At the end of June, the U.S. Department of Education and its National Research Center for Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) announced that five states will receive technical assistance from the center to develop green-focused “programs of study” in career and technical education.

The chosen states: Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, and Oregon.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan notes, “Green means healthier learning environments for students and adults, plus lower energy costs and a stronger economy… green programs of study support the administration’s goal of expanding a green workforce by preparing students for high-skill, high-wage jobs in a clean energy …read more

Despite debates about the actual worth and usefulness of green jobs in the U.S. there’s no doubt that green jobs are popping up all over. If green jobs can save this economy is still questionable, but we are seeing more and more full-on green jobs along with jobs that at the very least include green policies or eco-slants. If you’re interested in a green job, here are some of the best places to look.

First of all – look where you like. Places like Gaiam, Origins, The Arbor Day Foundation and Whole Foods all list career pages. You can search the …read more

Every week we hear all about the economic woes and issues with the world. Companies are folding fast, jobs are disappearing, and everyone is worried about how long this whole crisis is going to last.
Naturally, this is the time where Paul decides it’s time for a career change.
For the first few weeks, as he started to put out feelers and quietly spread the word that he’s looking, it was easy to just ignore it. As long as we both still have jobs, I can’t exactly complain…right? So I just smiled and listened as best I could. All the time trying …read more

Who isn’t looking for a little bit of an escape right now?
According to Trish Silver, the author of When I Remember Love, romance novels offer an emotional comfort food, which is relevant in tough economic times.
“Good romance novels can also be an encouraging force in women’s lives specifically, during economic downturns. They can show strong heroines overcoming barriers in productive ways.”
Trish says she likes to write about the power of true love and to show  that such love is a real possibility in their own lives, even when external circumstances may be more discouraging than usual.
What are your thoughts? …read more

It’s a tough world out there – and it’s often hard to see the rainbow, even if we are currently involved with the most awesome catch ever. (Which more than likely, we just aren’t.)
According to Dr. Thom E. Lobe, MD of Beneveda Medical Group, there’s practical solutions people everywhere can incorporate into their lives to get their grin on once again.
So (not to sound corny), but what can you do to turn that frown upside down? Here are some of the doctor’s tips:
1. Get your vitamin D level checked. Most of us are vitamin D deficient yet don’t know …read more

Employers report they must send jobs overseas to find an educated workforce.

This is patently inaccurate.

The truth is we have all the talent we need. Women are this country’s most underused resource. We have insight, college degrees, years of experience and yet, employers would rather go to India than give us a family-friendly workplace and equal pay?

Invite the women back with tax incentives and initiatives that reward family-friendly work environments and you will see a profoundly positive shift in every sector of this nation’s personal, private and business life.

The last thing this country needs is to replace the fired and retired …read more

So, seems these days everyone has a political reason to shop here or boycott there.
Did you know women are opening their own businesses at rapid, never-before-seen rates? (Over The Top Aprons)

I, personally, believe it’s because women want to work, find fulfillment and validation in work, need the economic stability of work, but don’t want to pay the unnecessary price of a patriarchal workweek which ignores the existence of children and women’s need for flexible hours.
(Baby Fabulous)

I want to see these new women-owned businesses succeed.
(Quirky Dolls)
My odds are on women changing this economy with these …read more

So, Chevy allowed my family to drive a Chevy Tahoe Hybrid across the country, from Dallas to Salt Lake City, on our way to BlogHer08. You can’t imagine my gratitude (My 1995 van broke down right before we left and we just found out it will cost $900 to fix the air conditioner.)
I was very interested in the hybrid function of this shiny status symbol SUV. Would this type of car save us money in gas?
The answer is not really. It’s an SUV that gets regular milage. Which, is an improvement only in terms of SUV gas milage. …read more

Four years ago, during the Presidential Election we were faced with a choice between a white male who was a little too stiff (Al Gore) and a white male who was a little too cowboy (George W. Bush).
First we got Al, then we got George, then we got Al, then we got George – then we didn’t know who we got due to a bunch of hanging chads in another Bush’s state – then it went to the supreme court and we ended up with George W.
Both men went on to change the world in their own unique ways.
Gore went …read more