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Thrilling Toy and Important Tool - microscope!

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, June 5, 2015, In : Top 10 
Already in 1590, the first optical microscope - two lenses in a tube - was developed, although it is hard to identify the original inventors. Technical improvements during the following centuries made microscopy very popular among the scientists. In 1903, Richard Zsigmondy developed the ultra microscope that made it possible to study objects below the wavelength of light. He was awarded the 1925 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Another improvement was made by Fritz Zernike in the 1930s, when he invente...
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Hawaii Bans the Use of Plastic Bags

Posted by Guest Editor on Monday, April 7, 2014, In : News 

There are an insane amount of cons to the manufacturing and use of plastic bags. To name a few:

  •       They are made from raw components of oil, which is a limited resource.
  •       According to studies they take at least a few hundred years to decompose; therefore, they consume space in landfills.
  •       When disposed of in the oceans, they are often introduced to the sea creature food chains, which can ultimately lead to their deaths.

While these are only a few cons of plastic bags...


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MicroEmpowering DIY Lava Lamp Workshop

Posted by Guest Editor on Thursday, June 13, 2013,

Come out and join the MicroEmpowering team in a STEM education and eco-art workshop at Socrates Sculpture Park on Saturday, June 15th from 12pm-3pm.


Through this interactive workshop participants will be taught how to create a lava lamp using 
everyday household items and recycled materials. These vibrant, mesmerizing lamps are a fun and exciting way to get children involved in math and science. All materials will be provided on site. This workshop is open to children and their families on a â€...


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A Boon for Biofuels Research

Posted by Guest Editor on Wednesday, June 12, 2013,


Researchers from the United Kingdom, the Energy Department's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), and the University of Kentucky have recently published a paper describing a novel cellulose-degrading enzyme from a marine wood borer Limnoria quadripunctata, commonly known as the gribble. 

Gribbles are biologically intriguing because they exhibit a relatively unique ability to produce their own enzymes instead of using symbiotic microbes to break down the biomass they eat. New biomass-de...


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MicroEmpowering Product Giveaway!

Posted by Guest Editor on Sunday, April 28, 2013,
Microempowering would like to give a big thank you for all the support you have shown us.
 
We will be hosting a giveaway of more than 100 products.
 This product giveaway will start on May 1st and will end on June 1st. All you have to do for a chance to win is subscribe to our newsletter mailing list! You can do that right on our blog page.
 
The winners will be selected randomly but everyone has a high chance of winning! Once selected, the winners will be requested to provide us with their first...

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EARTH DAY LOBBY DAY 2013!

Posted by Guest Editor on Thursday, April 18, 2013,


Tuesday, April 23rd, 2013
9:30 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.New York State Capitol, Albany, NY

Can’t make it to Albany? Don’t fret! You can support this important day by pledging to call your legislator on the 23rd and provide back-up to the advocates pounding the halls of the capitol. 

If you’re signing up to call, we will give you all the information you need to easily make the call! 

This year's Earth Day Lobby Day will focus on critically important environmental issues such as expanding solar ener...


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NASA Seeks Academic Partners for Smallsat Technology Collaboration

Posted by Guest Editor on Thursday, April 4, 2013,
RELEASE : 13-094
 
 
NASA Seeks Academic Partners for Smallsat Technology Collaboration
 
 
WASHINGTON -- NASA is seeking small spacecraft technology project proposals from U.S. colleges and universities that would like to collaborate with agency researchers. 

Small spacecraft, or smallsats, represent a growing field of space research and operations in which universities often have led the way in technology development. Smallsats, some of which are as small as a four-inch cube, are not expected to r...

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Quantum Dots that Assemble Themselves Could Bolster Quantum Photonics and Solar Cell Efficiency

Posted by Guest Editor, NREL newswire on Tuesday, March 19, 2013, In : News 
Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory and other labs have demonstrated a process whereby quantum dots can self-assemble at optimal locations in nanowires, a breakthrough that could improve solar cells, quantum computing, and lighting devices.
 
A paper on the new technology, "Self-assembled Quantum Dots in a Nanowire System for Quantum Photonics," appears in the current issue of the scientific journal Nature Materials. 
 
Quantum dots are tiny cry...
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Report Advises Utilities on Unintentional Islanding Risk for Distributed Generation

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, March 12, 2013, In : News 
A Sandia National Laboratories report details a procedure to quickly determine whether utilities need an additional unintentional islanding study when evaluating the proposed interconnection of new distributed generation (DG), which includes photovoltaic (PV) systems.

Islanding occurs when the DG continues to energize a load well after it is disconnected from the utility source, and when established accidentally, islanding can adversely affect personnel safety and equipment integrity. Followi...
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NASA Casts a Wide Net for STEM Education Partners

Posted by Guest Editor on Thursday, February 21, 2013,
RELEASE : 13-056
 
 
NASA Casts a Wide Net for STEM Education Partners
 
 
WASHINGTON -- NASA is inviting potential partners to help the agency achieve its strategic goals for education. 

Using its unique missions, discoveries, and assets, NASA supports education inside and outside the formal classroom to inspire and motivate educators and learners of all ages in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The agency is seeking unfunded partnerships with organizations to engage new or b...

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Why upcycling is beneficial towards the environment?

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, February 8, 2013, In : Guest Blogger 

Upcycling is a method in which old or discarded materials are converted into something reusable.

The difference between upcycling and recycling is simple. Recycling takes consumer materials such as plastic, paper, metal, and glass and breaks them down so that they can be made into a new consumer product (usually of lesser quality). When you upcycle an item you aren’t breaking down ant materials, just purely refashioning it.  Additionally the quality of the upcycled item has same or even ...


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Fossil Fuels and the Rising Sea Levels

Posted by Guest Editor on Thursday, January 31, 2013, In : Guest Blogger 

As stated in our “How Methane Heating Works” article, “Natural gas derives from animal and plant matter that was heated and pressurized in earth’s layers (hence why it is referred to as “fossil fuel”).” Within the last century, the burning of these fossil fuels combined with other human related activities, has released heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere. In effect it has caused the Earth’s temperature and sea levels to rise.

This rise in sea level is linked to thermal ...


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Coral Reef Conservation

Posted by Guest Editor on Monday, January 21, 2013, In : Information gathered from the USA EPA 

Coral reefs are structures that have merged together into limestone. It consists of a collection of biological communities that make up one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. Corals themselves are actually small immobile animals that belong to the group cnidaria. They sustain themselves by catching prey, such as small fish and planktonic animals, with their tentacles. Corals generally live in colonies. Together these colonies secrete a hard calcium carbonate skeleton, which is wha...


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Turning Coal Into Clean Power

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, January 8, 2013, In : Bloomberg Markets 


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Geothermal Energy Part 2

Posted by Guest Editor on Thursday, December 27, 2012,

Geothermal energy can also be captured from heat pumps. Heat pumps tap into the heat near the Earth’s surface. This type of energy capturing can be used to heat water supplies or heat/cool buildings. Geothermal heat pumps transfer heat by pumping water or a refrigerant through pipes (also known as heat exchangers) below the Earth’s surface. During the winter months the water and refrigerants absorb heat from the Earth and deliver it to buildings and such. During summer months pumps are ...


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Geothermal Energy Part 1

Posted by Guest Editor on Sunday, December 9, 2012,

Geothermal energy is heat derived from the Earth. It is both clean and sustainable. It can be excavated from shallow ground, hot water, hot rocks, and magma. Geothermal energy can be extracted through power plants and heat pumps.

There are three types of geothermal power plants. The first type is called dry steam and uses heat from deep within the Earth to generate steam, which produces electricity. Wells drill into the Earth and pump hot water to the surface under high pressures. Once at...


