Sustainability in Packaging 2011- February 22-24, 2011

Sustainability in Packaging 2011- February 22-24, 2011 This conference is a good indication of the positive momentum being gained in implementing greener business practices. Pay attention to the reduced amount of packaging that is being used in consumer goods and the marketing of that benefit "Now with 20% less packaging!". I have also seen more packaging being marketed as biodegradeable, especially as companies start to evaluate the impact of their products from cradle to grave.

The Green Job Interview Tips

The Green Job Interview - Urban Farm Online I heard on the news that 80 percent of Americans were going to be looking for new jobs this year. If you are a Black and Into Green reader, I can only assume that you may be seriously considering working for a green business or sustainability minded company. Check out the article for tips on ways in which you may want to tweek your job hunting approach.

Good luck!

FAMU Wins $50,000 Sustainability Grant

ShareThis The Huffington Post named the HBCU, Florida A&M University (FAMU), famed for its business program and awesome band, one of the nine most innovative colleges. It's adoption of sustainable practices was one reason for this recognition. FAMU was one of the winners of a Ford Foundation grant to promote the building of sustainable communities. $50,000 will be used to implement the proposal developed by FAMU students and professors for local farmers.

You go, FAMU!!

House Republicans Want to Cut Funds for Weatherization, Energy Star, IPCC, and More

House Republicans Want to Cut Funds for Weatherization, Energy Star, IPCC, and More
Elections Matter, but so does your voice. Use the Black and Into Green, "Write Your Rep" tools to express your opinion.

2010 Toyota Prius Review

2010 Toyota Prius Review Why not provide a review of th 2011 Toyota Prius? Because due to unforeseen mechanical issues with my ten year old Volvo, I am forced to enter the car market prematurely. Sigh. Of course, I have to walk the talk (or drive the talk) and seriously consider purchasing a hybrid. The fact that a magnet of a red Toyota Prius has graced a spot on my refrigerator for the past three years, is a good indication that I was leaning towards the purchase of a hybrid in the first place. Fortunately for me, the best deal so far that I have found is on a spicy tomato red 2010 Prius. I was also considering the sporty new Honda CR-Z hybrid (my son was really lobbying for this one), but passed for several reasons. The first is that as a gardener, a two seater is not going to work when I'm hauling pots of plants and bags of mulch in the spring and summer, also, the mpg and safety ratings weren't as high as those of the Prius. Lastly, I am not a fan of purchasing new cars which depreciate as soon as you drive them off of the lot. Though, I personally would have preferred to purchase a vehicle with Honda, given its efforts to address climate change. So wish me luck as I face the always pleasant (not) task of buying a car. Hopefully, I will post a photo of my new baby soon!

Brooklyn Farm Keeps on Truckin

Brooklyn Farm Keeps on Truckin’ Loving this! Creative spaces for urban gardening.

The Raw Mocha Angel: Applesauce

The Raw Mocha Angel: Applesauce Recipes and insights from a raw sister!

2011: A Green Odyssey

The title of this post is inspired by the Stanley Kubrick film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, that I watched for the first time last night. I know. Flash forward to 2011, and while we may not be on our way to Jupiter, there are some tremendous predictions for designing products and processes that create a cleaner, greener earth that may make the case for going to Jupiter, less pressing. While we have a long way to go towards living in a more eco-conscious world, there is much work to be done towards reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, eliminating wasteful processes and valuing natural services, I am seeing the signs of a green awakening everywhere. In 2010, a day did not pass without witnessing evidence of more sustainable business practices and green consumer goods. A really wild example came from a recruiting mailer addressed to my teen son, which exclusively highlighted the variety of sustainable practices and career opportunities of the sender. There was even an offer for an eco-friendly tote bag or t-shirt if he went online to request more information. Did this come from Peace Corp? Greenpeace? The Sierra Club? The EPA? No. It was a recruiting mailer from the National Guard! Wow. When the National Guard starts to go green, big things are poppin'. Either that or someone has a really targeted, on the money, marketing database. Could be both, given the times. But, I digress. The federal government, Wal-mart and other large corporations are evaluating the sustainable business practices of their suppliers and to various degrees, awarding business to the most environmentally friendly vendors. Packaging is shrinking and more often than not, highlighting the amount of recycled content, or sustainable forestry practices. Restaurants are buying produce and foods from local farmers and artisans,  and are using more non-styrofoam takeout boxes. Colleges are touting their green buildings and earth friendly practices, in addition to their sustainable business, alternative energy and sustainable agriculture degree programs. Go Bucks! Grocery stores and drug stores have a wider selection of organic, fair trade and eco-friendly product options. Urban eyesores are being converted to urban edens. I have yet to see a new construction project in my city that was not LEED certified and even existing office buildings are vying for the title of "most energy efficient" by pursuing Energy Star certification. It's beautiful. This progress flies in the face of all the outright lies that have been told about "job killing" climate change intiatives and ignorance displayed in 2010. There will be a big push to maintain the status quo in 2011, it will be a challenging journey on the path leading to a cleaner, greener, friendlier world. HAL 9000 is among us, but the momentum is on the side of change, so let's grab our helmets and go into hyperdrive by speaking out and up for ourselves and for those unable to advocate for themselves, buying green, living consciously and intentionally.

