Archive for the ‘Green’ Category
How much power do YOU use?
Monday, August 29th, 2011E-Waste…
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011
How cars impact the environment
Saturday, July 30th, 2011
Recycling!
Tuesday, July 26th, 2011Great infographic from reeuse this bag .com…
One Block Off the Grid goes national.
Monday, July 25th, 2011I have written about One Block Off the Grid before. I am a big fan of this group. I was thrilled to get this email yesterday.
I’m so thrilled to let you know that One Block Off the Grid has launched 2,170 new solar group discounts in 34 new states.
Check out the map: http://1bog.org/nation
The way it works is that whenever enough residents in a county sign up on the One Block Off the Grid website, all county residents gain access to One Block Off the Grid’s group pricing. As always, our services are free and no obligation.
If you like the pricing, you can choose to be connected with One Block Off the Grid’s trusted local solar installation partner in the area for a free on-site roof evaluation. If you eventually decide to go solar with that installer, One Block Off the Grid gives you a $500 cash rebate. This special rebate is available until October 18, 2011.
We’re also really pleased to announce that we’ll be donating any remaining profits to Kiva City, the brand new U.S. based arm of Kiva.org’s microlending platform. The fund provides microloans to U.S. small business owners in the United States’ most economically challenged cities.
Robert, I do want to let you know that although solar group pricing is great, unfortunately OH isn’t yet doing all it can to make solar affordable for homeowners. While states like New Jersey have a thriving solar market due to strong incentives, your state isn’t there yet. Unfortunately, this means that renewable energy companies may not be giving OH a passing glance when they’re deciding where to expand.
So, when you’re checking out the group deal in your county, be sure to note OH’s letter grade for solar policy, too. We’ve included your governor’s telephone number there and recommend you give him or her a call to say, “I support stronger clean energy policy in OH.”
Together, we can become a powerful force for economic renewal in the United States.
Eco Tuesday moves to the Galleria!
Thursday, July 21st, 2011If you have ever been to an Eco Tuesday event, then you know just how interesting and informative this monthly gathering can be. I have always enjoyed going, when I can. This month the topic will be very interesting and I look forward to trying to be there. Will you join me? Here is the info and flyer:
I’ve attached the flier for the 18th Ecotuesday ‘Fourth Tuesday’ event on July 26th from 5:30 to 7:30, which we are really happy to promote at the Gardens Under Glass at the Galleria. We had a great session on hydroponics and key players in this great green-growing space we now call home.
This event is a natural growth from last month and it will feature a nice opportunity to catch diverse perspectives from various players driving a blossoming whole (aka raw, biogenic) foods movement here in Northeast Ohio. Healthy eating is at the core of the matter and our panelists are true experts in this domain. The latest on the strategic front from Whole Foods will punctuate an evening that will include key presentations and updates from these talents with unique perspectives on propelling an important local industry: (scheduled to appear:)
Tom Frazier, Mylivefoods.com
Jeremy Koosed, Plant Kingdom Bakery
Abe Nabors, Mustard Seed Market
Chuck Molina, Good ‘N Raw
Michelle Stratton, Flaming Ice Cube
After the event folks will be welcome to roll over to the Ice Cube for some delish delights and debrief with the Vegetarian Meetup Group! We thank them for co-promoting our event this month. Regardless of what you like to eat, there is so much to learn for the good of our city and region!
We’d love to see you all to learn, connect and engage with us.
Again, see attached – and do feel free to share this flier and bring your friends!
Call 216-849-8651 with any questions!
Be well,
The Cleveland EcoTuesday team
Greenbuild Scholarships available
Wednesday, July 20th, 2011Thanks to Michelle Kilroy at the NE Ohio Chapter of the USGBC.
