Green Education Prospectus
Green Job Growth
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2009, based on the National Establishment Time Series Database; analysis by Pew Center on the States and Collaborative Economics.
Green Job Distribution
Source: Pew Charitable Trusts, 2009, based on the National Establishment Time Series Database; analysis by Pew Center on the States and Collaborative Economics.
Author Archives: davidhoward
Explosive Growth on the Horizon for African Renewable Energy Market
Currently, California, USA is the hotspot for renewable energy development worldwide, with more open solar and wind projects in this small region than anywhere else in the world. However, experts expect this to change very soon and Africa is expected to be one of the most important new regions for renewable energy production.
Up until now, Africa has been by and large left out of the renewable energy race despite prevailing weather conditions and geography that would seem to lend it perfectly to different types of renewables, particularly solar. In addition, the lack of a centralized grid system over much of the continent also lends itself to stand-alone renewable power generation as an avenue for individuals and communities who are in need of energy solutions to produce electricity in the long term while avoiding the high fuel costs and upkeep of traditional fossil-fuel systems. Continue reading
Posted in Green, Green Government, Renewable Energy, Solar Energy, Wind Energy
Tagged clean energy, clean energy jobs, eco friendly, electricity, energy, environment, green energy, renewable energy, renewable energy companies, solar energy, solar panels, solar power, wind energy, wind turbines
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Cars Are Getting Cleaner, Faster
Taking a deep breath nowadays might just be a little bit healthier than it was just a few short years ago. It’s common knowledge that cars and transportation are a leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and other airborne pollutants. However, according to recent figures new cars today are cleaner than ever before. Of course most consumers expect that cars will get cleaner as time goes on; as part of the natural progression of technology and the demands of continuing legislation regulating vehicle emissions. What might come as a surprise is how quickly the change is happening.
Of course progress is most noticeable among the cleanest of the herd. Average carbon emission figures for the cleanest cars dropped by 21 per cent over the last four years. According to consumer information website Green-Car-Guide.com, cars in the low-emission group emitted an average of 102.8 grams of CO2 per kilometer driven for the 2010 model year (CO2 is considered to be the primary contributor to global warming). In 2006 the same group recorded an average emission of 131.1 g/km. The difference of28.3 g/km represents the 21 per cent drop.
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Posted in Car, Energy Efficiency, Green, Sustainable Living
Tagged alternative fuel vehicles, alternative fuels, carbon dioxide emissions, carbon emissions, cars, clean cars, clean diesel, eco friendly, electric cars, energy efficiency, environment, fuel efficiency, global warming, green, green cars, green economy, green environment, green living, hybrid cars, sustainability, sustainable living, suv
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Controversial Waste-Burning Renewable Energy Powerplant Moves Forward in Baltimore’s Fairfield Neighborhood
At the site of a former agricultural chemical processing facility in south Baltimore Maryland, Energy Answers of Albany, N.Y. is working on a different kind of renewable energy electrical generation facility. The power source? Trash. That’s right, garbage – the company hopes to take refuse off the curb and bring it right back to you through the meter. The generator would produce a moderately sized 120MW of electricity directly to the grid plus steam heat available locally to industrial consumers by burning up to 4,000 tons of garbage a day.
The project is classified as a renewable energy venture because it won’t be using fossil fuels to generate power. Because of that it is eligible for lucrative federal funding. Instead of functioning in the capacity of a normal incinerator, the facility will use Processed Refuse Fuel (PRF) which is essentially sorted and shredded residential and commercial garbage. The PRF burns cleaner and hotter than refuse that is used as fuel in traditional incinerators. The boiler will also use moderate amounts of Tire Derived Fuel (TDF) because of the high energy density of the material. Continue reading
Posted in Green, Renewable Energy
Tagged american recovery and reinvestment act, baltimore, carbon dioxide emissions, clean energy, clean energy jobs, department of energy, eco friendly, electricity, employment, energy, Energy Answers, Fairfield, green, green collar jobs, green energy, green jobs, incinerator, jobs, leed, recovery act, recycling, renewable energy, renewable energy companies, sustainability, tire derived fuel
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Green Automaker Standings Announced for 2010
As the concern over global warming and its connection to vehicle emissions has increased over the past few years, alternative fuel vehicles and other green automobiles are now becoming more popular. Cars have been singled out as one of the major contributors to air pollution, so to minimize the effects that cars have on the environment different car manufacturers have made varying versions of their own green autos. This year the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) awarded Honda Motor Co. [NYSE: HMC] as the “Greenest Automaker” for the fifth consecutive year for its effort to reduce carbon emissions.
Toyota and Hyundai were tied at second place. Honda beat them by only one point. Toyota almost made it to the top this year but lacked effort in reducing carbon emissions. Hyundai’s fleet showed considerable improvements in fuel efficiency which put it in a contender spot. In order to determine the rankings, the top eight car manufacturers’ average per-mile smog pollution and global warming emissions of its vehicle fleet were studied. The top eight car manufacturers are Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Nissan, Toyota, and Volkswagen. Continue reading
Mobile Phone Manufacturing is Getting Greener
When asked to name one thing that they can’t live without, many people have the same answer: my mobile phone. Mobile phones have become more than just useful gadgets these days. Plain and simple, make our lives easier. From making a last minute call for pizza or working on the go, to engaging yourself in a social media network or sending that last-minute email from the train, mobile phones are part of our lives. And because many people find it important to own a mobile phone, reports have indicated that in 2009, mobile phone ownership exceeded 1 billion units. And of course just like anything else, increasing mobile phone use and manufacturing has had environmental impacts.
