The Courtyard by Marriott Charleston Historic District is scheduled to open downtown this March on the corner of Calhoun and King St.  Meet Polly Ann Elliott, Director of Sales, as she introduces the project and explains the upcoming designs.  This video is the first of the Courtyard’s “Transformation Series” as we show you the before, during, hype building, and after.  Can’t wait to show you what’s going on inside this exciting transformation in progress.

(ARA) - Gardening is becoming more popular than ever, thanks to a number of converging circumstances, including the First Lady's planting of a White House organic garden. Because of the sagging economy, people want to save money anywhere they can, and vegetable gardening is a great way to save money on foods that can be costly. Additionally, more and more people want to live a "green" lifestyle, and you can't get more local than picking vegetables right in your back yard. Plus, when you start an organic garden, it's even more environmentally friendly.

When you start on your way to growing healthy garden fruits and vegetables, keep in mind that tending an organic garden has special requirements and poses some different challenges than conventional gardens do. However, the increased popularity of organic gardening has led to some great innovative products that can help you maintain your plot without adding harmful chemicals.

Whether you live within city limits or in a more bucolic setting, it's always fun to see wildlife - just not when they're munching on your zucchini or stealing your strawberries. For most organic gardeners, the goal is to get rid of overly curious garden guests, but without forcing them to ingest poisons or other chemicals that can hurt them.

One of the most trusted ways to keep a strictly organic garden free from unwelcome animal browsers is with the Swedish-developed, garden pest repellent Plantskydd (pronounced "plant-skid" - a Swedish word meaning "plant-protection"). Sweden's reputation as a rigorously green-minded country comes through in these non-toxic repellents, which were the first deer and rabbit repellents to be listed by the USDA-approved Organic Material Review Institute (OMRI), as "suitable for use in the production of food and fiber." Plantskydd's 100 percent organic ingredients make it safe to use around pets and children, but it's also effective in that it won't wash away in the rain, giving your garden longer-lasting protection.

Claude Boisvert, president of Tree World Plant Care Products, Inc., says Plantskydd does double duty as a garden pest repellent and fertilizer. "Because it's a blood meal-derived product, it provides the nutrients necessary for plants to grow strong and produce abundantly, in addition to repelling garden pests like deer and rabbits," Boisvert says. "It's been lauded for its repelling effectiveness by forestry experts, the National Home Gardening Club, as well as soil and water conservation districts throughout the United States."

Other ways to protect your garden include putting netting over the plants that birds, rabbits and other critters favor. Look for netting with small holes that you can spread over strawberry patches, or wire that you can circle around delicate vegetables.

When selecting solutions for feeding or protecting your garden, be sure to do your research and find out the true certification status of products you buy. As the move toward growing one's own organic food becomes mainstream, some repellent manufacturers, who use non-certified ingredients, use terms such as "all natural," or "environment friendly" on package labels in an attempt to associate their products with this "organic" trend. OMRI continues to be a good resource for learning about which products are truly safe and organic.

If you're concerned about your family's health and that of the planet, planting an organic garden is the way to go. You'll not only be able to harvest delicious, nutritive foods right in your backyard, but you'll also be doing your part to foster a healthier environment.

Before anyone heaps too much praise on Semi-Cool Senator Lindsey Graham for his “courageous” stand on green energy, we should look at Spain to see what a truly green future could look like in America.  Spain has invested more heavily in green energy than any other country and the results are in: it has been an economic disaster.

For every green job created with government  subsidies—and all green jobs are government subsidized jobs--2.2 jobs have been lost. And the cost to the government per job is over $750, 000.  That’s right—the government in Spain spends over $750,000 of taxpayer money to create just one green job, and two hardworking taxpayers in the non-green economy lose their jobs in the process.

There is no reason to believe green energy investments would turn out any differently in the United States. I can think of a number of words to describe someone who supports something like that, but courageous isn’t one of them.
Senator Graham says that we need to “price carbon” if we are to become energy independent. That is a very green, very innocuous-sounding term that actually means Senator Graham wants to increase the cost of heating and cooling homes and businesses, driving cars and work vehicles, and purchasing the hundreds of thousands of everyday items that contain petroleum—an organic product, by the way.

In other words, since alternative energy is more expensive than traditional energy—due in no small part to the $750,000 per job price tag—we just need to make traditional energy very expensive by making everyone pay more to use it—or as then candidate Obama said during the campaign, we need to bankrupt the coal industry. That’s great news for people in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania, who depend on the coal industry to feed their families!

