So, What Exactly is a Green Job?

Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a Green Job is either:

1. A position in a business that benefits the environment or conserves natural resources
2. A position which involves makes the business’ production process more environmentally friendly or use fewer natural resources

These could include jobs that improve the energy efficiency of electronics, buildings, and vehicles. Other green jobs can be in businesses which provide education and training related to green technologies & practices. Businesses involved in the growing, distributing, and purchasing of locally produced foods are also categorized as green.

To learn more about the definition of green jobs, download this pdf fact sheet from the Florida Energy Systems Consortium.

Vancouver’s Transportation Tale

Ramona Madhosingh-Hector
Urban Sustainability Agent, Pinellas County Extension

Continued from A Short Stop in Vancouver, B.C.

Vancouver can certainly boast of its transportation system with multiple modes of transit from buses to trains to ferry services (SeaBus) and Sky Train. TransLink is Vancouver’s transit information hub. There you’ll find schedules, maps, station locations and travel time for every mode of public transit in the metro area.

Vancouver also has trolleys that include the customary double decker tourist attraction as well as trolley buses. These trolley buses look like regular buses but draw its electricity from overhead wires. Two wires and two poles complete the electric circuit for these “green” buses which rely on hydro-electric power producing fewer emissions. They also reduce noise pollution since they are quieter than diesel buses.

I was particularly impressed with the Waterfront Station on Cordova Street. Its modern interior was a contrast to its old architectural style indicating its reuse as a premier transit hub. The station was clean and comfortable with shops, eateries and security. It had great signage displaying the various transit modes available as well as maps displaying other metro connections and what was available within a five-minute walk from the station. SeaBus service was also available at the Waterfront Station which as it’s aptly named is located along the Port of Vancouver within close proximity of Canada Place. Canada Place, a mixed use commercial facility, is home to the Convention Center, World Trade Center and the Vancouver Cruise Ship Terminal.

It was easy to navigate Vancouver’s street grid and I certainly wasn’t alone. Pedestrian traffic was steady and heavy at the intersections and no matter what time of day it was, I certainly always had company. In Vancouver, sidewalks were well maintained and cars actually yielded to the pedestrian!

With such a variety of transit options residents can choose which one works best for them. Vancouver’s emergence as a leading green city is certainly tied to its transit system since it encourages residents to own fewer vehicles, drive less, and rely on alternative modes of transportation. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions, conserves energy, improves public fitness and health, increases household wealth, and contributes to vibrant local economies. With such positive implications, it’s easy to see why the sustainable lifestyle has taken root in Vancouver.

Resources:
Transit Oriented Development
Walk Score
Canada Place
Mixed Use

Florida Author to Speak on Water Issues

C-SPACE and the Florida Studies Program present: Cynthia Barnett and the Case for a Water Ethic

Thursday, February 9 • 3:30 pm • Davis Hall 104

Longtime Florida journalist and author of two books about water issues, including the recently acclaimed Blue Revolution: Unmaking America’s Water Crisis (Beacon Press, 2011), Cynthia Barnett will engage the USFSP community about a key issue in Florida and the U.S., as well as globally.

Americans use more water than any other culture in the world, much to quench what’s now our largest crop—the lawn. Yet most Americans cannot name the river or aquifer that flows to our taps, irrigates our food and produces our electricity. And most don’t realize their freshwater sources are in trouble. Barnett proposes the most important part of the solution is also the simplest and least expensive: a shared water ethic among citizens, government and major water users.

Part of a lecture series sponsored by the university's Center for Science and Policy Applications for the Coastal Environment (C-SPACE) and the Florida Studies Program, this event is FREE and open to the public.

For more information, please visit www.usfsp.edu/cspace and www.usfsp.edu/floridastudies or call (727) 873-4872.

