Green Factor

Meet Chris Gibson and Vicki Lewis. They run a business called Green Driving Solutions. Chris is an eco-mechanic that specializes in vegetable oil conversions for diesel engines. What the heck does that mean? It means this guy can take a regular diesel engine and convert it so that it runs on vegetable oil. Does that mean you have to buy it in the grocery store and put it in your fuel tank? Nope. You can get it for FREE!! That means you save a whole chunk of money, increase your fuel efficiency, and help the environment all at the same time. Check their site out at GreenDrivingSolutions.com and they will explain all the details.

Let me know what you think.

Garry

Rachel Gutter, who is the senior manager for the education market at the U.S. Green Building Concil (usgbc.org) spoke with GreenBuildingNews.com about green school building projects recently and it’s exciting to see what is happening in the school system.

Full article here: USGBC Education Manager Discusses Green Schools

I saw a new term in this article that I have not heard before. Gutter talks about eco-bling, which is a term to describe all bells and whistles that make green building unaffordable. Solar panels are one of the aspects that jack the costs way up, which also brings up another interesting point in the conversation.

Gutter talks about co-op projects in which a third party pays for, installs and owns the solar panels and the school district gets to use the power. Everybody wins in that situation.

Wrapping up the article, Gutter also brings discussion full circle by including school curriculum into the mix from the very beginning instead of throwing it in at the last minute. That means that we can envelope our kids into this green thing for them to take over when they grow up.

I guess I will have to eat some of my words from my last post about the government not being able to do anything spectacular. Pass the salt, please.

Have a good day!

Garry

Related Articles:

Is the Green Building Market Recession-Proof?

Is Green Building the Economy’s Bright Spot?

Obama’s Climate Guru: “Paint Your Roof White!”

I usually read the major stories in USA Today that have anything to do with green or business and today I saw an article that caught my attention right away. I had to read it 2 or 3 times to figure out just what it is that the government is trying to accomplish. Feds plan $4 billion for green jobs

I am concerned over a few things that are going to happen with this. It really has nothing to do with the green part of the article but about the government running all of these programs. Although this plan is being overseen by a task force including many Cabinet level secretaries and directed by Joe Biden, is this just another way they are trying to grow and involve the government in every part of our lives. I agree that we should focus on energy independence and renewable sources of energy but at the same time, I think these things are better left in the hands of private enterprises.

With the government running the show, people in charge are just doing their jobs. If they weren’t doing this particular project, they would be doing another with the same attitude that it is a safe, secure government job with good benefits and a good paycheck until retirement and then live off the governments retirement program. Why are so many people amazed that it takes the government so long to do anything? The people doing the jobs are not motivated to get it done. Compare this with private business.

When there is a company started, there are people involved who have a vested interest in seeing the company succeed in the shortest time period possible. There are often millions of dollars at stake and if something doesn’t get done, people lose money and people get fired. It’s cold and hard but at the same time these people are extremely motivated to get things done because money is the bottom line. It’s a great motivator. And private business is where the best services and products come from. Green isn’t the only niche this applies to. It applies everywhere.

Look at the businesses that are in trouble. Banks, car manufacturers, insurance, health care. Government is getting its hands into it all. If you compare these businesses that are in financial trouble with individuals who are in financial trouble, you will notice that managing money is not high on the priority list. There are banks, car companies, insurance companies and all sorts of businesses that are in great financial shape just like there are individuals. You just don’t hear a lot from the media about them because they are doing business as usual, and watching their money. Now the worst money managers of them all are taking over and spending OUR money to do it and WE ARE LETTING THEM!!

I could go on and on and get into the argument that we are heading into Socialism but I don’t have enough time or room to write about it. This is supposed to be about green stuff anyway.

Let’s hear some comments.

Garry