Blogs

Loveland 365 Visits Anthology Book Co.

For a Special March 11 “Night on the Town”

March 11 event features Miss Loveland Valentine 2011 Jamie Felton,

Mayor Cecil Gutierrez & Poet Veronica Patterson

Loveland, CO – Loveland 365, a not-for-profit project to showcase the people, places and things that make us America’s Sweetheart City, will be featured at a special event hosted by Anthology Book Company for Loveland’s March Night on the Town. Anthology will be welcoming visitors from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Friday, March 11 at their location at 422 East Fourth Street in Loveland.

Refreshments will be served, courtesy of The Pourhouse, and Miss Loveland Valentine 2011 Jamie Felton, as well as Mayor Cecil Gutierrez will be available to sign prints of their featured pages from the book. The Loveland 365 book will be for sale, with all proceeds going to benefit local non-profit organizations.

Loveland resident Veronica Patterson, winner of the 2009 Gell Prize for Poetry and other honors, will attend and read selections of her work. Surprise appearances from others featured in the Loveland365 book are also in the works.

Books purchased at this event will be sold at for $39.95, and will be autographed by the Loveland365 team, the mayor, Miss Valentine and Patterson. A drawing for a copy of the book will also be held for those that wish to enter.

Through sales of its limited-edition collector’s item coffee table book, Loveland 365 aims to put up to $70,000 into area non-profit organizations, at a time when donations to them are down and demand for their services have been on the rise.

To Order a Loveland 365 Book

Either visit www.Loveland365.com and designate the local non-profit you want your book’s sale to benefit, or access the site through an area non-profit’s website, and proceeds go to that organization.

ALL proceeds from the book, up to $20 per book purchased, with go directly to local non-profit organizations. Just $39.95 ($44.95 after Feb. 14) gets you a uniquely Loveland item that’s 9x12 linen bound, hard cover book with approximately 400 pages.

About 365 Sweethearts of Loveland

365 Sweethearts of Loveland is Loveland 365's project for 2011. It will honor 365 Loveland women who have contributed time, talents, or treasure to the Loveland community. Nominations accepted through June 2011. For more information, visit www.Loveland365.com, or search for 365 Sweethearts of Loveland on Facebook.

About Loveland 365

Local resident and businessman John Giroux loves Loveland, and wanted to showcase the things that make it a special place. He turned to friends and associates from the community and set about creating Loveland 365, a year-long project to write about and photograph compelling stories and images from Loveland with the world. For more information visit www.Loveland365.com or www.facebook.com/Loveland365.

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Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union asks consumers, “Do you Kasasa?” as it becomes the first financial institution in Colorado to launch the country’s most innovative financial products, offered exclusively for law enforcement professionals and their families.

Kasasa^® is a new brand of free checking and savings accounts that pays consumers to use their account with what interests them most—high interest. These accounts, combined with the personal service that only community financial institutions can deliver, are offering law enforcement professionals a better checking account option than the mega bank experience.

“Consumers deserve to wake up to happier days of banking and leave behind the nightmare of mega bank fees and mistreatment. We are pleased to be the first financial institution in the state of Colorado to offer these unique products,” said Christine Wiley, CEO at Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement FCU. “Kasasa delivers what research shows people really want but believe they can’t have—great financial products with the personal service of a community based financial institution.”

Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement FCU is offering its law enforcement professional membership base Kasasa Cash™. All Kasasa products are free accounts, with no minimum balance, no monthly fees, free online banking and nationwide ATM fee refunds.

• Kasasa Cash - A free checking account that pays high interest in cash every month. 

To receive the Kasasa account benefits, account holders are asked to meet easy monthly qualifications including receiving an e-statement, using a debit card and making an electronic transaction (such as direct deposit). If an account holder does not meet the qualifications in a given month, the credit union will alert the individual, who will be eligible the following month for the benefits. 

“Extensive research has shown us that consumers would prefer to do business with community financial institutions, but feel they would lose access to products,” continued Wiley. “Kasasa is opening people’s eyes to a new banking model where no sacrifices are necessary. It’s a win-win because account holders get innovative products and personalized service.”

