US Department of Labor announces $150 million in 'Pathways Out of Poverty' training grants for green jobs

Goodwill Industries is on the list to receive a grant for green job training.

/PRNewswire/ -- Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today announced $150 million in green jobs training grants, as authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The "Pathways Out of Poverty" grants -- as the group of funding awards is known -- will support programs that help disadvantaged populations find ways out of poverty and into economic self-sufficiency through employment in energy efficiency and renewable energy industries.

"These Pathways Out of Poverty grants will help workers in disadvantaged communities gain access to the good, safe and prosperous jobs of the 21st century green economy," said Secretary Solis. "Green jobs present tremendous opportunities for people who have the core skills and competencies needed in such well-paying and rapidly growing industries as energy efficiency and renewable energy."

Through the 38 grants awards announced today, targeted populations will receive recruitment and referral services; basic skills, work-readiness and occupational skills training; supportive services to help overcome barriers to employment; and other services at times and locations that are easily accessible. Through these programs, participants will receive certifications and on-the-job training that will lead to employment.

In order to serve the specific populations targeted by these grants effectively, the Department of Labor encouraged applicants to focus project efforts in communities located within one or more contiguous Public Micro Data Areas (PUMAs) where poverty rates were 15 percent or higher. PUMAs are geographic areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau. All applicants were required to have experience serving economically disadvantaged populations. Programs funded today will serve unemployed individuals, high school dropouts, and other disadvantaged individuals within areas of high poverty.

There are two types of award recipients for these grants: 1) national nonprofit entities with networks of local affiliates, coalition members or other established partners; and 2) local entities including nonprofit organizations, such as community and faith-based organizations, the public workforce investment system, the education and training community, labor organizations, and employer and industry-related organizations.

Today's grants are part of a larger Recovery Act initiative -- totaling $500 million -- to fund workforce development projects that promote economic growth by preparing workers for careers in the energy efficiency industries. For a full listing of the grants and project descriptions, visit http://www.doleta.gov/. To view a video by Secretary Solis, visit http://www.dol.gov/dol/media/webcast/pathways. The U.S. Department of Labor expects to release funding for one remaining green grant award category over the next several weeks.

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Century 21 Real Estate Announces 'Path To Your Dreams Sweepstakes' $221,000 Grand Prize Winner At Grand Central Terminal

/PRNewswire/ -- Century 21 Real Estate the franchisor of the world's largest residential real estate sales organization, today announced its 'Path to Your Dreams Sweepstakes' winner, Kimberly Green of Dalton, Ga.

Green and her family traveled to New York City to accept the grand prize and celebrate the dream of homeownership with the CENTURY 21(R) System at Vanderbilt Hall in Grand Central Terminal. To honor the winner, CENTURY 21 partnered with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS to present a special performance by Grammy-winning singer and actress, Ashanti who sang "Home" from the current Encores! Summer Stars production of The Wiz in which she plays Dorothy.

An emergency room nurse, Green will use the prize money toward the purchase of a home for her family. "I can't thank CENTURY 21 enough for their tremendously kind and generous prize," said Green. "I'm so excited to get to work with our agent to see the possibilities and start searching for my family's new home."

Throughout the day in Vanderbilt Hall, CENTURY 21 System brokers and agents offered free real estate advice and consultation to consumers about the First-Time Homebuyer's Tax Credit and other advantages of buying or selling a home in the current market. This event is part of CENTURY 21's ongoing leadership efforts and commitment to reach the next generation of home buyers and sellers.

"Over the past two months, we've seen the 'Path to Your Dreams Sweepstakes' energize consumers about the traditional home buying season," said Tom Kunz, president and chief executive officer, Century 21 Real Estate LLC. "We are thrilled to be giving Kimberly Green $221,000 toward the purchase of a home, and we hope that this exciting event drives consumers to explore the path to their dreams of homeownership."

