So what is your stance on the Occupy movement going on across the Country?

There are parts that I agree with and parts I don’t. I agree that we have a lot of greedy people in upper management of several of the largest corporations. I agree that the wealthy should pay their fair share of taxes. But I also think that lumping all of the rich or all of upper management into the same group is not fair. There are a lot of rich or CEO’s that give back to the less fortunate and employees. Not everyone has what it takes to run a large corporation, create a startup business or create great wealth. Having a dream of making it big, owning your own business or being the CEO of a major company is what America is all about. We need to keep some sort of reward for working hard to achieve more.

So where are you on this? Do you want to be rewarded for your success or do you want to continue working for someone else to help them become successful? Do you want to step out on your own and create the life of your dreams? If you don’t have a reward for working hard why would you do it? This is what separates the classes not money. Having wealth is the reward for hard work and success. Not having wealth is the reward for holding yourself back, not pushing for your dream or allowing others to dictate our lives. Having wealth should not be a bad thing.

Now have I made you think? Where are you in the whole scheme of what I have been talking about? I can hear it now, I don’t have money to start a business, I never get opportunities to make more money, the economy is what is keeping me back, people can’t make money in this economy and I could go on. These are excuses and you can make excuses or make your life successful.

What if I told you that you could start a business for less than $200, would this interest you? What if the business was teachable to anyone willing to work hard, would this interest you? What if you could help small businesses get more customers while giving these customers great discounts? Isn’t that what everyone wants? What if you could start your business while still working so you don’t lose your income, would this make your decision more secure? What if you could increase your income year after year and not have to ask for a raise? All of these things are possible and can be available right now.

So again where do you stand on Occupy? Do you want to live in a park in your own city or step out of your rut and make a difference in your life? Do you want to be rewarded for hard work or just complain about the economy, your job or the government? It is time for people of this country to take it back by hard work and success.

If you think you have what it takes to change your life, e-mail me and tell me why and I will send you more information. There is absolutely to cost in learning how you could change your life.

qnanzaaa@gmail.com

As you can see i have not written for quite some time. This past year has been very difficult for me. I work in the building material business and it has been a struggle the past year. On top of all of the work and financial stress, I am going through a divorce. Well life moves on and I plan on getting some great articles back on this site.

Thanks to all the reader and good comments.

In this tough economy we all are looking for ways to save money. I have run across this internet coupon company, much greener, no mailers that just waste paper. It is free to sign up, so check it out.

http://choosesavingsnow.com/qnanzaaa

It has been a while since I posted to my blog, life has been a little heck tic, but it is time to back in the swing of things. I am in the process of getting signed up to take the LEED certification class. I have been named the designated Green Expert within the company I work for. I have the NAHB CGP certification and need to get the LEED certification.

I will be doing a series of training with our sales force in the near future.

I want to take this time and thank all the people that read the information I post here on my blog. I hope you find my subjects interesting.

I hope you all have a great year and continue to push for a Greener Future.

This is an article from ECOHOME

New study shatters stereotypes of what motivates buyers.

A new national study of green consumers contradicts several long-held stereotypes about them: The environment is not their top concern, their kids are not influencing them to be green, and while many know what they should do to save the planet, they often don’t do it.

As a result, marketing messages aimed at this group often fall on deaf ears, says Suzanne Shelton, whose Knoxville, Tenn., firm, Shelton Group, conducted the study.

“Most green advertising is created as if there’s one pool of green consumers and they’re all motivated by ‘Save the planet!’ messaging,” Shelton says. “We need a revolution in this thinking. Not all green consumers are the same, they’re not all motivated by the same messages, and they’re not all inclined to buy only green products.”

Released Aug. 21, the Green Living Pulse study polled 1,007 U.S. consumers who at least occasionally buy green products (77% of the population) and found there is no typical “green consumer.”

