See on Scoop.it – Green Energy Technologies & Development

Updated | Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s energy plan cannot succeed unless state governments agree to deregulate retail prices and roll out smart meters, power company Origin says.

“Ms Gillard announced five proposals on Sunday which she said were designed to curb electricity price rises and could save households $250 each a year.

They include:

■ Reducing incentives for state-owned distributors to over-invest in poles and wires by speeding up implementation of the Expert Panel Review of the Limited Merits Review Regime and developing national reliability standards;

■ Creating a Consumer Challenge Panel with the energy regulator to advocate for energy users and setting up a national consumer advocacy centre;

■ Spending an extra $23 million a year on the Australian Energy Regulator;

■ Urging state governments to introduce time of use pricing and roll out smart meters;

■ Urging state governments to deregulate retail prices.

Origin spokesman Phil Craig welcomed time of use pricing but said two critical elements were missing: full retail price deregulation and a full commitment and schedule for the roll out of smart meters.

“The right things are being said, the challenge is: in what time frame are we going to see state governments fully deregulate retail prices?” …”

See on afr.com

See on Scoop.it – Twitter & Social Media

This a timely and important piece from Mark Schaefer of {grow} in which he touches upon several issues which confront all of us who are trying to keep our heads above water in the ever-evolving world of Social Media.

To quote: “Not only do the platforms shift every day, the rules of engagement change constantly, too. Can anybody keep up with the real (and rumored) changes just to Facebook’s EdgeRank formula? What we considered best practices six months ago are passé today. Social media is overwhelming, especially when there is pressure to master every new platform that comes along  How do you keep up?.”

Remember:

** Platforms may change but marketing fundamentals remain the same

** Absolutely nobody can navigate this changing world alone as there are too many facets to it, so form a mutually beneficial support group.

** There’s too much informationfor any one person to keep on top of all of it, so pick a main focus and try really hard to keep mainly to that.

** Know your audience and go where you will find them. This might mean giving up on one of the major platforms.  Swallow hard and do it!

** The more successful you become and the more your reach grows, the less time you will have to engage one-on-one with people. Don’t let yourself feel guilty about this as it is inevitable.

** Go to a trusted source for information but be warned: Such a place may not (yet) exist.

Curated by Jan Gordon covering “Curation, Social Business and Beyond”

See article here: [http://bit.ly/VcYLb]

See on www.ragan.com

See on Scoop.it – Green & Sustainable News

“Sustainability does not mean defending the non-human world from human expansion. Instead, it has come to mean sustaining human civilisation at the comfort level which the world’s rich people feel is their right.”

See on www.abc.net.au

See on Scoop.it – Green Energy Technologies & Development

Smart Grid – Hurricane Sandy continues to take a toll in the Northeast – long after the winds stopped blowing.

““From Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee, to Hurricane Sandy, over the past two years New York has experienced some of the worst natural disasters in our state’s history,” Cuomo said in a statement. “As we adjust to the reality of more frequent major weather incidents, we must study and learn from these past experiences to prepare for the future.” “

See on www.smartgridnews.com

See on Scoop.it – Twitter & Social Media

I think for geeks, that first computer is a little bit like a first love. You remember it longingly, even though it isn’t anything that would make you at all happy today.

See on www.makeuseof.com

See on Scoop.it – Green Building Design – Architecture & Engineering

San Francisco is greening its real estate records. Ecologically-sustainable building…

Green Labels being recorded by the Assessor’s office are U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), Build It Green’s Green Point Rated, Home Energy Rating System II (HERS II), Home Energy Score (US Dept of Energy) and Energystar.

“We are making San Francisco history by including Green Labels in our official property records,” said Ting.

See on sustainablebusinessoregon.com

See on Scoop.it – Green Building Operations – Systems & Controls, Maintenance & Commissioning

-Keeping your data center from overheating is important, but it’s not the only element for proper maintenance.

See on www.plantengineering.com

See on Scoop.it – Green Building Operations – Systems & Controls, Maintenance & Commissioning

Green and sustainable cleaning practices are among the key drivers in the commercial cleaning industry, and show no signs of slowing down.

“While the environmental benefits are clear, there is often the notion that sustainable cleaning and green products come with a high cost. However, a growing body of evidence has documented that comprehensive green cleaning programs, in addition to sustainable building practices, have led to significant savings on energy, water, chemi­cals and waste, while reducing illness and injuries to custodial staff as well as workers’ compensation costs. “

See on www.buildings.com