Help Ben Franklin High Schools’ art department win $50,000 in the Vans Custom Culture competition!  They are one of the 10 semi-finalists from the Southeast region. If they get the most votes, they will have the opportunity to go to Los Angeles for a chance to win $50,000 for the art department.

Green Light has had the pleasure of working with these creative, hardworking Ben Franklin kids for the last two years, and they deserve this!

To vote, visit www.vans.com/customculture. Click “Vote Now” and then select “Southeast Region.” Check out the designs and vote for Ben Franklin! Voting ends May 3rd.

Last December, Andreas told Chris Heem, franchise owner of Vom Fass on Magazine Street, that her business could receive energy efficient light bulbs that would dramatically reduce her energy bill at no extra cost or effort on her part. She was convinced it could not be that simple.

“When someone tells you they will replace all your bulbs for free, you start thinking – what’s the catch? You keep waiting for that hook to grab you by the neck.”

However, Heem discovered no such hook. After talking with Andreas, Heem decided to sign up with Green Light’s services because her utility bills were very high. “When Andreas told me how much it would come down, it was a huge number,” she says. “I wanted to bring the cost down and be more effective with the environment.”

In early January, Green Light visited Vom Fass and switched 68 light bulbs to GU10 LED bulbs. Heem found the switch to be easy, efficient, and financially beneficial for her company. “Andreas was so great,” she says about the process. “There was no pressure. They did all the work and I really didn’t have to do anything.”

Since receiving her light bulbs, Heem has seen a $100 decrease in her monthly energy bill. She also says she feels positive about her business becoming more eco-friendly. “Our company is based on sustainable products, and so we like to have our building as sustainable as we can.”

Heem’s successful experience with Green Light shows how a small business can make a big change on their finances, the environment, and even their marketing strategies. “Going green is a huge marketing factor. People are really attracted to that,” Heem says. “[Using Green Light’s services] could be another bullet in marketing to promote Magazine Street.” Such bullets and strategies are important to a street like Magazine, the location of many small businesses, merchants, and local restaurants.

Heem definitely recommends that other businesses make the change. When we asked her what she would tell other small businesses about Green Light New Orleans, Heem asserted, “Do it. If you can, why not?”

Funding for the Small Business Program is provided through Energy Smart.

If your business is interested in receiving free energy efficient light bulbs, please give us a call at 504-342-4966 or email smallbusiness@greenlightneworleans.org

It’s no surprise that switching to efficient and renewable energy goes hand in hand with saving money. Yet the economic benefits of green energy are even more pronounced on the national level.

A recent study published by the Institute for Market Transformation revealed that putting a national building energy policy in place would not only cut our energy costs by more than $18 billion, but would create 59,000 jobs by the year 2020. (http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/03/29/building-energy-ratings-policy-would-save-18bn-create-59000-jobs-by-2020-report-finds/)  The building energy rating and disclosure plan would give owners of large properties access to the exact amount of energy their buildings are using. The study shows that owners have more incentive to make their buildings energy efficient when they can see data of the money they stand to save on utilities.

Many large buildings, particularly in metropolitan areas, house office spaces, and cutting costs on utilities means that employers are able to hire more employees. Companies like Seattle’s Sustaining Structures have already seen the benefits of this policy since the city passed the Building Energy Rating and Disclosure Ordinance back in 2010. By saving money with efficient energy, Sustaining Structures has been able to allocate their finances elsewhere, and the company’s business has grown by more than 30%. (http://greenbuildingelements.com/2012/03/28/imt-studies-show-policies-on-disclosing-building-energy-use-create-jobs/)  Moreover, their firm is projected to triple in size within the next few years. While Seattle initially began requiring only buildings with more than 50,000 square feet to report data in 2011, this month smaller commercial buildings and multi-family homes will also be subject to the ordinance. Establishing a national policy means more jobs and resources to spend on improvements and innovation. Needless to say, energy efficient policies represent an enormous boost for our economy.

The national economic benefits of green energy are very apparent in Greece. While Greece has faced a severe economic crisis since 2009, economist and Prime Minister Lucas Papademos recently announced that a commitment to solar power should ensure the nation’s recovery. On April 3 the prime minister outlined a plan to switch to 100% green electricity and become Europe’s number one exporter of solar power by 2050. (http://cleantechnica.com/2012/04/04/greece-2050-green-energy-roadmap-key-to-its-economic-recovery-country-says/)  The project, known as The Helios Initiative, symbolizes Greece’s hope to emerge from financial collapse to stand at the forefront of the EU’s push towards renewable energy.

Recent news is proof that doing what’s right for the environment also serves as a major benefit to a nation’s economy. Needless to say, this principle also applies on the individual level. Whenever Green Light volunteers install energy efficient light bulbs in a new home they provide the homeowner with quantitative data showing how much money they will save. The grand total is currently over $13 million, for which we have our incredible volunteers to thank.

