job search notes: Green jobs

From FASTCompany via the NewEngland Networking group comes these tips on getting into green jobs:

Green entrepreneur. Solar-power installer. Urban planner. These are just some of the top green jobs for that next decade that we already told you would solar-charge your career. But how can you smartly plunge into the green-collar job market? First step might be to pop over to SustainLane.com, a green living Web guide with 25 million users. A newly launched green job board there iss already attracting 100+ listings each week across several industries.

5 for Friday

Here is some key points from this week's reading:

1 - the time is ripe

A confluence of biophysical and social processes — the physics of heat trapping gases, the faltering of the consumption-driven, global economic system, and the re-energizing of our own democratic political process – all this has created space for deliberate human action to reshape the future. As a nation, the decisions that we make — or fail to make — in the next year will have profound consequences, not only for our children, and for their children, but in fact, for every human being who will ever inhabit the earth from now until the end of time.

Read the full article on the global warming education effort written by Eban Goldstein here

2 - on a similar track along the road to Copenhagen

For Obama, the political winds at his back are now as favorable as they will ever be. He is in a position to seize 2009 and do three things to meet the climate challenge: properly educate the American public about climate change and the need for immediate action; exercise the full might of his executive powers and regulatory discretion under the Clean Air Act to jump-start action; and spend freely from his enormous store of political capital to lead the government to enact comprehensive federal climate legislation. If he does, the United States will reclaim the mantle of global leadership when it takes its seat in Copenhagen.

Read the full article from the Yale Environment 360 here

3 - on the green jobs front

Nationally, there are about 1.7 million low-income youths (16 to 24) who were out of school and out of work in 2005, according to a report by the Center for American Progress. Many of them live in areas of concentrated poverty and are often striving for precious few opportunities that the corporate media glorify--rap stars, professional athletes. When Thrower tells young people in Manchester about green jobs, "it goes in one ear and out the other." Despite this, he is confident that once he starts to put solar panels up in his neighborhood, he'll become a tangible new role model young people will want to emulate.

Read the full article about green jobs here

4 - In January, I had found a discussion between Van Jones and California State Senator Darrell Steinberg as they discussed green jobs. You can find the audio discussion here.

5 - and finally, from Wil Richardson

So those of you who have heard me speak know that I love to tell the story of Laura Stockman and the good work that she’s been doing in her community and writing about in her blog “Twenty-five Days to Make a Difference.” Laura is only 11, but her willingness to do community service of all kinds and to share those experiences with others sets her apart in many ways. Through her blog, she’s been able to connect with people from every part of the globe, and she’s even been asked to teach other kids in other classrooms how to go about changing their own places for the better. Because of her efforts, Laura has been invited to the Special Olympics in Idaho this year to be a part of its Global Youth Summit. It’s all good stuff and I think a great testament to how even younger kids (with the help of their parents and, hopefully, their teachers) can use social media to sincerely “make a difference.”

Read the full posting about Laura and how you can help to make a difference here

Enjoy!

Michael Graves coffee maker

You may have noticed that Michael Graves has some designer goods at Target. I stopped in for only the second time to look for and pickup a new coffee maker as ours decided to quit.

His coffee maker was in the mid-price range and seemed to have some good features to make it worthwhile. It is manufactured by Hamilton Beach.

The water container comes out and makes it easy to load.
He still uses paper coffee filters so it is not very green on that front. And speaking of green, did you notice the blue oval! It is bright enough to light up the entire kitchen in the dark. You could use the coffee maker for the dual purpose of coffee and night light, that might qualify for a little green savings.





For all the Michael Graves designed items at Target click here or go to Target and search for "Michael Graves".

Greening, new growth

Greening, new growth
Originally uploaded by shersteve.

There are so many shades of green. The evergreen trees are sprouting and their tips are light green. The flower bed is greening with some purple blossoms adding contrast.

Yes, there is life after the override vote.