3p Contributor: Sarah Lozanova
Recent Articles
Why Supporting Breastfeeding is Good for the Bottom Line
Many women find themselves torn between raising a family and building a career. As a mother of two young children, I know this challenge personally. The ability to continue breastfeeding a baby after returning to the workplace can help ease the transition between the two activities and has numerous benefits to both mother and baby- and even the employer.
The old saying that a happy employee is a productive one has withstood the test of time and is even backed by numerous studies that substantiate the connection between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction and retention, and employee morale and the financial performance of the business. Supporting the unique needs of a breastfeeding mom can actually benefit business if it boosts her morale, helps to create equity in the workplace, and allows a women to provide for her child in one of the most basic and essential ways.
4 Things to Consider Before Going Solar Thermal
Solar thermal technology (ie, solar hot water) provides space heating and/or hot water and is a frequently forgotten member of the solar power family. These highly effective systems are popular in many parts of the globe, from China to Canada to Zimbabwe. The panels are typically 70%-90% efficient, compared to around 20% efficiency for solar photovoltaic (pv) systems. Solar thermal energy displaces the use of the existing hot water heater and heating equipment, typically displacing either natural gas or electricity.
Solar thermal is a more mature technology than solar pv systems that produce electricity. It has been used for centuries for water heating. Even Leonardo Da Vinci had one on his home for heating water.
When considering the installation of such a system, it is important to consider the following items.
Deceptively Low GDPs in Developing Countries: Reflections from Bulgaria
Smashing homegrown walnuts
I’m currently in Bulgaria to visit my husband’s family and I’m struck by how low the gross domestic product is here, a mere $45.9 billion for a population of 7.5 million. As the poorest country in the European Union, many things look rundown compared to more developed countries, but I don’t see the extreme poverty here that I have in other countries. Like most industrializing nations, the people are incredibly resourceful, thus boosting their standard of living, often with little environmental impact.
I took my daughter to the doctor yesterday because of a persistent rash and it was recommended to treat it with a certain herb. On the drive home, my mother-in-law asked us to put pull over right away. She spotted the herb while we were traveling 60 miles per hour, saving us a visit to the pharmacy. Herbal medicine is still widely utilized here, although the older generation possesses the greatest knowledge. Many natural methods are used across the board, because it saves money and they are trusted.
My husband’s family cultivates enough food to feed a small army, as do many in their village of 1,200. Although my in-laws no longer have cows, they purchase unpasteurized milk from the neighbor, which they make into yogurt. They raise most of their own meat on their land or by hunting and fishing.
Capturing the Promise of Renewable Energy Manufacturing Jobs: An Interview with Stephanie Burns of Dow Corning
Renewable energy and the new green economy are being praised for their economic development potential in the U.S. and are a key component of the stimulus act. There has been growing concern however that this opportunity is slipping away. Over the last five years, the trade deficit between the U.S. and China for renewable energy products grew by a staggering 1400 percent to $5.7 billion. This can be worrisome, as manufacturing offers one of the greatest employment opportunities in renewable energy, representing 70 to 75 percent of the jobs in this sector .
I recently interviewed Stephanie Burns, president and CEO of Dow Corning, to hear her insights on the topic.
Sarah Lozanova: What are some of the biggest challenges in creating clean manufacturing jobs in the U.S.?
Stephanie Burns: Our challenge is to take advantage of the momentum created by the manufacturing tax credit and, by all means, make it permanent, remove the cap or re-establish the funding. It enabled many companies to develop new manufacturing facilities for renewable components, but that is only one piece of the puzzle.
Michigan’s Ambitious Green Job Strategy: An Interview with Stanley “Skip” Pruss
With the highest unemployment rates in the country, Michigan is in dire need of an effective economic revival strategy. The state is looking to green jobs largely to realize this, with an emphasis on clean energy.
