There’s so much going on in sustainability, it’s hard to narrow down what news to share. Here’s a couple of interesting bits from this week. We’ve gathered stories about new green jobs in Arizona and around the nation, a bike-sharing program and Valley Forward’s Environmental Excellence Awards, among others.
Arizona Gets 100 Solar Jobs
Rioglass Solar, which makes reflector components for solar thermal power plants, is building a $50 million manufacturing facility in Surprise, Ariz. The facility is going to bring 100 jobs by the time it is operational in 2011.
Valley Forward Chooses Judges for Environmental Excellence Awards
John Kane, founding partner and design principal of Architekton, will be the lead judge for Valley Forward’s 30th annual Environmental Excellence Awards. The eight other judges include: Steve Gollehon, vice president and managing partner, HDR Architects; Tim Lines, managing vice president, Stantec Consulting Inc.; and Caroline Lobo, director of the Education Studio at The Orcutt/Winslow Partnership. The winners will be announced Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Phoenician Resort.
President Obama’s Push for Green Energy to Create Jobs
Not only does Obama want America to be greener; but his push for green energy could create up to 800,000 jobs by 2012. The major issue for green energy jobs in America is that employers are being forced to outsource jobs to stay competitive in the industry. Watch President Obama’s speech at ZBB Energy in Wisconsin.
Do-It-Yourself Solar Panel
CNN’s “One Simple Thing” series takes a complicated process – installing a solar panel – and turns it into something anyone with an electrical outlet can do. Clarian Power’s president, Chad Maglaque, talks about how his company is trying to make the biggest cost in solar power, the installation, a non-issue.
NYC Looks to Start Bike-Sharing Program
Mayor Bloomberg and Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan want to start a bike-sharing program that would offer 49,000 bikes to be shared. Many other cities worldwide including Paris, Copenhagen and Taipei, Taiwan, offer bike-sharing programs. Right here in Arizona, Northern Arizona University offers the Yellow Bike Program for free.