In 2009, Kasasa was piloted in six other markets across the U.S.  In just the first two months of offering Kasasa, participating community financial institutions reported growth rates upwards of 150% on new account openings and 372% in deposits at institutions focused on deposit growth.

Kasasa is being introduced with an aggressive, highly engaging marketing campaign. It comes to life through a fresh mix of eye-popping advertising, the likes of which exceed the typical mega bank’s high-budget programs.  The ads feature America’s top slam poets https://www.kasasa.com/news-and-media/advertising riffing lyrical threads around the theme of “Do you Kasasa?”

Kasasa is distributed to Rocky Mountain Law Enforcement FCU from BancVue, the leading provider of innovative products, dynamic marketing, and data-driven consulting solutions to community financial institutions nationwide to help them win the war against the mega banks.

For more information on Kasasa accounts, consumers can visit www.rmlefcu.org or www.kasasa.com/RMLEFCU.

I recently came across a fantastic report published by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. The report evaluates Colorado’s energy industry in two subclusters: (1) fossil fuels and (2) cleantech, which includes companies that use renewable energy sources and materials such as solar, wind, biomass and green transportation. 

Of course, as president of Ecotech Institute, the first and only college entirely dedicated to renewable energy and sustainable design, I was thrilled with the cleantech statistics in the state we call home. 

Because the report is so robust, this recap is truly an opportunity to call out data and facts that illustrate why Colorado is a hub for cleantech activity, where thousands of jobs and a promising future in the green landscape exist.  It’s great to see that government funding, public policy and private industry are all supporting Colorado’s growth as a leader in the cleantech space.

Below I have highlighted some great statistics and have pulled bulleted information verbatim from the report.  To download the full report to get more details on the bright future of the Colorado cleantech industry, visit: http://www.metrodenver.org/industries-companies/industries/energy.html.

JOBS

Colorado is a leader in the cleantech subcluster and has seen a large jump in the number of related jobs.  In fact, while cleantech jobs increased nationally by about 10 percent in the last five years, that number soared to more than 30 percent in Colorado.  Much of that growth was in wind and solar energy companies. 

Key findings:

§  The cleantech subcluster directly employed about 19,420 people in Colorado in 2010.

§  With nearly 54,100 energy workers in approximately 3,570 companies in 2010, the state continues to position itself as a hub of energy industry activity in both the fossil fuels and cleantech sectors.

§  About 1,600 cleantech companies operated in Colorado in 2010.

§  The number of Colorado cleantech companies increased 9.6 percent between 2005 and 2010, compared with 4.2 percent growth nationally.

§  According to Headwaters Economics, the number of cleantech jobs in Colorado increased 30 percent from 1995 to 2007, or about 17,000 jobs. The study cited more than $796 million in venture capital investments that bolstered Colorado’s green economy between 1999 and 2008.

NEW COMPANIES

In 2010, more than a dozen companies chose Colorado as the place to develop new wind and solar projects.  According to a study by professors at Arizona State University, Colorado ranked as the second-most attractive location for businesses hoping to export solar power. When it comes to wind, Colorado is one of six states that generate more than five percent of total electricity from wind, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

Some of the wind company announcements in 2010 include:

§  Vestas Technology R&D located a research and development center in Louisville. The new center focuses on improving wind turbine efficiency and reducing energy costs and will employ engineers, scientists, and support staff.           

§  New York-based American Zephyr Corp. relocated its distribution, sales, and support center to Louisville. Within the next few years, the company plans to manufacture all of its wind turbine parts locally, rather than importing its parts from outside the U.S.

§  Broomfield-based Renewable Energy Systems (RES) Americas unveiled plans for a windpower complex in eastern Colorado. Located in Lincoln and Elbert Counties, the Cedar Point Wind Project will be the second-largest wind farm in the state and will use Vestas wind turbines for the project. The finished project should generate enough energy to power 68,000 homes.

§  Vestas will expand its U.S. presence when it opens its second blade factory in Brighton in 2011. The Windsor blade factory opened in March 2008, followed by the nacelle factory in Brighton and the world’s largest tower factory in Pueblo in 2010. Combined, the four manufacturing facilities, which are located on three campuses in Brighton, Windsor, and Pueblo, represent an investment of about $1 billion in the state since 2007. The company plans to double its workforce in the next year to fulfill turbine order demands and expand annual production capacity. In addition, Vestas announced a $2.5 million, 80-acre expansion to the company’s Windsor manufacturing facility that will serve as storage space for wind blades.

