“I don’t know how we build any other way anywhere else. We can no longer tell ourselves that implementing this technology is too complex a problem because it’s just been proven on this little spot on the map,” Brad Pitt

These houses are built so green, that the electricity bills are only around $35 a month!

For more information: www.makeitrightnola.org

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While the price is expected to be around $40,000 when the Volt rolls out in late 2010, GM’s goal is to get the price down to around $20,000 for the G2 (generation 2) models.

“The beauty of the Volt’s design is much more than just surface deep. The interior and exterior design is an important element of the Volt’s overall mission to be the most energy-efficient Chevy ever.”
Bob Boniface, Director of Design, Chevrolet Volt

The Volt is also designed to go 40 miles without using a drop of gas, so if you commute less than 40 miles, you can do so without ever using any gas.

Unlike traditional electric cars, Chevy Volt has a revolutionary propulsion system that takes you beyond the power of the battery. It will use a lithium-ion battery with a gasoline-powered, range-extending engine that drives a generator to provide electric power when you drive beyond the 40-mile battery range.

Under the new methodology being developed, EPA weights plug-in electric vehicles as traveling more city miles than highway miles on only electricity. The EPA methodology uses kilowatt hours per 100 miles traveled to define the electrical efficiency of plug-ins. Applying EPA’s methodology, GM expects the Volt to consume as little as 25 kilowatt hours per 100 miles in city driving. At the U.S. average cost of electricity (approximately 11 cents per kWh), a typical Volt driver would pay about $2.75 for electricity to travel 100 miles, or less than 3 cents per mile.

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Earlier this year the Obama administration marked more than $98 billion of the economic stimulus bill for energy and environmental projects. Many of these projects will encourage the creation of green jobs. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts, green jobs growth outpaced other job classifications by nearly 250 percent over the last decade, growing 9.1 percent between 1998 and 2007, versus 3.7 percent for the overall job market.

“The focus on green jobs continues to increase year over year as job seekers look for more environmentally conscious career paths and employers make changes to protect the environment,” said Jason Ferrara, vice president of corporate marketing at CareerBuilder. “One-in-ten employers say they have added green jobs in the last 12 months. Goinggreenjobs.com, will enable employers the ability to specifically target their environmentally friendly positions to an audience that is actively seeking employment in the green field.”

Job seekers will be able to use www.goinggreenjobs.com, to find information on green job fairs and events, green workplace news and information, as well as advice for everything from writing a green focused resume to connecting with the right green opportunity. Job seekers will be able to post up to five different versions of their resume to increase their visibility to potential employers in a variety of environmental areas.

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said Monday that she believes hiring in the alternative energy industry will pick up in the next 12 months, but it will take longer than that for so-called green jobs to become a bigger part of the U.S. job market.

Solis told The Associated Press that new government incentives will kick-start hiring in the fledgling industry as companies regain confidence and find it easier to borrow money.

“Once you start seeing more investments made in our economy recovering, as we stabilize and we get people back to work, then I think there’ll be more interest in expanding,” Solis said. “There’ll be more, hopefully, credit available for this expansion, because there will be more confidence because that’s what we’re lacking right now — that investment and confidence in the market.”

After a terrible start to the year there are signs of a rebound for alternative energy, in part because of a push from the Obama administration.

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Turn those so-so solar powered garden lamps into a useful, portable, USB device charger!

You Will Need

• 4 Garden Lamps
• 1 Wire
• 1 Female USB Connector

Step 1:
Introduction
Solar powered garden lamps were a great idea that just haven’t worked very well. Let me show you to turn these garden lamps into something really useful.

Step 2:
Items
Prices for garden lamps are so cheap these days that I found this set of four on sale for ten dollars. But you can easily find them at garage sales or maybe even have some old ones lying around in the house.

The only other things you’ll need are some wire and a female USB connector. I used an old floppy drive cable and a throwaway internal USB connector. Grab a throw-away baseball card sleeve and you’re all set to make your own solar powered USB charger and power supply that works incredibly well.

Step 3:
Take Apart The Unit
Taking apart the units is relatively easy, but in this case I had to do a little extra work to get to the solar cell. Normally they’ll pop right out, but occasionally you’ll find some attached with a weak adhesive. The cells are coated in plastic and our very durable.

Step 4:
Voltage
Testing with a voltmeter shows an output of two and a quarter to two and a half volts. We’ll wire two together to give us a four and a half to five volt output and then wire another set of two in parallel to give us the necessary amperage. If you don’t understand what all this means, don’t worry about it. Just follow the instructions.

Step 5:
Floppy Drive Cable
I like the idea of using a floppy drive cable because the wires are designed to be flexible. Peel two off and separate the ends. Make several sets of these wires.

This is how you’ll want to solder together your four units: positive to positive, negative to negative, a bridge on one set from negative to positive, another bridge, which we’ll add later, a black wire to the negative post, and a red wire to the positive post. This configuration illuminated with a forty watt bulb will show us our target voltage of between four and a half and five volts.