I recently interviewed Stanley “Skip” Pruss, Director of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth and the former Deputy Director of the Department of Environmental Quality. He holds a strong vision for transforming the Michigan economy, while leveraging its strengths.
Sarah Lozanova: Why are green jobs a good tool for economic development?
Stanley “Skip” Pruss: We think there is a lot of evidence that green jobs provide a great opportunity to diversify our economy, secure new investment, and ultimately build new jobs. The reason is that there are several interrelated drivers that make this trajectory irresistible.
In Michigan, we are decades overdue to diversify our economy. We were overly dependent on one industry essentially. The world from our perspective is on the cusp of a global clean energy revolution. That provides great opportunities, and not only just for Michigan, because the opportunity will be so robust and sustained.
Three Easy Green Fleet Initiatives for Medium-Duty Trucks
Medium-duty trucks (class 3-6) consume over eight billion gallons of fuel annually, with each truck emitting an average 13 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Although hybrid electric trucks typically cost $23,000-$45,000 more upfront, numerous other opportunities exist for fleets to reduce emissions and fuel costs, with a much smaller price tag. Let’s explore some of the low-hanging fruit that the Environmental Defense Fund and the fleet management company PHH Arval recommend in their recent white paper:
Right-sizing Vehicles:
Using the smallest truck that can get the job done saves considerable fuel. “We’re seeing a lot of stuff being done that has an immediate payback,” says Jason Mathers, project manager in the Corporate Partnership Program at the Environmental Defense Fund in an interview with TriplePundit. “Frito-Lay has moved from a 24-foot Class 6 vehicle, to a 20-foot Class 5 vehicle. They are saving 10% on fuel and I’d imagine they are paying less upfront for that class 5 vehicle too.”
Four Strategies for Green Marketing
I attended the State of Green Business Forum 2010 last week in Chicago, organized by Greener World Media. One panel explored the topic of green marketing in the age of transparency and shared many insights.
Panelists:
Amy Hebard, co-founder and chief researcher of Earthsense
Chris Nelson, director of global commercial development for UL Environment
Suzanne Shelton, president and ceo of Shelton Group
No such thing as a green consumer
There are many motivations for purchasing more eco-friendly products, and not all of them involve saving the planet, so it is nearly impossible to create a profile for this consumer group. This varies even more when considering different categories of consumer goods. Some folks may buy energy efficient appliances to save money, while others may pay a premium for natural cosmetics because they are perceived as safer than conventional products. Although perhaps about 7 percent of consumers are motivated by altruism, the majority are motivated because they see the product as better in some way for themselves (such as health, lower energy cost, or safety). In many cases, the green product is the tiebreaker or the cherry on top, thus green consumers must see the product as the same, or better, than the competition.
Four Green Trends in Business in 2009
Greener World Media recently published its third annual State of Green Business Report. The document examines numerous indicators and data to determine trends in the green business arena.
Four of these green trends are:
Radical transparency goes mainstream:
The information age and the environmental movement have actually collided. Tons of information is available about products, including the materials and ingredients used. Websites like GoodGuide.com have a mobile application for shoppers on the move. More non-profits than ever, such as Climate Counts are ranking companies on their environmental performance, helping to make informed purchases. Many organizations are demanding more from their supply chain, knowing that this is the new frontier of the environmental movement.
“There are many companies that have done a lot on climate change internally with their own operations and what they are now doing is starting to look at the companies in their supply chain,” says Sonal Mahida, vice president of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) in the United States. “We’re working with a number of companies on those issues, such as PepsiCo, IBM, and Walmart.” This often begins by asking tough questions of suppliers.