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Learn About Food Waste

Posted by Guest Editor on Thursday, November 29, 2012,

Food waste is categorized as food that has been discarded or gone uneaten. It can consist of raw, cooked, edible, and inedible (bones, etc.) materials. In the United States more than 34 million tons of food waste is generated and 1.3 billion tons globally.

Generating this type of food waste has both economical and environmental consequences. No matter who you are, a portion of your income goes to buying food. Therefore, you are throwing away money. By taking part in simple practices you ca...


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US energy infrastructure needs help and mitigation plans

Posted by External article from The Christian Science Monitor - Weekly Digital Edition on Sunday, November 11, 2012, In : News 
A Climate Central report from earlier this year highlighted the amount of energy infrastructure around the country that is close to sea level. Louisiana, of course, comes across as the clearest example of energy infrastructure at risk to rising seas, with 163 major energy facilities at five feet above sea level or less. Surprisingly, New Jersey and New York are ranked 5th and 6th in the country, respectively, for the amount of infrastructure that is within 5 feet of sea level.

Hurricane...
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NREL/DOE Launch New Alternative Transportation Web Tools

Posted by News Release NR-4212 on Friday, November 9, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has launched a new tool and redesigned DOE’s Alternative Fuels Data Center Web site to help fleet managers, municipalities and consumers choose from a wide variety of alternative fuels and energy efficiency strategies for reducing petroleum use, vehicle emissions, and operating costs.


The AFDC’s new Petroleum Reduction Planning Tool is an interactive Web application that allows fleet managers to evaluate th...


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Lights Out in the Rockaways...

Posted by Guest Blogger on Tuesday, November 6, 2012, In : News 
Video: Lights Out in the Rockaways by our dear friend Arianna La Penne  -  She recorded scenes from Rockaway Beach, Queens, where residents are increasingly cold and scared without heat, water, and electricity days after Hurricane Sandy devastated the community.

The resident's needs were quite basic and they raise questions such as:
Where is the FEMA team?  Where is the RED Cross?  Where is the all the help that has been promised on TV?
 
http://www.nytimes.com/video/2012/11/04/nyregion/100...
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Beyond Recycling - Go Green With Your Kids

Posted by Guest Author Donna DeForbes, http://eco-mothering.blogspot.com on Friday, October 26, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 
Have “power down” days. We humans are addicted to electricity and all its accompanying gadgets. There should be a few days each year (once per season is nice) where the family “powers down.” This means no TV, music, computer, electric lights, etc. (You can still eat, of course, but try using the more natural gas stove instead of microwave radiation.) My husband and I have powered down for many a Winter Solstice. It’s a way of slowing life down for a bit and reconnecting with each ot...
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Schools Raise the Roof on Solar Energy

Posted by Guest Editor news from NREL on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 
In one 50-minute period last month, the Intro to Engineering students at Chatfield High School in Jefferson County, Colorado, charted the strength of solar panels at their desks, then climbed through a trap door to examine the 100-kilowatt solar array on their school's flat roof.

"You see a couple of panels that have been shattered by last year's wind storm," teacher Joel Bertelsen told the 32 students, who were peering intently at the panels when not testing the springiness of the roof. "I...
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Destruction of habitats and the increase of invasive species

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, October 16, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 
Change in climate, destruction of habitats, and the increase of invasive species are the chief drivers in the current biodiversity crisis. Brought on by insatiable consumption of resources by humans, the extinction rate of species annually has risen from 100 to 1000 times.

Currently conservation biologists are trying to estimate the time period during which a species begins to undergo perturbation and eventually extinction. They then take this estimation and apply it to the Brazilian rainfo...
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Bio Gas - Can You Use Poop to Power Your Car?

Posted by Guest Author Donna DeForbes, http://eco-mothering.blogspot.com on Tuesday, October 2, 2012, In : Must read 
Donna DeForbes a great writer and eco-mom, she is our new contributor!  Donna wrote a very cool post about bio gas and the multiple options out there for transforming solid waste into energy.  According to the article, under the gentler moniker of ‘bio-gas’, businesses around the globe are seeking ways to harness the power of human waste, which contains bacteria that releases methane gas (also known as Natural Gas and CH4).

Using solid waste from 70 homes, British company GENeco powered a ...
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Hybrid delivery vans show nearly 20 percent higher fuel economy

Posted by Guest Editor on Monday, October 1, 2012, In : Must read 
The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)'s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently completed a performance evaluation report that showed significant fuel economy benefits of hybrid electric delivery vans compared to similar conventional vans. "During the on-road portion of our study, the hybrid vans demonstrated a 13 to 20 percent higher fuel economy than the conventional vans," said NREL Project Engineer Michael Lammert. "During dynamometer testing, three standard drive cycles were...
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Meet the Zero-Emission Bus (ZBus) Regulation

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, September 25, 2012, In : Must read 
In 2000 the Zero-Emission Bus (ZBus) regulation was established. Its intentions were to develop a Californian transit system made up of 15% zero emission buses. This formation of this regulation would also meet California’s air quality, greenhouse gas, and energy security goals.



Source: Zero-Emission Bus Design

Zbus’ produce zero smog pollutants and when compared to diesel-fueled buses, is predicted to reduce greenhouse gases by 46 percent. They have centralized fueling that allows one s...
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What is a Fuel Cell? How does it Work?

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, In : Must read 
Since the late 1830’s companies around the world have been striving to create a technology that can replace traditional batteries and generator technologies. They seek a technology that will help to overcome the pressing environmental concerns the world is facing. That is where the fuel cell comes in. Fuel cells are electrochemical energy devices that convert hydrogen and oxygen into water, which can then produce electricity and heat. They are most similar to the average household battery; ...
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New study: hybrid tractors demonstrated 13.7% higher fuel economy!

Posted by Guest Editor on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, In : News 
A performance evaluation of Class 8 hybrid electric tractor trailers compared with similar conventional vehicles by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shows significant improvements in fuel economy.

For the "Coca-Cola Refreshments Class 8 Diesel Electric Hybrid Tractor Evaluation: 13-Month Final Report," the NREL team collected and analyzed fuel economy, maintenance, and other vehicle performance data on five hybrid and five conventional Class...
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Why Biodiversity Needs Conservation?

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, August 31, 2012, In : News 
The natural Earth is made up of plants, animals, land, water, the atmosphere, and humans. Combined we form the planet’s ecosystem. This means that should there ever be a major biodiversity disaster, the wellbeing of humans could be at risk. For too long we have had the idea that the biodiversity that surrounds us responds to Earth’s physical changes rather than see that the existence of the Earth depends on biodiversity.

Presently we are consuming 25% more of natural resources than the p...
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Sustainability Initiatives That Pay Back!

Posted by Guest Editor, CFO data and article on Tuesday, August 21, 2012, In : Must read 
Sustainability is the ability to be sustained, supported, upheld, or confirmed. A question all companies ask themselves these days is: “Will investing in sustainability pay off within an acceptable amount of time?” Huge companies such as Henkel Corp. and Cybex are putting millions into the construction of eco-friendly factories and products, hoping that it all pays off in the end. 


 
Today many executives, some of whom used to be skeptical about this very matter, are trying to do more wit...
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Green Future Part 1 of 2 in the Series

Posted by Guest Editor on Wednesday, August 15, 2012, In : Must read 
Innovation is Here!

In order to combat the world’s more problematic environmental issues, scientists, researchers, and architects have been coming up with exciting and innovating fixes.


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MicroEmpowering Won the STEM App Challenge from ADL - U.S. Department of Defense!

Posted by Guest Editor on Wednesday, August 1, 2012, In : Must read 
Microempowering.org is proud to announce that we have been awarded 1st prize from the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative from the Department of Defense, after launching our STEM education app on May 25th!!!

