Archive for the ‘Business’ Category

Wind and Solar are ahead of coal in more than ways than one.

Written by Mike Pisauro on February 17th, 2009 in Business, Renewable Energy, Solar, Sustainability, Wind | No Comments »

Everyone is talking about renewable energy.  Renewable energy is part of the Obama administration’s plan  and part of the stimulus plan.  Renewable energy is front and center to the State’s energy master plan and its Global Warming Response Act.  Well, wind and solar energy is also a major employer and economic driver.    I saw a couple of days ago over at Renewable + Law that wind and solar employees more people than the coal industry.

That is fairly amazing considering on how little electricity the country generates from renewables compared to the almost 50% from coal.  It does mean that by investing in renewables government will be driving employment.  I hope this also means that are at a tipping point away from fossil fuels and moving towards a more sustainable manner for generating energy.

Hopewell Valley Green Market on Sat 10-18

Written by Mike Pisauro on October 16th, 2008 in Business, Global Warming, Sustainability | No Comments »

This Sat, Oct. 18th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Hopewell Valley Green Market will be having their first event.  The prime mover of the market is Tom Adelman.  The goal of the event is to demonstate to people some of the green options there are available.  Also to educate people and businesses how we all have an effect on the environment and the little and not so little things we can do to minimize that effect.  How we all can take just a little bit out of the major issue of our day: global warming.

This is an amazing demonstration of the old adage of “think global act local”  The market is presenting an opportunity for people to learn of the options that are available to them right in their backyard.  By bringing together merchants to display their “green” products it also provides an opportunity to cut through an amazing amount of green hype and greenwashing.

It is also an amazing demonstration of what a few energetic people can do.  I had been wondering with the faultering economy whether people’s environmental interests would wane and whether there really was a committment by the general population to a healthy environment.  The Hopewell Valley business community has clearly risen to the occassion and have shown their support.

For more information on the event go to their website (here).  I hope to see you there.

Green Business in our Backyards

Written by Mike Pisauro on July 7th, 2008 in Business, Recycling, Sustainability | No Comments »

Over the last year or so going Green has become very trendy and markety. The general public is beginning to demand that their products not only work effectively but the products do not harm the environment in their use or manufacture. Some businesses are greener than others. Some businesses merely claim to be green while in reality they are not. These businesses are engaged in greenwashing.

For a business that is truly green and engaged in sustainability we only have to look to the State’s capital and TerraCycle. TerraCycle’s original product is to take garbage, allow nature to take its course, then use the resulting “worm poop” (their words not mine) and sell it as liquid plant food. TerraCycle then takes the idea of reuse and recycle by packaging their worm poop in used soda bottles.

TerraCycle has started a new program in conjunction with Kraft Foods. TerraCycle has begun collecting the wrappers from juice pouches, yorgurt containers, cliff energy bar wrappers, oreo cooking wrappers, etc. TerrayCycle will donate 2 cents for each wrapper and the program is funded by Kraft. TerraCycle then takes the wrappers and pouches and turns them into school folders, lunch boxes and backpacks.

TerraCycle is a great example of a company that is helping reduce our impact on the environment. Not only are they taking garbage out of the waste stream therefore reducing what is going into our landfills, the company is then reusing these products. For more information on TerraCycle go to their website.