The 'Path to Your Dreams Sweepstakes' generated more than 581,000 unique online entries and was deemed a huge success in encouraging consumers to explore the possibilities of home ownership. In addition to the grand prize, eight regional winners will be awarded with $5,000 each. Throughout the entrance period, there were 10,500 instant winners who received $10 gift cards.

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Georgia Southern University Expert Offers Tips on Going Green in 2009

“Going green” in the New Year doesn’t have to take a lot of time or a lot of money. Dr. Lissa Leege, who heads up Georgia Southern University’s sustainability programs, offers five easy ways to help save the environment and save money.

1. As each incandescent bulb burns out in your house or office, replace it with a compact fluorescent bulb. CFLs use one-fifth the energy of incandescents and last 10 times longer, allowing you to save 670 pounds of carbon dioxide and $55 over the life of a single 60-watt bulb equivalent.

2. Replace old shower heads in your home with new, lower-flow shower heads. By law, all shower heads are now required to release no more than 2.5 gallons of water per minute – a significant savings over the older five-gallons-per-minute models.

3. Choose water from the tap over bottled water. Eight of 10 plastic water bottles end up in crowded landfills, and the oil required to make a year’s supply of new bottles in the U.S. is enough to fuel 100,000 cars a year.

4. Bring your own bags to the grocery store. They are much sturdier than the film plastic bags and they'll never end up as litter in a river!

5. Give someone a nice travel mug to carry to Starbucks. That will save 10 cents a cup, but better yet it will save landfill space and trees by not trashing 365 cups a year.

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Suniva Opens the South’s First Solar Cell Factory

(BUSINESS WIRE)--At a ribbon cutting ceremony this morning, Suniva Inc., a manufacturer of high value crystalline silicon solar cells, officially opened the first solar factory in the Southeastern US with the help of Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. Located in the Atlanta metro area, Suniva’s manufacturing facility will create over 100 high-paying, permanent green jobs by year-end 2009 and even more as it ramps to full production capacity in 2010.

Governor Perdue spoke at the event about the company’s importance to the state economy and Georgia’s presence on the national energy stage, “With patents developed in the laboratories of Georgia Tech, Suniva’s story is a prime example of how Georgia can lead the nation by teaming the strengths of public and private institutions,” said Governor Perdue. “Georgia made a strong commitment to the clean energy industry through its Energy Innovation Center and Bioenergy Corridor, and Suniva’s new facility makes us one of the first states in the nation manufacturing solar cell technology.”

Today’s announcement comes at a crossroads in the nation’s pursuit of new energy policies during tough economic times. President-elect Barack Obama and his transition team have discussed advancing the new energy economy as part of the US’s economic recovery plan. As a company whose major intellectual property was developed in a government-funded lab, Suniva is a stand out example of how government-backed initiatives can generate new US-based companies and facilitate the growth of renewable energy production and adoption.

Suniva’s founder and CTO, Dr. Ajeet Rohatgi, who is also the founder and director of Georgia Tech’s University Center of Excellence for Photovoltaic Research and Education (UCEP) funded directly through the Department of Energy (DOE), spoke at the event: “Though Suniva is barely a year old, in some ways today’s ceremony is twenty years in the making. My life’s work in advancing solar technologies has been made possible as a direct result of government funding and involvement with Georgia Tech. Suniva is the realization of all those years of hard work.”

In October — less than six months after announcing plans to build a manufacturing facility — Suniva completed installation of its first production line in this new facility and began shipping its proprietary ARTisun™ solar cells. Suniva’s solar cells are delivered to solar module manufacturers around the world under existing contracts worth over USD$1B.

“As the U.S. economy retools to become an international leader in the new energy economy, Suniva stands at the forefront, supplying a superior homegrown product to the international solar industry,” said John Baumstark, CEO of Suniva. “With our first factory officially open today, we are driving down the cost of solar and keeping clean energy technology and jobs in the US.”