Step 6:
USB Connector
Next I removed the USB connector from the plate and then snipped off the two extra wires, leaving us with a positive and negative wire and the USB cable.

I then soldered these wires to the black and red wire of the solar unit. A plastic sportscard sleeve is ideal for holding the solar cells firmly in place, but I needed to cut a couple of flaps in two of the pockets in order to accomodate the wiring.

I slid the first two cells into the lower pockets and then slid the second two cells under the flaps. Then I secured each of the flaps using clear tape. Next, I trimmed off the excess plastic. This gave me a very flexible unit that could easily be folded into a shirt pocket, a backpack, or a glove box of a car.

The final step was to cut away small sections of plastic and solder the final bridge into place, and use some colored electrical tape to make it look nice.

Step 7:
Testing
The final test was to take it outside. Here’s my cell phone. The battery’s completely dead. It shuts off by itself. I plugged it into the solar array and after a few seconds, the charge light came on. Not only was there enough power to charge it, I actually had enough power to turn the phone on and use it.

So now I have a portable, powerful, flexible solar power unit. I can use just about anything that requires a USB port for charging.

Gadgets:
How To Make A Solar Powered USB Charger

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Just recently Playboy Playmates of the year Jayde Nicole & Jo Garcia hand out Veggie Dogs on Capitol Hill whilst wearing Lettuce Bikinis.

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With the growing interest in “Going Green” web hosting companies are buying “Renewable Energy Certificates” or REC’s for short. REC’s are purchased directly from Wind Farms or other Renewable energy producers or from Energy Credit brokers. The electricity is then sold to the power companies and the Web Hosts can claim then buy X amount of Credits usually in a percentage of what power they use. Many green web hosting companies claim they are 100%, or even 130% green by buying enough credits to just cover their usage.

GreenGeeks is a green web hosting company that buys REC’s, but they don’t stop at just buying enough credits to cover their usage, they buy enough REC’s to cover 300% of what they use! Not only do they buy 3 times what they consume, they are also doing much more in their office and in the way they do business in general to be more eco-friendly.

By reconfiguring their servers GreenGeeks is able to keep their servers running more effientially and running cooler, this cuts down on the usage of cooling fans which burn up a lot of power. They also practice recycling in their office and they only print legal and essential documents to conserve paper. Anything that is printed by mistake is returned to the recycle paper area of the office for reuse in any other printing that needs done.

Even the employees kick in and take turns bringing in homemade lunches, saving the waste from fast food places or the gas from “going to lunch”.

GreenGeeks is not only Green, they provide top notch hosting with many sought after features. They have won several Green Hosting awards, including Best Green Host in 2008 and 2009 and have been featured in major magazines such as PC World.

Every account with GreenGeeks receives the following features:

* Energy Efficient Servers
* 300% Green Hosting
* 100% Carbon Neutral Friendly
* Unlimited Web Space
* Unlimited Data Transfer
* Unlimited Email Accounts
* Unlimited MySQL Databases
* Host Unlimited Domains on 1 Account

Whether you’re a business owner or an individual looking for full functionality, GreenGeeks provides you with the perfect web hosting solution.

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The Contents of the Earth4Energy guide consists of:

• How to prepare Building A Green Energy Source
• How does the Solar And Wind Power Work
• A Detailed Instruction mentioning How To Build Your Own Solar Panel or wind turbine
• Colorful images to guide You Along The Way
• Pin Point Accurate directions and important steps
• How To Obtain components For Free

The site claim that you can build your own Solar or wind system for less than $200. Well, after going through the guide, one main benefit you get is knowing how to get a $600 battery free. If you can follow the instruction properly, you can reduce costs by 90%.The site also claims of saving up to 80% electricity.

I had built a mini solar system to generate enough solar energy to power my light bulb to test it out and it worked out fine. So one can go ahead to build a big one and save up to 80% of the electricity bill.

The results vary from person to person, because everyone uses a different amount of fuel or consumption of electricity at their home. But it is sure that you will get back your investment after following this guide and the kit within a few days. Energy prices in the global world are rising up and we need such alternate energy to generate savings which will secure for the future.

Many scientists and experts are exploring further to seek alternative fuels that will reduce greenhouse effect caused by the fossil fuel gases. Now is your chance to come forward and do your part and help the environment. Even if this is not your objective, then also you can are still saving massive amounts of energy.

Quickly, let me mention the return on investments on taking the product Earth4Energy.This windmill kit will cost you around $100, which is really nothing when compared to the average energy bill that you get every month. This windmill will be generating you the power or electricity for at least the next 3 to 5 years, possibly saving you lots of dollars in your energy bill. Also, the solar panels can be easily constructed with a budget around $150, which is very cheap compared to those professional installs. Also even if you have a professionally installed device, then you may have to wait for years before you get back the money.

