Sometimes making a difference isn’t as hard as it seems. When you think about the movement Green, it seems like a big puzzle. Where are all the jobs everybody keeps talking about? By the way author Carol McClelland’snew book Green Careers For Dummies gives you details, insight and plans to get your green career going.

But now, take a look at the impact two non profits have made on our fellow citizens on this spinning hunk of land, sea, and sky we call earth. Jeff Olshesky and Trevor Knauf of Beyond Solar are two self described ‘single guys” who were working for a solar company in southern California and decided they wanted to see developing countries get in on the promise of clean solar energy. In a fairly short period of time and a low budget; they were able to partner with an NGO ( non government organization ) and lighting manufacturer D. Light in India to bring small solar panels and electric lanterns to small remote villages.  Before they got involved these villages were using kerosene for their night time activities.

To hear the effects of the project on the people of this remote area of India, listen to

QuestPoint n The Mix’s interview here.

As Jeff said what’s surprising is how a little light can have such a major impact on those that didn’t have any before.

Now contrast that to the work being performed by Green For All which has partnered with the city of Portland,Oregon. The city of Portland has long been on the forefront of progressive ideas and eco friendly urban planning. The home-weatherization program in Portland, Oregon  can serve as a model for the entire country.

Clean Energy Works Portland is an effort that will cut energy bills, create green jobs, reduce pollution and expand business opportunities. In addition, it will ensure that Recovery Act investment dollars reach those hit hardest by the recession.  The city scale  model  builds an important component of a new clean energy economy.

 Green For All’s  Clean Energy Works Portland includes a revolving loan fund with innovative “on-bill financing” and a Community Workforce Agreement that creates jobs in the communities that need them most.

 Putting together all the pieces of the new green economy can be frustrating, but all one has to do is work on one piece of the puzzle the fits for you. That piece can be in your  home, school, job,  local community or on the other side of the world.

For More GREEN FOR ALL NEWS CLICK HERE

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A Strange Meeting in VIDEO Here

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A recent  U.S. Solar Industry Monitor finds that professionals within the solar industry value chain predict strong growth for their U.S. businesses in 2010 and 2011.
•    Respondents indicate that more favorable legislation and heightened marketing will be keys to the expansion of their businesses.

Nearly 100 professionals representing key areas of the solar business value chain participated in the poll. Highlights of the findings include:
•    The majority of participants forecasted growth for their U.S. businesses in 2010 (92.6 percent) and 2011 (95.1 percent). Many expected to register a growth rate of more than 25 percent in 2010 (37.3 percent) and 2011 (55.0 percent).
•    The majority (64.9 percent) indicated the recession has not had a crushing impact on the U.S. solar industry, which has dealt with economic challenges in a positive manner.
•    Respondents identified the main obstacles to growth as the lack of financing (81.8 percent), little support from utilities (62.9 percent), lack of customer knowledge (61.3 percent), and insufficient level of incentives (59.1 percent).
•    Awareness and differentiation are important in the nascent solar industry. To create demand in the coming year, 82.9 percent report that sales and marketing communications will be stepped up.
“The U.S. solar industry is positioning itself for a sales upswing in 2010 that could pave the way for aggressive expansion in the years beyond,” said Sebastian Goeres, a renewable energy specialist with Droege & Comp. “Competition is fierce, and players compete mainly via cost. We see the need for leading companies to improve their operational costs and to put more emphasis on their strategic plans.”
In anticipation of strong demand and harsh competition in 2010 and 2011, 60.2 percent of respondents said they will boost their U.S. supply. Approximately half of those polled will increase their assembly/production, while 38.6 percent will go about expanding market share via transactions, such as joint ventures, mergers or acquisitions.
Increased communication was also cited as a strategic priority, and references were made to a wide array of traditional, digital and social media techniques and platforms.
“Solar businesses regard their sales and marketing efforts as critical to revving up the U.S. growth engine,” stated Brian Hall, managing supervisor – advanced manufacturing and energy practice, Gibbs & Soell. “However, respondents said they favor more indirect methods to gain visibility, including search engine optimization that unlocks value from existing content, as well as media coverage earned from outreach to professional journalists and industry bloggers. A next step is to strategically integrate digital media tools such as corporate blogs and social networking into the mix, which can help companies establish clear voices and engage in more interactive conversations with their audiences.”

New Green Resolutions

Joy Adams  The Green X-Ray HouseSouth San Francisco

Check out job opportunities Here

LISTEN Leslie & Alden Adkins interview with QuestPoint n The Mix on going green.

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Hollywood Goes Solar?

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