Ambiance of Well-Being

Local Non-Profit Raises 'Green' . . . by Going Green

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sun, 7 Jun 2009 10:34:00 -0400

The One Voice Education Leadership Council (ELC) of Glenside, PA is raising money for computer training of young men & women in Liberia, so they can become employable. They decided to do this in a way that can also contribute to saving the planet, through selling and planting trees in deforested regions of the world.

clipped from findarticles.comgg

"We were initially looking at eco-friendly products that we could buy and sell for a profit, but when we heard about Seed Our Future, we knew his opportunity was much more in our thinking," said Rosanna Pittella, co-director of The One Voice ELC.

"By planting trees, we create oxygen and reduce carbon," said Seed Our Future Founder Robert Stillman. "We have seen a spike in corporate responsibility and an increased effort in adopting practices that will help lead to global sustainability. That said, The One Voice ELC is the first non-profit organization to have purchased trees from us."

The One Voice ELC hopes participating educators will get excited and teach children why it is important to plant trees, what it means to "erase a carbon footprint" and how a tree planted in Indonesia can impact the entire world.

The Number One New Job Opportunity in Corporate America for the Next 10 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sun, 5 Apr 2009 13:48:00 -0400

clipped from www.socialmediascience.com

Most CEO’s and business leaders are aware that the world of traditional branding and marketing is changing. They are also aware that one element at the heart of this change includes the fast emerging field of social media technology. What they fail to realize is that they have little idea of the massive changes that are already in play, and coming much sooner than anyone imagined.

In the last year we have seen the largest upheaval in the Market ever. It has caused many to question the future of the Free Enterprise System itself. Many want to blame the Housing bubble, Mortgage backed securities (CDO), Credit default swaps (CDS), and of course Greed. These have all exacerbated the problem, however, there is a fundamental change occurring with how business is done, and how corporations will be run in this brave new world of Transparency. The public is demanding transparency in how businesses are run, and social networks are giving the 'so called' consumer a voice in how they want to be treated. If companies want to survive they will need to rethink how they do business. Here is a great article on a new job opportunity which is developing from these changes . . .

Preselling with free ebooks

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 22:52:00 -0400

There is no more powerful way to sell your product than by 'preselling' it with free and useful information, typically with a free ebook.

There's a new Ebook I have just come across which I predict will become very popular.

It presents a strategy for selling any type of product using methods which will never become obsolete. Plus an ingenious twist which will send your traffic rocketing.

The Ultimate SuperTip, written by Harvey Segal (Mr SuperTips) is neatly set out, easy to follow, written without hype and not littered with annoying links.

And the cost of this book ?

It's free !

And it ends with an amazing idea for making you money from the book itself.

I'd rush to get this book now if I were you at The Ultimate SuperTip

Freedom Shrine Re-dedicated @ Stetson Middle School

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Mon, 9 Feb 2009 22:07:00 -0500

Press Release: G. A. STETSON MIDDLE SCHOOL REDEDICATES FREEDOM SHRINE
DONATED BY WEST CHESTER EXCHANGE CLUB

View Album

West Chester, PA – On Monday, February 9th Stetson Middle School rededicated their Freedom Shrine wall with a ceremony attended by a host of local dignitaries, service clubs and West Chester Area School District officials. This celebration of America coincides with a momentous time when young Americans are enthusiastically taking an interest in the political process and in American history.

The Freedom Shrine is a permanent display of authentic reproductions of historic American documents that includes the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the Emancipation Proclamation, the Gettysburg Address, and more. The Freedom Shrine was donated by the West Chester Exchange Club to Stetson Middle School ten years ago. The rededication of the Stetson Middle School Freedom Shrine kicks off a host of activities for students, including an upcoming Freedom Shrine competition that will test the student’s knowledge on the facts of American history showcased by the Freedom Shrine documents. The winning student will receive a valuable award and recognition on a permanent plaque.

