I am a bit intense about recycling. I pick up batteries on the ground when I see them. I drive my recycling to my friends houses because my misguided HOA board refuses to make that a priority.

Most Phoenix resident receive  a recycling bin with their house for all their recyclables. (It is a shame that the city does not recycle for condos, apartments and businesses, but that is something we need to work on.)

But what about all those items you can’t recycle in the regular blue bin?

Light bulbs, car batteries, foam packing peanuts, bubble wrap; none of these items go in the blue can. But throwing them away isn’t an option either. So what do you do? Well, there are recycling options all over the valley for items like these and you can find out where at the click of a button. Earth911 finds recycling options in your area, no matter where youare in the country.

Many of us use compact Flouresent Lightbulbs. Making this change will help to use less electricity at home and prevent greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global climate change. But what do you do when the bulb, which contains mercury, burns out? The EPA recommends that consumers take advantage of available local recycling options for compact fluorescent light bulbs. EPA is working with CFL manufacturers and major U.S. retailers to expand recycling and disposal options.

Keep Phoenix Beautiful has been in Phoenix since 1982 to promote the preservation and protection of our environment through cling initiatives and education, litter reduction, beautification, and community improvement activities. You can keep up with them for news and events about your area.

Have pride in your neighborhood! Keep it clean and safe!

Well, yes we’re well on our way to 100 years old, and as Arizonans we need to admire the past while we look towards the future.

Over the last 50 years, Phoenix has grown exponentially bringing on many economic, environmental, and social challenges. To cope with our growth, we need to constantly be looking for ways to innovate, maximizing resources and minimizing waste, while making the city more livable. Lower Grand Avenue is brimming with potential and possibilities

The City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation department along with several other government groups and community organizations, including the Grand Avenue Merchants Association, has been chosen by the  U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Greening America’s Capital program are  to develop a revitalization concept for Lower Grand Avenue. And you’re invited!

A local consultant group, Plan-et has been hired and will hold a three day design workshop with the community to help re-imagine I-10 overpass to Van Buren Street/7th Avenue. Lyssa Hall, Landscape Architect for the Parks and Recreation Department, said that the “architectural assets of grand ave” make the area a perfect spot to incorporate “realistic revitalization goals, working with whats already there, so people can enjoy Grand Ave.”

The 3 day workshop will include strong community involvement to find short and long term reachable goals for the area.

Lyssa expects between 50-70 members of the community to join them for the event, but she wants you ALL there in hopes of inviting political and partnership interest.  The event is February 28th, 29th, March 1st so mark your calenders and look out for more info from the city of Phoenix.

Kick off Meeting: 6 – 8 p.m. on Feb. 28
Public Open Houses: 6 – 8 p.m. on Feb. 29
Open Studio: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb 28 through March 1

We all know how important downtown growth is for our economy. As you can probably tell from this blog, I’m a big fan of Green Vendors and sustainable growth downtown (even if the term “green” has been around more than Kim Kardashian).

This image is from 2010 Green Build Conference. I just wanted to show off that I met Ed Begley Jr. Yep, I'm a total renewable energy dork.

Well, if your a pro-environment, sustainable vendor in the city of Phoenix, Green Team is pleased to present the Green Vendor Showcase of Opportunities on Feb. 9

This event is a chance for vendors to work with the city’s EPP Program as well as get one-on-one interaction with some of the city’s department big wigs and discuss new opportunities for the city to make greener choices. And better yet, there’s no cost to participate! But you have to work fast. Vendors need to register but January 31st, (as in tomorrow!) by the end of business hours at the office of Environmental Programs. You can Call 602-256-5669 to register and ask any questions.

Want to just stop by and see whats new in the world of sustainability? Well, you can check out the first annual “We Love Green Vendors” showcase on 2/9 from 9:30-11:30 am in the atrium of Phoenix City Hall, 200 W. Washington St.  The event is free!

For those of you unable to attend last nights sustainability event downtown, you missed out on a panel of exceptional experts, conversation, and ideas to benefit our city.

The George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center was filled with almost 400 community members. The forum was filled with heated debate but after all was said an done, the panelists encourages more community and individual involvement to reach solutions.

