Green Career Central Blog

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Green Careers for Dummies Book Launch Party

Green Careers for Dummies Book Launch Party

Kepler's Bookstore
1010 El Camino Real
Menlo Park, CA 94025

Saturday, February 6,2010
2:00pm - 4:00pm

Come celebrate the launch of Green Careers For Dummies with author, Carol McClelland, PhD.

During the event, Carol will give a talk highlighting the green economy and green careers. In addition, Carol will be autographing copies of her latest book.

Refreshments will be served.

Please RSVP by: Monday, February 1st
Drop-ins are also welcome!

For more information contact: Events Manager Susan Sullivan at (707) 428-3789 or susan@greencareercentral.com

About the Author:
Carol McClelland, Ph.D., a pioneering career-change consultant and Founder and Executive Director of Green Career Central has spent eighteen years helping thousands of clients, students, and readers discover fulfilling careers that align with their personal values. Now she dedicates her time to helping mid-career professionals, students, and career counselors and coaches make sense of the green economy and the green job market.

JOIN US!

Parking: There's underground parking available. The entrance is on Santa Cruz Avenue. See map for driving directions. There are also some great little restaurants very close, if you want to make a day of it!

Green Career Trends: Solar/Hydrgen Process from Sun Catalytix, Parts Suppliers to Hybrid Auto Makers, Building Green Baseball Stadiums

One of the difficulties with renewable energy sources like solar panels and wind turbines is the intermittent nature of the electrical generation.  Sun Catalytix, based in Cambridge, MA, has developed a system that uses solar energy to split water into hydrogen and oxygen to create a hydrogen powered fuel cell.  The system mimics photosynthesis.  Here is a list of their career openings.

Not only will their be careers with electric and hybrid vehicle makers like Tesla, Fisker, Think, and the much larger auto manufacturers, but there are green careers with the suppliers of these companies, like MPC and  Poly One Corporation.  These two companies have created a low carbon footprint engine cover made from a PolyOne compund that has a metallic looking finish that will be used on the 2010 Ford Fusion.

How far have green building ideas and materials spread?  Even the national pastime of baseball is going green.  The Florida Marlins are building a new stadium and are aiming for a LEED certification of silver. However, the Marlins will not be the first major league team with a LEED silver rating stadium, that belongs to the Washington Nationals.

Green Career Tip - Expanding Your View of the Energy Issue

Why is our energy situation important to your green career?

Although the energy crisis might not be everyone’s choice of topic for a Friday night, I was intrigued with a new book entitled Who Turned Out the Lights: Your Guide to the Energy Crisis.

The authors, Scott Bittle and Jean Johnson, were on Bill Moyers' Journal last Friday night discussing America's Energy Challenge. 

Within about two sentences I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen to take notes… Why?

Because I think everyone with a green career, or who aspires to have a green career, must be familiar with issues surrounding energy. To be effective in our jobs and in shaping our future we must know more than we do now. 

Find out what you can learn, and how it can help you, in this week's Tip of the Week.

Follow the Green Money: Khosla Ventures Now $1.3 Billion to Invest in Green/Clean Tech, Tesla Approved for $465 Million DOE Loan, 5 Smart Grid Companies Get a Total of $32.5 Million

Khosla Ventures, a clean tech venture capital fund, has increased the size of its fund from $1 billion to $1 billion 300 million.  This additional $300 million will be used to used to fund early start up companies that may not be able to get funding from other sources or are considered riskier investments.

Tesla Motors, maker of the all electric Tesla Roadster, has been approved by the Department of Energy for a $465 million loan to build a factory in Southern California to produce the model S, an all electric sedan.  The loan will also be used by Tesla to build a power train factory in Palo Alto, CA.  EnerDel, a subsidiary of Ener1, has announced plans to invest $237 million in leasing and equipping  a manufacturing plant in Indiana that will produce lithium-ion battery cells and packs for electric vehicles. 

Smart Grid venture capital funding is off to a good start for the new year, five US companies received a total of $32.5 million.  EcoBee raised $6.4 million, Ecofactor received $2.4 million, Ember raised $5 million, Tantalus Systems secured $14 million and Verdiem received $4.7 million.

Green Career Trends: DuPont Invests in Solar Cells, Pike Research Employment Opportunities, NanoH20 Openings for Engineers

Wilmington, Delaware based DuPont Corp. has invested $175 million into its line of Tedlar products, which are used as a backing in solar cells.  The funding will go to Dupont's factory in Circleville, OH.  Go here to research careers at DuPont.

For those interested in a somewhat less technical career, Pike Research, based in Boulder, CO, is a market research and consulting firm that specializes in green/clean technology companies and covers such industries as corporate sustainability, smart energy, clean transportation and green building.  Go here to view their career openings.

By improving the membrane used in the water desalinization process, NanoH20, a start up  company, has lowered the amount of energy needed in the process thereby lowering the cost.  NanoH20 is based in El Segundo, CA and has openings for engineers.

Teleclass: How to Create a Green Career that Engages You

In this detailed how-to teleclass Carol will introduce you to a technique you can use to tap into subtle cues about your career (and your life). Knowing and using this one technique is essential to building an enjoyable career. In fact, it’s the first cornerstone to put in place as you create the foundation for your next career.

During this call you will:

• Learn a simple technique you can start using immediately to recognize what engages, enthralls, and excites you about your work and your life.
• Decide which activities you want to use to strengthen your newfound skill.
• Discover how to use this technique to gather clues about what you want to do in your career.
• Gain valuable insights about your ideal work environment.
• Determine how to pick up on important warning signs during your research, job search, and work situations.
• Find out how to use this technique to make decisions throughout your quest for your green career.

Call Date: Thursday, January 28, 2010
Call Time: 6 pm Pacific Time/ 9 pm Eastern Time
Call Duration: 1 hour
$19 members and $29 non members

Sign up now!

Green Careers for Dummies Launches TODAY!

My book launch for Green Careers For Dummies is off to a great start today.

Recently I was interviewed about the book by Wendy Enelow, Executive Director of the Career Thought Leaders Consortium, a think tank of career industry leaders.  In this one-on-one interview, I share new insights about green careers, the green economy, and how to launch YOUR green job search.

Visit the Green Careers for Dummies Book Tour and Events Page to listen to the audio or download the transcript.

You can also read all the details about Carol's upcoming events.  The schedule is being updated daily, so visit often!

Green Career Tip - What Will You Discover in Green Careers for Dummies?

As Carol's Green Careers for Dummies launches today!

I’m thrilled to announce that Green Careers for Dummies book is available online and in your local bookstore. As part of our book launch, I wanted to give you a sneak peek of what’s inside the book.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy while you read or listen to this week's Tip of the Week.

Follow the Green Money: DOE Funding LED Projects with $37 Million, Solyndra Files for IPO, Switch Materials Secures $7.5 Million

The Department of Energy has announced it will fund seventeen light emitting diode (LED) and organic light emitting diode (OLED) projects with a total of $37 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  Core technology research will receive $4 million, product development will receive $10.3 million and manufacturing will receive $23.5 million. (To see which companies in your area are receiving the funding, click on the DOE link above.)

Fremont, CA. based Solyndra has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The amount of capital raised by the IPO could be as much as $300 million.  Solyndra designs and manufactures thin film solar tubes for the commercial roof top market.

A manufacturer of energy savings windows, Switch Materials, based in British Columbia, Canada, has received $7.5 million in funding from venture capitalists to continue to develop its materials that allow how much heat and light pass through a window.   Switch has developed "proprietary organic molecules that "switch" optical properties on command."