State of Green Business: “Best of Times and Worst of Times”
I attended the State of Green Business Forum today in Chicago, hosted by the Greener World Media. It was an opportunity for industry experts and leaders to share insights and observations on this dynamic topic. Here are some of the ideas and themes that were raised at this event, although it is certainly not an exhaustive list:
Resources are numerous, but difficult to access
Between local, state, and federal programs, there are numerous grants, low interest loans, job training programs, and tax credits available both in Chicago and nationally. It can, however, be difficult to identify the resources and know how to utilize programs. Suzanne Malec-McKenna, Commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Environment said today, “The resources are there. We just haven’t aligned them for when a business comes to town.” She would like the city to be able to say, “We are open for businesses and here are the resources we have…”
Four Strategies for Green Job Creation
Maximize Regional Strengths
Not unique from any economic development strategy, it is important to examine community assets to boost green job development. Toledo, Ohio, is nicknamed the Glass City because it is known as a major glass manufacturer. Unfortunately, Toledo lost one-third of its manufacturing jobs since 2000, leaving excess manufacturing capacity and a highly skilled workforce. Although it might sound like a stretch, Toledo capitalized off of this by becoming a solar manufacturing hub.
Considering that solar panels (thin-film or otherwise) are a glass product, this regional expertise came in handy and people jumped at the opportunity. The University of Toledo’s Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization has been in existence for 25 years. The Ohio university solar energy research programs received a great boost, with the Ohio Department of Development investing $18.6 million in university solar-energy research combined with $30 million from federal agencies and industrial partners. Toledo is now home to the largest thin-film solar manufacturer facility in the US, First Solar, as well as numerous solar start-up companies–6,000 people are employed in manufacturing and research related to the solar industry in the area. This may not replace all the manufacturing jobs lost in the region, but it is a good start.
Careers in Wind Farm Development: Electrical Engineer
This is the final article in a seven part series on careers in wind farm development. (Be sure to read the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth parts, as well.)
A wind farm can’t be created without input from an electrical engineer. Their initial role involves identifying transmission constraints and determining the cost to overcome them. This is a vital step in determining if a potential wind farm is financially viable before investing more time and money into a project.
“When we find a new potential wind energy site, one of the first things we investigate is if there is an existing transmission infrastructure and it’s ability to take new power,” says Curt Bjurlin, Senior Wind Developer for EcoEnergy LLC. “That is very important. You can’t have a wind project without having an outlet for the power generated by the turbines.”
State of Green Business Forum 2010 in San Francisco and Chicago
When: February 4, 2010 in San Francisco
February 9, 2010 in Chicago
Organized by: GreenBiz.com
Despite a sickly economy, green business is alive and well. That is the sentiment behind the State of Green Business Forum that will convene in San Francisco and Chicago to bring together industry experts to explore dynamic topics, such as carbon management after Copenhagen, green marketing in the transparency age, and the use of IT to solve the world’s problems.
4 Factors Shaping the Wind Energy Industry in 2009
After installing a record 8,600 MW of wind energy capacity in 2008, 2009 will look like a letdown in comparison. Most of the projects that did go online this year were started under a different economic climate, where credit was plentiful. These are some of the factors shaping the industry in 2009:
Electricity Demand Down
Total US electricity consumption declined by 3.5% in 2009, representing the largest drop in the last decade. Electricity use by the industrial sector was down a staggering 12% from January to September of 2009. Although decreased demand is positive when considering the environmental implications, it does temporarily reduce the interest slightly in increasing green power sources. This tend is likely to last only as long as the slow economic climate, although increased emphasis on energy efficiency under the Obama administration may help mitigate the trend of electric demand increasing nearly every year.
Careers in Wind Farm Development: Financial Analyst
This is the sixth article in a seven part series on careers in wind farm development. (Be sure to read the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth parts, as well.)
Not all proposed wind farms are economically viable. The role of the financial analyst is to determine which are financially sound. The main variables to consider are the quality of the wind resource, the finance costs, the sale price of generated power, and the overall cost of the project.
“The financial analyst must understand and be able to translate various inputs, such as capital costs, operation & maintenance costs, land lease costs, taxes, wind resource potential, future power prices and project risks into a robust and defensible pro-forma model,” says Ari Pribadi, senior vice president of Marathon Capital, LLC .
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