Senator Graham says young people believe in climate change because that is what they have always been taught, so Republicans need to say they believe in it, too. He says that is the important thing, not whether what young people have been taught is true.  According to Sen. Graham, a byproduct of professing to believe in climate change is that college students look at you differently—t hey already think he is semi-cool. (He really does say that!).  Maybe with a few more tax increases and lost jobs, he could move up several notches to just plain cool!
I mean—like—wow!

I’m just sayin’.
What do you say? I welcome your comments and thoughts.

sb

With an increased consumer desire for energy-efficient and eco-friendly homes fueling interest in Hunley Waters, the neighborhood announces its first green myEnergyLoan in Charleston, South Carolina.

CHARLESTON, SC—February 2, 2010—Hunley Waters, the eco-friendly community located in North Charleston’s thriving Park Circle community, announces its newest homeowner secures Charleston’s first myEnergyLoan through Daniel Island Mortgage.

Customers of myEnergyLoan receive substantial savings on any loan, as long as the home is energy efficient. Coupled with the drastic reduction in energy and other running costs, myEnergyLoan represents a significant savings for buyers. Hunley Waters homes are EarthCraft Gold rated and are at least 20 percent more efficient than any code-built home, making home buyers in this neighborhood perfect for this discount program.

Gary Harwyn, President of Daniel Island Mortgage, the sole provider of myEnergyLoan in the Charleston area, says, “Once buyers hear about the mortgage discounts available through our myEnergyLoan program, they get excited about saving money simply by buying an energy-efficient home.”

“Considering the recent major renewable energy and employment wins for North Charleston, we are certain this is the first of many myEnergyLoans financing the transition to sustainability in the area,” notes Jeff Cole with myEnergyLoan. “Early investment in vibrant communities, such as Park Circle, is what makes neighborhoods like Hunley Waters such an attractive proposition.”

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey, says, “Hunley Waters is a shining example of how a green development should be approached. This excellent waterfront community represents a significant piece of the current revitalization of the North Charleston area and just underlines the aspirations we have for this area.”

Cobalt Developments, LLC, is the procurement and investment company that developed Hunley Waters. The Watts Team, led by Josh Watts of Coldwell Banker United, is the exclusive listing agent for the neighborhood.

According to Alex Cook, Marketing and Operations Manager, “Green homes give their owners energy-efficient credits and an overall reduction in running costs. For those who buy at the bottom of the market in areas of strong resurgence, such as North Charleston, it will mean a greater return on investment in four or five years.”

Author: Ezra Drissman

One of the most important parts of actually moving into the future means that green jobs are going to become more popular. These jobs will focus on using renewable energy and resources, helping to promote a sustainable lifestyle that can keep the planet active and healthy long into the future. Unfortunately, this means that training for green jobs is going to become a very important part of these jobs becoming more popular. This alone makes people feel that they are not suitable for one of these new careers because they are not prepared for training for green jobs.This is not the right attitude to have, however, for training for green jobs does not need to be difficult. The actual jobs which are being expanded into green jobs mean that you will be using some of the skills which you already have and use on a daily basis. These skills simply need to be adapted into the new format for performing the task in an environmentally friendly fashion. Training for green jobs will typically mean that you are taking what you already know and applying it in a new way, which is something that everyone should be able to manage.In some cases, training for green jobs will be self-taught. If you are taking your own skills or products and starting your own business, you will want to implement your own green practices into the way that your operation runs. When this is the case, you will often have to perform your own training for green jobs. You may have to be creative about the ways that you are going to adapt your practices to a more green manner, although with enough patience and dedication, this should not be difficult.For other types of careers, training for green jobs will be provided directly on the spot. If you have the desire to get hired as a part of a green job and you have skills which are applicable to the particular job itself, you will be given all necessary training for green jobs directly as a part of the hiring process. You will have the tools which you need delivered to you, so it will not be difficult to make sure that you are going to be fully prepared for the new career you are embarking on. Training for green jobs will be no obstacle to actually starting out on a new career.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/what-kind-of-training-is-needed-for-green-jobs-1828902.html

About the AuthorEco20/20 is a cutting edge informational site. The primary focus of the site is clean energy. For almost two year Eco20/20 has been a leader in forward thinking articles.
http://www.eco20-20.com

Brought to you by Farmer Jim & Lighthouse Food Farm

Lighthouse Food Farm - Feeding Hungry Americans Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

This should help you understand what organic fertilizer and organically grown crops are and why it is very important that we do not use chemicals in our foods that we grow to consume.