The 2008-2009 school year marks the tenth anniversary of the refurbished Stetson Middle School building. In those ten years, Stetson has greatly enjoyed the Freedom Shrine wall. Stetson Middle School Principal LeRoy Whitehead says, “I am proud of the partnership that Stetson has formed with the Exchange Club of West Chester and appreciate their support of our school. It is community partnerships like these that add value to our educational programs and bring the community into our schools to see the great things that are happening in the West Chester Area School District.” On behalf of the West Chester Exchange Club, Tom Wilson, club president donated 300 educational text books and companion materials to the school – “so that students may gain a richer understanding of the historical significance of the documents displayed on the Freedom Shrine wall.” The Stetson Social Studies Department will be using these valuable materials to further enrich their curriculum and sponsor a speaking contest for students using the historical selections.

A portion of the proceeds from the rededication efforts will go toward the Robert London Fund. Robert London was a former Stetson Middle School principal who was widely known and respected for his commitment and passion to helping those students who were less fortunate and in need of economic assistance. This fund is used primarily by the school caseworkers and the principal to assist those students who are economically disadvantaged. These funds go toward items that students may not be able to afford such as athletic equipment, academic supplies, food, clothing, or may be used to help defray the cost of some field trips for students who otherwise may not be able to participate. The Chairman of First National Bank of Chester County, John Featherman, presented a donation to the Robert London Fund and congratulated the school and the Exchange Club for their many contributions to the community.

Featured speakers included: Senator Andrew Dinniman, Representative Barbara M. Smith and Representative Tom Killion. Also in the audience was Chester County’s Sheriff, Carolyn B. Welsh and Richard Dana Smith, Sr., Governor of the Pennsylvania Society of the Founders and Patriots of America. In addition to the more than sixty people at the ceremony were members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 0409 of West Chester and student council representatives.

Stetson Middle School is a member of the West Chester Area School District and serves over 900 students in grades six through eight. The West Chester Exchange Club is a volunteer group of men and women who provide programs of charitable work throughout the community.

For more information, contact Peter Adams at peter.adams@1nbank.com or phone 484-832-6708.

Check out Validation - Award winning short film | Evolution Ezine

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sun, 8 Feb 2009 12:22:00 -0500

Need a little boost? Need a little lift for your Self Esteem?

I want you to take a look at: Validation - Award winning short film | Evolution Ezine

Entrepreneurship & Web 2.0

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 15:41:00 -0500

Image via Wikipedia

Above is a collage of my recent visit to a class at Neumann College. The course is titled:"STLDR 560 PUBLIC POLICY AND LEGAL ISSUES", however, I was asked to speak on my life experience, my adventures navigating through the M.S. in Strategic Leadership program, and my part-time venture into Entrepreneurship & Web 2.0. Great fun was had by all. It was an energizing and humbling experience. I would like to thank Dr. Frederick D. Loomis, Program Director of the Strategic Leadership program, and the course Professor Seth Williams J.D., who I substituted for because he had to host an event that evening. You see, the Honorable Mr. Williams is also running for District Attorney for the City of Philadelphia. He is not only a great professor, but a dedicated public servant too.

We covered many aspects of the challenges of Leadership, and the fact that the economic crisis we are living through now demonstrates that there is a desperate need for Ethical Leadership. I discussed why I am optimistic about the future. We are going through a transition, and, painful as it seems, we are watching a cleansing of the greed and avarice along with a restructuring of how business is done, and the birth of new industries and paradigms.

You don't have to be in management to be a leader. It is becoming more cumbersome for large corporations to stay at the cutting edge of technology, therefore small businesses and Entrepreneurs are at a technological advantage. So, you may find a leadership position in a large corporation or you can exercise leadership in other ways, such as, being an Entrepreneur.

This is where Web 2.0 comes in. Entrepreneurs will have the advantage over large enterprises when they find the technology gap. When they can offer the intellectual distribution of products and services that people are not aware of yet. Today we are seeing the seeds of two new industries which have explosive potential. The Green economy and the Health and Wellness Industry. I briefly touched on my efforts on doing and learning about a Direct Selling Business and using Network Marketing to promote myself and this business. We talked about the importance of 'List Building', and how to do this with Social Networking sites like Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. The role of Social Bookmarking sites like De.licio.us, Diigo and StumbleUpon, and how to tie these in with new technologies enriching communication, such as, videos on sites like YouTube, Metacafe and Dailymotion, along with podcasting at sites like PodcastAlley.com and iBizRadio. We finally discussed blogging and how that can be a business in and of itself. As you can see, we covered a lot of information, and created an opportunity to start many threads of discussion going forward.