The Curiosity School - STEM series app by MicroEmpowering is a greener alternative for teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to curious students. This iPad app has been designed to promote a “learn by doing” approach to education. It is a hands-...
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What Makes the MIRAI NIHON Project so Amazing?

Posted by Guest Author on Tuesday, July 31, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 
Earlier last year, Japan experienced a 9.0 earthquake followed by massive tsunamis. The destruction that occurred killed thousands and left many more homeless. One of the many unfortunate side effects of this natural catastrophe was the threat of nuclear disaster.

Concerns revolving around energy and basic life services for the future plagued Japanese people. That is where a Japanese advertising firm, TBWA/Hakuhodo, along with Nissan, NEC, and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, came...
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Recycling Isn’t Restricted to Mercury or Plastic

Posted by Guest Editor on Saturday, July 28, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 
Recycling isn’t restricted to mercury or plastic. Watch this slide show to learn how to recycle natural materials found in places like your lawn or garden.


 
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Electrofuels: Tiny Organisms Making a Big Impact

Posted by Guest Editor, DOE and ARPA-E on Thursday, July 19, 2012, In : Must read 


They say a picture is worth a thousand words — but what happens when what you want to look at is impossible to see?
 
That’s where the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s Electrofuels program comes in. The 13 projects that make up the program seek to develop renewable liquid fuels that use microorganisms to harness chemical or electrical energy to convert carbon dioxide into liquid fuels, without using petroleum or biomass. For example, scientists at Columbia University are using...
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Green Energy Matrix in the US Food System

Posted by Guest Editor on Wednesday, July 18, 2012, In : Must read 
Energy breakdown for the food production system includes about 20 percent of overall energy used in agricultural production, 14 percent for transport, 16 percent for processing, another 7 percent for packaging, 4 percent in food retailing 7 percent in restaurants and caterers and a whopping 32 percent goes to home refrigeration and preparation.

What do you think are the solutions to this challenge:


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How Methane Heating Works?

Posted by Guest Editor on Sunday, July 15, 2012, In : Must read 
Natural gas derives from animal and plant matter that was heated and pressurized in earth’s layers (hence why it is referred to as “fossil fuel”). It is generally made up of methane, ethane, hexane, propane, heptanes, butane, and pentane; however, gas companies purify it until only methane is left. That way the gas used for heating burns cleanly. Methane is considered a clean fuel because compared to coal and oil, it is less chemically complex, releasing only carbon dioxide and water va...
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NYC residents will throw away about 200,000 tons of clothes, per year...

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, July 3, 2012, In : Must read 
Over the course of one year, NYC residents will throw away about 200,000 tons of clothes, towels, blankets, curtains, shoes, handbags, belts, and other textiles. The reason New Yorkers may choose to dispose of their unwanted clothes and accessories rather than donate them is out of pure convenience.

To overcome this ailment, the non-profit organization re-fashionNYC, in partnership with the City of New York and Housing Works has come up with a convenient and innovative solution. Re-fashionNY...
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Are you familiar with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) degrees?

Posted by Editor on Monday, June 25, 2012, In : Top 10 
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. STEM scholarships are college scholarships for students who are majoring in those fields of study. There are a wide variety of STEM degrees, including majors in pharmacy, biology, computer programming, business, healthcare, social sciences and engineering.
 
In order for the United States to remain competitive in the international market, we must encourage science education in schools. Int...
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Statement by the Higher Education Sustainability Initiative at Rio+20

Posted by Guest Editor, Sustainability on Thursday, June 21, 2012, In : News 
As Chancellors, Presidents, Rectors, Deans and Leaders of Higher Education Institutions and related organizations, we acknowledge the responsibility that we bear in the international pursuit of sustainable development. On the occasion of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, held in Rio de Janeiro from 20-22 June 2012, we agree to support the following actions:

Teach sustainable development concepts, ensuring that they form a part of the core curriculum across all discipl...
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45 CEOs endorsed the Global Compact’s CEO Water Mandate

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, In : News 
They have pledged to work with suppliers to improve their water practices, and partner with nongovernmental organizations, UN agencies, governments and public authorities, investors, and other stakeholders on water-related projects and solutions. 
 
In the communiqué, they called on governments to:

- Develop policies and incentives to improve water productivity and efficiency in all sectors, especially agriculture.
- Establish fair and appropriate valuation of water for agriculture, industry...
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Business Puts in a Bid to Engage in Sustainable Development Goals Process, at Corporate Sustainability Forum

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, In : Must read 
(Rio de Janeiro, 18 June 2012) – A role for the international business community in identifying and promoting a new set of global goals was endorsed this evening at the Rio+20-aligned private sector forum, and will be forwarded this week to the UN and Heads of State.

The proposal to give business a voice in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emerged from the 15-18 June Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum. Approval came via a show of hands by business executives as well as other F...
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STEM Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

Posted by Editor on Sunday, June 10, 2012, In : Must read 
Education in science, technology, engineering and math, also known as STEM, provides many benefits to students. STEM scholarships and college education can lead to work in fields which are vital to almost every aspect of our modern world, from the roads we drive on to finding cures for diseases. 

Women, however, are not represented as highly in these fields as they are in the rest of the work force. United States Census Bureau data shows that woman make up 48 percent of the total workforce, bu...
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Why STEM Education is Important?

Posted by Carolina Cabral Murphy on Sunday, May 27, 2012, In : News 
In the early 1960s, The United States had three times as many scientists as countries such as the Soviet Union. It was spending seven times more money on scientific research than Europe. The United States had made 80 percent of all scientific discoveries from the 1930s to the 1960s. Not surprisingly, the United States has been the dominant science superpower since the 1950s.

The United States owes its status to its investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) educat...
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Who's leading the impact investing movement?

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, May 22, 2012, In : News 
GIIRS (Global Impact Investing Ratings System), a project of B Lab, announced the names of the 12 North American GIIRS Pioneer Funds. These firms are the leading private equity and venture capital funds with a focus on impact investing. The 12 North American GIIRS Pioneer Funds join the 13 other Pioneer Funds that invest in the emerging markets that GIIRS previously announced at the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship in April.

The Emerging Market GIIRS Pioneer Funds include the Acumen ...
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US Gov. Imposed Tariffs of Around 30% on Solar Panels from China

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, May 18, 2012, In : News 
The US government has imposed tariffs of around 30 percent on solar panels imported from China, sparking charges of “trade protectionism” from Chinese government officials and increasing friction between the two countries.

The US Commerce Department ruled yesterday in favor of American companies that charged Chinese exporters had illegally “dumped” their solar panels on the US market below fair market price.

Commerce officials will continue their investigations in the trade cases, a...
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Do You Know Which Electric Vehicle is Right for You?

Posted by Joao G. Cabral for www.H2Brasil.com on Friday, May 18, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 
Thinking about acquiring an electric vehicle?  Do you know which electric vehicle is right for you?

 

Source: Joao G. Cabral - from www.H2Brasil.com
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Do you want to be green, lose weight, and help save the planet?

Posted by Editor on Wednesday, May 16, 2012, In : Must read 
Do you want to develop a healthier lifestyle?
Do you want to embrace green living?
Do you want to help save the planet?
Do you want to lose weight?

Try the city sponsored "prescription" being followed by Parisians, Londoners, Berliners, Brazilians, the Dutch, and very soon... New Yorkers!  



Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan and a group of elected officials announced the big plan for public bikes around NYC. Some key facts are: 

Within the service area, which will stretch fro...

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Product labeling puts power in the hands of consumers...