Some of the solar company new announcements in 2010 include:

§  SMA Solar Technology AG, the largest solar inverter manufacturer in the world, was named “Deal of the Year” award winner in 2010 by the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation. The Germany-based company was recognized for its significant economic impact to the region through capital investment and job creation. In 2010, the company hired 200 workers at its northeast Denver plant and could add up to 500 more positions by the end of 2011.

§  North Carolina-based power company Cogentrix Energy LLC plans to build the world’s largest concentrated photovoltaic power plant north of Alamosa. The 225-acre power facility will utilize lens-based technology that could power up to 6,500 homes.

§  SkyFuel, Inc. relocated its corporate headquarters from Albuquerque to Arvada. The company’s parabolic solar power collector research and development center is already located in Jefferson County and the company cited its proximity to National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Colorado’s growing cleantech environment as key factors in their location decision.

§  California-based SunPower Corp. and Colorado Springs Utility are building a 6-MW solar Power facility at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The 30-acre project is slated for completion by 2011.

FUNDING

Colorado continues to be a hub for energy-related venture capital and ranks as one of the top five states in terms of capital generated for energy-related projects.

§  Through 2010, federal stimulus support designated more than $768 million to Colorado for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, including funding for energy tax incentives for individuals and businesses in Colorado through the State Energy Program.

§  The combination of Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard of 30 percent by 2020 and production tax credits demonstrates Colorado’s commitment to renewable energy technology development and research. Former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter unveiled the Governor’s Energy Office Revolving Loan Program and the Green Colorado Credit Reserve Program, both stimulus-funded loan programs aimed at renewable energy companies and companies making renewable energy improvements to their buildings.

§  The Governor’s Energy Office program has a $13 million budget, $12 million of which will go towards large renewable energy companies that have struggled to obtain bank loans and $1 million of which will be used to support energy efficiency projects for small businesses.

RESEARCH

Colorado is becoming a leader in the cleantech space not only through the companies doing business in Colorado and the jobs created, but also through the research that is being done.

§  Legislation passed in 2007 created the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory, a partnership among the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU-Boulder), the Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State University, and NREL. The Collaboratory conducts world-class research through its six research centers. The centers develop new energy technologies and help transfer them to the private sector.

§  Colorado is one of only five states to have initiated an industry association dedicated entirely to cleantech—the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA). Formed in 2008, CCIA provides data and research, develops statewide and federal policy initiatives, partners with industry and research institutions, and provides education and training to the cleantech sector.

§  Golden-based NREL is the DOE’s only laboratory dedicated to renewable energy efficiency research and development across 12 research areas including advanced vehicles and fuels, concentrating solar power, biomass, and buildings research. In 2010, NREL began construction on its Energy Systems Integration Facility (ESIP) devoted to renewable energy technologies and their integration into existing energy infrastructure. The $135 million project will house office space, laboratories, and a state-of-the-art data center for up to 250 NREL researchers and support staff. In addition, NREL is planning a 137,000 square-foot addition to support the laboratory’s newly completed research complex. Federal stimulus funds will pay for the $39 million project slated for completion in 2012 and will incorporate numerous energy efficiency advances in the facility designed to accommodate 500 NREL workers.

COLORADO’S RESOURCES

Colorado is recognized for its natural resources as well, with its climate and geography playing a large part in what the state offers.