Make power at home with solar and wind energy to eliminate your power bill. Get our complete Earth4Energy guide.

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1. We set an important precedent. The infamous burning Cuyahoga River led to the creation of the Clean Water Act of 1972, still the most “influential water improvement measure on the books.” “The water quality of the Cuyahoga River has improved dramatically since the late 1960s,” says Tinka Hyde, U.S. EPA Regional Water Division director. “More than 40 species of fish were found in the river in 2008, including steelhead trout, northern pike, and others. This shows how powerful a tool the Clean Water Act can be when the public, government, and industry are committed to restoring an important waterway.” Today the Cuyahoga River is one of 14 American Heritage Rivers in the United States and the centerpiece of Ohio’s only national park (the Cuyahoga Valley). It runs through beautiful rural burgs like Cuyahoga Falls and Kent, provides water access for rowing clubs, boaters and commerce.

2. It must be true if it’s on the internet. MSN.com recently featured Cleveland as one of “12 unexpected urban areas that are doing good green stuff,” noting it as home to a surprisingly forward-looking sustainability subculture.

3. We made it to the sweet sixteen. Cleveland ranked #16 in the SustainLane’s 2008 US City Rankings of the 50 most-populous cities, the nation’s most complete report card on urban sustainability. SustainLane called out the 225 community gardens and 25 for-profit farms within the city limits and the city’s participation in an effort to start an offshore wind farm on Lake Erie.

4. Our hotels are certified. Several downtown Cleveland hotels graduated from the Entrepreneurs for Sustainability (E4S) program, a voluntary year-long process to implement multiple sustainable practices. All hotels made a commitment to implement these practices, including recycling and using energy-efficient equipment, into their daily operations. Green Lodging News recently profiled these efforts.

5. Green uniforms and white gloves. The staff at the Wyndham at Playhouse Square wears uniforms made from recycled polyester fibers spun from plastic beverage bottles.

6. For business or pleasure. The new RTA HealthLine, opened in October of 2008, connects downtown Cleveland’s Public Square to the arts, culture, education and hospitals of University Circle. The bus line utilizes 21 hybrid-electric vehicles powered by clean diesel engines and electric transmissions with 100 kW motors and 600-volt nickel hydride battery packs. This unique power train reduces particulate emissions while dramatically improving fuel efficiency. (http://www.rtahealthline.com/)

7. Ticket to ride. In conjunction with the new bus line, Euclid Avenue was completely re-done including the planting of 1,500 trees and the addition of dedicated bike lanes providing commuters another green alternative to driving.

8. The power of wind and sun. The Great Lakes Science Center installed solar panels to go along with the first Cleveland lakefront wind turbine, becoming the fourth largest producer of alternative energy in the state. The solar panels and wind turbine bring about greater public awareness of renewable energy and educate visitors to the Science Center of the benefits of alternative energy to this region. (http://www.greatscience.com/)

9. Our Tribe is green. Progressive Field and the Cleveland Indians were forerunners in the American League to become a part of Major League Baseball’s movement to go “green.” Forty-two solar panels were installed on the upper deck concourse in the stadium, generating enough power to run all 400 of the ballpark’s television sets during the game. The Tribe also recycles and uses environmentally friendly products to reduce the park’s carbon footprint. (http://cleveland.indians.mlb.com/cle/ballpark/green.jsp)

10. Wild about conservation. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is a leader in conservation, and not just in conserving the habitats of the animals for which they care. The Zoo collects more than 140 tons of recyclables a year including paper, cell phones, phone books, household appliances, aluminum and glass, just to name a few. Committed to the conservation of all life, the Zoo funds conservation projects all over the world. (http://www.clemetzoo.com/conservation/environment.asp)

11. The beer is always green. Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC) is a socially conscious brewer of award-winning, all-natural beer and supports the efforts of local farmers. The restaurant and brewery strives to use ingredients that are all-natural, organic, free-roaming/free range, and locally raised and produced. Plus, GLBC operates a beer delivery truck and a shuttle bus (”The Fatty Wagon”) that run on restaurant vegetable oil. Results show that engines running on straight vegetable oil produce 40% less soot than diesel and are 25% cleaner. (http://www.greatlakesbrewing.com/companyEnvironmentZW.php)

12. CLE’s green party. The Burning River Fest (August 15, 2009) is an annual one-day family-friendly festival featuring environmental education programs and demonstrations, local artisans and musicians, a variety of locally-produced delicacies from Cleveland’s favorite restaurants, Great Lakes Brewing Company beers and some of the most interesting and diverse views of Cleveland’s lakefront and skyline. (http://www.burningriverfest.org/)

13. Sustainability takes center stage. Part of the city’s amazing PlayhouseSquare, the Hanna Theatre recently underwent a renovation featuring a number of “green” upgrades. From the start 92% of construction waste was recycled and restored back into the manufacturing process thereby avoiding being sent to a landfill. The theatre introduced Demand Control Ventilation areas not regularly occupied through the installation of CO2 sensors. They also reused existing plumbing fixtures with new water conserving controls, eliminated the use of CFC-based refrigerants, implemented a “green housekeeping/cleaning” program that utilizes cleaning supplies/solutions that do not adversely affect the air quality and have placed recycling areas throughout the theater. They are now pursuing Silver LEED Certification for sustainable business practices that reduce the negative impact on the environment.