Facilitated by numerous groups of passionate volunteers who spent their spring break in New Orleans assisting us in our mission, Green Light was responsible for over 16,000 light bulb installations in the month of March alone, an unprecedented number for our organization. Be sure to stay informed as the spring of 2012 brings more positive news for energy efficient initiatives. For more information check out the following articles:

http://cleantechnica.com/2012/04/04/greece-2050-green-energy-roadmap-key-to-its-economic-recovery-country-says/

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2012/03/29/building-energy-ratings-policy-would-save-18bn-create-59000-jobs-by-2020-report-finds/

http://greenbuildingelements.com/2012/03/28/imt-studies-show-policies-on-disclosing-building-energy-use-create-jobs/

The Tip the Block program provides a unique opportunity to connect residents with sustainable resources, with other organizations, and with one another. Tip the Block focuses on a specific 9 square block area. In this area, we are striving to create solid areas where Green Light New Orleans has installed energy efficient light bulbs while at the same time assessing any other additional need they may have (ie: vegetable garden, weatherization, water faucet retrofits, solar panels, etc). Tip the Block is meant to bolster action towards a much safer, healthier, and more environmentally sustainable community.

An intern will be needed to update data for our Tip the Block program and to coordinate the development of the program in the chosen neighborhoods. For more information on the responsibilities of this position, check out the following link:

http://www.idealist.org/view/internship/GF9b7dkbM7SP/

Ideal candidates for this position must be detail oriented, have excellent public speaking skills, and an interest in community development and environmental issues. The internship is a full-time, paid position (Tuesday-Saturday) for the duration of 5 months, with possibility of extension dependent on additional funding. Term dates are March 1, 2012 – July 31, 2012. If you are interested in applying, please respond by emailing a cover letter and resume (no later than February 29, 2012) with the email subject line as “Tip the Block Internship” to b.january@grenlightneworleans.org AND rachel.dorfman@greenlightneworleans.org.

Recycling is one of the best things you can do personally for the environment and reducing carbon dioxide emissions. You reduce garbage and by doing so protect natural resources, decrease global warming and save energy.*

After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans’ recycling program came to a halt due to lack of funding. Even prior to Katrina there was discussion of ending the program because of lack of public interest. The new city-wide curbside recycling program was just re-initiated and after two months only 22 percent of residents have signed up for the service.** Currently, New Orleans only has a 2 percent participation rate according to a Times-Picayune article.***

Even though participation is off to a slow start, in the first six weeks of the curbside recycling program over 500 tons of garbage was diverted from landfills.** A spokesperson for Mayor Mitch Landrieu, Ryan Berni, says he believes the key to increased use of the program is education and public awareness.

Residents can apply for curbside recycling online at: http://www.nola.gov/RESIDENTS/Department-Of-Sanitation/Curbside-Recycling/.

* http://www.nrdc.org/recycling/default.asp

** http://mattermore.net/2011/10/25/nola-struggles-to-get-recycling-rates-up-post-katrina/

*** http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/07/new_orleans_recycling_effort_n.html

Next week: Recycling and Mardi Gras. What you can do to off-set the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills.

Everyone knows that you can save money by biking instead of driving, but the environmental impacts are not as obvious to most people. Vehicles account for most of the ozone pollution that enters the atmosphere and one vehicle releases 11,450 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.*

There has been some controversy about whether or not biking really does lower your carbon footprint because bikers have to consume more food to expend the energy to ride. The Pacific Institute clarifies this by explaining that driving a car only generates less greenhouse gas emissions when the food used to fuel biking or walking the same distance is highly greenhouse gas intensive. This means that the biker or walker would have to consume an all-beef diet. Looking at a much more realistic American diet reverses this fact: walking or biking will create less greenhouse gas emissions than driving.**

Many cities are becoming more bike-friendly and using a bike to commute is a great way to reduce pollution and a far less stressful way to get to work. Barcelona, Spain has a bike-sharing program called Bicing and a study found that the program reduces carbon dioxide emissions by more than 9,000 metric tons per year.***

New Orleans has welcomed bike enthusiasts with more bike lanes, many different bike shops to buy, repair and rent bikes and the NOLA Bike Map Project that shows the best routes for bike riders.**** New Orleans even has a weekly Thursday night social ride that is a great way to meet new people and discover new bike routes throughout the city. For more information on the Thursday social bike rides, check out the Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nolasocialride/
* http://www.epa.gov/otaq/consumer/f00013.html

** http://www.pacinst.org/topics/integrity_of_science/case_studies/driving_vs_walking.html

*** http://www.bikesbelong.org/resources/stats-and-research/statistics/environmental-statistics/

**** http://nolacycle.blogspot.com/

The Earth Policy Institute reports that replacing incandescent light bulbs with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) and LEDs (light-emitting diodes) is the easiest and and most cost-effective way for households to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and increase energy efficiency.*

