reminding us that we're all still human and doing the best we can:

We’re all consumers. And while ED+C doesn’t target the mainstream consumer, we’re happy to see that the environmental industry is progressing rapidly into the mainstream. Green building has started — though only slightly — to penetrate the entire consumer market. More and more people are being encouraged, or even coerced, to go green because of environmental concerns. And, many consumers have chosen to do the right thing for the right reasons.

But I worry about information overload. And greenwashing. It’s a good thing that consumers are being targeted by the mainstream media. (I’m excited to catch the first episode of the new Planet Green from Discovery, a 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network.) And, I look forward to reading some the green magazines on my nightstand, like Green Guide from National Geographic.

But when I view this information, even I have questions. I wonder what the average consumer must think. How do they determine the best avenues for truly going green? For example, I have switched to mostly compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs), but was freaked out as a parent when my local news station broadcasted a scare about toxic mercury exposure should one break. And though I buy organic groceries as much as possible, I can’t help but sometimes choose on-sale and great-tasting artificial snack foods.

Sometimes it’s knowledge, other times it is convenience (i.e., availability and cost) that persuades me to purchase the environmentally friendly choice. I also have to constantly weigh my options, do more research and ask questions. And as the editor of ED+C with an extensive social network of green-minded professionals, I have the opportunity to ask experts. But it often comes down to a personal decision. For example, should I install certified carpet in my dining room, or a hard-surface floor? And if I select hard surface, do I choose a certified wood, linoleum or cork?

I will likely base my decision on comfort and practicality (including durability and maintenance), aesthetics (of course it has to look good!), cost, and “greenness,” probably in that order. Fortunately for all of us, many green products fall into the conventional product price category. I can find certified products at my local home improvement stores because many of the products that are often considered traditional — like hardwoods — are attractive, and affordable and green.

This growing demand for green products on the shelves of big box retailers and home improvement stores, in grocery stores, and on the Internet, has resulted in greater availability at less cost. Manufacturers are seeking to capitalize on the market, which increases variety and drives down prices.

However, we still have a long way to go toward fully educating the public. A recent study reported that “when it comes to making their homes green, consumers are paralyzing themselves to inaction based on overwhelming notions of what is required and what it costs,” according to Eco Pulse, a national study produced by Shelton Group.

Today, I encourage you to spread the good green word among consumers. Do your homework. Weed out the greenwash. Share your knowledge! Inspire others to go green through documented experiences, personally and professionally. Tell your neighbors, your family, your friends and your coworkers why and HOW to go green. Share this information with me, too, so I can pass it along to our readers, at hucalm@bnpmedia.

Until next time,
Michelle

Advanced Sustainability

Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:32:00 +0000

This article is not for those newly initiated into green building. It's not for the faint-at-heart, nor is it for those just learning about sustainability.

Why? Because this article pushes our view of 'green' into the next phase.

So you've wrapped your mind around the idea of recycled and renewable, life cycle costs, carbon footprint, and energy savings. Now, let's talk about embodied energy.

Embodied energy refers to the energy required to extract, manufacture, transport, install, assemble and supply to the point of use a product, service, or material.

On the surface, a product may appear 'green', but what happens when we take into account the full, embodied energy?

The following is an article from Forbes Magazine:

When Building Green Harms The Environment
Matt Woolsey, 07.15.08, 6:15 PM ET

Gay Browne and her husband Tony have set out to build the greenest house in Montecito, Calif., in a small gated community near the ocean. They'll find the task much simpler than when they pursued the same green goal, in 1994, in Pacific Palisades, outside of Los Angeles.

Back then, builders had no idea about which materials were truly sustainable or were start-to-finish green, as opposed to being "greenwashed"--materials and appliances that might purport environmental friendliness through advertising or a fancy seal, but are environmentally detrimental. When Gay needed counter tops, she took a Geiger counter to a rock quarry to find the stones with the lowest radiation levels; she even found the one insulation maker in the country that used cotton batting instead of environmentally harmful fiberglass. In other words, she had to do everything herself.

Today, Browne, as the founder of greenopia.com, a site that helps consumers distinguish between those products that are highly efficient and have a low footprint from those that are masquerading as environmentally conscious (likely to take advantage of the growing green-materials market), has a much better idea as to what home-building materials and procedures are the greenest. The site is now a go-to resource for truly green construction, as buying greenwashed materials isn't just the slightly less environmentally friendly alternative; these products can increase your carbon footprint significantly.

