The Wisconsin Going Green initiative is designed to help the state become more energy efficient and to help the environment. As with all other efforts to make a green statement and have a true impact on the planet, it takes individual involvement or it just will not work. While there are some things that [...]
Wisconsin Going Green will be your best source of information about everything going green in Wisconsin. We will provide information and tips on how you can live green. Being Environmentally Friendly is not just our duty to Mother Earth, but it is the right thing to do. So, check back frequently as we showcase products [...]
We have received the following e-mail Forrer Business Interiors is having a Green Forum on October 19-20, 2011.
“We are hosting our first annual “Green Forum” on October 19+20 at our showroom. The purpose of the event is to offer LEED Professionals an opportunity to earn 3 CEU credits at one time, since it is difficult for them to keep up with the credit requirements (not to mention expensive).
We are offering 3 classes, plus breakfast + lunch, for $30 (Wisconsin Green Building Alliance members) or $40 (non-members). The first class begins at 9:00 am and the last one should be complete by 1:30 pm. The same schedule will be followed both days – which allows more people to fit it into their schedule than if it were only available one day.
Of course, attendees do not have to be LEED accredited in order to attend or in order to find value in the presentations.
The following link directs you to the event web page, where more information about the courses and links to register are provided.
http://www.forrersbi.com/
We were hoping that perhaps you would be willing to share the information about our event on your website. We think it’s a great opportunity to earn 3 credits in just a half-day, while still being extremely affordable.”
Finding Wisconsin green jobs is easily performed online. The Internet hosts several sites that offer this type of benefit. The confusing part is what you consider to be a “green” job. Over the years there has been a great debate on what this meant, so we want to explain it how everyone can understand.
Obviously when we’re talking about Wisconsin green jobs it’s discussing an actual state attached to it. Individuals in the state of Wisconsin or plan to move there would find plenty of green jobs at their disposal. The question is whether or not it’s the way they originally interpreted it.
The Environmental Side
Sometimes, searching for Wisconsin green jobs is going to give you results based on environmental help. Whether it’s something to do with solar energy, wind, or water; employment will be shown in all these areas. The types of jobs will differentiate from one company to another, but the overall concept will be the same.
If you feel like starting a career in this type of industry would benefit you, then there shouldn’t be any problem finding jobs you can apply for today. However, you’re going to come across another type of Wisconsin green jobs that don’t have to do with helping the planet at all.
The Educational Side
Green jobs also revolve around something that would require you to seek education. It doesn’t have to be a four year degree (or even a two year), but it does have to involve learning something at some point. If that didn’t make sense, we’re trying to tell you that these jobs are based on people being “green”. This translates into someone being new to the field.
A great example of this would be something that would like to be a truck driver, but does not have their CDL. In order to start a career in this industry they would have to obtain their CDL license before working for the company. This would require some sort of schooling, even though it does not last for an extended period of time.
Green Job Examples
Once you are able to differentiate the type of Wisconsin green jobs you’re trying to find, it will be easier to land one. If you have no idea what you want to do; we’ve put together a short list of options available. Keep in mind; both sides of the “green” jobs are mixed together:
* Maintenance Technicians* Sales Managers* Internships* Project Managers* Environmental Studies Directors* Engineering and Developing Services* and much more
The best thing to do is research all the Wisconsin green jobs out there and find out what type of career you can apply for today. It will also give you a hands-on approach to all the possibilities at your disposal.
The Wisconsin Going Green initiative is designed to help the state become more energy efficient and to help the environment. As with all other efforts to make a green statement and have a true impact on the planet, it takes individual involvement or it just will not work. While there are some things that corporations can do to make an enormous difference, if the general public does not carry a large amount of the weight there is little that can be done to correct what is seen to be damaging to the very earth we live in.
Wisconsin Green efforts must begin right at home with every family member doing their part to reduce pollution. That can be as simple as using reusable containers rather than single use water bottles to reduce the amount of garbage that winds up in the landfill. It can also be turning off the water while brushing your teeth. However, if each individual is going to make the kind of impact that must take place, Wisconsin Going Green must include a lot of other conservation efforts as well.
One such effort would be going back to traditional cloth napkins and towels which can be laundered and used again and again, rather than using single use, disposable paper towels. While such efforts multiplied by millions over time can reduce the amount of waste going into landfills, Wisconsin Green initiatives have to include much more if anything monumental is going to affect the environmental health of the state.
