Color of 2010!

TURQUOISE!

Earlier this month, Pantone LLC, the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries, announced PANTONE® 15-5519 Turquoise as the color of the year for 2010. According to it's website, "combining the serene qualities of blue and the invigorating aspects of green, Turquoise evokes thoughts of soothing, tropical waters and a languorous, effective escape from the everyday troubles of the world, while at the same time restoring our sense of wellbeing."

Turquoise is one of 3,000 colors available in Pantone’s line of superior-quality, eco-friendly paint. PANTONE makes these suggestions for using the color in your home:

1) Used in a powder room or bedroom, Turquoise can provide an evocative, spa-like hue that adds an undertone of warmth and excitement to any cool space.

2) Used in the kitchen, Turquoise can add a unique flare to tabletop and appliances.

Weatherize Your Windows ...

... with CrystalPleat Cellular Shades!

Insulating, sound absorbing, light-filtering... Cellular shades are the perfect choice for homeowners that want the most bang for the buck. Especially when it comes to energy efficiency. Here are the facts:

The average home loses up to one-fourth of it's heating and cooling energy through it's windows, according to the US Department of Energy. Cellular shades are one of the best insulators available and they are also the most cost-effective! Many have found that they cannot afford to replace all their windows with top of line, energy-efficient windows and so have opted for switching out their window treatments instead. How do they work? Pockets between the layers of fabric trap air and prevent its escape, thus providing an insulating barrier. And since they are available in single cell, double cell, and triple cell shades, you can choose your level of insulation... the more cells, the higher the R-value!

Graber CrystalPleat Cellular Shades offer fabric choices in semi-opaque, opaque and blackout in a wide array of colors. Other feature and options include:

• Standard Cord-lift, Cordless, Continuous Loop, Bottom Up/ Top Down Corded, Bottom Up/ Top Down Cordless, Sun Up/ Sun Down, Slide Vue, SkyTrack Skylight and Motorized operating systems
• Specialty shapes
• Wider material widths
• Wood valance and cornice program
• Blocks UV rays, preventing damage to furniture, artwork, flooring, etc.
• Components are 100% recyclable including fabric, aluminum rails and plastic components (up to 50% pre-consumer recycled material)
• Limited Lifetime Warranty

Your Place in the New Green Economy

I just got back from attending the free one day forum that was presented by the Center For Green Research and Evaluation @ Elizabeth City State University. Amid a vast array of speakers who were given time to speak about their organizations and/ or non-profit groups, the highlight of the event was guest speaker Majora Carter (to my right in picture). I personally knew little of Ms. Carter before today outside some of the projects she has founded and been involved with. These include Make It Right, founded by actor Brad Pitt, which is helping to rebuild New Orleans' 9th Ward and the big role she has served in the local green research and evaluation program at ECSU, headed by Dr. Scott Bradshaw. She turned out to be a very personable, dynamic figure and it was quite easy to see that she is very passionate about what she does. That passion spills over into her projects and the end results as with the 2001 founded non-profit organization Sustainable South Bronx are nothing short of remarkable!

Many subjects were tossed around and discussed at length such as Bio-Fuel research and the "on the verge of exploding" job opportunities in a new green economy, such as Energy Auditors. At the heart of it all, of course, was the need for local awareness and education.

The "Round Table Discussion" was very enlightening. Included in this were:

1) George Fountain, President & CEO of The Green Fountain Group
2) Mayor Brian Roth (Plymouth, NC)
3) Wendy Jewett, Director of the NE Workforce Development Board
4) Norman Smit, Director of Communications & Education, Biofuels Center of NC
5) Susannah Tuttle, Board of Directors for the USGBC North Carolina Chapter; Historic Green
6) Dannette Sharpley, Interim Executive Director of Black Family Land Trust
7) Arlene Yates, Perquimans County CDC
8) James Harris, Lighting Energy Specialist and Geologist

Touched upon several times was the lack of commitment due to lack of knowledge... a lot of times people want to get involved but since the task seems so overwhelming, they haven't a clue where to begin. I can relate to that! And so, probably the biggest thing I learned today was that it is a step by step process. Change isn't going to happen overnight. We each do what we can, even if all we can do is just a little! But today was encouraging... it just may be the springboard we need here in NE-NC!