There is an old proverb, "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life."
With unemployment at some of the highest levels since the depression, unfortunately a lot of people can't afford to choose.
But if you're lucky enough to be able to choose, or you're seeking a career change, there's a way to make a difference and get paid for it.
Here are some green job opportunities from Treehugger.com:
http://jobs.treehugger.com/
Jul 31, 2009
Jul 23, 2009
#134: Idling Isn't Green (Friday, July 24)
Sometimes the most obvious choice isn't always the greenest. I used to have FreshDirect delivered to my house. I thought, "Fresh produce, they find the shortest distance from farms and I can choose local or organic produce." Totally green, right?
Not so much. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that FreshDirect trucks were spending minutes per delivery idling and polluting our neighborhoods. It was so much of a problem that they actually got fined for it! Thankfully, they have paid their fine and have also agreed to install controls that automatically shut off.
Until then, I've discovered other options, namely Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) where individuals can buy "shares" in a farm, which entitles them to seasonal produce from that farm. The farms are usually local (just like FreshDirect), but the added "greenness" is that you're purchasing seasonal produce, which means that the food doesn't have to travel from somewhere else when it's "out of season". You're also sharing in the failure and/or success of the farm, and some CSAs even donate a portion of their earnings to local schools and other community organizations.
How's that for green? :)
Not so much. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that FreshDirect trucks were spending minutes per delivery idling and polluting our neighborhoods. It was so much of a problem that they actually got fined for it! Thankfully, they have paid their fine and have also agreed to install controls that automatically shut off.
Until then, I've discovered other options, namely Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) where individuals can buy "shares" in a farm, which entitles them to seasonal produce from that farm. The farms are usually local (just like FreshDirect), but the added "greenness" is that you're purchasing seasonal produce, which means that the food doesn't have to travel from somewhere else when it's "out of season". You're also sharing in the failure and/or success of the farm, and some CSAs even donate a portion of their earnings to local schools and other community organizations.
How's that for green? :)
Jul 17, 2009
# 133: Finding Personal Balance (Friday, July 17)
The other day, I mentioned that I was going on a trip to Barbados. A friend of mine who knows about my green theme this year said, "For someone who's green, you sure take a lot of plane rides."
Yes, I take "a lot" of plane rides (although I really don't think 4 overseas trips a year should be categorized as "a lot"), but it's about balance. As Holter Graham says in his blog (http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/find-balance.html?campaign=daylife-article), "you cannot just abandon everything and switch to a fully green lifestyle overnight."
Plus, I balance out my love of travel which may not be so green with other things that are: I try to walk to as many places as I can, or take public transportation; I have my reusable grocery bag; I take my reusable coffee mug to the coffee shop instead of getting a cup there. I request online statements; I only do full loads of laundry; I donate items to freecycle.com and other places where others can reuse them...the list is endless.
It's not so much about becoming the Total Green Person as it is about making small steps towards a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Here are a couple more small steps, courtesy of Holter:
- If you can't upgrade to lower-flow faucets, buy soap from this guy, justsoap.com, who uses recycled packaging, rides a bike to power his mixers, and has a tiny carbon impact in his manufacturing.
- If you can't buy a hybrid or heat your house with biodiesel, drive smoothly to lower your fuel usage and turn the thermostat down three degrees in winter—or better yet, get new digital thermostats that let you program more specifically and save energy throughout the season.
Yes, I take "a lot" of plane rides (although I really don't think 4 overseas trips a year should be categorized as "a lot"), but it's about balance. As Holter Graham says in his blog (http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/find-balance.html?campaign=daylife-article), "you cannot just abandon everything and switch to a fully green lifestyle overnight."
Plus, I balance out my love of travel which may not be so green with other things that are: I try to walk to as many places as I can, or take public transportation; I have my reusable grocery bag; I take my reusable coffee mug to the coffee shop instead of getting a cup there. I request online statements; I only do full loads of laundry; I donate items to freecycle.com and other places where others can reuse them...the list is endless.
It's not so much about becoming the Total Green Person as it is about making small steps towards a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Here are a couple more small steps, courtesy of Holter:
- If you can't upgrade to lower-flow faucets, buy soap from this guy, justsoap.com, who uses recycled packaging, rides a bike to power his mixers, and has a tiny carbon impact in his manufacturing.
