Live Green or Die

LIVE GREEN OR DIE was the headline splashed across a recent copy of Business Week magazine. The related article was all about General Motors recent attempt to come to grips with reality. While GM has spent the last few years churning out Hummers, other car companies like Toyota, Ford and Chrysler have been developing hybrids and electric cars. With Congress tightening fuel economy regulations and gas prices passing $4 per gallon, GM has seen the light and announced the release of their electric car, the Chevrolet Volt. The Volt has been scheduled for release by 2010.

Smaller, more fuel efficient cars are becoming the must have vehicles. Ford's F150 pickup was knocked off the top seller list this past month for the first time in 17 years! What took its place? Four smaller, fuel efficient cars had higher sales: Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry, Honda Civic and Honda Accord. It looks like prices, gas prices that is, are finally forcing consumers and manufacturers alike to realize that we must live greener.

Blue-Green Collar

The Blue Green Alliance is a group that was formed by the United Steelworkers union and the Sierra Club in 2006 . The group's focus is promoting job creation through the development of cleaner, renewable energy sources. They see these "green" jobs as a way to revitalize the manufacturing industry with an anticipated 850,000 new jobs like the ones created by Vestas, the world's largest wind-turbine maker, opening their blade factory in Colorado. It is the companies first U.S. plant.

2007 - The "Green" Year

Green was the color for 2007. Consumers converted to compact florescent lightbulbs and hybrid cars, corporate america reduced greenhouse gas emissions before legislation required reductions and politicians rallied around solutions to global warming. Green even moved into the world of rock with Al Gore's first ever Live Earth concert intended to raise awareness of environmental issues. The question is, will these trends continue?

In December, Congress passed the first increase in Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards in thirty years. Automakers will have to produce cars and light trucks which get an average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020, up from the current standard of 27.5. Congress is also working to pass a bill cutting greenhouse gas emissions. We may even see the environment appear in upcoming presidential debates.

Green Rebuilding Efforts

A rebuilding project in New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward is focusing on green techniques. Global Green USA is the environmental group building the project, which is being largely funded by the Home Depot Foundation. The project consists of five shotgun style homes and an 18-unit housing complex that will utilize 40% less energy than traditional buildings. Project sponsors and supporters hope that this can be seen as a template for other rebuilding efforts.

Fly Green

Delta Airlines joins the numerous companies that are going green. Delta's Force for Global Good program allows customers to add a donation to any ticket purchase that will fund tree planting projects in managed forests around the world to offset carbon emissions. 100 percent of donations will be disbursed to the Conservation Fund's Carbon Sequestration Program. To date, the Conservation Fund has restored 30,000 acres with 9 million trees.