Thank you for role in making 2010 a greener year!

A Green Year In Review: 2010 Personal Green Goals

Banker Appropriate Fair Trade Earrings

It's that time of year again. Time to look back once last time to evaluate your progress in achieving those milestones that you set for yourself. Here are my 2010 green goals and my scorecard of achievement:

1. Take the bus to work once a week. Nope. Maybe $5 gallon gas will do the trick.
2. 20% clothing purchases from thrift, 20% fair trade or organic. I definitely achieved this goal for my casual clothing purchases, but didn't do such a great job for work related clothing items. Now that I'm in a less formal work environment, this should be easier to achieve. I have also found some nice work related options from an awesome fair trade store called Revive. The good news is that there are more fair trade shopping options available and more traditional fashion sites are offering vintage options. Check out http://www.freepeople.com/ and Modcloth to see for yourself.
3. Obtain LEED Accreditation. Decided against this one for now, too narrowly focused (green buildings), though the LEED for Neighborhoods is interesting. I'm going to investigate some certifications in other sustainable areas, such as business operations or urban agriculture, given my passions for entrepreneurship and gardening.
4. Green renovations for the bathroom. No. Unexpected auto maintenance expenses, nixed this one, but I'm hopeful for this year! Any ideas?
5. Energy Star appliances. See number four.
6. Apply permaculture principles to the garden. Of course! This was easy. My broccoli  and arugula didn't fare so well, but my curbside figs were awesome. This year, I should see the first harvest from the blackberry vine I planted. Pie anyone?
7. Host green events. I did incorporate a green business panel discussion for the Women's Economic Development Trade Show I co-chaired. It was very well received.
8. Promote Power of Place Based Education Principles. Got the ball rolling. Introduced the concept to our local US Green Building Council Green Schools Action Circle. Would like to expand upon this in 2011.
9. Act as a green coach to an African American business. Yes, Though one could say it was more about providing marketing coaching to a green business. A friend of mine launched the Summerville Farmers Market in Cincinnati's Avondale neighborhood last year. She did okay, but didn't start working on getting farmers until June, which is way too late. She needs to start looking for farmers, right...about...now. I suggested that she work with her local chapter of the Urban League to help her put together a solid business plan. I'm also going to suggest that she develop an internship program, so that she can get some help from local able bodied college students pursuing sustainable agriculture, marketing or urban planning degrees.
10. Make Five Green Business Presentations. 20% hit ratio on that one, but based on the number of green businesses I encounter in my new profession, our folks are keen on sustainable enterprise. I decided to concentrate my efforts on finding a new career, but God blessed me with a two-fer! How amazing is that?!

So, while I didn't hit all of my milestones, I did meet many of the key goals that I set and built a path towards even greater green successes in 2011. How did you do with your green goals for 2010? What were your obstacles, motivators? What are your green goals for 2011? I haven't finalized mine yet, but you will be the first to know, when I have them.

Happy New Year!

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

Household Cleaning Products May Increase Breast Cancer Risk

Household Cleaning Products May Increase Breast Cancer Risk Today is the last day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I figure I better get my two cents in. This great article, complete with recommendations for alternatives, does a great job in presenting the connection between breast cancer and household cleaning products. A study revealed that women that are heavy users of household cleaning products can have twice the rates of breast cancer than their peers that were not heavy users. Remember that many black women suffer from a more aggressive and fatal form of breast cancer than other women and are often younger when attacked by this ugly disease. So please pass the word on. A good idea, would be to make up some pretty bottles of the alternative cleaners and give them as holiday gifts to friends and family.

Beat Bad Air Days

Beat Bad Air Days Don't break out those candles just yet!

