Looking for a job? If you are, you’re probably looking in all the wrong places. It’s pretty well-known that “green” jobs are becoming more and more popular socially, but these jobs are also the professions of the future.

While many corporations have been forced to eliminate positions and lay off hundreds of people at once, the renewable energy industry has continued to grow. Not only has this industry flourished, but it has also more than doubled the national rate when it comes to adding job possibilities to the economy. To put this into perspective, the overall job growth average between 1998 and 2007 was 3.7 percent; in the renewable energy industry, it was 9.1 percent. With this information, the government has said it will provide billions to further renewable energy growth.

Although “green” jobs may not be the most high-paying jobs out there, they seem to be the most promising. Feedback from individuals who have shifted from the auto industry to areas such as hydropower are aware of this drop in salary, but they have also noted that these industries are moving in the right direction – Earth Day Network published an op-ed on this topic months ago. So if you’re out there job hunting, get on the green track to help the environment and to help yourself.

For more information, visit MSNBC’s article.

The TV – a new discovery in the way of energy use reduction. Who would have thought that a television could provide a means to further the use of solar power? Apparently TVs can be employed for other purposes than indulgent entertainment.

The thin covering on flat screen TVs that protects the appliance from moisture may just be the latest breakthrough in solar energy; this film can be used to create contemporary solar panels that are easier to install and pay for than the original version of solar panels. Traditional solar panels that have been installed on rooftops up until now are extremely rigid and do not cover some hard-to-reach areas. Unlike their predecessors however, these new, flexible solar panels – known as building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs) – will not only make more efficient use of unused rooftop energy resources, but will also be relatively less expensive and last for over 20 years.

Alternative energy sources are becoming increasingly valued. Many people have been hesitant to invest in solar panels, but this innovation would put their nerves at ease: Not only will BIPVs help reduce our impact on the environment, but they will also be a cheaper option than previous solar panels. In today’s economy, both of these features are incredibly important. Although they are still in the works, flexible solar panels are anxiously awaited.

For more information, check out http://www.enn.com/energy/article/40029.

A classic pastime and a noble cause are coming together to create an environmentally-friendly stadium for the New York Jets and Giants in the very near future. With the extensive audience that sports events attract, something like this is long overdue.

Partnering with the EPA, the New Meadowlands Stadium Company has agreed to construct and operate the New Meadowlands Stadium along environmentally aware guidelines by incorporating ‘green’ materials and practices into this project. A few of the expectations for this stadium are to significantly reduce water use and greatly increase recycling, resulting in reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 1.68 million metric tons.

With so many people becoming environmentally active, this stadium will represent the culmination of their efforts, and serve as a stepping stone to even greater accomplishments. The New Meadowlands Stadium can also be used as a means to reach the masses that haven’t yet embarked on the environmental movement. This ‘green’ stadium is a great way to further environmental work and to reach those who still may not be convinced of the importance of preserving the environment.

For more information, check out http://www.enn.com/business/article/40008

Who would have thought that something as beneficial-sounding as the federal school lunch program, which provides lunch to low-income children, would be a culprit in the childhood obesity epidemic?  Many experts believe it could be.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture runs the school lunch program, providing free or reduced price lunches to kids living near the poverty level by sending schools surplus commodities it buys up from U.S. agri-businesses.  But in addition to feeding poor kids, the USDA’s other goal in the program is providing price support to farmers and agri-business who can’t sell enough of their products.  As new White House chef Sam Kass points out, these disparate allegiances create a problem:  what’s good for farmers is not necessarily good for kids.  Excess commodities tend to be mostly meat-, potato- and corn-based products.  Processed into hamburger patties, French fries and frozen pizzas, these surplus foods are then shipped to schools whose students qualify for free or reduced price lunches. 

Some 30 million kids across America get lunch- and sometimes breakfast- from this program.  But demographically, these are mostly the same kids – those from families living near the poverty level – where rates of obesity have climbed to alarming percentages.  The percentage of obese U.S. children and teens doubled between 1971 and 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but they are disproportionately found in low income communities. Teens in poor communities are twice as likely to be obese as teens in their national peer group, according to Douglas Besharov, a scholar in social welfare issues with the American Enterprise Institute.  Could there be a link – and a solution to be sought after?  What if these kids could also get locally-grown, green, leafy vegetables and fruits on their lunch trays? 