Enthusiasm Despite The Downturn The remodeling market has slid with the housing market. Starting at the end of 2005, activity in remodeling has been decreasing steadily, according to the National Association of Homebuilders' Remodeling Market Index. David Seiders, the NAHB's chief economist, estimates that the market will further weaken through 2008. However, research from the NAHB and the American Institute of Architects indicate that green building is a growing component of the overall sector, and that green contractors have longer backlogs.

As a result, an increasing number of products are being positioned as green to take advantage of one of the few growing segments of housing. The most common false claim involves hidden trade-offs, according to research from TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, an Ottawa-based firm that, in November 2007, tested 1,000 household products making green claims. A good example of a hidden trade-off is concrete, which seems green once you own it, but is environmentally harmful to produce.

"Concrete is very durable, all natural and technically recyclable," says Eric Corey Freed, the principal of organicARCHITECT, a green architecture firm in San Francisco. "But its chief ingredient is Portland cement, which is heated to 5,000 degrees during manufacturing and lets off high carbon emissions."

How a product uses energy over its life makes a big difference as well. Carpets, for instance, might be made from sustainable fibers or recycled soda bottles. Assuming it's not backed with vinyl, which some are, think about the idea of the carpet itself. It requires cleaning, vacuuming and collects dust and pollen more than hardwood does. You need to amortize every extra watt it will require--and sneeze it will cause--over its life.

Supply-Chain Uncertainties. Another problem stems from how global supply chains work. Very few green operations are completely vertically integrated, meaning that it's rare for a company to own and operate every phase of the manufacturing process. From the time a piece of bamboo is harvested in China to the time it's installed as flooring in an Omaha living room, it's often gone through the hands of multiple companies--some green, some not so much.

While the flooring company in Omaha can truthfully say that it's using sustainably harvested wood (though bamboo is technically a grass), the shipping and trucking companies used to get the materials from China might not be green-oriented, and the factory where the bamboo is pressed might bond it with formaldehyde, or use a toxic finishing product.

"Consumers are looking for easy answers, and when I shop I prefer to see a logo on something and just buy it," says Scot Case, vice president of TerraChoice. "But the biggest piece of advice I have is don't buy a product because it has some green dot on it unless you understand exactly what that green dot means."

If a company doesn't chart all the materials used, makes claims on only one component of its sustainability, or makes no mention of manufacturing techniques, it's important for consumers to call companies and demand a material safety data sheet, which details every material used in the product, its disposal instructions, what sorts of gasses it emits, its level of toxicity and disposal instructions.

But another important tactic is conservation. For example, PaperStone and Richlite make high-end, recycled countertops that will more than likely outlive you, but so will your current granite countertops. Another good example is linoleum floors, which don't off-gas anything harmful, are easy to clean, aren't toxic and will last 25 to 50 years. Neither granite nor linoleum is as green as post-consumer compressed paper countertops or bamboo floors, but if you throw away the old floor and counter top in a landfill just for the sake of switching to a greener material, you're not doing a lot to reduce your footprint.

When a remodel is absolutely necessary, however, take the phone book out from under the short leg of the table, and look up salvage yards. In many cases, older is greener.

"Salvage companies are inherently green," says Freed. "We have clients who buy a new house and want to remodel it, and will throw away a perfectly good toilet and bathtub because it's the wrong color. If we can't change their mind, we try to salvage it."

Though if you've got a flair for design and carpentry, you might want to refashion what wood or metals you're throwing away. As anyone who's ever been to an artisanal furniture store can attest, old barn doors and rafters are converted into high-cost furniture.

"I really like the antique look of reclaimed stuff," says Browne. "But they really do mark it up."

http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2008/07/15/green-home-decisions-forbeslife-cx_mw_0715realestate.html

Can't we all just conserve?

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:17:00 +0000

My top ten list of things we, as a nation, try to ignore but can't:

10. Brittany Spears

9. Our mothers

8. Spam

7. Politicians

6. Radios playing too loudly in cars

5. Complaining teenagers

4. Bad news

3. Climate change

2. Water shortages

1. Gas prices

OK, maybe we can't ignore many of those, especially items 1-4, but we sure do have our heads in the sand about them. In the last two days, I've read very enlightening articles by two Jacksonville citizens on the impact of ignoring critical issues, both of which relate to the biggies on the list.