Here are a few ways that allow you to make great organic fertilizer for your garden. I have used these techniques and they work beautifully.

Jim Bonham - Executive Director
Lighthouse Food Farm
http://www.jimbonham.com

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Sounds arrogant, right? You have already allowed yourself to comply. Unknowingly the people of the United States and most of the World has begun to comply without their knowledge. Does that anger you? Will you believe me if I can show you the Documented TRUTH? The probability that you will believe is near Zero. That is why you have accepted to a system that you don't even know exists. I am here today with a documentary that will prove this once and for all. You will know once and for all what is being made happen to our country. Deal with it or Get in Action and Change it!

I charge you with the challenge of seeing for yourself below. If you do not see that you have actually complied without your knowledge, I will give you $500.00 worth of options for Free Front Page Advertising on my Online Auction and/or Classifieds. {Only at www.jimbonham.com}

Again, this is a True Documentary, not a conspiracy theory. All of this information is documented. It is of things that have happened and things that will come to pass unless we wake up and take charge of our lives. We can delay some things and some things we will not be able to change. 

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-6745627342652553091&hl

May God Richly Bless and Protect You & Yours.

Jim Bonham

President & Executive Director

http://www.jimbonham.com/

Lighthouse Food Farm

NonProfit Organization

Feeding Hungry Americans Fresh Fruits & Vegetables

Westminster, South Carolina 29693

(ARA) - Homeowners embarking on a kitchen remodel typically must select the style, the quality of craftsmanship and the materials that meet their unique values and project goals. With the pressing need to increase energy efficiency and conserve resources, green remodeling continues to gain in popularity.

"Incorporating green elements into a kitchen remodel is no longer considered just a passing fad, but a way of life," says Dick Titus, executive vice president of the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA). "Homeowners feel a social responsibility to choose products that are safe for the environment and their family's welfare."

Kitchen cabinets could take up as much as half of a kitchen renovation budget, so it's vital for homeowners wanting to "green" their kitchens to choose a quality cabinet manufacturer with roots in environmental sustainability. KCMA's Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP) can simplify the quest. ESP enables cabinet manufacturers to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and helps consumers easily identify environmentally friendly products. After meeting the certification requirements in areas such as product resource management, air quality, process resource management, environmental stewardship and community relations, companies earn the ESP seal to display on their products. As a criterion in the NAHB Green Building Standard, the first ANSI approved green building rating system for residential construction in the U.S., ESP sets the standard for homeowners looking to integrate affordable eco-friendly cabinets into their home.

ESP encourages the following practices by awarding points to manufacturers who qualify:

Certified by a recognized sustainable forestry program
Wood products, especially cabinets, are an environmentally friendly choice for a number of reasons. One reason is that wood is a naturally renewable resource, meaning new trees will grow in place of those that have already been harvested. ESP certification awards points to manufacturers who use wood in their cabinets that is certified through a recognized sustainable forestry program. Programs such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) put a label on their wood products to show consumers that the resources removed from the forest are at a level the forest is capable of renewing without damaging its future. In doing so, these practices preserve the environment and valuable forest resources.

Use of materials with low levels of formaldehyde
To earn points in ESP's air quality category, manufacturers must prove that 80 percent of particleboard, medium density fiberboard, hardboard and plywood used in the cabinets meet the low formaldehyde emissions level of the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Compwood ATCM. Such materials must be third-party certified by a CARB-approved lab to meet low formaldehyde emission standards. The CARB Compwood ATCM is the lowest formaldehyde standard in the world.  Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring substance that can be produced by the human body.  It is ubiquitous and a component of hundreds of consumer items.

Eco-friendly manufacturing process
When shopping for eco-friendly cabinets, it is important to not only examine the cabinets, but also the process that was used to manufacture them. Criteria for process resource management includes that the manufacturer have an active recycling program for wastes, an energy-conservation program or another form of environmental-management system. On top of conserving resources, these practices can reduce the emission of pollutants and greenhouse gases, and aid in decreasing landfills, all of which have clear societal benefits.

