Green Career Central Blog

SD Forum Presenting the State of Corporate Sustainability on Wed. Feb. 2nd

At this event, representatives from major Silicon Valley companies will be speaking about early adoption of sustainability practices for financial rewards rather than costs.  Come hear Michael Beutler, SAP, Scott Coleman, Google, Joyce Dickerson, Stanford University, Brian Goncher, Deloitte, Bruce Klafter, Applied Materials, Inc., Andrew Williamson, Physic Ventures, and the moderator Mitch Zuklie, Orrick, speak about corporations embracing sustainability.  The event on Wed. the 2nd will begin with networking at 6pm, speakers from 7pm until 8pm, and QandA and networking from 8-8:30pm.  The location of the event is at the offices of Orrick, 1100 Marsh Road, Menlo Park, CA. 

If you reside in the Bay Area of CA and have identified corporate sustainability as your green niche, this is a great opportunity to network and learn about what is happening within corporations as they begin adopting sustainability practices. To register for this event, click on this link. 

The SD Forum is a non profit organization that fosters innovation, entrepreneurship, and leadership in Silicon Valley.

 

Green Career Tip - Navigating the Emotional Side of Your Green Job Search

Being in the midst of a job transition (or any transition) during the holiday season is always difficult. The world around you is abuzz with holiday cheer, and you’ve got bigger issues on your mind.

Though rarely discussed, there’s also an emotional side to any job search. This often hidden component of every job search has the potential to derail one’s job search. In this week’s article, I give you several tips to help you navigate your transition.

Green Career Tip - CNN Heroes: Inspirational Role Models for Your Green Career

Did you watch the CNN Heroes presentation over the weekend? After receiving 10,000 nominations from more than 100 countries, the top ten CNN Heroes were profiled at the award event.

Inspiring stories have the power to change lives! I’ve highlighted a few of their stories below. Watching and reading their stories brings to mind how much impact a single individual can have. If you need a jolt of inspiration, take a look at this week's article.

Green Career Tip - Find Clues to Your Green Career in Family Lore and Traditions

While you are enjoying time with family and friends this season, you may find clues to your future green career woven into conversations about memories, traditions, and family lore. 

When I was ten, I created a diorama of a very elaborate recycling center. I don't recall the assignment, but I have fairly vivid memories of how the project worked. In fact it's one of the clearest memories I have from my childhood.

Today, my project doesn't seem like anything out of the ordinary...but in 1970 the concept of a recycling center was just forming. How did I possibly come up with this idea? This week's article traces the roots of one of my green passions.

As you listen to family stories and share memories this holiday season, notice if you pick up any clues about how your family has interacted with the natural world through the generations.

Green Career Tip - Feeling Blocked on Your Green Career Journey? Shift Your Perspective!

Feeling you’ve hit a dead end with your green career search? Ever felt blocked about how to move forward on a project?

Finding a new solution is all about shifting your perspective on the issue. Discover strategies you can use to shift your own perspective in this week's article.

 

Green Career Trends: Top 22 Green Power Cities, Green Data Center Investment Expected to Grow, Recycling Farm Land Into Solar Farms

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has released a list of the top 22 cities according to the amount of renewable energy they consume.  The cities are also divided by their size.  Factors the NRDC used when choosing the cities include: kilowatt-hour power consumption, fuel sources, has the city done a greenhouse gas inventory and do they have an energy conservation program in place.

A report from Pike Research investment in more energy efficient data centers will be growing for the next five years from $7.5 billion to $41.4 billion in global revenue.  By investing in efficiency, companies will reduce costs and increase the bottom line as well as reduce carbon emissions.

One of the major considerations of utility scale solar farms is location.  There are considerations involving neighbors, environmental impact, and scarcity of water that may prevent the farms implementation.  In California's Central Valley there are now farmers looking to solar projects to replace the income they once received from food crops.  Decades of conflicts over water combined with farm land no longer able to support crops, farmers in the Westlands area are now looking at adding solar farms to their land.

Green Career Tip - Hall of Fame Award-Winner’s Stories Hold Insights for Your Green Career Transition

Today’s newsletter article was inspired by an unexpected corner – interviews with a recent Baseball Hall of Fame award winner who discovered and prepared for his chosen career as a boy.

The stories he shares in his acceptance speech and interviews provide insights you can use as you explore your own career options.

To find out more, read this week's tip.

Green Career Tip - Plastiki Eco-Expedition: Raising Awareness about Waste and Illustrating Green Careers

A crew of visionaries arrived in Sydney Australia last weekend…not amazing news until you consider that their sail boat was built entirely from 2 liter plastic bottles and other recycled materials.

All equipment is powered through a combination of wind, solar, bicycle generators, and trailing sea turbines.

The purpose of the eco-expedition is to draw attention to the ways in which plastics and other waste is impacting the oceans. An innovative, inspiring model of increasing environmental awareness.

Read more in this week's Green Career Tip.

Bioneers Speakers Streaming Live Today, Saturday, Sunday

Bioneers, is a Northern California organization that brings environmental, social and scientific thought leaders together in an annual conference to discuss solutions to dilemmas using nature as model and inspiration as well as human innovation. 

This year Bioneers will be live streaming two speakers each day of the conference.  On Friday Sarah James and Michael Polan will be speaking beginning at 11:30 am PT  On Saturday Jason McLennan and Lily Yeh will be speaking beginning at 9:00 am PT. On Sunday Jerome Ringo and Annie Leonard will be speaking at 11:30 am PT.

Here is the link that will enable you to view these speakers.  

The National Parks: America's Best Idea, a 6-part PBS TV Series Beginning Sunday

Noted film maker Ken Burns and PBS have teamed up to produce "The National Parks: America's Best Idea," a six episode series beginning Sunday night September 27 at 8pm ET/PT.  The show will cover the history of the National Parks, the people that played a pivotal role in shaping national parks as well as the incredible scenic wonders the National Park Service conserves and protects. 

One of the major points of the film is how a youthful democracy chose to make the country's pristine places available to all the world rather than turning them into gated communities of exclusive homes or outdoor theme parks. In so doing, they put millions of people to work, during the Great Depression, to renovate the parks we continue to enjoy today.

Be prepared to be inspired! Enjoy the series.