The study discovered six myths about this group:

Myth 1: Green consumers’ top concern is the environment.
When asked to identify their top concern, the economy, by far, is No. 1 (with 59% calling it their top concern) and the environment falls far behind (8%).

Myth 2: Green consumers’ main motivation when reducing their energy use is to save the planet.
When asked the most important reason to reduce energy consumption, 73% chose “to reduce my bills/control costs” and only 26% chose “to lessen my impact on the environment.”

Myth 3: Green consumers are all-knowledgeable about environmental issues.
For example, the survey asked, “From what you have read or heard about CO2 (carbon dioxide), please place a check beside any of the following statements you think are true.”  Almost half (49%) chose the incorrect answer, “It depletes the ozone layer.”

Myth 4: Green consumers fall into a simple demographic profile.
While the study detected some demographic tendencies, it found that green consumers aren’t easily defined by their age, income, or ethnicity.

Myth 5: Children play a big part in influencing their parents to be green.
Only 20% of respondents with children said their kids encouraged them to be greener by, for example, promoting recycling and turning off lights.

Myth 6:  If buyers just knew the facts they’d make greener choices.
The study showed that knowledge does not always lead to eco-conscious behavior. Individuals who answered all of the science-related questions correctly did report participating in a significantly higher average number of green activities, such as driving a fuel-efficient car or lowering their thermostat during the winter; however, the 25- to 34-year-old age group consistently answered the questions correctly, yet, on average, this group’s green activity levels were lower than those of older respondents.

“Because green consumers are being stereotyped, and these myths we tested are embraced by marketers as facts, many green messages are falling on deaf ears,” Shelton says. “If these messages were better targeted, more people would be buying green products, conserving electricity, and doing more to save the planet.”

Jennifer Goodman is Senior Editor Online for EcoHome.

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release

July 13, 2009

America.gov Launches “Greening the Empire State Building” Video

Highlighting the Energy-Saving Retrofit of America’s Most Iconic Building

July 13, 2009 – Washington, DC – The iconic Empire State Building is going green – retrofitting its existing structure with today’s most efficient technology to reduce the building’s energy consumption by 38-percent.  Through a series of upgrades – replacing windows, integrating smart light systems, upgrading heating and cooling systems, and more – the building seeks to become LEED certified Gold.  With a budget of $13.2 million resulting in annual energy savings of $4.4 million, the project will pay for itself in three years.

The key team behind the project includes the Rocky Mountain Institute, Clinton Climate Initiative, Jones Lang LaSalle, Johnson Controls, and the Empire State Building Company.  The team’s goal is to create and demonstrate a retrofit model for large multi-office buildings that can be applied throughout the world.

“Greening the Empire State Building” Video Available for International Distribution

America.gov, the U.S. Department of State’s public diplomacy website, has produced a video highlighting the Empire State Rebuilding project.  The short documentary (02:22), takes an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the retrofit project with examples of commonsense measures being taken to conserve energy.

The video features interviews with Anthony E. Malkin, the owner of the Empire State Building; project executives from Johnson Controls, Jones Lang LaSalle; and building tenant Skanska.  The video also includes an interview with Scot Horst, Executive Vice President of LEED at the U.S. Green Building Council.

>>The video is available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKnxDcIUfdY

June 15, 2009 – Leaders in the movement toward sustainability in housing and other industries told last month’s NAHB Green Building Conference in Dallas that the marketplace is in a period of transition and that home builders should be gearing up to fill demand for energy- and resource-efficient homes.

If builders don’t change on their own, they said, it is likely that the government will come in and force them to build sustainably.
To read the complete article visit NAHB or Click Here
Green Building Signals Big Changes Ahead for Housing

From National Home Builder Association website
Green Building Growing At A Surprising Rate, NAHB Says

Consumers can find a Certified Green Professional, a local green building program and a gallery of certified green homes at www.nahbgreen.org.

The Park City Area Home Builders Association is leading the way with Green Building, within the State of Utah, with a new group called Build Green Utah.