Advocates of locally-grown whole foods are starting to step forward and talk about changing what foods are made available to school children. Some of these advocates are in high places:  First Lady Michelle Obama recently planted a vegetable garden on the White House lawn, saying she wants to show children where locally grown vegetables come from.  Presidential chef Sam Kass is a proponent of greening up the school lunch program and has convened meetings on the subject.  The New America Foundation says that 70 percent of schools receiving federal school lunch assistance do not meet even the loose nutrition requirements the government sets for serving this food. 

The moment is ripe for harvesting change. This year, Congress will vote on reauthorizing the Child Nutrition and WIC Act, which not only governs the federal school lunch program but also set nutritional standards for all foods sold in schools.  The last reauthorization in 2004 brought significant improvements such as requiring schools to have wellness programs.  But more surely needs to be done to green up the cafeteria tray.  The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee began hearings on reauthorization. For every advocate of healthy foods testifying before the Senate committee there was also a representative of agri-business or food companies whose primary interest is not losing the school market.  A lot is at stake – to both parties.

We need a Green Food Corps to make sure this moment is not lost, to make sure that locally-grown, leafy green vegetables and fruits find their way to our nation’s schools.

The National Parent Teacher Association told the Senate committee on March 31 that it wants to see five changes in the Child Nutrition Act. Among them, said NPTA chief executive Byron Garrett, are to requiring “the development of best practices for the processing of USDA commodities,” to more closely align with the government’s own 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans statement about nutritious foods needed. Secondly, the National PTA and a slew of other groups want the Child Nutrition Act to set national nutrition standards “for school foods sold outside of the school meals programs,” so that chips and soda sold in vending machines don’t undermine efforts to nourish kids with what is sold on the lunch line.

 

 

 

Looking for a house? Keep in mind the three rules of real estate: location, location, location.

Good location is typically thought of as a safe community with good public schools. New data, however, confirms that where you live has a direct effect on how long you live.

According to a team from Brigham Young and Harvard universities, reducing air pollution has extended average life expectancy by five months for urban residents in dozens of U.S. cities over the past two decades. Average life expectancy improved 2.72 years (with five months of that increase attributed to cleaner air). However, the improvements were especially high in the District of Columbia, where residents are living roughly three years longer—most likely because of the profound reductions in particulate matter made in the region. This evidence that extensive clean-up efforts are worth the up-front investment can help environmentalists breathe easy.  

Though the study represents the first time researchers have documented, conclusively, a link between air quality and longevity, urban air quality is no newcomer to the national stage: Earth Day Network released its own Urban Environment Report in 2007. The Report ranked 72 U.S. cities according to more than 200 environmental, health, and quality of life indicators. It also introduced, for the first time, a “Vulnerable Population Index” (VPI) which factors in each city’s susceptibility to an expanded list of environmental challenges based on the percentage of its population that is most at risk.

To link to the Washington Post Article, click here

To check out Earth Day Network’s Urban Environment Report, click here 

Recently, The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Presidential Climate Action Project (PCAP), a two-year initiative of the University of Colorado School of Public Affairs, hosted a briefing to discuss the challenges that the 44^th President of the United States, Barack Obama, will need to face when he takes office on January 20^th 2009. Not only the new Administration but also Congress will need an action plan to address the economic, social and environmental impacts of Climate Change.

The conveners of the briefing released a 100 Days Action Plan that recommends practical and achievable actions to immediately curb global warming; halt emissions growth by 2015; implement a national cap and trade program; invest heavily in energy efficiency research and development; and strike an agreement with China to move toward sustainable practices. Martha Coven of the Center for Budget Policy Priorities explained how well-designed climate change policies can provide sufficient revenue to both cushion the impact on vulnerable households and meet other legitimate public needs, such as expanded research on alternative energy sources. Bill Parson, of the office of Rep. Chris Van Hollen said that “what Obama prioritizes is key; he will have to deal with the economy, healthcare and also with climate change.” 

During the discussion, the speakers agreed that the government cannot address climate change without addressing energy, economy, security and foreign policy. Obama and Congress will need to replace outdated legislation with new laws  that will put us on the right path.

Find out more: 

http://www.eesi.org/111308_pcap http://www.climateactionproject.com/plan/

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

The very serious nature of our current economic situation is not lost on many people, especially those of us putting all our chips on green so to speak.  At this very moment a green revolution might seem as likely as hitting green on a roulette wheel (very unlikely).  According to one article, talks on Capitol Hill regarding new energy policies like a possible cap-and-trade system have essentially come to a screeching halt.  But this article also suggests now is the very time to take the chance on green.