Mea Culpa

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:10:00 -0500

Cover of The SecretMea Culpa

I want to apologize for two things. 1st for not posting for awhile. 2nd for not posting more of my own reflections.

My original concept for this blog was to focus on the concept of abundance. I got the idea from my intuition. And, my intuitive feelings were put into words upon my reading of The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, and the findings of quantum physics.

Recently, my concept was reinforced by another book I am reading now, which is The Next Millionaires by Paul Zane Pilzer. One quote brings the law of abundance to light, when he says on page 28, "Throughout history we have always been about to run out of a resource just before we discovered a new one. And that's no accident: it's why we discover the new one. All the resources we think we're running out of are really inventions of the human mind--and there is no limit to the human mind."

As said in The Secret, our thoughts create our world. Energy cannot be created or destroyed it is just transformed between matter and energy.

The financial crisis which the world is going through right now is a cleansing. We are on the cusp of a transformation. As one resource has reached its limit we can use our creative imagination to invent new resources. Our unlimited resource is the human mind and spirit.

Anti-aging Doc in Video on Wall Street Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sat, 3 Jan 2009 15:38:00 -0500

Dr. David Sinclair of Harvard Medical School recently made the video section of the Wall Street Journal. Dr. Sinclair is best known for his extensive research on "resveratrol", which is the key ingredient found in the grapes used in Red Wine that has been found to possess anti-aging properties. Dr. Sinclair has recently joined up with Shaklee Corp. to produce their new anti-aging tonic 'Vivix".

Now, month's after joining the board, and promoting the product at Corporate meetings, Dr. Sinclair is resigning, probably because of the exposure of the Wall Street Journal. The Journal's Health Blog posted Jacob Goldstein's article Harvard Researcher Tied to Shaklee ‘Anti-Aging Tonic’ Vivix, where it is quoted that the good Doctor is now upset that his name was used to promote the product. I guess this demonstrates the power of WSJ.

Here is the video in question:

Moms 4 Green Living: Chesco residents come together to fight warming

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 21:43:00 -0500

Moms 4 Green Living: Chesco residents come together to fight warming

Take a look at this blog post on the "Moms 4 Green Living" site. It took place last weekend, and made it on the Front page of the Phoenixville newspaper. That's me sitting on the steps in the black jacket & 'Eco-bag' to the left of the sign. We were Freezing for Global Warming.

Ed

The Climate for Change

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 18:28:00 -0500

Climate Change: The Ipcc Response Strategies

Below is an Op-Ed piece by Al Gore where he points to the election of Barack Obama as an opportunity to begin the implementation of his 10 Year Plan, which is essentially a commitment
to producing 100 percent of our electricity from carbon-free sources
within 10 years. Mr. Gore makes the argument that this will not only help with climate change, but also with National security and energy independence.

THE NEW YORK TIMES Op-Ed Contributor The Climate for Change By AL GORE Published: November 9, 2008
The inspiring and transformative choice by the American people to elect
Barack Obama as our 44th president lays the foundation for another
fateful choice that he -- and we -- must make this January to begin an
emergency rescue of human civilization from the imminent and rapidly
growing threat posed by the climate crisis.
The electrifying redemption of America's revolutionary declaration that
all human beings are born equal sets the stage for the renewal of
United States leadership in a world that desperately needs to protect
its primary endowment: the integrity and livability of the planet.
The world authority on the climate crisis, the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change, after 20 years of detailed study and four unanimous
reports, now says that the evidence is "unequivocal." To those who are
still tempted to dismiss the increasingly urgent alarms from scientists
around the world, ignore the melting of the north polar ice cap and all
of the other apocalyptic warnings from the planet itself, and who roll
their eyes at the very mention of this existential threat to the future
of the human species, please wake up. Our children and grandchildren
need you to hear and recognize the truth of our situation, before it is
too late.
Here is the good news: the bold steps that are needed to solve the
climate crisis are exactly the same steps that ought to be taken in
order to solve the economic crisis and the energy security crisis.
Economists across the spectrum -- including Martin Feldstein and
Lawrence Summers -- agree that large and rapid investments in a
jobs-intensive infrastructure initiative is the best way to revive our
economy in a quick and sustainable way. Many also agree that our
economy will fall behind if we continue spending hundreds of billions
of dollars on foreign oil every year. Moreover, national security
experts in both parties agree that we face a dangerous strategic
vulnerability if the world suddenly loses access to Middle Eastern oil.