§  Wind Power—Colorado ranked ninth in the nation for total installed wind power capacity and 11th in potential wind power capacity in 2009. (American Wind Energy Association, 2010)

§  Biomass—Colorado expanded biomass resources to include dead and dying lodgepole pines, municipal solid waste, and biosolids derived from wastewater treatments that can qualify under the higher RES goal of 30 percent by 2020. This points to Colorado’s ability to harness existing and potential biomass resources in the state. Colorado could produce an estimated 2.6 million dry tons of biomass for energy each year. (Governor’s Energy Office, 2010)

§  Solar Energy—Colorado had the sixth-highest installed solar generation capacity, with the majority of capacity generated in southwest Colorado. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has classified the southwest Colorado region a high potential solar resource area that could satisfy about half of the state’s peak power demand. (SNL Financial, 2010; Interstate Renewable Energy Council, 2010)

§  Water—Colorado is at the headwaters of five major U.S. rivers. The state produced nearly 2,040 megawatt hours (MWh) of hydroelectric power in 2009. Estimates from the Governor's Energy Office suggest that almost two million MWh of hydroelectric power could be developed across the state. (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2010; Governor's Energy Office, 2010)

§  Colorado ranked 14th in the nation in 2008 for the percent of electricity generated from renewable sources. (U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration, 2010)

As you can see, these findings are incredibly encouraging for Colorado and for our nation.  As we continue to look for the best ways to run our economy, businesses and homes, renewable energy will be at the forefront.  It’s not longer just for the “hippie culture” as more and more average Americans and businesses are embracing renewable energy and the benefits it offers.  At Ecotech, we’re proud to be a part of this energy revolution and we pride ourselves in being the first school entirely focused on creating an educated workforce that understands the intricacies of what it takes to work in the cleantech industry.  To learn more about Ecotech Institute visit www.ecotechinstitute.com.

March is National Nutrition Month! Come celebrate with us!

Join us for an “eat right with COLOR” cooking class!

 March 23rd @ Noon or 5 pm

 at Boulder Nutrition and Exercise Services

Using basic cooking techniques we will practice incorporating more fruits and vegetables into ordinary meals to make them extraordinary!  As you taste our creations you’ll discover all the flavor COLOR can bring to the table!

We'll provide you with great food, recipes, and tools for "eating right with color" at home!

Call 303.440.1015 to reserve your spot for only $14.00!

Boulder Nutrition & Exercise Services - Registered Dieititans and Certified Personal Trainers

2885 Aurora Avenue Unit 31, Boulder CO 80303 - www.bouldernutritionexercise.com

Six CAR members met at Jewel Mountain and Plainview Road in Golden and worked for three hours collecting Gayfeather (Liatris punctata) Seeds.  This dotted Gayfeather is a forage or browse species that is eaten by deer, antelope and domestic livestock.  This species taproot system is remarkably extensive; its lateral branches can spread 3- 4 feet.  The seeds we collected will be used in an re-vegetation effort at the old Rocky Flats site that formerly manufactured components for nuclear weapons.  Cleanup of chemical and radiological contamination was completed near the end of 2005. 

Great Essentials Exhibit

 Children of the American Revolution leader Mrs. Caroline Carlson put on a wonderful interactive power point presentation about the history behind the Great Essentials Exhibit located at  Independence Hall in Philadelphia.  This is the CAR National President’s project.  Through question and answers, with tootsie rolls as a quick prize for the right answer, the members learned about the historical background of the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.  Using some great slides, the members explored the importance of the original colonies, the Stamp and Tea acts, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.  They learned that only one person signed all three essential documents found in the exhibit, namely Roger Sherman (1721-1793). 

 CAR members learned that Phillip Syng was an assistant to Ben Franklin.  The Syng Inkstand was used to sign the Declaration of Independence as well as the Constitution.  It is one of only four things that were present during the signing which is still in existence today.  The other three are the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and George Washington’s chair. The presentation also explained how to make quills from goose feathers and make ink.  For a fun hands on interactive experience, the members made their own ink by mashing fresh blackberries.  The juice from the berries was collected and a little vinegar was added to preserve color and a salt to keep it from spoiling.  Then, using real goose feather quill pens, the members practiced writing as the framers of the Declaration and Constitution would have done.  Calligraphy ink was provided for a comparison.  The kids really enjoyed writing with the quill pens and they quickly realized how difficult writing was in the 18^th Century.

As a martial arts and fitness fanatic (maybe sometimes even too meticulously), I try to read and find as much information as I can.  Some of my favorites are ‘Essentials of strength training and conditioning’ of the Human Kinetics series or ‘Periodization‘ by Tudor Bompa etc.  Part of my reading includes magazine subscriptions as well, which are often good resources and enjoyable to read - that is if you can keep a critical eye while weeding through all the correct and incorrect information provided.