Although we don’t hear their perspective much in environmental economics, the authors aren’t making a new argument. As they put it, “We'll never succeed in making dirty energy too expensive. Let's make clean energy cheap.”  Their argument is purely Keynesian.  At a time when our economy is in desperate need of a boost, we need to make clean, green energy affordable. 

Carbon auctioning and cap-and-trade systems have not yet proven themselves effective at reducing carbon emissions, and are guaranteed to raise energy costs in the immediate future.  A more economically viable solution during a recession might be investing in a green infrastructure that will reduce energy prices over the long term. 

Cheap alternative energy sources is exactly what Americans want and need right now – and exactly what the auto industry has ignored, as they’ve built gas guzzlers that no one can afford to fuel. That’s why the current auto industry bailout proposition, while able to offer workers temporary stability, does not address the real problem with the auto industry: their refusal to build eco-friendly cars at a time when there’s a great deal of interest in them and need for them. What autoworkers need for permanent job security is industry reform; that’s the only way to ensure they keep their jobs in both the short- and long-term future. 

Going green, then, might be the only way for many industries to pull themselves out of the red. We need something bigger than a green bailout, however: We need a new Green Deal, and a national commitment to building new jobs by investing in a full-scale paradigm shift toward sustainability. If we use the logic and energy of FDR’s administration, we can re-establish American prominence and save the planet at the same time.

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

The Ecological Footprint Calculator, created by the Global Footprint Network in partnership with Earth Day Network, allows users to calculate how many “planets” would be necessary to sustain human life- if everyone lived just like them. Now, new data released by the Global Footprint Network shows that our demands from nature are exceeding what she can provide; in less than 20 years we will require the resources of two planets to support our lifestyles. It is a matter of grave concern that two years ago Global Footprint Network showed humanity on track to reach that two planets mark by 2050, and now our deficit spending is leading us to that critical threshold much earlier. 

The data is part of the information compiled in the Living Planet Report 2008 and The Ecological Footprint Atlas 2008, which study the human pressure on the planet and compare it across 200 nations.  

As human consumption grows, the ecological overshoot increases. Dr. Mathis Wackernagel, executive director of Global Footprint Network, said: “Overshoot leads to liquidation of the planet’s ecological assets, and the depletion of resources, such as the forests, oceans and agricultural land upon which our economy depends.” The carbon dioxide footprint, which accounts for the use of fossil fuels, represents almost half of the total of global footprint and its use has increased more than eleven fold from 1961 to 2003. Take our quiz and discover your Ecological Footprint.

Those of us familiar with the epic Fox television series Lost have learned two very important lessons: 

1)      It is quite possibly the most addictive TV show on the planet.  Renting the first two seasons on DVD is an automatic two-week television bender, that will leave you very confused when you come to. Your house will be empty save for some empty pizza boxes, a carton of Ben and Jerry’s, and your sleeping dog - still lethargic from the countless leftover crusts he ate.  Blindly obeying your subconscious urges, you probably have yet to realize lesson 1 and will immediately go rent seasons 3 and 4. However, lesson 2 will already be permanently ingrained in your brain:

      2)      Fear dark and ominous shrouds of smoke! 

Life imitated TV on Thursday when the United Nations released a report about noxious smog covering Asia.  The brown atmospheric clouds can be almost a mile thick, spread from the Arabian Peninsula to the Yellow Sea, and block out up to 25 percent of the sunlight in cities across Asia.  Unless China and other booming industrial countries in Asia make an effort to combat the pollution, the Himalayan glaciers could be reduced by 75% in 2050.  Effects of the pollution are already being seen in the rice yields across Asia, and inhalation of the air can be devastating to a person’s cardiovascular and respiratory systems. 

So let’s stop playing out fiction in real life and keep the deadly plumes of smoke on the TV show.  There’s no way Jake and Kate are stranded on some hidden island in the middle of Beijing anyway... or is there?

Read more about the smog covering Asia at:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/world/14cloud.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

 

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) held a briefing in conjunction with the House Climate Change Caucus to discuss the potential for green jobs in the United States and the policies needed to support their creation. The panelists gave an overview of three recent reports on the subject.

Kevin McCarty, Managing Director of the Mayors Climate Protection Center of the U.S Conference of Mayors, talked about the current and potential green jobs in the United States.  There could be a fivefold increase in green jobs within the next two decades by investing on renewable energy sources, alternative fuels for the transportation sector, and improvements in energy efficiency in homes and commercial buildings  

“A shade of green” was the term used by Michael Renner, author of Green Jobs: Towards Decent Work in a Sustainable, Low-Carbon World, to describe the challenge of decarbonizing the automobile and construction industries and investing in public transportation in order to generate green jobs and thus reduce the ecological impact of those economic activities.