One thing that might help as Wisconsin Going Green efforts get rolling, is to remember that environmental concerns have only become pronounced over the past 50 or so years. Prior to that far less fuel was being consumed to heat and cool homes, drive cars over the roadways, and there was not as much plastic winding up in landfills. Sure, the population of the earth is one cause for the increase in consumption, but most people today clamor for convenience over protecting the earth, and that is the real cause, that and corporations who clamor for big bucks while trying to appease the masses with pretty packaging.
If the truth is to be told, Wisconsin Green efforts can only work if those who are living on this planet are willing to go back to natural living. Now, don’t get me wrong, I am not suggesting that we all go live in caves and forage off the land, but what I am suggesting is that we all do our part by planting gardens and foregoing plastics as much as possible. Those individual, one time use water bottles can be replaced by reusable ones that can be refilled as many times as one wishes.
There are many other ideas for how Wisconsin Going Green can really catch on and make a difference not only for that state, but for all the others in the union and other countries around the world. However, the best place to start is in the home and all the modifications that are made there can then be taken everywhere you go.
We will be attending GreenBuild 2010 Conference in Chicago, Illinois. This is going to be a exciting GreenBuild where more than 1,000 exhibitors in the Green Building will be attending. This event will also draw more than 25,000 attendees and it is sponsored by US Green Building Council. We hope to connect with many of the top Green Builders in the country and bring more information to our readers.
We have received many request from our readers regarding the Green ideas in local prospective, especially in Wisconsin. We will meet with many of the Wisconsin companies that deal with Going Green and we will give out the information that we receive.
We will continue to update on issues regarding local green ideas, but we are also going to be involve in the national green conversations.
WisconsinGoingGreen.com is looking for article and events regarding Going Green in the State of Wisconsin. We would love to hear about Green aspect of your life. So, if you have any articles or events that you want to appear on our Blog, you can e-mail us at info (at) wisconsingoinggreen (dot) com
We have received many request from everyone, but we will answer those that are pertinent to our website.
Also, Greenbuild 2010 will be held in Chicago in November, please check them out if you are Green Builder. You will find many information and because of proximity to Chicago, we encourage you to attend Greenbuild to learn more about Green Building industry.
Contact us if you have any questions.
While the green movement used to be considered esoteric, within the past several years, it has actually become popular to go green. This is definitely a great sign for those living in this world and our environment. However, instead of complicating your life, you need to streamline it, which happens to be a big threat that can keep us from making the choices that are environmentally conscious, which are so important today. Of course, going green doesn’t have to be as hard as you think.
One new book, written by Mindy Pennybacker is offering some help to that problem. Here book, which is called Do One Green Thing: Saving the Earth through Simple, Everyday Choices, heralds the benefit of doing things every day to make a difference. The book is less than 300 pages long, but within the book many common questions are covered. There are important answers to questions on Personal Care as well as Apparel, Food and Drink, Transportation, and a Green Home. For people who want to find simple ways that they can go green in their lives, this is definitely a book worth reading, full of simple changes that people can easily make to go green.
According to Meryl Streep, “easy of access” is what is so important to helping people choose to go green today. It can be difficult to understand jargon on food products, trying to figure out which option is the best choice. However, with this book, it becomes much easier to figure out which choice is going to be best and which option is the greener option. Pennybacker and her book make these types of choices much easier and faster to make for the average person who wants to go green.
Within the book, there are many products that are recommended and plenty of facts to make going green easier. Even if you have a good handle on the green movement, you’ll find some surprises and information that you didn’t know in this book. There are important recommendations on appliances, when it is right to purchase a new appliance that is environmentally friendly, and a whole lot more.
Today, although the green movement has become much more popular, you will find that it can be tough to navigate. Finding things to do that fit into your life can be a bit of a challenge. However, with this book, it becomes a lot simpler for you without becoming simplistic. Reading the book makes a lot of sense, both for those new to the econ friendly way of life and those well versed in it. There are important facts that can be used and by simply choosing to make small choices every day, you can go green and make a positive impact on the environment today.
Not sure what energy subsidies actually are? Well, you’ll find that they are something that is wielded as a champion of energy technologies that are favorites against those technologies that are competing. Those that really support nuclear energy and fossil fuels try to say that those energies such as solar and wind and other types of renewable energies can’t stand up by themselves. Those who advocate these renewable forms of energy then argue that these other types of fuels have been supported by the government for some time.