Posted by Empowering Editor on Thursday, May 10, 2012, In : News 
Nutrition facts on a box of cereal. Country of origin on a pair of shoes. Radiation information on a cell phone. Product labeling puts power in the hands of consumers, rewards responsible producers and educational retailers, and combats false advertising. It transforms markets—just look at what organic labeling has done for the food industry. 

Not so long ago, everyone was completely in the dark when it came to the backstories of the things we buy—and when it comes to their climate impacts...
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NASA Quest Challenges - What are They?

Posted by NASA's website on Sunday, May 6, 2012, In : Must read 

NASA Quest Challenges are Web-based, interactive explorations designed to engage students in authentic scientific and engineering processes. The solutions relate to issues encountered daily by NASA personnel.

The content of NASA Quest Challenges follows real NASA tasks with the goal of involving young people in developing tomorrow's solutions, while inspiring them towards careers in science and engineering. As students work in teams to mirror NASA career roles, agency experts are available to ...


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STEM Women All-Stars Hit the Road

Posted by Guest reposted from Office of Science and Technology Policy. on Friday, May 4, 2012, In : Must read 
Last week, at the release of the White House Girls in STEM video, some of the Nation’s top women scientists and engineers took a break from their daily responsibilities at the heights of Federal, private, and academic science and technology enterprises to urge girls to open their minds to careers in these fields. Their voices joined a chorus of women across the country who are making it part of their mission to inspire students in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

Over the...

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Get Inspired by the Natural Environment

Posted by Editor on Sunday, April 29, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 
A recent research study done by Behavioral Economists pointed out to considerable findings about how individuals feel rewarded after looking at certain types of images.  We decided to run our own tests and the result is below.


By looking at this picture you should feel relaxed.
 

This picture is likely to make you feel collaborative.
 
 

This picture is likely to make you feel calm.


This picture is likely to make you feel heroic! 

Now that we got you inspired by the Natural Environment, let's get to ...
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Do you know what a Geo Fair Trade Project is? Ever heard of WFTO?

Posted by Guest Editor, Free Trade article on Saturday, April 28, 2012, In : Guest Blogger 
WFTO is one of the partners of a project that developed an information system that gives greater transparency of the producers on their commitment to improve their social, economic and environmental conditions.

Using geographical and local data of the producers’ production environs, the Geo Fair Trade Project, aimed at constructing mechanisms to trace products to its producers, to bring producers closer to the consumers, and to come up with social, economic and environmental indicators de...
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Do you want to host a workshop at your school, community center, or educational institution?

Posted by Empowering Editor on Monday, April 23, 2012, In : Must read 
Join or host one of our STEM education workshops!

Give us a call or send an email to: website [@] microempowering.com and we can coordinate our agendas or provide you with a vast list of resources and materials such as;

Resources:

PBS, public television stations and content producers rely on organizations like the following to help us stay informed about STEM initiatives.

International Society for Technology in Education: ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and educati...
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The Earth Day Agenda, 35 ways to Celebrate Earth day! From NYC City Council

Posted by Empowering Editor on Saturday, April 21, 2012, In : Must read 
Interested in volunteering on Earth Day?
 
According to Christine C. Quinn Speaker of NYC Council and James F. Gennaro Chair, Environmental Protection Committee - NYC Council. The 35 ways to Celebrate Earth day and give back to the Planet are listed on the links below: 

FRIDAY, APRIL 20
Earth Day Indoors at Grand Central Terminal - www.grandcentralterminal.com 
Earth Day in Times Square - http://www.earthdayny.org/ 
NY Public library Stories, Songs and Activities That Celebrate Our Earth - www.nypl...
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What is income inequality? How income inequality affects your daily life? - Part 1

Posted by Carolina Cabral Murphy on Saturday, April 21, 2012, In : Must read 
Income inequality is defined as the unequal distribution of household or individual income across the various participants in an economy.


 
Income inequality is often presented as the percentage of income to a percentage of population. For example, a statistic may indicate that 70% of a country's income is controlled by 20% of that country's residents.

It is often associated with the idea of income "fairness". It is generally considered "unfair" if the rich have a disproportionally larger p...

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Join the Environmental Advocates of New York for Earth Day!

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, April 17, 2012, In : Must read 

It's one of our favorite times of the year—when hundreds of concerned citizens from across New York State travel to Albany to call on lawmakers to vote green!

Please join us for the 22nd annual Earth Day Lobby Day!

         When:Wednesday, April 25, 2012
9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
 Where:      New York State Capitol
Albany, NY
 RSVP:Click here to register

At Earth Day Lobby Day, you'll hear from state government and environmental leaders, learn about environmental bills that are pending in Albany, and lob...


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The Policy Puzzle: Education and Climate Change

Posted by Excerpt from the Global Economy and Development at BROOKINGS on Monday, April 16, 2012, In : Must read 
Successful climate change adaptation and mitigation require appropriate knowledge, skills and behavior change that education can provide. Specifically, education can enable individuals and communities to make informed decisions and take action for climate resilient sustainable development.

Policymakers have not fully engaged the education sector, even though existing climate change frameworks are in place that could utilize education as a mitigation and adaptation strategy. For example, two...
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Who are the biggest employers in the world?

Posted by Empowering Editor on Sunday, April 15, 2012, In : Must read 
The biggest employers in the world account for a vast percentage of global GDP. In some cases these organizations aggregate tremendous amounts of value to the local economy via Research and Development (R&D). In the chart below, the defense industry, energy corporations as well as retail and fast food industries are the clear winners... 
 
What a few people realize is the amount of R&D and innovations fostered by these companies. 

Equipments and solutions we often take for granted, such as cellu...
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Ready for a recap after 20 long years? Join us at Rio +20

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, April 13, 2012, In : Must read 
The United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio +20, will be held from 13 to 22 June 2012, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is known as Rio +20 because it marks the twentieth anniversary of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio-92), and should help define the sustainable development agenda for the coming decades.

Brazil's petition to host Rio +20 was approved in the 6th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, in 2009. The objective of the...
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The Good News from Cleveland's Evergreen Cooperatives

Posted by Editor on Wednesday, April 11, 2012, In : Must read 
To repair the planet, business must go further than simply doing less harm. In the second of a series of posts examining investment models that help restore the resiliency of business, society and the earth, Capital Institute's Susan Arterian highlights the efforts of Cleveland's Evergreen Cooperatives.

Inspired by the Mondragon group of cooperatives in Spain, the Evergreen Cooperative members are attempting to "build resiliency and redefine wealth through hands-on ownership of capital, a mo...
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Will Social Impact Bonds Work in the U.S.?

Posted by Guest Editor, SOCAP news on Tuesday, April 10, 2012, In : News 
As state and local governments consider a new financing mechanism to scale proven preventive solutions to social problems, research shows the potential and challenges.

There is considerable buzz in the United States about whether a new “pay for success” model of financing social solutions currently being piloted across the Atlantic could work on American soil. It’s called a social impact bond (SIB), and the first—in fact, the only so far—was launched in September 2010 by an organiz...
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Africa's collective GDP is now roughly equal to Brazil's or Russia's

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, April 6, 2012, In : News 
Africa's collective GDP, at $1.7 trillion in 2010, is now roughly equal to Brazil's or Russia's. While Africa's increased economic momentum is widely recognized, less known are its sources and likely staying power. By 2020, it could be $ 2.6 trillion dollars.

Among the key findings:

Africa's growth acceleration was widespread, with 27 of its 30 largest economies expanding more rapidly after 2000.

All sectors contributed, including resources, finance, retail, agriculture, transportation and telec...
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Interesting Event - Photovoltaics Summit 2012 - April 17-18, 2012

Posted by Guest Editor on Tuesday, March 27, 2012, In : Must read 
The 7th annual Photovoltaics Summit will take place April 17-18, 2012, in San Diego, California. The conference will address the issues, markets and technological advancements that will drive PV developments in 2012 and beyond. This year's event will examine all of the successes and challenges the industry has faced over the past decade, and provide attendees with the knowledge they need to compete and succeed in the coming years. 
 