First, from Professor Al Tilley at the University of North Florida. Professor Tilley has arguably done more to educate North Florida on the challenges of climate change than anyone else in this area. One of the many actions he takes is to coordinate information and articles for dissemination to his e-mail list. Today I received the following commentary from him:

"The Bush-McCain proposal to open new areas for oil exploration and to process oil shale is not at base wrong because it won't drop the price of gas much or soon (though it won't), or because it panders to public ignorance (though it does), or because it is a giveaway to oil companies who are already exploiting little of the resources now available (though it is). It is fundamentally wrong because it attacks the wrong problem. Our concern now is to move towards zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, and it trumps all other concerns. I have not seen that obvious point made, even in the following prominent discussions. We should not speak as if the problem were to end dependence on foreign oil. Our own is as bad. "

That last line was an eye-opener. He's absolutely right. Should we take aggressive measures to fuel our consumptive way of life? Or should we (and I know this is utterly outre') just use less?

I know. It's sadly laughable, isn't it?

He added the following weblink with an article from the LA Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-campaign18-2008jun18,0,7455120.story

The next eye-opener I received is from Rob Overly, architect, and world-changer. :-) He made the following point:

"Abu Dhabi and Dubai, two regions in the United Arab Emirates that are “floating in oil”, are also in the news. Both are building cities that are striving for a zero carbon footprint: Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and EcoStar in Dubai. Having a “zero carbon footprint” implies that among other things fossil fuels such as oil will not be used to provide energy, including transportation.

Interesting contrast: a region that sits on one of the world’s largest oil reserves is investing in a future without oil while a country that relies mainly on foreign oil to run its petroleum-based economy is turning to drilling off the coast of Florida to gain two and a half more years of oil consumption at current rates."

You can read more of his thoughts in Tuesday's Times Union who immediately picked up this Op Ed piece and will be leading with it. Thank goodness.

So, what's your breaking point? How high will gas prices need to be before you will consider public transportation? How much will a gallon of milk run before you consider growing a vegetable in your own backyard? What will your electricity bill be before you hang some clothes out to dry?

When you set your own "That's it, I need to cut back" goal, remember that there's already someone out there that hit their threshold a while back and has jumped on the conservation track. (They've been crossing their fingers for you).

But, remember there's also someone else willing to wait it out a little longer. And they will readily vote to eke a little more oil out of a precious natural resource to get it.

Don't be that person.

As they say over at Despair.com, None of us is as dumb as all of us. When we all collectively get together and pursue a bad idea, there's no end to what we can't do. If we all hang on to hope that we can sustain a wasteful lifestyle, we will find ourselves coming up with irrational idea after irrational idea to maintain it. Conversely, if we gather our forces, and our intellect, to embrace conservation and true sustainability, we can make it happen.

So, conserve. Cut back. Sacrifice a bit. Let's not ignore the problem, but embrace the obvious solution.

Living Buildings

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 13:19:00 +0000

Green roofs. Living buildings. It seems like vegetated roofs are the smartest, yet most underutilized, idea out there in terms of maximizing our buildings' efficiency.

Some of the statistics below are really interesting, specifically the data on Chicago's energy reduction. (I've bolded the items for a quick browse-through). If all of Chicago's roofs were green, they could cut energy consumption by 720 megawatts. To quote the great Keaneau Reeves: "Whoa".

Thanks to George Hyatt at Delta Roofing for passing this along.

Green roofs popping up in big cities
Environmentally friendly industry rapidly coming into its own
By Bryn Nelson
MSNBC contributor
updated 8:43 p.m. ET, Tues., April. 15, 2008

The Washington Nationals’ new baseball stadium opened the 2008 season with one. Vancouver’s 2010 Winter Olympics will feature many more. And earlier this year Minneapolis decreed that the city’s voluminous Target Center arena will have one too.

Suddenly, green roofs are sprouting across North America. Designed to curb air pollution, decrease energy expenses and reduce storm runoff, the environmentally friendly assemblies are adding a decidedly earthy element to urban skylines — a sign that the green roof industry is rapidly coming into its own.

Particularly in cities, the rise of roof-topping grasses, succulents and other vegetation is fueling a boom for landscape architects, growers, builders and consultants in the know. As the roofs bloom in size and number, cities are weighing new incentives to developers and owners to install the admittedly costly growing medium and plant life as a long-term investment that could benefit both businesses and surrounding communities. And with a strengthening infrastructure to support them, designers are branching out in new directions.

Steven Peck, founder and president of the Toronto-based industry association Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, said the industry’s “mother ship” hails from Europe, particularly Germany. Research there in the 1970s on lightweight, low-maintenance green roof systems dominated by hardy sedum grasses, he said, “opened up thousands of miles of roofscapes that had been unavailable to any sort of greenery.”