As Abraham Lincoln said during America's darkest hour, "The occasion is
piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our
case is new, so we must think anew, and act anew." In our present case,
thinking anew requires discarding an outdated and fatally flawed
definition of the problem we face. Read more . . .

Al Gore, the vice president from 1993 to 2001, was the co-recipient of the
Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. He founded the Alliance for Climate
Protection and, as a businessman, invests in alternative energy
companies.

Are We Gonna Sit Back and Let IT Happen?

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 21:51:00 -0400

Now is the time to take Action.

People need to pull together and create a NEW WORLD. The Wall Street Fraud has come home to roost, and now the Government is attempting to create a new socialized economy.

This weekend is a chance to let them know we will not take this sitting down. We will demand a new paradigm. Create Green Jobs, start the sustainable Green economy. Build a World of Abundance!

There will be events held over this weekend, September 27 & 28, 2008, around the Nation and here in Downingtown, PA. Green Jobs Now; National Day of Action & the EcoFare in Downingtown's Kerr Park.

EcoFare

Dowingtown, PA

September 28, 2008 11:00AM to 09:00PM

Hosted by Timothy Sadler

Event Description:

*EcoFare is a not for profit non partisan community event interested in promoting renewable energies, sustainability, and green living taking place Sunday September 28th in Downingtown, Pa 19335 @ the wonderful Kerr Park from 11am - 9pm Highlights of the day include:

* Hybrid cars on display and available for pre-order
* A broad array of green friendly vendors and exhibitors -- Kimberton Whole Foods, School of Rock, Alternative Energy INC., Earth Mart, Green Savers, The Sierra Club, more coming board every day -- hopefully your organization will be next
* Games and activities with prizes of value donated by local businesses -- Chic-Fil-A, Regal Entertainment, Papa Johns, BC Collectibles, fine dining outings plus much more coming soon
* A town hall discussion focused on eco-accountability, sustainability issues featuring local and regional experts in relating fields
* A Concert for a Green Earth featuring some of Philly's top rising stars (Sisters3, Cheers Elephant, Drink Up Buttercup, The Sermon, Lauren Adams, When Cars Ascend)

**All proceeds of EcoFare will go towards bettering MPG standards in America and America's 10 year Green Energy Initutive through EcoFare's steering committee. If you have interest in becoming part of EcoFare's steering committee simply let me know.

Max Attendees: 2000 (Currently 27 Registered)

Invite Friends to this Event

Location:
Kerr Park Downingtown

Directions:
Just off of Rt. 202 & 30.

Preview of "Green Goes With Everything"

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:26:00 -0400

This week a new book will be available which will be a practical guide of how to "Go Green". It was written be freelance contributor to the Today Show, Sloan Barnett. The book is titled: "Green Goes With Everything", and will show how, with just a few simple, but important, changes you can detoxify your home and your family.

Here is a brief introduction by Sloan Barnett:

Clean-Energy Corporate Leverage

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 06:12:00 -0400

Now that many multi-national corporations have made a commitment to get into the clean energy business, they may be able to have some leverage over government programs and subsidies. This could be reminiscent of the leverage Big Oil has held over government subsidies. If the government doesn't cooperate, then they use their leverage. That is, they just take there business elsewhere, to a country which will give them the subsidies they want to develop clean energy technologies.

Below is a story of what GE is doing now to lobby congress to renew the Clean-Energy credits.

September 12, 2008, 2:25 pm
Industry to Congress: Renew the Expiring Clean-Energy Credits

Posted by Keith Johnson

The U.S. Congress may be “out of gas” when it comes to drafting an energy policy, as the Washington Post edit page moans, but General Electric’s John Krinicki doesn’t mind giving legislators a push.

He only had to battle giants, not the Senate (Wikipedia)

The head of GE Energy, the conglomerate’s unit that makes everything from wind turbines to nuclear reactors, flew down to Washington again today to plead with senators to extend tax credits for renewable energy. The credits, still crucial to making clean energy competitive, are set to expire at the end of the year, despite at least eight tries so far to renew them. That threatens to slam the brakes on two gangbuster years for American wind and solar power.