Location: The Westin, San Diego, CA, United States 
Summary: T...
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Learn about one of our favorite Social Entrepreneurs!

Posted by Guest Editor on Saturday, March 24, 2012, In : News 
Take a look at our latest novelty, It all started with an innocent, curiosity-driven question: “What about a for-profit company based in Honduras that would create a positive social impact through its business?” 
 
Chris posed that question during a work trip to Honduras in May 2006 where he reconnected in Tegucigalpa with friends dedicated to an impactful humanitarian project; seeking an answer to the question sparked the idea that became Tegu—a creative business founded to address unem...
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Poland rejects EU carbon emission targets

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, March 9, 2012, In : Must read 
Poland has signalled its opposition to an EU plan for deeper carbon emission cuts, which environment ministers will discuss on Friday.
 
Denmark, currently steering EU negotiations, is backed by the UK in calling for a 25% cut in CO2 emissions by 2020. Previously the target was 20%.

But Poland, reliant on coal for more than 90% of its electric power, fears the move would make energy more costly. Coal and other fossil fuels emit CO2, seen as a catalyst for climate change.

Poland's Gazeta Wyborc...
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A UK scientist studying volcanic vents in the ocean says they hold a grave warning for future marine ecosystems

Posted by Guest Editor, BBC on Sunday, February 19, 2012, In : Must read 
These vents have naturally acidified waters that hint at how our seas might change if atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continue to rise. They are conditions that would make it harder for corals and similar organisms to make the hard parts in their bodies.

Dr Jason Hall-Spencer's work suggests our oceans could lose perhaps 30% of their biodiversity this century. The Plymouth University researcher has been presenting his latest findings to a major conference in Vancouver, Canada.

"I am inves...
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Interesting events for March/April

Posted by Guest Editor on Friday, February 17, 2012, In : News 
Fireside Chat: Canadian Corporate Leaders To Share Culture Building Strategies In The Green Economy

Event Date & Time:
March 7, 2012  4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Location: Toronto, Ontario and LIVE Webcast . Bennett Jones, 1st Canadian Place, 100 King St. W. (King & Bay), 34th Floor, Toronto, Canada. Toronto, Ontario and FREE LIVE Webcast

During the discussion you will learn:
‱ The value of communicating a clear vision throughout your organization
‱ Specific examples of culture building strategies
â...
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Laser radar spots quake changes

Posted by Guest Editor, BBC on Friday, February 10, 2012, In : News 

Source: BBC

An international team of scientists has released a laser-radar image of the area surrounding the site of a Magnitude 7.2 earthquake that occurred in Mexicali, Mexico, in 2010. The technique can spot surface changes of just a few centimetres; here blue represents a post-quake reduction in height and red indicates an increase.


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Science Thursday, Taking Paper Airplanes To The Next Level...

Posted by Guest Editor, NPR on Thursday, January 12, 2012, In : Must read 
Leif Ristroph and colleagues at NYU are designing tiny paper aircraft and making them fly using a pot, a speaker and a bunch of straws. When the subwoofer plays a low-frequency tone, it pushes the air above it up and down, which is funneled through the pot and straws, creating a flow of pulsing air.

The system simulates flapping flight by taking the flap out of the wing and putting it into the air. Ristroph explains what his aircraft are teaching him about stable flight.

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Trends in Cross-Border Funding

Posted by Guest Editor, via CGAP authors Barbara GĂ€hwiler and Alice NĂšgre on Thursday, January 5, 2012, In : News 
Microfinance funding is becoming more transparent. More than 60 microfinance funders regularly report information on their microfinance portfolio to CGAP, and extensive data are available on microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs) through Symbiotics and MicroRate. 

In 2011, CGAP surveyed the 20 largest microfinance funders, which represented over 85% of commitments reported in the previous survey year. Based on the findings of that survey and previous surveys, this Brief describes global trend...
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Looking for last minute Holiday Gifts?

Posted by MicroEmpowering Editor on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, In : Must read 
Visit our on line store, 92% of the profits are reverted to fund our Educational Workshops

On Dec 21, if you order FREE Two-Day Shipping before 8 p.m. PST (which varies by item) item gets to location before Christmas. Dec 21 is the last full day to order One-Day Shipping ($3.99/item)

On Dec 22, if you order One-Day Shipping ($3.99/item) before 4:30 p.m. PST (which varies by item) item gets to location before Christmas.

  
Smithsonian Motor-Works
    
Smithsonian Diggin' Up T-Rex 


Smithsonian C...
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Findings from Randomized Evaluations of Microfinance

Posted by Guest Editor, via CGAP on Monday, December 5, 2011, In : News 
In 2009, the results from two microcredit impact studies in Hyderabad, India, and Manila, the Philippines were released to mixed responses (Banerjee, Duflo, Glennerster, and Kinnan 2010; Karlan and Zinman 2011). Some media declared microfinance a failure (Bennett 2009). Many in the microfinance community dismissed these randomized studies as too limited to be a true reflection of the entire sector.

These first randomized studies caused a sensation because they challenged the dominant impact n...
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We are extremely grateful for having you in our lives. Happy Holidays!

Posted by The Empowering Team on Thursday, December 1, 2011, In : News 
Dear Friends,

We at MicroEmpowering are very thankful for a productive and successful 2011. We are extremely grateful for having you in our lives!

This is our first quarterly update and we will do our best to keep things simple and objective. Since our incorporation in September of 2009, we:
  • Provided workshops for over 250 students in the US and Brazil
  • Participated in the reforestation drive for almost 400 rare species of Pau Brasil# trees with our social entrepreneurship partner organizat...

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Brazil is temporarily banning Chevron from drilling for oil in its territory

Posted by Guest Editor, BBC on Sunday, November 27, 2011, In : News 
The National Petroleum Agency (ANP) said it would suspend Chevron's activities in Brazil until it had established the cause of an oil spill off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

  
Source: BBC and AFP
 
Chevron has apologised for the leak, but has stressed it acted as rapidly and safely as possible to contain it. The Brazilian government has fined Chevron US$28m (ÂŁ18m) for the spill. Brazilian Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira said Chevron could face further fines if an investigation into the ...
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UK Environmental Audit Committee publishes report on air quality

Posted by Guest Editor from www.WhereisMyNewCar.com on Thursday, November 17, 2011, In : Guest Blogger 
The Environmental Audit Committee considers the extent to which the policies and programmes of government departments and non-departmental public bodies contribute to environmental protection and sustainable development, and it audits their performance against any sustainable development and environmental protection targets. Unlike most select committees, the Committee’s remit cuts across government rather than focuses on the work of a particular department.

According to the report, the G...
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Bisphenol A: Should there be laws?

Posted by Editor, via greenspace on Monday, October 17, 2011, In : Must read 
The Food and Drug Administration's about-face on the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which is used to harden the plastic of sippy cups and baby bottles and to seal the inside of tin cans, could spur the adoption of bills in the California Legislature and U.S. Congress to restrict the chemical.

Despite a 2008 determination under President George W. Bush that the chemical was safe, the Obama administration said Friday that it would spend $30 million to study the effects of BPA. which has been lin...
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Sustainable Houses, The Key to Our Future?

Posted by Editor, via CNET on Sunday, October 9, 2011, In : Must read 
What do you think of sustainable houses?
The technology used for building is improving every day, but if it's a super energy-efficient dwelling you're after, the tools are already well at hand. Once a year, the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association organizes a green buildings open house where energy nerds like us can see the latest in home efficiency. 