Build Green Utah is leading the state in building homes for the future. As an active program of a Home Builders Association, Build Green Utah is a member-driven organization comprised of proactive builders, architects, and associates that are investing in an environmentally sound, socially supportive, and economically healthy future through a conscientious building industry.

Build Green Utah :

• Provides a standard, recognized third party certification process for green homes in Utah.
• Communicates the ease of integration and the aesthetic value of green building practices.
• Promotes green building and its benefits through builder and consumer education, as well as through collaboration with local governments.
• Ensures the future welfare of our environment, economy and community through a conscious, ethical approach to building.
• Raises awareness and educates the general public about the advantages of green building.
• Strengthens the green building community as a whole, by building a dynamic network of members working toward common goals.

Many more local home builder associations plan on follow a similar program.

Wolseley today announces that it has sold 100% of the shares of Stock Building Supply Holdings LLC (“Stock”) to a joint venture company (“NewCo”) in exchange for 49% of the common equity of NewCo and nominal consideration. The Gores Group, an American investor, will own a majority interest in NewCo and has also committed to making further investments in the business.

Read announcement from Wolsely http://www.wolseley.com

Read Anouncement from Stock Building Supply http://www.stocksupply.com

In the home design and construction world, there many additional responsibilities home owners have. Highly regarded throughout the 20th century, asbestos was the pinnacle of building materials, containing flame resistant and durable qualities that industries sought out. Fueling many aspects of life in the United States, environmental sustainability is on the minds of citizens and those involved in construction in many states.

Potential home buyers, designers or those involved in construction should be aware that homes may contain asbestos and other obsolete methods of construction. This isn’t to make you worried because asbestos exposure is easily prevented by taking simple precautions. There are now many green Eco-friendly design alternatives that replace the need for harmful asbestos and can reduce annual energy costs in the home.

If you find locate asbestos in the home, you shouldn’t panic. Most asbestos that is in good condition does not pose any health risks. Most experts suggest leaving it un-disturbed until an inspector can determine the legitimacy of concerns. Asbestos still regularly appears in roof shingles, dry wall, attic insulation, popcorn ceilings, joint compounds and electrical wires.

Frequent exposure to airborne asbestos fibers may lead to the development of peritoneal mesothelioma, a rare but severe form of asbestos lung cancer. Manufacturers of asbestos were aware of its toxic qualities, but repressed any evidence that demonstrated that. The amount of asbestos incidents has lead to mesothelioma lawyer firms fighting for victim rights. Thousands of workers, citizens and military personnel were wrongfully exposed as a result of the asbestos scandal. This has become known as one of the more formidable cover-ups that took place in the 20th century.

Green better for your health and your pocket

Most people are unaware to the fact that Eco-friendly products can cut energy costs by 25 to 35 % per year. Many cities in the U.S. have created lumberyards which re-store where you can purchase recycled building materials that are authentically strong and inexpensive. Rather than expensive and mal-treated wood, interior walls can be made from steel and concrete, avoiding many of the problems associated with asbestos and other insulation methods. Green alternatives to asbestos include the use of cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose.

Cotton fiber is also becoming a favorite insulation method. Made from recycled batted material, it is then treated to be fireproof. Water based spray polyurethane foam, lcynene, is a healthy insulation which contains no toxic components. These new environmentally-sustainable alternatives create healthier, quieter and more energy efficient homes in the 21st century.

Article Provided By:

Joe Lederman

Mesothelioma Cancer Center

joe@asbestos.com

Blogging has become very popular over the past several years. More major companies are seeing the benefit of company exposure with blogs. In the past many companies had a website created and thought this would draw customers in, but these sites many times just became stagnet. But with blog the content stays fresh and people come back to read new information. This is why I have decided to use blogging to get the word out about Green Building.

Green Building is growing more each day and having good information is very important to getting more people wanting to GO GREEN.