“I’m prepared to come down every week to say the same thing,” he told us. “If the production tax credit expires in the U.S., the wind industry will collapse. As the clock ticks, you put jobs at risk.”

Mr. Krinicki’s testimony is part of a broader Senate look today at America’s energy future. Among the heavyweights also on parade: Rick Waggoner, CEO of General Motors; Marvin Odum, the president of Shell Oil; Gary Cohn, co-president of Goldman Sachs; Dan Yergin of Cambridge Energy Research Associates; and Dan Reicher, Google’s clean-energy guru.

Mr. Krinicki thinks his clean-energy arguments will find a more receptive audience in the Senate than when he made identical pleas more than a year ago. The real problem isn’t support for clean energy per se, he says, but the messy politics that makes it tough to renew the credits.

And he says the beauty of jumpstarting clean-tech with the tax credits is that it doesn’t require inventing a whole new energy policy—just renewing an existing one.

So what happens if Congress doesn’t renew clean-energy subsidies?

“If the U.S.government is not going to be reliable and predictable [on clean-energy policy], we’ll go to Germany and China,” he says, pointing to countries that have long-term, aggressive plans in place to promote clean energy. China could pass the U.S. next year to become the second-biggest wind-power country, after Germany.

Mr. Krinicki’s GE boss Jeff Immelt said something similar earlier this year, threatening to sell clean-tech equipment to countries like Turkey if the U.S. doesn’t fix its “hellish” energy policy. Still, foreign companies are still flocking to the U.S. market—GE rival Siemens just announced it will build a new wind-turbine factory in the U.S., even with the subsidy question still up in the air.

Will this Congress renew the tax credits at the buzzer? Or have two years of world-beating renewable-energy growth taken away any sense of urgency?

Permalink | Trackback URL: http://blogs.wsj.com/environmentalcapital/2008/09/12/industry-to-congress-renew-the-expiring-clean-energy-credits/trackback/

Is Global Warming from CO2 a Fraud?

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Mon, 8 Sep 2008 22:38:00 -0400

One goal I have for this blog is to present both sides of the argument. I also want the focus to be on the abundance that exists all around us, to tap into the laws that drive the universe. Here is some interesting arguments against the concept of man made global warming. It's main premise is that CO2 does not have a major affect on the weather. "The climate is controlled by the clouds, the clouds are controlled by cosmic rays, and cosmic rays are controlled by the Sun." Weather is therefore controlled by the Sun. Interesting. Please take the time to watch this.

Blogged with the Flock Browser

My Maine Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sun, 7 Sep 2008 16:31:00 -0400

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. My wife, Charlene, and I have been busy vacationing in Maine. Here is a short slideshow of our relaxing time near Booth Bay Harbor, Maine.
Hope you enjoy the beauty of the place.

Embrace Change

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 08:52:00 -0400

I just used a neat new tool on the We Campaign website to send a Letter to the Editor of several newspapers. Here is what I wrote:
Subject: Embracing Change
Message:
Dear Friends,

Today we are at a crossroads. The path we choose, as a society, will determine if we continue down the path of scarcity or choose the path of abundance. People can't afford to remain in denial. Just because gasoline prices have dropped below $4.00 a gallon doesn't mean it is now cheap. Energy independence does not necessarily mean we drill for more oil off the coastlines of the United States or in protected areas. Oil is running out. That is scarcity, and continuing to destroy our environment. It will just put off the inevitable. Why expand drilling (destroying our environment), when we can expand safe and cheap renewable alternatives?
Let's embrace abundance! Let's work with Mother Nature and utilize the abundant energy sources all around us. We Can do this! Al Gore's challenge is not a pipe dream. America can generate 100% of our electricity from clean sources. The technology is here NOW! Many new innovations are sitting in filing cabinets of inventors who made these breakthroughs in the 1930's, '40's & 50's. They may not have been economically feasible then, but with today's technology they are viable now. We CAN do this in 10 years, if "we the people" demand this of our political leaders, and we Demand they take action NOW!

Sincerely,
Ed Kerollis

The Economist Debate on the Global Energy Crisis

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:43:00 -0400

There is an interesting debate going on over at The Economist.com. What is interesting about the current debate which began on August 19th is that, basically, both sides are essentially saying the same thing. The only apparent difference seems to be that the PRO side wants to ignore funding for innovation right now and concentrate on utilizing current technologies, while the CON side believes we should fully fund both, putting current technologies into production NOW, and fully funding promising innovations.

