Two New Blogs I Like

I have been rewarded for posting this week, with the discovery to two wonderful blogs. The first is by a sister in Birmingham, Alabama with a passion for green living. It is Life The Green Way. She does a great job of covering eco-friendly products and gift ideas and she will knock your socks of with more amazing uses of vinegar! The other is from Scotland and is called Allotment 2 Kitchen. Grab yourself a cup of tea and a pen for taking notes, because you will enjoy the colorful photos of great vegetarian delights (recipes included), gardens and nature. I personally want to try to brussel sprouts pie and the lavender brownies!

We Will Miss You Vanilla Child

Okay, I'm not sure if Teena Marie was a green celebrity or not, but she was an awesome, low key, soulful and warm lady. If you know me, you know that I couldn't possibly miss this opportunity to say goodbye to the Lady T, her music got me through many trying times. She will be missed. (I bet she was eco-conscious though, how could one pen a song as amazing as Portugese Love and not love this green earth?)

Number One Awesome Personal Green High Impact Achievement of 2010

(Photo compliments of Climate Lab)

One of my goals for 2010 was to start a new career. Actually, since becoming a survivor a couple of years ago and facing that milestone birthday a few years back, I have been longing for meaningful,  conscious work. Well, really, I have been longing for meaningful, conscious work since my Buckeye days. As a senior, I worked at the Office of Black Student Programs and had the responsibility for the development and implementation of educational and attractive programing for students and the community. Inspired by Black Enterprise Magazine, I decided to put on a seminar about entrepreneurship, titled "Being Black and In the Green". Sounds familiar right? Back then, the green referenced mula baby! I brought in partners from The Ohio Department of Development to instruct folks on how to start a business. It was a successful program, in that two participants actually started businesses! Fast forward to 2009. I began thinking about ways to meld my passion for entrepreneurship, sustainability and an extensive banking background into a new career....and voila!... in 2010 funding came through at a nationally recognized entrepreneurial focused economic development organization to continue to expand its inclusion efforts. That would be, efforts in insuring that women and minorities have the vision and access to capital to grow large, high impact, high potential businesses. A big focus is on businesses with the potential to hire lots of folks in the urban areas of our region. So, as a senior advisor in our inclusion group, I have been entrenched in an exciting world of innovation, new ideas, VERY bright people, successful serial entrepreneurs, collaboration, venture capital and guess what? Lot's of sustainability focused business ideas - from folks of all hues. (I couldn't have written a better script for a dream job) A good sign that I was at an advanced and progressive organization, was that on the first day, I saw lots of recycling bins, ceramic mugs for coffee and the double sided option for printing documents. Always a good start, right? In fact, one of our target investment areas is alternative energy. So I have been busy, learning a new industry, reading through and hearing pitches for new business ideas, while helping our folk navigate the best path to developing and financing their businesses and their dreams. My experience with sustainable networks, green living and green business resources has already been helpful. I look forward to sharing these resources and new sustainable financing sources with you in 2011. Maybe 2011, will be your year to find the green job of your dreams! God Bless.

Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act, Pinch Yourself

Michele Obama is the star of this video (check out her chic flower pin), which highlights the signing of the Healthy, Hungry-Free Kids Act. Allows more funding for healthier lunches, better nutritional information for parents on lunch foods, better quality ingredients, more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. local food options and will encourage school gardens. Is this really happening? It's happening - the Greening of America! Good ole common sense is ruling the day again. Perhaps now, with healthier food, our kids can move up to 24th place in academic performance among our 30 industrialized nation peers. Ya yuh!

White House Forum on Environmental Justice

Learn while you listen to key White House environmental officials respond to your questions about environmental justice. You can multitask and share while you listen. Also search for other interesting White House videos.

A Great Green Year in 2010!

Well  friends, it has been a while. What can I say? First, I would like to apologize to my awesome readers, for taking such a long hiatus. The last quarter was one of wonderful and great changes in my life, which caused me to have to put some things on pause for a minute. It has been a while since we chatted, so given the time of the year, I thought we could share our top seven  great green highlights for the year. Check out my top seven below:

1. An Awesome New Career (with a Eco-Friendly Twist) - access to capital for women and minorities
2. Next Gen interest in the environment - my teen son decides to pursue environmental law as a career interest
3. Sustainability is Here to Stay - takes a giant leap into the mainstream consciousness of America
4. My Very Green IRA portfolio generates new green wealth
5. Expansion of awareness and selection of  fair trade and/or organic groceries and fashions
6. Green energy and technology bring access to modern conveniences to rural African areas
7. Local Food, Urban Farming, Edible Landscapes and Farmers Markets are all the rage (let's keep it that way)

So that's what has been up with me. I will elaborate on some of these over the course of the next week. What are some of your great green highlights of 2010?

RSA Animate - Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us

Chinese Consumers Greener than Americans?

Check out this great news about Chinese consumers and those of other high growth developing countries plans to buy more green products in the year ahead. Living Off the Grid: Free Yourself