Of course making phone calls through our mobile phones uses electricity, which contributes to the production of carbon dioxide (CO2). This is the chemical largely responsible for global warming. So just like any other appliance, the more hours you spend making a phone call using your mobile phone adds up to the amount of CO2 added in the atmosphere. Continue reading
Sri Lanka Working With Eco Consultants Towards a Greener Economy
As more and more countries are becoming aware of the effects of global warming and climate change, government programs and advocacies for turning each country towards a green economy have reached new heights. It has moved up on corporate and political agendas because of the intense drive to get rid of carbon emissions and the underlying desire to cut costs.
The latest addition to the list of countries advocating greener economies is Sri Lanka. They have hired Eco Consultants the Carbon Consulting Company (CCC) to help them in this task. The CCC was launched recently in partnership with one of the leading providers of carbon reduction solutions, CarbonNeutral of UK. It is also being advocated by Sri Lanka’s only Nobel Laureate, Prof. Mohan Munasinghe.
Running Errands by Pedal Power: Bike Commuting Near Your Home
Have you ever wondered how much savings you have made if you were not using your car to run short errands like going to church, buying some bread for dinner, dropping off kids to the playground? It can be a considerable amount if you do these types of tasks daily. Eco Consultants should definitely be asking customers if they have considered biking instead. Why not? Bike commuting is among the most environmental friendly ways to run errands. It is not just economical and efficient, it is also emission free.
For many, bicycles are just part of our fun childhood memories. They have stood the test of time and serve as a brilliant companion for active boys and talkative girls. But nowadays, they are considered the greenest vehicle because it is a part of sustainable lifestyle and they are eco-friendly. In addition, cycling is also good for your health. Riding a bike is a cardio respiratory exercise affecting the heart, blood vessels and lungs. It manages weight, improves muscle tone and strength, boosts energy levels, and reduces stress thus decreasing your risk for cancer, obesity and diabetes. It also improves your mood, health and wellness as a whole. It is like hitting two birds with one stone, being healthy and at the same time environmentally friendly.
Spanish Company to Open Solar Manufacturing Plant in Ontario
Ontario has positioned itself to become the site of considerable renewable energy investments in North America. Spanish solar equipment maker Siliken S.A. announced the establishment of a new domestic content compliant manufacturing plant in Windsor, Ontario, Canada which will produce solar panels and create green jobs in the region.
The plant is expected to produce up to 50 megawatts of solar modules annually and will employ about 150 people, and is expected to be in full operation by the second quarter of 2011. By locating their plant in Ontario, Siliken SA is capitalizing on an Ontario provincial government program called green energy feed-in-tariff (FIT) plan which offers rich incentives and pay high rates for renewable energy developers producing clean energy in the province however a “made in Ontario” quota will be placed on the project, requiring 50% green energy project inputs to be Ontario-manufactured.
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Kids Returning to School in Eco Style
It’s back to school season once again. Parents are keen in preparing back-to-school must haves: books, uniform, school supplies, school service coordination and of course the “waking up early” routine. How about their meals, their packed lunch, and snacks? What do we consider when we prepare food for them?
In the light of the rising issues with childhood obesity, including First Lady Michelle Obama’s all-out campaign against obesity, most parents and school councils have coordinated plans and strategies on how to provide healthy and nutritious school meals. Even with busy schedules, parents nowadays have find ways to prepare lunch and snacks for their kids to make sure of the nutrients they are getting. We can say that of course parents are the foremost responsible for their child’s healthy eating attitude.
Kids are now are eating more nutritious meals and have embraced the “change in healthy-eating-habit” lifestyle. Next is, are we contributing to saving our planet? We should be. Eating healthy goes hand in hand with being eco-friendly.
Posted in Green, Sustainable Living, green education
Tagged green schools, kids, recycling, sustainable living
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Managing Green Job Training
Government support of green-collar
It looks like the traditional workforce classifications of white / blue collar have a new companion that is here to stay: green collar jobs. Two decades ago, energy conservation and renewable energy programs in their infancy struggled with instability as well as a lack of public and economic support. However as the new millennium has unfolded it has served up consumers with a bitter cocktail of rising fuel and energy costs, increasing limitations on access to energy, steady tax hikes and continuingly dire predictions about the future of our planet’s environment should we continue down this road. With these factors serving as constant reminders of the importance of saving energy, consumer awareness of the efficiency and renewable “green” energy sectors is higher now than it has ever been. Thanks in part to that heightened awareness, in the next decade it is expected that we will see a up to a 400% increase in the eco-related green jobs market.
In anticipation of the growth in the sector, the government has funded $500 million to boost green jobs-related training focused on energy conservation and natural resources preservation. Graduate training has also begun to shift its focus from pure academics to more utilitarian leadership roles in applied sciences; particularly on energy conservation programs, environmental management, and planning.
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