The Pro side is represented by Joseph J. Romm, Senior Fellow at the Centre for American Progress, and the Con side is represented by Peter Meisen, President, Global Energy Network Institute (GENI). The debate statement being discussed is: "We can solve our energy problems with existing technologies today, without the need for breakthrough innovations."

The opening statements and rebuttals both present interesting viewpoints, but the real gem for me, so far, has been the wealth of information in the comments section. I highly recommend giving this a look.

Dr David Sinclair take on Resveratrol

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 07:23:00 -0400

Check out this video! It is about 15 minutes long, but it is interesting to hear about the real science behind the study of anti-aging. Resveratrol (pronounced: Res - - Vera - - Trol) is the ingredient found in Red Wine, that scientists believe is responsible for cellular regeneration. It cleans up your cells. There is more information on this at the link on the left "Get Younger Here!". The link is under "Get Started Here".

Challenge in the Face of Complacency

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:31:00 -0400

Now that oil prices have dipped a little, many are eager to feed their denial. They will justify continuing the status quo, and ignore that the developing world will need much more energy in the coming years. They will be tempted to put the development of alternative energies on the (pun intended) back burner.

Now is when we need to demand a change. To create a challenge, no matter how unrealistic it sounds. After all, at the time, going to the moon in 10 years was totally unrealistic.

Today We Can Solve It .org announced a new Ad Campaign that will air during the political conventions. Here is their quote:

Together, We Can Repower America

More than 1,484,921 have joined

We must rebuild our economy, lower fuel costs, free ourselves from our addiction to oil, and save ourselves from the climate crisis. To do this, we need to demand that we Repower America with 100% clean electricity within 10 years. Meeting this ambitious goal would create millions of new jobs, lead to lower energy costs for families and help America lead the fight against global warming.

How do you spell relief? HB2200

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:43:00 -0400

PennFuture (Citizens for Pennsylvania's Future) has been working for several years to advocate effective solutions for the problems of pollution, sprawl and global warming. They enforce environmental laws and work to transform public policy, public opinion and the marketplace to restore and protect the environment. They also want to assure that Pennsylvania becomes a state at the forefront of the new clean energy economy, where companies want to locate bringing great paying green jobs.

Right now, they urgently are working for the quick passage of HB 2200 during the next session of the Pennsylvania Senate. This bill assure that Pennsylvania families and businesses will have powerful tools to save on their electric bills, especially since electricity rate caps come off state wide in January 2011.

Jan Jarrett, vice president of PennFuture recently said in a press release:
“Pennsylvania’s families and businesses are facing high energy costs now, and by January 2011, when the remaining electricity rate caps come off statewide, electricity rates will rise, which is not surprising after 14 years of capped rates,” said Jan Jarrett, vice president of PennFuture. “Electricity prices in Pennsylvania have been capped since 1996, and electricity has not increased in constant or inflation adjusted dollars unlike gasoline, home heating oil, natural gas and other energy products.

“Reducing demand for energy and for electricity through conservation is the surest, quickest way to reduce energy prices and electricity bills,” continued Jarrett. “Reduced demand for oil – not drilling – is the major reason why the price for oil has fallen from $147 to $113 per barrel in the last month. HB 2200, the energy savings bill, must pass right away if the electricity conservation programs will be in place when the remaining electricity rate caps are removed in the next 16 to 28 months.”

To read more about this, and the pledge being asked to be made by all members of the Pennsylvania Senate, go to: PennFuture launches campaign to give Pennsylvania's families and businesses powerful tools to save on electricity bills

What is Success?

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 19:34:00 -0400

The True Meaning of Success

by Alexander Green, Chairman, Investment U
Investment Director, The Oxford Club

"What is success?" asked Ralph Waldo Emerson, "To laugh often and much. To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children. To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends. To appreciate beauty. To find the best in others. To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition. To know even one life breathed easier because you have lived; this is to have succeeded."

Which Solar Technology will Survive?

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 07:16:00 -0400

Here is a good discussion on the future of solar as a business venture.

