My name is Lorraine and I am contacting you today on behalf of the National Audubon Society and a remarkable project called TogetherGreen. You are probably wondering what exactly TogetherGreen is. It’s all about helping people get involved in creating a brighter, healthier future. This Audubon program funded by Toyota aims to provide inspiration, leadership and opportunities that inspire people everywhere to take action at home, in their communities and beyond to improve the health of our environment.

Every day we take for granted the gas we put in our cars to get us where we’re going. For over 30 years, we’ve ignored crisis. And yet, pretending it’s not a problem hasn’t made it go away. Current financial times are gloomy. And the rapid rise of the cost of oil, and the scarcity of it, have driven us to the brink.

And as we prepare to elect a new President, neither of the candidates are offering anything new. Empty campaign promises won’t carry us into a brave new world. Dealing with America’s energy deficiencies require a plan. And I think the Pickens Plan is a giant step in the right direction.

The 3 C’s of Sustainability: Communication, Community Involvement, and Campus Environment, the 3rd Annual Campus & Community Sustainability Conference hosted by the University of Central Florida and the Council for Sustainable Florida.

This conference will provide an opportunity for individuals from campuses, government, businesses and communities to come together to share their experiences and challenges related to creating sustainability and a green culture. Presentations will focus on matters relating to Florida’s economy, environment, and quality of life.

Please join us to explore successful projects and strategies relating to: Education and research for sustainability, Economic improvements for sustainable efficiency and effectiveness, Protection and restoration for sustainable ecological systems, and Enhancing sustainability for the well-being of all people.

Florida’s DEP, Department of Environmental Protection, announces some amazing grants. The Executive Office of the Governor is accepting proposals for grant funding under the 2008 Florida Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficient Technologies Grants Program. This program provides renewable energy matching grants for demonstration, commercialization, research, and development projects relating to renewable energy technologies and innovative technologies that significantly increase energy efficiency for vehicles and commercial buildings.

Florida imports almost all of our energy, despite being bathed in sunshine, and even being called the “Sunshine State”.

Many small businesses contact us, and ask what they can do to ‘green up’ their business. Community Greenhouse Foundation has developed a program to help you reduce electric and water usage, to encourage recycling and use of recycled materials, and to reduce the amount of solid waste your organization produces. And to launch their efforts, they announce the Greening America Business Challenge.

More than just green-washing, they’ve partnered with Energy Star (the US Department of Energy) and WasteWise (US Environmental Protection Agency) programs. Using nationally recognized third party tools and criteria, CGF helps you understand what your organization is doing, individually, and then prescribes a variety of efforts you can undertake to reduce your impact.

How do you change the world? One light bulb at a time. Lighting plays a huge part of our energy use. All of us at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) ENERGY STAR program would like to wish you, our partners and friends, a happy Change a Light Day today!

October 1 marks the 4th annual ENERGY STAR Change a Light Day, and we just wanted to congratulate you for either being one of the 1.9 million Americans who have taken the pledge or for participating as one of the nearly 2,000 organizations that have driven pledges since 2006. Together we have collectively saved more than $220 million and prevented the release of more than 3 billion pounds of greenhouse gases with lighting alone.

Program takes undersold homes, renovates them to be energy efficient, and works with municipalities for workforce housing.

The Community Greenhouse Foundation has been working for months on a program which is targeted to assist in the rehabilitation and sale of the “glut” of houses being dumped into the market resulting from foreclosures. The “Greening of America’s House Stock” program is a pro-active economic stimulus program that has been developed due to the current economic position of America. Never in our countries history has energy, housing and the environment been seen as critical issues at the same time.

The Community Greenhouse Foundation is proud to announce a new Strategic Partner serving the South Florida communities to delivery it’s “Greening Residential America” program. The program helps to provides communities with the resources to bring “green attainable housing” to their communities. New and renovated energy efficient green homes can be offered to City, County, governmental employees and the public through the program along with the opportunity for local “community” builders to tap into products and training to build greener and more energy efficient.

The Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) will host an alternative fuel workshop on October 3, 2008, as part of the National Alternative Fuel Vehicle (AFV) Odyssey Day. FSEC is located in Cocoa, Florida.

The National AFV Odyssey Day is a nationwide event being held in 86 different locations throughout the U.S. this year. Coordinated by the National Alternative Fuel Vehicle Training Consortium (NAFTC) in a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Clean Cities Program, the goal of this national program is to promote the awareness and use of AFVs, as well as promote energy conservation and independence for the U.S.

The Sea Turtle Preservation Society has developed a new volunteer program that will be administered through the Marine Turtle Permit for Sea Turtle Strandings. This program, the Sea Turtle Emergency Response Program, has been developed to provide better beach coverage to search for and rescue post-hatchling sea turtles that have washed back ashore after a large storm event. The purpose of this program is to increase the number of post hatchling sea turtles that are rescued, rehabilitated and eventually released back into the ocean.

