President Obama gave an historic speech in New York last week marking the one-year anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers, and Green America was there.
Invited to the speech on your behalf, on behalf of the members of our Green Business Network, and all the work we do together for a green economy and responsible investing – we were honored to represent all Green Americans working for a new economy that truly benefits both people and the planet.
After she returned from representing us at the speech, Green America’s Kathy Harget filled me in on what she saw and heard there.
“I sensed a lot of excitement in the room as the president boldly illustrated what we must do to take advantage of this historic opportunity to remake our economy – to fix what’s broken,” Kathy told me. “I loved hearing the President of the United States hold Wall Street accountable for their recklessness and greed, and then turn right around and propose a positive solution — a vision for protecting consumers in the financial arena, the same way we protect consumers from other harmful products in the marketplace.”
At the event, the president laid out his administration’s proposal for a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency (an initiative that Green America supports – stay tuned to your e-newsletter for a way to take action on this next month), as he acknowledged “structural problems in our financial system” that have been ignored for too long.
He urged Wall Street to rebuild their businesses based on the principles of trust and responsibility…principles that are too-often foreign or even contrary to conventional businesses, but are the stock-in-trade of truly green businesses.
“You do not have to wait for a new law [to become a more responsible business],” the President told the financial industry. “You don’t have to wait to use plain language in your dealings with customers. You don’t have to wait to put the 2009 bonuses of your senior executives up for a shareholder vote. You don’t have to wait for a law to overhaul your pay system so that folks are rewarded for long-term performance instead of short-term gains.”
He went on to criticize the economic culture that would reward “the firm that could make its products look best by doing the best job of hiding the real costs,” in calling for ground rules that would make financial products more transparent.
Simply put, that’s a call for a green economy.
Whether it’s predatory lenders who hide the real cost of their home loans, or electric utilities who hide the environmental costs of burning fossil fuels, big-box retailers who hide the cost of sourcing from sweatshop-factories, the green economy has the antidote – community investing, renewable energy, Fair Trade.
Stay tuned, as we work with Green Americans around the country, the businesses of our Green Business Network, as well as with the new administration, to turn the tide “from greed to green.” Please forward this e-mail to friends you know who would like to join in this work, or sign them up for a gift membership in Green America.
Not a red America, not a blue America, but a green America,
Do you love the outdoors… the smell of the air… the green hills… and the sprawling mountains?
Do you want to help keep the planet green… but don’t have a clue on how to start? If so, then you’ve found the right site!
Here’s the story…
Despite What You May Think,
You Have A Lasting Impact
On The Planet
We all have a constant impact on the world around us whether we’re aware of it or not.
We drive to work, eat food, and turn on our lights when it gets dark.
All of these simple tasks have an impact on the environment.
The question is: What type of impact are you making?
Are you responsible or wasteful?
This is a question we don’t often think about because the actions are so day-to-day.
They’re common and thus don’t inspires thoughts of energy conservation or recycling.
Because, only tree-hugging activists think about those things. Right?
And if you’re at all like me, you wonder if there’s anything you can do that would actually make change the environment.
You probably think something like: “But I’m just one person. How can I have an effect?”
But one person can have a great effect, and it doesn’t require much work either…
Simple Steps You Can Take
That WILL Change The World
There are A LOT of things you can do that will have an influence on the planet.
One of the best things you can do is lead by example.
Many people know that they should be leading an environmentally conscious life, but they don’t know how to start.
But if you start living a green life, then those around you will have someone to learn from.
Besides, going green doesn’t have to be complicated.
You can take simple steps like shopping with reusable grocery bags, using a filter instead of bottled water, and switching to energy efficient light bulbs.
As you start to live a greener lifestyle, others will see it and notice how simple it can be.
Then THEY will start doing the same, and voila! Everyone around you is doing something to be green.
At the same time, many people think that it is more expensive to live a green lifestyle.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth…
Being Green Will Actually SAVE
You Money In The Long Run
It’s true that there may be an initial cost of going green, but you’ll actually save money in the long run.
Efficient light bulbs will lower you electrical bill…
Water filters will cause you to spend less on bottled water…
And riding your bike to work will save you money on gas.
There are lot of things you can do that will not only save the environment, but save you money.
But many people just don’t know how to start, it seems too daunting, like you’d have to completely change your lifestyle.
But it doesn’t have to be hard at all.
And that’s why I’ve written this book, Go Green. I want everyone to know what I’ve learned about living green without all the trouble (and expense!) of trying to figure it out themselves.
Living green helps the environment, saves you money, and makes you feel good about life.
Do you really want to live in the dark about how living green?
My book can help you come out of the fog and live a green life starting today!
You’ll discover…
• Green Basics… understanding your impact on the world around you!
• Small Changes… feel good about your ecological footprint with just a few simple steps!
• Community Changes.. Inspire your neighborhood to change the world!
• The Benefits of Going Green… Save money, save the world, and have fun doing it.
• And a lot more
If You’ve Ever Wanted To Go Green, You’ll Want To Read THIS…
Why be held back any longer?
Turn that wasted energy into something that will help the planet and save you money.
So why not start today?
One of the easiest ways that you can go green is to begin cutting
down on your use of resources around the home. For example, begin
taking a shorter shower each day and make sure that you turn off
lights when you leave a room.
Another great way to go green is to buy local organic food
products. There are many benefits associated with using organic
products. Not only will you help to cut down on carbon emissions by
buying local food products, but you will also be able to feed
yourself and your family healthier because organic food products do
not contain chemicals and pesticides. Not to mention the fact that
the taste is often better!
You might also consider insulating your water heater. You can
purchase an insulating wrap for your water heater for around $20
and help to cut down on the loss of resources. Not only will you
help to prevent waste, but you will also notice an appreciable
difference in your electric bill as well.
Along the same line, turning down the heat during the winter and
grabbing an extra sweater. This is an excellent way to assist in
saving resources as well as help your electric bill during one of
the most expensive times of the year. For every degree that you
lower your heat, you can deduct 5% from your electric bill.
Finally, get started recycling. Once you get in the habit, it can
be quite easy to put recyclable items in a different container.
After you have become comfortable with that idea, look at other
ways you can recycle, such as taking unwanted items to thrift
stores rather than just tossing them out.
As you can see, going green can be surprisingly easy once you begin
to look at small steps that you can begin taking immediately.
It seems like everyone these days is talking about going green. Eco friendly living is more than just a buzzword; however, it is a new way of approaching life that can help to keep your family safer as well as protect our environment. If you have been considering going green but just have not yet made the move; consider the following top reasons for living an environmentally friendly lifestyle.
Save money-most people do not give much thought to it, but going green can actually help you to save quite a bit of money. When you engage in eco friendly practices, you can save money in a variety of different ways. Going green focuses on recycling and reusing products as well as cutting down on waste. Using eco friendly products, including natural cleaning products, can also be much less expensive than alternatives.
Protect the health of your family-Did you know that there are
toxins in your home which could potentially pose a health hazard to
your family? Everyday, families are exposed to a variety of
chemicals. These environmental toxins can create a health hazard to
everyone, particularly the elderly, children and pets. Some experts
believe there could be a link between environmental toxins and
autism, autoimmune diseases and even cancer. Leading an eco
friendly lifestyle can help to eliminate these toxins and protect
your family.
Protect the environment-Going green is also a great way to protect
the environment around you. Do you ever worry about the world your
children will live in? The good news is that there is something you
can do about it by taking important steps today such as using eco
friendly products and organic foods.
Going green can be surprisingly easy and inexpensive. There are
many steps that you can take today that can have a positive and
measurable impact on your family and the world around you.