On a larger scale, renewable energy comes from any natural sources that are constantly and sustainably replenished. Energy that comes from wind, sun, water and plants will create a cleaner environment including creating better air quality, curb global warming and reduce the use of fossil fuels.**

Wind energy is an affordable renewable energy that is completely pollution-free. American wind generates enough electricity to power 10 million homes and federal researchers estimate that wind energy could power 30 percent or more of the country’s electricity needs.***

Another renewable energy is solar energy, a resource that has made technological leaps in the last few decades, making it much more cost effective for the average consumer. Sunlight is free, available to everyone and produces no emissions including those that cause global warming.****

*http://www.motherearthnews.com/renewable-energy/world-electricity-consumption/compact-fluorescent-lamps-zwfz11zwar.aspx
**http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/
***http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/wind.asp
****http://www.nrdc.org/energy/renewables/solar.asp

Did you know that in New Orleans you are allowed to keep up to five pets in or around your home? This includes egg-laying chickens! Raising chickens for eggs is part of the locavore movement gaining momentum around the country. By raising backyard chickens, you can not only be a food consumer, but a food producer.*

Air quality and factory farm greenhouse gas emissions are a major concern for human quality of life and negative environmental impact. Studies done on industrial farms have shown that dairy, beef and poultry farms account for the majority of ammonia emissions with poultry farms at a whopping 664,238 tons per year.** By raising your own chickens and foregoing store-bought chickens raised in a factory farm you are committing to a more energy-efficient lifestyle.

Many people swear by the flavor difference in home-grown eggs and visually, this series of  photographs illustrates the differences:

http://thetastingbuds.com/2010/03/farm-fresh-eggs-vs-conventional-factory-farm-eggs-a-photographic-comparison/

There are a variety of resources available to people who want to start raising their own backyards chickens with backyardchickens.com being a good start to your project.  The New Orleans Food and Farm Network also has workshops for those interested in raising chickens.***  Making sure your chickens have a safe, comfortable coop is of the most important aspects of raising chickens, including protecting them from any neighborhood predators.

*http://urbanchickens.org/
**www.epa.gov/ttnchie1/ap42/…/nh3inventoryfactsheet_jan2004.pdf
***http://www.noffn.org/2011/10/backyard-chickens-nola-growers-guide-tipsheet/

Oil, coal and natural gas are fossil fuels and 85 percent of our energy comes from burning these fuels. Unfortunately, burning these fuels creates problems for the environment including the creation of damaging by-products such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide. These harmful greenhouse gases also cause health issues for humans including respiratory and cardiac problems.*

Fossil fuel use in the United States has grown exponentially and agriculture now accounts for roughly 17 percent of all the energy used in our country.** A 2002 study done by the John Hopkins School of Public Health found that our current agricultural system uses three calories of energy to create one calorie of edible food. For grain-fed beef the number jumps to 35 calories of energy to create  one calorie of edible beef. Other factors associated with agriculture production increase the consumption of fossil fuels and the greenhouse gases that consumption causes including: pesticide chemicals, packaging, processing, storing food and food transportation.*

The local food movement is becoming popular all over the country and there are now more options for people who want to off-set the fossil fuel use of the industrial agriculture industry:

• Buy locally grown food
• Plant your own backyard vegetable garden
• Avoid purchasing processed foods
• Cut back on meat*

*http://www.sustainabletable.org/issues/energy/
**http://www.organicconsumers.org/corp/fossil-fuels.cfm

Human activity is responsible for releasing many greenhouse gases into the environment.  While some of these gases are good for the environment, many are not and are directly related to climate change. Climate change, while usually called “global warming,” is actually any kind of distinct climate change that lasts for a long period of time. This includes changes in wind patterns, rainfall and snowfall. “Global warming” refers to the average increase in temperatures in the Earth’s surface and can be considered part of climate change. Increases in global temperatures will change our planet’s climate and have long-term effects on people and the environment.*

Most of you know that Green Light New Orleans’ mission is to invest in lowering greenhouse gas emissions by assisting residents in person, one household at a time by installing energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs. Replacing incandescent light bulbs is one of the easiest ways people can lower their greenhouse gas emissions.

If every American replaced one incandescent light bulb with a light bulb that has the Energy Star rating, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes per year, save about $600 million in annual energy costs and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year which is equal to the amount produced by 800,000 cars.** To put this number of vehicles in perspective, the Los Angeles County freeway system handles 12 million vehicles per day.

The Environmental Protection Agency website offers a tool to calculate your individual greenhouse gas emissions as well as other tips on how to reduce those emissions and how much you can save in dollars and emissions by taking certain actions.***
*EPA; http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/basicinfo.html
**Energy Star
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=LB
***http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html