So What can you do? Well here are a few ideas:

• Install Solar panels – A great way to take advantage of the Arizona Sun and cut down on energy usage. This can be a pricey investment, but with incentive programs and leasing options, it is worth it in the end and may add value to your home.
• Green Remodeling and Demolition – looking to fix that fixer upper? A local green demo and remodeling service for residential homes can be a great way to make a green friendly decision.
• Green Landscaping – You don’t need to be a botanist to know your lawn needs water to survive in Arizona. Choose plants that thrive in our climate or find an ecofriendly landscaper to find them for you.
• Use a Paperless system at your business – If every U.S. home received and paid its bills online, annual greenhouse gas emissions would drop by 2.1 tons. Seriously
• Unplug electronics, battery chargers and other equipment when not in use – Taken together, these small items can use as much power as your refrigerator.
• Bring reusable bags to do your grocery shopping. – Or bring your old plastic bags to the store, they’re not helping anyone under your sink. Some stores even give you 10 cents off your groceries for every bag you bring.

So get started today! And check out the Environmental Sustainability Programs Phoenix had developed to help us become one of the country’s leaders in sustainability!

This time of year means a lot of energy consumption. Between all of the electronic games you give your kids and Christmas decorations, there will be spikes in energy bills across the city. (Especially if I can get a hold of one of those Kinect things. I’m gonna dance my tushie off.)

But one organization is here to help. The City of Phoenix is offering huge cash incentives to make your home more energy efficient.

The Energize Phoenix Program is offering energy-efficient improvements to neighborhoods along the light rail downtown.  Energize Phoenix has been fortunate to call on an established base of private-sector contractors experienced in energy efficiency work and programs. Not only will the program will provide cost-effective energy upgrades, but when you choose to update old, energy sucking appliances, they will shell out the cash to match the rebate that comes with energy saving production, all in the name of reducing energy consumption.

In 2010 the program was awarded 25 Million from the Better Building Program. Energize Phoenix aimed to upgrade 2,000 homes and 30 million square feet of business space. That’s right. This money will go towards commercial, residential, and industrial space all along the 10 mile “Green Rail”. The program hopes to reduce energy use in homes by 30% and commercially by 18% by 2013. And their well on their way.

On Wednesday, Energize Phoenix announced new territories, expanding their effort from Central and Missouri Avenues to Washington and 44^th Streets. According to an Energize Phoenix representative, Phoenix is  “presented with a unique opportunity to become more green’ by making homes and businesses more energy efficient through the Energize Phoenix program. Downtown Phoenix is an ideal area for Energize Phoenix because the homes and businesses are among the oldest building stock in the city, which often translates to less efficient buildings.”

Of course this effort isn’t just in the name good doing and green living. It’s for research! Over the next few years, they hope to “evaluate energy savings of Energize Phoenix through macro statistical analysis of all projects and individual case studies of select projects.” That sounds science-y, right? It just means, they’re going to find out what works. Energize Phoenix is also, at its core, an effort to raise awareness and turn the green corridor into a mass energy saving community. 

The Phoenix Business Journal recently praised Phoenix for boasting “one of the nation’s top clean economies” in the nation. It seems they would be better off praising Warren Buffet for getting a part time job at McDonalds.

What I mean is why is Phoenix only ranked 20^th? This beautiful city is ranked behind other cities such as New York, Chicago, Washington, and Philadelphia. And the last I checked we are one of the sunniest cities in the nation.

Want to know something even more pitiful? Phoenix added only 4,000 jobs between 2003 and 2009, ranking it 34^th in the nation.

34^TH!?!

I realize I shouldn’t be so negative since Phoenix does boast almost 23,000 jobs in the clean job sector.  Any job is a good job, right?

But I still can’t get over the fact that this is a far cry from what it should be given our prime location for clean renewable energy. In fact, the Phoenix area has the potential to power the entire state with solar energy. Not only that, but clean renewable energy brings high-paying jobs and can help stabilize our local economy and the Phoenix real estate market! This is a no-brainer and we need to take advantage of our amazing location.

Granted there have been large energy companies taking root in the Phoenix area, First Solar Inc. and Suntech Power Holdings, but it seems to be the economy that is holding other companies back.

I have a friend at a large employee placement firm who is telling me that they are placing many new employees in Arizona as renewable energy jobs are created. But, he says, we could be moving so much faster if we can just get over the economic hurdle.

“When the capital markets get going, you’re going to see the market really take off,” said Steve Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council.

Until then, write your legislator and tell them we want solar jobs today!