Many magazines do an excellent job of educating people and creating awareness;  however, certain magazines tend to not set the bar high enough.  When a ‘prominent’ magazine keeps dropping the ball and acclaims itself to be the best martial arts magazine, I have to raise an eyebrow.

As a personal trainer and martial arts instructor who loves what he does, I try to educate people about well being, techniques, health, sports and so on.  Seeing the misunderstandings that are circulating (and unfortunately from so many trainers), it is important to rectify these.  The media is a great way to do this so when a magazine slips up multiple times, it is very unfortunate.  

I do not wish to name the magazine in this post, nor do I want to claim my knowledge is always correct.  I do want to create some awareness though it’s good to be critical!

A few examples out of this specific magazine:

• A knife attack was staged to demonstrate a life saving technique, at least that is what they intended to do.  In this situation, there is a straight knife attack, the victim defends and places the hand on the wrist to control the motion of the knife.  Great!  Until the victim takes away the hand from the wrist to move it up to the neck.  Wrong!  Why give up the chance to control the wrist?  If you control the wrist, you directly control the knife and the whole body of the attacker.  Leaving this opportunity to attack the neck is a big mistake.

• A reader’s question involved the timing of taking a protein shake: before or after the workout?  The editor’s answer was resolute: after the workout!  Wrong, many studies have shown that taking a protein shake before and during the workout may give your body a jump start in recovery.  Also, the editor did not know what type of protein shake.  Was it whey protein, did it have creatine, was it casein, did it contain BCAA’s, what was the protein/carb ratio?  You cannot give such a confident answer if you don’t know the facts.

I could give many more of these examples but I don’t think it is necessary.  As I said, many magazines and other media do a great job of spreading reliable information.  Nonetheless, you need to be critical!  The more you read and learn, the more you will realize what are good sources and what aren’t.  That being said, I hope you all learn many great things to improve your health and performance.  If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them here or contact us!

I wanted to dedicate this post to explaining more about belt ranks in martial arts (and yes, also to show off our own belt rank system...)

For a very long time, there were no colored belt ranks in martial arts.  Judo was the first art that introduced colored belts to indicate ranks.  Knowing that Judo originated in the late 19th century, the colored belt rank system is a rather new development in martial arts.

Many stories have circulated about why and how the colors we use today came to be.  One theory is that martial artist a long time ago did not wash their belts.  This means that, the more they practiced the dirtier it became and eventually became a black belt. Fortunately this is not the case anymore since I am pretty sure some would go take a hike on the muddiest day of the year wearing their belt...  

Although many people believe this theory is true, it is (most likely) not.  

The most accepted explanation about colored belts is simply that martial artists in that period of time dyed their belts.  Since it is much easier to dye a lighter colored belt darker than vice versa, our current increasingly darker rank colors came to existence.  

After this method had been practiced in Japan, other martial arts all over the world adapted since it was a practical way to indicate ranks.

Every martial art has its own belt system with often different colors or variations.  Often you will find yellow, orange, green, blue, brown etc.  However in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, you will find fewer levels: white, blue, purple, brown & black.  This does not mean it is easier to obtain a black belt though.

Just as there are differences in belts, there are also many differences in curricula and testing as well.  No martial art style and even studio is the same.  Unfortunately, the popularity and commercialization has often led to lower standards and quality since some organizations give away belts without quality control.  I have experienced this firsthand; let me explain.

Being a student of the Flemish Budo Federation was extremely strict and their curriculum is first class.  We have several extremely professional individuals who make sure of that.  For example, there are a few people who are chief instructors of the police arrest teams and special police teams.  Anyway, being a student in my teenage years was a great experience.  I joined national and international tournaments in which I had to compete with students of other organizations.  Often, I had to compete against other individuals who were 3 belts ahead of me.  Even though I had the odds against me on paper, most of the times I won.  This was a clear sign to me that belts do not always matter, what matters are your skills and the quality of instruction.  Since then, I realized I would rather have a lower belt and know that I am worthy than having a higher belt just to show it around and (falsely) impress people with it while being unable to protect myself and others.