SEMINOLE DISCUSSION GROUP ON RECYCLING AND SUSTAINABILITY

Monday, Feb. 6, 2012
10:00 a.m. to noon
Seminole Community Library Program Room

9200 113th St. N.
Seminole, Florida 33722

TOPIC: LOCAL FOOD AND AGRICULTURE AS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE OF OUR TIME
SPEAKER: Karen Fraley, Florida West Coast Resource Conservation & Development

This presentation will include information about Native Americans, Florida's first population, and how they used the land for a good life. Current practices of land development will be discussed in relation to its impact on our culture and lifestyle. Finally, there will be a discussion of working food production into our community for healthier people, land, and food. Come with your questions and helpful comments. Bring a friend along, too!

CONTACT: Mary, queenofrecycle@hotmail.com

A Short Stop in Vancouver.B.C.

Ramona Madhosingh-Hector
Urban Sustainability Agent, Pinellas County Extension


I recently had the opportunity to visit Vancouver, British Columbia for an international conference on sustainability – the conference planners totally lucked out with this location! Vancouver is well known for its sustainability initiatives and it plans on becoming the greenest city in the world by 2020. Check here for Vancouver’s green city plan. In this blog, I’ll share my insights about Vancouver’s green efforts.

Although the conference was a short one, I couldn’t resist the opportunity for an early afternoon stroll through downtown Vancouver. The hotel was conveniently located in the city center and little did I know that it was connected to a modern shopping oasis called the Pacific Shopping Centre. Tempted as I was, I actually started my tour in Gastown.

I could easily tell that this was an historic neighborhood with its cobblestone streets and old Victorian buildings. The chic restaurants, trendy furniture stores, lofts and bars all with on street parking screamed urban renewal. The Gastown Steam Clock had a flock of tourists taking photos, including me! The clock replica is powered by a series of underground pipes which also heat downtown buildings. At night, Gastown gleamed with LED light strings and bustled with people.

Elsewhere in Vancouver, old and new buildings were creatively used. Lofts, offices and gyms were seamlessly woven into the downtown fabric. From my vantage point at the hotel, I could easily locate green spaces which weren’t restricted to street level view. In fact, many of the skyscrapers had green spaces and the parking garage at Vancouver International had a green wall installation. Trendy apartments along the waterfront had great vistas but were also well connected via the transit system.

The mixed uses in both the historic neighborhood and the traditional downtown provide many opportunities for residents to develop a sense of place and community where they live. The ability to work and play close to where you live is definitely sustainable. You save money on your commute, develop deeper relations with your neighbors, and contribute to economic stability within your community.

In the next blog, I’ll talk about Vancouver’s transit system.

Resources:
EPA Livability Principles
American Planning Association
Land Use fact sheet
Land Use: Subdivision Design fact sheet

Pinellas County Extension Shines a Light on Energy Consumption, Saturday January 28 at the Gulfport Library

Through its Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project, Pinellas County Extension is promoting a new gadget that aims to get citizens more energy conscious and eco-friendly.

The Kill-A-Watt™ Energy Monitor is a simple tool used to see how much energy the devices in a home are actually using, whether they are on or off. Users simply plug the monitor into an outlet, plug an appliance into the monitor, follow The Kill-A-Watt’s™ instructions and watch it work. The monitor measures various aspects of electrical consumption, from voltage of an outlet to watts and kilowatt hours. Users can find out exactly how much energy and money is being consumed by most of their household electronics.

Pinellas County Extension and the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative have come together to make these Kill-A-Watt™ monitors available for check-out at their libraries to make the assessment of personal energy consumption even easier.

Extension specialists will also be holding upcoming classes at select libraries to further explain how the monitors work and to give easy tips to make a home more energy efficient in their effort to decrease electric bills and increase environmental friendliness.

On Saturday January 28 we will be hosting a class at the Gulfport Public Library. Click here for a map to the library. Participants of the class will receive handouts and worksheets from the University of Florida and take part in an interactive presentation. Door prizes will be awarded.

Sign up today to participate in this class. Visit www.pinellascountyextension.org and click on the 28th on the calendar on the front page. Registration is free and easy.