- If you can't buy a hybrid or heat your house with biodiesel, drive smoothly to lower your fuel usage and turn the thermostat down three degrees in winter—or better yet, get new digital thermostats that let you program more specifically and save energy throughout the season.
Jul 10, 2009
#132: What's Killing Your Drive? (Friday, July 10)
You carry around a lot of baggage. Clean out your car, since the heavier your car is, the more gas (and energy) it'll take to move it.
You're moving too fast. Every mile per hour you drive over 55 decreases your fuel economy by 2%. Driving slower gives you better gas mileage (and it's more likely that you'll get to your destination safely).
You never come up for air. Locate and remove your car's air filter. Use a vacuum cleaner to rid it of dirt and put it back. You'll get 7% more miles per gallon. Or if you're mechanically challenged, you can also buy new cotton air filters for less than $100.
You've lost your spark. Replace old spark plugs with eco-friendly substitutes, such as the Halo spark plug. The switch may help you reduce toxic fume emissions from your car.
You idle for long periods of time. Next time you stop at a fast food place, skip the drive thru if there's a long line since you'll spend more time with your engine idling. Idling engines increase carbon emissions and waste gas.
You're moving too fast. Every mile per hour you drive over 55 decreases your fuel economy by 2%. Driving slower gives you better gas mileage (and it's more likely that you'll get to your destination safely).
You never come up for air. Locate and remove your car's air filter. Use a vacuum cleaner to rid it of dirt and put it back. You'll get 7% more miles per gallon. Or if you're mechanically challenged, you can also buy new cotton air filters for less than $100.
You've lost your spark. Replace old spark plugs with eco-friendly substitutes, such as the Halo spark plug. The switch may help you reduce toxic fume emissions from your car.
You idle for long periods of time. Next time you stop at a fast food place, skip the drive thru if there's a long line since you'll spend more time with your engine idling. Idling engines increase carbon emissions and waste gas.
Jul 3, 2009
#131: Are You Prepared for An Emergency? (Friday, July 3)
After one of my recent hour-long conversations with my dad (whom I've always known to be the pragmatic planner), I realized that if he were to die unexpectedly, all hell would break loose. He doesn't have a will.
It got me thinking about my own life and how prepared I am for emergencies. I don't think I even own a flashlight. LOL. Shocking, considering that my new favorite housewarming gift is the first aid kit.
So I started to do some research on emergency kits with green alternatives. I found a fantastic company called Freeplay Foundation, which makes eco-friendly products such as solar/crank flashlights and radios. And the best part? They've been working in Rwanda, donating their products in an effort to bring clean, renewable energy to the country. Your emergency home kit should contain, at minimum the following (you can thank me later):
- Food and water
- Change of clothes
- Copy of important documents in a watersafe container
- Medical supplies (including a month's supply of any prescription medication you need)
- Flashlight (get a crank or shake version, similar to those offered by Freeplay)
- Radio (which is also available in crank or solar versions, or crank/solar combos)
- Batteries (should be rechargeable)
- Water purification tablets (in the event that you run out of clean water and water's hard to get)
- Dust masks
- Matches (in a watersafe container)
- Consider getting a solar panel charger ($30+) or a crank charger ($19) for cell phones
For more tips and items for your emergency kit, visit: www.ready.gov
It got me thinking about my own life and how prepared I am for emergencies. I don't think I even own a flashlight. LOL. Shocking, considering that my new favorite housewarming gift is the first aid kit.
So I started to do some research on emergency kits with green alternatives. I found a fantastic company called Freeplay Foundation, which makes eco-friendly products such as solar/crank flashlights and radios. And the best part? They've been working in Rwanda, donating their products in an effort to bring clean, renewable energy to the country. Your emergency home kit should contain, at minimum the following (you can thank me later):
- Food and water
- Change of clothes
- Copy of important documents in a watersafe container
- Medical supplies (including a month's supply of any prescription medication you need)
- Flashlight (get a crank or shake version, similar to those offered by Freeplay)
- Radio (which is also available in crank or solar versions, or crank/solar combos)
- Batteries (should be rechargeable)
- Water purification tablets (in the event that you run out of clean water and water's hard to get)
- Dust masks
- Matches (in a watersafe container)
- Consider getting a solar panel charger ($30+) or a crank charger ($19) for cell phones
For more tips and items for your emergency kit, visit: www.ready.gov
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