Greenbuild Scholarship Program
The USGBC Greenbuild Scholarship Program provides all-inclusive trips to the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo to individuals entering into the green building industry. In order to increase access to Greenbuild, the scholarship program is reserved for low-income individuals without the means to attend. Greenbuild is the ideal setting for those new to the green building industry to learn from green building experts, discover innovative technologies and companies that are transforming the industry, and to form worthwhile relationships within the green building movement.
Complete the Open Call Application to apply »
Program Mission
The USGBC Greenbuild Scholarship Program has been created in support of USGBC’s guiding principles
- Fostering Social Equity: USGBC will respect all communities and cultures and aspire to an equal opportunity for all
- Ensure Inclusiveness: USGBC will ensure inclusive, interdisciplinary, democratic decision-making with the objective of building understanding and shared commitments toward a greater common good
Program Goals
- To increase access to Greenbuild for groups underrepresented in the green building industry
- To provide the opportunity to attend Greenbuild to those otherwise unable to attend for financial reasons
- To bring more individuals into the USGBC Chapter network, which can provide networking opportunities and/or mentoring support
50 Scholarships will be awarded to Greenbuild
- 10 Social Equity scholarships will be awarded through the Greenbuild Scholarship Program Open Call for Application Process
- 20 scholarships will be granted through Greenbuild Scholarship Program Partners
- 10 Scholarships will be granted through the Greenbuild Host Committee
- 10 Scholarships will be granted internationally through the World Green Building Council
Greenbuild Scholarships Open Call for Application Process
Ten Social Equity scholarships will be awarded through the Greenbuild Scholarship Open Call for application process. Applicants must turn 18 by Oct. 3, 2011 to be eligible to apply. Applicants must complete the Greenbuild Scholarship Program application, located here. Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on Monday, July 25, 2011.
Scholarship recipients will receive one full conference registration for the 2011 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Toronto, Ontario, from Oct. 4-7, 2011. Travel, 3-nights accommodation and limited expense budget will also be covered. Other events held in conjunction with Greenbuild may be offered when announced late summer 2011.
Volunteer at Greenbuild Next in Toronto
Tuesday, July 19th, 2011
Thanks to Michelle Kilroy at the NE Ohio Chapter of the USGBC.
Volunteer opportunities area available:
Amy Fisher
Communications Associate
U.S. Green Building Council
Communications Associate
U.S. Green Building Council
With more than 28,000 attendees at Greenbuild, 100 educational sessions, special events and the world’s largest expo halldevoted to the green building industry, it takes a lot of hands to make Greenbuild run smoothly. One of the vital groups that helps make Greenbuild a success is the countless volunteers.
You may be called a volunteer, but anyone who has volunteered at Greenbuild before knows the return is just as great as the investment. Where else do you get the chance to be a part of the green building community, with endless amounts of networking and educational opportunities right at your fingertips? – All at no cost for general admission to the conference. Volunteering at Greenbuild NEXT provides the priceless experience of learning from industry professionals around the world to add to your knowledge bank and resume.
Enabling students and young professionals to attend Greenbuild is important as it allows generations of all ages to be involved in the green building movement. For the many young adults who are just making their way into the industry, volunteer opportunities help them get involved in the conversation working toward a better, greener tomorrow.
So what is a volunteer expected to do? Volunteers assist attendees at the recycling stations, provide check-in support for the LEED workshops and education sessions, check badges at meals, help with green building tours and perform other similar tasks. The work that Greenbuild volunteers do is monumental in shaping the conference and makes a measurable impact on its success. For example, with the help of its amazing volunteers, Greenbuild was able to divert 85 percent of its waste in 2010 – a 50 percent increase over McCormick Place West’s waste diversion rate average.
If you’re a full time student or young professional age 25 and under who is passionate about the green building movement, you ARE a Greenbuild volunteer. This is a unique opportunity to be successful in what you learn, who you meet and how you grow in the green industry. Make sure not to miss out on the conference by making the most of this opportunity to volunteer.
Sound off in the comments below: What are YOUR reasons to volunteer? Any great experiences volunteering for Greenbuild in past years?