German policymakers quickly took notice of the advantages, including the potential to reduce both stormwater runoff and the urban heat island effect associated with asphalt, concrete and metal surfaces. In response, they created dozens of incentives and regulations encouraging more green roof construction. In the mid-'90s, a European industry mostly dominated by French and German firms began expanding into North America and introducing the basic concepts to a new generation of specialists.

Peck, himself introduced to the idea in 1997, was tasked with leading a federal study on its benefits and barriers in Canada, only to find that there was little scientific information available for North America. “There was no proof, it was all in German academic studies,” he said.
One of his committee member spent hours translating many of the studies into English. And even those reports sidestepped analysis of big-picture benefits that had been largely taken for granted.

A decade later, the industry has been buttressed by research and case studies detailing both individual benefits like savings on cooling costs and enhanced commercial values, and bigger-picture pluses like reduced air pollution and storm water overflows.

Another essential element has been building expertise across a talent pool that remains unevenly distributed. Peck’s group has been working for five years on an accreditation program modeled in part on LEED certification (Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design). The new Green Roof Professional, or GRP system, should roll out sometime next year, he said. In the meantime, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has grown to include more than 80 corporate members and has trained more than 4,500 individuals. “You can’t have an industry unless you can have people who can design and deliver,” he said.

Most green roofs still feature sedum and ice plant succulents, which can tolerate harsh growing conditions and are ideally suited for low-maintenance rooftops. These “extensive” roofs, as they’re known, require only a few inches of growing medium, reducing overall weight and cost.
John Shepley, co-owner of Maryland’s Emory Knoll Farms with industry leader Ed Snodgrass, said business is booming at their green roof plant nursery, based on a former dairy farm. “We’re probably growing 50 percent annually without trying,” Shepley said. Although Washington, D.C., and New York City remain big markets, he said, the federal government has been coming on strong with new mandates for green buildings.

In mid-March, Shepley delivered pregrown sedum plugs to cover a concessions area at the new Washington Nationals baseball stadium. Two years ago, the business helped install thousands more grass plugs on a massive green roof for a Library of Congress facility in Culpepper, Va.
As green roof technology matures, new projects have begun unveiling increasingly varied designs, including “intensive” roofs that require deeper growing depths and considerably more investment but can deliver more aesthetic, conservation and other benefits. Chicago’s $480 million Millennium Park, a 24.5-acre cap over rail yards and a parking garage, is one of the world’s largest intensive green roofs to date. An award winner from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the project has all the advantages of a major urban park, Peck maintains.

Considered the industry frontrunner among North American cities, Chicago used a mix of intensive and extensive vegetation to cover 20,000 square feet atop its City Hall in 2001. In August of that year, researchers recorded a rooftop temperature of 119 degrees in the planted area, compared with a blistering 169 degrees on an adjoining black tar roof. Since then, the green roof has saved the city an estimated $3,600 in annual cooling and heating costs. If all Chicago roofs were similarly clad, city officials believe peak energy demand could be cut by 720 megawatts, or enough electricity for 750,000 consumers. Similarly, the load on the city’s storm sewer system could be slashed by roughly 70 percent.

Chicago is now adding green roofs to everything from office buildings to fire stations, and city governments in Toronto, Minneapolis and Seattle are following suit.

Other city-based incentives, popular in Chicago and Portland, give developers extra floor space if they add green roofs, and fast-track programs are rewarding environmentally conscious projects with a front-of-the-line approval process.

Washington, D.C., which has long struggled to control storm-water overflows into the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, is moving toward a system that will account for impervious building surfaces that increase runoff when assessing water consumption fees. Adding more water-retaining surfaces, including green roofs, will effectively lower a building owner's city fees. Beyond relieving the impact of development, the measure is designed to encourage both public and private-sector investment into runoff-reduction technology.

Nevertheless, Mark Thomann, design director at the New York landscape design firm Balmori Associates, said high construction costs, a lack of government support, and limited expert availability are still combining to thwart many ambitious green roof plans. “We imagined doing 50 of these a year, and the reality is we do one to two a year,” he said. In cities like New York, zoning laws haven’t yet accounted for green roofs, relegating them to awkward spaces between traditional buildings and landscaping. Plant specialists, Thomann said, often don’t have the equipment for roof access, whereas contractors often don’t know enough about plant-friendly construction practices.