If you want to move your company out in the forefront of the GREEN movement then create your own blog. You don’t have to be tech savvy to get this started. Here is a company that can get you headed in the right direction.
Let Artisteer start your new Blog.

I was shocked to see how easily I can create a WordPress theme with Artisteer. The program is so loaded with features and I can create so many different looks for my WordPress blogs. I am looking forward to all the new features that are on the way.
- Submitted via Artisteer user feedback form

This is one of my Ezine articles. Posted 3-31-09

The home construction and remodeling business is in the worst economic times it as ever been in. Builders, subcontractors, suppliers and workers have or are facing bankruptcy. Layoffs in the building industry are at all time high and not much recovery in sight. Businesses are doing about anything they can to survive. Some very creative advertising is showing up everyday, encouraging people to build or remodel. This desperate advertising is being centered on the new ”American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009”.

On February 17, 2009 President Obama signed the new ”American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” or referring to new energy tax credits. Many have jumped at this to entice people to upgrade to new energy efficient products and earn tax credits back. This plan does provide home owners with some good incentives to upgrade.

President Bush had this energy tax credit in place, which was to end in 2007, but was extended through 2008. The new 2009 plan has many great improvements. Going from a 15% of material rebate in 2007 to a 30% rebate on material in 2009. The new plan increases the rebate from a $500 cap to a %1500 cap. But this is where the home owner needs to read the fine print.

Some of these desperate businesses are advertising that you may be able to get new energy efficient products installed and not have to pay a dime. Now is some cases this may be true but not with all. Installation is not covered with many of the products.

Installation costs ARE COVERED for:

• HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems
• Biomass Stoves
• Water Heaters (including solar)
• Solar Panels
• Geothermal Heat Pumps
• Wind Energy Systems
• Fuel Cells

Installation costs are NOT covered by the tax credit for:

• Windows
• Doors
• Insulation
• Roofs

Now this is just for existing homes upgrading to energy efficient products that pass the Energy Star rating. This is not for new home construction. If you are building a new home, you can qualify for the tax credit for geothermal heat pumps, photovoltaics, solar water heaters, small wind systems and fuel cells, but not the tax credits for windows, doors, insulation, roofs, HVAC, or non-solar water heaters. Builders are eligible for a rebate on new homes that are 50% more energy efficient than the 2004 IECC.

This tax credit is for all products placed in service in 2009 & 2010 for most home improvements, EXCEPT for geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, solar panels, fuel cells, and windmills which are not subject to this cap, and are in effect through 2016,

So as you hear these promotions to upgrade your home or build a new home, check on Energy Star’s website to make sure you will get the credit that is being explained to you. Also remember that this is a rebate on your tax return, so you will be waiting until the following year to get it back. Yes these rebates are real and are good to look into, just don’t get sucked into the desperation sales that are happen right now.

McGowan Builders installs a new Solar system on their building in Rutherford, NJ. This is the article from the New York Times.

The City of Dallas and Urban Re:Vision present Re:Vision DALLAS in partnership with Central Dallas CDC and BC Workshop.

Re:Vision Dallas is a chance to propel design beyond the typical, beyond the norm and to lay the foundation for a future of sustainable development we all hope is inevitable. It’s a chance to create a block that does no harm, to people or place. A chance to encourage and value relationships, while fostering respect for nature and our neighbors, privacy and resources, economy and consumption. It’s a chance to change how we live and connect, how we interact and collaborate—how we live in a space throughout our life and the lifecycle of the space.

Help design a city block in Dallas and win $25,000

The competition jury will award three finalist prizes, and three honorable mentions.  The prize for each of the three finalists is $25,000. The prize for each of the honorable mentions will be $1,000. The top three finalists will receive a consultation with Central Dallas CDC. These initial discussions do not guarantee that the winners will be hired.  See Developers Statement for details.  ALL CASH PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED.