See you on the 28th!

Pinellas County Extension Shines a Light on Energy Consumption

Through its Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project, Pinellas County Extension is promoting a new gadget that aims to get citizens more energy conscious and eco-friendly. 


The Kill-A-Watt™ Energy Monitor is a simple tool used to see how much energy the devices in a home are actually using, whether they are on or off. Users simply plug the monitor into an outlet, plug an appliance into the monitor, follow The Kill-A-Watt’s™ instructions and watch it work. The monitor measures various aspects of electrical consumption, from voltage of an outlet to watts and kilowatt hours. Users can find out exactly how much energy and money is being consumed by most of their household electronics. 


Pinellas County Extension and the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative have come together to make these Kill-A-Watt™ monitors available for check-out at their libraries to make the assessment of personal energy consumption even easier. 


Extension specialists will also be holding upcoming classes at select libraries to further explain how the monitors work and to give easy tips to make a home more energy efficient in their effort to decrease electric bills and increase environmental friendliness. 


The Kill-A-Watt™ classes will be held according to the following schedule: 


Wednesday, Jan. 11, 3 to 4 p.m. Tarpon Springs Public Library 138 E. Lemon St., Tarpon Springs Phone: (727) 943-4922 www.tarponspringslibrary.org Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 to 11 a.m. Gulfport Public Library 5501 28th Ave. S., Gulfport Phone: (727) 893-1074 www.mygulfport.us 


Saturday, Feb. 18, 11 a.m. to noon Palm Harbor Library 2330 Nebraska Ave., Palm Harbor Phone: (727) 784-3332 www.palmharborlibrary.org 


Tuesday, March 13, 7 to 8 p.m. Dunedin Public Library 223 Douglas Ave., Dunedin Phone: (727) 298-3080 www.dunedingov.com 


Saturday, March 31, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Clearwater East Branch Library 100 N. Osceola Ave., Clearwater Phone: (727) 669-1280 www.myclearwater.com 


Thursday, April 12, 6 to 7 p.m. Safety Harbor Public Library 101 Second St. N., Safety Harbor Phone: (727) 724-1525 www.cityofsafetyharbor.com 


Thursday, April 26, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Oldsmar Public Library 400 St. Petersburg Drive E., Oldsmar Phone: (813) 749-1178 www.oldsmarlibrary.org 


Monday, May 7, 1 to 2 p.m. St. Pete Beach Public Library 365 73rd Ave., St. Pete Beach Phone: (727) 363-9238 www.stpetebeach.org 


It is important to remember that all devices cannot be measured using the Kill-A-Watt™ monitor. For example, air conditioners and electric heaters are not compatible with the monitor.  


Registration for classes is required. For more information on the Kill-A-Watt™ monitor, classes or Pinellas County Extension, visit www.pinellascountyextension.org or call (727) 582-2581. To register, visit the website or stop by the library holding the class you wish to attend.


Pinellas County Extension is a partnership between Pinellas County government and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences as part of a nationwide network of land grant universities. The University of Florida is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. 


The mission of Pinellas County Extension is to provide research-based knowledge and education programs enabling people to make practical decisions to improve their quality of life and the world around them. Education focuses on sustainable living, lawn and garden, families and consumers, and 4-H youth development. 


Pinellas County Extension offers programming at the Extension office, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo, (727) 582-2100; Brooker Creek Preserve Environmental Education Center, 3940 Keystone Road, Tarpon Springs, (727) 453-6800 and at Weedon Island Preserve Cultural and Natural History Center, 1800 Weedon Drive N.E., St. Petersburg, (727) 453-6500. For more information, visit www.pinellascountyextension.org and find Pinellas Extension on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. 


Pinellas County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you are a person with a disability who needs any accommodation in order to participate in this class you are entitled, at no cost to you, to the provision of certain assistance. At least seven days prior to the class, please contact the Office of Human Rights, 400 S. Fort Harrison Ave., Suite 500, Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 464-4062 (Voice/TDD).