Community Garden Palooza!

About the Farm - Case University Farm Today I am on my way out one of my two community garden plots. First time every working a community garden plot and I have to have two, right? See what had happened was (smile), I had committed to a $10 allotment in my neighborhood's garden for the year, when a work associate and friend asked me to work with her in her very large university owned community garden plot, which at 20 by 30 feet, is huge in comparison to mine (5 by 8 feet). Being such a loyal friend and citizen, I decided to try to swing both. So we will see. Today I am off to purchase some plants for both and visit the university garden. I will come back with lots of pics!

Check out Reimagine Money: The Podcast | RSF Social Finance

For those of you considering using your business and organizing skills to impact the triple bottom line:

I want you to take a look at: Reimagine Money: The Podcast | RSF Social Finance. RSF Finance provides resources to social entrepreneurs.

Organic Industry Surpasses $30 Billion Threshold in 2011

Organic Industry Surpasses $30 Billion Threshold in 2011 Great news for organic goods! Lots of people want them, in fact 73% of households buy organic goods.

The EPA Wishes You a Happy Earth Day Everyday

Loans and Equity for Green Business: Natural Capital Investment Fund

About Our Triple Bottom-Line Approach | Natural Capital Investment Fund As a former banker, I am intrigued by the concept of triple bottom line (people, planet, profit) loan underwriting. If you have a green business in one of the states that the Natural Capital Investment Fund operates out of, you should give this organization a call. Also, check out The Shade Fund, a source of capital for both sustainably minded entrepreneurs and non-profits. If you operate a green and sustainable business in Georgia, you are really in luck! The Georgia Green Loan Fund makes loans to green businesses for up to $50,000.

Van Jones on Rebuilding the American Dream, One Story at a Time | OnEarth Magazine

Van Jones on Rebuilding the American Dream, One Story at a Time | OnEarth Magazine

Black and Green Love: Ideas for Finding that Soulmate

Photo from www.bokiwallpapers.com Cool right?

Just came across a blog called AfroDaddy.com:The Black Man's Survival Guide when I was doing a search on black and into green (green as in liking to eat vegetables vs meat) dating sites. Why was I looking for this category? I noticed in my blog traffic that lots of folks seem to be looking for places to connect with like minded vegans and vegetarians on the internet, based on the popularity of a post I did a couple of years ago on dating sites. So I was thinking, give the people what they want and found this great post by AfroDaddy. So AfroDaddy, did a great job of compiling a list of African American centered sites in this category and one of them was a site called Napturals (cool right) - unfortunately, it is no longer in existence. So for now, for all of you crunchies looking for green love on the internet, you will have to stay with the tried and true as noted in my previous posts on the matter. My theory is that you should get out of the house and get involved with issues, organizations and activities that you care about, whether it be activism, community gardening, blogging, cycling, running, art - whatever. Travel via Megabus or carpool to conferences like Blogging While Brown , Black Ivy Alumni League and Urban Farming or events in other cities (Caribana, Taste of Chicago) to expand your horizons. Sell your art, pies, sauces, greens, personal care products at the neighborhood farmers market.  Another option is to create your own event or workshop in a marquee event and invite some eligibles to attend - sounds fun right? You may not find love right away, but life will love you back and you will feel great about all of the wonderful folks you will meet on the way. What are you doing to find that special someone? Your fellow Black and Into Green crunchies need to know!