What you need to understand when it comes to energy subsidies is that every form happens to be subsidized. There are not any types of energy, including nuclear, renewables, or any others, that can stand on their own without having loan guarantees, tax preferences, or even research grants on their behalf. Of course, this really doesn’t have to be a bad thing. The biggest questions is which problems are we dealing with when it comes to energy and in order to solve them, what energy subsidies need to be used?
Trying to pin down what really is and is not a subsidy is not that difficult. There really isn’t a definition of subsidy that is accepted universally, according to the U.S. Information administration back in 2008. This makes it even easier for people to get confused on what subsidies are all about. Since there are benefits and costs with all programs from the government, many times the term subsidy ends up getting connotations that are derogatory.
When you keep this in mind, several reports need to be kept in mind which try to calculate the subsidy amounts and their beneficiaries. Back in 2004, several energy worthies that are bipartisan, came up with estimates that ranged between 27-64 billion dollars each year. They included tax incentives, cleanup of sites that are polluted, R&D grants, royalty relief for gas and oil, and oil supply line protection by the military. They did note within their reports that the numbers they came up with were really only estimates.
Another estimate was done by Earth Track about three years later, which was done on the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development federal subsidies. Their estimates were that there is $49-100 billion each year, with conservation getting only 2.1%, about 2/3 going to fossil fuels, ethanol getting 7.6%, , 2.4% going to nuclear, and 7.5 percent going to various other renewables. Then in 2008, there were even different numbers that were come up with by the Department of Energy, saying that the total was only about $16.6 billion. Of course, it was made clear that this report shouldn’t be the last word and didn’t include the cap on military protection of supply lines for oil and nuclear power plants.
Depending on policy preferences, subsidies can be described and defines in different ways. Those who advocate renewable energy sources say that the tax preferences that are for the tax codes happen to be permanent tax code provisions, while the ones for renewable energy forces have been off and one for some time. On the other hand, those who are champions of nuclear and coal power feel that the cost of subsidies for the renwables are much higher than the costs for plants that run on a constant basis. So, numbers on subsidies can easily be manipulated and used as weapons for either side of the argument, and it is important that you understand that.
The concept of carbon offsets is a relatively simple one. Basically, to reduce carbon emissions in the environment you can sponsor the planting of trees in the world to help enhance oxygen production and other benefits. There is quite a bit of confusion and, yes, some controversy around the issue which is why it deserves a closer look.
Since the purchase of carbon credits cannot exist without some selling them, there will be instances where less than honest sellers enter the fray and do not exactly promote carbon credits in an ethical manner. Sadly, such an element will always exist in any sales venture. The key is to look for those sellers that have a stellar reputation and will not undermine your ability to get the most out of the venture and offset the footprint of carbon dioxide emissions.
Once you do find a reputable and reliable carbon credits professional, you can get right down to the proper business at hand. You can seek out someone that will help you sponsor the planting and care of trees that will neutralize the negative impact your own personal carbon footprint would have on the environment. And, as previously mentioned, you will want to go about this the right way and seek out those members of the industry that are legitimate and can help facilitate the proper acquisitions.
First and foremost, you really need to perform more than cursory research on the company you consider making the carbon offset purchases from. You do not want to buy from a company that has complaints lodged against it. Rather, you will want to stick with a company that has a strong reputation and is known for delivering on what it promises.
What is the process in which the company plants trees? Where will the trees be planted? What kind of trees will they be and who will be taking care of them? These are vital questions to ask because you want to be sure that you are sponsoring a ‘tree planting’ service that does more than just plant trees. It is designed to promote what is necessary to significantly boosting the improvements in the environment to a significant degree.
One way to make sure the carbon offset service is legitimate is to examine the totality of its promotional website. If the site is notorious for merely containing sales pitches then it is doubtfully all that great of a carbon offset service. Rather, it would come off more like a sales venture that is looking to take advantage of current cultural trends. That does not speak highly of the overall value or long term commitments of the company.
When the website is promoting all many of tips and helpful information designed to improve the environment or to reduce your carbon footprint, the company may very well be the one you want to work with. This is because the serious commitment of the company will shine through the enthusiastic presentation it delivers. This would clearly be a positive attribute and a major endorsement of the value of the site.
Ultimately, you will want to stick with those sites, services, and sellers that are seriously committed to the improvement of the environment. Purchase your carbon offsets from these legitimate venues. You will definitely be pleased with the results.