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Georgia Southern Graduate Student Project Makes Vending Machines More Energy-Efficient

When you stop for a few seconds to buy a cold drink from a vending machine, you probably don’t put any thought into how much energy the machine uses.

But a group of Georgia Southern University biology graduate students did – and found a way for the campus to save energy and money.

Eleven students in last fall’s Graduate Seminar in Sustainability researched possible service projects to make the Georgia Southern campus more energy-efficient. After discussing several ideas, they proposed putting energy-saving devices on vending machines.

“It was the best project because it is not just an awareness campaign – it is going to make a concrete difference,” said Dr. Lissa Leege, who taught the sustainability seminar along with Dr. Michelle Zjhra. “The work the students did is now really going to pay off on campus.”

The students’ research found that vending machines are one of the worst culprits of energy inefficiency, using 20 percent more energy on average than a refrigerator. As a solution, the students turned to the EMS-55, a device from the Coca-Cola Company that powers vending machines down to standby mode when they are not being used.

With $1,000 in funding from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and the support of Coca-Cola Bottling Company United in Statesboro, the students were able to purchase 12 of the devices. Three more were donated by Coca-Cola.

“It’s a simple solution, and you can do it for little money,” said graduate student Steve Williams, who led the research. “You see big benefits at a low cost.”

Three test models were put on Coca-Cola machines over the summer, and the rest have been installed this fall. The EMS (Energy Management System)-55 is now in use in 11 buildings: Biology, Forest Drive, Herty, Hollis, Marvin Pittman, Math-Physics, Rosenwald, Deal Hall, Hanner Fieldhouse, the Russell Union and the Williams Center.

The off-campus community will be connected to the initiative as well. The Coke machine at the Boys and Girls Clubs center in Statesboro is also slated to get one of the energy-saving units.
“We felt it was very important to involve our community outside of Georgia Southern in our efforts because community involvement is imperative to make a real difference for a sustainable future,” Williams said.

The energy-saving device uses an infrared motion sensor to power down the machine when no one is using it. So, for example, when the Biology building is vacant at 3 a.m., the vending machine is not constantly running coolant and its brightly-lit façade is turned off.
The EMS-55 also “learns” consumer traffic patterns. If no one uses the machine at a certain time on a certain day, the machine powers down at that same time on the same day the following week.

That all adds up to energy savings of about 33 percent, according to the students’ research. A vending machine without the power controller uses 3,021 kilowatt-hours per year on average, compared to 2,023 per year with one. Multiply that by the 15 machines on campus, and the University reduces its power use by nearly 15,000 kilowatt-hours per year.

“Our first step in sustainability is to increase the efficiency of what we already have,” said Dr. Leege, the director of the Office of Sustainability in the Allen E. Paulson College of Science and Technology. “We’re not having to change our behavior at all, and this is making a difference in our energy consumption.

The cost savings are just part of the equation, though. The devices also help conserve water and significantly reduce carbon dioxide and other air pollutant emissions.

“The energy efficiency is beneficial economically and environmentally,” Williams said. “While saving the university – and therefore students – money on the electric bill, this one small step also has a number of ripple effects on the environment.”

For example, these devices increase the lifespan of the light bulbs that illuminate the front of the vending machine. That means fewer materials (glass, metals, fluorescent gas, mercury, etc.) are used to manufacture bulbs for Georgia Southern’s machines; Coca-Cola United has to truck fewer bulbs to Savannah to recycle them, which saves gas and reduces harmful emissions; less energy has to be used to recycle those bulbs, which means less coal is mined and burned, which means lower greenhouse gas emissions; and, finally, less waste is generated from the parts of the bulb that cannot be recycled.

“These ripples will be multiplied 30 times since each of the 15 machines is equipped with two fluorescent light bulbs,” Williams said. “Our efforts are like throwing pebbles into the ocean; they make some ripples and waves. If everyone were to take a small step towards sustainability, then it would be like throwing a mountain of pebbles into the ocean.”

That’s not the only ripple effect Dr. Leege is counting on. As with all of Georgia Southern’s sustainability initiatives, she wants to see this project expand. The EMS-55 is reasonably-priced (about $80 per unit), so she hopes the Georgia Southern community will get on board and provide additional units for vending machines on-campus.

The project could not have been possible without the participation of Coca-Cola. Chad Henry, the cold drink manager for Coca-Cola United in Statesboro, said this fit perfectly with Coke’s commitment to be environmentally friendly through steps such as recycling out-of-date products, providing recycling bins and marketing their products with energy-efficient promotional items.

“The Coca-Cola Company is investing in ‘going green,’ and we are glad to have people like Lissa and Steve help us on the Georgia Southern campus,” Henry said. “They came up with the idea and got the wheels turning.”

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Georgia Tech Recognized for Green Initiatives

The Georgia Institute of Technology has been named the 2008 “Outstanding College or University Program” by the National Recycling Coalition (NRC). The Institute was one of 10 award recipients recognized at the 27th Annual Congress & Expo September 22, 2008, held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The event is considered the nation’s premier conference for recycling professionals.

“NRC’s award winners are a diverse group, from small nonprofits to global corporations, that have demonstrated exceptional leadership and have created innovative solutions that benefit society in many ways,” said David Refkin, President, NRC Board of Directors.

Cindy Jackson, manager of Georgia Tech’s Office of Waste Management and Recycling, received the award on behalf of the Institute. Georgia Tech was cited for operating a comprehensive recycling program that provides collection opportunities for a variety of materials including: mixed office paper, cardboard, aluminum, glass, mixed metal, pallets, plastic and tires at established collection sites and regular pick-ups for campus wide recycling. Through recycling and other recovery programs, the Waste Management and Recycling Office was credited with helping to make Georgia Tech a sustainable campus.

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Princeton Review Awards Georgia Tech Top Green Ranking

Georgia Tech is one of eleven universities to receive a top score of 99 for green efforts from Princeton Review. The “Green Honor Roll” included six public universities and five private schools.

The criteria for the rating cover three broad areas: 1) whether the school’s students have a campus quality of life that is healthy and sustainable, 2) how well the school is preparing students for employment and citizenship in a world defined by environmental challenges, and 3) the school’s overall commitment to environmental issues. The institutional survey included questions on everything from energy use, recycling, food, buildings and transportation to academic offerings (availability of environmental studies degrees and courses) and action plans and goals concerning greenhouse gas emission reductions.

More than 534 schools were given a green ranking; the other ten schools receiving the top ranking are Arizona State University (Temple campus), Bates College, Binghamton University, College of the Atlantic, Emory University, Harvard College, University of New Hampshire, University of Oregon, University of Washington and Yale University.

Georgia Tech emphasizes sustainability throughout its campus with 21 endowed chairs and 23 research centers that include significant sustainability components. The Institute has also set a goal that every student take at least one of more than the 100 courses with a sustainability emphasis. Georgia Tech has several institutional environmental sustainability programs that embrace green cleaning, solid waste recycling, drought-tolerant vegetation and storm water capture and reuse. (Georgia Tech received the 2008 American Forest & Paper Association College and University Recycling Award. AF&PA’s awards program recognizes outstanding school, business and community recycling efforts.) The Institute is also implementing a Sustainable Food Project encouraging environmentally responsible dining habits, like trayless dining to conserve.

GreenerAtlanta.org’s Your Groove Goes Green Summer Launch Party 2008 In Celebration of Mayor Franklin’s Sustainable Atlanta Initiative

Publisher of GreenerAtlanta.org and [a] GreenerAtlanta Web Show, is proud to present a celebration in honor of Sustainable Atlanta, Mayor Franklin’s initiative to lead Atlanta to develop a world-class sustainable city.

Join Atlanta’s green and sustainable professionals and community leaders as the city comes together in pursuit of making Atlanta a world-class sustainable city. The event is expected to draw more than 400 professionals of all ages. It will be hosted at the Event Center @ OPERA on Wednesday June 25, 2008 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The event will provide gourmet food from local organic farms and a myriad of special cocktails from the ‘green’ bars located throughout the facility.

Entertainment includes a live DJ, a green fashion show, and live filming of recycling oriented public-service-announcements. BroadcastAtlanta will be launching its GreenerAtlanta.org and new green HD Web shows including [a] GreenerAtlanta Show.

A special HD Web video will be premiered at the event showcasing Atlanta’s achievements and efforts in reaching the mayor’s goal. Highlights include profiles of city workers, local community leaders and civic leaders who are making a difference. The video will be available for sharing on local websites.

Lynnette Young, Executive Director of Sustainable Atlanta, Mandy Schmitt, Director of Sustainability for the city of Atlanta along with executives from Coca Cola, UPS, Home Depot, Emory and others will be in attendance.

Green professionals from local businesses, organizations and community groups are invited to attend. Admittance is free, online registration is requested at GreenerAtlanta.org.

GreenerAtlanta.org has put together a diverse steering committee to represent all different aspects of green and sustainable efforts in Atlanta. The Steering Committee includes the following organizations:

Tony Anderson – Let’s Raise A Million
Beth Bond – GreenerAtlanta.org
Chris Bradley – Double Dome Web Technologies
Sarah Boardman – Waldenour
Bobbie Dent – Pratt Recycling
Kelly Diamond – Coca Cola Enterprises
Kelly Gray – Emory University
Gloria Hardegree – Georgia Recycling Coalition, Inc.
Drew Pierson – Sterling Planet
Sean Mahoney – Mahoney Consulting
Jill Muir –The Atlanta Event Center @ Opera
Jennifer Owens – Georgia Organics
Abigail Paine – Park Pride
Abbey Patterson – AMP Consulting
Polly Sattler – Sustainable Business Partners/GreenPlate, Inc.
Valena Scott – Sustainable Atlanta
Derek Smith – Organic Eatz
Courtney Townsend – Georgians for Better Transportation
Lawton Ursrey – IndiePeace
McNair Wagoner – Earth Endeavors
Betsy Walsh – Tunnell-Spangler-Walsh and Associates
Amanda Winters – Flammer Relations, Inc.
Shirley Wintsch – Nitabella

Optimus Solutions to Host EcoTech Tour 2008 on June 12 at Atlanta Botanical Gardens

BUSINESS WIRE--Optimus Solutions, a comprehensive technology solutions provider and value-added reseller (VAR), today announced that it is hosting EcoTech Tour 2008, a one-day event where the company and its partners will share best practices on how businesses can green the IT environment while enhancing the bottom line. The event, which is hosted by Optimus Solutions and sponsored by Brocade, is Thursday, June 12 at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, 1345 Piedmont Road in Atlanta. Registration starts at 11:30 a.m.

At the event, Optimus Solutions experts and its partners will lead sessions that cover the following topics:

• Green technologies that raise a businesses’ competitive advantage while cutting environmental impact.
• Energy efficient initiatives and proven technology solutions that can transform existing IT infrastructure.
• Industry leading power and cooling efficiency products.
• Implications of utilizing green products/services when designing data centers and what savings may be realistically expected.

To register for EcoTech Tour 2008, visit http://forms.optimussolutions.com/forms/EcoTech_Atlanta.

Steve Johnson, president of Optimus Solutions, said, “We’re excited about hosting a green-minded event such as EcoTech, which provides significant value to businesses of all sizes. It allows companies to learn green IT from a best practices perspective and to think about the role of technology in environmental change. Coupled with our partners, this program will offer tangible solutions on how IT managers can effectively incorporate green initiatives into their existing IT infrastructure.”