Bracken Hendricks, Senior Fellow of Center for American Progress and collaborator for the program Green Recovery, said that this program aims to boost public and private investments in retrofitting buildings to improve energy efficiency; expanding mass transit and freight rail; constructing smart electrical grid transmission systems; wind power; solar power; and next generation biofuels. “These core investments enable new markets, business growth, global competitiveness, and provide alternatives to mounting environmental crisis”, he explained. Find out more: http://www.eesi.org/102208_green_jobs

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

Whoever is elected president on November 4 will be faced with some important questions:  what to do about an economy that is in constant flux, whether or not to continue spending $10 billion a month in Iraq, how do we secure a renewable energy future.  But according to a recent article in Environmental Finance, one decision the 44^th president won’t have to make is how to address climate change.

In the article, Michael Northrop and David Sassoon argue that key elements to climate change legislation are already in place, starting with the Clean Air Act.  The act has been approved by Congress, and a 2007 Supreme Court decision established the act’s regulatory power over CO2 emissions.  All that’s missing is a President willing to push implementation of the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gasses, and he takes his cues from the EPA. 

To fully apply the Clean Air Act’s authority, the EPA must make an endangerment finding that would require them to begin regulating greenhouse emissions.  From there regulation could go in a number of directions, including the combination of state and local cap and trade systems into an international system focused on stopping climate change. 

Read the full article here: http://solveclimate.com/sites/default/files/Clean%20Air%20Jump%20Start.web_.pdf

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

Renowned authors Dr. Barrie Pittock and Dr. Andrew Glikson have released a statement co-signed by 40 Australian environmental scientists demanding swift action to stop climate change. From major improvements in public transportation and the development of large-scale energy utilities, to active diplomacy tied to aid, Climate: Urgent Challenge, Great Opportunity recommends nine policies in order to reduce climate change. With a focus on Australia, the statement calls for confronting the challenge and seizing the opportunity that global warming poses. Read full statement here.

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

The Associated Press has some mixed news for environmentalists. The economic downturn may “make it more difficult to pass a law to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases.” On the plus side, it may very well make it more necessary.

Members of both parties argue against one of the most popular carbon reduction measures - cap and trade policies – because it might put additional stress on failing industries. The passage of a new cap-and-trade bill would force many companies to invest considerable capital in carbon-reducing technology – or, spend money purchasing carbon permits from the government.

Others disagree, explaining that money generated by permit sales would be reinvested into both alternative sources of energy and infrastructure for the next generation of jobs. “If you see this as a job-creation opportunity for the U. S. to develop the products that are then sold around the world, then you should be optimistic about what the impact of passage [of the bill currently before the House Energy and Commerce Committee] would mean for the American economy,” said Representative Markey to AP.


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According to a study published by the Environmental Working Group, up to 38 pollutants can be found in some brands of bottled water.  Chemicals in the water include “disinfection byproducts” and “fertilizer residue” from agricultural run-off. Several samples had chlorine levels that exceed some state limits – posing a severe health risk to frequent drinkers. Stressed by this report? Grab a bottle of water: pain medication is in there too – perhaps to dull our senses to the truth about it.

Because bottled water is not subjected to the same rigorous testing as tap-water, it has become, in many ways, more dangerous than tap water, and higher in many unregulated chemicals. Ad campaigns replete with promises of “purity” keep public confidence in bottled water high, even if the quality is shockingly low. 

What to do about it? Use filtered tap water instead; it’s not only better for you, it’s better for the environment. To find out more about the chemicals in bottled water and the companies that sell the guilty brands, visit http://www.ewg.org.

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

Recently, whales had their first day in court as the Supreme Court heard a case alleging that Navy sonar was injuring the sound-sensitive mammals. But the Navy is not the only culprit – any one who drives a car or heats a home can now be implicated.

That is right – global warming is behind yet another world problem.  Greenhouse gases are increasing the acidity of our oceans, which decreases water’s ability to absorb sound.  The Christian Science Monitor cites a study by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute exposing a ‘noisier ocean’. With sound traveling “up to seventy percent farther” noise produced not only by the Navy but ambient marine sounds could become more damaging to whales.  Only by driving down green house gas levels can we truly protect these magnificent creatures.

tags: Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

Environmentalists and health professionals have long inveighed against the pervasive health threats of environmental toxins.  Add our society’s propensity for obesity and excess into the mix, and you get a very dangerous recipe indeed. The American Academy of Pediatrics has released an alarming study: “girls as young as 8 years old are starting to show signs of early puberty.” The average age of a girl’s first period has decreased from 15 to 12 in the last 100 years. Doctors like Sujatha Reddy believe that increased body weight’s the biggest culprit, although toxic chemicals in the environment certainly can’t help.

