Glass Recycling Event Saturday

If you're like me, and you stockpile glass bottles and jars in the garage until you have an opportunity to drop them off somewhere in town, you're in luck.

From 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 2, the city of Springfield is sponsoring a glass recycling drop-off event at the Illinois State Fairgrounds.

All colored glass bottles or jars that previously contained food or drink will be accepted. Just leave kitchenware, window glass, and eyewear at home, because these types of glass won't be accepted.

To drop off your bottles, enter the fairgrounds through Gate 11.

And if you can't make it to the glass drive Oct. 2, stay tuned: I'll be sharing info about a recycling drive at the Lincoln Land Community College campus soon.

Tonight: Green Jobs Discussion

Tonight, a group of environmental, labor union, wind-farm, and utility representatives is co-sponosoring a panel discussion on green-job opportunities. The forum is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the Carnegie Room of the Lincoln Library in Springfield. The event is free and open to the public.

Sustainable Springfield, Inc.; the Sangamon Valley Group of the Illinois Sierra Club; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 193; City, Water, Light and Power; and American Wind Energy Management Corp. all will participate.

I'll be there and hope you will attend too!

New Energy Efficiency Rebates Available Now

Newsflash: If you live in Illinois and you have an older, less efficient appliance in your house, Friday may be the time to upgrade.

Beginning at 8 a.m. Friday and continuing until 9 p.m. or as long as funds last, you can get 15 percent off, up to $250, of the cost of a new Energy Star-rated refrigerator, freezer, dishwasher, or clothes washer thanks to funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Learn more about the rebates and where you can take advantage of them on the CWLP website.

This Weekend: Biodiversity at the Illinois State Museum

Looking for something to do this weekend?

We vote for heading over to the Illinois State Museum from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, September 25 for "Fall into Biodiversity." This free, family event involves activities including designing fall posters, creating monarch migration mobiles, playing a bird migration game, and enjoying the museum's exhibits. Plus visitors will learn about how plants and animals prepare for winter, how leaves turn colors in the fall, how to help birds as they migrate, and more.

At noon and 2 p.m., you can listen to Rob Mies from the Organization for Bat Conservation as he presents "Bat Encounter." At 1 p.m., Wildlife Prairie State Park presents "Illinois Winter Life."

To learn more about the event, visit the Illinois State Museum website.

On Letterman: Clinton on Green Jobs

Last night, former President Bill Clinton spoke green jobs and the need to revamp our economy in his appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman.

He did a great job of discussing the basics and benefits of the green economy. And he stressed the importance of keeping manufacturing jobs in the United States and of increasing efforts to improve energy efficiency.

We need to start training people for the green jobs that are open and funding the creation of more green jobs, Clinton added.

"We could put America back to work if we took this seriously," he said.

Get the scoop with this clip from last night's show.



Oops! Didn't quite make it onto one clip. Here's the rest:

Local Food with Lincoln Land Community College

If you're a fan of the local food movement, you're in luck. This fall, the Community Learning class schedule includes a variety of local food-focused courses and events, including:

Farm Field Trips

Come with us to visit the source of local food:

September Farm Field Trip: Bear Creek Farm & Ranch
Join us at Bear Creek, where they will offer a tour and samples of their meats and vegetables. Owners Matt and Deb Daniels help us to understand the processes for growing green and managing good practices with animal feed and care. Facilitator: Denise Perry $30 - 1 session, Sunday, 9/12/2010, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Location: Bear Creek Farm & Ranch (vans depart from Trutter Center parking lot promptly at 11 a.m.) Course Code: CEW 120-40

October Farm Field Trip: Gebhart Farms
At Gebhart Farms, we will learn all about growing and harvesting the resources of field and orchard from owner Paul Gebhart. Facilitator: Denise Perry $30 - 1 session, Sunday, 10/3/2010, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location: Gebhart Farms (vans depart from Trutter Center parking lot promptly at 11 a.m.) Course Code: CEW 120-41