14. Be sure to eat your veggies. Located in Milan, Ohio—about an hour west of downtown Cleveland—the Chef’s Garden team produces more than 1,100 varieties of vegetables and herbs for the discerning palate. Chef’s Garden is built on sustainable agriculture and earth-to-table beliefs. The related Culinary Vegetable Institute is the educational part of this unique destination. They put together programs, lesson plans and take-home packets for groups to learn the importance of vegetables grown in organic environments (no pesticides or harmful fertilizers). (http://www.chefs-garden.com/about.htm)

15. Leading by example. Mayor Frank Jackson has made many commitments to energy efficiency, from investigating the possibility of using wind power to generate electricity to replacing traffic and crosswalk signals with LED lights.

16. Soy isn’t just for dinner. In addition to offering online versions of all its visitor guides and maps, Positively Cleveland’s printed publications have gone green. In partnership with printer Angstrom Graphics several green processes are used in the production of the convention and visitors bureau’s collateral material including using soy-based inks, Forest Stewardship Council paper and wind energy.

17. Getting back to the future. The GreenCityBlueLake Institute is the sustainability center of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History working to promote environmentally-friendly redevelopment that improves quality of life and makes cities more sustainable. Balancing city and country, the institute works on land-use planning and transportation policy issues to promote a smarter balance of growth in the metropolitan area, helping citizens and elected officials adopt a more thoughtful, regional perspective. (http://www.gcbl.org/)

18. Eat your greens. The Greenhouse Tavern is the first green-certified restaurant in Ohio with a rooftop greenhouse, reclaimed wood, high-efficiency lighting and, of course, proteins and vegetables obtained from local farms or grown by chef and owner, Jonathan Sawyer. (http://www.thegreenhousetavern.com/)

19. Green building is budding. The Northeast Ohio Chapter of the United States Green Building Coalition (USGBC) works to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated to improve quality of life and protect natural resources for future generations. (http://www.clevelandgbc.org/)

20. Growing gardens and minds. Green Corps is a work/study program founded by Cleveland Botanical Garden. Teens earn as they learn, transforming vacant lots into flourishing urban farms. The students grow fruits, vegetables, and flowers while learning job skills, leadership and growing a healthier, greener community for themselves and their neighbors. Each year, Green Corps participants get real world experience by playing a major role in the production and marketing of Ripe from Downtown products, using crops grown in the Learning Gardens. Ripe from Downtown Salsa (medium and hot) has become a favorite with customers in area restaurants, at farmers market stands and street fairs, and at local stores such as Mustard Seed Market, Heinen’s, Zagara’s Family Marketplace, Nature’s Bin, Flavor of Ohio and Take a Bite. (http://www.cbgarden.org/Learn/Outreach.html)

21. We’re a great market for markets. Farmers and locally-grown produce markets are in abundance in Cleveland Plus. Less shipping miles means less fossil fuels are burned. And, the historic West Side Market (a National Historic Landmark, one of America’s great public spaces and Cleveland’s oldest publicly owned market) features local vendors serving up everything from handmade pastas to cupcakes made from secret family recipes. (http://www.westsidemarket.org/)

22. Wet and wild. Great Wolf Lodge, an indoor waterpark in Sandusky, is the nation’s only 100% green certified hotel chain. Project Green Wolf is the Lodge’s initiative to make all locations environmentally friendly. (http://fleetothecleve.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/great-wolf-goes-green-043009/)

23. Eco-friendly family fun. Kalahari Resorts in Sandusky has implemented several initiatives to conserve energy. For example, the indoor waterpark introduced a Texlon transparent roof system in 2007 which works as a natural heating source and an AquaRecycle laundry water recycling and filtration system now allows the reuse of 70% of the resort’s laundry water. (www.kalahariresorts.com/oh/)

24. Park it! Why go to the gym when you can go to the Cleveland Metroparks or Cuyahoga Valley National Park (the third most visited national park in the country)? Cleveland Plus has 19,000+ acres of parks, rivers, streams and lakes. The parks provide the ideal setting for recreational activities that can be enjoyed year-round, including golfing, swimming, fishing, horseback riding, boating, hiking, tobogganing, cross-country skiing, sledding, mountain biking and more. (http://www.clemetparks.com/ and www.nps.gov/cuva)

25. You can afford to be selective. Positively Cleveland helps meetings coming to the area plan a green event and/or work with a Green Preferred Supplier List.