While the green movement used to be considered esoteric, within the past several years, it has actually become popular to go green. This is definitely a great sign for those living in this world and our environment. However, instead of complicating your life, you need to streamline it, which happens to be a big threat that can keep us from making the choices that are environmentally conscious, which are so important today. Of course, going green doesn’t have to be as hard as you think.
One new book, written by Mindy Pennybacker is offering some help to that problem. Here book, which is called Do One Green Thing: Saving the Earth through Simple, Everyday Choices, heralds the benefit of doing things every day to make a difference. The book is less than 300 pages long, but within the book many common questions are covered. There are important answers to questions on Personal Care as well as Apparel, Food and Drink, Transportation, and a Green Home. For people who want to find simple ways that they can go green in their lives, this is definitely a book worth reading, full of simple changes that people can easily make to go green.
According to Meryl Streep, “easy of access” is what is so important to helping people choose to go green today. It can be difficult to understand jargon on food products, trying to figure out which option is the best choice. However, with this book, it becomes much easier to figure out which choice is going to be best and which option is the greener option. Pennybacker and her book make these types of choices much easier and faster to make for the average person who wants to go green.
Within the book, there are many products that are recommended and plenty of facts to make going green easier. Even if you have a good handle on the green movement, you’ll find some surprises and information that you didn’t know in this book. There are important recommendations on appliances, when it is right to purchase a new appliance that is environmentally friendly, and a whole lot more.
Today, although the green movement has become much more popular, you will find that it can be tough to navigate. Finding things to do that fit into your life can be a bit of a challenge. However, with this book, it becomes a lot simpler for you without becoming simplistic. Reading the book makes a lot of sense, both for those new to the econ friendly way of life and those well versed in it. There are important facts that can be used and by simply choosing to make small choices every day, you can go green and make a positive impact on the environment today.
The carbon footprints that are produced today will affect the lives of generations to come. That is why it is so necessary to reduce out current carbon footprint in any means possible. Often, the mere adoption of simple steps so as to launch a life of living green can deliver an enormous positive impact on the world as a whole.
Excess Energy Consumption
Whenever and wherever possible, it would help to employ the use of solar energy as a source of home power. This is true whether you wish to heat water in the home or providing adequate lighting. Solar Water and solar lights are the best example of the best use of the sun’s power. Such solar appliances are available in a variety of stores and the assurance of simple installation makes them a must purchase. Lowe’s and Home Depot would be good retailers to procure such items.
It is also helpful to look towards eco and economically friendly LED or fluorescent lights. When combined with solar power, these lights will allow you to enjoy low electric bills. It also does not hurt to turn off the lights when no one is in the room. This will allow you to save money while also going green.
Additionally, you have the ability to lessen energy consumption in the laundry area, kitchen, and even the bathrooms by taking the following steps:
Always use tap water when operating a dishwasher and only run it with full loads.
Wash clothes with tap water as well and avoid using hot water. Lessen dirt from clothes through soaking them for 15 minutes prior to washing.
While not always preferable, taking cold showers instead of hot tub baths in the summer is advised. A programmable thermostat will turn on heat only when needed is helpful.
When purchasing appliances look for those that have an Energy Star Label which means energy use will be as low as 50%.
Resource Conservation Tips
Within the home, water is among the most wasted resources. You have the potential to reverse wasteful practices by way of adopting small measures such as brushing your teeth with a glass of water as opposed to letting it run non-stop. Also, it is wise to only water plants when necessary and look towards a water saving device for installation in the toilets. High efficiency faucet heads can also deliver highly positive results as well.
Is there another important resource that lends itself well to conservation? Yes and it comes in the form of food. When you cook the right amount of food and freeze the rest for a later date, you are cutting back on waste. It is possible to store fresh fruits and vegetables according to the best temperatures so as to prevent rotting and subsequent waste.
Recycle, Reduce and Reuse
The possibility to reduce your carbon footprint increases significantly when you learn the proper way to recycle, reduce, and reuse things. You can also save a little money and even earn it, too. To reduce your consumption of Earth’s resources through purchasing less at the supermarket is one method and it is also a cost saver, too.
A quality means of reusing something can be found in the venture of donating the item. This delivers a great many different benefits that not only help someone in need, but it reverses the trend of overfilling landfills with items that still have value and use. Yes, it is true when people say there is gold in trash and that becomes doubly true as it is more eco-friendly.
In summation, green living forever remains a possibility regardless of your situation in life. Careful thought may be involved and it will lead to great rewards that generations to come will experience.