Farm to Fork
Farm to Fork dinners offer the opportunity to try a variety of culinary menu items created with local foods. Host locations include:

Farm to Fork I: Caitie Girl's
The first of our Fall Farm to Fork dinners, where former LLCC Culinary Arts instructor Caitie Barker prepares a wonderful menu with items from the Springfield Farm Market and other local vendors. Host Location: Caitie Girl's, 400 E. Jefferson, Springfield $45 - 1 session, Thursday, 9/9/2010, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Course Code: CEW 102-X50

Farm to Fork II: Dr. Ugs
In Virginia, Susan Young welcomes us to her location where we again sample from several foods grown in the area, prepared into wonderful specialties at this popular area establishment. Host Location: Dr. Ugs, 142 E. Beardstown St., Virginia $45 - 1 session, Thursday, 9/16/2010, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Course Code: CEW 102-VA50

Farm to Fork III: Jubilee Farm
As we gather at Jubilee Farm, we have the opportunity to share the resources of the harvest and great conversation about the fresh food we enjoy. Facilitator: Denise Perry Host Location: Jubilee Farm, 6760 Old Jacksonville Rd., New Berlin $45 - 1 session, Thursday, 10/7/2010, 5:30-8:30 p.m. Course Code: CEW 102-NB51

What are you waiting for? Sign up today by contacting LLCC Registration Services at 217.786.2292 or visiting the Community Learning website to sign up.

Tour a LEED Platinum Building Wednesday

Sustainable Springfield Inc., a nonprofit organization that sponsors public lectures about eco-friendly and sustainable issues and practices in Sangamon County, is hosting a guided tour of Erin's Pavilion on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m.

Located at Southwind Park, Erin's Pavilion has been designed to incorporate sustainable features and is on track to become one of only 120 buildings in the world to be certified U.S. Green Building Council LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum.

The guided tour will be conducted by architect David McDow of Walton and Associates, who was the designer for the project.

Green Building: Jobs of the Future

If yesterday's post about green jobs still leaves you wondering how exactly "green" applies to the workforce, here's a great video that can help. It was produced by the Washington State Department of Ecology, but it applies just as much to Illinois as it does to Washington.

It's a cool video that shows the variety of opportunities for green building jobs. Check it out:

Finding a Green Job

It's Workforce Development Week in Illinois. On Monday, Julie Rourke (director of workforce development at LLCC) and I spoke to a group of jobseekers about green job opportunities and training.

What exactly are green jobs? They certainly include work with renewable energies such as solar, wind, and geothermal, as well as green building. But that only scratches the surface of the possibilities.

According to Phil Angelides, in this Time article, a green job "has to pay decent wages and benefits that can support a family. It has to be part of a real career path, with upward mobility. And it needs to reduce waste and pollution and benefit the environment."

To Green For All, an national organization working to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty, "green-collar jobs are well-paid, career track jobs that contribute directly to preserving or enhancing environmental quality. If a job improves the environment, but doesn’t provide a family-supporting wage or a career ladder to move low-income workers into higher-skilled occupations, it is not a green-collar job." (You can learn more about green collar jobs on the Green For All website.)

In other words, green jobs include new and emerging fields such as renewable energies. But they also include existing occupations that now have more of a focus on environmental quality, as shown in the pyramid at left.

And the demand for these types of jobs, both existing and new, is only going to keep increasing.

If you're interesting in seeking employment in an area related to the green economy, there are a variety of resources available to you. Right here in Springfield, Illinois workNET offers information and assistance to people who are searching for employment.

Or head online. Illinois.greenjobs.net provides listings for jobs available in the state for LEED certified professionals as well as people hoping to work in wind, solar, and more. Yahoo! Hotjobs includes a Green Jobs section. Or you might find employment possibilies at Green Jobs Illinois. While you're at it, check out Clean Edge Jobs, greenjobs.com or the job listings at GreenBiz.com, SustainableBusiness.com, Sustain Lane, Green Environment News, and Green Jobs Ready.