Green Jobs Icon Van Jones Kicks off American Dream Movement

Posted on June 26, 2011 by quest

With the star-studded accompaniment of Shepard Fairey and The Roots, activist Van Jones kicked off the “American Dream Movement” campaign with an event that was one part TED Talk and one part concert. Presented with help from MoveOn.org and other organizations, the event was billed as an attempt to bring together the progressive movement under a united front. Jones’s message centered on the economy and the dangerous rhetoric coming from the American right.

“We are being lied to” Jones said. “We know that we cannot solve the problems our country is facing while continually and continuously being lied.” Jones, the former Special Advisor for Green Jobs to the Obama White House, drove home the message that misinformation is preventing America from rebuilding the economy, and that confronting these lies is paramount to moving forward. Jones focused on what he called the four big lies. Lie number one: America is broke.

“We are not broke and we are not alone,” Jones said. “If we’re still the richest country in the world, why are so many American suffering right now?” Jones, backed by a large-screen presentation, took the audience through America’s economy, the financial collapse, and the aftermath.

He likened telling America that it is broke to telling people in a burning building that all the exits are locked when they’re not. Jones pulled no punches in addressing the need to hold Wall Street and America’s richest citizens accountable for their share of taxes, but stressed the need to make sure that any plans encourage job growth. “Nothing stops a bullet like a job,” Jones said. Jones moved on to lie number two: Asking the super rich to pay taxes hurts the economy. “You do well in America, you should do well by America,

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING BY AAA

A Green Career Path Taken

Posted on May 27, 2011 by quest

5 Time-Tested Strategies to Break Out of Your Rut

by Carol McClelland: Ever get the feeling that your approach to your own career has gotten a bit stale? The questions you ask yourself (What do I want to do? What’s my next career move?) deliver the same answers, over and over again.

No matter what you do, you keep ending up with the same answers that aren’t getting you where you want to go. It’s so frustrating! I know, I’ve been there myself. Many times.

When I made my first big career transition and periodically over the last 20 years as it was time for my business to shift and morph in response to the times. In the early days getting out of a thought rut took a lot of effort. Now that I’ve had a lot of practice with this I know what I need to do to shift my perspective to create new options and ideas.

Knowing how to get beyond your rut is essential to any career shift. Hopefully these ideas will give you new insights about how to break out of your career rut!

Ask New Questions

One of the key reasons we all get stuck is that we get into a run with the questions we ask ourselves. After a while each question seems to lead to the same answer. There’s no new juice to give us a new insight, a new thought, or a new outlook on our situation. To break out of your rut, begin by framing new questions. Sometimes just a subtle rewording of your question can lead you to new answers.

-Why don’t I work on my resume? What could I do to make progress on my resume?
-What job should I go after? What kind of work would be most fulfilling to me?

When you are frustrated with your situation, it’s easy to throw up your hands as soon as your inner dialogue has you covering the same territory you’ve

SOLAR CAREERS ONLINE

Pole mounted Solar maker wins national green award

Posted on November 19, 2010 by quest

Petra Solar the New Jersey based solar manufacturer who is supplying the state of New Jersey 200,000 solar units for its “Solar 4 all” program has been selected by Green For All and SJF Institute as one of the first Green Jobs Award recipients. The Green Jobs Award honors innovative private businesses that contribute to the economy and the environment. The award was given at Citi Executive Conference Center in New York City. Green For All is a national organization working to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty. The SJF Institute is an independent non-profit institute that works with positive impact businesses and sustainable entrepreneurs to facilitate their access to capital, promote employee engagement, and help build sustainable economies. “We hope that by acknowledging the tremendous work these companies are doing, we can support their noble efforts, and inspire other business leaders to follow their lead,” says Bonny Moellenbrock, Executive Director of SJF Institute.

Petra Solar, founded in 2006 by CEO and president Kuran, is the pioneer of SunWave™, a grid-tied, pole-mounted, distributed solar generation system. “We are grateful for the recognition from Green for All and SJF Institute,” said Shihab Kuran, CEO and President of Petra Solar. “Our goal at Petra Solar is to create and grow green jobs as we create smart solar generation systems and export them across the nation and around the world.”By creating its own R&D and manufacturing supply chain, Petra Solar’s job count has grown from 15 in the spring of 2009 to 166 currently, over a 10 fold increase. In keeping with the company’s commitment to return ratepayer and taxpayer support, the company will create new manufacturing facilities in jurisdictions in which it does significant business. As a result, major contracts with utilities will result in the creation of jobs to staff local manufacturing operations.