Even so, his firm has been trying to push the envelope on design. “Most of the green roofs have been flat green surfaces, which are great, but we’ve been looking at different ways of making those roofs three-dimensional,” Thomann said. One of his company’s completed projects, the roof of New York’s Earth Pledge Foundation, features a vegetable garden.

Other design firms are teaming up with ecologists to build roofs that incorporate hollows, small cliffs, scattered rocks, dead wood and varied vegetation to mimic everything from riverbanks to high mountain meadows. The result has been a surprising burst in habitat for urban wildlife —and more aesthetically interesting roofscapes that building owners can use to attract human tenants as well.

Endangered beetles and spiders have found refuges in Basel, Switzerland, where a city mandate requires green roofs to accompany all new flat-roofed buildings. Endangered rooftop orchids thrive in nearby Zurich, while London has created new habitats for its small population of black redstart birds with crushed-brick “brown roofs” that mimic the derelict urban sites they favor. And in San Francisco, several acres' worth of dramatically sloping rooftop on the California Academy of Sciences have been designed as native habitat for the threatened bay checkerspot butterfly.

In New York, a planned visitors’ center at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is allowing staff to likewise experiment with a wide range of vegetation that might work as “living roof” plantings to fit the building’s sinuous profile. Patrick Cullina, the garden’s vice president of horticulture and science research, pointed out that green roofs need not be monolithic, especially ones that are meant to be seen.

The rooftop garden on Bill Clinton’s Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., includes yellow roses, a sentimental favorite. Cullina hopes the more publicly accessible Brooklyn rooftop will include visually interesting colors all year long. He also hopes to challenge the paradigm of which plants can be used in a living roof system, using nearby seashore and pine barren environments as inspiration.

Moving beyond simple cost-benefit calculations can pay particular dividends for an institution hoping to marry aesthetics, research and community leadership. It helps when a chartreuse rooftop grass turns a particularly vivid shade of reddish-orange during an otherwise dreary New York winter.

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24056306/page/3/

Florida's Water Problem

Sun, 24 Feb 2008 23:39:00 +0000

Being in Jacksonville, our view of the 'water problem' tends to focus on the St. Johns River mostly because it runs right through our city. As I was recently reminded by Neil Armingeon, the St. Johns Riverkeeper, the water problem is a state-wide concern and should be treated as such.

The point was driven home this weekend on my camping trip to O'Leno State Park, where the Santa Fe river sinks below the ground and later reappears at the aptly-named River Rise Scenic Preserve three miles away. As we walked along the river, we could clearly see it was significantly lower than it should be. We guessed, based on the vegetation near the riverbank and past trips, that it was a least 6 feet lower than last year.

As you can imagine, much of our conversation along the walk surrounded plans to withdraw over 150 million gallons of water per day from the St. Johns and guessed that someone, somewhere, was suggesting the same plans for the Santa Fe, despite it's visibly low water levels.

Guess what? Two minutes worth of research on the 'net and we found that, indeed, someone is trying to withdraw water from the Santa Fe.

"Our Santa Fe River, Inc." is a grassroots organization dedicated to educating their community on potential water withdrawls. From their website:

Our Santa Fe River, Inc. has been sharing information with you for nearly a year regarding 4 more water bottling facilities coming to the Santa Fe River within a 3-mile stretch of riverfront. They would withdraw a combined total (with the one already operating, CCDA or Coca-Cola/Danone), of 1.3 billion gallons annually. We have been sending you this information so when the time came, you would be ready to come to government meetings and voice your concerns or simply come as a warm body in protest of this outrageous business… the business of bottling your public natural resource, WATER, for huge corporate profits.

WE NEED YOUR HELP now to show your support for the health of the river, springs and aquifer. Voice your opinion on the future of water use. Let your public officials know how you feel about businesses depleting more water than any one of our towns use in one day. We urge you to mark your calendar, save the date, and be there to make your statement a part of our history.

Our Santa Fe River, Inc.
1-386-454-2366,
oursantafe@hotmail.com

It only takes one visit to the Santa Fe, or the St. Johns, or the Ichetucknee, or the Withlacoochee, or the Suwanee to understand that the health of these rivers are at stake. And once you marvel at their beauty, you will want to protect them.

I've posted a few photos I took of the Santa Fe this past weekend. I hope you are inspired to take a weekend to visit one of these amazing natural beauties and teach your friends and family that they must be protected.

And, for those that doubt I'm the 'roughing it' type of camper, I've included a proof-of-camping shot, too. (Note the LEED-EB Reference Guide. Just shows that I never fully leave work behind.) :-)