NC GreenPower E-newsletter

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First, a warm welcome to all of our new e-newsletter subscribers! We added nearly 500 new emails just in the month of April, so thank you to all of the volunteers, event hosts and sponsors who helped us through 5 volunteer trainings and nearly 50 events across the state, from Charlotte to Wilmington and from Hickory to Greensboro. View our photos below - and be sure to send us any that you have to add!

NC GreenPower is a part of more than 100 events each year. Thinking about volunteering as a member of our Speakers Bureau? Visit our events calendar and sign up to volunteer today. We offer free trainings throughout the year and across the state.

If you would like to be notified about the next volunteer training in your town, please contact us
via email or call (919) 857-9026 for more information on opportunities!

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Announcing the 2010 NC CEO Forum

May 18, 2010

*Be sure to use the link for the NC GreenPower discounted special rate

The second annual North Carolina CEO Forum will take place at the Raleigh Marriott City Center on May 18, 2010. The event is co-hosted by the North Carolina Chamber, Summit Performance Systems and RDA Recruiters in association with Bayer CropScience. Following the huge success of the inaugural event in which over 300 top business leaders from around the country convened to discuss key business topics, the 2010 NC CEO Forum will focus on 21st Century Leadership in People, Planet and Profit.

Among the leaders offering their expertise are CED members: Chuck Swoboda, CEO, CREE, Inc.; John McArthur, executive vice president, Progress Energy; Victoria Haynes, president and CEO, RTI International; Jim Westlake, chairman and CEO, RBC Bank; Brian Kinahan, managing partner, Summit Performance Systems; James W. Dean Jr., dean, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School; and Lew Ebert, President and CEO, North Carolina Chamber.

READ MORE - Click to show/hide

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Yes! Solar Solutions is a locally owned company in Cary, serving the Triangle and beyond. Our company is composed of a team of people who have come together over a passion for clean, renewable energy and the goal of a sustainable lifestyle for ourselves and our community. We approach each of our clients with an analysis of how they can manage their energy needs sensibly. Our certified Home Energy Rating System raters and Building Performance analysts help determine where and how to increase energy efficiency.

Yes! photovoltaic panels on the rooftop or on the ground let a homeowner or commercial building owner be their own generator. A solar thermal hot water heating system can reduce an electricity bill significantly. NC GreenPower is a natural partner for us, handling the reimbursement per kilowatt hour to the owner of a solar PV system. We are proud to be a sponsor of NC GreenPower as well. Between carbon offsets and the electricity we generate with our own solar photovoltaic system on our warehouse, our warehouse has a carbon neutral footprint.

Partnerships are a key strategy of our growth and success, and we know it. Our energy outlet in Stone Creek Village is used for educational seminars on solar energy and other green community events. Recently, we hosted the Wake Green Building and Solar Tour, as well as a film screening of “Fresh”, a documentary on organic and sustainable food, with another of our valued partners, Western Wake Farmer’s Market. Volunteering efforts this year included working the NC GreenPower table at the Durham Bulls game (they didn’t have to twist our arms) and co-sponsoring a membership drive for NC GreenPower at Johnson Lexus.

Our latest project is a Green Plus certification for our company. The process is that we examine the company’s sustainability in the areas of People, Performance and Planet, and we are proud to have already qualified as a Green Plus Mover, and hope to be fully certified by summer.

For more information about Yes! Solar Solutions, visit us at www.yessolarsolutionsnc.com, or call 919-459-4155.

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The Institute for Sustainable Development is a nonprofit organization that seeks to democratize triple bottom line sustainability. Its flagship program, Green Plus, helps small businesses and nonprofits learn how focusing on the triple bottom line can make their organization stronger and more successful; organizations that excel in all three areas are awarded Green Plus Certification and are promoted throughout our nationwide network as forward thinking leaders in sustainability.

Save the Date! The Green Plus North American Sustainable Enterprise awards are on Friday, June 18th. Early bird tickets are $20 (until May 15); tickets for existing Green Plus businesses are only $15. Find out more information: http://www.gogreenplus.org/events.

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According to the American Water Works Association, if all U.S. houses had water-saving features, we could save 5.4 billion gallons of water per day.
Try to keep your showers at or under 5 minutes. So be quick and use a shower timer to keep track of time next time you hop in!
Less than 1% of Earth's water is available to feed, bathe, hydrate, and sustain nearly 7 billion people and millions of other species.
Installing a high-performance showerhead using 1.5 gallons of water per minute (gpm) rather than 2.5 gpm can save you $223 a year.
Largest use (30%) of your household water usage LITERALLY gets flushed down the toilet! You know the saying about when to flush…
Taste tests have shown that in many areas tap water actually tastes better than bottled. Check your water here: http://bit.ly/bhnhQ1
Avoid putting water down the drain whenever possible! (Example: Empty the fish tank in the garden instead of the sink.)
A leaky toilet can waste from 50-200 gallons per day. To detect leaks, add food coloring to the tank. Colored water in the bowl = a leak.
Stormwater can carry pollutants into our streams and lakes and is the leading cause of water quality problems in North Carolina.
To help prevent some stormwater pollution, properly dispose of paints, cleaners, & solvents through a hazardous waste program.
Stormwater that flows from roofs, yards, driveways, and streets goes untreated into creeks, lakes and ultimately the ocean.
Stormwater can carry pesticides, fertilizers, pet waste, litter, oil, sediment, and other chemicals into our water ways.
Fill a jug with tap water and store it in your fridge rather than waiting for the tap to run cold each time you want a glass of cold water.
Boil only as much water as needed for a cup of coffee or tea.
While waiting on the shower to warm, collect water for plants in a bucket.
Use non-toxic, biodegradable cleaners when pressure washing & cleaning carpets, try using just water.

Look for these tips and MORE online - just click below to join one of our social networks!

The SmartCommute Challenge is an annual non-profit public service campaign that works to reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality. From April 15 - May 31, 2010, commuters who work in Durham, Orange & Wake Counties can participate by pledging to carpool, vanpool, bike or walk, ride the bus, or telework at least once. Click here to TAKE THE CHALLENGE !

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Register online or for more information visit: www.ncceoforum.com.

Register online or for more information visit: www.ncceoforum.com .