With this in mind, I have created a strong curriculum with quality instruction that is achievable for everyone!  We diversify within our classes and we offer a wide array of programs so nobody will miss out.  Everyone will be able to advance at their own pace.  I promise all off my students that they will progress quickly and be a well rounded martial artist that is worthy of his/her belt.  You will never have to worry about whether you are capable enough.  Every class you attend, you will be a huge step closer towards a higher rank.  Our main focusses are quality, diversity, safety and providing a workout you will remember for a few days!  

Take a look at our different programs as our priorities shift between all these different curricula in order to provide the best instruction for everyone.  It is truly our mission to be the best in what we do!

At Define Defense, we strive towards incorporating the best and most effective training methods into our lesson strategies and training sessions.  We use both traditional and alternative equipment and techniques.  One of these unorthodox machines we use is the vibration plate.

Vibration training actually increases the frequency of the muscle contraction.  On the plate your muscles will contract 30-50 times per second, which increases the intensity of the workout.  Studies have shown that conventional exercises engage approx. 40% of the targeted muscle fibers, while vibration plates engage approx. 97% by involuntary muscle contractions.

There is a wide variety of exercises you can do on the vibration plate, for both upper and lower body.  Simple exercises such as planks and squats will become more intense and efficient.

Vibration training was first developed by Russia somewhat 40 years ago, trying to combat the effects of space travel with zero gravity for astronauts.  Soon after, it was taken into the field of sports.  Since then, it has been proven that vibration training can be a vital training tool to increase strength, flexibility and improve balance.

Other benefits are:

• Optimize recovery from injuries
• Improve the mass and mechanical capability of bones
• More flexibility, strength and hormone release
• Improve your motor skills
• Reduce cellulite
• Enhance blood flow
• ...

The real question is, to what extent does vibration training help an athlete reach his/her goals?  Can a person neglect other training aspects and replace it with a vibration plate?  Some claims suggest that 10 minutes of vibration training can have the same training benefits as 30-40 minutes of conventional training.  However, we at Define Defense realize the potential and have experienced the magnificent results ourselves but feel that vibration training is a supplement more than a replacement.  The human body needs variety in order to grow and improve.  That is why we continue to use many different training tools and always try to improve our programs.  One thing is sure though: a well guided training session on a vibration plate will boost your training and you will absolutely feel the results!

If you have never experienced training on a vibration plate, you have the opportunity in our facility during our private training sessions and even in our martial arts classes!

Arapahoe Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution sponsored an American History Essay Contest.  The topic, in honor of the 275th anniversary of the birth of Paul Revere, was for the students to write an essay in the first person pretending to be Paul Revere writing his memoirs and relating the various accomplishments he wanted to be remembered in the anals of American History. 

5th grade first place: Morgan Brantmeyer, High Peaks Elementary

6th grade first place: Evan Laugen, Centennial Middle School; second place Ben Gorgemans, Centennial Middle School

7th grade first place: Kaya Tone, Centennial Middle School; second place Alexandra Erickson, Centennial Middle School

8th grade first place: Natalie Oberer, Centennial Middle School; second place Tanner Shioshita, Centennial Middle School

Special Award for supporting American History: Pete Rosato, teacher at Centennial Middle School

Arapahoe Chapter DAR American%20History%20winners%20final.JPGAmerican History Chairman, Caroline Carlson

First off, please remember The Peably stories and coloring pictures are free for you to use on my website. 

http://sammyandrobert.tripod.com

It is important to know that the Peably stories will be going through time faster than we do. They will go through 1 year and be having winter holidays during our summer. They will go through a 2nd year before we will be back at the same time. We will go through the winter holidays together again this year with all new stories. The Peablys are in the months of March and April for the next few stories.

Story 31, a Peably story about fun in the snow, up to read on 2/20

Story 32, Bub Peably has a birthday, will go up to be read on 2/27

Story 33, a story about April Fool's Day

Story 34, A Peably story about Easter.

There are St. Patrick's Day pictures to print and color. There will be new ones every Sunday up through St. Patrick's Day.

I have made available 2 autographed book sets and a chance to enter a drawing for a copy of the 5th Sammy & Robert book.

Happy Reading!