Source: CNET

On the other hand, if you want to built a different house, to be in harmony with nature. You might want to consider these inexpen...

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Changing Forests and Climate Change - New York Times

Posted by Volunteer on Sunday, October 2, 2011, In : Must read 
The world’s 9.9 billion acres of forest absorb roughly a quarter of human emissions of carbon dioxide, and help limit the increase of the gas in the atmosphere. While many healthy forests are robustly absorbing carbon, others are threatened by a warming climate. 

 
Visit their page to experience the data and research in a interactive manner.

NYT map http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/10/01/science/earth/forests.html?ref=earth
Additional coverage http://www.h2brasil.com/artigos-publicados/o...
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Top Stealth Home Energy Hogs

Posted by Editor on Friday, September 9, 2011, In : News 

The relentless rise of electricity prices over the past decade has made many consumers more conscientious about how they use electric power. Many of those conscientious people may find it frustrating — to put it mildly — that their daily or even hourly efforts to turn off devices they're not using hasn't delivered the results they'd expected.

The blame belongs to the growing number of "vampire" or "phantom" electronic products that populate today's typical home. An alarmingly large numbe...
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New Words Every Small Business Owner Should Know!

Posted by Editor, via entrepreneur.com on Sunday, September 4, 2011, In : Must read 

Do you have a "bajillion" things to do? Have you ever had a "light-bulb moment"?

Entrepreneurs need to keep up with the new business-related words and lingo that pop up almost every day. The publishers of the Concise Oxford Dictionary have added 400 new words to the 12th edition of the publication, so we thought it might be useful to take a look at the new terms. Turns out several apply to business.

We've selected the 10 need-to-know new words. Whether or not you start using them in your own bu...


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Funding for Nationwide Student-Focused Clean Energy Business Competitions

Posted by Editor via DOE on Tuesday, August 2, 2011, In : Must read 
DOE Announces Funding for Nationwide Student-Focused Clean Energy Business Competitions

Washington, D.C. - As part of the Obama Administration's effort to support and empower the next generation of American clean energy entrepreneurs, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced $2 million in available funding for the National University Clean Energy Business Challenge. This nationwide initiative will create a network of regional student-focused clean energy business creation competitions ...

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How innovative thinking can turn a mistake into a great product?

Posted by Via news wire on Friday, July 29, 2011, In : News 

According to a recent article, the discovery of DeconGel was accidental. Late one night in 2006, the researchers of Skai Ventures, a Honolulu-based venture capital firm and technology accelerator got a little sloppy with one of their experiments. They were working with a gel that dripped from the lab table onto the floor.  
 

Source: Courtesy of DeaconGel.
 
When they peeled it off, the floor beneath was "absolutely pristine, completely clean and white," recalls Wuh, the company CEO. "That's when...


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Social Innovation for Undergrads

Posted by Editor CM on Monday, July 18, 2011, In : News 

LOS ANGELES, Jul. 18 /CSRwire/ - For undergraduates interested in social innovation and developing well thought-out solutions to the world's problems, the Society and Business Lab (SBL) at the USC Marshall School of Business in conjunction with the School of Policy, Planning and Development has announced a social entrepreneurship minor that will begin in fall 2011.

The interdisciplinary minor will be open to all USC undergraduate students who are seeking to understand the global context of soc...


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An Environmental Disaster Unfolding in Front of US...

Posted by Editor, with quotes from the Associated Press report on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, In : Must read 

Prime Minister Naoto Kan reiterated in a speech to parliament that Japan was grappling with its worst problems since World War II."This quake, tsunami and the nuclear accident are the biggest crises for Japan" in decades, said Kan, dressed in one of the blue work jackets that have become ubiquitous among bureaucrats since the tsunami. He said the crises remained unpredictable, but added: "We will continue to handle it in a state of maximum alert."


Source: NASA (Picture1 red = previously popula...
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Great initiative - Boston University - Center for Corporate Citizenship

Posted by Editor C on Friday, March 11, 2011, In : Must read 
This is a great idea, kudos to Katherine V. Smith and her team at The Center for Corporate Citizenship (at Boston University). We hope other Universities will do the same.

"Dear MicroEmpowering, 

As the world begins to comprehend the devastating impact of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, the Center extends its deepest sympathies to the people and businesses struggling against extraordinary circumstances. Our community of companies includes several headquartered in Japan and hundreds of othe...

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Market Acceptance of Smart Growth (via EPA)

Posted by Editor on Tuesday, March 8, 2011, In : Must read 
For decades, developers have been creating smart growth communities—places with a mix of land uses and housing types, built compactly to make walking and biking easier—throughout the county in urban, suburban, and rural locations. Some communities structure their approval and entitlement process to encourage construction of this type of neighborhood. Other communities are less familiar with these neighborhoods and may present more hurdles in the approval process because the design and lay...
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Torrential summer rains in the mountain areas in Rio de Janeiro State, created the third largest flood related disaster in the history of Brazil

Posted by Editor on Friday, January 14, 2011, In : Must read 
CHECK BELOW FOR DONATIONS:

Headquarters INVESTS RIO - Rua Mexico, 125 - Centro Rio (in the shop of the Tourism Department in front of elevators)

HemoRio - The organ of the State Department of Health and Civil Defense is urging the population to donate blood. The blood center needs to send 300 bags of blood to the mountain region. The address is HemoRio at Rua Frei Caneca, No. 8, in downtown Rio The agency operates daily from 7am to 18 hours, including Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. To be a ...
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Was Cancun a Watershed for Business and Climate Change? (via CEF)

Posted by Editor on Monday, December 20, 2010, In : News 
By Maryann Jones Thompson (via CEF)

The Cancun international climate negotiations defied low expectations by producing a set of modest “Cancun Agreements,” which delegates argue provide a strong base for a comprehensive agreement next year. Key outcomes included:

  • Creation of a new “Green Climate Fund” (with the The World Bank as “Trustee”) that aims to disburse $100 billion a year by 2020 to help poor countries adapt to climate change impacts and assist with low-carbon developme...

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The World Climate Summit 2010

Posted by Editor on Monday, November 29, 2010, In : News 

LONDON, BRUSSELS, COPENHAGEN, WASHINGTON, D.C. and CANCUN, Mexico, Nov. 24 /CSRwire/ - The most important and influential business, finance and government leaders in the climate change arena are coming together with more than 100 high-level speakers, and the largest coalition of financiers at the inaugural World Climate Summit, December 4-5, at The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun, Mexico, in parallel to the UNFCCC COP 16.

The World Climate Summit 2010 is the beginning of a new, open and collaborative ...


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Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) is set to close by year’s end

Posted by Editor C on Wednesday, November 17, 2010, In : Guest Blogger 
Via Guest Blogger - with excerpts from Bloomberg Businessweek article

Speaking after Republicans won control of the House of Representatives, President Barack Obama has backed away from a cap-and-trade program saying he will work with Republicans on other ways to cut carbon emissions, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.

A cap-and-trade program was included in the climate bill passed by the House last year, but stalled in this year’s Senate. Peter Shattuck, a carbon-markets policy analyst at ...

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CDP Water Disclosure 2010 Global Report - On behalf of 137 investors with assets of US$16 trillion

Posted by on Tuesday, November 16, 2010, In : Guest Blogger 
Via CDP - www.cdproject.net 

The highlights from 2010 disclosures 

The CDP Water Disclosure replicates and builds on the tried-and-trusted methodology and process that the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) has used for carbon and climate change since 2003. Backed by 137 institutional investors representing $16 trillion in assets, this year CDP sent its first annual water questionnaire to 302 of the world’s 500 largest companies in the FTSE Global Equity Index Series, focusing on sectors that ar...

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Green financing, finally?

