Mr. Kennard has a long list of credits, starting as a community organizer for the Conservation Foundation in the late 1960’s, helping to “lay groundwork for the environmental movement and the subsequent explosion of grassroots action on Earth Day.”. He was awarded the Leadership Medal of the United Nations Environment Program for “distinguished contribution to the cause of the environment.”

He served as National Vice Chair of Sun Day in 1978, National Chair of Earth Day in 1980 and as Special Consultant to the EPA Administrator for Earth Day 1990.

He also authored the book of essays on social and political change, “Nothing Can Be Done, Everything Is Possible.” The Christian Science Monitor called the book “a primer for the modern-day activist.”

If you’re like most people interested in the green life, you probably have a growing obsession with solar power but haven’t been able to afford the extra $200-500 it costs to take a how-to solar workshop. Luckily, if you live near the Bay Area, you can learn how to install solar panels for free by volunteering with the amazing San Francisco-based GRID Alternatives.

With a mission to “Empower communities in need by providing renewable energy efficiency services, equipment and training,” GRID Alternatives has set up a program that links willing volunteers with low-income homeowners who want solar panels but don’t have the means to fund an installation.

For interested volunteers, the 2-step process is surprisingly simple:
Step 1: Fill out a volunteer application and attend a mandatory training session.
Step 2: Install solar panels! Volunteer at as many installation days as you’d like– there are often several sessions offered each month.

Last Tuesday I completed step one of this process, sitting down with about 30 other newcomers for an extremely informative, easy-to-understand training session. In less than two hours we covered the basics of electricity and solar power, including a step-by-step process of an average day in the field with a heavy emphasis on safety (we will be working on someone’s roof, after all)!

Now that the first training session is complete, I can’t wait to get out and start installing solar panels. If you’d like to check it out, email info@gridalternatives.org for upcoming volunteer opportunities or visit www.gridalternatives.org/

Charles Lockwood highlights the burgeoning market surrounding green buildings in a recent Barron's magazine opinion piece. Hint: they aren’t just for environmentalists anymore. Companies like Goldman Sachs, IBM, JPMorgan Chase, Toyota , and Harley-Davidson have moved into LEED-certified buildings. The U.S. Green Building Council estimates that 5% of all new commercial construction in the U.S. was LEED-certified in 2006, and about 10% will be certified by 2010.

As the market shift gathers even greater momentum in coming years, standard buildings will become the real-estate industry’s version of the buggy whip…To prevent their properties from becoming passé, today’s real-estate owners should undertake renovations now…[These sorts of renovations] lower annual operating costs, generate workforce benefits like greater productivity and better employee attractions and retention, and meet the growing demand for green buildings…The marketplace shift to green is gathering force. Massive obsolescence is looming. Profits are there for the taking. It’s time to act.

Five key areas are considered in LEED certification: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. The higher number of points or “credits” a building earns in each of these categories, the higher the level of certification achieved: basic Certified, Silver, Gold, or Platinum.

Renovations of existing real estate space present significant profit potential and many investors are exploring real estate opportunities that allow for green renovations. The McGraw-Hill 2006 SmartMarket Report shows that green buildings get an average 3.5% higher occupancy rates than traditional buildings, 3% higher rent rates, and an average increase of 7.5% in building value. Costs to build or renovate a LEED-certified building vary by project, but achieving the basic LEED Certified level only increases construction costs a few percentage points. These costs can be recouped quickly with double-digit increases in water, gas, and electricity savings.

As Green as the Grass Outside (subscription required)
U.S Green Building Council
McGraw-Hill 2006 SmartMarket Report