26. We’re not just blowing smoke. The Pearl Wind Project is the installation of a small-scale, 140-foot-high wind turbine at Pearl Road Auto Parts and Wrecking, the first independent business in Cleveland to capture the wind to generate electricity. The turbine, which begins operating in July, should result in a net annual reduction of more than 100,000 kWh of electricity demand. (http://www.ecowatchohio.org/)

27. Ride in luxury. Company Car & Limousine Inc., Cleveland’s largest provider of ground transportation and limo services, is certified as the first US company to operate carbon neutral. Through the Green Ride Global program, a worldwide referral network, Company Car becomes 100% carbon neutral, initiated research and adoption of leading edge hybrid technologies for its fleet and committed to extensive chauffeur training on enhanced fuel efficiency. (www.greenrideglobal.com/commitment/companycar/)

28. What goes around, comes around. Virescent Designs in the Tremont neighborhood is the brainchild of artist/designer Alison Saville. Saville recycles everything . . . from computer parts to bottle tops to make her one-of-a-kind jewelry. (http://shop.becominggreen.org/main.sc)

29. What’s old is green again. Green Deconstruction Services™ is a Cleveland-based company specializing in reverse construction – the orderly and selective disassembly of a building, structure or part of a home, saving select components for re-use or recycling. No matter what the “gently used” building material is; millwork, doors, fireplace mantles, brick and stone, windows, cabinets, sinks, lights, hardware and hardwood flooring, they work with homeowners, contractors, architects, builders, and demolition companies of all types. (http://www.greendeconstructionservices.net/)

30. Give green. Try shopping at a gift store that’s conscious about personal consumption. GreenSmartGifts in the near west-side community of Lakewood has recycled, organic, locally-made and fairly traded items ranging from bicycle chain key rings to motherboard picture frames. (http://www.greensmartgifts.com/)

31. Eco-friendly, organic and always fair trade. Revive Fair Trade in Cleveland Heights is a boutique offering accessories, clothing, skincare and food products made with sustainable materials by artisans from around the world. (http://www.revivestore.com/)

32. Put a fork in it. The Fresh Fork Market connects restaurants with local farmers, thereby eliminating man hours of searching and gas consumption. Fresh Fork Market was born at the Entrepreneurship Education when four Case Western Reserve University students carried their idea forward throughout their senior year of college. In June of 2008, Fresh Fork Market launched service in Cleveland, delivering fresh local products directly from local farmers to local restaurants and creating a virtual farmers market. (http://www.freshforkmarket.com/)

33. Antiques roadshow. A Piece of Cleveland designs and makes high-quality products out of raw materials with a local history. Their efforts have rescued tons of doors, floors and lumber from houses destined for the landfill. They seek out ONLY reclaimed building materials for their creations. (http://apieceofcleveland.com/)

34. Walk the walk. Walk and Roll Cleveland events promote bicycling, walking, alternative transportation, public health and diversity. They help raise awareness of the parks and green spaces, culture and history of Cleveland Plus. (http://www.walkandrollcleveland.com/)

35. No preservatives added. The Mustard Seed Market & Café is a boutique grocery store in Akron and Solon stocking aisles with preservative-free products from area farms for more than 25 years. (http://www.mustardseedmarket.com/)

36. Friendly competition. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s $25 million African crossing now under construction is in a race for completion with the Denver Zoo to be the world’s first LEED-certified animal exhibit. (http://www.clemetzoo.com/)

37. Shine a light. The amount of kilowatts produced by solar panels in Ohio, according to Green Energy Ohio, is 900 kilowatts. In Northeast Ohio solar panels produce about 600 kilowatts including 120 kilowatts owned by Amish families.

38. Green houses are on the rise. According to the US Census Bureau, 683 Ohio homes use solar thermal panels to assist with home heating. 143 of those are in Northeast Ohio.

39. Treasured trash. Sawmill Creek Resort and Conference Center in Huron is the first resort in Ohio to initiate an organics recycling program. Kitchen and dining room staff separate all food, paper, cardboard and compostable packaging waste for separate collection for composting. The compost and mulch are used in the beds of flowers surrounding the Lodge. (Guests at Lodge should also know that Green Seal Certified cleaning products are used to clean the guest rooms and public areas.) (http://www.sawmillcreek.com/)

40. Breathe easy. Restaurants in Cleveland (and all of Ohio) are 100% smoke free. Voters approved the indoor smoking ban in November 2006, making Ohio the first Midwestern state and the first tobacco-growing state to enact such a ban.

41. Good nutrition is insured. Medical Mutual of Ohio customers can now have fresh produce (all grown without pesticides or chemicals on the family-owned sustainable farm that is Chef’s Garden in Huron, Ohio) delivered to their doorstep. Medical Mutual has worked out an agreement that allows its 1.6 million Ohio customers to receive regular shipments of fresh-picked boutique vegetables for $25 a box. Some of the proceeds go to Veggie U, a five-week program supported by Chef’s Garden that teaches fourth-graders how to make good food choices.