Green Business: Building Your Foundation

Building Your Foundation I am blessed to work everyday with innovators and entrepreneurs committed to following their passions. What's even more exciting is that many of these amazing folks are working on green and environmentally friendly innovations and it's my job to help them to be successful. Perhaps you have been interested in pursuing an entrepreneurial passion, there are lots of resources available to improve your understanding of what's needed to be a successful businessperson or social entrepreneur. I attended a session today on entrepreneurship that was organized by the Cleveland chapter of the Black MBA's. The knowledge today that is being shared is phenomenal! Looking for resources in your community? Start with the business departments of your local university, chapter of Black or Hispanic MBA's, economic development organization, Senator's office (see the Write Your Rep section of this blog), the Urban League or Small Business Administration. If you are interested in starting a business that will benefit humankind, checkout this article and this one on social entrepreneurship. No luck there? Shoot me an email at BN2G00@gmail.com. Some of the recommended books to read to prepare your mindset for the world of leadership, per the panelists and a few I tossed in:

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Seven Habits of Effective Leaders by Steven Covey
The Art of The Start by Guy Kawasaki
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
75 Green Businesses You Can Start to Make Money and Make a Difference

So there you go, and I don't have to tell you to incorporate sustainable business practices into your business model and operations.

Peace.

Pan African Movie: Official Movie Trailer for Lucky (2011-2012)

Official Movie Trailer for Lucky (2011-2012) It pays to give, often in unexpected ways. I am a volunteer for a fair trade retailer called Ten Thousand Villages (one of the World's Most Ethical Companies), which promotes and markets products made by artisan groups in over 30 countries. I was invited to help out at our table prior to the showing of a movie called Lucky at the Cleveland International Film Festival today. Not only did I meet some really cool and interesting people (Hi Mel from Brazil), but I had the wonderful experience of enjoying a wonderful and and emotional movie about an evolving relationship between a young Zulu boy mourning the loss of his mother and a bigoted Indian senior citizen. Click on the link above for a preview. If you have never attended an international film festival, don't miss out. Get your tickets early and enjoy an eclectic range of movies and be carried away - which was the theme of our festival by the way. I understand why.

Outreach and Development Manager, Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance

Outreach and Development Manager, Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance

National Public Health Week 2012: How to become engaged in National Public Health We...

National Public Health Week 2012: How to become engaged in National Public Health We...: National Public Health Week is a great opportunity to show your commitment to public health. So, just how can you get involved in this aware...

Earth Friendly Green Easter Ideas

Easter or Resurrection Day is around the corner! Since my baby is a little to old for Easter baskets these days, I'm sharing some of my old posts on greening your Easter for those of you with little loved ones who celebrate the holiday. Here you go!

Use God's garden gifts to grace your baskets

Fair Trade Chocolate is a great way to celebrate the Resurrection

Purchase unique gifts and Easter fashions from vintage or thrift stores

Amazing Vegan Recipes: Pistachio Butter

I subscribe to a blog called "A Profound Hatred of Meat" by Carly Crisisx and it really should be labeled "A Profound Love of Vegetables and Grains", because you will go broke wanting to try all of her delicious and relatively recipes! Her pics of the goods are so enticing and the food takes vegan cuisine up a few notches. I am sharing a pistachio butter recipe, that also happens to be raw, that she posted recently here.

Green Jobs: 2012 Paid Internships, International Council on Clean Transportation

2012 Paid Internships, International Council on Clean Transportation

Lisa P. Jackson: Call In Day on Clean Air Act

Feel free to join this call:


EPA Proposes First Carbon Pollution Standard for New Power Plants

Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first Clean Air Act standard for carbon pollution from new power plants. EPA’s proposed standard reflects the ongoing trend in the power sector toward building cleaner plants that take advantage of modern technologies to limit harmful carbon pollution to help provide the critical health protections American families deserve.

EPA is taking another step to address greenhouse gas pollution from the largest uncontrolled sources. On Wednesday, March 27nd at 1:00 p.m., you are invited to participate in a special stakeholder briefing with Administrator Lisa P. Jackson and Assistant Administrator for the Office of Air & Radiation, Gina McCarthy for this important Clean Air Act regulation announcement.

Please see the information below for joining this call.