Posted by Editor on Tuesday, November 9, 2010, In : Guest Blogger 
Several large commercial lenders including Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, and Citibank, say they are starting to shift their involvement away from industry practices that they see as risky to their reputations and bottom lines, reports The New York Times. These include investments in oil and gas development, nuclear power, coal-fired electricity generation, oil sands development, fuel pipeline construction and forestry.

Wells Fargo will invest more than $100 million by the end of 2011 to fund th...

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What are Environmental Costs? - Part 1

Posted by on Monday, November 8, 2010, In : Must read 
By Ana Murphy  

According to some EPA guidelines due to the importance of accurate cost information in making the decisions sketched out above, the term
“environmental cost” has been introduced into the vocabulary of environmental managers. 
Today we are starting a series of posts related to the definition(s) and the measurements used to evaluate environmental costs. 

Environmental costs are often hard to define from a business stand point. In the past 10 years they are more likely to be qua...
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Wind Energy in Long Island?

Posted by on Wednesday, November 3, 2010, In : News 
Via Newsday, with commentary of 

Here's some good news for New Yorkers who are tired of West NY getting attention for their (amazing) wind farms.

The New York Power Authority (NYPA) has applied to develop an off shore wind farm 24km off the coast of Long Island that would begin pumping 300 MW of energy into the region, but whose capacity would be 700 MW (to be achieved by 2016).

According to Newsday (subscriber's only), the project comes with a price tag of about $1.5 billion.

No...


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Pricing carbon emissions in the context of international development

Posted by on Saturday, October 30, 2010, In : News 
Source: HARALD WINKLER*, ANDREW MARQUARD for Climate Policy, Volume 10, Number 5, 2010 , pp. 489-493(5)

Excerpt from the Editorial of Climate Policy

The Introduction has a very good example focusing on South Africa case. "Some developing countries are considering the option of using economic instruments as part of a broader policy of climate change mitigation. In South Africa, a carbon tax has been a very effective instrument for inducing relative emission reductions in the long-term mitigat...
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Recycle Rate for PET Containers in the United States Rise to 28% in 2009

Posted by Editor C on Friday, October 29, 2010, In : Must read 

The U.S. recycling rate for post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is 28 percent in 2009, marking the sixth straight year that the nation’s recycling rate has increased, despite a four percent decrease in the availability of PET containers, by weight, according to a new report.

The report, “2009 Report on Post Consumer PET Container Recycling Activity” (PDF), also details the end uses for a record 937 million pounds of recycled PET used in manufacturing applications, reflecti...


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$415bn investor group joins celebrity-backed ‘no’ campaign to protect California green tech

Posted by on Tuesday, October 19, 2010, In : News 
By Hugh Wheelan via Responsible Investor  

Some of the biggest investment managers in the US – managing $415 billion in assets – have thrown their weight behind a campaign to fight a California state legal review that could halt implementation of its clean energy law, saying it would jeopardize long-term investment in green technology. 

The investor backing of the ‘No on 23’ movement, referring to the controversial Proposition 23 ballot in two weeks time, follows an increasingly bitter ...

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New Schools in New Orleans, Sunnier, Greener

Posted by Newswire on Thursday, October 14, 2010, In : Must read 
Via NREL Newswire
 

The kids are back in school in post-Katrina New Orleans, and there's light at the end of the classroom.

Five years after Katrina flushed water through the failed floodwalls, destroying homes, damaging classrooms and dashing dreams, the opportunity to build green schools that save millions of dollars on energy bills is just within reach for the school districts that serve New Orleans.Hurricane Katrina knocked out dozens of schools along with thousands of homes, and for quite a...


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Fledgling Companies to Present Business Cases to Venture Capitalists

Posted by on Thursday, October 14, 2010,

Via DOE

Golden, Colo., Oct. 13, 2010 â€“ Thirty-four clean energy companies, including five Colorado companies, will gather in Denver Oct. 19-21 to present their clean energy business cases to a panel of national venture capitalists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory 23rd Industry Growth Forum. 

In addition to the business case presentations, a comprehensive agenda of speakers and in-depth panels will address the most important topics in the industry today...


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White House Sets Example for Fed Buildings by Going Solar

Posted by Editor C on Thursday, October 7, 2010, In : Must read 
Via U.S. Department of Energy

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Council of Environmental Quality (CEQ) Chair Nancy Sutley recently announced plans for the installation of solar on the roof of the White House residence. The plans are for two solar panels that will provide electricity, and a solar hot water heater that will heat water for use in the residence.

The announcement came on the one-year anniversary of President Obama's Executive Order (EO) 13514 on Leadership in Environmental, Ene...


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Do you think that Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) can reduce CO2 in the atmosphe

Posted by Editor C on Tuesday, October 5, 2010,
Via Wikipedia and Scientific American

A recent poll by the Magazine Scientific American sponsored by Shell over 50,000 readers answered the following question; Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is one method being developed to capture and store the CO2 that comes from burning fossil fuels--essential to help mitigate serious climate change. The International Energy Agency says it could account for nearly 19% of the total CO2 reductions needed by 2050.
Do you think CCS should be developed? (Ch...

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AT PRIOLO ENEL INAUGURATES THE "ARCHIMEDE" POWER PLANT

Posted by Editor C on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, In : Top 10 
By Enel.com

Rome, 2010
- Enel inaugurated the “Archimede” solar thermal power plant at Priolo Gargallo (Syracuse, Sicily). First in the world to use molten-salt technology integrated with a combined-cycle plant.

Participating in the ceremony together with the CEO and General Manager of Enel, Fulvio Conti, were, among others, the Minister for the Environment, Stefania Prestigiacomo, the President of the Province of Syracuse, Nicola Bono, and the Mayor of Priolo Gargallo, Antonello Rizza. ...


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Ten Tips for Taxpayers Making Charitable Donations

Posted by Editor on Monday, August 23, 2010, In : Must read 

Courtesy of the IRS via email - Summertime Tax Tip 2010-21

Did you make a donation to a charity this year? If so, you may be able to take a deduction for it on your 2010 tax return. Here are the top 10 things the IRS wants every taxpayer to know before deducting charitable donations.



1. Charitable contributions must be made to qualified organizations to be deductible. You can ask any organization whether it is a qualified organization and most will be able to tell you. You can also check ...

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Targeting the Ultra Poor: can the poorest be reached by microfinance? - Video with Morduch discussing pilot initiatives for reaching the ultra poor

Posted by Editor C on Thursday, August 19, 2010, In : Guest Blogger 
Courtesy of FAI

Can the poorest be reached with finance? “Ultra poor” members of society face a series of constraints and deprivations that distinguish them from the general poor. Limited social networks, chronic malnutrition, and reliance on patronage systems characterize a socioeconomic class that is hard to “bank.” Research now indicates that most microfinance institutions serve poor and lower-income customers, but not the poorest. A new FAI Framing Note on “Targeting the ...


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Over 6,000 firms are in favour of clean energy and climate legislation

Posted by Contribuitor on Wednesday, August 4, 2010, In : News 
(Via BusinessGreen)

American Businesses for Clean Energy (ABCE) group, one of the leading corporate coalitions pushing for the adoption of climate change legislation, last week released an analysis of green business lobby groups revealing that more than 6,000 firms are now fully in favour of clean energy and climate legislation

The study said that combined, the companies, which include 21 Fortune 100 companies and many of the largest corporate names in the US, employ 3.5 million people and hav...
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Economic Opportunities From Fighting Global Warming in Oregon

Posted by Editor on Tuesday, July 27, 2010, In : News 
By Rose Anderson

The dangers of anthropogenic climate change can be viewed as both a challenge and an opportunity. Each state in the US has unique opportunities to prosper by participating in the reduction of green house gas (GHG) emissions. In Oregon, there are many unique opportunities to strengthen the Oregon economy and improve the well-being of current and future generations through GHG reduction.