With Memorial Day and the summer travel season approaching, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) encourages Florida residents and guests to travel close, clean and green with the launch of a new green travel Web site and Florida Green Lodging Program locator map. The newly launched green travel Web site offers resources for families and travelers looking to get away without depleting their wallets, gas tanks or the environment.

DEP’s Coral Reef Conservation Program helps educate and raise awareness of Southeast Florida’s coral reefs. Leading up to the International Coral Reef Symposium this summer, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Coral Reef Conservation Program is encouraging public awareness of coral reefs and their impact on Florida’s marine environment, the commercial and recreational fishing industry and the economy. Recognizing the importance of the state’s reef ecosystem, Florida is the site of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, July 7-11, 2008, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The Green Earth Expo, May 15-18, 2008, at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center, will be the largest show of its kind. Green Earth Expo allows hundreds of Green and Sustainable corporations and non-profits to showcase their Green initiatives to other businesses and consumers. Slated as the “World’s largest sustainable commerce and lifestyle trade show event, the Expo will feature major automakers, alternative energy providers, green construction fabricators and contractors, Green service providers, energy efficient appliance manufacturers, as well as health & wellness groups and organic retailers. Confirmed speakers include top level government officials, Green business leaders, and environmental experts.

Florida Governor Charlie Crist today announced the 2008 Serve to Preserve Florida Summit on Global Climate Change. The conference will be held June 25-26, 2008, at the Intercontinental Miami. Building on the foundation for Florida’s energy future began at last year’s summit, the 2008 summit will focus on stimulating economic development in clean technologies as well as “greening” Florida’s business community.

“Florida’s businesses continue to demonstrate that there is gold in green, and climate-friendly energy sources – like ethanol and solar energy – are bringing new prospects for our state,” said Governor Charlie Crist. “Encouraging companies to do business the green way as well as building a strong market in renewable energy technologies in the Sunshine State will strengthen our energy and economic future and protect our natural environment for generations to come.”

One of the main reasons the Community Greenhouse Foundation sponsored the Green Communities program was the idea of communities sharing good news and stories about the way people and organizations are doing positive things as they related to green sustainable living in their communities. The web sites are geared to act as a conduit to all sectors of the community and other communities around the state. This is a PERFECT example of what this program is supposed to promote and share.

Have you ever wanted to discover the real South Florida? An amazing hands-on educational tour is now available, that will take you to Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and the Everglades National Park. Air boat ride included.

A two-day public education course on Natural Systems of South Florida is being offered on Thursday and Friday, May 15th and 16th, 2008. Topics covered will include wading birds, nutrient systems in natural areas, monitoring the natural system and many others.

Instruction will be by biologists, geologists, hydrologists, engineers, computer modelers, and other professionals working on South Florida environmental problems. Classes will assemble on Thursday at Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge and on Friday at Everglades National Park. No prerequisites are required.

AT&T, the nations largest wireless carrier, introduces an online starter kit for Cell Phones for Soldiers (CPFS) donation drives and challenges the public to double cell phone recycling by next Earth Day, 2009. In honor of Earth Day and the thousands of men and women serving in the military oversees, AT&T will collect old wireless devices for the Cell Phones for Soldiers (CPFS) program during the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Green Living Expo on April 26, 2008.

Community Greenhouse Foundation welcomes the support of igourmet.com as its newest sponsor of “Green Communities” program. Supporting the not-for-profit “Green Communities” program for a Brighter, Sustainable Future, iGourmet.com has enabled us to use their program as a preferred affiliate. When you use iGourmet.com for your Organic and Specialty food purchases or corporate gift giving, it supports Greenftlauderdale.com and Community Greenhouse Foundation.

The Community Greenhouse Foundation is a not for profit organization that promotes and facilitates greener communities, through awareness, education and partnering, building bridges and uniting communities.

Wow! We use a lot of Water! I was on the City of Fort Lauderdale’s Public Works web site the other day searching for how to get new water service and stumbled onto a Conservation Checklist. The check list is set up like a quiz to see how someone is doing in their home related to water conservation.

First it is a great little check list and I think it is great that the City has that kind of information and tool available for residents. Second–and more interesting to me–was how much water we waste and in ways that I never even thought of which I am guilty off doing. I thought I would pass the Quiz along hoping more people will get a little wake up call.

Like every other day last week, I walked into the office and started to review my task and meetings for the day to make sure I was up to speed on everything. When I looked at my two o’clock appointment, I paused for a few seconds and yelled out to Sandy my assistant, “Who and what the heck is Carbon reduction at 2:00?�”

“Your meeting is with Paul from the Environmental Services Department, I am not sure what the Carbon Reduction relates too, he said you were aware of the meeting,�”Sandy replied.