42. Floating on air. University Circle’s annual Parade the Circle (celebrating 20 years in 2009) is an arts celebration of colorfully costumed characters, stilt walkers and musicians that attracts some 60,000 parade-goers each year. The non-commercial to-do does not allow motorized vehicles of any kind.

43. That’s how we roll. The Segway, touted as an eco-friendly alternative for short trips, is also a Cleveland tour opportunity. Sightsee on two wheels with Electric Transport LLC (http://www.electrictransportllc.com/). Or, expend even more personal energy and “Take a Hike” in the historic Gateway Neighborhood with Downtown Cleveland Alliance or explore other areas of downtown using the free, downloadable iPod tours from http://www.cityprowl.com/.

44. Nature friendly. The Holden Arboretum in Kirtland adopted a strategic plan for conservation in order to establish goals and outline the types of active management that would take place in their natural areas including bio diversity, ecological restoration and natural areas management. (http://www.holdenarb.org/)

45. NASA knows. NASA Glenn Research Center leads a team of industry and university partners in demonstrating a prototype of a commercial hydrogen fueling station using wind and solar power to produce hydrogen from water. This initial installation produces hydrogen from Lake Erie water to fuel a mass transit bus powered by fuel cells. (http://www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/home/index.html)

46. Green for the masses. Quicken Loans Arena collected more than four tons of recyclable materials in 2007-08 and is on track to exceed that tonnage during the 2008-09 season. Beverages at “The Q” are served in corn plastic cups that biodegrade in one to five years. Concessionaire ARAMARK uses biodegradable to-go containers, plates and bowls and standard light bulbs have been replaced with more efficient ballasts.

47. Working green. A newly-released study touts the potential of renewable energy as one of Ohio’s growth industries and future areas of employment. Environment Ohio’s research documented more than 440 Ohio businesses already working in the wind, solar, fuel cell, geothermal and biomass industries and the Department of Development estimates that those businesses employ 60,000 workers.

48. Flying right. Sustainable Travel International (STI), a non-profit organization that promotes responsible travel and ecotourism, works in connection with Continental Airlines (which has a hub in Cleveland) to reduce carbon in the environment. (www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/contact/products/carbonoffset.aspx)

49. Give the gift of the garden. The Cleveland Botanical Garden’s “Garden Store” features a multitude of eco-friendly gift ideas including 100% recycled hummingbird feeders and glassware, stuffed animals made from 100% recycled soda bottles, recycled paper greeting cards featuring inspiring eco-tips on the back and bath and body products made from earth-friendly products. (www.cbgarden.org/Visit/GardenStore.html)

50. Ride RTA. Named the best large transit system in North America in 2007 by the American Public Transportation Association, RTA operates buses, a red line from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport to the Terminal Tower downtown and free “smile and ride” trolleys that loop around the city’s business and entertainment districts. (http://www.riderta.com/)

51. Retro is all the rage. Save resources (and money) by shopping vintage. From high-end resale shops to rock-and-roll vintage wear, Cleveland Plus is home to a variety of great second-hand clothing stores. (http://blog.cleveland.com/style/vintage/)

52. Show your support on the show floor. The Cleveland International Exposition and Convention Center (IX Center), a major conference and tradeshow facility, is serious about its recycling program which includes recycling paper, plastic and cardboard. (http://www.ixcenter.com/)

53. Our chefs are growing. Literally. In the backyard, on the rooftop, in planter boxes behind the restaurant . . . more and more of our chefs (many already known for their love of locally-grown and organic foods) are gardening and using the fruits (and vegetables) of their labor in their restaurants. Examples include Jonathon Sawyer (Greenhouse Tavern), Ricardo Sandoval (Felice Urban Eatery and Fat Cats), Joy Harlor (Le Petit Triangle Café), Fabio Salerno (Lago)and Marc Levine (Bistro 185).

54. Paths to discovery. Discover the heart of Cuyahoga Valley National Park by walking, bicycling, or running on the Towpath Trail. You can travel the historic route of the Ohio & Erie Canal on the same path that mules walked to tow canal boats loaded with goods and passengers. From the trail, you can make connections to many natural and historic sites. Beyond the park, you can continue your journey on the Towpath Trail farther along the Ohio & Erie Canalway.

55. The Amish are inspiring. Cleveland Plus includes Amish country and travelers are intrigued by a simpler way of life that does not include electricity. Lehman’s, a family-run business, was founded in 1955 to serve the Amish. However, as conservation grew in importance, many other consumers turned to these products and now, through mail order operations and a massive retail store in Kidron, Ohio, Lehman’s ships products to all 50 states and over 200 countries–supplying missionaries, survivalists, environmentalists and others. Merchandise like hand-powered kitchen appliances, water pumps, grain grinders and hundreds of other unique, hard-to-find items are featured at Lehman’s. And, once the company’s key customers, the Amish are now a key vendor, creating custom wrought pieces and hand woven and carved items. (http://www.lehmans.com/)

56. The experts approve. Cleveland hosted the SOLAR 2007 conference.

57. Modern office living. The renovation of the historic Higbee Building on Public Square (where Positively Cleveland resides and where our Cleveland Plus Visitors Center can be found) is nearly complete. The project transforms the building into a sustainable model for the modern age. Forest City, owner of the building, is seeking LEED Platinum certification for the project. Sustainability features include the use of sustainable materials and resources, water efficiency, high-efficiency HVAC systems and indoor environmental quality.