Why Investment in GHG Reduction Makes Sense for Oregonians?

‱ In Oregon, there are more t...
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Steve Schneider, 1945 - 2010

Posted by Ana M on Saturday, July 24, 2010, In : Must read 
Via Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford University

Our colleague and good friend Steve Schneider, the Melvin and Joan Lane Professor for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and senior fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment at Stanford, died on July 19, 2010, while traveling from a meeting in Stockholm to London. Steve was not only a man of formidable intellectual depth and breadth, but also a committed and compassionate advisor, mentor, teacher and friend. ...


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Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards winners

Posted by Editor on Wednesday, July 21, 2010,
Via CSR NewsWire

The Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Awards are presented during the Aspen Environment Forum, a gathering of more than 300 thought leaders that will take place from July 25-28, 2010, at the Institute's Aspen Meadows campus in Aspen, Colorado. The 2010 Aspen Environment Forum is a public gathering of more than 300 thought leaders, scientists, journalists, academics, policy makers, and citizen, presented by the Aspen Institute and National Geographic. The winners will be p...
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To Pay, or Not to Pay?

Posted by Ana M on Wednesday, July 14, 2010,
By Maria Fernanda Rivera

For the past two years, Microfinance Organizations (MFIs) in Nicaragua and some of its clients have been at odds concerning overdue loans. This tension resulted in the creation of the “No Payment Movement” (NPM), which manifested itself in street protests, some violent, and culminated with the creation of a Moratorium Law. Both sides lobbied heavily. Some are more content than others with the resolution, but more importantly this was an eye-opening opportunity for...
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Water Scarcity in Southern Africa

Posted by Editor on Wednesday, July 7, 2010, In : Must read 

By Rose Anderson

Providing access to safe water is a priority for all nations, as water is a limited resource essential to human health and economic activity. For many people in Africa, there is little or no access to safe drinking water. Water scarcity in Africa is expected to increase in the near future due to economic growth and increasing populations. By 2025, 45% of the populat...


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Citizens of which nation are the most sustainable consumers? Is it the super-liberal Dutch? The enlightened and sophisticated French? The affluent Scandinavians?

Posted by Editor on Monday, June 21, 2010, In : News 

by Timothy Curran

Perhaps surprisingly, the Greendex study which surveys 17,000 people, 1000 in 17 different countries, on their habits and attitudes in relation to consumer choices finds that the residents of developing nations of Brazil, India and China are the most sustainable consumers. France, Canada and the USA rank the lowest.

While these results may be encouraging to those concerned with how economic growth will affect the environment, they do not sit well with the environmental real...


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Exclusion within the Excluded

Posted by Editor on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, In : News 

Maria Fernanda Rivera

 

In 2008, the official unemployment rate in Honduras was 3.5%, lower than the US rate of 5.8% for the same year and more than half of the world average of 7.2%. With such a high percentage of people participating in the labor market, how is it that around three fourths of the Honduran population lives in poverty? The problem lies in the roughly 50% of the employed population working in the informal economy. The informal economy is a low-productivity and low paying sector,...


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How clean is the electricity I use? - Power Profiler Tool

Posted by Editor on Thursday, June 10, 2010, In : Must read 

In the United States, electricity is generated in many different ways, with a wide variation in environmental impact. Electricity generation from the combustion of fossil fuels contributes toward unhealthy air quality, acid rain, and global climate change.

Many electricity customers can choose their provider of electricity or can purchase green power from their utility. In fact, you might now have the option of choosing cleaner, more environmentally friendly sources of energy.

The Tool Power ...


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Biodiversity Conservation Can Reduce Poverty

Posted by Ana M on Tuesday, June 1, 2010, In : Guest Blogger 

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of traveling to London to help give a presentation at the Zoological Society of London for the symposium: Linking Biodiversity Conservation and Poverty Reduction: What, Why, and How?

Since December, I have been working with Craig Leisher at The Nature Conservancy on drafting a knowledge review that was commissioned specifically for the symposium. We presented our report, “Biodiveristy as a Mechanism for Poverty Reduction: A State of Kno...


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Celebrity? Need to save the world? Start here.

Posted by AC on Tuesday, May 25, 2010, In : Must read 
by Scott Gilmore - May 21, 2010. Scott Gilmore is the Executive Director of Peace Dividend Trust.

I was sitting at the great Irish pub across from the office watching the Yankees game, when a clip of Sean Penn came on.  Turns out he’s in Haiti now.  (I thought he was in jail, but I don’t keep up like I should.)  Sean has set up a clinic or a school, or something, and Haiti is  doing much better now, thank you very much.  Somehow this didn’t surprise me.  I thought that’s ...


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EU-Latin America Summit 2010: Update from FPA blog

Posted by on Wednesday, May 19, 2010, In : News 
Tuesday, May 18 3:10 pm EST

Today and tomorrow the Spanish Presidency of the EU will be hosting the 2010 EU-Latin America Summit in Madrid. Since 1999, the Summit has sought to engage Europe and Latin America in increased cultural and trade ties and create a defined relationship between the two regions on a permanent basis. Latin American and European economic interests between the regions hoped to use the Summit to open Latin...
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What do you think of this energy matrix?

Posted by Team on Saturday, March 20, 2010, In : Must read 
This picture was tucked away in the FT website...




http://blogs.ft.com/energy-source/files/2009/02/oil_and_alternatives_pricepoints_dec2008.gif
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Data for U.S. consumer unit expenditures...

Posted by AC on Wednesday, February 17, 2010, In : Top 10 
wheredidthemoneygo
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NYSERDA’s program to swap out your appliances - February 12 through 21

Posted by Ana M on Friday, February 5, 2010,
There is a new energy efficiency program from NYSREDA, where you can swap your old appliances and receive a cash rebate by purchasing a new ENERGY STARÂź qualified refrigerator, freezer or washer.  The purchase must replace an existing appliance. Plus recycling your old, existing appliances of the same type, makes you eligible for the maximum rebate.

Rebate-chart

for more information, or visit the program website: www.nyapplianceswapout.com


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Minnesota Plans to Implement World's First Carbon Tariff

Posted by Ana M on Friday, January 15, 2010,

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has authorized a measure that would add a fee of between $4 and $34 per ton of carbon dioxide to electricity generated from coal-fired power stations in North Dakota that is exported to Minnesota. By adding this fee to coal power, it is hoped that it will spur the further development of renewable energy sources.

Coal Creek Station, Underwood, ND. Source: Great River Energy

Coal Creek Station, Underwood, ND. (Actually owned by a Minnesota electric utility) Source: Great River E...


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Great article: What in the World Is a Social Entrepreneur? By Loyd Sederer

Posted by Ana M on Saturday, December 5, 2009, In : Top 10 
Equally entertaining article from Loyd Sederer.  It's very easy for development practitioners to adopt buzzwords without focusing on the practicalities of its dictionary definition, linguistics, popular use, and so forth.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lloyd-i-sederer-md/what-in-the-world-is-a-so_b_355173.html

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60 Million US Residents are Without a Bank Accounts.

Posted by Ana M on Saturday, December 5, 2009, In : Must read 
Did you know that 25% of the US population doesn't have a bank account to begin with? This is a rather surprising and sad story from Ylan Q. Mui to the Washington Post... One-quarter of American households -- about 60 million people -- have limited or no access to banks or other traditional financial services, with low-income and black families among the hardest hit, according to a government report released Wednesday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/02/AR20091202...
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Pictures from MicroEmpowering Launch Party

Posted by Ana M on Tuesday, December 1, 2009, In : Party to Empower a Good Cause 


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