The higher the number of fat cells in a young girl’s body the more likely it is that she will have excess estrogen, which jump-starts puberty – and can also lead to cancer later in life.  We know that the lower a family’s income the lower the quality of food they can afford.  The American Academy of Pediatrics’ study exposes a great injustice: we will be losing a disproportionate number of low-income women to cancer.

The reduction of toxins in our food combined with a drop in food inequity could save these girls from physical and emotional damage. Considering that most children get 50% of their daily food intake at school, improving the quality of school lunches is an obvious way of preventing the aforementioned health risks for girls.  Learn more about how you can help to bring better food to schools.

Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

 A new study shows that half of the mammal species on Earth are declining.  The 2008 IUCN Red List (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) reveals  an alarming rate of biodiversity loss and identified more than 16,928 species threatened with extinction. 

The compiled data also shows that one in four mammals, one in three amphibians, one in eight birds, and 70 percent of plants are at risk of extinction. The IUCN says that forest clearance conducive to habitat loss, hunting, climate change and lack of political will are among the causes of the local, national and global biodiversity depletion. 

Nearly 450 mammals have been listed as endangered, including the Tasmanian Devil, the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world and found only in Australia; the Fishing Cat, found in Southeast Asia; and the Caspian Seal. There is also a list of 188 animal species in the highest threat category of critically endangered where the Iberian Lynx and European Rabbit can be found.

The IUCN concluded that, "Despite a general deterioration in the status of mammals, our data also show that species recoveries are possible through targeted conservation efforts." 

Find out more:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6990095.stm 

http://www.iucn.org/news_events/index.cfm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26979274/

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The Global Carbon Project, based in Australia, has released their new 2008 report, which promises to make the global warming skeptics shiver in their boots. In the report, we learn that “carbon dioxide emissions from mankind are growing about 4 times faster since 2000 than during the 1990s, despite efforts by a number of nations to rein-in emissions under the Kyoto Protocol.” In ’07 atmospheric Co2 concentration rose to 383 ppm and is expected to reach the dangerous level of 450 parts per million by 2030 – a decade sooner than previously predicted.

And – surprise, surprise – the “absolute value of all emissions … are bigger coming from less-developing countries than the developed world,” said Pep Canadell, the project’s executive director. China has surpassed the United States as the world’s top emitter, and India is scheduled to over-take Russia for the number-three spot in a few short years.

But there is good news – well, sort of. The financial crisis will force at least us Americans to decrease our carbon emissions by decreasing our fuel use. However, Canadell said that “unless the big players, China, India, Russia and Japan suffer as much as the US is suffering we’ll see a small decline only.” Will it take a second Great Depression to curb global warming? It seems like we are trading in one crisis for another.

If you are looking for some hope amidst all the doom-and-gloom here’s a shameless plug: check out our Ecological Footprint Calculator, earthday.net/ecofootprint, to see how you can pro-actively decrease your personal carbon-emissions. Trust us; you’ll even save money in the process.

Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network

At long last, Congress has finally passed tax credits for producers of renewable energy.  Without the tax credits – which help to keep the often costly renewable energy industry afloat – the jobs of the 200,000 plus workers employed directly or indirectly by the renewable industry would be in jeopardy.  The bill also makes it possible for you to put $7,500 dollars back in your pocket.  A new provision gives tax rebates to consumers who chose to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle.  All of this will come at the expense of big oil companies who will be handed a tax increase to help pay for the renewable credits.

 

There were some trade offs, however.  Part of the bill also includes the removal of some off-shore drilling restrictions.  Fortunately, that issue will be left up to the next President.  The bill also would allow the government to rework the planning process for off-shore leases.  This process will take a considerable amount of time, which gives us the perfect opportunity to step in and make sure off-shore drilling goes no further.

 

This is a great time to promote renewables because they are proven competitors.  From January 1 to June 30, 2008 domestically produced renewable energy made up just over ten percent of domestic energy production.  Renewables are the up-and-coming energy market, nearly topping the declining nuclear power as America’s second most abundant energy source.

Earth Day, Earth Day 2009, Earth Day Network