Join Us…

Date: Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Time: 1:00 p.m. EDT

Toll-Free Dial-In Number: (877) 290-8017

Conference ID: 66377125

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Environmental Sustainability Communications Professionals, Powell Tate

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Environmental Sustainability Communications Professionals, Powell Tate

Nestle Easter Eggs’ 100% Recyclable Packaging Saves 726 Tons of Plastic Waste · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader

Nestle Easter Eggs’ 100% Recyclable Packaging Saves 726 Tons of Plastic Waste · Environmental Management & Energy News · Environmental Leader Happy Easter! Great first steps, primarily driven by NGO and shareholder activism. Now let's work on eliminating child labor in chocolate products. Buy Fair Trade chocolate for Easter!

Green Mountain College and the Ultimate Closed Loop System

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/03/19/green-mountain-college-to-buy-back-its-own-recyclables-under-closed-loop-system/ Very cool.

Chicago: Green Jewel of the Midwest

Green Chicago: Green Restaurants Hey Black and Into Green People! I'm in the amazing city of Chicago for a few days and loving it! I'm pretty proud of myself, because I took the Megabus here for a really green and cheap transportation option.You could not ask for 60 degree weather and sunny days in March in ChiCity and expect to get, but I got it! Spending time hanging out with my wonderful son, who is just maturing so nicely into the young man that I prayed for. He just finished finals for winter quarter at DePaul U. (one of the greenest colleges in the country) and we are going to hang out for a bit. On the agenda so far (very fluid):

• Dine at some of the restaurants on the Green Chicago list
• Enjoy some raw food at Karyn's
• Vintage clothing shopping (more for him as I can only get so much back on the Megabus)
• A trip to the Field Museum of Natural History
• Go for a run to the lake

Have you been to Chicago? What suggestions do you have for cool and green activities?

I hope you are doing something fun to enjoy spring this week.

Au revoir, mes amies!

Charity goes after African rebel leader with ’KONY 2012’ video

Charity goes after African rebel leader with ’KONY 2012’ video Now this is where art meets activism.

Lego Builds the Green Economy with Wind Farm Investment

Remember Lego? It's Taking a Big Stake in Offshore Wind A few months ago my son, Michael, wrote a blog post about Greenpeace's efforts to encourage the iconic Denmark toymaker, Lego, to sever its ties with Asian Pulp and Paper Company. This company had been accused of contributing to the deforestation of the Indonesian rainforest. Apparently, Lego is really getting into the whole green economy concept, as it just made a $534 million investment into a wind farm. The energy from this farm will eventually power all of its operations through 2020. This is the first time that a corporation has taken such a large stake in a wind farm (32%). Check out the new LEGO Friends products which are tailored towards the interest of boys and girls. Now that's what I call building the green economy.

Green Job: Roots of Success and At-Risk Youth

Operations Manager, Roots of Success Wow! You get to work with at-risk youth to help them with critical thinking, problem solving and academic skills using an "empowering environmental education program. West Berkley, California.

Green For All and Howard University Announce “Green is the New Black” a Symposium for Young African-American Adults and the Green Economy — Green For All

Green For All and Howard University Announce “Green is the New Black” a Symposium for Young African-American Adults and the Green Economy — Green For All I love the way that the eco-justice and eco-jobs organization, Green For All, is reaching out to HBCU's to spread the green love. Did anyone attend this event last night?

NRDC: Get Paid to Defend the Environment

NRDC: Working at NRDC Since I'm on this green job roll, I want to share one of my favorite environmental organizations, The Natural Resources Defense Council. Wow! What a concept, earning a living to defend God's earth. (We are supposed to do this without get paid, but that's another story). This organization was founded in the 70's and has offices in D.C., China, San Francisco, New York and Chicago. I would love to work there and/or for my son to work there, given his area of interest and Chicago location. Anyway, it was named as one of the top 50 non-profits to work for, has a huge budget (important if you work for a non-profit) and offers internships, externships and volunteer opportunities.

Paid Enivironmental Internship, RESOLVE

Solutions Internship, RESOLVE to refer this paid internship with a firm that addresses environmental and health issues in divers communities, to a friend or professor.

Available Positions | Jobs at Environment America

Available Positions Jobs at Environment America Green Jobapalooza this week!