Give The Gift That Gives Back: Fair Trade Gift Baskets

The InterReligious Task Force on Central America is taking orders for fair trade gift baskets which will be deliverd during the upcoming holiday season. These baskets are an innocuous way to introduce high quality fair trade goods to your family, friends, teachers, associates and clients.The gifts support small farmers in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Click here for an order form. If you are in CTown (Cleveland) on October 9th, stop by John Carroll University to meet fair trade vendors, farmers, supporters and advocates in person at the Ohio Fair Trade Expo.

How Women Use Social Media to Practice Conscious Living

Tune in to "Sisterhood: The Blog Radio" on Monday, September 13th, 9pm EST to listen to a panel of amazing women discuss how they use social media to practice conscious living. Topics discussed will include, healthy living yoga, reiki, massage, holistic practices, physical fitness, spirituality, life coaching, vegetarianism, veganism and green living. Click here for additional details.

Fair Trade Fashions

Check me out with my fair trade gear - earrings, a skirt from Uganda and a comfy top from Nepal. There is a store in Cleveland called Revive, which sells nothing but fair trade goods. Merchandise includes clothing, cosmetics (including Alaffia), accessories, home goods and coffees/chocolates. I love shopping there! The selection reminds me of items I would normally find in Anthropologie, but I don't have to read labels. I have the satisfaction of knowing that a fair wage was received by the employees and women are being lifted out of poverty and gaining economic independence. I feel good about wearing these fashions, drinking this coffee and eating this chocolate.  By the way, I read that a large coffee company is looking at incorporating fair wage principles into its business model. This is why I try to shop with my conscious, because eventually big business catches wind and the practices go mainstream - improving the lives of individuals around the world. Back to the fashions.....

Made in Bali, supports gender equity and prohibits exploitation of women and children.

Top from Nepal and tiered knit skirt from Uganda.

Made in Nepal, where workers receive living wage, vacation and work in a clean, healthy environment.

Created by artisans in Gulu, Uganda. Made with style, comfort and versatility as design principles.

Federal Agencies Greening It Up: Impacts To Your Bottom Line

The White House is doing more than planting organic gardens in its efforts to green America. Agencies are incorporating solar technology, green computing, waste reduction and other sustainable business efforts in their operating models in an effort to save taxpayer dollars and reduce impacts to our planet. Soooo, how does this impact you? Beyond better returns on your mandatory investment of tax dollars and preservation of our earth's essential for living resources, if you bid on government contracts or want to bid on government contracts, you may need to "green" your business. Many agencies are now required to incorporate green products into their purchases or evaluate the sustainability efforts bidding contractors. So going green or not, could impact your bottom line.  My father was recently invited to the White House to discuss his role in the development of a community garden in the middle of a Cleveland metropolitian housing complex aka "the projects". We believe it was this particular type of project got caught the attention of his contact and earned him this invitation. So green, not greed - is good. Click here to get a leg up on how you can leverage your triple bottom line efforts and improve your chances of winning a government contract.

More Banking News: Environmental Risks Getting More Scrutiny in Finance

Though there is a loooong way to go, banks are starting to give greater weight to environmental risks in evaluating credit requests. There has always been a level of scrutiny given to certain environmental risks in real estate lending projects, primarily around the area of potential pollutants specific to the site: asbestos, toxic chemicals and other ground contaminants. In today's environment, with more groups advocating for improved corporate social responsibility, increased sensitivity of consumers to environmentally-correct choices and investors showing greater concerns for the risks inherent in specific environmental practices, banks are slowing realizing that these are issues that need to be considered in weighing the profitability of specific types of financing. Wells Fargo is the most recent U.S. bank to reduce it's exposures to companies engaging in the environmentally damaging practice of mountain top removal of coal. Read here to see if your bank is among the other large financial institutions that have taken this stance.

Banks You Can Really Love: Radical Isn't It?

Usually the words radical and banking aren't used in the same sentence, so as a banker, I was intrigued when I saw this article titled "Are you ready for a radically sustainable bank?" on LinkedIn today. As you can imagine, banking is a pretty conservative profession, so radical is not a concept that would be eagerly greeted in many bank meetings. Things are slowly changing. As bankers start to realize that more customers are concerned about the environment, the local economy and human rights, some banks have begun leading using social consciousness as a driver of profits. These banks focus not only on the bottom line, but the triple bottom line - people, planets and profits. They try to be transparent in their operations, reward clients for shopping consciously and give preferential pricing to businesses that apply eco-conscious supply chain management techniques. Doing good, will beget great results - I can't wait for the IPO!

6 tips for taking control in media interviews

6 tips for taking control in media interviews In an effort to be prepared for any interview requests related to the farmer's market press release I wrote, I thought it would be wise to get some media training tips and share them with you. BP Oil probably should have read these, right?