“Each of the companies chosen this year does its part in building the green economy through innovation and job creation here in the United States,” says Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins, CEO of Green For All. “They are demonstrating that by addressing the climate crisis we can take real steps in addressing the economic crisis as well.”

OPEN A GREEN DOOR

The White House will go Solar

Posted on October 5, 2010 by quest

Maybe the White House was listening after all. It was just a few weeks ago that member students from 350.org went on a solar mission along with environmentalist Bill Mckibben to ask the White House to reinstall solar panels that Jimmy Carter had installed in the 70′s and that were later removed by Ronald Reagan. Just announced today Steven Chu US Secretary of Energy said, “As you know, President Obama (Weekly Address) has a strong commitment to American leadership in solar technologies and the jobs they will create. Through the Recovery Act, we’re supporting the deployment of today’s solar technologies. And we will double our renewable energy generation capacity by 2012. We’re also investing in the next generation of solar power through the R&D programs at the Department of Energy.

Today, we’re taking an important next step. As we move toward a clean energy economy, the White House will lead by example. I’m pleased to announce that, by the end of this spring, there will be solar panels and a solar hot water heater on the roof of the White House.These two solar installations will be part of a Department of Energy demonstration project. The project will show that American solar technology is available, reliable, and ready to install in homes throughout the country. Around the world, the White House is a symbol of freedom and democracy. It should also be a symbol of America’s commitment to a clean energy future.”

On 10/10/10, 350.org will be holding a Global Work Party to celebrate climate solutions and send our politicians a clear message: “We’re getting to work—what about you?

The Bay Area is West Coast Green

Posted on October 1, 2010 by quest

West Coast Green is in full effect at Fort Mason in San Francisco. The conference has become a leading forum for environmental and social change. Four years since it’s inception, West Coast Green continues to provide dynamic, big-picture, systems-thinking education, strategy, connections and professional development to those seeking a better world. Throughout the year the organization works to serve the community in part through West Coast Green Institute(WCGI).

WCGI has developed a program dedicated to transforming low-income communities into ones that are sustainable, healthy, empowered and vital neighborhoods. Some past projects have been the Fort Mason Design Slam, the Innovation Pipeline and Green Jobs Pavillion; a live multi-media, interactive space simulating our future economy right on the tradeshow floor. Attendees were introduced to more than 50 employers, training centers and financial resources. This allowed them exposure to opportunities in the green industry.

This years’ conference called, “Where Innovation and Opportunity Converge” brings together more than 150 speakers such as Arianna Huffington, Van Jones, Lisa Michelle Galley, Arno Harris, Panama Bartholomy and Hunter Lovins just to name a few. Hundreds of green companies are exhibiting and thousands of people will attend. The creative festival like nature of the event has made it something you, family and friends will really enjoy.

New: Eco Friends Shop

One nation under a green groove

Posted on September 23, 2010 by quest

Around the country and around the globe going green is making a difference. Just within the last few days Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation had a remarkable TED X conference, Bill Clinton’s Global Initiative began with climate change high on the list, solar giant Sharp acquired San Francisco based Recurrent Energy and citizens around the country are preparing for One Nation Working Together in Washington DC and concurrent nationwide events on 10.02.10.

Green for All’s Phaedra Ellis-Lamkins had this to say about the nationwide 10.02.10 event. “Right now, the conversation in Washington centers around one question: should the richest people in America get more tax breaks? That’s what’s being discussed. Not addressing climate change, not putting people back to work. The argument is about more tax breaks for the mega-rich.

What this tells me is that our voices aren’t being listened to. That’s why, tens of thousands of people from across America are bringing their families to Washington to help change the conversation – and to make sure that our voices are heard.

One Nation is a national, grassroots campaign supported by some of our country’s most respected organizations. And it kicks off on October 2, when we march in Washington, D.C. to show the country that we are louder and more powerful working together than we are tearing each other apart.”