Which solar technology will survive?

Tech execs discuss photovoltaic ideas

At the Cleantech Forum in San Francisco, Todd Glass of Heller Ehrman moderates a discussion on the various solar technologies making a difference in the green movement. From thin film PVs to concentrating solar, which technology is best-suited for deployment on a utility scale? Attempting to answer this question are panelists Peter Duprey, CEO at Acciona; Ricardo Angel, senior vice president at GE Energy Financial Services; and Fong Wan, vice president of energy procurement at PG&E.

http://news.zdnet.com/2422-13748_22-191925.html

How to change the World

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:43:00 -0400

Going Green does not necessarily mean giving up something. But, it does mean changing how we are used to doing things. Right now it can be an opportunity to create your own Green Business. To plug into a world of sustainability and renewal. Plug into the natural world of abundance. Create opportunities for others by showing them how to be self-sufficient.

Here is an article from a daily paper in New Orleans covering the Annual Shaklee convention.

To learn more about Shaklee Corp. check out the "Getting Started" links at the top left of the page.
Small-scale entrepreneurialism can breed self-sufficiency, expert says

by Stephanie Bruno, The Times-Picayune

Friday August 08, 2008, 7:11 PM

Small-scale entrepreneurialism can lead to self-sufficiency and boost local economies, according to Vidar Jorgensen, adviser to the Bangladesh bank that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.

Jorgensen sat on a panel Thursday night in New Orleans about green and small-scale business opportunities, where he explained how his Bangladesh bank's mirofinancing practices led to its receipt of the Nobel prize.

Jorgensen is chairman of the World Health Care Congress and serves on the advisory committee of the Grameen Bank. According to Jorgensen, Grameen makes small loans of less than $200 to low-income borrowers but doesn't demand collateral. Loans are aimed at financing self-employment projects that will lead to financial self-reliance. One of the bank's initiatives enabled tens of thousands of women, "the poorest of the poor," to become economically self-sustaining.

"Most beggars are women who are divorced or widowed or abandoned. There are no jobs for them if they lose a provider, so they go door to door begging for money," Jorgensen explained. "Then someone thought, well, since they're already going door to door, what if they took something with them they could sell? Fruit or a toy or something? The bank loaned the money for them to acquire the goods to sell, and now 100,000 former beggars are self-sufficient."

If the approach can work in Bangladesh, Jorgensen suggested, it can work anywhere that populations are struggling and financially dependent. The key is to provide small but targeted assistance and to help them discover the entrepreneurial potential within themselves.

David Bach, a personal finance expert and best-selling author, also sat on the panel and spoke of the new business opportunities opening up in green industries, or industries that focus on sustainability and preserving the environment.

Bach said he was inspired to write his latest book, "Go Green, Live Rich," after he and his family moved into a green building in Manhattan and began to notice improvements in their personal health.

"I honestly believe it's going to be the economic opportunity of a lifetime," Bach said of the emerging green industry. "The green industry is going to make the tech industry of the '90s look small."

The panel was held in conjunction with the annual conference of Shaklee Corp., a company that sells a range of environmentally friendly products.

Change Your Thinking

noreply@blogger.com (Edmond J. Kerollis) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 13:13:00 -0400

To illustrate the idea of changing our thinking from one of scarcity to one of Abundance, I will present a few quotes from the 1997 book Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature by Janine M. Benyus. She discusses a subject long understood by many Indigenous People, that of learning from Nature instead of working to conquer Nature.

“We must draw our standards from the natural world. We must honor with the humility of the wise the bounds of that natural world and the mystery which lies beyond them, admitting that there is something in the order of being which evidently exceeds all our competence. -Valclav Havel, president of the Czech Republic” (Chapter 1, page 1)

"In a society accustomed to dominating or "improving" nature, this respectful imitation is a radically new approach, a revolution really. Unlike the Industrial Revolution, the Biomimicry Revolution introduces an era based not on what we can extract from nature, but on what we can learn from her." (Chapter 1, page 2)

“They know that nature, imaginative by necessity, has already solved the problems we are struggling to solve. Our challenge is to take these time-tested ideas and echo them in our own lives.” (Chapter 1, page 4)

Benyus, Janine M. Biomimicry: Innovation inspired by nature. New York: HarperCollins, 1997.