Darcie Mae

sammyandrobertbooks@yahoo.com

Darcie Mae's Website

STEP RIGHT UP! TRUE CIRCUS STORIES

OF HIGH ADVENTURE and LOW COMEDY!

“CIRCLE OF SAWDUST: The Mud, Myth, Mayhem, and Magic of Circus!”

with Rob Mermin

          Rob Mermin, founder of the international youth company Circus Smirkus, will entertain with an evening of personal anecdotes and film clips on circus history at the Boulder Circus Center on Saturday, March 19 at 7:30PM. Included in the presentation will be clips from 25 Hollywood circus feature films. Come hear his illustrated tales of wacky characters and wild escapades!

          Mermin is an award-winning performer, with Copenhagen’s Gold Clown, Russia’s Best Director Prize, and the Governor’s Award of Excellence, Vermont’s highest honor in the arts. Mermin trained with the renowned mimes Marcel Marceau and Etienne Decroux, and is also a former Dean of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College.

          Mermin ran off to join the circus as a teen in the late 60’s. During the next forty years his circus adventures took him clowning with tent shows in Wales, mule wrangling in Lapland with Sweden’s Circus Scott, riding with the Magyars in the Hungarian State Cirkusz, three years with the famous Benneweis Circus Building in Copenhagen, and entertaining royalty in the circus palaces of Europe and Russia.

          In 1987, he founded Circus Smirkus, which The Boston Globe called “one of New England’s most treasured cultural and educational resources.”

Donations accepted at the door; no reservations but space limited.

Address: 4747 N. 26^th St.

For directions to BCC & information on “Circle of Sawdust” see www.bouldercircuscenter.com 

***The organizers of the BCC recently performed at Broomfield Library as Lazer Vaudeville!

Leadership Broomfield – Not Your Ordinary Leadership Program

Beginning March 4th the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce will present Leadership Broomfield. This interactive program is designed to provide participants with exposure to the leaders and organizations of the community as well as to develop their Leader within.

This is an accelerated program that takes place over 4 months.  Participants will become informed in areas of current issues and opportunities facing the community.  They will meet personally with local leaders in a variety of areas. Focus Trips have been planned throughout the community featuring Criminal Justice, Media, Broomfield City & County Government (including Public Safety), Education, Health & Human Services, Economic Development & Transportation.

Leadership Broomfield will begin with The Leader Within which includes the completion of a Myers Briggs Type Indicator Step 2 and determining your leadership style.  It will end with a 2-Day course that will focus on how through influence one person can create lasting change.  This program is valued at over $2,000!  There is a special Broomfield Chamber Member rate of just $795 and we also welcome non-members for $995.

If you are interested in being involved with Leadership Broomfield contact Jennifer Kerr at the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce at 303.466.1775, ext. 4.  Space will be limited to the first 24 applicants.  Application Deadline is February 25^th.

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For more information concerning upcoming events and information about the Broomfield Chamber of Commerce please visit our website: www.BroomfieldChamber.com.

Everyone is talking about “green jobs.”  While many people are eager to become employed in the sustainability sector, there are naysayers who don’t believe that they actually exist.  As part of the ongoing, healthy dialogue about what and where green jobs are, it’s important to make an important distinction.  While there are bona fide positions that can be appropriately defined as a green job, there are thousands of other careers that are simply changing in the new energy economy.  The truth is, workplaces are shifting to more sustainable models, with or without the catchy phrase. 

According to the Colorado Cleantech Action Plan, “Cleantech is growing in Colorado and creating thousands of jobs.”  Citing the Pew Center’s report, The Clean Energy Economy:  Repowering Jobs, Businesses, and Investments Across America (http://bit.ly/dIpWGM), “Between 1999 and 2009, Colorado’s cleantech industry grew at an annualized rate of 18 percent, more than twice the rate of the Colorado economy as a whole (8 percent).”  

And Colorado isn’t alone.  However, while wind, solar, energy efficiency and additional sustainable fields are rapidly growing, they are not the only industries presenting green jobs to the workforce. Many career paths are taking a turn, requiring new thinking and skill sets to keep up with the changing environmental landscape.