Volunteers from Greenbuild NEXT in Toronto are needed from Sept. 29 to Oct. 7. If you’re interested in volunteering read theVolunteer FAQs to learn more and sign up to receive information
Marketing and an Eco Car Wash
Friday, July 15th, 2011While entering a contest for a car, I came across this video. It is for a more eco-friendly car wash. I thought it was great. Car washes can use up vast amounts of potable water every year.
I also wanted to point out how I thought this contest was well handled, and showed a great use of the internet. Motorcars in Cleveland Heights did a contest to give away a car lease. In order to enter, you had to watch a video. They created a new video every week for 20 weeks, and each one you watched gave you a chance to enter. The more you watched, the more entries you received. This was a great use of the internet for marketing for several reasons:
- You had to come to their site every week, or at least several times, to watch videos and enter.
- Videos were kept to a reasonable length.
- All the videos featured a single aspect of the business that they wanted to promote. Each one was different and highlighted a separate reason to patronize their business.
- The videos were genuine and featured people from the business.
- By following them on Facebook, you would get friendly reminders in your news feed to remember to watch the latest video and to enter.
- Everyone who watches the videos and enters in now opted in to receive emails from them.
- The first few responses also collect peripheral data that will make it easier for them to market to you personally in the future.
If you have been thinking about using a video campaign to promote your business, take a look at this campaign and see how what they did could help you.
Of course, you can also call us and see how we can help as well.
216-469-1579
Biodiversity in the Food Supply
Wednesday, July 13th, 2011Thanks to Joe.My.God for sharing this great graphic. The original source is in the image.
One of the things that I am doing this year is working for Fresh Fork Market. I love working again with food. In case you didn’t know I LOVE food, love eating, and really support local foods. Fresh Fork Market is a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture), a program in which you prepay for a share and throughout the season you are given a bag of fresh ingredients. Most CSA shares are all produce, but Fresh Fork Market also has dairy, eggs, meat and grains. It is a great program and one that I love, both working for and in eating.
One of the great things about a CSA is that it supports local farms and local farmers. All the produce comes out of the ground and comes right to you. This means your produce is fresh and ripe. No green tomatoes with no flavor are shipped from California or Mexico. This abundance of fresh produce reminded me of how I yearned for good veggies and fruits in the winter and so I started canning for myself. But that is a story for another time. What I wanted to talk about is biodiversity in the food chain. Check out the graphic below:
As you can see, big agriculture has played a real number on our biodiversity. You can see that we once had a huge variety of seeds to choose from when planting every year. This applies not to just the home gardener, but to the farmer as well. Where once there were commonly 285 varieties of cucumber, we now find only 16. Over 500 types of cabbage are now reduced to under 30. This does not mean that the other varieties are gone forever. Some seed houses continue to preserve heirloom varieties of vegetables and fruits for enthusiasts.
So, who cares if there is no biodiversity? Diversity in plant supplies mean a broader resistance to disease and insects. In South America there were once a huge variety of bananas grown on a commercial scale. Now, there are only a handful, and I have not seen more than one in a long time. The main banana we eat is a single species. If a disease comes along that has a big effect on that variety, then we could see a huge problem with the world’s bananas supply. It could even disappear. Just as citrus prices inflate whenever there is a frost down south, we could see big swings in produce prices of other varieties. From my own experience with Fresh Fork Market, I know that there have been crop failures this year due to heavy and early rains. A diverse spectrum of planted beans, for example, might mean that at least some of the beans planted would survive the heavy rains and thus keep prices at least somewhat stable, and supplies available.
I know that there are simple joys in eating heirloom varieties of tomatoes, and as the season goes on, I am seeing big differences in local varieties of other produce. Strawberries, for example, have different flavor profiles and ripening dates. So, when you plant your garden, consider planting some unusual varieties… and save the seeds for next year.