58. We’re on a mission. EcoWatch Ohio is a nonprofit organization that reaches state wide. They are on a mission to encourage individuals, businesses and governments to adopt sustainable lifestyles, business practices and policies. Their EcoWatch Journal is published six times a year.

59. Plan with the experts. Event planning industry leader Experient formally integrated green meeting consultation into its standard practice, including an Environmental Event Solutions checklist.

60. Plated landscapes. Using all sustainable and local foods, Chef Ben Bebenroth of Spice of Life Catering brings diners to the source of the food for an alfresco feast. Guests pay for a chef prepared meal paired with boutique wines and for the opportunity to forage for their dinner. (http://www.spiceoflifecaterers.com/)

61. A farm in the city. Carl Skalak started the “first farm in Cleveland in the 21st century.” It’s an acre of land on E. 72nd Street between I-90 and St. Clair and is called the Blue Pike Farm. He is planting organic, petrochemical free crops.

62. No junk food on school trips. The Cleveland Museum of Natural History turned away from fast food in its cafe and opened a “green” lunch and snack option instead. The Blue Planet Cafe uses fresh, organic vegetables and free range chicken. Food ordered to go is served on Genpak’s Harvest Collection plates and cups that are made from annually renewable resources and are biodegradable and compostable. (http://www.cmnh.org/)

63. Live green. The Cleveland EcoVillage is a diverse neighborhood that is pedestrian-friendly. It is a national demonstration project with the goal of developing a model urban village that realizes the potential of urban life in the most ecological way possible. The nearby new Simmons Park sits on the site of an abandoned gas station. The gas station and Brownfield were demolished and remediated in partnership with the Cuyahoga County Department of Development. The park represents one of the strategies that DSCDO is utilizing to repurpose vacant land into healthy, useful spaces valued and cared for by the surrounding community. (www.ecocitycleveland.org/ecologicaldesign/ecovillage/intro_ecovillage.html)

64. Wild about green. Last year employees of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo recycled 40 tons of paper, 39 tons of cardboard and nearly seven tons of glass.

65. Green isn’t just the color of scrubs. The Cleveland Clinic is dedicated to ensuring their new facilities qualify for LEED certification. Cleveland Clinic also began a market in July 2008 as an effort to offer healthy, local food options to the surrounding neighborhood and employees in an environmentally-friendly way. It averages more than 2,000 visitors per week including an eclectic mix of community members, patients, visitors and employees and includes produce, meats, dairy, eggs, bread, flowers and other food items from more than 35 different local producers and farmers. All items must be grown using integrative pest management/low herbicide methods and picked within 24 hours of the market, allowing each item to be at its peak for taste and nutritional value. All items at the market must be grown or made within no more than 115 miles of the Clinic’s Crile building as well, to reduce the environmental impact of the food transport process. To ensure that the market is a success for participating farmers, AVI Food Systems, a Cleveland Clinic food service provider, has again committed to purchasing any perishable items that remain unsold at the end of the market. In 2008, AVI purchased about $15,000 worth of food and produce that was then incorporated within a day into its menu items for Clinic patients, visitors and employees. In addition to cash, farmers at the market also accept WIC and Senior Nutritional Services vouchers. (http://my.clevelandclinic.org/)

66. Keeping up with the Plusquellics. Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic announced plans to create a new “Greenprint for Akron,” a long-term plan to help Akron reduce its carbon footprint. Practices already in place include recycling of asphalt and oil, conservation of energy in city-owned buildings, securing regional water supply safety, conservation and easements to protect natural resources, brownfield remediation, urban landscaping and sludge-to-fuel. (Biogas technology has wide use and acceptance in Europe, but Akron will be home to the first such operation in the United States. Akron’s Wastewater Treatment Plant has for many years taken sludge and turned it into Class A-rated compost that is then applied as a soil nutrient. Now the plant is working with a private company to begin using some of the solid waste to produce energy to help operate the facility.)

67. Sustainability is big time in the minor league. Minor League baseball’s Lake County Captains educated fans about environmental initiatives at Lake County’s Classic Park. At three games, they highlighted the work being done by those in the community with a Health and Sustainability fair. Fans who donated unwanted electronic equipment received a coupon good for discounted game tickets and the first 1,000 arrivals at each of the games received an environmentally-friendly tote bag. (http://www.captainsbaseball.com/)

68. Clean green. Cleveland-based EZ Brite is a dumpsterless producer of 39 all-natural kitchen cleaning products.

69. Green collar gigs. Tri-C started the Green Academy and Center for Sustainability, the first program of its kind in the country, to prepare students for employment in emerging fields including LEED certification, green building specs and energy efficiency. Cleveland Plus already has many highly skilled workers in the manufacturing trades and this program is training workers in new fields already available in the green collar economy. (http://www.tri-c.edu/)

70. A good, clean burn. Lubrizol incinerates alcohol and petroleum runoff from chemical batches producing steam that provides 25% of the plant’s steam needs.

71. Manufacturing innovation. Parker Hannifin developed components for wind turbines, fuel cells, nitrogen generators and electrical systems made specifically for grocery stores that reduce energy costs by 25%.

72. Good neighbors. Goodyear has a zero-waste-to-landfill goal in the majority of its facilities worldwide. By the end of March 2009, 57 of their 58 plants had met the goal.

73. Conventional green. The new Medical Mart and Convention Center will meet a minimum of silver LEED status.

74. We mean business. Yes! Magazine reports in its latest issue that Cleveland’s new Evergreen Cooperative “represents the first significant effort to create green jobs that not only pay a decent wage, but also build assets and wealth for employees since they are not only workers, but also owners. If successful, this initiative could become a national model.” The Cleveland Foundation and Shorebank are financing the start up of local green businesses. The first co-op will be a green laundry facility in a new LEED-Silver building with a water recapture system and will use hybrid trucks. The second is the Ohio Cooperative Solar, which plans to lease rooftops from large nonprofits like Case Western Reserve University, install solar panels, and sell the power to the institutions.

75. Healthy lakes mean healthy living. IAGLR 2009, the 52nd Annual conference on Great Lakes research, is at the University of Toledo. This year’s conference, with the theme “Bridging Ecosystems and Environmental Health across our Great Lakes,” focuses on emerging concerns and the interrelationships between ecosystems and environmental health.

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The two concepts are compatible, says Cheryl Amantea, chair of both the Advertising and Fashion & Retail Management degree programs at The New England Institute of Art in Boston. “Feng Shui incorporates plants, sunlight, cleanliness and the elements of running water and circulation of air, so it’s not a stretch to put the ‘green lifestyle’ in with Feng Shui.”

“Feng Shui (pronounced fung sch-way) means ‘wind water.’ It connects what is seen (environment) with what is unseen (energy) — often referred to as chi (pronounced chee),” says Amantea.

Chi can be found in your color scheme and placement of objects, with each color symbolizing different characteristics. Aptly enough, green symbolizes life, growth, vitality and energy. Yellow and earth tones represent health, while blue is symbolic of knowledge and red is used for power.

Placement is key to creating a positive chi. “Picture your home as an octagon,” says Amantea. Find the true front door of your home and, according to interior design student Adam Neidlinger at The Art Institute of Indianapolis, ensure air and energy are moving in a steady nurturing manner.

“The flow of the energy or chi through a space can be increased or decreased by the objects being placed in the room,” says Neidlinger. “Wouldn’t you rather get energy from a natural, sustainable, green object than from a manufactured, most likely chemical-filled object?”

Bamboo is a great element because it is natural, clean and it quickly regenerates itself. Live plants are also important according to Neidlinger. “Plants renew the air which is what carries the energy in a room.”

LEED accredited architect and engineer Samuel Hurt who instructs at The Art Institute of Indianapolis agrees with Amantea, but is not exactly sold on Feng Shui as green living. “Personally I’m a bit skeptical about Feng Shui and some of the claims, but that doesn’t mean it is a completely useless way to clean up the environment,” says Hurt.

Through his teaching of sustainable design and his renowned, sustainable work on buildings in the Midwest, Hurt has become well-versed in the green movement. He believes that if Feng Shui wants to combine with sustainable design, however it is defined, we are all better off.

“If Feng Shui can assist in reducing contamination in the world, then that is fine. And good for anyone else who can advance the same cause, no matter what the particular path may be,” says Hurt.

Dr. Peggy Way, adjunct psychology professor at Argosy University, Nashville, considers Feng Shui and green living as a means to promote positive mental health and stress reduction. “Utilize Feng Shui and green living to create a personal space that will help sustain and renew you in the midst of a stressful professional life.”

“Intentionally seek out the ribbons and colors of nature and let the experience restore you. Don’t neglect outdoor space. Consider creating a small natural garden. This is the time of year for garden and landscaping shows where many exhibitors will focus on natural environments and natural forms of growth,” Dr. Way says.

“By all means seek your own groundedness in the natural world so that you can be nurtured and that as you are nurtured in spirit you will find that same nurture is spilling over into the lives of others around you.”

To learn more about The Art Institutes, visit www.artinstitutes.edu/nz.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

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Also, some other alternative energy companies are developing new ways to recycle waste by generating electricity from landfill waste and pollution. The articles on this page explore waste to energy technology and potential.

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