All Articles Tagged "going green"
Green Jobs Gain Popularity In The Market: How You Can Plant A Seed In This Job Sector
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From sustainable and renewable energy causes to environmental health and recycling, going green encompasses multiple areas of how we live on a daily basis. The green movement is increasingly becoming implemented in many towns and areas, with recycling requirements for home-dwellers to surcharges for plastic shopping bags at your local stores.
This environmental movement is also growing economically, becoming an increasingly popular job sector in today’s job market.According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, three quarters of American businesses establishments reported the use of at least one green technology or practice. With this, there is a need for green workers in small and major companies, public and private sectors and even on Capitol Hill.
Happy Earth Day! Ten Eco-Friendly And Natural Products We Love
PETA activists in India dress up for Earth Day. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)
Remember the time of old-fashioned home cleanings in bleach, slicking back our ponytails in Ampro Pro Style gel and cooking our grandma’s best recipes in Crisco? When Earth Day, recycling, or buying more eco-friendly products never crossed our minds (or our neighborhood stores)? In 2013, there are various ways to help out your environment with a plethora of products that could help the Earth and possibly your health.
In celebration of Earth Day (check out the special Google Doodle for today), MN Biz rounds up ten eco-friendly products we love on our heads, in our homes, and on our plates. Enjoy!
In Our Own Backyard: Nine African-American Environmentalists Who Changed Our Community’s Landscape
African Americans are at the forefront of today’s environmental issue, actively seeking ways to improve and break ground (literally). And not all environmentalists are tree-hugging, burlap-wearing hippies.
Whether it’s through the African-American Environmentalist Association that aims to educate the Black community on the issues of the environment today or through community service in our own backyards, African Americans have been giving their time, talent and legacies in order to close the racial divide in environmental activism.
We recognize these nine African-American environmentalists for their contributions to the health of our community and Earth as a whole.
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African-American Environmentalist Association, African-American Heritage Collection, agriculture, Blair Bedford, clean, Dr. Shemuel B. Israel, earth day, energy bill, environment, Environmental Protection Agency, George Washington Carver, Global Warming Treaty, going green, green for all, Green Jobs Act, Green Worker Cooperatives, health, jerome ringo, lisa jackson, Madame Noire Business, Michael Twitty, National Wildlife Federation, Norris McDonald, North Lawndale Greening Committee, Omar Freilla, Stephen Bishop, van jones, worldA Cloud Over The Community: Pollution’s Impact On Our Health And What You Can Do
Caring about everyday issues like pollution, contaminated water and the environment seem fairly new, insignificant, and sometimes unimportant in the Black community overall, but it’s making more of an impact on this community than any other.
Recent studies and statistics from the Center for American Progress conclude that many physical ailments in the African-American community, like asthma, diabetes and lung cancer, are due to air and trash pollution and power plants, and the rates of those illnesses are very disproportionate compared to other communities.
The Center for American Progress reported that for many people of color, including Hispanic Americans, air pollution is an “unavoidable feature of daily life because they are more likely to live and work in the nation’s most polluted cities.” In a study conducted nationally, only 56 percent of the white population lives within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant, plants which lead to related illnesses like asthma and lung disease. This was compared to a dramatic 68 percent of African-Americans.
In addition, Hispanics and African-Americans are more likely to reside near facilities that contain wastes that are harmful and full of pollutants: “Arsenic (used commercially as a rat poison) and lead are among the toxic chemicals that may be concentrated at these sites.”
Accessibility to medical care and health insurance also plays a role in this disparity. According to the research:
“Existing health disparities and high uninsured rates among communities of color compound these health consequences. Racial and ethnic minorities make up a majority of the 50 million Americans who are uninsured, despite constituting only about one-third of the U.S. population. These high uninsured rates mean that the very same populations imperiled by environmental toxins may be unable to obtain necessary medical care.”
Although these statistics look grim, small changes in the community are all we need to start taking care of this issue head on. Although new EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) rules will help these communities breathe easier, making your home more green and environmentally-friendly could make the real difference in your family’s overall health. They might not get rid of all the pollution and dangers outside, but caring more about the environment, starting within your own home, could do wonders for your health, save you money and a lot more. Start with these three simple steps that could have a major positive impact, if you haven’t already started:
Recycle: Recycling old cardboard, glass, cans, paper and plastic are very easy and safer for your community than just throwing everything away in the same trash. Use recyclable bins or plastic bags to gather up these materials. You could even make this task into a chore that is family friendly, labeling bins for each material to keep them separate.
Use Energy Wisely: Power plants thrive off the amount of energy we use, so turn off (and unplug) energy-draining appliances like your phone charger when it’s not in use. You’d be surprised how many appliances are always plugged into outlets and aren’t connected to a product, but still are sucking up electricity. This is making your bill higher and wasting currency.
Be H2O Friendly: Encourage your family to turn off water when not in-use during forgettable moments like taking a shower, brushing your teeth or washing the dishes. If you are not directly using it, turn it off for the moment.
Enthusiasm over going green should not be labeled to one group of people because it impacts us all, most of all, people of color. We must change the way we see our ways of living, which are embedded within our culture, and allow those rituals to change with the times, for our health’s sake. Caring for our environment and community of color is one big step towards ensuring our health and longevity.
How do you care for the environment?
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The Greenest Black People We Know
In honor of Earth Day, theGrio.com is honoring some of our favorite artists, celebrities and public figures who’ve dedicated themselves to living the green lifestyle.
See who made the list, and how they feel about the environment. You might be surprised to see who made it.
Tips on Going Green
(Green Celebrity Network) — As we approach a new era, in order to make the earth a better place and save the great Mother Nature that we all have grown to rely, we must learn to make our lives more sustainable and renewable. There are many ways to accomplish this without breaking our wallets for the New Year in 2011 and beyond. The following green lifestyle tips are ones that we recommend to all our green business customers — any anyone else who has common sense and cares enough about our planet’s future to listen. The first problem this world is facing is water conservation. Water is wasted daily on things that affect our lives.
Go Green and Save Money
(The Network Journal) — America’s economic ills have caused many citizens to tighten their belts and think about their spending habits. While cutting back is always a challenge, there are many simple lifestyle changes that everyone can make to save money. Luckily, many of these debt-reducing adjustments will not only improve the shape of your wallet but the environment as well.
One of the easiest ways you can cut spending and go green is by altering your food and beverage routine. Start first thing in the morning by foregoing the popular coffee shop and making your own brew at home.
Saving Money With Solar Panels
(Wija.com) – One company says solar technology is actually better than electricity at capturing and generating heat for water heaters. The CEO of Skyline Innovations says his company works like a hot water utility. The solar panels on the roof of a building heat giant tubs of water in the basement. That saves customers from having to use a traditional water heater and therefore, helps them save on their utility bills.
New York City Revs Up for Plug-Ins
(New York Times) — New York City has just unveiled the first of about 100 electric vehicle charging stations to be installed under a national program that aims to have nine metropolitan regions ready when automakers begin rolling out some electric vehicles later this year.
Black and Thinking Green
(Moms of Hue) — Thanks to the attention given to the environmental movement by celebrities and Fortune 500 companies, going green has become quite mainstream in our conversations. However, Hollywood and Wallstreet aren’t the sole reason that environmentalism has been thrust into our common dialogue. It’s efforts by consumers and everyday chatter at the kitchen table or the water cooler that have played the most integral part in leading the green discussion.