Schedule and Timeline

Competition Launch: January 26, 2009

Registration Deadline: April 15, 2009

Entry Deadline: May 8th, 2009 by 11:59pm pdt

Jury Session: May 2009

Winning Designs Announced: May 21, 2009

To find more please go to

http://www.urbanrevision.com/competitions

The last two years has been a tough time for people working in the construction industry. The outlook for new jobs in this sector is not looking to good. Many on the Green side think that the energy efficient, sustainable or green movement will enhance the jobs in home construction. I am not sure this is going to happen. With government projects yes it will help but in residential house I don’t think it will. Many home builders have gone back to building the lowest price home possible. The changes in the banking industry have made it harder for people to qualify for new homes, so the lower priced homes are beginning to be the more popular home. Many builders see green as more money and are not willing to look into the options. The new stimulus package is great for heavy construction (roads, bridges,water infrastructure, power infrastructure and government projects). This will be the place for new construction jobs in the immediate future.

Work Part Time from Home
Click Here!

This article was E-mailed to me from LBM Journal

From Sustainable Forestry Initiative

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -Contact: Karen Brandt, VP, Market Affairs
February 5, 2009                703 875-9500 ext 28

ANSI APPROVAL GOOD NEWS FOR FOREST CERTIFICATION

ARLINGTON, VA – The fact that the National Green Building Standard? is the first green building rating system to be approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is good news for third-party forest certification, says Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of the independent Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®).
The development of the National Green Building Standard was a joint effort between the International Code Council (ICC) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The standard, referred to as ICC 700-2008, applies to all residential construction work in the United States, including single-family homes, apartments and condos. It gives credits for wood and wood-based materials and products certified to all credible third-party forest certification programs, including the SFI program.
“The consensus committee understands the value of an open approach to certification when the demand for green building is increasing and only 10 percent of the world’s forests are certified,” Abusow said today. “The ANSI approval confirms that the standard was developed through a consensus-based process adhering to rigorous requirements for balance, openness, and due process.”
In 2008, the Maine SFI Implementation Committee teamed up with Habitat for Humanity and Bank of America to build a home in Portland, Maine, that will be the first Habitat home certified to the National Green Building Standard. The project involves SFI volunteers and resources donated by SFI program participants.
“I work with architects and builders who are always looking for practical approaches to sustainable building,” said Rob Worthington, SFI Director, Green Building. “They appreciate having a choice, and prefer green building rating systems that recognize multiple forest certification standards. ANSI’s approval of this standard shows it is possible to be inclusive and still be credible.”
The internationally recognized, non-profit SFI program is one of the largest and fastest-growing forest certification programs in the world, with 154 million acres (62 million hectares) of certified lands in the United States and Canada. To be certified, forest operations must be audited against the SFI 2005-2009 Standard, which is based on principles that promote sustainable forest management, including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk, and forests with exceptional conservation value.
Certification bodies conducting audits to the SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard must be successfully accredited by ANSI (or the Standards Council of Canada in Canada) to perform these audits, which make the link between the SFI-labeled product and the certified forest.
ANSI approval of the National Green Building Standard followed a stringent process involving an inclusive and representative consensus committee made up of builders, architects, product manufacturers, regulators and environmental experts. The committee deliberated the content of the standard for more than a year, held four public hearings and evaluated more than 2,000 comments. The new standard provides guidelines for residential designers and builders to address issues such as water conservation, material use, energy efficiency, indoor air quality and homeowner education in the homes they build.
About SFI Inc.
SFI Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit charitable organization, and is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the Sustainable Forestry Initiative program (www.sfiprogram.org), that is internationally recognized and among the largest in the world. It is one of the fastest-growing forest certification programs with 154 million acres (62 million hectares) of SFI-certified forests across North America. The SFI Standard also includes unique fiber sourcing requirements that promote responsible forest management on all suppliers’ lands and a chain-of-custody certification, which can communicate to buyers how much certified fiber is in a specific product. The SFI forest standard is endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, a global umbrella organization that has strict requirements for endorsement. SFI Inc. is governed by a three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally.