Friday, April 27, 2007

EVENT: Webinar - Principles of Sustainability

Right now, there are many changes occurring in the world, the most obvious is climate change and the new mainstream attention towards sustainability. There are dozens of frameworks and strategies for dealing with these changes, and yet there is little discussion about the meaning of sustainability for individuals and organizations. If we want to move in a sustainable direction we must first understand what it means at a basic level: what is sustainability in principle, and how can we develop technologies and cultures that are sustainable? As business leaders, we have an important role in shaping the emerging paradigm. This presentation will focus on understanding principles for sustainability so that we can design from a whole systems perspective and truly be creative.

Strategic Sustainability Consulting is pleased to offer "Principles of Sustainability", an interactive webinar designed to help participants understand a conceptual model for sustainability so that our decisions are rooted in conscious actions. In this 90-minute event, you’ll learn:

¨ A basic understanding of how you interact within our global system and how this is critical for developing strategic sustainability plans

¨ Key questions to investigate in your life and organization

¨ How to bring alive the creativity within you to develop truly sustainable practices, cultures and systems

Strategic Sustainability Consulting is pleased to have Miriam Karell and Ingrid Jacobson facilitate this workshop. Miriam Karell is a sustainability strategist and the founder of Three Point Vision, a company that inspires business leaders to integrate community, creativity and consciousness into their daily operations. Ingrid Jacobson is an experienced educator and facilitator for teams and individuals. She is currently consulting with Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in Oakland, CA to develop a long term sustainability strategy for their "green collar" jobs campaign.

Cost: $50

Register at: www.sustainabilityconsulting.com (click "Events")

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

RESOURCES: The Search for Green Is Over

Watch out Google, Yahoo, and Ask.com, you’re about to get a dose of green power. Greenmaven.com is a green search engine which allows users to search for websites which incorporate social and environmental values. Using co-op technology based on Google's search engine, Greenmaven.com is able to make searches quick and relevant. Launched in 2006 by green MBA graduates, Greenmaven.com’s mission is to “make it easy for mainstream to go green.” Founder Joey Sheep states, “People want to go green, but they often don't know where to start or even what questions to ask." Now, seekers have a place to go, and making it onto Time.com’s list of the top 10 best websites of 2006 will help users go green.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

EVENT: Webinar - Creating a Family Friendly Workplace

Job sharing, telecommuting, and even lactation rooms—companies all over America are instituting policies and programs that benefit employees with children. Family-friendly benefits not only make working parents happy, but they also improve job efficiency and reduce employee turnover.

Employees are seeking out organizations that have better work-life balance policies, and organizations stuck in the old model are losing out on talent and productivity. But how exactly do you create a "family friendly" workplace?

SSC is pleased to offer Creating a Family Friendly Workplace, an interactive "webinar" focusing on simple and cost-effective ways to assist working parents while also improving productivity and job performance. This webinar will cover:

-- The benefits of a family friendly workplace for both employees and your organization.

-- The key policies involved with making your workplace “family friendly” and ensuring a healthy work-life balance.

-- Resources to help you make smart policy decisions and examples of successes in workplaces

-- How to not leave out the single/childless employees, and ways a "family friendly office" can benefit all employees.

Strategic Sustainability Consulting is pleased to have Lori Kitchen facilitate this workshop. Lori is SSC’s Special Projects Manager and will be receiving her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from American University. Along with her B.A. she is also receiving a special certificate from AU’s Women and Politics Institute in Women and Politics, Policy, and Political Leadership. Lori is a member of the Women & Politics Institute's Young Women Leaders Board Political Training Program. As such, Lori is very interested in women in the work place and has devoted much of her study to the topic of family friendly workplaces and work-life balance.

Cost: $35

Register at: www.sustainabilityconsulting.com (click "Events")

Space is limited to ensure an interactive experience where you can ask questions and get real answers, so reserve your space today. Once you've signed up, you'll receive an email with log-in and call-in details.

Monday, April 09, 2007

NEWS: Green Energy for Your Home

Mike Tidwell of Takoma Park. Maryland has decided to go green. Tidwell has outfitted his home with solar panels on the roof, soy-based insulation, a corn-burning stove, and energy efficient appliances. Concerned about his contribution to greenhouse gases, Tidwell has made great strides to reduce his carbon footprint. Tidwell said to the Washington Post, “"I'm not living in a cave and freezing to death. The point is, this is do-able." What happens on cloudy days when Tidwell can’t collect enough solar power? Simple. Tidwell also has backup power connected to his home from Washington’s energy supplier PEPCO. PEPCO has green alternatives to “standard” electricity. Buyers can choose from 100% wind-generated energy or 100% green-electricity.

This wave of “greening” the home isn’t just restricted to Tidwell. Washington area-based Chesapeake Wind&Solar, a company that installs solar panels, has seen business double every year for the last three years.

Tidwell hold open houses every two months to showcase his green home to others interested in the community. What does Tidwell have to say to the world? "There are people who say it cannot be done. I've done it, and I've done it on a budget, and I have a great life."

Monday, April 02, 2007

RESOURCES: CSE Knowledge Bank

The Center for Sustainable Enterprise [CSE] Knowledge Bank is a new resource for those seeking information on sustainability. This is a FREE resource offered by UNC Kenan-Flagler's Center for Sustainable Enterprise. The articles include scholarly research on a wide array of topics, including, but not limited to, design for sustainability, microfinance, sustainable tourism. CSE runs an MBA program on sustainable enterprise, and thus is at the forefront of the research. It’s free…and did we mention that it’s free!