Architects, engineers, electricians and machinists will continue to be in demand, yet their job descriptions may be continuously altered. Electricians will need to understand the new utility landscape; machinists will be required to install and maintain new technologies; engineers across all industries will be asked to channel their knowledge towards designing sustainable systems.

Here are some examples of changing industries outside of the traditional cleantech sector:

Utility companies. “Powerful trends are transforming the U.S. utility sector, including climate change, energy security, and energy price volatility concerns; increasing deployment of alternative resources like energy efficiency and renewable energy; and shifts in natural gas and other fossil fuel industries. Utilities that respond most effectively to these key trends – and whose regulators and legislators support them in doing so – will be best positioned to succeed in the 21st century.” (The 21st Century Electric Utility: Positioning for a Low-Carbon Future, a Ceres report published by Navigant Consulting. 2010.)

Real Estate.  From architects to real estate appraisers and agents to top executives, real estate professionals are under pressure to recognize efficient building techniques, gain awareness of green design elements and effectively value and incorporate them in today’s marketplace.

Corporate real estate executives are illustrating commitment to making sustainable decisions within their real estate portfolios, which requires knowledge of Green Building certifications, Energy Labels, the costs and benefits of retrofitting buildings and much more.  According to the third annual CoreNet Global and Jones Lang LaSalle sustainability survey conducted in September and October 2009 (http://bit.ly/hjgKm0), research shows that sustainability remains a key agenda item for corporate real estate executives.

The report states, “Sustainability is a critical business issue today for 70 percent of respondents and 89 percent consider sustainability criteria in their location decisions.”

Law firms. With an influx of sustainable activity, there will inevitably be legal issues.  Well-prepared law firms have lawyers and paralegals on staff who have the knowledge and confidence to perform highly complex environmental legal research; draft, analyze, and manage complex legal documents and correspondence about environmental topics; and prepare environmental filings, reports; real estate documents and more.

Agriculture.  While windmills have been used on farms for decades, farmers and the overall agriculture industry are taking great strides that are good for the earth, crops and business.   Farming is actually among the original green jobs, but new technologies are coming to market, requiring agricultural business leaders to sell, install and maintain systems that keep our food supply moving and meet consumers’ desire for a sustainable food system.

In Workforce Management magazine (http://bit.ly/gFQVHj), Raquel Pinderhughes, a professor of urban studies at San Francisco State University, “identified 22 economic sectors with green-collar opportunities, including food production (using organic agriculture), manufacturing (making energy-efficient and recycled products) and auto repair (servicing alternative-fuel vehicles).”

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics hasn’t yet defined “green jobs,” there are businesses, HR directors, career services departments and educational institutions invested in fostering sustainable careers across all industries.

Whether a career is given the term “green job” or fits within the confines of the green landscape, changes are inevitable.  They are already beginning to be reflected in educational and job training options.  For example, Ecotech Institute, based in Aurora, Colorado (a suburb of Denver) has opened its doors as the first and only institution solely focused on renewable energy and sustainable design.  Launched in April 2010, future graduates are already in demand according to the college.

“We’re consistently receiving phone calls from businesses who can’t wait for our first graduating class,” said Alison Wise, Director of Career Services for Ecotech Institute.  “We speak with representatives from a wide range of industries, all seeking people who can serve as the future leaders of their changing workforce.”

For more information on how Ecotech Institute sees the future of green jobs and education, visit www.ecotechinstitute.com. 

The Women’s Wilderness Institute is gearing up for its 9^th annual Gear & Cheer fundraising event to be held March 16 from 6 - 9 p.m. at the Dairy Center for the Arts in Boulder. The event benefits The Women’s Wilderness Institute’s Girls Wilderness Program, and is traditionally one of Boulder’s best parties of the year for outdoor enthusiasts and Front Range residents who value supporting programs that improve self-esteem, self-efficacy, and leadership skills in today’s girls.

Gear & Cheer features live entertainment, local beer, wine and food tasting, as well as an amazing auction of high performance outdoor gear, great local services, and excit­ing trip packages.  The Women’s Wilderness Institute’s goal is to raise $40,000 from the event.

Gear & Cheer is sponsored by Rally Sport and the Boulder Daily Camera.

Register today at www.womenswilderness.org!