Commitment to the environment and community
When purchasing ESP certified cabinets, homeowners can rest assured that the manufacturer is committed to both the environment and their community. ESP's environmental stewardship criteria require that the manufacturer have a written policy stating a firm commitment to protect the environment. The community relations category encourages the manufacturer to demonstrate community involvement and leadership through service or charitable organizations and observe all federal, state and local environmental requirements.

With almost  150 ESP certified cabinetry companies to choose from, homeowners have the ability to select environmentally responsible cabinetry tailored to their needs, no matter their price, style, finish and wood preference - just look for the ESP seal located on the base cabinet. For more information and tips on "greening" the home and finding environmentally friendly cabinetry visit www.greencabinetsource.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

(ARA) - The beginning of a new year - and a new decade - is the time many people pledge to live differently. For many, that change means living a more sustainable lifestyle. Sustainability, once only a buzz word, is now fast becoming the way to live consciously.

From reducing your water usage to buying organic, here are 10 simple ways to make 2010 the year of sustainable living:

1. Use water more efficiently: Water is a limited resource and limiting it within your household is a cornerstone of sustainability. Rain barrels, largely unheard of even a decade ago, are becoming a popular way to collect and reuse rainwater for purposes like gardening.  Meanwhile, conserving water in the home by taking shorter showers or even fixing a leaky faucet also can make a difference at a time when many communities are experiencing water shortages or are expressing concerns about water overuse.

2. Compost: Turning over leaves by way of a new compost garden is one way to live a more sustainable lifestyle. A compost heap is a simple, effective way to collect yard waste, like leaves and grass clippings, and kitchen scraps such as raw vegetable peelings and coffee grounds, and return them to the ground as organic matter.

3. Seek earth-friendly packaging: To better fill that compost heap, alter shopping habits to look for products with compostable packaging. Snyder's of Hanover, for instance, recently introduced a new Pretzel Variety Sack of 100-Calorie Pretzels and Pretzel Sandwiches in the market's first 100 percent compostable outer package made from 100 percent renewable cornstarch-based plastic.  The new Variety Sack includes a special logo indicating that the bag can be composted and is made with sustainable materials. In addition to that example, more manufacturers are switching to cardboard packaging materials, which are made from renewable materials and can be recycled or composted.

4. Buy local, embrace organic: Many farmers, ranchers and, increasingly, food manufacturers, are offering foods and beverages made using sustainable practices. It could be a farmers market tomato, a local dairy's milk, an organic snack food, like new Organic Honey Whole Wheat Sticks and Organic Whole Wheat and Oat Sticks from Snyder's of Hanover, or any number of natural or organic items. The bottom line is that natural, organic and locally produced foods provide both sustenance and sustainability. To learn more about Snyder's of Hanover's sustainability initiatives visit www.snydersofhanover.com/Sustainability/.

5. Go to seed: Take the locally grown movement a step further - like in your own backyard or patio.  An afternoon spent planting seeds or small plants can yield plenty of rewards a few weeks or months later, in the form of fresh, inexpensive and convenient vegetables and fruits.  You don't need a large tract of land, in fact, to start a small  garden.

6. Ride out the trend:  Sustain your own energy level by opting to ride a bike or walk to a destination that isn't all that far away. Add a basket to a bike or take along a backpack to bring something back home.

7. Re-recycle: Recycling is nothing new and most people have been recycling in some form for years. But recycling can be taken to another level, going beyond obvious and traditionally recycled items like soda cans or newspaper to the smallest of waste materials, from plastic straws to the paper straw wrapper. Why not recycle apparel as well, by donating clothes and buying gently used clothes?

8. Plug in: Learn how to operate appliances more efficiently.  For example, use cold water in the washing machine: clothes will still be cleaned, without the use of heated water. Turn off appliances when not in use, whether it's the television, video game player or radio. Better yet, completely unplug. Many electronics and battery chargers continue to draw a small amount of power even when they are switched off. Instead, use a power strip to cut power completely when not in use.

9. Lighten up: Use energy efficient lighting and bulbs when possible and turn off lights when not in a room. That will cut energy use - and the family budget.

10. Get involved: As the sustainability movement gains traction among the public, there are more opportunities to join in. Local communities, schools and organizations often have green committees, and there is a plethora of national and grassroots organizations geared around earth-friendly living that appreciate new volunteers or members.

Courtesy of ARAcontent